Thank you all for your votes and comments.

Please ignore the mistakes. Happy reading!😊

Target: 100 votes

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"Elena! What are you doing? Why did you pull me here?", Sonakshi asked shocked as elena unclasped her mouth. "Shhhh! Stop shouting and come here", Elena said and dragged her towards a corner. "Rohan! What are you doing here?", Sonakshi asked confused seeing Rohan standing in a corner, all pale in fear. "Shut up and look there!", Elena said turning her and pointing towards the corridor as they all heard faint sounds of footsteps with someone's shadow approaching them. "Mr. Dixit", Sonakshi said casually seeing Dev walking towards his room. "He was behind you", Elena said as sonakshi looked at her with questioning eyes.

"I meant, he was walking behind you, so I pulled you here", she explained and sonakshi furrowed her brows at her. "So what? He has legs so he is walking. What's wrong?", Sonakshi asked a little annoyed. "Ma'am but he don't have legs!", Rohan said paranoid making her scrunch her brows in confusion. "Then, is he flying now?", she asked annoyed. "May be yes! That's what ghosts do", Elena said moving her hands up and down dramatically making Rohan gulp down in fear. "You have gone crazy ele!", Sonakshi said tiredly. "What? You didn't believe me, did you? Wait, let me show you with a proof", Elena said dragging sonakshi towards Dev's room along with Rohan.

"Do you know what we are doing?", Sonakshi asked as they all stood near the window of Dev's room. "Spying!", Elena said proudly and sonakshi rolled her eyes off her. "It's unethical to peek into someone's room without their knowledge", Sonakshi said looking away. "Oh then go, knock the door and ask him if we can peek into his room. If he says yes, then join us", Elena said annoyed as sonakshi gave her a grumpy look. "If you don't want then go. I will not give up today. Even if it takes a night, I will stay here outside this room to find the truth. And rohan will be with me, isn't it Rohan?", Elena asked as Rohan looked at her agape.

"He is my secretary, not yours. Rohan go and sleep. Remember, we have a client call tomorrow", Sonakshi said seriously making Rohan gulp down. "But sona, his working hours are over already. So now, he is helping me. I have rented him!", Elena interrupted. "Helping you as in?", Sonakshi asked confused. "In my mission DDG", Elena said. "DDG?", she asked confused. "Mission Dev Dixit, the Ghost", Elena said proudly. "What rubbish! Mr. Dixit is not a ghost", Sonakshi said confidently. "Yes Ma'am, Mr. Dixit is not a ghost. He is a vampire! Do you know what he said? He said he wants to taste my bl.. ", before Rohan could complete Sonakshi interrupted.

"You joined her as well! Great! Now you both do whatever you want to. I'm leaving from here", Sonakshi said annoyed standing still. "Oh please! Stop blocking our way", Elena said slightly pushing her from her place making her fume more. She turned around to walk but stopped in her traces as something caught her attention. "What are you going to do?", Sonakshi asked her shocked seeing elena still peeking inside Dev's room, who was taking his clothes from the cupboard. "I need to check if he actually has legs", Elena said looking at Dev curiously. "Ma'am you don't know what Mr. Dixit said. He said that he wants to taste my..", before Rohan could complete sonakshi pushed him aside. "So?", Sonakshi asked her doubtedly.

"He is gonna change", Elena said and hearing her Sonakshi's eyes widened. "Elena, don't tell me that you are gonna do what I am thinking", Sonakshi said panicked. "Just for clearing my doubts", Elena said casually making Sonakshi gawk at her in disbelief. "No!! Don't even think about that!", Sonakshi said coming infront of her blocking the window. "Sona, move! Stop disturbing my mission", Elena said trying to push her aside but she stood still covering her view. "You and your stupid mission! Shut up and come with me", Sonakshi said irritatedly and grabbing her hand pulled her aside.

"What is this sona? You spoiled the fun!", Elena said annoyed making sonakshi gawk at her. "Fun? Seriously! You better go back to Delhi", Sonakshi said as elena stared at her in horror. "Delhi! You are asking me to get out of your house!! Oh sona, I didn't expect this from you. You are throwing your best friend out of your..", before elena could continue sonakshi stopped her. "Enough of your dramas, my drama queen. You can't fool me this time. Stop your stupid mission right now or else pack your things and get ready", Sonakshi said seriously and was about to leave but Rohan stood infront of her.

"What? Do you wanna leave with her Rohan?", she asked him angrily. "As if I can", he muttered to himself inaudible to her. "Did you say something?", Sonakshi asked him doubtedly. "Ma'am, please can I sleep in your room for tonight?", Rohan asked gulping down nervously. "What?", Sonakshi asked him shocked. "With Bruno! I will sing lullaby for him to sleep. Please Ma'am, I can't sleep alone", he said almost at the verge of crying while sonakshi rolled her eyes and walked from there leaving him alone. "Ma'am please can I sleep in your room atleast?", Rohan asked elena who was already in an annoyed mood. "Oh you can! Well, I am gonna play ouija board again. Get ready for that", Elena said with a tight lipped smile and walked out making Rohan's eyes pop out. *Meow* he heard a sudden scream and his heart skipped a beat. "Kichu bhaiya!!", he shouted and rushed downstairs unaware of a pair of red eyes shining brightly from the dark side of the corridor.

***

It's almost late at night and sonakshi stood up closing her laptop tiredly. She knew she has an important call next day and though the work was almost over long back, she was hellbent on rechecking it. She was always a perfectionist. This was her dream project and she was not ready to lose it at any cost. Tiredly she fell back on the bed and her gaze fell upon the diary that was placed on the table beside. "I never thought I would get habituated to bed time stories at this age!", she thought and chuckled taking the diary in her hand. Flipping the pages of the past, she continued from where she left.

**Flashback**

"Papa, I need to say something. Can I?", shona who just reached her home asked her father nervously. She knew she had to be brave this time, instead of running away and that's why she said she will deal with this even without Dev's interference. Not that she don't want to include him but she knew she had already messed up things more and only she could set it right. Hearing her, Bijoy snapped his head towards her and Asha too arrived there sensing the seriousness of the situation. "I know where you are coming from, if that's what you want to say about", he said calmly and shona's heart skipped a beat hearing him. She wondered how he came to know about where she went but gathering all her courage, she continued.

"Papa, I know it was me who acted foolishly that night. I literally pushed Dev away without a second thought because he lied to me, he was even ready to sacrifice everything for me, which I thought I don't deserve. But..", "But? What happened now? Your mind changed?", he asked her but she shook her head. "I am ready to face everything papa", she said slowly. "Everything?", he asked her raising his brows. "Everything what people will throw at me. Every toxic words I am going to come across. Every person who is going to point their fingers at me. I'm ready for everything", she said confidently.

"Not only because this time the trust I have on Dev is more but also because this time I trust myself more. My parents didn't brought me up as a coward. I will never give upon something I love, for someone who didn't even matter a little to me", she said honestly and her mother's lips curved up a little. "Not even for your parents?", he asked making her heart skip a beat. She looked at Asha who seemed to be equally panicked as her and stood still. "Call them", he said and she looked at him confused. "Papa..", "Call them shona. I know they both are here only", he said and she looked at him wide eyed. Turning around she eyed Dev who was standing a little afar, without anybody noticing him, to come there, which he did immediately with Ramu following behind him.

"Ji..", before Dev could say something Bijoy gestured him to stop. "Papa", Bijoy said making everyone snap their heads at him. "Call me as 'papa'. That's how shona and chotu call me", he said calmly while everyone looked at him shocked unable to believe their ears. Dev looked at shona who seemed equally shocked and then back at Bijoy who smiled at him warmly. Words failed to leave his mouth, by the sudden turn of events and he stood stunned, still in his place. Bijoy walked towards him and patted his back, breaking his reverie. "Only if you wish", he added and Dev immediately bent down to take his blessings.

Bijoy made him stand up and wrapped his one arm around his shoulders. He looked at Shona who stood still dazed by the sudden happenings and gestured her to come, which she did after her mother pushed her a little, smiling in happiness. "Papa, does it means..", she stammered unable to believe her eyes. Even seeing Dev and her father together like this, happened not even in her dreams. Her father accepting their relationship was beyond her imagination. "I never thought that my daughter is so stupid", he said smiling. "Papa you accepted.. us!", she said in surprise as he wrapped his another arm around her and looked at Dev who smiled at her.

"Not because of what you are, Dev. But because of what you made my daughter to be", he said as both of them looked at him quizzically. "All the people I know used to tell me how brave my shona is. They say she is one girl in this village who can do what even a man can't do. They say having her as my daughter is equal to having a son. But some used to say the other way around. But in the end, everything made me feel proud as well as bad. Proud because she grew up so well that everyone who knew her, praise her much. Bad because I got to know about her only through these praises. Never in her life, I got to see this side of her. It's strange how a girl who was brave enough to catch a snake was scared to say even a word infront of her father", he chuckled.

"But this is the first time my daughter came infront of me and stated her opinion honestly. She talked what's in her heart without any reluctance and fear. She was confident and brave in saying what she thought and this is what I was expecting to hear from her for years. And when I already knew the reason for her confidence, how can I neglect that?", he said looking at their surprised faces. "On that day, when I found you both together, I felt like I was cheated. I felt bad that my daughter was doing something behind my back that I never expected her to do, that too with someone whom I trusted enough to let him inside my house", he said as both lowered their gazes.

"I felt you were playing with my daughter's life. I felt that I did wrong by letting you inside this house, our family. I felt I have given my daughter extra freedom to do such a thing behind my back", he continued. "But when I found you standing infront of our house for a whole night that too in rain, my opinion on you changed completely. That day, I was able to see the truth behind every word of yours. It would be a lie if I said that I didn't even feel a little proud that my daughter chose you!", he said honestly as Dev and Shona looked at each other.

"I would've accepted your relationship that night itself. But after getting to know who you are, made me to think about it again. Ofcourse I respect Rajvanshi family more but to be honest, being a father of a girl, I was scared to face the world if this relationship of yours comes out in public. I feared what are all the things she would be facing if people got to know that she belongs to a normal family. I needed time to think about it but before that shona did something which I was not expecting from her. She did push you out of her life and I very well understood why she did that", he said and both looked at him surprised.

"But shona remember, don't ever give upon things that you deserve for someone who didn't even deserve your attention. People will always try to pull you down just because you are going ahead of them. Those people, don't even deserve to have your attention", he said and she nodded at him understandingly. "I wanted you to come out of your insecurities. I wanted you to be strong and fearless to face the world. I wanted you to fight over what you deserve even if the whole world opposes you, even if it consists of me and your Mother! And that's what you exactly did today", he said smiling.

"And when I very well knew the reason of your change, why would I even think of taking it away from your life?", he asked smiling and turned around to face Dev. "Dev beta, somehow you are the reason for showing me who my daughter is. You gave me something which I have been longing to see for years. And I am giving you what belongs to you", he said taking Shona's hand and placing it over Dev's taking both by surprise. Ramu who stood silently till then observing everything broke into loud applause gaining everyone's attention.

"What a twist chachaji! I thought you are a villain in their story but you became their supporter!", he said grinning widely making everyone chuckle as Bijoy furrowed his brows at him. "Why am I going to be a villain in my daughter's story? If I want to be a villain, I will be one in your's. Did you forget about all the slaps you got from me since your childhood?", he asked folding his sleeves up and twisting his wrist. Seeing him all ready for a fight, Ramu screamed aloud and ran away from there leaving all giggling to themselves.

***

It's been two days since everything settled down between Dev and shona's family. Almost everyone in the village got to know about their relationship by some way or the other. Some used to bless the couple while some others had their own share of gossips. Few mocked shona and her family saying that they trapped the heir of Rajvanshi somehow while the others blamed Dev saying that he fell for shona only because of her beauty and would leave her as soon as he gets a better one who will match his status and standard!

But well, Dev and Shona were least bothered about those and so were her family. They both knew that something like this would definitely happen and got ready for that actually. But still there were people who praised and adored the couple for who they are. So finally everything was fixed and the day for Dev and shona's engagement was set. Dev so wanted to give shona the right and the respect, she deserves to get. Though it could happen only after their wedding, he decided to put a proper formal proposal as well as an announcement infront of everyone in the village, the next day.

Shona along with chotu, entered the Rajvanshi bungalow though she was strictly asked to not meet Dev till their engagement. It's already been two days and it was so tough for her to stay inside her house only. She missed wandering around the village happily that too with Dev beside her. Her father accepting their relationship was something that she never even dreamt of but still she missed their hide and seek relationship days. Now that everyone knew about them already, though there were different words she didn't even give a damn to them.

She walked towards Dev's room leaving chotu downstairs along with Ramu. As much as she was excited to meet Dev, she felt nervous too, she don't know why. After her parents accepted their relationship, this would be the first time they had to meet alone and she knew how much Dev would tease her for that. Though she was a little nervous, she was even more curious to meet him. For the past few days, they didn't even get proper time to be with each other or talk to each other. She very well knew like her, even Dev would be dying to meet her but he was bound to his policies respecting her parent's words. But shona being shona, was set to break all the rules and regulations and so she was here at Dev's doorstep.

As she was about to enter Dev's room she saw him standing near the cupboard holding something in his hand and all lost in his thoughts. Wondering over what he was looking at, she thought of surprising him. So careful enough to not get caught, she tiptoed towards him and closed his eyes with her palms. Though it didn't take much time for Dev to recognise her touch, he thought of playing with her for a while. "Leena?", Dev asked thinking for a while making shona shocked. "Who is that?", she asked him doubtedly making him chuckle to himself. "Oh no! Then it must definitely be Maria", he said making her eyes grow wider in shock. "Not even Maria? Then it should be Elizabeth! Or else emma!", he said making her eyes pop out.

Unclasping his eyes, she turned him around and stood hiping her hands giving him furative glances. "Oh shona! Its you! How can I forget you!!", he said in a surprised tone making her fume more. "Who are those people?", she asked him as he tried hard to control his giggles. "Those were the girls I knew in London, I mean I met them before you", he said casually. "Met them means? Who are they?", she asked him doubtedly. "I met them like how I met you. It's as simple as that", he said calmly. "What? Are you comparing those girls with me? How can you?", she asked him in disbelief. "Oh shona, I met them before you. It's nothing now", he said with a tight lipped smile. "Wait! Show me who they are. I will break all their faces", she said fisting her hands angrily.

"How can I show them to you? They live in London", he said shrugging his shoulders. "London! It's near Varanasi only right? I will go there and punch them right on their faces", she said flaring her nostrils angrily but instead he burst into laughter making her fume more. "What?", she asked him annoyed as his giggles didn't seem to die. "You are so innocent shona! Who said London is near Varanasi?", he asked still laughing. "You!", she said crossing her arms across her chest. "Oh my shona, I said so to make you believe me. London is actually in Britain, a place very far from here", he explained as she looked at him doubtedly.

"How far?", she asked him confused. "So far that you can travel only by ship or train", he said and she looked at him shocked. She never in her life had seen those strange vehicles which he was mentioning about. "It's actually the place where people like our general came from. Remember the one we met some day, the one with a car?", he asked and she thought for a while. "Oh yes! But wait, did that mean those names you said belongs to the girls of that place?", she asked him doubtedly while he nodded at her in a yes. "Oh my god! Then you even know girls of those place! I mean they definitely would be looking very beautiful than me and ofcourse wearing short strange dresses. I know I have seen someone like that!", she said reminiscing the time she saw a British woman somewhere.

"Oh you are correct. You don't know how beautiful they all look", he said smiling dreamily just to tease her but instead it made her fume more. "So now I got why you were so eager to go back to London whenever we fought! There is someone waiting for you there. Fine, go and live a happy life with her!", she said angrily and turned around to leave but Dev grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him making her back hit his front as she gasped in shock. This was the very first time they were this close and she didn't know what to do. As much as she felt comfortable being with him, she felt nervous whenever he was close to her. And this time too was not an exception!

He wrapped his arms around her tiny frame and pulled her closer as if it was even possible and she felt a shiver down her spine. She very well knew he would never take advantage of her. Whatever he does, she knew he was doing with all her consent. But still, she couldn't help but become nervous. He held both her hands in his and neared her ears. "If you want me to go, then give me back what belongs to me", he whispered in her ears softly making her toes curl up. "R.. Ring?", she asked faintly but he chuckled. He took her right hand and placed it on the left side of her chest, making her breath go uneven. She could very well feel her heart thumping aloud in her chest and so could he. "My heart", he whispered in her ear and she leaned back closing her eyes, losing herself in his hold, feeling his heart beating rhythmically, in sync with hers.

"Meow!", a loud scream broke their bubble and soon shona distanced herself from Dev making him frown. They both looked at each other nervously and then at the source of the sound, their black little kitten. "Why is everyone spoiling our moment!", Dev said huffing in dismay making shona chuckle. He didn't miss her cheeks covered with a hue of red. "That's why I told you to not bring this cat here", he said annoyed as the cat walked out as if nothing had happened.

"Then whom do you want to bring here? Those Eva, elizabeth and Maria?", she asked him irritatedly. "I was just teasing you shona", he said smiling meekly. "I know", she said smiling back at him taking him by surprise. "What? Then why did you behave as if you were angry with me?", he asked her annoyed. "Because I like how you convince me when I am angry", she said grinning widely. "Oh really! Then you like how I convince you in my own way!", he said smiling mischievously trying to grab her hand but she folded them at her back.

"Enough! Now show me what were you looking at when I entered this room", she said looking behind him. "Oh wait!", he said turning around and taking the saree that he kept on the table beside. "This is so pretty", shona said looking at the red coloured saree with golden border. It was simple, elegant and royal. "This is my mother's saree", he said caressing it gently. "And now, yours", he said forwarding it to her while she looked at him surprised.

"I want you to wear this tomorrow, will you?", he asked her curiously but she stared at the saree and then back at him. "But Dev, how can I?", she asked him stuttering. "For me shona. Please", he said with a cute pout which she couldn't resist but agree to him. "And now I want to see you in this", he said smiling widely. "No, you can see me in this saree tomorrow", she said sternly but again he knew how to convince her. "Fine, I will change", she said and left to the other room as Dev smiled to himself excitedly.

***

"Dev, how do I look?", shona asked nervously, entering the room while Dev stood up amused. "Dev, tell me please", she asked him who was still staring at her even without a blink or shrink. He slowly walked towards her with his gaze still fixed on her making her more nervous. "Shona, you won't believe me. But I am serious. You look like Maa, exactly like her", he said and her lips curved up. "Do I?", she asked him smiling shyly and he nodded his head in a yes. He grabbed her shoulders and made her stand infront of the mirror, facing her own reflection, with him beside her.

"I never thought that this saree would suit someone as much as it did with my Maa. You look exceptionally beautiful", Dev said eyeing her reflection on the mirror making her duck her head down shyly. "This saree is so special not only to my Maa but also me", he said and she looked up at him. "From my childhood, whenever I felt alone, I used to hold this saree close to myself. You know, it always gave me the solace of my Mother", he said as tears blurred his vision. Shona looked at him getting lost in his thoughts through the mirror and turned around to face him.

She made him sit on the bed and sat beside him taking his hand in hers. "As a child, there were nights when I used to get bad dreams. At those times, I used to sleep with this saree on my pillow. And I always felt like I slept on my mother's lap", he said smiling through his tears and she tightened her hold on his hand, trying to absorb atleast a little amount of his pain. Seeing him weak, made her feel weak too. "Can I sleep now.. on my mother's lap?", he asked her a little reluctantly. But instead she smiled at him and gestured him to lie on her lap.

Placing his head on her lap, he lied down holding her one hand as the other was busy in stroking his hair, trying to soothe him. "We were a happy family shona. There was nothing we could ask more for. Everything was fine until that day. The day, when my parents left me all alone. I don't even know how it happened. I was around 5-6 years old. Then my grandmother said that my parents left me alone forever and they would never return. I didn't really believe her until I faced the hard truth. I was sent to London to study. Everything and everyone there were different. Not that they treated me different, but I found myself different among them".

"All the kids there used to come to school with their parents but I didn't even remember their faces properly", he said as a lone tear escaped his eyes wetting her lap. She didn't wipe it off, instead she let it go, let everything go out of him, that had stopped him from moving on. She gently caressed his hair and hummed in response, gesturing him to continue. She was not really going to stop him, at any cost. "People there had so many relations. But I never had any. I used to get a few letters from my grandmother. But that too stopped after a few years and it was then I came to know that even she was no more", he paused as she kept stroking his hair gesturing him to continue.

"Then Raju kaka, that is Ramu's father used to send money often which was abundant for my expenditure to live and study there. He was the one who took care of everything when no one was here. No wonder Ramu is such a wonderful person, just like his father", he said with a small smile playing on his lips making her smile too. "Then I grew up like what my parents wanted me to be. And after gaining everything, I returned back to live my life and that's when I built this bungalow, to live in the memory of my parents, if not with them", he said smiling sadly.

"And it was then I saw you. From that moment I knew it was you. I don't know how you managed to take that place in my life which I never let anyone near to. And having someone whom I can call as mine only, sounded new to me. That's why I lied, I hid my identity so that there won't be any distance between us. But instead everything turned upside down. I almost lost you because of my lie", he said sitting upright and holding both her hands tighter, which she caressed gently. "But now you are with me shona. It's enough for me to live my life. You are the reason of my survival, the only reason. I can't even imagine my life without you", he said nervously gripping her hands even more tighter.

She stood up from the place along with him and took him near the window. The light of the moon enlightening their path as they stood beside each other holding their hands. "So many people can pass in our lives Dev. But only a few stay in it while others become memories. And sometimes its fine to live with memories, for that they are important if they have the power to either make you or break you. Either way, it depends on us to choose what we want", she said smiling. "My grandmother used to say if we look at the moon and think about those memories that have the power to strengthen us, then one day or the other, those moments would return back", she said looking at the moon as he stared at her silently.

She wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes and caressed his face gently. "You don't have to imagine your life without me Dev, for I am going to be with you today, tomorrow and forever", she said smiling assuringly making his lips curve up. "Let's live our life Dev. Let this be a happy beginning. Don't throw all your memories away. Close your eyes and think about them. Let's relive every good thing again", she said and he closed his eyes, passing down through his memory lane, cherishing every moment he spent happily. Smiling to herself shona moved towards Dev and held his face in her palms, not failing to notice a small smile lingering on his lips. Closing her eyes slowly, she latched her lips with his, as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her more into him, both drowning in the feeling of ecstacy, of their undying love, as she fulfilled his yet another wish, under the glowing moonlight.

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Will this be their happily ever after?

Precap : Breaking the barriers..

NOTE :
I don't know how to say but thanks to everyone. Thanks for supporting me and trusting me. May be I would've never came to know that there are people who believe me if this week didn't happen. Thanks for all your messages. Thanks for making me feel worthy in my own eyes 🙏

And yes have a look at the book "Stepping into the writer's world" by Luv_Devakshi. There is a question and answer session between us which happened quite a few months back. ☺️

My other works,

# Falling for you.. [COMPLETED]

# A Journey towards her.. [COMPLETED]

# My Little Paradise - A sequel to AJTH [COMPLETED]

# All Credits To Love - A Sharica OS

# Mine - A Devakshi OS

# Happy Ending - A Sharica OS

For more updates and spoilers follow my instagram account 'mishti7593'

Next update will be on next weekend 😊

~See you soon ❤️