Hello guys!

Here I am back with a super long chapter after a super long break! Hope you won't find it boring.

Thanks for all your votes and comments!

Happy Reading! 😊

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It was just another dewy morning and the lonely road of the village was filled with nothing but silence. The breezy wind made the tall greeneries move slowly only until a sudden noise interrupted the peacefulness and a black ferrari flashed across the road almost creating an havoc. The only thing that echoeded through the road was, "Sona! Sona!". Elena cheered sitting at the backseat with Sonakshi driving the ferrari fiercely. Both were so much involved that they didn't even care about the other person sitting on the front and holding his heart in his hands. "Sonakshi Slow! Please!", Dev was shouting his lungs out but she was in no mood to listen to her husband deary.

Looking at her not hearing his words he huffed tiredly but when he turned his face towards the road his eyes popped out in shock. "Stop!", he shouted aloud and before he could complete, Sonakshi pressed the brake really hard that if he hadn't worn the seat belt he was sure that he would've been thrown out of the car. "Wth! Why did you stop the car Sona?", Elena asked annoyed and hearing her Dev turned back, giving her a murderous look. "Because if she had not stopped the car then by this time your dear husband would have been in hell", he said and Elena furrowed her brows hearing him. "Hell! Why would he go to hell?", she asked. "Then where will he go after making the sin of marrying you?", Dev smirked making her fume and it was then her gaze fell upon the person standing frozen infront of the car with his eyes shut in horror.

"OMG! Rohan!", Elena stepped out and Rohan slowly opened his eyes. A sudden relief washed over his face realizing that he was still alive and he thanked the almighty for saving him from being hit by the car. "What are you doing here standing infront of the car?", Elena asked and Rohan looked at her in disbelief. "Be happy about it. Otherwise if the car had stopped a minute later then I would have been lying under the car, struck in the wheels and screaming for my life", he said flaring his nostrils and adjusting his big round spectacles while Elena rolled her eyes off him. "Scared kitten", she muttered to herself and walked away. It took a minute for him to understand what she said but when it did sink in his mind, his jaw almost hit the floor. Pressing his lips together in anger, he immediately rushed behind her.

"So, how was the ride?", Sonakshi asked removing her glasses and Dev turned towards her slowly. She couldn't help but smirk looking at him whose face was so pale as if he had seen a ghost. "Horrible!", he replied making her chuckle. "That's what I want!", she said while Dev gave her an angry glare. He very well knew her fond for cars and ofcourse driving too and that's what he was exactly feared about. "I hate you!", he muttered turning his face away and looked outside the window. It became an habit of her to tease him by making him sit on the front seat of the car and drive in such a way that would make him to even fear of travelling from then. It was always him who went behind fun and thrills but when it comes to cars and racing, he knew Sonakshi was to some other level. That's why he never agreed to let her drive but she had her own ways to make him dance to her tunes, before and even after the drive.

A sudden sound of click broke his reverie and even before he could figure out what it was, he was pushed back on the seat and his eyes widened seeing Sonakshi sitting almost on top of him. "Wh... What?!", he stammered as she neared him with a visible smirk adorning her face. "Do you hate me even now?", she asked seductively making him gulp down. His one hand automatically went behind her waist to hold her in place while the other went to unlock the door but as much as he tried, he couldn't. "I have locked the door!", she said smiling one-sidedly and he blinked his eyes in nervousness understanding that she was upto something. "I am careful enough Dev, unlike you!", she tried to suppress her smile and his mind went back to the moments Devrath spent his time with Shona inside his car and how she escaped from him by fooling him!

"Move", he said more of a whisper and Sonakshi moved closer towards him, pasting herself on him making his breath hitch. "Ugh... I... said.. to.. move.. away!", he tried to gather his words but that didn't distract her from what she was upto. Holding the side of his neck, she neared his lips and his eyes closed in their own accord, making a visible smirk appear on her face. She too closed her eyes and just at the moment she was about to kiss him, a sudden voice made them startled and both shot their eyes open in shock.

"Mummy! Daddy!", a tiny boy was tapping the glass with his tiny palms and jumping trying to peek inside but thankfully he was quite short! "Sathvik!", shocked, Dev and Sonakshi parted away from each other and quickly Sonakshi settled herself back on her seat while Dev opened the door and stepped out. A little boy of around 5 years with curly hair and his big round eyes widening everytime he looked at Dev and then back at Sonakshi doubtedly. "Mummy why were you sitting  on daddy's seat?", his question scared the hell out of Sonakshi as soon as she stepped outside the car. She looked at Dev expecting him to save her with any of his usual lies but this time he too was equally dumbfounded by their little son's smart question.

"Ugh.. Umm... Baby, mumma was helping your dad to", Sonakshi stopped abruptly unable to complete what she was about to say as she herself was not sure what she was blabbering. "To get out of the car as the door got jammed from inside", Dev completed in a go while Sonakshi looked at him wide agape. These super lying skills! "Door got jammed from inside only isn't it? Then you could have came out and helped D uncle to open the door. It would've been easier", another voice came and both Dev and Sonakshi knew who exactly it is. A tiny girl with her hair tied into a two cute little ponies asked narrowing her green eyes and giving them a questioning look making both Dev and Sonakshi nervous. "How do you know all this?", Dev asked in disbelief while piya pulled her invisible collars. "I am five years old and I know everything!", she adjusted her big round glasses giving a proud smile.

"Impossible!", Dev murmured to himself which didn't go unheard by Sonakshi. "What?", she whispered back at him. "How can Elena's daughter be so smart?", he asked amazed while Sonakshi gave him a death glare. "Piya! Look at this! This house is so big!", Satvik exclaimed and piya turned back and looked up at Bungalow standing infront of them majestically while both Dev and Sonakshi couldn't help but smile. "Woah! I am five years old and I have never seen a house so big in my life!", she said adjusting her glasses and gawking at the huge bungalow while everyone chuckle. "Yes, a huge house, full of memories", Dev said as he looked at Sonakshi as their minds started playing every moment they spent together in that house, the house of happiness, a symbol of their love which was standing there holding every moment of pain and pleasure for the past 120 years! The Devrath Rajvanshi's Bungalow!

"Did you call me kitten?", Rohan asked adjusting his big round glasses while Elena rolled her eyes off him. "Yes! You are that little black kitten with green eyes in Devrath's picture!", she shoved her tongue out teasing him and Rohan's eyes widened hearing her. "This... This is so unfair! I am not an evil spirit possessed kitten!", he said seriously while Elena turned away unable to hear his screams. Both were so much involved in being annoyed with each other that they didn't realize someone standing near their legs only until they were pushed a little apart.

"Then I am that green eyed evil kitten!", said piya, grinning and adjusting her big round glasses. And as soon as Rohan heard her, he gasped. "No, no, not at all!", he bent down to her height and kneeled beside her. "Why pops?", she asked with a sad pout. "Because you are a good kitten!", he pulled her nose while she chuckled and looked up at Elena. "Oh hello! My girl is not a kitten. She is a tigress like me", Elena said while the father - daughter duo clasped their mouths silently giggling to themselves only to be stopped by Elena's death glare.

"Hey guys!", a well known voice interrupted them and they all looked up at Adithya standing at the doorstep. "Continue your cat fights later on. Let's go inside first", he added as Shreya too stepped beside him, holding their one year old son Ryan in her hands. It's been more than 7 years since this Bungalow of Devrath had witnessed the arrival of any guests. Even Dev and Sonakshi were totally into their family lives that they hardly had time to get back to the bungalow. And thus from now on they have decided to spend every vacation of their family in Devrath's Bungalow, reviving their beautiful memories back there. When they were discussing this idea, even Elena and Shreya were so much happy about joining them but not their husbands.

Rohan ofcourse had his own fear which everyone knew about but Adithya's case was different. Though he knew that Ratan was gone long back, his doubt was whether if his absense is permanent. What if he came back again if they visited the Bungalow? Either knowingly or unknowingly, he didn't want to become an obstacle in Dev and Sonakshi's lives anymore. Though he wasn't the one responsible, he still can't deny the fact that Ratan made use of him to take his revenge and how the things had gone worse. And definitely he didn't want the things to get repeated again. But at the same time he can't deny his wife's demands. Shreya, being a doctor herself though she tried to but couldn't believe in whatever she heard about Ratan from everyone later on. Thus she had no second thoughts in visiting the Bungalow when Sonakshi proposed this idea to her. Little did she knew that this was the biggest mistake of her life!

His chain of thoughts broke as he heard loud claps and was amazed to see his little Ryan clapping his hands excitedly as they all entered the Bungalow. "Haa! Ryan looks so happy!", piya said seeing his smiling face. "Wow! He too is fearless like me", Elena raised her invisible collars making Rohan roll his eyes off her. "Before Ryan starts his mischief, I will put him to sleep. Excuse us please", Shruthi said leaving while Adithya too followed her. "Okay! It's too late now. We too should go and sleep. Let's tour the village tomorrow", Sonakshi said as the kids whined. "It's too early to sleep!", piya said with a sad pout while elena too nodded but stopped on receiving a death glare from Sonakshi. Giving her a sly smile, Elena bent down to match her daughter's height. "Baby, go and sleep. And if you wake up early tomorrow Mummy will take you to so many secret places. We both can go alone", Elena said the latter part more of a whisper and on hearing her, piya couldn't help but grin.

"What about me?", asked sathvik peaking in between them scaring both a little. "Uff! Okay. Let three of us go but without your Hitler mom", she whispered the latter part while he smiled showing a thumbs up and hi-fied to piya and the kids went to the room alloted for them. Elena sighed a heavy one and turned back only to see an angry Sonakshi glaring at her with her hands folded across her chest. "Whh.. What?", Elena stammered seeing her angry glances. "Hitler Mom! Am I?", Sonakshi raised her brows while Elena gulped down nervously. "No sona... I", before she could complete Sonakshi started roasting her.

"Ele! Please behave like a responsible mom! You are not a kid anymore. You should know what to talk and what not to talk infront of the kids. If you repeat this, even they will learn these things from you. Already..", she stopped looking at Elena trying so hard to control her laughter. Confused, she turned back only to find Dev imitating her actions and giving a lip sync to her every word. "Dev!", she shouted and it was then he realized that he was caught and looked up at her fuming at him. Giving her a sly smile, he climbed up the stairs hurriedly before she could catch him, making her fume more. "Idiot!", she muttered angrily and turned back as Elena immediately stopped her giggles. "Stop smiling like an idiot. Take your husband with you and go, sleep!", she said seriously and it was then elena realized that Rohan was not around.

Suddenly she heard a loud bark and looked at the source of the sound to find Bruno barking with all his might and Rohan standing beside him. "What did you do to him Rohan?", she asked walking towards Rohan. "I didn't do anything?", he pinched his throat and looked at Bruno who kept barking looking at the door of the store room. "What's inside kichu bhaiya?", she asked as Kichu bhaiya who just passed by stopped. "Devrath's old house was cleaned and a few things from there are kept inside. Nothing new other than that madam. Even I didn't get to see those things", he said and walked past leaving the two confused. "May be Bruno is trying to show you something", Elena said to which Bruno immediately started wagging his tail left to right as if saying yes. Rohan's eyes widened and he gulped down in fear. "But I don't want to see anything", he said and immediately stormed away while elena shook her head tiredly muttering a, "Scared kitten!".

***

"Sona, I've put the kids to sleep.. But wait, are we gonna stay here?", Dev asked amazed looking at Sonakshi settling their things in Devrath's room. "Ofcourse yes Mr. Responsible Dad!", she said casually placing their clothes in the cupboard. "But why? We can either stay in your room or mine", he said while Sonakshi shook her head in a no and smiled. "But this is our room Dev. We have lived our dreams here. Let's make them come alive", she said as a smile appeared on his face too. "Give me a minute. I'll freshen up and come", he said locking the door behind him and winked at her leaving her smiling to herself.

"Sona, I am ready!", as soon as Dev stepped out of the washroom, the smile on his face disappeared, replacing it with a huge frown. He stood hipping his hands and giving a staunch look at Sonakshi who was busy with her laptop. "Hello", he sounded angry but she was so much involved in her work that she didn't even realize his presence. "Excuse me", he almost shouted this time and asiding her glasses down a little, she looked up at him but averted her gaze back at the screen again. "Don't come in", she muttered making him fume more. Annoyed by her actions, he almost jumped on the bed scaring her a little. Removing her glasses, he threw them away. And even before she could retort back, he took the laptop from her and shutting it right away, placed it aside.

"Dev!", before she could shout he shushed her placing his forefinger on her lips. "No more work during vacation, understood?", she was taken aback as he lied down with his head on her lap. "Now, let's make our dreams come alive", he flashed a toothy grin and she shook her head tiredly. "Stop this cheesy romance Mr. Dixit. We are not newly married couple. We have a five years old son", she said but he shrugged his shoulders. "So what? My love may not be new but my way of loving you will be new with everyday", he winked at her and she couldn't help but smile. "Oye! You smiled, didn't you?", he asked her teasingly. "Yes, but not for your cheesy lines", she replied. "Then?", he was quick to ask.

"Do you remember?.. This is the exact place where Devrath opened up to Shona about his past", she said as their minds went back to that time. "Yes, lying on her lap... Exactly like this", he said and she chuckled. But he suddenly sat upright surprising her much. "And that's where they kissed.. For the first time", he said pointing at the window smiling at her teasingly and she looked at him in disbelief. "Your mind is so corrupted Dev!", she shook her head tiredly. "Excuse me.. You kissed me first", he defended himself and she looked at him wide agape. Suddenly something striked their minds and they couldn't help the smile appearing on their faces. "It's not the place 'they' kissed. It's the place where 'we' kissed", she said and Dev smirked. "Let's do it again!", he cocked his brows and she looked at him questionioningly. "Do what?", she asked confused. "You know, Devakshi is still pending!", he said smiling and it was then it dawned to her. Annoyed, she slapped his arms slightly but he got hold of her hand and when he was about to pull her towards him, the door flung open shocking them much.

"Mummy!!", Sathvik ran inside the room followed by piya while Dev and Sonakshi immediately distanced themselves from each other. "Didn't I lock the door?", Dev scratched the back of his head confusedly but the kids suddenly jumped on the bed, scaring them much. "Mummy! Ask this girl to go away! Shooo!", Satvik almost pushed priya and ran behind his mom, but the little girl was no less. "You mumma's boy! Give my pinky back to me!", she tried to grab her doll from behind his hand, but couldn't. "Is this how you put them to sleep?", Sonakshi gave Dev a staunch look while he gave her a meek smile. "You.. You are a nerd! Nerdy mushroom!!", Sathvik shouted back at her making her fume. "Wow!", Dev couldn't help but get amazed by his son, getting traits of him! Isn't this the same name he gave to Elena and Rohan long back?

But Sonakshi's one death glare made his wide smile disappear. "You Devil! Give my pinky to me!", piya shouted and Sonakshi chuckled aloud while Dev fumed. "This must be definitely Elena's training! I'm not going to spare her", he flared his nostrils in anger making Sonakshi laugh more. She still loved to see Dev and Elena getting irritated of each other's cute little banters. All of a sudden the atmosphere went silent and it was then their gazes fell upon the broken toy in Sathvik's hand. He blinked his eyes twice realzing that he actually broke piya's toy and looked up at her who was staring at him shock.

Upon realizing what happened, her eyes pooled up with tears scaring the hell out of Dev and Sonakshi. "No no no no! Dev do something!", Sonakshi looked at Dev who gulped down nervously. They definitely knew what will happen if piya starts crying. Already it's an century old bungalow and they didn't want to risk it's safety. "I am five years old and no one had ever broken my pinky like this!", piya sniffed and was on the verge of crying but Dev shouted all of a sudden, "Stop!". "Satu, ask sorry", he said to satvik who gave him a sad pout muttering a slow "Sorry". But she was in no mood to listen and looked at him teary eyed. "I will buy you a new doll", he said but she nodded her head in a no, sniffing her cries. He looked at Sonakshi who eyed him nervously and continued again. "Ummm...okay. I will tell you a story", he said and piya paused and looked up at him.

"King's story?", she asked raising her brows. "Umm... Kind of", he said removing her glasses and making her lie down on the bed. "No", Satvik was quick to protest. "That's what you are saying every night daddy", he said with a sad pout. "But this one will be different because this is a real life story", he said and a quick smile appeared on Sonakshi's face understanding what story he was going to narrate. "Whose story?", piya asked. "Devrath Rajvanshi", he said lying beside Satvik with the support of his arms. "Include me too Doctor. Let me also hear it", Sonakshi said lying on the other side of piya while Dev smiled. "Why not? So let's begin, shall we?", Dev asked to which all three nodded their heads in a yes.

"Once there was a king who returned from a far away land to build his empire here", Dev began. "Did he build his empire?", piya was quick to ask. "I don't know but he did build a palace, a very big palace", Dev said. "How big?", Satvik was quick to ask. "As big as this bungalow", Sonakshi replied wide both the kids looked at her doubtedly. "But how do you know that mummy?", Sathvik asked doubtedly. "Offo! D uncle must have told this story to her already", piya facepalmed herself while Satvik nodded his head slowly and Sonakshi smiled a meek one. "Okay.. Listen!", Dev continued as the kids listened to him attentively.

"And then he met a girl", before he could complete piya interrupted. "I know. She must be the queen!", she said while an unknown smile appeared on Sonakshi's face which soon disappeared hearing Dev's words. "Nope! She is a thief!", he said while Sonakshi narrowed her eyes at him angrily. "I am five years old and I have never heard such a..", before piya could complete, Sathvik covered her mouth with his hands, gesturing his father to continue. "Umm.. Yes. On the very first moment she met him, she stole his heart!", he said smiling dreamily at Sonakshi who shook her head unable to bear his cheesy words. "He should have kept it safe", Sathvik said and piya pushed his hands away. "Yes, he should have locked it with passwords", piya too joined making Dev and sonakshi chuckle. "He did! But she cracked the passwords too. Such an intelligent thief she was but a very dangerous one", he said earning a death glare from Sonakshi. "But there were even more dangerous people in the story and they so wanted to destroy the king", he said and the kids gasped aloud. "What happened then?", Sathvik was quick to ask.

"And that's how he destroyed everyone and lived a happily ever after with his queen, who still had his heart stolen", Dev completed and looked down at the kids who had already fallen asleep. "Why did you lie to them?", Sonakshi asked and Dev looked up at her confusedly, "Lied?". "They should have known Dev, that the king and queen of your story didn't have a happy ending", she said looking at the kids who were sleeping peacefully. "No Sonakshi. If I said so, they would have thought that good people will have a bad ending which is not good for them", he said. "But that's what the reality is", she was quick to say but he nodded his head in a no. "Reality might be cruel. But at this age, they need to hear and know only good things. So sometimes it's okay to lie", he said giving her a tight lipped smile while she nodded her head.

"But Sonakshi, only now I realized something", Dev said while Sonakshi furrowed her brows at him. "What?", she asked. "Sathvik is so happy to be with piya and even Ryan. He likes being around kids like him", he said and Sonakshi looked down at the kids sleeping and an instant smile appeared on her face. "Yeah you are right Dev. Though these two are fighting a lot throughout the day, but they look so cute while sleeping", she smiled looking at them who were sleeping holding each other's hand.

"Sona, don't you think sathvik needs someone to fight with him, to play with him, to grow up with him and to be with him always?", he asked while she looked at him confusedly. "May be he needs a little sister or brother", he said smiling and Sonakshi's eyes widened upon realization. "But I prefer a little sister for him as you know I always wanted a girl but you disappointed me with a boy at first. But that's okay, it's not too late now. We still have time", he winked at her and it took a minute for Sonakshi to get his words into her mind. But when it did, her face turned into a hue of red which Dev didn't miss to see and she immediately stood up to walk away. "Dev! You are always so..", before she could complete he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down on his lap making her eyes widen.

"Dev, kids are sleeping", she tried to get up but he didn't let her to. "Yes, they are sleeping. So let's start our mission", he said and she gave him a confused look. "W.. What mission?", she fumbled as he quickly stood up scooping her in his arms. "Mission Devakshi!", he smirked making her words die in her mouth. "Where.. Where are we going?", she asked stammering. "Why do you think we have 25 rooms in this Bungalow? Just to help us in case of emergency like this!", he smiled at her teasingly and carried her out of the room, closing the door behind. The two kids were sleeping peacefully unaware of the fact that Piya's glasses placed on the bedside table were covered with a black smoke.

***

"Shhhh!", the little kids clasped their mouths careful enough to not make any noise. Their gazes never left the bunch of fresh raw mangoes on the tree as they were hiding behind a bush. Suddenly a small stone hit the mangoes on the tree and they fell down one after the other making a wide smile appear on the kids' faces. "Yayy!", they jumped in happiness collecting the fresh mangoes down from the ground while Shona stood smiling, lowering the sling down. "Didi you know what, you are an expert at taking these mangoes from the trees!", said a little boy as Shona took a bite from a raw mango, lifting her invisible collars. "Shona Didi!!", she saw Chotu running towards her excitedly. "What happened?", she asked as he gestured her to wait, still panting for air. "There.. There! You should see that", he grabbed her hand and took her somewhere making her wonder.

"Oh ho! Horses!", Shona looked surprised as chotu showed her two tall horses tied to a nearby tree, one was dark brown and the other was pitch black with a white patch around it's one eye. "They look so pretty!", chotu added as she kept admiring the horses. It's not so often that they have seen horses in their village and whenever they did so, they have seen from afar. Seeing them so close made her feel the urge to touch them atleast once. But before she could, a loud voice made her stop. "What are you doing to our horses?", she turned around and was confused to see two men, with their faces covered with a white cloth. "Your horses?", she asked doubtedly and heard from the other man. "Definitely yes", and she was sure she had heard these voices before.

"Why are you keeping your faces covered? Are you both thieves?", asked shona suspeciously. "What? No! Not at all!", said one among them making Shona and chotu even more doubtful. "Then why are you both hiding your faces? Remove it", chotu was about to grab the cloth covering the tal man's face but he moved back and it was then she noticed something, his eyes! "Fine, you don't want to show your faces", chotu stopped hearing Shona. "My brother said he wants to ride the horse, isn't it chotu?", she asked to which he quickly nodded his head in a yes. "So, we will leave you if you give us a ride", she said and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Us?", he was quick to ask. "Yes! Me and my brother!", she gave a tight lipped smile while both the men glanced at each other confusedly.

"What? Yes or no?", she asked. "But what will we get in return?", the tall one asked. "Umm.. What do you want?", she asked in return. "This!", he pointed down at her hand and she furrowed her brows confusedly. "I want that mango", he said. "But it's bitten", chotu interrupted. "That's what I exactly want", he murmured and Shona smirked giving him her already bitten mango which he kept safely wrapped in the cloth tied around his hip. "So which horse do you both want?", he asked. "I want you", she pointed at the tall man and his eyes widened, "Ugh... What?". The other one started to cough out loud while chotu kept glancing at everyone confusedly. "I mean this horse. It's so pretty", she showed the black horse next to him and he sighed in relief.

"Help me to climb this horse", chotu kept jumping near the brown horse. "Help him", Shona said to the other man more of an order. Giving each a sharp glance, he scooped chotu up and made him sit on the horse. Glancing at his friend and Shona once, he too climbed up and sat behind chotu, starting to ride the horse while Chotu kept rejoicing. "Now help me too!", Shona said raising her hands up gesturing the man to scoop her up taking him by shock. "Ugh.. What!!". "Help me to climb the horse", she gave him a wide smile while he looked at her dumbfounded. Is she actually serious? But without saying anything, he knelt down infront of her, joining his palms together and looked up at her. "What?", she asked him confused. "Step on my palm and climb up the horse", he said and she looked at him amused.

Smiling to herself, she nodded her head in a yes and placed her one feet on his palms. He raised her up a little but she was about to lose her balance and so held his shoulders for support. "Thank you", she gave him a tight lipped smile but his eyes held nothing but anger. Soon he too climbed up behind her and sat on the horse careful enough to maintain an ample space between them. "You are too slow", he heard her and narrowed his eyes at her. "I mean, your horse is too slow", she corrected herself. "Is this the maximum speed your horse can run? I expected something more", she said and he rolled his eyes off her. "You won't be able to handle my horse's maximum speed", he said in a straight voice and she chuckled. "That's what people who make excuses say!", but before she could complete, the horse started to run at such a speed which almost made her lose her balance.

She quickly got hold of his hands that were holding the bridle of the horse and he pulled the rope making the horse stop with a sudden jerk. "What?", she asked sensing the horse stopped in a deserted path. "You are holding my hands", she heard his stern voice and turned back to face him. "So?", she asked confused. "You are not supposed to hold a stranger's hand like this!", he said with angry dripping from his every words and she narrowed his eyes at him. "Who are you to say that Stranger?", she asked and he fumed. "Stop commanding me and ride the horse", she said as he gave her a frustrated look and continued to ride the horse in a slow pace. But still everytime it crossed a stony path, she kept falling back on him, annoying him much.

"Can't you even sit properly?", he asked angrily and she looked back into his eyes that held pure annoyance. "Hey stranger! This is my first time riding a horse. So it's obvious that I will trip. If I shouldn't then you better hold me like this", his eyes widened as she held his hands and placed it on her waist. Unable to take it anymore he immediately took his hands away and pulled down the cloth covering his face. "Dev!", Shona gasped sounding innocent while his face looked like a riped tomato, all red in anger. "What are you doing Shona? Is this the way you behave with a stranger? You are not a kid anymore. You should learn the difference between...", he kept on shouting at her while she tried to suppress her growing giggles.

"Here I am talking something very important and you are smiling!", he said in disbelief and she quickly covered her mouth with her hands but that didn't stop him. "When will you even learn to be serious Shona? I am so disappointed with you. I..", his words died in his mouth as she placed a soft kiss on his left cheek. His mind went blank and he completely forgot what he was saying as the touch of her lips still lingered on his skin. She slowly retrieved back and he blinked his eyes twice to make himself understand that he was not dreaming. "Dev, do you think that I can't even recognize your voice?", she asked with a tight lipped smile while all he did was to stare at her in shock. "But...", his voice choked in and she lifted her brows still trying to control her smile seeing his state.

Calming himself a little, he continued. "But I changed my voice a bit. How did you recognize me?", he finally asked but she smiled. "Your voice, your touch, your fragrance and especially your eyes... I know everything!", she said making a smile appear on his face too. "From the very first moment, I know it's you! And that clown must be Ramu! Am I right?", she asked and he tried to look at her angrily but ended up smiling. "So, you were teasing me!", he asked and she proudly nodded her head in a yes. "But what's this funny dress up for?", she asked chuckling. "Funny! Seriously? We found these old clothes in the store room and came here to fool you. But!". "But the plan backfired and I fooled you", she chuckled and he gave her a sad pout, "Exactly!".

"But that's fine. Anyhow it benefitted me in a very good way", he said caressing his cheek where she kissed him making a sudden blush appear on her face which she quickly covered up. "I did that just to stop your blabberings! You literally thought that I would flirt with a stranger like that, didn't you?", she gave him a staunch look. "No, no.. Not at all. Sorry!", he held both his ears but she looked away. "But you are too innocent Shona. People might make use of that", he said and she raised her brows at him. "Like you!", she pointed down at his hands around her waist and he gave her a sly smile. "No, not me! You can trust a good person like me!", he said and she shook her head smilingly.

"And this horse is so pretty!", she said caressing it's dark mane and he suddenly held her by her waist pulling her closer to himself. "Now, you won't fall down", he smirked as she gasped due to their sudden intimacy. "And this is our horse! We can ride it like this whenever we want!", he whispered in her ears and saw her blushing profusely.. "Ouch! What's that?", she placed her hand at her back and found something. "Mango!", he said taking out the raw mango that she had given him a while ago. "What are you going to do with this half bitten Mango!", she asked as he kept smiling looking at the mango. "A small correction. It's love bitten mango!", he said and she shook her head at him smilingly. "Where did you get this from?", he asked her. "I stole it from there!", she pointed at the grove far away and he looked at her wide agape. "That's so wrong!", he said but she shrugged her shoulders.

"You never know the taste of a stolen mango!", she said slurping aloud and he chuckled. "And you never know the taste of a love bitten mango!", he said taking a bite of the raw mango making her go red with his intense gaze. "Why are you blushing now Shona? I am just eating the mango. I'm not eating you!", before he could complete she clasped his mouth with her hand. "Sshhh.. Enough! Don't say anything more", she said but he pulled her hand away. "Then you say something!", he smirked. "You...", she paused as he narrowed his eyes at her, "Me?". "You look so funny in this!", she pulled one end of his moustache and much to her shock it came with her hand! "That's fake!", he gave her a sly smile and she burst out laughing.

"What's so funny here?", he asked her annoyed and made the horse halt. "What's the need of this?", she asked controlling her giggles. "This Ramu! He was so proud of his moustache. So..", he pushed his lips out sadly. "You would've grown a moustache instead", she said. "But it will take a few days to grow and I thought it would suit this dress up too", he said and she shook her head smiling to herself. "Umm.. But without moustache is more comfortable", she said and he looked at her confusedly. "Comfortable.. For what?", he was quick to ask. Facepalming herself she whispered in his ears, "Moustache will poke", she said smiling a little and got down from the horse leaving him confused. "Ugh.. Poke what?", he too got down from the horse.

"Waste!", she shook her head tiredly and it took a minute for him to understand what she was hinting at. And when it dawned to him he looked at her wide agape. But before he could say anything they heard a loud bray and was surprised to see the brown horse walking towards them with an over excited Chotu and a totally exhausted Ramu sitting on it's back. "Oh my god! This boy made me ride around the whole village", Ramu said getting down from the horse tiredly. "Shona didi.. It was so fun! Lets go a ride like this everyday", chotu jumped and Ramu's eyes popped out in shock. "Ofcourse we can. It's our horse. And Ramu will take you daily, isn't it Ramu?", Dev asked and Ramu sat down on the ground joining both his hands pleading him to leave while others chuckled.

"Dev bhaiya, you know why I did all this. Now it's time for you to fulfill my wish", Ramu said while Shona looked at them confused. Dev gestured her to wait and took out something. "What's this?", Shona asked looking at the strange rectangular box. "Brownie", he replied with a tight lipped smile. "Brow... What?", she asked confused. "Shona! It's a camera, to take photographs", Dev explained yet she couldn't understand anything. "What is pho-to-gap?", she asked innocently and he chuckled. "A photograph will freeze a moment", Ramu said making her scared. "Freeze?", she gulped down nervously. "Not really. It will capture the moment... We can keep it for years. Just like a painting. But you don't have to sit in the same position for that long!", Dev couldn't help but smile looking at her amazed expressions.

Brownie Camera

"Where did you get this from?", she was quick to ask. "I bought it from London", he said and she nodded at him still gawking at the Brownie. "Now, you are going to take a photograph of us", Ramu said taking the Camera from Dev and placing it on Shona's hand while she looked at him shocked. "Why.. Why me?", she asked sounding nervous. "Because Dev bhaiya is going to stand with me for the photograph and you are the only one left", he said but chotu interrupted. "Even I am here!", he hoped while Ramu narrowed his eyes at him. "Shh.. You first have to grow taller than the camera!", Ramu shushed him off making him fume. "No... I can't", Shona said scared seeing the camera.

"Shona, listen it's so simple", Dev held her hands. "Just hold it like this", he positioned it below her hip and rotated the screw. "Now it's ready. Just push and pull this strip", he pointed towards the side of the camera and she looked up at him with a sad pout. "Should I?", she asked nervously and even before he could answer Ramu shouted from behind, "Yes!". "Relax. It's easy Shona. Do it well", he said and she nodded her head in a yes before letting out a nervous sigh. "Dev!", he turned around to walk but she stopped him. She quickly rushed towards him and placed the camera on his hands making him confused. "Now its perfect", she said sticking him the fake moustache and smiled. "Now, give it to me", she grabbed the camera from his hand and rushed back to her spot while he chuckled.

Walking towards Ramu, he pulled his hands out that he kept folding infront of Dev and stood beside him. "Bhaiya!", before Ramu could say anything, Dev shushed him off. "Smile Ramu", Dev said wrapping his one hand around Ramu's shoulders while Ramu looked at him amazed. "Ready?", Shona asked holding the Brownie in her shivering hands and Dev replied her with a big "Yes!". Ramu too turned to face the camera with smile filled with pride and Shona clicked the photograph with an huge smile adorning her face unknown to herself, capturing a moment that reflected the purity of an unsaid tale of friendship.

***

A loud bark disturbed Rohan's sleep and he immediately jerked his eyes open. Confused he looked around and yawned tiredly. "Did I just have a dream?", he rubbed his eyes. "But why can't I remember anything?", he scratched the back of his head confusedly. He could very well feel that he had a strange dream but what confused him was he couldn't even remember a bit of it! A loud bark again broke his reverie and he was amazed to see Bruno sitting next to the bed. "What are you doing here at this time of the night?", he asked but Bruno started pulling his duvet with his mouth and it was then something dawned to him. "Oh my god! Don't tell me you are here to show me something. I am not coming anywhere with you", Rohan covered himself back with the duvet and tried to sleep but Bruno didn't let him to. Annoyed, he sat upright giving Bruno a murderous look. "I am not coming with you", he said seriously but Bruno was in no mood to give up.

Shutting his ears with both his hands Rohan looked towards his right and was frustrated to see Elena sleeping peacefully. "Even in this noise how can she sleep like a dinosaur?", he fumed and turned back to Bruno who was still barking with all his might. "What do you want Bruno?", Rohan asked tiredly though he knew what was coming up and Bruno, grabbing Rohan's clothes with his mouth started pulling him. With no other way, Rohan gave up and got down following Bruno, while he led him out of the room. "Where are you taking me to?", he kept asking but Bruno was very much into his mission. "It's not safe to roam in the middle of the night that too in this house! Please leave me Bruno! What are you even..", he stopped realizing where he is. "Storeroom!", he looked around the room filled with nothing but darkness and gulped down nervously.

Suddenly Bruno left the grip on his shirt and ran towards one corner of the room making him more nervous. "What... What happened now?", he asked tensed walking towards Bruno hearing his loud barks again. He almost felt his heart jump out of it's cage in fear. It was then he noticed Bruno barking looking at a box placed at one corner. Confused, Rohan kneeled down and started taking the things out of it one by one. Everything looked so old and untidy yet mysterious. He himself didn't know what made him so interested in this box of mystery that too at this time of the night. Suddenly something hit his fingers and he was surprised to see a huge frame lying upside down at the bottom of the box. He didn't know why but all of a sudden he felt his heart beat increase  like never before. Nervously, he turned the picture but..

"Rohan!", Elena's voice broke his reverie and he instantly left the picture from his hand. It fell back into the box and he turned back to see Elena walking towards him with a surprised look on her face. "What are even you doing here?", she asked doubtedly. "Umm... I.. I was just checking", he looked back and it was then she noticed Bruno. "Bruno!! Don't tell me you were checking Bruno!", she said in disbelief looking at Rohan who shook his head in a no while Bruno left a low scowl. "No, he was showing me something but", he pointed down towards the picture in the box but it appeared blurred to him and it was then he realized something. He forgot his glasses! "Enough of checking Bruno. Now come and check your wife!", without letting him speak she dragged him out of the room while his gaze never left the blurred photograph, the secret that remained unrevealed, forever!

***

Next Morning :

"Beach!", Sathvik jumped in joy seeing the fresh water while piya facepalmed, "It's not an ocean. It's a River", she said. "Oh! Then it's a river beach", he grinned making her facepalm again. "Be careful!", Rohan shouted from behind seeing the kids walking on the stony path while Elena was leaning on the chair, plugged onto earphones and all lost in listening to music. "Yeah pops! We are good. You don't worry", piya replied back and Rohan smiled. How matured his daughter is... So unlike both her parents! "What are you doing?", Piya asked sitting down beside Sathvik who was busy in throwing stones into the flowing stream. "Look!", he threw a tiny pebble and fell inside the water not before hitting the surface thrice. "I got three points!", he gave her a toothy grin while she kept looking at the water.

"Sona, do you remember? This is the first place where you took me to, in this village", Adithya said and Sonakshi smiled as they both walked beside each other. "I guess even I was there", Dev came in between them giving them a sly smile while Sonakshi rolled her eyes off him. "Something is burning here!", Adithya said while Sonakshi chuckled. "Yeah and that's my stomach! See, there you have 'Your' very own beautiful wife playing with your son. Go and flirt with her. Now I am taking 'MY' wife with me. Come sona", saying everything in one go Dev grabbed Sonakshi's hand and took her away while Adithya chuckled to himself. "What happened?", Shreya asked confused seeing him smiling alone. "Nothing! Few things will never change", he chuckled looking at Dev while Sonakshi turned back and mouthed a sorry to him.

"Dev! Stop being so childish", Sonakshi said freeing her hand from Dev's hold. "Sit here", he sat down inside the mandap while Sonakshi gave him a staunch look. But he grabbed her hand and made her sit beside him inspite of her protest. Looping his one hand around her shoulders he pulled her closer while she looked away. "What's childish here? At times, we should be possessive about what is important to us and make others know how much it is important to us. That's what I am doing!", he said smiling proudly while Sonakshi shook her head frowning. But all of a sudden her frown was replaced by a huge smile making him confused. "What?", Dev asked her doubtedly and she turned his face gesturing him to look forward.

"Sathvik and piya are playing! What's there to smile here?", he asked her confusedly. "Dev, how good it would be if they end up together!", she said grinning making him choke. Wondering if he heard her right he gave her an are-you-serious look while she kept smiling, looking at the children and took out a raw mango from her pocket. "Sonakshi, you must be kidding! They are just five years old!", he said in disbelief. "So? Dev it's just our wish!", she said taking a bite of the mango and forwarding it to him. "Our?! Don't tell me this 'our' is you and your stupid friend elena!", he was quick to guess. "Dare you call my friend stupid!", she reverted back while he rolled his eyes off her and grabbed the mango from her hand, taking a bite over it.

"And what's wrong in wishing for something good? Me and elena are used to be together from our very young age. We both together went to school, went to college, began to work, fell in love, got married, even got pregnant almost at the same time and now we are together raising our kids", before she could complete Dev stopped and interrupted. "Wait! I don't agree to the last part. When did even elena try to raise her kid? Most of the time in a day, piya is in our house. So the credits of raising her also goes to me", he said but Sonakshi gave him a staunch look.

"Okay, a part of it goes to you too. But definitely not to that mushroom! Oh my god! I can't even imagine her becoming my sathu's mother-in-law", he took a huge bit of mango and swallowed it down as a whole in horror while Sonakshi tried to suppress her smile looking at his panic stricken face. She knew that if there is someone who could annoy the most annoying Dev Dixit then it's one and only Elena! "But ofcourse piya is a sweet child. I love how fondly she calls me as 'D uncle' everytime!", he smiled proudly while Sonakshi chuckled. "Dev, do you know what 'D uncle' means?", she asked. "Ofcourse I know. It means 'Doctor uncle'!", he said casually but Sonakshi giggled nodding her head in a no. "Then?", he furrowed his brows at her doubtedly and she whispered in his ears. "It means 'Devil uncle'", his jaw almost dropped down in shock. Taking his hand, she fed him the whole left over mango and closed his mouth still giggling to herself, while he kept staring at the children playing afar.

"I will try it once", piya took a pebble in her tiny hands and threw it in the river. But it just hit the surface once before drowning into the water and her face immediately filled with despair. "I won! You got only one point!", sathvik exclaimed in joy but it was then he noticed the sullen look on her face. "Piya, it's okay. You try once again", he said but she shook her head in a no and tears filled her eyes making him scared. Suddenly his gaze fell upon something on the ground. "Wait!", he stopped her and rushed towards a huge rock. His eyes widened and he kept looking at the foot of the rock. This was something which he had never seen before!

"What?", piya asked as Sathvik showed her his fisted palm. "You promise me that you won't cry and I will show you what's inside", he said and she gave him a sad pout. "You are fooling me!". "No! There is something very beautiful in my hand. If you didn't cry I will give that to you!", he said and she looked at him doubtedly before nodding in a yes. "Okay! I won't cry. Now show me what's inside", she said and he opened his tiny palms. But as soon as he did, she couldn't help but gawk open mouthedly at the huge red ruby studded in a finely designed white metal ring!

She looked up at sathvik and then back at the ruby. "I am five years old and I have never seen a ring as beautiful as this!", she said in surprise while sathvik smiled. "Keep this as a sorry gift from me for breaking your pinky yesterday", he said placing it in her hand. "But.. But this is so big!", she said with a sad pout trying to wear the ring but her fingers are too tiny to even hold it properly. Tapping his chin with his forefinger, he kept thinking for a while until something striked him. "Idea! Remove your chain", he said and she looked at him confusedly before removing the chain from her neck and giving it to him.

He quickly inserted the ring in the chain while she looked at him amazed and he gave it back to her. "Till you become a big girl, you wear this ring like this. And after that, you can wear it in your finger", he said and she nodded her head in a yes wearing back her chain. "But you should never take it off! Pinky Promise?", he asked forwarding his little finger and she smiled looping her finger with his', both sealing a new bond, totally unaware of little Ryan who was laughing and clapping his hands looking at the ruby that was shining in her neck, for which he had waited a hundred years!

******************************************
The longest and the last chapter of this book! So how was it?

Introducing TheCheeky_Girl12 as little Piya! This was something you wished on last Christmas and I know I'm super late. But I guess atleast I fulfilled a part of your wish 🙊🙈

So, see you all in the next part of this book for which I've been waiting since a very long time! Well, even more than Ratan did! The Characters and the Author's Note!!

Until then, good bye!

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 ❤️