That one second confusion in her made her hand grew weaker which was enough for his hold to grew stronger making everyone's eyes glue to those knotted hands...

Just then...

Dhamu : kathir... yenathu da ithelam...

Dhamu, the cousin brother of Lakshmi and Murugan was the first to bounce back to present as he knew this was a complete lie as it was him who was in contact with both families ever...
He knew very well that both kathir and mullai were totally unaware of eachother till they met few days back...
How come this one year love fit into reality...
He didnt know what's this all about but the explanations were clear to fit into...

K : uncle... engaloda auditor janaki madam kitaa than mullai CA practice panra... apadi than engaluku palakkam... if you want you can check with her as well... i can get you janaki mam's number...

To Mu : or... mama... ungakita avanga number irukume neengale kupitu kelunga... she will say... (confidently)

Murugan was getting weak on his knees hearing this...
Though he was disturbed by kathir's call, he let it go as kathir was not in country so there wouldn't be problems in the marriage...
But seeing him here in lightening speed with all plans to stop the marriage was scaring him...

Pandian and lakshmi who knew about kathir was not surprised about the act played but they were worried about mullai for things she had to go through...
Worst of all was parvathi, she didnt know about kathir's love so she didnt understand head and tail of things happening which made her head spin...

Off all, Everything kathir say was a news even to mullai...
Was her senior, auditor for her aunt's family...
Is it another lie...
Or kathir knows her even before they met in kunnakudi...
Did he fell for her by then...
That's why all these dramas and the words slipped that day...

Mullai looked at kathir as if she was trying to find answers for her question while kathir glanced her back fervently...
That one second eyelock was intolerable for dheena which made him burst in frustration...

Dh : oh oru varushamaa intha koothu nadakutha...  athe oru varusham munnadi naan propose panapo yenamo perusa vaai kizhiya pesina... unaku apadi yellam yentha yennamum illaa... padippu than manasula iruku... athu ithu nu yevalo nallava vesham potta... appo avanaa manasula vechutu than apadi paniya...

Mu : mapi... thambi... ponna thappa pesa venaam... konjam....

Vas : parra aniyayatha... yen ne... nethu varai mapilla mapilla nu konjinenga... ippo thambi ah... vasathiya oru edam vanthathum apadiye balti adikarenga paarunga... ungala nambi samantham pesinom la engala solanum...

Dhamu : vasantha... konjam porumaiya iru... varthaiya vidaathe... konjam ukanthu theliva pesuvom...

Vas : ini yena mama porumaiya irukarathu... iva poi kandavangaloda kandapadi koothadichutu onume nadakatha madhiri veetuku varuvaalam... ivanga kudumbam kalyanam panika solluvangalam... ivalum yellathaiyum maranthutu panipalam... en paiyanum vekkame illaama panikanuma... athuku vera aala paarunga mama... engalaa yena nu nenachenga...

Mah : ithana naal ivanga pota veshatha nambinomla vasantha... athan namala kenapaya nu nenachuparanga... ippo ivanga vandavaalam veliya vanthathum enna panrathunu puriyaama nallavanga madhiri nadikaranga...

Mullai bit her lips hearing to it not knowing what to reply for the blame that fell on her shoulders...
Whom to blame...
The one who created the drama or the one who trusted the drama...

Mullai can declare that all these were webbed lies immediately...
If kathir does hundred things to stop the marriage, she can do thousand things to make the stopped marriage happen...
But on account of what...
Should she prove herself for this cheap person who was her groom-to-be and his own family few minutes ago...
So just few pictures and a string of lie is enough to doubt her dignity...

What would happen if the same situation comes after marriage...
He knew her since childhood but he comes to such a conclusion...
Just a marriage wont change his thought process...
Off course, this fellow is going to react the same for sure...
Wouldn't it be a big insult to her...
Suddenly she felt accepting for this marriage was the biggest blunder she did in her lifetime...
She wanted to slap the idiot who was about to marry her right on his face and throw him out...
That thought infact made her feel better that she was no more mentally involved in this crappy marriage proposal...

But her anger shifted to kathir who had his hands entwined still...
Just because of his acts, all these talks were coming up about her but he was standing like a rockstone...

Hmmm but not exactly she thought...
For every word of dheena and vasantha, she could feel his grip getting harder and harder just that she can feel even the flush of his blood through veins...
His eyes were flaming like forest fire but in contrast his face was like a clean slate...
His whole frame was getting stiff as a teakwood standing strong in harsh gale...

Relative 1 : akka... chummaa yethuku vaaiku vanthathelam pesitu irukenga... mullai mela yena thappu... paavam ava... aasai patavana vitutu inoru kalyanam... athum paatikaga kudumbathukaga nu yosichu panika vanthuruka...

Ipo intha thambi matum varalaina yena agirukum... ava aasai yelam onum illaama poirukum... yetho kadavula paathu antha thambiya varavechutaan nu santhoshapadunga...

Relative 2 : athan eh... unga paiyana vida lakshmi athachi paiyanuku padippu, azhagu, kaasu panam, sothu, vasathi yellame jhasthi... pattanathula vera irukanga... athum aasai pata paiyan vera... apadi irunthum kudumbathukaga yellathaiyum vituruka... atha poi kevalama pesirenga... yentha ponnu ipadi panum...

Relative 3 :  ithelam... munnadiye solirukalam than... illaanu solala... dheenaku nadanthathu thappu than... aana athuku ipadi kandapadi pesi yena aga poguthu... namma elam onnukula onnu... nammakula yena... pesama vidunga... dheena ku nalla ponnu kedaikaamala poidum...

Relative 4 : yen mullai ithelam nenachu than nethu azhuthiya nee... enga kita solirukalam la... paati mudivu panita udane katikanuma... apadi yena de agidum avangaluku... paatikita yellam pesirukalam... athukaga un vazhkaiya azhuchukuviya...

Relative 2 : athan eh... mudhal un vazhkaiya paakanum mullaa... appuram than kudumbam yellam... ipadi chinnapullathanama panitiye...

Relative 1 : ippo yena achu... onum kettu pogala... lakshmi akka... mudhala mullaiya unga paiyanuku kalyanam pani kutitu ponga... pirinja kudumbam palaya madhiri agidum... pirinja ivangalum senthuduvaanga... murugan anne... ungalukum than solren...

A small smile creeped kathir's face and his body relaxed as the talks turned well as he planned and mullai was accepted to sacrifice her love for her own family...
He could see except few from dheena's side everyone were speaking high of mullai and there were absolutely no negative talks...

People were really happy about how mullai stood for her family while kathir stood for his love...
They praised them wholeheartedly wishing them good life...

Adding to it, there were few who were hurt by vasantha and mehandran's big mouth...
And now those people used this chance to give it back to them putting them down and praising the other...
Standing unwanted there and hearing people speak high about kathir and mullai made dheena and family fume in anger and jealousy...
They couldn't accept the things happened but more than that they couldnt hear the praises about kathir and his family comparing with dheena and his family...
So they decided to leave...

Vas : inga parunga ne... yenamo pesalam pesalam nu sonengale... inime pesa onum illaa... naanga kelambarom... en paiyanuku vera nalla ponna paathukaren... intha madhiri kevalam yellam enga kudumbathuku venaam... odi poi kalyanam panangale antha lakshmi akka... avangaluku than othu varum... avangale vechukatum... yena da solre nee...

Dh : solla yenama iruku... nallavelai... intha saakadaikula vizhala nu santhoshaama iruku... vaanga polam...

They spit venom in the form of words and started moving out just to be stopped by kathir...

K : hello dheena oru minute... aunty... uncle... one nimisham...

Kathir advanced near them still not leaving mullai and she had to tail him without any option...

Dh : yena da...

K : onum illaa dheena... neenga ivalo neram neraya pesinenga.. naan just ketten... but yethum pesala athan pesidalam nu...

Dh : yena pesa pore... yena merata poriya... yaarkita... thooki pottu mithichena...

K : hey hey... just a friendly talk among friends man... avalo than... merattal yellam illaa...

Dh : ...

K : hearing to what you spoke about mullai from starting till now, i really want to rip your head off your body...

Dh (shouting)  : dei...

K : chill chill man... let me complete... yenga vitten... yes... i want to rip your head off your body...

but you know what... enaku unna madhiri intha overreaction panrathu, highpitch la katharathu, thooki potu mithikarathu ithelam palakkam illaa... and thats not my style too...

(Sternly) my style is just ripping the soul out of the body...

Vas : yena da olararaan ivan...

K : oh no... english theriyatha... no worries inime tamil la solren...

Yenana.... ippo inga naan sonathu yellame poi... intha oru varusha love, paati, kudumbam, sacrifice, bla bla yelame... naan mullaiya just 20 days munnadi than paathen...  just five minutes meeting.. just 2 minutes of talk avalo than... i fell for her and i came for her... ithula highlight yena na ithu yethume avaluku naan inga vara varai theriyaathu...

As dheena saw the projector skeptically...

K : haan... good catch dheena... antha pictures yellame edited... onnu kuda unmai illaa... if you want you can check mullai's insta id... avaloda ithe solo pictures gorgeous ah irukum... do check out...

to be precise... naan mullaiya love panren nu sonatha thavira matha yellame poi... i swear... en mullai mela... en parents mela promise...

Dh : yena...

Dheena and his parents were shocked to the core feeling like fainting hearing to it...
Words never came out of their throat as they didnt expect such a twist...

K : dheena onnu theriyuma... enaku intha padathula yellam vara america mapillai character paatha paavama irukum... hero heroine loveku avana scapegoat aakarengale da nu...

trust me... when i came here, mullaikaga 100 percent feel panenna unakaga 50 percent feel panen... oru paiyanoda aasaiya ipadi azhikarome nu...

but thanks to you... you completely removed my guilt behaving so cheap... also thanks for making my work simple... nee mattum nallavana irunthuruntha en paadu thindatamagirukum... in that way iam really really grateful to you...

Kathir's words were very crisp and clear but not audible to people other than dheena family and mullai...

Dh : naan... naan itha yellar kitayum soluven... nee... nee...

K : tharalama sollu... yaarum namba matanga...  shall we give it a try... (wink)

After all chaos, Will people believe even if dheena shout what kathir said to them...
Definitely no...
Even if he try to say, he knew kathir would blatantly refuse and people would believe him...
For one who designed a beautiful love story in matter of few lies and pictures, is it going to be tough...
No way...
And for all his talks would mullai give a heed about him...
No way again...
More than before, dheena felt ripped inside for missing mullai as he himself has dropped the glass box of fortune from his own hands shattering it into pieces...
That feeling was crushing him mad...

K : you know this is called ripping the soul... powerful than ripping the head...

(Cruelly)... intha unmaiya ah kaalam muzhuka manasula nenachu nenachu saavu... appo than avala pathi nee pesinaa oru oru pechum unna thinamum kollum... 

To Vas : btw neenga than eh en amma odi ponanga nu pesinathu... en amma odi pogala.. love marriage pani velagi ponanga...

and also mullaiya naanga than vechupom... she is mine and ours... ungaluku kudukaratha illaa... neenga kelambalam... good bye and thanks once again...

As kathir bowed hands to them sarcastically, even in that hectic time mullai let out a little smile which faded in a second thinking what next...
Now her hands were free from kathir's, she rushed to her mom sheltering in her warm shoulders...
As dheena and family left the place, everyone stood rooted not able to think...
The whispers were still on in the hall and dhamu intervened...

Dhamu : yellarum thayavu senju ukarunga... nenaikathathu nadanthuduchu... sari panidalam... naanga konjam pesitu varom...

As the crowd consented and sat for sharing gossips and concerns, dhamu took kathir and mullai inside a room along with their family...
Inside the room...

L (crying) : athana thadavai padichu padichu sonome da... pesama vidu vidunu... yena kaariyam pani vechuruka paaru... engala thala kuninju nikka vechutiye...

K : maa... naan unkita ketten... appakita ketten... mamakita ketten... even mullaikita kuda ketten... neenga yaarum purinjukala... yena vera yena pana solrenga... I WANT HER... THATS ALL...

Kathir threw a look at mullai who was lying on mother's shoulders with father's hand clutched...
Out of impulse, she looked at him and lowered her head immediately...

L : antha varthaiya innoru thadavai sonna aranjuduven... vayiru yeriyuthu da enaku...

yellam ungala solanum... ore paiyan nu chellam kuduthu aasai patathu yelam vaangi kuduthengalla... bike,car nu poi ippo ipadi vanthu nikkuthu... appove kandichu valathuruntha ipadi aguma...

Pan : chhh lakshmi... mudinjatha pathi yethuku pechu... aduthu nadakka vendiyatha paapom...

L : yenatha pakarathu... pasangala olunga valakalaina ponnunga vazhkai than kettu pogumngrathu namale uthaaranama ukanthutu irukom... yellam panitu ivanuku yetha iruka paarunga... kallu madhiri ukanthutu irukaan...

K : maa... iam just giving you guys some breathing space... athan yethum pesama iruken... illaa pesanuma sollu pesaren... even i badly want to talk... first to mullai...

L : nee onum pesa venaam... pesina varai pothum... yethana poi... oru varusha love aam... yen da unaku oru mama ponnu iruntha nu theriyuma unaku oru varusham munnadi...

K : yes i dont know... but...

Dhamu :  aiyo iru kathir... lakshmi... konjam niruthu...  nee ukanthutu kathir kita sandai potu azharathala oru piriyojanamum illaa... yetha maara pogutha ippo... atha sollu...

Understanding the truth in his words, Lakshmi wiped her eyes and came to her brother's family...

L : mulla... manich...

P : athachi... pothum... neengalum annanum yen kathirum kuda maathi maathi manippu ketachu... nadanthatha vidunga... namma pasanga neram... ipadi than nadakanumnu vithichuruku pola... athaiye pesa venaam... aduthu yena panrathu nu yosipom...

Not that parvathi was not affected by these chaos, not that she was ok with kathir's adamance but she wanted to overcome that and get a right life for her daughter...
She was not a type who broods over spoilt milk...
So she wanted to proceed to next step...

Mu : aama ka... vidu... manippelam venam... aduthu velaiya paapom...

Dhamu : aama Lakshmi.. oore veliya ukanthuruku namma inga romba pesitu iruka mudiyaathu... pesama ivangaluku kalyanatha pani vechudalam... yena solrenga...

The two elder couples exchanged looks at eachother showing consent and even little happiness but not the younger ones...
Kathir was so much agitated while mullai was so composed...

K : uncle... but i have to speak with mullai... this is not...

L : dei unaku mullai venum na yethum pesathe... nee pesina varai pothum... vaaya moodu...

Kathir shrugged his shoulders and settled in a chair glancing mullai while lakshmi sat infront of mullai...

L : naan ippo kekarathu thappu than da ma... puriyuthu... unna mudhala paathapo nee marumagala vantha nalla irukum nu thonichu.. aana athukula neenga vera solavum vituten... uff athelam venam ippo... maranthudalam...

Ippo unkita kekaren... nee kathir ah kalyaanam panikiriya...

As Lakshmi asked everyone looked at mullai curiously for answer which came unexpectedly from another side...

T : sari nu santhoshama sirichutu sollu de chinna kutti...

Everyone were surprised and shocked to see thayammal there and mullai ran to her hugging her tight with whimpers...

M : paati...

T : onum illaa de chinnakutti... azhathe... naan than vanthutenla... naan paathukaren...

Leaving the moments for granny granddaughter duo, others kept quiet...
Only then lakshmi and pandian noticed kathir's friends senthil, madhan and rajesh who were standing near thayammal's wheel chair with her helper aside...

Pan : neenga yenga da inga...

Ma : naanga nethu night eh vanthutom pa... preparations pananum la...

L (gritting teeth)  : kalyanatha nirutha vanthatha yevalo thenavetta solranunga paarunga... unga paiyana madhiriye thimiru...

Pan : vidu lakshmi...

T : dei muruga... aniki mullaiku kalyanam pananum nu sonapo naan kathir ah manasula vechu than da sonen... unaku puriyala pola... athukula vasantha ponnu kettu... neeyum akka ketanga mama ketanga othukitten nu sona...
sari lakshmiyayum mapillayum nu nenachu sari nu sonen... athukula thirumba bp athigam agi naan hospitalla admit agi...

Appuram vanthu paatha dheena...  aana mullaiku soliyachu... oorukum soliyachu nu sonathum vituten... maathi solli kashtapadutha venaam nu vituten... aanalum enaku manase illaa... athan kalyanathuku kuda vara manasu illaa... udambu othuzhaikala nu soliten...

Mu (surprised) : yenama solre... unmaiya...

T : aama da... appuram iniki kaalaila thangam vanthan... mullai than venum nu sonan... ketathum enaku kaaiyum odala kaalum odala... periya manushiya venaam nu arivurai sonen than... aana romba pidivaathama irunthaan... appuram sari nu soliten...

M : paati...

Mullai moved away from thayammal looking accusingly at her and off course kathir...

T : unaku ipadi nadanthuchu nu varutham illaa nu solala de chinnakutti... romba valichuthu... aana ipadi than nadakanum nu iruntha yena pana mudiyum... athan yethukiten...

L : dei unaku yethuku paatikita permission kekkanum nu thonichu...

K : maa... its was not permission... it was information... i just wanted to make sure she wouldnt be worried about this...

L : athan eh paathen...

T : sari athelam vidunga...

Parvathi... ithula nee chinnakuttiku chumma puthusa yeduthu vecha pudavai iruku ravikkai oda... ithu thaali... namma aasari veetuku poi kaiyoda vaangitu vanthen... athan thaamatham agiduchu...

Chinnakutti antha kattaila ponavanuku panina alangaram yellam venam... yellathaiyum maathitu vaa... inum ara mani nerathula oru muhurtham iruku... appo kalyanatha mudichudalam... dhamu... poi yellaraiyum sapida sollu... athukula yellam ready panidalam...

Yena solrenga yellarum...

Pan to L : ippo puriyuthu de un paiyanuku yenga irunthu nenachatha saathikara pidivaatham vanthuchu nu... nee yen eruvathi ettu varusham bayanthutu un veetuku pogalanum puriyuthu... yetha gap vidarangala nu paaru...

L : ufff... unga paiyan nammala nikkavechuruka  nilamaila intha pechu thevaiyanga... konjam pesama irunga...

As there was no answer from anyone, thayammal questioned again...

T : yena pa sollunga... sari than eh...

Pan : engaluku sari than athai... mullai solatum...

Mu : engalukum sari ma... mullai than mudivu solanum...

T : chinnakutti...

M : paati... enaku...

K : enaku mullai kuda pesanum paati... after that lets proceed with other talks...

Though fuming inside mullai met kathir's look that had been literally dumped with all emotions and just nodded the head in acceptance...

TBC...