"Thank God!" Karan said as he flopped on the sofa closest to him and put his feet up on the table. He looked at Preeta who shook her head at him "What?"

"Yeh tum kya kar rahe ho?" she said eyeing his feet on the coffee table.

"Preeta Luthra tum na mujhe aise ghoorna bhand karo mein bohot thak gaiya hoon toh mujhe na tum aaram karne do"

"Tum..."

"Mein nahi tum" he said grabbing her hand and tugging her towards him causing her to slump on the sofa next to him.

"Waah Bhai aapne toh kaamal kardiya!" Roo laughed seeing Preeta's shocked face.

"Mein toh kamaal hi hoon my darling sister! Ahhhh... Mom!" Karan groaned as Rakhee twisted his ear and pulled him back to his feet.

"Mom ke baache yeh saab kya hai?"

"Mom! Dard ho raha hai kaan chodo" he pleaded.

"Nahi Maa aap aur zoor se kheencho" Preeta laughed only to have Sarla pull her ear from the other side "Ahhh".

"Tu mere bete ko pareshaan kyun kar rahi hai?"

"Ha Sarla Maa aap punchiye iss kareli se, jab dekho mujhe pareshaan karti raheti hai aur mujhe pe haasti raheti hai!"

"Tu chup kar khote de putar, khabardaar jo meri beti ki shikiyat ki toh! Aur abb baata yeh sab kya hai" seeing Karan not saying anything she continued "Aab khada khada dekh kya raha hai? Kuch bolega bhi?"

"Yaar Mom aap pehele yeh decide karolo ke mein chup rahu yah bolu, kyun ke chup ho ke bolna mujhe nahi aata" he said as he wriggled out of her reach and moved to stand behind Sarla.

Rahkee rolled her eyes in exacerbation and looked at Sarla who turned to look at Karan.

"Betaji yeh sab...?"

"Sarla Maa, Mom aap bethiye..." looking at Preeta who nodded he continued "Hum sab batate hai".

Preeta moved to stand next to Karan and gestured for the others to take a seat before he began to explain the happenings of the previous evening.

Flashback

Karan chuckled seeing her wide innocent eyes and the pink colour that rushed to her cheeks.

"Main, main ready hone jaha rahi hoon" she said running into the bedroom.

Karan grinned and followed after her. Seeing Preeta rush into the bathroom Karan closed the door and slowly moved towards the window facing the corridor outside his room. He clenched his fists as he saw Sherlyn and Ramona dragging Mahira away from his room.

"Bohot huva! Abb innlogo ka permanent ilaze karna hi padega!" He spat picking up his phone. He may not have shown it in front of Preeta, but he hadn't failed to see Mahira being dragged out of his room and he definitely didn't fail to notice the knife in her hand. "Sammy..." he said as soon as his brother answered,

"Ha bhai?"

"Abhi ke abhi ja aur pata kar woh teeno diyaane kya kar rahi hai"

"Ji bhai" Sameer began to make his way out of the room without once questioning his brother.

A short while later Preeta came out of the bathroom, she noticed Karan who was pacing the length of his room.

"Abb isse kya huwa?" she asked herself when he failed to notice her. Moving towards him she blocked his path causing him to come out of his thoughts. "Karan, kya huwa hai? Tum pareshaan ho?"

"Nahi... nahi toh...mein... Ha woh tum bhag gaiyi thi toh tumhara intazaar kar raha tha"

"Jhooth toh tum bolna hi maat"

"Preeta..." he did not want to worry her nor did he want to be the reason the smile that had been radiating on her face for the last few days to disappear. He tried to decide what to do but the decision was taken out of his hands when a furious Sameer barged into the room.

"Bhai woh teeno... I don't believe this bhai woh aur kitna girengi?"

"Sammy..." Karan tried to stop him from blurting out everything in front of Preeta but Sameer was too angry to stop.

"Aur woh Ramona Aunty... nahi nahi aisi aurto ko aunty nahi kahena chaahiye! Chee!"

"SAMMY!"

"Ha bhai aap..." Sammer stopped realising that they weren't alone "Bhabhi app..."

"Sameer kya huwa? Kiski baat kar rahe ho tum?" Preeta asked knowing at the back of her mind who Sameer was angry at.

"Tum Sammy se kya pooch rahi ho? Tum ready ho rahi thi na? Toh ready ho jao, chalo der ho rahi hai!"

"Tum chup raho! Sameer tum batao kya huwa hai"

Sameer looked at his brother and sister-in-law in a dilemma of what to do. He knew Karan wanted to protect Preeta but he realised that the only way to protect them both was for Preeta to learn of what he had heard.

"Bhabhi woh..."

"Sammy,"

"Nahi Bhai yeh baat aap dono ka jaana bohot zarori hai" he said "Bhabhi aap bahitye, Bhai aap bhi" he led them to the bed urging them to sit down. Preeta looked at Karan who sighed and walked towards the bed and sat down. She followed closely behind and sat next to him, the sudden feel of her fingers interweaving with his own caused Karan to look at her. She smiled and blinked her eyes at him causing him to tighten his hold on her hand.

Sameer smiled at the duo before his joy was replaced with anger as he remembered what he had come to discuss with his brother.

"Bhai, Bhabhi woh..." as he explained what he had heard Karan too began to get angry, he expected Preeta to be worried and upset and that thought in itself was enough to spike his anger. What he didn't expect is for the grip on his hand to tighten to the extent of causing pain. He worriedly looked at her only to find her radiating with fury.

"Preeta..." he was cut off by Preeta who abruptly stood and started to march towards the bedroom door. Karan stared at his hand in confusion until the urgency of Sameer's voice bought him back to reality.

"Bhai! Bhai roko Bhabhi ko! Woh ghusse mein kahin kuch galti nah karde!"

"Ha... Ha mein..." He looked at Preeta who was making her way out of the door and jumped up to chase after her. "Preeta ruko, aare ruko" he grabbed her hand and started to pull her back into the room.

"Chodo mujhe! Chodo! Meine usse chuail ko chodungi nahi! Mere pati ka faiyida uthiyegi? Mein bhi dekhti hoon aare usske moo pe kaalik lagake uss saafed bhootni ko kaali bhootni nah banaiya toh mein bhi Preeta Karan Luthra nahi!" she struggled in Karan's hold.

He managed to drag her back into the room to stop her from creating a scene. As he tried to calm Preeta down Sameer looked down the corridor to make sure no one had heard and then came back into the room. Closing the door he looked at Karan who was now hugging a somewhat calm Preeta.

"Babydoll relax, kuch nahi hoga mein hu na"

"Lekin Karan..."

"Kuch lekin wekin nahi. Meine kaha na kuch nahi hoga" he smiled at the thought that even after everything she was more worried about him. She hadn't even thought about what Mahira, Sherlyn and Ramona had planned for her.

"Tum kyun muskurahrhe ho?" she asked frustrated "Do you think this is some type of joke?"

"Babydoll mein tho yeh dekh raha hoon ke meri babydoll mere liye kitni possessive hai" she hit his chest.

"Tum nah aise hi bakwaas karte raho mujhe tumse baat hi nahi karni" she tried to move away only to be tugged back towards him "Kya hai?"

"Babydoll mujhe nah yeh possessive wali babydoll pasand hai – I like it!" he nuzzled against her ear.

Ahhhummm Sameer cleared his throat to remind the couple that he was still in the room and they still had a problem to deal with.

"Kya hai?" Karan said annoyed at the interruption

"Kya Bhai, aap aapna yeh romance phir kabhi kar lena philaal yeh soochiye ke un teeno ka kya karna hai"

Preeta flushed at Sameer's words and wriggled out of Karan's hold.

"Aare tum kahan ja rahi ho" he protested

"Tum nah yeh sab chodo aur yeh soocho kya karna hai" Preeta said as she moved out of his reach.

"Kya soochu mein? Tum toh paas aane nahi deti tho aisa karta hu Mahira ke paas hi..."

"Aiy! Khabardaar you double duffer donkey! Soochna bhi maat!" Preeta grabbed Karan by the collars and pulled him towards herself. Karan smirked at her and slowly wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer.

"Nahi soochnga babydoll kabhi nahi"

"Bhai!" Sameer called again.

"Ha, ha sun raha hun chilana bandh kar"

"Bhai humare paas time nahi hai! Mein abhi ja ke saab ko baata deta hoon" he said turning towards the door

"Ruk!"

"Lekin Bhai..."

"Meine kaha na ruk. Tu kisi se kuch nahi kahega!"

"Lekin Bhai aise toh un logo ki himmat bardti hi jayegi"

"Ha Karan, Sameer sahi kahe raha hai. Aur aaj toh haad ho gaiyi hai yeh log kahbi nahi sudharenge! Inhe toh me chodungi nahi! Abhi ja ke uss Mahira aur usski psycho Maa ko iss ghar se bahar nikalti hoon" she clenched her fists and started to move towards the door again.

"Aare aare meri jhansi ki rani ruko" Karan managed to grab her before she made it to the door "Tum aisa kuch nahi karogi"

"Bhai aap kyun Bhabhi ko rok rahe hai? Bhabhi bilkul sahi bol rahi hai unlogo ko ghar se nikal hi dena chaahiye"

"Sameer yeh tho 'hum' chaahte hai, lekin shaayad Karan nahi chaahta hai" she huffed turning away from Karan.

"Babydoll," Wrapping his arms around her waist from behind Karan tried to explain

"Chodo mujhe"

"Babydoll, suno tho" when Preeta didn't reply he continued "Manta hoon ke meine tumhe aur Sammy ko roka kisi se kuch bhi kahene se lekin isska yeh matlab nahi hai ke hum kuch nahi karenge"

Preeta and Sameer looked at Karan waiting for him to elaborate.

"Aaj tak humne jab bhi un logo ke khilaaf kuch bhi kiya hai woh baach ke nikal gaiye hai aur ulta saara ilzaam tum pe lag gaiya hai" Preeta noticed the guilt reflecting in his eyes, but before she could console him Karan continued "Aaj bhi agar hum kuch kahenge toh woh koi na koi bahana bahana bana lenge aur Kareena Bua bhi unhe hi support karengi. Aur usse bhi bardi baat woh log aur bhi chokane ho jayenge. Aaj humme kuch aisa karna hai jis se woh khud hi aapne baniye jaal me phas jaiye aur khud hi aapne kiye huwe jurm kabool kare!"

"Lekin kaise Karan? Aur aaj agar patry mein kuch... nahi main asia nahi hone dungi!"

"Preeta relax, kuch nahi hoga..."

"Lekin Karan..."

"Meine kaha na relax" seeing her relax a little he led her back to the bed and sat her down.

"Bhai unhone hotel ke staff ko khareed liya hai toh kyun na hum unhe zaayda paise de ke..."

"Nahi woh log kafi shaatir hai, agar humne aisa kiya toh woh shaayad aapna plan badal denge aur hum unhe rokne mein kamiyab nahi honge. Mein yakeen se kahe sakta hoon ke iss ghar ke logo pe woh nazaar rakhrehe honge aur agar hum mein se koi bhi party se pahele hotel ke ass paas bhi dikha toh unhe shak hojayega ke hume saab paata hai".

"Toh phir hum kya kare?"

"Mere paas ek plan hai jis se yeh problem hamesha se solve hojaiyegi" Karan smirked at his brother and pulled out his phone.

"Teri reception hai aur tu mujhe phone kar raha hai? Kya baat hai bhai? Ready nahi hona?" the voice teased. Preeta looked at Karan recognising the voice to belong to Shiv.

"Shiv..."

Noting the unusual seriousness in Karan's voice Shiv sobered up "Kya huwa Karan?"

"Shiv mujhe teri help chaahiye..." Karan briefly explained what had been happening in his house over the last few years and the problem he now faced to his closest teammate.

"Itna saab kuch ho gaiya aur tune mujhe kuch nahi bataiye?"

"Sorry Shiv mein khud iss saab mein itna ulagh gaiya tha..."

"It's okay. Aab tu bol mein kaise teri madat kar sakta hoon?"

"Tu Hotel Park Plaza ke owner ko jaanta hai na..."

"Yes meri Maasi ki family ki hotel hai"

"Right. Humare paas itna waqt nahi hai ke hum yeh paata laga sake ke kaun hamare khilaaf hai aur kaun innocent toh mein chaahta hoon ke tum last minute saare staff ko badalwa do, kisi ko paata nahi chalna chaahiye ke yeh kyun ho raha hai"

"But if we do that whoever is helping Mahira and her Mom will alert them" Shiv stated

"Woh koshish toh karega aur issi koshish mein tum usse pakar loge"

"Theek hai lekin issese hum aaj toh saab sambhal lenge lekin woh teeno toh ek baar phir baach jayenge.

"Nahi baachenge, jab unka saathi pakra jayenga tum uska phone aapne paas rakhe lena aur uski jagaha tum waiter ke getup mein unka kaam karna"

"What?"

"Ha unka plan jaisa hai waisa hi chalna chaahiye!"

"Lekin Karan..." Preeta began but Karan shook his head stopping her.

"Unhe lagna chaahiye ke unka plan successful ho raha hai lekin plan humara hoga! Tum Preeta aur Veer ko nashi wali drink toh donge lekin Preeta ko mere room mein chodoge aur Veer ko uske room mein akele"

Preeta smiled at Karan's acceptance of Veer.

"Yeh saab theek hai Bhai lekin agar Mahira ne aap ke saath kuch... I don't trust her" Sameer stated

"Nor do I!" Preeta said grabbing Karan's collar, "Agar tum galti se bhi uss safed bhootni ke paas gaiye toh mein tumhe nahi chodungi!" Karan laughed at her possessiveness.

"But I trust her" he said shocking the other three "I trust her to play her dirty tricks, woh zaroor mujhe phasane ke liye kuch nah kuch karengi. Lekin uska bhi ilaze hai mere pass, jo bhi drink woh mujhe dene ki koshish karengi woh hum ussehi piladenge".

Back to the Present

Karan laughed at their planning and plotting.

"Yeh toh samaj aata hai ke tum logo ko sab pahele se pata tha lekin jab mein tujhe room mein le ke gaiya tha tab tu khud nashe mein tha, toh phir tumhara plan kaise successful huwa?" Rishabh asked.

"Mein batati hoon..." Preeta said "Jab Shiv ne sare staff ko badal diya tab ek waiter ka behaviour thoda aajeeb laga aur Shiv ne usska peecha kiya toh dekha ke woh kis ko phone kar ne raha tha. Isse pahele ke who phone kar sake Shive ne uss waiter ke sar pe maar ke ussko behosh kardiya aur usske phone mein jo number tha woh Karan ko bheja, woh number Ramona Aunty ka tha. Uss waiter ko Shiv ne police ke havale kardiya aur ussi ke phone se Ramona Aunty ke contact mein raha taki unhe lage ke saab unke plan ke according ho raha hai. Party mein waiter ke dress mein Shiv mujhe pe nazar rakh raha tha aur jab meine woh naashe wali drink pee thi tab Ramona Aunty ke saath Shiv hi mujhe upar le ke gaiya tha"

"Jab humne plan banaya tha tab humne yeh nahi soocha tha ke woh dadhi waala bakta bhi wahan hoga lekin Shiv ko paata tha ussne kon konse waiters ko appoint kiya hai aur jab ussne Prithvi ko dekha jo ke waiter ban ke ghoom raha tha ussne mujhe uski photo beheji aur maine uss ghadhe ko phechaan liya. Ussi ne mujhe drink diya tha lekin meine piya nahi tha" Karan grinned at Rishabh who looked at him shocked.

"Iska matlab yeh hai ke tu nashe mein nahi tha?"

"Nope bilkul nahi".

"Lekin jab meine tujhe dekha tha tab..."

"Acting mere Bhai, tu bhool kyun jata hai that I'm 'The Karan Luthra'..."

"Ha aur logo ko bewakoof banana 'The Karan Luthra' ke baen haath ka khel hai right?" Shiv said as he walked into house. Karan grinned and gave him a manly hug.

"Age ki kahani mein batata hoon." He said looking at the family, "Mahira, Sherlyn aur Ramona ke saath saath humari naazar Prithvi pr bhi thi. Jo spiked drink Mahira ne Karan ko dene ki koshish ki usse Preeta Bhabhi ne Mahira ko hi piladiya ta ke woh koi aur problem nah create kare, aur jaisa hum chaahatethe Sherlyn ne Mahira ko uske room mein behj diya. Phir Prithvi ne jo drink Karan ko di thi woh Sameer neh badi chaalaki se baadal di aur Karan ne jaanbooch ke Sherlyn ke saamne drunk honeki acting ki ta ki usse shak nah ho".

"Yahan taak toh samaj aata hai lekin meine tujhe khud room mein choda tha" Rishabh said looking at Karan "...aur tere room ka number Sherlyn ne nahi maine check kiya tha. Aur aaj subha jo drama huwa usse saaf zarhir hai ke woh tumhe Mahira ke room mein bhejna chaahtithi toh phir tum..."

"Jaadu mere Bhai, 'The Karan Luthra' ka jaadu" Karan grinned causing Rishabh to roll his eyes and Preeta to smack his arm. "What? Maar kyun rahi ho?"

"Tum na..."

"Mein nahi tum..."

"Kya Bhai aap dono phir shuru hogaiye?"

"Sammy tum..."

"Chup..." Rishabh said curious to know how his crazy siblings had pulled off such a flawed plan "Shiv tum baatao Preetaji Karan ke kamre mein kaise ponchi? Aur Mahira aur Prithvi ek saath? How?"

"It was nothing more than a game of numbers" Shiv stated grinning at Karan.

"What?" "Kya?" "Betaji aap theek se bataiye toh hume bhi samaj aiye ke yeh saab huwa kaise" Rishabh, Rakhee and Sarla said almost simultaneously.

"Sammy..."

"Ha Karan Bhai..." Sameer nodded and got Karan a pen and paper. Karan wrote '99' in large writing and turned it towards Rishabh.

"Yeh kya hai?" he asked

"99?"

"Right, '99' my room number from yesterday" he then turned the piece of paper upside down "Aur yeh kya hai?"

"66"

"Right '66' yahni ke woh room jahan Shiv ne Preeta ko choda tha"

"Iss ka matlab tum logone..."

"Ha, humare hotel poonchne se pahele hi Shiv ne '99' ko '66' kardiya tha aur Room '66' ko '99'. Phir room 66 aur room 98 ka plaque badal diya tha. Toh jab Mahira aiyi tho woh gaiyi seedha galat kamre main and when Ramona Aunty opened the door to room '66' she opened the door to my room. Raat ko woh aur Shiv jab upar gaiye the toh Shiv unhe dusri lift se upar le gaiya tha, so this morning she didn't realise that the room she was knocking on was on the opposite side to the night before".

"Phir unke jahne ke baad meine '66' ko phirse '99' kardiya. Karan ko shaq tha ke Prithvi bhi kuch gadbar karne ki koshish karega, tho uske kahene pe maine uss Mahira ke room ka number ulta kar ke 66 kardiya".

"Aur jaise humne soocha tha woh bagar billa Preeta ka karma samaj ke Mahira ke paas poonch gaiya. Shiv ne phir sare kamro ke numbers sahi lagadiye. Aur tune mujhe mere room tak drop kiya" Karan finished. Rishabh shook his head in disbelief and laughed to himself at the craziness that had been going on right under his nose.

The family too sat for some time and processed what they had heard.

"Lekin iss saab mein meri baachi ki kya galti thi?" A tearful Kareena asked thinking about what Kritika had to endure.

"Bua iss mein hamara koi haath nahi hai, mujhe nahi paata ke Kritika Veer ke kamre main kaise poonchi"

"Ha Aunty. Jab Prithvi Mahira ke kamre mein gaiya toh maine khud sare room ke numbers sahi lagadiye the tho Rajveer ko aapne kamre main akele hona chaahiye tha" the duo looked at one another feeling guilty and blaming themselves for what had happened.

"App ko guilty feel hone ki zarurat nahi hai, I can explain what you have missed" a voice drew everyone's attention to the back of the room.