"Shrishti... yeh tum... yeh kya bol rahi ho" Sameer finally broke the silence.

"What Mr Luthra, mein kya bol rahi hoon?" she smirked looking at each of the family members.

"Shrishti yeh tum kya kar rahi ho? Tum janti ho ke mein our tum... hum..."

"Hum kya Sameer? Hum kya?" her voice became dangerously low.

"Pyaar karte h..."

"No Sameer Luthra, tum our tumhari yeh family kisi se pyaar nahi karti... to please pyaar ka naam le ke tum pyaar k insult maat karo"

"Nahi Shrishti... I love you!" he said with conviction this time.

"Sameer yeh kya bakwas kar rahe ho tum!" Kareena bua shouted. "Meine tumhe kitni baar kaha hai ke iss larki se door raho! Our tum..."

"Shrishti!"

"Kya?"

"Uska naam Shrishti hai Bua Shrishti, our mein Shrishti se Pyaar karta hoon! Our mein ouro ki taraha nahi hoon (glaring at Karan) joh aapne samne aapne pyaar ki bezaati dekhta raho!" for the first time Sameer raised his voice in front of Kareena.

"Sameer yeh..."

"No Bua" looking at Shrishti in the eyes he continued "Meine kaha na mein Shrishti se pyaar karta hoon toh karta hoon!"

Shrishti was happy on the inside but her expression remained stern.

"Pyaar karte ho mujse" Sameer smiled at her words and nodded "Our tumhe lagta hai ke yeh meri problem hai?"

"Shrishti... Yeh..." Sameer felt the coldness in her tone grip his heart and tears began to cloud his vision. Karan heard the sound of the crack that formed in his brothers heart and couldn't hold back,

"Shrishti yeh kya bol rahi ho? Tum toh Sameer se pyaar karti ho toh tum uske saath asa kyun kar rahi ho? Kyun usko our apne aap ko dard de rahi ho?" Seeing the pain in Karan's eyes for his brother Shrishti smirked again

"Pyaar..." he let out a dry laugh "Maine Sameer Luthra se kabhi pyaar nahi kiya!"

"Yeh kya bakwas kar rahi ho tum?"

"Yes Mr Luthra meine Sameer Luthra se kabhi pyaar nahi kiya... ha meine aapne Sammy se zaroor pyaar kiya tha... bohot pyaar kiya tha.. aaj bhi karti hoon, lekin mera Sammy toh maar gaya"

"Yeh kya pagalo jasi baat kar rahi ho tum" Karan said losing his patience.

"Mein saach kahrahi hoon, mera Sammy maar gaya. Woh Sammy jisne humisha saach ka saath diya, jisne meri di ko di mana woh mere liye unsi din maar gaya jis din ussne saach ka saath dena bandh kardiya... jis din woh chup chaap khda raha jab meri di ko bina kisi ghunah ke jail bheja gaya tha!"

"Tumhe our tumhari uss bhen koi saza mili thi Mahira ko nuksaan pochane ki" Kareena interrupted seeing this as another opportunity to regain control of the situation and show Shrishti her place.

"Oh really Kareena Luthra? Aapne iss darpok batije se poochye..."

"Mujhe Sameer se kuch poochene ki zaroorat nahi hai samji tum"

"Ek minute Bua!" Karan stopped Kareena Bua now curious. He wanted to know from Sammy what the hell Shrishti was talking about. Suddenly he was feeling apprehensive about his behaviour with Preeta on the day of his engagement. His heart warned him that she was innocent and that he had made a mistake but his mind convinced him otherwise. He realised that the only way to resolve this was by listening to what Sammy had to say!

"Sammy tu bol, yeh Shrishti kya kahe rahi hai?"

"Are Karan yeh larki tumhe bharka rahi hai" Ramona spoke worried that the truth that Preeta hadn't been involved in trying to stop Karan and Mahira's engagement would be revealed in front of the whole of the Luthra family. She was worried that her daughter would be blamed for making a mountain of a mole hill and also for instigating the family against Preeta.

"Ramona, meine tumhe pehle bhi kaha hai ke yeh humare ghar ka mamla hai toh bahtar yeh hi ho ga ke tum beech mein nah bolo!" Rakhee then turned to Sameer "Tu bol beta, Shrishti kis baat ke bare mein bol rahi hai?"

"Chachi, woh sagai wale din Preeta Di ne sagai rokne ki koshish nahi ki thi! Woh toh yahan Shrishi our mujhe rokene aiyi thi." He looked at Kareena who was glaring at him and almost lost the confidence to continue but then he looked at Shrishti and realised that if he didn't take a stand today he would lose her forever. Just that thought was enough to force him to continue.

"Meine our Shrishti ne mil ke sagai rokne ka plan banaya tha" he finally admitted "Preeta Di ko unki dost se pata chala tha ke Shrishti Luthra house mein hai toh unhe samaj mein ah gaya ke woh zaroor kuch nah kuch karegi, toh woh usse ghar legane aaiyi thi" he finished.

Karan looked at his brother not knowing what to do and how to react. On the one hand he wanted to slap him silly for not saying anything earlier and on the other hand he felt he had no right to blame Sammy when he himself had committed so many sins! Rakhee looked at her family and sighed, how much more have they wronged the poor girl? And Preeta... the golden hearted girl would forgive them all she knew.

"So jaise meine kaha mera Sammy maar chuka hai" everyone's attention was back on Shrishti "Our mere paas aab koi waje nahi hai ke mein Akaash se sagai yah shadhi na karu!"

"Shrishti, please mein manta hoon ke mujhe yeh saab pehle bol nah chahiye tha but please, tum asa nahi kar sakti!" Sameer all but begged.

"Look Sameer, tum mera our aapna time waste kar rahe ho! Meine Akaash se kal sagai kar rahi hoon our phir shadhi bhi!"

"Shrishti tum Akaash se shadhi nahi kar sakti... uski... uski shadhi ho chuki hai!" Sameer grabbed her arms and shook her as he tried one last time to convince her.

"Are yaar, tum bhi ajeeb ho Sameer Luthra... Asa kisne kaha hai ke ek lardki ek shadhi shudha admi se shadhi nahi kar sakti?" He looked at her confused, she just laughed.

"Tum janti ho nah ke assi larki ko kya kaha jata hai jo kisi our ke pati ke saath rishta rakhti hai?" Kareena aimed an insult at Shrishti unable to tolerate the smug look on her face.

"App ko toh pata hi hogana Kareena 'maam'..." Shrishti taunted

"Kya matlab hai tumhara!" snapped Ramona realising quickly that Shrishti was hinting at Mahira.

"Kya yaar iss ghar mein sare bewakoof hi bhare hai kya? Tumne sunah nahi Mrs jali houi noodles ke Kareena Luthra ne kya kaha?" Ramona was left gaping like a fish at the direct insult Shrishti threw her way not only referring to her as 'tum' instead of 'aap' but also by calling her 'Mrs jali houi noodles'.

"How dare you insult my mom!" Mahira moved towards Shrishti and tried to shove her but Shrishti was too quick – she side stepped and stuck her leg out giving Mahira a taste of her famous 'Tangri Kabab'. She towered over Mahira making the girl feel tiny and said in the most menacing tone Mahira had ever heard,

"Ek baat yad rakh nah, mein Preeta nahi Shrishti hoon, Shrishi Arora! Mein un logo me se nahi hoon jo tum jasi characterless chipkali ki batameeze chup chaap sahoon... mein unlogo me se hoon jo tum jese ka ilaaj aache se karna jante hai!" She started to move away and then abruptly turned back causing Mahira who was attempting to stand up to fall flat on her behind.

"Our ha agar aapni our insult nahi karani toh agli baar mere mooh mat lagna – woh kya hai nah mujhe aapne 'jijaji' ki mistress ko uski jagha dikane mein bada maza ata hai" with that she turned to move back towards Sameer but not before deliberately stepping on Mahira's hand causing her to groan in pain.

"Shrishti tum asa nahi kar saktI" Roo panicked "Akaash mera pati hai, woh muj..mujse pyar karta hai! Dekho mere gale mein uske naam ka mangalsutra hai" she said holding up her mangalsuta for Shrishti to see. But this didn't deter Shrishti,

"Are issme konsi badi baat hai right Kareena Luthra" she said looking towards Kareena who was unable to look at this new Shrishti, "Tumhari bua ne hi kaha tha na meri di se, ke tumhara parivaar unki shadhi nahi manta kyun ke tum logo ne woh shadhi nahi dekhi. Our aab jab tumhare bhai ki shadhi usski mistress se ho rahi hai toh meri di ko unka mangalsutra utaar de ne chahiye. Toh tumhari shadhi toh kise ne nahi dekhi, aab hume kya paata yeh sadhi hui bhi hai ya nahi? Toh tum na yeh mangalsutra utardo!"

Roo stumbled back at the venom in Shrishti's words and dropped to the floor sobbing.

"Please Shrishti... mein... mein maar jaugi... mein Akaash ke bina nahi reh sakti... Please I beg you" Roo folded her hands and begged.

Seeing the state of her daughter Rakhee couldn't stop her tears, she stepped in and she too folded her hands begging Shrishti to back out.

"Shrishti beta, Roo ki kya galti hai. Please beta dekh isse, kya haalat hogai hai isski ek hi din mein. Please beta" she said placing her palm on Shrishti's cheek.

"Ha Shrishti beta tu Akaash se sagai maat kar our usse samjah ke usne jo Roo ke saath kiya hai woh galat hai. Tu kahegi nah toh woh zarur manega. Please beta, mein tujse badi hoon phir bhi haath jod ti hoon tere saamne, meri Roo ko uski khushi dede" Dadi too joined her daughter-in-law.

"Meri Maa bhi ase hi ayi thi aapke ghar" she looked at Rakhee and Dadi and then the rest of the Luthra family with fire in her eyes, "Ase hi aapse bheek magi thi apni beti ke liye, meri Di ke liye!" she turned to stare at Karan "Jab aapka yeh layak beta meri di ko raaste mein chod aaya tha!" Karan couldn't face her, so much hate, so much hurt... the eyes which always looked at his with love and respect today looked at him like he was filth.

Shrishti turned back to Rakhee "Tab aapko yeh khayal nahi aaya ke aapke ghar mein bhi beti hai? Tab khayal nahi aaya jab aapne appne bete ki sagai ki yeh jante huve ke yeh admi shadhi shudha hai? Aap toh Preeta di ko aani beti manti thi right? Toh jab uss beti ke saat aap ke bete na galat kiya tabh kyun nahi kuch kaha aapne? Are khena toh door ki baat hai aap ne ek bar bhi di se baat ki? Poocha unse ke woh theek hai? Nahi Mrs Rakhee Luthra... Aapne asa kuch nahi kiya! Aapne toh apne bete ki sagai karai. Toh jab app apni uss beti ke time par chup rahi tho aab kyun bol rahi hai? Akaash toh wahi kar raha hai jo Mr Karan Luthra ne kiya... our agar woh sahi hai toh jo Akaash kar raha hai who bhi toh sahi hai right?"

Rakhee lowered her head in shame. What could she say? Shrishti was right she hadn't stood up for Preeta, she and her family had supported Karan in what he did, so what right did she have to now ask Shrishti for her daughters happiness?

Mahira looked at the drama happening in front of her, she then focused on Karan who was standing in silence. He looked like he was drowning in his own guilt and this worried her – No she wasn't worried for Karan; she was worried for herself. What if this guilt made Karan apologise to Preeta and accept her as his wife? "NO!" her mind screamed, she had to stop this, she had to put Shrishti Arora in her place before she brainwashed the whole family! She looked towards Sherlyn who had till now silently watch. Sherlyn, although silently enjoying the show, too had come to the same conclusion but her reasons obviously different. Worried that if Mahira said anything now Rakhee may interfere or worse Shrishti would insult her again and nothing beneficial would come out of it, she stepped in before Mahira had the chance,

"Listen Shrishti tum jasi larkiyo ko main bohot ache se janti hoon... zaroor tum Karan ko blackmail karna chati ho..." she snapped drawing attention to herself "Bloody midd.."

"Bhokna band karo," Shrishti interrupted

"What? Kya kaha tumne?"

"Sunayi nahi deta tumhe? Pregnant ke saat saat baheri bhi hogayi ho kya? Meine kaha bhokna band karo! Woh kya hai na me ghar ke phaltu kuto se baat nahi karti"

"How dare you!" Sherlyn raised her hand to slap Shrishti but her palm never made contact, instead she felt immense pain on her wrist resulting from the firm grip of the male hand that had stopped her hand midway.