Aditya stumbled across the living room floor "Zoya, please remove this blindfold"

"Stop complaining please, its your birthday, hold on" she untied the scarf, pulling it back she threw it to the ground "Happy birthday Adi" his family cheered

Aditya smiled "Wow, thank you Zoya, thank you everyone"

Zoya smiled "Just one last thing" she pulled out the box from behind her back, lowering herself she knelt down "I guess there was no better time to do this than today, you have made me the happiest woman ever, you drive me crazy but you're the only one who can handle my many mood swings" the family laughed

Zoya's eyes became teary "I guess what im trying to say Aditya is, I love you, no one has taught me as much as you have and I know we can get through everything, so, will you marry me"

Aditya pulled Zoya up "Of course I will, how could I say no" he laughed as she slipped the ring on his finger, he leant forward and kissed her cheek as the family cheered, now this day was twice as special as before

Zoya held Aditya's hand "Do I get the first dance with the birthday man"

He smiled "Of course" he led her to the dance floor, his hand on her waist, he span her around, her dark navy dress twirled around with her. Zoya lifted her hand, stroking his cheek, she pulled him down with her, her eyes closing as Aditya brushed his nose across her throat.

Her eyes lit up as she walked around him slowly, she put her arm over his shoulder, dragging her nails up his chest, she span under his arm, then cupped his cheek, Aditya lifted her up, she threw her head back as he span her around, Zoya slid her body down his.

Aditya span Zoya out, then back in, his arms wrapped around her wrist as they swayed to the music, both their eyes closed- living in the moment.

XXX

Zoya turned to watch Aditya talking to his mother, she waved at him "Im just going to wake Noor up, she wasn't feeling to well earlier" she walked upstairs, stopping before Noor's door as she heard voices

"Why are you here Pooja" Noor asked

"I just wanted to give you this, it was my faviourate toy when I was younger and I want the baby to have it, as a memory"

Noor guffawed "Why would the baby want any memory of you", Zoya pushed open the door, eyeing up Pooja as she walked over to Noor

"Because Noor, I am your oldest sister, all I have ever wanted was a family, when my mum dated our father I thought I had it all, but he fell in love with your mum, he left us both, I just want to know that ill be remembered"

Zoya shook her head "How are we meant to believe that"

Pooja held out her birth certificate, "You can see for yourself"

Zoya snatched it, as Sakshi walked out of the bathroom, her gun firmly behind her back "Pooja what are you doing here" she asked

Zoya looked up "Aunty, Pooja was just telling us that our Abbu was your ex husband and Pooja's father, is that true"

Sakshi nodded "It is" she pulled her arm out behind her back "But now, Pooja and I will have the life we deserve when both of you are dead"

Pooja whipped around fast "Ma, no"

But it was to late, Sakshi had already pulled the trigger, Pooja catapulted herself infront of Noor, tears rolled down her cheeks as she fell to her knees, the bullet going through her heart

Zoya and Noor knelt down "Pooja, Pooja hold on"

Pooja gasped for breath, her body shaking "It was time I let go, time I became the sister you all needed" she lifted her hand to Noor's stomach "Remember me" then her eyes rolled over, Sakshi's scream the last anyone heard before the whole house fell silent

XXX

Aditya wrapped his blazer around Zoya's arms, she shuddered as the wind whisped through her hair

Noor dropped Pooja's hand just before she was zipped up, Aditya looked away as Sakshi screamed as handcuffs were put on her

Zoya grasped Aditya's hand, kissing his palm "Its over Aditya, its over" she sobbed

Aditya's jaw clenched "How much more must we suffer before it truly is over, some scars remain Zoya and that's what scares me the most"

Zoya shook her head "Scars are lessons, battle wounds as such, in time this will all just be a bad aftertaste, but for now we must remain strong"

Arjun picked Noor up from the floor "Shh, its okay, its okay, she doesnt deserve your tears" he hushed

Noor shook her head "In their effort to get back their family, they destroyed ours, and who would have thought Pooja would turn saviour for our baby"

Zoya grabbed her hand "Albeit late, atleast in the end she learnt what family really meant"

Noor wrapped her arms around Arjun, "Please, I just want to sleep". He nodded, carrying her upstairs

Zoya turned to Aditya "Its okay if you need to cry Aditya, this has been hard on all of us, especially you"

His face crumpled, a tear rolling down his cheek "I thought I knew all the people I grew up with, but Mr Hooda, Sakshi and Pooja all taught me that you really never know anyone, and just once I want to be enough for someone, what's so bad about me to have people turn this way"

"Hey, none of this is your fault, you are more than enough for me Aditya, I love you, I always will"

He wrapped his arms around her tightly "Please dont ever leave me Zoya, I dont think I can take much more heartbreak, without you I truly will have nothing"

Harsh sat in the attic, watching it all play out, tears in his eyes "I will avenge your death Pooja, this will be a massacre, only one will survive, and that's my promise" he clenched his fists