The new morning should have brought the new hope in his heart.

But how could the hope be alive when his heart was vanished to the dust?

There wasn't light at the end of the tunnel. His tunnel had a dead end with no escape. He felt that he would die suffocating in this grief forever.

"Her brother had mentioned about talking to your brother, Shrey." Aarush reminded his newfound best friend, watching the most honest person he had ever met, staring at his broken self in the mirror.

Shrey blinked slowly, observing the dullness on his face that didn't go even after the bath, even after the hangover.

"He is no brother of mine, that bastard." Shrey said, his throat vibrating. His eyes pained as he talked to himself in the mirror. "I don't want Raghav to bow down in front of that bastard for the sake of me and his sister. That bastard tried to break his marriage. I remember the evil plans he made. He wanted to create the misunderstanding. He wanted him to throw away Pihu so Rishabh could get her for himself."

Aarush sighed heavily, looking back at their friend who owned the house they were staying in. After all, Rishabh too was staying here only with Shrey during that year. Aditya knew what had happened.

"I know, he was cruel to the couple. Rathore guy shouldn't do that. But what you are planning to do now, is not right." Aditya said, straightforwardly.

Aarush raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wait. Why? We know that Sakshi said all those things to maybe, provoke her brother to talk to Rishabh. Maybe, it's her plan. She loves Shrey. I know my best friend. She wouldn't sacrifice her love for the sake of a man who insulted her just like that. She is doing it on purpose. Whether to make it work through Shrey or through her brother. But she wants a perfect family."

Aditya shook his head at Shrey who had quietly turned around and was putting his suitcase sideways. He had packed all his belongings, ready to leave for Delhi but not before convincing Sakshi again.

"Dude, there is thing called self-respect. You yourself said that day, how Rathore goes for guts. If you have the guts to stand on your own and let her understand that she can't just put silly conditions on marrying you. Bro, you came all the way here to talk to her family despite the rivalry. I mean I would never give that much effort in a relationship." Aditya patted his heart gently. "Her brother will understand it from your side if you refrain from going there. He will know that you are hurt and you didn't deserve the rejection last night."

Aarush came in between immediately. "No man!" He gave Aditya a stern look. "Why are you changing his mind?"

Shrey gulped when Aarush clicked his fingers in front of him. "Shrey, you won't regret later that you didn't try in the end. We are going for the last time to remind Sakshi that anything is possible if we all are together. Things won't work if you both are separated in the first place."

Shrey didn't know what to say. His eyes were heavy, throat was tight. Heart was torn and arms were shaking.

Aditya took a long breathe. "Okay, then. Just say it to her the last time and nothing more than that. It took you time to impress her brother. If Raghav was that hard, the impression won't go away that soon. He will do something for you."

"I hope so," said Aarush while checking himself in the mirror for last time.

Shrey's jaws clenched remembering that Raghav didn't need to do anything. He accepted a failure, a loser like him for his sister, that was more than anything he could ask for.

"You are right, Adi." Shrey said, quietly.

Aarush gulped in uncertainty when he heard his friend walking away not before saying the words he really didn't want to listen.

"I've heard that thing called Self-respect."

_________

Checking the thermometer, Raghav nodded slightly.

"It's better. Let him sleep for some more time. Then, a bath will do it all, the doctor had said." He explained while closing the first-aid box and putting it away on the drawer.

Pihu sat closer to him on the bed, glancing at her son with a sad smile on her face. "It's been quite unsettling how thing escalates so quickly. Rian was all fine last morning."

Raghav gave her a stern look. "The teacher in you now feels bad that he is skipping school? I called his teacher, will email an application. If that's what you are worried about."

Pihu chuckled at him. "No, I am talking about how all the problems burst on us together. But taking the good lesson from them is the right way."

She held his hand and looked in his dark eyes. "I am glad, we had this long conversation about my pregnancy. It was better than what happened last time. At least, we are together in our room, with no doubts and misunderstandings. Just us and our kids."

Raghav's eyes softened as he kissed her hand that he was holding. "I am sure, next time will be even better."

Pihu gasped, with her eyes widening immediately at the thought of birthing more kids.

Raghav laughed loudly, immediately covering his mouth when he remembered Rian was sleeping beside. He cupped his wife's cheek who seemed troubled even at the joke.

"Fine. Fine," he tried to overcome the laughter. "Now, what else this day brings to us?"

Pihu observed how his voice turned serious slowly.

"Should I go talk to Sakshi?" He asked his wife, quietly.

Pihu blinked softly, thinking how her husband's bonding with his sister was a different section where she had never interfered. Raghav would always knew how to handle all those moments. But today, he was asking for her suggestion. It mattered to her to tell him her wish with all honesty.

"What will you talk to her?" She asked slowly. "That you will talk to Rishabh and make amends."

Raghav nodded in confusion. "Isn't that what you want me to do?"

"Would you do that at my words, for Sakshi's sake?" She asked softly.

Raghav blinked while gulping slowly. "Why not? Rishabh has been suffering enough problems. I just have to lure him with some business deal too."

"But will Sakshi be happy in her in-laws home. Will Rishabh ever overcome that she is your sister? Will he accept her as the new member in the family?" Pihu asked him quietly.

Raghav lowered his eyes. "I don't know. What do you want me to do? If Sakshi asks for a court marriage, then I'll allow it too. As long as Shrey's parents don't interfere. But they are aware of whatever happened here. Aarush told me everything."

Pihu sighed heavily. "It's not easy to solve this. His parents are with him. But Shrey's Uncle is on bed from days. Their family could break if Rishabh is not happy with this marriage. And Sakshi doesn't want you to take the first step either."

Raghav was confused as hell. "Then what do you suggest?"

Pihu shook her head unsurely. "I don't know. Make her understand that it was too much to reject Shrey like that. I feel for him. He suffered way too much. It was time to get closer when Kabir was all gone. But Sakshi threw this condition at him."

"Or maybe, we should make everyone forget about these problems by announcing about our new little one?" Raghav said, goofily, pulling her closer to him.

Pihu blushed hard, shaking her head. "Absolutely, not. The whole focus should be on Sakshi. I want them together, Raghav. I have seen Sakshi last night. She wasn't happy with what she did to him. It was a sacrifice that she threw him away like that."

Raghav hugged her closer while looking at the wall. "I guess, I should just hit my head on a wall. That's the best."

Pihu chuckled but immediately punched him on the chest. "Just invite Shrey here. Last night was a mess. With new morning, there would be new environment. We will all talk without any commotion. And Sakshi will be there too."

Raghav shrugged his shoulders.

"For all I know, the boys are arriving here already. Nakul had given me the message in the morning."

Pihu nodded.

"Then, let's just wait for them."

_________

Thick silence had settled in the drawing room.

Raghav would look at Pihu, Pihu would look at her mother-in-law. Uday Singh was looking at his niece, Sakshi who was herself caught under heated gaze of Shrey.

"I am leaving."

Tension surfaced Sakshi's head, her mind wobbled in delicacy of the situation. She didn't want to even think of having him gone without any solution to their problem. He couldn't just give up like that. Could be?

"What changed?" Raghav's jaws clenched, looking at Shrey. "You can't make my sister believe in you that you can give her a perfect family."

Pihu shook her head in disappointment while Shrey didn't hesitate from pouring his heart out.

"How many times? Should I write it on the walls of your house with my blood?" Shrey said calmly, an unwanted peace surfacing his mind. "I promised her things I am capable of. I am capable of trying. I will try to do whatever she says. But nothing could be done without her acceptance to our bond, not even a try."

"Sakshi was upset," Pihu said immediately, making them glance at her. "You know, she would never want to reject you like that. We don't want anything from you, Shrey. Let's just plan how to deal with your brother."

Uday Singh agreed, "This is not the time to fight among each other, anymore. If Sakshi has given you her heart, we are happy to accept you. But these childish arguments would only delay the good times."

Shrey gulped, feeling upset with Sakshi's ignorance who still wouldn't meet his eyes. His eyes were burning with anger and pain. Could she even collect the courage to look in his eyes? How much was she enjoying playing with fate when all the souls around them were ready to see them together?

"I will talk to Rishabh if you want me to or not," Raghav gave him the belief. "But you need to tell me how you feel about him. It's important for me to know if my sister would be blamed a family-breaker or family maker. No offence, your brother had always been a douche."

Pihu gave Raghav a blank look that made him shut up immediately.

"Shrey, please call your family. Tell them, that everything is fine here. We are all together. And we will invite your parents," Uday Singh said softly. "I would like to meet your uncle. He has been an old friend. And about your brother, he just needs some love, I wonder."

Raghav flared his nostrils, remembering whose love Rishabh was always bothering to get. The mere thought was making his jaw tick.

"I am sorry, Sir. But I don't talk to him anymore. He ruined what we had. He might have helped me through my cases. But I would have done the same. I appreciate it though, everything he did to save me. But he interfered in my life by talking to Sakshi. And that was just a limit. He had been cruel to me early. I also admit that it has been his mistake all along. . ." Shrey stopped as the words slowly came out all of a sudden.

Raghav smirked humorlessly while glancing at Sakshi who had tears on her cheeks. The vein in his forehead was close to burst from the headache that erupted. He wanted to literally growl loudly and kick everything in this room to pour out his anger.

"That's past," said Raghav's mother, putting a hand on Pihu's elbow who had stiffened. "We have no grudge against the man. We want nothing but Sakshi to be happy. And she will be happy with you. Shrey, do not leave today. Stay until your parents arrive here and you are officially booked as our groom."

Aarush gave Sakshi a goofy smile who had done the mistake of glancing at him. He rolled his eyes at seeing helpless tears in his eyes.

"Come on, Sakshi. I don't understand why you are putting Shrey in the pit when it's all about Rishabh. Do not talk to him ever. Shrey too won't do that until Rishabh think about apologising to you. Most of the family do have circumstances like these. But that shouldn't stop you guys from enjoying your lives," he poured out his heart.

Sakshi wiped her tears while keeping quiet, not raising her eyes to meet anyone.

"I don't know why pushing me away will make sense in bringing my brother closer to me. I will forever hate him. And God allow me, I am planning to leave that city with my parents forever," Shrey mumbled absent-mindedly.

Raghav was listening it all. He let out a sigh  when he caught Sakshi looking at him with uncertainty in her eyes.

"Just promise us, that you won't leave my sister if Rishabh asks you to do that. She wants a family. Try to make it good with him if that's possible."

Shrey looked at Sakshi, his face dulled up from sadness. "She knows it all. She knows what I will do. She knows that I will be with her. The one who stayed by me when I was dying. But Rishabh is hard to be taught. He is way too self-esteemed. I don't understand why it even matters to her if I have good relations with Rishabh."

"What if Rishabh doesn't give you your share of inheritance? Will that affect your and Sakshi's bond?" Raghav asked with narrowed eyes.

Shrey chuckled sadly. "Is this some joke going on? I blew away one crore carelessly. He already doesn't want to give me any penny. But I do have my degrees, my experience, my parents with me. I don't need money or land. But to let you know, my grandfather had divided the property equally between us after knowing his sons had one son each."

"Then, that's just wraps it up. We are all good. Bring your parents. We will directly discuss with them about how Rishabh had been and if they could make him understand to welcome my sister in his family with all humanity. Until then, eat some breakfast," said Raghav while rubbing his knees as he was seated on the couch. "Rest will be taken care of. And you can have demonstration at my firm, if you want. Or I can refer you to firms in Delhi?"

Aarush's eyes widened in disbelief when Shrey shook his head, keeping his calm.

"That won't be required, I am sure."

Everyone was looking at Sakshi now, waiting for her to say a word. She hadn't said anything yet and it was clearly rising the tensions.

"Sakshi?" Raghav asked calmly, looking at her. "Is it okay with you?"

Shrey was waiting, desperately to hear her words. Instead the room was filled with an unwanted echo of an unwanted guest's voice.

"Shrey!"

They all looked at the main doors, seeing silhouette on the entrance.

Pihu was concentrating on recognizing him until the man stepped ahead and the familiar eyes made her stunned.

________

"What do you all think?"

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