The car stopped right in front of the gate. Aditi's eyebrows raised in surprise, finding the bungalow quite beautiful.

"They didn't lie in the newspapers about him being loaded," she commented.

Sakshi gulped while remembering the obsession in Kabir's eyes. Even the thought of him staring at her would bring this creepy feeling crawling on her skin. She needed to be protected. Her heart had been signing her to contact her brother right this moment. But who was she kidding? Her brother would bring havoc around if he got to know these things.

She had an exam tomorrow. Because of her, Aarush and Aditi weren't studying too. On top of which, Kabir could play with them because of it being his subject only.

She needed to solve this mess. Taking Aarush's advice, she would simply talk to Shrey and make things better. If not now, she would at least better the circumstances so she could study for her exam.

"What if his parents are inside?" Aarush asked blankly. He hadn't thought that until now. Having seen Kabir the first thing in the morning, he couldn't guarantee if his day would go any better. Moreover, the visions of him fucking his teacher was worsening the mood. He wanted to choke him right then.

Sakshi didn't reply while Aditi suggested from the passenger seat. "Just be truthful and things will go right."

"Shrey will understand. He's a good lad," Aarush muttered, feeling his heart burning at thinking how God could keep men like Kabir all fine and put innocent Shrey in a false blame of rape. "We will be waiting by that tree ahead. We will see you before you even leave their door."

Sakshi was speechless. Scared. Insecure.

"Would he even listen to me?" She asked quietly, gulping again.

Aarush nodded. "He will. When your brother will come here with a gun and roars.  This has to shape in some way. We need to get out of this mess. Today, it's either him or we are explaining everything about Kabir to your brother." He sighed when observed Sakshi's blank face in the rear-view mirror. "Its just that if Shrey becomes the groom, things will be easy. There will no Kabir coming and no Shrey leaving you."

Sakshi nodded and blinked repeatedly. Her eyes lowered as she moved out of the car slowly, minding her aching arm.

"We can come along if you want," Aarush offered while Aditi frowned.

Sakshi shook her head, closing the door. Not giving them any other glance, she walked towards the bungalow, nodding at the security guard who nodded sternly but didn't stop her.

She swallowed the lump that was forming already at seeing the house in front of her. If things got right, this would be her new home forever. Her lips parted at the thought.

Pressing on the bell, her heart thumped loudly. Today, she would face his parents too if the situation came. She knew that he had anxiety problems. If he couldn't, then she herself would handle things.

She held her breaths when she heard the footsteps approaching. It didn't take her beating heart to stop in much time when the door opened with full enthusiasm by none other than the person she wouldn't really want to see at this moment.

Her eyes widened and heart drowned in utter horror. This person hated her and her brother.

Rishabh's confident eyes had vanished her courage already. The last time she had seen him was in the hospital four years ago when he was pushing the bed on which an unconscious Shrey was lying.

Sakshi opened her mouth to say something. Anything. But she had lost her voice. He seemed powerful. She hadn't realized it until now that coming here was a mistake. But reading his face, she could imagine him taunting her brother about it already.

"Sakshi. Isn't it?" His confident voice echoed in the depth of her ears, as he stared at her. In a three-piece suit, he didn't let that arrogant gleam in his eyes waver. "The infamous Rathore's sister."

His humorless smile curled her heart as he asked, "How come you showed up at my brother's door?"

Before she could even collect the courage to speak, he spoke out, "Have your brother finally allowed you to thank mine for fighting with those goons to save you?"

Years ago, Sakshi had surely thought that something like this could happen. But she never knew that it would happen for real. She was getting questioned for not coming to thank Shrey for that night. Her eyes filled up in sudden shame. Though, she  couldn't deny seeing the care for him in his eyes.

"I. . . I. . . need to talk to Shrey. . ." She managed to speak out.

Rishabh looked at her, he observed the loose top and ointment on her shoulder. Confusion flickered in his eyes for a second but he didn't lose focus from the main subject.

"What is it about?"

Sakshi gulped, looking around. There was no one but she wanted to enter and see if any other member of the family could attend her rather than this hateful man.

Rishabh had gotten the look but still didn't invite her. He couldn't be that careless. His whole family had learnt a big lesson after what happened to Shrey. Except that boy himself would never learn to stay away from clever girls.

Sakshi breathed out slowly, concluding that being scared won't solve things. She needed to be calm and straightforward. She gulped and stared at him.

"I and Shrey have been seeing other for a while. We are dating already. It's been going on from weeks. But my-"

"Did your brother allow you to do that?" Rishabh asked without even thinking. He was furious already but he didn't show it yet.

Sakshi's jaws clenched. "Rishabh bhai, I have an exam tomorrow. But meeting Shrey is important for me. Please call him and he will himself explain you everything."

Rishabh chuckled humorlessly. "First of all, don't call me that. There are no relations out of family. Everyone outside family can be frauds and cheats." His eyes showed a hidden pain that Sakshi could read very well. Only if he knew that Pihu was meant for her brother. She wished if Rishabh could see it for himself. this longing in his eyes would vanish. "And Shrey would have stayed here if it was something important. But clearly, you aren't. Which is why, he is out with his mother shopping."

Sakshi couldn't believe him but she was hurt nonetheless. "You are lying. . ."

Rishabh shook his head, now disgust shown clearly in his eyes. "Don't you know what just happened to my brother? Don't you remember how he has always been? Innocent enough to always come in traps of clever people like you. He has survived this case with difficulty and now you are on your way ruining what has left of his life."

Sakshi couldn't believe her ears. "What has left of his life? It wasn't me who was after him. Don't forget that it was you who made him do those things years ago. You played him. You too are one of those clever people who trapped him. He has told me everything. He hates you for that." She breathed confidently when she see hurt in his eyes.

Rishabh flared his nostrils. "I did what I did. But it was a consequence of what your brother did, girl. Speaking of him, does he know that you both were dating?"

Sakshi stared at him and breathed restlessly. "I understand Shrey. I know what he has dealt with, what he has suffered. Which is why, we took things very slow. We haven't gotten enough time to talk about sharing our thoughts with our families."

A hope flickered in her eyes when she saw his eyes softening a little. Her own voice softened as she explained, "I know you hate my brother, my family. Now, you hate me more than you did already. But please understand, that we both love a man who needs to know that he is loved. You don't know how low he feels all the time. He isn't as confident he used to be. He can get back to being his cheerful self if we all support him together. I know, he loves me and there can be a future of us together. He gets anxious talking about it but-"

Rishabh's eyes immediately narrowed. Did she know about his anxiety problems? Oh my God! this boy couldn't keep his weakness to himself for a few months even?

". . . But I will support him. We both have recalled our mistakes and has apologized to each other for our pasts. Things are better and beautiful. There is no going back, now." Her eyes filled up as she choked out. "We both have a future."

The sweet talking seemed genuine but how could one trust an enemy after suffering so much. Rishabh couldn't put his mind in one direction. He wanted to listen more but he couldn't resist taking the revenge out.

"It is not always possible to marry the one you love," he said slowly. His gaze turned into a glare when he said, "I used to dream the same. I lost my dignity for that love. I lost my sanity. That love changed me into a person I never was. I became a villain in my own story."

Sakshi looked at him sadly. "When God doesn't allow it, you need to understand. You need to move on, it's been years."

A loud laughter from him had frightened her. Worse was his after-glare. "You need to move on too, love. Because Malhotras can never be connected to filthy Rathores. I would kill myself rather than allowing you two to do this drama. Shrey has suffered the worst of things, you can't even imagine. Life has been tough to him. Let him be alive because I know what you Rathores do. You make people dull to shine your own lives." He was writhing in anger.

"But-"

Rishabh clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Shrey is innocent. Girls like you play with hearts. I haven't forgotten the time we waited and hoped for some good words from your family. Shrey was pretending to you because of me but he fought for you that night. Those gifts, he gave you. Those were given with his heart, Sakshi. He was playing with you but he pitied you inside. He never felt right doing that. In the end, he laid on bed for days with pain occurring at the most sensitive part of a man's body. You knew he was vulnerable. You didn't come to see him."

Rishabh sneered, "Your brother didn't have the dick to cool everything down. It was his fucking mistake, he didn't trust her but my trap."

Sakshi stared at him angrily. "You are sick in head,"she muttered through gritted teeth. "You need to move on, Rishabh Malhotra. You aren't only destroying your own life but Shrey's too." The anger had boiled her up well now that she couldn't stop herself from clicking her fingers at him and pointed towards the inside. "If you have enough guts to accept the truth, ask him. Ask him if he loves me." She smirked with tears hanging on her lashes.

Rishabh was highly impressed at her confidence but equally irked up. She needed to understand the reality. "You are dreaming of a fantasy world." He clapped his hands in fake excitement for once and let out a humorless chuckle. "Suppose, I accept that Shrey is madly in love with you," he mockingly emphasized.

Sakshi's heartbeats fastened when he asked, "What now?"

Her lips moved in order to say something, "We are. . . supposed to talk about marriage. . ."

"Marriage?" Rishabh let out a sarcastic chuckle. "What do you think your brother will feel about it? Wait, Can you even dare to tell him about this?"

A tear fell from her eye, she choked out, "Yes. Yes, absolutely."

Rishabh smirked evilly. "What will you tell him? That you, sister of the infamous Raghav Singh Rathore, is in love with the brother of the man who loved his wife, who tried to break their marriage."

Sakshi's mouth opened in protest but it closed immediately as she realized that he was nonetheless fair.

"That you are in love with a man, five years older than you. A man who once broke your heart by pretending to love you years ago. A man who was accused by a woman of rape."

Her heart pounded in her heart as the fear of seeing her brother's expression spread through her chest.

More tears found their way when he said, "A man who had attempted suicide and failed."

"If that's how you put it, I'll say it. I can confess it all in front of my brother," her voice broke.

Rishabh's nostrils flared. "Would he accept this relation?"

"He will. I know, he will." She sniffled while nodding. "If he knows I am happy, he will."

His favorite part had came. He couldn't stop smiling. "Then, bring him here. I'll welcome your family, listen to the proposal. I'll accept."

A sob broke out from her, she looked away wiping her eyes.

Rishabh's eyes turned blank but he still didn't feel like stopping. This had to end. "Its impossible. Isn't it?" He breathed in satisfaction at seeing her lowered eyes.  His heart curled up at seeing her innocent face. He couldn't see someone cry like this. Since the day, his father had gotten sick, he knows how painful it is to feel helpless. Since the day, he had carried a nearly dead Shrey, he knew the fear of losing your loved one.

He breathed heavily, checking the time on his watch. He looked back at her, his eyes softened when he found her looking at him expectantly with bloodshot eyes. For some reason, the itch in her eyebrows and the way she had held her elbow, it felt like she was in pain. He gulped before speaking, "If you are in pain, I can call the doctor now. Do you need water?"

Sakshi was amazed at this bipolar prick. She let out another sob when her shoulder had started to ache. She was overwhelmed at the lack of mercy from God. She looked up at him.

"I will leave my home if he wouldn't accept," she said, making his eyebrows raised.

"Do you think, Shrey would be able to suffer that much anxiety? Your goon of a brother will kill my brother." His jaws clenched at seeing her looking at him like a crazy woman. "I'll let it slide," he said quietly. "The condition. If you can't bring him here, I am okay with it. But he wouldn't even allow you for the court marriage. There's no way, you would be happy after saddening your own family, Sakshi."

"I might be bad, but I am not wrong." He blinked, now talking seriously. "Just imagine what would happen if I just tell him about you coming here, he'll beat you down in front of me. Then, he will beat me and Shrey too." He chuckled humorlessly. "This marriage is impossible. My father is sick. Just a month ago, he was suffering from a life-threatening sickness. I am not ready to defend my brother again. That even in front of your brother."

"You should leave," he sighed, turning away slowly, looking back at her again. "If someone recognizes you, people will call you names that I feel embarrassed to even mention. Because you are standing on the door of your brother's enemy, declaring your love like a lovesick hoe. Your family's name could be spoiled."

Sakshi lowered her eyes blankly, her body stiffening at his cruel words. The worse was feeling ashamed and helpless because he was nonetheless right. His every word was right.

"I am talking realistically here. Forget Shrey. I am sure, your brother will find a suitable man for you, Sakshi. With Shrey, its your own loss. Shrey has long way recovering, dealing with his demons. Even if you both were married, it would have been unsuccessful. Shrey is fragile at this moment-"

"I'll leave," she spoke out in a raspy voice. Her eyes blank on his knees, not being able to look in his eyes. He had almost stripped off her dignity. "You are a responsible and loving brother. I wish Shrey will realize it one day."

Rishabh was shocked, but he didn't express it. Her words made him think about it again that Shrey didn't like very much. Just as she turned around, he looked at her and immediately said, "I brought Shrey in your life. I know you were hurt mentally and physically after those goons. . ."

Sakshi had stopped but didn't turn around. He knew she was listening so he continued, "So, I am pulling him away from you. Let him go from your life." He lowered his eyes, remembering the happy face of Pihu when she had bumped into him at that chemist's shop. She was buying pregnancy kit, she seemed truly happy.

His heart curled up like a loner in the dark. "If you can't, then you are lost. The most you can do is wish for them to be happy with one they meant to be."

Sakshi's lips trembled, she wiped her cheeks while walking straight towards the gate, never looking back.

______

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