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"How long are you going to avoid coming to Dhanraj Industries?"

"You’re so stubborn, Vikrant," she replies with mock frustration. "How am I supposed to give you a definite answer about time? It’s only been two days since I started handling office work, and even in these two days, you’ve already called me several times. And now, you want me to start working at Dhanraj Industries with you? I know very well that there won’t be much work happening there. Instead, you’ll abandon your own work just to keep looking at me. I’m not going to let that happen. Now be a good boy, get out of here, and let me go to the office in peace."

Hearing her stern yet affectionate words, Vikrant looks at her with pleading eyes, trying to win her over with his gaze. But Jhankar doesn’t budge. She grabs his collar and leads him all the way to the door. Once there, she smiles, straightens his collar, adjusts his tie around his neck, and then places a soft kiss on his cheek. With a playful sparkle in her eyes, she tells him,

"This is just the beginning; enjoy this little distance while you still can. Because once I’ve learned everything and settled into my role, I won’t let you stay away from me at all. And then, Vikrant, you’re the one who’s going to be in trouble."

"So that means my good days are coming soon," he replies with a wide grin.

Jhankar chuckles and gently pushes him out of the room so she can finish getting ready in peace. Laughing to himself, Vikrant starts walking down the stairs when suddenly his phone rings. He quickly picks it up and answers,

"Yes, Akhil…"

"Sir, you mentioned that you wanted to take Ma’am to a special place this weekend. I thought I’d help with some great destination planning. I’ve come up with a few ideas shall I share them with you?"

"If you’ve planned it, it’s probably rubbish," Vikrant teases. "Just tell me the place. I’ll handle the planning myself based on Jhankar’s taste. That way, nothing will go wrong."

As Vikrant says while sitting down at the dining table, Sharda watches him with a knowing smile. He notices her expression and immediately ends the call, then turns to her. She gently kisses his forehead and says with deep affection,

"I'm so incredibly happy for both of you. Words just can't express what I'm feeling."

Overwhelmed like a child seeking comfort, Vikrant wraps his arms around her and says with heartfelt sincerity,

"And I’m only able to feel this happiness because you made me realize how wrong I was… how much I was missing."

As Jhankar comes down the stairs and sees the two of them together, she playfully complains,

"You’ve spoiled this boy! He listens to no one."

To which Sharda chuckles and replies in support of Jhankar,

"Then you should just force him to listen to you. Say whatever you want and don’t stop. Let’s see how he dares not to listen to you. If he refuses, I’ll personally twist his ears."

Hearing Sharda take Jhankar’s side so firmly, Vikrant looks at her with wide eyes, and the expression on his face makes both women burst into laughter. Watching them laugh, Vikrant toostarts laughing loudly, unable to hold back his joy. The house echoes with their shared happiness, a beautiful, heartwarming start to a new chapter in all their lives.

CHAPTER 36

AN ACCIDENT

A blindfold covered Jhankar's eyes, and she gripped Vikrant's hand tightly as they walked forward. Suddenly, Vikrant came to a halt, which made Jhankar instinctively stop as well. He stepped behind her, leaned closer to her ear, and whispered gently,

“I am going. Only after I leave, take off the blindfold…”

Jhankar held his hand even more tightly, unwilling to let go, but Vikrant placed a soft kiss on her forehead. That single touch calmed her, and she slowly loosened her grip, allowing him to leave. He walked away with a smile. Despite the blindfold covering her eyes, Jhankar had felt no fear, not even for a moment, because she had been holding Vikrant’s hand. The moment he left, she quickly untied the blindfold. The scene before her bathed her in a soft, milky-white light, and as the brightness enveloped her, a beautiful smile lit up her face. She began looking around, instinctively searching for Vikrant, but the space was empty.

As she stepped forward, each stride brought with it an unexpected warmth and surprise. All around her, on every wall, were numerous photographs of her and Vikrant together, each capturing moments of laughter, stolen glances, and silent stories. Her smile widened with every passing picture. Butamidst all these overwhelming sights, her eyes still searched tirelessly for Vikrant. Even though he was nowhere in sight, she could feel his presence in every corner.

She knew him well. He had made sure that not a single shadow or dark corner remained in the room because he knew she was afraid of the dark. This was his way of comforting her, even in his absence. Jhankar approached a large picture frame, still covered, with a soft smile. She stood before it, her hands slowly pulling the cloth away, revealing the image underneath. What she saw stunned her. It was a photo of her dressed as a bride, but her expression in the picture was heartbreakingly sad. The pain in her eyes was clearly visible. She took a few steps back in surprise and instinctively turned around, as if to look for Vikrant. But he was already there, standing right behind her. Without a word, he dropped to his knees in front of her. Taking out a nuptial chain from his pocket, he held it up between them, his eyes locked with hers as he spoke from the depths of his heart:

“I cannot change what happened… and honestly, I don’t want to. Because everything—every single moment, every mistake—led me to you. I don’t know if it was wrong… but for me, it felt absolutely right. Because of it, I have learned how to truly live. Sharda Maa always used to say that God plans everything for us. I never believed her… but now, I do.”

Jhankar listened quietly, tears brimming in her eyes, but a smile gently formed on her lips. She reached out and held his hand. Vikrant stood up slowly, wrapping his fingers firmly around her hands. He kissed them, looked deep into her eyes, and continued:

“Yes… our marriage was forced. And yes… I brought you into my life as a substitute. But slowly… you became my everything. Youfilled every void. I want to marry you again—this time, in front of everyone. I want the whole world to see that you are my wife and that you have every right to be. There are so many things I want to do openly—without shame, without fear. For the first time, I believe in God’s plan. And yes… I want to honor the gods you and Sharda Maa believe in. Because it’s thanks to them that I found you. Even after losing everything, I still had Sharda Maa with me… And now, I have you.”

Before he could finish, Jhankar threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground, holding her close as if trying to feel every heartbeat she held for him. Cradling his face in her hands, she kissed him again and again, her voice trembling with love as she said,

“I’m ready to marry you again. Because I love you—deeply, madly—and I want to spend the rest of my life annoying only you.”