It had been around a month since Pranshi has been living with Anay and his family. 

She had bonded really well with everyone. Though she did not tell them why she ran from the wedding or who she actually was but they knew that she lived with her tauji and her parents were no more. No one forced her to tell anything more because she had got very emotional due to the topic. She got pretty close to Ditya and actually found her similar to her Swara di.

She and Anay have become really good friends although both of them were getting attracted to each other.  During the whole month, everyone had teased Anay because he was suddenly spending a lot of time outside his computer room which was a shocker for everyone. Ditya was leaving no chance of teasing him.

It was around a week after Pranshi had started staying with them. She was playing with Naman and making cute noises at him making him giggle and laugh.

He too was talking to her in his baby language.

Anay was admiring how she played with him. Ditya was observing everything with a smirk. 

She got up and went near them.

"Arre! Naman bui ke saath khel rha hai."

(Naman is playing with bua.)

She said stressing on the word 'bui'. Pranshi smiled slightly while Anay visibly cringed.

Ditya smirked at his reaction and he avoided her eyes squirming in his place.

He got up and went to the kitchen to drink water still making faces at the word.

Ditya went behind him and started teasing him.

"She is cute. Nhi?"

He hummed knowing very well what she was doing but couldn't control himself and said.

"Waise usse Naman ki bua banane ki zarurat nhi thi."

(You didn't have to make her Naman's bua.)

Ditya was now enjoying a lot.

"Haan lekin Aadrik usse apni chhoti behen maante hai na."

(Yes but Aadrik considers her as his sister.)

She said explaining him the rationale behind it.

"Haan toh usse bhai ki behen bana na. Naman ki bua kyu bana rhi hai?"

(Then make her bhai's sister. Why are you making her Naman's bua?)

He said annoyed. She pursed her lips to control her chuckles.

"Arre! Lekin Aadrik ki behen Naman ki bua hui na. Ya tu kuch aur bulwana chahta hai?"

(Aadrik's sister would be Naman's bua. Or you want to call her something else?)

She asked in a mischievous tone. He glared at her and said.

"Shut up!"

"Tameez se Anay! Bhabhi hu mai teri!"

(With respect! I am your sister-in-law!)

She played the bhabhi card although still having a mischievous smile. He made a face mimicking her and she burst out laughing.

Anay smiled remembering it. He and Pranshi were growing close to each other. Pranshi had started sharing her feelings with him. She told him her memories with her parents, about her tauji and his family, about Suyash and Swara and even her bua. She still has not told him about why she ran away. He smiled remembering her reaction when she saw his computer room for the first time.

She was taking coffee for him. Ditya told her that he might be in his computer room.

She knocked on the door but received no reply. She entered in slowly and looked at everything wide eyed and open mouthed.

The room looked like a cyber security cell. The system was so cool.

She carefully placed the mug and started admiring the room.

Just then the door opened and Anay entered. He stopped for a second seeing her there.

"Ye kitna sundar hai. Humne aisa sirf movies mai dekha hai."

(This is so beautiful. I have seen only in movies.)

She said excitedly and he smiled.

"Pasand aaya?"

(You liked it?)

"Bhut. Hum yaha hamesha reh skte hai."

(A lot. I could stay here forever.)

She said giggling and he said in a daze.

"Toh reh jaao."

(Then stay.)

She looked at him and their eyes met. He was looking at her with so many emotions swirling in his eyes.

She couldn't hold his gaze any longer and looked away.

"Aapki coffee."

(Your coffee.)

She muttered pointing towards the coffee mug and left from there making him sigh dreamily.

Right now she was sitting on the terrace at their usual time and was waiting for him to arrive. She heard the door opening and smiled knowing that he was here. He sat besides her and they smiled at each other. None of them said anything for some time.  There was a comfortable silence which was broken by Anay.

"Tumhe pata hai the way you speak reminds me of Anika bhabhi."

(The way you speak reminds me of Anika bhabhi.)

He said looking at her and she turned to him frowning. She knew about them but have not met anyone yet.

"Wo kaise?"

(How?)

"Wo bhi tumhari tarah hum-hum karke baat krti hai."

(She too speaks like you.)

He smiled and she too smiled.

"You know she was the princess of Jaipur."

He said and her smile fell. It seemed like she was in some deep thoughts.

He wanted to ask her what was wrong but she spoke before he could.

"Aapne humse kabhi puchha kyu nhi ki hum shaadi se kyu bhaage?"

(You never asked me why i ran from the marriage?)

She asked looking at front. He shrugged and said.

"Koi bhi ladki apni shaadi se bina kisi reason ke toh bhagegi nhi. I am sure you must have a strong reason."

(No girl would run from her own marriage without a reason.)

She seemed to be thinking something deeply.

"Kuch time pehle hamare tauji and taiji kisi kaam se shehar se bahar gye the. Suyash toh kaam ki wajah se apne apartment mai rehta tha aur Swara di toh married thi hi. Hamari bua ko mauka mil gaya."

(Sometime ago my tauji and taiji went out of town due to some work. Suyash stays out of town due to work. My bua got the chance.)

She said still looking at front. He didn't interrupt and let her continue.

"Pata nhi kyu par wo humse bhut nafrat krti hai. Aur tauji ke na hone ka faayda uthaya unhone. Hamari shaadi ek bade industrialist ke bete se fix krdi."

(I don't know why she hates me a lot. And she took advantage of tauji being not there. She fixed my marriage with a big industrialist's son.)

She closed her eyes remembering what happened after that.

"Unhone uss aadmi ke saath deal kri thi. Ki uske bete ke saath hamari shaadi ho jaaye toh wo aur uska beta hamare saath jo krna chahe kar skte hai. Kuch paiso ke liye hamari bua ne hume unhe bech dia tha."

(She made a deal with that man. That once his son marries me he and his son could do anything they want with me. For some money my bua sold me to that man.)

She said and Anay looked at her wide eyed. He felt a sudden rush of anger. 

'How can someone stoop so low?'

"Humne jab unhe confront kia toh unhone hume mara aur kamre me band krdia. Shaadi wale din tak hum kamre mai band rahe. Bhagwaan se pray krte rhe ki kisi tarah hume bacha le. Phir Suyash ne jaise taise hume waha se bahar nikala aur hum yaha aa gaye."

(When i confronted her she hit me and locked me in my own room. I was locked till marriage day. Praying to God to save me. Then Suyash got me out of there somehow and i came here.)

She finally told him the truth. A tear fell off her eye remembering how scared she was as she ran for her life and dignity.

"Agar uss din aap hume nhi mile hote na Anay toh aaj hamari zindagi kuch aur hi hoti. Actually usse hum zindagi nhi kahenge wo toh narak hota."

(If you wouldn't have helped me that day my life would have been something else. Actually that would not have been life that would have been hell.)

Anay closed his eyes. He couldn't even imagine what would have happened if she didn't find him.
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