AvNeilWritings

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1 week ago | [YT] | 225

AvNeilWritings

The Last Chapter:

The late afternoon sun spilled through the curtains of their living room. Neil sat on the couch with Aarv asleep on his shoulder. Avni walked in with tea and paused when she saw the old leather photo album open on Neil's lap.

"Found this in the storage box(and Neil's camera pic) ," Neil said, smiling up at her. He patted the space beside him. "Come look."

Avni curled up next to him, tucking her feet under her. "My god, that thing. I haven't seen it in years."

Picture 1: The hospital room..Neil turned the first page. It was grainy, slightly out of focus. Avni leaning over a hospital bed, adjusting Neil's IV drip. Her hair tied in a messy bun, face tired but gentle. Neil in the bed, looking pale but already staring at her like she hung the moon.
"Day three of my rounds with you," Avni whispered. "You kept asking me if the meds tasted like mango. You were delirious."
"You were the only part of that hospital I didn't want to leave," Neil said.

Picture 2: Their wedding ..Next page. Full color, sharp. Avni in red and gold, laughing, sindoor bright in her hair. Neil holding her hand too tight, eyes only for her. The cameraman caught them mid-laugh, completely unaware of the lens.
"Remember how you tripped on the mandap step?" Neil teased.
"You caught me. You always do."

Picture 3: Dr. Avni Neil flipped again. Avni in a white coat, stethoscope around her neck, name plate reading _Dr. Avni Neil Khanna_. She was writing on a chart, hair shorter, confidence different. Neil stood beside her in the frame, beaming like a proud kid.
"The day you cleared your MD," he said. "I was more nervous than you. Told everyone in the waiting room my wife was a doctor now."

Picture 4: The good news .Next photo was a selfie. Blurry. Avni holding up a pregnancy test, eyes wide, tears already there. Neil behind her, mouth open in pure shock. Kitchen counter in the background, half-chopped vegetables forgotten.
"I couldn't even speak," Neil murmured. "You just said 'Neil...'and I knew."

Picture 5: First scan.Black and white ultrasound print tucked in plastic. Below it, a photo Neil had taken of Avni holding the print to her chest in the car, crying.
"You made me pull over because you wanted to stare at that grainy blob for twenty minutes," he laughed.

Picture 6: Mood swings .This one made Avni groan. Neil grinning at the camera while holding a tub of ice cream. In the background, Avni glaring at him, pregnant, holding a pillow like a weapon.
"You took this after I cried because we ran out of achar," she said. "Traitor."
"Documenting history," Neil defended, kissing her temple.

Picture 7: Ultrasound day .Avni in the hospital gown, Neil holding her hand. Both staring at the screen, their faces lit up. The technician had printed this one for them.
"That's when we heard it," Avni said softly. "That tiny, fast thump. The heartbeat."

Picture 8: The day Aarv was born .Neil holding a tiny, red-faced, wrapped bundle. Avni in the bed behind him, exhausted, glowing, reaching out to touch Aarv's cheek. Neil's eyes were wet in the photo.
"I've never been that scared or that happy," he said. "You were incredible."

picture 9: First crawl.Aarv on his belly, chubby legs pushing, determined face. Avni on the floor in front of him, clapping, coaxing him forward. Neil had caught them both mid-moment.
"He only did it because you bribed him with your stethoscope," Neil remembered.

Picture 10: First steps .Aarv toddling, arms out, face scrunched in concentration. Avni behind him, hands hovering, ready to catch. Neil crouched ahead, camera in one hand, other hand outstretched.
"You cried harder than he did when he fell," Avni teased.

Picture 11: First word.Not a photo, but a sticky note Neil had taped under a picture of Aarv in Avni's lap. He said 'Mumma' at 6:47 am. June 12th. I have witnesses._
Avni laughed, wiping her eyes. "You woke the whole house yelling about it."

Picture 12: 4th birthday..The last photo. Aarv in a blue kurta, cake smeared across his face, birthday cap tilted. Avni and Neil on either side of him, kissing his cheeks at the same time. All three laughing. Sunlight, chaos, family.

Neil closed the album gently. Aarv stirred but didn't wake.

Avni leaned her head on Neil's shoulder. "From patient and nurse to this," she whispered. "Who would've thought?"

"I did," Neil said, wrapping an arm around her. "From the moment you checked my vitals and told me off for trying to flirt with a fever. I saw our whole life."

Outside, the light turned golden. Inside, it already was.


The End.

1 week ago | [YT] | 187

AvNeilWritings

Chapter: 17

(The 5-Year Leap)

The grand halls of the Khanna mansion had seen many storms, but the five years following Anita’s arrest brought a quiet, healing spring. The "Engagement Scandal" had faded into business history, replaced by the rise of a new power couple. But for Avni, the victory wasn't in the wealth—it was in the identity.

Five Years Later.

The City Hospital of Mumbai buzzed with its usual morning chaos. In the VIP wing, a group of interns stood in a straight line, their faces pale with nerves.

Intern 1: "Maine suna hai Dr. Avni is very strict. Agar file mein ek bhi comma miss hua, toh she makes you redo the whole ward round."

Intern 2: "Strict toh hain, but she’s the best cardiothoracic surgeon we have. Aur unka sense of humor? Sharp like a scalpel."

The automatic doors slid open. A woman walked in, her white coat fluttering behind her. She wasn't just a nurse anymore. The stethoscope around her neck was no longer a tool of her job, but a symbol of her triumph.

Dr. Avni: (Checking a tablet) "Good morning, doctors. Patient in Room 402 has a heart rate of 110. Why are we standing here discussing my temperament instead of his tachycardia? Chaliye, jaldi!

The journey hadn't been easy. After the exposé, Avni had a choice: sit on the Khanna Board of Directors or go back to school. She chose the latter.

Year 1-2: Neil stood by her like a rock while she cleared her bridge exams and specialized medical entrance. Raat bhar jag kar Neil would bring her coffee while she studied anatomy.
Year 3-4: Her residency was grueling. People whispered that she was the "Khanna Bahu" who didn't need to work. Avni silenced them with her skill. She worked double shifts, proving that she earned her white coat with sweat, not a surname.
Year 5:She successfully completed her specialization. Today, she was no longer helping doctors; she was leading them.

Back at the Khanna Mansion, the vibe had shifted. Leela had her own wing in the house, where she ran a foundation for women who had been cheated out of their inheritance.

Bebe: (Sitting in the garden, shouting) "Shweta! Meri green tea kahan hai? Aur Avni ka phone aaya? Aaj uski surgery hai na?"

Shweta: (Walking out in a chic saree, looking younger) "Bebe, relax! Avni is a pro. She called. Surgery successful thi. She’ll be home for dinner."

The house, once a place of secrets, was now filled with transparency. Shweta and Leela, once rivals in a twisted game, now sat together every evening to discuss the foundation's work.


Evening fell, and Avni’s cabin door opened. Neil walked in, looking every bit the powerhouse CEO of Khanna Industries, but his eyes softened the moment he saw her.

Neil: "Doctor Sahiba, kya ek gareeb patient ko thoda waqt milega?"

Avni: (Smiling as she unpinned her hair) "Gareeb? Mr. Khanna, your latest merger is all over the news. You’re anything but poor."

Neil:"Paisa toh bahut hai, Avni. But time? Mere paas sirf tumhare liye hi shortage rehti hai."

He walked up to her, leaning against her desk. He picked up her nameplate: DR. AVNI NEIL KHANNA

Neil:"I remember five years ago, you told me 'the higher we climb, the harder we fall.' Look at us now. We climbed, and we’re still standing."

Avni: "Because we didn't climb on someone else's shoulders, Neil. We built our own ladder."

Neil: "Speaking of ladders.. dinner with Bebe and Maa tonight. No medical talk, no business talk. Just us. Deal?"

Avni:"Deal. But only if we stop at the chaat stall on the way. I’ve been craving it all day."

Neil: (Laughing) "The top surgeon of Mumbai wants street food? Chaliye, Dr. Avni. Your chariot awaits.

As they walked out of the hospital, the media cameras caught them—not as a scandal, but as an inspiration. Avni looked at the sunset. The "bruised purple" sky of five years ago was now a brilliant gold.

She wasn't the girl hiding in the shadows of the Khanna gate anymore. She was the light that kept the house warm.

10 year later.

The Khanna mansion, once a place of stifling traditions and hidden shadows, was now filled with a sound that Anita Varma could never have tolerated: the chaotic, joyful thumping of a toddler’s footsteps.

Avni stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her white doctor’s coat over a simple emerald saree. On the lapel, her name tag gleamed: Dr. Avni Khanna.

Neil leaned against the doorframe, watching her with the same look of adoration he’d worn the day they turned the engagement into a courtroom. He wasn't the "broken man" Anita had hoped for; he was the CEO of a reformed Khanna Group, one that focused on healthcare philanthropy as much as profits.

Neil:"Madam Doctor, agar aapka self-admiration session khatam ho gaya ho, toh niche chalein? Your son is currently trying to perform 'surgery' on the goldfish."

Avni: (Laughing) "Oh god, Neil! Go stop him. Maine usey stethoscope dikhaya tha, surgical kit nahi!"

She walked over, pinning her hair back. The journey hadn't been easy. Returning to medical school as a married woman with a newborn had been a mountain to climb. There were nights she had fallen asleep over textbooks, and Neil had stayed up, rocking their son in one arm and reviewing contracts in the other.

In the garden, the transformation was complete. Where the "black roses" of the past had once sat, a vibrant playground now stood.

Bebe sat on the swing, her face glowing with a peace she hadn't known for decades. Beside her sat Leela. The two women, once separated by a man’s cowardice and a woman’s greed, were now inseparable. They spent their afternoons debating over recipes and the best way to "spoil" their grandson.

Shweta: "Bebe, Leela ji! Dekhiye mera "Arav" kitna bada ho gaya hai!"

Arav, a bundle of energy with Neil’s mischievous eyes and Avni’s stubborn chin, ran toward his parents as they stepped into the garden.

Arav: "Mamma! Papa! Look, I finded a butterfly!"

Neil: (Picking him up) "Found, champ. Grammer thodi thik karo, varna Mamma nurse se doctor ban gayi hain, tumhe patient bana dengi!"

Avni: (Playfully hitting Neil’s arm) "Neil, don't tease him! Arav, beta, dadi ke paas jao. Mamma has to go to the hospital for a few hours."

Before leaving, Avni stopped by the small memorial she had built in a quiet corner of the estate. It was a simple stone plinth dedicated to "Ashish Mehta".

She didn't feel the old bitterness anymore. Anita was serving a life sentence, her name scrubbed from the family records. The "Mehta legacy" wasn't a scandal anymore it was the foundation of the "Leela-Avni Free Clinic" that Avni ran in the city’s outskirts.

Neil walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Neil: "Thinking about how far we’ve come?"

Avni: "Soch rahi hoon ki agar us din main tumhari nurse bankar nahi aati, toh aaj hum kahan hote?"

Neil:"Wahin hote jahan humein hona chahiye tha. Maybe a little later, maybe a different way. But soulmates always find the address, Avni."

Avni: "Tum aur tumhari filmy baatein.. honestly, Neil."

Neil:"Hey, it’s not filmy! It’s the truth. The higher we climbed, the better the view, right?"

Avni looked at her family the laughter of the grandmothers, the innocence of her son, and the strength of the man beside her. The "Royal Union" was no longer a headline for the tabloids. It was a quiet, sturdy home built on the ruins of a lie.

Avni:"You’re right. The view is perfect."

As she drove out of the gates toward the hospital, she didn't look back at the mansion. She looked forward, toward the lives she would save today. The girl who was once a "passing season" had become the sun around which the entire Khanna world revolved.

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1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 156

AvNeilWritings

Chapter:16
The grand ballroom of the khanna's was a sea of shimmering silk and clinking crystal. Anita moved through the crowd like a queen mother, her face a mask of practiced grace. Despite the chaos of the previous day, she had convinced the Khannas that a "public front" was necessary to avoid a stock market crash.

Shweta and Bebe stood near the stage, their faces pale and set in stone. Neil was at the bar, nursing a drink, looking every bit the defeated hero.

Anita approached him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Anita: "Neil, beta... I know you’re hurting. But look at this relatives (only close ones). The Khannas are legacy. Girls like Avni are just... passing seasons. You’ll thank me one day."

Neil (Without looking at her) "Oh, I’m sure I will, Chachi. I’m already starting to see exactly how much I owe you."

The lights dimmed. A spotlight hit the center stage. Instead of the upbeat Bollywood track expected for an engagement, a low, haunting melody began to play.

Avni stepped onto the stage. She wasn't blushing; she was glowing with a cold, predatory light. She held a microphone, her gaze locked directly onto Anita.

Avni: "Namaste. Aap sab yahan ek rishta judte hue dekhne aaye hain. Par kabhi-kabhi, ek naye rishte se pehle, ek purane hisaab ka chukta hona zaroori hota hai."

The crowd murmured. Anita’s smile faltered. She tried to catch Shweta’s eye, but Shweta looked away.

Anita: (Projecting her voice) "Avni, dear, what is this drama? If you’re upset about the wedding being called off, we can talk privately."

Avni: "Private baaton ka waqt nikal chuka hai, Mrs. Khanna. Aaj toh 'Live telecast' ka din hai."

Avni signaled the technician. The massive LED screen behind her flickered to life. It didn't show a montage of Neil and Avni. It showed a bank statement—specifically, a series of monthly transfers from Ashish Mehta’s account to a private offshore fund under the name 'Anita Varma'.

Avni: "Yeh hai woh 'pyaar' jiske baare mein kal aapne Bebe ko bataya tha? Mere pita ka paisa... jo aapne tab churaya jab meri maa mujhe hospital mein janam de rahi thi?"

Anita: (Livid, stepping toward the stage) "How dare you! Yeh sab jhooth hai, fabricated documents hain! Guard, is ladki ko bahar nikalo!"

Neil: (Stepping forward, blocking the guards) "Rukiye. Guards meri sunte hain, Chachi. Aur abhi show khatam nahi hua."

The screen changed. The grainy hospital footage began to play. The audio was crisp, amplified through the ballroom’s surround-sound system.

>“Make sure the brakes aren't found.. Neil needs a scare, not a funeral.”

The room went deathly silent. The elite of Mumbai gasped in unison.

Bebe: (Her voice shaking with rage) "Anita... tumne mere pote ki jaan lene ki koshish ki? Sirf is jaidad ke liye?".. Mujhe lga tu shyd sudar gyi hogi jab maine tujhe baat karte suna tha ki neil ka ilaz nhi hona chahiye.

Neil:(shockingly, and with saddens) whatt!!?.. Iska matlab jiss hospital mein main mera pehle ilaz chal rha tha. Waha ke doctor's ne bhi chachi ke kehne par jawaab diya tha.

Bebe: "haan, puttar hum sabko baad mein pta chla aur. Maine iss aurat ko warn bhi kiya tha. Tujhe iss liye nhi bataya kyuki tera ilaz jruri tha. Agar yeh baat tumhe pta chal jati toh sadme ki wjh se jaldi recovery nhi honi thi.

Neil:"jiss chachi ko maine apni maa se bhi jyada samjha whi meri jaan ke peeche padi thi.

Bebe:"pta nhi konse karam kiye the jo iss jaisi bahu mili mere hi pote ki jaan ke peeche padi thi. Aaj iska ek aur sach samne aa gya pta nhi aur kitne isne jhooth bole hai aur kitne chehre hai iss aurat ke.

Anita: (Backing away, her eyes darting) "Bebe, meri baat suniye... yeh AI hai! Deepfake hai! Yeh ladki badla le rahi hai kyunki maine iska rishta tod diya!"

Leela:(Walking out from behind the curtain, dressed in her white saree) "Rishta tumne nahi toda, Anita. Maine toda tha. Kyunki mujhe laga tha ki is ghar mein tumhara khoon rehta hai."

Leela stood beside her daughter, looking down at the woman who had ruined her life.

Leela : "Tumne kaha tha na... Ashish ne mujhe nahi, tumhe chuna tha? Aaj dekho. Poori duniya ne tumhe chuna hai—ek kaatil aur ek chor ke roop mein."

Anita: (Snapping, her mask finally shattering) "So what?! Haan, maine kiya! Ashish Mehta ek kamzor insaan tha, usey handle karna meri ungliyon ka khel tha. Aur Neil? Neil ko toh maine sirf thoda sabak sikhaya tha. Is ghar par mera haq hai! Maine bees saal is parivar ki gulam bankar bitaye hain!"

Neil: "Gulam nahi, Chachi. Aap ek parasite thi. Jo dheere dheere hamari jaden kaat rahi thi."

Neil pulled out his phone and pressed a button. Four men in plain clothes—CBI officers—stepped out from the wings of the hall.

Neil: "Attempted murder, fraud, and embezzlement. Aapka 'Past' toh kaala tha hi, par aapka 'Future' ek jail ki kothri mein hai."

As the officers moved to handcuff Anita, she lunged toward Avni, her face contorted in a scream of pure hatred. But she was stopped short by Shweta, who stood in her path, cold and unwavering.

Shweta: "Hamari beti par haath uthane ki koshish bhi mat karna. Tumne sirf ek parivar nahi toda, Anita... tumne ek Maa ka gussa jagaya hai. Get her out of my sight."

The room watched in stunned silence as the 'Elegant Mrs. Khanna' was dragged out, screaming curses that were drowned out by the rising murmur of the scandal.

The silence that followed was heavy. Avni looked at Neil. The victory felt hollow because the wreckage was still all around them. She turned to leave the stage, but Bebe called out.

Bebe: "Avni... ruko."

Bebe walked up the stairs, her steps slow. She took a heavy gold bangle from her own wrist—an ancestral piece.

Bebe: "Kal maine kaha tha ki yeh ghar usoolon par chalta hai. Aaj un usoolon ne ek faisla kiya hai. Dhoka dene wali bahar chali gayi... par haqdaar abhi bhi bahar khadi hai."

She looked at Leela, then at Avni.

Bebe: "Leela, kya tum is budhiya ko maaf kar sakti ho? Maine ek saanp ko ghar mein jagah di, aur ek devi ko thukraya. Kya tum meri poti mujhe wapas dogi?"

Leela looked at Avni. She saw the love in Neil’s eyes, and she saw the strength in her daughter’s stance.

Leela: "Poti toh aapki hi hai, Bebe ji. Bas doli uthne se pehle... mujhe mere pati ka woh samman chahiye jo is aurat ne mujhse cheena tha."

Neil: "Aunty, samman toh sirf ek shuruaat hai. Aaj se, is empire ka ek hissa Avni ke naam hoga. Not as a bride, but as the woman who saved the Khannas from themselves."

Neil walked up to Avni, ignoring the cameras and the guests. He took the red dupatta that was pinned to her shoulder and draped it over both their hands.

Neil: "Ab toh darr nahi lag raha? The higher we climb... we climb together."

Avni: (Smiling through tears) "Girr gaye toh?"

Neil: "Toh sambhaalne ke liye main hoon na, Nurse. Avni."

The "Royal Union" wasn't a merger of two wealthy families anymore. It was a pact of survivors. As the media cameras flashed, capturing the fall of a villain and the rise of a new legacy, Avni realized that the heaviest dupatta wasn't the one made of diamonds—it was the truth.

And for the first time in twenty years, she could finally breathe.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 165

AvNeilWritings

Continue, Chapter:15.

The sky had turned a bruised purple by the time Avni reached the gates of the Khanna mansion. The security guards, recognizing her but sensing the shift in the wind, hesitated before letting her through. The festive lights were still draped over the bushes, flickering mockingly in the evening breeze.

Inside, the atmosphere was a graveyard of a celebration. The servants moved in hushed shadows, and the air felt thick with the residue of the morning's explosion.

Avni didn't head for the main hall. She knew Neil. Whenever he was suffocating, he went to the terrace—the only place where the air felt unowned by the Khanna legacy.



She found him standing by the stone handrail, his back to the door. He didn't turn when she approached, but his shoulders tensed.

Neil: "My mother is crying in her room. Bebe is talking to the family lawyers. And I’m standing here wondering if every memory I have of my 'Chachi' is a lie. Why are you here, Avni? To tell me you’re leaving for good?"

Avni walked up beside him, her hand gripping the laptop bag tightly. "I’m here because your Chachi didn't just destroy my past, Neil. She’s been planning your future, too."

She opened the laptop, the screen’s glow cutting through the darkness. She played the video.

As Anita’s voice whispered the instructions about the tampered brakes, Neil’s face transformed. The grief of the morning was replaced by a cold, terrifying clarity. He watched the exchange of cash, his jaw tightening until the bone looked ready to snap.

Neil: (His voice a hollow rasp) "She did this? My own blood... she put me in that hospital bed just to play a power game with the Board of Directors?"

Avni: "She sent me a note, Neil. She wanted me to find out about my father. She thought the scandal would make my mother pull me away, leaving you isolated. She didn't realize there was a second gift in that sweets box."

Neil turned to her, his eyes burning with a mix of gratitude and raw fury. "She underestimated you. And she definitely underestimated us."



Neil took the laptop, but he didn't head for the stairs. He looked at Avni, a dark resolve in his eyes.

Neil: "If we go down there and show this to Bebe now, Anita will claim it’s a falsehood. She’ll use her lawyers to tie us in knots. We need her to admit it. We need the world she covets so much to hear it from her own mouth."

Avni: "What are you planning?"

Neil: "Tomorrow is the engagement. The guests are already arriving at the hotels. The media will be there. She thinks she’s won because your mother called off the wedding. She thinks I’m a broken man."

He stepped closer, taking Avni’s hands in his. His touch was no longer the playful warmth of the *Roka*; it was the steady grip of a partner in a war zone.

Neil: "We’re going to give her exactly what she wants. A public stage. But it won't be a celebration of a union, Avni. It’s going to be her public execution."


While Neil handled the internal logistics, Avni had one more bridge to mend. She returned home late that night to find Leela sitting in the dark.

Avni: "Maa, I’m not asking you to forgive Anita. I’m not even asking you to accept the Khannas yet. But I am asking you to help me finish what she started twenty years ago."

Leela looked up, her eyes tired. "What do you mean?"

Avni: "She thinks she can discard people like they’re nothing. She did it to you, and she tried to do it to Neil. But she forgot that the woman she stepped on had a daughter who knows exactly how to heal—and exactly where to cut."

Avni laid out the plan. It was risky. It would put them back in the lion's den, facing the very woman who had haunted Leela’s nightmares.

Leela stood up, her back straightening. The fear was gone, replaced by the grim satisfaction of a woman who was finally being handed a sword.

Leela: "Tell me what I need to do."


The next morning, a bouquet of black roses arrived at the Khanna mansion, addressed to Anita. There was no card, only a small, hand-painted 'M'—the emblem of the Mehta family.

Anita, sipping her tea, looked at the roses and smirked. She assumed it was a final, pathetic gesture of defeat from Leela. She tossed the flowers into the trash, unaware that the thorns had been dipped in a truth she couldn't hide from.

In her room, Avni dressed for the engagement. She wear the pastel fabrics Shweta had picked. She chose a deep, blood-red lehenga.

As she pinned her dupatta, she looked at her reflection. The nurse was gone. The "future daughter-in-law" was gone.

"The higher you climb," Avni whispered to the mirror, "the harder you fall. Watch your step, Anita. It’s a long way down."

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 483

AvNeilWritings

## अध्याय 15: न्याय का शंखनाद

रात नींद लेकर नहीं आई; वह अपने साथ एक भारी, दम घोंटने वाली खामोशी लाई थी। अवनी खिड़की के पास बैठी थी, उसकी गोद में वह मुड़ा-तुड़ा नोट था और कालीन पर बिखरे फोटो फ्रेम के कांच के टुकड़े छोटी खंजरों की तरह चमक रहे थे। हॉल के उस पार से उसे अपनी माँ के कदमों की तेज़ और बेचैन आवाज़ सुनाई दे रही थी। कोमल और शांत स्वभाव वाली लीला की जगह अब एक ऐसी स्त्री ने ले ली थी, जो धोखे की आग में तपकर फौलाद बन चुकी थी।

अवनी ने अपने फोन की ओर देखा। नील का एक संदेश स्क्रीन पर चमक रहा था:

*"आज के बारे में सोचकर अब भी पागलों की तरह मुस्कुरा रहा हूँ। उस दुपट्टे में तुम बिल्कुल एक परी जैसी लग रही थीं। शुभ रात्रि, मेरी होने वाली मिसेज खन्ना।"*

एक आँसू छलक कर स्क्रीन पर गिरा। कोई सपना इतनी जल्दी डरावनी हकीकत में कैसे बदल सकता था?

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अगली सुबह, सूरज एक तीखी और बेरहम चमक के साथ उगा। लीला ने किसी शुभ मुहूर्त का इंतज़ार नहीं किया। एक साधारण, कड़क सफेद सूती साड़ी पहने—जो उनके संघर्ष और विधवापन का कवच थी—वह खन्ना हवेली की ओर चल पड़ीं। अवनी कुछ कदम पीछे थी, उसका दिल पिंजरे में कैद पक्षी की तरह पसलियों से टकरा रहा था।

वे भव्य दरवाज़े, जो कल तक स्वागत करते हुए लगते थे, आज किसी किले के प्रवेश द्वार की तरह लग रहे थे।

जब वे अंदर पहुँचे, तो घर में अब भी जश्न के बाद की सुस्ती छाई हुई थी। श्वेता गुनगुनाते हुए नौकरों को गेंदे के फूल हटाने का निर्देश दे रही थी, जबकि बेबे सोफे पर बैठी सुबह की चाय पी रही थीं।

श्वेता: "लीला जी! अवनी! इतनी सुबह? हमारी इतनी याद आ रही थी क्या?"

श्वेता की चहकती आवाज़ लीला का चेहरा देखते ही गले में ही अटक गई। वह किसी मेहमान का चेहरा नहीं था; वह एक फरियादी और आरोपी का चेहरा था।

बेबे: (चाय का कप रखते हुए, माहौल भांपते हुए) "लीला, क्या बात है? सब खैरियत तो है?"

लीला: "बेबे जी, मैं यहाँ खैरियत पूछने नहीं, सच्चाई बताने आई हूँ। आपने कहा था यह घर उसूलों पर चलता है। तो आज उन उसूलों का इम्तेहान है।"

उसी पल, अनीता भव्य सीढ़ियों से नीचे उतरी। वह रेशमी हाउसकोट में बेहद सुंदर लग रही थी, उसके गहने धीरे से खनक रहे थे। वह बीच रास्ते में ही रुक गई, उसकी आँखें लीला से मिलीं। एक पल के लिए, "सभ्य मिसेज खन्ना" का नकाब सरक गया और उसकी आँखों में पहचान की एक ठंडी, सोची-समझी चमक कौंधी।

अनीता: (ज़हर जैसी मीठी आवाज़ में) "लीला? एक उम्र बीत गई..."

कमरे में मौत जैसी खामोशी छा गई। श्वेता उलझन में दोनों औरतों को देखने लगी। "आप दोनों एक-दूसरे को जानती हैं?"

लीला: "जानती हूँ? यह वही औरत है जिसने मेरे घर की नींव खोदी थी। बेबे जी, यह 'अनीता' वही है जिसने मेरे पति, आशीष मेहता को मुझसे और मेरी नन्ही बच्ची से छीना था। यह वही है जिसने एक हंसते-खेलते परिवार को सड़क पर लाकर खड़ा कर दिया था!"

यह आरोप हवा में धुएं की तरह फैल गया। बेबे खड़ी हो गईं, उनका चेहरा पीला पड़ गया। उन्होंने अनीता की ओर मुड़कर कांपती लेकिन अधिकारपूर्ण आवाज़ में पूछा।

बेबे: "अनीता? क्या यह सच है? तुमने तो कहा था कि तुम्हारे अतीत में कोई नहीं था..."

अनीता की पलक तक नहीं झपकी। उसने अपने बिखरे बाल कान के पीछे किए और उनकी ओर बढ़ी, उसके सैंडल की आवाज़ संगमरमर पर साफ़ गूँज रही थी।

अनीता: "बेबे, हर किसी का एक अतीत होता है। आशीष उससे प्यार नहीं करता था। आप उस आदमी को 'चुरा' नहीं सकते जो खुद रुकना न चाहता हो। मैंने बस उसे वह ज़िंदगी दी जिसका वह हकदार था। क्या यह मेरी गलती है कि उसके 'फैसले' ने लीला को अंधेरे में छोड़ दिया?"

**तड़ाक!

थप्पड़ की गूँज पूरे हॉल में सुनाई दी। वह लीला नहीं थी जिसने हाथ उठाया था। वह बेबे थीं।

बेबे: "हमारे घर में बेटियों की इज़्ज़त की जाती है, अनीता। दूसरों का घर तोड़ने वाली को 'बहू' का दर्जा देना मेरी सबसे बड़ी भूल थी।"

हंगामा सुनकर नील अपने पिता के साथ नीचे भागता हुआ आया। उसने देखा कि अवनी कोने में खड़ी कांप रही है, उसकी आँखें रोने से लाल थीं।

नील: "यह सब क्या हो रहा है? माँ? बेबे?"

लीला आगे बढ़ीं और शगुन का लिफाफा बेबे को वापस थमा दिया। उनकी आवाज़ दर्द से भारी थी लेकिन अटूट थी।

लीला: "नील, बेटा... तुमने कहा था कि यह घर मेरा है। पर जिस घर की छत के नीचे मेरी बर्बादी का कारण रहती हो, वहाँ मैं अपनी बेटी की डोली नहीं उतार सकती। अवनी, चलो।"

नील: "आंटी, रुकिए! इसमें मेरा क्या गुनाह है? मुझे तो कुछ पता भी नहीं था! अवनी..."

उसने अवनी का हाथ पकड़ने की कोशिश की, लेकिन लीला बीच में आ गईं।

लीला: "तुम्हारा गुनाह सिर्फ इतना है, नील, कि तुम्हारा खून का रिश्ता उस औरत से है जिसने मेरी बेटी का बचपन उजाड़ा। हर बार जब अवनी तुम्हें देखेगी, उसे अपने बाप की बेवफाई याद आएगी। यह रिश्ता यहीं खत्म होता है।"

जैसे ही लीला ने अवनी को दरवाज़े की ओर खींचा, अवनी ने आखिरी बार पीछे मुड़कर देखा। नील वहीं जम गया था—दुनिया का "सबसे खुशनसीब लड़का" अब एक टूटी हुई तस्वीर और टूटे हुए वादों के मलबे के बीच खड़ा था।

जैसे ही उन्होंने चौखट पार की, अवनी की जेब में मौजूद वह गुमनाम नोट और भी भारी महसूस होने लगा। उसे अब समझ आया कि वह किसने भेजा था। वह किसी बाहरी दुश्मन की धमकी नहीं थी—वह खुद अनीता की चेतावनी थी। वह चाहती थी कि अवनी को पता चले। वह इस रिश्ते को शुरू होने से पहले ही तबाह कर देना चाहती थी।

शाही मिलन बिखर चुका था, और यह गिरावट उतनी ही दर्दनाक थी जितनी चेतावनी दी गई थी।

खन्ना हवेली के भारी महोगनी दरवाज़े उनके पीछे एक ऐसी अंतिम गूँज के साथ बंद हुए जिसने अवनी के भीतर सब कुछ झकझोर दिया। सजे-धजे लॉन और कीमती फूलों की खुशबू अब किसी शव यात्रा की तरह महसूस हो रही थी।

लीला तेज़ी से आगे बढ़ रही थीं, जैसे वह उस घर की हवा से भी दूर भागना चाहती हों। लेकिन अवनी के पैर जैसे सीसे के हो गए थे।

"माँ, रुकिए..." अवनी ने रुंधे गले से कहा और गेट के पास अपनी माँ का हाथ पकड़ा। "प्लीज, मेरी बात तो सुनिए।"

लीला मुड़ीं, उनकी आँखों में वह दर्द था जिसे उन्होंने बीस साल से दबा रखा था। "क्या सुनूँ, अवनी? कि मेरा दामाद उस औरत का भतीजा है? कि जिस पैसे पर वे इतना नाज़ करते हैं, हो सकता है उसमें मेरे हिस्से का खून-पसीना भी हो? नहीं। मैंने तुझे ठोकरें खाकर पाल-पोसकर बड़ा किया है, लेकिन तुझे उस ज़हर के प्याले में गिरने नहीं दूँगी।"

अंदर हॉल में, वह खामोशी चिल्लाहट से भी ज़्यादा हिंसक थी। नील सुन्न खड़ा था, उस जगह को घूर रहा था जहाँ कुछ पल पहले अवनी खड़ी थी। शगुन का वह लाल दुपट्टा ज़मीन पर लावारिस पड़ा था, जिसकी सुनहरी गोटियाँ सुबह की रोशनी में फीकी पड़ गई थीं।

उसने अपनी नज़र अनीता की ओर घुमाई, जो शांति से अपने उस गाल को सहला रही थी जहाँ बेबे ने थप्पड़ मारा था। वह बिल्कुल बेअसर दिख रही थी।

"चाची..." नील की आवाज़ एक धीमी और खतरनाक गुर्राहट जैसी थी। "क्या यह सच है?"

अनीता ने उसे देखा, उसके होंठों पर एक ठंडी मुस्कान थी। "नील, इतने ड्रामेबाज़ मत बनो। आशीष एक समझदार इंसान था। उसने खुद चुनाव किया था। अगर लीला अपने पति को संभाल नहीं सकी, तो बीस साल बाद इसका बोझ मैं क्यों उठाऊँ?"

"क्योंकि आपने झूठ बोला!" शश्वेता चीखी, उसकी हमेशा चहकने वाली शख्सियत अब एक माँ के गुस्से में बदल चुकी थी। "आप एक 'सम्मानित' विधवा बनकर इस घर में आईं। हमने आपको खन्ना नाम दिया! अगर मुझे पता होता कि आप वही औरत हैं जिसने एक परिवार को बर्बाद किया... तो मैं कभी आपको मेरे बेटे के पास फटकने भी नहीं देती।"

बेबे ने हाथ उठाकर सबको चुप करा दिया। उनका चेहरा बूढ़ा लगने लगा था। "अनीता... तुम आज ही यह घर छोड़कर जाओगी।"

अनीता हंसी, एक तीखी और चुभने वाली हंसी। "छोड़कर? कहाँ जाऊँगी, बेबे? मैं कानूनन एक खन्ना हूँ। आप मुझे सिर्फ इसलिए बाहर नहीं फेंक सकतीं क्योंकि एक मध्यमवर्गीय नर्स ने आकर पुराने दिनों का रोना रोया है। अगर मैं गई, तो जायदाद में अपना हिस्सा लेकर जाऊँगी। क्या आप उस बदनामी के लिए तैयार हैं?"

उसी दोपहर, अपने छोटे से घर की तन्हाई में, अवनी अपने बिस्तर पर बैठी थी। हवेली की भव्यता के मुकाबले उनके घर की शांति बहुत भारी लग रही थी। उसने अपनी जेब से वह मुड़ा हुआ नोट निकाला।

> *"तुम जितना ऊँचा चढ़ोगे, गिरावट उतनी ही गहरी होगी।"*

लिखावट अनीता की नहीं थी—अवनी ने गेस्ट लिस्ट पर अनीता की सुंदर राइटिंग देखी थी। यह लिखावट कांपती हुई और जल्दबाजी में लिखी गई थी। और तभी उसे समझ आया। यह नोट किसी विलेन की धमकी नहीं थी; यह एक पीड़ित की चेतावनी थी।

उसने लिफाफे में फिर से हाथ डाला और उसे कुछ ऐसा मिला जो झटके में उससे छूट गया था: एक छोटा माइक्रो-एसडी कार्ड, जो अंदर की तरफ टेप से चिपकाया गया था।

कांपते हाथों से अवनी ने कार्ड को अपने लैपटॉप में लगाया। एक वीडियो फाइल सामने आई।

उसने 'प्ले' पर क्लिक किया। वीडियो की फुटेज एक अस्पताल के कॉरिडोर की थी—वही अस्पताल जहाँ वह काम करती थी। यह उस रात की रिकॉर्डिंग थी जब नील का एक्सीडेंट हुआ था। वीडियो में, अनीता खन्ना एक हुडी पहने आदमी से बात कर रही थी और उसे पैसों से भरा एक मोटा लिफाफा दे रही थी।

"ध्यान रहे कि ब्रेक फेल होने की बात पता न चले," अनीता की फुसफुसाहट साफ़ सुनाई दे रही थी। "नील को सिर्फ एक झटके की ज़रूरत है, उसकी जान नहीं लेनी। बस इतना काफी हो कि परिवार खुद को असुरक्षित महसूस करे... और उन्हें बिज़नेस संभालने के लिए मेरी ज़रूरत पड़े।"

अवनी की सांसें थम गईं। वह एक्सीडेंट जिसने नील को लगभग मार डाला था, जिसने उसे अवनी के वार्ड तक पहुँचाया था, वह किस्मत का खेल नहीं था। वह अनीता की एक सोची-समझी चाल थी ताकि वह खन्ना साम्राज्य पर अपना कब्ज़ा जमा सके।

इस हकीकत ने अवनी के खून को ठंडा कर दिया। अनीता सिर्फ वह औरत नहीं थी जिसने उसके पिता को छीना था; वह वह औरत थी जिसने उस इंसान को मारने की कोशिश की जिसे अवनी प्यार करती थी।

उसने दरवाज़े की ओर देखा। उसकी माँ रसोई में खाली नज़रों से उबलते पानी को देख रही थी, उनकी हिम्मत टूट चुकी थी। अगर अवनी ने उन्हें यह दिखाया, तो लीला उसे कभी खन्ना परिवार के करीब नहीं जाने देंगी।

लेकिन अगर उसने कुछ नहीं किया, तो नील अब भी खतरे में था। वह एक ऐसी औरत के साथ रह रहा था जो उसे सिर्फ जायदाद की एक मोहरा समझती थी।

अवनी का फोन बजा। एक अनजान नंबर से मैसेज आया:

*"सच्चाई एक भारी दुपट्टे की तरह है, अवनी। क्या तुम इसे पहनकर अपना दम घोंट लोगी, या इसका इस्तेमाल उसे फाँसी पर चढ़ाने के लिए करोगी जिसने यह तुम्हें दिया है?"*

अवनी खड़ी हो गई, उसकी आँखों में दृढ़ता थी। अब वह सिर्फ एक नर्स नहीं थी, और न ही वह सिर्फ एक डरी हुई लड़की थी। उसके पास एक ऐसा बम था जो पूरे खन्ना हवेली को हिला सकता था।

उसने अपना भारी, हीरों से जड़ा दुपट्टा उठाया और दरवाज़े की ओर चल दी।

"माँ," अवनी ने पुकारा, उसकी आवाज़ स्थिर थी। "मुझे जाना होगा। शादी के लिए नहीं... बल्कि सच के लिए।"

4 weeks ago | [YT] | 74

AvNeilWritings

Chapter:15

The night didn’t bring sleep; it brought a heavy, suffocating silence. Avni sat by the window, the crumpled note in her lap and the broken shards of the photo frame still glittering on the rug like tiny daggers. Across the hall, she could hear the rhythmic, frantic pacing of her mother. The gentle, soft-spoken Leela had been replaced by a woman forged in the fires of betrayal.Avni looked at her phone. A message from Neil shimmered on the screen:

"Still smiling like an idiot thinking about today. You looked like a dream in that dupatta. Goodnight, my soon-to-be Mrs. Khanna."

A tear escaped, splashing onto the screen. How could a dream turn into a haunting so quickly?

The next morning, the sun rose with a harsh, unforgiving glare. Leela didn't wait for an auspicious hour. Clad in a simple, starch-white cotton saree—the armor of her widowhood and struggle—she marched toward the Khanna estate. Avni followed a few steps behind, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.

The grand gates, which had seemed welcoming yesterday, now felt like the entrance to a fortress.

When they entered, the house was still in a post-celebration haze. Shweta was humming, directing servants to clear the marigolds, while Bebe sat on the sofa, sipping her morning tea.

Shweta: "Leela ji! Avni! Itni subah? Itni yaad aa rahi thi hamari?"

Shweta’s cheerful voice died in her throat the moment she saw Leela’s face. It wasn't the face of a guest; it was the face of an accuser.

Bebe: (Setting her cup down, sensing the shift) "Leela, kya baat hai? Sab khairiyat?"

Leela: "Bebe ji, main yahan khairiyat puchne nahi, sachayi batane aayi hoon. Aapne kaha tha yeh ghar usoolon par chalta hai. Toh aaj un usoolon ka imtehaan hai."

At that moment, Anita descended the grand staircase. She looked radiant in a silk housecoat, her jewelry clinking softly. She stopped mid-step, her eyes meeting Leela’s. For a split second, the mask of the "Elegant Mrs. Khanna" slipped, revealing a flash of cold, calculating recognition.

Anita: (Voice smooth as venom) "Leela? It’s been... a lifetime."

The room went deathly silent. Shweta looked between the two women, confused. "Aap dono ek doosre ko jaante hain?"

Leela: "Jaanti hoon? Yeh woh aurat hai jisne mere ghar ki neev khodi thi. Bebe ji, yeh 'Anita' wahi hai jisne mere pati, Ashish Mehta, ko mujhse aur meri nanhi beti se cheena tha. Yeh woh hai jisne ek haste-khelte parivar ko sadak par lakar khada kar diya!"

The accusation hung in the air like smoke. Bebe stood up, her face pale. She turned to Anita, her voice trembling with authority.

Bebe: "Anita? Kya yeh sach hai? Tumne kaha tha tumhare ateet mein koi nahi tha..."

Anita didn't flinch. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and walked toward them, her heels clicking sharply on the marble.

Anita: "Bebe, everyone has a past. Ashish didn't love her. You can't 'steal' a man who doesn't want to stay. I simply gave him the life he deserved. Is it my fault that his 'choice' left Leela in the dark?"
Slap.
The sound echoed through the hall. It wasn't Leela who had struck her. It was Bebe.

Bebe: "Hamare ghar mein betiyon ki izzat ki jaati hai, Anita. Doosron ka ghar todne wali ko 'Bahu' ka darja dena meri sabse badi bhool thi."

Neil, having heard the commotion, rushed down the stairs, followed by his father. He saw Avni standing in the corner, trembling, her eyes red from crying.

Neil: "What’s going on? Maa? Bebe?"

Leela stepped forward, handing the Shagun envelope back to Bebe. Her voice was thick with pain but unwavering.

Leela: "Neil, beta... tumne kaha tha yeh ghar mera hai. Par jis ghar ki chhat ke neeche meri barbaadi ka kaaran rehti ho, wahan main apni beti ki doli nahi utar sakti. Avni, chalo."

Neil: "Aunty, rukiye! Mera isme kya gunah hai? I didn't even know! Avni..."

He reached for Avni’s hand, but Leela stepped between them.

Leela: "Tumhara gunah sirf itna hai, Neil, ki tumhare khoon ka rishta us aurat se hai jisne meri beti ka bachpan ujada. Har baar jab Avni tumhe dekhegi, usey apne baap ki bewafai yaad aayegi. Yeh rishta yahi khatam hota hai."

As Leela pulled Avni toward the door, Avni looked back one last time. Neil stood frozen, the "luckiest guy in the world" now standing amidst the wreckage of a shattered photograph and a broken promise.

As they crossed the threshold, the anonymous note in Avni's pocket felt heavier than ever. She realized now who had sent it. It wasn't a threat from an outsider—it was a warning from Anita herself. She had wanted Avni to find out. She had wanted to destroy the union before it could begin.

The royal union had fallen, and the fall was every bit as hard as promised.

The heavy mahogany doors of the Khanna mansion swung shut behind them with a finality that echoed in the pit of Avni’s stomach. The manicured lawns and the scent of expensive lilies now felt like a funeral procession.

Leela marched forward, her pace frantic, as if she were trying to outrun the very air of that house. Avni, however, felt like her feet were made of lead.

"Maa, rukiye..." Avni choked out, catching her mother’s arm near the gate. "Please, baat toh suniye."

Leela turned, her eyes wild with a pain that had been suppressed for two decades. "Kya sunu, Avni? Ki mera damad us aurat ka bhatija hai? Ki jis paise par woh itna naaz karte hain, ho sakta hai usme mere hisse ka bhi khoon-pasina ho? Nahi. Maine tujhe thokar kha kar pal-pos ke bada kiya hai, lekin tujhe us zeher ke pyaale mein girne nahi doongi."

Inside the central hall, the silence was more violent than the shouting. Neil stood paralyzed, staring at the spot where Avni had been standing only moments ago. The red *shagun* scarf lay forgotten on the floor, its golden threads dull in the morning light.

He turned his gaze toward Anita, who was calmly rubbing her cheek where Bebe had struck her. She looked unfazed, almost bored.

"Chachi..." Neil’s voice was a low, dangerous growl. "Is it true?"

Anita looked at him, a cold smirk playing on her lips. "Neil, don't be so dramatic. Ashish was a grown man. He made a choice. If Leela couldn't keep her husband, why is that my burden to carry twenty years later?"

"Because you lied!" Shweta shrieked, her usual bubbly persona replaced by a mother’s protective fury. "You entered this house as a widow with a 'respectable' past. We gave you the Khanna name! If I had known you were the woman who destroyed a family... I would have never let you breathe the same air as my son."

Bebe raised her hand, silencing the room. Her face looked aged, the wrinkles deeper than they had been that morning. "Anita... you will leave this house. Today."

Anita laughed, a sharp, jarring sound. "Leave? To go where, Bebe? I am a Khanna by law. You can't just throw me out because a middle-class nurse showed up and cried about the past. If I go, I take my share of the estate. Are you ready for that scandal?"

Later that afternoon, in the cramped sanctuary of their small apartment, Avni sat on her bed. The silence of their home felt deafening compared to the grandeur of the morning. She pulled the crumpled, anonymous note from her pocket."The higher you climb, the harder the fall..The handwriting wasn't Anita’s—she had seen Anita’s elegant script on the guest list. This was shaky, almost rushed. And then it hit her. The note wasn't a threat from the villain; it was a warning from a victim. She reached into the envelope again and found something she had missed in her initial shock: a tiny, micro-SD card taped to the inner lining.With trembling hands, Avni slotted the card into her laptop. A single video file appeared.
She clicked play. The grainy footage showed a hospital corridor—her hospital. It was from the night of the accident that had brought Neil and Avni together. In the video, Anita Khanna was seen talking to a man in a dark hoodie, handing him a thick envelope of cash.

"Make sure the brakes aren't found," Anita’s voice whispered through the speakers. "Neil needs a scare, not a funeral. Just enough to make the family feel vulnerable... just enough to make them need me to manage the business."

Avni gasped, covering her mouth. The accident that had nearly killed Neil, the accident that had led him to her ward, hadn't been an act of fate. It was a calculated move by Anita to gain leverage over the Khanna empire.The realization turned Avni’s blood to ice. Anita wasn't just a woman who had stolen her father; she was a woman who had tried to harm the man Avni loved.

She looked at the door. Her mother was in the kitchen, staring blankly at a pot of boiling water, her spirit broken. If Avni showed her this, Leela would never let her near the Khannas again. She would see it as further proof that they lived in a world of monsters.But if she didn't act, Neil was still in danger. He was living under the same roof as a woman who saw him as a pawn in a game of inheritance.

Avni’s phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number:.."The truth is a heavy dupatta, Avni. Do you wear it and choke, or do you use it to hang the one who gave it to you?"

Avni stood up, her eyes hardening. She was no longer just the nurse, and she was no longer just the girl with the royal union. She was a woman who held the fuse to a bomb that could level the Khanna mansion.

She grabbed her dupatta—the heavy, diamond-studded one—and headed for the door.

"Maa," Avni called out, her voice steady. "I have to go. Not for the marriage... but for the truth."

4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 86

AvNeilWritings

## अध्याय 14: अतीत की परछाइयाँ

हफ़्ता पेस्टल कपड़ों, फूलों की सजावट और श्वेता के उत्साह के बीच एक धुंध की तरह बीत गया। श्वेता ने अपनी बात पर कायम रहते हुए अवनी को अस्पताल की शिफ्टों से जैसे छीन ही लिया था। उनका कहना था कि "खन्ना खानदान की होने वाली बहू" के चेहरे पर शादी वाली चमक होनी चाहिए, न कि वॉर्ड की सफेद फीकी रंगत।

---

**रोका और मुहूर्त** का दिन आ गया। खन्ना हवेली को गेंदे के फूलों और सफेद लिली से एक सपने जैसा सजाया गया था। पिछला हफ्ता जहाँ निजी और अनौपचारिक था, वहीं आज का दिन दो तकदीरों पर औपचारिक मुहर लगने जैसा था।

लीला प्रवेश द्वार पर खड़ी खन्ना हवेली की भव्यता देख थोड़ा सहम सी गईं। नील ने उनकी झिझक भांप ली और तुरंत अपने चचेरे भाइयों को छोड़कर उनके पास आया।

**नील:** "आंटी, यह घर आज से उतना ही आपका है जितना हमारा। प्लीज, अंदर चलिए।"

लीला मुस्कुरा दीं, उनका दिल गर्व से भर गया। नील सिर्फ एक अमीर आदमी नहीं था; वह ऊंचे चरित्र वाला इंसान भी था।

---

मुख्य हॉल में, पंडित जी पवित्र अग्नि के सामने बैठे थे और उनके सामने कुंडली के चार्ट फैले हुए थे। हवा में चंदन और अगरबत्ती की महक घुली हुई थी।

**पंडित जी:** "खन्ना जी, लीला जी... कुंडलियों का मिलन तो श्रेष्ठ है। अगले मंगलवार का मुहूर्त सगाई के लिए सबसे शुभ है। अमृत सिद्धि योग बन रहा है।"

**श्वेता:** (तालियां बजाते हुए) "मैंने कहा था ना! मंगलवार एकदम परफेक्ट है। पंडित जी, रोका की विधि शुरू करें?"

अवनी और नील को साथ बिठाया गया। जैसे ही पंडित जी ने मंत्रों का जाप शुरू किया, श्वेता एक शानदार हीरे जड़ित सोने का दुपट्टा लेकर आगे बढ़ीं और उसे अवनी के सिर पर सजा दिया। यह आधिकारिक संकेत था—**रोका।**

**श्वेता:** "अब से, तुम हमारी हुई। नज़र ना लगे।"

उन्होंने अवनी के माथे पर टीका लगाया और उसकी गोद में एक बड़ी, लाल शगुन की चुनरी फैलाई, जिसे पाँच प्रकार के फल, गहने, शुभ वस्तुएं और नेक (नकद) से भर दिया। फिर उन्होंने छुआरों से शगुन की रस्म निभाई और बर्फी खिलाकर सबका मुंह मीठा कराया। इसके बाद लीला आगे बढ़ीं, उनके हाथ कांप रहे थे जब उन्होंने नील को अपने हाथ की बनी बर्फी खिलाई, जो इस बात का प्रतीक था कि उन्होंने नील को अपने दामाद के रूप में स्वीकार कर लिया है।

---

जैसे ही मेहमान दोपहर के शाही भोजन की ओर बढ़े, नील ने अवनी को हॉल के कोने की तरफ इशारा किया, जहाँ बड़ी फ्रेंच खिड़कियों से बगीचा दिख रहा था।

**नील:** "तो, अब यह ऑफिशियल हो गया। अब भागने का कोई रास्ता नहीं है, मिसेज होने वाली खन्ना।"

**अवनी:** (छेड़ते हुए) "तकनीकी रूप से, फेरों तक मैं अभी भी मेहता ही हूँ। ज्यादा आगे मत बढ़िए, मिस्टर नील खन्ना।"

**नील:** (करीब झुकते हुए, धीमी आवाज़ में) "रोका का मतलब है कि तुम 'बुक्ड' हो। और चूंकि तुमने शादी से पहले किस के लिए मना किया था... तो क्या माथे पर चूमना 'पुराने तौर-तरीकों' में गिना जाता है?"

इससे पहले कि अवनी शरमाती या विरोध करती, नील ने धीरे से उसके माथे पर अपने होंठ रख दिए। यह कोई चंचल शरारत नहीं थी, बल्कि सम्मान और सुरक्षा का एक गहरा अहसास था।

**अवनी:** "नील... सब देख लेंगे।"

**नील:** "देखने दो। मैं चाहता हूँ कि दुनिया को पता चले कि मैं यहाँ सबसे खुशकिस्मत इंसान हूँ।"

---

उसी शाम, जब लीला और अवनी घर लौट आए, अवनी अपनी छोटी सी ड्रेसिंग टेबल पर बैठी उस भारी सोने के दुपट्टे को देख रही थी जो श्वेता ने उसे दिया था। यह सुंदर था, लेकिन भारी भी—ठीक वैसा ही जैसा उसकी माँ ने चेतावनी दी थी।

लीला कमरे के दरवाजे पर आकर खड़ी हो गईं।

**लीला:** "खुश तो हो ना, अवनी?"

**अवनी:** "बहुत, माँ। पर... कभी-कभी डर लगता है। सब कुछ इतनी जल्दी हो रहा है। ऐसा लगता है जैसे मैं किसी सपने में हूँ।"

**लीला:** "सपने अक्सर टूट जाते हैं, बेटा। पर जो रिश्ते सच्चाई पर टिके हों, वो तूफान भी झेल लेते हैं। बस अपना वजूद मत खोना।"

अवनी ने सिर हिलाया। वह अब सिर्फ नर्सिंग यूनिफॉर्म वाली लड़की नहीं थी। वह एक शाही मिलन की दहलीज पर खड़ी महिला थी। लेकिन जैसे ही उसने दुपट्टा समेटा, उसकी नज़र मिठाई के डिब्बे के कोने में दबे एक छोटे, गुमनाम लिफाफे पर पड़ी।

---

अवनी के हाथ में अभी भी वह डरावनी चिट्ठी थी, तभी लिविंग रूम से कुछ टूटने की ज़ोरदार आवाज़ आई। वह भागकर बाहर गई तो देखा कि लीला कॉफी टेबल के पास जड़ खड़ी थीं। खन्ना हवेली से मिला एक फ्रेम किया हुआ फोटो—जो मुहूर्त की याद के तौर पर दिया गया था—फर्श पर चकनाचूर पड़ा था।

लीला का चेहरा सफेद पड़ गया था, उनकी सांसें उखड़ रही थीं। वह टूटे हुए कांच को नहीं देख रही थीं; वह उस फोटो के बैकग्राउंड में खड़ी एक महिला को देख रही थीं।

**अवनी:** "माँ? क्या हुआ? आप ठीक तो हैं?"

लीला ने कोई जवाब नहीं दिया। उनकी कांपती उंगली उस तीखे नैन-नक्श वाली, सलीके से तैयार महिला की ओर थी, जो फोटो में श्वेता के ठीक पीछे खड़ी थी। उस महिला के चेहरे पर एक ठंडी मुस्कान थी जिसे लीला नरक की गहराइयों में भी पहचान सकती थीं।

**लीला:** (एक डरावनी फुसफुसाहट में) "अनीता..."

अवनी को एक ठंडी सिहरन महसूस हुई। उसने यह नाम सालों पहले सिर्फ कड़वी और दबी हुई बहसों में सुना था। अनीता वही औरत थी जिसने आशीष मेहता को वश में किया था, वही औरत जिसके लिए अवनी के पिता अपनी पत्नी और मासूम बेटी को संघर्षों के बीच छोड़कर चले गए थे।

**अवनी:** "माँ, आप क्या कह रही हैं? वो... वो तो नील की चाची, यानी बेबे की छोटी बहू, अनीता खन्ना हैं।"

**लीला:** "यह वही 'अनीता' है जिसने मेरा सुहाग छीना था। जिसने तुझसे तेरा बाप छीना!"

यह अहसास किसी शारीरिक चोट की तरह लगा। जिस "शाही मिलन" का जश्न अवनी ने अभी मनाया था, वह उसी औरत से जुड़ा था जिसने उसके परिवार को तबाह किया था। खन्ना परिवार सिर्फ एक नया परिवार नहीं था; वे लीला के जीवन की सबसे बड़ी दुश्मन को पनाह दिए हुए थे।

लीला का सदमा पल भर में एक उग्र और सुरक्षात्मक गुस्से में बदल गया। उन्होंने सोफे पर रखे उस हीरे जड़ित दुपट्टे को देखा—वही दुपट्टा जिसे श्वेता ने इतने प्यार से पहनाया था। अब वह एक सुनहरे पिंजरे जैसा लग रहा था।

**लीला:** "नहीं... यह रिश्ता नहीं हो सकता। मैं अपनी बेटी को उस साये के नीचे कभी नहीं रहने दूंगी। जिस औरत ने मेरी जिंदगी नर्क बनाई, मैं उसे तेरी 'चाची' कहने का हक नहीं दे सकती!"

**अवनी:** "माँ, प्लीज... नील को तो कुछ नहीं पता। वह निर्दोष है! उसका क्या कसूर?"

**लीला:** "कसूर खून का नहीं होता, अवनी, नसीब का होता है। जब तक वह औरत उस घर में है, तू कभी खुश नहीं रहेगी। वह तुझे पल-पल डसेगी।"

लीला घर के छोटे से मंदिर के पास गईं और शगुन का लिफाफा उठा लिया। उनकी आँखों में कठोरता थी; वह लीला जो खन्नाओं की दौलत से दबी हुई थी, अब जा चुकी थी। उसकी जगह एक ऐसी माँ खड़ी थी जिसने बड़े-बड़े तूफान झेले थे।

**लीला:** "अपना सामान बांधो, अवनी। हम उस हवेली में वापस नहीं जा रहे। कल, मैं खन्नाओं के पास जाऊंगी। एक 'समधन' के रूप में नहीं, बल्कि न्याय मांगने वाली एक औरत के रूप में।"

**अवनी:** "माँ, आप क्या करने वाली हैं?"

**लीला:** "मैं बेबे जी को बताऊंगी कि उनकी 'छोटी बहू' का असली चेहरा क्या है। और फिर... हम यह रिश्ता तोड़ देंगे। मैं अपनी बेटी की गरिमा का सौदा खन्ना सरनेम के लिए नहीं करूंगी।"

अवनी बिस्तर पर ढह गई, वह गुमनाम चिट्ठी अभी भी उसकी मुट्ठी में भींची हुई थी।

*"जितना ऊंचा चढ़ोगे, उतनी ही बुरी तरह गिरोगे।"*

उसे डूबते दिल के साथ अहसास हुआ कि वह चेतावनी किसी दुश्मन ने नहीं दी थी। वह किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति ने भेजी थी जो जानता था कि खन्ना परिवार पर किसका साया मंडरा रहा है। जैसे-जैसे घड़ी की सुइयां आधी रात की ओर बढ़ रही थीं, अवनी को समझ आ गया कि वह उस आदमी, जिससे वह प्यार करती है, और उस माँ, जिसने उसके लिए सब कुछ कुर्बान कर दिया, के बीच फंस चुकी है।

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1 month ago | [YT] | 280

AvNeilWritings

Chapter 14:

The week passed in a blur of pastel fabrics, floral arrangements, and the constant hum of Shweta’s excitement. True to her word, Shweta had practically whisked Avni away from her hospital shifts, insisting that "the future Khanna daughter-in-law" needed a bridal glow, not the fluorescent pallor of a ward.


The day of the Roka and Mahurat ceremony arrived. The Khanna mansion was transformed into a vision of marigolds and white lilies. While the previous week had been intimate, today felt like the formal sealing of two fates.

Leela stood at the entrance, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the grandeur of the Khanna estate. Neil, noticing her hesitation, immediately stepped away from his cousins to greet her.

Neil : "Aunty, yeh ghar aaj se utna hi aapka hai jitna humara. Please, andar chaliye."

Leela smiled, her heart swelling with pride. Neil wasn’t just a rich man; he was a man of character.

---


In the central hall, the family priest sat before the holy fire, spreadsheets of astrological charts spread out before him. The atmosphere was thick with the scent of sandalwood and incense.

Pandit Ji: "Khanna ji, Leela ji... kundliyon ka milan toh shresth hai. Agle mangalvar ka mahurat sabse shubh hai sagai ke liye. Amrit Siddhi Yoga ban raha hai."

Shweta: (Clapping her hands) "Maine kaha tha na! Tuesday is perfect. Pandit ji, roka ki vidhi shuru karein?"

Avni and Neil were asked to sit side-by-side. As the priest chanted the mantras, Shweta stepped forward with a stunning diamond-studded gold dupatta, draping it over Avni’s head. It was the official mark—The Roka.

Shweta: "Ab se, tum hamari hui. Nazar na lage."

She applied a small tika on Avni's forehead and She spread a large, red shagun ki chunni (ceremonial scarf) across Avni's lap, filling it with five types of fruits, jewelry, and various auspicious items, along with a monetary gift (nek). She then performed the ritual of shugan using dried dates (shuware) and sweetened the occasion by offering barfi.,Leela then stepped forward, her hands trembling as she fed Neil a piece of traditional homemade barfi, symbolizing her acceptance of him as her son-in-law.

---


As the guests moved toward the lavish lunch buffet, Neil nudged Avni toward the corner of the hallway, near the large French windows overlooking the garden.

Neil : "So, it's official. No running away now, Ms. Soon-to-be-Khanna."

Avni: (Teasingly) "Technically, I’m still a Mehta until the pheras. Don’t get too ahead of yourself, Mr. Neil khanna.

Neil: (Leaning in, his voice dropping to a whisper) "The Roka means you're booked. And since you said 'no kiss' before marriage... does a forehead kiss count as a 'purane tor tarike'?"

Before Avni could blush or protest, Neil gently pressed his lips to her forehead. It wasn't the playful kiss he’d joked about earlier, but a deep, grounding gesture of respect.

Avni:"Neil... sab dekh lenge."

Neil: "Let them. I want the world to know I’m the luckiest guy here."

---

Later that evening, after the leela and avni had returned home, Avni sat at her small dressing table, looking at the heavy gold dupatta Shweta had given her. It felt beautiful, but heavy—just as her mother had warned.

Leela walked in, leaning against the doorframe.

Leela: "Khush toh ho na, Avni?"

Avni: "Bahut, Maa. Par... kabhi kabhi darr lagta hai. Sab kuch itni jaldi ho raha hai. Aisa lagta hai jaise main kisi sapne mein hoon."

Leela: "Sapne aksar toot jate hain, beta. Par jo rishte sachai par tike hon, woh toofan bhi jhel lete hain. Bas apna wajood mat khona."

Avni nodded, looking at her reflection. She was no longer just the girl in the nursing uniform. She was a woman on the verge of a royal union. But as she tucked the dupatta away, she noticed a small, anonymous envelope tucked into the corner of the sweets box they had brought back from the Khannas.


The chilling note in the sweets box was still clutched in Avni’s hand when she heard a loud crash from the living room. She rushed out to find her mother, Leela, standing frozen by the coffee table. A framed photograph from the Khanna mansion—a gift given to them as a token of the Mahurat lay shattered on the floor.

Leela’s face was ashen, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She wasn't looking at the broken glass; she was staring at a woman in the background of the family photo.

Avni: "Maa? Kya hua? Aap theek toh hain?"

Leela didn't answer. Her finger trembled as she pointed to a sharp-featured, elegantly dressed woman standing right behind Shweta in the picture. The woman had a cold, smile that Leela would recognize even in the depths of hell.

Leela: (Voice a haunted whisper) "Anita..."


Avni felt a cold shiver. She had heard that name only in the bitterest of hushed arguments years ago. Anita was the woman who had captivated Ashish Mehta, the woman for whom Avni’s father had walked out on his wife and infant daughter, leaving them to a life of struggle.

Avni: "Maa, aap kya keh rahi hain? Woh... woh toh Neil ki Chachi, Mrs...Bebe’s younger daughter-in-law, Anita Khanna hain."

Leela:" Yeh vahi 'Anita' hai jisne mera suhaag cheena tha. Jisne tujhse tera baap cheena!"

The realization hit like a physical blow. The "royal union" Avni had just celebrated was tied to the very woman who had destroyed her family. The Khannas weren't just a new family; they were harboring the architect of Leela’s greatest misery



Leela’s shock quickly turned into a fierce, protective rage. She looked at the diamond dupatta resting on the sofa the same dupatta Shweta had placed on Avni with such love. Now, it looked like a gilded cage.

Leela: "Nahi... yeh rishta nahi ho sakta. Main apni beti ko us saaye ke neeche kabhi nahi rehne doongi. Jis aurat ne meri zindagi nark banayi, main usey teri '' chachi saas kehne ka haq nahi de sakti!"

Avni: "Maa, please... Neil ko toh kuch nahi pata. Woh nirdosh hai! Uska kya kasoor?"

Leela: "Kasoor khoon ka nahi hota, Avni, naseeb ka hota hai. Jab tak woh aurat us ghar mein hai, tu kabhi khush nahi rahegi. Woh tujhe pal-pal dassegi."

Leela walked over to the small temple in their house and picked up the Shagun envelope. Her eyes were hard, the "Leela" who had been overwhelmed by the Khanna's wealth was gone, replaced by a mother who had survived the worst of storms.


Leela: "Pack your things, Avni. We aren't going back to that mansion. Tomorrow, I will go to the Khannas. Not as a 'samdhan,' but as a woman seeking justice."

Avni: "Maa, aap kya karne wali hain?"

Leela: "Main bebe ji ko bataungi ki unki 'Choti Bahu' ka asli chehra kya hai. Aur phir... hum yeh rishta tod denge. I will not trade my daughter's dignity for a Khanna surname."

Avni collapsed onto the bed, the anonymous note still crumpled in her pocket.

"The higher you climb, the harder the fall."

The warning hadn't come from an enemy, she realized with a sinking heart. It had come from someone who knew exactly whose shadow fell over the Khanna household. As the clock ticked toward midnight, Avni realized she was caught between the man she loved and the mother who had sacrificed everything for her.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 104

AvNeilWritings

Aditi rathore insta story 🩷🧿




#aditirathore #aditi #post #happiness #GoodDay .

1 month ago | [YT] | 91