The target for the last 2-3 chapters is yet to be completed, but still I'm putting up this one.........this one will be made private soon after publishing, just to prevent any plagiarism.........

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Chapter Twenty

DEV'S P.O.V.

I drove back to Shona's place amidst my ruptured thoughts...........never had I thought life would play such a cruel game with us............I could hear Avni's squeals right at the basement parking, I could only imagine what a gala time she must be having with Shona...........

I see Ved engrossed into his conversation over the phone as I stealthily step inside to grab a view of the two important people of my life.............Shona and Avni...........Avni has always been a gem, she has always managed to drive off my pain whenever I would feel left out and all alone...........I'm sure she must have done the same to Shona as well..............

Dreaming are we?

Ved's voice breaks through my thought process as I turn around to face him...........he pulls me in for a brotherly hug as I pat his back lightly to ensure him that I'm fine.............atleast I have to act fine for Shona..............

I was just imagining, how nice it would have been if our Pia would be with us...........Shona would have been so happy..........

Tears pool in my eyes as I imagine the pain which will hit back at Shona if I tell her the truth, something which I came across at Ved's place..............how do I tell her that-----------no I can't, I just cannot.............she'll be shattered............

Relax buddy............Pia will be all okay...........and we'll find her soon...........I promise that I will use all my resources to track down Pia...........trust me

I wish I could tell you Ved that all your resources put together cannot track my child............coz your wife has hidden such a big truth from us.............I don't know how and when I will be questioning her, but what I know for sure is that I will force her spill all the beans...........

We still have a week before I move back to Chennai.............let Avni be here till she wants to.............Sona enjoys her company............let them relax for a while...........and you too need to calm down............

I nod frantically, if only I could tell him the turmoil which I'm facing right now............a storm has evoked in my being and I certainly don't know how I'm going to ward it off.............

I will drop her back before you guys leave to your place...........tell me if you need any help in your business..........never hesitate, I may not be working for your firm anymore but the relation we share is more than a boss and employee.........right?

*****P.O.V. ENDS*****

Ved pulled Dev along with him............together they left Sona and Avni to play their little games and live a carefree moment.............settling in the living room, Ved opened up about his problems to Dev, frustratingly running his hand through his hair.............

I don't know what's wrong with Aaru............she's behaving quite weirdly these days...........see even today she could have informed you on my behalf but still she didn't............you had to go all the way and come back........... I don't know what's wrong with her these days............she doesn't even talk to me properly.........I have been asking my people back to manage the firm there as I feel spending some time with her here will help us resolve some issues...........but no, she just doesn't want to talk............

I know what's bothering her...........I will soon talk to her and relieve her of this dilemma...........I don't want Ved to face trouble coz of us..........

Dev thought of talking to Elena sooner and find out if the truth he had come across a while ago was exactly what he thought it to be or there is some other angle to that..........he assured Ved all will be fine...........

Relax buddy.........give her some time..........you know these wives na..........just look at Shona, even now I know she doesn't trust me completely...........but then it's enough for me that she atleast is ok with us sharing the same roof..........isn't marriage all about this?...........when one partner acts cranky the other has to be understanding.............if both start putting themselves above the other, then there won't be anything to hold on to............

Ved kind of agreed to Dev's say............he promised Dev that he would give Elena as much time as she wants, would try to understand her P.O.V. and would take things easily...........bidding him goodbye, Dev came back to check upon Avni and Shona when he saw them snuggling like two teddy bears on the bed.........

Girls talk is it?.............is this boy allowed in or he has to stay aloof?

Avni quickly got up and leapt towards Dev as Sona smiled seeing the two of them together............she had always wished for a happy family of three............had fate not played a cruel game with them, she would have had her own amazing trio..........her eyes misted imagining where would Pia be right now...........would she be fine or not

Knock knock............no more tears Shona Maasi, coz Avni baby can't see her cute Maasi cry, isn't it baby?

Dev mimicked Avni as she nodded her head affirmatively............her pigtails swayed along with her head make her look more cuter than she already was.........Shona quickly pulled her into her embrace as Dev caressed her head lovingly...........

My Avni baby's wish is my command...........no weeping at all, just playing and being happy right??

She put her down on the bed and started tickling her as little Avni's giggles filled the air of their otherwise silent apartment...............Dev stood at a little distance, hands folded against the chest........watching the two angels of his life being happy......

Dev chachu..........

Avni patted a spot next to her on the bed as Dev looked up at Sona hesitantly..........they had surely got back together and were living in the same house now, but sharing a same room or rather a same bed was still far away.........Dev understood Sona's dilemma and tried convincing Avni about him staying in the adjacent room but Avni was hell bent on all three of them sleeping together.........Sona quickly assured him through her eyes that it was fine for him to put stay and she wouldn't mind sharing the room with him...........happy with the progress, Dev lied down next to Avni as her little hands held one hand each of Dev and Sona, till she was patted to sleep by them............

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DEV'S P.O.V.

Somewhere at midnight, a restless Sona spotted me stark awake, leaning against the bedpost, lost in my own thoughts..........my fingers continuously caressed Avni's hair as my thoughts seemed to have wandered to a distant land..........

You ok?............you can tell me if there's anything bothering you...........

I smiled a sad one as I got down from the bed and walked towards the window, Sona followed suite as we didn't wish to disturb a sleeping Avni with our talks...........sitting by the window side, we decided to share our thoughts......

Shona would you answer me genuinely if I ask you one of my doubts........

She looked into my eyes, studying my troubled expressions.............placing her hands in mine, she affirmed me through her eyes that she would be honest with me............

Suppose one fine day, I get to know that the person whom I had been trusting all my life, has hidden a very big truth from me...........suppose I suddenly come across that person's lie and then I want to confront that person but I'm also afraid that it may strain our relations............I mean, are you getting what I'm trying to say...........

She kept starring into my eyes for a while before her lips curved into a very beautiful smile...........her eyes twinkled with unshed happiness as her throat got peachy while answering me back...........

I would confront that person first............no matter how good friends we are.........coz it's my right to know the truth if I have got some connection with it...........if after hearing out to that person I feel there was a genuine reason behind his/her action, then I would think before I laid down my predicament........but if I feel the person has cheated me and taken advantage of my naive-ness, then I would fight back...........sounds satisfying Mr. Raichand?

She twirled her eyebrows to gather my reaction as I couldn't hold back my giggles..........Mr. Raichand............like seriously...........past midnight, sitting inside the same bedroom by your window side being at a distance of less than a meter with your love sick husband.........and you call him Mr. Raichand..........hellalejua.........

I guess that's enough of gyaan for tonight Mrs. Raichand...........I think we should sleep now........

She was taken aback my sudden reference to her as Mrs. Raichand.............she must certainly have lost the touch of being called by my name in the past 3 years..........but I love her to be addressed as mine.............it gives me a sense of belonging in her...........

Look who's talking, I mean you are sitting and starring into nothing like a ghost past midnight, and I was just genuinely concerned, so I decided to ask you what's bothering you, exactly............and you are calling my talks "gyaan".........heights!!!!!!!

Shona...............Shona...............Shona..............you just need a chance to get annoyed with me right...........but you know what.............I have fallen in love with your anger too...........each and every thing which belongs to you is mine as well...........

She stomped across the room over to the bed, not forgetting to stamp my foot, and here all I could do was drop my jaw into a big O.........how can I scream in pain, Avni would wake up being scared..........limping my way to the bed, I managed to pull up my sore feet as she giggled her way to sleep at my pitiful state.........ahh, yet another painful day ends at a sweet note..........but I will have to speak to Elena soon.............before it gets too late.............

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Honestly, this wasn't proof read as I'm running tight on schedule..........please ignore any grammatical and spelling mistakes...........also try to complete the target soon as there are only 4 more chapters left in this series.........so hurry up!!!!

Target : 200 votes