CHAPTER 36 #2
When the ceremony began, Mishti remained beside Avni the entire time as Karan stepped forward, taking the sacred thread from the priest to tie it around Avni’s wrist. Avni hesitated at first, her body stiff with reluctance, until Mishti gently nudged her, urging her to let this happen.
Avni finally extended her hand. Karan’s own emotions mirrored hers because this was the first time he was performing something so sacred for his sister.
As he held her wrist, memories of their childhood hit both.
Avni, too, was pulled into the past, back to Raksha Bandhan days when she and Karan would tie rakhis to each other, promising to protect each other, when they were still young, when their parents were alive, and celebrations were filled with joy.
Karan noticed Avni’s eyes had welled up. Before he could stop himself, he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, his own eyes burning with the same memories.
Rajat and Abhimanyu watched the two with a soft smile, deeply moved by the fact that finally Karan could openly show his affection for Avni. Mishti, too, felt her heart swell, unable to suppress the happiness rising within her.
But Avni quickly pulled away, brushing his hand aside and dabbing her eyes with a tissue instead. That movement loosened the sacred thread Karan had just tied. Both Karan and Mishti noticed it instantly.
Without thinking, both reached forward at the same time, steadying the thread on Avni’s wrist, refusing to let it slip. Together, they retied it, gently. Avni realised what was happening and, without resistance this time, held her hand out properly, allowing them to finish.
As they tied the thread, Karan’s eyes met Mishti’s and his earlier words about rewriting their ending echoed between them, even in the silence. Karan was too determined. This time, he wasn’t going to let his wife walk away. No matter how much she still resists him.
Mishti pulled her hand back the moment Karan’s fingers brushed against hers. She stepped away, diverting her focus elsewhere. Once the thread was secured, Karan stepped back too, giving space for the priest to complete the remaining rituals. And the ceremony continued.
Mishti had planned to stay low-key through the wedding rituals. But habit had its own way of taking over.
She found herself interacting with the guests, especially those from Rajat’s side, moving with ease, almost as if she were still playing the role of Karan’s wife at his sister’s wedding.
She checked in with the servers, quietly asking them to start serving the appetisers at the other end of the garden where most of the guests were gathered.
That’s when someone suddenly covered her eyes from behind. Mishti froze for a split second, and then she knew.
“Komal!” she squealed, the happiness bursting out of her even before the hands were removed.
Komal laughed and stepped back. Mishti instantly turned around and pulled her into a tight hug.
“Why are you so late?” she asked. “You were supposed to come this morning.”
“My flight got delayed,” Komal replied, still smiling. “I can’t believe I’m seeing you again, Mishti.”
Mishti nodded, just as happy. “Did you meet Avni and Rajat yet?”
“I just did,” Komal said. “Abhimanyu introduced me to Avni.”
Almost on cue, Avni walked up to them.
“Mishti,” she asked curiously, “how do you know Komal?”
Mishti hesitated, momentarily unsure how to answer, when Komal stepped in smoothly.
“We met when Mishti had a minor accident in India once. We became friends after that.”
Avni looked surprised. “Oh… that’s strange.” She tilted her head slightly. “Komal knows Rajat, too. But Mishti, isn’t it odd? You knew my cousin brother’s fiancée, yet you didn’t know Rajat… or Karan?”
Mishti nodded hesitantly, when Abhimanyu walked over.
“Then the world is not very small, Avni,” he said lightly. “As the people say. It’s just a saying.” He then changed the subject quickly. “Rajat is calling you. His aunt has just arrived from Delhi.”
Avni nodded and walked away.
As soon as she was gone, Abhimanyu turned to Mishti and Komal.
“It’s getting difficult to handle Avni’s questions.”
Komal didn’t hold back.
“This wouldn’t have happened if you had told us earlier,” she snapped. “That you and Karan had a sister. It would’ve saved so much trouble.”
She turned to Mishti briefly, then back to Abhimanyu.
“Mishti wouldn’t have ended up circling back into your family in London. I wouldn’t have let her take that job at Rajat’s father’s NGO either, if we had known. The hospital job I offered her there was the safest option.”
Abhimanyu frowned, clearly confused now.
“Wait. You offered her the hospital job in London?” he asked slowly. “What does that mean?”
Mishti and Komal went completely tongue-tied.
The words had slipped out before either of them could stop them, and now there was no taking them back.
Abhimanyu’s expression darkened instantly as he turned to Komal.
“Did you know Mishti was in London?” he demanded. “Where she was… before any of us did?”
Komal swallowed, registering the anger flaring in his eyes. But before she could answer, they heard Karan’s voice from just behind Abhimanyu.
“So you helped Mishti elope from Mumbai,” Karan asked.
Mishti froze.
Because this wasn’t a guess anymore. Karan hadn’t just connected the dots; he had finally uncovered the truth. Right here and now.
They all turned toward Karan, who was already walking toward them, his angry gaze locked on Komal. Mishti swallowed hard. She knew Karan and Komal had never gotten along. And this revelation that Komal had helped her escape to London… it was not going to sit well with him.
The moment Karan reached them, Abhimanyu’s anger spiked even further.
“I can’t believe this, Komal,” Abhimanyu said. “All that time… when none of us knew where Mishti bhabhi was. when we were desperately searching for her, when Karan bhai was using every source he had to trace her—” He glared at her. “You knew? You helped her elope? How could you?”
Komal didn’t flinch.
“Yes,” she said finally. “I knew. I helped Mishti.”
Then she turned to Karan, meeting his eyes without hesitation.
“And I would do it again,” she added. “Because I’m not afraid to stand up for my friend.”
Her voice hardened.
“She needed to get away from a husband like you. Helping her was the best thing I could’ve done. She deserved better, Mr Wadhwa.”
She didn’t look away.
“And that better… was never you.”
Karan’s fists curled at his sides as anger surged through him.
“I always knew there had to be an insider,” he snapped. “She couldn’t have done this alone.” His gaze burned into Komal. “And there you are. Komal Sharma. Always the daring one. Always the one misguiding my wife… pushing her to defy me.”
Mishti had heard enough. This time, she stepped forward and placed herself firmly between Komal and Karan.
“Komal didn’t do anything I didn’t ask her to do,” she said. “And on what grounds are you two questioning us? Did either of you ever tell us the complete truth…ever?”
Her gaze flicked to Karan first.
“Forget you telling me, Karan. You didn’t trust me because I was a Goel.” Her voice tightened. “But what about you, Abhimanyu?”
She turned to him, disbelief flashing in her eyes.
“You love Komal. She’s going to be your life partner. And yet she had no idea about your family. Just because your brother wanted certain facts hidden, you hid them from the woman you love. How is that fair?”
Karan gritted his teeth as he looked straight at Mishti.
“You know why we hid it,” he said coldly. “For Avni’s safety.”
Mishti didn’t blink.
“And what Komal did was for my safety,” she shot back. “It’s the same thing.”
They stared at each other, the moment between them charged and volatile.
Karan’s glare shifted toward Komal, anger flaring again, but before he could say another word, Mishti read it on his face.
“Don’t you dare,” she warned him. “Don’t you dare say that now you won’t let Abhimanyu and Komal get married.”
Then she turned angrily to Abhimanyu.
“And even if he tries,” she said firmly, “don’t you dare listen to him.”
Her voice trembled with fury as she continued,
“Your brother turned his own marriage into a joke. And if you want to follow in his footsteps—then, Komal…”
She turned to Komal now.
“Then you better break up with Abhimanyu right now. As it is. These Wadhwa men…” Her voice broke, but she finished it anyway. “They never learn how to earn true love in their lives.”
Silence fell.
Karan, Abhimanyu, and Komal stood stunned, each struck by her words differently. Karan was barely holding himself together.
But Mishti huffed, already done. She gripped Komal’s hand tightly and pulled her away from the brothers.
Enough was enough.
A slow smirk settled on Karan’s lips as he watched Mishti walk away. It was not amusement exactly, more like a faint, reluctant smile that carried a trace of pride.
Abhimanyu noticed it instantly.
“Bhai,” he said, still shocked, “are you smiling? Bhabhi just threatened to break up my relationship, and you’re smiling?”
Karan didn’t look at him. His eyes stayed fixed on Mishti as she dragged Komal away through the crowd.
“Relax,” he said calmly. “I won’t let it happen. Not your breakup.” A pause. “Not mine either.”
Abhimanyu’s grin spread instantly.
“That’s like my brother,” he said, satisfied.
Mishti finally stopped when Komal tugged her hand back, still stunned.
“Hold on, Mishti. You really meant that?” Komal asked, equally in shock like the Wadhwa brothers.
Mishti, still riding on her anger, replied without hesitation, “I meant every word.” Then she exhaled, some of the fire easing from her shoulders. “Okay… not the breakup part,” she admitted. “I just wanted to scare those brothers a little. Why should only they get to bully everyone all the time?”
Komal stared at her for a second, then burst out laughing.
“Wow, Mishti. London has changed you.”
Mishti pouted for a moment, then smiled.
“Not London,” she corrected. “Living with Avni has. She’s smart, sassy, and way too sharp. I have learnt so much from her.”
Komal laughed even harder.
“What an irony,” she said. “The Wadhwa sister is the one who made you this bold? To stand up against the Wadhwa brothers.”
Mishti laughed, agreeing, then her expression softened.
“Avni is a sweetheart. She’s just… deeply disappointed in Karan.” She sighed. “And I want to change that. I want those siblings to find their way back to each other and be happy again.”
Komal nodded, sincerity replacing her teasing.
“I’m with you,” she said. “It will happen.”
They exchanged a quick fingers-crossed gesture and then, feeling lighter now, merged back into the party.