In the Name of Love – Chapter 20

Thank you so much everyone for the wholesome response. 

For those of you who missed the 19th chapter, here is the link :

https://www.tellyupdates.com/in-the-name-of-love-chapter-19/

@RiansHLover Thank you so much. Here is the update.
@Thakur Priyanka Thank you so much. Glad to know you’re enjoying it.
@Akshitha Thanks a lot. Good to know that you’re a medical student. Do you mind me asking which year are you currently studying in?
Also really sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. Hope this compensates for it.
@Pomu Thank you so much. Yes, poor Riddhu! Whether he is involved in her parents’ case or not, you’d have to wait for that dear.
@Yashi Thank you dear. Here is the update
@Niyati12 Thanks a lot. Here is the update.
@Sweety21 Thank you dear. Here is the update.
@Aisha08 Thanks a lot.
@Jayashree Thank you so much. I don’t want to spill out too much. You could be right or wrong about Kabir.
@Priyadharshini Thanks a lot
@JJ Thank you dear
@Vkjhp Thank you dear
@Unnamed Thank you so much for such a detailed insight. Don’t worry, I won’t make Riddhima get easily manipulated by anyone. And yes, Vansh is absolutely wrong to breach Riddhima’s privacy like that, and I in no way support that.
Oh so you live in Netherlands. I don’t know much about the place except for that it is quite a peaceful country, it has many windmills (is that true), and in summers the sun shines even at midnight. Also, how is the covid situation there?
@Mary Thank you so much. I don’t want to disclose if Vansh’s feelings are real or not. Or else, it will reduce the suspense (hehe). I’ll definitely try to consider your ideas in the coming chapters. Hope you’ll stay patient until then.
@Astha Thanks a lot. You asked about Nandu, and I mentioned about her in today’s chapter. Actually there was so much to focus upon, that I conveniently kept Nandu out of the scene for few days.
@Riansh1212 Aww thank you so much. Your words really mean a lot to me (^hearts^).
@Shivangi Thanks a lot
@Neetu Thank you dear. Here is the update.
@Akshiiii Thank you dear. You stay safe too.
@Jazvine Kaur Thank you so much. Really happy to know you enjoy both the FFs. Will try to include more romance from next few chapters onwards. You take care too.
@Kavya45 Thanks a lot. Here is the update.
@AarushiSoni Thank you so much. Here is the update
@Priyanshi_13 Thank you dear.
@Ravneet Thank you dear.
@Ayesha Thank you so much. Glad to know you are enjoying it.
@Riaa Thanks a lot. Yup tbh, this past whole week, I’ve been updating literally everyday, juggling between the two FFs.
Vansh’s behaviour with Riddhima is so damn unjustified, and I don’t support it in any way.
The reason why I actually started out this FF was because I did not like the weaker Riddhima in the original storyline. I loved the show, but the woman in me felt really unsatisfied. So hopefully, I can continue to keep Riddhima as the strong girl she is.

Kabir returned to his house after a tiring day at work. He found his family appear grim. Also a strange burning stench filled the whole house.

“What’s the matter?” he questioned his family.

His Bhabhi hesitated. “I really don’t know how, but your room had caught fire. Thankfully nobody was injured, nor were any valuables harmed.”

Kabir panicked and ran to his bedroom. The room was completely fine and nothing had been damaged, except for a little soot here and there.

His eyes fell upon a heap of ashes lying on the floor. Amongst the ashes, he found a half burnt photo of Riddhima.

“Nooo!” he screamed and started frantically searching through the ashes for any more pictures.

He realised that all of Riddhima’s photographs had been burnt badly. He started crying. Those photographs meant a lot to him, they always made him feel that Riddhima was nearby.

Through tears, he found a note by the window pane. It read :

Kabir realised who it was behind this cheap and cowardly act.
“Vansh Raisinghania!!” he shouted in agony.
______________________________________

Gayatri had called the entire family to the living room, and Riddhima didn’t know why.

Nandu came running towards her. “Riddhima Aunty, I’m so excited! I’m going to get a gift tomorrow, yay!”

“Why are you getting a gift? It’s Ishani’s birthday tomorrow, right. Do you and Ishani share the same birthdays?” asked Riddhima.

“No, but every year, on Ishani Bua’s birthday, I and Sia Bua get gifts too.”

“But why is that so?”

Gayatri said, “It’s a family tradition, beta. Do you know that there were no daughters born in the Raisinghania family for four consecutive generations? When I got married in this family, I was blessed with two sons, but I too craved a lot for a daughter. That is why, I used to consider your mother, Sunidhi, as a daughter.”

Riddhima nodded while Gayatri continued.

“Daughters are considered to be reincarnation of Lakshmi, and it felt that LakshmiJi herself was angry with our family.
Vansh’s parents, Uma and Pradeep, prayed a lot for a daughter. Soon those prayers were fulfilled, and Ishani came into our lives like an angel.
From that day onwards, we decided that Ishani’s birthday will always be celebrated as Kanya Divas in the Raisinghania family, where we’ll perform the puja of all the daughters of the family, and gift them whatever their hearts desire for.”

Caressing Riddhima’s face, Gayatri said, “You’re also a daughter of this house, so you will also have to participate in this tradition. Okay?”

Riddhima smiled in approval.

Ishani said, “I’m the one due to whom this tradition started in the first place, so it is only fair, if you begin with me first.”

Vansh gave in. “Alright, alright! Now tell me what gift do you want?”

Ishani glared at her brother. “What do you mean by ‘what do you want’? I had already sent you the picture of a diamond necklace on whatsapp, didn’t you see it?”

“Ishani, you should have sent a direct message. You know right, that I don’t use social media that much,” explained Vansh.

Ishani facepalmed. “Whatsapp is not any ‘social media’ platform, it’s a messenger app, for heaven’s sake. Anyways, it means that I won’t be able to get my gift by tomorrow.” She sulked.

Vansh’s lips curved into a smile. “Relax, I was just joking around! I did see your message and the necklace is ready. You’ll be getting it by tomorrow.”

“Oh my God! Thank you so much Bhai! Can I just say that you’re the best brother in the world?” Saying this she hugged Vansh.

“This Ishani is so lucky. She gets her birthday gifts plus the gift for Kanya Divas on the same day,” said Aryan. “Seeing this special treatment meted out to girls, sometimes even I feel that I should’ve been a girl instead!”

Now it was Sia’s turn. “Bhai, I don’t need anything. In fact, I have more than I need.”

Vansh was amused. “Sia, like seriously? Sometimes, I feel like you and Ishani are not real sisters. On one hand, her list for gifts never ends, and on the other, your list doesn’t even begin.
C’mon Sia, I know you’ve everything, but there might be something that you secretly wish for?”

Sia paused for sometime before saying, “If you insist so much, then I’d like a puppy.”

Vansh’s face turned serious. “Sia, keeping a pet is not any child’s play. I don’t want you to neglect your health over a pet.”

“You think I cannot handle the responsibility of a pet because of my disability? Tell me Bhai, would you have refused if I was completely normal?” she said sadly.

Vansh placed a finger over Sia’s lips. “Shush! Don’t ever say something like this. You want a pet, fine you’ll get it. Happy?”

“Very happy,” Sia smiled widely.

Now it was Nandu’s turn and she looked really excited. “Papa, I want a new video game, please.”

“No more video games! You already have so many of them. Also, they can spoil your eyes,” scolded Vansh.

Riddhima became confused. Vansh acted so lovingly towards his sisters, but when it came to his daughter, he started acting rude?

“Of course, she isn’t his real daughter. Nandu is nothing but a museum piece for Vansh to show off his charitable nature to the world,” Riddhima thought feeling disgusted.

Gayatri intervened, “Vansh it is her day today, and you cannot refuse her. Nandu will get whatever she wants, understood?”

Vansh nodded reluctantly and started looking in Riddhima’s direction, but she turned her face away.

Gayatri saw all this and decided to take the initiative. “Riddhima beta, tell me what present will you like for yourself?”

“Nani, your love and blessings are enough for me. I don’t need anything else,” replied Riddhima.

Vansh became irritated. “Dadi is asking you something, so why can’t you give a proper reply without showing any attitude?”

“You cannot give me what I want,” said Riddhima coolly.

“I can even place thousand such samples in front of you,” said Vansh. “Just say, what do you want?”

“Freedom,” she said. “Of living my life according to my own terms. Tell me you can’t give me that Mr. Raisinghania, can you?”

Vansh furrowed his eyebrows at her, looking at her furiously.

“So please reserve all your gifts for your sisters and your daughter. Kindly keep me away from all this.”
Saying this Riddhima walked away, leaving a fuming Vansh behind.

“How stubborn she is! Her name should’ve been Ziddhima instead of Riddhima!” mumbled Vansh.
______________________________________

The next day, Anupriya being the eldest daughter-in-law of the house, had to perform puja of all the four girls, after which Vansh brought out the said gifts for them.

Ishani got her favourite diamond necklace, Nandu got her video game, and Sia recieved a white Pomeranian.

“Ooh! It’s so cute,” said Sia happily taking the puppy in her lap. “It is white as snow, so why don’t we call him Snowy?”

Everyone agreed on the name.

Gayatri handed over a wrapped up box to Riddhima. “You didn’t say what you wanted, so we got this for you on our own. Hope you like it.”

Riddhima tried to refuse the gift, but Gayatri explained that it would be considered rude to not accept elders’ gifts.

Taking the gift in her hands, she headed into her bedroom. Even though she was angry, but she was equally curious to see what was inside.

When she unwrapped, she let out a little happy squeal. There were almost fifteen crime and detective books, all writteb by her favourite authors, lying inside.

“Wait how did Nani know my choice of books? Never mind that, as I now know exactly how to spend my fifteen days of holidays!” she said excitedly.

Unknown to her, Vansh stood outside her room and saw her through the half open door. It gave him unexplainable joy to see her happy face after so much time.
______________________________________

“How could you commit such a big blunder, Kabir?” ACP Lakshya screamed and threw some papers right over Kabir’s face.

Kabir hung his head in shame. “I’m sorry Sir…”

“Sorry, my foot! In my absence, you closed the Sinhas case without asking me even once?” The ACP continued to shout. “I know, you did this on that girl, Riddhima’s saying. You love her right?”

Kabir looked up, surprised with a how-do-you-know look.

The ACP smirked at him, “I’m not dumb like you, Kabir. That time when Riddhima had come to get her DNA and blood samples matched with the newly found dead body, I had caught you both staring at each other. That is when I understood that there is definitely something going on between you two.
Always remember, a man works best without a woman. Love always leads to a man’s downfall, and that’s exactly what happened with you.
As for you, I’m thinking of suspending you for this irresponsibility.”

Kabir said, “I beg to differ Sir, but love doesn’t destroy a person, rather it makes him stronger.
I’m ready to take responsibility for my actions and you can suspend me. But before that there’s something really important that I want to tell you.
It was Vansh Raisinghania who made Riddhima do this.”

The ACP almost choked upon his tea. Kabir soon explained everything to him.

The ACP, all of a sudden, started smiling. “Indirectly your stupidity has led us to a jackpot! Good job Kabir! Now I won’t suspend you, since you’ve given me such an intetesting lead to this case.
It’s very strange that Vansh asked Riddhima to get the case shut down. Why would he do that? I think he definitely has some kind of connection or involvement in this case.
If that is the case, we’ll be able to hit two targets with one arrow. One, solving this case, and second, to nab Vansh Raisinghania.”

______________________________________

The entire VR Mansion had been covered with balloons and disco lights. White lilacs, Vansh’s favourites, proudly adorned the walls. Loud music played on the stereo, and at the far corner was the bar where drinks were being served.

Riddhima was dressed up in a white crop top and a yellow long skirt. She entered the hall carring a small wrapped box with her. It contained Ishani’s gift.

Once everybody arrived, a waiter brought in a three-storeyed cake towards them. But Ishani refused to cut the cake.

“The cake cutting won’t happen unless he comes,” she said.

Vansh tried to explain to her that they shouldn’t keep the rest of the guests waiting for so long, for one impunctual individual. But Ishani being Ishani had already made up her mind, and wasn’t going to listen at all.

Just then, a handsome looking man appeared at the door. “Did anyone miss me?”

“Neil!” Ishani squealed with delight. “Finally you are here, so now we can cut the cake.”

Riddhima noticed that Sia’s expressions had suddenly changed. She nudged Sia. “Is that her boyfriend?”

“Nope, they are friends, but Ishani secretly likes him,” Sia replied with the same dull expression. Riddhima wondered the reason.

After the birthday girl had cut the cake, it was now time for everyone to hand over their respective gifts to her.

Riddhima placed the small wrapped-up box in Ishani’s hands. “Happy birthday, Ishani!”

Ishani was genuinely surprised by her gesture. “What is inside?”

“Why don’t you see for yourself?”

Ishani opened the box to see a gold chain with an exotic looking blue sapphire pendant.

“That was my mom’s,” said Riddhima. “I know it’s quite simple….”

“It is classy,” Ishani interrupted her. “And I love it! Thanks a lot babe.”

Vansh angrily came towards Riddhima and caught her hand. “What was the need to give such an expensive gift to Ishani? Tell me how much was it for, and I’ll pay you the money.”

Riddhima felt hurt by his words. “It’s said that you should see the emotion behind the gift, rather than it’s price. But of course, how would you know all this? You know nothing about anyone’s feelings and emotions.”

She jerked his hand off and went to sit beside Sia.

“Why does this girl always misunderstand me? If I’m worried about her finances and don’t want her to spend extravagantly on unwanted stuff, what’s wrong in that?” Vansh thought to himself.
______________________________________

Throughout the party, Riddhima kept sitting at a corner in a sad mood, hardly talking to even Sia.

Vansh was speaking to his business colleagues, but every now and then, he tried to steal a glance at Riddhima.

His heart pained to see her upset like that. “What’s wrong with her? Last time when we were at a party, she had enjoyed herself a lot. But today, she is just sulking around. Is she still angry with me?”

For a brief moment, Vansh and Riddhima’s gaze met each other’s. But Riddhima instead rolled her eyes at him and turned her face away with a jerk.

But someone else’s eyes were also on her – Neil. He had never seen a pretty girl like her, and he wanted her to himself.

He decided to ask Riddhima for a dance, but instead Ishani pulled him to the dance floor. They both danced on the song ‘Chiggy Wiggy’.

Riddhima on the other hand was lost in her own thoughts. All of a sudden, she saw Kabir in front of her. Happily, she tried to touch his face, but he vanished. It was nothing but a hallucination.

Seizing an opportunity, Neil came upto Riddhima and pulled her to the dance floor.

Amidst all the loud music and dance, Riddhima’s emotions got the better of her, and she took the stairs to her bedroom.
She closed her eyes and lay on her bed, with tears flowing down her cheeks.

All of a sudden, she felt someone wipe the tears off her face. When she opened her eyes, she was shocked to see Neil beside her on the bed!

Riddhima quickly moved away. “How dare you! What the hell are you doing in my room? Get lost this very second.”

Neil giggled. “My God you are so freaking pretty! And you look way prettier when you get angry.”

“Listen, don’t talk rubbish in front of me or else…”

“Or else what?” asked Neil coming closer to her. “Will you scream? But baby, your voice won’t be able to reach downstairs amidst this loud music.
Will you slap me then? I’d be more than willing to get slapped by you, atleast that way I’ll get to feel your beautiful hands against my skin.”

Riddhima looked at him disgusted. “You are such a cheap man!”

“Yes, I agree I am cheap. But you know who’s responsible for this? Girls like you!” he said. “It is all because of girls like you, who tease us, who dress up scantily, who have no consideration for our desires, and who expect us that we’ll take a ‘no’ for an answer, when we all know that when a girl says no, it actually means a ‘yes’.

Riddhima was boiling with rage. She could not believe her ears when he conveniently started blaming other girls for his lecherous ways.

“C’mon baby. Don’t tease me more. I so want to kiss you.” Neil started closing up on her.

Riddhima knew karate and could easily tackle this moron single-handedly. But she realised that guys like him did not need just a beating or two. They needed more than that.

She gave a slight push to Neil, and smiled coyly at him. “Not here. Or else someone might catch us together.”

Neil’s emotions rose so high on seeing her smile at him like that, that he almost wanted to do whatever he wanted to do with her, right then and there.
“I’m not afraid of anyone!”

“But I am.”

“Ok, let’s go to a hotel then. What say?” Neil suggested.

Riddhima fluttered her lashes. “Fine with me. Just wait downstairs, till I get ready for our special moment.”

“I’ll be waiting for you, baby,” said Neil flying a kiss in her direction.

As soon as he left, Riddhima banged her fist on the table. “That cheap, lecherous bastard! Now I’ll teach him such a lesson, that he’ll remember it for his whole life.”
______________________________________

Neil was chatting with Ishani, waiting for Riddhima to get ready and come downstairs. He got excited at the mere thought of touching her, he didn’t know what would happen when he’d actually….

All of a sudden, the music was turned off.

Ishani screamed, “You stupid DJ, who asked you to stop the music, huh?”

“I did,” said Riddhima appearing before them. She looked confident and fierce.

Ishani tried to say something, but she chose to ignore her. She instead extended her hand towards Neil and said, “Hold my hand.”

Everyone around them was confused as to what exactly was going on. Neil appeared flustered.

“What happened? Will you not hold my hand?” taunted Riddhima.
“You broke into my room without my permission and told me that you aren’t scared of anyone, that we girls are responsible for all the guys running behind us, that a girl’s ‘no’ is actually a ‘yes’ in disguise, and you even suggested us to go to a hotel!
So why are you now refusing to hold my hand in front of everyone? Are these your so-called guts that you were talking about?”

Everyone looked on shocked. Especially Vansh, who began raging from inside.

“She is lying!” This was all that Neil could manage to say.

Riddhima blasted him, “Just shut up! What did you think, huh, that you’ll be able to intimidate a girl by entering into her room forcefully? There is nothing wrong in approaching a girl decently, but when she says ‘no’, it means ‘no’. When a girl really wants to be with you, she’ll boldly hold your hand in front of everyone, not like you, who only knows to show his guts behind closed doors.”

She continued, “You might not know, but I’m an expert in karate and if I wanted, I could flush off your head in the toilet itself.
But I didn’t do that, do you know why? Because I wanted to bring out your real face among all those parents who see their future son-in-law in you, and also among all those girls who see their prospective boyfriends and husbands in you.
I wanted to strip this facade of innocence and decency from you.”

Neil’s mother entered the scene. “My son is a gentleman! I’m sure, he can never do such a thing ever. This girl only must have done something.”

Feeling encouraged by his mother’s words, Neil started throwing the entire blame over Riddhima. Vansh had had enough of all this and decided to intervene.

“But Neil, I did see you leave the party and head upstairs. So what about that?” Vansh asked.

Neil turned a little nervous, but he started weaving a new web of lies altogether.
“Mr. Raisinghania, I did go into her room, but it is not like how she explained the whole scenario.
She was the one who called me inside.”

“This blo*dy lier!” Riddhima tried to speak, but Vansh signalled her to remain quiet.

Neil feeling more encouraged, continued, “Yes. And after that….I’m ashamed to say this, but when people are questioning my character, I’ve no way out other than to defend myself.
Riddhima was the one who wanted to get close to me, and when I refused, she became upset and this is her way of taking her revenge from me for rebuffing her offer.
Just because she is a woman, doesn’t mean that whatever she says is right and whatever I say is wrong.”

Riddhima was getting angry at how Vansh was calmly listening to his blatant lies.

Vansh asked, “But why would Riddhima try to get close to you?”

“Because I’m rich and handsome,” said Neil.

Vansh cleared his throat. “Well, I don’t want to sound proud, but I have ten times worth more money than you, and I believe I’m quite good looking too. So why didn’t Riddhima try to get close to me, especially when we stay in the same house, and she also knows that if she makes such an offer, no man in his right senses would be able to refuse her…. Then how did you reject such a beautiful offer of such a beautiful woman?”

Riddhima raised up her eyes at Vansh, partly feeling glad that he was defending her, and partly feeling uncomfortable by his remarks about her.

Vansh caught Neil by his collar. “Do you think I’m a fool or something? How dare you try to misbehave with a girl belonging to my house! And you’ve the audacity to malign her character, when you’re the one at fault. I won’t leave you!”

Anupriya begged Vansh to let him go. “Please Vansh, there are so many guests over here. Let’s not make a scene, please.”

Vansh threw Neil on the floor. “Say sorry to Riddhima, right now.”

“I won’t!” shouted Neil.

His mother came to his rescue, and started badmouthing about Riddhima. “You are disrespecting us for that girl. I’m warning you, that very girl would break your family apart!
And look at her, how shamelessly she was talking about such things in front of everyone.”

Riddhima became angry. “I am shameless? Your son who disrespects other girls is the one who is shameless, understood?”

Neil and his mother left the party, while Anupriya pulled Riddhima to a corner and started scolding her.
“Why did you have to create such a big commotion in the party?”

Riddhima felt hurt by her words. “He MISBEHAVED with me, and you expect me to remain quiet?”

“If he misbehaved with you, why didn’t you come and inform me, Maa or even Vansh for that matter? We’d have handled it in our way, and things wouldn’t have gone so much out of our hands. Look how our entire Raisinghania family has been disrespected.”

Riddhima looked at her amazed. She had no idea that these so-called ‘modern’ Raisinghanias, were so orthodox in reality.

Riddhima said getting emotional, “Firstly, he was the one who should get disrespected, not me. I didn’t do anything wrong.
Secondly, even if I do something disrespectful, don’t worry, no one would point fingers at the Raisinghanias, because I am NOT part of this family.
Thirdly, I’d have handled him by myself without anyone’s help, but the only reason I did all that was because I had heard you speaking to Neil’s mom about his and Ishani’s alliance.”

Gayatri came to her rescue. “Riddhima has not done anything wrong. In fact, she taught him a good lesson. We should be grateful to her for bringing out his truth in the open, or else Ishani would have got stuck with such an evil man. Riddhima beta, we’re proud of you!”

Saying this, she hugged her tightly.
______________________________________

Riddhima was sitting on the edge of her bed, when Sia came upto her.
“You know what, you’re a very brave girl. I wish I was like you.”

Riddhima felt confused looking at a weeping Sia. “It’s alright. I am what I am, and you are what you are. Be proud of yourself!”

“No I can’t. I’m not brave. I’m really happy that you could teach Neil a lesson, when I couldn’t….”

Riddhima sat up straight. “What do you mean? Did Neil try to…”

“Yes, he tried to misbehave with me too, a few months back. Thank God, Mom arrived on the right time, and he ran away without getting caught,” cried Sia.

“That bastard! How dare he! Sia, why didn’t you tell about Neil to anyone? Everybody loves you a lot, and I’m sure they’d have supported you,” said Riddhima.

Sia cried harder. “I didn’t say this to anyone because of Bhai.
Bhai is very possessive about us. If he’d have known about how Neil misbehaved with me, God only knows what he’d have done with him. Who knows, even kill him?”

Riddhima looked on astonished.

Sia continued, “I don’t want Bhai to do any such thing in anger, that can put him in some trouble. That’s the reason, why I remained quiet.”

Riddhima hugged Sia and continued to console her.

Precap :
Vansh proposes Riddhima. She refuses.

Eve-teasing is a big problem. I think majority of the girls would have been eve-teased or cat-called at some point or the other. We often take it too lightly, because it is not as serious as rape. Often, we’re taught to keep quiet either because it is no big deal or because we’re afraid of what others would say.
Remember, when you call out a man/boy for his misbehaviour, you’re not only teaching him a lesson or saving yourself, but you’re also saving many other potential girls who could be subjected to maybe even worse than this.

Hello everyone! That is it for today guys. Hope you guys liked the update, and if you do, do not forget to comment below and hit the upvote.

Also, stay safe, wear a mask and practice social distancing. Remember, prevention is better than cure.

Peace out!