Abhi is forced to share a hotel room with Tanu…
Purab calls Abhi’s phone but Tanu answers instead.
He asks for Abhi and she says that he is busy…… getting ready for a romantic night with her.
Purab gets irritated hearing this and shouts at her to ‘cut the crap’.
He asks for Abhi once again.Tanu laughs and says that no one will be able to meet Abhi tonight as he is already booked.
She reveals her plan to seduce Abhi, saying that there is nothing he or his Pragya Di can do to stop her.
By the time they get to him, Abhi will already be hers.
“Tanu! You —” Purab shouts into the phone but she cuts the call.
“Dammit!” he exclaims frustratedly. Purab informs Pragya and Dadi of Tanu’s evil plan.
Dadi gets worried.
Pragya says ,”We have to stop her somehow. I will not let her take advantage of my husband!” Dadi advises them to head over to the hotel and stop Tanu before it’s too late!
Purab calls Abhi’s assistant and gets information on the shoot and Abhi’s whereabouts.
He and Pragya then rush over there to stop Tanu’s plan.
At the hotel, Abhi comes out of the changing room all dressed after taking a shower.
He sits on the bed, feeling slightly exhausted. Tanu hands him a glass of wine, which has been tampered with.
He refuses at first, but after she keeps insisting, he gives in and accepts the glass from her. She gives an evil smirk which he does not notice.
Pragya and Purab are trying their level best to reach there on time, but end up getting stopped for speeding…
They quickly try to explain their situation to the officers.
Finally they are allowed to leave, but only on the condition that they be escorted by one of the officers…just to make sure they are speaking the truth.
Both of them agree, desperately hoping that they make it on time.
On the other side, the drug has already started showing its effect.
Tanu turns to Abhi, looking at him with lust in her eyes and she advances slowly toward him….
Pragya and Purab finally arrive at the hotel.
They rush to the front desk and hastily explain to the receptionist that they desperately need to meet Abhi. Receptionist denies saying that she can’t as it’s against hotel policy and there are strict orders not to disturb them. The officer steps in and orders her call the manager!
While the receptionist and manager are busy talking to the officer, Purab and Pragya sneak off to find the room. They reach there, but the door is locked, and a Do Not Disturb sign is attached to the doorknob. Purab knocks, but there is no answer. “Stand back, Di” he says to Pragya. Purab kicks the door open and is shocked at what he sees. He turns toward Pragya and says “Di…” Pragya sees his worried expression and asks, “What is it?”
He moves aside and Pragya sees Abhi bare-chested, lying asleep with Tanu in his arms….. “NOOOO!” she screams.
******************************************************************************
“No! Please no! This can’t be happening” Pragya said, turning her head from left to right. “You can’t do this to me!”
“Wake up!” A voice said worriedly. “How could you?” she continued to mumble in her sleep. “Fuggi!” Abhi called, shaking her this time. “Wake up! You’re having a bad dream.”
Pragya’s eyes opened immediately and saw Abhi staring worriedly at her. She took a look around and realised she was lying on the sofa in their room. And slowly it dawned on her….
It was a dream… all of it was a dream….. Overwhelmed, Pragya reached up and threw her arms around Abhi, hugging him tightly. Tears of relief streamed down her cheeks. “Are you ok, Fuggi?” he asked softly, rubbing her back.
She just nodded.
He held her in his arms until she calmed down.
Pragya seemed to realise she was latched onto him tightly and removed herself from his embrace. “Feeling better?” he asked softly, wiping her tears.
She nodded again.
“Such a horrible dream?” he said. “What was it about?”
She dreamt that he had lost his memory in a car accident and Tanu and Aliya were trying to take advantage of his condition. Tanu wanted to marry Abhi so she could be a Rockstar’s wife and live in luxury, while Aliya wanted his company and property. They made a plan for Tanu to seduce him so that he would be forced to marry her….. Should I tell him? Pragya asked herself.
The last time she had a bad dream and told him about it, he just laughed and said she was watching too many TV serials.
She had dreamt that Tanu was pregnant with another man’s child and was trying to pass it off as his… “It’s nothing.” she replied, deciding not to tell him. But Abhi caught on quickly. “Which serial did you watch this tiime?” he asked. “What?” she asked, pretending not to know what he was talking about. “Fuggi, don’t lie to me…” he said, sternly. “Which one was it?” Pragya turned her gaze away from him and mumbled her answer.
“What did you say?” he asked. “Kumkum Bhagya” she replied, saying it a bit clearly now.
“One episode?” he asked.
Pragya shook her head.
“Weekend marathon.” she replied softly, bracing herself for his reaction. “Twelve episodes?!” he exclaimed. “Fuggi, you need to stop watching these crazy shows. They are messing with your mind. What’s gonna happen next…is Aliya going to make Bulbul commit suicide?” Pragya was silent. It was just a TV show…he didn’t have to scold her like this, Pragya thought childishly. “Promise me, you won’t look at it again.” he said, staring at her.Pragya didn’t want to promise.
She liked looking at those shows…thanks to Bulbul and her ‘Rockstar Dadi’ as Abhi calls her.
They made her watch it with them and now she was hooked. “Fuggi…” he said sternly. “Promise me…”
Pragya still didn’t promise.
“Promise me…. or I will kiss you and tell everyone that you begged me to do it.” he said seriously. Pragya’s eyes widened.
“You wouldn’t…” she replied, deciding that he was bluffing.
“Try me.” he said, challenging her.
Maybe he was serious, she thought.
“Promise?” he asked, bringing his lips closer to hers. “Ok, fine. I promise.” she said, wearing a sad expression on her face. “Ok good girl.” he said, lightly patting her cheeks “You should try and get some sleep now.” “No thanks…” she replied.
“Why not?” he asked.
“I’m afraid if I go back to sleep I’ll start having these dreams again.” she said.
Abhi looked at her softly and then got up and scooped her up in his arms.
“What are you doing?” she asked, confused by his behavior.
Abhi didn’t reply.
He just walked over to the bed, laid her down, got in beside her and puled up the covers. “Ok, sleep.” he commanded softly. “I’m right here. Your nightmares won’t be able to get to you now.” “You don’t have to do this.” she said.
“If you don’t sleep, then you won’t let me sleep either.” he said. “So this is very necessary.”But you —” she started to say, but Abhi interrupted her. “Stop trying to start an argument with me, Fuggi.” he warned. “Keep quiet and close your eyes.” Pragya obeyed his orders.
She settled in more comfortably and closed her eyes while Abhi caressed her hair. Soon, her breathing evened and he realised she was asleep.
Abhi looked down at the woman lying close to him.
They had been married for about six months now.
Not in the conventional way though.
It started off as an arranged marriage… with a side of deceit.
A way to keep her far from his best friend… and his sister’s love, Purab.
He had treated Pragya so badly, he thought. She had saved him from trouble many times, yet he insulted her, tortured her, taunted her with the nickname ‘Chashmish’…. and even pointed fingers at her character. Later on, the truth was revealed and it turned out to be her sister, Bulbul, who was in love with Purab. what a mess! Too late to do anything now….they were already married.
After that ‘Chashmish’ became ‘Fuggi’….his friend.
He accepted Purab’s relationship with Bulbul and tried to get Aliya to do the same.
But his little sister went in the opposite direction. She developed an obsession with Purab and a hatred for Bulbul.
She loathed Pragya even more as she believed that somehow Pragya was responsible for her losing Purab. She did some extremely crazy things too.
She pushed Bulbul into a swimming pool knowing that she couldn’t swim, tried to ruin Pragya’s character by making everyone think she had an affair with Suresh, she plotted to take Bulbul’s place and marry Purab, and even attempted several other times to harm Bulbul and Pragya. His little sister was a vengeful woman.
A spoilt brat who couldn’t take no for an answer.
It was all his fault!
He wanted her to have the best of everything, and in the process spoiled her rotten. She even went so far as to arrange Bulbul’s kidnapping…only instead of Bulbul, the kidnappers took his wife instead.
He went to rescue her and got trapped too.
During that time, Abhi realized he and Fuggi had gotten closer. But even he wasn’t prepared for what happened next. Fuggi told him she loved him!
He was stunned!
He didn’t know what to say…he didn’t even know what he was feeling!
But Fuggi never pressured him for a response. She just revealed her heart to him and left him to figure out his own…
Since their rescue, his life…. and his heart was in turmoil. He was about to let Aliya go to jail to teach her a lesson, but Dadi insisted that it would not look good for her to go in jail.
It would spoil their family’s reputation.
Dadi said she would decide her punishment and Abhi agreed.
He knew Fuggi must be waiting for his answer, even though she hadn’t said anything.
While he still battled with his feelings, deciding how he felt about her, Purab made her the new model for his latest album.
He wanted to rip that male model’s hand off for touching his wife!
All these feelings boiled inside him and he ended up lashing out at her for no good reason. But being the kind-hearted soul that she was, she said absolutely nothing to him.
But he knew he had hurt her.
Purab had scolded him and begged him to realize his feelings before it was too late.
He’d sat down alone in his room, after Purab had left. He saw Pragya’s photo on the nightstand and picked it up.
Purab is totally wrong, Abhi said to himself, looking at Fuggi’s picture. I don’t love you. Then he remembered what Purab had told him.
If he was confused about his feelings, he should close his eyes.
The one who enters his thoughts is the girl for him… Abhi took a deep breath and closed his eyes….
He saw Pragya in a pink sari smiling at him and he immediately opened his eyes.
“Fuggi?” he said softly. “That can’t be…”
He closed his eyes and tried again…
This time all his memories with Pragya flashed in his mind.
Their wedding, all the incidents where she got him out of trouble, their silly times and all their romantic moments… His heart raced as the slideshow played in his mind. He slowly opened his eyes.
“I love her…” he whispered.
He looked down at the picture in his hand.
He caressed her face in the photo and said, “I love you, Fuggi.”
He had waited so long for her come home today.
He needed to tell her how he felt and to apologize for lashing out at her.
But she and Bulbul had taken so long to finish their shopping for Bulbul’s wedding with Purab, that he had fallen asleep waiting for her….. only to be awakened by the sound of her screams when she had her nightmare a little while ago. Pragya shifted in her sleep and snuggled closer to him.
He gathered her in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder How could he have not known that he loved this woman? he wondered to himself. She was so simple, sweet and pure hearted.
She could be a little temperamental at times, but he loved that about her too. He loved to pick fights with her, only because she looked so cute when she got angry.”I love you, Fuggi” he whispered to her. “And soon you will know it too.”
He kissed the top of her head, closed his eyes and fell asleep with her in his arms.
The next night, Abhi planned a big surprise for Pragya to tell her how he felt.
He got Purab and Dadi to take the family on an overnight picnic so he and Pragya would have some time to be alone. He did a whole romantic set up by the pool…. lights, flowers, music, romantic candle light dinner. All he needed now was Fuggi and then everything would be complete.
He had told her to meet him here in an hour.
Hour was almost up…she would be here soon.
Two minutes later, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He smiled and said, “You’re finally here.”
He turned around only to see Tanu.
His face fell.
What the hell was she doing here?! he thought angrily.
This was supposed to be his night alone with Fuggi.
He opened his mouth to tell her to leave, when suddenly she thew her arms around him in a hug. What th-?
“Oh Abhi, I’m so happy! You planned this romantic surprise for me!” she said.
“I can’t believe it!”
I can’t believe it either, Abhi said to himself.
Of all the times Tanu could have shown up here, why did it have to be now?
He had to get rid of her before Fuggi came here. He rested his hand on her arms, with the intention of pushing her away, but before he could do that, he saw Fuggi looking at them.
He looked down at Tanu who was hugging him, then at his hand on her arms and back at Fuggi. “I’m sorry for interrupting.” she said apologetically. She turned to head back inside the house with tears running down her cheeks.”Fuggi wait!” he shouted.
But Pragya didn’t stop.
“Will you get off me!” he shouted at Tanu and pushed her away from him.
He started to chase after Pragya but Tanu held his hand, stopping him.
“Where are you going?” she asked. “I am going to my wife.” he said, bluntly and turned to go.
He stopped and turned back to face her.
“You better leave now.” he said. “And I don’t ever wanna see you in my home again.”
“What about us?” she asked.
“There is no us.” he replied. “I love my wife and I’m going to spend the rest of my life with her.” “Besides” he continued, “You don’t need me. You already have someone else in your life.” “Who?” she asked stupidly.
“Nikhil.” he asked. “You spent Valentines with him, remember?”
Tanu was stunned.
How did Abhi know that? she wondered.
“Next time you sleep with a guy” Abhi said. “Make sure he can keep it a secret.”
“I…” she started to say, but Abhi shut her up. “Now leave” he said, harshly. “…before I throw you out!”
Tanu immediately left from there.
Now to fix things with his wife, he thought.
This wasn’t going to be easy….
Pragya came back to their room and sat on the sofa, covering her face with her hands.
Why did you go there? she asked herself.
Did you really think he did all that for you?
Well why did he ask her to meet him there, then?
He probably wanted her opinion on something or to ask her how she liked the decoration, she thought sadly. Dadi had insisted she stay back to take care of her husband, but if she knew he was planning a surprise for Tanu she would have gone with the rest of the family to the picnic.
But no….she had to stay home to witness this.
Would she ever learn?
He doesn’t love her… he made that very clear the last time when he got angry with her after her incident on the ledge at Purab’s house. She had tried to be the best wife for her husband, but apparently that wasn’t enough for him.
Maybe it’s time she think about leaving and letting him spend his life with the woman he really loves…atleast then he would be happy.
Abhi came in the room at that moment. Pragya quickly wiped tears and looked up, surprised to see him. “What are you doing here? she asked. Where’s Tanu?”
“We need to talk.” he said, ignoring her question.
“About what?” she asked.
“About us. ” he replied. Here it comes… Pragya thought. He probably wants a divorce so he can marry Tanu. “Can’t this wait? I’m really tired….” she lied. “No it can’t” he said seriously.
“Fine then…talk.” she said, giving him a little attitude. There were so many things he had wanted to say to her. But thanks to Tanu, Fuggi was in a bad mood and he couldn’t really blame her. He could tell she had been crying.
She might deny it, but he knew seeing Tanu hugging him had upset her.
“Fuggi, what happened out there…it’s not what you think.” he said, trying to explain. “It’s okay.” she said. “You don’t have to explain anything to me.” “Yes I do. Tanu was —-” he tried to say, but she cut across him.
“Look, what ever happens between you and Tanu is none of my business anymore.” she said, finally giving up. “You’re my wife.” he said. “It’s your right to —”
“When have you ever given me any rights as your wife?” she said, looking him straight in the eye.
“Look I know this marriage didn’t start off with the correct intentions” he said. “But alot has changed since then.” “Not alot” she said sarcastically, referring to Tanu.
She was the one constant thing since they got married. Always there, flaunting the fact that Abhi loved her instead.
She just felt like strangling her at times!
But she was a good girl and wouldn’t bother dirtying her hands on Tanu.
If she’d known a mistress was part of the deal, she would have never married him.
“Nothing happened out there between me and Tanu.” he said quickly before she interrupted him again.
Pragya said nothing, and turned away from him.
Because I interrupted… she thought.
What if she hadn’t gone there?
Would they have….?
Pragya still said nothing and it was making him tense. What was she thinking? he wondered. Her silence was killing him.
He held her arm and turned her to face him”Do still you love me?” he asked quietly, needing to know, yet a little scared her answer might be no. Pragya nodded and Abhi inwardly breathe a sigh of relief. As much as she wanted to, Pragya thought, she couldn’t deny what she felt for him.
She pulled her hand away from his and moved away a little. She then gave a forced smile.
“Although you have made it extremely clear that you would never feel the same way about me…” she said, her eyes filled with tears. “Fuggi..” he said, feeling her pain “I….” He moved closer toward her but Pragya held up a hand to stop him from coming any further. “And I’m okay with that.” she continued. “But I’ve realized it would extremely selfish of me to keep you tied to this marriage when your heart belongs to someone else….”
What the hell? Abhi thought in a panic. “You’re leaving me?” he realized quickly, moving toward her. “It’s not like that.” she said.
“What is it like then?” he asked. “I’m just giving you what you’ve wanted all along…” she said. “Your freedom from this marriage.”
“Just like that?!” he shouted in disbelief. “I don’t even get a say? “This is all for the best….” she said. “Really?” he said, holding her upper arms. “Look into my eyes and tell me that this is what you really want.” he said. Pragya made herself look at him.
“This is what I want.” she lied. After saying that, she wanted to cry her heart out, but she needed to get away from him.
She tried to move away from him as her tears were already threatening to fall, but Abhi grabbed her hand and pulled her roughly against him.
“That’s a lie.” he said.
Then without warning, he bent his head toward hers and kissed her.
Pragya responded immediately to his passionate kiss. He broke away from her after a while so they could come up for air. Cupping her face, he looked into her eyes.
“Don’t you ever think about leaving me” he warned. “Because I won’t allow it. Not now…not ever.” She tried to get out of his hold, but he held her even more securely with his left hand around her so she couldn’t escape.
With his right hand on her cheek, he touched his forehead to hers. “I love you.” he whispered to her. “I love you, Fuggi…and my heart belongs only to you and no one else…” “I’m sorry it took me this long” he continued, “but I promise I’ll spend each day making it up to you.” he said. She saw the sincerity in his eyes and the tears she had been holding back ran freely down her cheeks.She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.
“I love you so much.” she said.
Hearing her say those words this time, made Abhi’s heart extremely happy and he hugged her even closer to him. He claimed her lips in a kiss once again, which turned into something more this time…and then Abhi and Pragya finally united in love….