"Excuse me! Tum yahan kya kar rahi ho? Aaj se breakfast mai banaungi. If you don't know, let me inform you that kal raat Raman ne sabke saamne ye announce kiya hai ke ab se MAI uske liye khana banaaun. So puhleeeezzzz vacate the kitchen for me"
Shagun changed the facts to her own advantage and tried to intimidate Ishita.

"Sure please go ahead"
Ishita said totally unaffected for she already knew what transpired behind her back last night
"And thank you Shagun, mujhe waise bhi aaj der ho rahi thi"
Ishita put up a fake smile and left the kitchen.

To get into Raman's good books Shagun went ahead and announced to everyone that if they had any special request for breakfast they could tell her and she would make it for them wholeheartedly.
'Wholeheartedly!?'
Well Simmi doubted if she meant 'Wholeheartedly' or 'HOLEheartedly'. 🙄

However Shagun's plan had backfired as she struggled in the kitchen to meet the never ending demands of the Bhallas. Every Bhalla member deliberately went to her, demanded for their favourite dish to be made, making  sure they added a 'puhleeeeezzz' at the end.

Seeing Raman walking down the stairs she put up her act of being goody good serving the breakfast to all of them announcing loudly what she had made for them although it was so strenuous to prepare so much in so less time.
"Oh Raman! Tum kab aaye? Maine dekha hi nahi"
She pretended and Raman rolled his eyes seeing through her act.

"Tumhare liye maine palak paneer banaya hai, tumhara favourite hai na"
She said.

"Palak Paneer toh kal raat hi maine khaya tha, Ishita ke hathon ka bana hua"
He replied.

"Oh yeah? Madrasi palak paneer?"
She made a face
"This one is authentic Punjabi palak paneer. Mom ki recipe. Ye khaaoge toh baki sab bhool jaaoge"

"Sab bhool jaaunga? Toh phir isse door rehna hi mere liye behtar hai coz I have an important meeting today and I really need to remember all the important points"
he retorted
"Well for your kind information Shagun, Ishita ne bhi the so called culinary queen Poornima Prakash se hi seekha hai Palak Paneer banana"
He added.

"Whatever!"
she shrugged.

"Ishita tumne breakfast kiya?"
He asked Ishita who was checking if Ruhi had kept her books in her bag according to the timetable.

"Nahi"
She replied.

"Chalo aa jao. Sath me breakfast karte hain"
He said.

"Haan 2 minute"
She said.

"2 minute me kya abhi maggi banani hai tumhe? Aa jaao abhi"
He dragged her towards her chair.

"Haath dhokar aati hoon"
She said.

"Haan ok mai baith raha hun but I will wait for you"
He said pulling his chair out.

"Haan aati hoon abhi"
She said walking towards the basin.

"I am so hungry. Let's just eat"
Shagun said as soon as Raman sat down and pulled the chair next to him for herself before Ishita could occupy it.

"Excuse me. Ye Ishita ki jagah hai"
Said Raman sternly blocking the leg of the chair with his feet.

"Kya farq padta hai"
She threw her hand in the air
"I am just so hungry. I have been cooking for so long. Kya mai ab sukoon se baithkar khaa bhi nahi sakti?"
She cribbed.

"Shag...."
Raman was about to say something when Ishita stopped him saying
"It's alright Raman. Let her sit there. Use bhook lagi hogi. Mai baad me khaalungi. Koi aur chair khali bhi nahi hai"

Shagun just smirked, took her seat and hogged over the breakfast. Raman noticed Ishita's face falling down as she left her place for Shagun. He did not like it at all. He held Ishita's wrist when she was about to leave and pulled her towards him swiftly. "Hugh" she gasped at the sudden pull and landed on his lap.
"Chair khali nahi hai, par meri god toh khali nahi hai"
He winked at her.
Shagun choked over her food at the sight.

"Raman ye kya kar rahe ho. Bade bachhe sab hain yahan pe"
Ishita wriggled in his arms.

"Toh? Sab jaante hain ke
tum meri biwi ho"
He said.

"Biwi hai toh kya god me leke phirega?"
Mrs.Bhalla teased.

"I don't mind"
He winked at her.
"Waise bhi sabko is baat ka ehsas hona chahye ke agar meri biwi kisi pe taras khaakar unke liye jagah banati hai, toh iska matlab ye nahi ke woh apni jagah kisi aur ko de rahi hai. Aur phir koi aur chaah kar bhi uski jagah nahi le sakta, kyunki uski jagah yahan hai, mere sabse khareeb"
He stated tightening his hold around Ishita. With his statement he had answered the fears of many and slammed down the delusions of some. On one side he made Shagun and Adi realise that if Shagun was given a place to stay in this house by Ishita, it doesn't mean Shagun could replace Ishita in Raman's life and they should no longer live in their world of delusions. On the other hand he had given a befitting explanation to the senior Bhallas who thought Ishita had taken a wrong step by bringing Shagun home - Ishita had just given shelter to Shagun, not her rights as Raman's wife. And most importantly he addressed the fears of Ishita with his crystal clear statement that none could take Ishita's place in his life no matter what the circumstances are and no matter how hard they tried to intimidate her.

Ishita's eyes turned moist as she absorbed the meaning of his words. He had succesfully done what she had expected from him last night - understood her fears without having expressed them and healed her with his love. She happily gave up her struggle of getting out of his hold and slipped her fingers between his fingers, locked them firmly and looked into his eyes with a feeling of security
Tu mere paas toh hai na!