***********

"Are you really going to blame me for this...?" Pihu shouted.

"Or who should, I do...?" Aahan shouted back.

"We can solve this by talking Aahan..." Pihu retorted.

"There is nothing left to talk about, I can't do this anymore..." Aahan said while taking a long Sigh.

"Are you for real...? What do you mean you can't do this anymore...?" Pihu asked while holding Aahan's arm tightly... Her eyes were filled with tears, many emotions flashed through her face...

"I can't do this anymore..." He looked at Pihu with distant eyes like they lost their shine,  "Our relationship" He took a long breath,
" is not working..." He finished his sentence with a trembling voice.

The sound of a sharp slap reverberated throughout the entire room, its echo lingering in the air...
Pihu's eyes blazed with anger as she glared fiercely at Aahan, who stood in front of her, holding his cheeks in pain from the impact of the slap...
Aahan's expression was one of shock and disbelief as if he had never expected Pihu to react in such a violent manner...
Despite the tense silence that filled the room, the tension between the two seemed to have reached a boiling point, with neither party willing to back down...

"OF COURSE, IT'S NOT WORKING, because you're not willing to put in effort on it... Just running like a fucking coward..." She spat in anger...

Aahan's eyes darkened with rage as he struggled to distinguish between right and wrong. Anger had consumed him to the point where it was the only emotion he could comprehend or express...

"YOU WILL REGRET RAISING YOUR HAND AT ME..." Aahan shouted while walking toward Pihu's perfume collection...

"I will make you fucking regret marrying me... And it's the promise of Aahan Agnihotri..."

But His step halted halfway hearing Pihu next
Words,

"Dare to touch them, And see how I will burn your whole damn ass showroom in front of your eyes..."
"And it's the promise of Mrs. Pihu Aahan Agnihotri."

A deafening crash filled the entire room, echoing off the walls.

**************

Naksh's eyes flew open as he jolted awake from a deep sleep. His chest heaved as he gasped for breath, his heart pounding in his chest. Every inch of his body was drenched with sweat, making his clothes cling to his skin.
His heart is beating at incredible speed, and the only thing sounding in a silent room alone with the tic-tac sound of the clock which is showing time 2:00 Am...

As he ran his tongue over his chapped lips, a dry sensation crept into his throat. He raised both hands to his face, rubbing it gently as he whispered under his breath,
"It was just a fucking dream..."

His eyes roamed all over the room and stuck at the collection of perfume, which made him drift into his deep thoughts about the dream...

********************

(10 hours ago)

With his commanding voice, Mr. Agnihotri ordered everyone to halt in their tracks. "Girls, head to your room! Boys, remain here!" The force of his words left no room for argument, and no one dared to challenge his authority.

Every girl left the room leaving boys behind, nobody dared to speak a word, silently waiting for Mr Dev Agnihotri to speak.

"Did I raise dogs and a cat in my house...?" Mr Dev Agnihotri asked.

"No Dad..." Three boys spoke in unison while bowing their heads.

"Then why are you fighting like a street dogs and cats..." His words are calm but the wrath behind those words thunders behind lighting.

"Fighting is common in family but this is totally nonsense... Did u guys lose your respect or forget your discipline...?" He continued.

"Aahan Agnihotri, if you ever again shout at your sister, I will rip your throat." He grumbled.

"Sorry Dad... It will never happen again..." Aahan apologized.

Mr. Agnihotri nodded his head and continued his talk,
" Nishal Tripathi, saying sorry didn't make you small... And if I heard you again questioning any woman character, I kicked your ass out of this mansion..."

"Sorry Dad, I accepted my mistake... I will not repeat it."

"And Naksh Agnihotri, Pihu is your wife, Your brother is defending your wife like he was her real husband, not you. So stop being a brat and take your responsibility."

And those words hit like a slap on Naksh's face that Aahan defends his wife, not him...
"Yes, Dad..." He replied slowly.

"Now everyone, leave." He commands.

And everyone left the room leaving elders behind in the hall.

"Why didn't you do this earlier...?" Pihu's dad asked.

"Because I want to see, How deep these people are in water..." Mr. Agnihotri replied.

And a silence fell over the room.

****************

As the event in the hall came to an end, Mrunali stepped outside to take a breath of fresh air...
As she walked, she heard a faint sound coming from a nearby room... She approached the door and paused, trying to make out the source of the sound. It was a gentle humming, almost like a soft melody that was being hummed by someone lost in thought...
Mrunali hesitated for a moment before calling out softly, "Twin...".
A moment later, the humming stopped, and Pihu's voice came from inside the room,

"Come inside, Twin...". Mrunali pushed the door open and stepped inside to find Pihu sitting on the bed, looking up at her with a small smile.

"Are you upset...?" Mrunali asked while settling beside Pihu.

"Nahh! I'm fine..." Pihu replied shortly.

"Don't focus on Nishal words... He always talks nonsense..." Mrunali said.

"I never take his words seriously..." Pihu replied slowly even though her eyes didn't meet Mrunali's in whole time...

"It's a good thing, Aahan defended you... It looks like he respects you a lot..." Even Mrunali didn't want to be rude but those words fell out of her mouth, Maybe curiosity...

"You think so...?" She asked...

"Of course, I think so... Like how he went against everyone for you... That shows how much he respects you... And there is no doubt he does because you're one of best doctors in the country..." Mrunali completed her words, but her words were not like she was comforting Pihu but herself...

"He respects me but not in the way you think..." Pihu replied but her eyes were stuck on the same place.

"What do you mean, twin...?" Confusion clouded over Mrunali's face.

"Aahan meets hundreds of successful doctors daily but he never baited a single eye to them..."

Pihu's words hit like a truck... Mrunali realised what Pihu wanted to say... Aahan is a successful doctor, he doesn't need to fight anyone just because he respects Pihu's skills...

When Mrunali didn't reply for too long, Pihu continued,

"Twin, have you ever come across the saying, Nothing is always something,?"

"What are you guys hiding...?" Mrunali asked looking directly at Pihu, who was still staring same spot, her eyes were showing a lot of emotions - pain, anger, hope, sadness and secrets.

"A past" she spoke, her voice barely be heard...

A weird feeling crept over Mrunali's heart...
Her heart skipped a beat. "What past?" she asked, feeling a strange sense of unease. She could see how tightly Pihu was clutching her sweaty palms, and it made her wonder what kind of secrets they were hiding...

"It's not my right to tell you... You can ask Aahan..." Pihu said.

Or maybe Pihu senses Mrunali's uneasiness, so speak further...
"Don't worry, it's had nothing to do with your and Aahan future..."

Mrunali can feel a little relief in her heart... There were still many questions but looking at Pihu's condition, she thought it was not the right time...

" By the way, Why did you hate, Aahan...?" Pihu asked.

This is the first time, during the whole conversation Pihu looks at Mrunali while talking...

"Hehe... You know I was very upset and angry on that day because Dad was nagging about marriage with Aahan, so I ran from the house and sat down near the lake... Then a man came near to me and tapped on my shoulder by saying " Hey, little one... don't sit this too near to the lake or you will fall."
And I got so pissed off by hearing little one word that I pushed him water and shouted " A 24-year-old person was not a little one, you blind idiot..." And then when he came out of the water, it turned out he was Aahan..."

Pihu let out a little laugh while shaking her head...

"So, basically he hates me... Not me..." Mrunali said while laughing.

"He never hates you, twin..." Pihu spoke softly while looking at her twin.

"What...?"

"I said, he never hates you..." Pihu repeated her words.

"How do you know, twin...?" Mrunali asked while looking at his twin eyes like she wanted to find something.

"I just know... I think you should talk with Aahan about this... At least be friends... You guys are going to be married in future..."

"Then why didn't you try this with Naksh...?" Mrunali asked.

Pihu take a long breathe before talking,
"Our case is a different twin... We both barely met two times before marriage and then bonded into a relationship... Now there is shouting more than talking in our relationship... But you guys still have time, Don't waste it... Use it to know each other...
And you just said that 'you didn't hate Aahan and vice versa' but in my case we both can't stand each other..."

Mrunali nodded her head again in understanding.
"Now twin, I want some alone time..." Pihu gave her a small smile.

"Sure twin..."
Mrunali returned the smile and walked toward the door... Before leaving she again turned toward Pihu, who again stared at the same spot - Perfume Collection.

"What are you hiding twin...?" She whispered to herself and left the room.

Pihu did not realize how much time had passed since Mrunali left until Naksh entered into room and glared at Pihu before leaving the room with his bike keys... She sighed...

"Why can't I move on from you...?" She said looking at the Perfume Collection.

(Mrunali Pov)

As I stepped out of the twin room, my mind was flooded with countless questions. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in this house. Why were things being kept hidden from the rest of the family? And why were only Pihu and Aahan aware of this information? I couldn't help but feel curious about their relationship and the past that Pihu kept alluding to. My thoughts were in a constant state of turmoil as I tried to unravel the mysteries surrounding this peculiar situation.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realise where I was going until my clumsy ass bumped into something...
"Who put this fucking thing between hallway...?" I said while rubbing my forehead.
Then when raised my head to see what was this thing which bumped into me, it turned out the pillar.

" Sabas Mrunali beta...Ase chalte raho, tum ak din jarur chalti train se takraogi." I mumbled to myself.

(Well done, Mrunali... Keep going like this and one day you will bumped with a running train.)

As I was about to move forward, my eyes fell on the bright light coming from the room. I tried to peek inside the room and found Aahan was sitting on the bed as same as Pihu and lost in his own thoughts.
Then my eyes fell on his wounded hand which maybe he got from hitting the wall...

"Dumbo, who said him to hit the wall instead of that Laash, I Mean Nishal face..." I mumbled to myself.

I walked inside the room and cleared my throat to get his attention,

"You should apply some ointment on this..." I pointed at his hand.
But he was staring at me continuously... Did he lose his mind too...?

"Where is the medical kit...?" I asked again...
He pointed at the left side of the drawers, so I went there to take the kit but I could feel his piercing eyes on me... What's wrong with him today...?

I sat in front of him and started treating his wound but the atmosphere was turning more and more awkward between us, so I asked him...

"Do you want something...?"

" How did you come into my room today?" He asked in his usual cold voice...
And realised hit me, I never come into his room in 4 years... Now I understand why he is staring at me weirdly...

"Because I lost my way..." I replied, And luckily he didn't ask further...

I cleared my throat again and licked my lower lip in nervousness,
"By the way, Pihu told me you didn't hate me..." I said in one go...

'wow Mrunali, you should get the bravery award for dumbness... Look this is how people start their conversation...' I internally scoffed at my own dumbness...

"And who said, I hate you...?" He replied and that made me relief that I should not feel embarrassed about it.

"So that means you don't hate me...?" I literally squealed at his face.
And in response, he gave me that eye,  'That's what I just said Dumbo..."

I happily again sit on my seat and treat his wound...
But my talkative mouth just wanted me to be embarrassed in front of him and I spoke the next words with confidence,
"so this means we can be friends..."
And he looked at me with a bewildered expression as I asked for his kidney...

"Ahem, like I mean, Pihu said we should try to be friends because we're going to marry each other in future..."

"Sure, Little one..." He said.

"Really..." I smiled brightly then, "Wait- did you call me little one...?" I pointed my figure at him in an accused manner.

"Yes..." He said in a tone like it's not a big deal.

"Why...?" I whined.

"Because you're..."

"I'm five feet..." I defend myself.

"That's what little is..." He retorted.

I angrily stood at my place and indicated to him,
"Get up!!, measure height with me so you will get to know, I'm not Little..." 
I pulled him to get up and when he got up from his place, my nose literally bumped into his chest... I raised my head to look at him, my eyes met with his dark black eyes who are staring into my soul...

'fuck!!, He is so tall and hot...' I thought... What the hell, I'm thinking... If he heard me, he would throw me out of the universe...

"See, how little you're... Little one..." He ruffled my hair with a chuckle...
Mrunali experiences an unusual sensation within the pit of her stomach, a feeling that is difficult to describe. As she tries to make sense of it, she notices a warm flush of rosiness starting to spread across her cheeks, which only adds to her confusion. The sensation seems to be intensifying, and she can feel her heart rate starting to increase. She takes a deep breath and tries to calm herself down, wondering what happening with her.
'Shit!!... I'm lost... Damn, he is soo-'

I came out of my not-so-good thoughts and embarrassment took over my cheeks...

"We're friends now... If you will break my friendship, I will break your legs..." I fumbled my words before running out of the room...

*******************

(Present time)

Naksh was sitting on the edge of his bed, his face contorted with anger and frustration. His sleep had been gone for what felt like hours, and he couldn't shake off the vivid dream that had woken him up. He was clutching his fist so tightly that his knuckles had turned white, and his breathing was heavy and ragged.
This dream came because of his father's words.

The images from the dream kept flashing before his eyes, taunting him with their surreal and unsettling nature. He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of resentment towards the dream... Despite his best efforts to calm down and rationalize the situation, Naksh couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in his chest...

"She is not Mr. Pihu Aahan Agnihotri... She is Mrs. Pihu Naksh Agnihotri, wife of Naksh Agnihotri..." He shouted in rage.

But a thought again captured his whole mind while looking at the Perfume Collection,

"Why did today Aahan react like this about the past...? What is the relationship between Pihu and Aahan...?"

..................................................................................................
To be continued...
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