👑Forty Four~

The palace buzzed with excitement as Rishabh and Devangini unpacked their suitcases, souvenirs from their Dubai honeymoon spilling out like a treasure trove. The delighted Shalakha cooed over a silk scarf and jewellery, while Shubman admired the new arabian flute which Rishabh brought for him. He was leaving for Mumbai and was happy that Rishabh and Devangini had arrived before he left.

Meenakshi unwrapped a box of dates and chocolates while asking,"Are you happy now, Rishi?"

"Very much, Mom,"he said, earning an affectionate pat on his cheek from her.

Meghatri descended the stairs, her movements betraying a forced nonchalance. Her eyes held a dark and almost venomous sparkle as they landed on Devangini. Devangini, glowing with the unmistakable blush of post-honeymoon bliss, was everything Meghatri wasn't - happy, loved, and completely fulfilled.

"Welcome back!"Meghatri greeted them, her voice a little too high-pitched, a little too strained.

Devangini responded with a wide, knowing smile. She picked up a small, intricately wrapped box and extended it to Meghatri. "We brought you something. Hope you like it."

As Meghatri reluctantly accepted the gift, Devangini pulled her into a quick hug. It was during this seemingly innocent embrace that she delivered the blow, her voice a hushed whisper, laced with triumphant sweetness.

"Humari pyaari Megh Kanwar, accept your defeat now. Prince Rishabh is mine now, in every way. Your evil actions went in vain. We have become one. Yahi toh nahi chahati thi na aap?"

Meghatri's answering glare was sharp enough to cut glass, a silent explosion of resentment and thwarted ambition.

Oblivious to the simmering tension, Rishabh broke the silence with his characteristic warmth. "Arey Megha, check and let us know you liked the gift or not. Me and Gini had selected those for you."

Forced to mask her true feelings, Meghatri fumbled with the wrapping, her face carefully neutral. The gift, likely something beautiful and thoughtful, suddenly felt like a poisoned chalice.

"Tum laaye ho. Accha hi hoga,"Meghatri said before giving him a hug and then excused herself from there and went upstairs to her room.

Suryavardhan had come downstairs in the meantime, his expression dull and angry as he looked at Shubman, who was oblivious to it.

"Accha abb hum nikalte hain. I'll miss the flight otherwise. Vaisey, the finale episode will be live and you have to come. Mom and Dad might not make it as unka kuch protocols hain. But Rishi and Gini, you have to be there,"Shubman said.

"Aap kahi nahi jaayenge Maan Singh!"Suryavardhan's sudden outburst startled all of them.

"Dad! What's wrong?"Rishabh asked.

"Ask your brother. What's wrong with him? What is this?"Suryavardhan said, throwing a bunch of photos at Shubman and as those scattered on the floor, he saw that those were his and Chandrika's pictures.

"How could you date the daughter of our arch rival? The Oswals had always been against us. Chirag Oswal himself sent me these pictures this morning. Can you believe it? The audacity he has! He called me up and asked me to keep you away from his daughter. This is such a shame,"Suryavardhan scolded Shubman who looked down.

"Suniye, yeh bacche hain...chhotey hain abhi, jaaney dijiye, ladki acchi toh hain aur..."Meenakshi couldn't complete as he said,"Aap apne beto ke galtiyon par parda daalna bandh kijiye Rani Meenakshi. Aap hi ne bigaad ke rakha hain inhey."

"Rehene dijiye Mom,"Shubman said, holding her hand, adding,"there's no shame in dating the person you love, Daajiraj."

"What? What did you say?"Suryavardhan asked, glaring at him and he looked up, staring back into his eyes, replying,"There's no shame in dating Chandrika, Dad. I want her and she too wants me. In fact, I think what we have between us is strong enough to forget."

"Maan Singh!"Suryavardhan said, slapping him hard.

"Dad! No!"Rishabh said, coming in between as he was about to slap Shubman again, while Meenakshi pulled Shubman back, yelling,"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Aisey jawaan bete pe haath utha rahe hain aap?"

"Tell him to forget music and that girl,"Suryavardhan yelled.

"Not at all Dad. Why will he suffer because of yours and Chirag Oswal's animosity?"Rishabh asked.

"Bhai Sa, your youngest son has at least liked a girl who belongs to an affluent high class family,"Shalakha taunted.

"I don't care. Maan, you won't go to Mumbai."

"I will go to Mumbai, Daajiraj. I will. You can't stop me."

"Really? You will go there and then lose the competition against that girl deliberately for your stupid emotions! Beizzati karwake rakh denge aap humari."

"Shaant ho jaiye please,"Meenakshi pleaded.

"Nahi Mom, kehene dijiye inhey. Dad, are your personal grudges more important than my happiness? Tell me. If so then is it because I am adopted?"Shubman asked.

"Maan!"Suryavardhan exclaimed in a hurt tone.

"Tell me Dad. Is it so?"Shubman asked again, his eyes filling up with tears.

"No! Of course not. You're my son. And that's why you should think about your family first,"Suryavardhan said coming forward and holding his arms.

"And won't you think about my emotions if you're really my Dad?"Shubman asked and he went silent before leaving him and sitting down on the couch.

"Dad please. Jaaney dijiye usey. You know it very well how important this show is for him. Let him go,"Rishabh pleaded.

Meenakshi rested her hand upon Suryavardhan's shoulder and he looked up at her to see her giving him a nod.

He then sighed and looked at Shubman and extended his hand saying,"Promise me Maan. You'll win the competition. You'll not fall weak in front of your emotions and do what a real prince does. Promise me!"

Shubman stared at him and then at his extended hand before keeping his hand upon it and saying in a determined tone,"I will. I will win the competition, Dad."

Chandrika watched her luggage being loaded. Each suitcase seemed to echo the weight of the promise she'd just made to her father, Chirag.

"I'll win, Dad. Promise,"she'd choked out, the words a bittersweet cocktail of determination and despair.

The tension between Chandrika and Chirag had been simmering since the morning, a volatile brew of familial loyalty and forbidden love. He had caught Shubman dropping her off after they had returned from their Semi Final's shoot and now he wasn't letting her go for the finals where she had been selected.

Chandrika had pleaded to him, cried her heart out, only then he had allowed her to go, but with a condition.

"Prove that you really care for me. Win the competition for that. If you do then it's fine. Or else, choose your own way and cut ties with the family. Now the decision is yours. Either withdraw from the competition now itself or go there and win it, or lose it and lose your family name,"he had said.

For Chirag, this relationship wasn't just a personal affront; it threatened to undermine everything he held dear. The rivalry with Suryavardhan was deeply ingrained, a generations-old feud fueled by professional jealousy and personal animosity. Chandrika's connection with Shubman felt like a betrayal, a symbolic surrender to the enemy.

The arguments had been relentless. Accusations of disloyalty flew like poisoned darts, leaving Chandrika caught in the crossfire. Chirag saw her relationship as an alliance with the opposing side, a sign that she was choosing love over family. He demanded she end things with Shubman, but Chandrika refused. She had genuine feelings for him, and refused to let her father's bitterness dictate her heart's desire.

Now, as Chandrika was heading to the final showdown, the weight of that promise pressed down on her. Could she win, knowing it might mean crushing Shubman's dreams? Could she prioritize her father's desires over her own heart?

Meghatri stared at the earrings among the gifts Devangini and Rishabh had brought for her. She knew this was Rishabh's choice as he preferred these kinds of earrings.

"Ahmm!"Andrew cleared his throat while standing near the door of her room.

"Oh! Andrew, come in,"she said and he walked in.

"Still stuck on Rishabh?"he asked and she kept the earrings aside.

"What else do you expect?"

"I expected the same, very much. Actually, I had learnt something recently, and seeing you on the same path, I just wanted to tell you that, it's useless. You can't win him like this. He will hate you if he comes to know the truth."

"You like Durdhara, don't you?"Meghatri asked, leaning against the headboard of her bed while gesturing Andrew to sit.

He took a seat on the nearby armchair and replied,"Yes. Who doesn't?"

"I don't."

"Why? She threatened you, that's why?"

"How do you know?"Meghatri asked, getting surprised.

"I was around when you both were having a talk that day. I had talked to her just before you had arrived."

"I see! You're spying on people too haan?"

"Sort of. But my motive was completely different and I have almost achieved it."

"Only my motive couldn't be achieved,"Meghatri sighed. "Andrew, you tell me, what was my fault? I had always loved Rishi since childhood. I have waited for him since years. And when we would have got engaged officially, a new girl arrived and snatched him away from me, forever."

"If he was truly yours then nobody could have snatched him away from you, princess Megh."

"What?"

Andrew gave a nod. "Rishabh fought for his love for Devangini. Didn't he? He would have simply been with you had he loved you ever. He wouldn't have looked at Devangini even for once in that case. But he loved her, not you. That's the truth. Accept it. The faster you accept it, the sooner you'll heal. Sometimes we cannot do anything about a situation, other than accepting it, doesn't matter how much it hurts us."

Meghatri stared at him while tears flowed down her eyes, rolling down her cheeks.

"You have loved the prince since childhood, but did he ever love you back? No! Because for him you have always been his childhood friend. He respects you that way, see, he has brought gifts for you. On his first night, as soon as I told him about your condition, he rushed to the hospital for you. He brought you here. Not even for once he had doubted on you when the passports and tickets went missing. It shows how much he values you as a friend. Don't lose his friendship while trying to get his love forcefully. You will end up losing him completely."

Meghatri looked away, crying, and he stood up, saying,"Think about it. I wish you luck."

He walked away from the room while she looked back thoughtfully.

Shubman watched his luggage being taken while Chandrika gave her bags too, and he walked up to her.

"Why aren't you talking to me?"

"Because talking to you will distract me from the competition,"she replied, without looking at him.

"Why aren't you talking to me?"Shubman asked.

Chandrika's gaze remained fixed on the activity around them. "Because talking to you will distract me from the competition," she replied, her voice firm, betraying none of the turmoil brewing within.

Shubman's jaw tightened. "Even I could have said the same. My Dad slapped me for the first time because I am dating you, yet I stood firm for us. You didn't distract me in any way. How come I am distracting you?"

The weight of their relationship hung heavy between them. They were both talented artists, fiercely competitive and falling hard in love. But the looming finale of the biggest competition of their lives so far, threatened to tear them apart.

"That's good for you, Maan. But I have to win the competition and prove my loyalty to Dad, or else he will simply disown me."

The words hung in the air, a stark declaration of the stakes involved. "And you're fine with compromising our relationship for that, right?" Shubman asked, the pain in his voice evident.

Chandrika's defense flared. "So are you. I heard you telling Ishan about your promise to your father. Maan, if you can forget the promise you made to me and think only about your Dad and the competition, then why can't I?"

His shoulders slumped slightly. He understood. He was torn between his love for Chandrika and his duty to his family. But her complete withdrawal stung.

"Of course, you can. But that doesn't mean you'll start ignoring me. I never meant any harm or hindrance to your dreams."

Chandrika looked up at him and her vulnerability flickered in her eyes. "Maybe not till now, but you might, on the finale night, and I don't want to take any risk. Maan, I'll definitely talk to you again, but only after the finale. Only after defeating you."

Shubman's face hardened. "What if I don't let you win?"

"Obviously, you will try not to let me win. But I will give my hundred percent this time. You had promised me you'd go easy on me, but since you're not keeping the promise, even I will give a full-fledged fight."

He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "Moon, I can keep both the promises at the same time. A true prince never backs out of his promise. I had promised you I'd go easy on you till you remain humble as an artist."

Chandrika scoffed. "And you think you can win if you go easy on me?"

"Yes!"

"Now that is overconfidence, Maan. You can't do that. You think you're better than me. But I'll show you how much better I have got in these months. You only trained me, remember?"

A playful chuckle escaped Shubman's lips. "Yes! That's why I know you well."

"Whatever! Till the finale, you're a competitor,"Chandrika said, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Shubman gently cupped her cheek, his eyes filled with a tenderness that belied the competitive spirit simmering beneath. "Don't go so hard on yourself. Even if your father disowns you, I'll always be there to take care of you. All the best."

He turned to leave, the weight of their unspoken fears pressing down on him. But she couldn't let him go just yet. Chandrika pulled him back into a tight embrace, the dam finally breaking. He held her close, sighing, understanding her impossible predicament as he grappled with his own. The finale loomed, a battleground where love and ambition would clash, leaving them both changed, win or lose.

It was late night and Suryavardhan walked out of the palace sneakily, looking around. Rishabh, who had noticed him beforehand, followed him up, maintaining a distance, when he saw his father sitting in a cab and leaving. Hardik's car arrived at that moment and he stepped out before opening the door door for Durdhara.

"Arey Rishi! Taking a night walk or what?"he asked.

"Bhai! Jaldi chaliye,"Rishabh said, and freed the driver from duty and took the driving seat.

"Kaha?"Hardik asked and Durdhara said,"Oh ho! Chaliye toh. Voh bol raha hain toh zaroori hi hoga."

They got inside the car again and Rishabh drove off, saying,"I saw Dad sneaking out of the palace and going somewhere in a cab."

"What? Dad? That too in a cab? Why suddenly?"Hardik murmured and added,"I think there's a serious problem then."

"That's what I thought,"Rishabh said.

"Yah! Otherwise why will he maintain a secrecy?"Durdhara said as they soon noticed the cab Suryavardhan was in and Rishabh followed it up maintaining a safe distance so as not to get noticed by their father, by any chance.

************************************Here goes the update. Keep Reading and Keep Vommenting Guys.😘❤️