Ranvijay and Sanyukta left for the zoo with the kids as planned.
Avu and Aarvi were chattering non-stop, planning their zoo visit in advance, even deciding how they would greet all the animals.
"Mekooo Simbaaa se milna hai!" Avu exclaimed excitedly, his tiny hands clapping in joy.
"Simba nahi hai zoo mei Avuuu… vo toh forest mei hota hai na," Aarvi explained patiently, making him pout.
Avu blinked his big, curious eyes. "Zoooo mei konsa lionnnn h phirrrr?" he asked, tilting his head.
Sanyukta smiled, gently ruffling his hair. "Avu, real life mei animals hum jaise bachon se baat nahi karte… Real life mei lion dangerous hota hai, and they only roar," she explained.
Avu nodded thoughtfully, processing the information.
Aarvi, ever the big sister, smirked. "Avuuu, tu dar jaayega real lion ko dekh ke!" she teased.
Avu gasped dramatically. "Noooo Diduuuu! I am baveee and stonggg!" He balled his little fists, frowning in determination. "Lionnn roarrr karegaaa to mei uskooo punchhhh dikha dungaaa!" he declared, punching the air with his tiny hands.
Aarvi giggled. "But lion bohot big hota hai… he will shoo you away!"
Avu thought for a moment before his eyes twinkled with newfound confidence. "Daddyyy wil figt withhh himmm! Dadyyy is stongg thn lionnnn!" he said proudly, his chubby cheeks glowing with admiration.
Ranvijay chuckled, amused by his son’s unwavering faith. "Of course, baby! We will fight the lion together—we’re a strong team!" he said, holding out his fist.
Avu giggled and bumped his tiny fist against his father’s, cheering loudly, "Yayyyy!"
Soon, they reached the zoo. Ranvijay effortlessly lifted Avu onto his shoulders, making the little boy squeal in delight. Meanwhile, Aarvi was busy in her own world, hanging her little shoulder bag stylishly while Sanyukta clicked pictures.
Ranvijay opened his arms. "Aarvi, come here!" he called out, ready to pick her up.
But Aarvi folded her arms dramatically. "Nooo chachuu! You will spoil my dress!" she said, shaking her head firmly.
Ranvijay rolled his eyes at the little drama queen. "Nahi karunga… I promise. Aaja!"
She pouted, still unconvinced. "Nahi!"
Sanyukta laughed at their antics. "It’s okay… when she gets tired, she’ll come to you herself. Abhi nahi maanegi."
Ranvijay sighed in surrender. "Madam ka attitude toh dekho!" he muttered under his breath, making Sanyukta chuckle.
Just then, Avu squealed, pointing excitedly. "Mokeyyy!!!"
Ranvijay turned just in time to see a troop of monkeys swinging on the trees. Avu bounced happily on his father’s shoulders. They fed the monkeys bananas, giggling as the animals eagerly grabbed the fruit.
As they continued exploring, they saw an elephant, a crocodile, a giraffe, a chimpanzee, an owl, colorful birds, deer, a fox, a wolf, and a tiger before finally reaching the lion’s enclosure.
Avu’s eyes widened in pure wonder as he saw the majestic lion. His tiny hands clutched Ranvijay’s shirt tightly. "Wooowww…" he breathed in awe.
But just as they were about to leave, the lion let out a deep, thunderous roar.
Avu gasped, his little body stiffening. His lower lip trembled, and within seconds, he let out a scared cry, burying his face in Ranvijay’s neck.
Ranvijay immediately rubbed his back, hugging him close. "It’s okay, son… Daddy is here, haan? See, the lion is inside the cage… kuch nahi hoga."
Avu peeked from the corner of his eyes, still gripping his father’s shirt tightly.
Ranvijay pressed a reassuring kiss to his soft curls. "He can’t harm you, champ. Kuch bhi ho jaye, Daddy is always here to protect you."
Avu slowly nodded, still snuggling close, his little arms wrapped securely around his father’s neck.
Ranvijay smiled, rubbing his back. "You’re my brave boy, my strong champ, isn’t it?"
Avu sniffled but then grinned, his dimples peeking out. "I ammm!"
To prove it, he flexed his tiny muscles, making his father chuckle.
"That’s my boy!" Ranvijay said proudly, patting his little chest.
Avu, still puffing his chest out, looked up at his father with pure adoration. "Daddy is beshttt! Daddy is superman!"
Ranvijay smirked. "Superman? Acha, toh abhi udaa doon tujhe?" he teased, pretending to throw Avu in the air, making the boy shriek with laughter.
Meanwhile, Aarvi, perched in Sanyukta’s arms, had taken out her tiny camera. "Lionnnn, roar again!" she instructed the lion, as if he would listen.
When the lion roared again, she gasped but quickly focused on recording, her fear forgotten.
Sanyukta smiled, kissing her temple. "Good girl, capture the moment instead of getting scared."
Aarvi nodded. "Meko lion se danna nahi, video banana hai!" she declared seriously, making Sanyukta chuckle.
As they continued their zoo adventure, Avu remained perched on Ranvijay’s shoulder, his tiny hands gripping his father’s head securely, knowing he was in the safest place in the world—his Daddy’s arms.
They had their dinner at a nice restaurant, enjoying a warm meal after an eventful day at the zoo.
On the way back home, the exhaustion finally caught up with the little ones. Avu dozed off first, his tiny head resting against Ranvijay’s chest, while Aarvi, despite fighting sleep, eventually curled up in Sanyukta’s arms, her soft snores filling the quiet car.
By the time they reached home, the house was silent. Everyone had already retired to their respective rooms.
But even as they stepped inside, their minds were far from at ease. The thought of what might have happened on the dinner with Rudraksh and his family lingered like an unresolved storm waiting to break.
"Kya hua… kya soch rahe ho?" Sanyukta asked softly, her fingers gently caressing his hair as he lay on her chest, his arm and leg securely wrapped around her in the stillness of the night.
Ranvijay sighed, absentmindedly twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers. "Kuch nahi… just thinking about Anu," he muttered.
Sanyukta remained silent for a moment before speaking. "I know whatever Rudraksh did to you was terrible, and I hate him for it. But maybe he really loves Anu…"
Ranvijay scoffed but didn’t interrupt.
"Koi ladki aise hi toh kisi ladke ko itna defend nahi karegi na?" she continued, her voice calm yet thoughtful.
His jaw tensed slightly. "It’s not about Rudraksh," he admitted, his voice laced with frustration. "What hurts me is that she dragged you and Avu into this. I never thought Anu could say something like that. If she had said it behind my back, I wouldn’t have believed it… but hearing it from her—" He trailed off, exhaling sharply.
Sanyukta cupped his cheek, gently stroking his skin with her thumb, trying to ease the storm within him.
"It’s okay… itna kya sochna hai?" she whispered. "She was emotionally overwhelmed and just wanted to prove her point to you. That’s why she compared the situations."
Ranvijay shook his head, his eyes dark with unspoken emotions. "It’s not just that, Sanyukta… it’s what she thinks about you. It makes me feel like I’ve failed to give you and Avu the respect and acceptance you both deserve."
His voice hardened, his body tensing against hers. "It makes my blood boil when someone even dares to point a finger at you both." His jaw clenched, and the nerve on the side of his forehead twitched, reflecting the silent fury simmering inside him.
Sanyukta smiled softly, running her fingers over his furrowed brow as if trying to smooth away the weight of his thoughts.
"But mujhe farak nahi padta," she said gently.
His gaze snapped to hers, searching her face for any trace of hurt, but she only smiled.
"You know… pehle padta tha. But after that fight, mujhe samajh aa gaya hai… it’s not what people think about us that matters. What matters is the reality."
She tilted his chin slightly, making sure he met her gaze. "And you are our reality. Aapka pyaar, aapka support, aapka saath… that is our truth. And trust me, this reality is more beautiful than any dream I never even dared to dream of."
She pressed a soft kiss into his hair, feeling the tension in his body slowly ease.
Ranvijay exhaled, gripping her hand and bringing it to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss in the center of her palm.
"Sometimes, I just want to take you both far away… kahin door, jahaan tum dono ko yeh sab na sunna pade. Jahaan sirf humari khushi ho," he confessed, his voice raw with emotion.
Sanyukta’s lips curved into a knowing smile as she cupped his face gently.
"Again, I’ll say… jagah matter nahi karti, saathi karta hai," she whispered. "Jahaan aap ho, wahaan sab jagah achi lagti hai. Aur jahaan aap nahi ho… wahan kuch bhi nahi."
With that, she playfully pinched his nose, making him huff in amusement. The tension between them melted just a little, leaving behind the warmth of something far stronger.
And in that moment, despite everything weighing on their hearts, love remained their safest place.
"Joru ka gulaam ban jaaunga mei agar aisi dialogue baazi karti rahi toh," Ranvijay joked, earning a chuckle from Sanyukta.
"Maybe isi liye toh aisi baatein karti hoon," she played along, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Gulaam banana chahti hai mujhe?"
Sanyukta grinned widely, nodding without hesitation.
"Tu chahti hai tere ishaaron pe naachun… tere pallu se bandh jaun?" he asked, raising an eyebrow dramatically.
She giggled harder, nodding again.
Ranvijay smirked. "Well… you see, Sanyukta ji, mai ek sakt launda hoon. Itni jaldi jaal mein nahi phas sakta. You need to work on my hardness," he added with a wink.
Sanyukta’s eyes widened at his shameless remark, and a deep blush crept onto her cheeks.
Ranvijay burst into laughter, thoroughly enjoying her flustered state. "Sharmana toh dekho madam ka… Bilkul bhi nahi lag raha yeh wahi ladki hai jo shaadi consummate karne ke liye itni eager thi aur upset ho gayi thi jab maine wait karne ko bola," he teased with a sly smirk.
Sanyukta gasped, her pout deepening as she smacked his arm in mock outrage. "Ranvijay!"
He only chuckled, pulling her closer, utterly amused by her reaction.
"Bhabhi ne kya bataya?" Ranvijay asked, his tone turning serious. His sudden shift caught Sanyukta off guard, surprising her with how easily he could tell that she had spoken to Bhabhi about the dinner with Rudraksh and his family.
She blinked at him. "How do you know?"
Ranvijay rolled his eyes. "Isn't it obvious? Aarvi ko room tak drop karke aane mein ek ghanta toh nahi lagega na? You both must have been discussing this only."
Sanyukta chuckled at his sharp observation before responding, "Rudraksh apologized to Maa and Papa for whatever he did to you, and even his parents were sorry for his actions."
"Rudraksh’s father is a well-respected man with high morals, and he understands that it's not easy for us to look past Rudraksh's mistake so easily."
"Vicky ki maa bhi aayi thi," she added, making Ranvijay frown.
"Why?" he asked.
Sanyukta sighed. "Ab vo Bua hai Rudraksh ki… she was bound to come. They knew we have a problem not only with Rudraksh but with Vicky as well. Even she was ashamed of his actions and requested Papa to drop the case."
She paused, gauging his reaction before continuing, "She didn’t like that you still want to get him punished even after beating him so much."
Ranvijay scoffed. "Saara khandan ek jaisa hai," he muttered with distaste, making Sanyukta sigh.
"If you don’t get angry, can I say something?" she asked cautiously, ruffling his hair.
He shook his head, snuggling closer to her. "Mat bol… I already know what you’re going to say. And let me tell you, we will end up fighting, and phir tu rooyegi."
Sanyukta sighed. "Koi fight nahi hogi… we will just discuss it logically. Aap apna perspective rakho, mai apni baat rakhungi. There's nothing to fight about. We are one team, after all."
Ranvijay snickered. "One team? I see… Mujhe pata hai ye baaton ki jalebi bana ke, chasni mein duba ke, you want to convince me to take the case back."
Sanyukta clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Nahi," she denied, but when she saw the look in his eyes, she pouted and nodded.
Ranvijay tried to get up, but she quickly held him back. "Please, please… acha, mei kuch nahi bol rahi. Theek hai, we won't discuss this. I don't want anything to come between us. Vicky ko maaro, pito, jail bhijwao—mujhe koi farak nahi padta. I am out of this matter, okay now?" she said hurriedly.
Ranvijay raised an eyebrow at how quickly she flipped. "Are you sure?" he asked, hiding his smile.
She nodded. "I am. Waise bhi, aap sirf apni hi karte hai. You never take me seriously whenever I try to make you understand something. I know you’re smart, but ek baar kisi aur ka perspective bhi sun lena chahiye, especially when that person is your well-wisher."
She blabbered in one breath, leaving Ranvijay amused. He couldn’t help but laugh at her adorable expressions.
"Hmmm… toh aisi baat hai?" he asked, tugging at her nose playfully.
Sanyukta puffed her cheeks, giving him a side-eye, looking absolutely adorable.
Ranvijay couldn't resist and pressed a quick kiss to her lips, making Sanyukta smile.
"I’m all ears now… bhoko," he teased, earning a light slap on his back.
"Sorry… boliye Sanyuktaaaa ji," he drawled dramatically.
Sanyukta shook her head at his antics but continued. "Toh hua kuch aisa ki Vicky misbehaved with Anu, and you beat him black and blue right then and there. They filed a case against you before you could take legal action against him, and his father even threatened us for beating his son."
She took a breath before going on. "They withdrew the case, but you retaliated by filing your own to get him punished. Now tell me, court usko life imprisonment de dega? Nahi na… koi major punishment nahi hogi. And even if something happens, he'll easily get bail. Upar se, they have clear evidence that you beat him brutally."
She combed her fingers through his hair gently. "Why drag this any further?"
Ranvijay closed his eyes. "I just want to harass them by dragging them to court because he tried to do the same to Anu."
Sanyukta hesitated but then pointed out, "He is going to be her brother-in-law in the future."
Ranvijay’s eyes snapped open, and he glared at her.
She raised her brows. "Fact hai! Mujhe aankhein dikhane se kya hoga?"
Ranvijay groaned in frustration before biting her shoulder lightly, making her hiss.
"Dusht aadmi!" Sanyukta muttered, pulling at his hair, making him chuckle.
"Haan toh, mei yahi keh rahi thi—koi fayda nahi hai case ka. Just take it back," she said in a commanding tone.
He rolled his eyes. "Nahi lunga! Let them know that Ranvijay Shekhawat doesn’t back away."
Sanyukta sighed. "Kal ko Anu hi keh degi ki zaroorat nahi hai case ki, phir kya karoge?" she asked seriously.
Ranvijay sighed, looking away.
"We both know that once this rishta is finalized, she will forgive Vicky in an instant," Sanyukta whispered, turning his face toward her and caressing his cheek lovingly.
Ranvijay clenched his jaw. "I want to hate her," he muttered, burying his face in her neck.
Sanyukta rubbed his back soothingly, resting her head against his. "Are you hurt?" she whispered.
He exhaled deeply. "Hum kahin chale jayein kya kuch din ke liye? She can do whatever she wants behind my back, but this is really suffocating."
Sanyukta kissed his hair. "Nahi ja sakte… even if you don’t want to, aapko yahan rehna padega uske liye. Dur jaake bhi aapka dhyan yahin rahega. Let’s not take actions that might lead to regret later."
Ranvijay groaned. "I can’t pretend to be happy."
Sanyukta smiled sadly. "I know it’s not easy, but that’s life. Sab kuch humari marzi se nahi hota. Sometimes, we do things for others' happiness… and yeh toh aapki behan hai. You love her a lot, and you will regret not being part of her big event."
Ranvijay groaned again. "You’re emotionally manipulating me now."
Sanyukta chuckled. "Is it working?"
He sighed. "Hmmm… very much working."
She laughed. "You are such a softy at heart."
Ranvijay smirked. "I have a heart of gold. 24-carat. I'm such a gem of a person."
Sanyukta giggled at his self-praise. "You are a lucky lady to have me," he added smugly.
She rolled her eyes. "I am."
He grinned. "Konse vrat liye the mujhe paane ke liye?"
She shrugged. "Kuch bhi nahi kiya."
Ranvijay gasped. "Whatttt? Free mein lottery lag gayi?"
Sanyukta smirked. "Acha, aapne kya kiya mujhe paane ke liye?"
Ranvijay smirked. "Maine toh jhooth bole the bhar bhar ke."
Sanyukta gasped. "Jaayiye! Mujhe nahi baat karni ab aapse!"
Ranvijay laughed, rolling over her. "Nahi jaaunga… saat janmon tak tere peeche rahunga!"
Sanyukta bit back a smile. "Meri koi choice nahi hai?"
He shook his head. "Nope."
She giggled, letting him hold her close.
Outside, the night was silent, but within the walls of their room, a storm of emotions brewed between them—unspoken words, quiet promises, and a love that had endured more than its fair share of trials.
Ranvijay’s fingers lazily traced patterns on her back, a subconscious habit he had developed whenever they lay together like this. Sanyukta smiled against his shirt, feeling the warmth of his body seeping into hers.
"Thak gaye?" she asked softly, tilting her head to look at him.
He hummed in response, tightening his arms around her. "Tumse ladke kaun nahi thak jayega?"
She rolled her eyes, pinching his arm lightly. "Toh aap mujhe sirf argue karne ke liye rakhna chahte ho kya?"
He smirked, brushing his lips against her forehead. "Haan, aur pyaar karne ke liye bhi."
Her heart fluttered at the tenderness in his voice. She sighed, snuggling closer, letting the rhythm of his breathing soothe her. But even in this moment of peace, the looming shadow of what was to come hung over them.
"Yeh sab kahaan jaake rukega, Ranvijay?" she murmured, her voice laced with worry.
He was quiet for a moment, his hand stilling on her back. "Mujhe nahi pata," he admitted honestly. "Par ek baat zaroor pata hai—main haar nahi manunga. Anushka chahe jitna bhi mujhe galat samjhe, I will try to protect her till end ."
Sanyukta lifted her head slightly to meet his gaze. "Aur agar ek din usse aapse nafrat hone lagi toh?"
His jaw clenched, his eyes darkening at the thought. "Toh mujhe yeh nafrat bhi manzoor hai... par main use kisi galat insaan ke saath nahi dekh sakta."
Sanyukta exhaled deeply, understanding the battle he was fighting. It wasn’t just about Rudraksh—it was about the scars of his past, about protecting the ones he loved even at the cost of his own peace.
"Aapko lagta hai Rudraksh waisa hi hai jaisa aap soch rahe ho?" she asked after a pause.
Ranvijay scoffed. "Tumhe lagta hai main galat hoon?"
She bit her lip, carefully choosing her words. "Main sirf itna keh rahi hoon ki ek mauka dena chahiye. Ho sakta hai Anushka ko galatfehmi ho… ya ho sakta hai aapko bhi ho ?"
He exhaled sharply, frustration flickering in his eyes. "I can understand your perspective well ," she whispered, placing her palm over his heart. "Bas thoda patience rakhiye , thoda khud par bharosa rakhiye . Jo sach hai, vo khud saamne aa jayega."
He studied her for a long moment before shaking his head with a small chuckle. "Pata hai Sanyukta?"
She raised her brows in question.
"Tum mujhe duniya ke sabse stubborn insaan lagti ho. Par phir mujhe yaad aata hai, tu meri hi biwi hai… toh yeh quality tujhe mujhse hi mili hogi ."
She laughed softly, and he kissed the top of her head.
Silence settled between them again, comfortable and reassuring.
Sanyukta sighed, her fingers gently intertwining with his. "Jo bhi hoga, hum ek saath hai"
Ranvijay shifted, his grip tightening around her as he rested his forehead against hers. "Always ."
A slow smile spread across her lips. She knew the road ahead wasn’t going to be easy—there would be fights, misunderstandings, heartbreaks. But one thing she was certain of: no matter what happens, she would stand by her husband, through every storm, every battle, every wound.
Because love wasn’t just about happiness. It was about choosing each other, again and again, even when things got messy.
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