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“You don’t have to explain anything further, Jhanvi. We know. We know Aarav had tricked you into this marriage.”

Only I know how soothing these words sound from her.

“Yesterday, Mohit put all his sources to work, and they all came up with the same information that you are innocent,” she adds.

Though I’m glad they believe me, I don’t like the fact that they had to investigate this matter rather than hearing me out and showing trust in me.

“Thank God,” I whisper, shutting my eyes.

“I swear he is going to pay for what he did with us,” Mohit growls.

Mohit is still standing before us with his fingers tightened into a fist.

“He has snatched my fiancée; I will never let him live in peace.”

I swallow painfully at his loss.. at my loss. We were going to be a couple and now I am his stepbrother’s wife. It hurts.!!

“Jhanvi,” Daadi grabs my hand. “I hope he has not tortured you..”

“Not physically,” I reply. “But every moment with him is emotionally draining me, Daadi. I can’t wait to lawfully end this. I can’t stay with him, but even staying away from him is not helping. I need a complete closure. I ..”

“Soon.” Mohit sits next to me. “Soon I will make sure you come out of his clutches safe and with dignity.”

Oh!! I trust him. I trust Mohit will fight for me, but the next moment he says something completely scary.

“But until then you have to stay with Aarav and give me all his updates.”

“What?” Both Daadi and I snap together. “You want me to stay with… Aarav?”

Even the thought of it scares me.

“Mohit? Have you lost your mind?” Daadi scolds. “You want Jhanvi to stay under the same roof as Aarav?”

“Yes, I want that Daadi and trust me even the thought of it frustrates me but this is how we can bring him down.”

“One minute,” I interrupt. “I’ll not let you use me as bait in your war. Aarav is already doing this and now you too? I didn’t expect this from you.”

“Am I doing this only for me? I am doing this for all of us. Just imagine what not he has snatched from us? Our clients? Mansion and now even my fiancée. I want to bring him down, Jhanvi, and it is only you who could help me do that.”

The thought of staying with Aarav shudders through me.

“You don’t have to do anything. Just keep informing me what all he does on the business side. I have heard he tackles most of his work from his mansion and if you stay there, you can keep a watch on him and give me the important updates.”

I get up and walk away from Mohit, my body shivers.

“I can’t do this. It is wrong.”

Mohit reaches me and turns me around.

“You mean what he did with us is right?”

“No, Mohit. But..”

“Jhanvi, when your enemy plays unfairly, you have to play the same way to defeat him. Trust me, there is no other way we can get our peace back. Once I destroy Aarav in business, he will have no sources to force you to stay married to him. We can easily file a legal divorce and you will be out of his life. Forever.”

He cups my face.

“This is our only chance, Jhanvi. It’s a sign from God that we can defeat him both personally and professionally as he did with us.”

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