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“Toh mai Kushi Khushi apna jaan de dunga,”

Ashrit said without hesitation.

They froze hearing him, Ranjeet and prisha looked at him in shock, like he had lost his mind. Kalyani and Abhiraj exchange surprised glances.

“ Ashrit Noor se itna pyaar karta hai ki, usee uski jaan ki parwah nahi hai.” Abhiraj thought, the side of his lips curving up in an invisible smile.

Prisha took a step back, her knees wobbled and she was about to fall but Ranjeet caught her in time. “Sambhalo prisha apne aap ko,” he said softly, despite being shocked.

Ashrit looked at his mother and guilt crawled into his heart, he knew what she was doing was for him —for something else he himself wasn't aware of.

But he couldn't let her blame an innocent person.

A person who doesn't even know about this weird family.

Ashrit took a step forward, his eyes on his mother, “ why can't you love Noor,mom?”. He asked, his voice carrying an unsaid emotion.

“ Jab aap, jiya Jaisi selfish, gold digger and jhooti ladki ko apna saki hai, toh meri Noor kyu nahi?”

Prisha looked away, she knew she was wrong. Yet she isn't willing to accept it.

“ I’m doing this for your good, Ashrit” She said the same line she used to say everytime Ashrit asked her about her worrying about his safety.

Ashrit exhaled sharply, his anger rising.

“ Letting me marry someone like Jiya is good for me,mom?” he asked through his gritted teeth.

“ Someone who is more interested in my wealth and power than me? Is that good for me mom?”

Ashrit looked at his mother, for the first time in years, he felt like he didn't know her at all. He knew she is over protective about him— always been.

But now her protective nature suffocates him, makes him feel like he wasn't good enough— that his mother doesn't trust him at all.

Prisha's eyes flickered with guilt, for a moment before she masked it with stern expression.

“ She isn't right for you,” she said, avoiding his eyes. “ With her around you, you won't be able to stay safe.”

Ashrit laughed, sarcastically.

“ Noor brings trouble, mom?” He asked, his eyes never leaving her.

“ Then tell me who ran from her wedding and brought us trouble? Was it also Noor, mom?”

Prisha swallowed, unable to answer.

“ See you don't have an answer, mom. Because that is the truth and difference between them.” Ashrit said, his voice carrying the truth.

“ Jiya is a person who left her groom and family because she wanted that 50L job. She didn't care about us nor her own family And Noor is a person who left her family and married me to protect our reputation.”

Prisha looked down knowing that he was right. Everything he said was right, yet she wasn't ready to accept it.

“ But Ashrit….” She started, her eyes welled up again, “ can't you just listen to me? It's all for your safety, to save your life, son. You know i have already lost one child—”

“ STOP IT , MOM.” Ashrit yelled, hearing her, his voice echoing all over the palace. They all flinched at the intensity of his voice.

His siblings who were in their rooms came running, hearing his voice. The siblings looked at the scene, shocked.

“ STOP IT, JUST STOP BLACKMAILING ME USING ADA’S NAME, FOR GOD SAKE MOM.” He said, firmly his voice rising with each word.

“ We all know that we lost her, you aren't the only one hurt here, mom. We are all suffering just like you!!”

“ Ashrit—” prisha started, but Ashrit raised his hand to Stop her.

“ Please mom, let's stop this.” He said, his voice dropping. “ I don't want to live with the guilt of yelling at you. So let’s just stop.”

Ashrit exhaled and started to walk away from there but froze in his tracks When he heard his mother saying,

“ Aren't you curious to know, why am I so protective about you?” Prisha asked quietly, her heart beating fast.

Of course, he wanted to know. Deep down, he did. But not right now. Not when everything already felt too heavy.

He had just shouted at his mother—something he never thought he’d do. He was hurt, confused, and angry. And he didn’t want to make another mistake by saying something he’d regret.

So, he stayed silent.

Abhiraj, Kalyani and Ranjeet widened their eyes hearing her.

“ Prisha NO,” Ranjeet warned her but she didn't care.

“ Prisha beta, Don't,” Kalyani snapped, and stood up, followed by Abhiraj.

“ Bacho, go to your rooms,” Abhiraj ordered, noticing the siblings. They nodded, and left understanding the weight of the situation.

Meanwhile Ashrit also started to walk but froze hearing her next words.

“ We are cursed, Ashrit. Especially you.” Prisha snapped, her tears finally falling.

“ You are the price of the curse now, son.” She mumbled under her breath.

Ashrit turned around, with a frown.

“ What?” He asked, not getting anything.

“ What did you just say, mom?

Abhiraj looked between the both mother and son. He knew one day he had to tell him and break the silence about their Generational curse but not now. Not in this place and at least not when Ranjeet and prisha don't know who the real person who can save Ashrit was.

Abhiraj came and stood in front of Ashrit, his presence commanding all of sudden but that didn't affect Ashrit at all.

“ Ashrit beta, go to your chamber.” He said softly but his voice carried a command.

“ I will talk to you in person about this matter but before that I need to speak to your parents.”

Ashrit glanced at his father, then at his mother, but didn’t say a word. His jaw tightened, and without another look, he turned and walked out of the room.

As his footsteps faded, Abhiraj took a deep breath and turned to Prisha and Ranjeet. His calm expression was gone, replaced by quiet disappointment.

“What are you two doing?” he asked, his voice low but sharp.

“ Do you even know what you were going to say to him, prisha?”

Prisha looked down, her fingers curling around her Saree pallu.

“ I know, baba saa.” She whispered.

“ I can't lose another child, baba saa. I won't survive it.”

Ranjeet looked down, his fingers curling into a fist.

Abhiraj’s expression softened, the earlier expression gone now replied by softness as he kept his hand on her head, comforting her.

“ Prisha beta, Ashrit ko kuch nahi hoga. Hum sab hai aur tumhare do bacche aur bhi hai. Darsh aur Daksh, they also need their mother. So don't talk about dying.”

“ Aur, hum budhe ke samne Marne ki baat mat Kiya Karo, achi nahi Lage gi,” Kalyani added, softly.

Prisha nodded, wiping her tears.

“ Let's go to C-Wing. We have a very important topic to discuss.”

The couple looked at him in confusion, but followed him.

*

C - WING.

RAGHUVANSHI PALACE.

One of the abandoned places of Raghuvanshi Palace & one of the safest palaces.

THE C—WING is Said to be one of the safest places, as it was fully under control of the Raghuvanshi heirs unlike the D—WING.

Sure, the C -WING was abandoned but not entirely like the D wing.

Once the C- wing used to be the King's chamber. It used to be said, If a heir of Raghuvanshi becomes a king then, he should live in the C wing with his family.

But ever since, The King Dhiraj Singh Raghuvanshi, Abhiraj Singh Raghuvanshi’s grandfather died there due to their Generational curse. His wife, Anushree Raghuvanshi Sealed the place saying it was a bad omen to stay in a place like that.

And ever since that place was abandoned, even Abhiraj once used to get scared of it, but now it's the safest place for them to discuss their secrets as no one would dare to enter inside thinking that the King's ghost will be wandering there.

And it used to be said that Dhiraj Singh Raghuvanshi is the first person to die with the curse. He was the first victim. They say that the curse started with him and took every Eldest son of the Raghuvanshi.

And now in this Generation,

it's Ashrit Singh Raghuvanshi‘s turn.

*

Abhiraj, Kalyani alongwith prisha and Ranjeet walked inside the C wing.

Abhiraj looked around the place, his eyes scanning the abandoned palace with mixed emotions. This is the place where he lost every special person to him.

Ironic, how A place which used to make them tremble with fear, now makes them feel safest.

Kalyani and Ranjeet looked around, their hearts felt heavy as they looked around the place.

Prisha — who for the first time entered the place, looked around in fear and clung to Ranjeet.

“Baba saa, aap humein yahan kyun leke aaye hain?” Prisha asked, her voice laced with fear as she looked around nervously.

Abhiraj slowly turned to face her, his expression unreadable.

“Sach bolne ke liye.”

Ranjeet frowned, his brows knitting.

“Kaisa sach, Baba saa?”

Abhiraj’s voice was calm but carried a weight that silenced everyone.

“Wahi sach… jiski wajah se teri biwi Noor se nafrat karti hai.”

Ranjeet’s eyes immediately went to his mother. He raised a brow, silently asking what Abhiraj was talking about.

Kalyani didn’t speak—she only gave him a small nod, her eyes heavy with meaning, silently telling him to listen to his father.

Abhiraj cleared his throat gathering their attention and he started, “ do you both remember? The Kundali of the girl who can break our generational curse?”

Ranjeet and prisha nodded,

“ Yes, it was Jiya's Kundali. The priest showed us.” Ranjeet replied, making Abhiraj nod.

“ But what if I say it wasn't Jiya's but Noor's?”

Silence fell between them.

Ranjeet and prisha exchanged Shocked glances, it was like the ground between them shifted.

“ What..? But that's not possible….. we all saw it. Jiya's name was clearly written on it.” Prisha said, her voice trembling with shock & disbelief.

Abhiraj’s expression changed into something unreadable as his jaw clenched.

“ Yes it was, but what we saw wasn't the truth. In reality, the horoscope we saw was Noor's with Jiya's name on it. Someone deliberately swapped the name's.”

Truth hit Prisha and Ranjeet like a tight slap.

Ranjeet glanced at prisha and held her hand when he felt her trembling.

“ But… baba saa, who would do this? Why would anyone hide something so important to us?”

Kalyani finally spoke, her voice soft but firm.

“ Because they know how important Ashrit is to us. And they also know about the curse.” She paused, her eyes filled with pain.

“ That's why they wanted him to suffer and…….die like… all the other …heirs.” She completed, her voice broke at the end.

Prisha gasped, her hand covering her mouth.

“ No……..No it can't be true….” She shook her head, as tears welled up in her eyes.

Abhiraj looked at her sadly,

“ This is the reason why we insisted Noor marry Ashrit that day because we got to know the truth.”

Prisha looked down, guilty hearing him.

“ But how did you get to know about this?” Ranjeet asked,

“ Remember, the priest said to leave the room on the wedding day,?” Abhiraj said, making Ranjeet nod.

“ After some time he called us and showed us how someone, sticked a name sticker of Jiya's name on Noor's Kundali.” He revealed.

Silence fell between them which was defeing.

Prisha's body trembled as she remembered the cruel things she said to Noor, her heart ached knowing how big a mistake she committed.

Ranjeet too stood there silent, his brain was a mess with all these things he heard. He remembered his brother Ranveer’s words of trusting his parents.

He closed his eyes, feeling guilty of not trusting his parents. He looked down in shame as he said, “ baba saa… please forgive us for not trusting you and maa saa,” he apologized, not meeting his father's eyes.

“ We should have trusted you, instead of questioning you both, I am very ashamed of my actions. I'm sorry.”

“ Mee, too baba saa. Maine bhi bahut galat kiya hai, I'm sorry .” Prisha apologized, ashamed of her own actions.

Abhiraj and Kalyani glanced at each other, a small smile forming on their lips.

They both walked to the couple and hugged them, making the couple surprised. They both too returned the hug as a tiny smile formed on their faces.

“ You both don't need to thank us, We are parents we know about our children but there is a person who you both need to apologise,” Abhiraj said, his voice suddenly turning firm.

They both nodded feeling guilty.

“ But baba saa, who do you think did this?” Ranjeet asked suddenly, gathering their attention.

Suddenly the atmosphere changed, into something serious.

“ It must be someone who knows about the curse.” Prisha said, making them nod.

“ Other than our family, no one knows about the curse,” Ranjeet added.

“ That means someone from our family Did this.” Abhiraj said, his eyes darkening.

Before they could discuss further, Abhiraj noticed a shadow behind a pillar. His senses got alerted and he told them to be quiet.

“ Who is it? Come out at this instant!” He ordered.

The person walked out from behind the pillar, making prisha gasp,

“ Ashrit??!!”

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