2000

Love sometimes isn't easy. Not everyone's life is a fairytale where the reality is simple and endearing. Sometimes it involves a lot of difficult decisions like the one Mauli Khanna had taken after two weeks of thinking over her husband's infidelity.

"I know about Nandini, Kunal," his cheery and upbeat wife announced as they lay in their bed after another long day.

"What about Nandini?" he asked, not knowing which truth his wife was talking about.

Kunal Khanna was a powerful and rich man. The head of Khanna Industries ran an empire in Mumbai that was most admired and envied by his competitors. He was also a successful man in his private life with Mauli Khanna.

"She's pregnant and it's your child, isn't it?" Mauli was his right arm in the company. She wasn't one of those women who watched as their husbands became richer and richer while they spent money without a care in the world.

They were happily married for eight years and had dated two before their official union. She was still in her second year at college when it happened and didn't think twice about changing her subject from psychology to business. She wanted to help her husband, she wanted to be not only his wife but also his partner, and that had captured Kunal's heart even harder.

The only sad note about it was that a few years after they married, they found out Mauli was sterile. At first, it didn't bother Kunal because she was the perfect wife. Not only did she help him in the business with her insightful ideas and envying sixth sense but she also administered their house like an irreproachable housewife. His clothes, shoes, favorite food, and even tickets to his favorite actor’s movie first-day first show were always at his disposal. And Kunal loved Mauli for that.

But years passed and he started worrying about who would lead his business once he was old. He wanted to retire early enough to give Mauli all the attention she deserved. They planned to travel the world and enjoy the perks of being such a rich couple. And one day he would finally die and would like to have someone in his family to perpetuate what he had worked so hard to build.

"Which is the only thing between her and me," he stated firmly. He didn't have a fling with Nandini. There was nothing about his assistant that made her a competition to his wife. Nandini was beautiful just like his wife and he wouldn't say otherwise, but Mauli was also warm and sweet while Nandini was simply austere.

"How did it happen?" Mauli asked and surprisingly enough to Kunal she sounded okay about the situation.

"Rajdeep told me she said no to his proposal. She doesn't want to get married or have any kids of her own. She said that she's only interested in making enough money to leave her position in the company and finally pay for the master's degree she dreams about."

"And that's why you fired Rajdeep?" Mauli asked about their CA.

"I relocated him to the company. I know he needed the money and then I tried to seduce Nandini, which wasn't difficult and when she found herself pregnant I let her go but demanded she keep the baby," he explained avoiding looking at his wife the whole time.

"How long did it last?"

"Two months. After I realized she was going to sleep with me I gave her a few pills of birth control saying I didn't like condoms. The pills were fertility medicine and a few weeks later she looked for me saying she was pregnant."

"Good," was all Mauli said before stretching her arm to turn off the nightstand lamp.

"Good?"

"Yes, we'll have the baby you dreamed about. I know you were disheartened when the surrogacy didn't work. Me and my crappy eggs. Oh wait, I don't have any eggs at all," she smiled but there was more pain than sarcasm.

"I don't need her or that baby Mauli. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. You had told me you would be okay if I had a mistress to have our baby as long as we could raise them and before I knew it I found myself in the middle of this mess."

"No, Kunal, I'm not going to deny you an heir and I know there's more in this than just your desire to have someone to take over the business when we retire. I know you want to deeply savor fatherhood and I would never forgive myself," she turned to her husband and even in the darkness she knew he held a frown on his forehead that she didn't want to be there.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"As much as I'm sure that I love you more than anything in my life."

"I don't deserve such kindness."

"Think of it as my way to make it up for you for not being able to make your biggest dream come true," she silenced him not only with her words but with the passionate kiss that followed.

"Ahhhhh!" Nandini's cries could be heard everywhere in the Khanna mansion. She had a healthy pregnancy and they preferred her to give birth at home instead of a hospital but there were two doctors, nurses, and an ICU ambulance outside in case something went wrong.

"She's almost here, Nandini," Mauli offered warmly to the woman in pain. She had been there for the woman carrying her husband's babies throughout the whole pregnancy. Nandini was soon fired from her position as Kunal’s assistant at the company and was treated by Mauli as a guest in the Khanna mansion. Nandini wasn't comfortable, especially because Kunal kept a distance she didn't think was ideal. She didn't fall for her boss, nor had she planned for any of that to happen between them. She had used her boss simply to forget about her boyfriend, whose marriage proposal she declined. She was heartbroken because she loved Rajdeep but she wanted to change her life, she didn't want to have him to hold her back and resent him in the future.

When Kunal approached her she wasn't the least bit interested but she could use him as a welcomed distraction.

She had told Rajdeep that she didn't want to become a mother but from the moment she heard the twins' heartbeat during the last sonogram she changed her opinion drastically. Motherhood was everything she ever wanted even when she had no clue about it.

And that's why she thought Kunal shouldn't be as far from her as he was. Mauli was there all the time and she didn't mind her ex-boss attention though at first, she was highly embarrassed because she did have an affair with her husband. But she wanted her daughters to have a connection with their father. Suddenly Nandini found herself prioritizing her babies instead of herself and she was told that Kunal was never going to be a part of her pregnancy.

"There she is," the doctor announced and when he finally cut the cord he didn't know who to give the baby to.

That's the moment Nandini feared the most. She knew she was a mother, she knew that those babies were hers as much as they were Kunal's but it didn't feel like that. At some point, she even thought about running away and starting a new life but that wasn't a good prospect if you were trying to hide from one of the richest men in the country. She wasn't ready to give her daughters up and she knew her chances in a trial were as small as a successful escape. Power and money dictated the rules even in the justice system and the weak end, like her, never stood a chance. But as the first girl cried showing how healthy she was Nandini had a tiny hope as she looked at Mauli.

Mauli nodded to the doctor towards Nandini. She knew how Nandini was attached to the babies growing in her belly and she couldn't be a mother at the expense of destroying a legitimate mother's chance.

The moment Nandini took the baby in her arms she cried. It was love at first sight. The baby in her arms was perfect. She had big brown eyes and cheeks and thin dark hair crowing her little head. Her nose was small like hers but the shape of her face was all Kunal's.

"We still have one to go, Nandini," the doctor announced a minute or so later, interrupting the lovely moment between mother and daughter.

The new mother kissed the baby's forehead while the nurse got the little girl to be cleaned up. Kunal motioned to take the newborn but his wife stopped him, shaking her head.

No longer than ten minutes later another cry was heard in the room and the doctor didn't have time for a dilemma because as soon he cut the cord Mauli stretched her arms to welcome her baby girl. She looked at Nandini who had tears in her eyes because of the excruciating pain but also the emotions of having her first daughter and now the second.

The moment the women's eyes locked Nandini knew she would never see her youngest daughter again, or maybe for a while they would keep her around to feed the girls but she knew her only daughter would be Mishti. Mishti, the new mother thought, the moment she saw the baby's face the name popped into her head and she knew a decision had been made. But now she also knew she would never find the perfect name for Mishti's sister.

"Pragati," she looked between the baby in her arms and her husband "Welcome."

"We don't have to do it," Kunal talked to his wife later that night. The day had been loaded with all sorts of emotions and until now Mauli never mentioned keeping only one of the girls although the idea matured in her head over months. She knew her husband better than anyone and she was sure it would be nearly impossible to convince him to let Mishti go.

"We do, Kunal. Or do you want to go to court and claim to have the girls? They're Nandini's as much as they're yours. We're blessed that she had twins. Maternity is an instinct and a gift and no matter how much Nandini didn't want babies the moment she saw their first picture, heard the first heartbeat, and felt the first kick, it didn't matter anymore what she thought before. All you wanted was a baby and you can have one but I can't take both girls from her," they said as they watched the small girls in the bassinets, in their nursery.

They were both there while Nandini stayed in the bedroom she used for the past seven months. Mauli heard more than once her almost silent cries when she brought one or both girls to be fed. Nandini tried to hide her pain because she knew it wouldn't give her anything but still Mauli caught the puff and red eyes that showed while she fed the girls. Sometimes a few tears rolled down her face and she tried to assure her former boss that it was all because of pain but Mauli knew better.

"Do you realize you're asking me to give up on my daughter? Mishti is also mine, Mauli. If I let her go with Nandini I may not ever see her again. This is more than my wish to have an heir or a baby. You're asking me to let my daughter go."

"I know it's difficult for you but we'll give Pragati this big love you feel for each of them now. I'm sure Nandini wouldn't oppose for you to be part of Mishti's life," his wife tried to reason but his argument for that instance was better than hers.

"I can't do it, Mauli. Do you have any idea of how Mishti would feel about it? Maybe even Pragati. How can I choose between one daughter and another? If she leaves with Mishti, tonight will be the last day I'll see both of them in my life."

"You're right, if we let Nandini keep Mishti, that's the right thing to do. But still, we should let Nandini have Mishti. It'll be less heartbreaking. Whether you or Nandini had the guardianship to both girls no one would be totally happy because we would have to share both of them with her or the other way around. But this could be us being parents and Nandini being a mother without any restrictions," she reasoned and although her heart was breaking to let one of the babies go, she felt for Nandini. She knew they did a lot for the former assistant already. Kunal got her a job in a branch of the company somewhere in Kolkata and she received the best treatment she expected for the babies, not only in their house but also the best physicians and everything the girls needed. But Mauli couldn't allow Nandini to be so miserable without her daughter. She wouldn't be a mother at the expense of destroying another mother's life.

"When was I ever able to say no to you?" he asked his wife as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, although he held a sad and defeated expression on his features, which Mauli soon caught as she turned her head and looked at him. She was breaking her husband's heart but Pragati would soon be their fountain of happiness and maybe letting Mishti go would be less painful to Kunal at some point.

"Thank you."

Kunal had always been thankful for his wife's thoughtfulness and kindness. He came from such a hostile environment as a child that it was hard for him to be kind and nice but little by little Mauli taught him a little bit of kindness. She completed him in more ways than just physically and when she died while Pragati was still six years old his life was never the same again. He mourned his late wife for months but Pragati was suffering because of his pain and distance. He had to be a better man for his daughter especially when he saw how broken she was not only for losing her endearing mother but also losing her father although he still stood there.

Pragati was his little princess and he devoted each of his years to spoiling her and making sure she was happy. Such dedication to Pragati led him to be sloppy about many business decisions as he wasn't as present as before and what seemed impossible happened. The Khanna Industries was sinking. After the latest crises, the business never fully recovered and something needed to be done soon otherwise his only option would be to sell the company to any opportunist and that would break his heart.

It surprised him deeply when Pragati, his beloved daughter, came to him a little bit over a year ago with a proposition he would never forget.

Their family was still very close to the fine cream of the richest people in Mumbai and one of their closest friends was the Noon's.

Vijaypath came from Delhi with his wife Mamta just a day after their wedding. It was supposed to be only a honeymoon trip but he fell in love with the country and the culture and soon he was moving there with his family. They had two sons, Ritwik, the oldest, and Rishabh who were the pride of their parents. Both boys were healthy, beautiful, and amazing sons. There wasn't anything that Vijaypath couldn't count on them for and when they lost Mamta two years ago, Rishabh and Ritwik were what kept Vijaypath sane. Never in their lives had they seen a love like their parents had for each other. It was touching and vibrant and it made the boys believe in love in a way most in their generation didn't believe anymore. For Ritwik and Rishabh love was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and although they weren't obsessed about finding the right woman for them, they knew true love was the only option for them as a marriage. Ritwik, more than Rishabh, for being closer to his mother than his younger brother was, had a very romantic view of love and life. His mother had talked about her early days with Vijaypath many times to him and how she wasn't sure if Vijaypath was the man for her when they got married. He was smitten with her but she wasn't as involved. But as time passed and she had a chance to know more and more about the man she married, she confessed his love and beautiful personality won her heart over. She used to say that she knew for sure of all men in the world Vijaypath was the one that had the best ability to make her happy and complete and that she was thankful that she didn't give up on him when he proposed and she didn't love him as much as she thought she should.

Ritwik didn't realize it but on a subconscious level, he started to hope that story would repeat itself. He believed he would repeat his parents' story and that was why when Pragati came he didn't dismiss her as many would have done.

Pragati knew the older brother had a crush on her and offered to marry him so their companies could be joined, an offer that her father didn't expect to receive. Pragati loved her father. She knew about Nandini but only later she found out about Mishti. Like with her biological mother, she showed her father no interest in meeting her sister. She was devoted to Kunal as much as he was devoted to her. They were a team and she would take one for it. It wasn't like Ritwik Noon was creepy, disgusting, or a jerk. He was a gentleman and very polite and handsome. She also thought he was sexy and charming but somehow she was more attracted to his brother Rishabh was smitten with Arohi, whom Pragati, for apparent reasons, despised.

Manipulating Ritwik into falling in love with her had been as easy as she expected and a little after one year together he popped the question to which she promptly said yes. They had a good relationship. She soon added amusing, funny, and witty to the lists of compliments about Ritwik Noon. She mostly had a good time with him but she couldn't bring herself to be in love with him and somehow he saw through her actions. And she knew Ritwik knew it. She even suspected that Ritwik knew she was only marrying him to save the family business, but it didn't bother him.

She wasn't wrong in her assumption. Ritwik knew his fiancée enjoyed being with him and they could have a fairly untroubled marriage as much as their relationship was. He wished she was more vocal in her feelings, he wished her feelings were stronger and more passionate but he knew Pragati didn't let people in. He was positive she only loved two people in her life – both of her parents. She was fierce and determined but there was always a hint of sadness and melancholy in her eyes. He was aware that love was something hard for her to handle and he only hoped to be the perfect boyfriend and lately the perfect husband would reassure her enough to make her trust him in her heart. Just like it had been enough for his mother to love his father endearingly.

And he went to great lengths to try to melt her heart. He took her to romantic getaways in the family chopper. He brought her beautiful and expensive gifts but also small, thoughtful inexpensive presents. He made sure to comply with her every wish, regardless of what it was. He tried hard to spoil her more than her father did.

They had been engaged for four months when he thought he was finally getting fruition for his hard work to conquer her heart. He was surprised that she changed so much but especially because it seemed to be from night to day. It was like something inside of her blossomed. One day she was the usual distant, polite, collected, almost cold, sad woman he had been together with for a year and a half. Then the next she was full of life, warm, radiant although the hint of sadness was still present. Maybe more present than ever but he was happy for the change in her demeanour. He didn't know what the source of the change was as she still didn't seem to be in love with him but he was a patient man and he loved that woman. Despite all her flaws, despite her second intentions in marrying him, he knew someday he would possess not only her body but also her heart. And her recent changes just made him love her even more.

Mishti Khanna entered the mansion she was still getting used to. The house was beautiful, much more than she ever dreamed in her audacious dreams. She wanted to be a writer, a very successful one and she dreamed about a big house, a beautiful car, and a lovely family with her fiancé Ruhaan Malhotra. The house where she was now living was a big upgrade from her dreams but that wasn't the only thing that surpassed her expectations. Ruhaan was a handsome guy, one of the most beautiful she ever came across. His all-Delhi-boy looks made him cute, hot, and sweet at the same time but still, he couldn't compare to Ritwik Noon.

Mishti had always thought of her life as a fairytale. She was the despised child, the one her father never showed any interest or curiosity in. She felt like she was the ignored girl that someday would find her prince that would change her life drastically. She knew it wasn't going to happen the day she said yes to Ruhaan's proposal as, although lovely and endearing, he wasn't the prince that would make her a princess instead of the forgotten sister but she liked him enough to say 'yes' to him. It was okay that she would never really have what the girls had in the fairytale books and movies. Her father wouldn't plead for her forgiveness and show his willingness to indeed be her father. Her sister wouldn't embrace her as if they had some long-lost connection to be restored. And no prince would make her feel like she wasn't the girl her family didn't acknowledge or even cared about.

But that was until her father called her mother to make a vile proposal. Both she and her mother had been shocked by what Kunal wanted Mishti to do but after some insistence, Mishti decided to help her father. He wasn't there for her all those years and she knew it had been Nandini's choice to keep her. He gave Nandini a chance to hunt her dreams, he sent money that although wasn't enough to give Mishti a life comparable to the one Pragati had, was still enough to live without any financial concerns.

As much as she wanted her father to look for her for totally different reasons, Mishti Khanna was grateful. He didn't give her love but Nandini gave it to her for both of them and the only reason why Mishti had everything she needed in life was because of her father's kindness towards them. And that's why after some thought and many arguments with her mother she finally found herself moving from Kolkata to Mumbai. To pretend to be her sister. To be a college student at JBIMS. To be dad's favorite daughter. To be Ritwik Noon's fiancée.