"My life is over," Gunjan complained to Babli who was trying to do her homework. "I don't want to be alive anymore!"
"Didi, what are you talking about?!" Manu demanded as he entered his sister's bedroom. "Do you think it's all a joke? You can't stay stuff like that!"
"What else do you want me to do?!" she snapped, standing up and walking right up to him. "You've ruined my life! You blackmailed Aman into agreeing to marry me!"
He shook his head and began, "Didi, I did no such thing. I didn't even look for him."
"Oh, don't lie!" she retorted. "You got Sukhi to take me away so that you could fix my marriage behind my back. After all, you are Mummy's blind follower."
"Didi, how could you say that? I've always been on your side!"
"Oh really? Then why did you and Rajveer try to make me fall for Aman when you know that I don't want him?!"
"I thought that if you fell for Aman, everyone would be happy," he replied gently.
Gunjan repaid his consideration by yelling, "You can't just force people to fall in love! It doesn't work like that!"
Manu looked embarrassed and started, "I understand, Didi, but-"
She laughed humourlessly, cutting him off. "You don't understand love, and you never will. If you did, you wouldn't have thrown Tanu away like trash!"
His eyes widened at the low blow delivered by his sister. He looked at Babli who appeared to be immersed in her studies before looking back at his sister.
"Well, Didi, I was going to tell you that I called the wedding off and that Aman is marrying Pammi now," he stated calmly, "but I can now see that you neither appreciate nor deserve it."
Gunjan's mouth dropped open in shock and before she could even begin to apologise, her brother said, "Now I'll make sure you marry Aman Jijaji. I promise you, Didi."
"Manu, wait!" she called after him as he left her room. He didn't even turn to look back as he made his way downstairs.
"Marriage is going to suck," Ratan complained to Preet who was sitting on the former's bed with her, a rather bored expression on her face. "I'm going to be stuck with some inexperienced milksop. He's not going to know how to please me. I'm going to have to look for pleasure elsewhere..."
"Didi!" Preet yelled, a scandalised look on her face. "If you're talking about what I think you're talking about then you need to stop! You should remain faithful to your husband."
"Just because you've only ever been with the guy you hope to marry doesn't mean I'm going to-"
"Who? What guy?"
"Tekbir Sangwan, of course," Ratan replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Aren't you with him?"
"What do you mean with?" Preet asked carefully.
"Aren't you servicing him?"
"WHAT?!" Preet exclaimed, her face going red. "Where did you get that idea?"
"Doesn't he pay you?"
"Yes, for working!"
"And your work involves going to bed with him, right?"
"No, it doesn't!"
"But don't you meet up with him in warehouses?" Ratan questioned, sounding genuinely confused. "And you were with him last night. What else do a man and a woman do when they're alone together in a secluded place?"
"Don't you know that I help plan parties and stuff?"
"I do but I thought that was a cover. I thought your main job was sleeping with him. If not, then what were you doing last night?"
Preet's eyes widened as she thought, 'I can't let Didi know that I was with Raj. If she thinks I'm Tekbir Babu's wh**e, what will she think of my relationship with Raj?' She shook her head and cleared her throat before saying, "That's none of your business."
"You don't have to hide it," Ratan chided. "It's great! Fuffar Ji, Papa, and Mummy all think you're working on marrying Tekbir Babu one day." Preet blinked in surprise. "Do you love him?"
"Love?"
"Yeah," Ratan responded in a voice that screamed 'duh'. "Do you think about him all the time? Do you find yourself wishing he were there with you? Does the thought of him bring an instant smile to your face?"
Preet looked as if she was going to think about it when her cousin came out with, "When you're in bed, do you feel like cuddling up to him after you two-"
"Okay, that's enough, Didi!" she cut her off swiftly and firmly. She sighed. "God give me the strength to get through this madwoman's wedding."
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