Battle of Hearts (Completed)

Part 8

Rhea Mehra was striding towards them in mounting fury. Her eyes were filled with rage and denial.

"No! I won't let this happen. Ranbir you cannot marry Prachi. You are mine. Only mine." Rhea screeched

Everyone were stunned to see Rhea. Aliya, Pallavi and Pragya moved towards her.

Prachi too was shocked at the sudden turn of events. She knew the kidnapper said that they would release Rhea after her and Ranbir's marriage but she didn't expect it to happen as soon as they marry.

Ranbir, however, regarded Rhea and the unfolding scene with an unnatural serenity.

"I never was and never will be your, Rhea Mehra." Ranbir's visage was the image of calmness but there was a steely quality in the tone he used to address the spoilt brat.

"Ranbir! How can you say that? I know. I just know. It was this Prachi who kidnapped me so that she could marry Ranbir. And she succeeded. I won't leave you Prachi Arora." Rhea screamed like a deranged woman.

"Rhea! What are you saying? How did you reach here? And it was Prachi who kidnapped you?" Aliya showered her fake concern on Rhea.

"The kidnapper left me outside the hall, buji. We had reached a little earlier but he didn't let me go. Only when he received a text, did he let me go. I know Prachi must have texted him that the marriage is over and he can let go of me now." Rhea accused Prachi.

"Quite possible. After all Prachi wanted to marry Ranbir and we didn't agree, so..." Pallavi began spreading her venom.

"Shut up! Just shut up Pallavi or I will throw you out of my house as well as my life if you try to spread any more toxicity in my son and daughter in law's lives." Vikram roared

"Vikram..." Pallavi was stunned to see this avatar of his usually calm and quiet husband.

However, what Pallavi forgot was that even the meekest person would strike back when cornered or when their store of patience was exhausted completely.

"Not a word more, Pallavi. Or our relationship will break right here, right now. If you don't have anything good to say then don't open your mouth at all." Vikram warned.

"But Vikram, may be Rhea's right and..." Aliya began.

Before anyone else could utter a word, Ranbir stepped forward.

"Rhea is wrong. Prachi wasn't the one behind the kidnapping." Ranbir stated in a calm, matter of fact voice.

"Ofcourse Ranbir, when have you ever gone against her that you will go now? In your eyes, Prachi is the saint who can't do any wrong." Rhea poured out her frustration.

"For once you are right, Rhea. And you are the monster who can stoop down to the lowest level and can go to any extent to get what she wants." Ranbir looked at Rhea with scornful disdain.

"Then who is the person who had kidnapped Rhea?" Aliya wondered aloud.

"I am." Ranbir declared.

A stunned silence fell over the people who had assembled in the hall. Pallavi, Aliya, Pragya, Sahana and others, especially Rhea was looking at him in utter disbelief. Prachi too was stunned at the revelation.

"You did it? But why? I mean, I thought you were furious with me at the time because of...." Prachi trailed off.

"Because of the nonsense lies you had invented. Let me tell you this my beloved wife, you are one of the most terrible and unconvincing liars. And I know you better than I know myself. I was angry with you because you were trying so hard to spoil your image in front of me, breaking us up but not because I believed even for a moment whatever nonsense you told me about yourself. And if we go by logic, even then your theory proves to be a bogus one. You said you left me because for you money is important. You were with me because of money. Seriously? You want me to fall for that? Even after knowing that you are the elder daughter of Abhishek Mehra, a renowned and wealthy businessman? Had you really cared for money, you would have claimed half of chief's entire property as soon as you came to know about your true identity and no one, not even Aliya bua and Rhea, could have refuted your claim. You are a heiress in your own right. Why will you trap guys for money? Why not claim what is yours instead? Didn't even think about this little point, did you? Because money never mattered to you, this won't occur to you. I thought you are smarter than me, wifey, but sometimes you are so adorably naive." Ranbir smiled and pinched Prachi's nose lightly.