Avinash and Radha Ji were now ready to reveal the truth to everyone—that Aarav wasn't married to Muskaan but to Pia, and that Pia was now the elder daughter-in-law of the family.
"Everyone, calm down. We have something very important to share, but before we do, no one should lose their temper. Please listen to everything first," Radha Ji began.
"What's going on, Mom? Why are you saying this?" Aarav asked, puzzled.
Seeing Avinash and Radha Ji so serious, Sakshi and Raj remained silent, sensing the gravity of the situation.
"Listen, Aarav. What you're about to hear is going to shock you, but believe me, we did this after much thought and only for your good. So, we need you to control your anger," Avinash Ji said calmly.
"What's happening, Uncle? Why does everyone look so worried?" Raj asked.
"Yeah, and why is Muskaan Bhabhi standing so quietly? She hasn't spoken to anyone all day. I haven't even heard her voice. Did something happen to her?" Sakshi questioned, making Avinash and Radha Ji exchange glances.
Finally, Avinash Ji turned to Pia and said gently, "You can lift your veil now. Show them your face, Pia beta…"
"Please… You've kept it on all day. Wait a minute—what did you just say? Pia? Who's Pia? Dad, have you forgotten your daughter-in-law's name? Her name is Muskaan," Aarav said, confused.
"I haven't forgotten anything, Aarav. I said the right name. My daughter-in-law's name is Pia," Avinash Ji declared without hesitation.
Nobody understood what was happening. Everyone looked at Pia with puzzled expressions. Pia, however, was frozen in place, unable to move. Radha Ji approached her, gently lifted her veil, and stood beside her.
When Aarav, Raj, and Sakshi saw an unfamiliar girl in bridal attire instead of Muskaan, their mouths fell open in shock.
Aarav was completely bewildered.
"This… this girl… Who is she? And why is she wearing a bridal outfit? Where's Muskaan? Mom, what's all this? Will someone tell me what's going on? And why is this girl here in Muskaan's place?" Aarav's confusion was turning into anger as he struggled to comprehend the situation.
"Listen, Aarav. This is Pia, the daughter of Manish Ji's elder brother, Sanjay Ji. From today, she is your wife and the elder daughter-in-law of the Kapoor family. We know you must have a lot of questions, and we have answers to all of them," Avinash Ji began to explain.
"One minute… What do you mean she's my wife? I don't care who she is because my wife and your daughter-in-law is Muskaan. You were the ones who arranged my marriage with her. So what's going on now? "
And then aarav said directly to pia,
" And you—Pia, or whoever you are—how dare you take Muskaan's place? Where is Muskaan? What have you done to her? And you call yourself Muskaan's cousin? How could you stoop so low as to marry her fiancé? And why are you standing here silently? Tell me the truth—where is Muskaan?"
Aarav's anger erupted as he raged at Pia without waiting to hear the full story. The sight of an unfamiliar girl in place of Muskaan pushed his temper to the brink.
Pia trembled in fear, unable to bear the fury directed at her. Tears welled up in her eyes as she listened to Aarav's harsh words, and soon they started streaming down her face.
Seeing her tears only fueled Aarav's anger further.
"Stop this act of crying! I'm asking you something—answer me!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room. Pia stood paralyzed, overwhelmed by fear.
Raj and Sakshi stood silently, completely baffled by the turn of events.
"That's enough! Stop it right now! Before you shout at anyone else, listen to the whole truth," Avinash Ji said firmly, silencing the room.
He then narrated everything—from how Muskaan had run away on the wedding day to how they decided to marry Aarav to Pia instead.
When Aarav learned that Muskaan had run away, he stood in silence for a moment, as if in shock. He couldn't believe she had done such a thing. But the next moment, anger consumed him again.
"If Muskaan ran away, you could have told me! Why didn't you inform me then? Instead, you got me married to some girl I don't even know. Did you not think it was important to ask me? And Mom, you kept this from me too? Why?"
"beta, we did this only for your good. Pia is not just any girl; she's a kind-hearted person, and we know her well. You're worried about Muskaan, but she didn't think of you even once before running away, disregarding everyone's honor. We didn't know what else to do at that moment," Radha Ji tried to explain lovingly.
"So that means you could marry me to just anyone without my consent? Is that what you're saying?" Aarav shouted, his voice filled with anger.
"Aarav, you cannot speak to your mother like this! If you have an issue, address me because I made the decision. And yes, you need to accept the truth as soon as possible. Pia is your wife now, and she's also the elder daughter-in-law of this family. You cannot refer to her in a disrespectful way," Avinash Ji stated firmly.
"Everyone knows you had started to love Muskaan, but bringing her into your life was our mistake. Marrying you to Pia, however, was not a mistake. You need to forget the past and start a new life with Pia. It's the best thing for you," Avinash Ji concluded, hoping Aarav would understand.
Even after hearing everything, Aarav's anger refused to subside.
(To be continued in the next chapter)