"A Condition for Love: When the Past Stands Between Hearts"

Burying his face in her neck, he asked,

"Hey! Why do you always wear only salwars these days? Don't you ever wear a saree? From tomorrow, whenever you're with me, you must wear a saree, understand?"

She clearly understood why he wanted her to wear a saree... but only she knew why she was refusing to do so! With that thought in mind, she slowly pulled away from him. Not allowing that distance, he pulled her back into his embrace. He began planting kisses again—on her neck, cheeks, lips, and forehead. But when his face moved lower towards her neck, she panicked and pushed him away, struggling.

"Why? Where are you going now? Stop right there," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her back.

Shaking off his grip stubbornly, she said,

"Look here... if this is going to happen between us, then you need to agree to one condition."

Chaitanya looked at her confused.

"What did you say? Say it again. A condition for this between us? Why are you placing conditions when I've already tied the thaali around your neck? Doesn't that give me the right? Now suddenly you're talking about conditions?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes, a condition," she said firmly, gripping his hand and looking straight into his eyes. "Only if you agree to this, I'll agree to everything else."

Her words amused him.

"Oh really? Fine then, tell me—what's this condition?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest and staring at her.

Holding his gaze, she said,

"You have to talk to Geetha and Pari like before. They must come home as usual, and we must visit their house too. Only if all that happens, then only the rest can happen between us."

"What!!" He was shocked.

"What nonsense are you talking about? What do they have to do with our lives?" he demanded.

"I don't know whether it's relevant or not. But unless you accept both of them back, nothing else will happen between us," she said firmly.

"Hey, come here. You're seriously stressing me out. All these days I didn't even try to touch you because of my health, and you know that. Now that I'm better, I want to live our life happily… and you're bringing all this in the middle. If you push me too far—I swear, I won't be a human anymore," he threatened.

Unfazed, she met his eyes and replied,

"I don't care about that. If you agree to accept them, then we'll start our life together. Otherwise, we'll just remain like this forever."

Anger flashing in his eyes, he walked towards her quickly. Seeing him come, Anvitha instinctively stepped back until she reached the door and grabbed the handle.

Seeing that, Chaitanya growled,

"If you step out now, I swear I'll kill you. Stay right here and give me an answer properly."

"I've already told you my decision, haven't I? The day you accept Geetha and Pari back into your life, I'll accept you into mine," she said and looked at him.

"Hey! You witch!" he shouted and ran toward her.

Seeing that, she quickly opened the door and ran out.

As Chaitanya chased her outside, he suddenly stopped, realizing they were still at the hospital. Looking around and not spotting Anvitha, he thought to himself, She has to come home eventually... Let her come. And with that, he went back to his duty.

Anvitha didn't show up until evening. The girl who always came for lunch with him didn't come today. Instead, she told the nurse to inform Chaitanya that she was busy with an important patient and sent him off to lunch alone.

Cursing her silently, he finished his meal and went back to his patient. In the evening, he left for home as usual. Anvitha too got into the car, and he drove off at speed.

Anvitha clearly understood that he was showing his anger through his driving, but she said nothing and sat silently.

"Hey! Just how much ego do you have? You didn't even show up all day and are now putting on an act? What's your problem now?" he asked while driving.

"I don't have any problem. You're the one creating problems," she snapped back.

"I just want us to start our life together happily. But you're dragging people who lied to me and betrayed me back into it..."

"I'll never forgive those who deceived me," he said angrily.

Her heart sank a little hearing that.

"Just because you're angry doesn't mean your whole life has to be lived in anger. Didn't Geetha tell you? She said it was for your good that she said Adhira was married. Didn't she say that herself? Then what's the issue?" she said softly.

Suddenly, he slammed the brakes and stopped the car. Turning toward her, Chaitanya stared.

Only then did Anvitha realize she had accidentally mentioned "Adhira." She looked at him in shock.

"What did you say? Geetha said Adhira was married!? Hey crazy girl! She said it to you—that you were married, not Adhira," he corrected.

"Thank God," she thought, relieved that he didn't become suspicious.

"Yes, she told me I was married—for your good! You were ruining your life holding on to my memory. She just lied so that you could move on. Will you never forgive her for that? How long will you keep pushing them away?" she asked.

In her heart, Anvitha believed that if Chaitanya accepted Geetha and Pari, he would also accept her. That's why she was trying to convince him to bring them back into his life.

But Chaitanya stubbornly refused.

"I can't. I just can't. No matter what you say, I'll never forgive those who lied to me. If by some miracle you hadn't come back into my life, I'd have gone mad by now. Do you know that? Everything that happened is because of them. If they lie saying it's for my good, does that make it okay?" he argued.

Frustrated, she said,

"Look, I don't care about any of that. If you're willing to accept them, we'll start our life together. If not, let's just live like this forever."

He started the car again.

"Do you really think this Chaitanya is going to agree to live like the past? I'm thinking of continuing our life now that we've found each other again. But you're stuck on things from the past. I'm not ready to live like this," he said and sped up, finally stopping the car in front of the house.

Anvitha got out slowly. As she turned to look at him, Chaitanya said,

"Tonight, you must wear a saree with flowers in your hair and come to the room. From today, we're starting our life together. Keep that in mind. Come to me properly, without drama. Understood? Otherwise—I don't know what I'll do!" he roared before walking away.