The silence in the hall was deafening. It was broken only by the innocent squeal of the little girl clinging to the hari's legs.

"Nanna!" (Dad!)

The color drained from Hari's face. He looked down in horror, not recognizing the child, but his eyes snapped up to meet the woman standing at the foot of the stage. He knew her.

Raghava, confused and oblivious to the storm about to hit, looked at the woman and the child.

"Entamma thanu mee papa?(Is she your daughter?) Raghava asked, his voice filled with confusion.

He gestured impatiently. "Vellu thanani kindhaku thisukuramma, pelli muhurtham dhatesa la undi. Papa evaro anukuni Hari ni nanna antundhi."

(Go and take her down, the wedding auspicious time is passing. The child is mistaking Hari for her father.)

Sita, Suryakantham, and Krishnamurthy rushed near the stage, sensing something was wrong.

The woman, Shalini, didn't move. She stared at Raghava, then shifted her gaze to Hari. Hari's shock had turned into venomous rage. His eyes were red, darting between Shalini and Vikram.

Vikram, wearing a smirk that cut sharp, stepped forward. He walked and tood directly in front of Raghava.

"Thathaya garu, thana peru Shalini." (Grandfather, her name is Shalini.) Vikram's voice rang out clear in the hall.

"Hari thanani preminchanu ani cheppi, thallini chesi vadhilesadu."

(Hari said he loved her, made her a mother, and then abandoned her.)

The accusation hit the crowd like a bomb. Raghava's eyes widened, shifting from Vikram to Shalini.

Hari snapped. He shoved the little girl away violently.

The child fell onto the hard floor near Ananya. "Amma!" (Mom!) she screamed in pain.

Ananya instinctively dropped to her knees, pulling the crying child into her arms. "It's ok nanna, don't cry," Ananya soothed, rubbing the girl's back, shielding her from Hari.

Hari ignored the child and rushed toward Raghava furiously. "Idhi antha abadham thathaya garu! Idhi evaro kuda naku theliyadhu."

(This is all a lie, grandfather! I don't even know who this is.)

Shalini stepped up, tears streaming down her face. Vikram nodded at her. "Cheppu Shalini, asalu em jarigindho." (Tell them Shalini, what actually happened.)

"Nenu ee pakkana unna Devarayapuram lo untanu andi. Naku nanna thappa evaru leru. Ee Hari Narayan naaku college lo parichayam ayyadu. Preminchanu, pelli chesukuntanu ani cheppi nannu mosam chesi vadhilesadu andi... thanu maa kuthuru."

(I live nearby in Devarayapuram. I have no one except my father. This Hari Narayan met me in college. He told me he loved me, promised to marry me, cheated me, and abandoned me... she is our daughter.)

She turned to Vikram, sobbing. "Vikram garu mee manavaralitho ee vedhava pelli ani chepparu. Na jeevitham nashanam ayinattu thana jeevitham nashanam avvakudadhu ani ee nijam meeku cheppali ani vacchanu andi."

(Vikram sir told me about this scoundrel's marriage with your granddaughter. I came to tell you the truth so that her life isn't ruined like mine was.)

"Eyyy!" Hari roared, lunging to grab Shalini's throat, but his friends held him back.

Hari's father, who had been watching like a statue, finally moved. He stepped toward Raghava with arrogance. "Asalu nee dhaggara emina proofs unnaya ammayi?" (Do you even have any proofs, girl?)

He scoffed, addressing Raghava. "Ilanti vallu nalugu dabbulu padesthe ilane abadhalu cheptharu Raghava garu. Ayina ee Vikram babu ki ee pelli jaragatam modhati nundi ishtam ledhu." (If you throw some money, these kinds of people will tell lies like this, Raghava garu. Besides, this Vikram babu never wanted this marriage to happen from the beginning.)

Raghava looked at Vikram, uncertainty clouding his eyes.

"She has proofs," Vikram declared coldly.

Shalini pulled out her phone and displayed intimate photos of her and Hari from their college days.

Hari panicked. "No thathaya garu, they are all morphed photos! I don't know who she is!" He raised his hand, aiming to slap Shalini to silence her.

THWACK.

A loud, thunderous slap echoed through the hall. But it wasn't Hari hitting Shalini.

Hari's head jerked sideways violently. The entire hall gasped.

Raghava stood there, his hand trembling with rage. He grabbed Hari by the collar and slapped him again, harder.

"Nanne mosam cheyyali ani choosthava? Na manavarali jeevitham nashanam cheddam anukunnava?" (You try to cheat me? You wanted to ruin my granddaughter's life?)

Raghava struck him a third time.

Hari's patience snapped. He shoved the old man hard. Raghava stumbled back, but Vikram was there in an instant, catching him securely.

"Are you ok, Thathaya garu?" Vikram asked softly.

Sita and Surya rushed to Raghava's side. Hari straightened his shirt, his mask completely falling off. A devilish smirk appeared on his face.

"Avunu, naku adhi nacchindhi. Nee meedha ee police Vikram meedha paga thirchukovatanike idhi antha chesa. Ee pelli jarugudhi!" (Yes, I liked her. I did all of this just to take revenge on you and this Police Vikram. This marriage will happen!)

Hari lunged forward and kicked Vikram in the chest. Vikram staggered back a step.

"Vikram!" Ananya screamed, terrified.

Before Hari could strike again, Arun charged in. He grabbed Hari's shoulder, spun him around, and delivered a cracking slap across his face.

Arun helped Vikram stand straight. They looked at each other. There was no need for words. A slight nod passed between them. A pact of brotherhood.

They turned to Hari simultaneously.

Vikram moved first, blocking a punch from Hari and landing a heavy blow to his gut. As Hari doubled over, Arun kicked him down. It wasn't just a fight; it was a synchronization of rage and protection.

Seeing his son getting beaten, Hari's father jumped into the fray to hit Arun.

But Krishnamurthy stepped in. The calm father unleashed his fury, delivering a tight slap to Hari's father's cheek.

"Eyy!" Hari's father yelled, raising his hand to hit back.

"Stop right there!"

Police officers swarmed onto the stage, grabbing both Hari and his father.

"Eyy vadhalandi! Evarini pattukuntunnaro thelusa meeku? Asalu nenu MLA ni!"

(Hey leave me! Do you know who you are catching? I am an MLA!) Hari's father screamed.

The Inspector stepped forward and shoved a document in his face. "Mee meedha, mee koduku medha case file ayyindhi sir. Mimmalini arrest cheyyali."

(A case has been filed against you and your son, sir. We have to arrest you.)

Hari and his father froze. "What case? Who filed against me?" Hari's father shouted.

"Meeru mee koduku iddharu kalisi farmers dhaggara nundi akramam ga lakunnaru ani farmers andharu kalisi case pettaru."

(Farmers have filed a case that you and your son illegally grabbed land from them.)

"It is under the Land Grabbing Prohibition Act. Non-bailable."

Vikram, Arun, and Anand smirked. The trap had sprung.

As the police dragged them away, Vikram called out. "One minute."

He walked up to Hari. He pulled a small black device—a tracker—from his pocket, the one Hari had planted in Vikram's car, and threw it at Hari's face.

Vikram leaned in close, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper that only Hari could hear.

"Ananya na girlfriend ani evaru ra neeku cheppindhi? Ananya naa pellam. Inkosari thana vaipu choosthe... adhe neeku last day."

(Who told you Ananya is my girlfriend? She is my wife. If you look at her one more time... that will be your last day.)

He pulled back, his eyes cold as ice. "This is the last warning."

The police dragged a struggling Hari and his father away, their screams fading into the distance. Shalini, holding her child, looked at Vikram with gratitude. She nodded once, and Arun escorted her out safely.

Raghava stood trembling in the center of the chaos. The adrenaline faded, leaving only a crushing weight of guilt. He stumbled.

"Nanna!" Surya and Sudhakar screamed, catching him before he hit the floor. They made him sit on a chair.

He looked up, his eyes locking onto Ananya. She stood there in bridal look. He folded his hands

"Nannu kshaminchu thalli. Eeroju ee pelli aagakapoyi unte nee jeevitham nashanam ayyedhi." Tears streamed down his wrinkled face.(Forgive me. If this marriage hadn't stopped today, your life would have been ruined.)

Ananya dropped to her knees, holding his hands, crying. "Ala anodhu thathaya." (Don't say that, grandfather.)

The guests began to murmur. One whisper rose above the rest: "Inka ee ammayiki pelli sambandhalu ekkada vasthayi inka?evaru pelli chesukuntaru pitala meedha pelli agipoyaka" (Where will this girl get marriage proposals now?)

Raghava squeezed his eyes shut. The words hit him like arrows. He opened his eyes and looked at Vikram.

Slowly, Raghava stood up. He walked towards Vikram and suddenly hugged him tightly.

"Aa roju naa paruvu kapadavu. Eeroju ee pelli apesi na manavarali jeevitham kapadavu. Neeku em icchi nenu nee runam thirchukovali babu?"

(That day you saved my honor. Today you stopped this marriage and saved my granddaughter's life. What can I give you to pay back this debt, son?)

He pulled back and looked Vikram in the eye, asking the question that stopped everyone's breath.

"Naa bangaru thalli ni pelli chesukuntava?" (Will you marry my Ananya ?)

Kavya gasped, gripping Arun's sleeve tightly. Surya and Krishna looked at each other, hope blooming in their eyes.

"Enti babu... chesukuntava?" (What do you say, son... will you marry her?) Raghava asked again, desperate.

Vikram didn't speak. He turned his head and looked at Ananya.

She was already looking at him, tears glistening in her eyes, but a radiant smile breaking through. She nodded.

Vikram turned back to Raghava and nodded.

Raghava laughed through his tears. He looked at Surya and Krishna. "Enti meeku ishtam ae naa?" (Is this okay with you?)

Surya, knowing Ananya's heart, nodded vigorously. Krishnamurthy smiled broadly he had always liked Vikram.

"Panthulu garu! Ee pelli jaruguthundhi. Ee muhurthaniki pelli jaripinchandi!" (Priest! This marriage will happen. Conduct the wedding in this auspicious time!) Raghava commanded.

The Pandit started chanting mantras.

Vikram stood there, his heart racing. He looked at Arun and Kavya. The guilt of his secret identity weighed on him. He couldn't marry her under a lie. He opened his mouth.

"Thathaya garu..."

"Muhurthaniki time aypothundhi babu, em unna tharuvatha matladadam." (The auspicious time is running out son, whatever it is, let's talk later,) Raghava interrupted urgently.

Vikram looked at Arun. Arun shook his head slightly—Not now.

They guided Vikram to the Pelli Peetalu (wedding plank). Sita and Surya brought Ananya and made her sit beside him. They looked at each other. The anxiety was gone, replaced by pure love. Ananya smiled brightly, and Vikram couldn't help but smile back.

But as the rituals went on, Vikram kept glancing at the main entrance. He was waiting for one person.

The Pandit handed the Thali (Mangalsutra) to Vikram.

Vikram took the sacred thread. He stood up. Kavya lifted the braid from back. Vikram paused, looking into Ananya's eyes, silently asking for permission one last time. She smiled and nodded.

With a heart full of emotions, Vikram tied the three knots.

The wedding was done.

The family showered them with Akshinthalu (blessed rice). Applause filled the room.

Vikram sighed in relief. He looked up and glanced at the entrance one more time.

There, standing at the door, leaning against the frame with a travel bag, was Raghuram. He was smiling, watching his son and the girl he loved.

Vikram's face lit up. "Nanna!" (Dad!) he called out loud.

The entire family turned to look at the entrance.

Raghava, who was beaming with happiness, froze. His smile turned into a mask of shock.

Sita's eyes went wide. She covered her mouth, whispering, "Raghu..." Tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

Surya smiled even wider, knowing the family was finally complete.

Sita and the others instinctively took a step to run towards Raghuram.

"Aagandi!" (Stop!) Raghava's voice boomed, stopping everyone in their tracks.

Hey cuties!

Em chesthunnaru andharu 😄

So finally pelli ayipoyindhi next em avuthundhi anukuntunnaru

How's the chapter.

Please vote and comment guys..