Naina was sitting in a quiet corner. A few men approached, attempting to talk to her, but she ignored them, remaining silent. One of the men reached out to touch her arm.
Suddenly, that hand was grabbed firmly by Manik. He had been admiring her from his seat moments before. Seeing his wife—whom he had searched for a full month—looking angelic in a red party gown and then seeing strange men dare to approach her ignited his possessive fury. She belonged to him. His wife, Naina Malhotra.
Naina saw Manik standing over her and offered a slight smile. She noticed Simran standing beside him, her hand tucked into his. Avinash and another unknown man were next to Vikram. Manik couldn't stop staring, mesmerized by Naina's beauty. Just then, Trisha arrived, sat next to Naina, and started talking. Naina responded to Trisha, a clear signal to Manik that he did not exist in her world.
He stood there for fifteen minutes, just watching. Simran was growing angry, neglected by Manik, who now only acknowledged her as a "friend."
Naina heard a familiar voice and turned to see Maya and Arjun approaching. She smiled genuinely at Maya and accepted her hug. Arjun smiled warmly at his wife. The couple greeted Manik, who was still standing nearby.
Maya was unaware of the extent of Manik's revenge on Naina, but Arjun knew everything and was hiding it from his wife to protect her delicate health.
Naina introduced Maya and Arjun to Trisha. Trisha was surprised to learn Maya was married and that her husband was a doctor. Maya tried to sit next to Naina, but Manik swiftly took the chair first. Maya, surprised by his odd behavior, ignored it and sat next to Manik, with Arjun beside her. Avinash and the other man (KK) were astonished that Manik had abandoned his VVIP seat, but he ignored their pleas. Simran, not wanting to go to the VVIP alone, settled into a chair near them.
The Shocking Bid
A few minutes later, the event began. Everything was going smoothly until the announcer revealed the sale of a piece by "Shadows" (Naina's nickname) for a staggering 50 crore. The massive sum had been transferred anonymously online, surprising everyone.
The event continued. Suddenly, famous actor Vikram entered the door with his secretary, causing a frenzy of people rushing for signatures and photos. Vikram's eyes scanned the room. When he saw Naina, he walked straight to her, pulled her from her seat, and hugged her tightly, shocking everyone in the hall.
Saurabh and Anika (Manik's parents) had also arrived. They were surprised to see their son Vikram hugging someone and clearly recognized the woman as Naina, the girl Manik had brought home.
Vikram, oblivious to the drama he was creating, pulled back from Naina and gave Trisha a quick side hug. He started chatting animatedly with both women.
Then, a voice boomed in the hall, followed by a sound that silenced every conversation, surprising Trisha, Vikram, and Manik: Naina was slapped across the face.