HIS REPLACED BRIDE

21. Sheetal Meets Khushi

His Fashion show was a success and his team departed yesterday. Arnav stayed back for a meeting which was held on this day. He mentally noted to give a truckload of work to Aman after going back.

And revenge on his father is not possible. He has to wait patiently to get a chance.

*********************

The last fourteen days were blissful and at the same time painful for Khushi. She was never carefree in her life but in the presence of Arvind, she felt free of every trouble. As if he will guide her through every trouble. These feelings were foreign to her.

She won't deny that she felt safe and secure with Arnav but the newly developed feelings for him made her feel shy around him.

These days Arvind and Khushi became very close. Their ice cream dates and dinner time were the happiest moments for Khushi but at the back of her head, she was yearning for Arnav's presence.

Every day she looks forward to those few minutes she talks with Arnav before going to sleep. Arnav kept his promise. He was talking with her daily and asking about her day. She was conflicted about whether to confess her love or not.

Does Arnav feel the same way about her?

If he doesn't then will her confession affect their relationship?

What will she do if he says he doesn't Love her?

Her heart clenched at the thought itself and she doesn't want it to happen in reality. She was happy with whatever her life offered after a long hardships and she doesn't want to jeopardize them by expecting more.

Her life with Guptas left her with many insecurities and staying closed off from the world she never got the chance to face them. As she never expected anything from anyone so there was no place for insecurities but the moment she started to dream of her life with Arnav.

The long-buried memories of their hate-filled voices started to resurface. When her buaji was alive she used to pacify and tell her that they were telling lies and she believed her buaji by doing so her life became bearable.

But, deep down those words were engraved in her soul. After the death of her buaji, there was no one to reassure her. So she did what was easy and made her life easy.

She closed off her senses around those people.

Their taunts never reached her ears. Their actions never affected her.

If she believed it then she was a fool because they affected not only her but her soul.

And, unknowingly Arnav started to heal it but was it enough? He doesn't know the depth of damage to her heart.

His caring nature and his secure embrace made her forget those horrible memories but some days without him. Her mind started to remind her of them in the form of nightmares.

They were familiar to her just a few months ago but now they feel terrifying.

"Do you think you are beautiful? Do you want to attract boys by wearing these types of tight clothes?
Do you think they will love you?
No, they won't love girls like you." ....... These were the words fourteen years old Khushi heard on her birthday for wearing Jeans and tshirt for the first time after a year of pledging by her buaji.

Her buaji always saw her wearing kurtis and knowing the new generation. She bought Jeans and a T-shirt for her.

On that day every gaze felt like piercing through her body. After that she never wore Jeans. When Arnav asked her to wear jeans she was hesitant but seeing his encouraging words and actions made her bend to his words. His gaze was always lovely and never made her uncomfortable.