FF - Plot twist

Chapter 11 - Introspection

"Yeah, Payal. Anything wrong? What happened?"

"Voh.... Dadiji and Di are angry with you for still not coming home. Top to that, khushi is provoking them more. Please try to come soon."

"Oh! Thank you, Payal. I completely forgot about.....umm.....I'll be there soon."

He hung up and smiled.

"One sister is trying to save me and the other one is trying to get me into trouble."

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"But, Dadiji, you have to take this medicine daily, right?" Payal said giving Nani a tablet.

"Bitiya, I do not feel like having that tablet today." Reasoned Nani.

Rolling her eyes, Payal just left the room. 2 minutes later, Anjali entered the room with a stern face. Taking the tablet from her, Nani quietly ate it. She looked at the door and saw Payal holding her ears with her face down. She mouthed a small sorry and left from there.

"What, Nani? You know you should take that medicine daily for a month, right? Then why were you saying no to Payalji? We are more like sisters than sister-in-laws. Every issue she knows, I'll know it, too." Said Anjali sternly.

"Now I know how Chote feels when we constantly nag him to take tablets." Nani said.

Arnav who had been observing this, smiled softly.

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"These sarees.... Me and Khushi, we designed it for you. Classic Luckhnowi sarees." Payal said, giving out Nani and Anjali their respective sarees. "The other day you said you were missing our typical Luckhnowi sarees and what we find here are imitations. So, we thought...we..." Payal hesitated.

"Thank you very much, Payal ji!! These are very pretty." Anjali said, delighted.

"I remembered Luckhnow, Bitiya. Thank you." Nani praised, losing herself in old memories.

Payal smiled brightly and said, "I will go and see Maaji."

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Giving Arnav the herbal concoction, Payal said, "Here, have it. This will relieve you from that severe sore throat in about 30 minutes. Then you can talk normally, too."

Having a sip of it, "Th..tha..nks. But.." Arnav couldn't continue.

"Don't worry. I won't tell anything to Di or Dadiji." She said smiling, and exited the room.

Not 10 minutes passed, Buaji came to check on how he was feeling. Another 10 minutes later, Garima came. After he regained his voice, Khushi came to check on him, and ended up both arguing about nothing in particular.

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He remembered the days when both families were getting binded into a relation. The unfeigned love and concern the Guptas showered on them, to be honest, they cared for his family more than he did. The support that buaji gave when none did, the motherly tenderness Garima bestowed and Payal, she was like his little sister. A little sister to both Arnav and Anjali.

"No!!! They are sincere and devoted. They always wish our family's well being. How could I even doubt them!!! Payal would never lie and Nk is not a fool to believe rubbish. If they are right, is Jijaji a cheat? Or any misunderstanding??"

Not being able to get to a proper conclusion, Arnav yelled out loud and slammed his fists on the car's bonnet. He slowly slid down on to the ground and closed his eyes.

All the moments he spent with Shyam and the Guptas flashed before his eyes.

And then,

Shyam's dubious behaviour over the past few months.

The days and nights he spent in the places unknown to them.

His disappearances when Khushi was working in RM.

Shashi's peculiar behaviour when Anjali was introduced.

The unpleasant faces of Guptas when they met Shyam on Payash's engagement.

The cold behaviour of the Guptas towards Shyam.

His scowling when Khushi and Arnav were together.

Finally, Khushi's face flashed before his eyes.

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"What is his name?" asked Anjali.

"Shyam." Replied Khushi in a low tone.

"Wah! What a coincidence! My husband's name is also Shyam." Said Anjali.

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The day when Khushi cried on his shoulders.

"Has your fiance done anything...." Asked Arnav doubtfully.

When she lifted her eyes sharply, he confirmed.

"What did he do?" he asked angrily.

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"You don't know how it feels when ones relationship is broken. When ones heart and trust are broken." Khushi said with teary eyes.

"And you can understand?" asked Arnav mockingly.

"Yes, I can understand! Because my engagement broke. I faced it!!" Blurted Khushi.

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He replayed all those events on his mind over and over again. Then he came to a conclusion.

Opening his red eyes, he said, "Shyam Manohar Jha. How dare you mess with the women of my life and our families!!!! You are so gone!!!"

Getting seated in his car, "Khushi Kumari Gupta, how dare you to hide such a big thing from me?! I am coming for you!"

Then he is seen zooming towards Laxmi Nagar.

To be continued...