Charade (IPKKND AU)

Chapter 2: Cataclysm

Khushi

"Because he tricked us. He came into our house as a paying guest and deceived us, saying he was unmarried. He forced an engagement when Babu-ji got sick, an engagement I broke off when I found out."

Her words seemed to ring in the air in the cold silence that followed her confession. Arnav-ji had frozen, still crowding her against his bedroom door.

"You know we had a paying guest, you know his name was Shyam," she spoke quickly, glad that he was listening, "My fi-fiancé. He didn't come out of his room when you came to ask for Jiji's hand for Aakash-ji, remember?"

Arnav-ji blinked once, twice, "That's impossible!"

If anything, her confession seemed to have made him angrier. She cowered away as he leaned towards her.

"That's your defence?" he growled, "That he was your fiancé? That he lived with you and you didn't know he was married?"

Her heart pounded as everything unravelled, "Arnav-ji—"

"—You're always here, Khushi. Do you really expect me to believe that you didn't know he was married to Di?"

He finally gave her room to breathe by stepping away, and her feet carried her further into the room even as a part of her screamed to escape.

"I met him in Lucknow," she brushed away her tears, "and he was always gone when I was here. Anjali-ji said he was on business—"

"— But he was really in Laxmi Nagar? With you?" he turned, eyes bright and shining and arms rigid at his sides. "So you admit that you are his mistress?"

Her heart seemed to break. "No! You have to believe me. He tricked us all."

Khushi jumped when he kicked over the small white table in the centre of his room, sending his laptop flying into a nearby wall. It shattered.

"I don't have to believe a fucking thing! I saw you with my own eyes. I heard you with my own ears."

She'd only seen him like this once before, so undone by rage that he had to give voice to it through violence. The memory of the way he'd calmed at her touch near the dhaba had her reaching for him before she'd completely thought the action through.

"Don't you dare touch me," he caught her wrist, "I don't want your filth anywhere near me."

She couldn't breathe around the constriction in her chest. Everything hurt so much. Khushi opened her mouth but a sharp knock sounded at the door before she could say anything. She stepped away when he released her, wiping her tears on the back of her hand.

"Yes?"

Om Prakash-ji stepped inside, eyes lowered, "Arnav-bhaiya, Anjali-didi is waiting for you in her room. Everyone is there."

Arnav-ji dismissed his servant with a nod before turning to her. "Say nothing, or I will ensure your sister suffers as you and Shyam planned to make my Di suffer."

He strode away, leaving her frozen with indecision for a few minutes before she gathered herself.

He's entitled to this cruelty, she argued with herself as she hurried after him, his world has just fallen apart.

But it was a bitter pill to swallow, to realise that whatever she'd seen in his eyes over past few days ... and weeks and months ... didn't extend to trusting her.

He doesn't believe me. Oh Devi Maiyya, what do I do? He won't even let me tell Anjali-ji.

It seemed impossible.

Arnav-ji was already settled at his sister's side, both of his hands clamped firmly around hers, when Khushi entered the room.

"Di, are you alright?" worry suffused his tone, "What's wrong?"

Anjali-ji sat on her bed, a bandage on her head and another on her wrist. Tears fell unchecked as she raised a hand to Arnav-ji's face.

"Chhote," she sobbed, "I can't believe ... I ..."

Panic unfurled in the pit of Khushi's tummy as she looked around the room.

Did she see us too?

Her family stood next to the wall, Bua-ji's eyes narrowed as she looked at Arnav-ji and herself. Nani-ji stood at the bedside, Mami-ji and Mama-ji with her, and Aakash-ji sat at the foot of the bed. Shyam-ji sat on the bed as well, though Khushi tried her best to ignore him.

Her heart twisted as Arnav-ji sobbed again. "Di, what happened?"

"Chhote, the report."

Arnav-ji cast his eyes over the sheaf of papers she handed him before looking up in disbelief. "Di ...?"

Khushi willed herself to remain where she was, though every cell in her body compelled her towards him, hating the way his voice cracked.

"Chhote, you're going to be a Mama."

Her heart stilled, her palms at once cold and clammy.

Oh Devi Maiyya.

She watched brother and sister embrace, Arnav-ji seeming lost for words. A hollow opened in her chest. Then she felt Shyam-ji's eyes on her, a creeping, crawling sensation that incited a shiver, and stepped towards the safety of Arnav-ji on instinct. The slight movement turned Anjali-ji's attention to her.

"Chhote will be a Mama, and Khushi-ji ..."

Anjali-ji gave a short giggle, exchanging a glee-filled look with Nani-ji that everyone in the room noticed. Nanhe-ji blinked in confusion while Mami-ji gave an annoyed sniff. Aakash-ji's mouth fell open in surprise.

And Arnav-ji.

Arnav-ji's eyes burnt with rage when he turned to her, and she read what he was thinking as clearly as if he'd said the words out aloud.

I will not let you ruin my sister's happiness.

Khushi sucked in a trembling breath, resisting the urge to look away. Instead, she willed him to read the truth in her own eyes.

I would never hurt your sister, not knowingly. I love her, as I lo...

But she couldn't complete the thought, not even in the privacy of her own mind, not when he'd rejected her touch moments ago.

"Khushi-ji," Nanhe-ji came to stand beside her, "You still haven't changed? Come on, the wedding ceremony is going to start soon!"

A burst of short, awkward laughter travelled around the room.

"Come, Sanka Devi," Bua-ji bustled to her side.

Her eyes found Arnav-ji as she was forcibly led away. He seemed made of stone.

Maybe, her desperate mind whispered, maybe everything will be fine now. Shyam-ji will surely stay with Anjali-ji for the sake of their child.

She noted the way Shyam-ji cradled his smiling wife to his side with a kind of repulsed gladness. But then a slick horror uncurled within Khushi as he released Anjali-ji to stare apologetically up at her as if he'd been caught doing something wrong.

She remembered the way he'd promised to leave Anjali-ji for her, to forget his wife entirely, and felt vile.

And worse, when her eyes found Arnav-ji again, she realised that he'd seen everything.