The Irony Of Fate

Part 21

"I don't want to take away your innocence Khushi."

"It's already gone dad! I don't think I am innocent anymore, and I don't want to be if being innocent means people can treat you like crap. I am so done with it.

Being innocent might be good and I think that's what you and aunty wanted for me, but why did you forget that the world out here isn't for innocent people like me, because we get stepped on every now and then.

Instead you should have taught me how to be stronger, how to stand up for myself and fight for myself, I had to learn it all on my own. Now you at least owe me the truth, please dad." Khushi begged him.

"Okay. I will tell you the truth. But why are you saying all this and asking all this questions all over a sudden? Is everything okay Khushi?" he looked at her worriedly.

"No dad, nothing is okay. I dint know how to tell you this before but if I want you to tell me the truth I'll have to tell you my truth also.

Arnav... Arnav and I separated. We aren't together anymore. In short words, we're divorced. Please don't ask me why or how we got there, maybe it was never meant to happen.

And look dad, you don't have to worry about me, I am fine, I have got a small business, it's going really well and I'm also earning so much, I even have my own apartment and if you like you can come live with me, I would like it too. I am happy but for me to be fully happy, I need to know the truth that has been kept from me all this years."

"Okay if you don't want me to ask questions I won't. But are you really happy Khushi? All I want is for you to be okay and happy."

"Yes dad, I am happy." She smiled.

"Okay. You know I always wanted the best for you so please forgive me if I ever took decisions to hurt you, that was never my intention.

Years back, everything was going great, I mean I did somehow have an idea that your mother was up to something but I never really knew what it was until one day I caught her with my own best friend in our bedroom.

She was having an affair behind my back, and it wasn't just with him, she was basically selling herself out there to so many other men in exchange for money, valuable gifts and stuff.

And with that, I also found out what she was doing to you. Every night she would go out and she would take you along saying you would get bored at home alone and she never wanted to leave you alone, for the first few days I thought she was just taking you out to eat or something, then it became a lot and I started doubting things.

So I followed her and I found out that she was trying to put you in the business she was. I was horrified, you were just my little girl, so innocent, so pure and she was putting you out to the world, trying to sell you to men telling them that once you turn eighteen you would sleep with them just like she was.

She never let you get the idea of what she was doing though because she dint want you to ever tell me about it. She had a perfect plan, wait for you to grow up, push you into that business and with time you'd just become like her.

I was disgusted when I found out what she was slowly starting to do to you and I couldn't take any more risks, I immediately talked to my sister and asked her if she would take care of you and she agreed. She was more than strict to you because she knew what your mother did and she just wanted to keep you away from it.

I know I couldn't really give you a better childhood Khushi, but at least I saved you from the worst. I then divorced her and made sure she never visited you or tried to contact you in any way possible. I am sorry I know you never wanted to go live with your aunt, but I couldn't risk keeping you with me, I would be working half the time and I wouldn't have known how and when she would have tried to get to you." He looked at her sadly.

"She did manage to contact me dad." Khushi said.

"What? When? How?"

"One night, aunty had to urgently go to the village for some reason so she locked me inside the house and warned me not to leave until I was back. That night, she broke in and she took me with her. I hadn't seen her for ages dad, I just wanted to spend time with her.

She made me promise never to tell you anything regarding this or anyone so I didn't. How should I have known what she was up to because you never told me a thing?"

"Oh My God. What did she do? Did she harm you in any way? Did she force you for anything?" Dad looked at me worriedly.

"No... we were just driving back here and in the car she asked me if I had a boyfriend or I liked anyone, and I told her about my feelings for Arnav. So she said she would take me to see him.

Then I remember we went to the mansion and she took me to visit him, but instead she took me to his dad's room. They offered me some juice and then I heard them talk about something which soon turned into an argument, I don't really remember what it was about, I was all blurry and somehow I fell asleep.

As soon as I woke up, mom was gone, Arnav's dad was sleeping on his bed, I was terrified, why would she leave me here all alone? So I quickly sneaked out, gladly I had some money so I got a taxi and headed back to aunt's place.

When she came back she never really knew that I had left or anything, she thought I had been in the house the entire time and I dint tell her about it, I thought she might get mad at me or something."

"Oh God Khushi. Did anything else happen that night?" Dad asked worriedly.

"Yes dad. Arnav saw me sneaking out of his father's room. He thought just like mom, I too was sleeping with his father." Khushi broke down into tears.

"Is that why you ended your marriage?"

"Yes dad. I don't think a marriage would ever work without trust, and Arnav dint have any of that on me. He believed what he saw, he dint even try to ask me on my side of story and I dint think I wanted to tell him if he dint even bother to find out.

I guess some love stories are left to be one sided only, I don't know if this love that I have for him will ever fade, but I do know that I couldn't live with him after the way he treated me just because he thought I slept with his father. He should have at least asked me on my side of story instead of just believing things."

"I am so sorry Khushi, I somehow put you in this mess. I am really sorry." Shashi apologized as he pulled her into a tight hug once again.

Flashback Ends

"Khushi. Are you okay?" She heard Tara knock at the door of her room.

"Yeah, I am fine, do you want something?" she asked.

"No, I was just leaving for the dinner so I wanted to inform you, I'll come back late."

"Okay, have fun." she heard Tara's footsteps as she walked away and just after five minutes of her leaving, she heard her doorbell ring.

She washed her face quickly and rushed to open then door, as soon as she opened it, she found Rohan standing there.

"Rohan. Wow, what a pleasant surprise." Khushi smiled.

"Yeah, I thought I'd finally pay you a visit and meet the new roommate you found and also take you out for dinner if you weren't busy. I just dint want to eat at home today and I don't really have much friends, you're my only friend." He pouted.

"Too bad, my roommate just left a while ago. You could have met her if you visited me more often, I mean since I moved in, this is the first time you've come here." Khushi said as she walked in and Rohan followed her.

"What can I say, I am a busy man. So are you coming for dinner?"

"Sure, just let me get dressed." She smiled as she headed to her room to get dressed. It dint take her much time, she just had to pick out a dress, put it on, comb her hair and apply lipstick and she was ready to go.

In ten minutes she walked back to the hall, where Rohan was waiting for her.

"Ready. Let's go." Khushi smiled. Rohan stood up as they both headed out to have dinner.