Rising Phoenix
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Thank you for loving this story...
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Chapter 31: Happily NEVER After ( Last Chapter)
XYZ Resturent
Mumbai...
" Ms Sharma, Is he your husband I mean your partner?"
Taking a deep breath Khushi finally spoke with icy voice.. Clear, confident and not breaking the eye lock with Arnav, " He Is Neither My Husband Nor My Partner. But.....He Is Kushav's Father...."
The moment Khushi spoke those words, Arnav felt ground slipped beneath him.. He looked at Khushi's eyes and got his every unasked answer..
Kushav is HIS...
His son..
Their Son..
Their precious..
Arnav felt his heart broke into million tiny pieces as well became alive again.. His heart was giving him the signals since the beginning, but he only ignored those signs.. Now he could clerly understand Why his heartbeat raised up every time he sees Kushav, why he felt that he can see the glimpse of old Khushi in Kushav..
Because, Kushav is KHUSHI'S SON..
Arnav remembered their bachelor night and realized that Kushav is their love child.. A smile appeared in his face but soon it vanished remembering the day of their remarraige..
That day... The dooms day of their life...
How he had abandoned Khushi, broke her mercilessly... How he cheated on her...
Arnav was in a trance that's why he did not realize when Dr Sumit left the place.. he came back to reality when Kushav hugged his legs, " Thank you badman uncle.. for coming with me here and nodding your head.. look that badbboy owl has left my amma.."
Arnav then looked at the surrounding .. they three are here, Khushi as always looking confident and ever so calm, a cheerful Kushav and he, a frozen 6 feet statue..
" ohh.. I am so stupid.. I never introduced you two.. Amma, he is my badman uncle.. Please don't get angry that I dragged him here, you know na, I did not like that Doctor..." Kushav pouted and Khushi sigh while nodding her head..
" And badman uncle, she is my Amma, Khushi Sharma.. My beautiful mother.." Kushav continues while Arnav just stare at Khushi..
" Kushav, will you have your dinner here tonight?" Khushi asked while Kushav jumped in joy nodding his head in agreement and then just occupied a chair..
Arnav was standing there like a statue, the truth from which he was still in denial mode, was now standing in front of her..
Kushav had once told her that his mother is "happiness".. Off course, happiness... "Khushi"... it was he, who was a fool to not understand about Kushav's word.. it was him who ignored the connections between them...
" Mr Raizada... Mr Raizada..." Arnav came back to reality again when he listen Khushi's voice..
" Yes.." Arnav whispered looking at Khushi longingly..
" Will you have dinner with us? Kushav will love to have you beside him.." Khushi said calmly looking at Arnav while Arnav just could not believe in his ear.. Nodding his head Arnav sat beside a overjoyed Kushav..
Dinner was almost a silent affair , only Kushav was chatting here and there.. the two adults were immerse in their own thoughts...
" Ms Sharma, I will drop you both home.. Kushav is already sleepy.." Arnav finally gather his courage and spoke.. He had a loads of questions in his head right now.. He wanted to hold Khushi and asked for the answers, he wanted to hugged Kushav to his heart's desire and never leave him, he wanted to declare that from now Khushi , Kushav and Arnav will stay together like a family..
Because they are family..
Because,
HE, Arnav Singh Raizada had finally found his own family...
He wanted to say so many things right now, he wanted to scream with happiness, wanted to wail with extreme agony but he composed himself..
No... this is not the time to loose himself within his own misery or guilt.. He had his entire life ahead for that, this time just to claim what is his, as his...
Arnav expected Khushi to argue or atleast glare at him for his audacity but she did nothing but accept his demand.. " Sure Mr Raizada... I had not taken my car here.. after making Kushav asleep, we will talk.. I know you have lots of questions and I am ready to give your answers.. Lets end everything, once for all today..
" END... it will be a new beginning Khushi... I WILL NOT LET ANYTHING COME BETWEEN US AGAIN, EVER AGAIN..." Arnav said determined while Khushi only chuckle a little..
" Let's see Mr Raizada..." and after paying the bill, Arnav take an almost sleepy Kushav in his lap while walking towards his car followed by Khushi..
The journey was complete silence.. None of them spoke a single words.. They both were awaiting for the upcoming confrontation...
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Khushi's Apartment...
40 minutes later..
Living room...
After placing Kushav in his bed and tugging him, Khushi came back to the living room where Arnav was impatiently waiting for him.. he was pacing in the hall way..
" Mr Raizada, please take a seat..." Khushi seat in a single leather sofa while Arnav takes the opposite chair..
There was a unnatural silent spread between them..
Finally Arnav spoke first.. " Kushav.. Kushav is..my Son?"
" What do you think?" Khushi arched her eye brows looking at Arnav..
" You are getting me wrong Khushi.. off course he is my son.. He resemble so much of my childhood.. I always knew there is some unknown bond is there between me and Kushav.. the longing that I felt for him, the restlessness.. Everything.. I was a fool not to understand it before..." Arnav chocked with his overwhelming emotions...
" Good.. I thought you will ask for a paternity test..." Khushi said with a sugar coated voice making Arnav jerk from his place..
" What the hell you just said Khushi? Why I would ask for a paternity test? You yourself had told that Kushav is mine, besides anyone who knew me from childhood can say that he is my son.. except his nose and cheeks, he is just my carbon copy.. How could you think like that?" Arnav asked with a hurt tone..
" wow... that's knew.. Arnav Singh Raizada believes Khushi Gupta nee Sharma only based on her statement? Without any proof ? Without pointing out her character? That's a change I must say.." Khushi mocked making Arnav closes his eyes in despair...
" Khushi please... I know I am your sinner.. but don't make me more guilty by uttering those words.. You know I never meant any of those words.." Arnav said while tears brimmed in his brown orbs..
" That's past ASR.. and that means nothing to me now.. Well, I hope I have clarified your doubts, now anything more you want to ask?" Khushi continued with a casual manner..
" Anything more? ANYTHING MORE? You are asking me anything more I want to know or do? Khushi for GOD sake I just came to know about my son... My family and now, I will not leave you two alone.. We will live like a family, which we are.." Arnav said in a go with a little raised voice..
" Family? Your family? I don't find anyone here of your family member.. Your family is always and will be always the one and only Ms Anjali, Mrs Manorama and your Nani.. and if you talking about Kushav, then sorry, he is not your family..." Khushi said in a no nonsense tone..
" You have gone crazy Khushi.. Have you listen what you just uttered? Kushav is my son, Arnav Singh Raizada's son..." Arnav uttered with equal rage..
" But from where I am seeing the whole matter, you are nothing but a mare sparm donar.. there is a huge difference between a sperm donar and a father.. I hope you understand that.." Khushi said with a light smirk on her face making Arnav cold in his place..
" K..Khushi... please.." Arnav pleaded..
" What please?? Look Mr Raizada, years before in your bachelor night, whatever happened between us, happened mutually... So, for me Kushav is my love child and I don't regret having him.. But you... Your case is different.. The very next day of our consummation, you not only abadon me but betrayed me with worst way possible.. You just cheated on me with other woman ...Though it can not be termed as "CHEATING" because you were never COMMITTED to me in the first place... It was all a delusion from my side and I paid for my stupidity.." Khushi said while gritting her teeth looking at Arnav with disgust..
Arnav folded his hand before Khushi with a broken voice.." PLEASE.. STOP... stop it Khushi... I know I had SINNED you but please don't paint me in this way.. I was committted to you..."
" Commitment is not your cup of tea Mr Raizada...You can only fit for "meant nothing relationship".. and sadly I was one of them in your life.. Though apart from your di, you respected your wife, I mean Miss Sheetal Kapoor.. I don't know what happened , why suddenly you threw her out of your life after 7 years of blissful married life.. Were you bored of her or her pregnancy made her less attractive to your eyes? If you can abandon your legal child, then God can imagine what you..." Khushi was suddenly stop by Arnav yell..
" SHEETAL WAS NOT MY WIFE... SHE WAS NOT CARRYING MY CHILD... how many time I have to tell you that? Why can not you believe me?" Arnav said frustrated while moving his hand on his face..
" Belive and You?? Why should I believe you? Is there any reason that I would believe you?" Khushi said laughing..
" I.. I have proof.. the DNA report... look.. I..." Arnav was desperate to make Khushi hear his point.. They are going at no where only fighting over the past...
" Why I would see the FAKE DNA report?" Khushi asked shrugging her shoulder making Arnav pale in his place, once again..
" FAKE?? Do you think that I fathered a child with Sheetal? Do you think I can ever able to do that to you or US?" Arnav said queit unbilevable look nin his face..
" First of all, You have done worst to me, secondly, there is no US... and yes, I still believe that the report is FAKE.. you have lost interest in Sheetal, so now you had threw her out of your life... and regarding fathering a child with other woman, you really want to know about my opinion? Then listen, Yes, I believe that you can capable of that, because you are a egoist man, who can go to any extend to satisfy his ego.. May be to show me my place, you took that step.. I don't know.. But I have another thing in mind, that you know, you had a colourful past, with various woman in your life.. If you are really craving for a HEIR now, you can contact them.. Who knows, may be you can found out not one but many of your heir in different parts of the all over world.." Khushi said looking straight to Arnav face while a mocking smile was plastered in her face..
" KHUSHI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Arnav stand up from his seat making Khushi also stand tall in her place..
" Don't you dare shout at me in my Apartment.. My Son is sleeping.. Don't make him awake.." Khushi said in a hiss..
" If he awake then if you scare that he will came to know about the truth? The truth that, his badman uncle is his father? His babuji in reality? And are you insecure that Kushav may insist to live all of us as a family?" Arnav could not control his mocking tone making Khushi shake her head..
" Arnav Singh Raizada... You can never change.. I thought spending time with my Kushav made you a little bit of human, but No, you are the same beast you were before... regarding insecurity, no I am not scare or insecure when it comes about Kushav, because I know him... He may be attaching himself with you. He may like your company but after knowing the truth I don't know what will be his reaction.." Khushi said calmly making Arnav a little bit confuse..
" What do you mean? As per as I came to know Kushav crave for his father, he misses his father... and when he will know the truth he will surely demand my company, he will surely expect us to be a family..." Arnav declared...
Khushi shook her head while with a faint smile on her face..
" You are talking about truth Arnav.. Fine, I agree that Kushav like your company and knowing that you are his biological father definitely made him hopeful.. But the TRUTH? What will be your answer when Kushav will ask you where were you all those years? What will you tell when he asked about our marriage photograph? Or how will you explain about your relationship with Sheetal, as it was all over the media? And most importantly what will be Kushav's reaction when he come to know that how brutally his so called father abandoned his mother in alter? What will he feel when he realize that he was born without wedlock?" Khushi asked straight looking at Arnav who sat in his place with a thud...
" K..Kh..Khushi... is it necessary to bring all those part of our past?" Arnav asked helpless while a sharp pain passed through his heart imagining Kushav's devastating face after coming to know about the truth...
" Why?? You were just now preaching about the TRUTH.. so, why are you backing off now?" Khushi asked in a mocking tone..
Arnav took a deep breath and stand tall in his place with a determination in his face.. Long gone the man who was pleading in front of Khushi.. With a icy voice Arnav Finally uttered, " I did not want to hard on you Khushi.. I never wanted to hurt you ever again, as I already done worst.. But you are forcing my demon to take over.. Listen, Ms Sharma, Kushav is my biological son.. The heir of Malik and Raizada.. So, I will not leave him or his mother , that is you, after coming to know about the truth.. I know I am a sinner, but I will make up to you all my life ahead, but sorry to burst your bubble, Kushav and you have to live with me.. or I may shift to your apartment if you wish but, I will not stay away from my son.. No..."
Khushi looked at him with utter silence, she did not say a word, and she began to think that may be Arnav had change but No... Just at this very moment, Arnav proved that he can never change.. Khushi took a deep breath to calm her nerve.. She can never let this man to walk over her once again..
" So, you think you deserve Kushav?" Khushi asked with a cold voice though her heart was beating violently, knowing very well that presently infront of her, it is not Arnav standing but the man is ASR.. The same ASR, who had assaulted her at Sheesh Mahal at their first meet, who had released the video only to be thrown her out of Lacknow, who had humiliated her countless times and finally who had abandoned her in alter...
" Look Khushi, I know what you are trying to make me feel.. You want to make me feel guilty, then listen I am already guilty.. Everyday I am living my life into the self-made hell.. But that does not mean I will give up on my last ray of hope.. I will not give up on Kushav.. I will make up to him, I will proof that I can be best father...So, deserve or not, Kushav will stay with me.. I am not telling you to separate from him.. because I want both of you back in my life.. or rather, I want you to take me back in your life.. There is no second thought regarding this matter..." Arnav said while putting his both hand in his pocket making a blank face..
" What made you think that I will agree to live my life with a horrible man like you? Don't dream too much Mr Raizada.. It will never come true.." Khushi spat while her blood boiled looking at the smirk appeared in Arnav's face..
" So, You are sure about your decision regarding this matter?" Arnav asked looking at Khushi's eyes while Khushi nodded her head, " Absolutely..."
" Then get ready Miss Gupta, ooopse Sharma, to fight the custody case... and I promise to you that I will own the case and win the full custody of Kushav..." Arnav said while his eyes pleaded Khushi to otherwise.. To back off, to agree with him, to not make him the beast once again...
" So, you are now making Kushav your pawn.. You are blackmailing me once again.. First for your sister , you destroyed my dream, then for your mother you destroyed my dignity and now for your own blood, you are trying to snatch my life?? Is it Mr Raizada?" Khushi spoke all calm looking at Arnav's face..
" Think whatever you think, but I will not change my words.. I need my family back whether by hook or crook.." Arnav said avoiding the eye contact..
Khushi look at Arnav for few moments then she told, "Wait.. I have something for you.." with that Khushi went upstairs towards her bedroom not giving Arnav a chance to talk.. she never had thought that she had to bring this matter open, but Arnav Singh Raizada had always strike her at her weak point..
Now it's her time..
Meanwhile Arnav closed his eyes is despair, " I am so so sorry Khushi to say those words to you but I cannot let you or Kushav go from my life.." Then taking a deep breath he looked at the window and the starry sky and whisper, "I am sorry Neerav, I could not keep my promise.. Now I clearly understood why you took the promise in the first place, but I am not selfless like you.. I am a greedy person and the most selfish jerk.. I can not let go Khushi or Kushav from my life.. I am sorry.."
Arnav's trance broken by Khushi's voice, " Look at the file.."
Arnav was confused at why Khushi handing over the file in the first place, "What is this?"
" I think you can read.. So, go on.. Open the pages..." Khushi taunted while Arnav shook his head and sat down on the chair while reading the file..Khushi kept on looking at Arnav, not for a single second her eyes leaves his face.. Soon, she got the desire effect.. Arnav's face became pale like a white sheet..
" K.KH..Khushi...this is a ultrasonography report ...This says..." Arnav stammer while dreading for the unavoidable..
" This says that I was pregnant with twin..Yes.." Khushi said all calm..
" T..Then.. Where is our other child?" Arnav asked now trembling with emotions..
"Go through the last discharge report.. You will find your answer.."Khushi again replied calmly..
" The discharge report cannot be true...This says that.. That..." Arnav chocked while Khushi gritted her teeth..
" Stop your drama ASR.. The report said that I lost my other child.. The report said that My daughter lost her life... she cannot make it as her lungs were not mature.. The report said that I had a premature delivery... Do you know why?" Khushi asked while a maddening glint was appearing in her eyes .. She looked calm yet extricating pain was visible in her eyes..
Arnav keep mum.. He knew whatever is coming next will destroy everything.. Every remaining thing between them which are still there..
"I was 7 months pregnant with my twins.. Still crying over my fate and mourning over my loss.. My treacherous heart was still waiting for you to come back.. One fine day, I saw the news paper filled with your and your beautiful wife's picture all over.. You two were attending a grand party to celebrate your togetherness.. I did not believe the paper, but came across the live media coverage of the programme.. Where you were holding your wife, close to your heart and telling the media how blissful your life is.. and I saw how your wife kissed you passionately in front of the camera... I was such a fool that I felt my heartbreak again.. Again after 7 months.. I was a complete crazy, middle class mad woman who still believed the fairy tale that her prince will surely come for her...I run like a mad women and accidentally slipped from the staircase... I had to gone through an emergency cesarean to save my and my children lives... Both Kushav and My daughter Arshi were in NICU fighting with their life.. Kushav made it.. He stayed with me.. But My little fairy left me...My Arshi left me because I choose their womanizer, cheater, despicable sperm donor over them.. I got the punishment of my lifetime for loving a beast like you... You not only destroyed my dream, dignity, future but you kill my daughter too.. You are nothing but a murderer..." Khushi yelled while Arnav sat of the chair like a dead person...
" Now tell me Mr Raizada do you deserve Kushav? The pure soul? What will be his reaction when he will come to know about all the TRUTH? Will he accept you as a father? Will he respect the person who snatch everything from his mother? Will he love the person who is nothing but a murderer of his sibling?" Khushi said while tears were streaming down from her eyes...
There was a pregnant silence in the living room...
Arnav sat there like a statue while Khushi was sitting opposite to him.. None of them uttered a single words.. Tears were continuously streaming down from both of their eyes...
Soon Arnav stand up from his place and dragged his numb body towards the exit door without any words but halted in front of the door hearing Khushi's voice...
" You wanted a chance.. You wanted your family back.. But how can be your family be completed without my daughter? So, Mr Raizada bring back my daughter to me.. I have always forgiven every sins of yours', being a lover, being a contracted wife.. BUT a mother can not forgive the murderer of her child...I will forgive you the day, when you bring back my Arshi to me.. I will give you another chance that very same day.. I promise... BUT for now... just get out...." Khushi yelled at Arnav while Arnav just stood there while Khushi face his back...
Arnav slowly left the apartment while whispering a shaky, " SORRY...."
The moment Arnav left, Khushi broke down with a scream...
The buried wound once again re opened.. and she knew, this particular wound will never get healed....
To be contd.....
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Author Note:
Only Epilogue is left.....So, Show some love..
Till the last update, Take care, be safe...
Love and regards...
Your story teller
Mamree
02.04.2021