In a huge mansion in the most expensive neighbourhoods in Delhi stood an enormous and expensive mansion.
The mansion has always been the glory and envy and the entire city and its inhabitants were the envy of society.
In the lounge of the mansion sat an elderly woman, two middle-aged couples, a young man in his early thirties and a young woman in her late thirties.
Another young woman in her late twenties entered the lounge with a tray filled with tears and snacks.
She settled it on the centre table and started serving everyone.
She handed on to the middle-aged woman but she called at her and denied it and everything shook their head and sighed as the woman in her late twenties looked down.
"Thanks but I can get my tea when I am ready." The middle-aged woman said scornfully.
"Manu behave yourself. " The elderly woman scolded her daughter in law who was none other than Manorama Singh Raizada and her mother in law Deviyani Singh Raizada.
She turned to the girl in her late twenties who was none other than Payal Singh Raizada the wife of Akash Singh Raizada and smiled at her and tapped the space beside her.
She felt sorry for Payal who after over three years has still not been accepted by Mami and refused to accept her.
Payal sat by Nani and smiled nervously at her as she took a cup of tea and handed it to Payal.
Mami glared at Payal in disgust which didn't go unnoticed by Akash who up until now didn't understand why his mother refuse to forgive Payal for what happened years ago after it was discovered she didn't know about what happened to Khushi.
"Payal bitiya. " Nani called out and she looked at the old woman. "Have you heard from Khushi or she is still mad at you and your family for what happened. "
Payal sighed and placed her tea back on the table.
"She has refused to talk to us and wants nothing to do with us not even babuji. " Payal replied sadly and Akash held her hand and squeezed it.
Everyone felt sorry for her except two people that was Anjali and Mami who saw behind her facade.
"You witch..... I know there is more to what happened to Khushi than this family knows and in three days, I will expose you and no one will stop me from doing so not even my husband or my foolish son will stop me...... Because of you and your family, my chiku is suffering and I know my sweet Khushi will never be happy with another man who is not Arnav no matter how much she tries..... I won't spare you if I find out you have been in touch with Khushi and has been painting her like the villain when the only villains are you and your family. " Mami thought looking at Payal who felt her gaze on her but ignored it.
"I know Khushi is angry and I don't blame her for cutting ties with all of you because you all pushed her to do so but to punish her father is unacceptable and because of that, Shashi hasn't improved and is getting worse each passing day. " Nani said throwing blame on Khushi and it didn't sit well with Manohar and especially Mami.
"Hello hi bye bye..... Why are you blaming Khushi when she is trying to protect her mental health. " Mami exclaimed in anger looking at Nani who was taken aback seeing her raise her voice.
"Manu." Mami turned and glared at her husband making him shut up knowing better not to continue and she turned to Nani.
"She and her family are the once responsible..... If they hadn't forced Khushi to get married then she wouldn't have cut ties with them...... Madhumati and Garima only cared about their precious golden Child here and not only forced her into marriage but got her engaged to a married man...... Why didn't they get Payal engaged to that man especially her being the eldest huh? " everyone was silent knowing she was right and Payal was silently crying. "I have had enough of you people blaming my Khushi when she and the women in her family are to be blamed...... Not one word of blame against my Khushi when am around. "
Mami stood up and walked away leaving the family ashamed but still surprised because of her always defending Khushi.
They knew Khushi and she became the best of friends a few days after she left but never thought it was such a deep friendship.
Someone who has been listening to their conversation smiled and felt so proud of Mami for standing up to them.
"Chote," Anjali exclaimed and they all looked toward the door to find Arnav looking at all of them disappointed and they knew he heard everything.
Arnav ignored them and walked towards Mami's room.
Anjali sighed and looked at Nani with anger.
"How many times have I told you to stop blaming Khushi for what happened. " Anjali yelled and Nani looked down.
"Di calm down," Akash said trying to calm her down but she got up and walked away with angry tears in her eyes.
Akash sighed and turned to Payal who had her head bowed.
Akash felt a hand on his lap and turned to look at his father who signalled her to take Payal away.
They both left leaving a remorseful Nani and an angry Manohar behind.
"This is your last warning maa...... Khushi is not to be blamed but the Gupta women including Payal because she is a silent spectator makes her as guilty as Madhumati and Garima..... I have seen how that girl endured humiliation right under our nose from Arnav, Lavanya and also the office just to provide for her family and if she wants to protect herself after what they did to her then so be it........ You have a habit of always blaming the wrong people and Ritu is an example of that character of yours. " Nani looked at his son shocked. "Don't look at me with that expression...... You know I am telling the truth...... You always blamed the other woman and not Arvind Malik who is the committed one in a relationship...... It's always the other woman and not Ritu who was so weak that she didn't even think about her two children and took her own life...... The only ones responsible for Arnav and Anjali's pain is Arvind and Ritu herself for leaving them behind...... Stop that attitude now or you will lose not only Anjali but Arnav too. "
Manohar walked towards his study leaving his mother behind.
All the words his son spoke weighed on her and she never thought it was harming anyone.
She decided to never blame Khushi again.
Mami's room.
"Okay...... I will meet her in three days."
.........,................
"So what if she is a single mother, I am not going to reject her because of that and I can't believe you will think that low of me...... It takes a lot to be a single mother and a divorcee in this country and that is another reason to hire her so let her meet at the restaurant in three days at 10:00 am."
Mami hung up the phone afterwards and turned to find Arnav standing at the door and she smiled and signalled him to come and sit beside her.
Arnav obliged and sat down.
"Chiku, how are you? "
"Am fine Mami and thanks for standing up for Khushi. " Arnav replied and Mami was surprised but she nodded as stared at his nephew.
"You miss her, don't you? " She asked and Arnav nodded knowing she was the only one who knew him better than any of the family members and that's why she is her favourite and will do anything for her.
"I do and I will never stop....... As much as the Guptas are to be blamed for forcing and blackmailing her to marry, I was also responsible because she wanted to go away from me and I helped her do so with my actions and that's the punishment for making her life miserable all because I thought love made you weak like it made maa and I did everything to punish her for making my stone-cold heart crave for her. " Arnav confessed and Mami sighed.
"I will always say this again and again... What your mother felt for Arvind was just lust and obsession..... Love is what your uncle and I have not what your parent had......Chiku until you understand that, you will never let go of the past like I always wanted you to..... I know we all ignored you to comfort Anjali because she was a woman and that was our biggest mistake...... You have shut yourself up and we are responsible for it. " Arnav was about to retort but she stopped him. "Whether you accept it or not..... It's the truth...... I wish we had known sooner and I would have personally stopped that wedding but that witch Lavanya hid it from us. "
Arnav fidgeted with his watch not knowing how to tell her the truth and Mami frowned to see his demeanour.
"I already knew Khushi was getting married and even went to me her. " Arnav confessed shocking Mami.
Flashback.
For the past two weeks, Arnav hasn't forgiven himself for what he said to Khushi by the poolside.
He knew his words forced Khushi to accept her engagement to that man only for it to break a week later for a reason Khushi refused to let out.
He was walking to his room when he heard Lavanya speaking to someone rudely and knew it was Khushi because she hasn't been to the mansion in three days and he missed her so much.
"You need to come here now because you are the only person to help me no matter how disgusted I feel about your presence, I have to accept it to please the family so come here now. " Lavanya commanded rudely and Arnav was about to much up to her and curse her out for speaking like that to Khushi but Khushi's reply made him stop
"Am sorry Lavanya but I won't be able to come to the mansion again because I am getting married right now and will be leaving tonight after my marriage..... Please don't tell anyone..... I will speak to them myself when I get the time. "
Both Lavanya and Arnav were shocked hearing her.
Arnav immediately left there and run to his car and drove to laxmi Nagar.
From outside it looked normal but a peep into the window was a small temple porch in the middle of the living room with a group of people standing there including Madhumati who was greeting and chatting with them.
He stumbled backwards and held on to the railing to steady himself.
He walked to the back of the house and luckily for him, the window was opened and he climbed into it to find Khushi all dolled up in a bridal outfit looking beautiful and ethereal but looking so sad.
She heard a familiar voice whisper her name and she turned to find Arnav standing in the room with her looking sad and she stood up in shock of seeing him.
Arnav rushed up to her and kneeled taking Khushi aback especially seeing tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Khushi please don't do this...... Don't get married to whomever that man is..... Come with me let's leave from here...... Stop this marriage please" Arnav begged shocking Khushi but she composed herself.
"Am why should I leave with you?...... Who are you to me and why would you want me to leave with you?...... " She asked angrily and Arnav stood up and held her arms.
"Because I love you dammit. " Arnav yelled shocking Khushi.
Khushi was shocked hearing this but pushed Arnav away and even though he had expected her reaction, it still hurts him.
"You don't love me and has never loved me because if you did you wouldn't have hurt me the way you did. " Khushi cried out and Arnav looked down ashamed." I have never felt so much pain as you gave me and not even my parent's death was equally or half of the pain I felt because of you......Please if you love me like you say you do, please don't humiliate me more than you already have, I won't be able to live with another scandal over my head and if you love me like you say you do let me go. " Khushi said with tears in her eyes.
Payal's voice was heard from behind the door and Khushi walked to the door but turned and gave one last look to him.
And walked out leaving him alone in the room and he watched the wedding go on.
Flashback ends.
Mami was shocked hearing this and oblivious to the two, someone was listening to everything and was fuming in pure rage.
"I will never let her into my life again...... I have to do whatever it takes to prevent Khushi and Arnav from ever meeting again...... I did once and I will do it again. " The person thought and walked away.
To be continued.
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