Part 54 Change of Heart
Arnav and Khushi rushed downstairs, hearing a Gunshot. They saw Pradeep standing with a gun. Khushi was horrified to see him in RM with a Gun. She came before Arnav spreading her hand, hiding him as she thought he would aim Arnav.
They were confused and also stunned seeing Anirudh behind the couch. He looked at Khushi like a crazy dog.
"Khushiiii... how could you marry him? Why did you choose him over me?" he shouted.
"Indhu, Arjun, go inside" Pradeep shouted.
They looked at them switching their gazes, could not understand anything. What was happening there?
"Chotte, go inside... he is mad" Arvind also shouted.
That was when they saw Arvind sitting in the corner of the room. there was a scratch in his elbow.
"Dad..." Arnav was about to run towards him, but Arvind stopped.
"Chotte, don't come here... go to your room and lock the door"
"But why, Dad"
Pointing at Anirudh, Arvind said,
"This guy..."
Cutting him,
"Anirudh..." Said Pradeep.
"He attacked me asking for Khushi," Arvind said.
Arnav gritted his teeth. Which son could bear his father's pain? He pounced on Anirudh without caring about anything. Anirudh, who was waiting for that great chance, tried to use it but could not succeed as the opposite man was Arnav Singh Raizada. He was already damn furious with Aniruth for making them tense by sending someone called Arjun. He hit Anirudh black and blue until his anger cooled down. In fact, his anger would not cool down.
of course, Anirudh was also angry with Arnav for snatching Khushi from him but his madness didn't let him aim right. He became more furious as he could not succeed in front of Khushi. That made him feel insulted. Anirudh took something from his pocket. It was a sharp nail like a weapon. He raised his hand, aiming at Arnav's heart.
Khushi was horrified to see that.
"Arnavvvvv..." Khushi shouted in fear.
The weapon slipped from Anirudh's as a bullet hit his hand and blood splashed around. Anirudh screamed in pain and fell to the ground.
All of them looked at him shockingly and then at Pradeep. He walked to Anirudh and pointed the gun at his head. Anirudh was horrified.
"Don't shoot me... please..." he begged.
"If you try to do anything stupid, I will surely kill you" He warned.
Arnav and Khushi gazed at him. What happened to Pradeep? Was he a changed person now? They could not believe the man who burnt them alive then was fully set to save them now.
Pradeep looked at them and understood the reason for their unbelievable gaze.
"No wonder if you don't trust me. I was such evil before who burnt my dear friend with his newly wedded wife alive. I didn't get punished for doing such a crime. I walked with a lofty proud gait, thinking that I had escaped from the law until my daughter met with a fire accident and lost her life. ( he chocked) my money and pride could not save my seventy percent burned daughter. It was like, fate was slapping me again and again to feel my friend's pain. God punished me through my daughter... giving the same pain to my daughter I gave you. I might not have felt it even though I met with the fire accident. I might not have regretted my deeds to the extent if it had happened to me. I'm sorry... I'm sorry for being a devil... I know you can't forgive me because the pain I gave you was like that. That's why I stood for you when I got to know this Anirudh was behind you... not to get your forgiveness but to make my daughter's soul rest in peace." His eyes tear up.
Khushi's eyes softened. She felt bad for his daughter because she knew the pain. She underwent it.
The sins of parents would indeed affect their children. God is a master in planning. He knows how to give anything back in double... sometimes, in tenfold. No one could escape from his judgment. Sometimes, it may be delayed but never go missing. Karma is a bloody bitch. It never misses a chance to prove it right but human creatures are not ready to realize it.
Pradeep lifted Anirudh clutching his collar.
"Go and find a match for you. If she doesn't like you, there is no use in forcing her. Understand that. Indhu is married now. My eyes will be on you no matter where I go. Keep it in your mind." He warned Anirudh.
He looked at Arnav.
"I'm leaving. If you need anything, remember me..." he walked pulling Anirudh with him.
Arnav and Khushi stood looking at him unbelievably. The man who they thought was a dirty villain saved them. They could not believe he turned out as good.
Arvind came to them.
"Dad, are you all right?"
"Yeah, is he Anirudh?" he asked Khushi.
Khushi nodded yes.
"What happened, Dad, how did they come here?"
Hearing a calling bell sound, I opened the door and saw Anirudh standing...
Flashback
"Where is Khushi?" Anirudh asked.
Arvind didn't know who he was as he hadn't met him before. So, he asked,
"Who are you? Why are you asking for Khushi? How do you know she is here?"
"It was none of your business. I ought not to answer you."
"Excuse me, this is my house. You are here asking for my daughter-in-law and you say it's none of my business? Who the hell are you? Tell me, or else, I will call the police"
Anirudh tried to enter RM. Arvind tried to stop him but he could not. Anirudh pushed Arvind with full force and entered. he fell on the table and his elbow was wounded. That was when Pradeep came there. Arvind was horrified to see him again in RM. He thought both Anirudh and Pradeep were partners in crime. They were there to attack them. But Pradeep clutched Anirudh's shirt collar and stopped him.
"Hey, who are you? Leave my collar... you bloody bugger" Anirudh shouted.
Pradeep slapped Anirudh hard. Anirudh stumbled at the sudden slap as he didn't expect that. He searched here and there for something to hit Pradeep but he didn't find anything there while saying,
"I will kill you"
Taking a tea table, he tried to throw it on Pradeep. That was when Pradeep removed a gun from his pocket and shot the table. Dropping the table on the floor, Anirudh hid behind the couch.
Arvind completed telling the happenings. He sighed.
"Where is Mom?"
"She is sleeping so deeply as she is tired"
Arnav nodded yes. He knew it was a hectic day for all of them.
"I think Pradeep waited for Anirudh or maybe, he would have followed him," Arvind said.
"Khushi, is he really Pradeep?" Arnav asked with a slight smile.
Khushi bit her nail. She understood why Arnav had such doubt. After all, he was the greatest villain of their story.
"I can't believe he saved me" Arnav smiled.
She nodded yes.
"I believe, Chotte," Arvind said.
"Why, Dad?"
"Being a father, it's not easy to digest his daughter's pain. He went through it. He witnessed her last-minute struggle. It should have changed him"
Arnav nodded his head.
"We will talk tomorrow. You guys go and sleep. It's already late" Arvind said.
"Good night, Dad"
"Good night" he walked to their room.
Arnav took Khushi to their room. He saw Khushi still confused. He made her sit on the bed.
"Can't you believe Pradeep's change?" he asked.
She nodded yes and again nodded no. Arnav laughed.
"I think you are highly confused"
She nodded yes.
"I really don't know whether I should trust his words. At the same time, I don't think what I saw in his face was a pretext"
"Yes, because he has no reason to show himself vulnerable in front of us. He could have just ignored it. Who questions him? Yet, he stopped Anirudh"
Khushi nodded yes.
"If what he said about his daughter is true, it's really a cruel punishment anyone can get," She said feeling sad.
Arnav was silent.
"Thank God we didn't experience such a cruel death like her daughter who had seventy percent of the wound. It's hell to live with such a wound even for an hour..." she said closing her eyes.
"Mmm... I thought Pradeep would be the villain in this birth too. I didn't expect this twist"
"I didn't expect Anirudh would be so foxy... I thought he was a nice guy"
"Really?"
She nodded yes.
"If you think he was nice, why did you hate him?"
"It's because of his approach, he is an irritating fellow. He was so gentle before the engagement. He didn't even try to talk to me but turned upside down after that. He annoyed me a lot. Thank God, Babuji came to Delhi. Or else, he and my brother would have tortured me a lot"
"Ok. Leave all this...! Where do you want us to go for Honeymoon?"
Without thinking, Khushi said,
"Hyderabad"
To be continued...