Dedicated to Kiddo_Star & #theresaharsita ❤
"Do you trust me? Or Do you also want this DIVORCE?"
Khushi looked at him like a lost child "What should she answer him? In fact What can she answer him? And what did he just asked if she wants divorce him? No! She wants to scream that she can never think of it. Divorcing him means going away from him, losing him for forever and she can't afford it."
But then what about Abhi? Just like Anjali Di said, it'll be unfair for him if he have to live without his father when he have one. But then if Abhi will stay here it means Sheetal ji will also stay here then where she fits in between? Just thinking about it makes her shudder, then what will she do if that actually happened?
She gulped imagining all the possibilities and their outcome but seems like today she is unable to decide. Her mind and heart are completely messed up and unable to guide her but then she heard low whisper and looked confused to find Arnav ji looking at her concerned calling her name. But she saw something else also, which she had never seen before "Fear", "Helplessness".
She have seen Arnav Singh Raizada desperate and vulnerable many times now, behind his strong exterior and anger she have seen a young boy broken from betrayals of life, his mother's death. He have still stood strong and unfazed in every situations with confidence to have his way and fight for what he wants. He was vulnerable when Di went missing, when he though she is dead after kidnap, when he thought she'll leave him after contact, when he told her about his mother's suicide, he was desperate to set everything right for his loved ones.
But now the fear and helplessness she is seeing in his eyes is different like his all hopes and life is dependent on her one decision. Like if he lost, then nothing will matter to him, if he lost this time there'll be nothing left for him to even fight. And then she realized how important is her this answer is, it can do anything make him or break him but about about others? She closed her eyes to gain some confidence for what she is just about to say and and cupped his hand on her cheeks before she opened her eyes and looked straightly into his.
"No!"
Arnav gulped, what does it mean? She also don't trust him?
"No Arnav ji! I don't want this Divorce."
"I don't know what is right or wrong but for once in my life I want to be selfish and I know I can't stay without you I'll die... There's no Khushi without Arnav.... I...." She was speaking in between of her sobs when Arnav sushhhed her encaging her in his arms. Tears of relief and happiness flowing from his own eyes as his hold tightened around her.
Anjali looked at them with wide eyes and Sheetal also looked angry, she had all the hopes that Khushi will leave Arnav after knowing this. The selfless girl she is she will leave herself for Abhi and his future, she have played her cards carefully. What will she do now? If Khushi wouldn't leave then she will never get the place in Arnav's life which she wants.
Every member in family carried different emotions and thoughts of themselves, too much confused to chose between the son of family or apparently their grandchild. Between all the faces only Payal, Akash and Nk looked happy for their siblings. Anjali's shocked expressions soon turned into anger and she marched towards them.
Anjali (shouting): "How could you? How can you take decision like this Khushi?"
Arnav and Khushi came out from the hug and turned to look at Anjali who was looking at Khushi with so much anger.
Anjali: You know what? Though from last few days I was confused about your behavior but still somewhere I had hope that may be I am wrong but today you proved it how selfish you are. All this being selfless and loving is just a façade because if you really care about others you would have thought about the child who may stay fatherless because of your this decision. But no, why'll you think I guess Mami was right you are also behind money and status therefore even after finding the truth that your husband has a child you're still ready to stay with him.
Khushi looked at her with blurry eyes, her each word hurting her deep inside and Arnav glared at his sister before he started speaking. "I don't think you heard me correctly, I have said I don't want to hear anyone but my wife."
Anjali: That I can see how she have wrapped you completely in her web that today you're not even ready to accept your Di's words.
Sheetal: Please Anjali ji don't fight because of me. I'll leave, I shouldn't have come here at the first place it's my mistake.
Anjali: "No Sheetal ji! You're not at........" interrupted by Khushi.
Khushi: "You're right Sheetal ji! This is, everything is your fault."
She spoke in now composed voice having enough of it making everyone look at her in surprise. But she only looked at Arnav who was looking at her with concern and giving him an assuring smile she came out of his arms which was holding her in place before walking towards Sheetal.
Khushi: You're right, it's your mistake.
Anjali: Khushi you can't......
"I am talking with her Di" she said interrupting Anjali in between again.
Khushi: You know why Sheetal ji? It's your mistake because when you were carrying Abhi you should have contacted Arnav ji then. You should have contacted him in all these years when Abhi was yearning for his father. It is your mistake to keep a child away from his father and now after all these years you come back?
"After so many years suddenly you feel that Abhi is yearning for his father when that man has moved on and happily married. Yes it is your fault if you are expecting that everything can go back to normal like nothing have changed in all these years. And then Di," she turned towards Anjali " and then you want him to forget that he have a wife now and they love each other because you think that it'll do justice to a child who is living without a father? But it wouldn't be injustice to me?"
Khushi: Can you tell me what's my mistake in this? I wasn't hiding a child from years but her. I was just simply living my life with my husband, loving him and his family. Then why should I sacrifice my everything?
Everyone looked at her stunned and sadly somewhere realizing their fault and what she must be feeling. Looking at everyone mellowing down Sheetal started speaking to get everyone's attention on her again.
Sheetal: You're right Khushi but I have already told why I never told ASR about Abhi.
Khushi: Yea I heard that! I heard that you didn't because you thought that Arnav ji doesn't believe in Love and he wouldn't want a responsibility of a child. But then clearly even after being in relationship with my husband once you didn't understand him a little because if you had the you would have known that however strict and controlled he looked, whatever he says but Arnav ji is a person who never runs away from his responsibilities. So here we are talking about his child, he would have done anything to complete his responsibility as a father.
Arnav looked at her with pride, this chit of a girl never seize to surprise him. He thinks he understands her better like a open book but she have managed to look inside him even after the strong walls built around him by him.
Sheetal (stammering): I know and I am regretting it now but please try to understand Khushi I was so young and scared that time.
Anjali (coming to Sheetal): It's ok Sheetal ji! We all understand. (turning to Khushi) Please stop all this Khushi, we can't even understand how a young girl have managed her pregnancy out of wed lock and what she must have to hear. We can't undo what is already happened but Now all we expect from you to think about a child and accept the reality.
Khushi (smiling sadly at her): Exactly Di, we can't undo what is already happened and therefore I am saying Di that I am ready to accept everything but can we undo mine and Arnav ji's marriage ? No Di, we can't therefore it's not me who needs to accept the reality but you.
Khushi: All I can do for Sheetal ji and Abhi that if Abhi is really Arnav ji's son then I and Arnav ji will adopt him and give him Arnav ji's name. Arnav and others looked at her in shock.
Sheetal: What? You'll snatch my son from me?
Khushi: No! We'll give him the name you are so desperate to give him and also he can stay with his family.
Sheetal: No I wouldn't let that happen.
Khushi: Then sorry I can't do anything to help you more.
Anjali: How can you act like this Khushi ji? How can you come between a father and son?
Khushi: I am not coming in between of anyone. Trust me Di, if Arnav ji would have said me once that he want to give Sheetal ji and Abhi his name and I should leave. I would have left right away because I know he has no fault, he was himself unaware that he is a father and now he just wants to take his responsibility but No. Arnav ji wants me to stay even after knowing everything so how can I leave and punish him and myself for no mistake of ours?
Payal: Khushi is right Di. You all are thinking selfishly only thinking about this family's heir but don't you all get this simple thing that now Arnav ji and Khushi is married. Today we got to know everything but what if we all would have came across Sheetal ji and her after few year and may be till then even Arnav ji and Khushi have their own kids? Would you all have still expected Khushi to leave Arnav ji? Whom you would have chosen Khushi's child or Sheetal's?
Everyone looked at each other confused about what should they answer, Payal have pointed a valid point. Their this demand feels too wrong suddenly but Anjali soon gathered herself back.
Anjali: Exactly that's my point Payal ji, we got to know everything before it's too late. Khushi ji is young and can move on in her life, she still have lot of opportunities and if need help we'll bear all her expenses till she doesn't get settled in her life again. Payal, Nk, Akash and Arnav looked a her stunned with disgust shining in their eyes, how can she something so big, so casually?
Arnav: I guess it's enough now. My wife is not going anywhere, she is with me and I don't need to hear anyone anymore to decide what should I do or not.
Anjali: Chotte! Forget about Khushi ji she had no relation with Abhi but you? you're his father, don't you feel anything for him? Don't you feel anything by doing this injustice to him?
Arnav: No! because like I said he is not my son.
Khushi: Arnav ji look at me!
Arnav: Khushi!
Khushi: Trust me Arnav ji your answer wouldn't change anything between us but please answer me honestly. Will you?
Arnav: Promise!
Khushi: Are you really sure that Abhi is not your son?
Arnav: I swear on you Khushi, I am sure as hell that she is lying and he is not my son, he can't be.
Khushi: That's it! Now I don't need to know and understand anything.
Anjali: You are doing a mistake Khushi ji. He is lying because he don't want to lose you. proofs are in front of you, those DNA reports, how can you overlook everything? You're doing a mistake of trusting your husband blindly over all the proofs.
And this time, just this time when Khushi turned to face Anjali, she was not a young girl, she wasn't her sister-in-law, she wasn't the daughter-in-law of this house but just a wife who looked straightly into Anjali's eyes. A wife who is ready to challenge the whole world and fight back if necessary, who was standing beside her husband in every step to face anything with him.
And just like that everyone gasped when Khushi opened her mouth this time to answer Anjali.
"Just like you!"
To be continued...................
Precap: Khushi and Anjali's confrontation.