>>>Readers discretion advised
Jisse aap pyaar kehti hain uss ehsaas ki mairi zindagi mai koi jagah nahi hai
Aur ye mai isliye keh raha hun kyun k mai khud se zyada kisi pe bharosa nahi karta
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"Wanna see how I can?" He gritted with his eyes glinting with mixture of pain, anguish, hate, love and vengeance all at the same time.
"What happened to you all of a sudden?" She whispered staring into his raging eyes with a mixture of wonder, concern and hurt shining in hers.
"I have learned my lesson that you are too stronger than me because you have the strength to leave me and you can do so anytime whenever you got the chance to but I-I can't even do it. No. I can't. I am Arnav Singh Raizada and you are my weakness. Weakest point Khushi Singh Raizada!"
Tears fell from her eyes as she shut them tight feeling guilty. She knew she did right leaving him when she could but then from where this guilty feelings came to the fore and why?
"I-I-" She gasped whilst he nuzzled his nose along with hers before trailing it down her face, her cheeks.
"You know me Khushi. You know me very well. You know that I hate being weak. I hate not being in control. So as to gather back the control of my life I have to deal with my only weakness. You!" His nose was now rubbing against her neck.
"To control myself I have to.. have to have full control over you. Now, did you get me Khushi Singh Raizada?" He raised his head to look into her eyes.
Blinking back the tears she breathed.
"If you are forgetting then let me remind you that you have been controlling me and my life already for the last three months. What else do you want?" She cried out in a whisper.
"Every remaining bit of you. All of you. Let me make love to you whenever I want and however I want." He pressed her to him demanding it making her breaths hitch.
"Love? You're talking about making love when you hate me don't you?"
"Whatever you wanna call it. I want it."
"Do you really think that getting physical could bridge the gap between us?" She exclaimed.
"I don't know anything about that. All I know is that, I want you. Badly!"
"You don't care about all that is happening to our lives. All you want is your desires fulfilled." She croaked.
He tugged her closer.. closest to him.
"It's your responsibility to fulfill your husband's demands Mrs.Raizada!" He gritted.
Tears of humiliation filled her eyes thickening the moisture in her hazel orbs blurring her vision. She has never felt this low ever in her life.
"Go to hell with your so called husbandly attitude!" She shoved him off with a sob. With a whimper he pulled her back in his arms before twirling them around to pin her to the wall behind with her hands above her head.
Touching her head with his he sniffled as she cried silently protesting in his arms. He stayed like that forcefully holding her captive bearing all the shoves, pushes and punches until she couldn't protest anymore and stopped moving altogether.
He released her arms. She was about to fall to the ground when he pulled her up against his chest wrapping his arms around her. She broke down and so did he holding onto her.
After several moments she pulled back wiping her tears.
"You won't do that. I knew it you won't." She said silently.
"After tonight, you will know a whole new side of me about which you have no idea about." He cupped her cheeks caressing them with his thumbs. Leaning in he drank the moisture from her eyes.
"What will happen tonight?" She asked perplexed.
He swallowed trailing his fingers down her arms before his hand reached to the pin holding the pallu on her shoulder making her eyes widen.
"A-Arnavji?" She choked.
Blinking back the tears he struggled with the pins due to his blurred vision while Khushi stared at him shocked.
"I-I will j-just open it up and.. we will be fine." He murmured still not getting through it.
Swallowing Khushi placed her hand over his holding her cries within.
"Let me lend a hand. To help."
He nodded moving back and Khushi unpinned it in one swift motion causing the pallu to fall over the floor.
Before she could react or say something he placed his palm at her bare waist and pulled her flush against him.
"D-Don't do this. You will regret it tomorrow. Big time." She tried one more time as he peppered kisses to her neck, throat burying his head in her neck inhaling her scent, rubbing his cheeks against her softness to the point of intoxication.
"I can regret anything. Anything. But not the moments spent with you." He reached up to her lips and threading his fingers in her hairs kissed her hard pouring all of his frustration in it.
Khushi shuddered closing her eyes until the reality struck her hard with his words murmuring in her ears.
"I am Arnav Singh Raizada. The man who writes his own destiny and certainly he will write yours too now that you are linked to him permanently as well."
"Miss Garima Gupta, no one will come to marry your daughter who slept with a man before even marrying him properly. "
"I am not that heartless, you know.I will marry your daughter right now if you cut all the ties with her."
"Make the choice for her and I will accept your daughter.Otherwise.. Otherwise I will make sure no one accept her."
"Remember the video that released of her falling in my arms? Due to which she had to leave Lucknow and come here in Delhi.This time i will release the pictures of our private moments and she won't be able to live anywhere in this country."
"This all will end the day I will see Garima Gupta in the condition in which I last saw my mother."
"LET GO OF ME!" She bellowed pushing him away with all the force she could muster. What the hell was she doing after all that he did? She was letting him play with her? How could she?
It wasn't just about her now. She has to think for her baby too. Don't she know he wasn't that gentle with her anymore like he was in the past?
"Don't you dare touch me!" She pointed her finger at him with her red swollen eyes spitting fire at him.
He clenched his jaws before reducing the distance between them and cupped her nape hard that she cried out in pain.
"You are still thinking about that Garima Gupta aren't you? You know. YOU KNOW I HATE HER. You know it very well yet you push my wrong buttons Khushi Singh Raizada." He held her shoulders and pushed her against the wall.
"Enough is enough Mr.Arnav Singh Raizada. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!" She punched at his chest hiccuping.
"You were right. I am stronger. Much stronger than you because I can leave you whenever and however I want and this time I will go out of your life to never come back. Did you get it?"
"How so? HOW SO?" He shook her maniacally that she gulped hard to compose herself from shivering in fear seeing his maddening rage.
"I was living with you till now because I was scared for my mother, my family and to some extent for.. you.And now I will fight for them by myself but not being caged with you in RM or other mansion. I will go to my mother's home. I will stay with them and every problem you created for my mother would've to go through me to reach her. Keep that in mind."
His eyes took a calculative look.
"Oh really? But you are forgetting one thing Khushi that you aren't Kumari Gupta anymore. You are Khushi Singh Raizada.A Raizada stays in Raizada Mansion. Right here!" He pointed to the ground.
"Yeah a Raizada does.But that rule doesn't apply to any Ex-Raizada, right?" She sniffled with her red nose.
"Dare you say it Khushi!" He understood what she wanted to imply.
"Either drop the idea of revenge or divorce me. The choice is yours!"
"What if I chose neither of them?"
"In that case I will take help from the court. I have to just tell them all the emotional torture you're making me go through and I will get the divorce in the first hearing itself." She said on his face.
He smirked shaking his head.
"For that you have to go out of RM. Uh.No. No. First of all you have to go out of this room right?"
"You think I can't?"
"I don't just think Khushi. I bring my plans into action right away!"
"What plan? Now you can't do anything." She said determined.
"Are you sure?"
She huffed exasperated.
"You are so innocent. Aren't you?"
She gasped as she felt his fingers trailing around the boundary of her blouse.
"I said stay away. Don't touch me!" She pushed him and quickly picked the pallu from the floor before spreading it over her front and pulled it around her shoulders.
"I don't understand what are you trying to hide from me Mrs.Raizada? Because there isn't any inch on your body I haven't seen or explored already."
"Leave me alone!" She flushed but managed to say determined.
"Leave you alone so that you could pack and go back to GH to file for a fucking case? Not a chance!"
Khushi hit her palm over her head of course in her mind for telling her plans to this monster even though she knew he would never let her separate from him. Now that the cat was out of the bag she has to deal with it.
"I am not going anywhere." She didn't meet his eyes when she said that.
"I don't believe you." Pat came the reply.
"What do I have to do to make you believe that I won't go?" She exclaimed frustrated.
"It's simple. You won't get out of this room without my permission. You won't shout. You won't complain when I will go out right now locking the door from outside."
She felt anger bubbling up in her. Not only that she felt sudden urge to shake him till he comes to his senses and see what he was doing to her.
Too bad for her, she didn't know that he knew everything he was doing to her. To them.
"You will cage me here now? Didn't you just free me from that lonely mansion?" She gritted.
"I am not caging you. I am asking you to prove yourself to me that you won't leave me. You said you won't. Remember?!"
"Till when?" She huffed. She needed time to plan her escape.
"Until you won't abandon the idea of divorce or any case whatsoever." He said and it left her stumped. She was buying the time for this only then how could she leave it? But he needn't know this. Does he? Of course not.
"Okay." She mumbled.
"Not like this." He smirked his victory. Yet another one.
"How then?" She ground her teeth.
"Seal the deal with a kiss." He placed his hands in his pockets.
Her nostrils flared in anger. Reducing the distance between them she raised herself to kiss him on his cheek.
He groaned in frustration but didn't say anything.
"Lie down. You were sleepy weren't you?" He played with a strand of her hair before tucking it behind her ear.
Pursing her lips she swallowed down the curses she so wanted to say to him and got into the blanket silently.
Clutching the duvet to her chest she clenched her teeth when he too sat besides her placing his hand over hers. She couldn't resist glaring at him.
"You don't know it do you?" He asked huskily bending over her.
"What?" Her eyes dilated a bit in confusion.
"This!" He kissed her on her lips but as soon as he pulled back she let out a frustrated scream. Hearing which he dove to kiss her again to swallow her voice.
"Next time when I asked you to kiss me I want you to remember this lesson very well." He murmured gazing at her swollen lips satisfied. The satisfaction didn't last for long because of what she said next.
"I hate you!"
"And next time if I heard that word from your mouth for myself then I will make you regret it."
She pressed her lips harder.
"I hate you. I hate you. I hate you!" She didn't listen as always and then he made her regret it in a way that by the time he finished she was half naked and he was about to rip open her petticoat that some of the madness cleared off from his head and he stopped. He got off the bed and turned his back to her with his fingers in his hairs, his eyes filled with tears of remorse.
She sobbed turning to the other side of the bed with her shoulders shaking whilst her cries slashed him.
He turned to her and found her bare back shaking as she buried her head in the pillow to muffle her voice.He quickly covered her with the blanket. Sitting besides her he forcibly turned her to him despite her protests and hugged her close rubbing her back soothingly but only after covering her whole with the duvet.
"I stopped. I stopped. I am sorry. I am so sorry Khushi. I didn't mean to hurt you. I am so sorry sweetheart." He cried out.
"Leave me alone." She hiccuped against his chest."Go away. Just g-go away!" She whispered hoarsely crying profoundly.
He rocked her in his embrace.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She pushed him and the blanket slipped from her shoulders to which he wrapped it around her properly before standing up with thick rim of tears formed in his eyes.
"I am going but.. I won't let you go away from me Khushi. Don't you ever.. ever think of getting divorced or being free of me."
She turned her face sharply to him.
"You finished everything today Mr.Raizada. Everything. And you know it too." She sobbed out clutching the blanket to her chest before lowering her head as her heart shattered into pieces.
He rushed to sit back besides her. Pushing back the hairs from her face softly he cupped her cheek with his hands trembling.
She slapped his hands pulling back to rest her head against the headboard closing her eyes.
He swallowed seeing her like this.
"Don't this to me Khushi."
"I am doing this to you? You did this.. to us. To me!" She cried out shutting her eyes more tightly.
"I am sorry. Look at me. Please." He placed his hand over hers. She slipped her hand out of his hold.
He gulped.
Her lips shook as her doubts got confirmed today. He would kill her child if he got to know. He would kill it.
"Why? Why?" She growled opening her eyes hitting her palms over his face, over his chest, on his arms.
"I just can't bear your hate!" He exclaimed holding her hands and kissing her fingers.
"You think I can?" She shouted snatching back her hands.
"Have you ever realized how much is it taking in me to bear your hate? Do you know what it has done to me? When I am bearing it then why can't you?" She choked poking her finger on his chest.
"I .. am not as stronger as you are. I told you!"
She dropped her head back to the headrest.
"I want to be alone. Please." She murmured caressing her belly under the blanket subconsciously with tears slipping from her eyes.
He didn't budge.
"Just this once listen to me. Please?" She pleaded with her eyes closed.
Blinking back the tears he stood up and left but not before locking the door from outside with his hands shaking from doing so.
Khushi has heard him locking the door from outside and in that moment she has made a decision from which she has decided not to back off from it no matter what. And she won't.
"I can't let my baby grow under his father's dark personality!" She sobbed to herself."I won't let this darkness touch my child. No way!"
Even though she knew that the minute she walked out of his life, she would miss him terribly no matter what. Life wouldn't be easier without him. But with him, life wasn't a life anymore either.
Payal saw Arnav passing by her door and she stood up hurriedly to rush to her sister. On Di's insistence she hasn't interfered but she has been on egg shells worrying sick for her sister for all the time he has been with her.
Twisting the door knob she pushed at it to open the door but it didn't budge. Thinking that it was locked from inside she knocked.
"Khushi? Open the door. It's me. Your jiji!"
Khushi buried her head into the pillow more to muffle her cries as she heard her sister calling out to her.
"Khushi I am getting worried here. Please open up!" Payal pleaded."Are you alright?"
When she didn't get any answer she walked around to enter through the poolside only to see it locked too. Her heart galloped in fear as something stuck her mind and then she was marching to the devil's room.
"Did you lock the doors from outside?" Payal barged in his room without knocking and found him sitting on the floor against the bed with his face buried in his hands.
"What did you do to her this time around?" She demanded answers. He stood up and turned his back to her without replying.
"Please let me be with her as I have a feeling that she is in pain. She is hurt!" Payal resorted to pleading when he refused to say anything whilst shuffling through his things in the cupboard.
"I did a grave mistake letting you meet her." She gritted and that's when he turned to her sharply.
"I don't need anyone's permission to meet my wife. No one can stop me. As far as you are concerned I made myself clear that Akash or you aren't related to us anymore. So just stay away from me and my wife." He said firmly.
Payal blinked back the tears. In front of her was standing not only her brother-in-law but her brother as well. Step brother but related to her blood only about which she wasn't aware just few days ago. Its shocking how certain truth can change your life and relations.
"You don't know what grave mistakes you're committing. Actually you know what?" She gulped."You will regret it badly. I know you will. The day you did I will never forgive you for what you made my sister go through. Neither would anyone!"
"Be assured. I will never come to seek for your forgiveness either. Don't give yourself too much importance Mrs.Akash Singh Raizada. I am not answerable to anyone." He mocked.
It cut her. She can't believe that she shared blood with this monster. But she shouldn't be surprised. His father.. her real father destroyed her mother's life and he, his son.. was ought to destroy her sister now.
"Maybe not to me or anyone else but you have to answer her one day.You'd seek for her forgiveness won't you? Be assured about that too. She won't forgive you ever." She hit on his weakness. She knew what it was.
"I don't need her forgiveness either." He said but it didn't come out as stronger as he told her off making Payal sneer.
"Calling yourself a Raizada won't make you one because you are nothing but a Malik. Like your father!"
"GET OUT!" He bellowed as her taunt hit straight home. Nerves at his temples throbbed whilst his eyes turned red for being compared to his father. The man he despised as much as he did that Garima Gupta.
"Truth won't change if you'd scare others by shouting to bury their voices. Truth is what it is. The truth!" She said before leaving his room.
He punched his hand on the cupboard angrily as her words seeped in his ears like a burning oil earning a hiss of pain from him.
Upon that he couldn't ward off the restlessness and the way he has left his wife sobbing half naked on the bed in another room.
What the fuck did he do?
How could he do that to her?
He raised his head up with misty eyes pressing his lips into a thin line.
"Leave me alone." She hiccuped against his chest."Go away. Just g-go away!" She whispered hoarsely crying profoundly.
"You finished everything today Mr.Raizada. Everything. And you know it too." She sobbed out clutching the blanket to her chest.
Punching his hand on the cupboard many a time he gripped the shelf lowering his head before breaking into helpless, silent sobs.
Anjali entered his room later that day with anger and disappointment written on her face as he walked out of the bathroom freshly showered.
"I requested Payal ji to let Khushi ji meet you. I pleaded her that you won't hurt her because you need to be with her. I thought you might would spare her for just a day when you.. yourself has had a major breakdown but no. I was wrong. You lowered my head in shame before her. I come home hoping that you and Khushi ji might come to a truce today but what did I find do you know Mr.Arnav Singh Raizada?"
She burst out as soon as she faced him. It's good that Akash stayed over at the hospital for the night otherwise if he had come and known the recent happening then surely it would have caused another big fight between the brother. She wondered how long could she prevent it?
"I found her locked in a room. No. No. She didn't confide herself in the four walls but her husband did. You did." She poked a finger at his chest.
He took out the key from his pocket. Placing it on her palm he said solemnly.
"I am giving you the responsibility to look after her Di. Just make sure she don't get out of the room until I don't allow or it won't end well. I don't care how you'd convince others especially Payal but keep it in mind if Khushi as much as stepped foot out of that room or RM for that matter then I'd be the one dealing with my wife. You won't like it what I would do to her or her family then and neither would she!"
He closed her fist around the key before sighing. Anjali stared at her brother speechless.
"I think I made myself pretty clear here or is there something you didn't understand Di?"
"Don't call me Di." She gritted out blinking back the tears. He swallowed past a lump.
"Keep it in mind Di that Khushi is the only obstacle in my path to avenge my mother. If I lost her then she will lose all of her family too and I swear on our dead mother that I mean it. So either you could go side with Payal or others to separate her from me and see her family vanish once and for all OR you could side with your own brother to make sure Khushi stays with him and hence save her family too. What say? Do we have a deal?"
Anjali's face contorted in pain as for the first time she couldn't recognize her own brother.
What he has become?
"You are not my brother." She shook her head on the verge of breakdown. He averted his eyes.
"Anyways, I know you'd make a wise choice. I have a business to attend outside. Will be back in a bit." He side hugged her and scurried off leaving behind his stunned and heartbroken sister.
"He is becoming another.. another Arvind Malik!" She rasped out the words in disbelief.
The condition in which Anjali and Payal found Khushi as they rushed in unlocking the door, made them dumbfounded.
She was lying under the blanket in the same condition Arnav has left her. She hasn't bothered wearing her clothes or say it didn't occur to her looking at her bloodshot, swollen eyes yet the tears weren't stopping. Half of the pillow was already soaked as she kept lying on the same side. She didn't bother to turn too.
As Payal has took off the blanket when Khushi hasn't responded she gasped seeing her distraught, shattered self and with a whimper she threw her arms around her sister whirling her around to hug her.
A shocked Anjali wrapped the blanket on her upper half with tears rolling down her cheeks too.
"Don't tell me. No. No. Khushi ji. Chote didn't.. he can't.. do this."
It boiled Payal with rage.
"Can't you see it for yourself? Stop torturing her by reminding her all that." Payal cried out embracing her sister tightly whilst running her fingers in her hairs.
Anjali burst out sobbing with her hand to her mouth.
"I am so sorry Khushi ji. It all happened because of me. I asked Payal ji to let Chote be with you. I thought--" She couldn't complete.
Payal cried resting her chin on Khushi's head until Khushi straightened herself causing Payal to cover her properly in the duvet.
"If it makes you feel any better Di then let me tell you. He stopped midway. He didn't cross the line but he.. he didn't leave behind anything in our relationship either. Nothing. We are over." Khushi said silently.
"Your baby!" Anjali's eyes widened.
"Don't worry about it. He or she is my child. Then of course my baby would know how to handle crisis too." She whispered."It is okay. I can feel it." She touched her midriff under the blanket.
Both the ladies hearts welled up.
"You won't stay here anymore Khushi." Payal said teary eyed cupping the side of her cheek. Anjali's heart galloped in fear.
"You are suggesting that I leave and that would mean giving him the reason to hurt Amma? There isn't left in me anyway which I'd save jiji. So let it be." Khushi said quietly.
"You aren't going to tell him ever would you?" Anjali asked in a whisper."But till when you could hide it from him. Sooner or later you'd start to show. How would you hide it then?"
Payal looked at her sister for answers. Khushi scoffed.
"I don't even know what's going to happen the next moment and you are asking me about my future of months later?" She let out a dry chuckle and in that moment she didn't seem normal to either of them.
Anjali's heart went out to her while Payal averted her misty eyes not being able to see her like this.
"Khushiji, I know that after all that he did you must hate him. I-" She was cut by a very strange reaction from Khushi.
Hate?
At that Khushi burst out laughing and she continued to laugh until tears came out of her eyes and then she was sobbing loudly clutching the blanket to herself making her sister and sister-in-law freeze.
Her wails reached to Manorama too who has just entered the mansion behind which Manohar did. She ran upstairs while Manohar stayed back as he very well recognized whose voice was that.
"Ka hua?(What happened?)" Manorama entered in the already opened door and the sight that greeted her chilled her.
Anjali stood up as it was too much for her and ran out of the room crying, as fast as her limp could allow it while Payal sat besides Khushi taking her in her arms. Yet it didn't soothe Khushi.
"Will you tell me Payal why is she crying like that?" Manorama exclaimed scared like hell.
Payal who was shedding tears along with her sister pulled down the blanket to let her see for herself making Manorama fall on the bed with the thud.
"A-Arnav bitwa.. did this?" She couldn't believe it. Hence she asked.
"Who else?" Payal snapped."Does your nephew let anyone else come near my sister?"
For the first time Manorama didn't feel any anger towards Payal even though she talked rudely with her. In fact it made her head lower in shame.
Manorama's head shot up when Payal said.
"My sister is pregnant Maa ji. Pregnant!" She croaked.
"How can someone do this to his pregnant wife?" Payal choked.
"Does Arnav know?" Manorama asked in a shock.
Payal shook her head as she made Khushi lay who has fallen asleep in her arms most probably exhausted. Making her wear the clothes she covered her with the blanket while all the time Manorama kept staring at Khushi's face as she kept comparing the bubbly, chirpy girl who has come to their house for the first time to sold the sarees, to the woman who was now lying on this bed all pale with sunken swollen eyes, moist cheeks and labored breathing with a child in her womb and it.. slit her heart into two.
She wasn't the phati saree anymore. She wasn't the old Khushi anymore either. She was just a shadow of her old self.
She was just.. Khushi Singh Raizada now!
He stopped short at the door as there his sister was sitting at the edge of his bed most probably sobbing because he could see her shoulders shaking.
She must have gone to Khushi's room and hence... this. He has been expecting her and her.. wrath.
Clenching his jaws he exhaled before stepping in to face her because he didn't dare go to his wife. He couldn't muster up the courage even after a lot of attempt to tell himself that he didn't cross the line yet he couldn't deny he has hurt her beyond limits this time.
"Di?"
She raised her head slowly to him with tears flowing down her cheeks.
"I told you. Don't call me Di!" She cried out.
"Di-" He croaked and closed his eyes as she stood up and slapped him right across his cheek before pressing her trembling fingers against her mouth.
"Seeing her. ONLY seeing her breakdown tore me apart Arnav. I can't imagine what she must be feeling who is bearing it all." She choked."You finished her. You finished everything that could've ever been between you and.. her."
"Nothing is finished. Nothing will ever be." He ground his teeth even though his hands curled into fists and his heart told him otherwise.
"You know what? Whatever you will face from here on, you deserve it. Whatever she is going to do now, you deserve every bit of it too. A ray of light that has come to your destructive life to give you both a chance to move on, you turned it into darkness too. You lost that chance too. Now good luck getting your so called revenge with that darkness all around you!"
"A r-ray of light?" He rasped.
Does Di know what Khushi was hiding from him?
His eyes widened.
"Did she tell you something that I don't know. Di, tell me what the hell is she hiding from me?" He asked desperately cupping her shoulders.
"Pity. You'd never know it because you don't deserve it!" She shrugged his hands.
He pinched the bridge of his nose agitated.
"Di, look at me. Listen to me. I have to know whatever she is hiding from me. Do you understand it? Please."
"Try getting it out of Khushi if you could gather the courage to face her!" She mocked knowing very well that it would be impossible now with everything he has done to go and stand in front of Khushi to ask questions when he ruined everything with his own hands.
"Please Di." He cupped her cheeks. Anjali looked away not wanting to melt by his tears.
"You have lost the right to call me Di, Arnav." She removed his hands from her cheeks whimpering before walking out of the room leaving behind a restless Arnav whose anxiety has only doubled.
At night he tossed and turned in his bed grunting in irritation. For the last three months there hasn't been a night that he hasn't slept without holding her. Obviously he didn't let her be apart at night even when they were at loggerheads. It was his own way to keep up the pretense if not at the day then at least at nights that nothing has changed between them when in reality everything had.
Now it was turning out to be a task in itself to sleep. Upon that the remorse, the guilt was only doubling up within him. Not only that he hasn't heard about her at all after he left her broken on that.. that.. bed.
He groaned sitting up knowing that he won't be getting any sleep tonight. Getting off the bed he wore his slippers and despite various monologues he couldn't resist and found himself sneaking in her room through the poolside.
"Don't even think about it."
He cursed under his breath when he found his Di sitting right besides her, with her bedside lamp on, a book in her hands. He couldn't even get a glimpse of Khushi as her face was covered with a blanket.
He rubbed his forehead.
"I can't sleep. Without her." He mumbled more like pleaded.
"She couldn't, either. It took a lot of hard work to make her stop crying and close her eyes. Now, I won't let you ruin my efforts. Go back to your room and try getting used to it. Because you have to sleep without her. Probably your whole life starting from tonight." She was blunt.
"Don't say that, Di." He exclaimed hurt."You know that I can't live without her."
"Wrong. You can't live without hurting her. You get some kind of pleasure controlling her." She gritted.
"Pleasure? You, of all the people should know that how much hard it is for me too. That-that how much I..I need her to stay sane."
"Oh you need her to stay sane huh? What about her who is losing her mind staying with you?" She sneered.
"I can't imagine my brother could force himself p-physically on his wife with whom he claimed to love." She said scandalously.
"I wouldn't have believe it if I hadn't..if I hadn't seen Khushi ji that.. that..way.In that.. condition." She shook her head shuddering as Khushi's condition and her gut wrenching cries rang in her ears.
He exhaled sharply.
"I-I am..sorry Di."
"I don't need that apology. Someone else does." She exclaimed."In fact I don't think that would even work because it isn't just a mistake.. its outrageous, a sin."
Knots formed in his stomach as he felt the walls closing in on him.
"I will fix it. Fix.. her." He croaked.
"How so? By hurting her again? By controlling her? By locking her in another room or mansion? You already tried all that. She has been there. Didn't work out Arnav." She said sarcastically.
He swallowed.
"You have made her a mess." She said as a matter of fact.
"I-I am a mess... too Di and only she can.. fix me up. Only her." He choked.
"No. Don't you dare Arnav. I got carried away by your tears once and you made me regret it big time. I won't make the same mistake twice." She shook her head.
"Please. Just .. tonight. I promise I'll leave in the morning before she wakes up."
"Out, Arnav!"
"Please Di. I am really, really tired emotionally and physically both. I just want to rest a bit. Sleep a bit. But I can't. Not without her." He was literally begging her now making Anjali uncomfortable.
She averted her eyes which has started to mist up as she could see how much broken he himself was. So she has to ward him off before she give in to his pleads.
He walked to her side of the bed and sat on the ground folding his hands before his sister making her whimper.
"I made her a promise that I am here with her and won't let you get anywhere near her tonight. Only then she slept." She cried out holding his hands.
"I will be gone before she know it. Just for tonight Di."
"I can't. This time.. you have shattered her beyond repair."
"I know it. I know everything. You can't even imagine what it is doing to me as well. I am burning inside Di. Please. Please."
She closed her eyes shutting the book in her lap before placing it on the bedside table.
"You can sleep besides her but I am not going anywhere. I will be there at the couch keeping an eye on you. You can't be trusted with her now-a-days!"
"Fine by me." He mumbled and she got down the bed. Sitting on the couch she saw him getting into the blanket with the sleeping Khushi.
As he reached out to her, she saw him retreating his hand back and Anjali knew there and then that he won't be able to bridge the miles and miles of gap he has created betweem himself and Khushi just by reaching out to her. It would take a lot more. Or maybe much more than that.
He slept gazing at her face at the right side of the bed while she was snoring softly sleeping facing him on the left side unaware of his presence.
Anjali walked out of the room and came back to hers silently once she was sure her brother was in deep sleep.
To her relief when she came back in the morning, he was gone as he promised and Khushi was still not awake.
"At least this time he didn't make me regret it." She mumbled to herself.
Arnav and Akash shifted Nani to the wheel chair. Manohar took the hold of it once they did.
"I will take Maa in your car Akash. Anjali bitiya and your mother are going to accompany us. You and Arnav can come back in his car."
Akash looked at Arnav who went out without saying anything. Means if he didn't argue then he had reluctantly agreed.
"I am wondering what would he do once he knows Khushi ji is in RM?" Akash said to his father once they helped Devyani into the car and closed the door standing outside.
"He knows Akash. Already!" Manohar nodded at Akash's
"What did you expect beta? He can get information about anything or anyone with the blink of an eye and here its Khushi we are talking about." Manohar walked to the driving seat whilst Akash looked at his mother sitting in the front seat then at his sister sitting with Nani at the back. Both didn't meet their eyes with him and it made his heart grip into fear.
What has happened in his absence at RM?
He so wanted to ask them all sternly but Nani's presence and her condition stopped him.
He walked silently to the car behind and opening the front door sat to which Arnav zoomed off right after Manohar drove off.
"So you went to RM after leaving the hospital yesterday didn't you?" Akash broke the silence.
Arnav didn't bother replying.
"I heard that you left Khushi and I hope you didn't bother her finding her there." Akash forced him to talk taking Khushi's name.
"Khushi is my wife. I don't need anyone's permission to meet her." Arnav gritted breaking his silence.
"I hope you didn't back off from your words Bhai." Akash was stuck on one thing.
"Stay out of my business Akash." He warned.
"She doesn't have any trust left in you to even confide in you with everything. Bravo Bhai!" He scoffed.
Arnav frowned as he sensed that he was hinting on something. Then it stuck him. Just like Di, Akash knows about Khushi's secret as well.
"Why I have a feeling that you know something I don't?" Arnav narrowed his eyes at Akash.
Akash smirked and it irked Arnav.
"I do. I know something which you'd have known if only you hadn't done all this." Akash said solemnly.
"And what is that?" Arnav asked curiously.
"Do you really think I would tell you? I won't. But I can tell you one thing. It is related to Khushi and of course ... you."
"Dammit Akash. Spit it out already. You and Di gotta stop playing these games with me."
"Di knows and even she didn't tell you while being your own sister. It should tell you that you have screwed everything badly." Akash said seriously.
Arnav clenched his jaws speeding up the car and the rest of the drive went silently until they stopped right behind Manohar's car in RM. Stepping out they helped Nani back into the wheel chair and walked in the mansion.
As the front door opened Nani smiled weakly because right there in front of her stood Khushi with Pooja thaal in her hands with a teary smile on her face. Right besides her Payal was standing and a few steps back Hari Prakash.
Arnav gulped hard when she bent to embrace Nani who opened her arms for her while Payal took the thaal from her. Only he knew how he left her in the morning sleeping there on the bed without hugging her, kissing her, feeling her, talking to her. Now here he was face to face with her for the first time when she was awake after the horrible deed he did yesterday.
"I missed you bitiya." Nani choked caressing her head.
It took all of Khushi's control not to breakdown there and then all over again but for Nani she swallowed all her emotions.
"Me.. too, Nani." Khushi croaked before pulling back composing herself.
"Welcome back home." Khushi added as much cheerfulness in her stance as she could while doing her aarti.
"You too, bitiya." Devyani said with a smile."How are you?" Nani asked and it wiped off the smile from Khushi's face which everyone noticed including Nani. Her heart went out to her while Arnav's dropped to the pit of his stomach as he closed his eyes in pain.
"I am very much a-alright Nani." Khushi said bending to Nani to kiss her cheek.
Arnav pursed his lips harder as tears burned his eyes. She looked at everyone but she didn't spare him a glance as if he didn't even exist.
"Now, let me escort you to your room. Your nurse is already waiting there for you. In fact, there she is." Khushi saw her coming from the corner of her eyes and handed over the hold of the wheel chair to her and Samantha(nurse) took Nani in her room leaving silence in their wake.
Anjali couldn't resist hugging Khushi and mumbling a heartiest thank you to her the way she managed the situation with Nani not letting her get any hint of what she have been through.
Akash could sense the thick tension in the air and he has a feeling that he hasn't been aware of all that happened here yesterday. So he asked through his eyes from Payal whose eyes teared up as soon as she saw the question in her husband's eyes and he knew there and then, something big has transpired which has shaken the foundation of not only RM but Arnav and Khushi's relationship too.
The moment Arnav stepped to Khushi she took several steps back making him stop on his steps. Khushi wasn't meeting his eyes, she wasn't looking at him, she was avoiding him and this.. he couldn't take at any cost.
"I am.. sorry." He rasped with his gaze locked on her face. One by one tears trailed down her cheeks but she didn't raise her head and retreating a step back ran away upstairs.
Anjali swallowed while Payal glared at him.
"What the hell did you do to her now?" Akash exclaimed.
Arnav stormed off and Akash turned to Anjali for answers. She walked away wiping her tears and then only one option was left for him to know the truth.
"Payal?"
Payal couldn't hold it anymore. She threw her arms around him and sobbed out everything making Akash dumbfounded.
"He.. forced himself on her Akash. How could he do that to my sister? I-I can't get that image out of my mind." She cried out pulling back and saw his eyes burning with blinding rage.
"Akash?" She placed her palm on his chest. Shrugging it he took long strides to the stairs until he was running to the direction of his brother's room.
Payal ran behind him horrified as she hasn't seen her husband in this much rage ever before.
Akash bumped to Anjali in the corridor upstairs while she held him back as she got anxious seeing him heading to Arnav's room in sheer anger. Payal mouthed that he knows and Anjali gulped.
"Akash. Calm down. Akash!" She held him with all the courage she could muster while Payal stared at him with her eyes wide open in terror as he struggled to get free with his face red by now and nerves at his temples and throat throbbing pretty badly.
"Akash. Nani is back home. If you went to Chote in this condition then I am sure you both will end up into a big brawl and Nani would end up in the hospital again if she got to know what has happened. Please try to understand brother. Please." Anjali pleaded holding his arms.
Akash lowered his head clenching his fingers in his hairs and whimpered pressing his lips harder. Anjali and Payal held him from the sides as his knees were about to buckle up.
"He.. he was my mentor, my inspiration Di. How could--he break that image? How could he do something like that?" He choked taking off his glasses.
"It's better that he himself broke his ties with me because I don't think that I can now.. stand being related to him.. anymore." He said quietly but his face gave away the hurt he was going through while saying that.
Shrugging their arms he walked past them only for them to grap his hands from either sides as they held back their own cries.
"I am not going to him but to my room. Don't worry." He rasped putting on his glasses sniffling.
They let him go and he scurried off. Payal went after him while Anjali headed to Khushi's room exhaling a long sigh thinking that till when could she prevent the face off between the two brothers?
Anjali had to threaten Khushi to eat breakfast as she continuously refused and as she exited her room taking the used dishes she came face to face with the Gupta family standing there in the middle of the living room. It whooshed out the breaths from her.
She has hindered the showdown between the two brothers just an hour ago and now.. another hurricane was all ready to hit itself to RM to shake its ground. If so much as Arnav got to know or see Garima Gupta here then all hell will break lose. Already he has done the gravest mistake he would regret his whole life. She won't let him be caught in another sin by god forbid killing someone with his own hands.
"We are here to take Khushi back. And if you'd allow bitiya then we might as well meet Devyani ji too to ask about her health?" Shashi spoke from the wheelchair. Anjali has paled at his first sentence only. Her hands shook causing the plates to clatter over the dish she was holding.
She gulped. Quickly placing the dish in the nearby table she turned to them before folding her hands.
"Please I beg you. Go from here. If Arnav saw Aunty-" She guestured to Garima."--here, he would go nuts and it can pile up more of a mess for everyone. Most of all for Khushi ji. It is really not the time for all of this. Trust me."
"It has been three months Anjali bitiya that our titaliya is suffering with him. A man who would give even a monster a run for their beastly nature. Now that is your brother and it is very selfish of you that you are overlooking all of Khushi's sufferings and just thinking about your Chote." Madhumati spoke outrageously.
Garima placed a hand on Madhumati's arm silently asking her to calm down.
"Let Khushi come with us and stay in Laxmi Nagar for a few days. Don't you think she really need this change of air.. and people?" Garima said softly with misty eyes.
"I'd love to send her with you if only I could Aunty but I can't. I am bound." Anjali croaked.
"Of course she is bound by her brother's selfishness. He won't give titaliya the true respect of being his wife but he would keep her with him anyway to torture her giving the excuse of the same." Madhumati sneered.
Anjali looked away ashamed.
"Please try to understand. Nani is recovering from a heart attack. She is a heart patient now. Stress isn't good for her. If Arnav got to know that you came and took Khushi with you then he would go insane.No sooner than that, everyone would know including Nani and it could jeopardize her health.Not to forget, he would make you and your family pay for taking Khushi ji with you. I am just trying to prevent the drastic circumstances." She tried to get to them.
"For how long my Khushi has to be the scapegoat just to prevent drastic circumstances huh?" Shashi said sternly silencing her.
They weren't going to listen or understand. Anjali could see it. Biting her lip she closed her eyes when she got only one way to stop them from taking Khushi and go back before Arnav sees them.
"Would you still take Khushi ji if I told you that she is pregnant to be a mother soon?"
They gasped stupefied.
"You aren't serious are you?" Garima's hand went to her heart as she swayed in her steps. Madhumati held her.
"Why would I joke about something like that Aunty?" Anjali reasoned.
"Jiji, jiska dar tha wahi hua.Ab kya hoga hamari Khushi ka?(Jiji, what we dreaded is happening. Now what will become of our Khushi?)" Garima sobbed. Shashi kept looking ahead without blinking.
Madhumati felt her eyes prick. She knew Garima was thinking what she was. They both have seen Preetika's condition without her husband while being pregnant. Neither of them would want to see Khushi in that state ever.
"What is the proof that she is really pregnant and you aren't lying?" Shashi asked composing himself from the shock.
"Everyone except Nani.. and Arnav knows." Anjali mumbled.
"Payal, too?" Garima asked. Anjali nodded.
"If this is true then it has become more than necessary for Khushi to get away from that man!" Shashi announced making Garima and Madhumati worried whilst Anjali felt chills running down her spine as her plan backfired on her.
"We will take her with me. Call her." Shashi said. Garima and Madhumati were now double minded after hearing the news. Seeing Shashi determination, they looked at each other anxiously.
With a lot of pleading Garima has convinced Shashi to leave Shantivan without Khushi. He wouldn't have listened to her if she hasn't reminded him of another living example of a woman in their neighborhood, pregnant and without a husband. Her condition was as so that it made Shashi all scared for Khushi too.
What would happen to Khushi without Arnav in this condition?
Was the question lurking in their mind that has made them come back silently without anyone else knowing about their visit to RM.
Now its not only Khushi they have to worry about but another life attached to her too. Not only that but that child's future as well was at stack.
What would become of him/her without the father in their lives?
This and so many questions like that.
Can it all get any more entangled?
Helping her husband to the bed Garima has come out to sit in the living room interlinking her fingers in apprehension. Madhumati and Shashi were in their own painful thoughts sitting in their respective rooms while it was all bearing down on Garima.
"Now that Khushi is pregnant it has become more than necessary for Arnav to know the whole truth. For my Khushi and my grandchild I have to find a way to make him listen my side of story." Garima murmured to herself and reached for the telephone.
While there at RM, Anjali was greatly relieved for having been prevented another catastrophe from happening.
She walked back upstairs to Khushi's room and her relief flew out of the window there and then.
"I am.. sorry." He rasped with his gaze locked on her face. One by one tears trailed down her cheeks but she didn't raise her head and retreating a step back ran away upstairs.
His hand movements quickened over the shirt to button it up that at one point he tugged at a button so hardly that it came apart in his hand. Cussing he moved to grab another shirt when his hands stopped midway.
He stormed out of the room grasping the button in a fist straight into his Di's room. Not finding her there, he searched the drawers and upon finding the key went to a certain room determined.
Unlocking the door he entered startling Khushi who was sitting in front of the dressing table freshly showered whilst drying her hairs.
He swallowed thickly. She stood up dropping the hair dryer.
"I-It came off." He murmured clearing his throat raising the button.
"Stitch it back for me will you?"
"Anyone could do that. Ask Di or your Mami. Or just wear another shirt. It's not that you have any shortage of your Armani suits." She bit out.
"Do you have the thread and the needle here or should I bring it?" He said as if she didn't say anything.
"I want to be left alone. So, kindly.. get out." She gritted with knots forming in her stomach.
"How much more time do you need to be alone. Name it. I will try to be away till then."
"How would a forever sounds?"
"No. Please. Don't say that." He stepped forward.
"What else do you want me to say?" She cried out stepping back till her back touched the wall.
His eyes prickled with unshed tears.
"I haven't taken all that trouble of the last three months just to lose you one day. Forever." He choked.
"You have lost me the day you humiliated our beautiful togetherness in front of our elders by calling it a relationship of physical pleasure, a pathetic excuse of sex. You just proved your perceptions right one more time yesterday by forcing yourself on me." She croaked deeply hurt. Agony showed on her face.
"Nothing has hurt me more than your cruel words." She confessed brokenly.
He took long strides to her and stopped a step away from her. She sniffled closing in.
"I could regret anything.. anything but that night spent with you Khushi. Believe me." He whispered reaching over to touch her cheek only to retreat it back reluctantly. She noticed it all.
"I could give away anything, anything to get it all back. To be that way with you. T-To own you and your love." He rasped.
"Anything? Does that include forgetting your past and stopping your revenge on my mother too?" She sure knew how to make him speechless.
He stepped back with anguish written on his face cutting her heart into pieces.
"Even after everything you had done to me you will still stick to your revenge? You have already ruined me. What else is left Mr.Arnav Singh Raizada?"
This time he reduced the distance between them determined, kept his hands on either sides of her head and stood an inch away from her face without touching her.
"Why don't you go ahead and tell my mother what you have done yesterday. I am sure that will be the end of your revenge. It will literally kill her." She said sarcastically.
"I have thought about that." Suddenly his stance changed. "That did cross my mind but then I have decided the minute I left you half.. naked--" He swallowed while tears rolled down her cheeks as the raw wound bled within her.
"After spending a tormenting day yesterday including this morning without you I have made a decision. That will not change Khushi. For nothing or for no one." He shook his head.
She felt her heart jumping up to her throat. Now what has he decided?
"I have noticed that Di and Akash know something that I don't."
She couldn't prevent the gasp.
"Di said that there was a ray of hope that could've saved our relationship. Seeing your reaction, I guess it really means something to you. Now, I am going to find that ray of hope whatever that is and I am going to use it to the fullest to keep you with me."
She gritted her teeth. This man don't know that he was talking about using his own child against its mother.
"You said you will finish whatever reason is forcing me to keep things from you." She snapped.
"I will kill it if it will come in between us." He stated quickly stepping back when she cringed at his proximity that shoot daggers to his heart.
She gulped. It was only because of the child she has made a determined decision to leave him as she don't want her child to grow under its father's darkness. If he got to know that this child forced her to make that decision then he would finish-
She shook her head.
She would never let him know. Nor will she let him hurt her baby. Period.
Observing her he has a fair idea that he has hit the bull's eye. Now all that had to be done was finding that bloody, freaking secret.
If only he knew he was cursing his own baby!
"Your selfishness is far more greater than your guilt of forcing yourself me Arnav ji!" She shrugged his hand when he very gently cupped the side of her cheek mustering up all the courage he could.
Arnav ji
He staggered back. He could count on his fingers the seldom number of times she has addressed him so.
"I pity you." She scoffed.
"Love me. Don't pity me, Khushi." He said hoarsely. Keeping a distance from her was never easy for him and now it was turning out to be unimaginably impossible.
Needles pricked her throat. She almost reached out to him. Almost. Before she held herself back.
"You, yourself said that you could handle my hate if it is the only thing you would get by being with me than what happened yesterday? What is wrong with you, now? You are way too double minded aren't you?"
"Yesterday or the other day I was just trying to make you vulnerable enough to blurt out your secret. Yesterday and today, it's a whole different case Khushi."
He curled his hands into fists when he stepped to her and she visibly flinched stopping all his advancing.
"The more the days are passing, the more agonizing it is becoming for me to bear your contempt. Release me of that torment Khushi. Love me the same way you always did."
"Even if you hurt me, tear me apart?" She rasped.
"Even if I hurt you or tear you apart." He murmured looking at her desperately.
She stared at him dumbfounded.
"I need you Khushi. I need your love. Why can't you understand this simple thing?" He exclaimed.
She exhaled.
"You want me to love you blindly without expecting anything in return?" She let out a hollow laugh.
"Expect nothing but pain and anguish until I won't resolve my past."
"Yeah, of course. Only that have you given me in abundance." She said sarcastically.
He rubbed his forehead.
"Haven't you ever noticed that how much in need of you and your love I always were? I still am." She choked. Emotions getting the better of her.
He looked away.
"You want to assuage your guilt by getting solace in my love. But you won't offer the same in return if I would be in the dire need of yours." She sobbed out.
He turned his back to her rubbing his chest.
"There. Only this much tolerance you'd shown when I break down. Yet you won't let your guards down and bring back my Arnav ji to console me, to love me." She bit out.
He closed his eyes. Opening his misty chocolate brown pools he found his sister standing at the door step bleary eyed. Two tears rolled down her cheeks while she closed her eyes when he stormed off without replying Khushi.
"Answer me you coward. Why are you turning your back to me now that I am the one telling my feelings here? Come back Mr.Raizada and relieve me of my torment at least for once." She yelled after him sobbing nonetheless. At one point even tried to run behind him but Anjali stopped her and hugged her rubbing her back to calm her down.
Her cries followed him until he didn't enter his room and shut down the door to shut her voices.
Throwing away the freaking button he ripped open his shirt. Disposing it off he threaded his fingers in his hairs and pulled at them before rasping out.
"I most certainly am a coward. I can't lose you even if you had lost your Arnav ji."
Breathing hard he tried to gather himself together whilst the pain tore through him.
If that wasn't enough his phone rang and without looking at the collar ID he picked it up.
"What?" He snapped and then his rage knew not bounds as on the other side there was none other than Garima Gupta talking.
"If you have ever loved your mother Ratna Singh Raizada then you will not cut the call and listen to me Mr.Arnav Singh Raizada." Was the very first thing she said and despite wanting to, he didn't hang up but kept quiet clenching his jaws.
It took all of his strength to tolerate this phone call of the woman because of whom his life has gone astray. Not only that he may lose Khushi forever too after his mother. His rage bubbled up some more.
"I came to your office the other day with the same purpose to talk but that didn't happen. I want to finish for what I was there for. Can I expect to have a civil conversation if I visited your office today afternoon?"
"And why do you think would I entertain your malicious presence in my office?" He spat.
"For Khushi. The person for whom we both deeply care for. In that you can't negate me."
"Well then I daresay she means nothing to me." He growled.
"If she hadn't then you wouldn't have married her despite of knowing about my past with your father." She showed him the mirror.
"What is the fuck that you want from me?" He said exasperated. If she hadn't swore him on his mother's love he would've hung up on her long ago.
"For you to let me explain my side of the story."
"Even if your daughter tries to leave me, she can't. There is a most probable chance for her to now side with me because now I know what has been hidden from me." He threw the arrow in the air as to test that if she knew about the secret Khushi has been hiding from him.
"You found out?" Garima stuttered.
He smirked as a way to get Khushi's secret out was presented to him on silver platter.
"Of course I did. Nothing can stay hidden from Arnav Singh Raizada."
"If you know that then you must know this too that how much necessary it has become for us to resolve our differences once and for all."
He frowned.
What can be that big that would force him to shed his animosity with Garima Gupta?
Above all, make him want to patch up with his mother's murderer?
His curiosity peaked. Now he seriously wanted to know it as soon as possible.
"Fine then. Let's hear what you have to say." He said with his eyes taking a calculative look.
Making her drink water Anjali made her lie down on the bed before covering her with the blanket. Caressing her head she could wipe out Khushi's eyes which were continuously shedding tears.
"Stop crying Khushi ji. It is not good for you in this condition." She whispered kindly.
"I am sorry that you had to see him again. I will be more careful from now on."
"That's the problem Di. Ever since I have gotten to know about the pregnancy, my baby I am having this urge, a craving to see him more often which try as might I can't help. I am feeling so low of myself that I want to see the man who abused me. I hate this feeling." She whimpered. Anjali did too bending her head to drop a kiss on her head.
"Minutes ago when he has appeared at my door instead of being repulsive I felt relieved to see him." She choked wiping her face with the back of her hand.
Anjali swallowed past a lump.
"I am afraid that if it continued then I might end up loving him blindly which he so desperately wants. I can't let my self respect be crushed anymore than it already had. This time I have to think not for myself but my baby, just my baby." She whispered.
"Have this thought ever crossed your mind Khushi ji that if you'd tell him about the baby then he might move on from his past and revenge to start afresh?" Anjali asked cautiously.
"Just once. He was generous enough to crush my delusions by his behavior. Can't you see nothing can make him move past the idea of avenging his mother." She said bitterly.
"What do you think that he will forget everything when he will get to know about my pregnancy when even the thought to part from me didn't make him budge then nothing ever could? I asked him to chose between me and his revenge and you saw what he did. He locked me in this room so that I can't go out or file for a divorce case or whatsoever."
"Khushi ji. I-"
"Di, it is not that I can hide it from him for long but I won't tell him myself to give him all the more reasons to force me." She didn't meet her eyes saying this. She can't let anyone know about her decision until it is executed.
Anjali nodded and patted her cheeks.
"I can't believe I am going to be a Bua soon." She smiled sadly.
"If it had been any other day then this news might as well has made everyone jump with joy. Including.. Chote." She croaked at last.
Khushi swallowed feeling knives twisting in her gut.
"If it had been any other day, he would've been the very first person to know about it. I would've made sure of it." Khushi mumbled whilst her face contorted in pain.
"Now he might not even be the last one to know about it." Anjali whispered quietly.
AR
ASR's cabin
"Do you want me to arrange our lunch and dinner over here because with the speed you are saying one word I am sure it would be night by the time a few words will spill out of your filthy mouth." He gritted out mocking her as well as insulting her with his choice of words. Garima kept quiet swallowing the insult.
"Arnav bitwa. I-" She started only to be sharply cut by him.
"ASR!" Arnav shoot her with a glare.
"Don't you dare call me your son. I am just Ratna Singh Raizada's son. No one else's."
Garima nodded teary eyed.
"A.S.R." She stammered.
"I am your culprit.I know.Punish me. Hate me. Do whatever you want to directly. Kill me but please don't make Khushi suffer in all this.She is innocent."
"Oh I know she is innocent.But what to do huh Mrs.Gupta? Only without her and Payal you'll be devastated.I know nothing else can break you. As far as killing you is concerned, I won't let you die an easy death."
"I don't care about myself but Khushi. Please stop torturing her for my faults.She don't deserve this.She loves you."
Love?
If only she would love him the same way like before!
He asked but she refused only because of this mother sitting across his table trying to make up a convincing story to trap him in her charade of innocence too. But she don't know him well that she can't deceive him by any false pretenses because he has seen her true colors years ago and he has lived every day recalling it over and over again to come to this solid resolve to never spare if he ever found Garima Sharma.
When loving Khushi so much couldn't stop him from his revenge then what does she thinks that some make up story would?
Let her try and be in delusions. He would take great pleasure in breaking all of her illusions to pieces.
Garima took a deep breath to calm her raising helplessness.She had to do this now.This was her only chance.If she wanted to free Khushi from the miseries then she would have to use this chance to the fullest because to be honest the hatred Arnav was displaying towards her since the wedding day until now was unbearable for her and knowing that he was Arvind's son, she just can't bear it for the reasons she didn't want to admit even to herself.
One way or the other whatever he accused her of was true as she was the reason between the dispute of Arvind and Ratna.
Ratna..
The name brought back so many memories to her.
Ratna Malik was the one of the strongest woman she has ever met but her strength was her husband and her children Arnav and Anjali.
She had known it all when she has met her for the first and the only time. That Ratna loved Arvind beyond limits.She has seen it in her eyes how much her husband meant to her probably more than her own children.Maybe that's why she took such a cruel step of ending her life.
She herself was shocked when she found out even though while meeting her she has appeared too stronger in front of her that the news of her suicide has left her in shambles as well.
How she wished she could have found out about Arvind's deceit a bit earlier then maybe this catastrophe in all their life in past and even at present could have been avoided and most importantly Arnav wouldn't have turn out to be this ruthless, heartless and arrogant which he has become now.Only if Ratna would've been alive.
Arnav's patience was wearing off. It was too much for him to let her come to his office and sit in front of him let alone wait for her to spit out her so called story.
"Get out if you can't make up any story." Arnav gritted.
"I-I am going to tell you my side of the story. I-"
He scoffed and couldn't resist the sarcasm.
"Your side of story huh? Oh yeah! Now its been months since I got to know your true face you must have made up your own story by now considering how you lured Arvind Malik into your charms Mrs.Gupta.Must say you have done a fantastic job at that.That the father of two children went behind their backs to have an illegitimate affair with you."
"I DIDN'T KNOW." She cried out as she couldn't take these accusations anymore coming from his mouth.
Seeing him giving no response she continued.
"I didn't know he was married Arnav.I didn't even know that he even has a mother or a wife or even children for that matter." Her voice broke at the end.
"He was charming, handsome--" Her voice shook as she added."-Just like you." She saw Arnav clench his jaws at the comparison.
"He looked quite young of his actual age.He had an aura which could fascinate everyone around him.Even the men could not help but feel themselves inferior to him.My father was no exception.He was impressed with him in their first meet.Apparently he told my parents that he saw me at some wedding function and liked me instantly.He said he didn't has anyone in his life so he himself had to ask my hand in marriage.Babuji was happy but he didn't want to rush things so he himself investigated about him but he found out just what Arvind told him.And then.."
Coming out of his stupor Arnav laughed sarcastically.
"Now don't tell me that he managed to clear out all of your father doubts and married you without you having any idea that he was already married with two children huh Mrs.Gupta?"
"Yes." Her confident answer shook his being.
"He married me. I was his ex-wife when I met your mother. I told your mother everything and she believed me. She knew I wasn't lying. She even helped me. There was nothing illegitimate Arnav.Nothing except for his love for me and your mother both.He neither loved me nor your mother.We were just a beautiful pawns in his game of getting what he laid his eyes on."
Garima stopped revealing further because she knew what she just told him must be too much for him to digest at once.She wanted him to gather himself before she could tell him the rest of the truth.
After that it would be upto him to believe it or not.Because somewhere she knew the whole truth will shake him much more than this half revealation.
She saw him twisting and untwisting his fingers with his jaws clenched, his eyes blazing with anger and confusions, doubts.He would burst any time from now on she knew and she was right..
"Pretty interesting story you made huh Garima Gupta by putting all the blames on Arvind Malik posing yourself as a pity party. If you think that I'll believe all this crap then you surely don't know who I really am." He hissed out angrily.
"I don't have any proofs but.." Garima started but was cut in rudely.
"SHUT UP!" He stood up punching the table startling her.
"I already had heard enough shit. GET OUT. NOW."
But she didn't budge.Today she has found strength to face him confidently without breaking down after months and she wasn't sure if she would ever be this strong again in her life. It was her Khushi's and her grandson's future at stake. She has to win this situation, this conversation. She has to make him see the errors of his judgements.
"I can prove that I was married to him."
She stated which resulted in the pin drop silence in his cabin. He was taken aback by the firmness in her tone that he couldn't say anything.
She has proofs?
Arnav mused.
Of course false ones made up to convince him. She wouldn't have come here unprepared after all she was the most wicked woman he has had ever known.
"Payal." Garima swallowed past a lump.
"Excuse me? Payal? What she has to do with all this?" He hated being confused and right now Payal's name in the middle of it all has startled him.
"She is the daughter of Arvind Malik. Your step-sister actually!" Garima stated shaking the ground beneath him.
"WHAT THE FUCK YOU ARE SAYING?" He lost it as he has never known that she would stoop so low to involve her own daughter in all her scheming.
"If you are in a delusion that I will believe in all this crap then you are surely mistaken Mrs.Garima Gupta. GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE AT ONCE!" His insides were just crumbling bit by bit. He even forgot that he was supposed to make her blurt out the secret Khushi has been hiding from him.
"I know you won't believe it just because I am saying it.That's why I am going to suggest this."
She took a deep breath.
"You know the best doctors here in Delhi.You have the power and the money both. Perform a DNA test and you will know the truth with solid proofs." She said knowingly rendering him speechless.
He didn't even react when she came around the table to face him.
"But the moment you knew the truth then I have just one request Arnav. Could you please stop despising me because not only Khushi's suffering but your hate is killing me too." She raised her hand to cup the side of his cheek to which he flinched back making her drop her hand with a heavy heart.
Dejectedly she turned and left hoping against hope that he believe her.
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