"Ah our love is a harsh cord that binds us wounding us." ~ Peblo Neruda
"I..I love you Khu..Khushi."
Something shifted inside Khushi at his confession.
"Arnav?" Shyam stepped towards him taking all his weight on himself.
"I have to get him back to the hospital immediately Khushi. Do you want to come with me?" he asked her.
Khushi nodded with unfathomable expressions on her face. Giving a fake smile to her family she followed Shyam
Getting him inside the car Shyam took the driver seat while Khushi took the backseat besides Arnav looking at his unconscious state.
I..I love you Khu..Khushi
She closed her eyes as painful memories came back at his confession.
"I planned to make you fall in love for days and wherever we met whatever I did with you was preplanned--" He laughed "By me!" He finished pointing towards himself with a snide smirk.
"That's what I wanted. For you to love me." He smirked.
"So that my task could get much easier and trust me it wasn't that difficult because I knew what type of a girl you're who easily went from one guy to another in a span of few days," Pinning her to the cupboard he gritted."Just like you moved from Shyam to me."
"You thought I love you. Haha. What a joke. Want to know the truth. Then Listen I never loved you. I never will. I love someone else. She is my life."
Her eyes widened as her heart clenched.
"I always imagined her when I was with you" He leaned in."I imagined her when I hugged you. I imagined her when I kissed you and I imagined her when--"
"Stop. pl.eas.e stop!" She begged as she covered her ears.
It was getting too much for her to hear.
He smirked enjoying more now.
Taking her hands off her ears he locked them behind her back and completed his sentence.
"I imagined her when I made love to you!" He saw her expressions going completely miserable.
"Actually it wasn't love making! It was just sex for me by the way and I loved fucking you everyday!"
Khushi paled. She felt her breathing stop as her inside chilled.
"And all this you know very well why I did! I don't regret anything and neither will I ever because a girl like you deserve only this. You disgust me Khushi Kumari Gupta. I hate you. I hate you like hell."
Saying this he grabbed her wrist and dragged her with him.
She was just blank now as if someone just sucked all the life out of her.
He reached the gate of RM where Ramo Kaka was standing.
The old man saw with tears as his Arnav baba threw Khushi bitiya out of the gate and ordered him.
"Listen man! Don't even think of helping her if you love your family. Now close all the gates of RM!"
The car stopped with a jerk bringing her back to present.
Wiping an stray tear she glanced as Shyam hurriedly called for a stretcher reaching outside the hospital before the attendants took Arnav back to his room to treat him.
"You surely want to come and stay here Khushi?"
She looked up at him looking lost.
Arnav's confession has opened old wounds and even though many years has passed she was feeling like it all happened just yesterday. Maybe she was stuck. Her life was stuck in those 6 months that even after 7 years the pain just won't go away. No matter how much she has tried to cope up and bring normalcy back in her life but no. It never came. She doubted it would come to her ever. Either.
"It doesn't change a thing Shyam. It doesn't." She shook her head controlling her tears.
"I know." Shyam murmured knowing that she was talking about Arnav's declaration of love.
"All this--" She gestured with her hands taking a deep breath blinking back the tears.
"All this is too much for me.In amidst all this I...am feeling lost. I don't know what to feel anymore" She cried out her lower lip shivered in effort to prevent herself from weeping out loud.
"Hey.." He side hugged her and she sobbed on his shoulder.
As she opened her eyes and pulled back she saw Anjali standing right behind them.
Khushi's eyes changed emotions within seconds.
"There it is your wife Shyam." She scoffed.
Shyam turned to see Anjali who was having tears in her eyes.
Another day like this swam before his eyes and he knew Khushi and Anjali were thinking the same right now.
"What are you thinking Mrs.Jha. Let me tell you--" Khushi spoke calmly wiping her face composing herself.
"Whatever you saw right now and whatever you are assuming in your mind is...true...so very true." She looked in her eyes before whispering as if in a secret.
"I am hitting on your husband. Better watch out and keep an eye on your man.And if you want go and cry all over your brother then lets see what will he have up his sleeves to destroy me."
"No. No Khushi ji. Not even for a moment I thought like that. I have learnt my lesson the hard way. I know he was just looking out for you. You're upset over Chote aren't you?"
"I don't care whatever happens to your Chote." Khushi exclaimed as if Anjali hit her wrong nerve.
"Then why did you marry him again?" Anjali asked pointing towards her parting and beaded chain indicating that they have been married again.
"Well all have been asking me the same question over and over again. You are lucky because you'll be the first one to get my clear cut true answer about that." She gave one look to Shyam who was keenly looking at her every expression before looking back at Anjali.
"I married him because I want to ruin him. Once I will be done I will be out of his life for good."
She then spoke looking at Shyam.
"Tell your Sale Sahab that he needs to get his shit back together before meeting me.We may have been married but I am not coming to live with him not until he gets out of his sullen state. I hate it when he begs and cries like a girl before me. If he is really a man then ask him to fight me.To stop me to ruin his life.This is a win-win situation.Who knows I might change my mind!" She shrugged her shoulders before stopping an auto sat in it and left leaving Anjali and Shyam gaping in her wake.
Aman who has just arrived upon Shyam's call heard it all.
Only he knew how he dampened down the speculations that lurked around every news channel ever since ASR was found under the water and rescued from the critical condition. Upon that Khushi Mam's presence has only increased the hype that he had to appoint his men to keep an eye on Gomti Sadan 24/7 to keep the media personnel away from Gupta family.
AR rivals who were fearing of his return to business world after he was freed from jail and were so keen bringing AR down all over again has used this opportunity to the fullest and has pointed out about the latest Indian law in which the people who try to commit suicide are presumed to have severe stress unless presumed otherwise and they insisted on putting ASR into rehabilitation center once he gets discharged from the hospital as his hospital reports indicates that he was under severe depression.
Now it was up to Aman to solve this mess for ASR for the man himself already had too much on his plate right now and he vowed that he will.
If only they knew that not any rehabilitation center but only a person could bring him out of this state.
"Shyam ji please at least let me explain." Anjali begged as he came out of the doctor's room discussing about Arnav's condition. He has been taken under observation again and thankfully his condition was much more stable now.
"What do you want to explain? Do it. I am listening." He folded his arms across his chest looking at her angrily.
"You do know I can never think bad for Chote. I was seeing him for the half an hour how he tried to get up and it was deteriorating his condition.In that state of his I got scared.I didn't want to lose him. I just...just wanted to save his life."
"You were ought to ruin his life Anjali. Don't you get it?" He gritted.
"If he hadn't married Khushi today then he would've died too in your ways of trying to save him! Do you know what doctor said to me right now? He said that Arnav is fighting back with more will power than earlier. The hope of living a life with Khushi has made him come back to life otherwise its not easy to get out of these suicidal thoughts.If he had tried it once he could do it again."
"Shyam ji.."
"Why do you think he tried to end his life days back by jumping from that bridge?"
"I--" She now got it.
"You do know Anjai don't you? It was because he realized that Khushi is going to be someone else's soon and the chance of getting her back and more so her forgiveness are forever lost. In that case he thought death is better than living a life without her. You do understand the meaning behind it now don't you?"
"I do." She sobbed.
"I have lost my importance in his life. Now all he wants in his life is her. Khushi. Just Khushi. She has taken over my place in his life. Maybe more than that. He is alive now because he has got a hope that he might get her love and forgiveness back one day isn't it? That's why he never thought about me even for once when he tried to end his life."
Shyam nodded.
"He did plan this suicide trick 7 years back too by hiring a man Raghu to kill him with a gun. Thank god I reached on time to save him."
Anjali gasped.
"You didn't tell me that.Why?"
"I survived...again?" He whispered aghast.
That was why her brother said that.
"Doesn't matter. What matters now is for you to stay out of his life until he himself allows you back which I doubt is ever gonna happen."
"I lost him. I lost my brother...and his love."
"Yes you have Anjali. You lost it the day you acted irrationally years back when I told you about me and Khushi. You'd made a mountain out of a molehill."
"I know."
Shyam took a deep breath and then sighed.
"The reason I am still with you and aren't leaving you even after your little stunt hours back is that Anjali you don't have any one with you any more.No one.You lost your brother because of your own stupidity and you lost me years back because of the pretty same reasons.We were living back together because of a reason.Keep that in your mind always.You better do it!"
Anjali nodded looking hurtfully at him.
All of the outside world and media knew that she and Shyam were back together.
No one knew why.
Remembering the reason made her cry even more as Shyam left inside to check upon Arnav.
Two months later
Buttoning up his coat, wearing the cuff links he looked up in the mirror to gauge his looks.
He looked the same old confident ASR like he used to be years ago. Well at least he looked like that. He thought sighing.
"All done I think." He muttered to himself sprinkling his usual perfume on his three piece suit.
"Not really." Came the voice from the door.
"Ah Shyam." He gave him a welcoming smile.
"Yeah me." He winked and walking to his cupboard took out the matching tie to his suit and passed it to him.
"You forgot it." He said smiling.
"Oh!" He took it and knotted it around his neck under the collars.
"Now its all done." He patted his shoulder and then sighed.
Arnav thought for a second before taking a deep breath.
"You really think I would be able to work like that again? After all those years?"
"I am sure. Its not just my thinking rather I would say my belief. In you." He spoke honestly.
"How can you be so nice to me when I have been nothing..nothing but a dick to you. I kept you hostage for six months, ruined your career."
"I have gotten over it Arnav. And as far as my career is concerned I have used AR to get that back." He winked. "I am the legal adviser of your company. That has its perks."
Arnav chuckled.
"You have changed."
"So have you and so had everyone else.Life teaches you many things and you have to change accordingly to survive.Otherwise you can't exist."
"Right. Well I am happy my company gave you the leverage to move forward. At least something of mine helped you."
"Hmm .Aren't you getting late? As you are going after 7 years and two months to the office you should obey punctuality now shouldn't you?"
"Yeah a good advice." Arnav smiled.
"What are you looking at?" He asked as he saw Shyam observing him keenly.
"Its good to see you smile again. I don't remember the last time I saw you smiling like this without pain showing in your eyes."
"I do remember the time I smiled the last time.. sneered to be precise." Arnav said turning to the mirror.
"You do?"
"It was when I freed you from that basement telling you that you can have her now that I already had had my share of her."
Shyam's eyes widened.
"Don't be so surprised. Just because I have stopped crying over it doesn't mean I have forgotten it or gotten over it. It is now a part of me. It has become a part of me. I am trying to live through it since I married her again."
Elephant in the room was finally out from his mouth.
"You mean you are trying to act upon what she asked you to do, right?"
Shyam understood now.
"You still need to ask that?"
"You are doing all this 'being normal' thing because of her."
"I have been doing everything as per her likes since a while now Shyam. Otherwise why do you think I accepted my punishment which court gave me when I could've easily come out of the jail next day itself?"
"So you are now--" Shyam sighed. "Like.. umm living for her?!"
He shrugged.
"What if she left you again? Then? You do know why she married you so.."
"Don't worry much. As long as she belongs to me I won't end my life if that's what bothering you." He dismissed it off with a chuckle and then thumped on his back quickly changing the topic.
"You aren't coming?" Arnav asked.
"Uh I will be a bit late." He scratched the back of his neck.
"Oh I wonder who was the person who was giving me lectures about punctuality earlier." Arnav smirked.
Shyam looked at him sheepishly.
"You do know why I will be late. Don't pull my leg now. Anyways gotta go. Otherwise I will be late to pick him up."
"Okay." Arnav nodded.
With the parting hug Arnav left to office.
AR Delhi
Aman was standing at the entrance with almost the whole office staff with flower in their hands to welcome him back into his office after years.
Arnav looked at them as they all smiled at him and Aman extended the bouquet of flowers towards him.
"I think you all have forgotten the rules since I have been away for years." His dominating voice silenced all the chatters and their smiles dried up on their faces.
"No extra chatters. No extra celebrations even if its for me."He spoke firmly placing his one hand in his pocket.
"So everyone within a minute get back to work. If I found even a single soul idly chatting away then consider yourself fired."
As soon as he finished everyone scattered around hurriedly.
"How are you ASR?" Aman asked softly as soon as he led him to his cabin.
The office has been renovated over the past years and it looked more sophisticated being up to date.His cabin was designed as per his likes.Glass cabin but the difference was that he could look through them to keep an eye on his employees while no one could see through it from outside.
Arnav's mind wondered back to another day when his old glass cabin shattered due to the gunshot he planned to killed himself through Raghu.
"I think I made myself pretty clear downstairs Aman. No idle chatters allowed." He spoke ruthlessly turning to him from his leather chair.
"Uh right ASR. Sorry."
While Arnav felt bad for lashing out at him like that when it was only because of Aman the mess he created by his stupid suicide attempt was solved. Not only did he handle the media but also shut the rivals mouths about sending him to some rehabilitation center.
But being in ASR mode it won't suit him to back off from his attitude so he let it go. He would return the favor by some other means.
"Hmm. Now get me all the details of what is going on with the deals, clients, meetings and AR progress."
"Sure ASR."
As Aman turned to leave Arnav asked.
"Where is your temporary boss? I haven't seen her in my oh-so-great welcome."
"I am here." Anjali entered his cabin with a few files in her hands.
"Ah I have been expecting you. Come. Sit." He gestured towards the seat across him."You can leave Aman. Do as I have said. Bring me all the AR past record files."
As Aman left Anjali turned to him as her eyes misted up.
"It's so good to see you back here. Same old ASR. My Chote."
"Miss Anjali Jha I have made myself clear when I entered this office. No idle useless talks will be tolerated in here now that I am back." He leaned back in his chair twisting the paper weight.
"I know you were standing right behind them all listening to all that."
"I did. I...I am sorry." He said Anjali. Not Di. She thought hurt.
"You should be. I hope our personal problems wouldn't come in between our professional life Anjali."
"They won't." She croaked swallowing a lump.She passed him a file.
"This is the power of attorney back to your name." She placed another file upon it.
"This is the account file of all the departments since you left." Placing another black one on it she said.
"And this contains all the things you need to know about AR. Read them and if you want to ask anything I am here to help."
"Very well then." He opened and went through each one of them thoroughly.
"Screw this deal with Malhotras. End it." He said as soon as he finished the last file.
"But they are our major investors." Anjali exclaimed.
"If we excluded them then AR would go into shambles."
Arnav chuckled.
"Ever so emotional Anjali. Just do as i say. Its my order now being the CEO of AR. I have all the rights to make any decision I like."
Anjali nodded.
"Look Chote..."
"It's ASR for you!" He cut her.
She sighed blinking back the tears.
"Okay. Look ASR we need Malhotras. They have helped us get back our name when AR wasn't doing good when you went to jail."
"Now I am back and we don't need them." He spoke calmly.
"But--"
"Just do as I have said Anjali." He gritted.
"I know what I am doing." He said loudly punching his fist on the table.
Anjali nodded as a tear slipped down her eye seeing his coldness towards her even though she knew she deserved every bit of it.
She left with a heavy heart while Arnav quickly gathered himself as he has loved his sister to bits since forever. It wasn't easy for him either to now behave otherwise.
At night
AR
ASR's cabin
"Arnav that's enough." Shyam entered his cabin. "I think you should call it a day now. It's 9pm."
"I have to catch up a lot. There are bunch of meetings lined up for tomorrow and I have to prepare for them" He said marking the files and noting some points on a paper and typed them in the power point."And besides boards of directors are going to call a meeting soon as I will shut down the deal with Mahotras tomorrow. I will have to present them the solid reasons."
"Yeah. Yeah. I get it. How about we go out for dinner and then grab a cup of coffee? You can work your ass off the remaining night. I swear I won't bother you."
Arnav chuckled.
"Sounds like a good idea. I am starving now that you have mentioned about food." He said stretching his hands and legs before getting up closing his files and the laptop.
"Now spit it out." Shyam said as they finished dinner and the waiter left the steaming hot coffees on their table.
"What?" Arnav asked holding the cup up to his lips.
"Whatever you want me to tell." He said taking a sip.
"The day after tomorrow I am going to Lucknow to..."
"To?"
"To get her back." He smiled gulping a mouthful of the bitter liquid.
"It's time she come back where she belongs."
Next day morning
Raizada Mansion
"Here is the papers of your new mansion. It's all ready." Shyam handed him over the file which Arnav took offering him his genuine thank you.
"Great."
"Why new mansion Arnav? You can stay here in your home. I get it there are too painful memories in here but RM has been renovated and all the things here have been changed very much. Anjali and I did it because we know how much it will pain you to remember it all when you will come back. When she will come back."
"Yet you didn't change a thing in my bedroom." He said normally.
"Anjali told me you might get angry because there Khushi's clothes and things were still present. I mean the one from your side Khushi has left them here. So--"
"She said right. If you had done it I would have kicked you in your ass."
Shyam laughed.
"You would have?"
"Yes." Arnav said seriously.
"And the reason I have bought a new house.I want to start a-new with her.If she came back here all she would do is remember the horrible past where I have been nothing but a monster to her. No matter how much changes you make here Shyam the pain, the cries, the pleadings of her, her hope that all would change one day, I would change are still every where in this mansion.And I--" His lips quivered as the corner of his eyes welled up.
Biting to his bottom lip he took a deep breath to compose himself.
"Are you okay?"
"I am gonna be. Soon." Arnav looked up at him nodding his head with his eyes full of unshed tears.
"You will be. You both will be." Shyam gave him a brotherly hug patting his back.
Next day
Lucknow
Gomti Sadan
Khushi along with her family Amma, Babuji, Buaji was seated in the living room of the Gomti Sadan.
Pari, Akash and Payal has also come to wish her birthday.
There was small cake cutting ceremony held by her family and she smiled thankfully at everyone and participated not wanting anyone to feel dejected as she knew they had done this to see her smile to cheer her up. And they succeeded too. She was feeling happy with her small family get together.
She was feeding cake to Pari when the door bell rang.
Shashi opened it and found Arnav Singh Raizada standing at it with all of his glory dressed in his usual three piece suit, his hairs gelled back perfectly and he didn't look like a man who has stepped into the same door two months ago to marry his daughter as per her wish.
Arnav smiled and folded his palms together.
"Namaste!" He greeted softly.
Shashi was transported back to the world from his thoughts as he frowned at Arnav.
"Can I come in?" He asked politely.
"Who is it Babuji?" Came Khushi's voice from the hall.
Shashi saw with his own eyes how Arnav's eyes filled up at her voice.
He stepped aside and Khushi came into Arnav's view who was running after Pari to paste cake on her face too as the girl had.
Pari ran to the front door and walked out of the door hurriedly from the side of Arnav easily while Khushi who wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and was running very fast collided with a hard chest and was about to fall when his arms came around her securing her in her place, in his hold, under his gaze.
Her eyes widened seeing him before her.
He smiled down at her.
"Hi" He murmured huskily.
"Ready to go back home Mrs.Raizada?"
"Huh?"
"Its time you stay with your husband. He needs you." Arnav's intense eyes full of confidence grilled holes into her hazel orbs.
Silence fell around the open living room of the Gomti Sadan as Akash, Payal, Buaji, Garima's attention too went to the person standing at the door with Khushi in his arms.
Shashi's eyes clashed with his wife as he mouthed to her silently.
"I told you he will be back. Soon."
_________________