Note -
Hey Guys,
Firstly Thank you so so much for all the Love and Support.
Ok, so I wanted to make a few explanations about the events of the Last Chapter.
Coming to Khushi first - She has forgiven Arnav for real, yes there is a part of her that will always be in love with him, always, but after all that has happened,she strongly feels that this kind of platonic ,intense,love is only capable of giving pain to each other,that its not right for the two of them, to be in Constant pain,hence the leap into marking a boundary,and being with Arhaan,because she knows even though Arnav doesn't believe in marriages, the sacredness of a matrimony is a line,a boundary he will never cross.She wants to save both herself and him from the constant pain,but she doesn't realise for now is that the only way they can do that, is by being with each other.
Zoya - She is deeply guilty about what happened, and it tears her apart to know that she was the one is responsible for the wedge in between of her and Asad,so right now she is in a very very vulnerable state of both in her mind and heart,due to both family and personal problems.So she is trying to do her best to make up for the blunder,and also letting herself go with the flow of how things are happening.
Coming to Arnav - Arnav Singh Raizada,has finally evolved into the person he could be, that he was in his heart before the tragedy struck,but with a very very heavy price to pay. Like explained before he only let Khushi go because he believes he cant make her happy and Arhaan can.He had wished something else for himself and Khushi, but for the first time, he deceided to let destiny overrule his decision only because he loves Khushi so deeply.It happens like that ,the people who dont believe in love, end up falling in it , in the most deepest way, and its just one way into it, there is no turning back,and so no matter what, Arnav will always love only Khushi.
Coming to Asad - Like Dilshaad mentioned, that darkness is inside of him,and when he it takes over, he will destroy himself and everything round him, and its unfortunate but Zoya has kind of pushed him over the cliff back into it.He is heartbroken and shattered,because he did from his heart forgive her from his heart for the Lie of her name,and even after that the accusations that were hurled at him, broke him deeply,and although he loves Zoya intesly , he also hates her now and wishes to hurt her and break her too.Also the reason why he made love to her, was actually due to his emotions overruling him because in his heart he knew that that would be the last time he had Zoya with him,and the true emotion was that he wanted to store every memory of that expression of their beautiful love, which was now broken.However, yes, it is a point of concern,though if you see from the other side.He is taken over by darkness completely and no light can reach him now, its sad but as Khushi worst fear that her brother's darkness never deserved to see the light of the day again, has finally come true.
Ok guys, so i just wanted to get these things cleared, because as a writer I want to put across what and why Iv penned down things in a particular way,since you all give so much time and love to my work, its only fair that I should be clear about why ,what is happening.
............
Chapter 33 - The Mirror of the Past
The Past.
There is always something enigmatic about it.
Its Happened, Its Gone,
But then how is it that it still always Remains??
Maybe because no matter what,
Thats how its supposed to be, that's how its meant to be.
That the Past is always meant to be a part of our hearts and minds, our being,our existence.
Even if you let go, even if you move on, you can never go back and change the Past for it happened,and no matter how much one may wish for, you just cant go back in time and undo it and so it does often seem like the Past is glued to our being,no matter how much we move on and evolve, in the stories of our Lives.
And every once in a while, it does Resurface, and becomes that one mirror,that we have to face, even if we dont wish too.
That at Times, in certain Moments of our Lives,
Our Present is often found standing in front of the Mirror, that Reflects The Past.
And we have to watch it, we have to face it.
And so,even if you move on
You cant let it go from your being.
You cant run away from it for all your Life.
You cant Fight it all your Life.
You have to accept it.
You Just Have to Face It.
And thats why the Past is An Enigma On its Own
That Even Though it's Gone
It Still Just Always Remains.
..........
Farhaan Khan felt the hot water fall over his body as his hands rested on the wall of the shower cabin,and the minute he felt the hot water caress his wound in the back of the shoulder,he almost smiled,that gunshot wound in his back of the shoulder had stopped hurting a long time ago, but it was a mark of his past that would always remain a part of his body,his mind and his soul.
He looked at the ring on his finger and he smiled,he was engaged , now officially engaged to Khushi Ahemed Khan, the woman he loved, the only one who had captured his heart and his thoughts,even though he had thought of this as nothing but a mind game for revenge in the beginning, he had fallen for her, in the process, in a way that was so deep, that he knew that there was no looking back for him,for his heart had made the decision of its own,and fallen so deeply in love with her.
He still very clearly remembered, how he had bumped into her all those months ago,and she had immediately caught his attention,he hadn't connected the dots immediately and had been smitten by her and then within a few days, as he had gotten to know who she really was, that she was Asad Ahemed Khan's sister,Rashid Ahemed Khan's daughter, he had been surprised at his own fate and destiny,because it had just made him come face to face with the daughter of one of the families, he had vowed to seek revenge from,for over a decade.For that fire for revenge had been driving him,and he had been thinking of relocating to India for the same,when he was sure, that he was powerful enough to destroy the Khan's and the Raizada's,and it was right then destiny had made him come face to face with the beauty,who was in every way linked to his gruesome past.
And then he had started to woo her pursue her, further, more so because he knew he could use her for his revenge,and then as he had gotten to know that she was even deeply linked with Zoya Singh Raizada, he had only felt more lucky,because he knew he was getting a connection both ways,and he wanted revenge,because his father has always told him that the Khans and the Raizada's had destroyed them,they always harmed their family,infact the gunshot wound had weakened his fathers chest musles greatly,and that was the reason why he had died two years after that gruesome day of a fatal heart attack. And so because of the painful past and the fire it ignited inside of him, he had buried that budding affection for Khushi inside of him a little and followed his mind,and done practically everything and anything to get into her good books, to get her to trust him.
And he knew she did trust him,in that one moment all those months ago,when she had bared her heart out to him, about how she had been in love with someone, who had thrown her out of his life.That was the first time, he had felt his heart flutter, for he wanted to wipe every tear from her eye.Somehow that sight, of her tear stricken face, that broken face, the emotion, awakened something inside of him, something he didn't know had existed.
Those tears, that innocence, that purity of her heart,had finally started to pull the strings of his heart,and even though he had tried to fight it, he couldnt, because he was being drawn to her,he was falling for her, and he had been a prisoner of his own heart.
He had no idea when and how it happened, but he had fallen for her, amongst all that time he had been spending with her, amongst all her innocence, and constant chatter, her enchanting smile, and soon he knew he was lost, he was starting to forget the real reason as to why he had gotten into knowing her.
And then that Love, that love had blossomed in his otherwise deserted heart,and he felt himself change for her, everything inside of him with time, had started to change, that fire for revenge had started to really wash away under that spray of Love,and it was right then,that she had broken up with him,because she felt he deserved to be with someone who would love him back.
He had left, he had gone back to Germany,and told his uncle,about how he wanted to let go of it all,and start afresh,forget Khushi, forget the gruesome past that connected him with her family.Forget revenge,forget the love, and just start afresh.
And he had thought that he could,that he could get her out of his mind,and his heart, but he had failed, somehow he could only think of her, and that was when he had realised that he had really fallen for her deeply,and that he couldn't live without her, and it was only out of that Love and not revenge, that he had flown to India to meet her,and in the impulse of the moment, he had asked her to marry him,and she had agreed.
His only fear was that Asad would do a background check on him,but he also knew that the only way he could find out his real name would be by official documents,because every where else, in the world of business,and friends, or social media for the last decade he had called himself Arhaan.And so he knew that even if Asad enquired about him from his real estate connects in India, there was nothing to worry,and then of course luck was in his favour that the mess between Asad-Zoya had kept Asad so occupied, that he probably hadn't looked further.
He shut the shower and then started to dress, and he looked at his reflection in the mirror and he smiled as there was nothing to worry, he knew that only a few more days, and very little time was left until Khushi would be married to him.
And for her sake,and only because he loved her so deeply he had buried everything else deep inside of him,because he couldn't loose her, and nor could he ever hurt her,and he knew if the past ever surfaced, it would not just hurt her, it would break her,because she had trusted him even when she was going through the most difficult phases of her life, but she had trusted him,and she had never doubted his intention,he almost smiled,Khushi was really gullible sometimes, she trusted too easily,but that was her.
And that is why he knew for sure that the past had to stay where it was, buried in his heart and mind, she would never know.
She could never know that he had wanted to play with her for revenge.
She could never know, that he had started it all as a game.
And most importantly,
She could never know, that the 17 year old him,had accidentally killed her Little Sister,Najma and then un-intentionally killed her uncle, Zoya's father,Alok Raizada.
She could never know, that his father, Firoz Khan had killed her father,Rashid Ahemed Khan.
And with that thought he finally took a deep breathe and stepped out the bath,ready to meet the woman he loved,he knew she had been waiting for him in the room, unaware of the fact that the past he had wanted to bury,had already resurfaced,and in some way stood right in the hands of the woman he loved.
.......................
Khushi waited in anticipation as she flipped his passport pages in her hands again, maybe just maybe she had read wrong,but no his name started in her face.
Farhaan Khan.
Firoz Khan.
Why would he lie??
She looked for her phone, she had to inform someone about this, but she realised that she didn't have her phone with her.Dammit.
She felt tears brim in her eyes,as she realised no matter the reason she had been fooled yet again, in the name of Love, he had said, that he loved her, didn't he?? Then why couldn't he give her the truth about who he was??
And why??? Her mind fought for answers.
And Just like that, in a flash of a second she was taken back to a similar moment, between her and Arnav all those months ago,she could only imagine now, how betrayed and angry he felt in that moment,because she could feel it now.
Right then she saw the door open,and Arhaan stepped out, and she hid his passport in the back pocket of her jeans in a second,and the minute she looked into hie eyes,and he registered in her tear stricken face, he was by her side in a jiffy as he cupped her face tenderly and asked - " Khushi, whats wrong? why are you crying??"
Khushi looked into his eyes,and touched his hand on her face as she pulled away and she said -" You came into my life at a time, when I had no clue how was i going to start rebuilding the wreck I was in, but you were there for me, and then i felt i could trust you, only you, even when i couldn't trust myself
you know me,you know everything about me,about my past,dont you?? i trusted you, I trusted you so much, even though i was so broken,you were the only one I had turned too,I always thought that you were someone, who I could count on..."
Arhaan looked at her confused,her tears were already creating a havoc on his mind,and he stepped in towards her,and held her shoulders and he said - " look at me, why wont you look at me??whats wrong?? Khushi???",and he cupped her face and made her look at him.
Khushi finally looked at him as she said - "we are engaged, you said you love me,we are to get married in a few days...then why??"
Arhaan looked at her confused as he stepped closer and pulled her into a hug as he brushed her hair - " I know, I know, Khushi, but whats wrong??why what??"
Khushi knew as she looked at him in the eye,that this was the moment, that confused look in his eyes was genuine, the concern was genuine and maybe she could ask him straight away, he wouldn't ever hurt her,and so she whispered softly,as she took out his passport from her back pocket and flipped it open in front of him as she asked - " then why couldn't you trust me with your real name?? Why do I call you Arhaan, and not Farhaan..."
Arhaan closed his eyes,the moment he had never wanted to happen was happening,and the cat was out of the bag,and he took the passport from her hand and he said honestly - " well, because for the past decade, i call myself that,Khushi...im Farhaan only on the official documents...",and he turned to put his passport away in his business bag,and he quickly texted his uncle that he would take time to come down,as Khushi had seen his passport.
Khushi watched in silence,and she walked upto him as she asked from behind him - " why do you call yourself Arhaan??and why would you lie about your father's name, i clearly remember you told me that your father's name was Abdul, when your passport says that your father's name is Firoz.dont you think i deserve to know the truth???? I dont even know what to say right now....this is a mess,such a mess, i never thought you could ever lie to me, and now i find out that every thing probably might be a lie....even your name....Arhaan, or no Farhaan, i don't even know what to call you anymore...",and then she started to back away,and she knew that he could clearly read that look of betrayal on her face.
Arhaan instantly held her hand as he wiped the tears out of her eye and that hurt in her eye at the realisation that he had betrayed her ,butchered his heart and he said softly - " no not Farhaan, for you, im Arhaan, always was, always will be, look at me, you know I love you...dont you??"
Khushi looked at the emotion on his face and it seemed genuine but she asked,sure her voice was shaking - " I know from ammi, that abbu and Alok uncle had a common friend called Firoz....from college, are you his, i mean Firoz's uncle's son??? was your father responsible for the rift between abbu and uncle??"
Arhaan closed his eyes, as the pain of the past, resurfaced and then he opened his eyes, the broken look on her face pulled every string possible of his heart and he asked softly - " you want the truth??"
Khushi nodded.
Arhaan - "then will you come with me??"
Khushi looked at him skeptically - "come with you where...??"
Arhaan held out his hand - " trust me,this once, i wont hurt you Khushi, you know I won't...and i will tell you everything, but not here..."
Khushi looked at him trying to read his mind - " then where??"
Arhaan was about to answer her, right when there was a knock on the door, and he walked and opened it and he saw his uncle ,Mehmat standing in the doorway with Zoya behind him ,and he stepped in,and Zoya followed as she said smilingly - " ok, so i was just wondering where the two of you were...and i asked Uncle, and he told me that you all were here...come on lets go down, everyone is asking for the two of you...Khushi...", and she stopped mid sentence as she realised the serious look on Khushi and Arhaan's face, and she looked from Khushi to Arhaan and then back forth,and she watched Mehmet uncle walk next to Khushi as he asked - " Khushi, beta, whats wrong...."
Arhaan - " we just got into a argument..."
Khushi - " a argument over his na...",and before she could finish, she felt his uncle put his napkin to her face and before she knew it she lost conciousness.
Zoya looked on shocked,as she moved on an impulse as she said moving next to Khushi - " what did you do?? why???? Khushi?? can you hear me...???"
And right then she saw Arhaan was by Khushi's side in a jiffy as he patted her face and he said with worry loaded in his voice - " Khushi, khushi?? can you hear me?? Khushi...", and he looked at his uncle and he asked angrily - " what did you do??are you insane?? didn't you understand when i told you, its not a game anymore...I love her...what have you done??"
Mehmat looked at his nephew and he said dryly ignoring Zoya's presence - " enough, and what part of when i told you in the very beginning that this was the perfect way to get to Khan and Raizada at the same time ,didn't you understand?? I know you love her, relax, i didn't harm her, she's only unconcious,used a little bit of chloroform, thats all...now you will do as I say, understand...how can you ever forget that her mother was the reason your father was unhappy all his life,that your mother killed herself due to depression,and all because of that family and this girl...", he said referring to Zoya - " and this girls father is the reason why your Fatima Khala could never be happy, cant you see they only destroyed us, you may be blinded in your love for her, but I am not, for i know this love was the reason that destroyed both my cousins,our family, and i will make sure,that I get the revenge i want...farhaan you are with me or not????"
Zoya listened in shock and she got up dazed,and she asked - " farhaan?? who?? what are the two of you talking about, my father, her father, what revenge??", and before she could finish,she saw Arhaan's uncle hold a gun out of his pocket at her face - " easy little Raizada, you will have all your answers, first i want you to do what i want, Arhaan will take Khushi in his arms,and you will go inform everyone downstairs that Khushi has fainted and that we are taking her to the hospital,and then you will come with us....act smart,and you will see that my gun actually has bullets"
Zoya felt a chill go down her spine as she saw Arhaan pick up Khushi and he gestured her sternly to just follow,and so she did,as she watched Mehmet uncle put the gun back in his coat pocket.
Something wasn't right.
Something was very very wrong.
But she followed the instructions that were given to her, she had her phone in her pocket, she wanted to call or message Asad, or her brother, but she noticed that Mehmat's uncles eyes were on her, and she remembered that he had a gun, and it was a chance she wasn't willing to take, and so she just did, what she was asked to do.
............................
Meanwhile
Two Hours Later
At The Hospital
Asad stood in silence,as he saw his mother sitting next to Arnav's nani, and the rest of his family and he knew that restless expression on her face, she was waiting for her best friend to get up, so that she could see her,and not just that ever since they had arrived two hours ago, he could sense the confusion in the air, as everybody was wondering that why would Kkusum aunty take the names - Firoz and Farhaan.
It was a confusion in his mind too, for he hadn't heard off any Farhaan ever, Firoz uncle of course was their fathers friend,infact they had been fighting because his abbu had wanted to strategically involve his friend in a huge business deal,where as Alok uncle was against it,but even Firoz uncle was dead,so then why?? Maybe because Kkusum aunty of course didn't know that he was dead because she had been in coma, but then who was this Farhaan??
He tried Calling Zoya, but her phone was unreachable, and then he called Khushi,hers was ringing but she wasn't picking up,and then he called Arhaan, his was off too.He wondered what was up, and he realised he needed coffee.
He walked over to the coffee vending machine,and poured two cups of black coffee,as he spotted Arnav standing in the far end of the corridor, all by himself,and he looked lonely and dejected.
He took a deep breathe,as he remembered, their conversation at the party,and he knew it was time to answer the question his long lost best friend and brother had asked him.
.....
Arnav watched Asad walk upto him as he handed him a cup and he said - " i think you need it too..."
Arnav took the cup and nodded - "thanks..."
Asad stood next to him,and he sipped his coffee as he said, taking a deep breathe - " I wanted to call you straight away,after Ammi had the attack, It was the scariest night of my life, we had just returned from witnessing the CCTV footage,and abbu was dead,najma was, uncle was, aunty was in coma, after I came home and told ammi,what I saw, I was broken, so so so shattered,and to be honest, I hated you so much in that moment, for you forced me into seeing that footage,i was really ok with not knowing, because atlas,that way atlas we would have had each other our families would have had each other, but no, you had to know, you had to be so so inquisitive,and then what i saw,broke me completely, I had looked up at the two of them all my life...and to see them take shots at each other...."
Arnav spoke in between - " hadn't we both looked up to them all our lives?? we wanted to be like them, didn't we??"
Asad nodded ,and then he continued - " but you have to understand, the darkness that consumed me in that moment, because i blamed you completely you were the one who had unleashed the box of troubles on us by making me see the footage, now how could we go back to unseeing the most gruesome sight of our lives...and i knew then and there that everything had changed,and even though a part of me wanted to tell you about what happened to ammi and as to why I didn't support you on the investigation, I didn't come to you, or tell you ever, because I was so angry at you,for making me see the footage in the first place, i couldn't forgive you for your inquisitiveness that destroyed everything in between of us, in between of our families...."
Arnav heard everything,and he asked cautiously - " will you ever be able to forgive Asad?? you have to understand, when I wanted to look into the footage, i had no idea, we would see what we saw,and thats why i wanted to investigate, because i couldn't believe my eyes, dad would never...."
Asad sighed as he brushed a hand through his hair, too much was happening for both his mind and heart,he couldn't get in touch with Zoya and that was scaring the hell out of him too,he knew last night he had been so so so brutal,and then of course Khushi wasn't picking up her phone and he wished everything was alright and that thought that had been ruling his mind ,ever since he had heard that aunty had taken two names and gone all anxious, something inside of him told him that it was linked to that fateful day and the deaths of their fathers,and the sinking feeling that was coming along with it, that what if Arnav was right all along, that sinking guilt at that thought made him very distress and he looked at him as he asked - " I dont remember any mention of any Farhaan,at all...ever,iv met Firoz uncle, he never mentioned as well..."
Arnav nodded,he knew what was going through Asad's mind, he knew him,he could see that restlessness on his face at the thought that was coming in his mind, that what if,he had been right all along, that his father could never do what they had seen,and he took a deep breathe as he said - " I dont remember at all too, we met Firoz uncle together once I guess, didn't we??"
Asad nodded.
Arnav asked in a curt voice - "and Maa just took Farhaan's name,with him and why who is this Farhaan?? what if they were there....what if our fathers didn't kill each other...what if our fathers and Najma were murdered for real??? what if there really is more than what met our eye...Asad.."
Asad took a deep breathe as he stated the truth, looking straight at Arnav - " if thats the case,then ill probably never be able to forgive myself...."
Arnav knew that he was stating the truth,the guilt would torture him in and out and he asked changing the topic - "anyway,did you get through to Zoya?? she should know...i guess Maa should be up soon...they have shifted her to the room from the ICU, which is a good sign, and she would want to meet Zoya..."
Asad felt his heart wrench in pain at Zoya's reference and he said - " no, i havent been able to get in touch with her, Khushi isn't picking up her phone, Arhaan's phone is switched off as well, i wonder whats up....but im sure Khushi will call back as she sees my calls and ill ask her to get Zoya here as quick as possible...i know they are together..."
Arnav felt his heart skip a thousand beats at the thought of seeing Khushi again and he looked at Asad as he asked - " why doesn't forgiveness come to you easily Asad??"
Asad looked at him suprised, but he answered honestly - " i dont know, something i havent learnt yet maybe...."
Arnav looked ahead as he asked curtly knowing he had already done something self disastrous - "what have you done?? you'v done something self destructive, i know, because i recognise that look on your face, Iv seen it on your face before, all those years ago, when you cut all your ties with us"
Asad looked straight ahead as he said honestly looking at their families - " Yes, self destructive surely,only because I cant forgive Zoya....I just can't..."
Arnav nodded - " Im her brother, normally I should be feeling angry and agitataed,and all mad at you, but I understand, its love,the way its perceived, and felt,and acted upon, is subjective,and its a irony we end up hurting the people we love the most in probably the most brutal way....anyway I'm concerned for Zoya, but its between you two,no one, no one has the right to interfere between a couple..."
Asad looked at him from aside and he said - " Zoya did tell me that you were in love,are you for real?? its difficult to believe,because iv seen how things are for you and iv known you..."
Arnav nodded,as he said shrugging his shoulders - " yes, i am,have loved, but have lost, so doesn't matter...."
Asad looked at the solemn expression on his face, and he didn't want to probe in further and right then he saw Anjali di gesture to them,to come join them.
The two of them walked to their families,as they nodded at each other in acknoledgement,and they both knew, that the icy stony silence in between them,the silence that had lasted a decade had finally been broken.
..............
Anjali watched the two of them walk to join everyone,and she could read their body language,something was different,she had seen them talking, but she had no idea what it was about.
Anyway right now wasn't the time to comprehend their equation as she said looking at the two of them - " Maa is awake, and she wants to see us, as in all of us....Dr Roy has allowed us in the room,the nurse will be out incase if we need her, he said Maa wanted it to be private,looks like we will finally know the truth, about what happened...."
Arnav and Asad nodded,as they all got into the suite and a few of them sat on the sofa,and Arnav took a seat next to his mother on the bed,and he watched a very tense Asad stand leaning against the wall,as he watched his nani,mami,mama,and dilshaad aunty hug his mother one by one.
And then slowly his di, introduced his jiju,and then Akash introduced payal to her, and his mother smiled at everyone,and then everyone took their seats, and he watched his mother take a deep breathe,and he knew that the moment was finally here, the moment when they would all know the truth.
.........................
Kkusum Raizada looked at the solemn faces of her family in front of her and she then looked at her best friend Dilshaad and Asad,and as she had been in coma,she had wondered because her mind had been working,and she could hear and comprehend,but she couldn't react or move, she had been wondering why she hadn't ever heard Dilshaad's voice around her, why hadn't anyone from her family ever mention the Khan's anymore,and then with time she had thought that maybe there was some sort of a misunderstanding between the families after that horrific incident,only due to the few hints she could gather from what she heard from her elder daughter Anjali, her Chotte had never uttered a word about that horrific day around her.
But today, they were all in front of her, and she knew that they were all waiting for her to speak ,because she had been the sole witness to the gruesome incident.
She knew it was time, her waking had been long due, and long time coming, and she knew that everyone deserved to know the gruesome truth,and then she would ask Arnav and Asad to hunt down Firoz and his son Farhaan and have them rot in jail forever,for that was what they deserved.
She took a deep breathe as she spoke - " Rashid and Alok,didnt make it,and nor did Najma,and im sorry Dilshaad, i truly am, if only i hadn't taken Najma with me to the farmhouse that day,she would be alive...."
Dilshaad went and sat next to her on the bed,as she kissed her forehead and held her hand - " not your fault, it wasn't your fault, our destiny perhaps....what happened Kkusum?? what happened at our Farmhouse..."
Kkusum took a deep breathe as she looked at the anxious faces in front of her as she started to speak - " so you know Alok and Rashid were having differences after Firoz had left the country right?? they were fighting so much, until we intervened...and counselled them and then things started to get better, honestly Alok never wanted to hide the truth from Rashid, the truth as to why he couldn't trust Firoz,but he just didn't know how to tell him,but he knew once he would, Rashid would see everything differently...and thats why Alok and Rashid had planned to meet at the farmhouse that day, i went along because i wanted to be there to see things didn't go out of hand, and i also took Najma with me,because you know she had been with me all day earlier...."
Dilshaad nodded.
Arnav asked cautiously - "and Maa what was the reason dad wouldn't trust Firoz uncle??what dont we know??"
Kkusum spoke meekly - " Because Firoz was in love with you Dilshaad,always was, and you and Rashid had been together forever,but he was in love with you..."
Dilshaad looked at Kkusum shocked - " what?? no way?? for me Firoz was always a good friend, i never gave him any false impressions..."
Kkusum nodded - " yes, yes, ofcourse, but Alok knew this from Fatima,they were very close friends, and Fatima was in love with Alok,and when she told him how she felt, it did really hurt Alok to tell her that for him, she was only just a good friend,anyway,the reason why Firoz and Fatima left the country all those years ago, after college, was because of the unrequited love for you and Alok, everything was fine until that day when Firoz returned to India, and Alok had sensed some kind of a vengance in him, he didn't have proof, but he knew it, he could sense it, because he knew surely that Firoz loved you so deeply, even though he had gone on to marry, he was never happy with his wife, and Alok had also dug in and found out that Firoz's wife had committed suicide due to her acute depression, which was rooted from the fact that her husband never loved her.And he feared greatly that Firoz was back for a vengance ,he wanted to wedge in between you and Rashid and also Alok knew that Firoz hated him, because fatima,his dear sister had been so so unsettled in her life,due to her unrequited love for Alok, so he knew,that Firoz's intentions were anything but true, he feared, that if he had let Rashid go ahead with the deal, Firoz could create a havoc,in all of our lives...."
Everyone heard in shock ,as Dilshaad clutched Kkusums hand,as she asked - " could he tell Rashid any of this before?? then why did they fight?? why did they take shots at each other?? Asad and Arnav saw the CCTV Footage..."
KKusum looked at her son and then at Asad and she asked meekly - " what did you see?"
Arnav looked at Asad, and he nodded,which was a gesture that he wanted him to go ahead and tell her and so he said - " we saw that dad had taken a shot first, and that najma was hit, and then the shot Uncle fired,and just another crossfire between them,and then everything was blank,as in the tape was blank, we ,as in Asad and me assumed that..."
Kkusum looked at Arnav and Asad in shock as she asked - " please don't tell me that you assumed,that your father could kill Najma,or Rashid,or that Rashid could kill Alok, please tell me ,this isn't what you have assumed???? how long have i been in coma??tell me, how long???"
Arnav answered softly - " ten years...."
Ten Years.
Ten freaking Long years.
She could only imagine the hatred that must have ruled their sons due to this misunderstanding.
She started to get anxious, and right then a machine beeped,and the nurse rushed in and checked her vitals and she said - " look the patient is getting anxious..."
Kkusum - "no, im fine sister, thanks, please wait outside, ill call you,if i..."
The sister nodded as she said - " im right outside, ring the bell if you need me..",and she looked at everyone - " please take care and dont say anything to disturb the patient..."
Chasm took a deep breathe as she spoke - " I don't know what you saw and how you saw, i do remember the security mentioning to Rashid as we entered that a few of the CCTV's weren't working and that only one on a particular angle was,anyway they didn't fight, why would they??as this truth was what Alok had told Rashid that day at the farmhouse,and Rashid was only thankful,that Alok had foreseen a big disaster,and that was when they arrived, Firoz and his son Farhaan,he was probably just a year younger to Asad and Arnav,and we were all surprised, because we all thought that they had left the country,and more than that, we had no clue as to how they knew that Alok and Rashid were there at the farmhouse and at that time,and on top of that none of us knew, Firoz had a son.."
She paused for a second as she took a deep breath and then continued - "Alok had asked me to take Najma to the terrace garden,but Najma was busy playing in the play area on the ground floor,and so to get her to come with me i went upstairs to get a few of her toys from your room on the second floor,and whilst i was in the room, i heard angry raged voices, Rashid was probably enraged because of the information he had just received, and Firoz was furious at Alok,because he hadn't let him have his way.I started to make my way down the second floor,but I saw it all happen in a jiffy, i only remember that farhaan was standing behind Rashid, and Firoz was behind Alok,before any of us knew, Farhaan had fired,and he was young,and not so good at his shot, he had probably fired to scare us,but the shot hit Najma,and as we all know Rashid had a license to keep guns,and he had it in his farmhouse,two of them, he quickly flung one to Alok,and right then Alok fired, the gunshot hit the Farhaan in the shoulder,and then Farhaan fired,the shot hit Alok,and then i guess Rashid saw Firoz aiming at him,Rashid shot and that hit Firoz on the side of his chest and Firoz shot Rashid,straight in the head, in between his eyes,i guess I called you Arnav, as i could reach the landline on the first floor, i don't know if you heard the gunshots, i was in panic...I had frozen in shock earlier, for i had seen the most horrific scene of my life,and then as i was rushing down I knew by the pool of blood, that none of them would make it and then i fell down the stairs, and hit my head,the last thing i remembered seeing before i lost consciousness was that Farhaan was helping his father out of the farmhouse,they both had been injured too but not fatally...Alok and Rashid didn't kill each other, they were murdered, I can clearly tell you his son shot Najma and Alok, and Firoz killed Rashid..."
Silence.
There was a stunned silence,as the truth finally came to light.
Asad felt as if the ground had been opened beneath his feet and that he was drowning in guilt ,Arnav had been right all along, there was more than what met the eye surely,and he closed his eyes for a second in agony of guilt as he asked in a hoarse whisper - " but the CCTV Footage, it didn't show the events like this, what we saw clearly...",and he choked on his own words as he heard Arnav continue - " like i said, we immediately went to the security room at the back where we could see the footage, what we saw was that Dad shot,and then najma was hit,and then the crossfire in between dad and uncle..before it all went blank"
Kkusum - "could only mean, that the Footage had been tampered with, how could it all go blank just like that, if it hadn't been tampered with, it wouldn't have just blanked out like that, must be his son , i mean Farhaan, and like i said we were so shocked,when Firoz walked in with him that day anyway, none of us knew he had a son and that too as big as the two of you...i dont know, who did what...but what i do know, is what iv told you all....why didn't you investigate further?? you would have surely found something...."
Dilshaad looked at the guilt stricken face of her son and she said - "and thats all my fault...", and she filled in everyone about what happened later that night, and once she finished she spoke - " im sorry, if only i hadn't asked Asad to...this is all my fault..all my fault...",and she felt tears leave her eyes.
Devyani Malik finally stood and walked over to the two of them and she touched Dilshaad's head - " dont blame yourself, your intentions were wise,and now that we all know the truth, its time to face the past, head on, we will not run away from it, we will all face it together, and walk right through it, as one family, we will not run away from it,like we have been for the last ten years...."
Kkusum looked at her son and then at Asad as she said - " but find them ,Firoz and his son,and have them behind bars..."
Arnav spoke softly - " Firoz Un..",he stopped he couldn't get himself to say Uncle for the disgust of the man who had ruined their lives,and he continued - "maa firoz is dead....he died two years after dad and uncle...and..we can't..."
Asad intervened as he looked at kkusum, who had been a second mother to him always and he spoke with guilt loaded i his voice - " we cant do anything as in legally, we covered up abbu,uncles and Najma's death as a car accident to the world, in which you were so badly injured that you slipped into coma...."
Kkusum asked in shock - " what????"
Arnav spoke softly - " we didn't want to make dad and uncle a laughing stock to the world, after all that they had built, their name, we couldn't let the world know, for we assumed the worse,so we just cordially framed the tragedy as a car accident, and separated our businesses,and went our separate ways..."
Kkusum closed her eyes in despair,as she let it all sink in, and she then opened her eyes as she looked at everyone - " I understand...", and then she scanned the room,as she asked - "why cant i see Zoya..."
Dilshaad looked at Asad as she asked - " have you spoken to her yet??"
Asad - " no ammi, i havent been able to reach her...but they are together, im sure,Khushi will call me once she sees my calls..."
Kkusum looked on confused as she asked - " how would Asad know..."
Dilshaad smiled as she said - " looks like we do have a good news to give you too, Asad and Zoya are married, Kkusum,remember how i always wanted Zoya for him anyway...it is a long story....but I will fill you in later...."
Kkusum looked at Asad,but he wasn't looking at her, she had known him well, just like her own son, he had guilt written all over him , and before she could say anything to him , she saw Dr Arvind enter the room with the Nurse as he said smilingly - "I guess its been a good enough time for the reunion, for one day, she needs rest, i do wish to send her home soon, but that will be possible, only with all of your co-operation.."
Kkusum nodded,and she heard Dilshaad say - " can i wait in here with her??"
Dr Arvind - " yes, only one of you can...but i need her to sleep now..."
Dilshaad - "i wont disturb..."
The doctor nodded, and he watched everyone leave one by one, and then he checked Kkusum and all her vital parameters,her bp was slightly high,but rest everything was absolutely normal.He had been waiting for this day himself since a decade, he had been a good friend of Alok's and even though he knew his friend was no more, he himself had declared him dead,along with Rashid Ahemed Khan and the baby Najma Ahemed Khan, all those years ago, he knew something suspicious had happened, but he hadn't probed in further,he was happy that he was able to tend to his friends wife, and now with the grace of God, she had finally woken up and was now united with her family.
.............................
Meanwhile Simultaneously
Three Hours Later after They Had Left the Hotel -
Khushi opened her eyes, she felt dizzy,and her head ached,and the minute she registered the surroundings,she realised that she wasn't in the hotel anymore,and that this room, seems familiar but she couldn't place it in her head,and right then the events of what happened came back to her and she struggled from the bed she was in,as she got up,and she spotted Zoya was tied to the sofa,and that she was unconscious,she got up immediately ,and she felt weak,but she picked up the glass of water and splashed it on Zoya's face,and then she saw Zoya's eyes flutter open and she quickly untied her,and then pulled her into a hug as she asked - " Zoya, are you ok??? are you ok?? what happened?? where are we??"
Zoya hugged Khushi as she replied surely the panic was in her voice - " i think i fainted due to dehydration, they tied me once they got us here....they asked me to frame your unconsciousness as that you had fainted and that we were taking you to the doctor,and Mehmet uncle has a gun, he threatened me, i had to Khushi, and then the next thing, i knew as were in the car was that they had tied my hands...but I know where we are Khushi, we are at the Farmhouse..."
Khushi looked at her confused - "which farmhouse??"
Zoya spoke in panic - " the farmhouse where it all happened, uncles farmhouse,we are in Chhattarpur , i have no clue how they have the access to it, last i remember Asad told me that he had sold this place immediately after that incident...Khushi I'm so scared, and Mehmet uncle was calling Arhaan, Farhaan, whats happening, i can gather that they aren't what we thought them to be...."
Khushi closed her eyes for a second as anger flooded inside her,as she said - " because he lied to us Zoya, he is Farhaan khan,and from all that has happened, i dont need him o answer that he is indeed Firoz uncle's son, the same Firoz who was responsible for the rift between uncle and abbu,and now i have this sinking feeling that they are also connected with the incidents that happened that day...we need to leave Zoya, we need to get out of here, and meet bhaijaan, i dont have my phone, do you have yours??"
Zoya nodded ,as she took out her phone from the pocket - " but theres no signal Khushi...what do we do??"
Khushi - "ok keep it back in,lets get out of here...Arhaan, Farhaan he wont hurt me...or you"
Zoya held Khushis hand and they started to make their way towards the door, right when they heard angry voices outside -
Arhaan - " its been three freaking hours, and Khushi hasn't woken up, if anything happens to her, then..."
Mehmat - " then what?? huh?? are you going to forget everything and anything in the name of this stupid love?? this same emotion destroyed everything in our family, your mother, your father, Fatima,then why cant you open your eyes, and quit being stupid..."
Arhaan - " I cant' ok and abbu is dead and so is ammi, what am i going to get out of revenge now anyway?? i don't want to loose Khushi, and i will not....."
Mehmat sneered - " and you are a fool to think shed want to be with you after she knows the truth....the only way she will be with you is if you listen to me, lets leave, lets go to Germany immediately, lets take Khushi with us,her visa formalities have been done anyway,and i think her passport would be at the hotel,because you did say she had it in her bag as you left for the hotel right??"
Arhaan - " yes, she does....but what about Zoya??"
Mehmat - "shes fainted out of dehydration i guess, ill just go to the hotel, get our stuff,and luggage , get the tickets done,and here use this cholorofom on Zoya for a while, by the time she will wake up,we would have left, and she can go and tell her husband and brother about what happened...but it will be too late, Khushi would be with us,and they could spend the rest of their lives searching for her, for they would never know where we took her, and then once you'v had some sense in your head,and I can get you to understand,what I want, we can come back here, and finish the task that i want...."
Arhaan replied angrily - " what do you want???? i dont know what do you want?????
Mehmat - " I want to destroy them Farhaan, and i will , you are with me or not,Asad Ahemed Khan and Arnav Singh Raizada will have to pay for the tears,your parents and Fatima shed,due to their fathers...do you understand, i will not let you back out now....only because of something as silly as your love..."
Arhaan - "fine, go....lets do what you want, i cant think straight right now anyway, the best way would be to leave right now..."
Mehmat - "fine, i will return very soon, until then handle the situation, don't let them get away..."
Arhaan - " I won't..."
....
Khushi felt a chill down her spine,as she looked at Zoya and they heard footsteps, probably Mehmet uncle had left,and she knew he was the more dangerous one, she knew she could still emotionally coax Arhaan and escape or atleast make Zoya escape safely because she didn't trust his uncle at all, and she knew Arhaan wouldn't harm her,and so she said looking at Zoya - " Zoya listen to me, carefully, Arhaan will be back here, very soon, ill tie you back in the sofa...meanwhile even though there is no signal, use your phone to record whatever he will say, I will get him talking ok....and i will get you to escape from here, and then you will go find Bhaijaan and Arnav as soon as you are out of here, and get them here...dont worry, i will not let him take me anywhere until you come back with them, i will hang in here, Zoya I know Arhaan he does love me, he will not hurt me, so this is the only chance we have, the only way out, the only chance we can take...are you listening to me???"
Zoya looked at Khushi in disbelief - " I'm not going to leave you here....no way..."
Khushi - "then we are both going to be in extreme danger Zoya, please understand, this is the only way out, you have to do this, pleaseeeee, and we have to be quick....he might be back any minute...."
Zoya racked her brains and she knew what Khushi was saying made sense,but she still had her doubts but she said - "ok tie me up for now, i will see once he gets talking as to what his intentions are..."
Khushi nodded, and she tied Zoya back,and Zoya put the recorder on on her iPhone in her pocket and went back to acting as if she was still fainted,and she saw Khushi go back and quickly refill the glass of water from the bathroom and lie back on the bed,and she waited in anticipation,for she knew Arhaan would be back any minute now.
.......
Arhaan opened the door,and he entered,and he saw that Khushi was still uncnsciousness,and so was Zoya, as she was tied to the sofa, and he saw that the water glass next to the table was as is as he had left it and he took some water in his hands,and he splashed it on Khushi's face,as he touched her cheek lovingly,she had to be ok, nothing could happen to her, his uncle had just used chloroform.
He saw her eyes flutter open,and she looked at him,and he helped her sit up in bed as she said holding her head - " where am i?? ouch my head hurts....."
Arhaan helped her sit up as he said - " Khushi, you'll be fine...here drink this...", and he made her drink the glass of water.
Khushi gulped the tap water down,as she put on her best innocent face as she said, taking his hand, surprising him - " why won't you tell me the truth?? I know you love me, you wont hurt me, tell me the truth please....i promisee i wont leave you....but i deserve to know the truth...."
Arhaan looked at her and the tears left her eyes again and he couldn't see her cry again and he wiped her tears and pulled her into a crushing hug as he said - " please don't cry...please don't....ill tell you everything, but promise you will come with me as soon as uncle is back with our luggage and your passport from the hotel..."
Khushi pulled back from the hug as she asked - "but where are you taking me??"
Arhaan - " to germany, where we can be away from all this mess, i promsie, i dont want any revenge, even though my uncle wont give up, but he cant do anything without my support, and i will not support him anymore, Khushi all i want is to get rid of my past once and for all...and then start afresh once and for all....""
Khushi looked at his pained face, and she felt both fear and sympathy at the same time, but she asked, sure that her voice was shaking - " what past??Arhaan, i promise ill come with you...now will you please tell me whats this about??"
Arhaan opened a few buttons of his shirt and flipped it half open and turned for a second, to show her his wound on the shoulder at the back,and then he quickly turned back,and buttoned himself up and he saw Khushis eyes widen in shock as she asked , her voice was shaking - " that looks like a..."
Arhaan spoke - " a wound from a gunshot....yes because thats what it is...its a mark of my past Khushi, thats always been a part of me..."
Khushi - " what happened???"
Arhaan got up from the bed as he spoke looking out to the window - " I was very little, only 5 when I lost ammi, she was in acute depression,and she died, abbu was always aloof, i grew up as a very lonely child Khushi, Fatima khala brought me up mostly ,because she had been divorced as well,and came back to living with us.only when i entered my teens, ifound out that ammi,hadnt died due to illness, she had killed herself, and then I overheard Fatima khala and abbu's talks one day, and they were talking about as to how they couldn't ever be happy in their lives because of their unrequited love, abbu, was in love with your mother Dilshaad aunty,ever since his college days, but for her he was always a friend,for she loved your father,and they were always together, and Fatima khala loved your uncle, as in Alok raizada, but her case was the same as abbu's,they never got love in return, Fatima koala could never settle down in her life,and had finally left her husband and come back to us...I was only a teenager Khushi, just 13 and to know all this, my mind automatically went into the Hate mode for the unknown people due to whom my family's happiness had been destroyed for i had also learnt that ammi,had killed herself because she had been in such deep depression because abbu never loved her,and then as i grew up more, i could see that the guilt that ammi,had killed herself because of him, and the fact that I was raised without a mother, started to eat abbu from within, and slowly he turned into someone who onlyy wanted to seek revenge...and I supported him fully, because back then that seemed right to me...abbu wanted to come back to India, settle back in, he went to your abbu first, because he knew he was more trusting than Alok Raizada, he wanted to get back into your lives, with the only aim for revenge,and why not destroy the happiness of the people who had destroyed our family...but Alok Raizada wouldn't let abbu have his way, for i guess he had sensed abbu's intentions,but abbu knew that he had successfully caused a rift between Rashid uncle and Alok uncle, and then abbu pretended that we had left the country, but we hadn't...and then that day abbu had known that they would be going to farmhouse alone,and he wanted to go and confront Alok Raizada in person, for he was so angry that because of him, he didn't get what he wanted,and obviously Abbu hated Rashid uncle too, because he had that one thing he had desperately wanted, your mother. I went with him, he had given me gun and kept one for himself too,because he knew Rashid uncle kept guns, and then when we reached the farmhouse, and abbu finally walked in and introduced me to everyone present there for the first time,everyone was shhocked, Zoya's mother was also there, and your little sister too....we didn't know they would be there....anyway....Alok uncle asked aunty to take the baby upstairs,and i guess the baby wouldn't go so she left to get some of her toys to probably get her to go with her, and before I knew it, all of them got into a heated very heated arguement, because apparently Alok uncle had just told Rashid uncle about how abbu was always in love with your ammi, and as to what his intentions were...and he was enraged ofcourse, and before i knew it there were only accusations being hurled everywhere, and i could only watch....i didn't know what to do, i knew it was getting out of hand since abbu and your abbu got into a physical fight as well and then I took out my gun, and i only fired because i wanted to scare everyone, but then i missed my shot, and it....", and he finally chocked on his own words.
Khushi listened in horror and she finally moved as she turned him around and held him by his collar as she asked, her voice shaking with fear - " it whattttt?????"
Arhaan looked at her and he spoke,because he had promised that he would give her the truth - " and it accidentally hit your little sister Najma...and the next thing i knew was that Alok raizada had fired at me,and the wound is the result of that,and then I fired back in defense, and i shot him,and then your abbu fired at abbu because he had his gun aimed at him,and then abbu was hit in the side of his chest but he fired back,and hit your father straight in the head....we saw that Kkusum Raizada had seen it all, and was at the stairway upstairs,and abbu was about to shoot her too, because obviously we couldn't leave any witnesses, but then she fell down the stairs herself and hit her head, and then i saw abbu was bleeding proufusely, i was injured too, and so i took abbu,and we left...."
Khushi stepped back in shock as she asked - "you killed my sister, my little sister....you killed Alok uncle....your father killed mine...for real....", and she saw that Zoya was squiriming out of the corner of her eye, and she desperately hoped that Zoya didn't react right now,for she was within a metres distance of the man who had killed her father.
Khushi looked at his face as she asked - " but I know from bhaijaan, the CCTV footage...how didn't that show what it was??"
Arhaan took a deep breathe - " I had rushed abbu to the hospital,and once he was stable and that my wound was tended too, abbu reminded me that there were camera's at the farmhouse, and he asked me to go back,and delete every recordings...."
Khushi gaped at him in shock - " you tampered with the recordings??"
Arhaan - "once i reached back, i realised that all of your family would be at the hospital,including your brother and Arnav, lucky for me, when i arrived, no one was there, i had spotted the security room earlier when we had entered from the back gate, and so i went straight in...and when i reviewed, i realised that only one camera had been working,due to which abbu wasn't anywhere in the frame...nor could he be seen,only i could be seen, so i used the desktop nearby to edit it, i was always very good with technology as you know, I'm a computer engineer too,but i had my interests in all that, ever since school,and i used all the skills i had, to edit myself out from whatever was left of the recording, and call it fate, once i was done, it looked like your fathers had taken shots at each other, and that Alok Raizada had fired first and that Najma was killed, and then the crossfire,but because i had edited myself out and abbu couldn't be seen,it looked like it was a crossfire was just between Alok and Rashid...and then i cut out the rest and just left it there....i didn't delete it completely because i felt if anyone came and saw this, they would get the proof that the two had killed each other, and that would rule out every other suspicion and that me and abbu could get away easily, and leave the country,and only return later..."
Khushi walked upto him as she asked - " then why didn't you come back??"
Arhaan - "well, abbu had tracked with the help of Mehmet uncle about what had happened between the your brother and Arnav,after that incident, that the best friends had turned into enemies , and i figured it was because of the recording i left...because to the world they covered everything as a accident, and then I wanted to strike back,when i knew we could , when we were powerful enough,but then abbu died two years later of a heart attack, he couldn't survive because his chest muscles had weakend due to the gunshot...and I only blamed his death, at your family,i was orphaned...at 19, and then Fatima khala,passed away in a accident a year after when i was 20,and then i went to live with Mehmet uncle and Afreen Khala, and Mehmet uncle is abbu's first cousin, they were always very close, and he knew everything, and he wanted to avenge the destruction of his family, and so did i....and i wanted to return to India, and I had come to London for some work......when...."
Khushi looked at his face,and she wiped her tears - "when you met me....you realised who i was, and you knew it could be the perfect way, to use me to get to my brother, and then when you obviously knew of my association with Zoya, i m sure, you couldn't believe your luck....is that what it was , wasn't it Farhaan Khan?? I cant believe the games you played, all the mind games that you played with me, when all this while all you wanted to do was destroy the people i love...like you have done in the past....this was all a game, for revenge...this was all fake wasn't it?? this love?? this engagemnt?? those promises??????",and she sat on the bed,dazed and dejected,and she started to get the ring off her finger.
Arhaan was by her side in a jiffy as he sat kneeling in the floor,stopping her - " no, dont take that off, please don't, Khushi, I love you, i fell in love with you, i admit it all started as a game for revenge, but the love that i felt for you,changed me, it truly did....look at me....", and he made her look at him, and he said - " i mean it when i say, i dont want any revenge anymore, all i want is to forget the past, and just start afresh with you, you promised you would come with me...I know, i cant force you, and i won't, but i need you to give me one chance to make it all ok, ill take you away from it all Khushi, I promise....the past is over, its gone Khushi..."
Khushi wanted to run away, because she couldn't stand those hands on her face those hands that had killed Najma, Alok uncle, and then he was also the one who had left behind a proof, that led to such deep misunderstandings that destroyed her brother and Arnav,but she knew she had to play up the act for Zoya's sake, and so she said - " the past is gone Arhaan, but it still always remains, you cant change what happened, you can't, but Fine Ill come with you...."
Arhaan looked at her - " you will??thank god Khushi...youll forgive me wont you?? iv changed Khushi, i really have...."
Khushi looked at him, and she said getting straight to the point - " i don't know about forgiveness yet but I will believe that you have changed, if you let Zoya go...let her go now, before your uncle comes...shes been fainted, let me wake her up, and let her go....give me your car keys....you want me to come with you don't you?? I will, thats all you want isn't it?? then let her go...."
Arhaan looked at her,and then he looked at Zoya, who was on the sofa unconsciousness, they were anyway planning to let her go,and if he did what Khushi wanted, she would definitely believe that he had changed for real,and so he took the car keys from his pocket and gave it to her - " fine, i will let her go, I anyway was going to ..."
Khushi took the keys, and took some water from her glass and splashed it on ZOya, and made her drink another glass of water, and she gestured to her, that the plan was on, and she also gestured to her to control her emotions, because Zoya's face and eyes were clearly indicating fury and wrath, when she was supposed to still be fainted all this while,and thank god Zoya understood and masked her emotions and Khushi said holding Zoya's hand - " Zoya, are you ok??"
Zoya nodded and she hugged Khushi as Khushi whispered in her ear - " go fast...and be back soon...."
Zoya saw that Arhaan was watching them and so she got up immediately and walked upto him as she said - " you love Khushi dont you?? you wont hurt her?? let her come with me...."
Arhaan - " I cant, and only because I love her, im taking her with me..and the only reason im letting you go right now and not much later as Mehmet uncle wanted is because of Khushi...alright??"
Zoya turned to look at Khushi and she gestured to her, that she wasn't going to go, but Khushi gestured to her that it was the only way out, and then Khushi walked and stood next to Arhaan and held his hand as she said , hoping Zoya got the final cue - " goodbye Zoya, say bye to ammi,and bhaijaan for me, i don't know when will i see you all next...but I trust Arhaan, I'm going with him, he wont ever hurt me....he won't...he loves me..."
Zoya gestured to Khushi that she would be back soon, and as much as she hated to leave Khushi in that moment alone with that man who was no less than a criminal,she knew Khushi was right it was the only way out, for that criminal did love Khushi, and she was sure, he wanted that one chance to change,and that he wouldn't hurt Khushi.
She took the car keys from him and rushed down the stairs and she got in the car immediately and switched off the recording, happy that she had got his confession as proof, and now she just had to find her brother and Asad,and show them this, and then get them here and get Khushi out of here, before Arhaan and Mehmet could take her anywhere,and for that she had to act fast.
For a second, just as she was about to call Asad, the events of what had happened,last night came back to her,but this was beyond everything right now, even though she and Asad were over in one sense, this was above it all, and she called him quickly.
But she couldn't get through to his number.
She tried again and again, but she couldn't get through.
She started to drive and then she tried her brother, even his number was unreachable.
She banged her fist in distress on the wheel,and she tried them again, but in vain.
And then right then her phone rang,and she saw Aman's name flashing on the screen and she picked up,and she heard him say - " I filed the annulment papers in court Maam....and everyone has been trying to reach you...your mother is awake!!.."
Zoya had called Aman at the hotel thi morning at 8 am, because her brothers trusted right hand was the only one she could trust with this job,and she had asked him to file the papers first thing as the court opened,and only after that she had gotten ready and gone for breakfast,before all of this mess had happened, but her attention was caught by the latter half of the sentence as she asked in shock - " watt????? you mean maa is out of Coma??"
Aman - " yes, i only got to know an hour before because everyone has been trying to reach you, they are all at the hospital....including the Khan's....she woke up this morning, its been a while now..."
Zoya quickly - " ok ill just go there...iv been trying to reach them...incase you do tell them I'm coming to the hospital..", and she hung up, and she started to drive faster,towards her mothers hospital, could it be possible that her mother had told the truth to everyone already?? well she would just have to find out,as she remembered that Khushi was still with Arhaan, and his uncle could '1 111be back soon,and that monstrous Mehmet was dangerous.
It would take her 20 minutes to reach the hospital if she took the speed upto 120..and so she hit the accelerator,and drove as fast as she could.
And she kept trying to call Asad and her brother,but she couldn't reach any of them.
.....................
The Hospital
Asad stepped out the suite and he walked out dejected, towards the end of the corridor, now that the truth had finally come to light,he felt guilt starting to consume him,as he realised that he had indeed been the one who was responsible for all this hatred, all this enmity and the misery that they all had been living with,only if he had listened to Arnav's intuition,but what was the point now the damage had been done, they had all paid a very heavy price, for it, for the last decade.
Right then he saw Arnav come and stand next to him and he looked at his taut face and he was sure, there was so much on his mind too,but he didn't have the smug i told you, i was right look on his face, he was completely exhausted and drained just like he was,and so he spoke hoarsely - " i dont know what to say...."
Arnav was about to say something right when his phone rang, and he picked it up seeing Aman's name flash on the screen and he heard him - " Sir, i got through to Zoya ma'am,shes on her way to the hospital, and she said she was trying to reach you, but your phone wasn't availabe..."
Arnav - " good that you reached Zoya,maybe there was low signal in the room,i was with maa....when did you speak to her??"
Aman - " just a few minutes before, i called you straight after but it took me a a while to get through t your number as well, precisely 7 minutes, so i guess she should be there soon..."
Arnav - " ok thanks Aman, ill let you know if theres anything else...", and he hung up,and he looked at Asad to see him restless again and he said - " my phone wasn't reachable, Zoya was trying to reach me...anyway she's on her way here..."
Asad immediately got his phone out of the pocket and he immediately started getting notifications of missed calls from Zoya, and he said - " i have five missed calls from her too..."
Arnav looked at his phone - "me too...anyway she would be here any minute, lets go down..."
Asad nodded - "and i guess Khushi would be with her too, maybe thats why she hasn't called me back yet, because she must be with Zoya....lets go down...".
Asad followed Arnav and he didn't know how was he going to tell Zoya the truth about the past, and especially after everything that had happened last night he had no idea how was she going to react anyway.
.................
Zoya waited at the red light front impatiently, the hospital was just right turn from the red light, and she looked at her watch, she couldn't wait anymore,and so she decided to jump the signal,and the minute she moved ahead,and took the turn,she felt a jerk hit her car from the other end, and she realised that the car had been hit by another speeding car, lucky for her she had her seat belt on, and that the air bags inflated for her safety.
The next thing she knew was that she was being helped out by a few people f the car...but she felt dizzy she had hit her temple on the wheel,and some glasses from the smashed window of the other side had hit into her arm,and a few at the back,she felt a piercing pain shoot through her, but she couldn't loose consciousness, she knew she was right outside the hospital,infact some paramedic was putting her on the strecher,and she faintly touched her pocket,and she desperately hoped her phone hadn't broken on impact after all it held proof.
She felt hazy and dizzy, and she heard someone ask her , for her name, that if she could recall her name as they rushed her in the hospital,and she mustered something that was deep embedded in her mind, even though it wasn't true anymore - "Zoya Ahemed Khan..."
.......
Arnav and Asad had just stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor, right when Asad saw that there was a huge commotion outside the emergency section,and he heard Arnav speak - " probably some accident...."
Asad nodded, and he started to walk ahead, but stopped dead in tracks as he heard someone shout out - " Her name is Zoya Ahemed Khan..."
Arnav stopped dead in his tracks, and before he knew Asad had made a run towards the emergency , and he followed him at the speed of light,and the minute as they stepped in the ward,and he registered in the sight of Zoya on the stretcher, with her temple bledding profusely and that she was injured in various other places, he felt as if he couldn't move.
Asad stood frozen,as he watched the doctors tending to Zoya,and that sight of her, so hurt and covered in her own blood, he felt as if he couldn't breathe.
Nothing else mattered in that one moment as he ran to be by her side and he saw that Arnav followed and he spoke to the doctor - "what happened?? I'm her husband.."
Arnav spoke at the same time - " Im her brother..."
...........
Zoya could hazily see and she was in great pain,but she registered that she had Asad and Arnav by her side.
She looked at Asad hazily as she said - " Asad....",and then she reached out to her brother as she said - "bhai..."
Asad held her hand immediately as she tried to keep his cool,even though everything inside of him was in deep fear - "Zoya, im here....youll be fine...ok dont worry...."
Arnav held her other hand as he said - " shh Zoya, we are here with you the doctors are here...."
But Zoya wanted to speak, she had to tell them and she managed to muster - Asad, bhai...my phone....i tried to reaa"
Asad said trying to control his panic - "yes we know you were trying to reach us...its ok...shhh...alright...",and he kissed her forehead.
Arnav brushed her hair as he said , hoping that the news would help - " you gotta be fine soon, Maa is waiting for you..."
Zoya felt another shooting pain,and she heard the doctors asking Asad and Arnav to leave so that they could do their job, but she had to say - " bhai...Asad...no...my phone...proof..."
Asad and Arnav fought against the doctors that were trying to hold them back, and got by Zoya;s side again,as Asad kissed her forehead again - "shhh...everything can wait...."
Arnav - "Zoya...stop talking...."
Zoya looked at their distraught faces,but she finally mustered - " Firoz uncle...his son...Farhaan..."and she fought another bout of pain as she tried to complete what she wanted to say.
Asad and Arnav looked at each other in shock, how would Zoya know, she wasn't there...and they asked together - "whattt did you just say..??"
Zoya mustered softly - " They were the ones who...",and she could regster that they understood what she wanted to say and then she gathered all her strength as she said - "Farhaan...he..he is...here...he...has...Khu...khushiii...she helped me..escap..escappee...same...farmhouse...he..was..here...all alonggg...Arhaan is Farhaan...",and just as those words left her mouth, she lost concsiousness,as everything went blank.
..............................
Fate let out a deep breathe as he said - " Finally, the past has come to light..."
Destiny - "and come face to face with the present.."
Love said deep in thought - " but they have converged just when,theres a heavy price to pay.."
Destiny nodded - "I understand...and its sad..."
Fate - " i just hope she's fine..."
Love - "she will be...but..."
Destiny - "but not without some collateral damage..."
Hate walked in as he asked looking at Love - " now i want to know one thing, if you are so pure and enlightening, then why do people commit all these crimes in your name..."
Love sighed as she said - "well you wont understand, but only because you asked, its because those people dont understand,that, that is not who I am...they have their perceptions wrong,and different people look at me subjectively...it saddens me...but..."
Hate sneered - "but theres nothing you can d about it, say that...there you go...always looking for defence...thats why i dont understand you and your riddles...",and he walked away giving them all a scowl.
Love sighed as she heard Fate say - " you weren't going to say that right??"
Love nodded.
Destiny - " if not then, then what??"
Love sighed - "like i said, Hate wouldn't understand, but i know you both will, its really saddening to know, that I can also be the emotion that can be equally beautiful and destructive...but like i said its perceptions that matter...but I have a boundary too, a limit too,and once that line is crossed, its not me who is functioning any more, its obsession, and we all know how destructive an addictive obsession can be..."
Destiny - "Just like how it destroyed Firoz and his wife,only Fatima could come to terms with it, that in true love you dont just seek to possess..too bad that she could never love again...but i have empathy for her...only her..."
Fate - "and she kind of did raise Farhaan, i hope he doesn't do what his father did...and has it in his heart to accept the fate of his one sided love, just like his aunt did, i just hope he doesn't cross that border of love and enters into obsession..."
Love said deep in thought - "well I can only hope, that he won't..."
Destiny and Fate said in unison - "and Hope we will..."
...........................