Khushi left Arnav's hand as soon as they entered her house...
Khushi(facing Arnav): not 6 months... but you could wait atleast 2 mins right... Please sit down... I will be back with proofs... (she said in a mocking tone)
Without even sparing a second to watch his face, she turned and flew towards kitchen...
Arnav was in his thinking mode when he saw his wife, Khushi entering along with her mother and Buaji...
Buaji: oh sankadevi... What is so important that you dragged us out of the kitchen...?
Garima: Ha Khushi, you and damaadji(son-in-law) are leaving today, right... We are preparing laddoos so that you could carry them to Raizada house... Now, let us go... We have so much work to do...
Khushi: it's about Shyamji, Amma...
That's it... Arnav could observe their eyes widening in surprise...
'Shyam!!! ', Buaji exclaimed...
Garima: but Khushi...
Khushi(cutting her off): we need to talk, Amma...
Garima slowly nodded her head and that was enough for Arnav to open his eyes and see the truth... Somewhere, deep down his heart, fear started developing... 'what if... ', he muttered to himself...
Khushi: Arnavji is my husband Amma...
That sentence made Arnav to look at Khushi's face who didn't show any interest to look at him...
Khushi: he has all the rights to know about Shyamji... I don't think, I should hide this much big matter of my life to him...
Garima: but Anjali bitiya...?
Khushi(holding Garima's arm and assuring her): don't worry Amma... Arnavji is her brother... He could go to any heights to safeguard his sister... right Arnavji...? (she asked Arnav while turning and looking into his eyes)
That look... that look was enough for Arnav to realize what might come now... Khushi might be innocent and he might have done a very huge mistake by blaming her...
Khushi, Garima and Buaji sat on the sofa, beside Arnav's...
Buaji: that idiot... I don't even want to take his name... but Khushi is right... As a husband, you should know about it... Afterall, it's just not her life now... you both are involved...
Saying that, Madhumathi started telling about Shyam... Starting with saving Khushi from the goons, how he helped Khushi in getting a job, how he stayed as a paying guest and made everyone fools... and finally, how he got engaged with Khushi...
Buaji: after Khushi got to know the truth, we thought to tell about it to Anjali bitiya... but Khushi got scared to tell her... Knowing how much Anjali bitiya worshipped her husband, Khushi couldn't tell her and break the relation which she trusted the most... So, we supported Khushi... We gave warning to that Shyam and asked him to stay out of our lives...
Arnav was not in this world... He went back to the days when Khushi told him that she got engaged... After her broken engagement, Shyam spent most of his time in Raizada mansion... He didn't give excuses like before... His di was very happy to see him around her, most of the time... but only if she had known the truth....
Arnav looked at Khushi but he could decipher nothing from her expressions... He could see just one thing... her determination... What was she thinking?? He had no answer for that... He gulped when he realized what he done with Khushi for no mistake of hers... There, she was busy thinking about his di and here he was ready to destroy her life... how pathetic.... Suddenly, he heard Garima's voice interrupting his thoughts...
Garima: Arnav bituwa... You must be very confused hearing all these... You might not agree that your own jijaji has done something like this but you could ask anyone in our street... They all knew about Shyam...
She then, held his palm and continued...
Garima: we didn't want to say all these to Anjali bitiya but if you feel that she should know, then go ahead... but you need to be very careful bituwa... Anjali bitiya might not take it... Stay with her and be her support if you ever disclose all these to her...
Khushi: Amma, it's okay... Arnavji has better ways to protect his di... (she taunted reminding him their marriage...)
She gave a glance to Arnav who couldn't even meet Khushi's gaze now...
Buaji: Khushi, take Arnav bituwa to your room... He couldn't digest all these truths that soon... So, take care of him...
Saying that, Buaji and Garima left to kitchen thinking Khushi could comfort Arnav... But as soon as they left, Khushi gave a quick glance to Arnav and moved to her room ignoring Arnav completely... Arnav just replayed every word said by Buaji which pointed towards only one thing... Khushi was innocent... Realization hit him and he ran towards Khushi's room...
***
Arnav entered Khushi's room and was confused to see her packing their bags...
Arnav(moving towards her): Khushi... (he called her softly)
Khushi didn't turn her head... Instead, she continued packing their clothes...
Arnav gulped seeing her... What should he do now?? The great Arnav Singh Raizada who knew how to solve every problem in business couldn't even understand this problem properly... this time, Khushi spoke interrupting his own thoughts...
Khushi: we should be leaving in an hour... (she said plainly)
Arnav was surprised seeing her all calm... He was waiting to hear her part... to hear her voice... to hear her scolding him and taking out all her frustration... but no... She just kept silent... and this silence was not at all helping... it was worse...
Khushi packed everything and zipped their bags... She turned around and started walking towards the door when she felt Arnav's hold on her arm...
Arnav: Khushi, listen to me once... I never thought.... (but he couldn't continue further as Khushi cut his words in middle)
Khushi(cutting his words in middle): Could you please leave my hand, Mr. Raizada... (she said without any expression on her face)
Arnav: Khushi, whatever happened.... (he again tried but of no use)
Khushi came out of his hold using her other palm to separate herself from him...
Khushi: I don't care what happened or what made you turn out so harsh towards me... nor do I want to listen it from your mouth... Let's just pack our bags and leave from here...
Saying that, Khushi left the room while Arnav stood there watching her back... He should talk with Khushi and sort this out, he thought... but only if he would have known that it was not so easy...
***
Arnav and Khushi sat in the car after bidding bye to the Guptas and taking their blessings... Garima asked Khushi to take care of Arnav and finally, Arnav started his car... Both of them stayed silent... While Arnav tried to steal few glances of Khushi, she turned her head in the other direction and glanced out of the window... After a while, she leaned on the same window and closed her eyes... She could only remember the hurtful words said by Arnav... How could he accuse her in such a cheap way?? And there she thought that he loves her... Tears rolled down her cheeks though she didn't want them to... Reminding herself that she shouldn't fall weak or cry for Arnav, she wiped her tears immediately...
Arnav observed everything... Her tears pricked his heart even more after knowing that he was the reason behind those tears... He gulped and took a right turn while Khushi was still in the same position... Leaning on the car window and closing her eyes...
***
Khushi opened her eyes slowly after the little sleep she had... She didn't even know when sleep overtook her... She looked ahead only to observe that the car was not moving and it was parked in a garden like area where she couldn't see a single person... She looked at Arnav with confused eyes who only admired her sleeping form, till then...
Khushi: where are we??
Arnav just smiled hearing her voice without responding... Khushi saw it and quickly opened the car's door of her side... She got down and within seconds, she saw Arnav joining her side... He came and stood beside her...
Khushi: why are we here...? and why couldn't we see a single person here??
Arnav: relax, Khushi... we are here to talk and you couldn't see a single person here because this place is a secluded area... We are in the outskirts of Delhi... (he answered slowly)
Khushi's anger was back again...
Khushi: let's go home, Arnavji...
Arnav: Khushi, I need to talk... Until then, we are staying here... (he said stubbornly)
Khushi: fine... you stay here... I am no more interested in your cheap talks...
Khushi was about to take a step, when Arnav held her hand...
Arnav: Khushi, just hear to my words... You need to know why I behaved rudely with you... I know, I had hurt you a lot... but give me a chance to explain atleast...
Khushi pulled her hand out of his grip harshly and replied...
Khushi: I said, I don't want to know anything, Mr. Raizada... Don't you get it?? and I am not going to give any chance for you to explain... I am going... Bye...
Saying that, Khushi turned to go again but soon, she felt a pull making her land in his arms... By the look on his face, she could say he was angry...
Arnav(angrily): Why couldn't you just hear me out, dammit...
Khushi(with equal rage): why should I?? Why should I hear your words when you didn't even care for once to hear my words, but just accused me with all the ill thoughts that came into your mind... Why should I hear you when you could think so low of me... Why should I hear you when you didn't even bother to hear my side before forcing me into this marriage?? Why??
Each and every word uttered by her was true... He lost all the rights at the same instant when he got blinded by rage and married her forcefully... at the same time when he didn't trust her... His hold on Khushi got little loosened while Khushi kept looking into his eyes painfully... Tears started forming in her eyes again...
Khushi: what happened?? You have no answers?? then, do one thing... Just end this topic here and let's just go to your house...
Arnav doesn't want to miss this chance... He couldn't let her go just like that... Arnav cupped Khushi's cheeks and she stared at his face...
Arnav: Khushi, please... listen to me... It was a misunderstanding... I accept... but that day, I saw you in Shyam's arms... On the day of Payal and Akash's wedding... I heard you asking him to leave di... I thought you both were involved together...
Khushi took few seconds to realize what Arnav was speaking about... After realizing what he was talking, she shrugged his arms from her cheeks and continued...
Khushi: oh wow... Great confession... How should I react now?? Should I clap?? or should I feel happy knowing the reason for which I have been termed as a characterless woman by you...
Arnav instantly nodded his head negatively...
Arnav: Khushi, I didn't mean that... I...
Khushi(shouting): no Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada... You meant it... Do you even know how much pain you gave me?? No... You don't even have an idea... From the day we met, you knew only one thing... that was to hit me through your words... to humiliate me... to degrade me... but I took them all... Your words about my status, about my low class life... everything... but I am a woman for whom her self-esteem is the most important thing... and you managed to point at it... I would never let it go... I won't forget your words...
Arnav(trying to calm her down): Khushi, I am sorry... Believe me, even I was not happy to do this to you... but my mind... It was so disturbed with the things I saw...
Khushi: stop it, Arnavji... I don't want any of your explanations now... I am not saying that you shouldn't have reacted like that... but for once... For once, you should have asked me... You should have confronted me... I would have told you... but no... You are very eager to marry me... to make my family hate me... to make them disown me... You just crashed my dreams...
Arnav didn't have any answer for her... Yes... He should have confronted her atleast, before taking such a huge step... Because of him, Khushi faced so much... Her family disowned her... His family ignored her... He treated her like trash... What more could she go through... It was all because of him... Khushi looked into his painful eyes which only had regret in them... His painful eyes... They were only making her weak... and she broke down...
Khushi(holding his collar and crying): why did you do this to me, Arnavji?? Why?? (she collapsed on the floor while leaving his shirt's collar... she was crying continuously) When everything was going smooth... When I thought that there was something between us... When I thought that you could hear my heart, you just crashed all of them by your one act... You never knew my heart... I was the stupid one here... Only I was the stupid to think that you felt something for me like the way I did... I was the fool expecting something from you... I was the fool to assume things between us... where in reality, you just hated me... mistrusted me... misjudged me... It was my mistake... My mistake to lend my heart to a person like you... I regret it now... I regret entering your life...
Arnav's palm fisted hearing her words... Tears formed in his eyes... Each and every word uttered by her, pierced his heart... There, she was building hopes on him and he just crashed those hopes... It was entirely his fault... He should have trusted her... He should have thought for once that Khushi is not a girl who could eye upon someone who is already married... If only he would have talked with her once...
Arnav was still closing his eyes in pain when he felt a heavy weight on his feet... He looked down only to see Khushi lying unconscious at his feet... He bent down immediately and started patting her cheeks...
Arnav(while patting): Khushi... Khushi...
Khushi could just murmur as she laid still unconscious in his arms...
Khushi(murmuring): why did you do this to me, Arnavji...? Why... did... you... (she stopped and fell completely unconscious)
Arnav just rubbed her tears through his thumb while his own tears made their path through his cheeks... His regret would never end... Taking a deep breathe, he carried Khushi in his arms and made her seated in his car... He stared at her face while his mind travelled through different thoughts...
Trust... Mighty word... Just five letters... but has the power to destroy every relation if it lacks... Every person should have trust on the one whom he claims to love... Arnav lacked that... He just concluded things which lead to the destruction of the beautiful relation which he would have built with Khushi...
***