Chapter 15
Desperation was the right word for Arnav's state in the moment he found out about his sisters baby. He didn't know what to do next and didn't know how to react now that he knows he needed to protect not only one but two people. When he started to flirt with Khushi he didn't thought to go so far. He didn't want to marry her. And now he stood here and asked himself what to do next. How to handle this situation?
He walked inside the room and wanted to walk to the bathroom when one sound distracted him. He turned around and walked in the direction from where the sound came, just to find Khushi's small bag in the corner of the room. He took the bag in his hands and opened it curious to know where the sound exactly came from.
It wasn't something he never did before and even he have to fight with his guilt for touching Khushi's things, his hand was faster inside her bag and took her handy out. He looked at the screen of the pretty old mobile phone and read that she got twelve messages and twenty-two calls.
He didn't know why he did what he did next, but he opened the last message and read.
HEY BABY. IT'S ME ROHAN. WHEN CAN WE MEET? I CAN'T FORGET OUR LAST TIME. I NEED YOU SO BADLY. CALL ME BACK.
He gulped and opened the next one.
KHUSHI ARE YOU THERE? WHY ARE YOU NOT CALLING BACK? YOU PROMISSE TO MEET ME AT HOTEL. FUCK I NEED TO BE INSIDE YOU. CALL ME. MOHIT.
He gulped again and this time hard and opened the next one.
HEY IT'S ME NK. WHEN DID YOU MARRY? HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME THIS WAY? DID I NOT FUCK YOU GOOD? DAMN KHUSHI. THEY TOLD ME YOU CHANGE YOUR GUYS LIKE UNDERWEAR BUT I NEVER BELIVED THEM. I THOUGHT THIS BETWEEN US WASN'T JUST SEX. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND WHO THIS GUY WAS, BUT I AM READY TO FORGIVE YOU. I CAN'T FORGET HOW GOOD WE FIT TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY NAKED. CALL YOU LATER AGAIN.
*
He fisted his palm and his lips were pressed to thin line. He didn't want to read any dirty messages anymore so he went to the missed call section and what he read there, shocked him to the core. It wasn't so that he didn't know what was going on but in this moment his suspicion turned into reality. Nearly half of the calls were from one and the same name and number which he recognized as Shiyam.
SHIYAMJI
This was the name under she saved his number in her phone. Like Arnavji, she wrote Shiyamji.
He buried his face inside his palms in frustration, pain and anger. He realized that his hands were bound when it comes to Shiyam even he got the proof which he needed to show his sister. The proof of Shiyam's betrayal which is now on Khushi's phone. He looked back to the phone and tipped on the buttons back to messages. He scrolls down and read different unnamed numbers and between them Shiyam's name. He opened the message which came yesterday and read.
KHUSHI WHERE ARE YOU? PLEASE CALL ME BACK. WE NEED TO TALK, IT'S IMPORTANT.
He scrolled down and opened other messages which were saved under the name Shiyamji. They were all the same CALL ME, WHERE ARE YOU?, AND CALL ME again. And in the one stood COME TO MY OFFICE AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
>>Fuck!<<
He cursed and smashed her phone on the floor till it broke into few pieces. It wasn't enough for him so he picked it up again and again and smashed it down till he was sure that it wasn't retrievable again. He was angry, hell angry and this time nothing was going to stop him. One plan formed in his head and it's the best he could do in such a short time to save his sister and her baby.
The thought on his mother and how his words which he said innocent as child, crossed his mind and he knew he will never make the same mistake again. Maybe his mother had to face the cruel destiny but not his Di. Definitively not his Di and he is going to make sure that she doesn't end like their mother.
He walked to the bathroom and found Khushi under the shower. The door hit the wall behind when he opened it with the anger and she jerked surprised. He could see how the water drops coated her body and he asked himself how many guys touched her in the way he did. Yesterday night he wanted to trust her but today his world was shattered and destroyed to the core. He must admit that he felt betrayed and this feeling was something he didn't like. He didn't want to feel this way for her and he hated himself for his weakness when it came to the woman in the shower.
He walked fast before he think again about his upcoming action, opened the shower and grasped her on her arm to pull her to him. His eyes were on fire and his anger controlled his every action. He spoke through his teeth.
>>I am going out. You stay here. No calls! Don't dare to let someone in. Just wait for me here and get ready. We are going out when I come back. Understood?<<
*
She stood there naked and her eyes wide open. Her fingers tried to remove his hand from her arm. He let her go and turned around. He was disgusted from her and that he touched her like others. He walked out of the room and down to the living room. He pulled the cable from the house phone so that she couldn't call one of her lovers and then he left the house.
The drive to his uncle Mahendra and aunt Manorama Raizada lasted endless. He needed money and they are the only one, who could help him and that without Di's knowledge. He drove like crazy and needed two hours to convince his uncle to help him. Finally he left his uncle's company with enough money in his hand, to let some people go pale and drove back to Aman's house, trying to reach the house as fast as he could. He didn't want Khushi to talk to someone or call Shiyam. Even he just sold his soul to his uncle, he was calmed that at least his sister will be happy and safe.
He entered the house just to find her on the window. She turned around and looked scared and after he said the next words she looked even more scared.
>>We need to leave Lucknow. Now! Pack your bags.<<
>>What? But why? Arnavji, I don't want to leave. I need to work and help my family. They were always there for me.<<
>>So your family is important to you?<< he asked in try to find out more about her and her so called family.
>>Yes, Arnavji. Very. My Babuji, Amma and sister need me. And if I leave them without saying good bye,<< there was a short silence before she continued, >>I know they are going to be very sad.<<
And they could be too dangerous for his Di's happiness, he completed the sentence in his head.
Arnav stood there for a while and then spoke.
>>Come on. We need to leave.<<
Khushi wanted to say something but Arnav stopped her in his strict, firm tone.
>>Now! No, discussion.<<
*
The drive was silent and Arnav could see that Khushi feared to talk to him. It was good for her to stay mum because he wasn't really in the mood to talk to her. He reached her house and in the moment he parked she spoke.
>>Arnavji, what are we doing here? Why have you brought me here?<<
>>Shut up! Just shut up!<<
He leaned closer to her, opened her Mangalsutra and removed it from her neck. As next his tomb moved to her maang and he smeared the red powder away and blurred all traces of their marriage.
Her shocked face showed how shattered she was but he didn't have any time to think about her feelings or how hurt she was. All he wanted was to have her far away from Shiyam and his Di. He walked to her side of the car and pulled her outside. In the moment her feet touched the ground, she stumbled and collided with him. She looked up and her soft eyes locked with his. He saw softness in them and realized this was something he didn't want to see. He didn't want to feel any connection with the woman in his arms. Just go through all of this as numb as possible. That's why he numbed all his feelings and forced the cold himself on the surface.
>>You bloody bitch,<< he spoke again through his teeth's and saw pain flare up in her eyes. He took the envelope in his hand and pulled her behind him.
>>Arnavji, what are you doing? Why did you remove my Mangalsutra? Why did you remove my Sindoor too?<<
He stopped in the middle of the street and spoke.
>>This Mangalsutra belonged to my mother. One woman who knew what pride is. A woman with pure heart. Not like you, Khushi. Whores like you don't know what purity is.<<
Khushi started to cry and he hated again that her tears stopped him to talk further. He continued to walk and saw that some people stopped to walk and look at him and Khushi.
He could even feel their eyes on his back when he walked with her upstairs and knocked on the door.
***
Payal Gupta was extremely happy with herself. After yesterday night, she knew she needed to do her next step already. She knew that her revenge with Khushi was still not at the end, especially when her parents told her that she can't go out anymore and especially not alone. They were afraid because of what happened with Khushi and this rape thing with their neighbor Deepa. Their reaction and demand made Payal angry. Why had she to suffer, if b*tch Khushi decided to leave their home? Why should Payal suffer, when stupid Deepa got raped by some horny guys?
The mood in the neighborhood was tense and aggressive. A lot of people were very nervous, because the suffering of raped girls and their families are not ending with the crime itself. They see what happen with girls who got raped and feared that something like this could happen to their families too.
Suffering doesn't end after one girl got raped. No after this, the girl has to prove it wasn't her fault or the fault of her family. People follow her every step since the crime happen to her and the small mistakes can brand her as easy girl which wanted this to happen to her. Or people think she provoked the whole situation.
And what did rapist get in return? Maybe the girl is brave enough to call the police and press charges after her rapist. Then the rapist tell that the girl was in relationship and wanted to get intimate. Or they say that the girl provoke them with their open looks. Poor, little guys were not able to control their hormones and desires. After all they are men and men are allowed to make mistakes. And the saddest part is, the society believes this shit.
Yes the society is one of the biggest criminals ever, pointing their fingers on wrong and especially weak persons and pushing criminals up to the stars, trying to find explanations for their behavior. Well this is how it works and how this world works. Weak persons have always to suffer and money rules the world and if Payal's stupid father didn't took Khushi to their house, they could finally leave, having enough money for one better place and house. Leaving this stupid society and their horrible rules for girls, to themselves.
Payal remembered the big house in which this dirty blooded girl lived now and cursed her in the same moment for her luck. It wasn't only the house which disrupted Payal. No it was this extremely sexy, hot, handsome, and, and, and, guy. Payal fucked enough guys to recognize their qualities without even being intimate with the person. The way he walked, the way he looked at Khushi, his every damn movement screamed for hot sex and she craved to know how it is to be with him, under him, over him.
And this is the reason she has to do something. No matter what, Khushi should not be happy with him and Payal wanted to destroy every possibility that this guy ever fall for her. In the moment she woke up, she dialed the number of her henchman NK and ordered him to give Khushi's number to all his buddy's and they should write messages to her. She even told him what should be inside the messages and couldn't suppress her evil laugh even her parents could hear her.
And now she stood on the window and saw how this hotwa left his car and pulled Khushi behind him to their door. Payal couldn't believe that her plan was really successful but is seemed the risk paid out. His face showed her that he was damn angry and even she didn't want Khushi to come back, her plan to separate her from him became her priority number one.
He knocked on the door and she hurried back to her room door and open one small gap to see what happened in the living room. This is going to be very interesting.
***
Outside the door Arnav held Khushi's arm firm and knocked again. He could feel her gaze on him and forced himself to look to door and not to her. He knew, she was crying and he knew, that the tears covered her face but he didn't want to see them again otherwise he would not be able to do what he wanted to do.
>>Arnavji? Please tell me, why did you remove my Sindoor? We are married. What does it means?<<
He couldn't look away anymore and turned to her to see in her eyes. He gave his best to hide his feelings from her and acted cool.
>>You want really to know what this means?<<
She nodded carefully with her head, while one more tear escape from her eyes.
>>Fine. We were never married. I acted like we was. The priest, my promises, everything I told you. All lies. I don't fucking care about you. Don't give a damn. All I ever wanted, was to enjoy whatever you gave already to so many guys. I wanted you in my bed. Let me tell you in one final sentence. I just wanted to fuck you.<<
The door opened and Arnav turned his head to look at the person.
He put his most arrogant glance on and walked in with Khushi ignoring the woman on the door. One man sat and read newspapers. As soon as he saw that someone entered the house, he stood up from his place. In the first moment Shashi saw Khushi, he was happy and showed his happiness through his smiling face but as soon his eyes reached Arnav who stood next to her, his smile was away.
>>Are you the father of this girl here?<<
Arnav asked and pushed Khushi in front of Shashi.
>>And who are you?<< asked Shashi in return.
>>It doesn't matter. I just brought her back to her lovely family.<<
Shashi looked down at crying Khushi who sat on the floor and spoke.
>>Why did you brought her here?<<
>>Your daughter walks around and has countless affairs with different guys. She is well known as one shameless girl with enough boyfriends and act as person full of morality and decency. I have to find out about her true nature in the last few days and I am disgusted.<<
Khushi's voice was weak, >>no, this is not true.<<
Arnav ignored her.
>>My suspicion is that you send your daughter out to catch young man, sell her body and get as much money as she can get from them.<<
One gasp broke his speech and he turned around to look who it was. One woman stood in the door and the door was bright open. A lot of people stood outside too and he knew immediately they heard his every word.
It was good they could hear him so he turned around to continue but the men spoke before he could.
>>This is not true. We are a very proud and respectful family.<<
>>I don't think so Mr. The girl was for days outside alone and spend every day with me from morning till late in the evening. How do you explain this? I am pretty sure it was you who send her outside to search for a good candidate to get money.<<
>>Enough! Garima close the damn door!<<
>>Why should she close the door? Do you have something to hide? I think people should hear how you let your daughter work as a prostitute.<<
It was now Khushi who spoke with tearful eyes.
>>No this is not true. Don't say something like this to my Babuji.<<
Shashi looked to her with strict and disgustful glance and ordered Garima again to close the door.
She did follow his orders immediately but before she closed them, her eyes fell on her neighbors and she saw a lot of angry faces. Inside the house the air was tensed and an angry Shashi spoke.
>>You come here and blame my family for such criminal act. I can let you pay for your accusion immediately.<<
Arnav smiled arrogantly.
>>Yeah, do what you want to do old man but be sure this all is going to police and then you and your so respectful family are going to jail. All of you. What do you think will happen, when police finds out about your prostitute daughter?<<
>>She is not our daughter. She is...<<
Arnav interrupted him and spoke further.
>>Do you know how police handle people like you and your family? What will then happen to father who sell his daughter and mother who send her daughter all day out on a man hunt? I mean, Khushi was whole day out of home and don't tell me you both didn't know she was all alone outside with strangers. Let's call the police and ask them, what they think about families like yours, who use their daughter to earn money.<<
Shashi imagined himself and his wife in jail. Then his thoughts went to his innocent daughter Payal. He could hear this young man again speaking.
>>My family is very powerful and respected. What do you think, whose word is heaving more weight? Yours or mine? Whose words will police believe?<<
Shashi walked few steps to side and turned around so that his back faced others. No matter how much anger he felt and wanted to show this young men his angry side and beat him to death, he was aware that the neighbors heard few spoken words. He couldn't allow that Payal was going to be again in the middle of tattles. He thought how to manage the whole situation, but was interrupted by this young guy's words.
>>Here is your daughter. Take her and leave the town.<<
Shashi turned around to look into his eyes.
>>What? I don't understand.<<
>>I give you three days to leave Lucknow and never come back. I am coming back after three days to check on you and your family. If I see one of you here in this town ever again, I give you my promise you will pay all. One by one.<<
He wanted to leave but suddenly stopped to drop the envelope on the floor. It landed next to Khushi who sat on the floor speechless and crying.
>>Here is the money. Your daughter earned every rupee very hard. You should be proud of her.<<
He turned around and wanted to leave but Khushi stood up and ran to him and tried to stop him from leaving.
>>Why are you doing this? Telling all this lies to my parents. We are married. How can you hurt me so much? How can you break my heart into thousand pieces? You make me believe you were my prince. Now everything was a lie? How could you? Don't you have heart?<<
He removed her hand from his arm, his disgust filled eyes on her and answered.
>>Heart? I don't have heart. Not for you.<<
Arnav turned around and wanted to leave but then stopped to add one more sentence.
>>I am Heartless.<<
He walked out from the house to his car feeling hundred eyes on him and drove away.
***
Khushi looked behind him from the open door and cried holding herself on her feet with the last strength that was left in her body. She didn't realize that the people looked at her, because her eyes were fixed on the red lights of his car while he drove away. She started to cry and turned around in hope to get her Amma's support.
>>Amma...I...he...we...<<
She sobbed in between the words and wanted to walk inside the house to her Amma and hug her, when she felt something burning on her cheek. She touched her sore face and realized that her Amma slapped her. Her eyes followed again up and she saw Amma's angry face, but what hurted more, were her next words.
>>You whore! Is this your thank you, for bringing your ugly face from streets inside our house? Is this how we taught you to behave? Shame on you.<<
Khushi was shocked and looked to her Babuji.
>>Babuji?<<
One step in his direction and he was in few seconds by her side. He pulled her hair and dragged her out of the house.
>>Out! Get out of my house. I don't want you any longer near my family.<<
*
He pushed her on the street, few steps down and she fell with her face on the ground. He walked back upstairs and closed the door behind him. Khushi's body pained but she stood with the desperation of a left person up and was ready to fight for her family. She looked around and saw only angry faces. Mother's brought their children away. Some people looked disgusted at her. Some took sticks from the ground in their hands. Some picked stones from the ground too, while some looked in her eyes and called her dirty whore. She closed her eyes and knew what was coming. There was so much she wanted to say. So much she wanted to do to change their mind. None of this was done by her. What was the need when the people around were ready to do what they wanted to do. She just hoped to survive and as they start to hit her, the words of the old lady from Mandir kept her strong.
Just for a little while, before everything went black.
Copyright©NilaKeis