Dedicated to VeenuDhawan, atom_brown_eyes Ananya_malik, PearlOfPacific, Kiddo_Star,
ShurfahQureshi3, GE_Alan2108, prabhapatturaja, SoesilaTedjoe, anjali-anjali, Barun_ki_dewani,
ilfordian, sweetydoll32, madhurao1210, Chanduz, kushi9876, penbengungor1, Arshi_Angel,
and to all my lovely readers , friends and followers...
19 ~ Brother After all ~
Flashback.......
On The Day of Holi...
Arnav's Room...RM....
Night....
Finally Arnav Ray took the decision of letting go the only ray of hope from his life... His Khushi... his love..
" I will keep my distance from you Khushi... I will create such circumstances that you will leave me.. I will force you to hate me... For you, for a better life of your, I will turn into a BEAST... from today onwards, my only aim is to create distance between us and create hatred in your heart for me... but Khushi... I will always love you...always... forever..." with that Arnav Ray finally fall down with helpless sob within the four wall of his lavish washroom hidden from the world.....
Arnav came out of the washroom after almost 1 hour taking a warm shower determined in his decision to keep a distance with Khushi. After coming out Arnav finds that Khushi is already in the room patting Advay who is asleep.
The moment Khushi senses Arnav presence she looked at him and their eyes met. Both of them were struggling with their emotional battle, their thoughts were running around the same incident which happened today but unfortunately in two different directions.
" Will Arnav remember everything? At least anything ? What will he think about me? He was intoxicated but I was not. What if he thought that I took advantage of him? What if he thinks that I wanted to trap him ? NO... please, I will not be able to see negligence and hatred in his eyes for me." Khushi prayed to her DM not to snatch the happiness she is getting, at least for the time being.
" Ohh.. God .. How will I face her? What will she think about me? A sex addict ? A pervert ? Did she already felt disgusted looking at my burnt marks on my faces? Did she think I had taken advantage of her? No.. Please... I will keep my distance from now on, but don't make her insult my love... I can not tolerate ..." Arnav thought while his heart was breaking with every second remembering only one month is left.
He closed his eyes in desperation not to run towards Khushi, crush her into his arms and confess his true feelings. It took his every damn control to not take that step.
" Arnav... drink this..." hearing Khushi's voice Arnav snapped open his eyes and the sight infront her somewhere made him more restless..
Khushi was standing in front of her, though she had collected herself but she is not meeting his eyes, but this is not what catch Arnav's eyes but Khushi's lips.. Her lips is swollen like a reddest cherry and anyone can say that she has been thoroughly kissed.
Arnav took the glass with trembling hands while immediately gulped it down. With the corner of his eyes, Arnav can see that Khushi was looking at him with a glint of expectation in her eyes..
"Ohhh... How can I break her heart? How can I stay away from her when I DESIRE her, only her throughout my entire life??" Arnav thought while handing back the glass to Khushi but remain silent..
Khushi was a little bit disappointed thinking that Arnav could not remember anything. Unmindful, she just stumbles on her feet, but gather herself before falling down. But in the process her head colloid with the bed stand.
" Oucch....." Khushi mumbled making Arnav super alert. He was busy in his own thought so he did not actually saw the incident happening but when he heard Khushi's voice and saw her rubbing her forehead while crunching her nose, Arnav rushes towards her forgetting his own vows to keep a distance with Khushi...
" What happened Khushi? Did you get hurt? Is it paining very much? God Khushi .. can not you see and walk? Why are you not answering me dammit?" Arnav bombarded his questions while minutely observing Khushi's forehead.
" I.. I am fine Arnav... It just..." Khushi felt chocked.. This man.. How on earth she is suppose to not fall in love with this man? How will she able to leave this man in first place after one more month?" Khushi felt her eyes prick with tears.
" Is it paining too much? Why are you crying dammit? I .. I will call the doctor.. wait.." Arnav's panic voice broke Khushi's self talk...
" It's okay Arnav..." Khushi said slowly while both of them sat together on the bed.
" and he was telling , he would keep a distance with her and hurt her..." Arnav's heart whispered chuckled a bit.
There was a pin drop silence suddenly engulf the room. Both of them felt difficult to start a conversation. After today's encounter in noon, both of them felt awkward.
Finally, mustering the courage, Khushi spoke, " Arnav, I think after today, Advay's custody will be our's. The court people seems very satisfied and convinced. But I was surprised to see Veer and Lavanya together.. I thought they broke up long ago but..."
Arnav stops Khushi midway, " What? What did you just said? Veer and Lavanya? Did they know each other previously?"
" Of course... Lavanya and Veer studied from the same college and they were in a relationship for few years.. Though I did not share a very good bond with Lavanya but she truly loved Veer... then I heard Veer suddenly broke up with her. That day, Lavanya was really heartbroken..." this piece of information made Arnav frown...
There is something hidden, something very serious which can change the whole situation... there is something which Arnav had missed till now. But one thing Arnav is sure that today Veer knowingly saved him...
" There is many more thing which is hidden from our eyes. Now I have a doubt that the actual culprit behind the accident may be someone else. May be Veer is also a pawn.. or may be Veer is planning something very big..." Arnav said while thousands of thoughts were running in his mind.
" Everything will be alright..Don't worry too much." Khushi said while Arnav nodded.
" I will have to do some work. I am going to study room. You please sleep. Good night." Arnav just rushed and went out from the room without glancing back at Khushi. Though it was totally unintentional by Arnav as he was too much occupied with his own thought, but Khushi felt a pang in her heart thinking that may be Arnav is keeping distance because of today's incident.
"Did he regret our moments?" and this thought make Khushi too emotional. Tears brimmed in her hazel orbs...
" Good night Arnav.." Khushi whispered while lying down in the bed drawing a sleeping Advay towards herself, cuddling to him to calm her restless heart. Soon Sleep engulf her in it's cocooned..
**************
Arnav was making few calls to his few trustworthy persons. Finally after cutting the last call from Aman, Arnav closed his eyes. So many things happened today. Few more revelations regarding Mallik's nasty plans, Veer attempt to support him and finally his proximity with Khushi.. Arnav sigh a little. Slowly taking baby steps she entered in his bedroom and the scene in front of his sooths his aching heart.
Khushi is cuddling Advay to her heart and both are sleeping. Advay became so addicted with khushi. Arnav thought, after one month it will not only break him but Advay too will be heartbroken. But he is a child, he will eventually forget Khushi... But he?? Arnav chuckle ruefully... he is ruined.. for this lifetime. He has to live with the agony of letting Khushi go and thinking that she has become someone else's...
Arnav slowly sit down besides Khushi. The area on her forehead, where she got wounded, became reddish and unattended. Arnav slowly took a medicine jel and applied ever so softly.
" How will I able to survive without you Khushi?? Why are you so good?? Sometime I feel that I will be selfish and caged you with me forever.. But my love, I could not.. I could not be so selfish.. I can not snatch your right to be a mother... I can not.." A lone tear escape from the corner of his eyes . Quickly Arnav wipe his eyes and pecking a long, lingering kiss on her forehead Arnav finally lay down on his side of the bed...
************
Early in the morning, Khushi open her eyes feeling moisture on her cheeks. Looking at in front she came across the beautiful site. Advay was patting her face with his soft hands and occasionally giving sloppy kiss.
" Baby... Good morning." Khushi smiled while getting up from her sleep.
" Molning antel.." Advay grinned while hopping in Khushi's lap. Khushi looked at his face and frown, there are chocolate smug in his face in few places.
" Adu... did you eat chocolate in the early morning?" Khushi asked faking anger.
" Yes, antel... dada gave choco... dada and Adu seclet...no tell antel." Advay said grinning.
"Dada gave you chocolate and told to not to tell me?" Khushi asked and Advay nodded his head enthusiastic.
" Yeh.. Arnav bhi na...but baby, where is your dada?" Khushi asked not finding Arnav in the room.
" Dada..bye, bye.. dada offi.." saying so suddenly Advay jump on his accord as if remembering something very important. Then he pulls out a small piece of paper from his pocket and handed to Khushi...
" What is this baby?" Khushi asked not getting any head of tail of the paper specially the scribble on it.
"Dada..dlawing...antel..." Advay said while grinning.
With great difficulty Khushi finally understood that this is a note which Arnav had left for her and probably Advay has find out and kept it with him.
"Urgent work, going to office..I will be very late today.. Don't wait for me." shaking her head finally after almost 10 minute Khushi decode the meaning of the notes..
" yeh laad governor ki handwriting hai , yeh keera makora ki dukan..( is this a handwriting or insect scribble? )" It was hard to control Khushi not to laugh aloud watching the horrible handwriting of Arnav.. But a certain calmness engulf her heart realising that Arnav had infrom her about his whereabout..
Finally collecting Advay in her lap, Khushi go out of the room for the whole days activity..
************
Arnav was sitting in his leather chair in his office cabin shocked. He is looking at the file in front of him which contents few details about Veer Mallik.. And from the report it was clearly mentioned that Veer was actually not present in the time of accident which Arnav previously thought. Besides, all the time when Arnav thought Veer did some nasty play, every time his mother was hospitalized.
Why? Was is just a co-incident?
Don't know why, Arnav felt there is a connection between all of these. What is the connection between them, he has to find out. Besides, one more surprise thing is some information's about Kamini Mallik, Arunoday's present wife.. It was found out that Arunoday forced Kamini for marriage.. Kamini's few medical report shows she is a victim of domestic violence.
Arnav sat dumbfounded, how is that possible..
Did all those years, he misjudged Veer and his mother? Was both of them are mere pawn in Subhadra Mallik and Arunoday Mallik's hand?
Arnav closed his eyes in utter helplessness. Besides, Khushi's revelations of Veer and Lavanya's relationship surprised him a lot. The more Arnav thinks, the more he became confused.
Helplessly, Arnav looked at Aman who was sitting across the table and was a silent spectator till now.
" Why are you silent now? Tell me something Aman... I am really clueless." Arnav said irritated watching Aman so silent.
" Nothing more to say, but it's a very well planned trap. I think your grandfather's will is the reason and not to forget about Sheetal. I will not be surprised if Sheetal and Mr.. Arunoday share something.." Aman spoke disgustingly.
Arnav head snapped towards him in disbelieve. Though Arnav never like his father, in fact he loathed him for his nature but still he is his father. It was hard to hear and believe that his father can be so mean.
" I know it is difficult for you to hear and accept all the truth but things are really dirty here. By the way, Veer is coming here. I think we need a face to face confrontation." Aman said while Arnav still did not get the fact that how much nasty the game is going.
" What if this is their new plan to trap us? What if Veer is playing from two sides?" Arnav expressed his suspicion.
" No way. Think rationally. What will Veer gain if the Mallik loss the custody battle? In fact yesterday, literally Veer changed the game. He degraded himself while safeguarding your dignity and also your marriage." Aman said and though Arnav did not say anything but he knew Aman is right.
As if getting their clue, Veer entered in the cabin after knocking it. From his look it was very evident that he is very much worried, stressed about something. He is looking very dishevelled.
Aman was again in his silent mode while keenly observing Veer . Arnav gathering his wit, finally asked directly, " Why did you help me yesterday Veer? What is your hidden agenda ?"
Veer smiled ruefully, "Agenda? A person like me cannot make agenda Arnav. I know it's difficult for me to continue the facade of the happy family and lucky child of Mr Arunoday Mallik. Like you, I am also a victim Arnav. I know you will definitely not trust me but please hear me out, then decide."
" Why I will listen to you? Give me a single reason. " Arnav asked not for once breaking the eye lock.
" Because you are my brother. WE ARE BROTHER AFTER ALL... and both of our mothers have been destroyed by the same man name Arunoday Mallik." The disgust of Veer voice while speaking about Arunoday's name was so evident, that Arnav could not help but looked at Veer intently.
For a moment Arnav thought it's not Veer in front of him but he is seeing himself. The disgust but helplessness is so evident. Finally Arnav directly asked the question which was bothering him and which is the cause of his main mistrust on Veer.
" If you consider us your family then WHY DID YOU CAUSED THE ACCIDENT? WHY DID YOU KILL MY ANJALIDI ? WHY???" Arnav shouted finally losing his cool.
" I did not planned the accident.. None of your's and Anjalidi's or none of Shyam jiju's. Believe me, I did not have any idea that they all had planned the nasty game, if I had any ounce of idea regarding that day, I would have saved Anjalidi, in cost of my life also.. But I was clueless. Believe me on that, I would have done anything, just like yesterday or just like the day when you find out the true face of Sheetal Khanna." Veer stopped and Arnav looked at him shocked.
" What are you saying?" Arnav was too shocked to say anything more.
" This is a long story and there are so many hidden facts that will make your world upside down." Veer said calmly.
" What you are waiting for ? We are all ear." Aman finally said breaking his silence.
Veer spoke after taking a long breath, " Let me start from the beginning then...."
To be contd......
**********************************
Author Note:
Hello My lovely readers...
Here is the Nineteen chapter of this story.. secrets are going to be revealed with each update and it will be twisted...
Regarding Arnav and Khushi's relationship, there will also be a roller coaster ride but I would suggest just read and enjoy the flavor of Romance...
Hope you are satisfied with the progress of the story...
Expecting your response ....
If you are liking " Beauty and the beast", then you should try my new SS " Sweetheart"...It's a Romantic comedy...
My other works name, " Another chance" and " Rising phoenix".
There is two OS and two TS which are completed. Give them a try too.
Take Care..
Love and regards...
Your story teller
Mamree
16.01.2020