Chapter 5

Chapter 5: After thoughts and After effects

Barging in the room, Arnav's eyes looked around but couldn't find anyone. He checked the poolside, the bathroom, but there was no sign of Khushi being around.

And seeing that she wasn't in the room, he felt relaxed. After last night's incident, the last thing he wanted was to have her around. Not because he was angry at her but because he was not sure how he would react to her. He needed time to come to terms with what his eyes had seen liat night.

How do you feel when you the see the person you have loved more than yourself lying under another man, kissing him? The feeling couldn't be put into words. Arnav was surprised at himself. How did he not murder that man? How did he let him go? Was it because he was too devastated to react in that moment? For the first few seconds, he hadn't believed his eyes. He was waiting for the scene to dissolve away, as though all of it was a bad dream.

But as seconds that felt like years passed by, he had realized that he wasn't dreaming it. This was not his imagination. Shyam's mocking voice had made his realize his horrific sight was real.

And by the time he had retrieved his ability to act, Shyam was gone. So he had channelized all his hurt onto her, not listening to her words.

What did she want to tell him? That how good it felt when that bas***d kissed her? Or she wanted to mock him that the kiss which was meant to be his had beem given to another man by her?

Or wait. With all those tears of hers, did she want to tell him that she wasn't enjoying the whole thing. Did she want to tell him that she hadn't invited another man into their room?

How long did she think she can fool him? After everything that she did and said on that terrace to Shyam, she wanted him to believe her?

With such thoughts running amok in Arnav's head, he took out his coat and threw it onto the recliner.

He was about to grab a vase and throw it against the mirror when Anjali entered the room.

"Chote?" She asked in concern, looking at his disheveled state.

"Are you okay? I called you when you entered in the house but you didn't seem to hear. When did you return from Scotland?" She asked further, placing her one hand on his shoulder.

"I am okay, Di. The flight was to land yesterday night but it got delayed and I am just a little tired. That's all" He replied, not meeting her eye. How was he supposed to face his Di?

"Where is Khushiji, Chote?" She asked, looking around.

Hearing. the question brought back the flashes from last night to Arnav and he clenched his fists at his sides.

"She must be around" He replied.

"Yeah or maybe she must have gone to the temple. She used to go there every morning since you weren't at home. Anyways, you change and come down okay? I'll ask HP to serve you the breakfast"

"Hmm" He replied, thinking about Khushi. Now he too started getting concerned about her whereabouts.

Expecting her to show up soon, he got in the bathroom to freshen up.

~~***~~

As he took his bath and changed, his eyes expected to see Khushi.

Where could she have gone? It was late enough and he couldn't help but worry for her.

Taking out his cell phone, he dialed her number. After a few seconds wait, the phone rang in the room itself.

"Dammit.!Why can't she carry her cell phone along?" He said in exasperation.

Disconnecting, he went down in the hall where Anjali was serving breakfast to Shyam.

Seeing him talking lovingly to Anjali, his blood boiled.

This man was cheap beyond measure. And Arnav Singh Raizada right there took the resolve to make this person pay for his deeds. A heavy price.

"Come sit, Chote" Anjali smiled affectionately as she took out a plate for him.

"Is Khushiji back, Chote? I didn't see her" Anjali asked him as he sat down and took first bite of the food. Everything was tasteless. No matter how much he hated his Khushi, but the love underneath that hatred would never stop existing. Anjali's question once again put him in doubts.

Was she okay?

He recalled the forced kiss he had subjected her to. He really shouldn't have done that. But he wasn't even thinking straight. Now when he thought of it, he felt disgusted by himself.

He still remembered her body going limp as he had forced his lips on hers, almost hurting her.

But still there was a part of his mind which never regretted the kiss entirely. She was his and only his and she needed to know it.

But the way of expressing it was inhuman.

"Don't worry yourself, Raani Sahiba. I am sure Khushiji will be around and fine" Shyam's words broke his chain of thoughts and he had to use all his might to not punch the man before him.

Shyam did see the flinch in Arnav's body as he mentioned Khushi. Why not have more of it? He thought.

"Last night Khushiji seemed really happy about something. It was like she had finally achieved what she needed the most" Shyam said, looking at Anjali but Arnav knew well the words were directed to him.

"Really?"Anjali asked and Shyam nodded.

"Yes, Rani Sahiba. She must be fine. And just for you, I'll go around and look for her" He smiled and got up, eyeing Arnav from the corner of his eye. Oh, how he loved that expression on his Saale Sahab's face.

"Sit down! There is no need to go anywhere" Arnav said coldly, taking Anjali by surprise.

"I mean Jeeja Ji doesn't need to take efforts. Khushi did call me and said she is going to her Buaji's place" Arnav replied, shooting glares at Shyam. He was going to make sure this man pays a hefty price for what he did.

~~***~~

The day turned into dusk and Khushi didn't return to the room.

Arnav was walking to and fro in his room. This was high time he should go and look for her. But before that there was a pretty urgent work to be done.

He walked to Anjali's room. Good for his own betterment, Shyam wasn't in the room.

Sitting on her bed, Anjali was flipping over a few old magazines when Arnav entered in.

She smiled at him and gestured him to come to her. He walked up to her and sitting by the edge of the bed, placed his head in her lap.

"Di?"He started as Anjali ran her fingers through his hair.

"Haan, Chote?" She asked lovingly.

""Di, I see you take no rest here. And I am really worried about you" He replied, sitting up and looking at his sister's face.

She was so innocent, so simple. He was going to make Shyam Manohar Jha's life hell for hurting his sister.

"Di, I have arranged for a trip for you and Naani. To Lucknow. I think you should go there and stay for a few days. It would do good to your health" He said, taking her hands in his.

"But Chote, all of a sudden? Even Akash is out of the city? How can I..?"

"No how's and why's, Di. I have informed Nani and Payal is packing your bags. As you shouldn't take too much strain, I have arranged the chartered plane. You can board the plane this evening" Arnav said, which sounded more like an order to Anjali.

She knew her brother too well. If he decides one thing it wouldn't be easy to budge him from it. So she gave in.

As she hugged her Chote, Khushi walked in the room, holding the food-tray in her hand.

"Di, here are some snacks for you" She said and placing the plate at the side-table she turned away to leave.

To Arnav it was like he was dreaming. She was really here? Before his eyes? And she didn't even look at him. His mind raced for answers but before he could get any of them Anjali asked.

"Khushiji?Where were you? We had been worried"

"I went to the Mandir Di, there was a hawan going on so I stayed there" She replied to her in particular, never waving her gaze towards Arnav.

"Okay, Khushiji. You should take rest. And did Chote tell you? He's planning to send me away. To Lucknow for a week. I never knew I was such a disturbance" Anjali pouted and Khushi smiled. A fake smile, Arnav could tell.

"That is a good thing, Di. There you can relax and be devoid of all the tension" She replied with calmness.

Arnav found the room suffocating. He was happy to see her back, but with the love and the kindness Khushi was exhibiting towards Anjali at the moment, it made him feel sick.

Is she the same woman who was lying with Shyam just last night? Suddenly, it became too hard for him to even look at her.

So, he got up and left the room.

~~***~~

"At what pace do you people work? I want all the details within two days or I have better men waiting in line" He ordered in the phone.

As he put the phone down, Khushi entered the room and walked to the wardrobe, wanting to take out a sari and take a bath.

The day in the Mandir had been quite a consuming one.

She had left early in the morning and sat in a secluded corner of the mandir, staring at the idol with empty, distant eyes.

She had been in a world of her own, recalling every happy moment of her life. Moments including the ones she gained in Delhi. With him. She thought of the dreams which always made way into her sleep when Arnav was truly Arnav for her.

The days when he'll tease her, fight with her, be sorry. Their intense gazes, their unexpressed longing for each other, she had been reliving everything. For she had no hopes that she would ever feel those happy moments again.

A single mistake from her end and her life was ruined. If only she hadn't listened to her Dhak-Dhak machine and went on that terrace, her life would have been something different.

But was that really her fault? Arnav didn't trust her enough, was that her fault? He believed Shyam over her, was that her fault?

She was beautiful, was that her fault? Shyam lusted after her, was that her fault?

She loved Arnav Singh Raizada, was that her fault?

With such thoughts in her mind, she had spent the entire day at the Mandir, reconsidering every situation, analysing where she went wrong!

Unfortunately, she hadn't found an answer. After a really long time, pandit ji had asked her to go home, saying that people would be worried for her.

Was anyone?

As she stepped in the room and decided to take a bath, She heard Arnav speak to her.

"What the f*** you thought you were doing? Where were you? Why didn't you take your phone along? You know how worri.." Arnac abruptly stopped. Does she even care that he was worried?

"Answer me, Dammit!" He said in a louder voice, walking up to her and holding her by the shoulders, shaking her body.

She flinched as his hand made contact with her body. Arnav noticed it. Was she repulsed by his touch now?

"Answers? What purpose my answers serve when you are not going to believe them anyway?" She answered, looking into his eyes and then pushed him away. He looked at her surprised and watched silently as she rushed into the bathroom.

~~***~~

The same evening Anjali and Nani left for Lucknow.

Shyam wondered why Arnav sent them away. Is he up to something?

Even after a lot of thinking, his brain had no conclusion.

"Anyhow, I will have to find out the reason behind this" He muttered to himself.

Devi Maiya seemed too grateful upon him. It was dinner time in Raizada Mansion when Shyam's answered reached him.

Seated along with Maamaji, Maamiji, Payal, Arnav and Khushi, Shyam was enjoying his food when the doorbell rang.

As HP attended to it, Arnav's eyes shone. Finally. He thought as a few policemen rushed in the hall.

"Hello Hi Bye Bye, policewa in our house?" Manorama maami wondered loud enough to draw everyone's attention to the door, including Shyam's.

"We have an arrest warrant for Shyam Manohar Jha" The Inspector stated, as the family walked to the hall, everyone's face curious.

Arnav had that contended look on his face when he witnessed the already ashen face of Shyam.

'This is the beginning Shyam. A lot more is to follow' Arnav thought.

__________________________________________________

Hopefully you people are not finding this story too dramatic or so. As I had already said, this was my first story ever, so please do expect a few drawbacks in it.

Also I can't update the story daily because before updating, I go through the entire update and almost re-write it again. So it's almost similar to updating a new story. But I'd try my best to update it every 2nd day.

Also thanks a lot to all my lovely people here for wishing me good luck for the exam. The exam did went well and well enough.

My next paper is on 3rd so I'd be able to post a update of Keep Loving Me, and Scars Of Love.

Now, how was this one?

Pearl_Oyster2019-03-11 13:46:33