Chapter 23

Chapter 23: At the end of every tunnel

"Let him out Akash" Anjali asked Akash for the hundredth time who continued to be a silent and passive soul as though totally oblivious of all the questioning and confused looks he was being the center of from his family.

"Nani, ask Akash to let out Shyamji. Why has he locked him inside? This is no way to treat him. He is my husband" Anjali continued, her eyes trying to contain the tears which threatened to fall.

"Di, please don't stress yourself. Let Arnavji and Khushi come here" Payal tried to console Anjali and make her sit but Anjali was hardly giving an ear to her.

"Payal bitiya, why don't you tell us anything? Akash Bitwa is behaving so unlike him" Naniji asked Payal who in return gave Naniji an apologetic look.

"I am going to unlock the door now" Anjali dabbed her tears which had been shedding on their own. She took a determined step towards the door but just as her hand landed on the knob, she felt a steely grip on her hand.

"Chote?" Anjali looked up to find Arnav standing next to her with a deadpan face.

"What is going on, Chote?" Anjali let go of the door knob and turned sharply at Arnav.

"Let me" Arnav replied and Anjali stepped back while Arnav turned the door knob and opened the door for Anjali.

"Hey Bhagwan! (Oh my God)" a muffled cry left Anjali's throat as she rushed into the room with the family closely following her in.

Shyam was tied to a chair with the help of ropes and his face had bruises while his shirt was torn.

"What have you done to him?" cried Anjali, aghast as she sprinted to Shyam's side and held his face in her hands, crying unceasingly.

"Aap theek to hai? (Are you alright?)" she desperately asked Shyam who seemed to be dazed while Anjali quickly worked her fingers on the ropes, setting him free.

"Rani Sahiba" Shyam let out a hoarse cry of pain as Anjali helped him stand on his legs.

"I hate you, Chote! Even you Akash! How could you do this to him? To me?" asked Anjali while the family too was looking to and fro between Arnav and Akash for answers.

"Arnav Bitwa, answer Anjali bitiya. How could you treat Damadji this way?" Naniji addressed Arnav, who was now looking at Anjali with a pained expression.

"Chote, you.." Anjali started again but was cut off by Arnav's icy voice, which widened her eyes in distress and incredulity.

"Shyam tried to force himself on Khushi"

The answer dropped a bomb of silence in the room for a few seconds before Anjali disrupted it.

"He cannot" the words had been barely whispered, but it was as audible as it could get against the pin drop silence of the room.

"There has to be some grave oversight, Chote. He can't do this. He loves me. Aap kuch boliye na " Anjali cried out, her eyes desperate and fixed at Shyam who was slowly reviving and seemed to be struggling for words.

"Rani Sahiba, you know I love you" He finally replied and Khushi had to hold Arnav by his arm to stop him from lunging at Shyam.

"You heard that, Chote? He loves me. He will not do anything as cheap as this. There has been some huge misunderstanding. Khushiji, please tell Chote that he's wrong" Anjali now charged at Khushi, who was standing beside Arnav and reached to her.

"Khushiji, why don't you tell Chote that he's wrong?" Anjali spoke to Khushi, who was looking distraught with all the proceedings.

"Rani Sahiba, don't believe them! And Khushiji will never reveal the truth. She is just as cheap as they are claiming me to be" Shyam cut in, limping his way to Anjali and holding her.

"What do you mean, Shyamji?" Anjali turned her attention back to Shyam, who was now eyeing the Gupta family who were glaring at him with a look of disgust on their faces.

"Rani Sahiba, Khushiji has always tried to entice me into sleeping with her, but when I refused she backflipped and now she is trying to pin everything on me" Shyam answered and Arnav clenched his fist in anger while the Raizada family gasped in surprise except for Payal and Akash.

"Ye aap kya keh rahe hai? (What are you saying?)" Anjali asked in a tone of disbelief and threw a glance at Khushi, who was now crying silently.

"I know, Rani Sahiba. This is hard to believe because she has always feigned herself as the innocent one. Even today, when I walked out of the Puja to attend my call, she followed me and asked me to sleep with her as all of you were occupied with the Puja. But when I refused again, she tried to throw herself at me. It was then Akash and Sale Sahab stepped in and mistook the situation," Shyam continued as Arnav and Khushi continued to be silent, and Shyam smiled inwardly, thinking they had nothing to prove him wrong.

"Rani Sahiba, I have always loved you and I could not bring myself to cheat on you and our little one. All this while, I never made you aware of Khushiji's intentions because I thought she would understand my situation and leave me alone. Besides, I knew this would hurt you too. I did not want to cause any rift or problems in the house so I stayed silent. But what I did not know was that she would not leave me alone. She is the type of woman who needs more than one man on her bed to satisfy..."

Shyam's voice was cut short by the thundering sound of Arnav's hand landing upon his face as a tight slap.

"Chote" Anjali screamed as Arnav did not stop and slapped Shyam again.

"You have said enough, Shyam Manohar Jha. Another word against my Khushi and you will not leave here alive" Arnav thundered, his hands tightening on Shyam's collar while Anjali was screaming incessantly, asking Arnav to release Shyam.

"Chote, you cannot blame Shyamji for what Khushiji did. It is her who needs to be handled and not Shyamji" Anjali's words hit Arnav and pushing Shyam aside, Arnav turned at Anjali.

"Di, you believe him?" Arnav asked, his eyes hurt.

"Why shouldn't I, Chote? I have every reason to believe him. He is my husband. I have known him longer" Anjali replied.

"What if I tell you that there is another side of this coin, Di? What if I tell you that this man over here has been cheating on you ever since he married you? That he never loved you but wanted the Raizada money? Di, he is a vile man who lusted after my Khushi. He tried to rape her, not just once but twice! What if I tell you that he tried to kill you and your baby by pushing you from the stairs, and it was Khushi who saved you? Will you believe me, Di?" Arnav asked, holding Anjali by her arms and forcing her to look into his eyes.

"Chote, why are you saying all this" Anjali let out in a weakened voice, her eyes once again filling with tears.

"Because this is the truth, Di. Shyam has been cheating on you and you have to believe your Chote" Arnav continued while Payal and Garima stood beside Khushi.

"Chote, please don't do this. How can you believe Khushiji over Shyamji? We haven't known her for over two years but Shyamji...he has been with our family for so many years" Anjali cried in Arnav's arms.

"Rani Sahiba, Saale Sahab has been misguided by Khushiji. It is not his mistake. But if none of them believe me, we will leave this house" Shyam once again cut in.

"Arnav Bitwa, how can you say that Damadji is wrong?" Naniji asked Arnav, who in return nodded at Khushi.

"I have proof" came the hushed reply from Khushi and more than anyone, it perked Shyam's ears.

"What proof? There is no proof because all of this is a story cooked by you to make Rani Sahiba hate me so that you can get me" Shyam outcried, baffled and hysterical, wondering as to what the proof could be.

The words from Shyam were enough to instigate Khushi and she reached up to him to fulfil her months long yearning.

All of the occupants of the room, sans Arnav, were once again stung by surprise as Khushi's hand landed on Shyam's face.

"This is for creeping into my house and playing with my family's emotions" Khushi enunciated in seething rage.

"This is for fabricating yourself as a bachelor and ensnaring me into an unsolicited relationship" she continued with another slap on his face.

"This one is for deceiving Anjali Di and trying to harm her".

"And this one for your attempts to blemish my image before Arnavji and the family" Khushi finished with another slap and her eyes met Arnav's in which she could read pride for herself.

"Di" Khushi went on, addressing Anjali, who was crying helplessly while Shyam was too stunned to react.

Reaching upto Anjali's side, Khushi continued, "Di, he is the man I was engaged to. He lied to Buaji that he was unmarried and he lived in our house for months. But on the day of the Puja, when you sent me to get him downstairs, I found out he is married to you. Prior to that, I did not know that he was married, Di. He has lied and cheated, not just with me but you as well".

"Amma" Khushi looked in Garima's direction and silently asked her to reveal the truth.

The next few minutes, Garima explained how and what followed in Lucknow, which led Payal and Khushi to leave the city and settle in Delhi. Buaji continued as she explained everyone how Shyam entered their lives in Delhi and won their trust.

By the time Payal had narrated how devastated Khushi was when she learnt about Shyam being married to Anjali and how she had decided to keep the truth covered for Anjali's sake, Anjali had gone numb with the revelations.

"Di" Akash and Arnav rushed to her side to help her sit on the sofa while Shyam was still reeling in with the change in the situation.

"There are no proofs to this, Rani Sahiba. They are lying, all of them. I never lived with them and neither did I know Khushiji before I met her in Shantivan. I was mostly out of the city on business" Shyam continued, livid as he read distrust in Nani, Mami and Mama Ji's eyes.

"We have proof that you lived in our house and were engaged to Khushi" this time it was Payal who cut off Shyam and she signalled Akash to bring it up.

~~***~~

Arnav was amazed when earlier this morning he had called Akash and Payal to his room.

He had the intention of revealing Shyam's true face to Akash so that he and Payal could help him and Khushi with the plan.

But he himself was taken aback when Akash declared that he knew it already from Payal.

It was then Arnav learnt that Payal had informed Akash about Shyam the very same day when she had revealed Shyam's true face to Arnav.

She had been upset when she had returned home, thinking that her marriage with Akash was over as sooner or later Akash was going to learn that she had kept secrets from him.

But when Akash had returned from his business trip and was behaving his usual self, Payal had realised that Arnav had not disclosed the truth to him.

It was then that Payal had decided she was no longer going to keep Akash in darkness.

On the same day, she had had a talk with Akash and had disclosed Shyam's true face to him.

Akash had been angry and hurt, but Payal had asked him to not react, as she was sure Arnav and Khushi were already dealing with it.

What surprised Arnav more was that Akash had secretly worked upon the case and had gathered some evidence against Shyam with the help of Payal.

This evidence was surely going to help Anjali believe that Shyam had been cheating her all this while.

After Arnav had shared his plan with Akash and Payal, Akash had hugged Arnav, and together they had promised each other to make Shyam suffer the worst consequences for hurting their sister.

~~***~~

"Di, do you remember this?" Khushi stretched open her palm and revealed a metal bracelet to Anjali which was damaged and repaired.

Hope danced in Khushi's eyes as she noticed light of recognition in Anjali's expression.

"Yes Di, this is the bracelet Shyamji had gifted me after he got engaged to me and...Akash Jeejaji has a carbon receipt of it"

Shyam's eyes widened in shock as he recalled the day when one fine day Akash had cornered him and asked him a good place from where he could buy a bracelet for Payal and surprise her.

Since Shyam was familiar and a frequent customer of that particular shop, he had suggested Akash to visit the same shop from where he bought the bracelet and the ring for Khushi.

Which meant...do they also have a receipt of the ring? Shyam wondered and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead.

"And di, we also have the receipt of the engagement ring he had bought for me. You remember the ring I was once searching for? It was the same ring, Di" Khushi continued but was cut off by Shyam.

"There is no proof that I bought these things, Rani Sahiba. Anyone could have bought these things under my name. Besides, there can be several Shyam Manohar Jha in the city" Shyam reasoned to Anjali, employing his lawyer's wit.

"The more you lie Jijaji, the more you get in trouble" Akash said, walking to Shyam and facing him squarely.

"The receipts have dates of purchase upon them, and based on those dates, we also have CCTV recordings of the shop that would prove that you personally visited the shop and bought these things" Akash continued and noticed the flicker of alarm in Shyam's eyes.

"Akash" Arnav said and Akash stepped back, taking hold of the flash drive, which Arnav produced from the side pocket of his trousers and offered to him.

"Rani Sahiba" Shyam instantly turned in the direction of Anjali, who sat stupefied on the sofa and was impassively tracking Akash with her gaze.

"Rani Sahiba, you don't trust them, do you? They are trying to.." Shyam addressed Anjali but earned no response, thus his face whitening further.

In the meantime, Akash had reached the Plasma TV which was installed on the front wall of the room, and inserted the flash drive in the designed slot.

Silence once again descended in the room, as Akash played the clip from the drive Arnav had provided.

Everyone watched in silence, and literally all the blood from Shyam's face drained as he watched himself entering the jewellery shop on two different occasions and buying the ring and the bracelet, respectively.

Just when Shyam thought the ordeal was over, another video rolled in, which could have been enough proof to even a sightless person.

"I have never loved Anjali. She was a compromise that I had to make because I wanted money and she had it. All my life I have pretended to love her because I needed money. And love? I found love in you!, Khushiji. Your innocence and beauty dazzled me, and I only want you. I went to so many lengths for you, Khushiji. I had to pretend to be a bachelor, I lived in your house, I did everything to win you and your family’s trust. And I succeed, didn’t I? We got engaged. I was so close to getting you in my life, Khushiji. But, you shattered my dreams, Khushiji. Why did you do it? Was my love not enough, Khushiji? You broke our engagement just because you found out that I was married to Anjali? And as if that was not enough heartbreak for me! You married Arnav Singh Raizada! You broke my heart all over again, Khushiji. But, I can understand. I am willing to forgive you, Khushiji. I know that money is an important thing. You too needed it, like I did. But that does not mean I will let you abandon me. You need to be mine, Khushiji. You belong to me. Only me!”

Shyam's voice blasted from the television and drifted to everyone while Shyam now looked seriously sick.

"What about the baby, Shyamji? How can you overlook the little life that is about to enter your and Anjaliji’s life?" Khushi's voice followed, and a sob escaped Anjali's lips, making Khushi rush to Anjali while Arnav was already beside her, holding her in his arms, trying to comfort her.

"That is an unwanted child, Khushiji. I do not want it. It was a mistake. I even tried to get rid of it that day. I thought Anjali would slip down and my problems will be over. But, it did not work. Because of you, Khushiji. You were there! You pushed me down, didn’t you? You saved Anjali and hurt me? Why, Khushiji? What has this family ever given you except pain? You chose to save Anjali? You are too innocent, Khushiji. Or too smart? You have deprived me of so many things and for SO LONG, Khushiji. It is about time that you let me have what I want” Anjali's attention was once again on the screen and her face remained bereft of any expression. She seemed still.

"You do not look well, Khushiji. You must be thinking what is wrong with you, right? That is because I mixed some pills in your juice, Khushiji. I made Raani Sahiba give it to you so that you would not doubt it. Do not worry, Khushiji. It is just a drug. You will be fine soon. You are not going to faint. You will be able to feel all the pleasure.." Arnav switched off the TV as he could feel anger coursing through him again while Akash grabbed Shyam by the collar again, noticing that he was about to slip out of the room.

"Not so easily, Jeejaji" Akash held Shyam by twisting his hands behind his back and restricting any possible movement.

"The police is on the way" Payal announced, and Arnav gestured at Khushi to retrieve the flash drive from the TV which she did while Arnav escorted Anjali out of the room and Maamiji and Payal followed closely.

After a small exchange with the Nainiji, Buaji and Garima decided to leave, but not without asking Payal to keep them informed about Anjali.

Just as Garima and Buaji left, the policemen reached Shantivan.

Keeping Anjali under the care of Nani and Khushi, Arnav and Akash entertained them and handed Shyam in their custody.

It took almost an hour before Arnav and Akash could dismiss the company of the inspector with whom they discussed the case and the evidence.

Upon the insistence of the inspector, Arnav handed the pen drive to him after making a backup.

Once the inspector departed, Arnav was heading to Anjali's room when he felt Akash's hand on his shoulder.

"Bhai?" Akash said, and Arnav knew what Akash was aching to ask.

"Not now, Akash. I have purposely kept the news of the contract marriage from the family. This entire fiasco has already been a lot for everyone, and I do not want to complicate the matter further. We will get back to this once Di is better" Arnav replied. Akash nodded in understanding, and Arnav headed to Anjali's room, his mind partly occupied with the thought that he still had to sort out this contract-marriage problem with Khushi.

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Pearl_Oyster 2019-12-22 18:27:05