Chapter 2

3 years ago

chaoticmind2021

@chaoticmind2021

Anjali rushed to her safe cocoon knowing that the brother who had vowed to protect her and done exactly that all her life will make things alright now. She hugged him and sighed with relief when he hugged her back urging her to look at him and not cry.

'Why are you crying?  What's going on?'  Arnav demanded, his voice bordering on the desperation that he felt seeing his sister crying and the grim faces of his family. He looked at Khushi for some explanation and was flabbergasted to see the defeated look in her eyes and her cheek painted with red angry finger marks. He fisted his hands as a familiar rage took over him seeing her hurt. 

'Chotte. She.. she's having an affair with my Shyam ji.'  Anjali hiccuped only to meet with deadly silence. A pained expression passed over his face remembering the past and he stiffened in the arms of his sister. A wedding, his sister's smiling face and a gunshot resounded in the back of his mind and he felt unable to move. He gulped as he saw his sister, the one that meant the world to him, teary-eyed looking expectantly at him and then his eyes fell on her who silently begged him to believe her for once. 

'Please believe me.' Khushi whispered in a broken voice knowing that the chances of anyone trusting her over Anjali or Shyam, for that matter, were nill. A flicker of hope emanated in her heart when she saw Arnav's gaze softening. 

'Your tears won't change what I saw. You asked him to leave me, divorce me and come to you. Shameless!' Anjali scoffed at her again marching over to where Khushi stood and pushed Khushi who stumbled towards where the Gupta family stood. 'Take this filth away from us and consider this marriage over.' 

Garima folded her hands together begging the Raizada family to reconsider and assuring them that Khushi will not create any nuisance in their life. Bua ji turned towards Nani and then Akash grovelling at how Payal wasn't at fault and cancelling the wedding would bring humiliation to their daughter. 

'What's the guarantee that Payal won't go after another man just like her sister?'  Mami taunted 

'Payal is not Khushi. She's not like that!' Bua ji hollered not before throwing a disgusted look towards Khushi. 

'She looked innocent too. And yet there she was in my husband's arms like a mistress.' Anjali sneered, physically shuddering at the disgusting memory. 

'ENOUGH!' Arnav's shout was enough to send a shiver down everyone's spine. Knowing how protective he was of his sister, everyone prepared themselves for the worst. He looked around the hallway and turning towards his Di, guiding her to sit at one of the sofas gently, he asked her to relax. 'You have to calm down Di. There is always another side.' 

'Chotte? I know what I saw. And you're defending her? I must say good work, Khushi. Chotte, Shyam ji, are there any more?'  Anjali scoffed looking at Khushi who hung her head in shame in response. Arnav felt a physical blow at the cutting words and hate he could see in the eyes of his ever-loving sister. 

'We can have this discussion after the wedding.'  Arnav calmly declared earning surprised glances from his family. 

'There will be no wedding Bhai. You can't expect me to get married into a family that has hurt Di like this?'  Akash who had been silent till now finally spoke up looking at only his sister, whom he considered as his second mother. He looked around to see the tear streaks on Payal's face along with a look of betrayal and felt his heart constrict. She was after all the woman he loved but knowing that his family was hurting much more right now, he had to stay strong even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness. 

'We'll kick Khushi out. We won't have any relation with her. Only 2 hours are left to Baraat. Please I beg you.'  Saying that Garima fell on the ground ready to beg at their feet if that got them to agree. 

'See Chotte? Her own family is not ready to accept this low-life and you...' Anjali's words were cut short by the booming voice of Arnav who looked ready to kill. 

'THAT'S BECAUSE I TRUST HER DAMMIT!'