Hopelessly in Love

Background: Arnav sees Khushi and Shyam on the terrace and asks Khushi to marry him the same night threatening her with Payal and Akash's marriage. What if Khushi refused?

Khushi smiled nervously at Arnav. His eyes looked red and the glare that he gave her in return clenched her heart. What was wrong with him? Only 2 hours earlier, he was flirting with her, pointing towards the bindi that he had pasted on the mirror, smiling at her in that heartwarming way of his. What happened in such a short span of time that he was looking at her with something akin to... betrayal. She was about to open her mouth to ask him when he pulled her wrist and started dragging her away from the crowd. She could've asked him to stop, could've told him that the wedding rituals were about to start, could've just yelled at him in front of everyone to leave her hand. But she wanted to know. This version of Arnav ji scared her. Not for her only, but for him; for them.

'You'll have to marry me. Tonight.'  Arnav commanded. The words were uttered like he was discussing the weather with someone. Unromantic. Cold. Businesslike. He still felt a throb in his heart whenever he replayed what he had witnessed on the terrace. Khushi in someone else's arms. And that too his Jeeja ji? It was too much to bear. He felt suffocated. His blood boiled and he could literally burn the entire world down from the raw anguish that he felt within. When she kept looking at him stunned into silence and didn't respond, he changed tactics.  

'Otherwise, I won't let Akash marry Payal. You can see that he won't even complete a single wedding ritual without me.' Arnav gestured her to see through the glass doors that gave them an unhindered view of the living room where Akash and Payal stood with shy smiles on their faces being teased about their special day. It pained him to use his brother as bait. Akash would never ever agree to such a sick demand. Nor would Arnav ever ask. But Khushi didn't know that and he needed all the leverage that he could get.  

'Why are you doing this?'  Khushi asked in a broken voice looking directly at her Jiji and Jija ji. The smiles on their faces, the happiness that radiated from everyone around them, the excited chatter of the wedding party. As if on cue, the pandit ji announced the muhurat for phere. When Jija ji asked them to wait for Arnav ji and Jiji agreed, something clogged her throat. 

'Because I can.'  Arnav simply shrugged. 

'Arnav ji what's wrong? Has anyone said anything? Why are you doing this?' Khushi pleaded. She shifted her focus back to him and his eyes looked in so much pain that she wanted to reach out and comfort him. But for that, she needed to know what was bothering him so much. He looked like he had been through hell. Seeing him in a black three-piece, everyone would gush at the handsome picture that he made but no one would notice the storm that was brewing in his eyes, the way his knuckles had turned white from the control that he was willing himself not to lose. But she knew better. 

'I don't think you have time to go into the whys and hows right now Khushi Kumari Gupta. It's better you accept.'  Arnav mocked her. His insides were screaming. He just wanted to go far and lock himself away from the harsh reality that life had thrown onto him tonight. The night that was supposed to be the best night of his life where he confessed... it was marred by the betrayal of the worst kind. 

'No.'  Khushi spoke determinedly. 

'Fine then I won't let this marriage happen.'  Arnav threatened and moved forward hoping that she would take the bait. Dammit! In all the things that he had imagined, he hadn't expected a blatant denial. He took some steps forward to show her that he was leaving when he heard her voice.

'You won't do it. Because I trust you. I trust you not to do this to your brother, not to disrespect our families, not to hurt the people... you love.'  Khushi stated with confidence. In all this time that she had known Arnav Singh Raizada, one thing was sure, that he could do anything and everything for his family. He wouldn't ruin this day just like this. Something major had happened, that much she knew and she would make sure that he opened up to her. Heck! She would marry him if that took away the sadness from his eyes. She didn't know from where she had found the courage to mumble the last sentence, hoping that he would understand the meaning hidden behind her words. 

Arnav stood shocked at Khushi's conviction. She trusted him. If it was anyone else, he would've scoffed at them and asked them to not use fancy words because he wasn't an emotional fool. But this was Khushi. She was looking him in the eye with so much belief, trust and... dare he say, love, that it became harder for him to breathe. When she looked right through him calling his bluff, he felt that she was looking into his soul. Somewhere, he felt like she understood the anguish he was in. He had to physically restrain himself from gathering her in his arms and just hiding both of them away from this cruel world. What exactly was he doing? How could he ask her to do something that would destroy all of their lives? Arnav turned his back towards her, not being able to bear the hold that she still had over him. 

'Go.'  Arnav mumbled softly. 

'Arnav ji.'  Khushi cried. The way he had turned away from her was akin to someone slapping her physically.  

'Go Khushi. Please leave.'  Arnav requested again. The fight was leaving him and suddenly, he felt tired. He didn't ask to be burdened by this truth that was a noose around his neck. He didn't ask for any of it. And yet, it hurt more than anything.   

'You won't even tell me?' Khushi asked, putting a hesitant hand on his shoulder and noticing his entire demeanour go stiff.

'I will. Give me some time.'  Arnav promised, turning around and looking into her eyes, giving her a small smile finally. It was too much to take in and he needed time. He couldn't force out the truth, nor could he ruin someone's life just because he had listened to a part of a conversation. Half-baked information always led to disastrous decisions, be it in business or life. If Khushi had put this much trust in him then he could at least return the favour and investigate the matter fully before playing judge, jury and executioner. 

'I will wait for you.'  Khushi promised in return.

**********

10 days later, Arnav Singh Raizada stood outside her house in Laxmi Nagar. It was midnight and the empty streets gave him the privacy that he needed to collect his thoughts. Right after Akash and Payal had gotten married, he had excused himself to his room and called every contact of his to investigate Shyam Manohar Jha. A private investigating team was at his beck and call and within 2 days, a full report was ready on his so-called Jeeja ji. It was gut-wrenching to know that the man that his Di had fasted for, gushed about, claimed to be so much in love with was a lying and cheating b*stard. The things that he discovered were so horrific that he questioned his own judgement and the promise to protect his Di. Shyam was stealing from them, didn't have a stable job, had multiple affairs and was even trying to kill his sister. The most shocking news was Shyam being Khushi's fiance. Now he knew why she had cried in his arms at the Satyanarayan Pooja. She had seen Di's husband for the first time. He wanted to question Khushi why she felt the need to hide this truth from him but then seeing his reaction last night, knew that she was right. She was scared.

He hadn't wasted a single minute, marching to Di's bedroom and telling her about her husband's true face. She hadn't believed it at first but when he had shown her the pictures, videos, voice recordings, receipts; she was forced to face the reality. She had taken it surprisingly well. Her unborn child becoming her strength. And then due to his influence, Anjali Jha had become Anjali Singh Raizada in exactly 5 days. The family had cried on the betrayal but eventually, things were starting to calm down now. He had kept the Gupta family name out of the story entirely and had seen Payal throw a grateful smile at him. Both the families were deceived and there was no need to bring that out in the open, tarnishing their budding relationship. Needless to say, Shyam Manohar Jha would rot in jail for a very long time. 

In all of this, Khushi had been a constant and a silent support system for him. They hadn't talked, hadn't even seen each other that much after the wedding but he knew she was there for him, in his thoughts, in his dreams, in every step he took. He had smiled when Payal had annoyingly told Khushi to stop calling and asking how everyone was constantly. Of course, he knew whom she wanted to ask about. He always heard praises from his family about how Khushi came and cheered Anjali with her sweets and crazy antics. Even Mami had warmed up to her presence and that was something. He sent her a text message to meet him outside and waited with bated breath for her to give him a chance to explain his side. Would she accept him after what he had put her through? She had given him time and waited as per her promise and now it was his turn. 

Khushi saw her phone ping with Arnav's message and her breath hitched. She hadn't seen him in days. It felt like years, though. She hopped out of her window and controlled her dhak-dhak to see him leaning on his white SUV in his black sweats. He looked deep in thought and when she cleared her throat upon reaching him, he smiled with his eyes closed and then opened them to look into her own. He opened the door for her and gestured to get in. She couldn't believe that she was sneaking out with Laad Governor in the night but it felt good.  

'I saw you with Shyam on the terrace. You were asking him to leave Di. And I... I misunderstood. I didn't trust you.'  Arnav shamefully admitted after driving in silence and parking the car where they could talk without any interruptions. He didn't focus on how beautiful she looked in her simple white shalwar kameez with her hair unbound and flying with the wind. He didn't look into her eyes in fear of seeing the hate that he couldn't bear. Every second that ticked by in Khushi's silence, felt like a special brand of torture for him.

'Why did you ask me to marry you?'  Khushi asked out of the blue. She had so much time to think it over and she had come to the same conclusion every time. It was about Shyam. There was a time when she had cried herself to sleep thinking that her Arnav ji hadn't trusted her and thought that she could do something like that but retrospection in all these days had revealed some interesting facts to her.

'Because I wanted to protect Di's marriage.'  Arnav's answer was instant. He still avoided her eyes because of the underlying truth that she might uncover.

'But marrying you would've put me under the same roof as that man. If I didn't respect someone else's marriage, what was the guarantee that I would respect mine?'  Khushi asked. On seeing Arnav look uncomfortable and silent, she continued,  'Why didn't you just throw money on my face and ask me to leave? I mean if I could stoop so low...'

'STOP IT! You're not that person, okay? I KNOW YOU.'  Arnav bellowed looking straight into her eyes and daring her to finish her sentence. Deep down, he had always known but that meant exploring those other feelings that he had so carefully hidden till now. 

'Then why did you want to marry me?'  Khushi asked again in an equally loud voice. 

'BECAUSE I LOVE YOU DAMMIT!'  Arnav voiced boomed into the silent night. His furious eyes met Khushi's smug ones and he told her the ultimate truth that he had only let his heart whisper to him once and had been locked away ever since that night. 

'Because I wanted you for myself. I wanted you beside me, with me. Even if you were involved with someone else, I didn't care. I could make you fall in love with me but I couldn't bear seeing you with anyone else. Are you happy now?'  Arnav's voice trembled at how pathetic it sounded. It had taken extreme power to convince himself that he was doing it for his sister. Khushi was right. He wouldn't have thought a second to kick someone out of their house if he even had an inkling that they were a threat to Di's married life. But this was Khushi and instead, he was ready to welcome her into his house under the same roof as his sister. Not to mention, give up his every belief in the marriage system. He had hoped that he would give her so much love, show her an entirely different side of him that she would never even think of another man. He was that hopelessly in love with this woman. And now, he had lost that chance as well. 

'You're wrong. How could you make me fall in love with you when I already love you?'  Khushi asked casually giggling at the stupefied expression on Arnav ji's face. She had figured out the meaning behind his ridiculous demand of marrying that night. He was scared. For his sister, yes. But for her too; scared of losing her. And that had warmed her heart so much. 

'Khushi...'  Arnav whispered in a daze.

'I would've said yes if you pushed a little more.'  Khushi shrugged. 

'Why?'  Arnav questioned, still reeling from the after-effects of her confession. 

'Because I would've even tolerated your hate if that meant I was with you.'  It was true. Whenever Khushi thought back to that day, she saw herself agreeing if Arnav hadn't given up so easily. She had even admitted to herself that in a tiny corner of her heart, she felt regret that she hadn't just said yes. At least, they would've been married by now. She had dreamt of a life with him and she would've been happy any way it happened. She was that hopelessly in love with this man. 

'Hum donon...'  Khushi commented, not finding the right words to describe their love. 

'...kitne ajeeb hain.'  Arnav completed for her. 

Arnav hugged her right there. He pulled her closer and buried his head in the crook of her neck, inhaling that sweet fragrance of hers, that was so Khushi. Khushi gasped in surprise but didn't waste a second in embracing him. They were content, in each other arms, in their love and in togetherness. 

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.'  Arnav muttered his apologies repeatedly. He kissed her hair and felt a comforting hand on the nape of his neck soothing him, telling him that it was okay, that it didn't matter because they were right where they should be. 

Khushi pushed herself out of his embrace and wiped the few tears that had escaped. She looked over at Arnav with his ruffled hair and regretful gaze. She couldn't help it so she pulled his cheek. 'Laad Governor, you're so cute.'

'What the...'  After all, what else could Khushi's Arnav ji say?