Chapter 6

Barbados, Tuesday 24^th July 2012

"What the f*** were you expecting?" Sean was flailing his arms about trying to drill some sense into his friend.

"I was expecting MY family to not give up hope. Have I given them any reason to believe that I am dead? I was expecting my family to atleast try to look for me! I was expecting HER to look for me!"

"You are so f****d up in the head its not even funny. You disappear, into thin air. Not a trace, and expect them to come to the effing Caribbean to find you? Dude, she is from Lucknow not London! Do you even know what you were expecting from a 19 year old?" Sean could not believe the man in front of him.

"She believes I am dead," he tossed the newspaper across the room and Sean picked it up.

Billionaire Arnav Singh Raizada declared dead.

The billionaire business tycoon has been missing for nearly 2 months. The initial suspicions of kidnapping have been brushed aside given no demand for ransom has been made. "Our family needed closure. Arnav was very dear to everyone in our family. Life will never be the same without him, but we decided to hold a shanti puja in his honour so the family can move on," said Shyam Manohar Jha, the late Mr. Raizada's brother-in-law. When questioned about the Raizada estate and the legacy left behind by Arnav Singh Raizada, Mr Jha stated reasons of privacy and declined comment. Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada leaves behind a young widow, Khushi Singh Raizada. No comment was available from Mrs. Raizada.

"So now what?" Sean looked up from the paper and straight into the bloodshot eyes of Arnav.

"He wont get a cent. I made sure of that. I changed my will. Di will get everything. Khushi and Shyam can do whatever they want. Sean, I thought she would come. I believed she would come."

"Pick up the phone Arnav. Call them. Tell them you are here."

"It doesn't matter anymore. Besides, I have my first scuba class tomorrow. People are depending on me."

"She depended on you too. And you were an asshole to her." Sean Marshall walked away, leaving a steely Arnav behind.

Delhi, Tuesday 24^th July 2012

"Di you cant do this! Arnavji is alive. My heart believes he is. Please don't do this. Please call off the puja." Khushi begged her sister-in-law

"what do you mean you know he is alive, do you know something I don't?" Anjali's eyes narrowed as she squared Khushi,

"No Di, that's not what I meant. I do…don't know anything" Khushi stumbled remembering the phone call and the meeting next week. She didn't want to get her sister-in-laws hopes up, her lie clearly visible to Anjali.

"If you love my brother, you will want this for him."

"NO Di. BECAUSE I love your brother, I cannot watch you do this. Di, I know you love him too please, please for Gods sake don't declare him dead" Khushi was crying now. Watching her in tears infuriated Anjali as she recalled Shyam's words. Shyam walked down the stairs and his eyes met Anjalis and in that second all hell broke lose.

"STOP IT KHUSHI. STOP YOUR TEARS!"

"DI!"

"Do not call me that. I know everything about you. I don't know what you want with my brother, but if its money you want, you can have it all. Just bring Chotey back!"

"Wh…what are you talking about Di?" Khushi was stunned and continued to gape at Anjali not completely comprehending all that was being said.

"Khushi please Shyam told me everything. Don't play games with us anymore. How you tried to throw yourself at MY husband. How you manipulated my brother. Isnt it all that enough that now you kidnap my brother for money?"

Khushi understood at the mention of Shyam the dirty game the man was playing. His eyes shone with malice as Anjali raved on.

"I will give you all the money – but only after I get my Chotey back. Till then you will leave this house. I do not want your presence here."

Anjali turned her back to Khushi and for once Khushi saw her as Arnav's sister, realising that it was futile trying to get her to budge. The same pig-headed unreasonable dominance ran through Anjali and Arnav's veins.

She walked towards her sisters room and collapsed in her sisters arms. For hours Khushi cried out every tear. Akash and Payal comforted her, listening to everything.

"We will leave with you Khushi."

"NO. Di needs support here. And you have to keep an eye on Shyam. You cant do that. Akashji, I need a place to stay."

Akash tried arguing with his sister-in-law but he knew it was a losing battle.

***

Khushi walked towards Anjali placing a hand on her shoulder. "Di, " she whispered softly, "I don't know where Arnavji is, I promise you that much. But my heart tells me he is alive. I will search till the end of the world to find him. In return I ask you for one thing."

"The nerve you have asking me..."

"Please Di, hear me out, aapko aapki bhai ki kasam." She blurted out the magic words, knowing fully well that Anjali was superstitious enough not to take a chance when it came to her beloved brother,

"Di, in the next few hours you will become the sole benefactor of Arnav-jis estate. That makes you a target. Aasha needs you. You need to transfer everything to Aasha's name, for her to inherit when she comes of age. "

"Khushi is right Di and don't make the mistake of transferring anything to Jijaji. You know what he is like, he will get offended, think that we are doing charity to him. He likes earning his own living. And besides everything you both are doing is for Asha." Akash interjected, ensuring that Anjali listened to Khushi.

"What do you have to gain from that?" Anjali looked on confused at Khushi.

"Nothing Di. And at the same time everything. You are all my family. Your safety and wellbeing is all I ever want. Promise me di?"

Anjali continued to stare at Khushi making no commitment, "Please?" the desparation in her voice didnt go unnoticed.

"I will let Akash handle the matter."

"Thank you di. Thank you so much." Khushi let out a sigh of relief and met Akash's eyes, who nodded in assurance. He would never let Shyam get his way.

Khushi picked up her bag and silently walked out with Akash in tow.

***

"This is Arnav-ji's apartment?" Khushi walked around the penthouse apartment, taking in the stunning view of Delhi city from the bay windows.

"Yeah. Its close enough to office so whenever he gets delayed he spends here. I have stayed a few times too, specially when we have the overseas teleconferences at all sorts of random times"

"Its perfect. Thank you jiju."

After Akash left Khushi walked around the apartment doing a quick survey to check for any clues of her missing husband. It was all the more integral for her to find him now. "Where are you Arnavji…" she whispered hoping for a magical answer.

She climbed into the large bed and fell into a fit of disturbed sleep.