Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Past To Present To Future

Hey,

This is a really short and quick update. But the reason it is short is because contents of the next chapter cannot be included in this one...😉

Thank you for your lovely comments... SO, it's established now is it? Arnav is cute and caring? One of my buddies and she'll know when she reads this, even said that I was turning this Arnav in to the one from My Prince Charming🤣Don't worry dear I don't mix up my characters... Ok let's read this one then...

~~~~~~

Next day Arnav came in the evening to pick up Khushi. They were quiet throughout the drive. When they reached home, Nani asked Khushi to take some rest. She went to her room and Arnav came with her.

Khushi moved inside and heard Arnav close the door behind. She turned to look behind and he came forward and wrapped his arms around her.

"Finally, you are back. It's been four days." She tried to push him away but he held on to her. "Please Khushi, these 4 days have been hell for me without you. At least let me convince myself that you are really here with me."

She stood still for a few seconds and said, "Arnav I want to change and freshen up."

He sighed and let her go. She moved away to the bathroom.

When she came out she saw that Arnav was speaking over the phone. She started moving out of the room to help Payal with dinner but he caught her hand. She looked at him surprised and tried to free her hand from his grip but he shook his head indicating with eyes to stop struggling. Annoyed she waited for him to finish the call. For the next 10 minutes, he kept speaking over the phone while looking at her and keeping a firm grip on her hand.

Once his call was done Khushi spoke, "What nonsense is this Arnav? Let go."

"Where were you planning to go?" He asked ignoring her pleas.

"To the Kitchen to help with the dinner." She replied.

"Nani asked you to rest. You must be tired. I'm sure even at your dad's place you must have spent the whole time either taking care of him or in the kitchen."

"That doesn't really matter. I don't want to rest." She said trying to pull her wrist out of his grip again.

He didn't let go, "I'm not asking you if you want to rest or not, I'm..."

"Khushi?" Payal knocked on the door.

"Jiji, come in." Khushi said as Arnav let go of her hand.

Payal came in with a tea tray.

"Jiji you shouldn't have. I was coming down to help you with dinner." Khushi said taking the tray from her.

"No Khushi, just take some rest today. And dinner is almost ready." She smiled and left them alone.

"Alright so Payal doesn't need your help today." Arnav smirked.

Khushi ignored the remark and kept the tray on the table. She handed him his coffee and moved out to the poolside to relax with her tea. He didn't come after her, just had his coffee and went to the bathroom to change.

After dinner everyone returned to their rooms but Khushi and Payal sat chatting in the living area.

"Jiji, how could you not answer my calls? Do you have any idea what I went through?" Khushi complained.

"I'm sorry Khushi." Payal said taking her hand in hers. "But Amma stopped me. We didn't want you to worry."

Khushi sighed, there was no point arguing all over again.

"So, have you made any decision?" Payal asked changing the topic.

"About what Jiji?" Khushi asked.

"About what we spoke about the night before you left for Chandigarh." Payal said. "About giving Arnavji a chance."

Khushi was about to protest but Payal stopped her.

"Khushi, initially I was really upset the way he blackmailed you to marry him. But you know when you were in Chandigarh, the way he was always there by Amma Babuji's side, it makes me rethink about him. In fact I'm a little confused." Payal said and Khushi couldn't help but laugh darkly.

"Yeah confused. That's the right word. I'm confused too Jiji. I too don't know what is going on." She replied.

"All I want is for you to find happiness in your married life." Payal said hugging her.

"Hope so." Khushi whispered to herself.

~~~~~~

When Khushi returned to her room, Arnav was still working on his laptop. She looked at him and hesitated for a moment.

"Um... Arnav?" She called out.

He immediately looked up at her.

She fidgeted with her Dupatta, "I... uh... wanted to thank you, for what you did for my Babuji."

He was embarrassed again. He didn't reply and returned his gaze to the laptop screen.

Khushi was really annoyed. She was genuinely thanking him and he was ignoring. "I can't believe after threatening to ruin his life, you are the same person who saved him." She shot at him.

He still didn't look at her. "I did it for you."

"Oh really? How so?"

He was getting irritated by the topic. He didn't like giving explanations for his actions but she just wasn't letting it go. He got up all of a sudden and grabbed her arms, "Because if anything had happened to him, YOU would have been hurt. Yes I threatened to ruin his life. But I would have never really done anything like that. I have already made it clear Khushi, I can't see you in pain."

She just looked at him shocked. He let her go and she started moving towards the wardrobe. But he came forward placing his hands on either side of her on the wardrobe door. She was trapped between the wardrobe and him but she didn't turn around to face him. So he leant forward to bring his lips near her ear.

"Don't let that ease you up Khushi." His voice had turned icy cold and a chill ran down her spine, making her shiver. "Do not forget WHY I threatened you. Because I wanted to make you MINE. I can never hurt you but I can go to any lengths for you to be by my side. You are mine Khushi, only mine. Never forget that. You will be with me forever, no matter what. I'll tolerate any crap from you, any kind of behaviour. In fact I HAVE been tolerating ever since we got married. But that's Okay, I know I deserve it after what I did to you. But that does not change anything. I'm not letting you go at any cost. You belong to me and let that be clear in your mind."

He pulled in a deep breath, taking in the scent of her hair. Khushi was having hard time breathing though he hadn't even touched her. He took his hands off the wardrobe and turned away from her. He picked up his laptop and went to the poolside and started working there.

Khushi got changed and lay on the bed in deep thought. She wondered why he was being so possessive. He hadn't been like that before. Or was he? When she worked for him he had been strictly professional. Except for the time in Mumbai when that model had asked for a dance with her, he hadn't let go of her even for a moment and after returning to the hotel they had even ended up kissing. But then after returning back to Delhi he had been his usual self ignoring her.

Until now Khushi had not given much thought to the future of her relationship with Arnav. She had been just going with the flow, trying to make it through one day at a time. But considering recent events, she would soon have to make a decision. She knew he would never let her go. He had made that clear more than once now. The Future, the Present and most importantly the Past looked completely disconnected from where she was looking and had to be sorted out. There were a lot of questions in her mind and it was time she started finding answers for them.

She had to start from the Past. She shuddered at the thought. But there was no other way. If she wanted to clear the chaos that was going on in her life at present, if she wanted even little bit of peace in her future, she would have to start with shedding light on the dark past. She had to find out the reasons behind the turn of events that changed her entire life.

She had to find about the man who had turned her entire life upside down. The man who was her husband now... Arnav Singh Raizada. She wanted to know why he was one moment a beast and then the next moment a lover. It was like living with a man with two faces. Her mother was right, her relationship with Arnav was no child's play. She had been brought up with traditional beliefs and she considered the bond of marriage the most sacred of all. She couldn't leave it to fate anymore.

~~~~~~

When Arnav finished his work and came back to sleep, Khushi was already fast asleep. He got into the bed when she turned facing towards him in her sleep. He ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry Khushi... For causing you so much pain... Sorry... I love you Khushi... You are MINE... Only mine..."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Chapter 30: The Other Side Of The Coin