Part 11

Note- Long chapter alert, read at leisure.

--*--

Arnav sat in that dimly lit cell of that police station, the cold, unforgiving bars staring at him. But he had his head bent down, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion and defeat. It had been 14 hours since his arrest. And there was no one to bail him out. He smiled sadly. How did he land here? All he did was when that girl he didn't even properly remember- Sheetal- came to meet him and tried to get too-close for his comfort, he pushed her away. There was no way that her fall on the carpeted floor would result in bruises on her face and hands.

And those strangulation marks? He sure had nothing to do with it.

It was clear as daylight.

He was framed. Systematically.

He was not that worried about his bail, he knew somebody from his party, the hordes of newly gathered supporters and some old loyal people would come to rescue him. He also had enough money to ensure that the case would not cause him any harm.

But his wife, his family, the people for whom he had jumped into the hellhole, would they stand by him? He had already made a show about leaving them. And now after all this, would they ever listen to him that he never meant to betray them? He had nothing to do with Sheetal? Would khushi believe him? He thought he was putting out a small fire with 'controlled burning', but he forgot a basic rule of it that if the 'fuel' isn't properly taken care of, the fire can go widespread!

"Chaliye, aapki bail ho gayi hai (Come, your bail is done)." the police officer on duty said and Arnav looked up to see one of his old acquaintances, the oldest party member Manohar Singh was here to get him out...

.

.

It was a week into the polling campaign, and it was so far becoming one-sided on Aman and Dayal's side. After Arnav's arrest and ongoing trial, they had left no stone unturned to target Khushi.

'A woman who ran away after facing hardships, will you vote for her?'

'Mrs. Khushi Mehra-Raizada is an opportunistic lady; she only saw relationships as a way to gain power. First, she married Swayam and later, his murderer's son, Arnav. Can you trust your state in the hands of such a woman?'

'She used to call me her brother, but still she didn't even spare me, will you trust such a lady?'

Aman's attacks had become more and more scathing. Khushi's personal life was attacked, every aspect of hers that Aman knew, he used it against her.

In the meantime, Khushi's campaign so far focused only on her work in the past and her plan for the future. The new schools she was planning to build, the increased security she was planning to deploy for girls and women, her involvement in getting the corrupt ex-CM and her own father-in-law Arvind arrested, she only focused on these things.

But Aman and especially Dayal were already daydreaming about their victory. Their public survey team told them they would get an easy victory...

Now if only Sheetal returned their calls. She had been missing since once week. Precisely since the night Arnav was bailed out.

Did she run away taking their money? Better not, Dayal thought. He still needed those pictures of Swara and Aman...

.

.

Sheetal was munching on her low salt baked potato chips when there was a knock on her hotel room's door.

She got startled for a moment.

Until there was another double knock. And another.

Followed by a text message on her phone.

This was signature of only one person's arrival that she knew...

Sheetal got up and opened the door.

"I w-was not ex-expecting you today." She nervously said opening the door.

And in walked, in all her glory, Mrs. Khushi Mehra-Raizada!

She had been the one who had found sheetal that night and cleverly, with the help of her "team" she had moved sheetal to this hotel.

At first, Sheetal had resisted, paralyzed by her fear of Dayal's men tracking her down. But Khushi showed Sheetal her team of "highly skilled" security agents, trained to neutralize any threat, and make people "disappear" in thin air if needed. And then Khushi had added, staying with her meant a promise of money too! The combined assurance of protection and money had been enough to unlock Sheetal's tongue and she started speaking like parrot.

She confessed that arnav had never hurt her physically. It was dayal's plan. She also admitted that in the past too, it was her who was behind arnav...

And while sheetal thought khushi would instantly make her stand in front of the press to confess this, she kept her hidden in this hotel room somewhere outskirts of delhi.

Until today.

"I hope you are ready with your speech, sheetal. You'll soon be facing the world!"

Sheetal, in pressure of Khushi's threatening aura, nervously chuckled, "Y-yeah, Mrs. Raizada. I have the s-speech p-prepared."

"Good girl. Get it reviewed with Annika, my assistant. And ensure to speak ONLY what we tell you. ok?" Khushi said, tapping her cheek and sheetal nodded.

--*--

Every party was doing their best to promise many things to the public. Apart from Dayal, Khushi and Arnav, there were many small parties and their contestants as well who were giving their sweat and blood in this election as the election campaign was reaching a fever pitch!

Meanwhile, although Arnav seemed to have taken a little backseat after the Sheetal fiasco but his presence stayed important. In this one week, despite his efforts, he had been unable to find sheetal, and even Swara had distanced herself from him in recent days. Yet, he refused to let his party crumble under the aftermath of his scandal. Quietly, he worked behind the scenes, rallying his newly formed party workers, ensuring their morale stayed intact, and urging them to keep fighting for their shared vision. The public had perhaps seen him as a villain but he had to ensure that at least his one goal, to reduce the total number of seats Dayal's party would win...

.

.

As for khushi, no matter what public surveys said, she was certain of her victory. Just one last step. And it was about time...she had saved best for the last.

It was one such evening when Khushi came to Swara's room.

"Bhabhi? Aaiye na (Please come in)."

Khushi smiled and sat on the chair opposite Swara as Swara sat up, closing the book she was reading.

"Swara, you and I have never got as much time to bond as I would have liked. But will you believe me if I said, I really look out for you? Especially after...swayam..."

"Bhabhi, you don't have to say it... I know that you care for me."

Khushi gave a small smile...

"So, will you tell me something honestly?"

"Sure."

"You and Arnav... I mean, I know before we left for Kasauli you and he were friends..." khushi searched for words.

"He is my brother, Bhabhi." Swara replied, with a warm smile. A veiled truth which was lost to khushi but she still got satisfied with that answer. It was not that she doubted their relation...or perhaps she did. She had never quite gathered courage to ask Arnav about it and in the two years in between, this topic was never raised.

Khushi nodded.

"And Aman?" she asked the next one. For which she was actually here.

Swara's face hardened hearing his name. How should she tell this answer honestly to khushi? She couldn't tell that once she was helping Aman against her own party and later she was helping Arnav bhai to work against Aman. But then in the last one week, after arnav's arrest, she had completely stopped visiting Aman.

Khushi waited patiently for her to answer and kept her hand over Swara's to nudge her out of her reverie.

"A-Aman used to be a friend, bhabhi" Swara answered, not meeting khushi's eyes.

"Do you still like him?"

Swara looked up in surprise.

"Don't look at me like this, Swara. I told you; I try to look out for you... anyway. If you still talk to him or meet him, please ensure you are not saying or doing something that may be used against you... you may hug him as a friend or he may hold your hand in a friendly way but someone may capture that to use it to defame you... tum samajh rahi ho na what I am saying?"

Swara's eyes widened in understanding. She had thankfully not met Aman in the past week, but she didn't think from this point of view. Did Khushi know something that she didn't?

"Bhabhi...how do you- I mean achanak se aap (suddenly why are you)-"

Khushi sighed. She didn't want to tell Swara that sheetal had told about Dayal's plan yet. "I will tell you the answer to that in some time. But before that, will you help me with something?"

"Sure Bhabhi. What is it?"

"You have to go to Aman and Dayal."

"Wh-what?"

"Yes." Khushi nodded, "You have to go to them and pretend everything is normal. And then be a spy for me...you have to help me look for anything that you find in their office, in their home or even in their conversations about Sheetal and about me or our family."

Swara got up hearing that. She may not be as politically aware as her mother, her half-brother or her bhabhi, but she could see how her family and especially was facing cheap, personal attacks on her and had not countered it.

"I don't understand, Bhabhi. Why have you not spoken a word against their attacks on you yet? They have literally taken personal digs at you and yet you have kept mum on that. Why?"

Khushi finally smiled warmly for the first time that evening. Swara could see a different glint in her eyes as she spoke,

"My babuji and Rani Ma taught me that everything in politics has a specific time, Swara. So, wait until it is all over, which is far from it right now." She said, and then got up herself, coming to stand beside Swara, "Besides, Dayal is showing his own dirty side to the public with all these attacks. Public, i.e., people may not say anything on their face, but they observe everything and will show on the polling day. I am sad for Aman...his betrayal hurt the most..." khushi looked away, as her throat felt heavy thinking of Aman's recent attacks on her character. No matter what she said, it indeed affected her.

"But still-"

"I am not done yet, Swar. Just because I have not said anything yet, doesn't mean I have not planned to do anything. Which is why I need you to do this for me."

Hearing that from Khushi, Swara was surprised as well as pleased thinking how similar arnav and Khushi thought. Arnav had also asked her to go to Aman to leak specific information earlier and now khushi was also asking her to spy for specific information.

"Yeah. Tell me what I have to do." Swara said.

.

.

2 days later:

There was a press conference called by khushi's party. Every small and big media house representative was there. Because this was supposed to have a biggest revelation against Dayal and Aman Mathur!

And the press wasn't disappointed where they saw Sheetal Kapoor sitting on the dais beside khushi.

The hall erupted in chaos, murmurs, loud questions asking sheetal what she was doing here, and why was she with khushi.

"I request everyone to please maintain silence." Khushi said and her voice worked like a charm and everyone stayed quiet.

"You've all heard numerous allegations in the past few days against me and my husband-"

"But ma'am, isn't he separated from you, and isn't his party standing against you?" a reporter interrupted.

"Please let me complete." Khushi replied firmly. The reporter quickly apologized and sat down.

Khushi resumed, holding the mic with steady hands. "As I was saying, there have been many allegations against me and my family. We chose not to respond...until now. Yes, my husband and I are on opposing sides politically, but we have immense respect for each other. The testimony of our relationship is our two children, whom we love equally. However, in recent days, certain individuals- people who were once close to us- have spread lies and baseless accusations. As a woman and a mother, I couldn't counter these without solid proof. But now, I have it. Sheetal, who will speak with you shortly, and my sister-in-law Swara, who has recordings to share, will clear all your doubts."

With that, Sheetal took the mic and began her account. She revealed how Dayal and Aman had paid her to frame Arnav, how he had never harmed her, and how Dayal had even instructed her to obtain compromising photos of Swara and Aman. Sheetal also played a recording of her conversation with Dayal, leaving the press stunned.

Meanwhile, Aman, watching the press conference unfold, felt the ground shake beneath him as the meaning of these revelations hit home!

Swara too had done her role with precision, presenting a trove of files, recordings, and photographs that exposed Dayal's dirty schemes. These included plans targeting the wives and sisters of opposing candidates, as well as incriminating conversations involving Aman.

And with that there was no further scope for any more questions.

With khushi's final strike, she had not only saved Arnav's as well as her own reputation, secured her political career but also finished Dayal and vilified Aman's credibility!

--*--

As the polling day arrived, the Delhi Assembly, with its 130 seats, witnessed an unprecedented voter turnout. The magic number to form a majority government stood at 65 seats.

And when the results were declared, Khushi's party emerged as a formidable force, securing 53 seats. Arnav's party followed with 37 seats, while smaller parties claimed a handful of seats. Dayal's party, however, faced a crushing defeat, managing only 13 seats. The most shocking blow came with Aman losing his deposit, marking a humiliating end to his campaign!

.

.

Shortly thereafter, news outlets reported that Arnav's and Khushi's parties had allied to form the government, as well as an announcement of their reconciliation in marriage.

People couldn't be happier.

Although the said reconciliation had taken its own sweet time. Although Khushi had saved Arnav in the Sheetal case, she was deeply hurt by his rebellious decision to form a separate party. It took Arnav countless phone calls and several failed attempts to meet her before, with Swara's help, he finally found her in one of their offices.

When Arnav explained why he had done everything - the creation of a separate party and how it was all staged- he first earned a stinging slap from his wife, followed by a tight, emotional embrace.

Swara, who was watching the heartfelt moment from a corner, couldn't hold back her tears of joy.

And hearing her quiet sobs, Khushi and Arnav quickly realized their position and awkwardly separated.

It was khushi who then asked Swara about Aman and how she was coping after everything that had happened. And Swara, being a true strong lady like Khushi and Rani, answered that it is better to let the relation break that hasn't even started than break your own heart going behind wrong people.

Arnav then enveloped her in his arms and hoped one day, his sister would find her happiness. It was too late for his friend, anyway.

Amidst all this, there was only one person who was unhappy, and it was Rani Mehra.

Because khushi had decided that the CM post will be given to Manohar Singh, a veteran member of their own party who now had won from Arnav's party, while she will be deputy CM.

Unwilling to let this happen, Rani had called out both Arnav and Khushi together for a discussion. Her decision was firm: if Khushi wouldn't claim the CM position, then Arnav must. But their family had to retain central control!

But Arnav answered in crisp, clear words, "I am not interested in taking any throne, Mrs. Mehra."

"How? How can you throw it all away? You both, in fact. I didn't expect this from you, Khushi. Do you know how many people will happily trade places with you? You are throwing away the opportunity to make changes..." she tried every way to change khushi or arnav's minds.

"But I can still do all that being a deputy CM, Rani ma. I feel I can better handle my family and work this way."

"Huh. You'll hope so." Rani chuckled bitterly, "But I am very disappointed in you two. You are nothing like you parents." She said, this time looking at arnav giving him a meaningful look.

And arnav had enough. He had decided to never broach the topic of his birth secret again, but Mrs. Mehra left him no option.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Mehra, but I AM like my mother. The one who raised me, not the one who gave birth to me*." (*a/n - this one's from YRHPK if you saw it)

Khushi looked at him in confusion while Rani's eyes widened in shock. She didn't expect him to reveal that truth like this.

Arnav met Khushi's gaze, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "Yes, Khushi, Ratna Raizada was not my birth mother. But her values have always shaped my life. She prioritized her family above all, tolerating my mistakes and ignorance, yet always wishing the best for me..."

Khushi's eyes turned moist at this sudden revelation, "Do you know, who- who is your-"

"Birth mother? Yes. In fact, she's standing in this room. Behind you." Arnav said, calmly, while Rani's heart skipped a beat. She didn't know why but she had never expected him to be this bitter about her.

Khushi gasped in shock and turned around to see Rani Ma, whose eyes were filled with tears. Perhaps for the first time in life.

"Mrs. Mehra is my biological mother."

"At least now call me, Maa, Arnav." Rani ma said, through clogged throat, walking near him.

"You never had that right and will never have, Mrs. Mehra." Arnav said, "But since I have my mother's teaching in me, I will not disown you or ask you to leave. You can stay with me as long as you wish to. As for Swara, she is my responsibility."

Rani Ma couldn't tolerate any more and left from there, in defeat. She needed time to gather herself. All her life, she had made decisions that she thought were correct. But arnav's one sentence, his and khushi's one decision to easily sacrifice power, throne for their family truly stunned her...

After she left, Arnav was taken aback as Khushi suddenly came and hugged him, "I missed you." She said.

"Me too, Khushi. And I am sorry for all-"

"Shh. I am sorry too. But I don't want to fight with you anymore."

"Don't worry, now I'll always stay with you and both our kids..." he said, wrapping his arms around her.

Khushi looked up, while still in his arms, and said with watery smile, "It is 3 kids actually..."

Arnav looked in confusion until realization dawned on his face, "You...you mean you are-"

"-we are expecting another child." She nodded, "Destiny is giving us a chance to relive everything we missed during Veer and Vanshika...their first steps, their first words, their first laughter. But with this one-" she kept her hand on her still flat tummy, "we will not miss anything."

Arnav kissed her forehead and truthfully promised, "I promise, I will always stand by you."

And thus, the story of heart and throne continued, with another little heart beating in anticipation, ready to join their journey.

--*--

A/N - And this was it. The end! An epilogue will be published soon. So, please keep an eye out. I know this concept was not comfortable for all and I am truly grateful to all of you who supported it with your reviews! As for drama here, then I guess some stories are meant that way, they need to talk about thorns more than roses... And as a writer, as much as I love writing romcoms, these kinda stories are my real litmus test. If 10 years from now, some of you still remember this story or 'Thodi Si Bewafai' like how I still remember stories I read 10-15 years ago then it means something! See you soon, one last time here 🥹