Chapter 20

MANAV held Khushi by her shoulders and led her to the sofa. "Khushiji "are you alright?"

Khushi put her hand to her head. "No, no no," She repeated like a parrot. Arnav had gone to visit Shikha and she had assumed it was Sheetal. "He was trying to reach me and I " I" She couldn't continue.

"Khushiji please calm down," Manav consoled her.

"How could they just arrest him like that? She is his half sister for God's sake! What happened?"

"When Arnav went to see Shikha she was already dead. The police got there and arrested Arnav. They had been tipped off by an anonymous phone call." Manav said gravely, "Since Arnav was fighting a case against Shikha it will look like he planned to kill her to avoid sharing the property with her."

"Oh God!" Khushi rubbed her arms trying to ward off the chill that had invaded her body,"Arnavji was with me until morning!" She lamented. Who could have made the anonymous call ?"

"I am pretty sure Shikha's uncles have a hand in this," Manav asserted strongly. "But we don't have time to think about all that. We have to leave right away to post bail."

"Of course," Khushi said, "I will go and let Nanaji know that I have to go to Delhi." 

When she returned after a few minutes, she remembered something. "What about Di? Did you hear from her?"

"I have registered a complaint at the police station in Delhi," Manav informed her gravely. "They have begun their investigation. I am so stressed that I can't think straight.

"So I have decided to do one thing at a time. Let's get Arnav released first. Come on, we have a flight to catch."

Later that night, Khushi waited at the apartment, attending phone calls from her parents and Akash. She had tried her best to allay their fears and told them not to worry but her own stomach was fluttering with nervousness.

Manav and she had reached Delhi just in time to post bail at the court assisted by Arnav's lawyer. Once the necessary documents were procured, Manav had urged Khushi to return to the apartment assuring her that he would take care of Arnav's release and bring him home.

The chime of the doorbell broke into her thoughts and she hurried to the door. Arnav stood at the door, looking very tired with a messed up hair and a three day growth of beard.

They looked at each other in silence, for what seemed like an eternity, just looking unable to say a word.

"I think you should take a hot shower first Arnav," Manav said, walking into the apartment, "I would also like to freshen myself."

Khushi jumped into action. "Yes of course Manavji," she said, "Come this way." She led him into the guest room.

"Khushiji," Manav whispered, "Arnav has been extremely quiet on the way here. There is obviously some problem between you two that you need to resolve. Please go to him. I know my way around this room."

Khushi's footsteps faltered but she made her way into the master bedroom. Arnav was already in the shower and she quickly rushed back to the kitchen to heat up the food for dinner.

After eating their dinner in silence, Arnav and Manav moved into the living room as Khushi quickly cleared the table. Soon, she joined them.

"Arnav, what exactly happened?" Manav enquired.

"I got a text from Shikha that said she was in trouble and I rushed to her house," Arnav began, "when I got there, the door was ajar and she was lying on the kitchen floor, with multiple stab wounds on her body.

"I had just called the ambulance when the police arrived on the scene. They took away my cell phone and arrested me saying that they got a call from a man telling them he had witnessed the murder.

"Do you have an idea when she was killed?" Manav asked the question that was on Khushi's mind.

"I found out later that she had been " dead at least an hour before I had arrived there," Arnav answered, "I was very much here around that time; it takes me only half an hour to get to her apartment."

"Then Khushi can be your alibi can't she?" Manav pointed out.

"Yes that's a possibility when the trials starts." Arnav nodded his head.

"Didn't the police wonder why you would murder someone and just stay around there to be caught?" Khushi said.

"Well, at that time, the didn't know the time of death," he explained, "they arrived at the scene within ten minutes of the call."

"That means the killer was watching you." Khushi observed. 

"I am sure it must be the maternal uncles." Manav said. 

Manav explained that soon after Arnav's parents' death, a property case had been filed by Shikha's family. But when Arnav had attained a majority status, he had approached Shikha's mother for a compromise so Shikha could legally get a share of the property. She had begged him not to do anything like that because she feared her brothers might try to cheat Shikha and usurp her property as Shikha was mildly autistic.

"In reality, no one knew that Arnav was actually helping Shikha's mother financially."

"Oh my God!" Khushi exclaimed, "We should tell the police ""

"It's not the uncles," Arnav spoke quietly, "The police spoke to Shikha's mother a little while ago and she told them that they were all together at a family wedding. They hadn't realised that Shikha had gone missing the previous night. They had all been searching frantically in the morning when this murder took place. It's someone else."

"Who else could it be Arnav?" Manav stood up in frustration, "who else would have a motive to kill an innocent woman and frame you for her murder? 

"Now this person had Anju as well "- it has to be related to the case ""

Something had been nagging Khushi since morning when Manav had told her about the likelihood of Arnav being framed. Then, she had an epiphany out of the blue.

"Shyam Manohar Jha "" 

Khushi didn't realize that she had spoken his name aloud until she heard Arnav cold voice, "Did you say Shyam Monohar Jha?"

"That's impossible!" Manav exclaimed, "He is in jail."

"He was the one who came to meet me in the garden the night of the Muh Dikhayi."

Holding back her tears, Khushi told them everything about the two meetings she had with Shyam.

"Why didn't you tell me all this before?" It was clear from Arnav's tone that he was disappointed.

"Arnavji, I swear I didn't know who he was the first time," Khushi pleaded earnestly. It all sounded very lame now but at the time she had been so angry about Arnav's deception that she had thought she was doing the right thing. "After the second meeting " I really wanted to tell you but you were so busy that I " I am sorry."

"It's alright," Arnav cut her off sharply, "First things first. I am going to make a few calls and find out if Shyam was released early from prison." He walked back into the bedroom.

"I can't believe that b@#$%^& is out of jail," Manav's voice shuddered as he spoke, "If he has Anju then "" He covered his face in his hands. "God "I hope she is okay."

"Why was he jailed Manavji?" Khushi enquired.

"About six months after Anju was married to Shyam she began to suspect that Shyam had psychotic tendencies. He was extremely temperamental and possessive to the level of obsession. He would accompany her to most places he went, even to Faridkot. He would constantly try to poison Anjali's mind against Arnav. He hated Arnav because she was so close to him. 

"Then he began to abuse her " physically."

Khushi was horrified. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed

"One day, not having heard from her for a whole month, Arnav went to meet her at her apartment and saw her lying on the floor in a pool of blood. She had miscarried her baby after Shyam had beaten her half to death. Arnav took her to the hospital immediately and it was sheer luck that they were able to save her life.

"Arnav brought Anju back to Faridkot and filed a police complaint and he was put behind bars for attempted murder."

Khushi had goosebumps all over her body and tears streamed down her cheeks. No wonder she didn't want to talk about it. "Why did he treat her like that?"

"The physical abuse started because of me," He said his eyes full of remorse. "He knew we were friends since childhood and he couldn't get over the fact that Anju had a best friend. Even though I had left the country he constantly tortured her about me. 

"The day he beat her, he had apparently found a CD of Anju's favourite songs I had compiled for her. He was a pyscho!"

Arnav came back into the room. "That b@#$%^ was released four months ago." He announced, "If he has taken Di " I am going to kill him!"

"Not if I get to him first!" Manav exclaimed.

"Please calm down!" Khushi intervened. "We need to know where he could have taken her."

"The inspector at Moga has also been calling me incessantly," Arnav said, "the man who kidnapped Khushi is in custody. We need to go there so Khushi can identify him."

"Arnav, I think you and Khushi should go to Moga," Manav said, "I am going to contact the police and let them know about Shyam. I will update you as soon as I get any news."

The next morning Khushi stepped out of the bathroom of the hotel in Moga. They had reached Moga in the wee hours of the morning and Arnav had checked them into a hotel so he could catch up on some sleep until it was time to go to the police station. 

The previous night, Arnav had decided to drive from Delhi as flights were full. She had fallen asleep the moment the vehicle had been set in motion, for it had been a really long day traveling from Delhi to Jalandhar in the morning to flying back to Delhi and the whole ordeal at the court.

Khushi didn't have the heart to wake Arnav but it was already 9'o clock, half an hour longer than the time Arnav had asked to be woken up. 

In the next half hour, they were sitting in front of the police inspector in charge of the station.

The moment the old Sardarji was escorted by the constable Khushi recognized him. 

"I am sorry for what I did." The old man joined his palms. He looked so weak and old that her heart went out to him. "I didn't want to harm you."

"Stop lying old man!" the constable shouted at him. "You took madam all the way to Ferozepur and now you say you didn't want to harm her."

"It was a mistake!" He whimpered, "I was planning to turn around at Ferozepur and take her back to Faridkot. Just then her husband came there." He looked at Arnav. "I didn't mean to hurt you with my Kirpan. I " I panicked. I am sorry Sirji."

Arnav's eyes turned cold and his jaw hardened. He walked up to him and stared down at the shorter man. "You look old enough to be my grandfather. Why the hell did you want to kidnap Khushi?"

The old man looked at Khushi with moist eyes. "It all started as revenge " but it wasn't really that " not anymore. I wanted money to take care of my sick wife."

"What nonsense are you blabbering old man?" The inspector raised his voice.

"It's not nonsense," Khushi said suddenly, "He wanted to avenge his daughter's death for which my grandfather was responsible."

"What made you think of revenge again after all these years?" Arnav's cold voice interrupted her thoughts.

"It wasn't what but who." The old man said.

The old man explained that his youngest son Jagjeet, a petty thief was serving time in prison when he had befriended his cell mate. Three months ago the man had come to their house along with their son. Having learnt about his daughter's death from his son, the man had urged him to take revenge for her death. When he had refused to comply he had promised to pay him a lot of money that would help in his wife's medical treatment. 

"He wanted me to kidnap you because he thought you will easily trust me " because of my age."

"Give us the name of this man!" Arnav snapped angrily.

"Shyam Manohar Jha."

Neither Khushi nor Arnav were really surprised. I

"Tell us where he wanted you to bring Khushi after you had taken her to Ferozepur," Arnav said urgently. "I am sure that's where Shyam might have taken Di."

"Just another few kilometres away from were you apprehended me there is a turning into the fields. There is an old abandoned house there."

"Inspector, we have no time to waste," Arnav said, "the man Shyam is my sister's ex husband. I am quiet sure he has kidnapped my sister and taken her to this hideout. This old man should be able to lead the way."

"If I show you the way to the hideout will you let me go?" He looked at Khushi. "My wife needs me."

"Yes." Khushi said, "But only if you tell me the truth about something." She paused. 

"Did you kill my parents?" Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. "Did you drive that truck to Manali and crash into their car?"

"No!" The man looked astounded. "I have never left Punjab madamji,"

"You threatened my grand father in public."

"I did but Raizada saab advised me to forget my revenge as it was not going to bring Lajjo back. I left Moga and settled down in Ferozepur after that. I swear on my wife Madamji please believe me."

"He is talking about my grand father obviously." Arnav said when everyone turned to look at him. 

So Arjun Singh Raizada had helped her grandfather after all. He was a true friend.

"I will take back my complaint against this man." Khushi declared.

"But madam " " the inspector said, "this man had committed a crime."

"I agree with Khushi," Arnav said, "he is not the one we should be worried about. My ex-brother in law is the psycho. I will explain everything on the way there."

He turned to Khushi. "Go to Jalandhar. I have a car and a driver waiting for your outside."

*****

 A week later, Khushi sat under the shade of the Tebubia tree in the garden at her grandfather's Haveli. She was feeling peaceful that everything had finally turned out well for Anjali.

Arnav had reached there just in time to see that Shyam was on the verge of conducting a forced marriage with Anjali. The police had arrested Shyam and taken him into custody. 

On her request, Arnav had brought Anjali back to her house in Jalandhar where Manav and she had been waiting to welcome her and make her feel comfortable after her ordeal. 

Surprisingly, Anjali had recovered quickly. She told Khushi that this time around she had been mentally strong, waiting for an opportunity to get out of his clutches when the opportunity arose. She had thrown her self into work immediately and Khushi had agreed that this was the best remedy for her.

Since Naniji had flown in from Lucknow couple of days ago, she had come back to the Haveli to check in on her grandfather.

Another good news was that Arnav had been acquitted from the murder of Shikha. The Delhi police had traced the anonymous phone call to Shyam's Delhi address. When they raided Shyam's house in Delhi they had found the Sardar's son Jagjeet hiding out in the house. The frightened accomplice had blurted out everything. Shyam's blood stained clothes were found stashed in the garbage bin and DNA testing had revealed that it was Shikha's blood. Arnav had been exonerated from his half sister's murder. Arnav and Manav had flown to Delhi to take care of the paperwork.

"Khushi?" Khushi's heart skipped a beat when she heard the voice she had been yearning for. "Where are you? Don't tell me I will have to fish you out from the goddamn old well again."

"I am here Arnavji," Khush stepped away from behind the Tebubia tree. 

"It's all over now." Arnav said his eyes filled with tears."It's just now hitting me that Shikha is gone." His voice quivered. "It was so hard " meeting her mother."

Khushi took Arnav in her arms, holding him tight wishing she could take away the pain that he was feeling at this moment.

A few minutes later, Arnav stepped back and put some distance between them. He looked at her with his molten brown eyes. "I had a talk with your grandfather just before I came here," He said, "he told me you had over heard us talking " at the hospital on our wedding day. Why didn't you tell me?"

Khushi was silent was several moment and then she braced herself. "I was in a shock at the time," she said, "I felt cheated and used. I was too proud to ask you. I tried to ask you indirectly."

"If I recall correctly you didn't ask " you made assumptions. You thought, I " a mere farmer had married you for your Royal background."

"I have apologised to you for that," A lone tear trickled down her eye, "I would never have said those words if you hadn't tried to "" She couldn't complete.

"If I hadn't tried to get intimate with you that night," Arnav completed her sentence, "Fair enough." He looked contrite. "I don't know what I was thinking when I tried to do that. I guess I thought I could use my power of seduction and change you back into the sweet girl I had met in this very garden. I was in a little bit of the shock myself when your personality had changed 360 degrees. You dismissed my mother's jewellery as gaudy."

"I didn't meant that." She paused. "I had to do that so I could cope up with what I thought as a betrayal," Khushi said, "This was the only way I could put a distance between us until I could find the truth out for myself."

"But you didn't find out the truth "until recently," Arnav pointed out, "what made you change your mind " that night in Batala."

Khushi's face went red as she blushed deeply. "After a while I had slowly begun to reconcile to the fact that whatever reasons our marriage took place, it didn't matter. You were a good person and that's all mattered."

Arnav remained silent.

Khushi wiped her tears. "For what it's worth, I told my grandfather that he was wrong in sending my proposal to you in order to collect an old debt," She said with a heavy heart. "He shouldn't have."

"He was only trying to protect you Khushi. He thought the Sardarji " the man who we had the privilege of meeting a few days ago,  was going to kill you just like your parents."

"The man confessed that he didn't have a hand in killing my parents," Khushi recalled, "I don't know if he was telling the truth." 

"I believe he was." Arnav said raking his hand through his hair.

"Then why did my grandfather think so, for so many years?" Khushi was agitated, "he still thinks that."

"I think your grandfather was distraught at the time. It's not surprising considering he was caring for an invalid wife, grieving over a daughter who had left him.

"He assumed that the Sardarji had come good on his threat and didn't bother to look into the investigation. He just believed that to be the truth."

"You knew everything " and didn't say a word," she accused him.

"I was bound by an oath to your grandfather," Arnav paused. "If I knew you had overheard our conversation I might have behaved differently. I am sorry." He apologised, "You will have a better understanding if you listened to my end of the story."

"My first association with your grandfather was when I bought this Haveli. I hadn't seen him at the time but I knew he was my grandfather's old friend. I made some exceptions and allowed him to stay as long as he liked. That is what my grandfather would have wanted."

"Soon after that when I found out he had sent his granddaughter's proposal to Nani I regretted my decision. I began to stall and evaded meeting with him though he had requested Nani several times. 

"Finally, one day after an argument she told me about my grandfather's promise."

"So you decided to sacrifice your happiness to fulfil your grandfather's promise."

"I could be generous with a lot of things but sacrificing my bachelorhood was not one of those," Arnav said enigmatically, "I came to the Haveli to meet him and tell him that I was willing to forego the Haveli to him so we could call it even."

"You obviously didn't tell him," Khushi asked nervously, "what happened?"

"When I came to meet him that evening, your foxy grandfather had one request before I could even utter one word "," he said his eyes twinkling, "He asked me to go and fetch you from the garden."

"It was the day we met in the garden!"

"The moment I had you in my arms, I had a de ja vu and after that I was a little rattled about the whole "meeting after eight years" scenario."

"Why didn't you talk to him later?" She persisted.

"When you went in to make tea, your grandfather told me about the conspiracy theory and told me that your life was in danger."

"Oh so you learnt about the theory only then," Khushi said, "And you believed him?"

"Not a bit," Arnav chuckled, "I thought he had lost his marbles and decided right then that I would get this investigated so I could prove him wrong."

"Oh you did?" Khushi was surprised with this bit of information.

"Yes "  the report that I got said that it was just an accident and there was no foul play."

"Then why did you agree for the marriage?" She demanded. "You could have just told my grandfather about the report and laid his fears to rest."

"You went and got yourself kidnapped by the Sardar!" He countered.

Khushi's eyes widened with the knowledge. "So you thought that my grandfather's crazy theory might be true after all and that was why you said yes to my grandfather when he asked you to marry me."

"No!" Arnav looked at her with his simmering eyes. "I said yes to your grandfather because I had fallen in love with you!"

"But "" Khushi didn't know what to say.

"But what Khushi?" Arnav raised his voice, "Imagine my shock when you made it very clear that you were marrying me for my wealth in exchange for your precious royal title."

"I - that conversation I had overheard and then later Shyam " it poisoned my mind." She said in a low voice.

"He was the one who told you I was having an affair with Sheetal I presume?" Arnav demanded angrily, "I told you she was just a friend."

"And I believed you Arnavji!" Khushi hit back, "You know I did."

"Then he came once again and poisoned your mind."

"I didn't want to believe him not even when he sent me pictures of you and Sheetal at her apartment " but when Sheetal herself said you were supposed to be together and that she had come back to India only for you I didn't know what to think."

"I told you "" He took a step toward her.

Khushi raised her hand. "Let me finish!" She stepped back and braced herself for what she was going to say. "You weren't there when she spoke to me at the party. She may not have said the words but it is quiet obvious she has feelings for you. 

"Even if you don't harbour the same feelings for her I didn't think you could evade the responsibility of a child ! I think I know you at least that much."

"What child?" Arnav's face contorted with confusion.

"That day you were going to meet Shikha " I saw the text on your phone Arnavji, the one Sheetal sent you " saying she was pregnant."

"F@#$!" Arnav raked his hand through his hair. "Is that why you did not pick up my calls when I called after I was arrested?" he demanded, "I was allowed to make just one call and you wouldn't pick up!" Arnav paused, "You thought I was with Sheetal and my unborn child. How could you think that after what we had with each other Khushi?"

Tears streamed down Khushi's eyes."I thought it might have happened before we met and " and there was nothing you could do about it."

Arnav walked up to Khushi and wiped her tears. "I never thought of Sheetal like that ever " " His caramel brown eyes appealed for her understanding, ""not when we hung out together in our younger days and especially not after she was married. I admit I was no saint before I met you but even I wouldn't stoop so low."

Khushi was elated. "But what about the text?"

"I finally spoke to her this morning. She is pregnant with Karan's child," Arnav said, "Four months ago, Karan had visited her and they had a bitter fight after which they had decided to divorce. Then the other day she discovered she was pregnant and began to panic. She didn't know what to do. So she sent me all those messages."

Fresh tears rolled down Khushi's eyes. "I am so sorry Arnavji!" Khushi sobbed, "I didn't mean to bail on you when you most needed me."

Arnav walked around and found a thin and long branch from one of the trees. He came back to Khushi and knelt on the ground. "Take this and hit me." He extended his arm palm upward.

"What?"

"I kept a lot of secrets from you," He said looking up at her with his brown eyes, "I never took you seriously when you told me about Sheetal. I should have. I promise I will make it up to you until you can love me back the way ""

"I love you Arnavji!" Khushi threw away the stick, tears rolling down her eyes. 

"I know." He gave a devastating smile. When Khushi's eyes went wide he said, "You murmured those words when you thought I was asleep. I have been craving to hear them from you ever since."

"I realised on the night of the jagrata but I suspect I had fallen for you long before that and in spite of what I believed about you " I couldn't stop loving you."

"Then why the hell did you say it was better not to harbour delusions of love and all that crap?" He said in mock anger.

"I thought you would contradict me!"

Arnav stood up and looked into her eyes. "Have you finished?"

"Huh?"

"I just want to know if I can kiss you now or if I should wait until you have finished," he smirked, "I don't want you accusing me that I am using my seductive powers to ""

Going onto her tippy toes, Khushi threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his forcing him to take a step backward to balance himself.

Finally, they came up for some air."You shouldn't have done that Khushi," he said breathlessly,"We will have to get upto the house " soon." 

"We can't" Khushi said equally out of breath, "My grandfather will be there." She blushed. 

"No he is not," Arnav had the self assured look on his face. "When I came here earlier, he told me he was planning to go and visit Di and Nani." 

When they reached the sanctuary of Khushi's bedroom, they didn't need any preliminaries as their bodies were attuned to the familiar rhythm of their love. Once the barrier of their clothes were discarded by eager fingers, Arnav took Khushi to the heights of passion while Khushi welcomed him eagerly, each giving and taking until they both hit the peak of fulfilment together. 

As they lazed languidly in the aftermath, Arnav said, "I am wondering if your grandfather is trying to pick out wedding date with Nani."

"You never know!" she gushed, imagining her wedding with Arnav with all the rituals.

"I don't know if he told you but it seems like he had an eye on you since that day you pulled me out of the old well. He had been watching from his window."

"What the "-!" Arnav swore, "Hope he didn't catch me ogling at you."

"You are worried about that?" Khushi giggled. "It can't be worse than me coming up to kiss your cheek now can it?" Khushi trailed her fingers across her husbands' broad chest.

Arnav caught Khushi's hand on his heart. "May be he recognised something we couldn't." He turned to look into her almond eyes.

"What?" Khushi whispered.

"That we were made for each other." He said, "If I think back, things started falling in place for me after that," Arnav reminisced, "Whatever I touched after that " turned into gold. Someone once told me that I was touched by angel."

"Really?" Khushi's eyes widened in excitement, "Payal reminded me sometime back that I couldn't stop talking about you when I got back to Canada." 

"I love you Khushi." Arnav whispered inches away from her lips.

"I love you more Arnavji." Khushi opened her lips and welcomed him.

As Arnav and Khushi gave into their desires once again, the old Haveli stood testament to the love that had begun a long time ago " on the night of the Harvest Moon.