FF: Fire and Water (Ch. 26-A Updated on Pg.145!) - Page 88

wow! that was totally interesting! the precap even more interesting! i can't wait to read it! please update soon! hope arjun can give the answers to her questions!

my food tastes better after reading ur ff😛

Nice Part... brilliantly written... Precap sounds intresting... continue soon...

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amazing superb, plz ontinue soon, i have no word to say great part

Hey ...

CHAPTER 24

Arjun was silent all along and so was Riya. Neither of them knew that they had the same thing on their mind. There were issues that have to be sorted out.

When they reached Riya's house what Riya saw terrified her. She knew this was coming, but didn't expect it this way. Specially not when Arjun was with her. Arjun saw the sudden change in Riya and followed her gaze. He saw a guy maybe in his late twenties sitting on the steps in Riya's portico, drunk, with the bottle still in his hand. Arjun immediately realized that something had gone horribly wrong that morning which resulted in this.

Riya tried to exit the SUV, but Arjun stopped her, "Main bhi aata hoon."

"Sir lekin.." Riya tried to protest but Arjun had already unbuckled his seat belt and was getting out of the SUV.

Riya let out a silent prayer and walked towards her house, Arjun right behind her. A devilish grin crept on the man's lips upon seeing her.

Riya felt chills run down her spine. Arjun clenched his jaw and stopped Riya from approaching the guy, "Tum ruko."

She looked at Arjun and said, "Nahin sir, mujhe deal karne dijiye."

"Arey waah.. ye dekho kaun aaya hain. Miss Riya Mukherjee.. aur ye kaun hain uske saath..? ACP Arjun Suryakanth Rawte.." he said walking towards them, particularly Riya. He reeked of alcohol and that made Riya feel nauseous.

"Anurag! Tumne pi rakhi hain. Hum baad mein baat karenge. Just leave now.." Riya said trying to avoid any kind of trouble. But Anurag didn't listen to her. He tried to grab Riya's hand when Arjun pushed him away, "Don't you dare..!" he warned Anurag.

Anurag who was now furious hurled the bottle to ground, which shattered into pieces.

"Kya karloge?" he went on to attack Arjun but Riya stepped in between and stopped Anurag, pushing him away.

"Anurag, please. Chale jao yahaan se. Maine kahaan na, baad mein baat karenge.." Riya was struggling to prevent any mishap, but she was miserably failing at it and she knew that.

"Isse main samjhaunga Riya, tum rehne do," Arjun said moving towards Anurag, determined to break Anurag's bones or at least his teeth.

"Nahin! Aap isme involve nahin honge. This is my personal problem!" she said firmly to Arjun, much to his displeasure. Before Arjun could react, Anurag started clapping, "Kya superb acting hain Riya. Kya kahan tumne? Tumhari personal problem? Lekin jab problem hi ye hain tho kaisi personal..? Kyun ACP, jaante ho isne mujhse subah kya kahan? Kahan ki woh mujhse shaadi nahin kar sakti hain kyunki woh kisi aur se pyaar karti hain. Yahaan ka scene dekh kar tho mujhe yahin lagta hain ki woh koi aur nahin.. TUM HO!" saying so he grabbed Arjun by his collar. Wrong move!

Riya gasped. "Anurag! Chodo unhe!"

Arjun raised his hand, which was enough for her to shut her mouth and stay away from them. Arjun clenched his jaw and balled his fist.

With one single blow, Anurag fell to the ground his jaw bleeding. He spit some blood and wiped some away.

"Door raho Riya se. I hope tumhe ye baat samajh mein aa gayi hain. Ya tumhe phirse samjahun?" Arjun asked his eyes fixed on Anurag, "Agar tum Riya ke aas paas bhatakte huye phirse mujhe dikhe tho mujhse bura aur koyi nahin hoga!"

Riya turned towards Arjun, as she felt her world turn upside down. Why was he saying those words; those words, which echoed in her mind, clouding it. Why did those words give her a feeling that he meant she belonged to him. Why???

Anurag got up, staggering in the process. The alcohol had already made him weak.

"Sachin?" Riya said as she spotted another guy walking through the gate, into her portico.

"Mujhe sab kuch pata chala hain. Main jaanta tha ye yahin aayega," Sachin looked at Arjun once and then at Anurag. He walked towards his friend and supported him, "Chal Anurag, yahaan se chalte hain," he said and pulled him away from Riya and Arjun.

"Ruk, ek minute ruk.." Anurag said to Sachin, turning towards Arjun, "Tumne mujhse Riya ko cheena hain. Pachtaoge ACP Arjun Rawte, zaroor pachtaoge!"

"Agar koi pachtayega tho woh tum ho Anurag! Vaapas mudke dekhne ki himmat bhi mat karna.." Arjun returned Anurag's threat. He knew one thing for sure, what Anurag felt for Riya wasn't love, it was obsession; and that was dangerous!

Sachin added his own two cents worth, "You've taken a foolish decision Riya. You'll regret it!"

"Dhamka rahe ho mujhe Sachin? Tum bhi? Jo karna hain karo.."Riya burst out on Sachin.

It was Arjun's turn to stop her now, "Jaane do unhe," he said holding her back by her hand.

Sachin shook his head and took Anurag with him, who glared at the both of them as he was dragged away by his friend.

Riya looked at Arjun with the same anger in her eyes, freed herself and stormed into her house. She was about to slam the door shut when Arjun forced himself into the house.

"Sir aap please jaayiye yahaan se. Mujhe thodi der ke liye akela chod dijiye," she said throwing her bag on the couch nearby.

"Aaj subah kya hua tha?" Arjun needed answers.

"Kyun batau main?"

"Tumhe batana hoga Riya!" Arjun said, losing his patience.

"Kyun? Aapko jo kehna tha, keh diya. Maine aapse kahan tha ki woh meri personal baat hain aur aapko involve hone ki koi zaroorat nahin hain!Tho phir kyun dakhal de rahe the aap..?" she said equally frustrated. Anurag's behaviour and Sachin's warning had taken a toll on her.

"Kyunki woh sunne ya samajhne ke halat mein nahin tha. Pi rakhi thi usne!" Arjun said, his voice filled with anger.

Riya replayed in her mind, everything that had just happened. Anurag clearly said, in fact twice that Riya loved Arjun. But Arjun didn't care about that. He wasn't angry about that!

"Dekha aapne, dekha kaise dhamki deke gaya hain woh! Kyun badhava di usse? Kyun kahaan ki woh mujhse door rahe, aur agar woh mere paas aata hain tho aapse bura koi nahin hoga..? Aur woh jo keh raha tha.." she said turning away from him and was about to say something else when Arjun's anger took control of him. He pulled Riya by her hand and forced her to face him, "I don't care! Woh kya kehta hain, kya nahin kehta hain mujhe usse koi farak nahin padta hain. Mere liye sirf tum maaine rakhti ho. Mujhe sirf tumhari fikr hain! Samjhi tum?" he finally said it. He told her that he cared for her.

"Kya kahan aapne..?" Riya asked and their eyes met.

"Kya kahaan aapne abhi..?" she repeated the question, unable to believe her ears.

Arjun realized that he said lot more than what was required.

"Kuch nahin.." he said turning away. She blocked his way.

"Kyun? Aap achanak aise badal kyun gaye? Kyun fikar karte hain meri itna? Why?" she demanded him. She needed answers.

"Riya meri baat suno.." Arjun tried to pacify her.

"Nahin sir. Iss baar nahin. Aapko batana hoga..! Pata nahi kyun, lekin darr lagne laga hain. Ek ghutan si shuru hogayi hain, jo pehle kabhi nahin hua. Mujhse ab bardasht nahin hota hain!" she said as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Riya tum kuch zyada hi soch rahin ho.." he tried to avoid the topic.

"Aap ne uss din resort mein meri aur Taayi ki photograph dekhi thi, right? Aap jangaye the ki uss photograph mein hum dono hi the.." she said, remembering how she had snatched the photograph from his hand.

"Haan Riya, lekin tum ab woh sab.." Arjun was puzzled, unable to understand why she had mentioned that incident all of a sudden.

"To main sahi thi.." she said and moved away from him, "Aur mujhe pata bhi nahin chala. Aapne chupaya kaise mujhse? Aur itni aasani se?"

"Tum kya keh rahi ho mujhe kuch samajh mein nahin aa raha hain Riya..! Kya ho raha hain tumhe???"

"Kal raat bhar main so nahin paayi. Taayi ki yaadon ne mujhe sone nahin diya. Unki har yaad, mujhe aapki yaad dilati rahin.. Apke liye mera.." she stopped midway, and shook her head. She sighed and continued, "Yahin sochti rahin ki aap achanak badal kyun gaye? Why did you stop hurting me all of a sudden? Why did you start caring about my feelings? Itne mahino se dekh rahi hoon aapko, aapne kabhi bhi mujhse maafi nahin maangi, lekin achanak sorry boldiya. Aapne Devi Mayya ke prasad bhi accept kiya. Aur, jab mujhe Roshni Taayi ke baare mein pata chala, tab bhi aapne mera saath nahin choda. Mujhe tootne nahin diya.." she paused, letting her words sink in.

However, Arjun failed understand what Riya was trying to tell him, "Riya tum.." But he was interrupted by Riya, "Nahin sir, mujhe kehne dijiye. Ab mujhe samajh mein aa raha hain ki aap badle kyun. Kyunki aapko uss din woh photograph dekhne ke baad mere aur aapki patni ke beech ka rishta pata chala. Main nahin jaanti aap usse itni asani se kaise chupa paye.."

Arjun was left dumbstruck, when the reason behind Riya's outburst finally dawned upon him! Unbelivable! Riya felt that he cared about her only because she was his Roshni's Chutki!

Taayi ki yaadon ne mujhe sone nahin diya. Unki har yaad, mujhe aapki yaad dilati rahin.. Apke liye mera..

He realized the meaning of these words. To her, he wasn't just ACP Arjun Suryakanth Rawte, a superior at work anymore. He was her Taayi's husband and she was in love with her Taayi's husband!!! He had no idea how to react to this. He had seen this coming, but everything was happening so suddenly.

"You started feeling guilty because of that.. You felt responsible towards me because of that. Aur main usse aur aapke sympathy ko galat samajh baithi. Ek pagal ki tarah sapne dekhne lagi.. Aap sahin kehte the, main ek bahut badi bewakoof hoon.." she said and collapsed in the chair behind her.

"Woh tho tum ho," Arjun said calming himself down. He would deal with this in the best way possible.

Riya sat in the chair silently, staring at the cold marble flooring under her feet.

Arjun sat down on the couch facing Riya, "Ek baat kahun? Tum tho aaj mujhse bhi aage nikal gayi."

Riya looked at him perplexed.

"Tumhe aaj woh dikh gaya jo asal mein hain hi nahin.." he said and waited for her reaction.

"Main kuch samjhi nahin.." Riya said, trying to understand him. What was he trying to to tell her now?

"Koi baat nahin. Main samjhata hoon. Lekin usse pehle tumhe ek sach batana chahta hoon. Mujhe tumhare aur Roshni ke baare mein bees din pehle nahin, hamare milne ke kuch chaar mahine baad hi pata chal gaya. Roshni ne mujhe, tumhare aur uske kuch tasveeron ko dikhaya tha ek baar. Main pehle tumhe pehchaan nahin paya. Lekin, baad mein jab tumne Roshni ki baat kahin mere samne, mein usi waqt samajh gaya tha ki tum Roshni ki Chutki hi thi," Arjun said and Riya's eyes widened upon knowing the truth.

"Lekin main tumhe bata nahin paya. Kyunki main nahin chahta tha ki koi mere kareeb aaye. Maine khud ko iss duniya se alag kardiya tha, Roshni ke jaane ke baad. Mujhe darr tha ki tum mujhe iss duniya mein vaapas khichke laaogi, jahaan meri Roshni hi nahin thi. Lekin mere laakh koshishon ke baavajood bhi wahin hua jiska mujhe darr tha. Tum jaanti ho iska kaaran kya tha? Wahin jo mere liye Roshni ke sach ko tumse chipane ki sabse badi kaaran bangayi thi.. Tum.. Haan Riya, tum.." Arjun paused, and studied her. It was obvious to him that she was shocked and probably she would need a little more time to understand his words, and frame a sensible response.

"Tumhari hasin hi thi Riya jo mujhe rok rahin thi. Main nahin chahta tha ki woh hasin mit jaaye.. Riya agar tumhe lagta hain ki main sirf tumhare aur Roshni ke beech jo rishta hain usiki vajeh se badla hoon aur aaj iss tarah tumhare saath hoon.. then you're completely wrong. Agar main badla hoon tho sirf tumhari vajeh se. Tumne phirse mujhe jina sikhaya hain Riya. Haan, main guilty feel kar raha tha, lekin sirf isliye kyuki maine tumhe hurt kiya aur woh bhi uske liye jisme tumhari koi galti nahin thi. That is the reason I apologized to you. Riya, pyaar karna kabhi galat nahin ho sakta hain. Tumhare irade kabhi galat nahin the.. Isiliye tum khud ko iss tarah blame mat karo.."

There was nothing left for him to say. He felt he had said enough, at least for now.

Riya sat frozen in her place. All she could do was stare at the man sitting in front of her. Arjun Suryakanth Rawte.

Was she dreaming or did she hear what she had just heard?

Arjun got up from the couch and started walking away from her. He knew she needed some time alone. But he had no intentions of leaving her alone in that house; he would wait for her outside the house. After taking a few steps, he stopped and turned around to make sure he hadn't done too much damage. Riya was staring at him as her eyes welled up. She got up from her place and ran into his arms. She hugged him tight, wrapping her arms around his neck and cried her heart out.. He wrapped his arms around her and held her in his embrace. She deserved it!

Arjun and Riya had finally found each other!

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I hope you guys liked this chapter! This was a really difficult chapter for me to pen down.

Trust me, this is the third version of this chapter and hence the delay! 😊

Please do leave your comments!!! 😊 They mean a lot to me!

Fab update dear..awesum dialogues!! loved it n beautifully writen..!!

U took ur time and pulled out a great update