Woohoo! Exams finally over! 🥳Sorry for the late update guys, had my last exam today and rushed to write this. Hope you like it. On another note, boohoo where did all my readers go? 😭 COME BACK!!! *ahem* now onto more pressing matters...
Part 8
One year ago
The bedroom door slammed open and in stormed a furious Arnav Singh Raizada. Khushi froze, sitting at the dressing table, when she saw his shaking form in the mirror. She forgot to breathe and her heart began racing. What was the matter now? His expression was telling her that she was dead meat...
"Arnavji-"
"YOU B****!"
"Huh?"
In a matter of seconds, she was lifted out of the seat and being held so tightly by the arms that her eyes began to water.
"OW-"
"SHUT UP!"
Khushi looked up alarmed into her husband's face only to see, first his own angry, teary eyes and then his terrifying snarl. Khushi's breath caught in her throat-she was scared. He looked ready to devour her alive. He kept glaring at her angrily as if conveying his message telepathically...as if she knew what the matter was...
"Arnavji-aa-aap kyun-" she sputtered, in between her heavy breaths.
"Shut up! You know' stop acting bloody innocent!" he spat, each word making a stab at her.
Khushi eyes widened and she looked up at him in shock. He instantly let go and looked away from her, as if disgusted. Why was he acting like this? What had happened?
She desperately tried to hold back her tears and question him. "What-what happened?"
He jerked his head to look at her, a crooked smile on his face. Except this wasn't the smile Khushi had so rarely ever seen adorn the face of her husband, this was a new sort of smile...a sinister smile...one that made Khushi feel that it was not the face of her husband's she was looking into right at this moment but rather that of a stranger's... a terrifying stranger's.
He pushed her back from himself forcefully, as if she were a germ. Khushi broke. He sneered, "What happened?...Ha you're really disgusting! Stop the f***ing crocodile tears!"
"I-I'm disgust-what are you talking about?" She witnessed his jaw clench but that sinister smirk refused to leave his face. Khushi was at once filled with dread. Could it be-?
He turned around swiftly, unable to look at her.
"Hmph nice try-as much as you try to act dumb, I've found out you're far from it Khushi Kumari Gupta! In fact well done, you've outsmarted even me, Arnav Singh Raizada. Wah what a game you've played!"
Khushi felt her head spin and her body go weak. "Wh-what?"
He made no move to turn round, just simply holding up his mobile. "Your boyfriend called."
Khushi's heartbeat stopped and the colour drained from her face. He turned round slowly, his eyes cold and calculating; Khushi could no longer identify this stranger. It was all over.
He smiled a sickly smile. " Ha so it's true! Well...Congratulations! He wants you to live with him." Khushi watched dumbstruck as he stomped over to the wardrobe and yanked out a suitcase. He pulled out her a few of her saris and threw them on the floor so that there was a scattering of red, yellow, pink and blue all round her collapsed form.
"This is a hell hole right? You no longer want to live here right?" his voice rose with every word, as he continued tearing out every item of clothing she owned.
"Pack your bags and get out of here before I get back." He spat viciously and paraded out of the room, leaving his crumbling wife behind him.
***
Khushi sat huddled on the floor, her hair cascading around her, a nervous wreck and her face red from crying. Her body ached from having sat in the same position for an hour and a half.
"You're still here!" his incredulous spiteful tone made Khushi start, but she refused to look up.
"What?! You want me to call a taxi now?"
The double-egded sword made a pass at Khushi's heart again as she willed herself to stay strong. She would not give the rakhaas any hint of weakness...any hint of vulnerability. Khushi glared at him accusingly but the feeling was mutual, he reciprocated her hate and disgust. She noticed his eyes glazed over with intoxication.
She slowly got up, heaving herself off the floor, not before stumbling a couple of times along the way. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him reach out a hand instinctively but retract it a split second later. His countenance was still as cold as ever, making her think she must have purely imagined that little flicker of softness. She sighed. Who was she kidding?
As Khushi stumbled towards her suitcase, she fought to bite back tears. What was wrong with her? Now was her chance to make an escape-away from him, her miserable life...yet why did she feel so...abandoned? Abandoned by the man who never loved her. She wiped her tears away and began to collect her saris off the floor, never looking up at him. He was silent but she knew he was still there, watching her every move.
After a whole half hour he finally spoke. "Why?"
Khushi tore her attention away from the packing and brought her head up to look at the man before her. Was she imagining it or was there a hint of sadness on his face? In his voice?... Cursing herself, she returned to packing.
"Why what Arnavji?" her shaky voice betrayed her as she sounded on the verge of tears. She despised herself so much right now.
She heard him take in a sharp intake of breath. "Stop talking in riddles! You know what I'm asking you...why...why did you do it?" She didn't respond. He took a moment before he continued as if thoroughly contemplating what he should say. "Are you that unhappy? Do you hate me that much?"
Her hands ceased folding as she inspected the embroidery on her sari for a few lingering moments. He waited patiently, watching her eyes narrow in concentration.
"Yes," came her resolute reply, "just like you hate me. The feeling's mutual. And don't you think this is all a bit rich coming from you!" she took a sideways glance at him and saw him tense. "Now there's nothing more to be said so if you will excuse me Mr Arnav Singh Raizada, I will now pack and be out of your hair soon." She still didn't look up, deciding instead to return to the task at hand. Anticipating him to blow up, she held her breath, but he remained silent.
An awkward silence ensued, Khushi concentrating on packing and trying to ignore his looming presence and her sinking heart. Finally he sighed, "I guess you're right. I'll leave you to it...In the meantime, I'll call you a taxi."
He walked purposely towards the door as Khushi watched surprised. His footsteps stopped at the bedroom door, his back facing her.
"By the way you're wrong...I don't hate you...I never hated you." He paused, seemingly having an inner battle with himself. "I can't'try as I might I-!" He clenched his fists stopping himself from going on any further.
With that he strode out of the room, leaving a stunned Khushi to stare at her husband's dejected back, as he walked away from her...as he walked away from their life together.
***
"WHAT?! What do you mean nobody knows?"
Arnav narrowed his eyes. She wasn't taking this well, just like he expected. He took in a sharp intake of breath in order to keep himself calm- somebody would have to if his wife was going to become hysterical.
"Well...it's exactly what it says on the tin. I mean nobody knows the real reason why you left. You know..."
"Arnav!" Khushi literally shrieked. He could see her chest rising and falling as she found difficulty breathing. He reached out and held her by the shoulders, making her look at him square in the face. He was going to be earnest for once.
"Look Khushi calm down. Take deep breaths. Look I'm here with you ok if you want and I have a plan. Do you trust me?"
Khushi looked into her husband's face. She shut her eyes. She wanted to believe him...she so did. She wanted to believe the concern and love in his eyes was real. But could she?
"Khushi do you trust me?"
Khushi nodded her head hesitantly, keeping her eyes shut.
The Raizada parivaar were all happily situated in the front room, talking and laughing amongst themselves. Scanning the room, everyone seemed to be present: Nani, Mami, Mamaji, Akash, Jeejaji and finally Di. Arnav gulped, looking at the serene face of his sister. She epitomized innocence and of all the people in the room he most concerned about her. He loved her more than anyone in this world apart from Khushi of course. He gulped again. He didn't want to hurt her.
Arnav shot a wary sideways glance to see his wife looking on at the hustle and bustle that now surrounded the Raizada mansion. She was effectively hiding behind him so that her entire form was concealed. He could almost picture whatever was going on inside her head, her pale complexion gave away that she was probably mentally pinching herself right now.
Arnav sighed. "Here goes nothing..." he thought.
He reached out and squeezed his wife's hand, embarking on the punishing trip down the stairs as he heard his wife's reluctant footsteps scurrying behind him. He braced himself...
"Di'"
"Chotey acha hua tum aagaye-dekho..." He heard his sister's voice trail off and he followed her line of vision to the glimpse of pink so boldly creeping out against his mass of grey. His eyes widened as they rested on his wife's trembling form.
"Khushiji'" Arnav rolled in eyes. This was going to be harder than he thought and he hadn't thought the encounter to be anything easy...
In an instant, he felt six pairs of eyes pierce into his flesh.
"Khushi bitiya..." came Nani's distinguished voice.
Gathering all the strength he could muster, Arnav grabbed Khushi's hand tighter and pulled her out so they were standing side-by-side. He scanned the shocked faces in a round and painfully slowly made the rest of the journey to face the music.
"what is all of this?! Khushi bitiya...what's she doing here?"
Arnav tore his eyes away from his nani's disbelieving face to glance again at his quivering wife. She lifted her heavy eyes to meet his and he squeezed her hand tighter. She squeezed his hand with equal pressure.
"It's what you see nani. Khushi's back," he paused hesitating for a few seconds before he cleared his throat to continue with assertion, "as my wife." He shot a glance at her, to see her already looking up at him with a look of surprise but all the same he was relieved to see some colour return to her face.
He felt the temperature in the room drop instantly and he shivered involuntarily as he reluctantly turned back to meet his sister's incredulous face.
"What? Yeh kaisi baat hui chotey?! What's going on?"
"As I said it's what you see di and probably what you think. No further explanations are needed. And you all should be happy instead of asking questions. Why this? Why that? Does it matter?" He shrugged his shoulders as if he was stating a fact of life. What further explanation did they need?
"CHOTEY!" He felt Khushi flinch so he protectively raised his other free hand to rest on top of hers, an action that did not go unnoticed by his di.
Anjali took a deep breath. "Chotey of course we are happy to see Khushiji return but this is all so...SO sudden. You can understand why we are questioning can't you? You and Khushiji..it's been a year! You can't just take a whole year out of the equation."
"Well I can!" said Arnav defiantly. "And I will!"
"Chotey yeh kya bachpana hai?! Tell us what's going on. Do we not mean that much to you?" Arnav's jaw clenched as he felt Khushi's grasp on his hand tighten. Seeing her brother's mouth clamped shut, she turned her attention to Khushi. "Khushiji aap toh bataye? Yeh achanak?"
Arnav tensed.
"Woh- woh Anjaliji-the thi-" she stuttered looking everywhere but the eyes.
"Spit it out phatti sari!" Arnav winced as Mami's shrill voice resonated through his already dying brain cells.
"Manorma!" Arnav felt a sense of satisfaction as he saw Mami recoil. Nani turned her attention back to the girl in front of her, who was trying desperately to hold her ground. "Continue Khushi bitiya. Bataaye..."
"That'" came her shaky reply. There was a moment of silence so Arnav interjected, taking matters into his own hands.
"Khushi left that day because of me, I told her to pack her bags and leave. It's my fault. And now I've got her back and I'm never going to let her go! Right Khushi?" He turned his head to meet his wife's face staring up at him, her eyes unreadable but misting. He saw the lids droop and her balance shoot.
"Khushi..."
He reached out his hand urgently but it was too late, she had already hit the floor.
Khushi opened her sleepy eyes only to feel as if her head had become detached from her body. She felt numb and her head was spinning. Her eyes darted around to gather her bearings only to discover she was lying down, in a familiar room...blue walls, a large bed...She felt a weight on her hand but couldn't quite place it. She decided to hoist herself up.
"Khushi," she felt a weight on her pushing her back down. When she had laid back down, her head spinning, she attempted once again with difficulty to open her eyes. Her eyes widened as she saw Arnav's concerned face hovering over hers. He looked tired, and his eyes were bloodshot. "What the hell are you trying to do?! The doctor said you need to rest!"
She was taken aback at the alarm in his voice. As he lifted a glass of water to meet her lips, she asked huskily, " What happened? Where is everyone?"
He rolled his eyes, an action which did not go amiss.
"Can you ever stop worrying? You fainted and everyone was gathering round you so I said for them to leave so you can get some rest."
Khushi tried to lift her head up so she could see her husband's face, as he sat beside her. Had he been with her this whole entire time watching over her? Her eyes clouded but she started as she felt a cold hand cover her eyes.
"Don't even think about it? Go to sleep now!"
"You must be tired too Arnavji. You take the bed and I'll sleep on the couch-"the rest of her words were lost as she felt another cold hand cover her mouth.
"Shut up!"
Khushi detected the irritation in his voice and smiled into his hand. She relaxed her body as she let sleep overtake her.
Arnav looked on at the face of his sleeping wife. He felt more relaxed seeing her serene expression, the earlier worry now gone. Would everything really be alright now?
He was jolted out of his reverie by a ringtone. Glancing quickly at Khushi, he quickly reached in his pocket for his phone and urgently left the room as to not wake her. Closing the door, he shifted his attention to his phone.
His body froze as the blood left his face. His grip on the phone tightened as he read the caller id, "Uday".
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Edited by pc17 - 13 years ago
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