Posted:
A/N:
Firstly, thank you for your response to the first chapter, it made my day!
I apologise for the length of this update. For the sake of continuity, I had to put all these events in one chapter.
Hope you like it!
Confessions
Neither Arnav nor Khushi reacted to the knock for a couple of minutes.
They continued staring at each other, and only when the knock was repeated, Arnav broke out of the trance and moved to open the door.
They stared in surprise as Payal rushed in, still dressed in her bridal finery.
"Khushi, are you okay? I need to talk to you, right this minute!"
"Jiji? Why? Is everything.."
Khushi didn't get the chance to complete her sentence, because Payal pulled her outside, and didn't stop until they were at the poolside, away from prying eyes.
"Khushi, I'm so sorry about what happened earlier! I am ashamed of my behaviour..I was just talking to Akash about this when I heard you shout loudly, and I came running to ask..Khushi, are you okay? Exactly what happened today?"
Khushi didn't need to be asked twice.
She opened her mouth to begin telling Payal the entire truth, but stopped suddenly as she felt an arm slide around her bare waist from behind.
"Is everything okay, sweetheart? You should come back inside, it's too cold out here, and you are too..exposed.."
Khushi whirled around and looked at him in astonishment.
Now what was he playing at?
She continued to stare at him, bewildered, as he continued,
"Payal, you should go back to your room too. I'm sure Akash is eagerly awaiting your return."
"I'm not going anywhere until Khushi assures me she's fine!"
"Jiji wants to speak to me, you cannot stop us!"
All three were silenced as a new voice intruded.
"Bhai? What's happening here?"
"Akash! Just the person I wanted to see! I was just telling Payal that it is quite late, and very cold out here. I think everyone should go to their own rooms."
"Bhai is right, Payal, it's very cold. Come with me."
"But Akash.."
"Jiju..."
Arnav exchanged a long look with Akash, which went unnoticed by the two women.
Akash took Payal's hand in his.
"Whatever it is can wait until morning, Payal. Everyone is exhausted, we should leave.."
Khushi watched helplessly as Akash led a protesting Payal back to their bedroom.
A slow rage built inside her.
She turned around, and saw him standing there, leaning against the wall, watching her nonchalantly with one raised eyebrow.
"I know why you did that! You didn't want Jiji to know the truth about today, did you? About how you blackmailed me, using Jiji's marriage as the reason to make me pretend to be married to you for the next six months? I would have loved to see her reaction if I told her how we bought the flower garlands, the mangalsutra, and sindoor from the market, and returned home without ever going to the temple! But you couldn't let that happen. How dare you stop me from telling the truth to my own sister!"
"Oh I dare. I dare to do much more than that, if it leads to me getting what I want. "
"What do you want, Mr.Arnav Singh Raizada? Just what were you trying to say before you kissed..."
Arnav watched in amusement as Khushi turned beet-red as the word 'kiss' left her mouth.
He knew that kiss had affected her, no matter how she had reacted after it.
He also knew that he had some explaining to do.
"I was trying to tell you that the past few months have meant something, were leading somewhere. And deep down, you know it too. Can you deny your response when we kissed just now? Can you honestly say you have been unaffected by my presence, by my touch, all these days? Answer me, Khushi, do you feel nothing?"
"Of course I feel something! But all that dhak-dhak is because of acidity! And I asked Devi Maiyya to clarify that too!"
Arnav laughed.
Her naivete, her innocence, these were the things that drew him to her like a moth to a flame.
And it was time that she knew it, too.
"Khushi, I know what you feel. And believe me, it's not acidity. I know, because I feel it too.."
"Right now I feel nothing but an urge to throw something at you!"
"Really? What about now?"
Khushi gasped as Arnav pulled her against himself with one arm around her waist.
She saw the expression in his eyes, and was outraged again.
How could he look so smug, as if he knew everything she was feeling?
"I don't feel a thing!"
Khushi gasped again as Arnav tightened his hold, held her with both arms now, and bent his head to kiss the side of her neck.
She closed her eyes at the feather-light touch of his lips, sensations running through her , uncontrolled and unstoppable.
"And now?"
She watched as he raised his head, a confident smirk in place.
"I said I don't feel anything!"
Arnav bent his head again, and kissed the corner of her lips.
"What about now?"
Khushi's senses were reeling under the onslaught.
She knew if she let him continue further, she would lose herself completely in the tangled web of desire that only he could arouse.
Her body always betrayed her, even as her mind told her to run far , far away from this man.
"I already told you , stop touching me!"
Arnav stumbled back for the second time that night as Khushi pushed him away.
"What the!!"
"I have not forgotten what happened last Diwali! "
"Last Diwali? You mean with Lavanya? Khushi, I was trying to tell you earlier, I only said I'd marry her because I was trying to escape...I mean, I never intended to actually.."
"So that was a lie too? Another game?! Stop playing your games! Stop it right now! I want to know the meaning of all this, why are you doing it?"
"Khushi, I'm doing this because... I mean, mujhe faraq padhta hai..."
"Yes, I know! You've told me that a hundred times! I want to know why! For the last time, Aapko kyun faraq padhta hai?"
It was Arnav's turn to be struck speechless this this time.
He knew why it mattered, why she mattered to him.
He knew why he had planned and schemed and manipulated until he had her where he wanted.
He had come to that realisation earlier today.
His feelings were crystal-clear in his mind.
But now when she asked him like this, point-blank, the words wouldn't come to his lips.
"Khushi, I..."
"You what?"
"I think I'm...I'm..."
"For once in your life, can you complete your sentences? Oh never mind, you can never say what's in your thoughts. I forgot that I was speaking to the mighty ASR, who only knows how to order, threaten and demand! "
"Khushi I don't know how to say..."
Suddenly, Khushi was exhausted.
It had been a long day, and all these revelations were just too much to handle all at once.
She had had enough.
"Fine. Then don't say it. I'm not waiting around to hear it.'
"What do you mean?"
"I'm going to sleep. Perhaps Jiju was right, we should talk in the morning. Although I don't think I want to hear anything more from you, ever!"
Khushi turned towards the bed, and stopped.
The bed was decorated with orchids and white roses for their supposed Suhaag Raat.
The very thought paralysed her, she couldn't possibly sleep there!
"You can take the bed. I'll take the recliner."
"Don't be stupid, Khushi. The recliner is no place for you! Speaking of which, I think Nani expects me to make you sleep somewhere outside my room, like the poolside, maybe?"
Arnav laughed at the thought.
And then stopped abruptly as he saw Khushi open the sliding door that led to the poolside.
"Khushi!!"
He held her arm and pulled her back inside.
Khushi struggled to free herself.
"Let me go! I'm going to sleep by the poolside! Anything to escape sharing the same space as you!"
"Are you insane? I will not let you sleep there, never! Do you know how cold it is out there?"
"I don't care! Let me go!"
"Khushi, stop this! For once in your life, be sensible!"
His words triggered a surprising reaction from Khushi.
She stopped struggling, and as Arnav watched, the expression in her eyes changed from furious to determined.
"You are right. It's time for me to be sensible. I know what I'm going to do."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I'm leaving. I've had enough of this. I'm going back to my family. Now that I know the truth,when I tell them that, I'm sure they will welcome me back with open arms!"
Arnav watched, incredulous, as Khushi turned around and headed for the bedroom door.
She was leaving him.
She would walk out that door, and walk out of his life, just like that.
He knew she would, he had seen the resolve in her eyes.
He had to do something, he couldn't let this happen!
Khushi held her skirt up with both hands as she rushed down the stairs, uncaring of anything else in her haste to get away.
She reached the living room and came to a sudden stop as she saw Naniji, Mamiji, Anjaliji, and NK sitting there, staring at her as if she was mad.
"Khushiji? What..where.."
Before Khushi could open her mouth, Arnav interrupted once again.
"We have a problem."
Khushi watched in astonishment, as once again, Arnav took control of the situation.
"Chotey? What has happened?"
"Di, Khushi is angry, and wants to leave the house."
"What?!"
Khushi stared at him, open-mouthed.
He hadn't just said that, had he?
"Yes. Khushi wants to leave the house, because she is unhappy about the fact that we married in a simple temple ceremony, and deprived her of her dream wedding!"
Khushi could not believe her ears. Why was he lying to everyone?
How many lies could he come up with, to cover up the truth?
She opened her mouth to speak again, but never got a chance, as everyone started speaking at once.
"Chotey! That is not even a problem! Khushiji, if you are not happy about the temple wedding, we will arrange a proper wedding for you! As soon as we can! All you had to do was ask, there was no need to get so worked up! After all, we are not happy with your secret wedding either, and this would everything better!"
"But Di, I.."
"Khushi bitiya, it's okay, you can tell us these things...we are your family now, you know.."
"But Naniji.."
Arnav watched in smug satisfaction as everyone overwhelmed Khushi with their ideas and plans, giving her no chance to voice an objection.
His family had even forgotten to be angry with her in their enthusiasm to plan their wedding.
He saw Di break away from the group and come towards him, hands outstretched with the intention to cup his face.
He took a quick step back.
"Di! Don't do that! I'm not a five-year old! "
"Okay, Chotey, I won't. But I am so happy about this wedding! I can do everything I've always wanted to, I'll make this the wedding of the decade!"
Arnav barely heard her as he watched Khushi make an excuse about being exhausted and head back up the stairs.
"Di, we can discuss this later, I have to go.."
He didn't wait to hear her reply, almost running up the stairs to catch up with Khushi, who was at the door to their bedroom.
"Khushi, listen..."
He never got a chance to complete.
It took him a moment to actually comprehend that the words hadn't left his mouth because Khushi had slapped him with all her might.
He looked up at her, and was taken aback at the murderous rage in her eyes.
"HOW DARE YOU!! You think you can control everything, manipulate everything, don't you?! First you force me to pretend to be married, and now you are trying to force me to actually go through with a ceremony?! You are unbelievable! After everything you have done to me, all those times you have insulted me, mocked me, made my life a living hell, this is the last straw!
I HATE YOU!! Do you hear me?? I HATE YOU!!"
"But I love you!! Can you understand that? I LOVE YOU!!"
They stared at each other, stunned.
Arnav didn't know when he had moved towards her, but he suddenly found himself holding her by her arms, pulled up against his body.
He was beyond furious, and helplessly aroused, all at the same time.
Only this woman could do that to him, damn her!
Khushi looked up at him, shocked beyond words by his declaration.
And just like that, a realisation hit her too.
She loved him.
Always had.
Probably always would.
And yet...
She hated him too.
Hated his anger, his arrogance, his ego.
And most of all, hated the power he wielded over her.
Through the whirlwind of emotions, one thought surfaced.
She couldn't let this continue.
She couldn't live like this, ripped apart by her own feelings.
She had to find peace.
And just like that, Khushi knew what she had to do.
Arnav waited with bated breath for Khushi's reaction to his confession.
He knew what he wanted, he wanted her to admit to her feelings.
He wanted to know, finally, that she was his, just as he was hers.
He loosened his hold on her a little, and leaned back to look into her eyes.
The next moment, he was holding an unconscious Khushi in his arms.
"Khushi? Khushi !! Khushi, wake up!"
He lifted her in his arms,placed her gently on the bed, and ran to his nightstand to get some water.
He sprinkled some on her face, and waited for her to open her eyes, his heart pounding with terror as she remained unresponsive.
He had to get help!
"DI !! NANI !! SOMEBODY!!"
He ran out to the door of his room, and waited for someone to respond.
When no one did, he walked quickly to Di's room, banged on her door, and pulled her out with him when she opened it.
"Chotey?! What is wrong?"
"Di ! Khushi fainted! I don't know what..."
He stopped abruptly at his door, and stared at the empty bed.
In fact, the entire room was empty.
She was gone.
A half hour later,a panic-stricken Arnav had personally checked the entire mansion, and it's garden.
He had even searched the terrace.
He had called Gupta house, but they had no clue either.
She really was gone.
PS: Thank you for your wonderful comments! I may not be able to reply to everyone, but I have read them all, thrice!
Next update will be up tomorrow..
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Chapter 3 : https://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3249027&PID=67755095
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