Chapter 1
It had been long three years since she had last seen him. He was a rude, ferocious, short-tempered, cynical young man when she had first met him but there was something in him undefined which drew her towards him like a magnet, and in no time, she had fallen for him irrevocably. And, in return, he had changed, for her, notably. She could still remember his sweet sleeping innocent lovable face, the night she had left him with a promise never to see him again. Even in his sleep, he had clung to her, not wanting to let her go. But it was a decision, she had to make, very necessary at that moment. She couldn't stay with him and love him at the same time, not after knowing his truth. She had to leave before her love turned to hatred and disgust, for the man, she used to love from the bottom of her heart once.
After long three and half years, here she stood hiding from him, when he was only a few yards away around the factory. She silently stood there watching him, how he had changed over the years. He was not even close to the old arrogant Arnav Singh Raizada, the one she had met in Sheesh Mahal. He was worse. He seemed to belong to the purgatory where he had been exiled for years. His eyes were lifeless and his face, emotionless. He seemed like a fire willing to destroy everything in and around him having nothing but hatred in his eyes. Something died inside him. But what??, she could not apprehend. She had tried to give him everything which was best for him. He should have been the luckiest man, or so she had thought. He had a brilliant opportunity to marry the woman, he had loved since college, with whom he had conceived his son, Aarav who had taken just after his father. She had noticed in many instances, that unlike her, who he had claimed to love, Sheetal was of his own class and suited him more. She was sophisticated, classy, smart, had a good back ground and most importantly, was the mother of his child. Arnav and Sheetal were more or less equal which was missing in their relationship and they had similar lifestyle. Sheetal was presentable, unlike her, to the world. He didn't have to feel ashamed of her, as he did with Khushi, many a time, in public. She, in fact, didn't find any reason for him to love her when he had a convenient option with Sheetal, in front of whom, she looked worthless.
Chapter 2
He had come to the factory site like a gushing storm and then he had left after a while. Khushi was relieved to see him leave.
Three months after her disappearance from his life, she came to know from a magazine about the big fat wedding going on in the Raizada family. That was the last she had heard of them. She had closed the magazine and left it aside not wanting to know more, once her eyes had suddenly dropped on the word "Sheetal" on the page. She didn't need any clarification. She knew she must had been the bride. Wasn't it too obvious?? She didn't want any part in that horrible truth. She had closed every door, leading to her past life, hiding the truth behind them for she didn't want to face it anymore. She didn't want to face the truth that he had betrayed her, it had been before their marriage, but the thought of him being with another woman had been driving her crazy. She simply needed an outlet to go away from every piece of her life. Had she not known the comforting truth of their life the week before the Karva- chauth, the sweet truth which she had been holding on to, ever since, she would have ended her life the very night of karva chuth when she got the DNA result confirming Arnav's parenthood over Aarav.
Tired over the day she went home only to find that her princes had long been asleep. She smiled at them. Their features always reminded her of their father. Luv and Kush, the twin brothers, had been the only source of solace for their mother, the poor soul who had lost her everything but still lived to give them a better future. Else, she was tired of her life and its miserable surprises, which fate had been playing with her since her childhood.
Chapter 3
She had wanted to tell him about her one week pregnancy and its complications but was waiting for the right time. She wanted her doubts about Sheetal to wipe off completely from her mind and then she could tell him about their new one who was about to come. But that night witnessing Sheetal breaking the fast for Arnav and the DNA report had shattered her trust completely on him. She had lost it. She didn't know how to react. The only thing which seemed true to her was Arnav's betrayal or she took it like that. His being with another woman mattered the most, the one truth she couldn't face, which she knew, she had to, if she chose to stay with him. She would love him forever but she could never wipe off the bitter truth from her mind. She didn't even care to know if he still loved Sheetal. Her trust was broken. She could not feel her heart anymore, nor could she believe her fate, that after a while, he wouldn't actually turn her down for Sheetal, who had given him Aarav, who was his replica, with whom he had been bonding so well. And why wouldn't he??? After all, he was his son. And as for her, she was always the cursed one, the one, who had lost her parents at eight. She had no one to call her own, until she was married to Him and see the cruelty of fate. It had not even been 2 months since their marriage and fate started its game again. Had it not been for her little champ, her little nudger, she would have ended her life right then and there. Her pregnancy had complications. The doc had specifically wanted to see Arnav before she could allow her to go on with it. But the fateful night had turned everything upside down. She had decided to go on with her pregnancy. She knew she had to be brave. If she lived, she would live for her little nudger. She wanted a son, just like his father with his features but she was determined that she would never let her son be like his dad. And if she didn't, she would leave him in an orphanage. She could never leave him for the mercy of his father. She didn't want him to know about her son. She was afraid he would make him just like himself and one day, he would have to face the bitter truth just like she did and in a household where he already had an unmentioned family with Sheetal and Aarav, what place her son would have without his mother. She didn't know what she thought that time, why she hated the idea of Arnav being around her son so much, it might had been the effect of hormones. She didn't know what had been so wrong with her. One moment, she wanted a son just like Arnav and on the other, she, in no way, wanted her nudger to be overshadowed by him or his nature. It might have been the reason that she still loved Arnav so much that she wanted their son to be exactly like him, but the next moment, she was afraid that he too would leave her one day, just like his father did and that was the reason she wanted him no where around her son. Her feelings were complicated. But one thing was certain. She had to go away from his life.
Chapter 4
The next day was Saturday, a holiday from the textile factory, which was recently owned by the great Arnav Singh Raizada which was the reason she started looking for another job desperately. She had an interview that day at the Best Chef restaurant in the nearby town. The interview was for the post of senior supervisor and it went well. They asked her to join them by the end of next month. That meant almost two months more in the site. How would she cope up with seeing him every day?? And what if he came to know about her?? He would take her princes away from her. She cringed at the thought. She could never let him know about her sons.
The post she had in the factory was a specialized one and the company had trained her for that for which they had spent quite a lot. So, in assurance, that after the training she would not leave her job, she had to sign a bond with them that she would work there for minimum one year and under any circumstances, if she violated it, she had to pay them Rs.50,000.
As planned, within next two months, the bond was going to get over.
******
Next Monday, it was very hectic at the factory since some complications had turned up at the site regarding an earthquake alert at its position. So the work was not progressing but it had to be done in time as per the contract. The company, originally, was not doing very good when Raizada group of companies took it over. As a result of improper supervision and careless management, the dates had been due in a month but the projects were nowhere near over. But otherwise, the company had so many good effective points, so Arnav had taken the decision for this take over. And it had been a challenge for him to upgrade a demeaning company and to finish the due projects within time. So, he had decided to visit the factory personally to supervise the matter. This was the reason he had told his family for visiting the sites regularly, though, in real, it was something else. The factory was not in a very good location. It was at a remote area. And he wanted to live an assiduous life, somewhat ascetic, because he believed that he didn't deserve anything more.
That night, after he had broken her fast, he wanted to take her out for dinner but she had refused. He thought, as a result of fast, she was tired. But he had failed to notice something, which had made him pay with his life. After she had left, he scrutinized her behavior for the past few days when he realized her insecurities over the similarities between him and Aarav. But the damage had been done at the expense of his life. That was true. He was alive but no better than a dead man. After Khushi had left him, he was no more than a corpse. She had left a letter along with the DNA report stating, "Accept Aarav and Sheetalji. She keeps fast for you, Aarav's father, every year. She completes you perfectly, both socially and emotionally. You two are so much alike and I have seen the way you are happy when you are with them. Arnavji, don't ever try to find me, for the consequences wouldn't make you happy. Leave the matter as it is. Don't worry about me. Assume I am dead. Move on. I free you today from all of your responsibilities towards me." She had left behind everything he had ever given her, even the property papers of the catering service, which he had gifted her that night. Her words had frightened him to the core. They kept ringing in his head. "Arnavji, don't ever try to find me, for the consequences wouldn't make you happy. Leave the matter as it is. Don't worry about me. Assume I am dead." The next morning, when everyone had come to know about the DNA report and Khushi's letter, all types of questions raised in their minds. But he cared, the least, about everything. He knew that no way, Aarav was his son. But he didn't have the mind to be angry with Sheetal or to interrogate her. It was the absolute truth. He knew it. He didn't know how the DNA results match. May be, Aarav was his some kind of relative. He had blood relation with him. Or maybe something else is the matter. But that didn't matter, not anymore. He had lost Khushi. His world was crashed. She was gone. And he didn't want to find her. Her words were haunting him. "Assume I am dead." "don't ever try to find me, for the consequences wouldn't make you happy." He was on the verge of a breakdown. It reminded him the day his parents died, why his mother had committed suicide. That was because his father had an extra marital affair. And, in his case, it was much more than that. Khushi thought that he was having a son with Sheetal and they would be a happy family. If his mother could commit suicide at the very mention of extra marital affair, what would Khushi have done with herself?? The thought and her words shuddered him thoroughly. What if he tried to find her and find her body instead?? He would never want to find out the truth. A part of him said "What if Khushi has already committed suicide?? You have lost her." He was tragic. It was the end of his life. What would he live for now?? But certainly, he could not give away his life. He had to live for his di, for the hope of finding Khushi. But there were ways of punishing himself. Though he didn't know what he had done to be punished for, but he wanted to go through the same pain what Khushi had been through. He was out of his mind. Nothing made sense anymore. He wanted to kill himself in every emotional way possible though not physically because he thought he was the one responsible for her and death would be too easy for him.
Chapter 5
A week had passed by. Khushi had been hiding from him somehow but speculating him at the same time from a safe distance. There was no life in him as if he had not known anything except work and he had been using it as an excuse to stay alive. She wanted to know more but at the same time refrained herself from getting involved in him all over again.
Khushi used to work as a senior supervisor in the factory for the past one year. She didn't want to take this job because of safety issues. But she had her own reasons. The factory was located in an isolated place far away from the city. They were providing her a company quarter which was safe for her to stay with her two young sons and on top of that, the salary was good enough and in that way, she could stay away from the city since she wanted to keep a low profile.
Khushi stayed with her two sons along with a dhai maa, who had been loyal to her for the last three years. Luv and Kush didn't go out much outside the protected circle of the quarters as Khushi didn't have time to take them out and the place was too far away from town. So it would take time to go there and return, so altogether it would consume much time and Khushi never had enough time since, as a supervisor, she had to be prepared any time for any emergency at the site. So, most of the time, they would spend in the day care centre organized by the factory authorities for the children.
One day at the breakfast table, while Khushi was a hurry to leave for her office, Luv and Kush were staring at each other conversing through eye signals about who was about to ask Khushi first. Khushi noticed it and squinted her eyes.
"you have something to say??" eyeing both of the twins.
"Mom, we are bored today. We don't want to go to the day care centre." Stammered Luv
"It's very boring there." Added Kush
Khushi got up from her seat, went near them and hugged them from behind "But, I can't take you out. I don't have time. Just one and half months more. After that we would be moving from here, just a few days more, beta, please." Khushi said with pain and guilt in her eyes. She wanted to give her princes a lot more than this but she couldn't. She was helpless that they were lonely with no family except her, no relatives to attend to.
Luv and Kush were just about to be three but they acted more matured than their age, being very considerate in their demands. They shared a good understanding between themselves and with their mom.
"Then we could visit you after sometime." Suggested Kush.
"Please mama??" added Luv with his sad puppy eyes.
"Ok"
Saying this Khushi gave both of them goodbye kiss and started off for her office.
Khushi was the supervisor of quite a few departments of the huge factory which had covered a large area with its departments being scattered, having a great distance from each other. So, often she had to travel from one part to the another for supervision.
*********
DAYCARE CENTRE
Kush was eyeing Luv "e-k baa-j g'a'yaa, Luv, chalo chalte he"
Luv, closing his drawing book and putting them in his bag, "Mama s-e mil-ne ja-na hai, yaa-aah" "Un-ka off-ic bhi dekh-enge"
Khushi had asked the daycare centre head, in the morning, to drop the children at her office around one as it was their duty to pick up the children and drop them off at the respected places. But after that, an emergency had come up and she had to leave the office to go to a little faraway place where the emergency had occured. She had thought she would be able to come back on time. And there the situation had worsened and there was no network coverage and she to stay there for a longer time.
Chapter 6
Luv and Kush arrived at the site gate for the first time.
"Luv, ma-ma ka-haa hai??"
"P-ta nh-hi'. Chalo wa-ha baith-te-he. Wo-h ayen-gi" pointing towards a half created one foot wall wide enough for them to sit.
They were sitting on the wall as Arnav entered through the gate. Just then, his eyes laid on the two boys who were looking around at everything with wonder and delight describing (actually stammering) them in their own words. Their words were not clear. But he was enjoying listening to them from behind. Big machines were scattered here and there in front of them but the last thing he could find was fear in them. Suddenly, Kush turned behind bringing him back to reality with their unexpected enquiry. "Are you stalking us??" both asked together squinting their eyes.
Arnav was surprised at the reaction of the kid.
"Excuse me?? No, of course not"
But they gave him no chance of defending himself.
Luv :"Then why are you listening to our private conversation??"
Kush : "don't you know that s bad manners??"
They seemed annoyed with him as if he had heard their secret discussion. Their anger reminded him of himself. But it delighted him to behave childish again. Since Khushi, he had not felt such innocence. He came closer to them and kneeled down keeping his hands around both of them. They gave him no chance to speak.
"What are you doing here??" Luv's question came first.
" Don't you have school??" Kush asked
"Big ppl don't have scho-o-l, Mama said, remember??" Luv reminded his brother
"What's your name??" added Kush
Arnav was getting lost in them. If Khushi had been there, he might not have to try to find happiness in others' kids. But for the moment, he wanted to enjoy with these two innocent souls.
"Don't you do anything else besides asking questions??" with a faint smile, he asked them.
"First question first answer, we asked first."
"Arnav Singh Raizada"
"It-na bada naa'm" Luv eyed him with surprise."
"Now my turn"
"What are you doing here??"
"We came here to meet ma-ma." Said Luv
"But we can't find her." Kush added.
"So, we are waiting for her." Luv said, tilting his head a bit.
"hmm, what''."
Breaking him off mid sentence, "Our turn'.." Luv cried.
Luv: "What are you doing here??"
Arnav "I work here just like your mom."
he asked "Now, wht are your names?"
"Luv"
"Kush"
"because, we are twins just like Ramji's sons" Added Luv with a smile.
"hmm, ma-ma ai-sa bol-ti hai-n" said Kush
Arnav, being with a child for the first time and having no idea that a child could know about our epics at such a small age, was startled to hear their words.
Inquiring further, he asked "Who is Ramji??"
"hum-e ut-na nh-I p-ta. B-as un-ka na-am su-ne h-ai"
Suddenly Arnav realized to ask them about their parents and how they reached there.
"So, Luv, how did you get here??"
"from day care centre," Stammered Luv
Arnav understood their mother might be working here.
By that time, it was almost two in the afternoon. Khushi and her team were coming back to the main centre. On the way, she called one of her assistants asking her about her children. She had asked him to inform her about them.
So, when Arnav was talking to the kids, a woman came informing him that their mother had just called inquiring about them. She told Arnav that they were twin sons of the senior lady supervisor who was visiting an emergency. Arnav, all absorbed in the kids, forgot to ask their mother's name. He asked the woman to tell their mom that they were safe with him and he was taking them to his cabin until she came back.
Chapter 7
Once in their cabin, he asked them to have lunch with him. But they opened their small lunch-boxes and when they did, the sight brought tears to his eyes. How could he forget? Was it not the same Khushi used to ''.. He could not think any more. Trying to hide his frustration and tears, he started eating his own lunch but he had lost his appetite. He asked the peon to take it off.
He was surprised how the boys were having their aloo-paratha with spoon and fork so neatly. It once again reminded him of himself.
Luv: "Are you not hungry??"
Kush: "you can eat from us, if your food is not good. Our mom is the best cook in the world", enjoying his lunch.
Luv: "Take a bite??"
Luv tried to feed him from his own. At first Arnav refused. It angered him.
Luv : "When I am feeding you, you should not refuse, even my mom does not."
Then he fed Arnav.
Kush : "Now my turn."
Arnav felt Khushi in their concern. He came closer and hugged both tightly.
In the meantime, Khushi came back and asked the assistant to bring the kids back.
The assistant :"Sir, mam came back. She is a little busy. So, I came instead."
Looking at the kids, he gathered it was time for them to go. The thought saddened him. He asked her to wait outside. He would again go back to his old lonely life. Though it was a small time, but it felt like a lifetime. He felt talking to his own kids, only that, he was not. He was brought back to reality by Luv's question.
Luv : "So, guess we have to go."
Kush "But '.. u did not tell us wht we do call you??" as if a new question just propped in his mind.
Luv: "aap-ka na-am to-h bahu-t ba-da hai"
"I don't know. U tell me."
"hmmm''. Wait'.. we will call you uncle"
"no, call me somthng else, call me Arnav"
Arnav didn't want to be formal with them. He was exhausted with all his formalities with the world. He wanted to befriend them, may be for a very short time, but it might calm his soul a bit because in the last few minutes, he was enjoying them as a thirsty beggar takes his first sip of water, as a traveler in the desert seeks the mirage. Their innocence reminded him of Khushi, a name he was hiding from for a long time. Her memoirs used to drive him crazy. But today, for the first time in many years, he could feel innocence again. He was enjoying them and he didn't want it to end. But it was time he let them go.
"hmmm??..." both were thinking what he just said and he let them.
They were conversing in each other's ears as if the new name had to be found out in secret to surprise him. He was amused. But he kept patience.
When it was done, they eyed each other as a notion that it was final.
"We will call you '. Ann"
"ma-ma keh-ti hain bodo ko na-am se nh-i pukar-te"
Arnav was surprised by the kind of respect they had for elders, even for their mom, at such a small age.
He kissed their hands and said "Visit again. Ok??"
Luv and Kush together "ok"
Arnav : When??? Tomorrow???
Luv: "That's great."
Kush: "But we have to ask mom"
Arnav: I will talk to your mom. She will agree, most probably.
Luv and Kush shook their hands with him and bid him farewell.
He was amused and surprised at their gesture. He decided to meet their mom soon. He felt eager to see the woman who was so lucky. In the last three years, he didn't feel to do anything beyond what was needed for his business and today, his urge to meet the lady and to ask her permission to spend sometime with her kids, surprised him.
*****
All this time, Khushi was hell worried about Arnav coming to know their real identity. A fear gripped her as if they were being taken away from her. She grew restless with each passing moment. So, when they came back, she hugged them like a dying person trying to hold her last breath.
Luv :"Ma-ma, the uncle asked us to call him Ann."
Kush : "He was great, mom."
They had never experienced another person for such a long time other than their mom or dhai maa.
Luv : "we fed him as his lunch was bad."
With each description, her fear was gripping her mind paralyzing her body to the ground where she kneltl down holding her kids. She wanted to run away with them never to come back again. What if Arnav remembers her cooking?? It was his favorite food.
Not being aware of their mother's timidity, the kids continued their description of the man they just met.
"Did he ask you my name??"Khushi's voice trembled.
Luv : "Nooo, but we should have told him."
Kush: "hmmm. What if he knew you??"
Luv : "Next time, we will ask him."
Khushi felt relieved that he did not know her name, but the next moment, her mind warned her "Not yet. But he might enquire. And of course, he will."
Kush: Mom, Ann asked, could we come back tomorrow??
Luv: He said he would ask you
Khushi looked at them terrified not letting herself to express it in front of them.
Chapter 8
Khushi determined to make sure that Luv-Kush never met him again. She had to leave the job immediately. She could not take risk to continue it. But she had to find another shelter for them because the quarter came with the job offer and even after leaving the job, it would take time to shift the living place. But in such a short time, how will she arrange everything?? Wasting a single moment could make her lose her dearest treasure. She had to shift to some other place nearby. That would be her first step because, if Arnav came to know the address he might try to contact Luv-Kush. She hurried back to their quarter that evening. She remembered her friend who had a house in town which she had been thinking of taking rent next month onwards when she would take the job of chef-supervisor. She sent Luv-Kush there along with dhai maa. Her one insecurity was done with. Now Arnav would never find them. The next day she came back only to leave her resignation letter to her immediate senior on the excuse that it was being difficult for her to manage the complications in the factories because she felt her life was in danger and with that, she payed the amount she was supposed to for violating the bond with the company. She thanked God that the next day was Saturday. So, the void created by her post would not immediately unfold difficulties for the manager to arrange. And it might take time for the news to reach Arnav that a senior supervisor had resigned from her post without prior notice specially, when the factory was already going through such difficulties, and when they had spent so much to train her in the respected job. She determined that before Arnav could try to know why she, all of a sudden, left her job only before one and half month before the completion of the term at the expense of paying such a big amount, before he could realize her identity, before he could sum up that just after meeting her kids, why she was rushing to leave the job, she had to leave the place.
*****
The next day, when she came back to leave her resignation in the morning, he was in his cabin going through the progress of the work and other details. When the clock stroke one, he remembered Luv-Kush and went outside to see if they had come. Finding no sign of them, he decided to wait a little more and then to ask their mother formally about them.
That day, in the evening, after finishing his work, he called the assistant who had come to take Luv-Kush back the other day and asked her about their mom. And the reply she gave to his question terribly disturbed him. He felt like his mere thoughts, which he had discarded as assumptions had been true the whole time. He sat down in his seat with a thud with his eyes widened still in shock. He called the manager to send him the file of the senior lady supervisor, Khushi Kumari Gupta, who had just resigned from her post that morning.
And when he went through her file which had her every detail including her family, he felt like his heart had stopped beating for a while. Taking out his wallet, he opened a small photo questioning her when only two words escaped his lips "Why Khushi???" He could not feel his tears as they were rushing spontaneously from his eyes. She had already left the place while he sat there almost lifeless again.
Chapter 9
He sat there in his cabin for a long time as if time had stopped from taking its course.It was only when the doorman came inside to ask him, he got back to his senses that a long span of time was gone. He asked the man to take his car out. His mind was dizzy. Slowly he got up from his seat and walked towards the door.
He was driving lost in his thoughts. His hopes were shattered once again. He remembered the first time she had left him. The pain, the despair, the urge to finish himself off came back and started their game all over again. But this time, it was not just her. Tears filled his eyes blinding him. She could keep such a truth from him?? That he had two sons?? How could she?? Trying to breathe wiping off the tears, he continued driving until he reached one of the quarters for the employees.
He got off the car and went straight to the watchman who gave him the keys. Before turning in the keys, he touched the door with a fake hope to feel her touch. He couldn't bear it. His family was so close to him just a while back. Had he been there a couple of hours before, he would have found''The trail of thoughts went on when he felt a sharp pain in his heart.
Silently, he turned the key and went in. It was like losing her all over again. He went to each and every room with the same fake hope that he would find them once again. He visualized earlier happenings in the rooms as he flickered through each one of them. Tears blurred his eyes when he saw his kids playing and fighting with each other with Khushi smiling at them from behind. He stood there at a corner imagining his perfect family with a faint smile.
He felt even the walls were laughing at his fate. He entered the dining hall and noticed two of the chairs had an additional cushion attached to them to increase their height. He touched them with utmost care. He saw his sons giggling cheerfully. Their cheers were being echoed around the room.
Finally he entered the bedroom and saw the baby pillows along with a larger one. No wonder the princes slept with his Queen. He broke down grabbing one of them when the pain in his chest grew wilder. Everything blurred out in front of his eyes except a picture which kept coming back to him ' Khushi with his kids- one moment he felt they were near him and the next, when he tried to touch them, they were going far away when he kept watching in helpless frustration. His eyes were tearful and his head was spinning around the room. Slowly his body gave in when his limbs went numb and he finally passed out with his body on the bed and his head hanging on the edge of it.
Chapter 10
On the other side of the city, when she almost midway to her destination, she realized she had forgotten some important papers in the cupboard. She didn't want to go back but she had to for the sake of those documents. So she hurried back to the factory.
It was almost midnight when she came back and asked the watchman for the keys who, in return, told her that someone from the office was already inside. He was new, so he didn't know who it was.
Khushi's heart pounded against her chest. Would it be Arnavji?? No!!! It will be too nave for him. And if it's someone else, she would handle the situation. Very slowly taking her steps, she forwarded towards the door, which she found open. In bewilderment, she went inside and took out the papers from the cupboard. No one responded or came out of the rooms to check on her. A dead silence was prevailing, she felt. What she came for was done. But she felt an irresistible urge to go and check in the other rooms. It was like something special was awaiting her.
She went to the kitchen followed by the bedroom. As soon as she entered, she stopped dead on her tracks.
"ARNAVJI"
There he laid with his head hanging on one edge of the bed with his eyes closed. She dropped the papers and ran towards him and took his head on her lap. He was unconscious and his hands were cold.
"ARNAVJI" she cried again. He opened his eyes for a slight moment feeling the warmth of her lap. "Khushi", escaped from his lips as he passed out again.
She took the help of the watchman and took him to the nearest hospital. Then she called his office where she got Anan's number and called him. He informed her that the Raizada family had gone for a trip to Switzerland for a vacation.
Later that night after the doctor informed her that Arnav was out of danger that she called Anjali to inform her about him.
Soon after she got off the call, Aman reached there with cardiologist Dr. Khanna, Arnav's personal Dr.
After he came out of Arnav's cabin, Khushi went to Dr. Khanna to know about his current update.
Dr. Khanna : You must be Mrs. Arnav Singh Raizada, I suppose??
Khushi nodded with an inaudible yes.
Dr. Khanna : Don't worry. He will be fine. You can take him home after 12 hours of observation.
Khushi: Thank you Dr, for coming on such a short notice. Would you mind telling me, what happened? She almost broke down at the last sentence.
Dr. Khanna: See, Mrs Raizada, Arnav has kind of what we call hypertensive heart disease. It includes a number of complications of systemic arterial hypertension or high blood pressure that affect the heart. It sometimes leads to heart failure. If you had arrived there a little late, things could have been fatal here.
Sensing Khushi's tension, he continued, "but you are lucky. It is just the beginning stage. He will be cured if you are careful hereafter. I must say his blood pressure is quite above the normal and his drinking has taken a toll on his health."
Khushi was asked to go the resthouse but she preferred to wait in his cabin till he gets back to his senses.
It was not till next day morning when Arnav opened his eyes and the sight he saw was the one he had been waiting for long. His Khushi was sitting next to him. As soon as she found him awake, she came closer and caressed his face
"How are you, now??"
"Khushi??..."
"I missed you so much''where had you been??" He almost cried.
She kept one hand on his chest.
She remembered when she called Anjali.
"Khushji,I don't blame you for separating yourself from my chote. But you have no idea what he has gone through. Aarav was our brother Dhruv's child and the DNA report was sent to you by Shyam Manohar Jha. After you left, Arnav became totally withdrawn. After a few days, he took to heavy drinking and that's when he developed the heart disease. As much as we wanted to see him, but we want the two of you to have a little time yourselves. So, take care of my chote. Please don't do anything this time which will break his heart for it has already been broken. He would not be able to survive this time. That explains it how he collapsed today'''."
"Well, I am here now." With an angelic smile and teary eyes. Then she kept her head on his chest very carefully not to hurt him when he closed his arms around her.
Its all in there... Besides that, here is the blog address
http://silverbluemoonrepentance.wordpress.com/
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