ARSHI SS: Complicated Relationships! *Chp 8* upd 25/12 'pg 32' - Page 7

Arnav turned and looked at his brother who was now wiping his eyes after telling his brother the truth about the most important person of their lives. Arnav moved towards Akash with a lightning speed and shook his shoulders vigorously and asked,"How can you just say that she's no more? What happened to her? To my Di? And what about Jijaji?? Where is he??"

Seeing Arnav in panic mode, Akash decided to tell him the whole truth calmly. He held Arnav by his shoulders and made him sit on the couch nearby, started patting his back and said, "Bhai, what I'm going to tell you now is something you couldn't have imagined. So you have to listen to me very calmly without interruption. I promise that I'll tell you everything that happened in these five years and not hide anything. You trust me, right?" Arnav nodded meekly as he didn't know what to say.

Akash started telling him right from the time he had left the country. "Di was very unhappy with your abrupt leaving. She thought at least you would support her when entire family was against her decision of marrying Jijaji. But you too left her alone to deal with everything." Arnav interrupted before Akash could continue further,"I didn't leave her alone Akash, she had Jijaji by her side then. And also why was I needed then? I too couldn't face the family after what they did with Di; also I couldn't wait here, after what Mami accused us of. So I left the country." He finished with a sigh. Akash said,"I know Bhai. I know that you didn't leave her purposely. Even I was abroad then. You all had then excluded me from these family matters. By the time I came back, you had already left. And when I came to know what Mom had done with you both, I stopped talking with her which goes on till date. I feel ashamed to consider her as my mother." Arnav looked up at him in shock when he said that, but Akash continued, "I only go home to sleep at night and leave as early as possible in the morning. The only person I talk to is Nani. She is very worried for you Bhai. She loves us all equally. I don't know if she knows about Di or not. Because I don't talk to her about us, that is, you, me and Di. Khushi had told me that she had called up at Shantivan and had spoke with Mom about Di. But I highly doubt that she would have told others at home. Its been 3 long years since we lost Di and Jijaji. Dad also tries to talk with me, but I only talk with him about business. I know that he is not responsible for anything what happened, but he didn't even take a stand against it. So I don't talk with him. When I came back, I visited Di and that's when I met jijaji and Khushi. They both were gem of persons. In fact you would know this as you knew them before me. Di was so happy Khushi loved her like her own elder sister. They were not so rich then, but they were contented. Shyam jiju loved our Di so much that to give her a luxurious life, he worked day and night and soon Gupta textiles had opened. They had also made me a part of their family. Soon Khushi completed her studies and joined her brother in his business. Even Di started working in their company. Soon Di was pregnant, we all were so elated. Those 9 months were bliss. We were happy as there was going to be a new addition to the family. Di had also decided that she would try to contact you when the baby was out. But least did we know that we were going to lose Di and Jijaji soon. It was the day when Di went into labour, I was out of Delhi that day. It was almost midnight, when jijaji and Khushi decided to take Di to the hospital. Jijaji was driving the car as fast as he could and Khushi was sitting at the back with Di. They were soon hit by a truck when they were half way to the hospital. The truck hit from the right side severely injuring Jijaji and Di who was sitting right behind him. It was only Khushi who had only little injuries on her right hand and forehead. Khushi immediately called for ambulance which came in a short while but by that time Jijaji was no more. This was the first blow to Khushi. She had called me immediately after she had called for the ambulance. I too left as soon as I got the call. Soon Di was taken to the hospital. Although Khushi had already lost her own brother, she had been very strong and taken care of everything including the involvement of police. Di was also in serious condition, she was immediately operated on reaching to the hospital. Di had delivered a baby boy. But Di's condition was critical; she also had only some time left. By that time, I had reached the hospital. Khushi was being very strong but I knew she needed support which I gave her. But then Di had called me and Khushi and asked her to take care of her baby like a mother. Khushi also promised her the same and then Di breathed her last. And Di's baby is none other than Ansh. Khushi named him Ansh' in the fond memory of his real parents Anjali-Shyam'. We didn't hide anything from Ansh He knows that Khushi isn't his real mother but still they love each other like a mother-son duo. Khushi has also worked for their company. She's now the CEO and fulfils that responsibility too. Also, I and Khushi have become best of friends in all these years."

Arnav looked at his brother when he stopped talking. Akash had tears in his eyes and a small smile on his lips. Arnav couldn't believe what he had heard. His Di was no more and also his Jijaji. Fate had once again played a cruel game with him. He then thought that the cute little boy he met earlier that day was actually his own nephew. That is why he resembled so much to Di. Then he thought about Khushi, at first, he felt respect for her as she had handled everything very strongly but then the thing that she had tried to hide the fact that Ansh was his nephew, annoyed him. But right now, he stopped those thoughts as he was mourning for his Di. The guilt that he was not with her and Jijaji all these years overpowered him. Hell, he did not even try to know his Jijaji better who was a gem of a person. When he thought that everything would now be fine, he came to know this truth. Then he couldn't control himself, so he immediately turned and hugged Akash and let the tears make the way to his cheeks. Akash knew what his Bhai was going through so he hugged him back but didn't try to console him.

Later when Arnav was exhausted and fell asleep just before the dawn, Akash called Khushi and told her everything that had happened in the last couple of hours.

Khushi frantically paced around her own room worrying about what just Akash had told her... She moved out into her balcony and watched the stars.. she could see four stars shining brightly at her.. 2 stars were her Amma Babuji and other 2 were her Bhaiyya and Bhabhi.. This was her family. They had left her and Ansh alone in this world. She started talking to the star on the right side,"What will happen now, Shyam Bhai? Would Ansh really go away from me? If that happens, I would be left all alone in this world. He is the only reason that I'm living till now. Or else I would have also joined you there! I'll die if Ansh is taken away from me!" Her eyes filled with unshed tears. She felt her heart breaking into million pieces even at the thought of it. Her heart filled with fear when she thought about Ansh. Now after what Akash had told her, she was sure that she now has to enter into a fight if she has to keep Ansh with herself. Or else, the great ASR will never let her keep Ansh with him as the truth was in front of him now. But she thought to herself that she will try to convince him before the matter would proceed to the court.

Unintentionally her feet started moving towards Ansh's room. He was deep in sleep with a cute pout on his face. Khushi sat beside him on his bed and started moving her fingers through his hair. After seeing Ansh's face she felt determined that, now Ansh is her only family, she would not allow that Arnav Singh Raizada to take him away from her.

She didn't know when she fell asleep in Ansh's room itself. Later when she woke up in the morning it was then she realised that she slept in Ansh's room. Then she noticed that Ansh had also woken up due to her movements and now was flashing one of his cutest sleepy smiles to her. She smiled back at him and picked him up and kissed him all over his face and asked him not to leave her ever. Ansh didn't understand why his Mumma was again asking him never to leave her alone but nodded anyway. And circled his arms around Khushi's neck and gave a loud kiss on her cheek. Khushi smiled at her son with tears brimming in her eyes.