Khushi couldn't sit for a minute. She was pacing up and down the hall trying to contact Arnav. 'Yes, I get he is hurt, I get he is angry at me for hiding everything, but couldn't he just talk to me about it? Couldn't he just scream at me? Question me? Atleast say something about it!' Khushi didn't know what to expect. She knew Arnav was introvert and quiet but she hated this silent treatment. She wanted him to come home so she could peacefully explain everything to him. It was so scary for her to just sit there so worried wondering what Arnav would be doing. She had no idea how he would react. She expected him to say something. After hearing everything he did he still stood up for her. She was shocked. 'I don't think I would be able to do that for anyone if I knew they had been lying to me all this time. I wouldn't have taken their side! How does Arnav do that? He stood up for me after hearing everything that I have been hiding from him? I wouldn't do that, not even for Shyam who I thought loved me the most!' Khushi had obviously learnt her lesson. She really wanted Arnav to come home so she could explain and then it would be his call. She would do as he said. No arguments!
But she couldn't do anything until he came back. She silently prayed to God hoping he was alright. She didn't want him to get hurt. She was to blame and she should get her punishment.
After what seemed like days, the doorbell rang. Khushi jumped up. She ran to open the door. It was Arnav. He didn't look at Khushi. His eyes were stuck on the floor. He walked inside and started going upstairs. Khushi knew why he didn't look at her. She knew that he was in pain. She had given him a lot of pain and she should be the one giving him his smile back.
"Arnav!" Khushi called out. He didn't reply and kept walking. He sat on the bed.
"Dinner?" she asked.
"It's 3 am, little late for dinner I think." came the answer. His voice was full of sarcasm and pain. 'He is not even angry. He just seems upset and sad...' Khushi analyzed.
"Arnav." She said again
No reply.
"I wanted.. to.. umm.. talk about.." but before she could finish he said, "I am very tired Khushi, can we please talk later?" he said lying down in bed.
Khushi looked ashamed... She had nothing to say. Arnav switched off the lights and went to bed. Not another word.
Why didn't she have the courage to go tell him? She was nervous and scared of his reaction. She had never seen him like this before. She cursed herself again and again. She didn't know what to do. She had broken his trust, he cared for her so much and she just blew it all away. Khushi lay beside him wanting to hug him. She couldn't. She knew she couldn't. She couldn't sleep either.
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The next day was no different. Khushi went downstairs to the dining room where Arnav was having his breakfast. It was just 8:45. He had barely slept five hours. She sat down next to him and he got up immediately. He headed out when she asked, "So? So aren't you angry? Shouldn't you be furious at me? Shouldn't you throw me out of the house?" She went and stood in front of him. She wasn't scared anymore. She had finally said everything. And she wasn't afraid of his punishment! She knew she deserved it, whatever he wanted.
Arnav was silent. He didn't look at her. He looked at the window and those words kept going in his head. 'I was forced, how many times do I need to tell you that?' He had seen Shyam & Khushi so close. They were in love and he was between them. How could he say anything?
"ARNAV SAY SOMETHING!" she screamed, about to break down. She was sick and tired of all the crying. She had had enough for a lifetime, hadn't she? She wished she had just cleared everything up with Shyam before she got married, atleast she could be faithful to Arnav! "SAY SOMETHING GOD DAMN IT!" she yelled. Why was he so nice? He didn't even question her once. But once again he just left.
She went back to her room. She looked at her phone. 10 missed calls from Shyam. She threw her phone against the wall. It broke into tiny pieces and fell to the floor. She was so upset. She sat down thinking what she could do. She wanted to speak to Arnav, she wanted to make things alright, either he would give her a second chance or just divorce her. She knew what she would do if she was in Arnav's place. Kick the person out of the house and ask for a divorce. She just wanted Arnav to come home and hear her out. She sat there framing what she had to tell him, waiting for him to come back.
Arnav came back at 1 at night. Khushi still sat on the sofa waiting for him. She opened the door and he walked in without a word. "Arnav wait!" she said. He didn't stop. He was still unable to find himself. He just couldn't talk to her, not at this point. They were in love. 'Khushi was in love all this time and she didn't tell me anything, she couldn't tell me? She was forced into marrying me. She loves someone else...' Arnav just couldn't digest all of this. He needed time.
He sat on his bed when she said, "I am sorry, please hear me out." Her tears had already started to pour out again. Arnav knew she wasn't well; he didn't want her to fall ill again.
"Sleep Khushi," he said softly switching the lights off. Khushi wondered what was going on in his mind. What was he thinking about? What could he think about? She had been unfaithful and what happened yesterday was beyond repair.
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Khushi woke up the next morning and she knew she would make Arnav talk today. This was really stupid. She hated it. Arnav had to talk to her sometime, so might as well do it now! She was determined. She knew what she had to do. She couldn't live with this silent treatment.
She got up at 7 and stood outside the bathroom waiting for him to come out. He came out at 7:30. She held his hands. "Talk to me." She said firmly.
"I'm late for office," he said. "I don't care Arnav, talk to me." She said again.
"Look Khushi, I need time," He said after a long time. And that was all he said. He went to get his belt.
Khushi was shocked. Was he so weak from inside that he couldn't even yell at me? Why was he doing this?
"Arnav, I'll tell you what happened and then you get all the time to decide what you want to do!" She said.
He calmed down and looked at her, for the first time in three days. "I would really like to know then, why you married me, if you loved him? I don't think this was about money, you wouldn't be so stupid." He said getting up again.
Khushi's eyes widened for a moment. Arnav, who had not known her a month realized that it wasn't about money and Shyam who had known Khushi for years went about saying, Khushi had cheated him for money!
She sat down next to Arnav and told her story from scratch. How she and Shyam were always together and she wanted to go tell Buaji about their relationship. But Buaji chose Arnav and not Shyam. She met Shyam and said he wasn't a good person. Then how Khushi didn't want Shyam to know she was getting married. Then why she met him today! EVERYTHING!
Khushi sighed once it was all said. Now she was relaxed. She had said everything and there were tears rolling down her eyes. She didn't know what to expect. Their marriage was not even a month old. How could she expect Arnav to understand? She hadn't even let Arnav come close too her, why would he understand? But she was calm and composed. It was like a huge brick off her chest. It was all out in the open and now Arnav had to make a decision, "Arnav, I promise never to lie to you again--ever," she said confidently.
Arnav was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He was the one caught up in all of this. What was he supposed to do now? Take her to Shyam like in a Bollywood movie? Or live with Khushi in a compromise all his life? He had lost a lot in life already and now when he had started to madly fall in love with her, this. Life had been so cruel to him.
"I am so, so sorry Arnav, I should have just told you before we got married. I shouldn't have ruined your life. I am really sorry."
Arnav looked at Khushi again. He couldn't tell her how much he loved her! But he wouldn't let Khushi ruin her life.
"Do you still love him?" he asked softly. Only he knew how hard it was to ask his wife that question. Khushi knew the answer to that.
"Arnav, I don't love him." she said looking into his eyes. Arnav was patient.
"You know what you want Khushi, you just have to tell me. I will speak to Buaji, I will make her understand if you--"No, I-- I don't. I want to be with you Arnav. If you will have me..." she said slowly. He knew he loved her and he would accept her without thinking twice. He got up instead.
"Are you sure you don't love him?" he asked her again. "Yes." She said as she gulped. He nodded and was about to leave when she asked,
"Why are you so nice to me?"
"You are a nice person Khushi, it's just the situation which makes you look bad. It's the situation that makes me look good..." he said.
"No Arnav, you are good. You are great. I don't think anyone would have forgiven me after knowing that--I--had" she stuttered bursting into sobs again.
"Khushi, I didn't say I forgive you," he said, before she could say anything he continued, "We will talk about it tonight, I'm really getting later for office," "Yes, and now you have all the time you need to decide" Khushi said smiling. Tomorrow was Sunday. Khushi hoped Arnav would be at home atleast on Sundays! Khushi had lost track of time. It had been two weeks since they were married and their lives had changed so much. Khushi relaxed. She slowly left Arnav's hands. That was the moment of realization, the moment of truth, 'Arnav isn't ordinary, he isn't boring, he is way beyond what we can comprehend. He cares much more than anyone can, and he is so calm and so peaceful that any woman could kill to have him as a husband; I wasted so much time running after Shyam and crying about him that I barely even noticed him. He is just...
She didn't have words to describe him, he was different, different from the rest.
Shyam was in his study, he couldn't stop thinking about Khushi. 'Did Buaji actually force her to marry someone else?' Shyam recalled his conversation with Buaji. His face became grim. He just couldn't make out what Buaji wanted. He had always found that lady a little fishy. He truly never liked Buaji too much but respected her because Khushi did. 'Did Khushi's husband hear everything? I don't think he knows the truth yet. He would have Never taken her side if he knew. No one would. This is unpardonable. He would have surely filed for divorce. Maybe I could tell him?! Khushi would be mine then. She has to be mine. She has always been mind.' Shyam said. He gulped. This was scary. He was about to marry a girl he didn't love. Anita. Anita Malhotra. She had come to Calcutta 3 months ago for a huge project. Shyam recalled working with her as her manager.
*FLASHBACK*
Anita and Shyam had worked together for a while. Shyam was Anita's Calcutta business manager. She would spend most of her day with him. Shyam, being a jovial man, would show her around, take her to have paani-puri on road sides, drink Soda Sikhanji with her at the famous, 'Shibuji's'. He showed her Victoria Memorial. He was a manager-cum-guide. After working together for a month, Anita made a move on Shyam. She liked him, he was charming and jovial. He wasn't very well off but that didn't stop her from liking him.
At night as they had dinner, Anita invited Shyam over to her hotel room. "Sure," Shyam had said. They walked together to her room as Anita felt more confident about her attraction. In her room she bent over and kissed Shyam. He was taken aback. He stopped her immediately, "I'm sorry," he had said moving a step back. "I'm sorry, I thought--you--," Anita looked ashamed. Shyam didn't want to be kicked out and lose his job. But she couldn't two time Khushi. He loved her. "Ma'am, I work for you, I couldn't--"So what? If you stopped because of that, then please don't!" "I cannot do this while I'm working for you Ma'am. I am not even very well off to quit this job." Anita hadn't said anything. She had just smiled. She was impressed by his honesty.
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Shyam smirked when he thought about it. 'I was in love with her, I didn't care about money or power then, but Khushi so easily married someone else. She cheated on me. He destroyed my life. I couldn't sit in Calcutta all my life wondering where I messed up? I had to do this, for me!' He said. 'Khushi said she was forced. I don't think she was lying. Maybe I can still get her back. I just haven't been able to forget her. I haven't been able to get over her. She is the love of my life. She doesn't even love her husband. It's all going to be alright. I know Khushi. I can win her back, I will win her back!' Shyam had made up his mind when there was a knock on his door. Anita entered and sat on his lap, she kissed him on his cheek, "What are you doing, honey?" "Just thinking about you Annie!" he said smiling. She laughed and then they talked about them. "I am so glad you are recovering, after your mother passed away, you were such a mess!" she said hugging him. "Yes, I still owe you for that one. You were there for me, when I needed someone, you were there." He said thinking of his mother. He knew Anita wasn't bad, she was such a nice person but just not right for him. He wanted Khushi.
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I guess that finally answers all your questions about Shyam. Does it? Except for what Shyam and Buaji spoke about. Give me some more time for that 😆
And now it's on you to think is Shyam Positive Or Negative. You may find many reasons why he's negative but you just need ONE to say he's positive 😉
Let's see what you guys come up with. I am waiting to read what you have come up with for shyam's character.
And another thing, The next update may take a little while because my school reopens on tuesday and then I'll get little time to update my FFs. Maybe twice a week you can expect updates. Not as often as I did during the vacations 😳 I hope you understand.
Anyway, I am still waiting to see what you guys think!
Love,
Manjari
Shiv Shakti
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