ArHi FF : Cross My Heart | Thread 2 | COMPLETE - Page 9

what happened to your updates?

Chapter 15

"Garima, should we have given Khushi a chance to speak?" said Madhumati, remembering her niece's tear stained face and her pleads to be heard, just once.

Garima, who had been stirring the bhindi curry, stopped for a second, and then went on, without giving a reply. Truth be told, she didn't know what to think anymore. Khushi had left, three years ago, and took her namesake right out of their lives. Her babuji had never recovered from the loss, however, Garima always had a feeling that he knew more than he let on, even after he recovered and was able to speak.

Whenever Madhumati had brought up Khushi's topic and demeaned her name, Shashi had silenced them with a stare, telling them not to speak of which they knew nothing about. But they did know, didn't they? Hadn't Khushi told them enough with her silence?

They were in Shantivan, visiting Payal.

Khushi had disappeared a while ago, going to look for god knows who, but she had been acting a little weird for a couple of days, and Garima decided to seat her down in the evening and ask her if everything was okay.

"And what else, Garimaji?" Naniji said, smiling kindly. "Payal's settled down now, and she is like a daughter to us," reassured Nani, knowing what the family must be going through, she had been a bahu once upon a time too. "When are you planning to make another family happy by sending Khushi bitya to their house?"

"Happy? More like drive them crazy, Nand Kishore. She is our Sanka Devi afterall," joked Madhumati, making everyone laugh.

Their laughter ended abruptly as Arnav barged into the living room, his eyes spewing lava, dragging Khushi behind him. Shyam walked in after them, looking like he would rather be anywhere but there.

Arnav let go of Khushi's hand, making her stumble forward, and wince as her foot came in contact with one of the tables.

"Chotey! What is the meaning of this?" yelled Nani, placing a hand on Khushi's back to steady her.

"Don't touch her, Nani. She doesn't even have the right to breathe the same air as us, let alone touch you," he said, walking over to the center of the room.

"Babua..." Madhumati started, not knowing what had brought this on.

"Did you know?" he asked as he turned towards Garima and Madhumati. "Did you know about your daughter's giri harkate?"

"Arnav babua, what are you...?" but he didn't let them finish.

"So, they didn't know either, huh?" he said as he turned towards her. "You must be one great actress, Khushi Kumari Gupta."

"Chotey! That's enough!" Nani screamed, losing her cool. "Apologize to her right now!"

Arnav turned towards Nani, letting her see the raw hurt that he had concealed so far, "For what, Nani? Because she broke my heart?" Everyone gasped at the revelation. "Or perhaps because she is having an affair with that piece of scum?" he asked, pointing to Shyam. "Or maybe because she destroyed Di's life? Which of these should I apologize for?"

Eveyone gasped at the accusation and turned to look at the people in question. Khushi stood there, her head bent, none of her usual fire anywhere to be seen. Shyam looked a little more in control, now that Khushi had decided to see the light, he could deal with the Raizadas. He still wasn't sure what had changed, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Babua!" Garima said, horrified. He had completely misunderstood the situation. "This isn't what you think it is. Shyam cheated all of us."

Arnav looked at her, letting hope flare in him for a second, "He posed as a bachelor, and tried to marry Khushi. We should have told you, but we thought he would change."

He turned towards Khushi, mentally pleading with her to agree with her mother, but she stood silent still, not even so much as looking at them.

"Khusi, say something," Garima pleaded, voicing Arnav's thoughts. "Tell Arnav babua what happened."

Khushi still refused to say anything, and Arnav's anger boiled over, "Why would she? She loves him, right? Isn't that what you said five minutes ago?"

Garima and Madhumati gasped at the new revelation. When she still didn't refuse, they walked over to Khushi, shaking her, asking her to tell the truth, that she didn't cheat anyone, that Shyam was the true culprit here.

But still, she said nothing.

"No, jiji," Garima said with finality. "She had her chance."

-----

"Payal?" Aakash had been restless for the past few days, Babuji's affection towards Khushi had planted a seed in his brain that everything wasn't as it seemed, and he couldn't get rid of that train of thought.

"Hmm?" questioned Payal, turning towards him on the bed, and wrapping her arm around his middle.

"Do you think we misunderstood Khushiji?" he asked, speaking her name after a long time in their room.

Payal stiffened in his arms, before getting up and scooting over to lean against the headboard. He, too, got up and turned on the bedside lamp. Turning towards Payal, he saw her staring into the distance, as if she was remembering something.

"Khushi! Tell me the truth, Khushi," pleaded Payal. She had arrived at Laxmi Nagar as soon as she returned from the temple her and Anjali were visiting. She had heard about what had happened and knew that Khushi must have been under some kind of a duress.

"There is nothing to say, jiji," Khushi said in a monotone voice, as if she really had given up.

But Payal refused to believe her, "This can't be right, Khushi. Tell me what is going on, whatever it is, we can deal with it together."

"I love Shyam,Jjiji," said Khushi, still not looking at her. Payal shuddered at those words, she never thought she would hear her sister say such things.

"Look into my eyes and tell me this, Khushi," Payal said, knowing that Khushi might be able to lie, but her eyes would never lie to her, her Jiji.

Khushi closed her eyes for a second, before turning towards Payal, and opening them. What Payal saw there made her gasp, utter blankness.

And Khushi delivered the final blow, "I love him, Jiji."

"Payal?" he said, placing a hand on her shoulder to bring her out of her reverie. She shook her head to clear whatever memories had invaded it, and looked at Aakash.

"No," she said, her voice taking on the venomous edge. "She made it quite clear."

-----

AN : I hope you are all still interested in reading this story. I am working on completing the story, and have a good story bank going already. Updates will go up on Friday, every week. Thank you :)

Please buddy me for update notifications. Or you can follow me on twitter @ridz_mystique. Or drop me a PM with your email id and I will add you to my email notification list.

On-Going Stories : In This Moment | Snapshot

Recent OS : Touch

Index : Blooming world

I have a few kostins😳

That is so unbelieveable! How can her own family not see through her silence?

Thanks for continuing this ff.

after long time finely 😊 nice update

Bmji...Did I say how much I lubs you dammit for updating!!🤗

Originally posted by: tvpal007

Bmji...Did I say how much I lubs you dammit for updating!!🤗

Lovely update...

oh u updated...yay... amazing update...but i think i need to read it once again... waiting for next friday!

THxxx Ridz for the update..wonderful..looks like Shyam is blackmailing her..
why not everyday? only Friday? intezaar nahin hota to read my fav FF..I am craving for more now after reading latest update