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Amanram

@Amanram

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#521

Gosh - this update so full of thrills and all sorts of twists. Can't wait to see Arnav taking care of Khushi!

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Aditi

@uv-crazyfan

Voyager

+ 4

Posted: 11 years ago

#522

ArHi FF: Yeh Saali Zindagi

Chapter 8

Arnav Singh Raizada had a very interesting childhood. Since the time he managed to stand on his feet as a toddler, his father dotted on him every possible second and Arnav loved every bit of his attention.

He smiled in victory whenever his father ignored Akash Bhai, Anjali and concentrated on him. In every parent teacher's meeting, every school competition, every sports competition, his father was right there cheering for him as his blue-eyed boy.

His every wish was fulfilled like nothing was more important than what he wished. He was never punished for taking part in brawls at school. He never was punished for anything.

His father always told him that he is perfect the way he is.

Though he never understood why Akash Bhai always relaxed when their father ignored him, but he wasn't a fool to do anything to let his father concentrate on Akash Bhai and Anjali for that matter.

All was well. He reveled in his father's every praise, support in proud. He was happy to see how much his father loved him. Only him. Not his Akash Bhai who never lost his temper. Not even his irritating twin, Anjali.

Until he understood the purpose behind all this.

When he realized that Anuj Raizada was turning him against his own siblings while making him addicted to being the center of attention and power, he couldn't have thanked his stars enough for inheriting his father's sharp mind.

Because he knew what it all was leading to.

Anuj Raizada was training him since childhood to run his political party. Just because he was sharp, cunning and intelligent like his father, he was the chosen one.

Akash Bhai was spared because he lived his life like a saint. Anjali wasn't even in the run because she was a girl, as simple as that.

He is the one his father chose as the head of Raizada family after him. That realization hit him hard.

But instead of feeling happy about it, Arnav panicked. Everything else ceased to matter to him except this sudden, bitter and overwhelming realization.

And he wasn't happy about it.

Because, truth to be told, Arnav preferred helping people than picking out fights with his friends and class mates.

He liked reading English literature than learning about Indian Constituency and Administrative structure.

He liked taking part in a debate than participating in social rallies that his school held every month.

He liked being honest than twisting words to his comfort.

And he liked living a simple life than being followed by the paparazzi for his every word, action and decision.

And he'd not wanted to be a puppet of his father. He wanted to live with freedom. But his father had every intention of controlling him.

Of manipulating his own son like he did all these years.

But Arnav wasn't a fool.

And he definitely wasn't going to be the lamb that his father was willing to sacrifice for his political party.

Arnav decided that politics isn't his career calling definitely. So he spent next few years in peace.

No complaints about him were being reported to his parents. He didn't wish for anything stubbornly. He started spending more time with Akash Bhai and Anjali.

At first, his father didn't notice the changes at all. But when he did, he tried every trick in his book to lure Arnav back into being the person Anuj wanted him to be.

But Arnav didn't relent. His father kept hoping till the time he went abroad for graduation and then went ahead to complete his doctorate in English literature. That's when he met Shyam. They bonded over the beauty of English literature and then moved to knowing each other like childhood buddies.

Arnav never came back in India for more than 2-3 months despite his father's constant nagging.

Teaching students English literature in New York University while writing his first novel was everything he wished for.

And that was when everything started going downhill. He had to come back to help Anjali only to realize that he has lost everything-his family, his brother and their love.

His family's betrayal hit him hard. For first few months, he was so driven to be rich and in power that Arnav felt he has become like his father. It panicked him again.

That's when Manyata came into his life and he realized something that he has been neglecting all along. If he was like his father, there was still one thing that defined him as Arnav Singh Raizada.

Unlike Anuj, he cared for his family selflessly. Putting his life on hold for Anjali never bothered him as much as he was worried about his family falling apart. He always knew about each and every development in their life still he acted ignorant, stepping in only when it couldn't be avoided.

Because, his family mattered to him the most. That must be why despite every possible reason against it, he wanted to protect Khushi.

It must be why he hired people to watch over his wife. It must be why he rushed to save her today when his secretary informed him of the frantic calls of Khushi's security detail.

It must be why he pushed Khushi's car away at the last moment to bear the brunt of her carelessness. And it must be why when his head hit hard against the steering, he was worried about Khushi not himself.

Suddenly Khushi felt like time has stopped indeed. She felt like she is the same 18 year old Khushi Gupta whose mistake had cost her everything.

As she sat in the car holding the steering wheel tightly in her hands, she knew that she has messed up things again. In her haste of forgetting everything, she has once again put life of other's in anger.

But what the f**k exactly is she supposed to do? She wasn't coward enough to kill herself neither was she the same nave girl who can ignore everything happening around her to live in her own happy world. She wasn't even brave enough to forget her past and move on in her life.

She thought that by helping peoples, she might forget her problems but every passing moment was a living hell for her. She cannot forget anything. Not when someone else paid for her fault.

Cupping her face in her palms, Khushi sobbed "What am I supposed to do, Lavanya? Tell me. You always had a solution to my problems. Please, tell me."

As her friend's smiling face flashed behind her closed eyes, she cried harder.

Khushi was so lost in her own grief that she forgot everything else. As her car's door was swung open, she barely raised her head to look up when she was hauled out.

Khushi gasped as her left hand was twisted behind her back painfully, her eyes flying open to meet Arnav's which were lit with anger. She squirmed as Arnav ran his eyes over her body, making sure that she wasn't hurt.

Noticing a thin streak of blood trickling down his forehead, Khushi panicked immediately pressing the fingers of her right hand against the wounded area earning a wince from him.

With his lips curling in an arrogant snarl, he brushed her hand away before dragging her towards the car in which Shyam was ushering them, trying to send them away before the arrival of media at the accident spot.

Throwing her inside, Arnav sat beside her before ordering the driver to take them to his office. The way Arnav clenched his jaw, the way his knuckles turned white and the way he stared ahead without blinking his eyes, Khushi knew she was in deep trouble.

"Arnav..."

"I don't want to hear it, Khushi."

"I am sorry. I was just..."

"Oh SHUT UP!!!" Throwing the bottle of antiseptic on the floor, Arnav turned to glare at Khushi after tending to the wound on his forehead, having refused Khushi's help earlier. Arnav and Khushi were now settled in Arnav's cabin while Shyam handled everything according to Arnav's orders.

As Khushi saw the band aid on his forehead, her guilt increased ten-fold. Struggling to not break down in front of him, Khushi gulped nervously "I know I did wrong and I am really sorry. It's my fault that you got hurt and..."

"For god's sake Khushi, speak for yourself just for one time. Can't you see what you are doing to yourself?" Throwing his hands up in air, Arnav yelled in frustration.

Tilting her head to left, Khushi focused on Arnav. Noting how his body trembled in anger, the way he clenched his fists and how he was glaring at her, she was astonished to see a glint of determination in his eyes instead of anger.

As she continued to look at him dumb founded, Arnav continued "Can't you see how you expect everyone to pity you? Can't you see how you always resign to the fact that you will always put others life in danger?"

Khushi shook her head "I don't understand you."

"Look, I know alright. I know how Lavanya died. How her death inspired you to become a social worker. Despite being very brave to fight for others, you always have been neck deep in guilt and sorrow. Do a favor on yourself and get over it." Arnav said patiently, knocking breath out of Khushi's lungs. She never expected him to get to know everything about her.

"I...I...don't know...what you are...talking about..." Khushi stammered not wanting to let Arnav know how much he was affecting her.

"See, this is what you shouldn't do. You are running away from your problems. If you don't embrace your past, you will keep putting your own life in danger. And frankly speaking, I don't think I will be lucky twice in saving you." Arnav argued, pointing his finger at Khushi in accusation.

"Why do you care about my life?" Khushi snapped, running out of patience.

"I don't care about your life but my daughter does. Your guilt and mistakes will never be more than your life no matter how much you try to emphasis on that and if because of the same reason you are going to try killing yourself, then you would have done it before entering in my house and accepting that you are Manyata's mother dammit." Arnav said menacingly, staring directly in Khushi's eyes making his point clear.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself." Khushi tried to defend herself weakly.

Arnav snorted "Yeah right. Next you will tell me that you love me."

"Stop criticizing me, okay. You don't anything about guilt. You'd not heard your best friend's screams while she was being raped. It was not you who had to beg again and again from others to spare your friend's life. You aren't the person whose best friend was murdered in front of her eyes, dammit. So, STOP IT." Khushi replied hotly, ignoring how Arnav's eyes softened after hearing what she said.

Arnav sighed "I agree that I cannot understand it fully. But you have to let it go. You are hurting yourself."

"I'll think about it." Looking down suddenly, Khushi lied because she knew that she won't be able to even think about it.

"Don't do it, Dammit. You are such a COWARD." Slamming his fist down on table, Arnav roared making Khushi jump in her seat.

As the meaning of the words spoken by him dawned on Khushi, she stood up looking outraged "I am not a COWARD."

"You are a coward Khushi, accept it or not. Now, I don't even want to discuss it further. My driver will drop you home. Manyata shouldn't know anything about it so we will have to act normal. And let me make myself, you will stay at home. I won't tolerate another stunt of yours like this one. I will handle the case you are working on." Arnav ordered tonelessly making Khushi gasp in astonishment.

"But you don't know anything about it." Khushi pointed out.

"I know everything. No one can handle Vikrant better than me. Niya will be home soon." Arnav replied, informing his driver to drop Khushi at home.

"But how?" Khushi asked in wonder.

"Just go home, Khushi. I will handle everything." Jerking his head towards the door, Arnav ordered arrogantly.

Stomping her foot on the floor in frustration, Khushi walked towards the door when Arnav's voice boomed in her ears "Just remember Khushi, you are not the only person who is facing problems in life."

Taken aback, Khushi turned around to look at Arnav curiously only to see his blank face. He has once again shut her out from letting know what he had gone through.

As Khushi returned home, she couldn't help herself from wondering what if Arnav is just another victim of situations like her.

As he trailed his fingers under her shirt, she moaned pulling him inside a room. With a groan, he captured her lips again in a brutal kiss shutting the door behind him with his leg.

Soon, she was writhing under the ministrations of his hands in pain and pleasure.

Raising his head, he hastily tried to unbutton her shirt when his eyes fell on a dark figure sitting in the middle of the isolate room.

"Who is there?" He demanded arrogantly, angry at being pulled abruptly out of his aroused state.

As the room bathed in light soon, he staggered back watching Arnav sitting there calmly, tracing the outline of the gun he had with his fingers.

He looked around and panicked to see around 10 big, bulky men in there. Shyam was sitting on a chair just behind him, waving when he looked at him.

When he looked at the girl he had picked from the club, she smirked making him realize that it was all Arnav's plan.

Knowing that he had no other option than facing Arnav, he stood there waiting. He smirked at Arnav as he looked up at last, while he was panicking from inside.

Looking bored, Arnav said calmly "We meet again, Vikrant."

"Indeed, Saale Sahab."