ArHi FF: Yeh Saali Zindagi #3, Link to next thread @pg1 - Page 49

This chapter is divided in two parts. I am posting the first part tonight. Probably you may feel that this is entirely a chapter but it's not simply for the fact that the date I had mentioned in last chapter still contains some surprise waiting to be unveiled. And I will do it in (B) part which is going to be full of ArHi.

ArHi FF: Yeh Saali Zindagi

Chapter 26-(A)

"Where do you think they have gone?" Payal asked anxiously, her eyes involuntarily slipping around the empty living room where she and Khushi had left their respective husband an hour earlier, only to return later and find them gone.

"I don't know, Jiji." Khushi answered nervously, feeling scared. She was already regretting her impulsive decision of inviting her sister and brother-in-law to dinner when she damn well knew that her husband isn't in speaking terms with his brother.

She hoped against every instinct in her heart that she didn't hurt Arnav. After everything he had done for her, Khushi wished him to be happy always.

Because she knew, a selfless and honest man like her husband deserves the warm sunshine, laughter and love in his life not thorns. Khushi didn't know when she will get her share of happiness but damn well wished for her husband to get his share.

Khushi wanted life to be fair to him. But when has that exactly happened?

"I am so sorry, Khushi. I just wanted Akash and Arnav to reconcile and bury the negative feelings between them. I thought that maybe if they met each other at home, they might talk and sort everything out. I guess I was wrong." Payal started apologizing profusely, dismay dripping from each word.

Shaking her head, Khushi reached out and gripped her sister's hand "Don't you dare apologize to me Jiji. I also thought that it was a great idea once you briefed me about the hostile situation between Akash and Arnav. Pity they don't think the same."

"What else am I supposed to do, Khushi? Akash always miss his siblings. The pain in his eyes tears me apart. Akash always said that till the moment he is with Anuj Uncle, Arnav won't even talk to him. I thought that maybe now when Akash has left everything behind, Arnav may talk to him." Payal explained, now pacing to and fro in the living room.

Studying her sister through narrowed eyes, Khushi announced "You love him."

Halting at once, Payal eyed her sister with her eyes wide in exasperation "Of course I love him, you Idiot. Even if I had searched for my Prince Charming, he wouldn't have loved me crazily like Akash does after everything that has happened with us. With our marriage arranged like no more than a political alliance, I never hoped of finding love but I did. And I am grateful to my husband for it."

"Sorry." Khushi spoke meekly, cringing instantly.

Walking ahead, Payal stopped in front of Khushi. Gazing down at her, she whispered "And I wish the same for you."

"Don't hold your breath for it, Jiji." Khushi grumbled, staring up at her expecting a reprimand for replying flippantly.

But as her sister smiled wickedly, Khushi knew that Payal has managed to find something in her expression that satisfied her and made her ignore the words.

What if, Khushi wondered, she unconsciously wanted the same?

Bas***ds, Anjali thought smiling at the cameras pointed at her face. Totally ignoring the questions being fired at her, she searched for her father through the corner of her eyes.

The moment she located her father standing near her fuming silently, she smirked. Exactly the reaction she wanted to see on Anuj Raizada's face. Serves him right.

That's how I felt Dad, after being betrayed by you. Anjali mused, not concerned about him at all. Turning her attention back to the reporters assembled, she once again smiled "Thank you everyone. Now you can ask questions."

Many hands shot out in the air as everyone started speaking at the same time, eager to gather juicy details of the press conference as much as they can. They never imagined it to take this pretty and interesting turn.

Chuckling darkly, Anjali amended "One question at a time please." Pointing at one of the reporter, she exclaimed "Yes you."

"Anjali Ji, six years ago we all were informed that you died in a fire accident. Was it just a rumor?" Giving her a sympathetic look, the reporter asked.

With her smile stretching wider across her lips, Anjali answered "Of course it was a rumor. Otherwise I wouldn't have been standing here, do I?"

"What about your marriage with Vikrant Chaudhary? Do you have anything to say about the recent scandal and case that he has been involved in?" Sneering up at her, a reporter asked wickedly.

Pursing her lips in defiance, Anjali replied sweetly "When I divorced him six years, I had said what I wanted to say about him. Next question?"

"But why we never got to know about the divorce at that time Anjali Ji?" The same reporter asked, expecting her to falter while trying to answer the question.

"Because we both thought that it would be in our best interest if we kept our private life out of display for other people." Anjali countered coldly.

"Anjali ji there had been questions regarding your mental state in the past. Are they true?"

"I am afraid they aren't. Yes I slipped into depression after my divorce but it was because of the fact that my husband had always been too busy to reciprocate my love. That was it. In few months, I recovered and since then I have been working for the welfare of the people quietly. It gives you peace like nothing else could." With a sad smile, Anjali answered knowing very well that with this answer, she has already won sympathy of the people which she intend to use in her favor.

A momentary silence fell into the auditorium before one of the reporter cleared her throat loudly and asked "Then why no one heard about your charity works till now?"

"Because I didn't wish for it. Then, yesterday my father asked whether I would like to be a part of his party and work for the welfare of Delhi's people. I thought why not. I couldn't say no when my father find me suitable for the post. I respect his opinion like you all do." Directing her smile at Anuj Raizada, she answered victoriously.

Flashing a tensed smile at everyone, Anuj met her stare with his own full of anger and outrage. Moving closer to her, he slipped his hand around her shoulder with his fingers biting into the soft flesh. Speaking through his clenched teeth, he hissed "What the hell are you playing at, Anjali?"

"Politics and power, Dad. Isn't it the same reason you enjoyed killing your own daughter slowly six years ago?" Anjali shot back, ignoring the pain shooting through her arm.

With everyone watching their interaction and mistaking it for an affectionate one, Anjali exclaimed "Okay one last question for the evening that I am willing to answer. Anyone?"

"Are you the reason behind Akash Raizada's abrupt resignation from the party?" A reporter dared to ask.

Anjali froze, knowing very well that it was the only question she was afraid to answer. Moistening her suddenly dry lips, she opened her mouth to answer it when another voice beat her into it "Of course not."

Akash. Anjali raised her head, her eyes flying to the entrance of the auditorium and inhaled sharply as she spotted Akash walking through it closely followed by someone she valued more than anything and everything, her twin Arnav.

The brothers she always worshipped, simply for the fact that they taught her how it feels to be loved and cared by your loved ones. She had missed them terribly.

Tongue tied, she watched them walking together toward her with an aura of pride and arrogance wafting around them, silently demanding respect from others. Dressed casually like her, they were the epitome of perfection like always.

Instinctively, she saw people stepping back paving for them unlike her. With the continuous clicking of the cameras followed by never fading flashlights, Anjali watched with bated breath as they drew closer.

As they focused on her solely with concern, she blinked her eyes rapidly hoping desperately for her tears to not make an appearance on her face.

She watched in daze as Akash stopped in front of her, quickly drawing her into his arms away from Anuj Raizada not missing anything like always while Arnav glared at their father.

Turning to face others, Akash smiled "I find my sister a better candidate for everything that I have been entitled to till now as the head of AVP Party. She is kind and courageous like everyone expects a Raizada to be. Further, our brother Arnav agrees with me and that's why his company will be funding this year's election campaigning for AVP Party. We trust our sister completely."

"Definitely." Arnav agreed, moving to the other side of Anjali quietly. Feeling a genuine smile stretching across her lips, Anjali looked at Akash before looking back at Arnav. They stared at each other with love reflecting in their eyes, quickly melting the distance of six years between them in an instant. With both of her hands grasped tightly by Arnav and Akash, she felt safe.

And home. Not realizing the attention of cameras and questions riveted on them.

Judging by the lost look on her brothers faces neither they did. As they exited the auditorium together not looking at anyone, they knew that the questions and confrontations would follow soon between them once they are alone.

But for others, their bond is strong as always.

They are inseparable. And they knew it's true despite everything.

As Arnav drove the car towards his house, his hands trembled on the steering wheel. With anger or failure, he didn't know neither was he concerned to find out.

Stealing a glance at a very tensed Akash sitting in the passenger seat before looking up in the rear view mirror at Anjali's determined posture in the back seat, he seethed and burned.

From the failure of all his plans concerning his twin to the frustration of not being able to do anything to stop the destruction descending on them, Arnav broke.

And knew it was sheer luck that he wasn't already throwing a hissy fit with his control on the sanity of his mind hanging on a bare thread.

"What the f**k was that Anjali?" Arnav growled the moment he stopped the car in front of his house, motioning for his security detail to watch over from a distance not wanting them to hear anything.

Meeting his eyes, Anjali shrugged crossing her hand across her front defiantly "What I think is the right thing to do after what they had done to me."

"You shouldn't get involved in it again, Anjali." Arnav gritted out, displeasure written all over his face. He looked disappointed, his hands clenched in tight fists.

Narrowing her eyes, Anjali sneered "I can't hide anymore, Arnav. And for the peace of my mind, I need to do this. Our father and Vikrant think they got away from what they did to me, but they didn't. I am out for blood and I won't stop till then."

"They are crazy people, Anjali. They won't stop at anything." Akash interrupted, breaking his silence at last looking at them alternatively.

"Let them, Bhai. I have nothing to lose." Anjali replied emotionlessly.

Turning back to look at her suddenly, Arnav taunted "How about a six year old daughter for instance?"

Her eyes suddenly going blank, Anjali replied with a hard look on her face "She is your daughter not mine."

"Yeah right." Arnav scoffed.

"Anjali, you really don't want anything to do with politics trust me. Only heartless bas***ds can go through all that shit. You are not one of them." Akash said once again, backing Arnav in the argument.

"I am going to do it no matter what you both say." Anjali declared, looking determined.

"Great. Anjali, just tell me one thing. Why the hell didn't you tell me anything about this before coming here?" Arnav questioned, feeling things slipping out of his control. And it was freaking him out.

"I knew you would have never encouraged me to do all this."

"Damn right I wouldn't have. I spent six years trying to protect you and living through all the hell. I don't want you wasting my every effort like this." Arnav snapped, running his fingers through his already disheveled hairs.

"This isn't about you Arnav. This is about getting even with the people who treated me like a commodity." Anjali shot back irritably.

"God, he is only trying to protect you." Raising his voice, Akash glared.

Turning toward him, Arnav warned "You stay out of this."

"Why should I stay out of this? I am concerned for her just like you are." Akash argued.

"I don't need your concern, Bhai. Neither yours, Arnav. I spent six years burning while thinking that my father and Vikrant did so wrong with me and I just let them, running away in the end. I want them to pay for doing everything wrong they have done to me." Anjali explained, looking vulnerable letting them see the wounds that never healed.

Tongue tied, Arnav simply looked at her as Akash shook his head "This is not some dream, Anjali. This is life. If you are going to play with fire, you tend to get burned. We don't want this for you. You aren't cunning enough to understand the games Anuj and Vikrant will start playing now."

"I have done my homework, Bhai." Anjali countered.

"We just got you back, Anjali." Arnav said, his voice breaking at the end. Smiling sadly, Anjali rushed to hug him when he continued in a faint whisper "You aren't supposed to do this. I will extract revenge from them. Just let me out of the promise I made to you six years ago. They both will be dead by tomorrow morning. You have to just ask for it."

"I don't wish to see them dead, Arnav. I want them to live and suffer for their sins." Anjali replied stubbornly.

"This is not the right method." Akash chided.

Turning away again, Arnav tuned out of their ongoing argument and closed his eyes as memories started hitting his mind. The memory of his sister lying on the ground half-dead and then in hospital, of holding an infant Manyata while trying to figure out how to feed her and stop her from crying.

The memory of a gurgling Manyata crawling on her knees and then, taking her first steps towards him. The memory of Manyata calling him da-da'.

The memory of shedding tears over Anjali and Akash, wondering where he had gone wrong to be left alone.

And suddenly, he realized he couldn't do anymore.

He couldn't risk his life for his siblings anymore. Over the span of six years, he has moved ahead of it. He needs to think about Manyata.

And Khushi. His small family he couldn't risk losing. He loved them immensely.

"ENOUGH!!!!"

Akash and Anjali stopped arguing, turning to look at a very angry and out of control Arnav Raizada. Stunned by the glimpse of hate and resignation in his eyes, they watched him stalk closer as his body trembled in rage.

"I did everything I could to help my family but enough is enough. GO TO HELL YOU TWO. I AM LEAVING FROM HERE." He growled, his mouth taking a hard and cold twist as if shutting out everything around him.

"Arnav..."

"Didn't you hear? I AM LEAVING FROM HERE WITH MY DAUGHTER. I WILL GO BACK TO THE WORLD I BELONG." Arnav announced authoritatively.

Akash snapped "What about Khushi?"

Keeping his not-so-steady hands on the hood of the car to prevent himself from crumbling on the floor, Arnav answered restlessly "Let her decide for herself."

Lost, Arnav turned to walk inside the house at last not caring what his siblings were thinking at the moment. He sighed knowing very well that the temporary balance of peace he had found in his life and mind since his marriage has already evaporated.

Letting out a bitter laugh, Arnav looked up and stopped abruptly, startled to find his wife standing there staring at him. He met her eyes bravely.

Arnav froze, watching as she took steps towards him with determination in her eyes along with sadness. She had heard everything, he realized.

She was smiling, her eyes filled with unshed tears just like him.

As Khushi stopped in front of him and leaned in, closing her hands around his waist, Arnav closed his eyes sighing deeply. Feeling her head resting on his chest, he half laughed-cried raising his hands to circle her shoulders.

And once again, he found peace. Temporarily.

Do tell me your opinions about the update,

Aditi