(_ ArHi FF_) ~Devastated ~ Note Page 16 - Page 2

Part 28

Humaara Rajkumar humein ghode par lene aaye ga...

Hum apni shaadi dhoom dhaam se karein ge, khoob nachein ge...

Apni shaadi par sola singhar karein ge...

Humaara Rajkumar woh hoga jo humein pyaar kare ga, humein kabhi akela nahi chode ga aur humare jazbaton ki kadr kare ga...

"Aur kahan se milega tumhein aisa Rajkumar jo tumhare jitna pagal ho?" Payal had retorted with hint of sarcasm in her voice, but it was today that Khushi could feel the truth in Payal's words. Perhaps she really had lived a delusional life, imagining things which never existed. That acidity, dhak dhaks, seeing him everywhere, rose petals rain, the need to see him first after waking up and sleeping after seeing him, the ecstasy when he kissed her, the skipping of heart beats when he said her name in his husky voice, said Tum theek ho? And confessed his love for her maybe it was nothing but an imagination...

Why couldn't she guess his intentions? Why couldn't she understand that a multi billionaire wouldn't be a fool to become a one woman man, belong to a middle class girl when he had uncountable girls waiting to pleasure him? Why couldn't she decipher that she was the one who spoilt his fashion show, caused him loss of crores, damaged his car, she was the lust of his sister's husband even then why he would want to marry her?

Here in the office she was, standing next to her Devastator waiting for the marriage papers so that she could sign them and get bonded to him forever. She never agreed to this marriage but it was her parents decision. Why did she ever give the rein of her life to people? She thought. When she gave it to Arnav he forced her into a marriage with Dhruv and when she gave it to her parents whom she trusted blindly they ordered her to marry Arnav.

"Khushi bitiya kagzaat par dastakhat kijiye," said Nani, bringing her out of her reverie.

Khushi grabbed the pen hastily from Arnav and signed on the papers he instructed without saying a word.

The journey back home was a quiet affair except some of the business calls Arnav received. Khushi was startled when Arnav had slightly pressed her hand while he drove the car but he had backed sensing the uneasiness within her.

Soon after revelation of Payal's pregnancy Neha's family had come to Raizada Mansion to talk of their daughters marriage with NK. NK and Neha had been in a relationship from past 3 years and Neha's family had put forward the marriage proposal realizing it was high time for the two to get married. The very same day Garima had talked to Khushi that she and Shashi had decided that she would be getting married to Arnav. Khushi had no chance to argue since she had earlier decided to accept any decision they took for her.

Nani had decided for the two marriages to take place the same day and pooja for wellbeing of Akash and Payal's unborn. The Singhania's had agreed yet reluctantly and why wouldn't they reallising the Khushi who they had thrown out of their house, had insulted her, called her characterless would be the eldest Bahu of this house...would be the wife of Arnav Singh Raizada on whose earnings the family depended? But can people never change their thoughts and so was with them, they still considered her to be unlucky for the biggest day of their daughter's life.

The next day Khushi had come and revealed to Anjali her past with them. She had also explained to Anjali their fears which she respected thus she had only asked for a court marriage. Anjali appreciated Khushi's concern and agreed without any second thought but Arnav who had overheard them was infuriated and wanted to give an earful to them but Anjali had managed to stop him from doing so and corroding the relation between two families.

After pooja Arnav and Khushi entered the house and were hugged by Aleisha and Karan who were more than elated that now they could be with both of their parents forever.

Khushi stepped into Arnav's room-correction their room which she belonged to for the rest of her life. After wiping of the lone tear that had crawled down her cheeks reminiscing the bitter memories, she lifted the bag with a hefty effort on the bed and Arnav barged in the room with a sealed carton. He sighed in relief sensing that she did not yet assemble all her clothes in the cupboard.

"Khushi these are your clothes you'll wear now and those which you have, you can wear as night suits, Okay?"

She nodded positively. He came forward and started emptying some hangers which had his trousers and night shirts. He went to the bed to unseal the box when something caught Khushi's eyes. She advanced her hand and picked up the gold ring which she had made him wear on their Roka. Arnav saw her hooked to the place and came over to help only to see her lost in that ring.

Without thinking further he pulled her into his arms suprising her for a while.She thought whether to reciprocate or let it be one sided but the fear of her parents dignity made her wrap her arms around him. She mentally recalled Buaji's words,

"If not for yours but for our sake think twice when you deal with him. Accept the reality that he is one of the many men who are just after pleasure. He's accepting you after an effort give him whatever he needs even if it's against your wishes. I know you donot desire a manipulator for a husband but we don't have a choice either, do we?"

He broke the hug and caressed her face for sometime while she closed her eyes, not to take in the feeling which did not even exist but to make her ready for giving him his right on her. He took out the little bag from underneath the bed which was now more of a disputed territory between them. Holding a little box he came to her,

"Pehnao mujhe,"

"K...ya?" she stammered.

"Yeh angoothi," he replied glancing towards the ring she was holding. She slid the ring in his finger and soon after he did after taking it out from the box. He wasted no time and made her wear the Mangalsutra and filled her partition with the vermillion marking her his completely.

*~*

Khushi had become stoic in expressing her feeling except for when her two Angels were before her. Her love was only left for tem was what she thought. Her inner self was itself buried within the miseries of her life. Her face was the same, soul was the same, name was the same yet she was not the same. She had become one typical traditional woman living only for her family and nothing else of her happiness really mattered. She wore a mask of Everything.Is.Alright trying to fool around everyone but she had been caught red handed by Arnav and she didn't know that yet.

Yes, he had sensed the difference within from the beginning of their marriage but he did not know the reason yet. One night he heard her sniffing while sleeping and then she had crept out of the room to the terrace incognizant of the fact that he followed her. She had sat for sometime hugging her knees and then got up to go back to her room where he already reached and pretended to sleep.

Today, he had made a plan to go out with her as the children too had left for a two day school trip. He had especially asked her to wear that black sari and when she got ready it was no less than a surprise to see him wearing the same clothes he had worn when he completed her...?

No! her mind snapped, Devastated You!

They had been travelling for past half an hour when he halted the car and blindfolded her. He then resumed driving for some 5 minutes and then finally stopped and helped her into the place.

The blindfold on her eyes made everything gloomy before her. He led her way like a guide but curiosity couldn't stop tickling her consciousness time and again. Some tinkling she heard, probably of some keys and soon after a creaking sound as some door was opened. He again led her in and a memory, buried deep was uncovered. Empty feeling...suffocation...fear overtook her. This place was...

And as her mind registered she started backing away...

The collision against his hard chest brought her back to her senses and in the next moment he undid her blindfold, It would have been better if she couldn't see anything, she thought.

The room where he claimed her and completed his revenge taunted her mind.

She felt like patting herself for being a fool.

"Stay here and I'll be back," he said.

She felt herself breaking apart her vulnerability trying to surface again. She did not want to cry, she did not want to lose the piece of relation which was protecting her children and her family from the worlds taunts but these reasons were insufficient for her heart to control itself and her lovelorn self started to drain its emotions through a stream of tears. She cornered herself in the room trying to shut off the images of the last blissful moments of her life which had been the indication of the tornado coming to turn her life topsy turvy.

She covered her mouth with her palm to compose herself and not let him know of her but he was here the next second holding her in his embrace trying to provide her the warmth and solace she needed. She did not clutch on to him as part of acting either she did need support and that too only his.

He caressed her shivering and cold arms while kissing her in her hair her heart was beating erratically due to fear, he broke the hug, "Khushi main tumhein chod kar nahin jayunga I promise..." he said while wiping her tears.

"Khushi pehle tou tum aisi nahin thi, phir kya hogaya tumhein? Tum ne tou uss pal to jiya tha na? Tou phir ab kyun pachta rahi ho?"

(What has happened to you Khushi? You lived the moment with me right? Why are you repenting now?)

"Kyunki uss waqt jo humari zindagi ka sabse khoobsurat mod tha who kisi aur ke liye badle ka zariya...kyunki aapke har kadam se humein laga jaise ke woh humaari tareef kar rahe the lekin kisi aur ke liye woh ek kachre ka istamaal the..."

(Because at that time the most beautiful moment of my life was a mean of revenge for someone else...because your steps were something I felt as my praise but they were in reality utilization of a piece of crap on earth...)

***