ArHi FF: Yeh Saali Zindagi #5 link to next thread @ pg.1 - Page 67

This was one of most happening, entertaining and interesting update
Vibrant getting defeated in everything by raizadas
So Anuj is alive and Anjali is safe now

What a thriller! Waiting for the next update is going to be difficult :-)

Read all the 37 parts and their sub parts in a day!!! Was holding my breath till this part... U got me gal... I just let out a relief after the 37th part... What twists man!! Tooo goooddd!!! Awesomeee... Kept me on the edge the whole time... *standing in respect* superbbb!!! 🥳🤗

Where are you & when will you update dear ?????????????

ArHi FF: Yeh Saali Zindagi

Chapter 37-B

"THIS ISN'T OVER, YOU BITCH!!!! TELL YOUR bas***d HUSBAND THAT!!!"

Feeling gob smacked, Khushi witnessed the officers hauling a yelling, angry Vikrant out of the house, his hands cuffed behind his back. His lawyer hurried after them, looking alarmed. Her ears buzzed with his curse words, his threats alright but her mind couldn't process them.

Her mind was numb, not being able to process beyond the moment she had first caught a glimpse of Anuj Raizada lying there on the floor, injured and unconscious. She felt numb, her body seeming to drown everything out. Her eyes were still wide in shock, conveying her astonishment at the sudden turn of the events.

Since being a part of the political world, she had come across many political tactics- sly, dirty and immoral. When she wasn't involved in playing along with one, she was busy in calling the shots to the other.

But this, this wasn't just a tactic, alright.

This was a full planned, perfect, political social murder of your opponent alright. It went beyond the levels of being cunning, sly and dirty.

It was personal, where even your own life didn't matter.

Shaking her head to get her mind out of stupor, Khushi looked toward the approaching ambulance van, watching as the remaining officers at the house carried her unconscious father-in-law to the porch carefully, their steps hurried.

The situation in front of her was total madness with the media going crazy at the sight of Anuj Raizada being carried out of the house while Vikrant was being forced inside a police jeep.

Getting out of her black coat, she draped it over her left arm and took out her phone, pressing a button on the screen and cradling it against her ear to hear the ring go off.

Running out, she plowed through the crowd, not caring if her actions were being interpreted as rude and stood near the back doors of the now still ambulance van, nodding frantically as the nurse questioned if she is a relative of the patient. She answered firmly "He is my father-in-law."

Watching carefully as the hospital staff started checking his condition the moment the officers managed to transfer him on the stretcher inside the van, Khushi realized the call was finally being answered. Not bothering with any explanation, she snapped "Get everyone to the hospital!!!"

And she disconnected the call, not blinking twice as the flashes went off, capturing the moment she stepped inside the van and it started moving, her eyes looking down at Anuj Raizada.

Well played Bade Sahab!!! Well played!!!!

"Where is he?"

Striding inside the room with long and angry steps, Arnav barked at a grim looking Akash, turning his head to look at the direction he gestured to, in answer to his question. His eyes narrowing at the sweating doctor sitting behind the desk in his cabin, not meeting his eyes at all, Arnav sat in a chair in front of the desk, gracefully.

Staring at the doctor silently until he met his eyes, Arnav instructed "Close the door, Akash bhai."

Making a show of looking at his watch to check the time, he leaned back as Akash closed the door before coming to stand behind him, and said softly "Look I am kind of in hurry right now. My presence is required at some other place. I am running out of patience with the way things are going right now, so I am going to give you two options. Listen to them, think about it and then choose one, alright?"

Bringing his shaking hands to clasp and rest them on the desk in front of him, the doctor nodded silently.

Arnav sighed "Either you tell me about the person behind all this or I am going to call the police in here. If you choose first option, I will think about not doing anything to you for what you did to my sister. After all you were just sedating her to keep her asleep, nothing else. You weren't hurting her. If you choose the second option which would have happened already if my brother wouldn't have stopped our mother from making the call, then your license as a doctor will be revoked. You won't find work in any hospital after this whole incident. The media and people will ridicule your family for your doings. So make your choice."

Swallowing loudly, the doctor stammered "He...he...threatened...to...hurt...my...family.."

Nodding his head, Arnav swiftly agreed "Of course he did. But if you tell me everything, I promise to protect your family. Now, make your choice."

Raising his hands in surrender, the doctor relented "Okay, okay, I will tell you the name of that person."

Looking at him in approval, Arnav commented "Good choice, doctor."

Shaking his head, the doctor wiped sweat from his forehead "You aren't going to like this."

Leaning forward, Arnav slammed his fist down on the desk and growled "JUST TELL ME!!!"

Sensing his anger rising, Akash placed a hand on his brother's shoulder just when looking positively terrified, the doctor squeaked "Shashi Gupta."

Taken aback, Akash breathed, his face suddenly pale "What???"

"Are you..." Looking shocked, Arnav started inquiring when he stopped for a moment and rephrased his words "Never mind. What did he instruct you to do to my sister?"

Pressing his fingers against his closed eyelids in shame, the doctor answered "He said that he needed me to only sedate her and to tell you all that her life is in danger. He said to tell everyone that she is in coma."

Barely restraining his rising anger, Arnav breathed feeling his brother squeeze his shoulders firmly "And what was the truth?"

Meeting his eyes, the doctor replied "The truth was that your sister didn't get even seriously injured to begin with. The bullet was lodged in the area between her ribs and her heart. It wasn't a precise shot so when you brought her here early, we managed to get the bullet out without her body losing too much blood. Keeping her sedated quickened her recovery. The injections only kept her unconscious, giving her body a chance to heal fully. She is alright now. That's why she managed to walk and get out of her ward the way she did."

"Don't think we won't know if you are lying to me." Arnav snarled as he stood up. Glancing at his brother, he quizzed "Did you get another doctor to check on her?"

Nodding quickly, Akash answered "Yes. She should be out by now. Don't worry, Divya Maa was inside the ward with her when she was being checked by the doctor."

Turning back on the doctor, Arnav commented "We will talk about it later."

As the doctor nodded in agreement silently, he stalked toward the door being closely followed by Akash. Pushing the sleeves of his white shirt above his elbows, he whispered to his brother "Don't tell anyone what we discussed inside. No one should know about Shashi Uncle's involvement in this right now."

"Arnav!!!"

Pushing the door open, Arnav was about to walk away when a familiar voice erupted behind him hoarsely. Glancing over his shoulder, he turned, looking grateful as his eyes found his mother sitting outside on a bench, her hands wrapped around the shoulders of her daughter, Anjali, now looking a little better, dressed in a white kurta and choodidar,"Anjali!!!"

Shooting him a tired smile, Anjali waited as Arnav walked toward her, leaning forward to take her in his arms. Placing her head on his chest, she whispered hoarsely "Hey!!!"

Closing his hands around her waist, Arnav breathed in relief, whispering softly in her ear "Are you okay??"

Her eyes falling shut in relief for a moment, Anjali nodded before leaning back, glancing up at him "Did he tell you who is behind all this?"

Turning his sharp gaze back on Akash in warning briefly, Arnav lied "No, he didn't know. Can you walk?"

Ignoring his brother's curious eyes on him, he watched Anjali nod in answer. Helping his sister on her feet, he steered everyone towards the entrance of the hospital "We need to focus on some other matter right now anyway."

Startled, Anjali turned to him "Why? What happened? Is Manyata okay?"

His eyes softening briefly at the mention of his daughter, Arnav clenched his jaw, bringing his attention back to the matter on hand "No. It seems that our father who has been missing till now has been found."

"What?" Akash squeaked, standing behind them.

"When? Where is he, Arnav?" Divya Raizada demanded, her hands wringing together in concern.

Jerking his head towards the entrance of the hospital, Arnav answered, just when an ambulance van skidded to a halt in front of them "There he is."

"How is he doing now, doctor?"

Watching as the doctor sitting beside her inside the van cursed under her breath before wrapping gauze around the wound on her father-in-law's forehead, Khushi asked looking concerned.

Glancing around as the van stopped moving, the doctor exhaled in relief "Atlast. Thank god we are at the hospital."

Meeting her eyes, the doctor answered eventually as the back doors were being pulled open "Not good, Mrs Raizada. Apparently he has suffered another two blows on this side of his head already. The wounds are old and healed but for a man of his age, it's not good. Repeated blows to the head might result in a temporary or permanent failure in the functioning of his sensory system. It is possible that his hands or legs stop working after this, that is, if he survives."

"Oh god." Khushi breathed, finally feeling the urgency of the situation hit her, making her panic. Frozen in her seat, she watched as two ward boys came forward, carrying a stretcher in their hands before transferring an unconscious and pale Anuj Raizada on it and hurrying towards the hospital, the doctor now running along with them, clutching an IV bag in her hands, checking the pressure at which the medicinal liquids were being injected in his blood.

"Call the rest of his immediate family, please." Looking at Khushi over her shoulder, the doctor instructed, not noticing the people standing near the entrance gate. Jerking slightly at her instruction, Khushi quickly climbed out of the van, watching as a hysteric looking Divya Raizada and panicked Akash Raizada gathered around the stretcher before running inside the building along with it, their mouths moving rapidly in firing questions at the doctor, after giving her their relationship status with the patient in a single line.

Looking around in haze, Khushi found everything in chaos, confusing her further, meddling with the thoughts in her mind. At first she had thought that this was all Anuj Raizada's plan but after hearing the report from the doctor, she couldn't believe it to be true. He won't risk his life like that. At all. But then, what the hell is this all about? Who is behind all this?

Not realizing that her husband was standing outside with his arms firmly wrapped around his sister, she started to walk inside, her mind consumed by her doubts, trying to figure out the real story behind this.

"Khushi!!!"

Steps faltering, Khushi looked sideways as Arnav called out her name, staring at her curiously. Breathing in relief after a glimpse of her husband, she stalked toward him, looking grateful. As her gaze slid to Anjali, she did a double take, not believing her eyes. She sputtered "Anjali? How? What?"

"It's a very long story." Arnav answered grimly, his eyes moving to glance inside the hospital "Care to tell me what the hell has happened to Bade Sahab?"

Khushi winced "I don't have a f**king idea about it, honestly."

"...and when we opened the door, he was lying there on the floor. I must say, everyone present during the search was so shocked after seeing him in there that no one knew what to say or think. Even Vikrant looked so bewildered and surprised by the whole thing, I am sure he didn't know anything about it. And then, Nia was found in the next room. The officers arrested Vikrant and took him away. What I don't understand is, placing Nia there was our plan but what about your father's presence in there? He couldn't surely would have been there on his own, with a fatal injury on his forehead, could he?" Khushi finished telling the story, alternating her gaze between her husband and her sister-in-law sitting on the bench across from her while waiting for the doctors to emerge from the ICU.

Divya and Akash Raizada were inside, too anxious about the well-being of Anuj Raizada to wait outside with them.

"Hmm" Arnav answered absent-mindedly, rummaging his hands through his hairs while Anjali sat still, meeting her eyes with a confused expression on her face just the way Khushi felt right now. Even after thinking through everything, she couldn't possibly name anyone else who might be responsible behind the entire incident.

Glancing up, Khushi waited for anyone to walk out of the ICU, releasing a sigh as no one appeared for a long time. Clasping her hands together, she turned to Anjali "Are you feeling good? I can drive you home if you want. It'll take time for the doctors to say anything about your father anyway."

Shaking her head, Anjali replied firmly "No I am good. I just want to see where all this is leading to."

"Damn it." Arnav cursed, meeting their gaze briefly before tilting his head up to stare at the ceiling, "I never thought Vikrant is cunning enough to double cross Bade Sahab. He is an arrogant ass, I know. But assuming that he thought of everything to ruin our family seems far too fetched. He is too greedy to play such games."

Khushi nodded, voicing her opinion hesitantly "I know what you mean. Every time I met this guy, I always thought that he is not that good as he think himself to be in his mind. It's not his plan. I don't know how to say this but I think your father is behind everything despite the current situation of him being in the hospital."

Closing his eyes, Arnav heard her words, felt his body stiffen in anger "I think that too."

Taken aback, Anjali breathed "You can't honestly think that, Arnav. He would never harm himself for anything like this."

Sighing deeply, Arnav stood up, turning away from them to stare out of the window next to their bench as he thought loudly "You underestimate our father, Anjali. He can damn well do everything. Nothing is impossible for him. When he can refuse to support you during your worst time and make me marry Khushi against my will, I think he can do everything. Hell, I doubt that everything that had happened in past few days is all Vikrant's doing."

"What??" Anjali squeaked.

Engrossed in his thoughts, Arnav nodded to himself, not hearing as the door of the ICU ward was pushed open and replied "I think our father is responsible for Vikrant coming after my daughter and shooting you. I think he was the mastermind behind everything. He must have manipulated Vikrant to do his bidding and then did this to eliminate him now that his work is done."

A tense silence followed his reply, only to be broken by a familiar voice yelling out his name "ARNAV!!!!"

Arnav froze, realizing his mistake immediately. His back stiffening in anticipation, he slowly turned around, his eyes immediately going to the petite figure standing right behind him, her eyes blazing in anger and outrage.

"What the hell did you just say?" Divya Raizada demanded her face blank as she looked up at her son. Meeting her eyes for a moment, Arnav looked over her shoulder to see Akash standing right behind her, looking alarmed. He looked around watching as Khushi stood up as well, her eyes wide in shock while Anjali sat there, her face blank, her fists clenched tightly by her sides.

For a brief moment, his eyes swamped with guilt for accusing his father of doing something so vile, so degrading. No one could possibly plan on physically hurting their own children, could they?

But it faded as he remembered everything he had done to them till now. Straightening to his full height, Arnav shrugged nonchalantly "Nothing that I don't expect from him. You know he is capable of doing everything I have accused him of."

"OH? Care to elaborate what you think I know?" His mother asked softly, her face cocking to the right, crossing her arms against her front in a casual manner.

Regarding her stance for a moment, Arnav slipped his hands inside the pockets of his trouser as he started replying in an even voice "You know how he didn't support me in anything I wanted to do. You saw how he threw Anjali out of his house when she came to him for help. You watch how he always treats Akash. You know the fact that he will do anything for power and money. He loves his political party more than us."

Nodding as if agreeing with everything he has just said, his mother quizzed "So you think he did all this?"

Ignoring the way Akash was shaking his head, silently gesturing him to not answer this question, Arnav answered instantly "Yes."

A simmering silence fell around again while Divya Raizada took a deep breath, looking down for a moment. She looked so calm and accepting that Arnav didn't see it coming.

He didn't see how his mother took a step forward, her hand raising quickly, moving around the air in a blur before it connected with his cheek noisily, jerked his face to the right. His ears buzzed as the sound of the slap echoed in the corridor, a slight pain radiating from his cheek with the force behind it. He flinched slightly.

"Maa!!!"

"Divya Maa!!!"

Blinking his eyes slowly, he raised his head, meeting his mother's burning eyes as she raised her hand again and slapped him. He didn't flinch this time, standing there silently just letting her hit him again. And again.

"Mrs Raizada, stop it." Khushi snapped loudly, looking at Arnav in concern. Whirling around, Divya pointed at her and hissed through her clenched teeth "SHUT UP!!!!"

Turning back to her son, Divya whispered harshly "Don't think I did it in anger. You had it coming for a long time. You deserve it. I have had enough of your degrading comments about your father. You know nothing. You hear me? NOTHING."

Grasping her shaking shoulders, Akash tried to hold her back as Arnav raised a brow and said in a taunting voice "You think so? I know enough to realize what kind of man he is. He used even you, marrying you for your father's money."

Letting out a harsh laugh full of scorn, Divya snapped "My father's money? You think so? My father didn't give him even a penny after our marriage, you idiot. Our marriage was never about money. Everything he had done till now was never about money and power. You all are too dense to see through his act, not that we expect anyone of you to."

As everyone froze in disbelief, Divya snatched her hands out of Akash's grasp, taking a step forward as she continued "You know what is ironic about this situation? You and your sister claim to have a bad father and mother and a bad family, but you don't know anything about how worse a father and mother can be. Your mother had a father who wanted a full account of every penny she ever spent while she was a kid and when she grew up, she had to beg to him for it every time. I worked part time to support myself during graduation because he refused to pay for it despite my constant requests. I had to wash my clothes most of the nights so that I can wear them again next day. Hell, they arranged my marriage with a guy thrice my age just because he was rich. If it wasn't for your father, I would have committed suicide before the marriage ceremony, in place of running away with him."

Everyone stared in shocked silence while Divya took a deep breath, tears rolling down her cheeks as she spoke further in a hoarse voice "Even when his parents threw him out for marrying me, he didn't abandon me. He did everything for me. He never let me sleep with empty stomach. He gave me a home that I craved for. He worked so hard for everything without complaining even once along with his brother. Together, they built everything from nothing."

Turning her head slightly, she met Akash's eyes as she said "I know you think that after your parent's death, he took you in for the inheritance money that they had left for you. It wasn't like that because there was no inheritance money to begin with. I remember the day your father died. Anuj came home with you and the moment he was in the bedroom, he broke down, crying throughout the night, mourning the loss of his brother. His brother was everything for him. All these years, he treated you badly because he didn't want anyone to know how much he loves you, more than his own children. He made you the way you are because he wanted you to be strong, just like your father was."

Divya nodded at him, adding in a whisper "Yes he loves you very, very much."

Rushing toward her, Akash hugged her tightly, his shoulders shaking in silent sobs. Closing her arms around his shoulders, Divya looked at Arnav in distaste "And you. You know every time we used to receive complaints from your school about your bad behavior, pranks and fights, I wanted to slap you around to put some sense in your mind. But your father always stopped me. He spoiled you rotten, always saying that you are just a kid and he wants you to have everything he didn't get from his own parents. He always loved you so much. When you broke another student's arm, the principal was ready to suspend you from school. It was your father who begged him to not to do it. He paid that kid's family to not press charges on you. Your admission to New York University, your success in the construction business after coming back, your father was behind it every time. He has people who watch over you aside from your bodyguards just to keep you safe. He loves and cares about you that much. He only forced you to marry Khushi because he liked her for what she did for other people and Vikrant was after her as well. But you didn't understand any of it because he couldn't express his love for you in words the way he did silently."

Arnav looked away, shaking his head vehemently as if trying to deny the words from reaching his ears. Stepping back, Divya squatted in front of Anjali, her eyes soft as she whispered "The only regret he ever had is the way your life got ruined, unconsciously by his own hands. Eight years ago, he thought that Vikrant is a good guy for you. He didn't know about his cunning ways back then. He wanted you to be happy and safe. And he was satisfied to see you happy after your marriage. Two years later you came crying for his help, he was forced to throw you out of the house. Vikrant had threatened to kill you and your brothers if Anuj agreed to help you. So he made a deal. He promised to never help you in exchange of Vikrant not going after you. Anuj paid him for it as well. He supported him in public all these years for the same. He even visited you in New York, watching you from distance to make sure that you are alright. When you came back, Anuj panicked that you will go after Vikrant for revenge and you did. He did everything he could to make you go back but you misunderstood his intentions. The day you accused him of ruining her life on purpose, he came back home and shut himself in his cabin for the night. Next morning when he suffered through the heart attack, his eyes were wet and red from regret and pain. He was heartbroken."

Patting her hand in affection, Divya stood up, looking at everyone before she concluded "I know you all don't believe me. But I never expected you all to understand how hard it was for him to show disdain and arrogance to you all. If anyone caught even a whiff of his love for each one of you, you don't understand the danger this could put you all in. He never said that he loved me but his actions always spoke that he won't be able to live without me."

Shaking her head, she smiled grimly "I am wasting my time here. I am tired of expecting you all to understand him eventually but now I know better. If you are here for the answers to your questions, go home. I will inform you all the moment he gains consciousness. We don't need any of you here. Just go home."

Not looking back, Divya hurried inside, her hands moving swiftly to brush tears away from her wet face before looking determined and hopeful.

"Everything is ready, Sir."

Looking up from staring at the floor, Vikrant stood from the stone bench inside his cell and stalked forward to slip his hands through the iron bars, gazing at his lawyer. His mouth curling in a dark smirk, he tilted his head to the right as he whispered "Really?"

Sahil Awasthi replied in a faint tone "Yes. It'll take only few hours to get you out of the country."

Poking the inside of his mouth with his tongue, Vikrant shook his head "Not tonight, Awasthi."

"What?" Sahil squeaked "Sir, this is the best opportunity we have, given the current circumstances."

Whistling softly, Vikrant replied in a hard voice "I am not slipping out of here tonight. I want to see what punishment the judge will decide for me tomorrow. Plus, I am in middle of a plan to destroy the Raizada's. You can get me out tomorrow night as well right?"

"Yes but..."

"Then it's settled. Just wait for tomorrow night." Vikrant concluded, turning his back on the lawyer and going to the small bed on the side of his cell to sit on it, waving a hand in farewell. The moment his lawyer left, he grinned "I am coming for you, bitch."

Already forgetting the times I wrote and deleted this update before writing again, I sincerely hope you all like it,

Aditi

This is one intriguing story so many twists and turns and still the secrets are not yet out. Hats off to you. ..awesome update

So very intense! Where is all this leading to?! Confused.