Part Five
He instantly left her hand, when her words echoed in his ears. Closing her eyes in regret, she cursed herself for spitting those words. But anyways, now as it had came out. So she decided to enlighten him about everything. "They will kill you Arnav and I can't put our love over your life. It's okay for me if we can't stay together. I'll at least live by thinking you are safe" her heart shuddered, shutting her eyes hard with the fear that took over her for him.
He was hell confused hearing her. "Will kill me? Why? And who Khushi?... you are telling me everything right now" he almost commanded her to speak up now, about everything.
She sighed. Seeing that she has no other options now, she said, "Yes Arnav. I'll tell you everything today. But after that you'll leave from here and move on in your life. Promise me?" she forwarded her hand to him, asking him to promise him to move on in life.
"That we'll see later" he in a moment shrugged her statement about moving on in life.
She knew it. He would never agree to move on in life without her. She left him two years before and in last two years, she was expecting him to find someone else and live a life with her. But no, he was searching her in those two years.
"Arnav, Ayan... Ayan is Paayal Di's son" she spoke in a shaking tone, looking at him as he looked more than shocked.
"Paayal's son? Paayal, your sister right?" he asked, remembering Khushi had mentioned once about Paayal when they were together. Khushi not used to talk much about her family which had made him curious sometimes but he never forced her to open up about them knowing she wasn't comfortable. She nodded.
She continued, "You know that I never preferred talking about my family to you because I had my reasons for that. Arnav. My mother is married to an abusive man. My father's entire family is way beyond orthodox. They are someone who, on the name of tradition and all, can do anything and by anything I mean anything. My mother has been the victim of domestic violence right from the day of her marriage. And you know what's more ironic? My mother's family is no different. Everyone is the same... just same, who considers women as their door mat, with whom they can do anything and they have no right to speak anything. So like 99% of the women do, even my mother let the things carry on as they have been so far. My father, whom I don't even wish to call him by that, has been venting his anger out on my mother of his every failure, of his every other issues. My mother was silent till the time he did not raise his hand over me." She paused as she was getting emotional recalling everything again. He felt an insane disgust and anger for that man who had hurt his love and to be precise women like that. Women are indeed stronger than men but they are the most delicate, most sensitive and most vulnerable emotionally. He couldn't believe his ears that such people still exists, in today's world. He used to think that it was only past where men treated women like that but no, that day he came to know, even in today's era, there are such disgusting people who treat women like crap. He tenderly held her hand, conveying her silently that he was there, he was there for her, with her and he always would be!
She wiped her tears. "When I was 10, my father has beaten me. Mom wasn't at home and he needed someone to release his anger on so he used me as his punching bag. By the time mom returned, she was shocked to see black and blue marks of belts all over my hands, arms, back and legs. That was the moment; my mom slapped my father and gathered courage to file a complaint against him. But that was the worst decision turned out"
"What happened later, Khushi?" he squeezed her hand realizing her haunting past was overpowering her as her breathing got uneven. "Cops called my father in police station along with my father's and mother's family. And that time, my worst fear came alive. My father's family of course supported him, saying he was a decent man who could never even raise his voice over my mom. But my mom's family also supported him and told cops that my mom was mentally unstable and that was why she often does weird stuffs. Can you believe it? They declared my mom as mental and cops shut the case"
Arnav shut his eyes hard, trying to control the rage bubbling inside him.
"We returned back to home and that night my father mercilessly hit my mom in front of my eyes, threatening both of us with each other's sake that if we again even attempt of doing anything like that he'd kill the other one and that was the most terrible night of my life which still haunts me in my nightmares and that was it then. My mom again started bearing his torture for me and I couldn't do anything except watching fearing that he'd kill her if I do anything. Paayal Di is my father's elder brother's daughter. She fell for Akash Jiju and ran away with him knowing our family would never accept them. Our families kept searching them but only I knew where she was and I never disclosed it to anyone."
"When I was 17, I saw some drastic changes in my father. My father apologized to my mother for all the deeds he had done. He promised that he would never raise his hand over my mother. We were beyond shocked and more than that, we were beyond in turmoil whether to trust him or not but the whole next year he lived up-to his words. I was happy seeing my mother finally getting treated the way she deserved. I got admission in the Mumbai and my father easily agreed for me to study in Mumbai. I didn't want to come to Mumbai because I wanted to be with my mom but she also forced me assuring that my father has changed and there was nothing to worry more. And then I came to Mumbai. We became friends and eventually fell in love with each other. I knew, I knew my family would not approve us, but by the time I realized that, I was helplessly fallen for you. I decided to talk with my family, as my father's changes have given me confidence that he might agree. But one incident and I changed my every belief." A stream of tears escaped from her eyes. It was the toughest thing for her to do. It's never easy to remember the dark shadows of your past and to verbalize them.
His heart was getting heavy with her every single revelation. "Khushi"
"It's okay Arnav. I will." She knew he could never see her in pain and her condition was horrifying him. But she had to tell him everything, no matter how much it hurts her.
"Paayal Di was happy with Akash Jiju in Banglore. I used to visit her if you remember I used to get off from college at least once in a month. One day, I like every-time went to meet her. Ayan was six months old then. My family traced Di and Jiju through me. Yes, they had kept an eye on me. That night, I stayed with Di as Jiju was in Singapore for his some work and next day we got news that Jiju is no more. His plane crashed and everyone died there. Jiji was so broken hearing it. She couldn't bear it and landed in hospital. I lost my sister that day Arnav. She died with a massive heart attack."
Khushi continued more telling how it was pre-planned. Akash did not die in plane crash. Akash was murdered, by his own brother. Shyam Jha killed Akash Jha, for mere sake of property. Shyam and Akash Jha were siblings but just for name sake. Shyam was an adopted child of Jha family but they always treated him like their own blood. But he got to know being adopted at the age of 12 and from that time, the jealousy about his brother started getting into hatred.
Mr. Manohar Jha, father of Shyam and Akash had left property for both of them of around five Crore. But Shyam wanted all the ten crores. He decided to make Akash sign those papers of transferring property. Akash had never boarded the flight which he was supposed to. Shyam was planned everything. He kidnapped Jiju in between the way and forced him to make all the property on his name but little did Shyam know, that Akash had already transferred everything on Ayan's name. The moment Shyam got to know this, he hit on Akash's head in rage and left from there furiously to get Ayan. Akash, who was badly injured, blood oozing from his head somehow managed to grab his phone from his pocket and called Payal. Payal being in hospital, Khushi picked it up seeing Akash's call and he narrated everything in short to her and asked her to leave with Ayan and Payal soon from India. Khushi was in tears hearing he was still alive but soon going to die and Payal was in somewhat same condition. Doctors had clearly lost their hope on her. Khushi felt Akash's voice slowering and shortening and it just vanished... and then she heard a call from the doctor, saying Payal was no more. Both Akash and Payal had left from this world together leaving Khushi and Ayan alone in the world.
Khushi did not have time to cry over their death. She had to protect Ayan. She could not let the same happen with him what did, to his parents. She had promised her Di and Jiju to take care of Ayan. Khushi composed her somehow, keeping her mind sane. She wrapped up her stuffs, and left for New York, boarding the very next flight with Ayan without informing anyone, fearing it would be on cost of Ayan's life. But Arnav, couldn't keep away from her. He had been searching for her all over but couldn't imagine in his dreams that she would be out of India.
Khushi gazed at him with her teary eyes. He was emotionally taken aback for a moment. He couldn't believe what Khushi told him. It was so damn hard to believe that such people still exists who can kill their families just for the sake of money.
"I knew, Shyam would anyhow find me and Ayan for the sake of his money and that is why, I decided to leave India and came here to Anisha. I was sure, he would never find us here but he did. He did Arnav." Khushi cried squeezing his shoulder bringing his consciousness back to the current reality.
"He'll kill Ayan"
"He'll kill Ayan"
"He'll kill Ayan"
"Khushi relax... just calm down. I am here and I promise, I won't let anything happen to you and Ayan." Arnav promised Khushi holding her, in a determined voice when Khushi repeatedly start her blabber that Shyam would kill Ayan. Khushi was scared to death but Arnav's comforting words did their job. He felt her calming down slowly.
"But Khushi, you said they will kill me' ... why did you say that?" that was something bothering him, since the time Khushi had started speaking. She was yet to come there.
"As I told you earlier that changes in my father's behaviour has given me confidence but once incident and my every belief come shattering down. When I was on airport, Chutki called me... Chutaki, my younger cousin... she was crying, she soundead horrified that time. What she told me broke every single piece of my soul. She told me, it was my father who called and gave address to Shyam of Di and Jiju. And when my mom tried calling me to say the same... he... he burnt her alive. He burnt my mother alive... and proved in front of police that she herself took kerosene as she was mentally unstable... All this happened in one day. One day and I lost everyone Arnav. I lost my Maa... I couldn't even go back to my home because they would have killed Ayan too. I can't lose Ayan. I can't lose him Arnav. He is my only family now. What I realized is, my father was never changed. He pretended to have changed just to let me go Mumbai and he knew I would somehow contact Payal Di. He just wanted her address and to punish her for having betrayed her family and running away as per his thinking. But later, he came to know about Shyam and his hatred so he used him to take his revenge. The same way, he would never accept you. If he comes to know that, I have you in my life then he would kill you... because he is one sick man whose mind is blinded by the so called religions and their self made assumption to which they worship like anything. I would better stay alone all my life rather than risking anyone's life because of me. He would never let me stay happy with the one I love."
Khushi inhaled some air to breathe. Every time, she remembered that her father had killed her mother, she was sure, he would not think twice before doing the same to Arnav and that mere thought was more than enough to support her decision of never contacting Arnav. It wasn't just one thing but millions of thoughts, deep analysis over the events have had happened so far, linking and connecting different situations together so as to find how it was a master plan, possibilities and probabilities of how severe it can lead and what can happen, forced Khushi to take the decisions she had taken in her life.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
