Heartfelt apologies for being sooo late but time has become a luxury and when i write, i need a lot of it to get things going for me 😳 i think the story has moved forward from here... let me know what you guys think 😃
Part 64
"Mera toh mann karraha hai ki mein usse ek thappad maaru!"
"Chillax baby. Jaise bhi ho, hain to mere bade bhai na."
Shefali glared at Romit and crossed her hands across her chest in anger. Sanchit looked at two of his friends with their emotions on the edge. He already had a burden of keeping Rashis accident secret from his friends. And now he was quite distressed after Arohi had told him the reason why she had asked him to go with Gauri and Michael. He had never liked that guy, but now he hated him more.
"Sanchit, why don't you talk to Simi?" Romit was worried for Gauri and that was clear on his face.
"Arohi di ne mana kiya hai. She said pehle kuch cheezein saaf karni hai. Usske baad voh aur jiju khud humey sab kuch batayenge."
Shefali suddenly jerked in surprise. "Isska matlab Arohi aur Arjun ne already plan kar rakha hai? Great. Hum sab unka saath denge. If we all are together im sure, Michael Gauri ka kuch bigaad nahi paayega!"
Sanchit and Romit nodded in agreement.
"Kitni ajeeb baat haina..." Romit looked in the far distance, throwing a stone in the lake in front of them.
Sanchit and Shefali looked at their friend, lost in his own thoughts.
"Hum sab uss Gauri ki help karne ke liye tayyar hai jisne mere bro aur tumhari behen aur dost ko alag karna chaha. Itna hi nahi, usne tumhare chachu ko bhi chot pohachayi... dono parivaron mein problems create kiye. Phir bhi... we are all so concerned for her."
"Aisa nahi hai Romit. Gauri hamesha aise nahi thi. Ive seen the good Gauri when we were kids. Agar Arohi di ko koi sambhaal sakta tha toh voh Gauri thi. We were also very good friends. Bass ek zid... ek junoon ne usska dimaag kharab kar diya. Aur waise bhi musibat mein sirf dost hi dost ke kaam aate hain."
The trio nodded their heads in agreement.
Shefali jumped off the ledge and dusted her hands. "I need to go home now. Mein Arohi se kal milne usske ghar jarahi hoon. Tum chaloge Sanchit?"
"Nahi. Mujhe kal kuch kaam hai. Chachu ne ek file deliver karne ke liye kaha hai. Voh karke mein tumhe call karta hoon. If you're still in SM then ill come."
Agreeing to meet the next day, Shefali and Romit left on the bike and Sanchit went towards his car.
+
"Kaha gayi thi puttar???"
Arohi stopped at the foot of the stairs when she heard dadi question her. Pasting a smile on her face she turned around. "Baahar gayi thi dadi. Kuch kaam tha?"
Dadi frowned looking at her. "Baahar matlab?"
Arohis smile slipped. "Matlab... Lovedeep bua se milne gayi thi... aur... shopping karne."
Dadi looked down at her hands. "Achha? Kidhar hai teri shopping?"
Arohi gulped in nervousness. "Voh... voh bua ke liye shopping ki na. Toh bua le gayi..."
Dadi glared at her relaxed smile. "Sach sach bata... doctor ke paas gayi thi na???"
Arohis eyes widened. "Ji??? Ji..."
Dadi planted her hands on her waist. "Maine tujhse kaha tha na... agli baar doctor ke paas jaayegi toh mein tere saath chalungi! Fir bhi akele chali gayi???"
"Sorry dadi... mein bhool gayi. Voh bua saath thi toh... unhi ke saath chali gayi..."
Dadi stared at her. "Arohi. Kya baat hai? Mujhe aise kyu lagraha hai tu mujhse kuch chupa rahi hai?"
Arohi looked blankly at dadi. She had been thinking of confiding in her dadi for quite sometime now. Dadi may twist her ears for it, even get disappointed, but she will understand the reasons. For that matter it was Arjun who will be subjected to the ear twisting, since it was all his idea! But Arohi had helped him by keeping it a secret from her, so... Taking a split second decision, Arohi went closer to her most favourite person in the house.
"Dadi... mujhe aapse kuch baat karni hai."
Worry replaced frown on dadis forehead. "Kya baat hai puttar? Kuch problem hai kya? Teri tabiyat... bachha... sab thik haina?"
Arohi grabbed dadis hand in reassurance. "Haan dadi... sab thik hai. Bass aapse kuch kehna hai."
"Haan puttar. Bol."
"Yaha nahi. Aapke kamre mein chalte hain."
Dadi nodded. With every step that Arohi and dadi took on the stairs, Arohis resolution hardened towards clearing the entire truth to the eldest member of the family.
+
Lovedeep stared at her phone and kept it back in her purse. She turned her head to look outside the window, revising the entire conversation that she had with her best friend. Why the hell didn't she warn her?
"Agar bata deti toh tu jaati thi???"
Love sighed. Rashi was right. She maynot have gone. Not for anything but the fact that her own emotions would have been out, staring at her in the face. And she had taken a long time to learn to hide her true feelings and not be bothered by them. So this was a new experience for her now.
" Love... you need to allow yourself to go through this. Stop running away."
Lovedeep stared at the setting sun in the horizon. Was she really running away? She had always made her feelings clear towards everything to the point that they were fed up of her. So then... Well she could lie to everyone but not to herself. She had felt her heart beat after a few years now. She was still confused whether she liked being this vulnerable or not, but she definitely didnot like surprises now.
Amar Singh Rathore had been more of a shock, than surprise for her.
Seeing him after 12 years had definitely shocked her, but she could make out from his face that he was expecting her. It took her a few minutes to realise that it was a setup by Rashi. Not that Amar didnot require an event manager for his companys conferences and events, but just giving out his name as Mr A. Singh' had not rung any bells in her head.
"I met him in my college reunion party. He had taught us for a year as the visiting faculty. He was the youngest and the most sought after professor for us. All the girls were crazy for him as he was just a few years older. But then he left just before the term ended. We found out that he was getting married and had to leave the city."
She remembered that too. Although she was the more outgoing person between the two of them, she had wanted him to take the first step in confessing his feelings. But the day they had decided to meet at the lake, he didn't come... a message came that he had to urgently go to Mumbai since his father was sick. And then two weeks later a phone call came, telling her that he was getting married.
Leaning back against the seat, Love closed her eyes. She could still feel what she had gone through 12 years ago. In that one moment she had lost the will to live.
"Apparently it was an arranged marriage... which was his fathers dying wish. But they could not get along for long and so he got recently divorced. He has a daughter from his earlier marriage, she stays with her mother."
He had told her the same story, only in sentence. He said I did what i he had to do and destiny took its course... it brought me back to you.' Tears swam in Lovedeeps eyes... just when she had taken a bold step of steering her life towards something meaningful, god had to bring her past in front of her. She had never been able to fully forgive him for what he did, even though he had not promised her anything. So now it was impossible to think about any future together, except maybe a professional one.
Amar had welcomed her warmly except for the hint of old friendly adoration in his eyes, which gave away a minute trace of his feelings for her. He was still offering her only a company contract, and she was expected to accept it professionally. Whether she will be able to take it through or not, she was not sure. But she was not going to fall weak because she has a past with this man. And working with him didnot necessarily mean things had to go somewhere. She was definitely not in the favour of picking up from where they left off. And from his behaviour she could make out, that neither was he. He was just happy to be back in the place where he grew up and near the people who were special to him.
"When he said he needed an event manager, i suggested your name. That is when he told me how he knew you. My intentions were only for you to get this contract, thats why i didn't tell you the whole truth. I want you to look at this as an opportunity. If you think you cant work with him, then you can refuse him. But before that, I just want you to think about it seriousl, once, detaching yourself emotionally from him."
Lovedeep smiled. Rashi had started giving her advice on how to be completely practical! Her friend had finally come out of the ghosts of the past to support and advice her. If Rashi can do it, then so can she. So Miss Lovedeep Ahluwalia picked up her phone and typed a message to her future client.
+
Arohi looked up as the room door opened and closed. Her tired eyes saw her husband and a spark of life ignited in them. Arjun stopped for a moment near the door, closed it and rushed over to his wife who met him halfway and half crashed into, and half hugged him. From one look at her face he could make out that she had been distressed. Why... he would find out soon.
Arohi hugged him close and drew strength from his presence around her. Arjuns hands tightened around her waist and she turned her face in his broad chest.
"I could not do it Arjun..."
"Could not do what Arohi?"
Arohi looked up, Arjun held her face in his palm and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"I wanted to tell dadi... about the baby! But i could not... i was so scared that she will..."
"... slap you?"
Arohi frowned and swatted his arm. "No! If she will slap anyone... then its you. But i thought she will be so upset... about me not being pregnant and we lying to her."
Arjun smiled and pushed her hair behind from her face. "Tumhe jitna lagta hai, utni emotional nahi hai dadi. She will understand why we did this drama..."
Arohi pursed her lips but the frown remained.
"Mein mauka dekhke dadi se baat karunga... ok?"
Arohi smiled at him. With so much happening around, he still didnot mind taking all her tensions on his own head. With every passing day, Arohi was feeling more and more proud of her love.
"Achha mujhe tumse kuch kehna hai."
Arjun released her and made her sit on the bed besides him. Arohi was all attention.
"Karan ka phone aaya tha. Ussne kal humey milne ke liye bulaaya hai. Chandigarh ke baahar ek dhaba hai... waha."
"Waha kyu? Why cant we meet in my house?"
Arjun shrugged his shoulders. "Pata nahi. He just told me to be there... with you."
Arohi nodded her head. "Mujhe bhi tumse kuch kehna hai."
"Kaho..."
Arohi looked down and Arjun took her hands in his.
"Mein... mein ye doosri baar karrahi hoon. Lekin first time tumhe bata nahi paayi."
Arjuns eyebrows jumped up but he didnot say anything.
"Mein sasoorji... yaane tumhare dad se milne gayi thi."
"Dad se...? kyu?"
"Unhe warn karne..."
"WHAT??!! Paagal hogayi ho Arohi..."
Arohi shook her head.
"Wait a minute. Tum ye pehle bhi kar chuki ho matlab??? You've warned dad before?????"
Arjuns eyes widened to impossible limits. He had seen the most dangerous and twisted criminals bow down before Rudra Pratap Singhania... and here... his 5'.6" tall... innocent-looking... petite wife, was telling him that she had gone off to warn the underworld don... who was his father!!!
Arohi nodded her head like a child who was caught red-handed.
"Actually tab mein unhe tumhari mom ka sach batane se rokne ke liye gayi thi. Jo eventually tumhe pata chala aur..."
Arjun shivered at the thought. The most darkest days of his life. He had been much better off as a criminal. But the struggle between doing what was right and what he felt right was something he didnot want to revisit. That one truth had shaken his entire world. But eventually their love had prevailed... conquering all the dark shadows that had plaqued his mind and his life.
"Lekin iss baar... mein unhe Natasha aur Gauri ke liye warn karne gayi thi."
Arjun mouth opened but no words came out.
"Lekin mujhe pata chala ki he doesn't know any about Mikhails plans for Gauri... but he had an inkling about Natasha. So..."
Arjun looked on waiting for Arohi to continue.
FLASHBACK
"Ab kaunsa raaz chupaane ki dhamki dene aayi ho?"
Arohis lips lifted in a small smile. Her father-in-law knew her well.
"Aaj mein aapko kuch raaz bataane aayi hoon."
RPS looked at her in surprise and leaned back in his chair.
"Tum... mujhe raaz bataaogi??? kaisa raaz?"
Arohi leaned forward and kept her hands on the table.
"Aapka beta aajkal aapse bohat saare secrets rakh raha hai."
A short laugh escaped RPS's lips.
"Ye buri aadat usse tabse lagi hai jabse tum usski zindagi mein aayi ho."
"Mein aapke asli bte... Mikhail ki baat karrahi hoon."
The smile faded from Rudra's lips.
"Kisse chaahe kuch bhi lage, lekin koi raaz mujhse kabhi chupaya nahi jaasakta."
It was Arohis turn to be surprised.
"Is it... Sasoorjee? Aapke kehne ka matlab aapko pata hai Mikhail aur Natasha ke beech mein kya deal hui hai???"
Rudra was quiet, but Arohi could make out that his brain was furiously trying to put two and two together... as if he had a doubt but was unsure.
"Let me spell it out for you. Aapke bte Mikhail ne, aapke dost ki beti Natasha, jo ek international mercenary hai, ko mere pati Arjun, ko jaan se maarne ka contract diya hai!"
Arohi saw her father-in-laws face become impassive but his eyes hardened to steel. The look in his eyes told her that he definitely was unaware about this news. His entire body became rigid with anger and Arohi realised one more reason why she respected this man, despite of his criminal background.
"How can you be so..."
"I am 100% sure! Mein sirf Singhania khandan ki bahu nahi, Ahluwalia family ki beti bhi hoon. Mere paas criminal aur legal... dono tarah ke sources hain. Aur aaj iss raaz ke saath mein aapko warn karne aayi hoon... ki agar mere pati ko, uss chudail Natasha ne harm karne ke bare mein socha bhi, toh mein usse, aur aapke bte Mikhail, dono ko zinda nahi chodungi!!!"
RPS saw a similar rage in the young woman sitting in front of him, that had flashed in him moments before. A small smile came on his lips and his eyes softened with warm adoration. He caught himself before Arohi saw it but he was too late. Rudra had confessed his admiration towards the way she conducted herself before but he had never expressed any kind of feelings towards her... until now.
"Tum kya! Mein khud Mikhail ko zinda nahi chodunga. Arjun mera bhi beta hai... adopted hi sahi. But he is important to me. And its not just for my business..."
"Good. I was hoping you would say that. Because he has not just tried to harm Arjun but me too... infact pichli baar usske chamchon ne, mujhe samajhke Rashi pe hamla kiya!"
Rudras eyes opened widein horror, but Arohi held up her hand to stop him from bursting out. Seeing RPS react like this for his daughter made Arohi feel good, it was a reassuarance that her father-in-law was still human. "Dont worry, Sanchit aur Chachu ne waqt pe aake Rashi ko bacha liya. Lekin agar usse ye pata chala ki iss sab ke peeche usska apna bhai hai, toh Rashi toot jaayegi. Issliye maine usse kuch nahi bataya hai... ab tak!"
Rudra took a deep breath, inspecting the confident girl sitting in front of him. Something shone in his eyes when he finally calmed down enough to speak.
"Meine pehle bhi kaha tha, aur ab bhi kehta hoon. I admire your fighting spirit. Ladai bhi oosulon se karto ho. Lekin tum toh khulke ladne mein vishwaas rakhti ho na? Toh fir mujhe ye sab kehne se pehle tum Mikhail ko bhi warn kar chuki ho?"
"Maine jaroori nahi samjha! Im sure you will take care of it. Just like you took care of the Gauri issue!"
Rudra was surprised again.
"Haan mein jaanti hoon... ki aapne Mikhail aur Gauri ki shaadi cancel kar di hai. And i must say, i am impressed to see ki aap peshe se kuch bhi kyu na ho... character se gentleman hai. Issliye mein aapko ye sab bata rahi hoon! Warn your son... warna aap toh jaante hi hai, ki jab ek aurat badla lene pe utar aati hai..."
"... toh voh kya kya nahi kar sakti!" He finished her dialogue from the last time she had visited him.
They both looked at each other. Arohi gave a sharp nod and got up to leave the cabin. Turning around near the door, she gave the man in front of her a final look, and said, "Thank you"
RPS acknowledged her with a faint nod and Arohi left the cabin.
FLASHBACK ENDS
Arjun looked blankly at his wife. He had just been able to digest the fact that she had already warned his dad before. So when she narrated the entire incident to him, one part of his brain felt numb.
"So dad didn't know about Natasha?"
Arohi shook her head in negation.
"But he knew about Gauri?"
"No. He just feels that Gauri is unhappy with this wedding and so he spoke to Mr Brar and unofficially called off the wedding. He will make the final announcement after the Mafatlal deal is done."
"And what was that about Rashi di..."
"Picnic pe. You remember that man had come looking for you, saying that the car is parked in the wrong space? I was following him towards the road but Rashi stopped me in between and offered to check it out. He must not have checked who was following him and... they ran a car towards her. Chachu had come to drop Sanchit and they saved her. It was a warning from Natasha... to you. That she can hurt me and play with your feelings. There was too much happening at that time so Rashi informed me and asked me to tell you when the time was right."
Arjun just stared. No one could tell that his wife was so strong from inside. His heart had panicked when he heard she had gone to warn her dad... or that Rashi was attacked... but she had kept so much within her. And now keeping to the promise of not hiding anything from each other, his wife had opened all the secrets and kept them in front of him. And she told it all so casually!
"Tumhe ye sab kaise..."
Arjuns voice was very feeble but Arohi was not done yet!
"Also after my visit to him, he has warned Mikhail to stop playing his stupid games. In his own words Ye mera empire aur mera ghar hai. Aur in dono mein, meri ijajat ke bina ek patta bhi nahi hil sakta. Rudra Pratap Singhania ne aaj tak kisi aur ko usska future likhne ki permission nahi di hai. So on the professional AND personal front, i will not tolerate ANYODY doing anything without my knowledge. Warna tum toh mujhe jaante hi ho.' Impressive huh!"
Arjun watched Arohi grin and he smiled. No matter what, he still respected his dad for whatever he had done for him. And hearing what his dad did, made his respect for him increase. But watching Arohi say his fathers words and doing his impression, could not stop the smile on his lips.
"Lekin tumhe ye sab kaise pata?"
"Tumhare dad ko milne se pehle mein bua se mili thi aur fir apne source se milne gayi thi. Aur ussi ne mujhe phone karke ye latest information di hai."
Arjun knew that this source' could not be Karan, because he was in touch with Karan too.
"Achha? Itna confidence? Aur kaun hai ye tumhara itna reliable source?"
Arohi smiled at Arjun.
"Mere chachu. Rajveer Singh Ahluwalia."
+
"Tum wohi karogi jo mein kahunga! Kal tum apne dad se kahogi that you STILL want to get married to me. Do you get that???"
"Lekin Mikhail... maine kya bigaada hai tumhara! Dekho... tumhe jo Mafatlal ki deal chahiye thi voh toh tumhe mil rahi haina. Fir mujhse shaadi kyu...?"
"You know i like you Gauri. Mein pehle bhi tumse keh chukka hoon..."
"Aur mein bhi tumhe bata chuki thi ki mein..."
"... ki tum Arjun se pyaar karti thi... right? Lekin Arjun tumse nahi, uss baddtameez Arohi se pyaar karta hai. Aur Mikhail Singhania ko jo chahiye voh usse paake rehta hai..."
"Lekin Mikhail..."
"Just shut up! Aisa kya hai uss Arjun mein jo sab usske naam ki maala japte rehte hai??!! Aaj ke baad tumhare mooh se Arjun ka naam bhi nahi sunna chahta mein..."
"Lekin meri baat toh..."
"ENOUGH!!! Tumse jo kaha hai voh karo. Warna tum jaanti ho mein kya kar sakta hoon! Goodnight."
Mikhail cut the call and threw the phone against the wall! It broke into pieces and dropped to the floor. He was sick and tired of everyone preferring that Arjun over him. First his dad, then his dadi, then his sister, his brother... and now the woman, whom he had liked. He had always admired her for her sharp brain and determination even when she was married to that ACP. He knew that their marriage wouldn't last long.
She was made for him.
The perfect combination of an innocent-face and a razor sharp vengeant brain... just like him! Although many thought that he was not so sharp, he preferred keeping his image that way. This was only how he had managed to get a lot of things done without getting suspected. But one visit to the prison had killed Gauris spirit. And the only way he can revive that is by marrying her. If he was not able to do that then he still had other ways to put her to use... but he could not have her even thinking about Arjun! She belonged to him and only he had a right over her.
He drank water from the glass on the table and tried to reign in his temper. Two weeks were almost over and Natasha will be sealing the deal from her end anyday now. He just needed to have some patience till he actually saw Arjun dead with his own eyes.
A slow cynical smile crept up on Mikhails face. He turned around to come face-to-face with the one person whom he most revered and was scared of, on this earth. But looking at his mom's face and especially her eyes, made him realise that she... was not happy!
Apologies again to those who were expecting some Arjuhi romance here 😳 next update will have lots of that and fun... i promise 🤗 comments please... need to know what you feel about where and how is this going 😆
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Hindi TV Shows
