Arshi FF ~Falling Out Of Love~ *Chapter 18* Pg 126 **UPDATED** 31/5 - Page 50

"Payal," Nk called out to her. Payal walked out of the kitchen with two coffee mugs in hands. Her eyes were puffy and red. She had clearly been crying. It's like she's already mourning her friendship with khushi. Nk never thought it could come to this when he made this plan with Payal all those months ago.

It was that day. When he came home, Payal was staring blankly in the space. Just as he came to her, she pleaded him to help her friend. Khushi wants to marry. Her family wanted her to marry that man. Khushi couldn't say anything to them. She had denied many times but it was like the whole universe was against her.

In the last effort to save herself she now want to marry anybody.

That would save her from that man for sometime and would shut her family's mouth on why their beautiful girl didn't want to marry anyone. Ever.

What could anyone tell them? Who could tell them that their ever feminist girl fell in love and fell so hard that she didn't even get time to assess before she was slammed by these feelings.

And then that happened and anyone who had known Khushi even the slightest would know how wounded she felt and there was another hit to her pride.

That girl, she has pride as high as eiffel tower. She can endure anything, but a hit on her pride and then she did what any girl would do in her place. She built thick walls around her heart. No one could penetrate that. That was her way to save herself from the heartbreak. That jerk, he killed her soul.

Nk came up with a plan. He can't let her marry anyone just to save herself from that bas***d. But Payal told him, she was adamant on this. So he gave a way out. He told Payal that if she wants marry someone, let her marry his cousin Arnav Singh raizada.

"Are you out of your mind?" Payal seethed. "Your brother? You know what kind of marriage she wants? She has her conditions planned out in her mind. She would let her husband sleep with anyone he wants and in return he would never touch her."

"I know. But do you really think any man would not try to put his husbandly rights on a girl like Khushi? If you don't know payal that friend of yours can make any man mad with her single glance. If I take her like my sister it doesn't mean every man would." Nk started pacing agitated with the whole situation. "Think rationally Payal. That strange man would be her husband. Even if he agree to that terms who can guarantee he wouldn't try anything after marrying her. Tell me!"

"I know okay! I bloody know this! But Khushi she's desperate and you know why. That's why I am asking you to help me get her out this mindless road that she's hell bent on travelling." Payal closed her eyes, her chest heaving with each breath took. "And about your suggestion, you know your cousin don't you? He is a Casanova. Why would you want Khushi to marry him. At Least in his case I am sure that he would want to try to sleep with her."

Nk smiled at that. " No payal,he won't. I know him. The deal Khushi would be offering him would be best for him. He never wanted to marry but his family is behind him. And he won't try to sleep with her, you know why? Because he may be a Casanova but he would never force a girl. As weird as it sounds, he is a gentleman in this way. "

Payal flopped down on the couch exhausted. "Do you really think that Khushi would marry him of all the people? She would never want to destroy your cousin's life."

Nk sat next to her. Pulling her closer, he took her in his embrace. "For the cousin part. She need not know that he is my cousin and I know she would marry him. I know it Payal and you also do. We know how her mind works."

Then it was like all the high forces were with them. They told Khushi about it. She thought about this for one day and as they had thought her answer was positive. She was ready to marry Arnav but then she put up a question that no one thought about. How would she, a simple girl would marry the tycoon Arnav Singh raizada. Nk can't tell her that Arnav is his cousin and he can get them to meet.

Nk and Payal was thinking of ways to accomplish this task when Khushi called and told them that a rishta have come for her and that was of none other than Arnav. Apparently his nani saw Khushi in a wedding and instantly wanted her as her grandson's wife. It was a blessing. It was as if God is with them.

What no one counted on was Arnav falling in love with Khushi. The Casanova fell in love with his wife who sworn to never fall in love again. This was something they never thought of and now they don't know what to do about it.

Here they are now with Khushi in hospital. Nk know that the secret needs to be out. He doesn't know what to reaction he would get from Khushi. It would not be a good one.

Payal handed him his cup. "Go Nk. Let her know you are his cousin."

Nk finished his cup and giving a comforting squeeze on her hand, Nk left the house to go to the hospital.

****

"Hey sweetheart, wake up." Khushi felt his breath on her ears. She can feel his warm body pressed to hers. She can't even remember when she fell into deep sleep.

She willed her eyelids to open. This simple task felt like lifting tons of weight.

"Hey don't rush it." Came the voice that was like a balm to her.

Her eyes cracked open and the first thing that she saw again was her husband. Her heart fluttered looking at his beautiful brown eyes. They held an ocean of love for her. Her own Arnav of love.

Before she would've ignored it but after that incident her strength was broken. She was broken. And this love was that he is offering was the one thing that was holding her together. She knew she was selfish for revelling in it when she could never allow him in her heart. Now she's weak and in weakness human do all the nasty things.

"Hey." Khushi greeted him and the smile he bestowed upon her was the rarest she had seen on his face.

"How's my girl today?" Arnav asked tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Her eyes followed the moment with a heart in her chest that is eager to just jump out of its cage.

"Better," she cleared her throat in an attempt to calm her heart that is just a beating tatoo. "Um...when are they releasing me? I am not comfortable with hospitals."

When he didn't answer, Khushi was forced to look at him. Her breath caught in her throat. Arnav, he was gazing with the look that screamed love and devotion for her. She has never seen anybody look at someone like this.

"You are staring." Khushi stated. Her attempt to take his attention was futile as Arnav just smirked looking at her.

"What? Why are you staring Arnav?"

"You're blushing." By the warm breath that over her cheeks, Khushi knew he is a lot closer to her. "And you my wife look absolutely gorgeous now."

Khushi shifted a little away from him. She had to get away or else Arnav would be in her heart so fast she would never know.

Arnav saw the little moment and knew he shouldn't push her. This Khushi was the one that made him fall in love with her deeper. With every shade of Khushi that he sees, he fall harder and harder for her. He fell in love with the guarded girl that enters into a marriage with the most absurd conditions, and now he is falling in love this soft girl that was hidden in some corner of her heart.

Arnav gave her the space but he held her hand to reassure himself that she's safe and is with him. "I've talked to the doctor. He would monitor you till evening then you can go home."

"Khushi, you remember what you said yesterday? You will come with me, won't you?" His grip tightened on her hand.

Khushi didn't know what to say. She was ready to go anywhere with him yesterday but now when her heart and mind are not aching so much, she's forced to think rationally. "Arnav, I don..."

Khushi stopped midsentence. Is that? Did she heard right? What is he doing here? Khushi turned to look at the door to see her friend's boyfriend standing there. She instantly started to prepare herself to give Arnav the introduction. What happened next shook her to the core.

Nk was not even looking at her. His eyes were only on Arnav and what Arnav said next tilted her entire world.

"Nk, come inside my brother. Meet your bhabhi. You never get to meet her. Well, you would have if you could just come to India for my wedding." Arnav turned to Khushi and made the introduction of the people that knew each other from many years. "Khushi this is nand kishore, my cousin. He lives in Australia."

Nk didn't had the guts to look at her in the eyes. "Hello nand kishore." Came a cold voice.

She was staring at him with tears filled eyes. Her gaze alternated from Arnav to him repeatedly with shock, betrayal, confusion, she questioned Nk.

"It's nice to meet you bhabhi." Nk saw her cringe at the word.

Khushi attempted to smile at him which came as a grimace. "Arnav, Its yes."

Two confused eyes gazed at her. "What ?"

"Arnav, I am ready to go."

While Arnav thanked his wife with a lingering kiss on her cheek, Nk questioning gaze stayed at Khushi.

"What? Go...go where? Nk stuttered out.

****

Nk opened the backdoor of the car for Arnav, so that he could carry Khushi to the house. Khushi didn't even glanced at him once after she got to know that he is Arnav's cousin.

Arnav is going to take her out of the country. Is it a good thing or bad, nk isn't getting to any conclusion for that. In a way she would get to be away from all this for a while but also Nk fear for what could happen there.

As he saw Arnav gently taking Khushi up to her room with anjali hovering over protectively, Nk was still trying to let this vision sink in. He never thought to see this emotion in his cousin's eyes. Seeing the love this family have for Khushi, Nk got a feeling that in between this all, at least one thing could be good for Khushi, if she let it in.

No one can love her like Arnav does. Nk can personally vouch for that.

" Aunty, where is uncle?" Nk had noticed the absence of the senior raizada since he had announced his presence yesterday.

"He had gone to handle this thing since Arnav was not in the position to do that." Aunty shook her head, like trying to get rid of a bad memory. "Arnav was...he was scared, I've never seen him like this and I pray to God that I never see him like that ever again. He cried Nk, he cried like a small child in my arms. My son, he is in love. He loves Khushi to death." She looked at him expecting a shock to be written all over his face. "You are not shocked?"

Nk gave her a small smile, "I am very much in shock aunty, but I got to know about this in the hospital only, so intensity is less now."

"You know I never expected it, seeing how he had lived all his life until now I left any hope of him experiencing this emotion but here we are now and it's strange to me. I had thought this many times, if Khushi would have met him before it could have saved him so many years. But I guess that is what destiny is."

You and me both aunty. Khushi could have been saved from the heartbreak then.

****

"Stop it shyam. One more drink and you won't be able to even lift a finger, standing on your two feet would be a far away thought." Lavanya caught hold of the bottle intending to place it back on the shelf with other drinks.

Shyam roughly snatched it back from her hand. With blood shot eyes, face red with rage, he poured a healthy shot into his glass. In a gulp he drank it all. "This," pitching his fingers he shower them to her. "I was this close. I was going to get her. But the stupid Raizada he got in the way." He thumped the glass back on the table.

"Relax. I told you about her conditions. Raizada won't be the one to pop her cherry. She won't let him. She's all yours for taking." Relaxing back on the chair, Lavanya leisurely sipped her wine. "You should've listened to me. Rather than charming her parents to get married to her, you could have done the deed long back. You had many chances back then. But no you were crazed about her, wanted her to be tied to you for life." She smiled in sympathy for him." From right under your nose she married Raizada and you could'nt do anything."

"Shut up!!!" He stood up all raged and heaving breaths. "If there was anyone other than Raizada I would've have bought him and indirectly her but she chose to marry not a nobody but a freaking tycoon. I was tied down, sister. Don't act so sympathetic to me, you were his bitch for how long? Who did he married to, that middle class girl he never knew..." His eyes widened. "Lavanya, did they know each other already? "

"No. I don't think so. From what Arnav told me, they never knew each other." Looking the crazed form of his brother, Lavanya was starting to get pissed off. It has been so many years but he is still crazed about that girl." You have different girl every day, tell me brother, what is it about Khushi that has you so...um ...insane?"

A maniac glint came in his eyes. For a second Lavanya was scared for Khushi. She knew her brother is pervert with few psychotic tendencies, but this look, a woman know what this looks is about. It's a look one would think a serial killer would get while killing his victims. The sadistic pleasure only a psychopath could get.

"One look at her Lavanya and I knew, I knew she's mine to have. She was made for me. I knew because I felt it to my bones." His eyes clashed to hers and Lavanya felt her palms sweaty. "She's mine to have Lavanya. Mine to destroy, mine to play with. Mine!"

Lavanya gave him a shaky smile. "I get it. She's your passion."

"Passion," Lust filled in his voice. "Yes passion. She's my passion, obsession."

Inside Lavanya was already making plans to get away from all of this. It's not same game that she for fun agreed to play. It has become dangerous now. No woman should go through this. Lavanya prayed for the first time for Arnav to save Khushi. Mentally sighed in relief that atleast she didn't tell her brother about the change in Arnav that she has seen. That all the things Arnav is doing or specifically is not doing, indicated only one thing. That guy he is falling for Khushi.

Be careful Khushi.