PART-25:
- Flashbacks: in Green italics
(Continued from part-24) Same place, same time:
Arnav couldn't contain himself at Khushi's amazing faith in him, he stepped forward and took Khushi in a bear hug. Khushi hugged him back tight and wept softly.
"Why is this happening to us Arnav?" she spoke into his chest in a gentle voice.
"Hush sweetheart", he said proudly, "We will handle it together".
It was a magical moment for Arnav's friends and Payal and... of course Shashi.
Shashi felt much much lighter. He felt a huge weight lifted off his chest. He was over the moon secure in the fact that he had nothing to worry about his darling daughter's life. Her love was reciprocated and she completely trusted her husband. "No more road blocks, my princess will have a happily ever after now", Shashi thought.
Garima though, sadly misled by idiots, was far from truth. She was angry that Khushi trusted her vagabond of a husband over her own family. Preetham was wild and riled up since her plan to separate her cousin and her husband was an utter failure. Adding fuel to fire, Arnav looked at Preetham and smirked mocking her.
"I can sense you are disappointed", Arnav told Preetham with Khushi in his arms, "Is there anything else left?".
Preetham looked at Garima for support, her face contorted with fury.
"Did you see it Khushi?", Garima asked Khushi, "Did you see how he is now openly insulting your sister?", "By trusting him over us, you gave him a free rein", Garima lamented, "How am I going to make you believe us, you stupid girl?"
Arnav interjected, "Allow me Mrs.Gupta".
Releasing her from his arms, Arnav turned towards Khushi, "Khushi honey, I wanted you to trust me and not any evidences that were for me/ against me. I would not have been happy with our relationship if you had trusted me after I produced some evidence. But you bowled me over completely with your implicit faith in me and our bond. Now it's time for me to prove things since this is about us".
He looked at Aman and Akash and winked. They smiled back at him.
"Preetham, I give you one more last chance. Accept your mistake, apologize and back off," Arnav told Preetham gravely, "What do you say?"
Preetham was livid. Shashank spoke rudely, "What nonsense are you talking? How dare you turn this back on my daughter?"
"Patience is a virtue, Mr.Shashank Gupta", Arnav said, "Since Preetham is not going to speak, we are forced to."
"Yesterday when I asked you to stay back, did you think I would just be a saint and preach stuff to you again? I have told you before, you are way over your limits. You have crossed my patience levels long back Preetham. I have evidence now", Arnav told her.
Bua: Preetham, what rubbish is he talking? what is going on?
"What kind of evidence? There were no devices to record anything there", Preetham had a slip of tongue.
Everyone looked at her suspiciously while Arnav laughed.
"I am impressed. I knew you were smart enough to check these beforehand", Arnav sniggered, "I have my own methods, Ms.Gupta."
Arnav turned towards Shashi and said, "Sir, I believe it's time".
Shashi nodded his head, and with disappointment and pain in his eyes, he turned towards his family and started:
Shashi: I know this feels unreal. I walked in with you all today from GM just because I wanted to put an end to these blames and drop the curtain on this drama. I want my daughter to move on in life without any hindrances. It's time I reveal everything.
Shashi (continued): You will be stunned when you hear me say this, but let me recite to you what exactly happened yesterday evening between Preetham and Arnav. Nobody will interrupt me until I finish this.
Arnav: Your moves on me are getting bolder Preetham
Preetham: So?
Arnav: What do you exactly want?
Preetham: I already told you what I want.
Arnav: But why me?
Preetham: Because you are gorgeous, confident, elegant and masculine. I am attracted to everything about you Arnav.
Arnav: Thanks for the compliments. But has this attraction got to do anything with the fact that I am Khushi's husband?
Preetham: What do you mean?
Arnav: Why do you despise Khushi so much? Why are you so jealous of her?
Preetham: I am not... I have no reason to be.
Arnav: Really? you are envious of Khushi because she is more beautiful than you, she is smarter and everybody loves her more than you, she is more humble and...
Preetham: Stop it!
Arnav: Why? Is that not true? Is it not why you are jealous of her?
Preetham: She is just lucky, she has everything served on a platter. You are right. I was envious of her until I came to know that you were forced to live with her. Her own husband whom she is crazy about, is not her own. He doesn't love her.
Arnav: You are wrong! It's true that I started my life with her due to some terms and conditions. But her persona made me fall in love with her. I am hers. I am completely and totally Khushi's.
Arnav: The reason you covet me so strongly is because I am Khushi's husband. You want to have the satisfaction that I, being Khushi's husband, cheated on her with you. Right?
Preetham: I am definitely attracted to your personality and arrogance. But, you are right, the fact that you are her husband makes you irresistible to me.
Arnav: You are wrong Preetham. You are taking the erroneous path. You are her family. Khushi will be shattered if she comes to know this. Please, I give you one last chance. Let go of this madness. it will only ruin you
Preetham: I didn't know Arnav Singh Raizada could beg.
Arnav: Arnav Singh Raizada can do anything for Khushi Singh Raizada.
Preetham: But will Khushi Singh Raizada do the same for Arnav Singh Raizada?
Arnav: I am sure she will. I mean everything to her.
Preetham: May be, but will Khushi Singh Raizada trust her husband over her own family?
Arnav: I think so
Preetham: This affair will stay between us. I promise, I will never reveal it to anyone. Your precious wife will never get to know about it
Arnav: I am a one-woman man and I am taken. Arnav Singh Raizada is committed to his wife. Make no mistake about this Preetham. You can never have me.
Everyone was stupefied. The air felt heavy. The tension surrounding everyone was so thick that it could be cut with a knife. Only Arnav, Aman and Akash looked amused since they had already discussed about this.
Shashank: Bhai, how can you say something this horrible about my daughter?
Preetham: Bade Papa, how can you think like that? How can you side with him?
Shashi (roared): Enough Preetham! I can because I saw everything with my eyes. I was present there when your conversation happened.
Preetham's eyes popped out, "No way, your car was not there since you had already left by then", she mumbled.
"That is true, everyone had left except a couple of caterers", Arnav said, "While you waited for me to finish dealing with the caterers, I sent Aman to get Mr.Shashi Gupta in secrecy. You did not see his car as my friend brought him in his bike."
Arnav scoffed at Preetham, "I made Mr.Shashi Gupta privy to our cozy chitchat."
Now, Preetham was frozen.
"Tsk, tsk, Ms.Gupta, you underestimated Arnav Singh Raizada", Akash looked at Preetham in mock pity.
Shashi looked at Shashank and Preetham with a critical finality and said gravely, "Preetham, I treated you just like I did Khushi. I considered you my daughter in every way. I sympathized with you more since you lost your mother. I knew you were shrewder than Khushi. I also knew you sometimes felt jealous of Khushi. So, I made sure you wouldn't be deprived of anything. Hence when you told me that you desired to pursue further studies in America, I let you go right away.
I wanted to compensate your insecurities with luxuries and comforts. I did not ever in my dreams think that you would despise Khushi to the extent that, just to ruin her happiness, you wanted an affair with her husband. I am glad my daughter's husband is Arnav, someone who did not give into temptations and knew exactly how to deal with you."
Shashi continued, "Shashank, you insulted my son-in-law in front of our employees at GI. For no fault of his, you lashed at him purely out of your own jealousy and self-doubts. Arnav, being the man of self-respect, turned in his resignation to me the very next day. Shashank, I cannot have you around him. I cannot afford to lose my best employees just because my brother feels diffident around them."
Shashi spoke resolutely while everyone listened with rapt attention, "Shashank, I am buying all your shares from the Delhi Gupta industries. Effective immediately, you will have no position at Delhi GI. The Bombay GI branch will work under your supervision from now. You will right away move to Bombay with your daughter."
Garima, Bua and Preetham gasped.
Shashank: Bhai...
Shashi (interrupted): Not a word more, I suggest you and Preetham go home and pack your stuff. My PA will contact you in a couple of hours with your flight details.
Arnav admired the way his father-in-law dealt with the sensitive issue.
Astonishing everyone, the ever gentle Khushi stepped forward and slapped Preetham hard, "How dare you? How dare you try to defame my husband? How dare you create disparities in the family? How dare you try to drive a wedge between my husband and me? Papa is right. It's high time you left."
With no other option available, a stigmatized Shashank and a furious Preetham left.
Payal couldn't help but chuckle at Khushi's reaction to Preetham's allegations.
Arnav was pleased. He was actually stunned at the way Khushi handled Prretham, "Finally", he thought, "And my tigress looks cute when she is angry."
The rest of the Guptas took leave. Garima and Bua were thoroughly confused with the turn of events. Shashi hugged Khushi and kissed her forehead before he left, "Good job beta", he said, "I love the way you believe in your husband. Stay happy always".
Later that night, Aman tried getting everyone out of the pensive mood, "Wow, bro, this would have been a blockbuster had a movie been made."
"Ya, except your character would have been treated royally with tomatoes and eggs", Akash had to say something.
Everyone laughed. Aman growled.
Khushi did not want them to know how sad she felt due to her sister's betrayal. She sat through the dinner lost in thoughts.
Once everyone retired to their rooms for the night, Arnav pulled her close and hugged Khushi in their bedroom.
"It's ok, now you can", he said.
She cried on his heart, "How could she do this to me? I considered her my own sister", she kept repeating.
Arnav pulled her back, lifted her up and carried her to the bed. He laid down next to her, and took her lips in a kiss. It started off as a gentle reassuring kiss, but became more passionate as it progressed.
"You were awesome there, you made me so proud", he breathed against her lips kissing her again, "I. love. you", he punctuated each word with a kiss.
Khushi threw her arms over his neck and pulled him closer. She had heard his feelings for a second time that night, "I can listen to these words my entire life", she said happily, the previous melancholy forgotten.
"Then get used to it Mrs.Raizada", he said, "I hope you never get tired of it", he winked.
"There is one thing that's not resolved yet... that's still pending", Arnav said suddenly solemn.
"What is it?", Khushi was anxious
"Planning a trip to Manali", Arnav said with a sexy smirk, "Get ready to be swept off your feet Mrs.Raizada", "we are going to have a frenzied honeymoon".
Khushi could see Arnav's eyes turn dark. He dipped his head down with his eyes on her lips. Khushi coyly closed her eyes and dug her fingers into his hair.
The moment his lips touched hers, she was lost in his charms.
...PART-26... Edited by SillLisa - 6 years ago
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