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Originally posted by: Miss.Zaidi
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Tab tak sabar kar le 😆
Originally posted by: Miss.Zaidi
Keep updating this will you ? 😆
Chapter 25: Do or Die
Akash looked at the faces that were waiting for him to say something, but he couldn't find the will to speak. He looked away before he finally said the words, "I trusted him".
No one in the room reacted to those three words and Akash looked at them. All three occupants of the room were looking at him, yet their gazes were unfixed. It was as if they were busy processing the implication of those words.
"I shouldn't have" Akash said again, interlocking his fingers and staring at them.
"It's not your fault, bitwa" It was Nani ji's voice which first broke the silence in the room. Akash didn't know if he agreed or not. He wasn't so sure that it wasn't his fault. It certainly looked like his fault. He had tricked Khushi into coming to the office and then he had left her in the custody of Girish Sharma. His father! The word now repelled him. Father! He had two in this case, one nominal and one biological yet both of them were pathetic pieces of shit. While one had been disgusting out in open, Girish Sharma had deceived him, told him half truths, and had fed him the nonsense of blood ties and retribution. You were dumb and gullible, his mind beeped.
"It is my fault, Nani, and I will rectify it" He declared, before getting up from the couch and lifting the precious letter with great care before he neatly folded it and secured it in his pocket.
~~~
"...I am daring you to come to my house, my actual house, and save your Khushi. And if you do NOT come alone, if I hear or see another person with you, I am going to do the same thing to your Khushi what your father did to Geeta. So, use your brain before calling the cops or anyone else" Girish Sharma said in the phone and then looked at Khushi, keeping his phone away.
For the first time ever since he had brought her here, she actually looked scared. It exhilarated him, excited him.
"Aww..sweet girl, did my words scare you? Or are you scared for your lover boy who might be here in some time? Let me tell you, you don't have to be scared. At least not for youself" Girish Sharma exclaimed, stooping down to bring his face at level with Khushi's.
"It's not going to hurt. At least not much" He whispered the words, bringing his palm to rest flatly against her cheek. Khushi recoiled away from the touch.
"By the time he reaches here, we will be long done" Girish Sharma continued, his fingers now inching closer towards her lips.
"Get your hands off me" Khushi screamed in revolt, her skin already feeling like it was being covered with grime.
Before she could say more, Girish Sharma stuffed her mouth with the rag again.
"As much as I enjoy screams and pleas of help, I can't risk unnecessary attention. The neighbors here might be few but I don't want to attract any unsolicited attention" Girish Sharma smiled , practically salivating at the sight of tears that finally rolled down Khushi's cheeks as her screams were muffled.
~~~
Aman disconnected the call and then looked around himself. Shashi Gupta and Garima Gupta sat hunched in a corner, sitting together and staring at the walls. Madumati ji was sitting with Payal. It was only Aman who had been offered a separate chair, the one he had not sat down in ever since he had arrived.
He had so many questions swirling in his head. Payal was Khushi's elder sister. She was pregnant and unmarried and somehow Akash was involved in all of this. And from what Aman already knew about Akash, he had no difficulty guessing that Akash had an affair with Payal and he ditched her. While Aman had seen Akash doing this to a lot of girls, he had never felt so much anger and loathing at Akash. Partly because Akash had never taken his habits so far. He had had numerous flings and he was sloppy when it came to ending those relationships, but Akash had never done any evil of this magnitude. Getting Payal pregnant and then abandoning her? And if he had abandoned Payal, how was he still involved in this entire affair?
Aman couldn't figure out this portion of the puzzle. And he didn't want to ask. So, all this while he simply sat and observed Payal from a distance who looked distressed to an extreme limit.
"Why are we sitting here doing nothing?" It was Buaji's voice that chased away the silent mourning in the room and everyone looked at her.
Aman assumed the question was directed at him.
"We are not simply sitting, Buaji. We are waiting. I have already informed the police about Girish Sharma and they have acquired his picture from what Arnav had suggested. Right now, that picture is being telecasted on all the major news channels, with a 'wanted' flash line. Also, the police has put Girish Sharma's phone on surveillance and they are monitoring his activity" He replied.
"I just want my daughter back, unharmed and safe" it was Garima Gupta who muttered the words.
Aman assured her that she will and then he looked at Payal. She seemed to be purposely avoiding glancing his way. He sighed and then looked away before his phone beeped an incoming text message.
~~~
Arnav drove without stopping for any signal. Since it was already night time, the traffic had already thinned.
"Hold on just a little longer, Khushi" He said, willing the words to find their way to Khushi.
~~~
Khushi felt like she deserved it. If this was the price of deceiving Arnav's trust, she had earned it. Yet, she hated the hands that landed on her thighs. Then the man brought his other hand to her face, one still resting against her thighs. He touched her lips, his fingers feeling them and Khushi felt like she was going to throw up.
"Kill me" she wanted to say, but the words were muffled.
"Finally, I will taste these lips" The words were slurred, as if he was intoxicated by the sheer control he had on the situation, on her.
Khushi violently shook her head, trying to get away from his approaching mouth but he brought a hand to fist her hair, to hold her head in place.
Khushi closed her eyes, finally giving up all the hope yet her legs struggled, her body trying to break free from those ropes.
She felt the stinky, moist air approaching her mouth and she cried, but before that mouth could come any closer, Khushi heard a loud bang. Her eyes opened and she watched as Arnav rushed in through the door.
Her eyes connected with his and she read the alarm and fear in them. She could also read the boiling rage that rolled off from him in waves as Arnav reached to Girish Sharma in two quick strides. The latter looked shocked and bewildered, pulling away from Khushi.
Arnav didn't ask anything, didn't say anything as he took hold of Girish Sharma by his collar and pushed him against one of the walls. Girish Sharma groaned painfully at the brutal impact while Arnav immediately hurried to Khushi. Noticing the tears flowing down her face, the rag stuffed in her mouth, and the ropes around her, for a split second, Arnav struggled between wanting to free Khushi or to go back to Girish Sharma and finish him off.
But, he lurched towards Khushi, getting down on his knees in front of the chair.
"Khushi! I am so sorry. I am so sorry. Are you hurt? Are you okay? Did he do anything?" Arnav kept ranting, as he pulled out the rag from her mouth and Khushi heaved again, while Arnav worked on her ropes.
They didn't budge, having gone stiff from being tied for hours. Arnav looked around the room to find something sharp to cut them.
"Arnav!" Khushi shouted in warning as she noticed Girish Sharma who was back on his feet. Arnav whirled back and blocked the punch that Girish was throwing at him. He then balled his fist and punched Girish Sharma in the stomach. The man growled in pain, holding his stomach. Arnav didn't stop and landed another punch, this time on Girish Sharma's face and the man finally collapsed on the ground, limp and groaning in pain. Khushi being his primary attention, Arnav turned back to her and noticed her chafed hands. He looked around the room again and noticed a dirty looking glass peeking from under the bed. Arnav rushed to it and found it covered with dust. He smashed it on the ground and picking up a shard, he moved back to Khushi.
"Try to relax your hands, Khushi" He asked her, his own face dripping with unsaid words and emotions.
Khushi tried and whimpered in pain. There was blood beginning to flow from the places her skin had chafed too bad. Arnav felt this own heart clench at the sight of those soft hands that were so bloodied now.
"Yes. Just like that. Now hold still" He said and then carefully he used the glass shard to cut the ropes. He cut the ropes around both her hands and legs and helped Khushi stand.
"I am going to kill him for this" Arnav said, moving once again towards where Girish Sharma lay but Khushi held his hand, stopping him.
"I am so sorry, Arnav" She croaked the words and Arnav shook his head, his own eyes welling seeing her in this condition.
"Later" He said and his hands pulled her into a hug. Khushi signed in pleasure as his body wrapped her around him. She felt like she was home. Her own hands wrapped around him, breathing in his scent. She finally felt safe, like nothing bad could happen as long as he was around her.
"I am sorry for coming so late" He whispered against her and Khushi furiously shook her head, too overwhelmed to say anything, while her eyes blurred with tears of happiness.
"Arnav..." Khushi's words were stopped in her throat as she watched Girish once again struggling to stand.
She quickly withdrew from the hug and shouted for Arnav to turn back.
Arnav turned back but Girish had already swung. The pocket knife sliced through Arnav's right cheek and blood swelled.
A scream left Khushi's mouth as Girish quickly whisked past Arnav and caught Khushi.
"Stop" Girish screamed as Arnav recovered and dashed towards Khushi.
Girish Sharma held the knife against Khushi's throat.
"Not so quickly, Raizada. I won't go down so easily. Stand back or I will plunge this knife in her throat even before you take the second step" Girish Sharma shouted, making Arnav freeze in his tracks.
"Now tell me how did you reach here so fast?" Girish Sharma demanded as Arnav wiped the blood from his face and looked ready to kill.
Arnav didn't speak.
"Fine. I don't even care. Now, let's get down to business, shall we?" Girish Sharma said, studying every move Arnav made. He could see Arnav trying to figure out how to get Khushi away from him.
He had to act fast.
"Sign these papers or I kill her" He stated, pulling out the documents from inside his shirt with one hand while his knife still remained against Khushi's neck.
He threw the papers towards Arnav, followed by a pen.
Arnav looked baffled at the sight of the papers.
"What are these" He asked, his fists remaining clenched at his sides as he watched a thin line of blood emerging from Khushi's neck. She whimpered in pain.
"Why don't you ask this bit*h? She tricked ME. TWO TIMES" Girish Sharma growled and Arnav wanted to ask what he was talking about. But he didn't have to.
Arnav looked at Khushi's face, her frightened eyes and he realized. He realized why Girish had brought her here.
"Khushi.." The words left his mouth on their own accord as he realized what she had done. He recalled how she had told him that he didn't have to sign those papers. And he...he had thought that she had done that because she had already gotten him to sign the papers she wanted. But she hadn't. Arnav didn't know if he should laugh or cry.
"She fooled us by giving us papers having forged signatures. And she did that not one time but two. Now sign those papers before I lose my temper" Girish Sharma said, grinding his teeth in anger and Arnav looked at Girish Sharma.
"Let her go and I will sign whatever you want me to sign" He said, his hands itching to grab Girish by his neck and choke the life out of him.
Girish Sharma smirked.
"Sign these papers and I will let both of you go" He delivered the words with sugary sweetness and Arnav knew it for the lie it was.
"Either way, you don't have a choice. Now SIGN" Girish Sharma said, and Khushi cried in pain as another line of blood trickled down her throat.
Arnav watched the blood drip down and down and finally disappear inside her Kurta. His own blood boiled and he imagined just what kind of torture he would make this man go through before giving him the sweet mercy of death. But for that to happen, he needed to buy Khushi and himself some time.
So, he slowly bent down and picked up the papers from the floor. Then, he removed a pen from his pocket.
Girish Sharma smiled victoriously as Arnav placed the paper against a wall and readied to sign them.
If this was the price of keeping Khushi safe, he will sign these papers.
"Good boy! Sign them" Girish Sharma urged Arnav. Arnav spared a death glare in Girish Sharma's direction and then looked at the pain that was etched upon Khushi's face. He placed the pen against the paper.
"He will sign NOTHING" It was Akash's voice that boomed in the room, making Arnav's pen stop.
Arnav lifted his gaze towards the door and there Akash stood with a red-hot face, holding a gun in his hand.
"Akash beta! What are you doing?" Girish Sharma exclaimed, his eyes narrowed at Akash.
"Have you gone mad? Do you know that this girl tricked us again? The papers you have are a fake too. She never took Arnav's signatures on them. We have to..." Girish Sharma said, while Arnav stared at Akash with disbelief.
"SHUT UP!" Akash shouted, silencing Girish whose face twisted in shape.
He looked at Arnav, again at Akash and laughed.
"What did he tell you? I was wondering where you have disappeared. You should have called me when you found out that I wasn't at the office. But you didn't. Now I know why. Did he tell you some half cooked story?" Girish Sharma demanded from Akash, pointing at Arnav while Arnav simply waited for Girish to lower his knife.
Akash's eyes blazed with anger as he stepped further into the room.
"Let them go" He said to Girish, his gun fixed towards Girish who didn't so much as remove the knife from Khushi's throat.
"I see" Girish Sharma chuckled.
"You believe him? The man who kept you in dark for so long? He is the son of the same person who raped your mother and you believe HIM?" Girish Sharma asked Akash.
"And I am the son of the man who SOLD his own wife! You took money from Surendra Singh Raizada in return of what he was doing to her. You drove her to death. YOU killed my mother" Akash screamed, his hands shaking as he kept the gun pointed at Girish.
"And yes, I believe HIM. HE IS MY BROTHER. You? You're nothing to me. Nothing" Akash screamed the words at Girish who fumed in anger hearing Akash's words.
He looked at Arnav who was waiting to strike and then at Akash who looked out of his mind, holding a gun towards him.
Girish Sharma realized that he was outnumbered and the only thing stopping them was the knife he held against Khushi's throat.
"You won't shoot me. And if you do; if you're man enough to shoot your own father, I won't go down alone. This knife will find its home before I die" Girish Sharma threatened Arnav and Akash though sweat beads were developing on his forehead.
"Don't dirty your hands, Akash. The police will be here anytime. I had texted Aman to come here along with the police before I came in" Arnav finally said and Girish Sharma's head whipped towards Arnav.
"You heard me, Girish. There is no way you can escape here. So, save yourself some trouble and let Khushi go" Arnav warned Girish, his fingers itching to close around his neck.
Girish Sharma who realized that there was no way he could get the papers signed and leave here unharmed, sighed in response. And as if in confirmation of the same, police sirens wailed into the silence of the night.
"Fine" Girish Sharma said and without wasting another second, he shoved Khushi towards Arnav. She stumbled and would have fallen had Arnav not lurched and caught her.
Taking the advantage of the little distraction, Girish Sharma threw his knife straight at Akash.
Akash gave a shout of pain as the knife buried itself in his arm. The gun fell from his hands and Girish Sharma jumped and grabbed it.
Laughing manically, he pointed it towards Arnav who was trying to secure Khushi behind him and looking with concern full eyes towards Akash.
"If I am going to jail again, I would rather go to jail for THIS" Girish Sharma shouted the words, and pulled the trigger just as footsteps sounded in the house.
"ARNAV" Khushi screamed but the sound was drowned by the gunshot.
The gun fell from Girish's hands as Akash's limp body fell on the ground with a loud thudding sound who had rushed in front of Arnav.
"Akash" Arnav screamed, crouching on the floor where Akash lay holding his stomach.
"Grab him" It was Aman's voice before the policemen rushed into the room and took hold of Girish Sharma who was still looking at the floor with a face white as a ghost.
"What did you do, Akash? You stupid!" Arnav shouted at his brother, looking at all the blood pooling around him. Akash smiled.
"I am sorry, Bhai" He managed the words with great pain and looked at Khushi who looked horrified, staring at him from behind Arnav.
"I am sorry, Khushi" Akash said again.
"Shh..stop talking. Aman, call an ambulance" Arnav barked at Aman who was now standing in front of them, looking at Akash with shock.
"Yes, ASR" Aman said and quickly dialed his phone.
Arnav looked at Girish from the corner of his eye who was being dragged out of the room in cuffs. Arnav wanted to go after him and kill him with his own bare hands. But he stayed and looked at Akash whose eyes were fluttering close.
"The ambulance will be here in fifteen minutes, ASR" Aman said, looking at his friend and then at Khushi.
"We can't wait that long. Help me lift him. We'll take him to the hospital" Arnav said, distressed and then he looked around to make sure Khushi was with him.
"Come, Khushi" He said to her and she nodded at him, staying close.
~~~
The next few hours were a mix of everything. Girish Sharma was taken by the police while Arnav and Khushi took Akash to a hospital.
Aman called Arnav's family and Payal's family. Everyone gathered in the hospital where Akash was undergoing operation to remove the bullet. Khushi was being questioned by the police despite Arnav's blatant refusal saying she needed time to heal.
Khushi had said she was okay and had agreed to the questioning.
Right now, Arnav waited outside the operation theatre with his family while Khushi's family was waiting for Khushi to finish her statement.
Aman, on the other hand, didn't know what to do. So, he had asked Arnav if he could go back to his house, to Aakriti. Arnav merely nodded, thanking him for all his help. Aman nodded back and left the hospital.
He was going towards his car when he felt someone come after him. He knew who it was without even turning back to look.
"Aman" Payal said and he stopped moving.
He turned back to find her looking at him earnestly.
"Can we talk?" She asked him, her voice small.
Aman nodded slowly.
"I didn't know you worked for Arnav Singh Raizada" She said.
"I didn't know you were Khushi's sister" Aman said.
Both of them didn't say anything else for a few seconds before Payal spoke again.
"So, you know Akash?"
"Sadly, I know him far too well" Aman replied, his eyes resting on Payal's barely beginning to show baby bump.
"I wish I knew him too before I trusted him" Payal replied.
"Did you love him?" Aman asked.
Payal nodded softly.
"Do you still love him?" Aman asked, not even sure why he was asking that question. What did it matter if Payal still loved him? But it did.
"I HATE him" was Payal's instant answer.
"Good" Aman said. Despite having heard that Akash had jumped in front of a bullet to save Arnav, Aman still didn't like Akash. Saving Arnav's life wasn't going to erase what he had done to Payal.
"So, you're going home?" Payal asked.
"Yes. I left Aakriti with my neighbor" Aman replied.
"Then you should go home. Have a good night. And thanks for bringing back, Khushi" Payal said to Aman who said he didn't do much.
"It still means a lot to me. Arnavji helped us because he loves Khushi. But, you didn't have to help us. Yet, you did. You're a good person" Payal said.
Aman nodded his head and bade Payal goodbye.
~~~
Arnav looked up from where he was sitting as he sensed Khushi around. He found her walking towards him. He also noticed the bandage one of the nurses had put around her neck and on her wrists. They had said that the cuts were shallow and will heal in a day or two.
He watched as she finally reached him.
"How is Akash?" She asked.
"The doctors are still operating him. They said the bullet has punctured his liver" Arnav replied.
"Will he be okay?" Khushi asked.
"We don't know" Arnav whispered and Khushi noticed the pain that flashed across his eyes. Despite everything, Akash was still Arnav's brother. Who was shot trying to save him! Khushi could not even guess what Arnav must be feeling.
"He will be fine" She finally said and Arnav looked at her.
"Are you fine?" He asked for the tenth time and Khushi nodded. As both of them looked at each other, silence spread.
"Amma wants me to go home with her. They're waiting for me" She finally said and she noticed how quickly Arnav nodded.
"Sure. Go home. Call me anytime you need something" Arnav said, forcing his hands to remain at his sides while all he wanted to do was to hug her and ask her to stay. But does he even have a right to do that?
"Let me know when the operation gets over" Khushi said instead, still not leaving.
"I will" Arnav replied, looking at her face, his eyes refusing to leave her face.
"Thank you. For coming to save me" She said softly, after a beat, looking down.
Arnav had a thousand things to say to that but he clamped his mouth shut. There was so much between them that they had to talk about. He didn't have it in him to ask her again if she loved him.
So, he just nodded.
"Good night" He rasped and Khushi looked at him like she was going to cry, hearing his dismissing words.
"Good night, Arnav" She forced the words out while her legs remained glued to the floor, not wanting to go.
"Take care" She added. Arnav swallowed a lump in his throat as he said, "You too." This felt so much like goodbye.
When he looked up after a minute, having controlled his eyes from shedding tears, Khushi had already walked away.
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