The Wrong Start - Arshi FF - Ch17 Page 24 - Page 10

Oh plz khushi don’t believe that scumbag’s sob story n be brave n kick him out of your life forever n I really wish at this moment Arnav appears from nowhere n beat the pulp out of him😃

Hope she does give in nice update

He's probably here to ensure Khushi doesn't do anything to jeopardise his life! She has the best friends in Lavanya and Payal. Exactly what she needs right now. But, Arnav too was really sweet when he had gone to her apartment with Lavanya.

That creep leech snake is back for Khushi to throw him out of her life forever and have a closure ..waiting for the next ..like eagerly ..

Hope Shyam is not here to trouble or threaten her!

Not being able to stand one other, to clinking glasses and toasting and moving onto sharing personal stories, Khushi and Arnav have come a long way in their relationship.

Sadly Khushi;s professional successes have not exactly matched with her personal successes.

It was heartwrenching to have to see her like this not just by Lavanya but also by Arnav. Thanks to friends like Payal and Lavanya, and let's not forget Arnav, I feel that she will be bounce back to life soon.

Really would love to hear Shyam's side of the story now as he has shamelessly decided to enter Khushi's home. Also for Khushi to tell him that she's happy without him.

Never expected Shyam to be there. What is he going to do now? I hope Khushi is done with him and I want her to accept Rishab's offer.

Chapter 13 - Too Late

She felt a shiver start at the back of her head and travel down her spine and her fingers. Somehow, by the time it reached her legs, she was prepared for it. She clutched at the shoe rack next to the door to support herself and saw Shyam start towards her. She put up her hand and slowly straightened up, making sure that the door was not closed. Shyam stopped in his tracks and sighed.

"I am sorry for coming in like this. I did not want to scare you," he read her expressions accurately. As he always did, a tiny voice said inside her head. She swallowed and finally managed to speak up shakily.

"What do you want from me?"

"I... just wanted to explain myself Khushi. Whatever you saw that day... I love you, Khushi. I really do."

She felt the missing wave of anger suddenly come back with a vengeance. The rage was not hot, as she expected. It was icy and it made her throw caution to the wind as she walked to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water.

"How many times a day do you say that to your wife?" she snorted and turned around to face him. She finished the water in one go and banged the glass on the table.

"Can you please give me a chance to explain? Just... please hear me out?"

"And then what?" she asked in a steely voice. She was glad that she had not burst into tears at his sight as she had feared she would. She had imagined this exchange over and over in the past week. She had thought she would scream out her anger, ask him how could he do this to her, if all those times meant nothing to him, why her, amongst other things. But now, she found herself at a loss of words. So she simply waited him out. He saw her silence as an assent to continue. He signaled towards the couch but she remained standing there, not trusting herself to not do something stupid. She had bared enough of her heart to this man. There was no way she was doing it again. He did not protest and sat down on one of the barstools at the kitchen counter, across from her.

"Our first date was a joke set up by my friend. He drove me to the venue and left me there. I had intended to come up to you and tell you that I was married and that this was a joke. But then I saw you. You were negotiating a deal clause on the phone. You were so fiery, pretty and smart, all rolled into one. I... don't believe in crap like love at first sight, but then I knew I wanted to be with you."

He paused there and looked into her eyes. Khushi clutched at the granite edge of the kitchen slab as hard as she could. She remembered the evening very well. It almost felt like she was watching her own life in flashback. On any other day, hearing him describe her like this would melt her heart. But now, it all felt like a cruel joke. She looked away, out of the window.

"But since that was clearly not possible... I thought I'll let myself have a little date," he continued before she could offer a retort. "I swear Khushi, I thought I'd tell you right after. And somehow, I couldn't, Khushi. Things were so... easy with you. I could finally be myself and you were like this another world I could slip into, away from everything else. I just couldn't get out of this mess. I couldn't risk losing you." he trailed and buried his face in his palms.

"So what you're saying is that you wanted a getaway from your life and you thought I'd make a good one?" Khushi spoke after several moments. Shyam's head jerked up in response.

"I really love you Khushi... I couldn't bear hurting you. You know, a part of me wished that you'd break up with me to avoid finding out the truth. Then perhaps I could preserve the time spent with you in my heart all my life" he said, helplessness creeping into his voice.

"What about your wife then?"

"Things between Anjali and me are... complicated." He said, looking away.

"You think that justifies cheating? And how is it of any of my business either way?" The rage was back.

"It's not," he looked exasperated now. He stood up and ran his hands through his hair as he paced around the room. "But it's not fair to me, either! I'm more of her therapist than her husband! She has a history of manic depression and our marriage is the last thread of sanity for her. She won't be able to go through a breakup, it would undo years of progress for her. But that relationship - it makes me suffocated and... I need a partner, too!" he spun around and wrung his hands as if pleading with her.

"You could have told me.." she felt her throat choking up finally.

"I was too scared... I didn't know how you'd react," he said and exhaled.

She walked upto him now and stood in front of him for a few moments. He stepped closer and clasped her hands in his.

"I'm not a bad person, Khushi." he pleaded again.

She stepped back and slapped him hard across his face.

"No Shyam, you're much much worse. You're a spineless coward who can neither stand up for himself nor the ones he claims to love. You think all the women in your life are porcelain dolls that will shatter at the slightest discomfort. But the truth is you use them to hide your own weaknesses. You chose to follow the most convenient path that served you well at every step of your life. You're a pathetic human being and your life is even worse. I thought I'd be angry with you when I finally met you. But right now, all I feel is pity."

Shyam stared at her and touched his face where she had slapped him.

"Please leave," she pointed towards the door. "And never show me your face again."

He closed his eyes and nodded. Khushi saw tears seep from his eyes and clenched her fists.

"Please don't... tell Anjali about it. She really will be devastated," he asked in a low voice.

"It's a bit too late for that now. I have already sent her our conversations and pictures together. She must have received it perhaps an hour ago," she said, crossing her arms.

She had had nightmares for four nights straight where Anjali would burst into her room and scream at her for destroying her marriage. So she had downloaded a backup of their messages and photos, loaded it into a USB and shipped it to Hong Kong. Anjali had not been very hard to find, courtesy LinkedIn. The nightmares did not completely go away but now, it was just her running away from voices and people who eerily looked like Shyam.

Shyam looked truly shocked now. He pinched his brow and bit his lip.

"You really shouldn't have done that Khushi."

"Maybe I shouldn't have. At least I made a choice not to be a part of the deceit. I will live with the consequences, whatsoever. Just like I have to live with the fact that I was a party to... this."

He got up, threw her one last long look.

"I wish we'd met in another time and place Khushi. I really do." And then, he was gone.

Khushi ran to the door, locked and bolted it and promptly collapsed on the floor, sobs raking her over finally.

EDIT: IF only allows me 11 posts per day, I will try responding to other comments later! Enjoy your weekend!

Originally posted by: anjs

Wow, shyam has the audacity to break into her house, let alone facing her.... I hope she doesn't fall for his lies now.... her friends advice is right...

Yeah, it she's in a vulnerable space but having an outlet should help her face this.

Originally posted by: kiran1992

Never expected Shyam to be there. What is he going to do now? I hope Khushi is done with him and I want her to accept Rishab's offer.

I wanted to close out this loop and not make her suffer with all kinds of imagination