SS - A Life in Pause - reprised (Chapter 7 | 31/7) - Page 6

Beautiful,  couldn’t convey

 The emotions any better, raw agony.

Yes why now would he show concern. Arnav is an asshole.

Once you can express your inner turmoil, half the battle is won.Because you can't be defeated unless you accept defeat.

Be brave for the fight had to start inside us.

Love

Anna👍🏼

Just found this beautiful heart wrenching story. Surprised to see, very few views to this amazing story.

Each and every word touched my soul. Khushi’s endurance ended with Arnav’s accusations of her being characterless and a gold digger whom she thought as her balm and love. It pained her so much that she walked towards her parents in heaven where she will be cocooned from this worldly monsters. Can a dead heart be revived with Arnav’s repentance? In real world,it wouldn’t. Her interlude was written so poetically and it blurred my eyes. 
I’ll be waiting eagerly for the next update.

Originally posted by: Rosalinesak

Just found this beautiful heart wrenching story. Surprised to see, very few views to this amazing story.

Each and every word touched my soul. Khushi’s endurance ended with Arnav’s accusations of her being characterless and a gold digger whom she thought as her balm and love. It pained her so much that she walked towards her parents in heaven where she will be cocooned from this worldly monsters. Can a dead heart be revived with Arnav’s repentance? In real world,it wouldn’t. Her interlude was written so poetically and it blurred my eyes. 
I’ll be waiting eagerly for the next update.

Thank you for your kinds words! It means alot. The next chapter should be up today...so stay tuned.

Yes a dead heart can be revived but can it undo the pain?

Chapter 6

He woke with the sun streaming through the open window by the pool. Turning, he found her just the same; eyes open, face serene, body still. It was almost three weeks now, four days since they brought her home, but she remained as staid as before. The swelling was almost negatable, her leg was still in a cast but she refused to wake up! Sometimes he felt like she didn’t want to. She had after all tried to end her life, his mind would goad him. But he couldn’t avoid the feeling of helplessness that crept in every time he looked at her.

Another thing he couldn’t get himself to stop doing… remaining silent. Everyone else found it so easy to breeze in, spend hours with her, and regale her with a never-ending stream of innocuous stories but he? He remained mute! Like always, words failed him!

The shrill ring of his phone broke through the silence in the room. Without checking the caller ID, he answered…

“Hello?”

“Your office in an hour… we need to talk” Aman’s direct speech and authoritative voice commanded before the line went dead. Where he would otherwise balk at someone for using that tone with him, he could only now feel a restlessness bordering on anxiety creep up. The clipped tone sent shivers raking through him.

12 days! It had been 12 days since he had hired Aman Mathur to investigate his brother-in-law. 12 days of receiving only a ‘not yet’ to each of his calls and messages. The results better be good, he thought, for someone with so much attitude. He came highly referred from Veer, but that didn’t stop Arnav from ruining the man if he failed.

Getting dressed in record time, he strode out of the room, but not before glancing her way one last time. Somethings never changed! Quickly instructing Payal to remain with Khushi till he got back, he strode out of the house ignoring Nani’s requests to sit and have breakfast. This couldn’t wait.

By the time he reached his office, Aman was already seated in his cabin, holding what appeared to be a thin file. This wasn’t looking promising, he rued.

“So, Mr. Mathur…” he began.

“Aman… just Aman will be fine. Anyways, I think I have enough inside information now to warrant us being on a first-name basis. Isn’t that right Arnav?” Cocky… he could feel the hair on the back of his neck rising. If only he wasn’t in this position today, he would have shown this creature just exactly where he belonged.

Pushing his ire aside but leaving some for credibility of being ASR, he returned, “You still have three days left. I hope your research is as good as your attitude!” Two could play at this game.

“See for yourself.” Aman countered and pushed the file across the table.

The moment of truth! He held the file letting the moment sink in. What did he want this document to contain? The truth or enough of it to exonerate him? He could feel his lungs constrict. This was it! He would have answers now… hopefully. He noticed Aman fold his hands and sit back in the chair, looking around his office, as if he hadn’t just given him something life altering.

Steeling himself he opened the file. The first page had a picture of Shyam, below which was a complete bio-data of the man he considered his brother-in-law, his sister’s keeper, the damaad of Raizada house.

What he read, knocked the wind out of him!

Name: Nirmal Roy

Aliases: Shyam Manohar Jha

            Govind Prasad

            Kamlesh Patel

            Rakesh Arora

            Ravi Kishan Pai

Father: Sudhir Roy

Status: Incarcerated

Sentence: Life imprisonment under section 302 for murder in the 1st degree of one Meenakshi Roy (Spouse)

Mother: Deceased (murdered by Sudhir Roy)

Age: 37 years

Profession: Unknown

He flipped through the next page detailing the life of Shyam, each sentence lancing through his mind and body. Juvenile charges for theft, breaking and entering, and battery. Multiple disappearances and escapes from orphanages and jails. Two prior marriages in different states under different names. Both ending with the death of the wives and large insurance payments made to the spouse.

The list was endless. The words swimming in front of his eyes, blurring his vision but he fought to stay on. The last line chilled his bones.

Wanted for theft, embezzlement, attempted murder and sexual assault in Pune, Hyderabad, Surat and Jalandar.

He slumped back in his chair. Shoulders falling in defeat. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He had trusted Shyam. Blindly. Entrusted the care, the life of his precious sister to this man. He allowed his instincts to take a back seat when he saw the love reflected in his sister’s eyes for this man. Who was this man? Shyam? Nirmal? Who? He had welcomed him into his family, trusted his opinion, relied on his advice, and this?

It felt like someone threw a bucket of ice-cold water on his face. Like he was drowning in his own failings and couldn’t come out. How had he been so blind? How had he not thought to verify his background before agreeing to the marriage? Had he really not seen it or was Shyam or Nirmal that good an actor?

“There was another thing that I have left out from the file…” Aman’s voice broke into his thoughts. He lifted his eyes to him. “I’m still looking into it actually… something about an alliance with a girl. It’s strange though, he used the same alias in the same city. I still have three days left so I’ll come back to you.”

“No!” he couldn’t stop himself before the word got out. He raised his head from the papers to see an eyebrow arched in question. Schooling his features, he continued in a calmer tone. “No, that won’t be necessary. This… this is enough. We can close the matter here. You can collect your cheque on the way out.”

“As you say… your investigation… your information.” With a mock salute, Aman rose and walked out of the cabin.

Why did he say no? This… this document he held had an entire life story of his so-called jijaji. The man he trusted! But the thought of having Aman snoop around into what could only be his connection to Khushi, unsettled him.

“alliance with a girl”

“same alias”

“in Delhi”

Payal’s words from the other day came back to him, “even getting engaged to Sha…” that was what started this investigation and he said no to this vital missing link? What was he doing?

No! he berated himself. If it was Khushi, if this was an alliance… an engagement… with her, he didn’t want an absolute stranger digging into it.

This he would do himself. He would get to the truth himself and he knew just who to question.

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“Payal bhabi… Naniji is calling you.” Payal turned around from the clothes she’d just been putting away in Khushi’s room to look at a frazzled Hari Prakash.

“What happened Hari Prakashji? Why are you so hassled”?

“No nothing Bhahiji… I was just looking for Lakshmi… Naniji is calling you…” he mumbled again before continuing on his task.

Stopping by Khushi and running a soothing hand on her head, Payal whispered she’d be back quickly before exiting the room. The nurse assigned to Khushi was away for a bit for a family emergency and so Payal thought it better to hurry back rather than leave Khushi on her own… incase… incase she woke up. Every day she saw her sister, she prayed to Devi Maiyya that this would be the day they got Khushi back. But when she came in every night to check on her, her prayers had not been answered. She longed to have her vibrant, crazy and energetic sister back. Although the days after her sudden marriage had ridden her of those traits, Payal could see it coming back ever since Holi. Still lost in thoughts, she made her way to Naniji not noticing the man walking into the room she had just vacated.

“Khushiji? Khushiji… it’s so nice to see you at home. To have you so close by that I can come visit you.” Finding Khushi alone in the room was a rare occasion and Shyam didn’t want to let this one slip him by. He had busied Rani Saheba and Naniji with some mundane task of gifting and got Payal roped into it as well only so he could have some alone time with her. It pained him to see her like this. She was always so full of life, so full of warmth and innocence that he was captivated from the very start. If only she understood his feelings for her more than his relationship status, his life could’ve been so much better.

Yes, he’d been married to Rani Saheba. Yes! He’d been married before… but with her, with her it was different. The others were just a means to an end for him. One that ended with their untimely but much-needed deaths. But Khushi? Khushi was his love! His life! Her beauty, her grace, her unhindered smile, they all called out to him a deeper level. She had become his obsession! She had become his craving! She had become his only goal in life!

And then Saale Saab had to come in between them. Oh, but how beautifully he twisted the truth. How skillfully he made Arnav believe that Khushi was also equally involved in this deceit. How well he used the love and protectiveness Arnav had for his sister only to have it all backfire on him that every night. Seeing them married… seeing Khushi belong to someone else broke him. But they say, when you corner an animal that is when they are most dangerous. And Shyam was just that animal. Silently plotting away behind the eyes of the world. He would get her back, he knew that. He believed that. If only she believed it too.

If only she looked beyond these superficial marital bonds and saw how desperately he loved her, how ferociously he longed for her… she would’ve been his. But nevermind, there is always time and now is better than any other to poison her mind against his beloved Saale Saab and make her want him instead.

Sitting down on the bed next to her, he moved his hand to caress her face. Stroking it gently, looking lovingly into her eyes. “I miss your voice Khushiji. I know you must be in a lot of pain having to lie here like this. I just wish I could do something to take this pain away. I wish I had met with an accident and not you so I could be taken care of… by you. Oh Khushiji, it hurts me so much to see you like this.”

“I’m doing my best Khushiji, I’m doing my best to find out the real culprits behind your accident. Though I know it is only Saale Saab who has caused this state of yours… but I will find out Khushiji… then the truth will be out and you will be free… free to leave him. Free to come to me and be with me. I love you so much Khushiji… if only you could believe in my love for you. I told you… I told you I don’t love Rani Saheba… for me, it’s always been you… right from the time I saw you in Lucknow. You stole my heart Khushiji and it’s been yours ever since. Come back to me Khushiji… please…”

“Please leave!” Payal stood at the door fuming at the sight before her. The gall of the man to sit next to Khushi, to say such things to her. He was the devil incarnate.

“Payalji… I was just talking…”

“I said Leave… before I have the whole house here!” Payal shot back not allowing him to continue.

“Ok Payalji… I will leave… but you can’t keep me out forever and Saale Saab is not always here like a watchdog. I will be back Khushiji… please wait for me!” saying that Shyam walked out of the room.

Payal rushed to Khushi’s side and tried to wipe away that vile man’s touch all the while apologizing for leaving her alone, unguarded. She knew Khushi could hear everything and she wished for once that wasn’t true. That Khushi didn’t hear anything he said. She was sure whatever spewed from that man’s mouth was pure evil even though she didn’t hear all of it. What she did though, would make her own hackles rise.

Payal watched as a lone tear made its way down Khushi’s cheek as if in answer to her thoughts.

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So that's Chapter 6. this is now officially longer than my last SS and it's a really nice feeling. I just hope I can still keep the interest going in this story. 

To those who stopped by, who read, who liked, who commented... thank you very much! Words cannot describe what it feels to have someone read and appreciate your work especially when you're new to this! So thank you for making me want to keep going!

As always, 

Stay Safe & Peace!

Libran Angel

Oh wow! This is heart wrenching. 

Ugh... Shyam and his never ending vileness!! 🤢

I would like to tell you this plot isn’t cliched because usually we’d expect Arnav to start apologizing or just doing everything to get her to react and out of her state but you’ve sorta stuck to his basic nature where he has a very difficult time to express his pain and make amends. 

nice update! 

I like how Arnav didnt want a stranger knowing about Khushi's alliance. 

Cant wait to read more :)

He didn't need Aman to finish his investigation, he has actually figured it out. He will talk to Payal to confirm it.

Khushi is reacting at some level. That tear indicates it. Maybe whats missing is Arnav's voice. He has not been talking at all.

Well, now Arnav knows Shyam to be a con man a top rated criminal, but if he cannot get Khushi out of coma, if cannot plead guilty and take oath to redeem her dignity, her safety, there is no way Khushi could come out of the coma... she would rather die than be up for the vile man to touch her or for Arnav to hurt her heart more...