The Unbreakable bond - Page 38

Khushi would not tell him anything else about that but Arnav was not ready to let it go. He had to find out, so he had made all the arrangements to have Khushi's family come to Udaipur. He had convinced Akaash to have his wedding here. Everybody would be here in two days, only Khushi didn't know. And nobody knew that Khushi was here married to him. The curtains would drop soon and he did not know what the consequences would be all he knew that he would stand by Khushi all the way.

Arnav sat in the living room talking to his sister Anjali, while her husband set by looking on.

"Come on chote you have to tell me, I can't believe how happy you look." Anjali demanded, "don't you think so Shayamji. Just look at him, have you seen him smile so much."

"Your right Rani saiba, the change in saale saab is astounding. You must tell her the reason Saale saab, or your sister will go crazy." He said evenly. In truth Shayam could not believe the change in his brother in law, gone was the serious, grim faced man, in his place was a happy content man with a smiling face. He wondered over the reason for this change.

"All in good time Jijaji, you can wait for your surprise for a little while can't you Di, in the meantime tell me about home." Arnav turned to his sister

Shayam watched brother and sister chatter away. He looked around the elegant surrounding, thinking bitterly once again his brother in law had hit the jackpot. Bitter tentacles of envy crawled through him. He had always resented his prefect brother in law. When he had met Arnav he was a young 22 year old just starting out in business, incredible handsome, with chiselled features and princely stance, his confidence and sheer magnetism of his personality seemed to command respect and attention of everyone when he entered a room. He had at that time foolish thought it was the bravado of youth, but he was proven wrong, in a few months Arnav had made his first couple of hundred crore and from then on, there had been on stopping him. Everything Arnav Singh Raizada touched turned to gold. He was brilliant and ruthless in business. And the only person of any importance to him was his sister, she ruled his personal life.

So he had charmed and then married the sister thinking this would earn him an easy life. He had thought as family he would incorporate himself with the legal aspects of Arnav's business and would be able to make a couple a million himself. But Arnav turned out to be shrewder then he thought. He had simply said that he believed in keeping his business and any legal matter related to business separate from family and family relations. Each had their place and were not meant to be together.

He had set him up in an office in a posh area of town, and then left him to fend for himself. Not being particularly talented in the art of being a lawyer or the hard working sort; Shayam Jha only had his sweet and charming tongue to use to his advantage. He fleeced of his wife, in the name of some charity or another or on the pretext of helping somebody in need to get money from her. He took small cases now and then and mostly took payment in form of favours. He used people to get what he wanted. That was his art; he would prey of people weakness to get want he wanted.

He sighed, how he loathed his brother in law. One thing that Shayam had craved and coveted had been Khushi. Sweet and innocent Khushi, with the cream and peaches complexion, lush pink lips and hazel eyes that a man could drown in. He still didn't know what had taken place between Arnav and Khushi that made her run away two days before their wedding. He had tried so hard to keep her away from Raizada house, but the stubborn girl would not listen. He had never suspected that there would be anything between his brother in law and Khushi given that Arnav had voiced his dislike for her. Till date he could not understand why his Arnav had been devastated with Khushi's disappearance. And his tight lipped brother in law had refused to talk about it. The one time he had badmouthed her Arnav had lashed out at him violently. Since then their relationship had been strained.

He was pulled out of his revive as Arnav jumped to his feet, "your surprise is here." He declared and walked out.

Anjali watched the front door her brother had skipped out of, her eyes widened with shock and astonishment as he walked back in, guiding a young woman whose eyes he had covered with his hands and a small child with striking resemblance to him cling to his back.

"Arnav if this is a prank, you two are playing, I swear you are sleeping on the couch for a week." Said the woman annoyed, while Arnav grinned and the child giggled.

"I told you, I have a surprise for you at home." He said huskily as he put one hand on the skin of her exposed waist in a caress, and leaned forward to kiss her ear.

She sighed in pleasure, "Ok, can I see it now." Arnav took his hands of her eyes.

"Oh my God!" Anjali whispered as she took in the sight of Khushi is a rose pink saree, wearing a mangalsurta and sindoor. And the little boy who bore a striking resemblance to her brother. Understanding came to her and her heart filled with joy and tears of happiness filled her eyes.

Khushi blinked her eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth as she stumbled forwarded and into the arms of the waiting woman. The woman who had been like a sister to her, who's kindness had made her give up her own happiness so she could not be hurt. Khushi hugged Anjali tight as she felt another lost piece of her heart come back to life.

Both women hugged and cried holding each other, Anjali took Khushi face in her hands and kissed her forehead. "oh Khushiji, Khushiji" she said between tears, "I knew it, only you could bring happiness into my chote's life, you are truly Khushi." Bothe women stepped towards a beaming Arnav who now held a shy looking Arush in his arms. "Oh my god! Chote just look at him." Anajili cried in absolute glee as she reached out and pulled Arush to her and hugged him to her breast, running her hands lovingly over his hair, face and limbs, kissing both his cheeks and forehead. Arnav and Khushi stood with their arms around each other looking on. "He looks exactly like you, when you were small. What is his name?"

"Arush Singh Raizada." Arush chimed with a shy smile.

"Arush" Anjali said the name reverently. "it's perfect, his perfect." She threw her arm around Arnav, "my chote is a papa, I can't believe it." She turned to the man sitting frozen on the couch, "look Shayamji you have become an uncle and I'm a bua, did you ever think we would receive such a wonderful surprise."

"No never in my wildest dreams." The man said quietly. He had, had many dreams regarding this woman, now standing in another man's arms, but this he had never imagined. He knew that something had happened between his brother in law and Khushi. But he had never thought that Khushi was the type of girl to sleep with one man while engaged to another. But the child was living proof, Khushi and Arnav had been lovers, and that too when she had been engaged to him.

A blinding rage washed over him, how could she do this, he stood up slowly and looked at the object of his desire. He froze when he saw the look in her eyes, there was no shame as he thought there should be, but a cold hatred and disgust, he then understood, she had somehow found out the truth about him. but he didn't care he stood there feeling he had been betrayed by fate; Khushi should have been his but she had betrayed him by going to his brother in law's bed, and the great Arnav Singh Raizada who could have had any girl he wanted, but he had taken Khushi, 'his Khushi'. A smile frozen on his face he approached the little gathering.

Anjali smiled at him and turned to Khushi , "Khushiji you never had a chance to meet my Husband. Well this is my Shayamji."

Shayam stepped forward to take Khushi's hand but she put her hands together in front of her and said a quite "Namestha." And then pointedly, ignored him.

How dare she, Shayam thought, who did the s**t think she was, no she could not ignore him, he would not let that happen. She would pay for duping him, he thought.

He turned to Arnav and said slyly "Well, well, Salle Saab you have been a sly fox, you married and had a child as well. And that too, in such short time." He smirked casting a look at Khushi looking at her from head to foot his body immediately reacting with lust. Which flicked for a moment in his eyes. He looked at Arush cuddled in his wife's arms, his face twisted in a sneer, "But are you sure, the whelp...?" his tone sly and disparaging. Arnav stiffened and put his hand up to silence him. His jaw clenched as Khushi gasped and cringed, and fury darkened her eyes.

"Savita" he called the new nanny, they had appointed to care for Arush. The nanny had come highly recommended by one of the elite families in Udaipur who were good friends of Malani "Yes sir" Savita said quietly. "Please take Arush to freshen up and bring him to lunch in half an hour." He lifted Arush from Anjali's lap, he looked curiously at the strange tension among the grownups.

"Papa you're not going to go away with bua. Are you?" Arush asked clinging to Arnav,s neck.

"Never, beta I'm never going anywhere without you and your Amma. You must never even think such thing, ok." He held Arush close for a moment then relinquished him to Savita.

Khushi stood up and said in a tight voice "I think I better go see about lunch." She looked at Arnav, he smiled and nodded. She clearly understood this was something he needed to do by himself. As she made to go past him, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her close, he lifted her chin up to him and kissed her fully on the lips, she gasped and he took advantage and deepened the kiss, smiling at her stunned face which was rapidly turning red, "I love you." He whispered letting her go.

Anjali blushing deeply at this overt display of love by her brother and grinned "Khushi I will come with you, and help." She limped forward quickly and took Khushi's arm in hers.

Arnav watched the two women walk away. Then turned to his brother in law his face hard, and eyes cold as steel. He voice was quite but deadly "I don't need proof that Arush is my son, nor do I have to prove to anyone that I am his father. Never again, never ever again insult my wife. Or question her integrity."

Shayam hid his fury at the sight of Arnav touching Khushi so intimately, he couldn't get it in his head that they were lovers, more than lovers. He hated Arnav for taking Khushi, and he hated Khushi for belonging freely to Arnav. He swallowed hard, though the chill in his spine warned him to back off, he paid no heed to it "I was only trying to look out for your interest Salle saab, women like Khushi, from poor families..." he voice trailed away at the look on Arnav's face. He knew then if he said one more word he might as well say good bye to the life.

Arnav was trembling with fury, how dare this man question him, judge Khushi. For some reason he felt an instinctual revulsion to his brother in law, something didn't feel right in the way he had looked at Khushi. Arnav felt an overpowering need to protect her, the sudden urge to hide her from this man. It shook him to the core. He shook a finger at the man, "that will be enough, never again." He said and repeated quietly "never again." And walked away, leaving a visibly shaken Shayam. His face becoming sullen as his mind refused to give up.

Lunch was a quit affair, Anjali and Arush contributed to most of the conversation, Anjali was feeding Arush as they chatted away. Khushi was unusually quite only answering quires put to her by Anjali, Arush or Arnav. She pointedly ignored Shayam even when he asked her a direct question. This did not go unnoticed by Arnav, he also noticed Shayam giving fugitive looks at Khushi, looks he could not catch fast enough to read but never the less had his hackles rising and his teeth on edge. After lunch Arnav went to his study, and Khushi took Arush for an afternoon nap.

Khushi mind felt frozen, she had been shocked to see Shayam. His presence eclipsed her happiness at meeting Anjali. One look at him and his eyes she knew all her hopes and prays had been in vain, he had not changed. Then he had the nerve to question her integrity and her son's paternity. She had been so furious, but she knew Arnav had handled that. She felt his lustful eyes fallowing her everywhere, making her skin crawl. She hated the feeling.

She knew that Shayam had to be exposed, he had not yet confronted her, and she had done everything to avoid him. Her only fear was for Anjali and Arnav and the pain and heartbreak Anjali would have to suffer. Anjali was so happy living in her own world of love, and the illusion of that love that horrible man had kept alive feeding on her innocence and goodness.

Arnav found her in their room looking out of the window, she looked deep in thought. "Khushi I have to go to the office, they have just reschedule an important meeting. I don't know how long it will take." He went to his wardrobe to take out his suit, "Khushi? Are you ok?" he turned to her.

"I want to take Arush and go to Maa's house." She said quietly without meeting his eyes.

A chill ran down his spine, and his heart clenched in pain, she wanted to go? They had never been apart since the day they had started living together after Arush had come out of hospital, they had spend every nights together in each other's arms, "Khushi what is it, is something troubling you."

"No!! I just want some space." She said agitated. Her face was white and her usually sparkling eyes were misty and lost.

He walked up to her and held her by the arms almost shaking her in desperation "Something is troubling you Khushi, I know it, please tell me."

"Arnav please, this is all too much to take in right now, I just need some time, please." She pleaded, tears glistening her eyes

"Ok fine, go." He said angrily letting go of her; he took his clothes and went to the bathroom to get ready for work. When he came out she was gone. He saw Sarita walk by their room towards Arush's room.

"Sarita, where is Khushi madam." He asked

"Oh! She just left with Arush baba, sir." he nodded and she left.

He felt a sense of desolation come over him. He knew she was troubled ever since she met Anjali and Shayam. She had been upset with Shayam's innuendoes and for some reason she had taken a dislike to his brother in law. Something was niggling at the back of his mind but he could not place it. Some distant memory that seems there, but out of reach. Thinking about it was giving him a headache. So leaving a message with the maid he left for work.

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