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Khushi walked into AR Designs with a smile on her face with a bag in her hand. She had made Arnav dinner since he had a late night meeting. Lately they had not been able to spend too much time together since he was busy in a deal with Madhura, who he had known from college. At first Khushi had been jealous of their closeness but she assured herself and reminded herself that he loved on her- he was only hers. A few times some doubts had come into her mind about why Madura's son was a replica of her ASR but she scolded herself for even thinking that.
As she entered the building, the watchman said "Namaste Maam. Aaj aap bohut sundar laag rahi hain."
Khushi looked down at her sari; it was blue, white, and simple. Her hair was down and she was indeed looking gorgeous. She smiled at him and said "Shukria."
She walked quickly up the stairs excited for her dinner with Arnav. It was a surprise and she had made all of this favorite foods.
Khushi walked to his cabin and opened the door. At first she thought it was a dream- a nightmare. She tried to convince herself that this wasn't real- but it was. Infront of her eyes she saw Arnav in the arms of Madhura. Madhura was crying and Arnav was saying "Its Ok." Khushi didn't know how to react. There were so many emotions flowing inside of her- she just froze. She didn't realize or hear the bag fall from her hands making a loud noise on the floor.
Arnav got startled and he looked up to see Khushi standing in the doorway of his cabin.
Madhura stepped away from Arnav and quickly wiped her tears.
Arnav said "Khushi.. tum..." He walked towards her and was about to touch her shoulder when Khushi moved a step back.
That was when he realized what Khushi was thinking. He tried to explain himself "Khushi woh Madhura..."
Khushi brought her hand up to stop him from saying another word. Her whole body was shaking and she felt the tears coming from her eyes. She turned around and ran as fast as she could.
She ran out of the building and onto the road. There were many cars and she was inches away from them- running and running.
The weather was getting very stormy and there were warnings for severe weather.
Anjali had just called Arnav telling him to come home as soon as possible with Khushi. However Arnav didn't listen to what his sister was saying. All he could think of was one thing- Khushi. He knew that she didn't think when she was upset. She didn't listen to anyone.
He shouted "KHUSHI!"
Arnav dashed out of his cabin and ran down the stairs as fast as he could.
Madhura came behind him and tried to stop him holding his hand.
She said "Please don't leave me. Arnav tum toh jaante ho ki main kitni akheli hoon. Mein Khushi ko saamja do gi ki tum bhus mujhe console karahe the. Mein usko humare rishte ke baare mein paata nahi chaalne doon gi."
Arnav stopped dead in his track. He couldn't believe the words he had just heard.
He made a fist and tried to control his anger but he erupted.
"How dare you? Tum asa soch bhi kaise saakti ho? Yeh saab tumari gaalti hai. Aagar aaj meri Khushi ko kuch bhi hua toh mein tumhe nahi chorunga. I swear.
Humare beech mein kuch NAHI hai! Mujhe kya paata tha ki tumare dimaag mein itni ghatia baate chaal rahi hain! Meri zindagi mein siruf ek person hai to important hai aur woh hai meri wife, Khushi. Muje paata hona chaaiye tha ki tum baadli nahi ho. Abhi bhi tumhe doosro ke rishte kharab karna pasand hai. First you had your child with a married man and then he left you. Now you are all alone and want to ruin my life! I ended our friendship the very day I found out you were having an affair with Rohit. Tum ne aur mere saab se aache dost ne mil kar ek innocent ladki ki zindagi destroy kaar di! Rohit ki wife ka kya kasoor tha? Phir bhi mein ne tumhe maaf kiya lekin aaj..." Arnav stopped in his words. He realized that Khushi was somewhere in the middle of the road.
He sprinted out of the building. His heart was so heavy and he couldn't control tears from falling out of his eyes. "Khushi tum kaha ho? Please mujhe maaf kaar do. Mein jaanta hoon ki tumhe kya laag raha hai aur tumari galti nahi hai. Agar mein hota to shiad mein bhi yahi soch tha."
Khushi ran and ran until her legs didn't allow her to move any farther. She collapsed onto the road. It was a silent night and there were no longer many cars due to the storm warning. The wind was blowing extremely fast.
Khushi held onto her manglasutra and remembered all of her times with Arnav. The first time they met- their contract marriage- their remarriage- all those promises- all those moments- everything whirled around in her mind, she remembered Arnav and Madhura, she remembered their comfort with each other- Madhura's child- how much he resembled Arnav- how Arnav and Madhura knew each other since college... she screamed "Nahi! Aise nahi ho saakta! Arnavji aap aise nahi kaar saakte humare saath! Hum aap se nafrat kaarthe hain! Aap ne itni baadi sachai hum se kaise chupali?"
She cried her heart out. She didn't feel this much pain ever before. Her heart came crushing down on her. She hadn't realized that it had started to rain very heavily. The wind was now howling.
Meanwhile Arnav was getting more and more worried. He was cursing himself for letting Khushi run away. He was asking everyone in the few cars at the stoplight if they had seen a girl in a blue sari. Finally one man told him the direction in which he had seen Khushi running.
Arnav followed the road and slowed down when he saw Khushi. She was on the road on her knees with her hands on her face. He could hear her crying from what seemed a mile away.
The rain was blowing into his eyes which hurt him but he didn't care.
"Khushi...Yeh mein ne kya kaar diya?"
He walked up to her and touched her head.
At first she didn't turn around but after a while she did.
She saw Arnav. She saw the tears in his eyes- the worry on his face. She could make out his tears even in the rain.
At first she was about to melt. But then that scene- all those circumstances- all those pieces of truth flashed before her eyes. She stood up and grabbed Arnav's hand which was still on her head.
Arnav felt relieved. He said "Khushi meri baat sunho. Relax. Please trust me. Joh tum sooch rahi ho waise kuch bhi nahi hai. Mein khud nahi jaanta tha ki Madhura ke dimaag mein kya chal raha hai... woh bhus mein os ko console kar raha tha kyunki woh ka rahi thi ki woh akali hai aur uska baacha chataha ki uska baap ho..."
Khushi stopped Arnav from speaking farther. She took his hand off her head. She controlled her tears and took a step back. She no longer had any words for him.
He stepped forward and she saw the pain on his face. He was about to say something when she simply said one sentence. "Hai toh uska baap. Aap hai na."
Arnav was taken aback by her words. He was shattered. How could she even think that? Suddenly a surge of anger arose in him. He pushed her against a tree.
"KHUSHI! Kya tumhe laagta hai ki mein aise kaar saakta hoon? How can you even think that?"
Khushi tried to control her shaky voice and released herself from Arnav's grip.
She screeched "Woh baacha aap ki jaise dikta hai. Woh aap ke jaise bolta hai... aap aur os baache ki maa..."
"Enough Khushi!" Arnav grabbed her waist and neck. He was about to scream at her but he saw her face. She was truly broken. He said in a gentler but passionate tone "Khushi I never thought that you would think such low things of me. Tum ne saach mein mujhe iss baat se bohut dhook diya hai. Woh baacha mere jaise hai toh mein kya kaaro? Tum se pehle mein ne na toh kisi ko pyaar kiya hai na toh kisi ko haat lagaya hai. Madhura samaj bhati ki mein os ke saath relationship bana na chatha hoon likhen aise kuch bhi nahi hai. Tum hi meri zindagi ho. Mein siruf tumara hoon."
Khushi wanted to believe him. Her heart wanted to believe him. She didn't know what to think. The tears once again started to steam down her face. She pushed him away and asked him "Toh woh aap ki baho mein...?"
This time Arnav didn't move toward Khushi. He simply said "I don't need to prove myself. Mein usko console kaar raha tha. That's it. Aur kuch bhi nahi tha. The moment she told me her disgusting thoughts I broke the bond of friendship between us. The moment you ran away with tears in your eyes, I forgot about her. YOU ARE MY LIFE DAMMIT. I LOVE YOU AND ONLY YOU."
Khushi felt faint. The wind was blowing her hair all over her face and she could no longer see Arnav's face clearly. The rain was starting to make her shiver even harder. She felt herself starting to fall down. Arnav shouted "KHUSHI!" He tried to hold onto her to keep her from falling but she hit his chest and distanced him.
"Aap humse door..." She couldn't speak. Her head was spinning and her heart knew that her husband was telling the truth.
"Hum aap pe kaise vishwash kar lein?"
She was about to topple. Arnav wanted to go and catch her. Hug her. Make sure she was ok. He took a step forward but then he backed away.
He understood Khushi's position. He remembered seeing Shyam and Khushi...
There was only one way to convince Khushi now. He knew that she knew he was innocent. She just didn't know it herself yet.
He was broken that she wasn't trusting him. But he knew that the truth in his love would win.
He spoke his heart out.
"Khushi jaabse tum meri life mein aiya ho, tabse maine jeena sheek ha hai. Tum nahi toh mein nahi. Khushi nahi toh Arnav nahi. Tum ne mujhe itna kuch sikhaya hai. Tum ne hi mujhe teach kiya hai ki kuch rishton ko sabooth ki zarurath nahi hoti hai- ki pyaar hi saab se baada proof hota hai."
With that he turned around ready to walk away- give her time.
He started crying. His life was slipping out of his hands. How would he survive?
As he started walking, he felt a hand stop him. A hand that he could recognize anywhere.
He turned around and Khushi threw her arms around him. She clutched his shirt and cried into his chest. "Humhe maaf kaar di jiye. Humhe maaf kaar di jiye..."
Arnav put his hands around his life. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "No Khushi. Im sorry."
"Hum ne humare rishte ko itna neeche giradiya. Humhe aapse sabooth maanga... humhe maaf..." All of a sudden Khushi dropped her arms and she slipped down in Arnav's arms.
"KHUSHI?"
Arnav looked down and saw his wife fainted in his arms.
He lifted her up and a tear from his face fell onto hers. He smiled looking down at her. He knew she would be okay. As long as he was with her nothing could ever happen. She was the reason he lived- he breathed.
He started walking towards the other end of the road where he would call a car and get Khushi home as soon as possible.
The rain had died down. The storm in their life had died down- they had overcome it together.
Ufff Yeh Love Hai Mushkil
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