Chapter 81
Aman stood up. 'ASR, it's up to you if you want to accept my relationship to your sister. Either way, let me make it explicitly clear: I'm not giving Anjali up this time.'
Arnav watched his friend, correction, brother-in-law quietly as Aman's words raced through his mind. The magnitude of Aman's revelations was shocking. As a brother, Arnav was shaken to the core not only because the man he hated the most in the world had reappeared, but more so because his sister had deliberately hidden information from him. His chest ached. He felt raw, as if his flesh had been ripped from his bones, every last layer of protection stripped from him. He grappled with how to ease his pain and that of his sister. Arnav Singh Raizada was a man who prided himself on his control and yet right now it was nowhere within his grasp. His hand curled into a fist and he pressed it against the edge of the desk and closed his eyes trying to pull together the torn edges of his self-control.
Arnav was also a man who was used to having all the answers, to being at least ten steps ahead of the game. But he had to admit it that right now this situation had him floundering in the dark. And it was a very disturbing feeling. However Arnav Singh Raizada was not the sort of man who tolerated the unknown and given that his involved his family it was critical for his sanity that he got to the bottom of this.
'Sit down Aman, we're not done yet,' Arnav said quietly. In full view of Aman, Arnav picked up his phone and dialled the number that was second on his speed dial and placed it on speaker phone. The call was answered on the second ring by a very hesitant voice. 'Di, I'm sending Om Prakash to bring you to where Aman and I are. He should be there with you in thirty minutes,' he said calmly not giving his Di a chance to respond before hanging up. Arnav then called Om Prakash and provided the necessary instructions before sliding the phone back into his pocket.
He looked across the wide table at Aman, 'you and Di may have called the shots up until now,' Arnav stated grimly, 'but I want answers and I want them tonight. Neither you, Di or I are going to leave this place until I have them,' he said in a low voice which made his point brutally clear. His eyes were so dark and dilated that they were almost black and Aman knew he was staring into the face of a man who was very close to exceeding the limits of his control.
Ice could have frozen in the room as Arnav's eyes locked challengingly with Aman's hazel eyes as they waited for the arrival of the woman who was at the centre of each man's universe.
'Why are you bringing her here?' Aman asked quietly.
'Neutral territory,' Arnav answered softly.
Aman watched Arnav who was operating with ice-cold precision. Dissatisfied with the response, Aman frowned but kept his mouth shut as ASR's clipped tone was clearly indicatively of the fact that he was in no mood to entertain any further questions from Aman.
Long minutes ticked by slowly.
'For what is worth, I should have told you about Anjali and me,' Aman conceded quietly.
'Is that supposed to an apology?'
Before Aman could answer, Arnav's phone rang. He picked it up and issued a soft instruction.
A short while later, the door slowly swung open. Anjali Bansal hesitantly appeared in the room.
Aman's eyes immediately sought out his wife. His light eyes locked with her darker ones. Her fear was plainly evident and she was frozen to her spot. Aman stood up and walked to Anjali. He took her hand, linking their fingers when she faltered, enveloped it, infusing her with his power, giving her the strength to face her brother.
Anjali took a deep breath and stepped in front of her brother.
The look in her beloved Chote's eyes made fear clutch at her heart.
'Chote...'
Her mouth was so dry with fear that his name had an embarrassingly squeaky sound and Anjali caught herself swallowing hard to try to ease the constriction in her throat.
She felt Aman gently squeeze her hand. His hand was warm, firm and reassuring. It drove away some of the fears in Anjali's mind and replaced it them with slight confidence and hope.
Arnav was quiet witness to the display of solidarity in front of him but the need for answers still burned inside him and hardened his heart again.
Anjali turned to face her brother and took a step towards him. To anyone else, there was rage, fury, anger there, but what Anjali saw was pain, betrayal and anguish. Anjali knew there was only one person with the answers. Her. She took another deep breath and tried to calm her frayed nerves.
She turned to Aman. 'I need to talk to Arnav. Alone,' she said softly.
Aman's eyes ran over his wife's face. His heart begged him to stay but his head ordered him to leave. He knew he had no choice. Turning to Anjali, he brushed his lips against the back of her hand. 'I love you,' she heard him whisper. Anjali's hand moved to her heart. His love for her was pure and unassuming. He was her sanctuary and the anchor she had so desperately needed her in her life. She was a long way from being healed but for the first time in a very long time, Anjali was filled with the hope that there was a possibility she could be. But only if he was by her side.
'I'll be outside if you need me,' Aman said as Anjali nodded and watched him leave.
Anjali took a deep breath and turned to face her brother who remained seated.
There was only one other chair in the room and it was on the opposite end of the table. She slowly walked to it and pulled it closer so that it sat to Arnav's right hand and took a seat. She had no idea of what to say or how to start.
'Aman told me everything,' she heard Arnav whisper softly.
Anjali glanced up into Arnav's eyes and saw a flicker of raw anguish flash across his eyes. She swallowed her own pain as her eyes were suddenly filled with tears that made her choke.
'Chote...I...I...,' Anjali couldn't formulate the words.
Arnav slowly looked up at his beloved sister. 'Why didn't you tell me Di? Why? I could have stopped him,' he whispered softly. Anjali's eyes blurred. Bitter tears stung at the backs of her eyes and she blinked hard, trying to force them back. She knew why they were there. Heartbreak had put them there. Fear of what would happen as soon as she spoke. Fear of hurting her beloved brother.
She watched as his troubled eyes met hers, 'Didn't you trust me Di?'
Anjali's head shot up. 'There isn't anyone in this world that I trust more than you Chote,' she said.
Arnav turned to look at his sister. His eyes bore into hers. 'Di, after everything that's just happened - those are just words. If it was true then you would you would have come to me the minute that...that man returned,' he said, the accusation clear in his eyes and voice.
'You don't understand Arnav -' Anjali began.
Arnav's eyes flashed as he interjected, 'No, I don't Di, I really don't because from where I'm standing my sister and my best friend have been conspiring behind my back to actively hide something that I should have known about from the minute it started happening! But more than that, I should have stood by you and protected you from Jha. That I didn't'' His voice broke, and it took him a second to get himself back under control. 'It's killing me, Di. I screwed up. I let myself get sucked into my world and I didn't pay attention to what was happening to you. I failed you when you needed me.'
Anjali's heart shattered into a million pieces at the way her Chote's voice shook vulnerably. It made Anjali want to protect him again, shield him from the dangers of her reality.
Anjali shook her head. 'You didn't fail me Chote because I didn't tell you.'
'I should have known,' he whispered.
Anjali looked at him, 'Chote, you are not a mind-reader. None of this is your fault,' she said softly as if reading his fear, letting him know how far-fetched his guilt was.
'You've always protected me Chote.'
And then it came to her flooding back to her. What she had tried so desperately not to allow herself to even think about. The images, the daily details, every sensation and thought and common occurrence of an existence as his wife. It brought a fresh wave of anguish. The overpowering terror during her marriage as he held her down, how helpless she'd been. The shame at what had been happening. The disgust. The self-loathing. The helplessness. The nagging doubt that maybe, just maybe, it had been her fault. Anjali gasped as she struggled to grab oxygen into her burning lungs. And then her eyes fell on her magalsutra and like clarity in a heavy mist, she heard Aman's words in the depths of her mind.
Don't fight against me. Fight with me. I love you.'
She knew she had to fight against her fear. Otherwise it would consume her for the rest of her life. And the first step had to be to own her decisions. Anjali took a deep breath as she slowly wiped away her tears. Whatever her reasons were, a big part of her acknowledged that she deserved her Chote's anger. She should never have kept Shyam a secret from him, no matter how scared she was. The tragedy was that she had loved her brother and had wanted to protect him but inadvertently had hurt him terribly.
Her voice shook slightly.
'When you brought me back home from him, it took me a long time to understand that my destiny was now in my own hands and I slowly began to try and live a normal life away from all the assault and abuse. Everything was finally improving for our family; I was safe, Nani was happy and you were taking AR to new heights of success that we hadn't ever seen.'
Anjali paused as she turned to Arnav.
'You've always protected me Chote. Even though I'm older you have been the one to always hold me and protect me, first with amma and babuji and then from him.' Anjali sighed deeply, 'When he came back and Aman saw him outside Shanti-vaan, he immediately said we have to tell you. But I said no. I thought I was stronger and I wanted to protect myself. I thought it's about time I took responsibility for protecting myself. Aman baulked but I made him swear not to tell you. I'm not proud of this. At that time, you were doing so well with AR Corp after all those months of me causing stress that I didn't want to become a bother again. Chote, remember one day you were in the lounge at Shanti-Vaan after dinner and Aman was going to tell you something but I came in dropped the tray of tea?'
Arnav frowned and nodded.
'Aman had sworn to tell you the truth that day. I deliberately sabotaged him with the tea incident and told him that it was none of his business and it wasn't his place to say anything to you. We had a big argument that day and I didn't speak to him for weeks.' Anjali's voice softened, 'I might be older, but Aman is definitely more mature and sensible than I am. He knew that my stupidity would come at a cost and he tried to protect me by getting the bodyguards but I hated having them around. I hated my every move being watched. It was like being married to Shyam all over again. So I made Aman get rid of them.'
Anjali paused to take a deep breath. 'I was difficult and irrational as I swung between trying to survive the panic attacks of being petrified by Shyam and then trying to convince myself that I was strong and that I could do this on my own terms. Aman wasn't convinced and he said if I didn't let the bodyguards protect me, then he would do it himself.'
Anjali paused as she looked into her brother's eyes. 'Chote, you won't like me saying this but in a way I was glad I managed to keep Aman from telling you because if you had known and had been at the doctor's office with me -'
'I would have protected you from that maniac,' bit out Arnav from between clenched teeth.
'No Chote, you would have killed Shyam with your bare hands for attacking me the way he did,' Anjali said softly. 'Chote, when you are angry, you can't seem to see beyond that and you know it.'
Arnav bit his tongue, being reminded about his anger twice in one day by the two women who mattered to him the most was enough to make him roll his eyes. But he also acknowledged the point that his sister had just made - had he been present at the doctor's office, he would have ensured that Shyam Manohar Jha would have exited the premises in body bag.
'Shyam was convinced that Aman and I were having an affair. Aman stood up to Shyam that day. Shyam tried to provoke Aman multiple times but Aman kept his cool in-spite of his fury and got me out of there. I guess that was the first time I saw evidence of what was in his heart for me. Aman was adamant about telling you that day. You and AR Corp were on the threshold of announcing the commencement of that American project so I begged Aman not to say anything and that I'd tell you after the launch. Aman conceded but he said that the bodyguards had to come back. I agreed and accepted that compromise. When you came back from USA, you were so excited about success of the project and the future of AR Corp, I didn't to ruin it. So I kept asking Aman for time. Anyway, Shyam disappeared after that day and I thought we had successfully managed to get rid of him. Aman and I began spending more time with each other and slowly I began to feel like maybe it was possible for me to have a normal life.'
Anjali smiled softly, 'For the first time in my life, I fell in love. I began to dream about the future. And it wasn't a dark, painful place anymore because I slowly began to feel healed in his love for me.'
Arnav couldn't help but notice the wistfulness his sister's voice. He had never heard her speak of another man like this.
Anjali poured herself a glass of water and continued, 'after your wedding to Khushi-ji, Aman became even more adamant about telling you about our relationship. Aman asked me to go Sydney with him to talk about our future. One evening we were walking along the beach and he said that he was going to ask you for my hand in marriage when we came back to Delhi but wanted to know my answer first. I said yes. That night I went to sleep thinking about my new life with Aman, but I had no idea about what lay ahead of me,' Anjali sighed deeply as one tear trickled down her cheek.
'Chote you said Aman told you everything. Did he tell you about how he called on every contact he had to make sure that the matter was dealt with the highest level of confidentially as the Australian Police liaised with the Delhi Police so that my identity remained protected and the story didn't get leaked to anyone? Did he tell you how after the attack, he spoke to Nanhe's mum and dad, telling them that we needed to make an urgent trip to Melbourne for work, even though we remained in Sydney so that no one would see my hysteria, my bruises, my tears and ask questions. He stayed with me around the clock as I fought with the shock, trauma and nightmares,' she whispered in a broken voice.
Arnav who had been listening quietly looked up at his sister. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place and he had gotten some of his answers. But one key question still remained unanswered.
'Di, I still don't get why you needed to get married there? Shyam was arrested and charged there. He can't get to you anymore. If Aman was planning on doing everything properly - what changed his mind?'
Anjali turned to Arnav. 'Aman didn't change his mind. I did.'
Arnav's head swung up in disbelief, 'Why Di?'
'When Shyam attacked me there, it was as if he came and ripped away the scab from the wound that was finally beginning to heal and there I was, back at square one, bleeding and broken once again. I didn't want to be there anymore. I didn't want to be the victim anymore. I was petrified that even though Shyam was behind bars - he would continue to terrorise and rule me from there. He stole enough of my life from me, Chote and I didn't want to have anymore of me. I wanted my future to be with Aman. I wanted to feel safe and secure in his love and I didn't want to wait anymore,' Anjali said softly.
'Chote, I know I have hurt you immensely by some of the choices I have made. In hindsight, I can see why it looks like it was dishonest, but Chote my intention was never to deceive you about anything but to protect you from more of my horrible past. As for Aman, I should have told you the truth or let him, but deep down I was afraid of result if you didn't accept him and me - would I be able to give up love that I had only just found? Chote, I'm not as brave as you are so I took the easier option and hid it from you,' she sighed deeply, 'this is not an excuse but truth.'
Anjali leaned forward, 'If there's anyone you can trust me to, its Aman. He completes me in spite of how broken I am. I feel protected and safe when he's with me. Chote, if for no other reason, accept this relationship, this marriage because I love him and there's no other man who has loved and will love me like he has,' she implored as silent tears began flowing down her cheeks earnestly.
Arnav stood up and watched to the edge of the room and looked out to the manicured lawns of the Taj as he processed both sides of the story. His breathing was steady and the level of anger that he walked into the room with earlier in the evening had dissipated. His analytical brain kicked into gear as he weighed the facts.
Anjali swallowed nervously as she watched her Chote. His silence was unnerving. She knew how he saw the world - it was either black or white - there was no space for grey. Having heard both sides of the story, what would the outcome be for her, wondered Anjali as she stared at her brother who was judge, jury and executioner all rolled into one.
After what felt like eternity, Arnav turned to Anjali. 'I think we need to call Aman back in Di,' he said in a calm voice. Arnav Singh Raizada wasn't done yet.
chapter 82: http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3602925&PID=86202175�
Arjun
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