Part 8
"Khushi!" Arnav called, he was rushing into the room, his voice hoarse. She ran towards him, allowing him to take in her shaking body. "Sssh Khushi, I'm here, you're safe." Arnav soothed. "We're going to show everyone who he is," he whispered into her ear before placing soft kisses in her hair, one hand holding Shyaam's tablet.
"Are you ready?" Arnav asked her, she nodded into his chest, sniffing slightly.
"Did you hear, what he...said?" Khushi asked.
Arnav shook his head, "Mama-ji was wondering why I didn't go to the office, but I have it all on here," he said, tapping the tablet, "what did he say?"
"You'll find out."
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"Di, can you come downstairs?" Arnav asked Anjali, who was sitting cross-legged on her bed, knitting what appeared to be a blanket for the ray of light growing in her stomach. Shyaam was nowhere to be seen.
"You're back from the office so soon?" Anjali, said confused. "What's wrong, Chote?" She asked, studying his face.
"You need to see something," Arnav said, his throat tightening.
Although Anjali was the one who wanted Shyaam to come back into the house, she was unaware of the monster she was living in, she loved him with such innocence and so she built a fairytale world for herself, terrified of it crumbling. She would have to face the reality and, with reluctance, Arnav led her to the living room, where reality would hit her with such force that he was uncertain whether or not it would break her.
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Arnav called for the rest of the family, and gathered them in the living room, "Chote, why have you called us all here?" Dadi enquired impatiently.
"Why is everyone here?" Shyaam asked appearing from the kitchen, Anjali's medicines in his hands, along with a glass of water.
Arnav's eyes slowly met his; he advanced towards him, placing himself right in front of the devil, obtaining Di's medicines and the water from his grip, "I want to show the family something." Shyaam's mouth tightened, but Arnav had no time for this; he gave the water and medicines to Anjali, the room quiet.
Khushi had drawn the TV close, so everyone could see it; she then connected the tablet to it, Shyaam's eyes flashing at it. "I-I think we should-"Shyaam said, alarmed.
"Dhamaji, let us see what Chote wants us to see." Dadi said, foreshadowing how every word of Shyaam's would be rejected.
Khushi, looked at Arnav, who was sitting beside Di, on his other side Shyaam who was now breathing rapidly. Arnav nodded at her and so she pressed play.
The screen showed Khushi sitting on the bed, her head in her hands, Anjali looked at Arnav, her eyebrows pulled together, clearly confused. "Wait," Arnav said to the whole family.
The atmosphere suddenly changed as Shyaam marched onto the screen, Nk's hands were firmly placed on his mouth, Mami shaking her head, Dadi's teeth were clenched and Anjali sat there, her heart ripping out her chest.
"I came to see you, Khushi-ji." Shyaam sneered from the screen, his back was towards the camera, yet Khushi's face was revealed, looking absolutely petrified.
Shyaam tried to talk over his own voice, but Nani sent him a deathly look, "quiet," she said warningly.
"Forget Rani Sahiba!" Shyaam's clear reflection called from the TV, accompanying Khushi's painful yelped as he had grabbed her around the arms. Arnav stiffened, his hands curling into fists.
"I don't love her, did you hear that? I don't bloody love her, she can rot in hell for all I care."
The words pierced into Anjali, eyes glistening with tears as Shyaam's mask was pulled clean off from his face, the truth lying bare in front of her.
"Don't you understand Khushi-ji? I would do anything for us, anything, that's why I disabled the brakes of Rani Saiba's car, I've tried to get rid of that thing inside her-"
Anjali let out a painful gasp, her eyes frozen, and lips slightly apart. Arnav was up in a flash punching Shyaam square in the face with all the force he could muster. He did it again and again "you bloody b*****," he roared emphazing each word with a blow. Shyaam tried to swing his arm at Arnav when Nk lunged at Shyaam, pinning him against the wall so Arnav needn't worry about Shyaam's retaliation. Mama-ji took out his phone, trying to keep his voice controlled so it was hearable to the police.
Anjali sat there paralyzed, letting out short, painful stabs of breaths, with the weight of the world thrust upon her. "Anjali, bitiya, no..." Nani cried, trying to get her out of the shock.
"Chote! Stop," Dadi ordered, Arnav couldn't hear anything, the blood pumping in his ears were drowning all else out, his motive was to hurt Shyaam as much as he had hurt everyone in the room. Dadi placed her hand on Arnav's shoulder, receiving a frustrated scowl from him, his fist suspended in midair. "I want to talk to Dhamaji," Dadi said, cooly.
She indicated Nk to let go of Shyaam, "Dadi, this man-" Arnav began through gritted teeth, but Dadi set out on her interrogation anyway.
"Why did you do this Dhamaji?" Dadi said in a whisper, focusing on Shyaam's bruised face. Shyaam coughed out a bit of blood, stalling for time. "I didn't do anything-"
"-Why did you say you love Khushi?" Dadi asked, her voice losing its patience.
"I didn't, I-"
"Liar." Dadi said with finality, turning slowly away from him.
On the other side of the room Anjali was sobbing into Mami's shoulder, "ssh Anjali bitiya, we are all here, aren't we? No, no crying, pleaje".
"Arnav-ji, no!" Khushi gasped, as Arnav sent Shyaam sprawling towards the floor, Arnav's face doleful. The whole room shook of grief, the source still having no regret for his actions; he tried to come towards Anjali, where Dadi acted as a barrier, daring him.
"This is a lie!" Shyaam bellowed, trying to get someone to believe his hypocrisy.
There was a loud knock on the front door, "Police!" A voice boomed from the outside, Mama-ji ran towards the door, ranching it open. Four men dressed in green uniform entered the room, "we have an arrest warrant for Shyaam Manohar Jha for attempted murder".
Tear-filled eyes darted from Shyaam to the officers, "he's here, officer," Mama-ji said, motioning towards Shyaam, not even looking at him. "I'll come in tomorrow, with the evidence," pointing to the tablet that lay on the floor, still connected to the TV.
The dignified thing to do was for Shyaam to go quietly, but Shyaam was anything but dignified, wasn't he?
"No! Please, Rani Saiba!" Shyaam panted, perspiration growing behind his neck, racking his filthy mind for some escape. Arnav signalled for the officer to put the handcuffs on Shyaam that were dangling from his hand.
"No, wait," came Anjali's small voice.
She slowly got to her feet, tears etched upon her cheeks; she stood in front of Shyaam, looking into his eyes, one of his hands outstretched towards her. Her expression unreadable.
Her lips then pulled back, along with her hand that came crashing towards his cheek, the sound of the slap echoing throughout the room. "Y-you will not hurt my baby, me or any member of this family again," she said, furiously blinking tears away from her eyes. "I will make sure we both get what we deserve," and with that she stepped away from him.
A small triumphant smile appeared on Khushi's lips, dumbfounded-Shyaam- looked from Anjali to Khushi and back again. "You will pay for this Khushi-ji!" He roared, his fists flying in her direction, only to be back-slapped by Arnav.
There's the update😊
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