"Okay, Sir." He heard Aman say on the other line.
"Good." He cut the call and removed the Bluetooth from his ears. Again his mobile rang and he answered it while driving the car. "What now?"
"I heard about your Di, Arnav. I am so sorry about her suicide. Trust me, I had no idea she loved me that much." He let out an evil laugh. "By the way, I haven't heard of Khushi since, oh my God way too long!" Arnav clenched his jaw, realizing who it was. Suddenly a light flashed on his face and he turned the SUV to other side only to hit a car. He hit his head hard on the stirring wheel and all went black.
When he opened his eyes he was in hospital and his uncle Ram was right beside him. "W...What happened to... me?" He felt the sudden pain in his head when he was speaking. He then looked around and saw a doctor and a nurse coming towards him. They checked his pulse and they were interrupted by him. "How long have I been here?" He asked to the doctor.
"2 days. You woke up once and again you fell unconscious." It was his uncle Ram who answered the question. He remembered the accident and suddenly his eyes got wide. "Oh my God! Did anyone else get hurt?" He asked, suddenly panicked by that thought.
"Calm down. Everything is fine. You just need some rest." But he wanted assure that no one was hurt. He surely did remember that a car got hit by his SUV .He looked at the doctor again hoping she would tell him the truth. She inhaled deeply and then spoke. "Look, you don't need to panic okay, your uncle has dealt with the police but they are going to come here again for more enquiries." Why wouldn't she tell him what happened to the people in that car already? The doctor understood his look and spoke again. "I know what you are thinking right now. But this isn't the right time to..."
"Right time to what? Dammit! I want to know so you have to tell me what happened!" He almost yelled at her but she still kept calm. He took a long breath and looked at the doctor. "Look, I am.. I am sorry.. I didn't mean to.."
"I know. I can understand."
"Then please tell me about it, doctor."
"There were two people in the car. Unfortunately we couldn't save the man. The woman is in coma right now and it's difficult for us to say whether she would survive or not." Arnav fell back on the pillow covering his face with his hands.
"Oh God! What have I done?" Ram held his hand and touched his face gently.
"Hey, you don't have to feel guilty about it, okay? You didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident."
Arnav turned to the doctor. "Where is she? I want to see her." He said but the doctor shook her head.
"You aren't exactly in the right condition to go anywhere." Arnav groaned and removed the IV attached to his hand. "What are you doing?" The doctor tried to stop him but he wasn't a person who was going to listen to her. He had to see her right now. Wherever he goes, he keeps hurting people. Memories of Khushi flashed through his mind. What he has done to her..
He made his way to the ICU and the doctor and Ram followed him. He opened the door and froze at the sight in front of him. Khushi was laying there, her head bandaged and her hands bruised. Scratch marks were all over her pretty face. He slowly went towards her still unable to believe it was her. He touched her bruised hand and brought it close to his face. He couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his cheeks. "Khushi.." He whispered her name. He felt so angry at himself right now for hurting her once again. He stood up and stormed out of the room. But Ram was quick enough to catch his hand..
"Where do you think you are going?"
"Leave me alone!" He jerked his hand away and started to go but again Ram stopped him.
"Don't try to run away from life, son. You can never do that." His soft gaze made Arnav break. He hugged his uncle.
"Why do I always hurt her?" He asked.
"You have hurt her once, I do agree. But this time, it isn't your fault. Maybe fate had some other plans for you." He drew back from the hug and looked at Ram. Fate? He never believed in fate. Fate, destiny, it was all nonsense to him.
Arnav was the first to enter the room when she gained consciousness. She gazed at them and then at her bruises. "What happened to me? Why am I here?" She kept asking them about what happened but no one spoke. She looked at Ram. "Uncle! Why isn't anyone speaking? Please tell me what has happened to me? And where are my Mom and Dad? Why aren't they here? And Dhruv? Arnav will you please say something?" Arnav stepped forward but his uncle stopped him.
"Let me talk to her." He said gently and Arnav listened to him and stayed where he was. Ram wasn't able to say a word when a woman suddenly entered the room and ran to Khushi. She was holding a baby who looked a year old.
"Oh Khushi! Thank God you are fine." The woman hugged Khushi. She gazed at the baby and felt weird as the baby kept smiling at her as if they shared a close bonding between them. As the women drew back from the hug the baby was clutching to the sleeve of Khushi's gown. Completely unaware of what's going on, she just jerked her hand back.
"Khushi? What are you doing? You have no idea how much she has been crying since your accident. She wants to be with her Momma obviously!" The woman touched Khushi's hand but she again pulled her hand back.
"Momma?" Khushi asked and then looked at the ring on her left hand. She gazed at the woman. "Who are you?" She asked.
"Sir, Madam, could you please step out so we could carry on with our work? She needs rest right now as she is still delicate." Juhi said looking at Arnav and the woman beside Khushi.
"No, wait! Who are you?" Khushi again asked the woman and saw tears fill her eyes again.
"What? I am , your best friend!"
"No. My best friend is Dhruv! Where is he? Why didn't he come to visit me?" She asked and Zoya's eyes widen even more. She started slowly stepping back until she bumped into Arnav. He held her and looked at her and then to the baby. She looked just like Khushi. Her eyes.
"Arnav! At least you don't keep quiet!" His eyes darted from the baby to Khushi. "Oh my God! You are hurt too!" She cried and tried to get up but Arnav was too fast to get to her and he made her lie down. She touched his forehead gently.
"Hi Khushi. I am Dr.Juhi. You had a car accident. But you are fine now." Juhi spoke to her but she held her gaze firmly on Arnav. He gave a silent moan at her touch. He has longed for her touch and now that he has it, it feels like being alive again. Zoya just stood there watching them both, now getting a clear view of what has happened to her.
"I was with you? Oh thank God you are fine." She pulled him into a hug. "I would have gone mad if something happened to you." She said hugging him even tighter. When she drew back from the hug, Arnav looked at Juhi and her look indicated him to stay calm. She came towards them.
"We have to go through some checkups, Khushi. And Arnav too has to get some dressings. So please." She said looking at Arnav and Ram. He got up but Khushi caught his hand. She tilted her head up and kissed him on the cheeks.
"I love you." She whispered to him and he felt his heart sink at those words. Instead of replying the same to her----which he did mean to say----he just smiled at her and stepped out of the room with Ram and Zoya following him. The nurse closed the door and they all waited there. A nurse came to Arnav and asked him to rest in his room but he refused to go. And then he looked at Zoya and then to the baby. He walked towards them slowly.
"Hi." He said but Zoya remained silent. He again gazed at the baby and she understood what his question would be.
"She is Khushi's daughter, Pari." He gulped and she noticed. "Khushi and Dhurv's daughter." She said looking firmly at him. Khushi was married to Dhruv? He swallowed hard. And then it hit him. Unfortunately we couldn't save the man. Unfortunately we couldn't save the man. The doctor's words echoed in his head and tears filled his eyes.
"Dhruv?" Was he?" He couldn't say the rest of the words as it became so hard for him to speak.
"Yes. He was with her in the car."
"I am so sorry."
"Stop pretending. At least not in front of me!" She almost screamed at him and Pari started crying.
"What? I didn't even know they were..."
"I don't want to talk about that. Besides, your rich uncle has already proved that it wasn't your fault. So please, don't justify yourself." There was anger filled in her voice. And he could understand her concern for Khushi. And now he hated himself even more. He looked at the innocent child whose father he has taken away from her. She smiled innocently at him and it broke him. He extended his hand to touch her face but Zoya stepped back immediately.
"Don't! Don't even try to touch Pari! Not after what you have done with Khushi!" She said and he stepped back from her. He gazed at Pari for one last time and walked towards Ram who was standing by the ICU. They waited for the doctors to come out. Arnav thought about what has happened back there. He was unable to believe all that. Maybe she was a little bit shaken by the accident which is why she behaved like that. His thoughts were interrupted by Juhi. She stepped out and closed the door to the room. Zoya hurried towards them.
"She is fine now. But..." Juhi gave a long pause and then spoke again. "...She is suffering from amnesia. A part of her memory is erased. The last thing she remembered is coming from a party with you." She said looking at Arnav. "She doesn't know about Dhruv's death and about their marriage too. When we told her about her memory loss then she looked at her ring and then concluded that she is married to you." She looked at Arnav who was completely dazed. "We decided not to tell her about Dhruv as it might worsen her situation. But neither did we answer her question about being married to you." She gazed at everyone and again back at Arnav. "I want to talk to you alone." Arnav nodded and followed her to her cabin. She gestured him to sit.
"Is she going to be alright?" He asked as he sat on the chair.
"Yes, she will be."
"How long will it take her to regain her memory?"
"In some cases it takes months, years and maybe...never." She spoke the truth to him. She didn't want to mislead him by giving him false hopes. "Now there is something I want to ask you."
"Yes."
"It seems like you and Khushi were in a relationship two years back. And you two got separated and she got married to Dhruv." She paused for Arnav's reaction and he nodded silently. "Arnav, now she only remembers is your relationship and that she loves you a lot. I can tell this because I saw that in her eyes. She thinks she has been married to you, Arnav. I know I shouldn't be asking this but, do you still love her?" She studied his actions closely. He took a deep breath and spoke.
"Yes, I do. I love her."
"I hope you will take the best decision, Arnav. Don't do anything which might lead to more stress to her brain. Just remember one thing; she needs you at this phase."
As Arnav opened the door he saw Khushi with Pari in her lap. He walked towards them and sat on the chair beside her bed. "How are you feeling?" He asked, trying to sound as normal as he could.
"I don't know, little lost-the-track-of-time I guess." She said looking at Pari and he smiled. He gazed at Zoya and she looked away. He could feel her hate towards him. Probably he would be getting the same feeling from Khushi if she hasn't lost her memory. He shut his eyes not wanting to feel the guilt he was feeling right then. "Hey, you okay?" He opened his eyes at her voice. He nodded with a smile and she smiled too.
"She looks just like you." He said caressing Pari's face.
"But she has inherited your smile." She said as Pari giggled in her lap. He didn't smile. Instead he just kept looking at her and saw the flashes of the accident. He felt sorry for taking her father away from her. "I'm so sorry I don't remember our marriage, our child." She looked at Pari and tears filled her eyes.
"Hey, you don't have to feel bad about anything, okay." He said wiping off the tears on her cheeks.
"Exactly! Now that you two are together, you should only think about the new memories that you will get to make in the future." Ram came to Khushi and she hugged him. Arnav forced a smile as he knew she doesn't belong with him now.
When Arnav went to bring lunch for Khushi, Zoya was alone with her. "I am so sorry I don't remember you." She said bitterly.
"Don't be. I am glad that we got you back." Zoya hugged her best friend, feeling sorry for not telling the truth to her.
Arnav didn't wanted to take any risk so he shifted their life to Cape Town as no one would be there to remind her of anything that might harm her. Zoya too came with them as Arnav asked her to come. He had no idea how he is going to take care of Khushi and her daughter and he badly needed her help. He took the responsibility of the company AR Industries had operated there with Aman joining him in there. They moved to the house which he already had there.
"We used to come here for holidays?" Khushi asked as they entered the house.
"Yeah." Arnav said and then looked at Zoya who was was glaring at him. He knew she wasn't happy with their decision but he also knew she will support him as she wants her best friend to be safe. Khushi went to her room with Pari as Aman asked the servants to carry their luggage to their rooms.
"Thanks for coming with us." Arnav said to Zoya.
"I am doing this for Khushi."
"I know. Thank you."
"You still haven't told me why my parents didn't come to visit me at the hospital." Khushi asked as he entered their room.
"Uh.. They.. Actually... They were a little busy."
"Busy? If they knew I had an accident then there wouldn't be anything in the world which would stop them from coming to me. Something is wrong isn't it? You didn't even let me visit them before coming here." She asked, keeping her voice low so she wouldn't wake up Pari. Arnav came and sat beside her.
"I just didn't want to give you any stress." He said hoping she would end that topic right there. He didn't have the guts to call them. He still wondered why they are so mad at her. Was it because she married Dhruv? No, they did like Dhruv. He thought. She rested her head on his shoulders.
"So many things have changed, right? I have got new friends and my old friends didn't even bother to visit me there just like my parents didn't." He knew she was talking about Dhruv and he stood up.
"Uh, I have got some work to do." He said and walked towards his laptop. Khushi waited on the bed for him to finish his work but she fell asleep. When he was sure she has slept, he climbed on the bed careful enough not to wake her. He put a couple of pillows in between them and dozed off to sleep.
"I am going to go shopping with Zoya. Pari will be with the baby sitter. The driver will take us." Khushi said to Arnav hoping he would get that she is mad at him. She waited for him last night too but he came to home too late and by the time she has already slept. He kept typing something on his laptop.
"Yeah, Aman will go with you."
"Seriously? You have made him my bodyguard." Arnav stopped typing and looked at Khushi who had her arms folded on her chest.
"Just do as I say." She groaned and he smiled at her.
"You haven't changed a bit, Mr.Akdu Singh Raizada!" He chuckled as she walked out of the room angrily. She used to call him that before and it was the first time he heard it in the past two years.
Arnav walked into Stella's room. He had hired her as Pari's baby sitter after going through dozens of background checks on her by himself. "Stella, you can go now. I will be here with Pari." He said as he took her in his arms. Stella nodded and packed her stuff and went.
"Today, Pari will be with her Daddy.." He stopped, realizing what he said was wrong. He wasn't her father. Dhruv was her father and he always will be just like he will be Khushi's husband. Arnav reminded himself that he is just here to try to recover the damage that he has done to their life. "How about you call me Dada?" He kissed her soft cheeks and she giggled. "I will take that as a yes." He smiled and walked to their room. He gently placed her on the bed and she immediately started crawling. He took her in his arms and then placed her on the carpet floor so she could crawl freely. He sat on his knees and began imitating her.
"Arnav? Are you... Crawling?" He stopped at Khushi's voice and lifted his head up to see her standing in front of him. He quickly got up and Pari stopped crawling too. She looked at her mother innocently and started giggling.
"No.. I was.. I was finding something which I had dropped on the floor." He said. Khushi went and took Pari in her arms.
"Looks like Daddy and Pari was having a race, huh?" She giggled and Pari joined her too. Arnav watched them, feeling glad to see them both happy like this. He wished if he could join them but his guilt wasn't letting him do so.
Two months passed and Khushi hasn't regained her memory. As always, Arnav came home late. He opened their room and entered quietly careful enough not to wake her. He saw Khushi sleeping on his side. He went closer to her and saw one of his shirts in her hands which she has clutched to her chest. He knew she had been missing him. He couldn't help but feel miserable for doing this to her. He realized how lonely he has made her feel. He could have at least spent some time with her without breaking his barriers. But he knew what has kept him from doing that. He was afraid that he might not have control over him if he gets close with her. And he didn't want that. He didn't want to betray her again. He kissed her forehead gently and slowly walked out of the room.
He saw Zoya in the living room and went to her. "You didn't sleep yet? Any problem?" He asked her.
"Yes, there is a problem. What is wrong with you! You bring her here so you can make her feel alone and rejected? She was crying today, Arnav! Do you have any idea how upset she is? She thinks you are ignoring her!"
"Dammit, Zoya! You think it's easy for me? It's easy for me to stay away from her like this? To refuse to her whenever she wants to spend time with me? It's not! But I have to! She is.. She was Dhurv's wife and I can't forget that for God sake! And every day I have to love with this guilt that I killed her husband. You have no idea what I am going through, Zoya."
"Well then, you deserve it! You think you are suffering? Do you have any idea how much you have made her suffer? You left her when she was pregnant! Yes, Arnav! Pari isn't Dhruv's child. She is your child!" Her words hit him like a stake driven through his heart. "Because of you her parents abandoned her. She wanted your baby, Arnav. And she wasn't ready to marry Dhruv because she still loved you! It was Dhruv who was with her every time she needed him. And when they were finally happy with their life, you ruined it too! Yes you killed him, Arnav! You killed him!" With that she walked past him leaving him there. He fell on his knees and cried. He left her when she needed him the most. And he even snatched the only happiness she had. Zoya was right. He killed Dhruv and he killed Khushi's happiness with him. He got up on his feet and walked out of the house. He climbed into his SUV and drove off.
He woke up when his mobile rang. He searched for it in his SUV. It was Zoya calling. He answered the call.
"Arnav! Khushi is gone with Pari. She remembers. She called me and she told me didn't expect me to lie to her. Please find her. Please."
"What? Wait, I am coming to home." He drove as fast as he could and he saw Zoya standing outside the house. When she saw his SUV, she came running to him. He unlocked the door so she could climb in. Just then Arnav's phone rang and he answered the call.
"Looking for someone?" He recognized the voice.
"Ritesh! I swear to God if you touch her..!"
"Wooh! Calm down, brother! Calm down. I won't do any harm to her. I just love her so much."
"Don't touch me!" Arnav heard Khushi's voice and he clenched his fists.
"Bye bye, Arnav." And then the line got cut.
Arnav told Zoya about the call and she asked to inform the police. "No, we don't have time for that. I can track him. Remember the watch I'd given to Khushi? It has a locating device in it. I wanted to protect her from him because I know how cunning he can be. And I was right. He still hasn't stopped following her." They got in the SUV and drive to the place where his phone was showing she was. It was an old garage and he could see a car parked there.
"You stay in the car."
"No, I will come with you."
"Please. I don't want you to get hurt." He looked at her and she nodded.
"You think he is going to come for you?" Ritesh lashes out, backhanding her hard across the face. It knocks her to the concrete floor and pain exploded in her head. She tried to get up but she fell back on the ground.
"I don't want.. him to come... for me.." She said looking at him.
"Oh yeah! She remembers! How can I forget that?" He gave an evil laugh and looked towards Pari who was on the floor crawling to come to her mother. He caught her by the hand she started crying even loudly.
"No! Please! Leave my daughter! It's me who you have problem with! Leave her! I beg you! Please!" Khushi screamed but he wasn't listening to her.
"Get your bloody hands off my daughter!" Both Khushi and Ritesh looked at Arnav who was fuming with anger. Arnav looked at Khushi and saw her head bleeding. He again glared at Ritesh and clenched his fists wanting to kill him on the spot. Ritesh was laughing again.
"Looks like your Papa wants to have a word with me, Pari." He stood up and came towards Arnav. Khushi tried to get to Pari and took her.
"So you think..." It was all he could say when Arnav punched him on the face and he fell on the floor. Arnav didn't wait for him to stand up and caught him by the collar and made him stand up. He dragged him to the wall and banged his head until he fell on the ground.
"How dare you! How dare you hurt her?" He raised his hand to hit him again but someone stopped him. It was a police officer and he saw four other officers standing with Zoya in front of them.
"Leave him to us." The officer pulled Ritesh to his vehicles and the other officers followed him too. Arnav rushed to Khushi. Zoya too came and took Pari in her arms and hugged her.
"Your head, it's bleeding. We need to go to the hospital." He said holding her hand but she pulled away.
"Don't you dare touch me." Her eyes were filled with tears and he knew it wasn't because of Ritesh. It was because of him.
"Khushi, listen to me.." It was all he could say when she started hitting his chest with her fists. She threw weak punches at him which followed several others. She pounded his chest harder and harder screaming that she hated him.
He grabbed her wrists. "I did it for you. I wanted to keep you safe."
"By lying to me? By pretending to be my husband? And I was living happily with you when I should have been mourning about my husband's death!" Pulling free, she punched him again but this time he grabbed her and pulled her against him.
"Do you think it was easy for me? But think about it, Khushi. You and I meeting again like this. You forgetting your memory and loving me again. Maybe fate has given us another chance."
"Fate? You never believed in fate, Arnav."
"Yes I didn't, but now I do. I know its fate which is pulling us together." She pushed him away.
"No it's not! You ended our relationship long back when you chose to trust Ritesh and not me. How could you even think that I would betray you with him?"
"I know it's my entire fault. I am sorry, Khushi. Please forgive me. Please come back to my life. I need you and Pari."
"It's over, Arnav. We were never meant to be together." She went to Zoya who was holding Pari. She took Pari from her and started going.
"Da...da" She stopped when she heard Pari speak for the first time. And it was Arnav who she was calling. She looked towards Arnav with her sparkling eyes and he couldn't wait any longer to come and hold her in his arms. Khushi gazed at them both. Arnav looked at her with pleading eyes but she just looked away.
"It that's what you want, I won't stop you. I have lost that right long back." He said kissing Pari for one last time before giving her to Khushi.
Arnav entered the empty house. It hadn't even been an hour since they were gone and already he was missing them badly. He slowly climbed the stairs and went to his room. And the sight in front of him surprised him. Pari was on his bed and started giggling as soon as she saw him. He ran to her and took her in his arms and kissed her all over her face.
"She didn't want to go without her father." He turned to face Khushi who was at the door step, smiling at them both. She came to him and wiped off the tear that has just fallen from his eyes. "I hate myself for not being able to hate you." She said as her eyes too welled up with tears. Arnav smiled at her.
"And I love myself for being able to love you so much." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him hard. They were both interrupted by Pari who started crying, feeling ignored by her parents. They both chuckled and kissed her on the cheeks. Arnav hugged them both, promising himself that he would cherish her and make up for all the wrong he has done to her.
Khushi put the last candle on the cake and Arnav gave thumbs up. "You are very good at this." He said as he looked at the cake which she has made for Pari's 3rd birthday. They both looked at Pari who was running and her grandmother was chasing her with a glass of milk in her hands.
"Pari! Don't trouble your Nani too much!" Khushi called out and Pari immediately went to her grandfather and sat on his lap. She knew her Nanu would protect her from the tasteless drink that her Nani was hell bent on feeding her.
Khushi giggled and gazed at Arnav. "Thank you." She whispered and kissed him on the lips.
"For what?" He whispered against her lips
"For everything."
"No, thank you." He kissed her as he ran his hands over her little baby bump.
Do let me know your views about this OS :) Oh and one of my readers also voted for this story as the blockbuster movie. Thank you -Xpress- 😉
And thank you AR4eve, rida001, Javeria3991, tinsel, -NeonStar-, pancakes, sinhas, Aisha1996, meiejrishbala for voting for my OS :)
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