chapter 6

shyam left the venue, khushi and pari waited for two minutes to see when the ghost was clear but those two minutes' shook khushi's entire perspective on the situation she couldn't believe what she saw next, the same man who had put the bag on his face and tied him up was removing the bag and untying the same arnav, what was happening khushi was shocked, pari and khushi looked at each other and khushi was confused, why was he helping him, it was good that he was but why ,wasn't he shyams man, and wasn't arnav the victim whats going on, suddenly the man spoke in a loud voice

man: u can come out, its fine shyams gone

pari and khushi looked at each other and then slowly they emerged from the side wall and saw arnav was standing right in front of them, khushi was in tears she didn't think of anything and she straight ran into his arms, and hugged him tightly, she cried and cried in his arms and arnav slowly wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, and reciprocated the hug, khushi had forgotten everything, she forgot that he was in a bad condition, and that he was angry at her, she forgot the misunderstanding the fact that he didn't believe her and how he separated from her the airport, those few days of separation from him felt like eternity for her, a few minutes later she looked up at him and saw him looking at her with those dark brown eyes, she slowly separated herself from him and said

khushi: (concerned) what happened, how did u reach here, and are u ok, have u had ur medicine (all in one breath)

arnav: (smiled at her looking at her in front of him, he slowly caressed the worried lines of her face while khushi closed her eyes as he touched her,) khushi... I am fine, don't worry

khushi: (opened her eyes to his voice) arnavji look at u, (she pointed at him with a hand gesture) u haven't been home for days, everyone is worried di , nani akash everyone is worried

arnav: (still smiling at her) and u? are u worried

khushi: off corse I am worried (she cried and her voice sounded shaky)

pari and the man who were looking at them decided to give them some privacy

pari: arnav bhaya, I think u 2 need some time, we will wait in the other room

arnav nodded and then pari and the man left

arnav wiped off the tears from her face and she looked at him,

khushi: arnavji believe me, please please believe me I beg u (she folded her hands and started to cry) I don't love shyam, I don't please believe me

arnav(couldn't see her like that , he held her hands and put them down)shhhh khushi, don't do that.... (he pleaded her)

Khushi: then what else should I do to make u believe that I am not wrong (she cried)

Arnav: khushi I believe (he said with a sigh in one breath)

Khushi: (looked stunned) u do!!

Arnav: I believed u from the beginning, the day u told me the truth I believed u

Khushi: (now shocked) but u didn't, u doubted me, I cried and I tried so hard to explain u refused to listen to me, (baffled)

Arnav: khushi it was all an act, I lied to u that I didn't believe u

Khushi: (eyes wide opened) what

Arnav: I believed on the same day, when u told me that ur family and u were cheated by shyam, that thought kept running through my mind, I couldn't believe it, I was torn and confused and so after I dropped u home I went b back to ur house to talk to buaji and ur parents,

Flash back

Arnav enters the gupta house,

Buaji: hai re nand kishore, arnav babua did u forget something

Arnav: no I didn't, buaji I need to talk to u and aunty

Buaji: garima, has gone to the market, but u can tell me what happened,

Arnav came and sat on the sofa next to shashee's wheel chair

Arnav: buaji, I am going to be very frank and honest with u please answered me with all honesty

Buaji and shashee looked worried,

Buaji: babua what do u want to ask

Arnav: buaji, tell me about shyam and khushi's relation

Buaji and shashee now very worried

Arnav: buaji u have to tell me, I am her husband I have the right to know, and that's not all my sisters life is at stake, please tell me what happened

Buaji started telling him about everything, about shyam, arnav was shocked he couldn't believe it

Arnav: that... means khushi was saying the truth (a tear trickled down his yes)

Buaji: babua, its not khushi's fault its my fault, I forced her to marry sham, she didn't want to, her heart always belonged to u, even when she was engaged she wasn't happy, (tears started to fall)

Arnav slowly bent down to shashee's feet and started to cry, he cried and cried

Arnav: I am sorry babuji, forgive me please, I have sinned, I forced her to marry me, because I thought she had an affair with shyam, I swear babuji I only did it for my sister, I love ur daughter, I love her more than anything in this world

Shashee, put his right hand slowly on a weeping arnav's head, arnav looked up at him and shashee slowly opened his mouth

Shashee: ar....ar....arnav...(trying to talk buaji and arnav looked shocked) paa... paa... paani...

Buaji ran to get water for him, and slowly made him drink the water

Shashee: i... I ha...ve som....ethi...ng to say,

Arnav and buaji looked concerned

Arnav what is it babuji tell me please

Shashee: sh...sham is res...ponsible for my hea...lth iss...ue,

Arnav and buaji now shocked, babuji slowly explained to them how shyam had hurt him, when he found out the truth, he was going to tell everyone but shyam tampered with his asthma problem leading to a heart attack, arnav was shocked, he couldn't believe how low shyam was, he assured them that he will not leave shyam, he also told shashee not to let anyone know that he can talk again, because if shyam found out he would try and harm him, buaji and shashee agreed to keep mum on the issue

End of flashback

Khushi was paralyzed, by what arnav just said, shyam responsible for babuji's health issue, its because of him babuji is in a state like this, arnav saw her reaction, he tried to snap her out of it by holding her shoulders lightly, and indeed she did, she looked at him with tears in her eyes,

Aarnav: khushi I know ur shocked but u have to be strong, please for babuji,... for me please

Khushi: (still looking at him) but arnav why didn't u tell me this before, I had the right to know, why did u not tell me

Arnav: I wanted to, I really did, but I couldn't it wasn't part of the plan

Khushi: (confused) plan, what plan