Recap: Arnav leaves Khushi in Gupta House and goes to Mumbai due to the fire accident in his office. Arohi and Khushi bond well. Manorama plants photoshopped photos of Khushi with another man. Khushi beats a clueless Arnav.

P.S. Aarohi is Maya and Ayush's 11-year-old daughter in case anyone forgot.

"How dare you, Laad governor? What do you think of yourself?" Khushi's fiery words pierced through the air, her frustration palpable.

Arnav, taken aback, found himself sitting on the recliner, rubbing his nose after he was punched by his little wife. Khushi didn't wait to attack her husband another time. But he was quick in dodging her punch this time, ducking his head down and chaining her hands to his, he uttered, wondering what came over his wife's head. Beating him without a reason, "What the! Khushi, pagal ho gayi ho?"

(Have you gone mad?)

Khushi blatantly ignored his words and struggled in his arms. Alas, his hold was too tight for her. She bit his hands and he hissed in pain releasing her hands from his.

She got another chance to beat him.

Arnav who was rubbing his hand as well took her in his arms before she could beat him again, muttering angrily, "Stop."

Khushi didn't stop. She just thought that her husband believed in the photo over her and as a reflexive reaction to remembering it again, kicked his leg with hers.

"Ouch!" Arnav wondered if she ever got trained in Karate or something, as her kicks were just too strong.

Arnav locked her hands in his and entwined her legs with his, trying to stop her from beating him or moving. But she is Khushi who never loses anything, she kept wriggling in his arms, "You crazy woman, stop! What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me? You laad governor," she fumed, her doe-like eyes flashing with anger. Her hand was poised in the air, ready to strike her husband for the nth time. But before she could land a bite on his arm, he shut her mouth with his other hand.

"Stop," he commanded, gritting his teeth, his voice firm yet gentle. His grip on her hands was firm, but not painful.

Her eyes welled up with tears as she shot back at him, how dare he think wrong of her? Her thoughts caught words, "How dare you think wrong of me?"

Her voice was a mix of hurt and indignation.

He looked taken aback by her accusation. "When did I think wrong of you?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine confusion and concern. His eyes searched hers, trying to understand the reason why she said the words she said.

"Why the hell are you angry at me for those photos?" Khushi gritted her teeth, still struggling in his arms, almost lying on his chest, sitting on his thighs.

Arnav released a sigh of breath realizing why she beat him and what she thought about his words and anger. True that his wife is crazy as hell. But he would have never thought she would go bonkers, all for a simple and crazy misunderstanding.

Again, his Khushi is one hell of a crazy woman. What else can be expected out of her little brain?

Putting his thoughts aside, he released her from his firm hold and tried explaining, "Khushi, I wasn't angry at you. I am angry with the people who sent me these."

He kissed her hand and Khushi was speechless. She had no words. Does that mean she misunderstood him? Oh, yes, she did. Again. She felt guilty. How many times she had mistrusted him? She should have known after the DNA fiasco.

She with a hint of remorse visible on her face, gathered words, "Uh. Sorry, Arnav-ji. Forgive me. I thought you didn't trust me."

"So, you beat me because you thought I didn't trust you?" It was rather a statement than a question.

"Aah. Maybe," she mumbled guiltily, slightly rubbing the arm she slapped on before, pouting at her impulsive behavior, getting straight into actions without listening to him fully.

"Crazy woman!" He chucked and took her in his embrace. Khushi pouted more at his remark and hid her face in his chest. They sat still in each other's arms for a few minutes more.

Khushi remembered the photos and came out of his embrace surprising Arnav.

"Arnav-ji, I..those photos.." she started, biting her lips and before she could say a word more, he cut her off saying, "I know. I'll take care of it."

Manorama who was watching all of this fumed in anger and walked away, realization following her that her plan failed badly.

She just wasn't able to separate Khushi from Arnav.

History repeating itself is making her more revengeful.

"Arnav-ji, I have something to say," she starts as Arnav looks at her, raising his eyebrow, waiting for her to say whatever she wants to say.

"I-" she was cut off by a slight knocking on the door and Khushi, for the first time ever was the pissed one at the disturbance as she glared at the door murderously.

Arnav got up to open the door when the knocking continued, only to see HP standing at the door.

"What is it, HP?" Arnav asked, looking at him pointedly, for he was a mess puddling in nervousness.

"Nani-ji is calling you both for lunch, Arnav Bhaiyya," HP uttered with the same nervousness as before.

"Tell her we're coming," he replied and closed the door as HP started walking away from the door.

He didn't realize it had been 2 hours since he got his Khushi back from Gupta House and it was afternoon already.

"Let's go for lunch, we'll talk after that. Come," Arnav whispered, and Khushi was about to protest when her stomach growled loudly as soon as it got the signal from the brain that it was hungry for food.

Arnav without listening to any of her protests, dragged her down to the dining table. Nothing is more important than her health for him.

After lunch, Shantivan got its truest meaning as it was filled with silence, everyone sat in the hall on the sofa except Akash who was in the office working, and Anjali who was busy in her own room in her own world after lunch.

Khushi was distributing just what Guptas had sent for her in-laws. Desi Ghee Sweets are one of them. She didn't get a chance before to do that since her husband took her to their room as soon as she was brought in here.

"These are the sweets Buaji had sent for you all," Khushi had opened the Dabbas and the sweet aroma filled the hall. Her Buaji had sent Laddus dipped in pure ghee.

While everyone had taken it and were cherishing the taste of the heavenly sweet, Manorama who couldn't resist making her snide remarks about the quality of the treats,

scrunched up her nose in disgust and commented with a hint of distaste, "Hello Hi Bye Bye, I'm not going to eat that low-class sweets dipped in cheap ghee."

At her words, Khushi's smile fell, yet she didn't let her words overpower her mood as she smiled at Manorama, her eyes were telling a different story — an unusual one at that, and was about to retort with her own words when she was cut off by Manohar.

Manohar who was sitting beside his wife and relishing the taste of the sweet, rolled his eyes, and scoffed at his wife, muttering loud enough for everyone to hear, "Perfect, Manorama. Why are you eating the same then?" He snatched the Laddu she had just taken from the box, continuing with his words, "I'll take it. You better eat your high-class sweets dipped in rich ghee, okay?"

Manorama glared at her husband but since her words were thrown back at her and she was about to eat the same sweet she oh-so-beautifully insulted a few minutes back, she couldn't say more except cursing under her breath, as usual, "Phatisari had wrapped everyone in her magic. Hmphh!"

It wasn't just a whisper though, it was loud enough for anyone to hear. Khushi, who was silently sitting

"I'm not a magician to wrap everyone in my magic, Mami-ji but still thank you for the compliment, and yes, I'm Khushi in case you forgot-" she was cut off by a Manorama who widened her eyes and was about to repeat the same dialogue she utters every time, "Hello Hi Bye-" Just that she wasn't able to complete her words as Khushi cuts her off continuing her words, "-I know I said I began to love this name, but not anymore, Mami-ji. I don't like it now."

Khushi knew it was hard for her to talk to anyone, especially her elders in such a way yet she tried because she had only one choice and that was just this, not to entertain people who are hell-bent on separating herself from her Arnav-ji. They left her with no choice but to behave in such a way she'd never have thought doing so.

Arnav didn't say anything but was surprised at his wife's words, since she's never the one to talk to anyone in such a way, so robotic. That was not so Khushi-like but he hid his surprised face well.

Manorama was speechless for a while, and so was everyone who listened to Khushi's words. It never happened that Khushi talked in such a way with Manorama no matter how bad Manorama had behaved with Khushi prior to this day.

Before Manorama could retort to any of the Khushi's words, Arnav wanted nothing but his wife in their room right then, the tension in the room could be dealt with later. Arnav decided it was best to retreat to their room for some much-needed rest Khushi needed, and the medicines she must take before resting. Not to forget the conversation Khushi wanted to talk to him about.

"We want to rest. We'll go to our room."

He got up taking Khushi's hands in his and walked up to his room. Nobody said anything until after Arnav disappeared with Khushi.

"Did you see how she insulted me just now?" Manorama cried in front of Manohar who was shocked too but chose to be deaf to his wife's cries. In one way, Manorama deserved that for taunting Khushi every now and then.

"Better not forget from where you came, Manorama," Devyani taunted her yet again, reminding her of her status before she was married to Manohar.

"How can I ever forget that, Sasu Ma? When did you let me, Hello Hi Bye Bye?" Manorama uttered, well, she was stating the facts too. Her mother-in-law never stopped taunting her class from the moment she entered the Raizada Mansion as her daughter-in-law.

Devyani blatantly ignored her daughter-in-law's words and stood up, saying, "I don't think there's anything wrong with what Khushi Bitiya said, Manorama. I condemned you many times not to call them like that, but you?" She released a disappointed sigh and left the room leaving a fuming and hurt Manorama behind too.

Payal and Manohar were just spectators of what happened and went their own ways looking at Manorama sitting and muttering under her breath yet again.

"Hello Hi Bye Bye, I was insulted by this phatisari and my Sasu Ma? Hmphh!"

*

Arnav made sure she had her medicines as soon as they entered the room. Arnav was putting the glass back on the tea table along with her medicines while Khushi sat on the bed leaning her head on the headboard thinking about her behavior down in the hall.

She can't help feeling bad for talking that way but it was needed. She had no idea why Mami hated her so much. Is it because she is from the middle class? Just because of that? That much hate for just being born to a middle-class family?

She remembered how she came to RM to meet Payal days before and just how she coincidentally heard Manoarma's and Anjali's words.

She was walking away from her sister's room not finding her there when she caught sight of Anjali's room, there was no HP around to ask about Payal even and so she decided to ask Anjali and check on her once.

Only that she couldn't as she heard them talking. She didn't mean to overhear their conversion but the words that fell in her ears were too strong to ignore the sting she had felt in her heart.

The resentment she heard in Mami's voice was forever unforgettable.

"I don't understand when that phatisari will go away from this Shantivan forever."

"Even I want the same, Mami," Anjali wanted her brother back and if it cost Khushi, she was ready.

It hurt Khushi to hear Anjali agree with Mami. Why? What did she do?

Karwachaut is coming soon, too. Manorama thought in worry and asked with the same expression, "Where is this Sheetal?"

"I forgot to take updates from the police, let me call them once." Anjali walked out of the room to talk with the police, not noticing a figure hiding behind the pillar outside their room.

"Hello Hi Bye Bye, I must do something to remove that phatisari away from our life. But what should I do?" Manorama murmured loud enough for the person hiding behind the pillar to hear who had a broken heart with the conversation going between two people.

Khushi was grief-stricken to hear something like that. Is her hate so strong that she wants to remove her permanently from her husband's life? What will be her husband's if he comes to know Mami hates her to the extent that she is ready to separate them?

Manorama thought a lot before murmuring, "Haan, Phatisari ka extra-marital affair chal raha hai prove karenge toh, Arnav Bitwa ka gussa Hello Hi phatisari ko Bye Bye."

Arnav-ji would be so hurt if he'd come to know about Mami's plans. She is hurt too, she just couldn't explain how much. Extra-marital affair? Really? It was too much to take it for Khushi. Her heart is stinging so bad. The extent Mami could go to remove her from here baffles her, breaking her. What will she do to prove it? Her words are so horrible that she can't just stand there and listen to what she wants to say anymore. She made her way out of RM. It was good there was no one around to notice her except Anjali who was in her own worries.

"Khushi," Arnav shook his wife who seemed to be lost in her own world.

Well, he did call her two times before she wasn't responding thinking about something deeply.

Khushi came out of her thoughts and looked at her Arnav-ji in question.

"Where were you lost?" he asked sitting beside her and wrapping his arms around her.

"Nowhere," Khushi uttered, smiling widely at her Arnav-ji. She did want to say about what she heard from Mami to Arnav before their lunch but was interrupted by HP.

Now she's contemplating whether to tell him or not. She's sure he'd have been surprised to see her behavior down, but he didn't ask her about it yet.

With so much effort, after a lot of thought in the past few days she thankfully got in Gupta House to think about all about what she heard, she decided not to hide anything from her husband even if she knew it would hurt him if she told what Mami was up to. But she isn't getting the same courage now.

Her Arnav-ji will be so hurt if he knows she is trying to separate her from him. But there was this inner voice voice again that screamed at her reminding her of her previous mistakes. She hid about Shyam and that's also one of the reasons leading to extreme consequences, she hid her insecurities, her doubts, and the DNA test going behind her husband's back and that again is also one of the reasons leading to extreme consequences.

She should stop doing that, the sane part of her mind reminding her for the millionth time. But her heart was in complete contrast worrying about her husband's hurt.

"I want to sleep, Arnav-ji," she decided to have some rest before she tortured her brain and stressed her heart to think all over it. Maybe sleep will put her worries away and she'd be able to tell her husband what she's been wanting to tell.

Hopefully, she gets the same courage again.

Arnav nodded, letting her sleep, even he wanted to ask her about the changes he noticed in her. But she needs rest, it's more important than anything else. She just had her medicines and it is better if she slept taking a few hours of deep slumber. He'd ask her about it in the evening or Khushi just might tell about it herself. She wanted to say something too before lunch. He'd wait. Her sleep is more important as of now.

He covered her with a blanket and caressed her hair as she fell asleep in a few seconds.

Meanwhile, he decided to talk about ancestral property with Nani for Anajli's share. So, he made his way to her room after making sure Khushi was comfortable by adjusting the pillows and the temperature in the room.

It would just take him some minutes for the discussion, though he doubted if Nani would agree to split the ancestral property.

He knocked on the room door and heard his Nani allowing him to come in.

"Nani, I want to talk with you," he asked as soon as he entered looking at his grandmother who was relaxing in her recliner.

"What is it, Arnav Bitwa?" she asked as Arnav settled himself on the small raised seat there.

He sighed before explaining what Anajli demanded of him.

"What? Anjali Bitiya asked for the property?" Devyani was shocked.

Arnav just nodded his head, not wording anything out.

"And is in still contact with Shyam?" She never thought Anjali would go this blind in her husband's love.

He nodded slowly. Anjali going that blind in Shyam's love will do nothing but bring more hurt to her and his Di is denying to realize all of it.

"But if we let her go away, she'd destroy herself, Chotte. How can we?" Devyani just admitted what he thought about. But it has to be done, there's no use cocooning her anymore. He did what all he could, was capable of, and was responsible for.

"Nani, enough of us safeguarding her. I showed her all the proof and still, she didn't believe me. I did everything in my power to show her the truth, make her realize but she.." he left it incomplete, how much more he be taking responsibility if she's denying what he's doing for her good?

"You're right, Chotte. I should have been more careful in upbringing her," she said, she did realize long ago she had failed as matriarch of the family. Anjali's behavior and demand did nothing but prove her realization right again. It's hurting her old heart as her face turns pale.

"She made her choice, Nani, and-" Arnav tried comforting his grandmother, taking her old wrinkled hands in his.

"..and her choice is not us," Devyani completed it for him, sighing sadly. It is so difficult to see your daughters drowning in the fake love of their spouses, it was her daughter first who killed herself and now it was her granddaughter who's losing herself and forgetting everyone in her husband's fake love.

"Nani," Arnav pressed her hands and Devyani came out of her thoughts and looked at her grandson. He was so young yet took responsibility for taking care of everyone's needs and provided for their basic needs by earning hard and working hard day and night. She'll make sure he lives his life for his happiness which he's been doing since Khushi came. It will continue to do so, she's better set Anjali free and just have hope one day Anjali realizes what she did in her blindness.

She caresses his head, "I'll talk with the Lawyer soon. I never ever thought a day would come like this, separating our family."

She leaned on her back again and Arnav stood up, saying, "Take some rest, Nani. You need it."

Once his Nani closed her eyes, he went out closing the door to her room, making his way to his room.

--------------------

On the other side of the city, in the hospital, Maya faced another attack, confirming Ayush's belief that Maya had been telling the truth about her suicide attempt. The realization sent shockwaves through.

"Somebody attacked my wife and you don't even know who is it?" Ayush shouted at the hospital authority. How can they be so careless?

"We're sorry, Mr. Ayush Mehrotra. We'll make sure this doesn't repeat," one of the management people assured him.

Ayush made sure the security around Maya was tight.

"Whatever the doctor was saying was the truth. She was really attacked. But who'd do this to her?" He sat in one of the chairs out in the waiting area and racked his brain to think about all the events Maya could have done that had possibly put her in such a situation. Yet none came. Or is it just that he needs to think a bit more? He had a few thoughts but those just wouldn't explain why she was attacked. 

He did ask Maya but she wasn't opening her mouth and went into an anxiety attack the first time he asked her, Doctor didn't recommend opening the topic again until she's stable emotionally or after her consultation with a physiatrist, but before that happened, Maya was attacked.

He didn't forget to call the police and register a complaint, "I need to inform the police and check the CCTV of the hotel again."

It was time for some action. He'd have to know what is happening. He just couldn't get stuck in the web of illusions that's surrounding him. 

Maya was attacked but there was nothing that proved she was attacked in CCTV the first time he saw it. Now that he was sure she was attacked, he'd officially register the complaint and check the CCTV, hoping it would give something at least now.  

Shantivan,

Anjali has been busy contacting lawyer after lawyer for the past few hours, talking to each and every available person for her husband's case.

It's just one of the other lawyers she was talking to, and she heard it again - the denial, the word again, NO.

"What do you mean you can't take the case?" She was angry, well she had been nothing but furious every time someone denied and luck was such that it happened every single time.

"Look, I'll give more money, take this case, and get my husband out." Anjali tried bribing him for more money but the lawyer was just not ready.

Anjali sat disappointed on her bed, cutting the call, and throwing her phone away on the bed in frustration. Rejection again. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why is no one ready to take her husband's case? Why is Arnav doing this? Why does he not understand her husband? Her Shyam-ji is innocent.

She needs to try some more. She needs to do this for her husband and make sure she proves him innocent. Thinking and wiping her tears, she called another lawyer.

Hoping at least this time god would listen to her pleas. 

To be continued..,

Let me know how was it.

P.S. I apologize for delaying it by months. My health has been not good, and I just couldn't sit straight for more hours and write. I am seeing a slight recovery now(for which I'm just so happy that I don't know how to just express it). I'd update soon again, but would only be concentrating on this story until it's completed and then would jump to another one, following the same process as I did with Invisible Murder, keeping my health and my job in mind. I apologize if you feel I'm not being fair with updates.

Poly

02-11-2023