I am extremely sorry for the long wait. New job, personal life and what not kept me occupied I don't want to bore you all with the details. Kindly accept my apologies.

A very long part to compensate for my absence. I hope you enjoy it :)

So here we go!

(18K+words)

(Not proofread)

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"Khushi," He stepped forward. She stepped back causing him to retreat in his steps.

"Please listen to me," His chest tightened and throat dried up as she looked away.

"I am listening, Mr. Raizada. Because I know you won't let me leave until I hear you out. So hurry up say whatever you want to say and then don't show up in front of me ever again." She said firmly looking in his eyes.

His face contorted in pain before he dropped the idea of explaining himself and said something which was nowhere in his mind while he was coming here. Because he knew it was impossible.

"Will you have a cup of coffe-tea with me?"

*

It's been one month since he has asked her out by the most stupid, unconvincing, stammering proposal ever.

He still remember that moment as it was yesterday. While she was asking him not to show himself in front of her ever again, he has all but randomly offered to have a relationship with her. To allow him to enter her personal life.

She has looked at him confused for a moment with her rosy lips parting in shock before her eyes widened and she glared at him appalled understanding the meaning behind his words.

"You sure have gone officially crazy now. Are you even aware of what you are saying?" She exclaimed walking past him to leave.

"I'd do anything, anything to make you forgive and trust me. Believe me. Even though I have been greatly unfair to you, my feelings for you are genuine. And I-I have realized that-" He ran behind her contrary to his nature while her steps paced up with his every word with him following behind closely.

"Stop it." She shrieked stopping at once causing her shoulder to hit his from behind. She spitted fire at him looking sideway at him while he raised his hands in surrender moving back.

"Listen to me. I will explain everything to you from the beginning." He pleaded swallowing hard.

Closing her eyes exhaling she opened them to look in the chocolate brown orbs minus all the arrogance, hate and rebel she has witnessed since forever. Instead in its place a calm, pleading, emotional man was staring back at her.

The change was so sudden and shocking that she didn't know whether to believe it or not. Most importantly she didn't know how to react to it.

It could be one of his games. Her mind warned her but a deep dark corner of her heart protested strongly against it. Conflicted she clenched her jaws.

Damn, all of her months of hardwork to mend herself and calm the storm inside of her seemed to have done no good to her heart as it continued to ache for forbidden emotions.

"Can't you see I am not interested in anything? Neither in you nor in your explanations. And certainly not in anything related to you." She spoke in rage. Calmness eluded her.

"Please don't do this. I know I am sounding selfish for asking this after everything I had done but still.. at least you don't do this. Let's sit down and talk. I will tell everything to you from the start." The more resistance she showed the more calm and pleading he turned into shocking her more.

"I made it pretty clear the day I got out of the jail Mr. Raizada months back that I am done with you and everyone, everything related to you. And I am still firm on my words. So kindly spare me." She hissed out defiantly before walking away.

"DON'T."

Her steps faltered for the second time. Not because he shouted or she was scared but for the tone he used. It sounded almost close to the arrogant and mean ASR who has sent her to the jail mercilessly.

Laughing dryly she turned to him with a knowing look.

He swallowed understanding the look in her eyes before averting his caramel brown orbs taking deep breaths to calm himself down.

"I am sorry," He croaked looking at the floor. "I didn't mean to raise my voice on you. I-I shouldn't have." He stuttered with misty eyes taking away her ability to speak again. Anger left her and confusion surrounded her heart and mind both.

What the hell did he do to the man who was arrogant, ruthless, shrewd and never the one to say sorry this easily?

Who is the person standing before her?

He saw her eyebrows knitting in pure conflict and he knew why. He himself was stunned at this transformation. If only she knew it all happened because of her. She made him deal with his traumatic past unknowingly and for that she had to pay a very high price as well.

Ever since he cried his heart out in his sister's arms the wounds and scars burning him for more than 14 years has healed filling the void which has been there ever since his mother died.

Just that another half, hole in his heart has opened by then. The void which only this woman in front of him can fill up. Ironically he has realized it pretty late. Along with the void, guilt occupied the other half.

"I didn't die when Maa did. I died the moment her eyes met mine the very first time she fell in my arms. I am not living but merely breathing from that moment on, are you getting me?"

Now, he seriously didn't know how the hell will he survive with these consuming emotions when every single day his beating organ would remind him that he has himself pushed away his only chance at happiness with his very own hands.

"I know you don't like coffee. How about tea then? Or.. Or whatever you like? Jalebis? Channas? Gol Gappe? Khushi.. Khushi say something. Please.. stop. Don't go. D-Don't go!" He kept running behind her as she fast paced forward until she stopped an auto and sitting in it left without looking back while he kept running behind it until he couldn't feel his legs anymore and fell on the ground right there in the middle of the road.

There in the auto she witnessed it all through back view mirror dumbfounded with many questions ringing in her head.

'Why is he doing this? And for what? What is going on in his head now? Is this his new way to torture her by being calm, pleading, collective and considerate?'

While Arnav sat there dejected not knowing how to undo the destruction he has caused himself blinded by his ego and ruthlessness.

Even though he expected it yet the rejection from her hit him hard. Made him shut himself out. As if he wasn't silent and reserved before he became more introvert.

ASR vanished somewhere in between and came out the man who has had no emotions whatsoever. Not even for his family. As if everything lost its meaning. The work, the home, the family including he, himself. In short, he remained neither ASR nor Arnav.

Anjali along with rest of the Raizada family noticed everything but no one interfered or tried to talk to him because they knew he has to pass this phase himself. All, except for Sameer.

Arnav opened up to Sameer two weeks after his encounter with Khushi.

"Don't tell me you were expecting her to fall in your arms just because you apologized?" Sameer's words tasted sarcasm.

"No. Of course not. I knew it'd happen but.."

"Yeah. Yeah I know. It is not the situation which an egoist man like you would easily accept."

"Damn my ego, man. I don't care least bit about myself. Not anymore."

"So what's the problem then?" He probed.

"I won't deny that it hurt me when she turned her back on me after rejecting me but.. but I-I couldn't shake the fact out of my mind that she has been seeing a psychiatrist for months because of me. She is having serious issues, obviously. I want to know how much I-I h-have d-damaged her to figure out from where to start the healing." He blinked back the tears.

"But?"

"But..I am scared." He admitted. "I am terrified of what I'd find. What if it's something I can't take? What if it's something which added to the mountain of my guilt so much that force me to give up the idea of ever approaching her? How will I live without her then?"

"So what are you going to do? Dig in about her time in prison before seeking her forgiveness or you will let it lurk in shadows until you have her by your side? But tell me one thing. How'd you earn her forgiveness without talking it all out with her? Sooner or later this would come forth. One day or the other you have to let her vent it all out on you for her own good. And when she did you'd know it all."

"I will avoid it." Arnav said suddenly looking determined. "I need to make sure that she is with me before I know everything."

"That's selfish."

"Jiju, I want to live my life with her. It won't be possible if my mind and heart agreed on the same thing that.. that I don't deserve her."

"You mean right now both your heart and mind are in disagreement? I wonder which one is in Khushi's favor."

"My heart." He whispered. "It's telling me to stop torturing her and in return myself."

"And your mind?"

"It is telling me to go grab her and never let go regardless of everything."

"Ethically you should listen to your heart. Because seeing you before her would always remind her the torment, humiliation and her imprisonment."

"I am not an ethical person." He protested. "I am the bad guy here. Not the hero." He gritted out whilst his heart clenched harder causing him to rub the left side of his chest.

"Well then, I'd say you are not for her. As far as I have heard and known of her, she was waiting for her prince charming on a white horse. With hearts and flowers."

"I am definitely not the prince charming and I don't believe in hearts and flowers but one thing is for sure despite of it all. I am the one for her just like she is the only one for me."

"She might not agree with you on this. Why am I adding 'might'? She definitely would throw her sandal at you if you told her what you told me just now."

"You don't always get what you want. She will also realize that when she will fall in love with me."

"Can't you simply say that you will become her prince charming?"

"I can't because I am not."

Sameer threw his hands up in frustration.

"I will be honest with her. I don't want anymore lies or games between us. All I want is to keep her happy if by a miracle she accepted me one day in her life. Please understand it Jiju, you know I can't say cheesy lines or be loveydovey because I am not that kind of person. All I can do is show her how much she means to me through my honest actions and wait..wait for her to believe in me. I want her to trust me so much that she tells me every little thing about her without being afraid."

His honesty was written in his eyes. He could see that. That stopped him from retorting further.

"You have partially convinced me but I am not quite sure how'd you be able to explain it all to her through your actions as you said."

"Just wish me luck."

"Okay. All the best, then."

Even though he confidently let out his plan to win her back to his brother-in-law but he couldn't dare to act on it. Because he was scared, in fact terrified of the woman who held all the strings to his heart. It took him another two weeks to prepare himself to go before her.

That way a month passed with him not having a glimpse of her and it made him more desperate as she wasn't picking up his calls nor replying to his messages either when somehow he got hold of her new number by various pleadings to Sameer. He didn't want to use his connections to intrude her personal life. He has done enough already.

*

"What do you think his motive is?" Khushi asked her psychiatrist in her next session after telling her everything that happened a month ago after her previous session.

"I can't tell you that. You have to figure it out yourself." Came her doctor's calm reply.

"I know. I know." She said suddenly. "I know he is up to something again." She nodded her head thoughtfully yet frowning.

"He wants me to be tormented all over again now that I am somewhat feeling better. Nightmares have stopped. My mind doesn't play tricks with me anymore. I am getting back to my usual self. I am close to forgetting I ever have been to a prison where I stayed for three weeks. 21 days." She shut her eyes tight swallowing past a lump whilst her eyes teared up.

"What do you think?" Opening her eyes she asked her doctor. Again.

"Let it all out." She advised.

"What?" Her frown deepened.

Didn't she already do that? In front of her?

"Oh I am not talking about myself. Him. Let it all out on him. Next time he approached you tell him everything you felt or have been through because of him. Take the burden off your shoulders."

"I am telling you he is onto find ways to torture me more and you want me to give him a trump card which he could use to laugh at me? Tell him that he has succeeded in breaking me into pieces? Never." Khushi gritted out.

"I doubt that he will laugh at you." She said solemnly.

"He will. You don't know him. Asking me out? Wanting to be in my life? Bullshit." She scoffed before continuing.

"He is Arnav Singh Raizada. He could never change nor can his ways to dominate everything around him. He couldn't make me bow by his dubious ways so now he has planned some twisted, weird way to win over me. To make me bend before him. I would never. Do you hear me? I'd never accept defeat before him." She said in one breath before huffing with her nostrils flaring.

"Calm down. Give it a rest. I presented you a suggestion. Never mind if you don't want to take it. There is no pressure."

Khushi nodded taking deep breaths in and out to reign in her emotions before picking the glass of water and drinking it all.

Her session continued for another half an hour before it ended exactly at afternoon.

A sense of deja-vu hit her hard as she found him standing at the entrance of the hospital just like a month ago, in the same position, with his back to her, at the base of the stairs.

Feeling her blood boiling she walked down the stairs to come to stand behind him.

"I see you haven't stopped your men from following me."

He turned around hearing her voice before taking off his goggles to have a good look at her.

"I made sure I wasn't being followed. Who is it this time that you have hired to chase me around?"

He swallowed thickly before shaking his head.

"You asked me to stop my men from following you. I did what you wanted. No one is following you anymore, Khushi." He replied calmly. She gulped as her heart skipped a beat the way he called her name as if he was worshipping it.

"Then how the hell do you know that I'd be here today?" She didn't believe him at all. She resorted to anger to brush off all the other thoughts.

"The last time I was here I got to know about your next appointment that is today. I am sorry I pried but I-"

"Stop it." She growled fiercely. He nodded lowering his eyes scratching the tip of his shoe on the ground.

Giving him one last look she walked past him when he caught her elbow from behind much to her disbelief.

"What-" She whirled around angrily when her jaws dropped seeing him on his knee. He slipped his hand from her elbow to her hand before grabbing it earnestly in both of his.

"Marry me." He pleaded. "Please?" He gritted out.

Her face blanched. She stood dumbfounded looking at his face while he looked fearfully up at her. But the attention of the people coming in and out of the hospital went to them. Totally. A few stopped around them at a distance hearing his proposal. Someone took out her cellphone as well.

For minutes Khushi stood with her jaws dropped and her mind numb until,

"Woah!" A loud voice from the crowd broke her stupor and she snatched back her hand as if electrocuted before she shouted out loud.

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?"

"I did." He replied still in the same position.

"Firstly you sent me to prison, then you blackmailed me with my family to stay in Delhi, if that wasn't enough you asked me out and now you have jumped straight to the marriage proposal? Wow! You really have gone far this time." She hissed out.

"I know." He snapped standing up abruptly to face her. "Asking you to marry me is definitely a big decision because I know I have to go really, really far to make you believe that I am sincere with you with all of me." He stood a step away from her resisting the urge to yank her in his arms, to shake her, to make her understand his guilty love with his dire need for her.

"Even if all of this is making me more suspicious of you?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yes. YES." He emphasized on each word. "Marry me if you don't want to go out with me. But just.. be with me." His tone turned pleading as he removed the distance between them and stood nose to nose to her.

She opened her mouth to retort when she saw various flashes hitting his face suddenly before a loud commotion followed. She frowned thinking to turn and look at the matter but,

"Shit!" She heard him curse under his breath and before she knew it she felt herself being yanked forward causing her to crash to his front and her face buried in his chest with his arms tightly bound around her. One around her waist and other cupping the back of her head.

"Stay still." He whispered close to her ear as she protested against him. Goosebumps erupted on her skin. Her eyes widened and she stilled as he continued.

"It's the media dammit." He mutter under his breath. "I can't let them capture your face. So please bear with me until I get you somewhere safe."

"ASR,who is this girl you just proposed to?"

"She doesn't look like Lavanya Kashyap?"

"What about Lavanya Mam then?"

"Did you guys break up?"

"Are you serious?"

"Why outside a hospital of all places?"

Hiding her cocooned in his arms he turned them both to the entrance of the hospital and made a run up the stairs pulling her along whilst many questions were shouted at their back as he heard the footsteps chasing them.

"Don't look back," He commanded her as they ran hand in hand in the vast corridor of the hospital before he pulled her abruptly inside a door as they both breathed in and out harshly. She stood against the wall while he, leaned against the door after locking it.

His attention went to her as she twisted her hand still enclosed in his. Swallowing past a lump he let go despite not wanting to.

Their eyes met that moment and the intensity of the emotions shining in his eyes made her avert her own that made her notice the surrounding.

It turned out to be a spacious office, obviously of one of the doctors of the hospital. Her gaze wavered to the desk and the name plate at the desk read,

Dr. Keshaf Malhotra

Neurosurgeon

"Sit down. We have to stay in here until they leave." Arnav broke the awkward silence. She glared at him angrily.

"If only you haven't followed me or did that 'stupid' thing, all of this wouldn't have happened."

He clenched his jaws to reign in his emotions as she tagged his proposal 'stupid' when he meant every word he said.

"You know me this much at least, Khushi that I could never joke about something like that. And I was sincere both the times. Whether then when I asked you out or now when I asked you to marry me." He croaked out the last words.

She took in a harsh breath.

"Well, then I hope you are not seriously waiting for an answer from me." She said rigidly.

"I am, actually." He had the audacity to say.

"Are you for real?" She gritted out.

"What do you think?" He retorted.

"I don't want to do anything with you. I don't even want to see your face let alone drink 'tea' with you. Marrying you is out of question. There, got your answer? Now get out of my way!" She spat ruthlessly while he stood numb at his place even though he expected it.

His eyes prickled, he sniffled as heartbreak hit him hard crushing his beating organ with vengeance.

"You can't leave. Not yet." Standing against the door already blocking the only way out of the room he said somewhat calmly betraying the emotional turmoil he was going from within.

"Why not?" She hissed out.

"You don't know the media people the way I do. Even if not everyone but some must be lurking around still inside the hospital and not to mention, the personnel who are already waiting outside the hospital to get a hold of us." He couldn't help but snap shutting her up for that instant.

If he was the old ASR who liked playing petty games with her, who didn't know about the reason behind his behavior towards her, he would've revealed her identity, let her go out and face the media's troubling questions and become the headlines of the today's news.

Then not only her but also her family would've suffered as well because it wouldn't have taken long for the press to reach her residence to dig out more information regarding her connection with the fashion king, ASR.

But now, he would rather die than let anyone harm her when he has realized how much time he has wasted in those stupid games of winning and losing when he could've used the same to understand his feelings for her. Then maybe, maybe he wouldn't have tormented her the way he did making him lose all of his chances with her.

"They haven't seen my face so they won't know as long as you are not with me." She said smugly and came to stand a feet away from him.

"So stay here and wait for them to leave because I don't have to." She gave him a push aside and unlocked the door before twisting the knob.

"I will follow you!" He said solemnly. "They will catch on the hint then." He added from behind when she opened the door and took a step forward. Her hand clenched around the knob.

"Are you threatening me?" She tightened her jaws without turning to him.

"I am begging you." He blurted out. "You are not getting rid of me in this lifetime."

"Why? WHY?" She whirled around to face him spitting fire at him.

"BECAUSE I-" He couldn't keep his voice low nor could he complete it. His face contorted in pain while she narrowed her eyes at him.

"So there is a reason you are behaving this way." She took it all in another meaning.

"The hell there is. Why don't you understand?" He whispered cupping her shoulders pulling her closer making her eyes widen. The chocolate brown orbs filled with moisture pierced through her heart. She couldn't look into them for more than a few moments before she turned her head shrugging his hands rudely.

"I don't want to understand anything, anymore. And I hope this is our last encounter. Never show me your face again." She declared. His face lost all the colors. She turned to leave through the already opened door.

Arnav raised his head slowly with his hunched shoulders only for his eyes to widen as he looked ahead at familiar faces whose smirk made his stomach twist.

The next moment she gasped as suddenly she found herself being whirled around abruptly, yanked inside with the door shutting behind her with a bang and her being pinned to it with him hovering over her.

"Shh!" He placed his palm over her mouth as she looked like she was ready to scream her lungs out for being scared out of her wits with his sudden attack on her body especially her senses.

"Ummh," She struggled against him with her eyes turning red whilst fresh tears formed in hazel orbs causing his heart to split into two.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry. You can't leave. Two of the media personnel has seen us inside this room and now no sooner than that everyone would camp outside the room as far as I know them. Don't make any sound as I am taking my hand off." He slowly slipped off his hand only to shut his eyes tight in pain as she screamed her lungs out in agony.

He waited for the commotion to hit high outside the room but when he heard nothing for many moments he realized why. The room must be sound-proof. He heaved a sigh of relief as he grabbed her elbow when she turned stubbornly to open the door.

"I don't care!" She spat shrugging his hand turning to him fiercely. "I don't care what they ask, think or surround me I need to leave!"

The storm inside him which has calmed down after making peace with his past roared higher but for a whole different reason. That is,

Blinding concern for this woman he has fallen in love with!

His patience wore thin before a new version of ASR came forth whose motive was only to protect her from any harm and cherish her close to him and that side of him when resurfaced his eyes shone with a mysterious glint that made her stunned and still at her place as her eyes met his in midst her struggles whilst he grabbed her this time by her waist pulling her flush against him.

"Don't make me turn back to my cruel ways, woman. Or you will regret it. Shut up and wait till I sort this matter out my way. Did you get it?"

"I DID NOT. I WON'T." She protested strongly slapping her arms against his chest. It became too difficult to calm her down after a few moments.

He clenched his jaws whilst his Adam's apple bobbed as his mind presented the solution to the problem which his heart condemned him for it will make her hate him more.

"I NEED to leave do you hear me? And I wil-" She gasped out loud whilst the strength left her body turning her dumbfounded as she felt his lips pressed hard against her forehead without a warning.

With his heart beating in his ears, hands trembling around her he kept his lips there on her soft skin for a whole minute shutting his eyes before slowly opening them after successfully sucking off all her struggles.

His insides has jolted and shook from head to toe the moment his lips came in contact with her forehead. Her flowery scent surrounded him to the point of intoxication. Emotions became haywire. He couldn't understand,

How could a single peck on just her head make him this unarmed?

Swallowing thickly he ignored her stupor and cupping her nape leaned closer to her ear whilst his heart clawed with what he was about to say.

"Now try and act stubborn. I dare you try me because if you did It'd be your cheeks next, then your lips and it'd not end just on your throat or neck I swear so beware and do as I say. Don't make me go hard on you, dear." He finished and felt her shivering in his hold. A whimper left her involuntarily making his insides churn.

He breathed before dropping his head on hers in defeat.

"I am sorry." He whispered before dragging her along to give her a push to the couch at the left side of the room before he pulled out his phone keeping his gaze fixed on her as she sat silently dropping her face in between her hands.

He swiped up the screen and a groan escaped him seeing many missed calls from Aman and his various texts and WhatsApp messages. Not only of him but also of his family. Nani, Di, Akash, Mama ji.

After shutting the volume he opened the video Aman has sent him he cursed under his breath seeing the pictures of him on his knee proposing to a girl whose face wasn't clear.

Later, it showed him making a run inside the hospital with the girl with media following behind with their cameras. There was a long text message from Aman which caught his attention.

'ASR, our security team is on its way. We would be there soon but there is a problem at your home. Guptas has recognized Khushi Mam from her attire and now they are waiting for you both at RM as the guards didn't let them enter the hospital midst the chaos and Khushi ji's cell is unreachable. Need I mention, they are furious?'

"No you need not," Arnav muttered under his breath eyeing the frustrated figure of the woman who holds all of his heart.

'Chote, are you serious? Is this the way to propose someone? That too outside a hospital? Did you even buy a ring? I don't think you did. How is Khushi ji? Take care of her and get home soon both of you. There is an uproar here, too' It was Anjali.

'Thanks heavens, her phone is switched off or talking to her family would have made her more desperate to reach home.' He thought which made his conscience rebuke him for being grateful for something like that.

But nevertheless, despite all the mess he was happy for getting to spend some time with her even midst the mayhem. It was as if some unknown power was compensating him for not being able to see her for the last whole month. It was pure torture.

'I am locked in Dr. Keshaf's cabin with her. Media is everywhere inside as well. I am sure they are camping outside this room. Get us out of here without any of them seeing us especially her.'

He sent the text to Aman and received a quick 'On it' from him in the next second.

"Don't worry. I have made arrangements to get us out of here."

She scoffed but didn't even spare him a glance let alone reply.

"Are you okay?" He asked genuinely concerned seeing her sitting quite still at the same place he gave her a push to minutes ago.

"DON'T YOU DARE LAY A FINGER ON ME EVER AGAIN!" She growled at the top of her lungs whipping her head in his direction with the rage that burned him into ashes.

"Khushi," He choked quite hurt.

"I am not Lavanya Kashyap neither your girlfriend or your keep-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He lost it at the last word she used before breathing to calm himself down.

He thought all the rage inside him left him and calmness followed after he cried his heart out for the tragedy of his past but here, this woman was igniting and bubbling up some other kind of lava in him which would erupt out every time he is with her.

He was afraid the emotions he has for her would consume all of his reasoning and make him commit some crime which could cost him to lose his already lost love.

She stared ahead rocking herself while sitting looking quite restless for being in the same room as him. His stomach knotted at the thought.

"I asked you to marry me. Not anything else. And that kiss on your forehead.. it-it showed how much I respect you."

"Oh really? What about what you said later on that you won't stop at just cheeks, lips or neck huh? Oh how much greatly you respect me, Raizada huh!" She taunted.

He closed his eyes touching his palm on his forehead.

"I am just trying to protect you." He almost pleaded hoping she would understand.

"You will protect me? YOU? Give me a break. You'd rather throw me in the dark pit and then make sure no one ever find any traces of me ever again." She chuckled dryly twisting knives in his gut.

"In a way you are right." He said emotionlessly in that moment making her look at him at the sudden change in his tone. "I want you to jump in a 'dark pit' unprotected and I swear I'd not let anyone else find you except for me."

She shuddered seeing that he meant what he said.

"And you say you want me to believe that you have changed? That you are sorry? Never!" She said out loud and clear.

"In that case I'd have no choice but to make you trust me because believe me, Khushi Kumari Gupta when I say this. I am not going to live my life without you anymore."

"Well, then. Keep.On.Dreaming," She huffed. Despite another rejection he felt his lips quirk up into a smile.

"Beware from now on, Ms. Gupta because I am going to make it happen. Make us happen. You should know that by now how much possessive and protective I am of the people I care for. And you have been added to the list right there on the top of everyone even before my Di. Pretty shocking but it's true."

"Oh really?" She said in a tone that his smile vanished and heart dropped.

"Then how about going to the jail and spending three weeks there? For the person that is your priority? Actually no," She shook her head thoughtfully before looking at him with her eyes darkening,

"--Because I was locked in jail for the crime I never committed, let it be double. Six weeks. Spend that time in prison locked up in a place where no one knows who you are, where you will be treated like any other criminal then I will really 'think' of believing all the crap you just said."

"Will you be with me, then?" He asked hopefully.

"I said I will THINK about believing that you regret it. But even then, no matter what I will never forgive you!" She shrieked at the end blinking back the tears.

"Think of some other way to punish me, Khushi because there is no prison in this country where people don't know me. I'd be treated special wherever I'll go. They will turn that jail into a luxury suite for me."

She laughed mirthlessly.

"I don't want to punish you. I don't want to do anything with you I told you. I just want you to vanish from my life as if you never existed." She cried out.

"Kill me here but don't ask that from me."

She gripped the either sides of the couch whilst tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Do you even know what I have been through in the prison? That why, WHY I am seeing a psychiatrist?" She sobbed out.

"I don't want to know." He said shifting on his feet restlessly.

She frowned hearing the panic in his tone. Looking up she saw his body shaking terribly whilst sweat beads formed on his forehead.

"You want me to give him a trump card which he could use to laugh at me? Tell him that he has succeeded in breaking me into pieces? Never." Khushi gritted out.

"I doubt that he will laugh at you." She said solemnly.

A sad smile broke out on her lips as she found a way to make him give up. She would have to follow her doctor's advice and let it all out on him. And she will.

"I was starved, beaten and almost strangled there." She said it all in one breath and saw his head jerking to her direction in stupor before veins at his temples throbbed, then his eyes turned bloodshot, jaws clenched, legs shook until he fell on his knees with a thud as she said,

"If one of the fellow prisoner hadn't saved me that night then I'd have been killed while sleeping."

"W-What?" He croaked as unshed tears shone in his eyes. While surprisingly she has stopped crying the moment he started.

"The very first day I got home after coming out of jail I woke up screaming my lungs out from the nightmare scaring the shit out of my family. It didn't stop just there. It continued the following many nights." She swallowed.

"In my nightmares 'that' lady strangled me every night before I'd barely come out alive gasping for breaths. I was too afraid to close my eyes after the first day. A week after I got out of the prison I fainted due to lack of sleep and exhaustion and was taken to the hospital."

His face blanched. Tears rolled down his cheeks. His subconscious mocked him. His heart burned. His head exploded with accusations by his conscience. But she wasn't done yet.

"My family was terrified for me. Seeing their condition made me rebuke myself for worrying them. So for them, I started behaving normal in the coming days. I succeeded in reassuring them but not my sister as she was besides me every night I had nightmares. Just that I killed my screams somewhere inside of me and only moaned when it became unbearable."

"If it wasn't for my Jiji's continuous pestering I wouldn't have started taking counselling from the psychiatrist and I am glad I did. She helped me a lot. I was getting better until you entered back into my life with your treacherous ways to make me stay in this hell by threatening me with my Babu ji."

"If that wasn't enough you invaded my privacy by breaking into my house and entering straight into my room. Whatever you said that day triggered back my symptoms and then, the nightmares contained YOU strangling me instead of that lady. Only difference was that you succeeded in it and would stand over watching my dead body smugly after taking my life."

"I WOULD NEVER." He snapped as her last words jolted him upside down.

"I'd never hurt you that way. Please?" He whimpered pleading at her folding his hands before her sitting on his knees many steps away from the couch she was sitting.

He didn't know what he was pleading her for but he did with tear stains on his cheeks with his own self shattered, burned and turned into ashes after hearing everything she has been through. Because of him. His elephant sized ego.

"Jiju, I want to live my life with her. It won't be possible if my mind and heart agreed on the same thing that.. that I don't deserve her."

He shut his eyes tight as it happened truly. His heart and mind has come on a truce that he doesn't deserve her. It was obvious before too but at least before, his mind disagreed with his heart but now, it was the exact opposite.

He felt like dying as everything inside of him screamed to 'give up' torturing her and in return himself. Ethically it was the right thing to do. But then right that moment,

"I am not an ethical person." He protested. "I am the bad guy here. Not the hero." He gritted out.

His own said words made a blasting come back making a new wave of vigor to shoot through him.

"I am definitely not the prince charming and I don't believe in hearts and flowers but one thing is for sure despite of it all. I am the one for her just like she is the only one for me."

His eyes darkened before averting his eyes from hers he wiped his face and stood up determined after making up his mind. This time, absolutely.

Khushi frowned as she registered the change in his stance. Without sparing her a glance he turned his back to her before he made a sudden dash to her earning a startled gasp from her.

"What the-" She blurted out as he came to sit on the table right in front of her keeping his intense gaze on her making her shift on her seat.

Her eyes widened as he grabbed both her hands and pulled her back on her place whilst he scooted closer causing her knees to touch his.

"I told you. Don't you dare touch me." She twisted her hand in his hold.

"And I told you I want to throw you in the dark pit from where only I'd catch you." He countered stubbornly as well.

"I made your life hell. Only I got the right to turn it into heaven. And I will." He said determined caressing the back of her hands with his thumbs while she was thrashing against him as by now he had her thighs locked between his making her chances of escape zilch.

She looked at him vengefully while he stared at her as a man possessed. With an unfathomable look on his face.

"You don't always get what you want. She will also realize that when she will fall in love with me."

"Can't you simply say that you will become her prince charming?"

"I can't because I am not."

His cellphone rung causing her struggle to stop as he released her hands.

She stepped back placing her palms on either sides creating distance between them as much as she could making her hand touch the remote placed at her right corner which turned on the LED.

Loud noise broke the silence as Arnav took Aman's call and brought the phone to his ear.

His eyes widened as did hers as she saw and he heard the headlines containing the same video which Aman has sent him not so long ago.

He saw the wheels turning in her head before she stood up panicking. Just that he was prepared. Throwing his cell carelessly on the couch he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back roughly to sit back at her place.

"Let go of me. I have to leave. Amma, Babu ji surely have recognized me and they must have been hell worried. And Jiji, she must have gotten the brunt of it as my parents don't know I have been seeing a psychiatrist." She became hysteric.

"Listen to me. Khushi. KHUSHI. I think Aman is here. Let me contact him and I promise I will get you back to your parents and sister." He said cupping her cheeks firmly. "Just let me make a call, will you? Stay still until then. Please!" He emphasized on each word while she whimpered nodding her head.

He grabbed his cell releasing her and called back his PA.

"Good. We will be out in two minutes then." He said after listening to the other side while carefully looking around the cabin until his gaze settled on the black cupboard.

"I got it. Send my regards to Dr. Keshaf. I will personally meet him to thank him." Cutting the call he went behind the desk first and pulling open the drawer took a bunch of keys before walking to the cupboard he has spotted at the corner of the room.

Pushing it aside he heaved a sigh of relief seeing the rusty door behind it.

Khushi was watching his every move restlessly. She just wanted to go home anyhow. So when he turned to her and gestured through his hand to say, "Come," she made a run to him to place her hand in his without much a thought. He unlocked the door and pushed it open.

A smile broke out on her lips for finally finding a way out which he saw as he turned to look at her and it made his heart ache and stomach knot. Swallowing past a lump he pulled her along.

This side of the door opened to the store room which directly opened to the backside of the hospital where when they reached, Aman along with his guards was already waiting for them.

A Prado was parked behind them. Khushi tried to pry her hand off but he didn't let her much to her irritation. Aman and his men pretended they didn't see it.

Aman opened the backseat for him to which Arnav shook his head and extended his free hand to him. Aman nodded and placed the key in his hand.

"We will follow you." Aman said before clearing his way as guards retreated to stand behind the car.

Arnav opened the front seat door for her before turning to look at her. Seeing her not moving he raised his eyebrow.

"I can go myself. Just let go of my hand already. As you saw media didn't capture my face." She said frustrated.

"You want to meet your parents, right? They are in RM." He dealt with her resistance calmly. Her eyes dilated a bit before she shrieked.

"You are lying!"

"He is right." Aman sided with Arnav.

Khushi glared at him to shut him up.

"Neither I believe you nor your puppets." She was blunt.

Aman's jaws dropped while Arnav looked at her huffing, puffing figure amused.

"NOW LET GO!" She growled trying miserably to free her hand.

Arnav sighed and gave a look to Aman. In a moment they all turned their backs to him making her frown. No sooner than that her face burned as he bent and pressed his lips to her cheek harder noiselessly causing her body to go numb and her treacherous heart to skip a beat.

"What did I say about protecting the people I care for? I told you, you are on the top of that list. I will protect you by hook or by crook. Whether you like it or not. The sooner you will understand that the better it will be for you. Now get in the ca-" The words died in his throat as her hand struck against his cheek.

His head fell to one side. He shut his eyes in anguish. He deserved more than that. It didn't make him angry or spiteful. Instead it made the fire of guilt sore higher along with all the emotions he has buried in him for her.

"And what did I tell you about not laying a finger on me? I am not your plaything and I will never be. Whether you like it or not. The sooner you understand that the better it will be for you!" She replied in his language and shoving him ran off away from him. And all he could do was watch her with his fists clenched and heart clawing.

"Aman, you will follow her." He ordered sternly.

Aman turned back to him and nodded seriously.

"Make sure no media personnel get hold of her as they could recognize her by her dress. I am warning you Aman I swear if she got hurt any way I'd burn the whole media including you in it. Literally."

"I got it." Aman said before running in the direction Khushi ran off to.

*

Khushi's father was in rage up to his neck when Arnav reached RM. A punch landed on his jaw the moment he came face to face with Shashi Gupta waiting for him in the living room pacing back and forth with Garima and Madhumati standing worried on a side.

Devyani and Anjali closed their eyes while the rest of them gasped because it didn't stop just there. In fact Shashi punched Arnav again and again until his face turned black and blue. Arnav didn't protest even once.

Shashi groaned seeing the stubborn man before him who was bleeding from his nose and mouth yet not even a moan left him. Giving him a reprimanding look he pushed him away before growling,

"I hope the media was wrong. You didn't do what they are saying you did. Because if-"

"They are right. I proposed marriage to your daughter. She refused." He croaked at the end. His heart split into two as more than the rejection her suffering in the prison affected him more.

"So will I!" Shashi retorted grabbing his collars. "After everything you did you think I will give my daughter's hand to a monster like you? NEVER ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA. NEVER." Shashi was looking him in the eye while Arnav was standing with his bowed head. His lips trembling.

"I love your daughter. I love her like crazy." He whispered raising his head up looking into his eyes brokenly.

Pin drop silence followed his confession. Raizadas were surprised he finally realized his true feelings. More so, confessed it in front of none other than Khushi's father. That must have taken a lot of guts from even The ASR.

Madhumati and Garima looked at him dumbfounded. Shashi was speechless. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish whilst his eyes dilated.

"Please agree because if you did she will, too." He grabbed his hand which Shashi shrugged off giving him a push back.

"Are you kidding me?" Shashi gritted out with red eyes.

"No one could love your daughter the way I do Sir. I know I realized it late but now that I did you should know, these feelings and her mean the world to me Mr. Gupta. I can't imagine my life without her anymore. Believe me." His voice turned misty. No one has ever seen the mighty ASR this way. Only thing left for him to do was go on his knees and beg and he would have done that too if Shashi hasn't said what he did next.

"Does Khushi know that you 'love' her?" Sarcasm was palpable in his tone.

"No. NO." He shrieked. "Don't tell her. Please don't. I will confess to her after earning her forgiveness. I promise." He choked.

"Forgiveness? Huh?" Shashi scoffed. "For how many crimes of yours? For torturing her in 30 days she worked with you? Or for locking up in the prison for 21 days? For disturbing her peace mentally and physically? Or for blackmailing her over and over again to stay in Delhi?" It seems he knew everything. How? Only he himself knew!

"For everything." He swallowed past a lump.

"Oh really? Then listen to me well and good, Mr. Raizada. I am taking my daughter with me. Back to my hometown. Back to Lucknow. And I will whether you threaten me with my daughter or get me imprisoned in jail or wipe me off from the face of this earth." He spat venomously.

"Don't do that, Sir. You won't. I've warned you!" All the softness vanished from his stance. Pleading stance changed into defiant one sending chills down everyone's spine.

"We will pay you back every penny about which you slandered my daughter. But no way in hell I will let anyone of my family stay in a place owned by you!"

"If you didn't choose wisely Mr. Gupta then I will throw your daughter over my shoulder and personally deliver her back to prison."

"Just think. What would become of your family's reputation when I will kidnap your daughter in front of all these people? You know I can."

"What? You will send the girl you proclaimed to 'love' back into prison? Wow. What a great love!" He clapped his hands.

"You got me, Sir. I will never do that to her ever again but my warning still remains. Just that this time I will take her away from under your nose and 'imprison' her with me. Forever." He chewed each word with nerves at his temple and neck standing out.

"You!" Shashi raised his fist to punch him but this time Arnav stopped it with his hand looking daringly into his eyes with his bloodshot ones.

"I hope you will make a wise decision for the woman we both love to bits." He patted his shoulder which was rudely shrugged off by Shashi before he stormed off with Madhumati and Garima following behind stunned and worried both. Minutes of silence followed their departure. No one moved from their places.

"What the hell was that?" Anjali turned to Arnav after recovering from the fear of the heavy showdown between her brother and Mr. Gupta.

Sameer entered the living room right that moment and sensing the tension in the air he said.

"You created quite a hype there in media, Saale Sahab. Let me guess you got rejected didn't you?" Sameer smirked.

"Jiju!" Arnav warned him.

"I am not saying anything." He raised his hands in surrender.

"Chote I asked you som-" She was cut again by Arnav.

"You said you'd give me SR Delhi as my wedding gift. I am getting married. Now is the time for you to fulfill your promise."

Sameer chuckled sitting on the couch leisurely. Family gaped at the duo.

"I said I'll give it to you as a wedding gift. On your wedding day." He quirked his eyebrow.

"Sameer Rathode!" Arnav gritted out.

Sameer laughed before turning dead serious.

"Are you for real, Arnav? Do you want her to leave the job she loves doing? The moment she realized SR belongs to ASR's brother-in-law she'd resign."

"She has signed the contract." Arnav countered. "She can't."

"I will annul that contract myself whenever she found out the truth." He retorted.

"You won't." Arnav growled.

"Try me!" He hollered.

"Stop it you two!" Anjali cried out.

"No, you make your brother stop Anjali because if he did something to upset Khushi again then he will face me this time!" He was blunt shocking everyone. The humor with which he started this conversation was nowhere to be seen or felt.

"Excuse me?" Arnav said clenching his jaws.

"Be very careful from now on Arnav Singh Raizada because from today onward Khushi has become the same for me what Anjali has always been for you!"

Arnav's eyes widened. So did everyone's.

Arnav swallowed feeling his insides shivering. He could have fought, blackmailed, used his arrogance and influence to make Guptas including Shashi to agree to him but Sameer.. he was a whole different case.

Not only was he his equal in influence but also just like him he was over-protective of the people he cherish, consider his family and now he was saying Khushi has become one of them. that..

That means.. the Sameer who was encouraging him to go win his lady love has changed sides. And that.. that was a huge drawback in ASR's mission to win his lost love back. Now 'impossible' has multiplied by manifolds because Sameer Singh Rathode has always owned to what he has said.

"How did that happen?" Arnav asked looking into Sameer's eyes who averted them but ASR saw the shadow passing across his face even before that along with misty hue in his eyes. Suddenly like a blast it struck him. Hard.

"Is there more to her than I am aware of? What did you get to know?" He panicked. "Jiju, tell me. Is she okay? Please?"

"She is but you won't be from now on because I will make sure she never forgives you let alone marry you!" Sameer blasted chewing each word. Everyone gasped.

"JIJU!" Arnav yelled fiercely.

"If you insisted then I will myself tell her my true identity." Sameer gritted out.

Arnav paled. If that happened Khushi would be jobless and that would make her think again on the line of moving back to Lucknow.

He gulped. No. That can't happen. He won't let it.

"Why? WHY when I am doing nothing wrong but only wishing to bring her into my life? Isn't this what you advised me? You showed me the right path and now you want me to back out?" Arnav's voice turned small at the end.

Anjali saw Sameer's Adam's apple bobbing before his eyes met hers. She asked through her eyes what happened to which he looked away to look at his brother-in-law.

"Arnav, she is better off without you. If you really love her you will let her go!" Sameer said this time calmly.

Everyone looked on confused and stunned seeing the ever so friendly duo standing on the opposite sides in this matter otherwise Sameer always supported him no matter what. He'd right his wrongs and show him the right path before siding by him in that journey but now?

"You be careful too, then because I am going to marry Khushi only. Whether you approve it or not." Defiance showed in his stance whilst he glared at Sameer who glared back at him clenching his jaws before Arnav stormed off.

"What's going on, Sameer?" Anjali turned to her husband worried sick. He raised his bloodshot eyes to his wife and said brokenly,

"She is Adhira Sharma's daughter."

Anjali gasped out loud and so did Devyani. While Sameer on the verge of breakdown grabbed his coat and laptop bag before marching out of RM.

"Who is Adhira Sharma, Di?" Akash turned to Anjali.

*

Pin drop silence befell whilst everyone stood up noticing the person standing at the door. Of SR cafe.

"Sir," Khushi exclaimed with plates in both her hands with a smile on her face making his Adam's apple bob. He silently walked inside and taking the plates from her asked softly.

"To which table?"

Khushi's jaws dropped and so did everyone's.

She frowned before shaking her head.

"I will handle it, Sir. You just sit and enjoy my hand made food now that you have personally come down to honor my work place." She said cheerfully.

Shashi, Garima from behind the counter and Payal, Madhumati standing on the opposite side of the counter looked on confused seeing a palpable tension emanating from the man who has given them all a new life by letting them work here. Something was amiss. Something.. something was wrong.

"No, please let me help you." He almost pleaded averting his eyes to look at the plate.

Khushi's smile slipped seeing him shuffling on his feet. Sensing his restlessness she didn't protest. She owed at least this much to this wonderful man.

"The 3rd table to the right."

His head shot up and he found her giving him a small smile. His face lit up and for some unknown reason it gave her peace. That one which she felt when she sees her family happy and smiling.

Shaking her head at her absurd thought she looked on as he ordered everyone to go back to eating whilst he took off his coat, rolled his sleeves up and helped the Guptas for the whole one hour of break time before he sat with them to have the meal upon their much insistence.

It was only Shashi who noticed Sameer's eyes moistening every now and then while looking at Khushi which made his defense mechanism raise up whilst he clenched his jaws.

He already has an arrogant beast chasing after, ruining his daughter's life. He didn't want to add more to the list. So he decided to take the matter in hand before it could even rise.

"Listen!" He called Sameer from behind in the empty corridor.

"Oh Uncle. Do you want to say something?" Sameer said pleasantly.

"Sameer Sir, we respect you. In fact our whole family does especially Khushi for everything you have done for us. I won't beat around the bush." He released a sigh before continuing.

"You--you don't know what my girl has been through because of a selfish, egoistic, ruthless man and I don't want a repeat of that. Aren't you married? I mean-" He clenched his jaws shaking his head. Closing his eyes he continued before looking up at him sternly.

"So I am asking you clearly. What is going on? Why are you suddenly giving us special treatment? Let me be particular. Why did your eyes water up every time you looked at Khushi today? It didn't happen before. I mean we were working here for-"

"I understand what you are saying. Believe me I meant no harm. Besides, don't worry. Yes, I am married and I have a daughter as well. I know very well what being a father of a girl means so be assured. I love my wife and child more than my life."

There was so much honesty in his voice, on his face, in his stance that Shashi immediately relaxed.

"Still, you guessed it right. There is a reason for my behavior and I was going to talk to you about it after the office hours but since you have already asked let's talk right now. Please come to my cabin will you?"

Nodding, a perplexed Shashi followed Sameer to his cabin.

*

As Arnav insistence to get her forgiveness increased so did her resistance to anything relating to him.

He often sent her flowers and different gifts through courier knowing that his presence would not be appreciated but all of them were as such returned back making him desperate to reach out to her.

Then he started sending her boxes of jalebis. The only thing he knew about her which she liked. That made him guilty, hell a lot more than he already was because he knew so little about her. He wasted so many months in his stupidity.

To his glee and surprise the boxes weren't returned which gave him a little hope but that was short lived because the delivery guy told him that the Ma'am distributed all the sweets to the street kids.

Once he decorated the whole entrance of Gupta house with multi-color flowers in midst of it on the wall it was written with red and white flowers 'I AM SORRY. FORGIVE ME.'

"Mam has destroyed the decoration in front of the whole neighborhood." He was informed.

"I don't want to punish you. I don't want to do anything with you I told you. I just want you to vanish from my life as if you never existed." She has said.

For the last two weeks he was respecting her wishes despite himself but now with her every rejection he was losing it. Hard.

On the other side it was his brother-in-law who was keeping an eye on him, too due to his sudden protective brotherly affections for Khushi. He didn't know the reason and frankly he didn't care to know it either. He gritted his teeth.

Not that he couldn't escape his following men but he didn't want to upset him either. He wanted him to side with him so in these two torturous weeks he followed what both Khushi and Sameer wanted of him. But not anymore. He has had enough.

He has temper problems. Controlling issues. More so he was famous for his impatience. He has showed enough of his gentleman behavior. Now was the time to show that Arnav Singh Raizada always gets what he wants at any cost.

Yes, he was an asshole. And he would remain so forever. If world and her see him as one then so be it. They would get to see the worse side of him, only. Period.

*

Muttering under her breath she climbed the bus and sat on her usual seat preoccupied. Her family has left for work already all thanks to her laziness.

For the last two weeks she sleeps like a log with no care of the world and her beautiful family won't disturb her either. Sleep would be so sound and refreshing that she would often wake up late in the morning. Hence would barely catch the bus to her office which irritated her to no ends.

Not that she was unhappy regarding her healthy habits returning but just.. that.. she couldn't pinpoint the reason for her relaxed mood.

The restlessness of the last months was gone. Nightmares were nowhere to be seen. Negative thoughts barely crossed her mind. She found a new surge of energy building up in her every day she woke up with a light smile on her lips.

"I told you I want to throw you in the dark pit from where only I'd catch you."

She shut her eyes tight. A profuse ache shoot through her heart as a husky voice rung in her ear.

"Marry me."

"Please?"

She shook her head shooting her eyes open taking a deep breath. Then she got it. Yes, the reason of her peace was the absence of that man from her life for the last 14 days. That's it. She found it. She would be alright as long as she doesn't come across him and she would make sure it stays so forever. And this she thought everyday. Everyday!

"Thinking about me?" A husky voice made her whip her head to the right only to look into deep brown eyes staring back at her with dark emotions shining in them.

"Aap!(You!)" She cried out. Goosebumps rose on her skin as the man of her thoughts appeared out of nowhere sitting right next to her. Or should she say. She just noticed her surroundings.

"Yes. ME." He said intensely.

Khushi gritted her teeth and made to stand up only to feel her scream dying in her throat as she saw him taking out the gun and pointing it at.. no, not at her. At his own chest. His soft expressions turning into hard ones. Drilling holes into her being.

"Move away and you will see me bursting my heart out." He growled in a low voice leaning to her ear. Her throat dried and eyes dilated in horror seeing the madness oozing out of his every stance.

And just like that, the peace inside her being was gone. Destroyed. His appearance back in her life made sure to disrupt her mind there and then. With helplessness, anger rose too which made her burst out.

"W-What the hell is wrong with you? Are you drunk?" She managed to compose herself realizing the seriousness of the situation. She could see it in his eyes that he has come today to bring their tragedy to a decisive outcome. As per him!

"Yes. YES. I AM. I am drunk with your longing. I missed you like crazy. Get me out of this hangover." He hissed out with red hue shining in caramel brown orbs boring holes into her scared ones. Their faces were so close to each other that if he bent a little he would easily clasp his lips with hers.

He swallowed hard as he looked at the forbidden fruit with tightened jaws.

"You don't know what you are saying. Get out of my life already. I am sick of your tantrums every other day." She spat before gasping as he slid his arm behind her waist before pulling her flush against his chest.

"And I am sick of being without you!" He spoke in a painful voice dropping his head to bury it at the crook of her neck. Her breath caught up in some region of her throat and heart trembled before throbbing in her ears.

Her chin was resting on his left shoulder while his head was buried in her hairs at her right. If anyone from the bus would see them they would think them as a 'couple' engrossed in an intimate hug not caring of their surrounding. Ah if only they'd knew the real picture!

Several moments passed like that. Khushi dared not move while he.. he was in his own world. Intoxicated. In a heaven. He sniffled a lungful of her scent before whispering with his lips on her neck.

"Tell me about yourself,"

Khushi inhaled a deep breath whilst moisture blurred her eyes at his anguished filled tone.

"Let me go," She croaked blinking back the tears. "Let me go or I will burst my intestines out."

Alarm bells rung in his head as he registered her words.

His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as he suddenly realized the absence of gun from his hand which made him jerk back to look horror struck at her hand holding the gun to her gut.

"No. No. No!" He whisper yelled waving his hands in front of her dumbfounded before raising them in surrender. His vision blurred. Lips trembled. His whole body shook.

With bloodshot eyes she looked at him fiercely. The gun was hidden between them so no one saw it till now.

"STOP THE BUS!" She hollered.

Maybe it was the authority in her tone that the vehicle was stopped at the side of the silent road immediately from which she marched out hiding the gun behind her bag followed by a dumbstruck Arnav running behind her scared out of his wits.

The bus zoomed off once they both climbed down.

"Khushi. Khushi, drop the gun!" He yelled from behind as she paced up on the footpath holding the gun in her right hand.

"Drop it. Or you will hurt yourself." He hollered concerned.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She shrieked now almost running ahead without turning to him.

"Please listen to me. I am sorry I scared you. But what could I do when I was dying to see you. Talk to you. Hear you." He pleaded taking long strides to match up to her steps.

"You should have gone to hell!" She bellowed fiercely.

"I am already in hell without you!" He bellowed back now reaching behind her and whirled her around to face him. It made her lose balance. The gun flew out of her hand on their left. He caught her before she could fall and from his foot pushed the gun out of her reach.

"Let-" She started thrashing against him as he held her upper arms. "-Go. Of. Me!"

"You should know that by now that I am not backing off. I can't give up on you. Never." He shook his head.

"Please forgive me and bring me out of this torment." He dropped his head on hers which only increased her efforts to get away. Her resistance brought tears to his eyes. Punched him in his gut. Made him want to cry out loud. Sob his pain out.

"You really want to be in my life?" Suddenly all of her struggles vanished and she asked coldly which made him loosen his grip and look at her blinking his eyes confused.

"I asked do you really want to be in my life?" She repeated taking a step back from him. Strong wind blew her hairs and kurti. She tucked her hairs behind her ears looking at him blankly.

He just nodded hopefully.

"You will do anything for that to happen?"

He nodded swallowing.

"Fine. I will give you a chance-" She stopped seeing his lips quirking up into a smile whilst his eyes welled up on the verge of pouring out.

"But on a condition." She added. His smile faltered.

"I'd do any-"

"Listen to it first." She said seriously. His heart skipped a beat. Fear settled in it as he sensed that whatever she has decided would burn him alive.

"Give me sometime to heal myself. No don't say anything. I have to do it myself. Let my scars fade. Let me find it in myself to forgive you. Wait for the time when it all won't hurt this much. When seeing you won't make me want to run far far away."

The rim of tears behind his eyes thickened as he looked at her painfully. Feeling desperate as well as blank not knowing what to do anymore he parted his lips to say something but only air came out.

"How much time do you want?" He found his voice when he saw the determination on her face. She has made her decision and Khushi Kumari Gupta he knew would stand by her words no matter what.

"I don't know." Her strong persona wavered for a moment as her eyes moistened. Despite everything her insides churned seeing him shattered. She has gotten way too deep into it and she needed to gather herself. So she needs time obviously. She needed time to make herself immune to this man.

That much time that when he would come in front of her, he won't be able to shatter her peace or peaceful life into tiny million pieces making all of her efforts to build a normal life in vain.

She needed that much time that when he would be in front of her-- her heart won't burst out of her chest nor would her stomach clench, current won't run down her spine and her whole body won't shiver either.

She was in her own world to put her pieces back together while he was saying,

"I can't live with this uncertainty, Khushi. Give me exact time duration and I will try to wait for you. But.. but don't kill me by saying that you may never find it in yourself to give me a chance to be in your life, to be yours."

"How about five years?" She said suddenly. His face lost all colors.

"Don't show yourself in front of me. Don't interfere in my life till then. Don't send your men behind me either. If you followed my conditions then I will give you a chance after five years for sure. That is, if you still wanted to be in my life." She made decision in a heartbeat looking in his eyes seriously.

"What is the guarantee that you'd be waiting for me, too?" He gritted out. His desperation taking the form of anger and making him turn bitter.

"I am not binding you to me either. In this span if you or me found someone else then the other one won't question it." She said solemnly disrupting his heart. He blasted then.

"After 14 years I have found someone special on whom I can blindly trust without any question and you think in just freaking five years I will find someone else to replace you? Is that why you have made this condition? You think if I won't meet, see or talk to you I'd forget and give up on you in coming years?" His voice notched higher with every word.

She didn't say anything and turned around.

"Don't do this. Don't distance yourself from me. I can't go on without seeing you. I tried. I tried really hard I promise. I failed. Please believe me." He folded his hands and touched them to his nose whilst his eyes prickled and heart clawed.

Khushi turned slowly to look at him blinking back the tears.

"I can't go on seeing your face everyday either. It reminds me of what I went through in the prison. I almost got killed there." She exclaimed at the end pointing her trembling hands to herself.

He closed his eyes in pain.

"Even if for one moment I forget everything that happened to me I can't forget how much humiliation my family suffered because of your false accusation. Even after everything, today you brought a gun. A GUN?" She cried out. He looked down ashamed.

"I am sorry. I will forever be. Please punish me however you want but don't forbid me to meet you. I-I-" He caught her elbow to stop her from leaving.

She freed her arm and walked ahead not being able to stand there for more when her feet glued to the ground at his next words.

"I LOVE YOU! I love you so so much. I love you with every fibre of my being." He shouted at the top of his lungs.

He heard her gasp but she didn't turn to him.

"You kept asking me and even I myself asked this question a thousand times that why I was never considerate towards you. I didn't know then." He breathed hoping she would turn and he could see her reaction.

"But I know now very clearly. It's because I felt for you. So much that I couldn't breath. It took me some time to acknowledge what I want that why- why even a single twitch of your muscle affected me. It's reason was simple but a complicated man like me never understood anything the easy way. Simple was never my thing. And see, I made sure to turn this 'simple' matter into the most complicated one that I realized it the day I lost you completely."

He paused to breathe in whilst his vision blurred with moisture.

"Please don't show your back to me. Turn around and give me some hope. I have shed all my arrogance, ego and attitude behind the day I realized what I truly felt for you. If you want I am ready to even beg for a chance but don't.. don't leave me in this abyss. I won't be able to survive without you."

He saw her shoulders shaking indicating that she was crying herself. His tears has fallen down his cheeks as well but even then he wasn't ashamed to show his weakest side to someone else other than his Di. And it wasn't the first time he cried in front of her.

If only she would turn and see him for who he was. A weak, emotional man who was hell scared of loosing his loved ones.

"Okay you want some space I'd give you that. But please Khushi, five years is such a long time. I can't handle it. I can't, Khushi. Let me help you in healing from the wounds I gave you. I beg you. I will keep you so happy that you will forget all your sorrows." He was now standing two steps behind her.

"How do you intend to do that?" She turned sharply to him with her face wet from tears and eyes red from anguish. Seeing his condition only added to her torment.

"Say yes to marrying me?"

She couldn't prevent the rasp escaping from her lips even though it wasn't the first time he proposed her the same way like before as not only did he ask but also went down on his knees at the same time with a defeated demeanor making her speechless.

"You don't believe in marriages." She reminded him finding her voice wiping her tears vengefully.

Firstly, he asked her out.

Then, proposed her.

Now, he outright confessed his love to her.

How dare he try to lure her again and again into one or the other trap of his and believe that it would work every time? Shake her every time? No. It won't. NEVER.

"I believe in everything which will bind me to you. I can't live without you anymore." He said looking up at her.

His vulnerability made her weak on her knees as well. Only she knew how she kept standing on her feet.

She averted her eyes when he raised his index finger saying,

"One second," Searching something in his pockets he continued speaking. "I was too terrified to bring it the first time I proposed you." He smiled sadly. "I know only this much that you like only simple things." He started swiping his left hand on his nose sniffling with a broken smile on his face before extending the little box upward towards her.

She gulped as her eyes landed on the slim diamond ring sitting in the case mocking her on her face.

"Did you like it?" He asked earnestly.

She took a step back shaking her head. He took it in another meaning.

"I will get you another one. whichever you like. We will-"

"I can't do this." She cut him harshly. "DID YOU HEAR ME? I can't." She croaked. "I won't. Pestering me again and again won't work, Mr.Raizada. I can't marry you. I just can't." Only now she realized how much serious he was for her. His desperation made her believe so but it was too late now. Too late!

She was too wounded and shattered to forgive him or shed the wall of contempt for him around her heart to make space for him.

"So you are saying you never felt anything for me?" He asked dejected while standing up slowly to face her.

"Even if I did you killed all those emotions when you sent me to jail." She cried out.

"You-" She poked her finger in his chest.

"--don't mean anything to me, anymore. I may have had some feelings for the guy who always had regrets shining in his eyes whenever he hurt me during that one month in his office which he tried hard not to show but I saw it all." She pointed to herself with her red misted eyes.

"I saw how painful all of it was for you, too but then you made that evil plan to get me out of your system. You took it too far. We were just playing a simple winning and losing game between each other but you--you made it too serious. You made it all too complicated. You made it unbearable. And I can't bear it anymore. I can't do it either, Arnav ji."

He shut his eyes tight hearing her say his name so painfully.

"Please?" He grabbed her hand and clutched it in both of his before bringing it to his lips looking at her with his red-rimmed eyes. When she tried to free her hand he let out a cry and dropped his head on it. She whimpered.

"If I really meant this much to you, you wouldn't have broken me like this." She choked.

"I was a fucking idiot." He exclaimed raising his head tugging at her hand. She landed on his chest with her eyes widening.

"I did it. At least you don't." He gritted out with onslaught of emotions raging in him.

"By being like this you are only proving my decision to be right. Prove me wrong. Prove that you are not selfish and stubborn as I think you are." She said shoving at his front to get free.

"I am trying not to be selfish and stubborn in your case but it's not helping. I can't breath without you, Khushi. Understand it already." He hissed out.

She laughed dryly in response.

"You can't breath without me? And still you don't let me breath in peace for even a moment in your presence. YOU BROUGHT A GUN TODAY WITH YOU DAMMIT. A FREAKING GUN. You are too much extremist. Too much. You suffocate the people around you with your arrogance. I can't live this life of suffocation with you. So let me go."

"I can't." He growled reaching at the wits end. "I love you dammit. Did you hear me? I.FREAKING.LOVE.YOU!" He slid his arms around her waist removing every inch of distance between them.

"And I don't. Did you hear me? I.DON'T.LOVE.YOU!" Fresh tears formed in her eyes as she said that.

"Don't love me. Hate me all your life. But just stay in front of my eyes. Let me see you every now and then. That's all I want."

"Either you'll agree to my 'five years' condition or if you didn't then I won't see your face till my last breath. I'd imprison myself in the four walls of my home." She said defiantly.

"If you think this separation will lessen my love for you then there is no bigger fool than you in this world." He cried out before releasing her angrily. She exhaled.

"Give me time to think about it." He negotiated with a certain glint shining in his eyes making her sixth sense alert.

"I didn't give you an option." She countered. "It's either this way or no way."

"You are asking five long years from me. And I am demanding a lot less than that."

"How much time do you want?" She frowned feeling a chill running down her spine warning her of danger.

"Five months. Give me five months to think about it." He said seriously.

She gaped at him.

"Why do you need so much time to think?" She gritted out.

"Five months is nothing as compared to five years you are asking from me."

"What do you want to do in these five months?"

"Make a few memories as a consolation for five years I have to stay away from you."

"Mr. Raizada, maybe you heard me wrong. I said after five years I'd give you a chance to be in my life. That doesn't mean I'd marry you or anything. Don't get your hopes high or demand things as if you are doing a favor to me. If you don't want to agree to my condition then fine. Don't. And for umpteenth time leave me the hell alone." She grew angrier.

"If I want to see you, I will. If I want to meet you, I will. You can't stop me. I won't let you." He stated before coming to stand nose to nose to her.

"Forget five months, five years I can't stay away from you for even five seconds. The sooner you get that the better it will be for you and everyone around you." He breathed on her face. She scoffed.

"Are you threatening me?" She growled pushing him back.

He breathed hard looking away.

"Take it the way you want." He said without looking into her eyes and turning around walked away leaving a highly frustrated Khushi behind.

Here she thought he has changed but no, old habits die hard.

"Rakshas!" She muttered under her breath standing at the same place.

A few seconds passed and she saw him coming back towards her almost running. Seeing the craziness oozing out of his stance she thought it to be better to run away. She did so. Only to get caught by two hands on her shoulders, whirled around before a hand grabbed hers tightly into his.

"What are you doing?" She wriggled her hand in his hold whilst he pulled her along unmindful of her efforts.

"Did you really think I'd leave you alone on this deserted road?" He gritted out looking ahead.

"I can manage!" She protested strongly.

"I can't. I won't be able to manage if something happened to you!" He retorted turning his eyes to hers for a moment before averting them.

"Then how are you managing with the 'truth' that I could have died in prison because of you?" She cut him deep.

He stopped at once. Turned and instead of releasing her hand grabbed her other one too. The devastation on his face was unmistakable.

"Khushi, this is the thing which could kill me. This is the biggest tool you have in your hands. Scratch me with the wounds I gave you, remind it to me every second of my life and I'd die one day. See-" He placed her palm on his heart and pressed it to the left side of his chest.

"Feel for yourself what your suffering is doing, has done to me." He choked. "This heart which belongs to you drops every time it acknowledges what you have been through. And this-" He brought her palm and touched it to the side of his head. His temple.

"This mind has long ago started beating me up with conscience for what I have done to you. Khushi, Khushi.." His tone depicted sheer helplessness. "I am doomed already can't you see that?"

Khushi has stopped protesting the moment her hand touched his chest. Now, now she was standing with misty hue shining in her eyes and her heart clenching hard in her chest looking at the man in front of her.

"It-" She said hoarsely before clearing her throat. "It isn't enough!" Suddenly her voice turned confident and she gave him a push back.

He clenched his hands into fists.

"You know what, 'Mrs. soon-to-be 'Raizada'-" He ignored her glare and continued.

"Despite of my heart's reasoning and mind's continuous conscience attacks I'd not give up on you. Because neither am I any simple man nor that much of a gentleman to let go of my reason to live even after burning with massive lava of self-reproach. You should know that my love is more enormous than my guilt for you. It will always be!"

He took a step to her as she heard his defiance with a blank expression on her face before holding up her hand when he took a step to her.

"I have said what I wanted to. I don't want to get into more argument with you." She said emotionlessly. He shut his eyes in anguish.

"Auto!" She saw relieved a single auto almost reaching them.

His eyes shot open.

"Tum kahin nahi ja rahi!(You're not going anywhere!)" He grabbed her elbow and shoved her behind him.

"Maine Aman ko bola hai gaari bhijwane k liye. Toh chup chaap yahan khadi raho aur mujhe kuch galat karne par bilkul bhi mat uksana warna anjaam ki zimmedar tum khud hogi!

(I've told Aman to bring the car. So stand here silently and don't force me to do anything wrong otherwise you yourself will be responsible for the repercussions)"

He warned taking one step forward to her with every step she took back until he was standing face to face to her pointing his index finger at her.

"LEAVE!" He shouted turning to the auto driver who has stopped besides the footpath.

Khushi was scared out of her wits with maniac expressions passing across his face about which she was well-aware of.

The auto driver zoomed off sweating in fear while Arnav took deep breaths in and out to gather himself.

It was hard, too hard being on the wrong side and still maintaining your 'false' arrogance because you know, you know if you didn't maintain the pretense you'd lose your everything.

Everything!

*

Arnav stopped the car in SR parking. A car arrived at the same moment from behind who quickly recognized his car. But what stunned the man the most was the particular girl getting out of ASR's car.

Sameer saw with his jaws clenched as Khushi quickly got out shutting the door behind with a bang and ran towards the building without looking back while Arnav came out and kept standing there besides the car even after she disappeared from his sight.

He closed his eyes tight to reign in his anger before approaching his stubborn brother-in-law. Despite his precautions and strict guard this man approached her anyway.

"What did you do to her? Arnav why were you with her?" He grabbed his collars angrily thrashing him against the car without a warning. Arnav sighed getting caught not all ashamed. Instead he stood arrogantly looking in his eyes challengingly.

"Jiju. Not now." Arnav gritted.

"I asked you a question." Sameer shook him.

"Do you really have to?" He quirked his eyebrow. "Don't you know why I was with her?"

A lava rose up in Sameer's chest. The signs of which Arnav saw on his face.

"Do you remember when I asked what'd you do if I did the same to your sister what you did with Khushi? I swear Arnav Singh Raizada I'd do exactly what you replied to me then. 'I'd kill you and leave your body to rot in deserted place' if you as much as looked at Khushi let alone wished to have her in your life." Sameer growled on his face maniacally.

A fire rose up in Arnav's eyes too.

"Kill me then. Because only that will make me stop from loving her and bringing her into my life." He hissed out.

"Arnav, Arnav!" Sameer cried out. "She is very important to me. I can't let you destroy her life anymore. She has been through enough. Since.. since forever!" He choked at the end.

Arnav looked at him calmly then leaving aside his rage and what he saw shocked him.

"Jiju your stance shows your guilt. Towards Khushi. And I also know this is not related to what I did to her. But how is this remorse of yours related to Khushi I have no idea when you have never met her until now?" Arnav couldn't help but think and asked him too. Suddenly his sixth sense alerted him when he saw a shadow of sorrow passing across his face.

"Tell me Jija ji? Or maybe not. I will find out myself." Arnav released himself from him and turned to his car when his next words froze him.

"She is the daughter of the woman whom my father left at the altar. The woman who was pregnant with his child. So basically, you are in love with my sister, Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada. Khushi Singh Rathode!"

A dumbstruck Arnav felt his legs turning jelly for several moments before his mind started working in overdrive. It struck him hard. He put two and two together and finally got the clear picture. So when he turned to Sameer this time a smirk was adoring his face.

"Does Khushi know this that her mother committed suicide because of your father?" Arnav asked evilly.

Sameer's face lost all colors. But Arnav didn't care. In Khushi's case his brother-in-law has blackmailed him enough. Now it was his turn.

"Jiju she already hates me. She knows what I have done to her. I have been burnt by her contempt and rejection for a while now. I know what it feels like to be pushed away by her. But what about you? Will you be able to bear it if she hated you too?"

"What are you trying to say?" Sameer asked angrily.

"It's simple Jiju. You can't have everything. I have been pining for her for almost an year now but there you have had her close to you most of the day. You banned my entry in SR but not only is she working in your office but you can talk to her, see her everyday while I can't do either."

"Arnav!" Sameer warned knowing very well where he was going with it. He knew him too well or vice versa.

"If Khushi as much as got to know about you, your father cruelty to her mother, above all your relation with her then she will not even look at your face ever let alone work with you or regard you as her savior." Jealousy oozed out of his every stance as he spat the words. Yes, he was jealous of every moment she spends without him, with anyone even her brother and he was not ashamed to admit it.

"Are you threatening me?"

"Yes. I am. Because your threat is not valid anymore. You won't reveal about your relation with me to her or take the rest for her to leave the job and eventually me because you just simply can't. So Jiju be back on my side. Convince her to marry me. And I promise your sister will always stay in your sight even without knowing anything because you know if she got to know the truth you will lose her the same way I lost her."

The moment he finished a punch landed on his jaw which instead of making Arnav angry made his smirk widen.

"I'd rather lose her than let her be with a monster like you!" Sameer punched him in his gut. Grimacing in pain Arnav laughed clutching his stomach knowing very well he has won. His brother-in-law cum friend was now just letting out his frustration.

"Seriously? Then let's go right now and tell her everything. I wanna see your face when she will look at you with disappointment and hate." Arnav challenged him.

Sameer's looked at him speechless before his face contorted in pain. He has told Shashi Gupta everything and in turn has begged him not to disclose it to Khushi or anyone so how could he go himself and tell it all to her face? Never!

"What do you want?" Sameer gritted out.

Arnav smirked victoriously.

"Convince Shashi Gupta in my favor. Khushi has made a condition for me to leave her alone for five years. And I asked her for five months to think about it. Though we both didn't agree to either of our conditions but still I don't want to take any chances. If Shashi Gupta agreed Khushi would never be able to refuse."

"Why do you think Shashi Gupta would listen to me?"

"Because I know you Jiju. The moment you must have known the truth the first person after Di would've been Shashi Gupta you'd have revealed it too. Otherwise you wouldn't have been able to convince yourself or silence the voice of your conscience. Looking at your face I think I guessed it right."

Sameer looked at him with both rage and helplessness. Arnav's smirk slipped and he clenched his jaws to restrain himself.

"Don't look at me like that, Jiju. Khushi has become the same for me which Di has always been for you!" Arnav replied him in his own language which he used two weeks ago to warn him.

"I hope you will do what's right." Arnav said softly before turning to leave. He stood with his hand on door knob for a moment before turning to give his friend a bear hug.

"Congratulations for finally finding your sister. And I am sorry you had to meet her this way." He croaked.

Sameer's eyes welled up.

"Don't you remember? You always used to say that you'd marry off your sister to me. Because after Di it's only me you trust blindly with your precious relation whom you have been searching for years. So use that trust Jiju. Keep your promise. Marry her to me. I will keep her happy for as long as I am alive."

"I was wrong." He growled pushing him away. "You are not good enough for her. You don't deserve her. You will never." He blasted.

Arnav felt his blood boiling but he didn't say anything knowing that he was only saying it for the sake of letting out his helplessness.

"Yes, I will do what's right." Sameer told his verdict. "Thanks for making this decision easier for me. I will surely talk to Shashi Gupta. Surely!"

"Good!" Arnav said.

Sameer gave him one last furious look before marching out of the parking without looking back feeling himself on crossroads.

*

Sameer has made his decision which Arnav got to know the next day. The moment he did he was driving to 'RM' in sheer rage and helplessness.

He reached Rathode Mansion. Coming out of the car he didn't bother closing the door and raged into the house.

Finding Sameer and Anjali in the living room having their evening tea with Anjali having worry expression already on her face while talking to her husband looked on helplessly when her gaze met with her brother's furious one.

"Why did you do that?" His voice boomed around the mansion. Anjali flinched but Sameer continued to take sips of the tea as if nothing happened.

"You thought I'd never be able to tell her about my relation to you. I proved you wrong." He shrugged his shoulders.

Anjali shrieked as Arnav marched to him and grabbing him through his collars made him stand before punching him on his face.

Now it was Sameer's time to laugh without getting affected.

"Isn't she your sister? How could you take away something from her which brings a smile on her face?" He snapped.

"It's such a small price she has to pay because if she has had married you she would have lost herself fully not just her smiles."

"I LOVE HER DAMMIT. HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU? I LOVE YOUR SISTER GODDAMMIT!"

"And I love her since I was a kid!" Sameer hollered freeing his collars, pushing him away.

"Listen both of you. Calm down. It's not a competition of who love her more." Anjali rushed to place a hand on both of their chests to keep them apart.

"I LOVE HER MORE!" Both shouted in unison turning their faces to her before looking at each other fiercely. Anjali shut her eyes. She felt like she was standing between two kids fighting for their favorite toy.

"If you loved her you wouldn't have told her." Arnav retorted.

"If you loved her you wouldn't have sent her to prison!" Sameer countered.

"She will leave Delhi now you moron!" Arnav shouted.

"At least she will be away from you. That's what matters!" Sameer was adamant.

Arnav's expressions turned dark then. He removed the distance between them and standing close to his face whispered,

"If I lost her I'd make sure you lose her, too. I will make you fall in your own dug grave!" He finished before turning to leave.

"I never had her as my sister anyway. I will be alright as soon as she is fine and healthy. Anyhow I will bear her hate, her distance but I will not let her fall into an abyss where a man like you wants to take her." Sameer spoke from behind.

Arnav stopped before turning to him. A defiance showed on his face. Anjali looked in between them torn with her misty eyes.

"I will prove everyone wrong about their perception of me. Guptas, you, my family, everyone. Even her. I will prove my love for her. To her. When she will herself choose me, no one will be able to make any objections to our relation. And I-" He pointed to himself feeling his fingers trembling.

Sameer looked away clenching his jaws while Anjali whimpered.

"--I am ready to wait till my last breath for that to happen. Even if it took my life I will never give up on loving her." He choked with his lips shaking and eyes red with moisture.

"One more thing Jiju. I could never do what you did. I have sworn to never hurt her again intentionally so don't worry. I will tell her nothing. I can't see her in that lifeless condition again which I did when I saw her sitting in that corner in jail. That picture of her has killed every arrogance and ego in me. It is imprinted in every fiber of my being and till I will breath I will never forgive myself for it. Never. Ever." He didn't realize he was sobbing till he finished.

Anjali cried along with him while Sameer barely held his whimpers hearing his sister's suffering whom he wanted to find and protect with his life. But he couldn't do so. On time!

"Yesterday I made your choice easier. Today you opened my eyes to come to a final decision." Pin drop silence followed his announcement which Arnav himself broke whilst the duo waited with bated breath.

"I will give her what she wants. Five years." Arnav rasped feeling his breaths leaving him as he said that.

Anjali and Sameer looked at him dumbfounded. Did he really mean what he said?

"Yes," He nodded.

"I will not see her, talk to her, trouble her, l-listen her for the next five years. I will give her time." He wheezed blinking back the tears. "I forcibly imprisoned her for three weeks. I will willingly imprison myself in loneliness for the next five years. I will wait for her and then maybe, maybe get her forgiveness when all this, me, my face, my presence won't hurt her anymore."

"I don't believe you!" Sameer said seriously.

"I don't believe myself either." Arnav hissed out.

"So help me Jiju! Be on my side and keep me away from her. Help me keep this promise I will make to her. If in these five years I became weak and missed her too much then do anything possible to stop me from going to her."

Sameer looked at him for a moment silently before saying,

"Okay."

Arnav nodded wiping his face.

"I will meet her for the last time. Tomorrow." He announced with all the sorrow in his voice before walking away defeated leaving behind a worried Anjali and a thoughtful Sameer behind.

*

Not the next day he got to meet her after a week much to his helplessness. That too in a grocery store. In midst various long shelves.

She burst out on him the moment she saw him before her not even bothering to ask how and why was he here because she knew it was useless asking this question from this man as he will forever be stubborn.

"Kis kisam k insaan hain aap? Jab maine apki di hui kisi bhi nokri ko ghas nahi dala toh aapne apne jijaji ko maire peeche laga diya? Aur wo apki behen Anjali ji se mujhe iss sab ki umeed hargiz nahi thi k ye sab unka plan hoga.

(What kind of a man are you huh? When I refused to take any of your jobs you sent your beloved brother-in-law behind me? And that sister of yours? I can't believe it was all her plan)"

She was scolding him in the middle of the crowded store while he was standing gawking at her thinking that how will he be able to spend a mountain of days without her? His hands shivered. Heart burned.

"Ab ye kya bu't banne maire saamne khade hain? Jawab dein? Akhir kab, KAB aap maira peecha chodein gay? Kab mujhe chain se jeene dein gay?

(Now why are you standing like a statue? Answer me? Till when, WHEN will you stop chasing me around? When will you let me breathe in peace?)"

She huffed and puffed giving him a push back.

"From today." He whispered feeling like his voice coming from under the cliff. "The moment I will leave from here my imprisonment will start. Of five years."

She looked at him frowning. Obviously she didn't believe him.

"I know you don't believe me. I don't trust myself either but I am ready to do anything, anything to prove that my feelings are genuine for you."

She raised her eyebrows and scoffed when he added.

"But I have a condition, too."

"I knew it." She taunted.

"No, listen to me. It's not what you are thinking. I just have a request." He paused and continued when she kept looking at him with caution.

"Please don't leave SR. My Di and Jiju are nothing like me. They did all this because I threatened them I'd go to extremes if you left Delhi. SR has nothing to do with AR. It solely belongs to Sameer Raj Singh Rathode. No one else." In flow he spoke what he shouldn't have.

"Raj Singh Rathode," Khushi whispered. All of her nonchalance thinned into air. Arnav swallowed but didn't comment on that.

While Khushi felt her eyes moistening. Shaking her head gulping she blinked her eyes to clear her vision before looking at him seriously. It was not possible what she was thinking.

"Even if I wanted to resign from SR, I can't. Babu ji doesn't want to. I can never go against him. I agree I am angry and disappointed with Sameer Sir but that doesn't mean whatever he did it makes him like you. He did not do anything heinous like you did. Instead he brought me back to life by giving me something I like doing the most. I will forever be grateful to him for that."

Arnav looked at her with relief palpable in his stance. Of course Shashi Gupta won't part a sister from her brother because he knows the truth. That means she won't be leaving Delhi. It was enough for him to have her breath in the same city as him for as long as he has to stay away from her.

"So it's settled then." He spoke with sadness clear in his stance. Passing her a bright smile hiding his tears and breaking heart he extended his hand towards her.

Her heart skipped a beat seeing the beautiful smile on his face which she has never seen before. She reprimanded herself in her mind to get a grip.

"It's time to say goodbye. For the next 1825 days." His misty eyes drilled holes in her being.

Khushi felt angry when her vision blurred too as she slipped her hand into his awaiting one which he clasped ever so light in his hold before he caressed the back of her hand with his thumb that her heart jumped into her throat making it impossible for her to hold her emotions.

She tried to snatch back her hand but felt a pull forward instead causing her head to crash onto his chest while he held their joined hands at her back holding her softly. Her nostrils flared, lips trembled, head spun, tremors ran down her spine. A knife drove through her heart as she heard a broken voice vibrating through him.

"This is my consolation." He touched his head to hers softly before letting her go with exaggerated slowness.

His eyes were full of unshed tears while her body was trembling with sudden onslaught of emotions. As soon as she was free she ran off without looking back while Arnav gradually sat right there on the floor on his knees as she took a piece of him with her leaving a void so big which would stay there until she comes back to him. He hoped so she will.

There outside Khushi breathed harshly placing her hand over her heart trying to gather herself. One by one tears rolled down her cheeks as she sobbed her heart to let out all of her forbidden emotions for this man right here outside this store.

While inside he sat on the ground crying silently but she sobbed out loud outside sitting on the stairs hearing which he cursed himself more and more.

As the storm of emotions subsided a bit a determination followed her stance. She stood up from the stairs and walked ahead to the road to her new life because she has had made a 'decision' way before she placed this condition before him.

THREE WEEKS AGO

(The day Arnav proposed Khushi for the first time)

"Babu ji," Khushi caught his elbow the moment he appeared at the door.

Garima, Madhumati frowned looking at her huffing puffing figure. Seeing her Shashi's anger regarding Arnav's arrogance and defiance cooled down a bit and he put on a poker face to look at his daughter.

"I am listening, bitiya but first will you let us enter?" He teased her. She passed him a nervous smile and stepped aside. Once they settled on the couches she stood facing them across the table while playing with her fingers.

"Yes, I am all ears." Shashi encouraged her. Neither of them brought up the incident at the hospital or the media or Arnav or his proposal. It's better she doesn't know about their encounter or that man's oh-so-great love. She already has enough on her plate.

"I want to marry." She announced. Shashi paled while rest of the Guptas including Payal who was just coming out from the kitchen gasped.

"With Rai-" Shashi couldn't get the words out in shock and disbelief. While Khushi was in her own world not knowing that she has dropped a bomb on her family. Not knowing they all have misinterpreted her words.

"Babu ji," Khushi ran to crouch down before him placing her palm on his knee. "Get me married to anyone of your choice."

Shashi released a relieved sigh and so did everyone else. Thank heavens she didn't take Arnav's name or they wouldn't have known how to handle that situation.

"When dear?" Shashi didn't question of why and how's. He knew them anyways. He only offered his support.

"As soon as possible!" She was confident.

"Sure, whatever you say." He placed his hand over her head.

"No one should know that you are looking for a prospective groom for me." Khushi pleaded with misty eyes.

Shashi looked at her thoughtfully already making a plan of action for future before smiling at her.

"Consider it done." He promised her.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she placed her head on his knee with her heart dropping to a dangerous level for some unknown cause. Or maybe, maybe she didn't want to acknowledge the reason.

She tucked her hairs behind her ears looking at the passersby, cars whilst her eyes shone with a glint.

He has destroyed her going to the very extremes. He tortured her every possible way. She has just gathered herself. She was not ready to go back to those dark days. With him!

He succeeded in breaking her because of 'his ego'.

Now the matter was of her self-respect. 'Her pride'.

How far should she go to maintain it?

How far could she go?

He has no freaking idea!

By the time he will know she would already be 'happily' married.

To Samrat Shergill.

To,

Her fiancé!

____________________________

Phew!

Finally. I finally posted it. Yes, it's an open ending. Rest I am leaving it to your imagination. (Oh I better run before you all beat me up. Hehe)

Will there be an epilogue? I know most of you will ask it. Maybe. Or maybe not. Let's see your reviews before I decide it.

1. Was the update worth the wait? (I hope so)

2. Your favorite dialogue of this update?

3. Your favorite scene?

4. Did any scene make you cry? If yes, which one?

What about,

5. Arnav's confession? His proposal?

6. Sameer and Khushi's relation?

7. Sameer's decision?

8. Arnav's decision?

9. Finally, Khushi's decision?

10. Who made the very right decision? Any unbiased view?

Eagerly waiting for your feedback. Kindly don't forget to leave your precious VOTES and COMMENTS because only they  could encourage me to keep writing :)

Stay safe.

Cheers!