Bold: Khushi and Ayushi past

Italic: Arnav and Khushi's past

Normal font: Present

(16154 words)

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Here you go!

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Today he achieved another milestone in their relationship. She willingly hugged him. Even though he couldn't find the reason of her sadness but whatever he got he was content with it. He would ask about the reason some other time when she will be willing to share it with him.

He came back to office satisfied. Aman was already waiting for him in his cabin clearly tensed.

"What is it Aman? It is a beautiful day isn't it? Why are you so concerned?" He asked placing his coat at the back of his chair before sitting on it turning to Aman.

"Ashish Kashyap got it."

"Got what?"

"The tender!"

"Oh. Pass my congratulations to him."

"ASR?" Aman was exasperated."How can you act so calm? We worked so hard for that tender and you backed off at the last moment."

"I did. So what?"Arnav exclaimed. He was in a good mood today after meeting Lavanya as she called him for the first time herself and he don't want to spoil the happiness just now. He wants to revel in it.

"ASR. Don't you get it?"

"Get what?"

"Isn't it suspicious that you got caught up right at the time when you had such an important meeting?" He was after all a very efficient employee.

Arnav clenched his jaws.

"What do you want to say?"

"You are smart enough to understand it ASR." Aman said knowingly. He knew where he was and it wasn't difficult to connect the dots.

"You are going out with Mr.Kashyap's daughter. And just when you were supposed to sign a deal you were called by her only and whoa, tables were turned. Instead of you who deserved to get the tender, her father got the deal. Isn't it suspicious in your opinion?"

"That's enough Aman! Get out!" Arnav shouted hitting his hand over the table in anger. Her hazel eyes filled with tears came before his eyes and he could bet his whole business over it that they weren't fake at all.

"Fine ASR. I will go out. Do whatever you want. Today you have lost just one tender. It might not make a difference but if it happened again and again then don't blame me that I didn't warn you!"

"OUT!"

"Didn't you think it once ever ASR? The Kashyap's proposal for you came right at the time when their business is going through a very tough phase? Their Mumbai business is over. Delhi business is on the verge of going bankrupt and then... all of a sudden they got such a great tender to stand back on their feet."

"ENOUGH! ENOUGH! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE AMAN! One word more and I would fire you!"

"Oh yeah do that. As if you would!" He scoffed.

"Aman!" He warned.

"Fine I am going. But let me tell you. If you weren't so into that girl then not me you would've said all that. But right now, for the very first time, ASR is not thinking with his mind but heart. I just hope that it turns out as good as you are expecting it to be. I really hope so that it all not blow up on your face." He shook his head before leaving.

Arnav closed his eyes to calm himself down.

His mood was totally ruined now. Falling back on the chair he ran his hand over his face. Throwing the cover from the glass, he drank a huge gulp of water before placing it back on the table.

Hearing the ring of his cell he attended the call without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello Arnav Singh Raizada here!" He mumbled in a low tone.

"I am sorry Arnav ji. I am really sorry."

It was her.

His mood brightened by just listening to her voice. Aman was just speaking rubbish and he won't let it affect his relationship with this hazel eyed girl.

"For what Lavanya?"

There was a silence for a moment before she spoke.

"I-I just heard that you lost a tender because of me. I am really .. really sorry. I swear I didn't mean to do any of it."

"Lavanya. Lavanya are you crying?" He straightened on his seat.

"I swear I--"

"Relax. Relax would you? It doesn't matter as long as I get to spend time with you."

Khushi felt needles pricking her throat as he said that. She has come to hide herself at the backyard to talk to him after Ashish Kashyap congratulated her for her first success.

"You are not as bad as I thought you are in these things Khushi. You nailed it girl. You really did." Ashish said with a deep meaning in his words.

"Tell me girl? How far did you go with him to keep him from going to the meeting? Because THE ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA I know would never leave his work neither if earthquake shake the world nor if the storm hit the grounds."

"I didn't do anything."

"As if I would believe you!" He said sarcastically making her feel dirty even though she didn't do anything intentionally.

She felt too heavy that she has cried for god knows how many minutes until she realized she couldn't go on without apologizing to him.

"Are you okay now or should I come over to make you feel better Ms.Kashyap?" She heard him ask.

"Can you?" She didn't know why she asked that.

"You want me to?"

"What if I say yes?"

"You would find me in front of you before you know it."

She breathed.

"Don't make me so used to you." She swallowed her tears.

"Why not?"

"Who knows what future has in store for us?"

He chuckled leaning back on the seat.

"You are already thinking about the future aren't you?" She could see him smirking , amused.

"I didn't mean it that way." She stammered.

"Okay. Relax. Lets have dinner together. What say?"

"Okay." She agreed right away. She don't know why but she wanted to see him too.

"Great. I will pick you up then."

"Alright."

After cutting the call when the haziness of his voice subsided did she realize what she was doing.

She was unintentionally doing whatever she was asked to do.

To make Arnav Singh Raizada smitten by her so that they could take advantage of him.

"How could I?" She cried out slipping to the floor again.

"What is happening to me? What am I becoming?" She growled to herself.

"What are you doing to me Arnav ji?" She said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"How much time is there for the jai mala Di?"

"Half an hour." Anjali informed.

He nodded and left to the direction of the guest room. Seeing it still locked he used the spare key and unlocking the door entered the room. The sight which greeted him made his eyes widen.

"What the hell do you think you are trying to do Khushi?" He gritted running up to her and caught her right in time before she could jump out of the window through the rope of the bed sheets she made.

"You can't always run did you get it?" He shook her."YOU CAN'T!" He shouted loudly at her face making her nerves freeze.

"I- actually. I was just- trying to--note the h-height." She stuttered blinking back the tears knowing that she was surely caught red handed.

"Do you really think I would buy that stupid excuse Khushi?" He gritted before turning to the window and banging it shut making her close her eyes too.

"I-I am s-sorry. I didn't know what else to do." She accepted it looking up at him.

"Why?" He raised his eyebrow."If you wanted to go out then you could've simply used the front door."

She looked at him incredulously.

"As if you would have let me." She scoffed.

He smirked inwardly. Hmm she was still there. The girl he fell in love with. The girl who knew how to fight back.

"I would have sweetheart. I would've given you the permission given that you'd had asked me." He folded his arms across his chest.

"Fine. I am asking you now. Can I go?" She asked and a lump formed in her throat when he shrugged.

"Let me--go Arnavji?" She added seeing his nonchalance. Neither he was giving her an affirmative nor a negative answer. He stood there looking at her with his intense gaze making her heart well up.

"Let me .. leave will you?" She tried again.

His gaze sharpened some more.

Gulping she moistened her lips.

"I-I should go I guess." She stuttered and looked at him for any reply but finding none she turned to leave with a dejected heart.

"You can go if you want to, Khushi." She heard him say as she took two steps ahead.

"But can you do me a favor before leaving?" He asked.

She turned to him frowning.

"What favor?"

"A little help. After that you will be free of me. I promise."

"What do I have to do?" She asked with trembling lips not having any good feeling about this.

He walked to her casually with his one hand folded at his back. When he was an arm length away from her, he unfolded his hand and raised his upturned palm to her containing the knife.

Khushi gasped taking two steps back from him with her eyes widening only to be held by him through her elbow.

"All you have to do is stab this goddamn knife in my heart as many times as you want until it stops beating and after that you can go out of that door because as long as I am alive I would never let that happen!" He breathed sharply as he finished.

A scared whimper escaped her seeing the blood rushing to his eyes.

"Arnav ji what are you saying? How can I do that?"

"Why can't you? You can Khushi. You can. Because you have been doing this already for a while now anyways!" His arms went around her waist as he pulled her up against him.

"So what is it that you want because I swear Khushi if you walked out of that door then I will make full use of this knife. Then you will stay your whole life in the guilt of being responsible for someone committing suicide. That you first lied to that person mercilessly, made him believe in you then left and when he found a way out to relieve him, you left him hanging again by running away.Bravo!"

"I am saying sorry Arnavji."

"I am not forgiving you!"

"You had your payback by making me your maid."

"That wasn't a punishment for you Khushi. You have worked like a servant in Kashyap Mansion as well. So you were kind of used to it weren't you?" He was being too cruel.

Khushi swallowed the insult directed at her. It wasn't him but the hurt man speaking inside him. The man whose ego was bruised for being rejected by a girl not once but twice.

"Fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Marry me!" He pressed her to him.

"I can't. I can do anything, anything but that."

"Why? Am I not good enough for you, your highness?" He scoffed.

"It isn't like that. Why don't you understand it? Its the other way around. I am not good enough for you." She said raising her wet lashes.

His eyes softened at her innocent confession.

"Let me be the judge of that. Okay?" He threw the knife on the bed and cupped her cheeks tucking the strands of her hairs behind her ear.

"No!" She said.

"Excuse me?" He frowned.

"No. I won't marry you." She was adamant. And that brought back the hardness in him.

"Oh really?" He asked with his eyes glinting with frustration.

She just nodded lowering her eyes stepping back from him causing his hands to fall at his sides.

"Fine then Miss Khushi. Here take this." He took the knife and placed it in her hand, curled her hand around it. Covering his both hands over hers he brought it close to his chest causing her to shriek.

"What are you doing Arnavji? Leave my hand. You will get hurt." She twisted her hand in his hand to get free but in vain. He shrugged.

"That would be on you." He said bringing the sharp edge of the knife pointing to his heart that any more pressure and it would pierce through his shirt right into his skin straight to his heart. She whimpered trying to break free horrified of his intentions. He seriously would stab himself through her hands. How would she be able to live through it if she hurt him physically as well?

"So either marry me or kill me." He gritted making her anxiety double.

"The choice is yours. You have ten seconds to decide." He was over crowding her not letting her breath for even a second.Her mind turned numb. Her heart hammered in her chest.

"Your time starts. NOW!" He said and her heart jumped up to her throat when he started counting in a low intimidating voice.

"10.. 9.."

"Stop it!" Her struggles doubled.

"8.. 7.. 6.."

"Please stop it!" She pleaded.

"5.. 4.."

"Don't do this!" She cried out to free her hand from his tight hold but no luck.

"3.. 2.."

"OKAY! OKAY! FINE! I WILL DO WHAT YOU WANT! I WILL MARRY YOU!" She bellowed bursting out crying in defeat.

"I will m-marry you.Just stop it. I can't breath. I can't take it. Stop it. Please. Don't count." She mumbled with her hands shaking in his hold and just then he released the hold on her hand. She let go of the knife quickly as if it was burning her before looking up at him angrily.

"How can you do something like that to me?" She whispered yelled. She could only manage that much.

"How can you threaten me with your life when you know how much it is imp-" She stopped while his heart skipped a beat.

"I know what Khushi? What were you saying? Finish it." He reduced the distance between them.

"Nothing. NOTHING!" She gritted in irritation.

He sighed. Getting something out of her would be difficult so he let it be for the time being.

"Why are you standing there...far away?"

"Where should I stand then?"

"Come. Congratulate me. I am getting married." He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug as he himself wrapped her arms around his back before placing his on her waist.

"Why are you silent? Come on." He closed his eyes trailing his nose along her hairs inhaling her scent.

"C-Congratulations." She choked closing her eyes with her nose grazing his coat. His cologne filled her senses making her feel at peace.

"Thank you." He whispered in her ear."Congrats to you too. You are also getting married. You are soon going to be Mrs.Arnav Singh Raizada."

Mrs.Arnav Singh Raizada?

Her eyes welled up and before she knew it she was sobbing clutching to him for her dear life.

"Chote, its.." Anjali barged in through the opened door and stopped whatever she was saying seeing her brother gesturing through his eyes.

"Its almost time." She mouthed looking worriedly at Khushi. Although her back was to her but still she could see her body shaking with sobs.

He nodded at his sister and pulled back from the hug. Khushi became self conscious as she realized what she was doing.

"Di get her ready and bring her downstairs would you?" He addressed Anjali. Khushi whirled around to see Anjali standing there with a concerned look on her face which transformed into a smile when her eyes met Khushi.

"Of couse I would." Anjail said adding extra cheerfulness to her voice.

"Great."

He turned to Khushi.

"See you in the mandap then my future wife." He cupped the side of her neck and pecked her cheek that not only made her gasp but also made her feel choked.

"You won't get anything out of it. You don't know me." She whispered to him.

"I know how to turn the situations in my favor Khushi. So don't you worry about that." He winked at her.

"Besides you owe me several apologies to earn my forgiveness. I will make you 'work' for it." He said in her ear before leaving and Anjali frowned wondering what her brother said to Khushi that made her dumbfounded and .. terrified?

"How did you convince her?" Anjali asked him once she made Khushi sit at the mandap and saw him coming out from the poolside seeing them downstairs.

"With a little bit of drama!" He smirked.

"Drama? And you?" She asked flabbergasted.

"You haven't seen the real Khushi yet Di. I have. And the Khushi I knew loved dramas. It was one of them. Just that she herself couldn't recognize it."

"Oh really?" Anjali wiggled her eyebrows.

"Yup. I guess she must have had a pretty high dose of reality at some point of time which made her come out of that drama or say dream world. I would bring it back to her life. I have already started it." He said thoughtfully not knowing that whilst showing her the dream world, he himself would get a high dose of reality later on.

"Uff Khushi.Uff!" He muttered under his breath.

He has come here to a professional to hack the password of his wife's cell and when he actually did, he found all the calls and messages history wiped out. There were not even a single trace that she ever called or messaged anyone. There wasn't any number saved in the contact list either except his own.

"Just like in the past." He gritted.

"Am I being played again?" He asked himself paying the man and coming to sit back in the car pocketing her cell.

"Argh Khushi. Whenever I start trusting you again, you blow it all on my face. What am I going to do with you now? Dammit!" He punched the steering wheel.

"I want all the calls and message history of Khushi at any cost. You can get it from the mobile company right? Go there yourself if you had to." He called Aman.

"Don't you get it? I don't care if I am invading in her privacy or whatever. I just want to dig up all of her past. If that means I have to break all the rules of ethics then so be it. I would."

He sighed as Aman reassured him from the other side.

"How much time would it take?"

"Hmm. Okay. I will be waiting then." He cut the call and started to a mall.

He have to buy a dress for his wife before heading back to the farmhouse.

Arnav entered his room decorated with red and white flowers along with candles lit up at every corner of the room.

Khushi. Now was his wife. Khushi Singh Raizada. He smiled as he repeated the name in his mind.

She was finally his. HIS. His Khushi.

Breathing a sigh of relief as if he has achieved a milestone he took slow steps towards her who was looking breathtaking even in a simple red chiffon saree. He knew his sister has chosen the color of her dress very aptly knowing about his passion for the red.

Now red has another meaning in his life. Khushi. She has become his passion ever since he saw her and how long has he waited to come here where they were now.

"I have to go." She hurriedly came up to him bringing him out of his dazzling thoughts.

"Excuse me?"

"I said I have to go." She said out loud with her lips trembling.

"Where?"

"That should not be your concern."

"Explain to me how is it not?" He clenched his jaws while pointedly looking at her vermilion and mangalsutra making her shiver.

"Arnav ji. Please?"

"Please what? Answer me? Where do you have to go on our wedding night? What is more important than being with your husband?"

Khushi closed her eyes as her heart skipped a beat as he called himself her husband. Reality wasn't lost on her. She was now his wife. Arnav ji's wife. But pity she couldn't revel on the fact because she has to be sure about the safety of her sister and nephew now that Kashyap's plan has backfired on them.

"Would you speak up?" Trust her to ruin all of his happiness at the most perfect time.

"I-I have to meet Kashyaps." She told him clearly.

"You have no relation with that family anymore so no, you can't." He rejected her plea.

"I have some... some things left in KM. I have to go pick them up." She made up an excuse.

"Worry not. I would ask someone to get them tomorrow first thing in the morning." He threw his coat at the recliner in irritation.

"Arnav ji you don't understand." She pleaded now feeling trapped.

"What do I don't?" His tone held a warning making a shiver run down her spine.

"I have to go right now. Please. Please?"

"NO MEANS NO DAMMIT!" He shouted at the top of his voice that Anjali who was about to lie down on her bed in her room heard it too and jumped out of the bed.

"Listen to me very carefully Khushi. I won't let you be the puppet of that Lavanya Kashyap anymore. Is she blackmailing you again? Huh TELL ME?" He shook her hard.

"If that's the case then you don't have to be afraid of her. I know how to take care of the women like her. I will drag her to the court and won't rest until she would pay for everything she did to you."

Khushi gasped terrified.

"No. No. Don't do it. Don't. Please." She said frantically.

"What are you so afraid of Khushi?" He yelled.

"Is there something else? SPEAK UP!"

"I-I can't tell you." She cried out.

He pressed his lips together in sheer frustration.

"Fine. Don't. Don't tell me. But you won't get out of this mansion..Wait a minute..You won't get out of this room either until you won't tell me what the hell is going on with you!" He was getting too scary to look at and the way he was shouting made Khushi tremble in her shoes.

"Please don't.. don't shout. You--you are scaring me." She whimpered.

"You ruined our wedding night. Our very first night after marriage and I am not even allowed to let it out, to shout? Bravo huh Mrs.Raizada. Bravo!" He pulled back and clapped his hands. Her leg hit the bed behind and she sat more like fell on it as she couldn't stand on her feet anymore.

"Chote! Chote! Open the door!" Anjali called worriedly from the outside.

"Di, go back to sleep." He groaned.

"But you are shouting." She said anxiously.

"Di. Please. LEAVE!" He was so raged that he shouted at his sister too.

Worriedly Anjali dragged her feet back to her room but she couldn't sleep anymore.

Arnav sat on the recliner with his hand interlocked with each other looking intensely at the woman sitting on the bed facing him.

"You wouldn't have come back if I'd had allowed you to go there." He stated as a matter of fact while Khushi didn't dare raise her eyes to his lest he catch the truth shining in there.

"SPEAK UP!" He shouted that not only made Khushi jump fearfully but also made a chill run down Anjali's spine sitting in her room.

Khushi bit her lower lip.

"Don't s-shout." She stammered shaking with fear.

He cursed under his breath.

"I won't." He said calmly this time. She raised her wet lashes to look at him.

"I won't shout. I won't be mad. But for that to happen you have to start our new life with me. You have to accept this relation. You have to let me.." He swallowed."You have to let me... be with you."

He looked at her hopefully for the answer.

"I -- can't stay Arnav ji. Try to understand me." She said silently before lowering her eyes.

"Why can't you? Why is that family so important to you who treated you so badly? Why?"He asked pinching the bridge of his nose.

She whimpered but didn't say anything.

"Why is it that Kashyaps who never thought of you as a human being gets the privilege while I who wants to take you out of that pathetic life and give you a beautiful one, am never given even a glance whatsoever? What is so important about them Khushi? I really want to know!" His voice turned into a croak at the end.

"They are like my family no matter how bad they treated me." She lied through her teeth.

"RUBBISH!" He banged his fist on the head rest of the recliner.

"Why are you blaming me Arnav ji? Why? I told you I don't want this. I don't want to marry you. That you won't get anything out of it but you still forced me to become your wife. Now what can I do other than say what I have in my heart?"

"Oh heart huh? HEART! Wonderful! Khushi Singh Raizada says she has a heart too. That should be a breaking news on every news channel because as far as I know this woman she could have anything but a heart. Because if she has had it then she wouldn't have destroyed someone so mercilessly out of some adventure." His hurt took the form of hurting words and she got cut by it mercilessly.

"Arnav ji. Please? I have to go. Let me...go?" She cried out folding her hands before him. He looked away.

"Why Khushi?" He asked with such hurt that her heart clenched in her chest.

On one hand she wanted to run to him, hug him, console him and on the other she has to save whoever was left of her family. And she knew, she knew if ASR got to know about her life and secrets then he would sue Kashyaps but one phone call from Ashish Kashyap can take away her family from her too. She can't take risks. She can't. So she has to do what would cut her the most. Hurt him. Again. All over again!

"Because I don't want to be with you. I DON'T want it." She gritted out the words taking away all of the softness from him. His eyes shone with a dangerous glint.

"Is that so?" He asked in a low maniac tone.

She shuddered looking at the intensity of madness in his eyes that words eluded her.

"Don't look at ... me like that." She trembled.

"I asked you something.TELL ME I WANT ANSWERS!!" He bellowed so hard that the nerves at his temples and neck could be seen throbbing. The sight was so scary for Khushi that she breathed heavily looking frantically around the room for a way to escape.

"I.. I have to go.. I .. have to go." She repeated frantically with goosebumps erupting on her body as she could feel his intense gaze locked on her burning her, alarming her.

She stood up on shaky legs before making a dash to the door.

"Stop right there!" He said in a low menacing voice.

"Dare you move!" He added and her body has already frozen in front of the door.

"Please let me go I beg you." She sobbed out the words without turning to him.

"You have ruined my dreams I have weaved with you. Make up for them first. Then I will think of listening to your requests as well." He gritted making her shiver.

She turned to him wiping her face with the back of her hands.

"How?"

"Do me a favor!"

Her heart skipped a beat while her eyes dilated. Earlier when he has asked for the favor he has almost made her stab him with a knife. She shuddered.

"N-No!" She shook her head.

"Oh really?"

"I-I mean...yes!" She gulped.

"Good." He said with his bloodshot eyes piercing through her soul.

"You will let me go after I will do whatever you want me to?"

He looked at her sharply making her shut up.

"If I can't get what I want then I swear you won't get whatever you want too." He stood up and said while taking slow deliberate steps to her until he was standing an inch away from her face. Khushi couldn't breath.

"I will tell you what its feel like to have your destination just a step away from you and yet neither can you take the final step towards it to reach it nor can you move back but hang in the middle because that's what you are forced to do!"

"Stop it." She rasped."I-I can't b-breath." She shuddered.

"I can't breath either!" He said and taking her hand dragged her out and shoved her in the passenger seat before driving off rashly.She held her head which was spinning to and fro due to the speed.

She looked around startled when he stopped the car right in front of Kashyap Mansion. He dragged her out of the car and stopped only when they were standing in front of the gate with just an arm length distance to knock or reach out to ring the bell.

"You wanted to come here didn't you? See here we are. You are just a step away from your destination." He whispered in her ear and chills ran down her spine.

"But mind you, if you even tried to take a step forward to knock or ring the bell ... I will simply take you back to RM and then I would turn our wedding night into a nightmare for you. I promise!"

The breaths left her in a whoosh as she realized the innuendo behind his words and she dared not move from her place.

"I am watching you from the car. Stay here whole night without moving so that you know what I am actually going through by having you besides me and yet not being able to ... start the new life with you." He said bleary eyed making her burst into silent sobs while he swallowed back his own tears moving back to the car with his heart clenching and unclenching in his chest.

Khushi walked around the room scared to death.

"That means.. That means Sameer isn't your kid. Whoa!"

"Then whose kid is he Khushi?" He asked narrowing his eyes putting her down but not removing his hands from around her.

"Sameer. What do you call him? Oh yeah. Sami baby. Who's kid is he?"

"My Di's." She cried out.

"And what is the name of your sister sweetheart?"

"You were telling me your sister name weren't you Khushi?"

"Ayushi Gupta!"

"Idiot. Idiot woman." She hit her palm on her head before pacing the length of the room with her hands on her hips.

"I will get you a dress on my way back. Until then wear something from my cupboard." He gestured to his closet.

She looked down at his black shirt she was wearing that reached till her mid thighs and the trouser that looked like a balloon on her thin legs.

"Fool. Stupid.Stupid Khushi. He played you and you are walking around wearing his clothes? Shame on you! Shame on you woman. Argh!"

She let out all the anger on herself that she was feeling on him.

"He left you hanging in the middle. He left you craving, aching for him and still you went to his cupboard and did as he said? Dammit Khushi Singh Raizada. Salute to your stupid brain!"

"I am so- sorry for what you had been through Khushi. I am so.. very sorry that instead of protecting you, I made your life more miserable didn't I?" He cupped her cheeks firmly.

She smiled bringing the cuffs to her nose sniffling his scent.

"Oh how beautifully he apologized when none of that was his fault." Her eyes took the dreamy look.

"How sweet is he. Isn't he?" She inhaled a lung full of his scent before rubbing the material on her cheeks as if to feel him.

"You were telling me your sister name weren't you Khushi?" He asked dipping another finger inside her causing her to cry out.

"Ayushi Gupta!"

"That's like my girl. Thank you for the information baby!" He pulled back at once causing her to blink her eyes several times when she didn't feel his touch anymore.Before she got the hold of the surrounding she felt herself being covered by the blanket.

Breathing heavily she rasped before trailing her eyes to the room only for them to settle on him who was shrugging on his shirt and before she knew it he was gone leaving her aching for him.

Her eyes opened wide and she dropped her hands from her face before rolling the sleeves up angrily.

"Get a grip over yourself Khushi. Get a grip. Look what he did and you can't stop praising him huh? Stop it!"

"Ever since we met you did nothing but lie to me Khushi. I told you the very first day we met that I can't stand deceit, I can't stand cheaters. I don't show any mercy on them because they don't deserve any of it. But you-"

"For you, I had to overlook all that and marry you. Marry you when you didn't want it at the first place. I don't know-" He gritted.

"You entered my life just 2 years ago and ever since you did, I have seen and felt nothing but pain. Just that Khushi. Nothing else. Nothing else!"

"So if you are asking for my forgiveness then I am sorry, I can't do that until I know everything about you and then obliterate all the troubles from your life."

She sat at the edge of the bed with her eyes welling up. Her hands again raised up to her nostrils to feel the soft material of his shirt.

"I have hurt him so much. But what could I have done? I don't have any other choice. I still don't." The guilt hit her like always. She has been living with it every second of her life already.

Her head shot up all of a sudden as she realized the seriousness of the situation.

"He knows Di's name. He knows Sameer's name too. He will find out. No. No. He can't. If he did then..."

She shook her head.

"No. No. He won't." She rubbed her forehead.

But he is Arnav Singh Raizada, Khushi. He will. Didn't he say he would?

She stood on the verge of panicking.

"Where has he gone? Where? Did he go to investigate?" She mumbled scared and rushed to get her cellphone from under the pillow and found nothing there.

"Where is my phone? I placed it here only before going to shower." She bit her lower lip scratching her head.

For the next many minutes she has searched every nook and corner of the room for her phone but the result--zilch. She was on the verge of crying when she thought to look for it downstairs. Maybe she forgot it there?

But how can it reach downstairs when she clearly remember placing it under her pillow?

"What would I do if Arnavji got hold of it or worse if he attended the call from--" She shook her head.

"No. No. I will find it before he could." She decided and made a dash to the door only to bump her head to the hard chest as someone entered through the same.

"Whoa. What's the hurry Khushi?" He asked seeing the anxiety written on her face. He had an idea why but still he acted innocent.

"Uh--my.. Have you seen my mobile somewhere Arnavji? I can't find it." She twisted her fingers not meeting his eyes.

"Oh that."

He took out her cell from his pocket and extended it over to her.

"Here it is. You were worrying for no reason. It was with me safe and sound." He said with extreme calmness while Khushi has gone pale.

"What happened?" He asked noticing every expression on her face."Take it now already?"

She gulped and her hand shook as she extended it to take her mobile. Sweat beads formed on her forehead. He observed her keenly.

"W-Why?" She cleared her throat."Why was it with you?" She tried to act cool but failed miserably and when she swiped the screen of her cell her eyes widened. It opened without any code. Pin code wasn't there anymore.

Her heart dropped.

"Did you-" She raised her eyes to his who was now standing with his hands in his pocket as if he didn't just took her breath away.

"Did I what?"

"Did you check my cell phone?" She asked with her heart thumping loudly in her chest.

"I did." He accepted openly."In fact I went to a friend of mine to open that password you have set and then I found out that my wife is way smarter than I thought she was." He said and walked in the room.

"Why?" She walked behind him. "Why did you do that? There is something called privacy."

"Ah-huh! I don't think there is anything called privacy between a husband and a wife. If you want you can check my cell whenever you want to and I swear I won't say a thing. I won't mind." He took off his coat whilst placing the shopping bag on the bed.

Khushi was tongue tied with his answer.

"May I know for what you checked it for?"

"Of course you may." He turned to her loosening his tie.

"I wanted to know with whom were you begging for mercy." He looked calm but his eyes showed the rage.

Khushi felt goosebumps erupting on her skin.

"B-begging?" She moistened her lips in nervousness.

"I miss him so much. I miss -- them. Have some mercy on me. Please!"

"Did that ring a bell?" He raised his eyebrow folding his arms across his chest.

"You were --listening that means."

He shrugged.

"Actually.."

"Yes Khushi. I am listening. Tell me. Make up some other lie to cover it up!" He growled.

"I-" She pressed her lips hard sweating now.

"There is no other number saved in your cell except for mine. There is no sms or call history either. You cleared it out wisely. You have been trained well." He scoffed.

"That's because I have no one..in my life but you." She whispered with trembling lips.

He looked at her sharply.

"Arnav ji--"

"Don't you dare!" He pointed his finger at her.

"Don't you dare lie again on my face Khushi. Shut up. JUST SHUT UP!ITS BETTER YOU STAY SO LIKE ALWAYS!"

She whimpered.

"Just when I think we have passed that stage and you can't hurt me anymore, you prove me wrong all over again."

"Are you going to get rid of me...again?" She choked.

He groaned frustrated.

"No. Of course not Mrs.Raizada. What did you say on the phone huh?" He yanked her closer.

"That you miss him. You miss them. As in your sister and your nephew right. Ayushi Gupta and Sameer isn't it?"

She breathed heavily feeling knots forming in her stomach. He knows much more than he should. All because she lost control over her feelings.

"I will find them. For you. I swear I will. And after that--" He swallowed looking at her lips.

She waited with bated breath.

"So that--you will miss no one. No one but me."

She gasped whilst a shiver ran down her spine seeing his determination.

His eyes full of intensity darted from her lips to her orbs and settled there seeing her dumbfounded expressions.

"Mrs. Khushi Singh Raizada. I will bring you to the point of such vulnerability that ... that whenever you will search your inside, you will find not yourself but me only."

Her heart drummed in her chest on the verge of leaping out. She was about to pass out but his arms came up to hold her in her place. The intensity in his eyes was too much to take. She was literally scared.

"You are -- You are scaring me A-Arnav ji." She rasped.

"Am I?" He asked huskily trailing his hand up her back.

She closed her eyes.

"Good for you!" He nuzzled his nose with hers closing his eyes too before he realized something too obvious.

His eyes shot open and first thing he noticed were the collars of his black shirt wrapped around his wife's shoulders. His mouth turned dry as he took a step back and trailed his eyes from top to bottom.

The black shirt and the trouser huh?!

He cleared his throat to swallow down the knots forming down his throat.

Khushi opened her eyes in a daze and realized he has done it all over again. Made her ache for him and pull back when she was high on emotions. Rage bubbled up inside her which started to show in the form of a film of tears in her eyes.

"You can't play with me like this Arnav ji." She burst out giving him a push backward.

"Excuse me?" He gritted getting the hold of her arms before she could do it again.

"I know I am keeping secrets but that doesn't mean I don't have emotions. That I don't feel affected. That I don't get hurt at all." She choked with her eyes spitting fire at him.

"Is that so? You mean to say you are affected pretty badly by me huh wife?" He smirked placing her palms over his chest with his hands covering over hers.

"This is NOT funny." She cried out.

"It isn't? Of course it isn't." He half smiled.

"You played me."

"When?" He pretended to think. Khushi looked like she would explode any moment.

She twisted her hands in his hold to get free.

"Leave me. All this is so amusing for you already. You are laughing at me. You left me.. hanging..in the..in the..." She couldn't complete as she felt too choked with emotions and Arnav couldn't continue to tease her anymore after that.

"Hmm. That. I remember." He said seriously caressing her hands with his thumbs.

"Come." He reduced the distance between them.

"I will make it up to you. In the best way possible." His eyes darkened with desires.

"Because I can never get enough of you." He touched his lips to her nose.

Khushi blinked back the tears. With every passing day she was losing this battle with her heart and he..he wasn't helping either. If it continued then she won't be able to even recognize herself anymore.

So as to save the little bit of herself she pushed him and stepped back breathing heavily.

"What happened?" He asked innocently stuffing his hands in his pocket enjoying seeing her flushed state.

"N-Nothing. Just--Just stay away from me!" She warned him.

"Don't touch me. Don't kiss me. Don't you dare try to get intimate with me."

God! She was really angry!

Arnav thought amused.

"Is that what you want Mrs.Raizada?" He asked inwardly smiling.

"Y-Yes!" She croaked.

"Fine. Let it be like you want. No touching you say right?" He took a step forward and stopped an arm length away.

"R-Right!" She pursed her lips and averted her eyes when they darted to his lips. Her heartbeat started pacing up and it went out of control when he walked past her brushing his arm with her deliberately.

Khushi placed her trembling hand over her chest right above her heart while Arnav smirked walking to the bed.

She jerked out of her reverie when he called her.

"Huh?"

"I got a dress for you." He extended it to her.

Gulping she wrapped her fingers around the bag to take it. Just that he didn't let the opportunity go to brush his hand with hers making her take a sharp intake of breath.

She looked at him angrily while he pretended that it was unintentional.

She huffed snatching it from him and almost ran out of the room.

He chuckled watching her retreating back.

"Let's the fun begin!" He said with a half smile.

"You would come to me yourself Mrs.Raizada!" He challenged her.

Just that the woman don't have any idea of what she has gotten herself into by banning Arnav Singh Raizada to come close to her or touch her.

Seriously? How could he when he has never wanted anyone the way he wanted her?

Just her!

"No one can save you from me now Khushi. No one." He was amused before but now he was pissed.

"Lets see for how long would you be able to run!"

"Lets see!" His eyes glinted with madness.

Working day and night in KM without any break has become a norm for her. She would not get even a moment respite until or unless it is late night or it is the matter of Arnav Singh Raizada. She was told that her sister was recovering and Sameer was going to the rehabilitation centre to meet Ayushi from time to time. Although she didn't trust Kashyap but there was little she could do or say she didn't has any choice other than to believe them.

She was allowed to talk as much as she want whenever Arnav calls her or if she has to go interrupt his work. Just that she could call or receive his calls only from this number. She was told that her call was monitored and if she tried calling anyone other than Arnav then her sister and nephew would suffer. So she didn't dare. Ever.

She would get an edge only because of Arnav Singh Raizada.

You have become my guardian angel without even knowing. She would often say that to him in her heart.

He is your guardian angel and what are you doing to him?

Often her conscience would rub her, instigate her, taunt her peeling off her inside that she would sob herself to sleep.

Only respite she had will be when she would be with him. When she would meet him.

Just like today.

She was going to meet him as he has called her in the morning to have lunch together and as soon as she has informed it to Mrs. Kashyap she got a new designer dress to wear and a make up artist to get her ready. She scoffed inwardly at that.

On the other side, she was feeling some strange things happening to her ever since she hugged him and cried on his shoulder.The way he consoled her and later the way he said that he could give up anything to spend some time with her.

How could someone be so sweet and caring?

He was already her ideal, her mentor, her inspiration and now she realized she was getting affected by him more than ever.

"You are doing a fabulous job Miss so called Lavanya." Mrs Kashyap said sarcastically.

Khushi swallowed.

"But be careful. Don't get yourself be indulged with it too much. You are only going to play this game until Ashish gets what he wants.Don't fall for him. Although I know its hard not to but still." She smirked.

Mrs.Kashyap's words fell like a bucket of cold water over her thoughts.

What the hell was she thinking?

She shook her head blinking back the tears.

"Don't worry Mam. I know my place."

"Good that you know it because keep it in mind that ASR is mine!" Lavanya said sternly coming from behind.

Khushi felt her heart dropping even imagining Arnav with Lavanya let alone him being someone else's.

What was happening to her?

She walked out of the mansion with a dull mood and sucked in her breaths when she saw him leaning against his car bonnet with his hands folded against his chest with the shades on that she couldn't speak for good two minutes. She just gazed at him until he felt it and turned to her and a smile lit up his face.

He took off his shades while walking to her and she felt her heart beating violently in her ribcage whilst she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks making her feel warm.

"Hey!" He said huskily, standing in front of her.

There Khushi Gupta realized what was actually happening to her. She was falling hard for him. The realization made her eyes well up and she quickly lowered her head pretending to adjust her duppata lest he notice it.

"Shall we leave?" He offered her his hand. She swallowed feeling like crying.

"O-Of course." She mumbled placing her shaky hand in his which he gripped tightly as if to never let go.

They sat in the car. He was about to start when he looked at her and sighed.

"Lavanya?" He called her shaking his head seeing her again lost in thoughts.

"Huh?" She asked tucking the hairs at the back of her ear refusing to meet his eyes.

"Seatbelt." He reminded her.

"Oh!" She said with a nervous smile and was about to reach for it when he said.

"May I?" He asked. Her heart jumped up to her throat.

She nodded and he leaned closer. She held her breaths. Her eyes met his for a moment and she couldn't look away after that.

"You are too.. handsome." She confessed in a daze.

"Am I?" He smiled seeing the various expressions of wonder actually passing through her face siding with her words.

"Why? Do you have any doubts? How can you? You are so beautiful. I have never seen any man as decent and gorgeous like you." She exclaimed forgetting everything else.

"I am glad you haven't." He smirked with an underlying sense of possessiveness.

"You are looking gorgeous too by the way!" He whispered in her ear before straightening up on his seat and started the car.

"Am I?" She asked turning her head to him.

"Why? Do you have any doubts? How can you? You are so beautiful. I have never seen any woman as decent and gorgeous like you." He said with his tongue in his cheek while Khushi couldn't help but chuckle.

"I am glad you haven't." She wiggled her eyebrows.

He looked at her, their eyes met and they both shared a laugh.

"I want to show you something." He said after they finished their lunch.

"What?" She asked excitedly. For at least a few moments she wanted to be free of every tension and enjoy it with him. Celebrate the realization of her love for at least an hour. So she let herself be free. Be herself.

"But you will have to give your honest opinion about it."

"Sure!" She said with a smile which dropped when he got off his seat, dragged it across the table and arranged it besides her making her breath hitch.

"Uh- what are you doing?" She exclaimed getting self conscious when he sat besides her with the sides of their arms touching. He hid a smile.

"I am just sitting besides you hazel!"

"H-hazel?"

"Your eyes." He looked into them. She averted her eyes as she felt too hot.

"How beautiful is the color of your eyes. Hazel!"

"Don't do it." She mumbled.

"What am I doing for example?"

"You are making me nervous."

"Oh Am I?"

"Please Arnav ji?"

"Ah. Uff. Can't you be less cute so that I don't melt right away? Uff how beautifully you call my name with that JI. It takes my breath away." He said seriously affected.

"Mr. Raizada!" She said in mock anger.

"Ms. Hazel!" He imitated her.

She couldn't help but chuckle. She really liked the name he gave her.

"I guess you liked it. So its done. You are hazel for me from now on. Okay?"

"Okay." She swallowed past a lump looking in his eyes. His eyes went to her lips.

"Y-You were going to show me something?" She reminded him to relieve the tension that has started building up between them.

"Oh. Yeah." He composed himself and took out his cell.

"Here. Look at it. Tell me what do you think about this?" He opened a picture and showed it to her.

Her mouth dropped open when she saw the sketch of the dress.

"It's .. It's beautiful Arnavji. Seriously." She said honestly.

"Is it? Really?"

"Are you kidding me? Its mind blowing. Look at the colors, the pattern on the duppata and see the neat work on the neck. I swear the woman who will wear it would be so lucky." Her face was shining with the glow as she spoke about the design with such fervor that Arnav couldn't help but gawk at her.

Khushi zoomed the picture and found A sign at the bottom right corner of the page. She rasped.

"You.. You.." She felt choked."You sketched it?" She turned her head to him not realizing how close she was looking to his face so comfortably.

"What do you think?" He passed her a knowing smile.

"Its your .. your... original .." She couldn't complete as a thick rim of tears formed in her eyes.

"Yup. Original. My very first hand made sketch for AR next collection."

She looked like she would burst out crying any moment.

"Hey. Hey hazel? I thought you liked it but you are ... crying?" He cupped the side of her cheek.

"I.. am so overwhelmed Arnav ji. I never thought that I would ever sit this close with Arnav Singh Raizada, the boss of AR and he would trust me too much to show me his original sketch which no one but his Di get to see before it takes days to develop until it comes out in market. That he would consider me that important to ask for my .. opinion." She sniffled with tears flowing down her cheeks.

Arnav shook his head at her and side hugged her.

"Come on Lavanya--"

"Can you call me hazel please?"

"Oh yeah. Come on hazel, it isn't a big deal. You must have seen your father's sketches first before they go to production haven't you? It's same like that."

Khushi pursed her lips shutting up. Fisting her hand over his collar she closed her eyes.

If only she can tell him that her father was dead!

If only she can tell him that she never thought she would sit with a big business man, ASR, like this, in his arms and he would trust her this much!

If only she can she tell him that she was like those many ordinary women who dreamt of him before they go to sleep every night?

If only she can tell him that she has been following his every newspapers, his social media accounts and all the magazines like crazy. She has had a cupboard full of them in her parents home back in Mumbai.

If only she can tell him that like any other fans of his, she has had a huge crush on him?

If only she can tell him that, that crush has now changed into love?

BUT IF ONLY!

"I-I guess I.. over-reacted." She mumbled pulling back realizing that the other people in the hotel were now looking at them.

"No. Its not like that. I myself asked you to be honest and I am glad you were." He smiled wiping her cheeks off the tears stains.

She gulped.

"You are too sweet do you know that?" She said looking into his eyes, his cheeks, his lips and swallowed before composing herself.

"I don't. But if you are saying it then I guess I am." He half smiled drinking the sip of the water.

"Where are we heading from here hazel?" He asked once they were back in the car.

"To KM, I guess." Her mood lowered.

"No. No. I am not talking about that. I am actually asking you about us." He pointed to himself and then her.

She lowered her lashes feeling her chest tightening.

"Where do you think we are heading?" She asked instead raising her eyes to his.

"Should I answer it truthfully?"

"No. Tell me a lie." She said seriously feeling scared.

"Okay. Let me lie then." He looked into her eyes and said taking both of her hands in his.

"I am not falling for you hazel. I don't think about you at all. Neither do I want to be with you nor am I thinking of kissing you right now, right this moment. And of course red color doesn't look good on you at all."

His eyes darkened. Khushi cleared her throat taking her hands back feeling warm all over.

He composed himself with great difficulty.

"Now its your turn. But with a twist. I lied but you will say the truth."

"O-Okay. Ask?"

"What do you like the most about me?"

Everything.What is there not to like about you anyways? She wanted to say but held it back.

"You are a genuine person Arnav ji. I like that the most about you." She said truthfully making him smile. He bend her head and dropped a peck on her forehead before placing her head on his chest hugging her to his side.

"Kuch log apki zindagi mai sirf isliye aate hai k wo apko ye bta sake k zindagi sirf dukho aur takleefo ka naam nahi hai. Zindagi khoobsurat hai aur isse waise hi jeena chahiye jaise ap chahte ho. Aap un mai se aik ho Arnavji.(Some people come into your life to teach you that life is just not about grief and sorrows.It is rather beautiful and you should spend it the way you want to. You are one among them Arnav ji!)" She added feeling choked. Arnav felt on the top of the world hearing such heartwarming words from her while Khushi was crying inside at where has her destiny led her.

He was one of those persons. Just that she wasn't allowed to live her life the way she wants. If she has had the choice then she would've never let him go. She would've hidden herself in his chest and wouldn't have ever looked at the outside cruel world which has crushed her into pieces over and over again.

When she came back to KM, a new task was awaiting her which left her in a fix.

"ASR is working on his new collection for the coming winter. That means he has started sketching the dresses already. I want you to get those sketches at any cost." Ashish Kashyap ordered chillng her insides.

"He don't show his designs to anyone but his Di." Khushi tried to get out of the situation.

"For what are you here for then? You are making an impact on him already and I am sure he would show you if you'd ask him so don't present me with ridiculous excuses." He said angrily.

"What if he didn't?"

"Then do whatever you have to, to get them out of him you foolish girl!" He exclaimed.

She nodded with a bleeding heart and walked out. She leaned against the wall to breath.

"How can I steal those beautiful designs he made? How can I break his trust?" She mumbled to herself splitting into sobs.

"How can I take his hard work and present it to some bastard?" She slipped down to the floor feeling retched.

"How much enthusiastically he showed me this creation. It was so..so amazing." She choked."How can I take that away from him?" She was on the verge of panicking as she buried her fingers in her hairs with the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Of course we would produce those clothes before him as soon as I get his designs!" She heard Ashish talking to someone.

"I would surely get his collection and not only will it bring KI back to its place but also would make AR bankrupt because they have invested so much money in this project." Ashish laugh was huge while Khushi couldn't breath anymore.

"Just wait and watch!" He said.

AR would go bankrupt?

Is it that much big project?

She have to ruin it?

She have to ruin her Arnav ji?

Khushi dropped her head into her hands and sobbed.

Oh Arnavji!

Few days later, Aman entered in ASR's cabin after knocking.

"Yes Aman. Start speaking."

"Khushi Mam's phone records would be here by tomorrow but right now I have all the information you wanted to know about her. Most of your questions about your wife would be answered today ASR." Aman said seriously.

Arnav closed his eyes gathering the strength to hear it all out. Who knows what was in store for him?

"I am listening." Arnav nodded at him opening his eyes. Aman sat across him and opened a file.

"Khushi has no relation with Kashyaps family servants Ramu and Naintara. It was a setup made up by Kashyaps to make a trap for you. Ashish Kashyap's business was going through a very bad phase so.." Aman looked at him knowingly. In the past, he has warned him but ASR hasn't listened. Arnav rubbed his forehead.

"So he made a master plan to train Khushi to become Lavanya and later he introduced me to her, made her an integral part of my life and then snatched her away from me to fit in his real daughter. He wanted to get deep in my life to get the business secrets out of me right?" Arnav completed it.

"Exactly!" Aman said.

"Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Because you just couldn't. You were in love." He stated as a matter of fact."Besides we didn't search Khushi's background with her sister Ayushi Gupta ever. Obviously because we didn't know she existed either.We were busy searching about her life as Ramu and Naintara's daughter according to which she has had a clean slate. Nothing out of place."

"Why did Khushi agree to be someone else? How did she get into this mess?"

"Ayushi Gupta as in her sister worked in Kashyap's industry Mumbai branch where Arun Khanna got an eye on her and when after several attempts he couldn't hit on her, he.." Aman suddenly stopped while Arnav sensed something pretty bad.

"He.. what? What did he do Aman?"

"He kidnapped her one day and kept her with him for days. He even.. raped her."

Arnav curled his hands into fists swallowing past his rage.

Suddenly her calm face was gone, anxiety came, forehead marred with frown lines and she started sweating and tossed and turned in her sleep.

"Khushi.."He was about to touch her face when she shot up from her sleep screaming.

"Di!!!!!!"

He frowned as he sat up along with her and gathered her in his arms rocking her.

Did she see some nightmare regarding Anjali Di?

"It's okay. Its okay Khushi. Di is fine. She is sleeping."

"No, no. She is not." She was mumbling as if she was still in dreamland.

"She is in pain." She cried out.

Arnav looked away feeling his eyes pricking. Now her behavior makes sense.

"ASR?" Aman has stopped in the middle wanting his boss to take the huge blow in before talking further.

"Y-Yes Aman. Continue!" He cleared his throat.

"ASR you have to keep yourself together because this is not the only thing that would shock you or hurt you. There is actually too much history related to your wife." Aman said to which Arnav gulped now feeling scared but nodded anyway.

"Arun has left a half unconscious Ayushi in front of her house before the whole neighborhood in a pretty bad state. He has literally thrown her out of the car like a garbage according to the neighbors and then he left. Khushi Mam's family were dumbfounded. So much that her father died at the spot seeing his elder daughter's condition while her mother got reduced to the bed due to brain stroke. And all was left on Khushi Gupta to handle." Aman stopped on Arnav's gesture whose face was turning ashes.

"What happened to her mother then?" Arnav croaked after a minute now standing against the window looking at the city ahead.

"She died later on." Aman revealed.

"Ayushi got pregnant with Arun's baby!" Arnav whispered.

"Yeah. But Ayushi Gupta didn't remain the same anymore according to her neighbors. She used to give Khushi Mam a hard time. She used to harm herself anyway possible. She was already consulted to a psychiatrist but when she got to know about her pregnancy, she became hysteric so much that neighbors got frustrated of her daily tantrums and forced her and Khushi to move out."

Arnav placed his hands in his pockets feeling his chest tightening.

"I am helpless more than anyone can imagine. More than you can imagine Arnavji!"

The rim of tears behind his eyelids got thicker blurring his vision.

"Khushi along with her sister moved to the outskirts of Mumbai in a small town where Ayushi gave birth to her son." Aman said.

"Sameer!" Arnav added.

"Exactly. Khushi got a job as a junior designer in a well known company in Mumbai." Aman hesitated.

"Which company?" Arnav asked sensing something in his voice. There was more to it.

"AR's Mumbai branch!" Aman said.

Arnav cursed under his breath.

"She was one of the interns who got their scholarships from AR to do the diploma in interior designing right?" Arnav closed his eyes. The evidences were right there in front of their eyes yet they were looking in the wrong places for the truth.

"When Sameer turned two, Arun Khanna stepped in again as per my sources and took Sameer away from under their noses and that's when Ashish Kashyap stepped in to take revenge from his illegitimate son Arun Khanna who have ruined his Mumbai business pretty badly by revealing about his real relation with Ashish Kashyap to the whole media as we all know."

"Arun Khanna was killed by apparently his girlfriend as per the media.It was Ayushi who killed him wasn't it?" Arnav's mind was sharp enough to catch the hints.

"All the evidences point to that only ASR. As far as me and my team could connect the dots, I think that Arun must have refused to give back Sameer which might have led to that situation. As the documents of the orphanage states that Sameer was adopted by Ashish, it clearly states that Ayushi didn't get back her baby."

"Also, she was being shot the same day and right after she was brough to hospital, the police officers came to arrest her as Ashish Kashyap filed a report against her for killing her son but she has to be shifted to rehabilitation centre instead of jail because she lost her mental stability. She got out of the rehabilitation centre an year ago.That part is a still mystery who shot her and where is she and Sameer are right now. Even after a thorough search we couldn't trace them both."

"According to rehabilitation personnel, Ayushi used to call only two names in her state. Khushi and Sami. Khushi Mam used to visit her often but she didn't recognize her. She used to ask for her baby. She used to go hysteric for him and then.. one day Khushi stopped going there but a baby used to come there with a maid and that's how Ayushi Gupta started recovering. But Khushi Gupta disappeared from the scene and never visited her ever after that."

"Because she sold herself to get her nephew to meet her sister." Arnav gritted as a chill ran down his spine.

"When did she move into Delhi? To KM?"

"An year before she met you. Of course Ashish Kashyap master planned it. He got her in KM as the daughter of his deceased servants and solidified her fake identity before making his move." Aman said.

"When did Ayushi got kidnapped?" Arnav asked barely hanging on the edge.

"About 7 years ago."

"When Khushi was just 23 years old." Arnav mumbled to himself but Aman heard it well.

"Hmm. The time when she freshly graduated from her university in fashion designing."

Aman finished looking at his boss standing with his back to him. He knew why he went there to stand. He didn't want to show his weakness to anyone. Anyone and right now he must have been to his weakest point hearing what all his wife, the woman whom he love went through for years and years.

"H-How long has she suffered Aman? How long has this been going on?" This time when he spoke his voice barely came out as a choke that took Aman by a surprise.

"7 years!" Aman stated even though he knew that ASR got that too but he couldn't say it himself as its must be too much for him.He closed his eyes when ASR took the nearest table in blinding rage and crashed it to the glass window causing it to shatter into pieces. Some pieces pierced his palm too but he stood stubbornly against the city view with his jaws clenched.

"That means .. Ashish Kashyap still has her sister and nephew and she is still being blackmailed for them as she still isn't saying anything to me!" Arnav growled turning to Aman. The poor man had to gather all of his self confidence to look in the raging lion eyes.

"Apparently, yes!" Aman confirmed.

"THEN FIND THEM DAMMIT! FIND THEM!" Arnav's eyes spitted fire at him as he grabbed his collars and shook him.

"Sure. Sure ASR. We will!" Aman replied calmly whilst Arnav shoved him away and turned rubbing his face.

"If Ayushi Gupta started recovering didn't the police took her back to jail. Logically they should have? Have you checked the police stations in Mumbai?" Arnav asked urgently.

"I did. According to rehabilitation centre record, Ashish Kashyap took back his complain and she was released from the case and after that where she went no one knows."

"Was Sameer with her when she left?" Arnav asked turning to him.

"Yes. The same woman who used to visit her with Sameer came and took them both with her."

"Who was that woman?"

"We don't know yet ASR. But we would."

"She must be someone related to Kashyaps. Bastards. Find them all!" He growled.

Aman nodded obediently.

"What about the time she left RM two years ago? She went to Pune right? Why did she go there and why she came back?" Arnav asked feeling his nerves would burst with too much heartbreak.

"We don't have any lead on that part yet. That is also pending."

"I DON'T WANT ANYTHING PENDING ANYMORE AMAN. FIND IT OUT SOON. EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING!"

"Of course ASR. Of course."

ASR didn't look normal to Aman right that moment.

Arnav groaned before dismissing him and started pacing the length of the cabin feeling a lava boiling in. He threw the things around, broke everything present there but nothing calmed him.

"What do you do to them who lie to you?"She asked with her heart in her mouth.

"Screw 'em!"

"Great huh! Great! How truthful you can get ASR. How much honest! You have acted on your words. You have made her pay in every way possible!" He whisper yelled to himself feeling repulsive.

His lower lip trembled in an effort to control the moisture seeping to his eyes as he leaned over to the table clutching the either sides tightly and breathed hard until his face turned red.

"What is your REAL name?" It was the very first question he asked in anger.

She stared at him with her wet lashes before whispering.

"K..Khushi."

"Is it your real name or some other fake one to trap some rich guy and then leave him shattered in your wake?" he gritted out, his eyes red.She looked at him hurt at his conclusion before sobbing covering her face with her hands.

"Hum sach bol rahe hain. Humara vishwas kijiye Arnavji..(I am saying the truth. Please believe me Arnavji..)" She said in between her sobs.

"Dammit!" He croaked blinking back the tears.

"Is it your business to fake these things? How much does your master pay you for this kind of deceit? Is this your job in KM? Are you already after another rich man huh?"

"How many men have you deceived before me Khushi?"

"Is it your business?"

"No!" She cried out.

"SO is it your master's business? Kashyap's?"

She hiccuped but didn't reply.

"So you have just started this business huh?" he probed in rage.

"ANSWER ME DAMMIT!"

"I DON'T HAVE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS!" she shrieked out with her red eyes.

"You can't leave until I get my answers and more so until I make you pay for your deception!" he stated punching the couch besides making her shriek in shock.

He had make her pay. Pay hard. Hurt her emotionally. Physically. Intimidated her ruthlessly.

"No you look Miss so called Khushi! Food will be sent to your room in a few minutes and you will eat it all without a word otherwise I will shove it down your throat myself."

He made her a mere servant. 

And if that wasn't enough he used Lavanya to give her more pain. To show her, her place.

"If I ask you to get engaged to me this time for sure then will you?" Arnav asked grimly to Lavanya.

"Chote.." Anjali gasped.

"Umm what?" Lavanya was shocked and so were her parents.

"Its simple.Would you like to be my fiance?" he extended his hand.

Lavanya couldn't believe it.

"Uh..ofcourse I would love to."She placed her hand in his which he gripped in his and from the corner of his eyes noticed the figure standing frozen on the top of the stairs.

"And yeah, I will forgive this maid of yours if she will work in RM as the servant for the next two months until the engagement.After that she can go with you.So is it okay with you?"

He put the fist to his mouth biting his skin in order to stop himself from screaming out loud.

Servant!

He made her a servant!

He treated her the same way Kashyaps did. He even gave a paid leave to all his servants and threw all of that work on her. A single fragile soul. Her. The woman he claimed to love.

In just a week of working in RM, Khushi has lost weight and she looked pale and worn out, her cheek bones were visible but that girl won't open her mouth, she won't complain, she won't wince and she won't open up about her lie to Arnav either.

"What is this? Isse daal kehte hain kya?"He yelled at Khushi standing besides his chair serving him.

Anjali noticed he was avoiding looking at Khushi and she knew why.Looking at her makes her own her heart clench then how much painful it must be for her Chote who is the reason for all of it?!

"Chote don't be so mean and cruel!" Anjali reprimanded him sternly to which he ignored her and finally raised his head up to look into Khushi's eyes which were sunken and she looked quite weak.Immense rush of emotions overruled him coupled with anger for still feeling for her, he took the bowl of daal and mixed whole bowl of red chillies in it and raised it up to her face.

"You wanted me to eat the spicy food.Now you will! Eat!"

"I..."Khushi's eyes teared up finally.She looked ready to breakdown.

If that wasn't enough he rubbed her wounds by showing his closeness to Lavanya.

"Lavanya will be coming over for dinner.Make the arrangements and it should be special.You have worked in KM, you must know her favourite dishes.Make them for tonight."He ordered and without waiting for her reply cut the call.

In the evening when he came back from office, he went straight to the kitchen handing over his laptop bag to HP.

She was busy in her work.Sweat beads were on her forehead.Her hairs were messed up and the apron she was wearing was smeared with various pastes.

"Aren't you looking.."He saw her eyes looking at him expectantly until he saw the light dimming in her hazel orbs when he completed."..like you deserved to be like.Nothing but a...maid!"He clenched his hands which were in his pockets to prevent himself from reaching out to her as she was looking heartbroken but that was only for a few moments before she composed herself.

She just nodded swallowing.

Her breath hitched as he raised his hand towards her face and trailed his finger from her parting to the side of her face.Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes.His touch was gone the next second.She opened her eyes as she heard him chuckle.

"You make yourself such an easy target to get.If I had kissed you right now, you wouldn't have stopped me."He smirked, her eyes teared up."But you know what! I have standards."

Two drops of tears dropped down his eyes onto the table.

"Go and get yourself out of this fever as fast as you can.You just have a few hours until tomorrow.If your temperature didn't lower then..." He stepped closer.

"I will give you a cold shower to reduce it." She gasped, her eyes widened.

"You can call Hari Prakash.Only him. She is a servant not some royality that i call for an army of servants to help her." He gritted. "And...show her to some doctor if needed."

"You are this much qualified? You got a fashion designing degree and diploma in interiors? When you are this much educated then why were you working for Kashyaps as a servant Khushi?"

"These are fake degrees!"

"This woman is a...is a ..." Due to anger he couldn't find exact words to describe her. "Do you find pleasures in getting insults? Are you a sadist that you are ruining yourself like this by working as a servant? Why dammit? Khushi look at me! Tell me! When you can find a decent job due to your qualification then why are you degrading yourself like this? Are you freaking crazy? Psycho?"

"Why are you wasting your life like this? Why? When you can attain heights with your qualification?" He whispered on her face at the end.In answer all he got was her silence and her eyes tearing up before she averted them.

She has sacrificed her everything for her sister and nephew. The only family she was left of. What type of a woman is she? She didn't even once complained or poured out her pain. Anyone at her place would've given up after the things she has been through. But not only did she bore Kashyaps blackmailing, she put up with HIM, ASR too. And mind you, putting up with him wasn't easy at all. At all!

He sucked in the breath as he realized how he forced her to marry him. How terrified she was that night when he threatened her to either kill him or marry him. He even went to the point of forcing her to almost stab him making her scream out her answer in a yes!

He don't even want to recall the heart wrenching night when they parted. In fact he pushed her out of his life. Closing his eyes he breathed.

For two years, TWO FREAKING YEARS, he has tested his patience to the end of his limits. Only he knew how he coped without her. How he managed without her. Every day craving for her, pining for her yet forcing his heart to stay away was cutting him into pieces. Until she.. she herself came back. She herself did.

He raised his head up to the ceiling punching the table feeling choked, retched.

"Khushi I finished everything that day.You shouldn't have come here."

"Chup chap khud apne pairon pe chal kar AR aa jao.. Warna wo guards tumhe apne kandho par utha kar yahan le ayen gi..(If you don't want to come on your own feet to AR then these guards will carry you off on their shoulders to drop you here.Choice is yours, the former or latter whatever suits you!)"

"What happened? Pasand nahi aya Mrs.Raizada?(Did you like it?)" he stood up and walked to her "Pasand nahi aya ya phir isse bhi mehenga gift chahiye?(You didn't like it or is it that you want some more expensive gift?)"

"I am...sorry Arnavji..."She croaked looking at the floor.

"Its better you don't know anything."

"Leave this city the day after tomorrow.You have one day because the next day if i saw you even in the vicinity of anywhere in Delhi, i would grap you from there and dump you in the store room for eternity...to rot.Trust me i won't even show a little bit mercy which i have been showing to you till now."

"Please try to understand, I can't."She pleaded.

"If you can't leave Delhi then you will be working here.You can't leave AR too."

"I can't."

He took the locket in between his fingers and pressed it which cracked it from the middle.He swallowed before saying,

"Whenever you will look at it, it will remind you how you broke my heart...truncated it and walked away."

"I didn't walk away. You asked me...to go, to leave you, to get the hell out of your sight and you..."

"You never did anything Arnavji."She croaked."You can hate me all you want. I deserve it."

"You know what's the worst part is Khushi? That I can't hate you and it makes me hate my own self for not being able to do so."

"I am sorry...so very ... sorry."She shook her head wriggling in his arms.

"You were never there. You left me long ago.Two years ago."

"Oh Khushi!" He paced restlessly in the cabin. The broken glass pieces of the window crunched under his feet but he was oblivious to everything else as his whole life ever since she came in to his life, left, came back to Delhi, in his life swam before his eyes like a panorama.

"You are a monster" She cried out.

"The authority to give divorce will be in Mr.Raizada's hand.He will decide when and how he would end this relationship and in case, Khushi Gupta tried to nullify this marriage then it will be illegal and Mr.Raizada could take the help of the court to keep his wife with him."

"You let me go after that.Its over...OVER between us because you made it clear that day!"

"That was a mistake! I shouldn't have let you leave.You made your fair share of mistakes, I made mine.Fair and square.Now if you want me to apologize for letting you go then I am sorry.There I said it!"

She looked away not having any other counter argument to defy him.

"A simple sorry cannot change everything that I went through.You made me suffer more than I did to you!"Her voice cracked.

"Aap nahi kar sakte Arnav ji. Aap kuch nahi kar sakte..(You can't Arnavji.. You can't do anything even if you want to.)"

"Divorce me Arnav ji. Please. I beg you."She pleaded with tears shining in her eyes."It will be best for both of us...especially you.You deserve someone who will love you like you deserved to be loved."She said honestly but he took it in the other way.It fueled his anger.

"I don't care about any damn conditions.You are coming with me whether you go on your feet or in my arms."

"You can't force me like this.."

"I just did."

"I cannot give you anything but pain and...silence."She said quietly.

"You don't deserve this Arnav ji."

"I cannot give you false hopes Arnavji. I cannot."She said determined.

"I came here because you forced me.You practically shoved me inside your car to make me come here.I am here now.Please don't ask for more.I won't be able to give it to you."

"Whatever you want cannot happen Arnavji. I am...sorry."

He saw the defiance in her eyes.He took her hand in his and dragged her towards the glass door, sliding it aside, he gave her a push outside in the cold night.

"I am sorry...too."He said and slided the door shut on her face.

"I can never think of punishing you Arnav ji.Never.I am helpless.More than anyone could imagine, more than you could imagine."

"One more lie out of your mouth then i swear Khushi that won't be good for you and for this petty mouth of yours from where it will come out."

"Either start a new life with me or tell me about your previous one.Fair enough.Isn't it?"

"What if I-I don't a-agree to b-both?"She barely managed to say it as his hand at her waist was making invisible patterns on her skin.

"Then i will make you." He murmured against her lips.

"Why are you sorry? I should say sorry and-and I-am sorry."She snaked her arms around his neck.Caressing his jaws, she mumbled with tears gathering in her eyes.

"I never wanted to hurt you. Ever. Not then not even now." She sniffled. He took her hand and kissed her fingers.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry." She sobbed touching her head with his chin.He pressed his lips to her hairs.

"I am helpless. Believe me. I am helpless. I-" She hiccuped.

"I love-" She stopped and so did his breaths. He waited for her to complete it and when she did , he wished she hadn't.

"I love him so much." She cried out.

"I-I love Sami baby. I am doing all this for him only."

"What is the thing that is stopping you from telling me the truth?"

"Its not a thing rather a who"

"The one person for whom I would sacrifice anything."

"Did i hurt you again?" She asked tearily.

His adam's apple bobbed but he didn't say anything.

"Are you upset with me?" Her head felt heavy as if someone was hammering it.Her eyes were closing but she didn't leave her hold on him.

"Sleep Khushi."

"Please don't hate me." She mumbled, a tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

"No. I tried to probe with all of my tactics Mr.Raizada but she just won't say anything.In this one hour session all i can say is, she is under some pressure or she is trying to save someone or herself by hiding it all.Also, i am sure nothing can make her say what she has been through."

"She has been going through?"

"Maybe some trauma, tragedy happened with her that made her like this. This is not her normal self. That i can assure you."

"I shouldn't be surprised. It's what you always did to me but like a bloody fool I am I keep coming back for more don't I?" He twisted one of her arms at her back pulling her flush more against him.

"It is nothing like that Arnavji." She touched her head to his shoulder.

"Now that you have got what you wanted Khushi. What is the next phase of your plan?"

"You are getting me wrong Arnavji." She pleaded

"I have just started to get you right Khushi. Now just answer my question. What was your next plan of action after sleeping with me?" He said feeling so low about himself saying that.

"I wish I haven't fallen in love with you." He whispered and saw with a lump in his throat as she stared at him shattered.

"I wish we'd had never met."

"I hate you!" He spitted out before marching upstairs.

"Don't you dare lay even a finger on me!"

"I won't. But just- don't stop. Don't go. Don't hate me." She pleaded with a sob.

"I miss him so much. I miss -- them. Have some mercy on me. Please!"

He.. he was still on loggerheads with her. Cross with her. He was still teasing her by instigating desires in her and then leaving her hanging just because she stood up for herself and refused to be played by him.

"If you are asking for my forgiveness then I am sorry, I can't do that until I know everything about you and then obliterate all the troubles from your life." He finished with a choke and pulled back. He showed her his hand when she raised hers to reach him.

"Not now Khushi. Please!"

She dropped her hand to her side with a thick rim of tears forming in her eyes, some of them got stuck in her throat making it impossible for her to form words let alone produce them.

He pressed his lips harder to stop himself from shouting his pain out loud coming back to lean forward at the table until he fell on the chair behind and that's it Arnav Singh Raizada broke into pieces right there thinking of all that she must have gone through all alone after a storm named Arun Khanna nee Kashyap hit her family taking away her everything with it. He just know apparent scenarios. Inside story was still hidden of how she spent her days suffering like that?

If that wasn't enough he has added to her miseries by crowding her with his payback. He gave her a hard punishment every time she hurt him. Every single time. He didn't let her get away with anything. Nothing!

Burying his face in his hands he placed his head on the table and cried with hiccups.

That's how Anjali found her brother as she came to his office urgently on Aman's call. Aman has briefly told him what has happened on phone.

"Chote?" She sat down on the chair besides him before raising his face to hers.

His bloodshot eyes met hers. The next moment he threw his arms around her and cried silently on her shoulder cutting her heart into pieces.

"I added more torture to her already tragic life Di. I am one of them who made her like this." He sobbed.

She blinked back the tears running her fingers in his hairs with her one hand while rubbing his back from the other.

"Shh. Shh. You didn't know anything Chote. You didn't know." She tried to console him the best way possible.

"But l loved her Di. I loved her. I should have tried to understand." He cried out."She used to cry in front of me that she is helpless. That she can't say anything. That she don't have any other choice but to stay silent and I.. made her pay for every time she has hurt me. Every time she refused to give us a chance."

Anjali wiped her eyes letting him pour his heart out. He needed to let out the years of pain he has buried within ever since Khushi entered in his life and turned his life upside down by making him fall in love with her.

"I tortured her Di. I did the same. How can I?" He croaked closing his eyes in guilt.

Anjali cupped his cheeks pulling back from the hug. He sniffled. Wiping his tears, she made him look up.

"Chote, it is not the time to mourn over past or cry over it. In fact this is the right time to move forward. Show her your love which you couldn't do so openly until now. Tell her your true feelings. Give her the life she truly deserves. Love her the way you always wanted to. In that way you can make up for all you are guilty of. Okay?"

He swallowed nodding. She kissed his forehead and gave him another comforting hug before passing him a glass of water. He took a sip and then smashed it against the wall standing up angrily.

"Kashyaps!" He gritted. His nostrils flared with anger as he stood up with determination.

"They played behind my back. Behind ASR's back!" He growled.

"They made us what we both are now. They took everything away from her and then blackmailed her for something she would've never done if her family hasn't been involved."

"They involved my weakest point in this game. My Khushi!" He pointed to himself as a red hue formed in his eyes.

"They don't know with whom have they messed up here. They seriously don't know. I would tell them!" He punched his hand against the table.

"Chote? Calm your anger down. You have to handle the situation wisely not by acting impulsively in anger. Do you get me?"

He didn't as she saw him curling his hands into a fist. He snatched his car keys and mobile from the table while shivering from rage.

"They did all this behind my back but I, Arnav Singh Raizada, would challenge them all openly on their faces. They played a game without me knowing. Now I will play the game telling them what I would be doing and I will dare them all to stop me if they can. Because if they didn't succeed, this would be the very last game they would play with anyone. Anyone!" He thumped his palm against the table with every word.

"They want to play dirty. Then let's play it the way they like!"

Anjali tried to stop him in any way possible but he was too blind with anger to listen.

"I would not leave them Di. I would kill them all. NO. Not that. That would be too easy. I will give them the punishment worst than death." He bellowed and stormed off not listening to any of the frantic calls of his sister.

He breathed harshly pressing the button of the elevator in urgency. The door opened and he entered wiping his face and eyes determined. Anjali entered almost running in. He pressed the ground floor button silently.

"Chote, instead of KM you should go to RM to your wife. She might calm you down a bit so that you can think and act rationally." Anjali reasoned.

He clenched his hand.

"More than anyone, you need her right now. Go home. And please stop teasing her."

He looked at her frowning.

"Don't look at me like that. I am your Di. I know what you are up to. You have been teasing her to her limits while the poor girl is doing everything in her power to catch your attention." She stated simply.

"You miss nothing Di." He huffed exaperated.

"Of course I won't when you make it so obvious. What did you do just this morning huh?"

He averted his eyes.

"You asked her to make you the breakfast so lovingly that the girl blushed to her roots and you came to office without eating it. Do you know how much she cried when she saw you gone?"

He swallowed.

"Did she cry?" He asked silently.

"Anyone at her place would've." Anjali glared at him in reprimandation.

He looked away feeling extremely guilty.

"So where would you go?" She asked once they were in parking lot.

"Get in Di. We are going to RM." He said seriously while Anjali's lips quirked into a smile.

"Good choice Chote." She said sitting in the passenger seat as Arnav almost jumped in the driving seat.

"Do you know whom i love more than Sami baby?"

"I have hurt him the most even though he is my life."

"If Sami baby is my sweetheart then HE is my heartbeat."

From what Aman has told him, there wasn't anyone in Khushi's life except for her Ayushi Di and Sameer and later he, himself. Arnav Singh Raizada.

Though unintentionally but she has hurt him the most hasn't she?

Could it be possible that the man whom she loves more than Sameer and who was her heartbeat was him only?

His heart galloped in his chest as he thought that while starting the car.

Guess what, he would surely find it out today!

Because he won't be Arnav Singh Raizada if he didn't.

After that he owe a visit to Ashish Kashyap and his family.

Life is unpredictable.

Just when you think everything is in your hands, in your control finally, it takes another wild turn when you least expected it. The turn which leaves you on a cross road and you don't know which side to turn into because you are stuck in the middle. You have to chose one road but you can't. You have to move at any cost yet you can't and you can't stand there all your life either.

Few days later, Arnav Singh Raizada found himself on that path.

The cross roads!

Someone said once that ignorance is a bliss.

How right they were!

______________________

It was a very, very tough part for me to write especially the last half took days to complete.But it was worth it as I am happy the way it turned out.

I hope you all liked it too.

It was quite a complicated chapter and most of the things are revealed in it. I hope it cleared your confusions and if there is still any left then you can ask me through your comments.

>>But firstly, I have a few questions for you guys ;)

1.Now as Arnav knows almost everything would he be able to find Ayushi and Sameer?

2.What do you think is the thing which made Arnav stand on the cross roads?

3.What is Arnav planning to do to Kashyaps?

4.How would be ArShi's meeting first time after revelation of Khushi's past to Arnav?

5. Where are Ayushi and Sameer? If Ayushi has recovered then why didn't she look for Khushi?

Waiting for your feedback :)

Don't forget to VOTE and COMMENT.

Cheers!