CHAPTER 16: ON HIS DEMAND

(RISE OF AN EVIL)

"Khushi I just realized that I have important meeting with my client."

***END OF FLASHBACK***

"You wanted to know why I married you it is all because I wanted to make the life of that Rahul hell! By snatching you from him, to make him realize that how it feels when someone close to you get hurt. And you think that because I wanted to make you mine and extended that contract marriage term? No! I am not that possessive Khushi, if Rahul weren't related to my sister I would have happily let go off you, for your happiness," Arnav said with a softness in his words and Khushi looked at him in surprise.

The man in front was not an ASR but the defeated person, whom life has knocked out. If the most surprising thing she would have seen in her life so far was the person in front of her.

"By giving you pain I wanted to make you realize what my sister has gone through. First his husband cheated her, because of him she lost her child and she doesn't know about that.The day she went into the coma she asked me to promise her that I would keep her child happy. But what would happen if she would be okay one day and ask about her child and I would tell that her child is no more, she would die Khushi," Arnav sat up weakly on the bed crying. "She doesn't know that little life that grew in her is not any more."

Khushi felt as someone had scrunched her heart as Arnav revealed her about his sister's child. The tears were streaming down from her eyes.

"You think by giving you pain I get happiness, no! I die thousands deaths everyday of my life. Yes, I loved you," Arnav screamed as he got up from the bed "More than anything.But it was the biggest mistake of my life."

"No,if you have loved me you would have trusted me, you should have told me before taking this huge step. Before jumping into a conclusion that I am the one who has destroyed your sister's life!" Khushi argued.

"Trust?" Arnav asked."What if my sister was in your sister's place and Rahul your brother in law? I hope you would have easily let go off him, right? Because you have a big heart Khushi, but I don't," Arnav screamed as Khushi flinched. "What do you expect from a person who has seen his sister's husband with another woman happily going around with his brother-in-law?"

"That's because until now I didn't know Rahul was married!"

"In which part of the world do you live Mrs. Raizada? That you didn't see this article on my sister's marriage?" Arnav asked as he took out the news article from the drawer of the study table.

And Khushi took it from him.

"Anjali Raizada to tie knots with Rahul Manohar Jha" the title read.

"Anjali Raizada's last name would be soon replaced with Manohar Jha," according to our reliable source. She soon be getting married with her love interest Rahul, the son of the industrialist.

Even the beautiful Anjali Raizada has put full stop by confirming the rumour to be true.

"Yes, I will be marrying Rahul soon in the upcoming month and now we are preparing for the engagement that is this week," the loving sister of The Arnav Singh Raizada confirmed.

The loving couple would soon be engaged and the whole Raizada and Jha family will celebrate the happiest moment in India at Raizada Mansion.

We,Times of Mumbai, wish the soon to be a married couple a 

happy and prosperous life.

***

"No, believe me Arnav Ji I didn't know that Rahul was married! I swear on my brother. I seriously didn't know."

"Stop lying Khushi! Stop it! That kid is already in death bed stop swearing on him!! Ask your Bhuaji. Ask her if she knew he was married!"

"What the heck are you saying she knew nothing about him?" Khushi said angrily.

"Save that Khushi, save that for a later!" he said as he took out his phone and frantically dialled the number.

"Talk!" he ordered as he brought the phone in front of her. "Ask your bhua ji if she knew about Rahul and told me the night of your engagement with that bloody Rahul that you knew that he was married. Tell that she is lying too!"

"No, you are lying!"

Khushi said before,taking the phone from Arnav's hands with shaking hand.

"Hello!" Bhua Ji said on the other side of the phone.

"Hello!"

"You? Didn't I say that don't you dare calling me?"

"You knew Rahul was married?" Khushi asked ignoring her anger and the question.

"What has happen to you sanka Devi you are asking me like you didn't even know that he was married?" Bhua Ji replied.

"What are you saying bhua ji?"

"What you just heard! Today you have called me but don't you dare to call again!" Bhua Ji said and hung up the phone before Khushi could say anything else.

"What you have to say now? What do you think I never trusted you?"

***FLASHBACK***

"Mr. Raizada?"

"Yes, bhua ji. He said it's important and he wants to talk to you," the servant said.

"Okay, I come tell him to wait outside."

"Yes, bhua ji!"

Arnav was waiting outside in the living room. The whole Gupta house was decorated for Khushi's engagement. He looked around and was in extremely bad mood.

"Yes, Mr. Raizada!" Bhua Ji said as she stood in front of him.

"What's this function for?"

"Well it's the engagement of my niece Khushi."

"With whom?"

"Who you are to know all this? Anyways, for your kind information Rahul Manohar Jha!"

Arnav's jaws clenched tightly as he heard his name.

"Do you even have idea what are you saying?"

"What am I saying?"bhua Ji asked.

"Do you even know who Rahul is?"

"Yes, I know who he is. He is your brother-in-law right?"

Arnav was all of sudden struck by shock.

"I know who is he? But it really doesn't matter if he is married. My Khushi bitiya loves him and will be happy forever. She will keep him happy far more than your sister."

If it wasn't Bhua Ji he would have answered the woman in front of him. She was around his mother's age so he kept quite.

"I want to talk to Khushi."

"No, Mr. Raizada. Right now get out of my house. If you dare to separate my niece from her future husband. You don't know what I would do."

"I would never let you to ruin Khushi's life. He is a culprit."

"Please, Mr. Raizada. Ruin? Why don't you understand that it is your sister who never able to keep the person happy who was a gem? Your sister has ruined Rahul babua's life. You first forced him to get your sister married who took his friendship, as his love. When he said no you didn't left any stone unturned, you rich people have money and think you could buy anything. She knows everything about him after that only she has accepted this proposal."

Again other shot of pain hit his chest. He wasn't able to believe that the person he loved could do anything such.

"Why don't you understand he is lying?"

"One more time Mr. Raizada you would say that you would be thrown out of this house! She has gone through a lot. Her father is in the hospital and I have to marry off her as soon as possible for his father!"

Bhua ji pushed him out of the house. More than angry, he was devastated  now. He was about to leave when he heard Khushi laugh. Her and Rahul were standing in the balcony. His doubt was cleared.

***END OF FLASHBACK***

The situation were even more complicated than before yet more clear. Now she understood how cheap Rahul was that he included her bhua Ji in all this. Now she found out that it was a seed of misunderstanding in Arnav's brain grown by Rahul and her bhua ji. She agreed that unknowingly she could be the another woman that came in his brother-in-law's life but she didn't know anything about his marriage status and she had no idea and why did Bhua Ji lied to him. She had to make him believe that no matter what?

"No, bhua ji can't do that. She cannot lie Arnav Ji!"

"So, Am I lying?"

"Please try to understand I didn't know anything. I never loved him. Arnav Ji please listen me I...I didn't know that Rahul was married. It's just a misunderstanding!Arnav Ji Rahul met my dad first. He said he was NRI, so my dad asked him to stay at our place. And shortly after he asked my dad for my hand. For my dads happiness I agreed. Please, Arnav Ji believe me!" Khushi pleaded. "Please Arnav ji give me one chance to prove myself right."

Arnav didn't say a word.

***

Then there stood Rahul outside the room. He has heard every aspect of the conversation. His hand clenched in a tight fist and his own hair harder until he literally broke them and were in his hands. Everything was revealed to Khushi. Now she knew everything about his bad deeds.

"No, Khushi it can't happen. I have worked day and night to get you. I just can't easily let you go to this bloody Arnav. No!" Rahul said to himself in anger.

***

"Where they are now? Akaash go and see where they are every one is waiting for them."

 

"Yes, dad!" Akaash replied.

 

"Jayshree where is Arnav and Khushi?"

 

"Uh, Jaya Khushi bitiya's family called so that's why. They are coming in few minutes."

 

"Okay!"

***

"Please, Arnav ji!"

Arnav stayed quite. And Khushi kept looking at him with a hope that he would give her a chance.

***

"Bhai?" Akaash called as he stood outside Arnav, Khushi's room.

When there was no response from them he opened the door and saw they weren't inside.

"What happen Akaash bhai aren't they in their room?"

Dhruv asked as he came after Akaash to look for Arnav Khushi.

"Nah!" 

"Where they could go?" Dhruv asked as panic grew inside him.

"Oh guys common there are more than 30 rooms in this house. They could be in one of them sharing romantic moments."

"Can't you be serious?" Akaash asked.

"Why have I hit by a car or a truck that I should be serious?"

"Keep quite!"

"Don't be mad Akaash bhai I ask gavy and addy they must have seen them."

"Gavy," NK screamed as he called him.

"Chachu!" Gavy said as he came running.

"Hey my champ have you seen Arnav uncle and Khushi auntie?" NK asked as he picked him in his arms.

"Chachu I saw Khushi auntie, Arnav uncle took her to Anjali bhua's room."

"What?" NK asked."Okay, champ you go and play!"

"Akaash bhai they are upstairs in Anjali di's room!"

"What they are doing in di's room?"

"He must have thought to introduce Anjali di to Khushi!" NK replied.

 "You guys go and I call them."

***

"One chance, Khushi!" Arnav finally spoke.

Khushi backed up and her back hit the foot post of the bed and she gripped it tightly. Finally she felt the air filling her lungs and she was able to breath properly. Her breathing was in sync.

***

"Nanav bhai!"

Rahul immediately hid behind the pillar hearing NK calling Arnav as he came down the hall towards Anjali's room.

"Nanav bhai please open the door!" as he stood outside Anjali's room.

Arnav and Khushi wiped their faces as it was wet with tears. They gathered themselves and Arnav moved forward to open the door.

"Nanav bhai!"NK looked at him seriously and then at Khushi. 

"I am sorry I was just looking for you guys, everyone is waiting downstairs."

Arnav didn't respond and left from there.

"Nanav bhai!" NK said but Arnav was long gone.

"Khushi bhabi is everything alright?"

"Yes," Khushi replied with a smile on her face, hiding the grieve behind her fake smile.

"Okay, come!" 

"You go I come in few seconds."

"Bhabi please! Come, I tell you something on our way. Come!"

NK brought his arm forward and Khushi without any hesitation put her arm around his and they both walked in arms in arm.

"You know bhabi!" NK started off. "Arnav bhai, yes I could say his name properly," NK said smiling. "He is one of those person if he loves someone he would love that person more than anything in the world. You must be thinking why I am telling you this? But today I will introduce you to that Arnav who has hidden somewhere under that ASR mask.If today we are here it's only because of him. If today we are enjoying this comfort is only because of him. He was only fifteen when his parents passed away in an airplane crash. After their death they were thrown out of their own house by his uncle. Him, Anjali di, and Dhruv bhai were left on the streets.For a complete month we didn't know about that. But later came to know that Arnav bhai did few of the odds jobs 24 hour to feed his brother and the sister. When dadi came to know about that she decided to look after them. Arnav bhai knew the condition of dad. He knew that he won't be able to support them, when he himself didn't have money to support us. Then it was Arnav bhai who did hard work day and night. In the day he would go to school, then straight to work and at night he studied. I know him (NK said as a tear dropped from his eyes and he quickly brushed his tear) he would hardly sleep. I still remember how weak he was, he never cared about his own health, he ignored his health to such an extent that it later on lead to the early diabetes, despite that he never ever let us go through any kind off pain and he never complained either.

 When he was done with his studies, he couldn't get the job. He was said no by every company he went to.

 Then he got a scholarship from the oxford university. At the age of 20 he went to the U.K. He studied there and started with a small clothing show room. Meanwhile, sent money back to India for us, for our education. And the place where that small clothing show room was,there now is one of the biggest company ever known in the fashion world. The companies that ones said no to him, are the one that are working for him and few of them are dying to work for him. Today whatever we are is just because of that person,"NK said as he gestured towards Arnav."His happiness is in us he is happy when we, his family is happy. He has loved us more than anything in this world. Although we are his cousins but he loves more than his own real brother sister. Despite of what he has done in his life, he is still enduring the pain. Anjali di is not less than a mother to him. She loves him more than a mother could possibly love her child."

"NK ji I promise I will not only prove myself right but I will return MY HUSBAND's happiness back," Khushi said as she looked at Arnav and an unknown sweet pain aroused in her stomach when she mentioned him as her husband.

Somewhere I am the reason of his pain because of me his brother-in-law left Anjali di. I will clear everything.I will return the happiness of this house!" Khushi said to herself in her mind.

"NK bring her downstairs. What stories are you telling him now?" Mama Ji said.

"Dad I was telling her the qualities that I want in my wife!"

"I hope Khushi bhabi is fine!" Dhruv said to NK when he and Khushi came downstairs.

"Oh I don't want to die without getting married!" NK said pretending really scared of Arnav.

"Come Khushi Bitiya, Arnav bitwa come let's cut the cake!"

***

"Why aren't you doing anything?" Lavanya said.

Anonymous:"I have set everything. Just waiting for the plan to be successful."

"What you have done, anyways?"

Anonymous:"Do you see that," the person said as he gestured the chandelier that was right on top Arnav Khushi, the wire that holds it needs only one jerk and it would fall."

"Are you crazy? What if it hit ASR?" Lavanya retorted.

Anonymous: What you are for? You have to keep him away from her and make dude it's only Khushi who is standing underneath it.

"That's lame there are so many people in the party it would hurt anyone!"

Anonymous: Are you really foolish or trying to be one?

"Shut up!"

" Just make sure Khushi is under that chandelier.I will shot the wire that holds it by standing up there," the person said as he gestured at the second floor."the moment I will shot it, it would take less than 4 seconds for it fell due to its weight. And Khushi would be gone. And then my revenge will be fulfilled. Because of her Arnav sir threw me out of the job, me Shoan Alluwalia!" 

"And because of her he left me!"

***

"What the F***? Brother in law you didn't any good by telling her the truth about me. You didn't! You have separated me from my Khushi in seconds. What I didn't do to get her? I left this property of millions of million dollar just for her, I killed my own child who could have been a ticket for me to get this whole property of yours. I didn't care about anything but you took her away from me.I poisoned her mind that you, you have killed his dad. Before you could tell her this f***ing truth.Today, I was almost successful but you told him everything. You have ruined my plan but hoe could I let that happen? Right? I have to end your game Mr. Raizada!"