CHAPTER 9: ON HIS DEMAND

 (DECISION)

 

But Lavanya was adamant and she didn't hear a single word of her. Lavanya gripped her arm and dragged her to throw her out of the house.

Khushi kept on pleading Lavanya and just like everyone else, even she didn't hear her ones. 

 At present it was her who was now standing in place of Rahul. A day ago Khushi broke Rahul's heart. She didn't listen to any pleas that Rahul made, than why she should expect Arnav would choose her she thought.

***
"How could you do this to me?" Rahul literally shouted, it was hard to hear over the cars passing with high speed, horns honking plus rain that poured heavily made them hard to keep their eyes opened.

"I am sorry Rahul...(crying)...Whatever happened was out of my control please forgive me!" Khushi said as she wept.

 

"Not so easily Khushi you have to pay for this!" Rahul said as anger filled his voice.

 

He grabbed Khushi's hand and took her from there.

 

"Rahul where are taking me? Its really late I have to go please let me go!" Rahul didn't listen her and then Khushi had to force him to leave her hand.

"Rahul!" Khushi screamed and released her hand from his. 

"Khushi!" Rahul said in utter shock.

"I have told you that I have to go...I am married now and you should learn to live your own life with someone else. Find another girl who will actually care for you. Just go fron here think that I never existed," Khushi said with bitterness and every word she said made her regret. She didn't want to say what she said but it was important for making Rahul hate her.

 

"Are you saying that, Khushi? Is it that simple to do than said?" Rahul asked in disbelief. He stepped forward and closed the distance between her and himself and held her tightly by her arms. 

 

"How could even do that to me? Do you even have any idea that how much I love you? And here you are saying just find someone else?" Rahul howled. 

His eyes were bright red, his hands tightened around her arms in between every word he said, was the proof that he was now totally made out of his mind and was deeply hurt.

"Rahul leave you are hurting me!" Khushi moaned in pain. Rahul straightaway released her, from his grip.

"What about the pain you have given me, Khushi?" Rahul asked his voice was sad and broken, reflecting his shattered heart.

"I apologize for that Rahul. If you can, please forgive me, now I can't be yours in anyways," Khushi said without being able to look into Rahul's eyes. 

She then turned on her heels and ran from there.

"Khushi you can't do this to me!" Rahul bellowed at Khushi's back who had long ago ran away from there with shattered heart. 

"Stop Khushi...I love you!" was the last few words Khushi heard and she was gone.

"I would never forgive you, Khushi and especially the person who snatched you from me, never!" Rahul determinedly said and fell on his knees crying.

(I hope this has cleared most of the confusion to some extent :D)

***

Arnav kept quiet for a while. Before coming to any conclusion, he had to overcome the mental turmoil he was in. If he would let Khushi go then Nani would sense there is something wrong and he didn't want to tell anyone the reason behind his marriage with her, most importantly he would never get his revenge and on the other hand if he would choose Khushi he would let down Lavanya. 

 

"Stop Lavanya!" Arnav's potential command made lavanya stop right where she was, the step she took forward eventually came back and she let go off Khushi's arm.

 

"We have to talk about this before you take any decision," Arnav said in conclusion. 

 

Lavanya rightly turned back.

 

"What you have to talk? Huh? Tell me ASR! Tell me that you have chosen her over me."

 

"No!" he said calmly.

 

 Khushi looked at him in shock. Her tears stung her eyes. She felt the pang of pain in her chest. She knew that Arnav hates her for unknown reason but she didn't know that he would easily let her go, without explaining things to her.

 

Khushi shut her eyes, in battle to control her rapid breathing and anxiously beating heart. The last thing she knew that she would be thrown out of the house.

 

"Was he just gonna throw her like she never existed after putting her life in such a big mess?" Khushi assumed. But what made Khushi more astonished was Arnav's actual decision. 
"Khushi won't go any where!" he finally decided.

 

"Is that your final decision?" Lavanya asked.
"Chote?"
A silence spread around. 

"Yes, Khushi is going no where!" he concluded.

  "I can't let this happen ASR. I just can't. You have told us your decision and now you have to pay for the consequences."

 Saying this Lavanya ran from there to her room. 

  "Lavanya Bitiya!" Nani shouted at her back and ran after her and so did Arnav.

"Chote, I am afraid she would hurt herself. If so I would never forgive you," Nani declared.

Khushi was just too shock to register what was happening around. She thought she would go crazy in the situation she was presently in. Everything in her life had turned upside down. She felt dizzy with the train of thoughts and arguments and held her head, she forced to keep her eyes open that were falling shut without her accordance. She walked slowly to hold onto the nearby pillar for support, her knees were no more bearing her pain.

 "Lavanya please open the door!" Arnav shouted. "At least give me one chance to say something."

 

"No, ASR everything has finished. You said what you had to," Lavanya answered crying.

 

"Listen me once and then you could decide what to do. Just once. But just don't take such step that would do no good to anyone."

 

Lavanya was furiously throwing stuff around. More Arnav tried to calm her, more she threw stuff on the floor. 

 

"Lavanya bitiya please listen. If you have ever think me as your Nani than please open the door."

 

There was no response from Lavanya.

 

"Lavanya?" Arnav and Nani shouted one after another at the same time they banged on the door.

 

On the other hand Khushi tried walking to Lavanya's room in case she could make la understand. She gathered herself a bit and went to Lavanya's room. 
Arnav and Nani were still yelling, pleading lavanya to open the door.
 "Arnav Ji?"

 

"JUST.SHUT.UP!" Arnav said word's were clear and cold.
Khushi felt a mental jerk. She looked at Nani and was about to say something when Arnav again spoke.

 

"It's all happening f**king all because you. Just leave before I hurt you."

 

Nani looked at him in distress and Khushi was all over numb.

When Lavanya didn't open the door, Arnav broke it. He was alarmed to see the condition of the room but he got startled seeing Lavanya restlessly opened the sleeping pills bottle and was about to put the pills in her mouth when Arnav came running.

"What the heck are you doing?" Arnav said and chucked the bottle of sleeping pills on the floor. "Are you out of your mind?"

Khushi was too traumatized to see Lavanya almost going to take her own life. She held the wall to support herself. 

"Bitiya what were you going to do?" Nani yelled.

"Tell me what should I do then?"

Lavanya hugged Nani and cried. Nani rubbed her back to comfort her.

"Nani we have to talk. If you please go from here?" 

"No, Nani won't go anywhere," Lavanya screeched. 

"Please Lavanya!" 

Nani left from there without any further words. On the way she didn't even bother looking at Khushi who was standing right in front of her. Khushi moved away from her way. And Arnav shut the door in Khushi's face. Her eyes fluttered with the intensity he closed the door.
 

***

"Lavanya!" 

Arnav put his hand on her shoulder but Lavanya pushed it away.

"Look Lavanya your anger is justified. I know how you are feeling right now. And I am also aware that all of us has to go through by this decision of mine. But believe me everything happened so quickly."

"Oh really it means you really fell in love with Khushi and decided to marry her."

Arnav stayed quite.

"Tell me why did you marry her?"


Lavanya asked looking right into his eyes, whereas Arnav looked somewhere else but her.


 "You don't have answer for that right? So it's just definite that you cheated on me. If you didn't want to marry me you should have said ASR. Why?" 


"I am married now, you have to accept the fact. I wanted to tell you the day before yesterday you called me but I didn't know what to tell you. Please forgive me Lavanya!"

"You are forgiven!" Lavanya declared and Arnav instantly looked at her in disbelief.
Lavanya went silent for a while like she was thinking about something. 

"But we can still be friends right?" Lavanya added.

Arnav embraced La in a tight hug. He was relieved and took a sigh of relief.


"We can always be friends Lavanya!"
***

The time Arnav shut the door in his face, Khushi remained standing outside La's room until it was getting harder for her body to provide her the energy. She ran from there, first in a slow pace but when she couldn't able to tolerate the pain she ran as fast as she could giving more pain to herself. She went to the guest room not in Arnav's, even though she knew that she was asked to sleep in his room till Nani was there, presently she just wanted to avoid him. She shut the door with her back against the door and fell on the bed crying. She cried her heart out. The house she was on was eating her alive.

***
"Lavanya Bitiya!" Nani said in surprise. She was happy to see her in usual herself, however, at the same she was confused.


"Are you okay?" Nani mumbled.

"Yes, Nani. I think we should accept that ASR is married now."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Nani!"

[Lavanya aside]: "Yes, Nani I am ready to accept he is married nonetheless I will not leave any stone unturned to get my ASR back. Nobody can take away my ASR from me."

"I am sorry Lavanya Bitiya for what Chote has done to you."

"It's okay Nani I am not one of those person who will grieve over the person who doesn't even care about me!"

"I am happy Lavanya bitiya that you are one of the strongest person." 


Lavanya smiled.
"Where is Chote?"

"He has just went to change he must be tired."

"Okay, you go too and freshen up, dinner is ready!"

"Yes, Nani!"

***
Arnav went into his room for ones he had forgotten that even Khushi lives in the house. "But why should he worry about her?" he held.

His clothes were already kept on the bed by Mary and he went to the washroom to get fresh.


When he got out of the washroom he went to the dressing table to brush his wet hair and saw a paper that was lying on the floor, it was Khushi's prescription note.


Even if he didn't care about Khushi he knew that he would be asked about Khushi by Nani so to prevent any further drama he just went to see where Khushi was.


When he came outside he saw Mary coming out of the kitchen.

"Mary!" he called her.

"Yes sir!"

"Where is Khushi?"

"Sir, she might be in the room."

"She is not there!"


"Then she should be in the guest room."

"Okay, thanks. Can you bring food to her room then?"


 "Yes sure sir!"

Arnav was about to go to the guest room when La stopped him.

"Hey ASR where are you going? Come and have dinner its really late."

"I will be back in five minutes I have one important work."

"Common ASR its already 11:00PM."

"Okay!" Arnav gave in and went to have his dinner.
(Yeah who cares whether khushi  has eaten food or not?) (fuming face)
***
"Mrs. Raizada!" Mary said as she softly knock on Khushi's door and the door itself opened. Mary walked into the dark room and switched on the soft lights.
Khushi was sleeping but Mary's call broke her sleep.


"Mrs. Raizada I am sorry. Did I wake you up?"

"No, don't be sorry. I just don't know what time I dozed off."
"Its perfectly fine. How are you feeling now?"

"Good!"

"That's good to know please freshen up I brought you some light food."

"I am actually not feeling hungry," Khushi replied.

"Mrs. Raizada I don't think if you have eaten anything, and by looks you are not looking at all well. Please eat something. And what about your medicine? Did you buy it?"

"I forgot about it. I was just too occupied but I will buy tomorrow in the morning."

"Mrs. Raizada how would you be fine then, you should have told someone in the house. There are so many people here."


After such a long time someone has actually talked to Khushi and that's also nicely. Mary reminded Khushi of her bhua ji. Every time she used to fell sick her bhua ji used to get really worried. 


"That's okay I will ask someone else tomorrow. Aren't you going home today, it's really late?"

"I actually had to leave early my daughter had come from Delhi today!"


"Doesn't she lives with you?" 


"She does but she studies in Delhi."


"That's good."

"Yeah, its all because of Mr. Raizada he pays for my daughters education and only because of him she has completed her engineering degree. I must say you have gotten the world's best husband, Mrs. Raizada."

Khushi smiled a weak smile.

"Mrs. Raizada, Mr. Raizada might be strict or ruthless but he has a heart of gold, circumstances had made him like that," Mary said and her eyes became teary. "Please eat your food," she added with a weak smile.

"Thank you!" Khushi got up from her bed and hugged her.

"Everything will be fine!" its all Mary able to say and Khushi did feel little better.

"Good Night Mrs. Raizada!"

"You may call me Khushi."

"How could I?"
"If you think of me as your daughter."
"Okay Khushi then being my daughter you have to have your medicine!"
"Yes!"


"God bless you!"
***


Khushi went to washroom after Mary left. Due to her sickness she couldn't able to walk, her sickness was taking toll on her health. Unable to stand she quickly washed her hand and washed her face. 


She felt dizzy and was about to fall when she held onto the door knob and kept walking her body was no longer pacing with her she however came out of the washroom and was about to fall second time in a row when two strong arms held her. She further held her head, when the pain in her head became unbearable and her eyes involuntarily closed making her hard to see Arnav's face. She tried standing upright but soon lost her balance. 


"You okay!" Arnav's plain voice hit Khushi's ears.


Adrenaline rushed into Khushi's body she hit him in his chest.


"Are you the one who is asking me this question? That if I am okay? You have ruined my life, not only mine but Lavanya ji's too. I knew that how ruthless and arrogant person you are but didn't know that you are so stone hearted that for your own benefit you could play with anyone heart. If you have money it doesn't mean that you go around and could do anything you want. You have taken everything from me, every single thing I had. My family, my respect. This is what you wanted right? Give me one reason why have you married me? Tell me why I am getting such a punishment. Oh yes, you told because I deserve it right? For you your family matters, everything single thing about them keep importance in my life. But my family is nothing. I will never forgive you Mr. Raizada, never!"


Khushi finally had put her heart out. She said whatever he had in her mind. How long she would have kept quite.


"I must say you are doing great by leaving no chance of hurting me. You..."


 Khushi all of sudden stopped and the other moment she was on the floor. 


"Khushi!" Arnav screamed. 


He quickly picked her up and then took water glass from the night stand and sprinkled over Khushi's face and she slowly regained her senses.


Arnav helped her sat up on the bed even though she resisted few times. When she had properly sat Arnav brought food for her. 


"Here eat something!"


"I will eat it just keep it there," Khushi said angrily.


Arnav closed his eyes to calm himself and give the plate to Khushi.  


He then got up from the bed and walked to the window whereas Khushi ate her food in silence. 


"I told you that I don't want any drama then why did you come into this room?" Arnav asked.


Khushi stayed quite.


"I know you won't say anything and I don't want to hear anything from you. So it's better for you if you would shift to my room till Nani is here."


Khushi had finished her food and she got up from her bed and went straight to his room. 


***
In Arnav's room
Khushi took the extra mattress that was in the walking closet and put it on the floor. 
"What are you doing?" Arnav asked Khushi.
"I am making bed for myself!" 
Arnav moved towards Khushi and put his arms around her. Khushi's eyes wide opened in surprise. 
"What are you doing, Arnav ji?"
"What am I doing?" he asked innocently. 

"Arnav ji!" Khushi gasped when Arnav slithered his hand on her waist and pulled her hardly towards himself. Her chest hit his hard shell chest. 

She swallowed the lump in her throat.
He then leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I know you are mad at me," he seductively said and further kissed her cheek, slowly. Her breathing was shallow and it stopped when Arnav moved further below and kissed her neck.
"Arnav!" was only Khushi able to mumble in the middle she did try to push him away but his grip around her was strong and at the same time she was trapped to move him from herself. 
The way his lips playfully worked on her skin made her skin tinkled with unknown pleasures. She was too lost. Arnav pushed her gently to the nearby wall and Khushi's hand held his shoulders for support.
"Don't dare to battle against me," Arnav said as he placed his lips lightly on her lips without warning "Nani is watching us!" he lastly said. Khushi understood his behaviour. Because Khushi couldn't able to either push him away her hands on his shoulder clenched and more she dug her nails further into his shoulders more brutal his kiss got. He didn't even gave Khushi time a mere seconds to breathe and then everything blacked out in the room. Arnav had switched off the room light and Nani was long gone. 

He pushed her away and her back hit the wall. 

That's when he saw her tears glistening in the moonlight. He so wanted to wipe them but the hatred he had for her was greater than the soft corner, if he got one for her.