It has always been about you, Mr. Raizada Chapter 14

It has always been about me, really! Chapter 14

Arnav asks his guest to come in, hearing a knock on the door. Sunaina walks in. He welcomes her and asks her to have a seat. "You called, Mr. Raizada?" she asks and grabs a seat on the opposite side of him. "How is Hazel doing?"

"Hazel is good. But, just to let you know, Ms. Fernandez, we are talking business here. Yesterday, I talked to your father, and I would like him to handle this deal with me..." he said, unafraid to get his message across.

Colour from her face drains. Her lips parts to say something but then they shut almost immediately. She was surprise as why he all of sudden he did not want to work with her. She smiles nervously.

"Mr. Raizada, I think we already talked about it. I did say, we shall be working together," she said, in fear. 

"I know, but it's a company's rule to work directly to the owner when it comes to making decisions..."

She stares at him, as she straightaway knew, it wasn't him speaking.

"I am the only daughter of my father, and I am pretty sure I am the boss as well. This project is solely mine."

Arnav rolls the paper holder in his hand as he looks back at her.

"Also, why all sudden this decision? Mr. Raizada, this is extremely unprofessional of you...I wasn't expecting from you this at all!"

"Ms. Fernandez, this is my decision, I decide whom I want to work with..."

"Mr. Raizada,  if I am not involved in this project you are loosing millions..."

He let go of the paper holder, and leans forward on a chair with his arms crossed on the table in front of him. "I have lost most valuables then that, Ms. Fernandez..."

Sunaina gave it a thought and she believed it was because of Khushi. She just have told him her intentions. Good for her, she thought.

"You didn't have any problem working with me until yesterday...Why I feel it has more to do with your wife's insecurities?"

"You are getting personal, there is no reason to bring in my wife in it..."

"You started it first," she said. "She must have told you I am after you, or something like that..."

"How do you know?" he instantly asked.

 Dead silence followed when Sunaina took her time to come up with a reason in her head to tell him to his question, and he waited for the response. 

"I didn't mention anything such t to you..."

"I don't think I need to, Mr. Raizada. Your wife has always been insecure. I am pretty sure you know this..." she looked back in his eyes, unafraid.

"Ms. Fernandez, you are no one to point fingers at my wife..."

"Sure I am not, Mr. Raizada. And tell me, how many girls you would actually turn out to work with, just because your wife is insecure. She doesn't love you, neither she trusts you, the only thing is she wants you. Sooner you get this, easier it will be for you. I know about you, way more than I should. And let me tell you it is not because I want you. I have a very loving person in my life, that's Aditiya. And it's really fine if you don't want to work with me. I don't want to work with you either, not anymore atleast. I am never judgemental, but your wife is stupid!"

"Ms. Fernandez!" he said in a loud voice, and stood up from his chair.

"Do not raise your voice, Mr. Raizada, even I can do so..." she shouted back, however, controlled her anger immediately. "Anyhow, good luck with your wife, and as far as to terminate the contract is concerned, instead of you, I do it...And guess what, I will pay you every penny," She says, looking straight in his eyes. His anger not at all affecting her.

"Good bye; and before leaving all I want to do is, warn you, and your darling wife. Ask her to be extra careful, because she is just ruining her life by hiding secrets..."

Arnav looked at her as if she knew something she didn't know.

"What are you talking about?"

His voice cooled down.

"Ask your innocent wife..."

"About what?"

"Something that she is hiding from you for the past five years..."

"Stop making me guess these riddles, Ms. Fernandez, and tell me what you are talking about?"

"I am not making anything easier for you, since you have insulted me...Good bye!"

More than creating havoc in Khushi's life, she had created hell in Arnav's mind.

"Khushi, was hiding something from me?" he thought. "But what?"

"Ms. Fernandez, please wait!" he almost pleaded.

Even though she was pissed off, she stopped and didn't know why?

"What?" she asked.

"What is it, that you know Khushi is hiding?" he asked.

Since he had been asking much more patiently, she decided to tell him somewhat...And after all she had to fulfil her motive as well...

"Mr. Raizada, ask your wife which letter did your first wife, Lavanya wrote to her. Or ask what does she actually knows about Lavanya? She claims la was her best friend, had she ever mentioned it you about her? And did you read the letter? If you have, do you even know it was written by La, or not? And if you get the answer to these questions, do tell me who is actually desperate to get you. Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada, you had not been loyal to Lavanya either by choosing the second woman in your life either. Me being the part of life of such a person? Is not possible," she says, and without another word, she walks straight out of his office. Door shuts with a loud bang as if storm was finally in their lives and Arnav found himself trapped in it.

He stood stunned for few minutes, he didn't even know what he heard was actual or otherwise? What did she really mean? First, was there no letter? Because yes, he never read it. Secondly, this thought actually never came into his mind that why didn't he know about Khushi? Why la never mentioned it to him about Khushi?"

He didn't know how he should react, he tried to understand, and summed everything and came to the conclusion that there was no letter written and Khushi is not at all La's friend. It was her lies.

This was too much for him. Everything around him, starts revolving, the sickening sensations inside him returns, as if every single of it was going to kill him slowly and gradually.

He pulls his antidepressant out of his office desk drawer and gulp it down his throat with a glass of water. And crashes in his seat, completely out of breath.

For few seconds his mind totally shut.

First he did not at all want to go home, he knew that the molten lava that was boggling inside was full of disasterous flames and it was going to harm everything possible and the most important his relationship with Khushi, if by any chance what Sunaina told him was true.

His world already had been upside down but it was slowly returning, however, now only to return to its usual place, upside down. Back then he had suppressed all his anger knowing he was at fault and was still trying everything that it took to make this relationship flourish of his with Khushi.

He was blaming himself for everything, whether it was hurting everyone in his family, Khushi herself, or every situation that followed. But not anymore. Why he was being on a forgiving end, he questioned himself. It was not that he was doing a favour on anyone but himself and to the worst, he did not even want

to do favours, not even to himself.

Their relationship again stood at the place where it had ended three years ago. 

He somewhere also knew that his family members had been supporting her, they were the one to say that she was La's friend, and they were the only one who told him about the promises that seemed faked to him. It could be more of their plan to hook Khushi with him, then Khushi's own plan to do all this. This only killed his soul and kindness to bring out the brutle side of his that was not at all good if anyone had to face it.

He was right to himself that he had let everyone to hurt him, if by any chance he had thought and respected himself enough, nobody had ever dared to take advantage of him.

He did not know if he should call them a family anymore, he was said every hurtful words possible by them, he tried not to be affected, intially, but now it seemed they were never his. 

He never liked to be this negative, at first place he did not want to think of all this, but he was forced to. He was forced to keep every positive thought away from his mind.

His child. Hazel. Thought of her never escaped his mind, he felt more like her, she like him had nothing to feel but a fear that what she has now was going to be taken from her. He wished he had not given every right to the person who was going to prove every existence of good to a big question to bring in a child in their already messed up a relationship. Should he be quite for her? He thought. For her?

Because after these many defeats in a relationship they shared, nothing was going to be "Always about us!" after the mistakes he and others did, and in all this why that innocent soul was going to be punished? 

However, one thing he did learn from Khushi itself was not to react without knowing the actual truth, and that somewhere helped him calm himself. He hoped,  Khushi did have better reasons to tell him. What it was, did he have right to know? May be the truth that she was hiding was worst then hiding all these truths from him. 

And another question, that he failed to ask Sunaina  was. how did she knew so much about Khushi or about Lavanya and him? Does it matter, because she was just a stranger. May be not! The way she was calling Lavanya, La, it seemed she knew lavanya very well...

Does he keep silence and let things go just the way things were going? As far as patience and the fire inside him was concerned, he was ready to handle it. He did not know how long his patience was going to survive, but he decided he would and today, he was actually not going home. The only way for him to avoid his emotions and stuggle alone just the way he had always been.

Why he would do so?

The utmost reason, his daughter. Second, he was actually in love with Khushi, he did not know anyone was going to take place of her ever, despite of all the odds she did. He would not have left her alone and his child knowing they were the part of his life. He will know the truth one day, and he promised he would try to keep silent till then. If all his efforts went down the drain he promised then his daughter was not going to live in a false hope that her parents loved each other.

***

 Every day, he wished someone in the house will break his or her silence to tell him what they were all hiding from him. But they never said anything in  the past five years, why would they now?

Everyday was becoming a struggle for him. A week passed, two week passed, and then a month that for him was a year. He was trying hard to be quite. 

After a heated talk at the office with Sunaina he never heard from her later. He tried to contact her, her father and even Aditiya, from their side as well he was turned down.

Today, he almost asked Khushi, but he was stopped, yet again.

He saw his rose pink cheeks, her eyes denying to look up at him, and a hospital file in her hands.

His heart picked up the race against his body as he knew somewhat, what was coming.

"Before you say anything, I have to tell you, Arnav..." she said in a low shy tone, and she raised on her toes.

"You are going to be a father once again!" she said in his ear.

His world came to an abrupt stop. He wasn't happy, neither sad. 

She hugged him and he stood as a statue with no emotion. It was not just Hazel, but this new addition in their world for whom he had to stay quite for...

***

It has always been about you, Mr. Raizada Maha update (Chapter 14)

An apology for the late update, had been busy as my cousins and niece had come over. Anyways, without further delay, read and enjoy the update...

***

MAHA UPDATE 

Khushi fell on her knees crying, "Hazel, where are you, my child?" she wailed. "Please someone help me to find my daughter."

"Ma'am, what happened?" People stopped by and asked her.

"My daughter, my little three year old daughter is gone missing, she was here a little while ago," she explained, as she got up the floor.

"Ma'am, please calm down and tell me how does she look like," lady asked, who turned out to be the manager of one of the stores at the mall. "Can someone please go and call the security!" she commanded.

One of the guy in a group volunteered. 

"Dear your daughter must be here, don't worry. We have security cameras all over the place. " 

"Yes, ma'am, what's the matter?" Security guard asked as he came in no time.

"Yes, this mam's baby girl is lost somewhere in a mall. Please get mall sealed and don't let anyone go out without enquiry."

"Yes, ma'am. Do you have baby girl's picture?"

"Yes, I do have it..." Khushi said and took a passport size picture of Hazel from her hand purse. "Today, she is wearing pink jeans and white top with a princess written on it on a front. And pink and white shoes. Her hair are short, that reach her shoulder length," Khushi explained hurriedly.

"Ma'am don't worry, we will find your daughter!" Security guard said and ran to look for Hazel.

Khushi took her phone out of her purse and immediately called Arnav. Her hands were shaking as she dialed Arnav's phone at the moment.

Hearing her scared tone he got up his office chair. "Khushi, what happened?

"Arnav..."

"Khushi, calm down, stop crying, and tell me what has happened?

"Hazel!" she wailed.

"What happened to Hazel?" His voice stuck in his throat. 

"Me and her had come to the mall. I was looking for her clothes, from there God knows where did she go!"

Arnav's land slipped down his feet. "What do you mean,  you don't know where she went?" He asked, but controlled his anger knowing she was already worried. "Khushi, okay, listen...Have you informed the police, and the security."

"Yes, I have they are doing everything to look for her!" she said. "Please, Arnav, come fast I am really scared. What if...?"

"Nothing will happen to Hazel, do you get that? Nothing will...You stay calm, I am coming in no time...Also,  go to the help desk, and ask them to make an announcement. Anybody who will find our daughter will get whatever they will want," he told her in a hurry, and made his way out of his new office building.

***

"Khushi, where are you?" he asked, as he was still on a phone.

"Arnav!" she said, seeing him coming through the mall entrance. She ran to him. "Arnav, they are unable to find her...God knows where she is...It is all because of me, how can I be so careless?! "

"Khushi, relax. Blaming yourself won't do anything good. Don't worry. She must be somewhere here..."

"Security!" he said, and head over to the security office.

"Arnav, sir..."

"Are guys checking the CCTV footages?"

"Yes, sir, we are..." he said. "And at the entrances we haven't seen your daughter going out. We are pretty sure she is in the mall itself...We are checking every floor, but we don't think she would have gone any further...And at the children shop, where she was last seen is captured in the cameras, but not where she headed too," Security guard was explaining him when they heard Hazel calling them...

"Mommy, 

Khushi gasped and rushed to her. So did Arnav. "Hazel!" they both said feeling enough relief as they both had been escaped a death.

Khushi hugged her immediately. "Hazel, where had you gone?" she asked, and cupped her face, and kissed her madly. "You know how much mumma was worried!" she said, as her tears of relief flowed down her eyes.

"Mommy, I am fine!" she said, and Khushi hugged her tightly.

"Ms. Fernandez, where did you find her?" Arnav asked.

"She had taken the lift upstairs and landed herself on the top floor. She thought you still have your office here, so to see you she left without her mother knowing, that's what she told me..." 

Khushi heard her saying this, but it didn't convince her. She got up on her feet and slapped Sunaina.

It was another slap on her ego, and this time it wasn't her mistake though. Arnav stood dumbstruck.

"You are the one who has taken my daughter away...How dare you to stoop this low?"

Hazel held her mothef's hand and said, "Mommy, Aunty didn't do anything wrong..."

"You stay quite, Hazel, you don't know anything..." Khushi shouted, making Hazel flinch in fear. Arnav held her shoulder and pulled her towards himself. "Have you lost it?"

"Arnav, you don't know anything..."

"What I don't know?" he asked.

"That she..." Khushi get hold of her tongue right when she had to.

"Mr. Raizada, it's alright...I can understand she was worried about her daughter..."

"Khushi, say sorry to her!" Arnav said. He didn't know what was going on in between them. But he felt Khushi had to seek forgiveness for her act guessing she acted without thinking.

"Arnav, she doesn't deserve a sorry."

"Mr. Raizada, I don't want any apologies from her. Anyway, I should leave. I didn't know to help people like her you get this reward. Mrs. Raizada, think twice before doing anything. And also learn to take care of your child. Don't blame on others," Sunaina said, she was doing everything to calm herself, and she wouldn't have mind going personal but she grabbed a hold on her tongue. Specially, when she knew winds direction favoured her.

"I am sorry, Ms. Fernandez, please forgive her. She was mad that's it. There was nothing wrong on her mind at all..."

She shook her head. "It's okay, you don't have to be sorry. I am happy that I was able got help you to find your baby girl. Please take care of her, she is precious...You don't want to loose a gem!"

"I can't really thank you enough. If you weren't here..."

"Please, Mr. Raizada, don't be formal here. Just take Hazel home..."

"Aunty, thank you!" Hazel muttered. Sunaina's anger vanished, she smiled, and squatted on her feet. "Baby, next time, don't leave like this without letting your parents know. Did you see how your mommy was worried?"

Khushi could not understand whether she was faking it or it was real.

Hazel looked at Khushi and Arnav. "I am sorry mom, dad!" she said and hugged Arnav's leg. Arnav picked her in his arms.

"Take care, Mr. And Mrs. Raizada. Bye, Hazel!"

"Bye, Aunty!" Hazel said.

By the time Sunaina left she had tears of rage in her eyes, but she masked them, she wore her shades on. Even Arnav noticed her red eyes.

"Sir, glad that you have found your daughter!" Security guard said, he smiled and left.

"Little girl has been found. Sorry for any inconvenience that you all had to go through. Also thank you for your cooperation," person at help desk announced.

Arnav held Khushi's hand and dragged her out of the shopping mall.

He put Hazel in her baby seat and tried to fasten her seat belts securely. But he was doing it wrong. "Daddy, it's not the way you fasten the seat belt!" she said. "I will do it by myself!"

"I am sorry, baby," he said. And calmed himself. He closed the door and saw Khushi standing behind him. "Arnav, I am sorry!" she said, realising.

"Get in a car now!" he said, coldly. She reluctantly followed his order. "If you can now keep quite until we reach home!" he said as slowly he could.

"Hazel, baby, did you get your seat belt fastened?"

"Yes, daddy!" she said.

"That's like a good girl. How did you know my office was here?" he asked.

"Akaash, taaou ji told me once..."

"But dear I don't work in this mall anymore. My office is shifted to the other place. Next time don't do this!" he said.

"Okay, daddy. I am sorry. I was missing you, and thought I would give you a surprise. You know, daddy, I lost my way as well, but Su-Nay-su.." She stuttered, having hard time pronouncing her name. 

"It's Sunaina Aunty..."

"Yeah, that Aunty, she tracked me down and helped me..."

"See, dear, Aunty was good. But not everyone is. There are bad people too!"

"I will take care of it, daddy..."

Khushi didn't know how much of that was the truth. But she felt she had went little overboard, if what Hazel was saying was the truth. It might be Sunaina's new scheme, she thought to get Arnav.

"Okay, tell me did you get scared?" 

"Little bit!"

"Hmm!"

"Daddy, can I listen to my music? I got my headphones..."

"I put the songs here, dear, you can't use your headphones. They are bad for your ears..."

"Thank you, daddy! Daddy, why did Mommy slapped Aunty? She didn't do any bad!"

Khushi's heart beat in fear knowing it will only further make Arnav mad.  

"Because your mom likes to punish people who are not really at fault!" he said. Khushi's head snapped at him. This remark of his was a hard blow in her chest. 

"Arnav, I am sorry!"

"Don't you think it's over used by you, Khushi? And you know what, forget about it, I don't think you will ever learn to not to mess up with every situation..."

He parked the car in front of the driveway at RM..."Let's go, Hazel!" he said, and unbuckled her seat belt, "mommy, let's go in," Hazel said...Khushi burst into tears when they both went inside the house.

***

"I think you do have an explaining to do, why did you at first place slapped Ms. Fernandez? Please speak up when you have a good reason to tell so that I feel less embarrassed after what you did today at the mall."

"She did it on purpose!" Khushi yelled.

"And why do you think that?"

"Because she likes you, she wants to have you, she wants to put me down in front of you!"

Arnav's hand clenched in a fist. "Shut up, Khushi. Do you even know what are you saying? She is going to get married to her BF!"

Khushi looked at him in shock.

"In fact it is none other than but Aditya...Just because she knew you were to marry Aditiya at some point of time , she didn't bring him to the party yesterday...and here you say she likes me...?"

Khushi had a blank look on her face. Arnav released her and pushed her lightly. "She is...?"

From her questioning tone, Arnav could tell she had no idea..."Khushi, what you said or did was absolute stupid..." he said and left the room in anger.

Hazel stood at the door seeing her father mad at her mother. Arnav held her hand walked her out of there.

"Daddy, what happened?"

"Nothing, baby."

"Why are you mad at Mommy?"

"Don't I get mad at you?" he asked.

"Sometimes, when I am wrong..."

"So you can think, your mommy did wrong and I am mad at her..." he said.

"You won't talk to her?"

"It's not at all like dear. Like you, I love your mommy," he said. "I can't be mad at you or at her for forever..."

"Chote, where are you going now?" Anjali asked.

He ignored heras if he did not even hear her. 

Khushi was so puzzled at the moment that she didn't know what to do. What part of the story she actually believes? That Sunaina wants Arnav or she is in love with Aditya...Or it is her plan to bring her past in her present. Her head was aching so badly that it felt as if it was going to burst.

***

"Arnav, I would ask for forgiveness for what I did today, from Sunaina, but please you forgive me!" she said.

"Khushi, I am fed up with this, I am not even kidding anymore. You know what?! Even Hazel think twice doing anything, but you. What's wrong with you? What are you actually scared of? What are you holding back? More I try to understand you, more you confuse me. I don't want to be judgmental because I don't know what you have inside your mind, however, it's the height, Khushi."

"Arnav, I was really worried about Hazel.  And I don't know why I felt Sunaina wants you," she said, trying to make it seem as it was her mistake. She would not have let Sunaina's plan to create problems between them using her weaknesses as her power tools. "You are right, I am very insecure. I shouldn't be...I am stupid...Arnav, punish me, but do forgive me..."

"Do I now go away for another five years?" he asked.

She looked at him in bewilderment.

"No, Arnav, no. Please don't say so!" she cried, and held her ears. "I am sorry!"

He shook his head. "Why do I believe you?"

"Cuz...I am stupid...you know that I am..." she stammered. "I am so-orrry!"

"Okay, now stop crying..." he said. "Get hold on your hormones."

"I can't...I don't know how to!!" she said in a complaining tone. Arnav felt miserable seeing her crying, but he couldn't stop himself from laughing as well. He wiped her tears with his thumbs.

"Go and wash your face!"

"Have you forgiven me?"

"I don't know..."

"Then how can I go and wash my face?"

He pulled her in his arms. Khushi was confused. "Khushi, take this out of your mind that anyone will come in between me and you. No one will expect our children...I would say not even them..."

Khushi tightly wrapped her arms around him. She let all the negative thoughts drain out of her mind, for a while. She was glad that at least he was trying his best to fix all the loose ends when all the external forces were messing with her. Especially, the ones that she had no control over. She hoped nothing from past comes up, because if it did, it was only going to bring storms and that was going to mess many lives all together. She further hoped that she will be able to keep the truths in her heart the way she had been doing for the past five years. 

***

It has always been about you, Mr. Raizada Chapter 12 -13

CHAPTER 12

Arnav's heart beat stopped in fear for a millisecond when he saw Khushi at the door. V

Sunaina's heart beat had finally resumed seeing her there, but just for a fraction of second before the door opened and the time between it fully opened and Khushi came into her view, she was too swept away by the wave of fear thinking it might be someone who really should not be coming there at the moment. Not because she was afraid of being caught in a compromising position but she wanted only Khushi to come.

"Mr. Raizada, I think you have drunk a lot tonight," she muttered in his ear. He looked at her momentarily and nodded. 

"Yes, Ms. Fernandez," he stuttered. "We will sign the papers tomorrow," he said, when after a long time of struggle he remembered why exactly he had come to study along with her.  And then seeing Khushi standing at the door his heart raised. 

He saw Sunaina's hand on his arm, Sunaina observed his very act closely, he lightly swept her hand away without being rude. Her teeth clenched when he did so. Then he took a step towards Khushi as if she did not exist.

That little moment gave her the snapshot of a truth that Arnav was far from her reach, probably the infinity distance between them was not going to lessen. She gave herself a mental slap for thinking that she can't get what she want. She crossed her arms against her chest, and plastered a smile on her face as if it Arnav going to Khushi didn't bother her. For tonight, she had to let him go to her, because if her plan went well she was ready to play her next move. And she was confident that it will happen just the way she thinks.  In reality, if it did, she was ahead of her time.

Arnav due to the drug was having difficult walking without being clumsy. And due to the vision impairment he couldn't see the exact emotions on Khushi's face. But he knew she must be  upset. He just hoped that she waited for him to say a word, if she walked away he would once again be defeated. 

In that fear he tried to walk faster, but he tripped. Khushi immediately ran to help him. "Arnav."

Arnav shook his head to focus, but as far as he knew he hadn't drunken that much then the intoxication he was feeling. "Arnav, aap theek toh ho?" (Are you alright?)

He smiled happiely seeing her for him, 

"Yes..." he stuttered. 

She put his arm around her shoulder. "Arnav, let's go to the room, you need rest."

"Take good care of him," Sunaina said from behind and smirked. Khushi shut her eyes in anger, but she thought she had better things to do then worry to comfront  her. 

Khushi walked him to the room. "Arnav, please sit here," she said, and she made him sit on a bed. "Arnav, I take your clothes out of the closet, get changed, then  go to bed."

He held her hand before she could take a step towards a cupboard. He had to make himself and situation clear before there was another misunderstanding between them, that he now did not want. "Arnav, stay seated," she said, when he got up on his feet.

He shook his head as he had his priorities set. 

"I am fine, Khushi. Khushi, I need to talk to you..."

Khushi looked into his eyes, and saw his struggle to get his words put together and then bring it on his mouth. She saw him closing his eyes for a while, as he was assembling his thoughts and preparing his words. And may be she knew what was coming. He took his time, and she was ready to wait to listen what he had to say from his mouth.

"Khushi," he said. "Whatever you saw today in the study was nothing. I was quite drunk, one drink, never hurt me, but today it feels as if I have drunk ten bottles. Khushi, there is nothing in between me and Sunaina. It's just that she was helping me, I tripped..."

He wanted her to say something, but then he wanted himself to finish. "Khushi, I.Love.you.," he said. Something she wasn't expecting to hear from him. Her eyes widened in shock, and they filled with tears. Tear slipped down her cheeks. 

"This I never able to say to you, but saying it you now."  

"Did I ask you for any explanation?" she asked, as she laugh through her tears. His confession of love had made her alive once again. 

For a moment, he thought she didn't believe him and then he thought  of what she said, her words, he smiled, and hugged her. 

"Khushi, I know I have hurt you, but please forgive me," he muttered. He only hugged as tightly as he could, without hurting her. Tears mercilessly flowed down her eyes, drenching his shoulder. 

"It's me who have hurt you..."

He shushed her and she didn't say another word, she knew tonight she had him. For forever. For something that she had waited. Every second, every minute, in five years. And that every moment was tough, was an underestimation. However, it was true that this moment was worth waiting. He wasn't in his senses, but whatever he had said was from his heart. 

Arnav felt relief as a living object running within his veins. As an oilment giving relief to his burns. Till moment he had lived half, now to the fullest when he had said finally what he longed for. He pulled away from the hug.

"I love you too, Arnav ji," she said too. 

He cupped her face. Seeing tears in his eyes, her heart ached. She wiped them before hugging each other again. 

***

"I will be back soon!" he said. 

Khushi watch him go, she walked to close the door. 

There stood Sunaina. "Hi, Mrs. Raizada," she said, moving her gaze from her perfectly manicured black painted nails to her. Khushi found it completely inappropriate.

"Ms. Sunaina, don't you think you should be leaving from here?" she asked, even though she was now getting her on nerves, she still trying to deal with her calmly. 

"Shot of a future!" she reminded her. 

"What do you want?" 

"Arnav Singh Raizada, give him to me. Otherwise, I will keep on making your life hell."

Khushi clenched her fist. "Ms. Fernandez, you are dreaming. Arnav is my husband, not a thing that you will ask for me to share and I will give it you..."

"You talking about such things, look at yourself, what you did. Even you took a place of Mr. Raizada's first wife."

"You can think whatever you want to...My husband loves me and he has proved it already..." she said, confidently. 

Sunaina raised her eyebrows. "Hmm..."

"Mrs. Raizada, even I have waited quite a lot to get him..."

"Why now?"

She laughed. "I was so waiting for you to ask me this question. Good...But to that I won't answer now...Because I don't want to...Good night. Have fun."

When she heard knob of the washroom turn Khushi closed the door on her face. She took a deep breath. 

"What happen, why did you close the door so angrily?" he asked. 

She turned around and smiled, "sorry, by mistake," she said.

"Oh!" he said, and fell on the bed tired. "You can go and change as well."

She nodded and went to change, but more than a need to change she needed to have a chat with herself. It had been important for her to find about Sunaina. For sure she wasn't in their life for no reason, she had it very clear. Especially, when she said she had waited. Arnav had been away for two years from her, if she wanted she could have gotten him by now, but why now, when he was back to his family? 

She went back into the room to Arnav. He was waiting for her to come. She smiled and switched off the room light. Light lamps lit the room. 

She sat on the bed and shortly laid back and faced Arnav. What she would say to him? And same question Arnav asked himself. Even though their minds were bombarded with questions that they wanted to ask each other.

He kept his hand on her hand. "It has been a long wait."

Tear slipped down her eyes, that went unseen, soaked by the pillow. 

"Not yet complete..." she said, when she thought of Sunaina and her intensions. 

"Khushi, I ask you today, can we forget everything and start a new life with each other, and our daughter?"

"For us..."

"For. Us." he repeated. 

Tum ko paa hi liya

Maine yoon

Jaise main hoon

Ehsaas tera

Paas main tere hoon

Tumko paa hi liya

Paa hi liya Maine yoon...

"Tell me it's not a dream, Arnav," she said, being unclear that how come everything was falling in place. He slipped his hand and on top of her hand. She felt as if her destiny was making fun of her or even trying to trick her showing this beautiful dream.

Jahaan mein

Jahaan pe bhi

Seene se laga le

Main toh hui ab tere hawaale

Bandishe naa rahi

She looked at his hand that for the first time in ages she felt as a guard and  swept her with a positive energy. She forgot everything, her every tension. 

 

"I promise I won't let you down as I had been..." he said. "I know I shouldn't have kept myself away from you, when you needed me the most." 

"You know why were you doing this..." 

He shook his head. "It was wrong. I failed to understand you first. And then instead of seeking forgiveness, I ignored myself, my health, and one day left you, alone. Knowing that you were hurt. Second time I hurt you when I asked you to leave Italy, knowing that I haven't done anything to gain your trust. But believe me I would have taken care of you, and then only to prove that I didn't want to hurt our child or want it by taking it from you, another endless year. Then I came back when I longer kept myself from you and Hazel. That had been mean of me, Khushi. I had been selfish. But believe me, I was never angry at you. I failed to understand you that's the truth."

Tum ko paa hi liya

Paa hi liya

Maine yoon

Jaise main hoon ehsaas tera

Paas main tere hoon

Khushi never understood that more than being mad he was actually living his life in a regret. She kept her hand on his hand in an understanding. And the other moment he slowly pulled her towards himself.

kabhi tu..

Kahin pe bhi ab na dhoondna mujhe

Main har jagah miloongi ab tujhe

Tum ko paa hi liya

Paa hi liya Maine yoon

Tu jaane ya main jaanoon ye

Saath main tere hoon  

"Khushi, forget everything. And forgive your parents. Please, don't be mad. I was equally mad at them for ruining our lives. But becoming a father of a girl I realised a concern a father and a mother have towards their child." 

Khushi laid on her back to face him...

"Will you be able to forgive your family?" she asked. Look on his face completely told her that he had no answer to her asked question. 

"My parents brought their own fears in between. Being worried for your child is okay, but trying to make it a mess, especially knowing where their child's happiness resides is not okay."

"Khushi, children often do mistakes, and parents always fogives them..."

Khushi was quite now. "I am tired of it," she said, feeling defeated. And her words itself gave away the notion how beaten up she was by her life.

Arnav hugged her. "I promise I will not let anyone come in between us, Khushi. Now it will be all about us. Not me or about you, but us."

Feeling tonne of weight off her shoulder by her words and being in his arms she felt her soul finally at peace. Arnav kissed her forehead. And then wiped her tears. 

His hand curled in hers and he captured her lips on her approval.

Chapter 13

Khushi got a message from Payal to get ready for the office party. Now she was worried, wondering why Arnav hadn't asked her to be ready for the party, instead?

She constantly checked her iPhone, almost after every other second, to see if he had called her, or messaged her, or if she by mistake had turned the notifications off (which she had not), when she heard nothing from him. 

In the morning, she was busy in household chores to talk to him, and later he had left for the office. Fears made her sweat in agony,  and she couldn't get to disappear the disturbing thoughts out of her mind, not even for a second.

Clock struck 7:00 PM, Arnav still wasn't home when Payal, Akaash, and Shaya Aman had already left for the party after waiting for him to come. She herself could not find the courage to call him.

Past eight hours were the hardest hours of her life, not that two years without him was easy for her to spend. 

Hope revived in her heart when she heard footsteps, and finally Arnav appeared at the door, she took a sigh of relief. She was already standing up from the chair. Seeing him completely wet she ran down to him, after grabbing a towel from the cupboard. "Arnav, how did you get?" she asked, worried.

He took towel from her, instead of letting her help him wipe. She felt as if he was trying to keep a distance from her. But for a moment she let go of every worry, and rushed to get his dry clothes.

"My car broke down. Since driver was gone home early I was on my own. Tried to fix the car myself due to that got wet in the rain," he answered. 

"Arnav, you should have called me, I would have come. " 

He shook his head, "It was not of a big issue, I got it fixed by myself!" he lied rather than telling her that he had gotten wet in the rain just because he spent time standing by the road on his way back home when he was having hard time figuring out how he would ask her about last night.  

 

Even though he thought he was ready to talk to her, he found himself lack of firmness once again when she was in front of him. "Khushi!" he said, thinking that he had to start this conversation somehow. But hazel interupted when she came running in the room knowing that her father was home.

"Good evening, daddy!" she wished.

Upon seeing his daughter, for a moment, he forgot everything. He squat down on the floor and kissed her cheeks since he couldn't pick her in his arms. "Good evening, my princess."

"Daddy, you were playing in the rain as well...?"

Arnav laughed.

"No, I wasn't!"

"But I did!" she said, sticking her tongue out, nervously.

He looked at Khushi questioningly, but he didn't say anything to her.

"Hazel, you know that you fell sick and you decided to get wet in the rain?"

"I stopped her but she didn't listen me!" Khushi chimed in, to see if he was estranging himself from her.

Arnav looked back at hazel and raised his eyebrow at her. She grinned.

"Hazel, if mommy says no to something it means it is no," he said in a stern tone to make himself clear. 

"I am sorry, daddy, I promise I would listen to mommy next time," she said, and kissed his cheek to calm his anger, knowing very well that it will help her.

"Okay, now go. Me and mommy will see you in the morning."

"Daddy, can't we kids go to the party, please?"

"No," he answered. "It's a party for big people."

"Okay, daddy. You change your clothes otherwise you will fall sick!" she said. He smiled at her concern. "Good night, daddy. Good night, mommy!"

"Good night!" they both wished their daughter, she ran out of the room singing and dancing.

Arnav smiled vanished when he looked at Khushi and rose up on his feet.

"Why aren't you ready yet?" he asked. She apologised and told him to give him few minutes to get ready, instead he stopped her. Khushi stopped abruptly. Her heart beat like a drum in her chest.

He prepared himself to get himself to ask her whatever was in his mind. He wished she didn't turn around so that way it was easy for him to talk to her. But she did slowly turned around to face him. He found himself in a nervous situation again.  In that point of time he forgot to breathe.

He tried to grab hold on his nerves and spoke very slowly and measurably.

"Last night I was drunk, did I do or say anything wrong?" he finally asked.

Khushi's world came crashing in front of her own sight. A fear that she was trying to ignore was actually coming true. A fear that he didn't remember anything that happened last night.

Look on her face killed his body, his soul. He thought his body might gave up on him. He couldn't imagine anything worse than that. He walked up to her in slow three steps. His heart slowly broke into pieces.

Khushi was still in dismay that he remembered nothing of a last night, neither his heartfelt confession, nor the moment of them being one.

"Did I do anything wrong?" he asked. "Did I force you?" His guilt couldn't stop striping his soul naked, her silence didn't do any good either.

"I...I remember me and you were together last night, but did...Did I force myself on you?" he asked.

Khushi couldn't get herself to believe that she was mistaking him, he did remember that they were one last night.

She was finally breathing. Her world was assembling back with the right pieces at the exact right places.

"I don't remember anything of such but I did do what I shouldn't have," his own voice wasn't with him. Guilt lacerated him slowly, gradually.

On the other hand, Khushi didn't understand till now what exactly relief meant.

She raised her hand to cup his face. Arnav looked at her in confusion, and thought he might die any moment. Whole day he had been in guilt.

"You didn't force me, Arnav!" she said. "Even in your drunk state you were in your senses..."

He now let lump slip down his throat that threatened him of his life. He raked his hand in his hair in a complete relief.

He moved her hand away, and walked backwards, until his back of the knees hit the bed and he fell on the bed.

"You shouldn't have let me touch you!" he said, being unable to look in her eyes. But then he rose up quickly and again stood in front of her. "You aren't saying it to me to make me feel better!" he asked, as once again he was afraid.

"You didn't do any wrong!" She said, feeling completely upset that for him last night was just a guilt of touching her. Yes, he was right she was in her senses and shouldn't have just carried away with the emotions. But it felt a reality. 

"We are getting late, we should get ready and leave for the party..." she said. 

For him party wasn't important, to clear his fears were. He stopped her...

"Tell me this is the truth!" he said. She turned once again to see him.

"I swear on Hazel, Arnav. You didn't force me...If I am lying I wish I take not an another breath..."

He kept his finger on her lips and shook his head.

There was not any other proof that she could have given him that he didn't force himself on her.

"Don't ever say that again, Khushi," he pleaded. "The only reason I was asking again was because in a drunk state I have said you so many wrong things in the past. Again I don't remember the word I said to you, but due to the vague memory I remember what really happened between us. I promised that I won't touch alcohol again in my life but I did."

Khushi didn't know how to tell him that he was not drunk on his own wish. Her hands clenched in anger at the thought of Sunaina. God knows what was her intentions. And even she tried to tell him  about Sunaina, she was aware she wouldn't have proved her wrong, she had no proof of any sought. She wouldn't have proved that she wanted...

***

"To separate them," she said. "I have promised that I will separate them and I promise I will do so. Otherwise, I won't even be able to die. I would snatch Mr. Raizada from her and she will not be able to do anything. Nothing. I get what I like anyways. And to get Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada I could do anything. Even kill her."

***

Arnav saw her out of her dressing room. His breath hitched in his throat. His mind was bugging him to tell her that she looked absolutely beautiful in that off white Georgette Saree with beautiful embroidered Sequins border and embroidered Sequins blouse. He stole gazes while she was busy checking herself in the mirror if everything was right with her saree.

She had perfectly matched with his black coat and white shirt. He had his ties in his hands, till now he was having hard time selecting which one to tie. But seeing her saree, he knew he had to go for a daffodil gold coloured tie to match her golden sequin blouse.

He put his other ties aside. When Khushi turned and he saw her once again carefully, tie slipped down his hand.

When she was going to look at him, he looked away. She walked towards him, he looked at her through the nook of his eyes. She bent on her knees to pick his tie from the floor.

She closed the cupboard door and turned back to swung tie over his head, that he chose to knot. He loved her this gesture. He had decided instead of running away he had to face her and his family. They were his, no matter even if they decided on to not support him. But that was the time when he needed them the most. This always made it hard for him to accept them back in his life. Times he had given himself were tough. Living without a family was hard and coming back to them only give him cold chills what if it all will be taken away from him once again.

"Done!" she said, and later helped him wear his coat.

"You look beautiful!" he finally said, what his tongue tickled him to say, even though he tried to control his tongue. Hearing from him that she looked beautiful, her cheeks turned into a crimson red. Even darker then her rosey blush.

She so wanted to look back herself in the mirror to see what she had done to gain a compliment from him. Did she really look beautiful., she thought. She had done nothing special,  just a normal make up. 

Arnav saw her trying to not able to look in her eyes. A ghost of nervous smile played on her flushed face.

"Thank you!" she said, stuttering.

"Get your shawl, its little cold outside!" he added. She nodded. 

He waited for her when she went to retrieve shawl and her clutch from the closet. She came back and they both left their room.

"Did you go to the doctor today?" he asked.

"Yes, I did when I went to get Hazel's check done." 

"Yes, it was her check up day as well...What did her doctor say?" 

"She is doing fine, infection is still there, but she said she will be okay. She has cut down her medicine to one tablet a day until her next check up."

"And your doctor? What did she say?"

"She said nothing to worry about!" she answered.

"How was your day?"

"It was busy!" he said.

***

Seeing Sunaina present in the party irked Khushi. Sunaina too looked at her. She waved her hand looking at Arnav and smirked seeing Khushi.

She walked down to them.

"Welcome!" she amused. "Mr. Raizada, I am so glad that you made it on time to my party. Everyone had been just asking about you. Hi, Mrs. Raizada!"

Khushi didn't know that she was the one who had kept a party.

Arnav didn't hear Khushi's response. He felt her hand slipping around his arm.

"Khushi, Ms. Fernandez is saying hello."

She looked up at him, and then at Sunaina. "Hi!" She answered.

"Mrs. Raizada, your sister-in-laws are waiting for you, come! I am sorry, Mr. Raizada, that I am grabbing your wife for a moment."

"Sure, it's not a problem!" he said. Khushi stared at Arnav when Sunaina took her away.

However, she was glad that she herself pulled her out of the crowd. She didn't take her where Payal and Shaya were. The moment they both stood in the corridor where they only two were present, Khushi could no longer control her anger. She slapped her without any warning.

Sunaina for a second didn't even know what really happened. Except for the fact that her right ear was now buzzing. Her hand fisted in a tight fist.

She almost immediately swallowed her anger.

"Last night you were lucky that I didn't get a chance to do this..."

Sunaina's face was red in anger.

"Since now I was thinking that it's okay, like every girl you are infautated. But you had now been crossing your limits...What do you think you will be able to get my husband like this? Let me tell you, miss Fernandez, come out of your love sick mind, it will only hurt you. I am only saying it you so you don't get hurt. Even if you able to get him somehow, he will never be able to love you back. He can compromise with you, but love. Yes. I have hurt him many a times, I regret it. But you are no one to tell if I deserve my husband. And who you are to point out my mistakes, anyways? Do you have any self respect? He is a married man and have a child who is his life line. And I know you might not want to believe it but he loves me too. He needs a time to forgive me, and I am giving him. Even though I have to spend my whole life in seek of  his forgiveness...This slap was not because you are admanant to get him, but because of whatever you did last night, he got hurt. Next time if you tried to do anything of this sought, I won't mind telling him your intentions. The only reason I have not is because I want you to understand before you loss your image in front of him. Do not blind yourself. You might hurt our relationship but be careful you might yourself as well. Get a grip of right and wrong before it is too late. If that is not going in your head, I promise, I will help you..."

Sunaina finally controlled her anger and leant against the wall and laughed. 

"Are you done or you have to say more?  You are so good at lecturing. Let me tell you, you do whatever, I will get what I want, that's all! And this slap, will cost you, I will make sure, it does. 

"Ms. Sunaina, if that is so, let me tell you, you can try everything in this world, you can use any power, but you will not be able to do anything to get what you want."

Sunaina smiled. So relaxed she seemed. Unaffected by her every talk.

"Mrs. Raizada, you are wasting your time by arguing with me, he is all yours at this moment. So enjoy. But beware! One month! I promise, within a month he will be with me," she openly challenged her.

"This is my promise as well, Ms. Sunaina, use the whole power of yours or even get the whole world on your side, my husband will always remain mine. I asked why you came now when you had two years to get him, I tell you in those two years he didn't find anyone else, why now?"

"Because he didn't find me!" she said. "You have made some big mistakes of whom I will be taking advantage of."

"What are you referring too?" Khushi asked, in a low scared tone.

"Instead of worrying what am I referring too, think how will you spend this one month with him. Because after that he will be mine. I never learnt to fail in my life..."

Khushi understood she was one heck of a strong headed woman not going to listen. 

Sunaina pulled her hand forward for a hand shake, but Khushi didn't bother too. "I have better things to do in my life!"

Sunaina shrugged her shoulder and left.

Khushi questioned herself, why she even doing anyways? Arnav was not a thing that they both were fighting over. She wondered what really did she knew about her that was going to turn her world upside down. Or she was just taking advantage of the distances of them in their relationship.

Then something ticked in her mind, out of nowhere. Her parents thought came into her mind. She didn't know why she was thinking it was them who might have asked her to separate her from Arnav. Somewhere to her it sounded valid and much more reasonable.  And then the other moment she was doubtful. Can they have their hands in this? Because, otherwise there was no one who could have known about their life this closely.

Before she could come to any conclusion, she had to know who really she was? Her complete identity. 

***

"Khushi, where had you gone?" Arnav asked, in a worry when he finally found her outside the venue in a corridor.

"I...Had gone to the washroom!" she said.

Looking at her face, he could tell she was upset over something. "Khushi, is everything alright? You don't look fine."

She wanted to leave the party, but at the same time she didn't want Arnav to feel worried about anything.

"I am fine, nothing to worry about."

"You sure?!"

She nodded. "Alright, let's go!" he said.

***

"Hey, Khushi, where did you go missing?" Payal asked.

"Hi, bhabi! I went to the washroom.

"Oh alright!"

"Bhabi, you look beautiful, I am sure Arnav bhai must be unable to keep his eyes off you!" shaya muttered in her ear. Khushi blushed and looked at Arnav standing in a distance, with his friends and Sunaina was no where to be seen. Even though she had no interest where she go but question did arise in her mind not seeing her in the party.

***

"Mr. Raizada, it's really good to see you back to India!" Mr. Mehta said.

Arnav understood his motive behind his statement. Who didn't know why he was away from India after speculations were riding high in the media and never to settle down just like the fate of any other rumour. 

Akaash saw his brother standing feeling uncomfortable. He understood what he might be going through.

"Arnav, can you come with me?!" he said, just so that he could get him his space.

He nodded, but he left and made his way outside. Akaash followed him.

"Are you okay, chote?"

He nodded.

"Don't let anything to get to your heart!"

"I am okay!" he said. "I just feel suffocated..." 

They both fell silent for a moment.

"Did you sign the papers?"

Arnav knew he wasn't standing beside him to talk to him about office work.

"How are you?" he instead asked. Akaash looked at his brother in a surprise. He now realised, in years they didn't even have asked how they were.

"I am good!" he said, excited as for the first time he had decided to talk to him.

"Which papers were you talking about?"

Akaash softly laughed as there was no papers that he was talking about.

Arnav laughed back.