Chapter 25

arshiforever123

@arshiforever123

A Twist of Events Ch. 23A

"Yes Aman what did you find?"

Umm Sir..."he began shakily, "uhh...I...I haven't found anything yet to denounce the validity of this report...I...I cant find any information that seems to tell me this is fraud"

"So...are you telling me this is real?" Arnav said shakily, feeling his whole world just falling apart even further into the abyss of doom.

"Well..No...Im not saying its real...but as of now...everything seems in place... I haven't found anything to rebuke the document...yet.. I mean... I might need more time to find some evidence against it...then I can tell you surely" he said and with that Arnav turned off the phone saying no more.

All Arnav wanted to do in that moment was shrivel up and cry in Khushi's arms. He ached for her comfort, for the soothing consolation she would offer with just her sweet voice, her soft touch, her familiar scent.

But he couldn't. Not now...and he didn't know if he ever could. If Khushi would ever let him. But..he wasn't going to let that Shyam Jha get between him and Khushi anymore. He would just wait...wait until Aman found something against the document...something telling him that it was a complete lie. Because he wasn't going to, for one second give Shaila up to him. Never. 

Suddenly, he remembered something

she's finally back. I know..but she's here now

He remembered Shyam saying those words when he was on the balcony in his apartment. Was..was he after Khushi? And again, another memory hit him, but this one was too foggy to be remembered clearly,

 I still haven't found her yet...give me some more time

When had he uttered those words Arnav thought? And that's when it occurred...he had said that many years ago. He slapped himself mentally, why had he done nothing about it then Arnav thought. So that meant Shyam was obviously planning something...something against Khushi...but who...who was he working with? Who was on the other end of the phone call?

That's when Shailas words from last night hit him,

the big, bad men...did they take her papa?

the ones that came to our house a few times

And, suddenly, one of the one of the pieces of the puzzle came into place. Shyam was working with someone. And they were after Khushi. Arnav didn't know who it was or what they wanted but he knew that Shyam was a part of it. There was a big scheme going on, and Arnav was only now just introduced to the tip of the iceberg.

And he wasn't going to waste another second, feeling helpless and doomed because of that bas***d. He was done crying and feeling powerless, like a puppet in Jha's games. He was Arnav Singh Raizada, one of the most powerful men in the world and here he was being manipulated by a parasite. No one ever manipulates Arnav Singh Raizada and gets away with it.Shyam Monohar Jha had it coming...ohh he had it coming so bad Arnav thought with a smirk.

He stood up, wiped his tears away and picked up the suitcase, a new found confidence and certainty in his air. If Jha wanted to fight, he was going to fight. But he wasn't going to do it in his usual, hasty manner, no he was going to hurt him where it hurt the most. He knew Jha was a leech, he lived off him and him alone. The man did not earn a penny himself. He was going to rob the man of all wealth, of all dignity, of his association with even the name Raizada.

He smiled as he looked at his daughter sleeping on the bed. This little princess was his. He knew that much. And no amount of test results and official documents was going to change that fact. He got up to load the suitcase into the car.

Just as he was at the top of the steps he heard the doorbell ring; Payal ran up to the door to be surprisingly greeted by her family...the Guptas. His eyes widened as he saw who had come. There they were, Amma, Buaji, and babuji, all standing at the doorway hugging Payal. Arnav stood still at the top of the staircase, unaware of what he was to do.

Nani and mamiji too went and received them warmly...well as warmly as Monorama Singh Raizada would allow. He went down slowly as the three of them looked up and greeted him,

"Are you going anywhere Dhamadji?" Buaji spoke as she eyes the suitcase. When he shook his head in a negative, buaji continued, having completely forgotten about her earlier enquiry.

"Well anyways, it good that you are home and not at office right now, we ...we had something to say to you..." she paused and continued after a few seconds, more solemnly this time, "Beta...Payal told us everything" Arnav looked on in silence, how much had she told them he wondered, "that Khushi came with...with your daughter...but she left again...for some reason." She said worriedly. So Payal hadn't told them about Shyam he thought. She continued,

"is...is the child with you?"she asked. Arnav nodded in reply.

"Can...can we please see out granddaughter?" Garima asked nervously. Arnav once again nodded, and he led them all up. He helped Babuji climb up the steps slowly using his cane. He realized as he was walking up that Khushi still never knew about her father's recovery, how much better he had gotten since his accident, though still not able to form fluent, full, coherent sentences.

They all entered his room, and saw a little girl spread across the bed. He smiled inwardly; she slept just like Khushi, doing taekwondo poses in bed.

Amma was the first one to walk up to the bed; she sat next to the sleeping child, tears making their way down her face. Babuji sat on the opposite side of the bed and buaji sat behind amma. All of them looking at the beautiful girl who very much resembled her mother, except with curls and deep brown eyes who were like her fathers.  Garima ran a loving hand across her cheek, Shaila squirmed lightly.

"Arnav bitwa...shes very beautiful" Garima said as she looked at her. Arnav just smiled in return, "she looks a lot like Khushi bitiya" she continued.

"yea..." Arnav said fondly.

"Damadji...why did our titiliya leave?" buaji asked him

"I don't know...she needed to get away from me buaji."

"we...we were too harsh on her" buaji said as she looked at the ground in shame.

"everything she did...she did because I put her in such a situation that she was forced to"

"What do you mean?" buaji asked as all three of them looked up at him

"I forced her to marry me...I was the one who kicked her out of Raizada Mansion, I was the one who broke all her values, all her dreams" he said sadly

"We..we thought you eloped...and that...she...she left RM willingly" Amma said in surprise

"No...I told her that if she didn't marry me, I wouldn't let Payals and Akash's marriage proceed"

"W- why did you do that?"

"Because I thought her and Shyam were having an affair" he answered, no sign of emotion in his voice, though his insides felt like a warzone of emotions. Babuji stood up shakily and faced him,

"What?... d-did... You... say?" he said softly with much difficulty, with a tinge of anger.

"I thought she was with Shyam"he repeated

"But...but Shyam tricked us into getting her engaged to him" Garima said shakily

"I know that now...but I didn't believe her"

"And...why did you kick her out of RM?" buaji asked sternly

"Because I thought even after marriage she still had something with him. And i...I was hurt...I couldn't bear it...so we forced her to leave"

To his surprise, Garima walked up to him and Instead of admonishing him, she reassuringly put a hand on his shoulder,

"Don't blame yourself beta...we were all just as much to blame. We basically disowned her, she didn't even come home to us when she left RM. We all singled her out" Garima said guiltily.

"And...why did she leave again..?"bauji asked. Arnav didn't know what to say to this one because he himself had no idea. He wouldn't tell them what she said that night she had left.

I love Shyam Monohar Jha

"I..I don't know..." he said

"And you..let her go?" buaji asked. Arnav looked down at the floor in shame,

"I...Im gonna get her back" he said

Before anyone was able to say any more, they were all disturbed by the cries of a child. They all turned their heads to face the noise,

Garima reached to pick her up but Shaila squirmed away, Arnav went towards her instead and picked her up. She willingly went into his arms. He gave her her bottle which was on the table. She suckled on it cutely. Once she was done drinking, she had stopped crying and was now looking at the strangers in the room.

"baby...this is your nani...and nana..and your grandbua [what is that called in hindi or urdu lol]..." he said lovingly, "your mamas mumma and papa and bua"

Garima reached out her hands for her, tears flowing freely down her face as she took a good look at her granddaughter. Shaila instead hid into her father's armpit. Arnav kissed the top of her head and rubbed her hair gently,

"Shes...she's not that welcoming to new people" he said apologetically to garima, "baby go...your nani loves you okay?"he spoke to Shaila

Shaila looked at her speculatively and reluctantly made her way into her arms.

"Whats her name?" Garima said lovingly

"Shaila "

All three, amma, babuji and buaji looked up at him in surprise,

"That...that was..her mother's name...Shaila..." amma said as tears made their way down her face. Khushi had named their daughter after her mother, Arnav smiled as his heart warmed.

When Shaila was done being passed around between the three, she went back to her father. He lead them all out of the room, but before he could leave, babuji stopped him,

"beta...g-get Kkkhushi..b..back" he tried. Arnav nodded and Babuji continued "g-get her...b-back...f-f-fight...f-for...fooorgive..nesss"

"I will babuji...I will beg for her forgiveness...I will make it up to her." Arnav said and with that helped him down the stairs.

They all said their goodbyes and went their own ways.

Just as Arnav was about to make his way to the door to leave himself, with a sleepy Shaila in his arms, sucking her thumb, he was once again interrupted

all original work belongs to arshiforever123. Please do not copy..

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