Arnav Khushi Trust Issues

21 days ago

Shilpa

@HerFiction

The bustling sound of the airport still echoed in Arnav’s mind as he left Khushi there, without so much as a backward glance. Her words lingered too, haunting him with the conviction and heartbreak that filled them. But Arnav Singh Raizada had made up his mind—trust was not easily won with him, and Khushi’s closeness to Shyam had always been a thorn in his heart. He convinced himself he was doing the right thing, leaving her behind and walking away, severing whatever threads were left between them.

But as he lay awake that night, staring at the dark ceiling, sleep eluded him. Instead, memories of her innocent eyes and trembling voice tugged at his conscience. She had tried to tell him something important—something he’d refused to hear. His heart pounded uncomfortably, as if urging him to reconsider his decision.

---

The next day, Arnav attended a family dinner at the Raizada mansion. Everyone noticed Khushi’s absence, and questions flooded the dining table.

"Chote, where is Khushi?" Anjali asked, her brows knitted in worry.

Arnav tried to keep his composure. "She… she’s not coming back. She’s staying with her parents," he mumbled, knowing he’d have to reveal more sooner or later.

Anjali’s face fell, and she pressed further. "But why, Arnav? Did something happen between you two?"

Arnav pushed his chair back abruptly, his stomach twisting as guilt clouded his thoughts. “Anjali, it’s best if we all move on from this. She’s not a part of our lives anymore.”

The room fell silent, and he felt his family’s disapproving stares on him. Nani was the first to speak, her voice low and full of disappointment. "Arnav, marriage is a sacred bond. If you’re not willing to trust, what foundation is left? I thought you understood that by now."

Her words struck him harder than he expected. Arnav couldn’t shake the unease that had settled in his chest, and he found himself pacing the mansion later that night, unable to escape the memories of Khushi. Her laughter, her innocence, the way she’d always managed to see the good in people, even him. Slowly, realization began to creep in—what if he’d been wrong? What if Khushi had been telling the truth all along?

---

Days passed, and Arnav was haunted by the feeling that he’d made a grave mistake. Finally, he couldn’t bear it any longer. He picked up his phone and dialed her number, but it went straight to voicemail. A sense of urgency gnawed at him, and he decided he couldn’t wait any longer. He had to see her.

He drove to the Gupta house, his heart hammering with each passing mile. Upon reaching, he was surprised to see Khushi’s family exchanging anxious glances. They looked hesitant when they saw him, but finally, Buaji spoke.

"Khushi isn’t here, Arnav. She left the day you abandoned her at the airport. She said she needed some time to herself, but… she hasn’t come back."

Arnav’s pulse quickened. "What do you mean, she hasn’t come back? Where did she go?" Panic laced his words as he looked between them, hoping someone would have an answer.

"All she left was a note saying she needed to clear her head and that we shouldn’t worry," Buaji explained, worry etched on her face.

Without another word, Arnav left, desperation driving him to search for her. He spent hours retracing their steps, visiting places they’d been together, hoping to find her. He couldn’t erase the image of Khushi, hurt and broken, wandering the city alone. Every corner he turned, every street he drove down, he replayed their last moments together, realizing how foolish he’d been to let her go.

Finally, in a small, secluded temple nestled on the outskirts of the city, he found her.

Khushi sat alone on the temple steps, her face pale, her eyes distant as she gazed into the sunset. She looked fragile, as if she’d been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Seeing her like that, so heartbroken and alone, shattered something inside him.

"Khushi," he called, his voice soft, almost hesitant.

She turned her head slowly, her expression unreadable. Arnav’s throat tightened as he took in the pain etched across her face. He had done this. He had put that sorrow in her eyes.

She looked away. "What are you doing here, Arnavji?" Her tone was laced with a mix of bitterness and resignation. She had clearly not expected him to come after her.

“I… I came to apologize,” he began, his voice breaking slightly. “I was wrong, Khushi. I didn’t listen to you… I didn’t trust you, and now… now I can’t forgive myself for the way I treated you.”

Khushi remained silent, her eyes fixed on the horizon.

“I thought I was protecting myself, that I was protecting our family… But I was wrong, Khushi. You were only ever trying to help, and I never gave you a chance to explain. I pushed you away instead of standing by you.”

A tear slipped down her cheek, and Arnav took a step closer, desperate to bridge the distance he’d created. "Please, Khushi… Give me a chance to make things right."

Khushi took a shuddering breath, looking down at her hands. "Do you know what hurt me the most, Arnavji? It wasn’t that you left me at the airport. It wasn’t even that you didn’t believe me. It was that… after everything we’ve been through, you still think so little of me."

Her words struck like a knife, and he swallowed hard. "I don’t think little of you, Khushi. I was blinded by my own fears… and by my pride. But I swear, from this moment forward, I will never doubt you again. I will spend the rest of my life proving to you that you’re the only one I need… the only one I love."

She looked at him, searching his face as if trying to determine if he was being genuine. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "Words are easy, Arnavji. Prove it."

Determination flashed in his eyes. Without another word, he walked to the temple’s central shrine, folded his hands, and bowed his head. “If you need me to, I’ll come here every day, every week… until you believe me, Khushi. Until you know that I’ve changed.”

He looked back at her, his gaze earnest, pleading. For the first time, Khushi saw a vulnerability in him she’d never seen before—a raw, unguarded side of the man who always prided himself on being invulnerable.

Moved, she took a step toward him, reaching out hesitantly. "If you really mean that, Arnavji… then perhaps, in time… I could try to forgive you."

Relief flooded Arnav’s face, and he nodded. “I’ll wait, Khushi. As long as it takes.”

And in that moment, as they stood in the warmth of the setting sun, Khushi felt the faint stirrings of hope. Perhaps, just perhaps, they could find their way back to each other after all.

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