SS: Shattered Souls *Epilogue on Page 32* - Page 8

Chapter 6

Raizada mansion shone like a palace. Of course it would! It was the Raizada princess' birthday today. All the business giants of the country was invited by the AK group's owners Khushi and Akash and everyone were enjoying the party except the Raizada family themselves.

"Aashi darling, it's very late. Come and cut cake...see all the guests are waiting!" Khushi said calmly to her daughter.

Aashi nodded no and said firmly, "I'll cut the cake only when Roo bhaiyya arrives!"

"Come on baby...he is a big star. Why would he come for your birthday party?" Khushi tried explaining it when Aashi said, "He promised that he would come. And his daddy also said the same. They...oh here they are!" Aashi cried seeing the media and also people running towards the entrance.

"It's Ruhaan!"

Aashi and Khushi heard someone screaming and Aashi cried, "Roo bhaiyya came! Mamma I told you...see he came!" Aashi ran to the entrance.

Khushi turned back to her family who was standing stiff as a pole with their eyes fixed on the entrance.

"RUHAANNN!" people screamed as Ruhaan and Arnav walked through the entrance steps.

Reporters began their questions, "Ruhaan, is this your father? But isn't he Arnav Singh Raizada, owner of AR Fashions who vanished in thin air seven years ago!"

Ruhaan chuckled and said, "Can you see him? Yes, don't you? And so do I! So he did not vanish!" And he walked behind his father who was walking fast to escape the media.

As they got away from the media square, Ruhaan felt someone hugging his waist. He looked down and cried, "Oh my, who is this angel?"

He bend down to the girl's height and said, "Hello dear angel, did you see the birthday girl Aashi anywhere?"

The girl squealed, "Roo bhaiyya, it's me Aashi..."

"Oh!" Ruhaan acted surprised, "My goodness! You're Aashi! You're looking gorgeous!"

Aashi giggled and then said to Arnav, "Hello uncle!"

"Hello darling, happy birthday!" Arnav said with a smile and handed her over the gift.

"This is from your Roo bhaiyya and his daddy!" Arnav said as Aashi held the gift he gave her. "Thank you uncle!" She chirped.

Ruhaan gave a fake smile and looked at his dad who was smiling. He wondered, "Doesn't it pain him when his own daughter calls him uncle?"

Aashi led them inside and walked to Khushi. "Mamma, see Roo bhaiyya and uncle came"

Khushi faked a smile and greeted them, "Welcome Ruhaan, Mr. Singhania!" She said without looking at Arnav.

Ruhaan mouthed a thank you and Aashi said, "Roo bhaiyya, come! I'll introduce you to my little brother!" And she dragged Ruhaan away leaving Arnav and Khushi alone.

"Brother?" Arnav asked. Khushi looked at him and said emotionlessly, "Jiji and Jeeju's son, Ayush!" And she walked away.

Arnav sighed and turned around to see the ad shoot's director standing. He walked to him and they began their conversation.

"He's still the same" Anjali whispered.

The Raizadas stood watching Arnav talking with the director when the Guptas commented.

Madhumati said, "If he comes near my Titaliya I'll kill him!"

Nani turned to her and said, "Don't worry Madhumati ji, none of us will let him near Khushi bitiya!"

"Why is he back, for god sake?" Payal muttered angrily, "I wish he rot in hell! Look at him, after giving all pain to my sister he's walking away happily with his so called son!"

"But I don't understand how Ruhaan became his son! Arnav is 36 and Ruhaan is 16. Their ages doesn't match!" NK said.

"I don't care!" Shashi, who is now better and void of his wheelchair, said, "If he hurt my daughter more, I'll not leave him!"

It was then Aashi and Ayush came there with Ruhaan.

"Roo bhaiyya, this is my family!" Aashi chirped.

Holding Ruhaan's hand, Ayush hopped, "Roo bhaiyya, that's my mamma!"

Ruhaan folded his hands and said Namaste to Payal who reciprocated it with a fake smile.

"This is Anjali bua, NK Chachu, Badi dadi, Mami and Nanibua ..." Aashi said and Ruhaan smiled at everyone folding his hands and gave a handshake to NK.

"I'm a great fan of you Ruhaan!" NK said, "If you don't mind, can I have your autograph?"

Ruhaan smiled and said, "Of course!" And he signed his name in a paper for NK.

"Roo bhaiyya's signature is very beautiful!" Ayush said, "I'll also practise a good sign for me!"

Everyone smiled and Ruhaan said, "Of course young man! And I'll be the first one to get your signature!"

"Sachi?" Ayush asked with glistening eyes and Ruhaan nodded.

Ruhaan turned around and said to the family, "My dad also came along! I don't where he is! I would have introduced him to you all!"

Everyone's smile faded hearing the mention of his dad which didn't go unnoticed by him.

"Don't worry Roo bhaiyya, I'll find him and will introduce to family!" Aashi chirped and Ruhaan smiled and pulled her cheek.

The cake was cut and Aashi fed her mamma first and her family. She gave Ruhaan a piece too which he accepted with a smile. She went towards Arnav and said, "Uncle, please bend down!"

Arnav smiled and bend down as she fed him cake.

Ruhaan smiled at them while the Raizadas and Guptas stood with disgust expression. Khushi watched the father and daughter with tears about to spill. Hiding it cleverly, she said, "Aashi, come!"

Aashi turned and ran away to her mamma while Arnav watched his daughter's retreating back.

The party was on full swing but Arnav stayed away from the family. He engaged himself in conversation with the shoot director, who said,

"Sir, there is a problem with the shoot. I have said this to Khushi mam and Akash Sir." He said when Arnav asked, "What problem?"

"Sir, the couple who were appointed to act as Ruhaan's parents in the shoot met with an accident! So we need to look for new people!"

"Okay, you arrange someone!" Arnav said.

"It's not easy to get people in a short time! I have some contacts but all of them are tightened with their schedules. So, I was thinking whether..."

"Whether?" Arnav asked.

"Whether you could do the role of Ruhaan's father in the ad! You're his father. You needn't act as one!" the director said.

Arnav sighed and said, "You can take as much as time, but bring some professional actors!" And he walked ignoring the director's call.

He walked to the drinks section where he took a glass of wine. He stood there sipping it when he saw his family sitting around a huge table.

Anjali was saying something to Nani and was laughing.

Mami was attacking her food while Payal and NK were sharing some jokes. Shashi and Madhumati were talking something with Akash. Khushi was listening to Anjali's talks and everything looked so perfect.

A pang of pain hit him.

Once he was also a part of that little bunch of people. It was there where he belong to! Once it was him in the place of Akash when Khushi's Buaji would start her rants about Laxminagar. It was him in the position of Payal when NK used to pester him calling him "Nannav". He used be in Nani's position listening to what his di was telling.

Once he was in mami's position, sitting next to Khushi.

Khushi! His happiness!

A lone tear escaped his eyes which he wiped away before anyone notices.

ho my dear... please anyone help him...

Loved chapter 6, brilliant👏

well hope Arnav covers up the distance between himself and his family by telling them what happened and giving himself a chance to lead a life with his Khushi and their sweet daughter.. loved the update..

read it one go..

Awesome update. Hope Arnav's family understand his situation. Continue soon. Thanks for the PM.

very good update
feeling sad for Arnav

Awesome update

Chapter 7

"Eat it Roo bhaiyya!" Aashi cried putting a plate of Jalebis before Ruhaan.

"No Aashi, I don't like Jalebi!" Ruhaan said.

"No way, today is Aashi di's birthday and you have to fulfil her wish!" Ayu cried.

"Eat it!" Aashi ordered and took a Jalebi forwarding it to his mouth.

Ruhaan looked at her forwarded hand and many images flashed to him.

"Roo bhaiyya, eat this!" A little girl of 5 cried holding a spoon of kheer before him.

"I don't want this Ruhi!" He cried.

"Today is Ruhi's birthday and you have to fulfil Ruhi's wish! Eat it!" Ruhi cried forwarding the spoon.

"Roo bhaiyya!"

Aashi's call jerked him and he looked at the little girl before him.

She so resembles her! His Ruhi! His little angel!

"Eat this!" Aashi again ordered.

Ruhaan looked at her with tears and opened his mouth slightly. Aashi fed him the Jalebi and asked, "Why are you crying?"

Ruhaan wiped the tears off and said, "Wo...these lights are hurting my eyes..."

"Oh, then we'll go there!" Aashi said pointing upstairs.

Ruhaan nodded and the three kids went upstairs.

The party was growing more and more interesting and joyous when everyone got on the dance floor. Little Aashi and Ayush were the one who began it and soon every guest followed them.

Ruhaan stood far away with his dad who was looking at the Raizada parivaar. Ruhaan sighed and said to his dad, "Why don't you go and meet them?"

Arnav looked at him alarmed.

"I know dad! I know that they are your family!" He said.

"How do you?" Arnav asked shocked.

"I heard some employees talking at AK and I confirmed it from Aman uncle!" He answered.

Arnav sighed and looked away when Ruhaan said, "You need to meet them and sort it out!"

"There is nothing to sort out!" Arnav said and walked away.

Ruhaan sighed and walked to the family. Raizadas and Guptas faked a smile at him. They liked this boy for sure! Even though he is star, he behaves very politely which is unlikely to all other rockstars in the world. But they hated him because he was with that man whom he calls dad. They disliked him because he considers that man as god and always sings his praises.

Ruhaan asked Khushi, "Will you join me for a dance?" He extended his hand.

Khushi and others looked at him shocked and he said chuckling, "What matters for a dance is height not age! We both are of same height. So..."

Khushi chuckled and nodding her head, gave her hand to him.

In the middle of their light dance, Ruhaan whispered, "Do you still love him?"

Khushi looked at him alarmed. He smiled and said, "I know about you. I know that you all are my dad's family!"

Khushi looked away when Ruhaan asked again, "Do you still love him?"

"NO!" She said sternly.

"Is it the truth?" Ruhaan asked and Khushi looked at him his face and said, "Yes."

"If so, then why are you wearing this chain?" Ruhaan asked pulling out her mangalsutra which was beneath her diamond necklace.

Khushi looked at him alarmed and then looked around. Thankfully no one saw them in between the huge crowd at dance floor.

She pulled it back and hid it when he said, "You do love him don't you?"

Khushi looked away and said sighing, "Even if I love him, I won't go to him! I won't commit mistakes again and again!" And she walked away while Ruhaan stood watching her retreating back.

"Anjali bitiya, it's very noisy here. We'll go to the garden!" Nani said to Anjali who nodded and the ladies walked to the quiet and calm garden of Shantivan.

"Nani!" Anjali whispered and Nani looked at Anjali who was looking at a direction. Following her granddaughter's vision, she saw Arnav standing in the garden.

Nani and Anjali looked at each other and then at the Arnav who was standing with his back facing them.

"Let's go!" Nani whispered and tried to turn when Anjali whispered, making sure that he do not hear them, "Nani, he is smoking!"

Nani looked at his back and saw smoke around him. She looked at Anjali and said, "Let him! Come!"

Anjali looked down and then turned to go when her brace of leg hit the flower pot there.

"Aah!" She cried as she fell down. "Anjali bitiya!" Nani cried.

Nani bend down at Anjali and held her hand to make her stand. Anjali held Nani's hand and tried to get up when her leg again got locked between the pots and she fell again.

Anjali bit her lips in pain and held Nani's hand tightly. It was then she felt two strong hands holding her arms and pulling her up.

She looked up and saw her brother lifting her up. Holding her arms tightly, Arnav made her stand and he bend down and pulled out her saree pallu which was got hooked to the pot.

"Di, are you okay?" He asked softly.

Anjali looked at her Chotte! It was now she was seeing him closely after long seven years. He looks a bit old. A few grew hairs and stressed forehead, he looks very weak. But his eyes are still the same which holds nothing but concern towards his di. She looked at him with tears.

"Di, does it still pain?" He again asked holding her arm.

Nani looked at her grandson after seven years! A part of her wanted to hug him and scold him in her sweet way for going away from them. She looked at his figure which became leaner than before. His hands are as thin as a stick, as if he doesn't have any flesh! His eyes were weak and had lost all his charms.

Anjali was about to say something when she heard NK's voice, "Di..."

Anjali and Nani turned back and saw NK coming. "Are you okay? What are you both doing here?" He asked. It was then he noticed Arnav.

He looked at Anjali and Nani and then at Arnav.

"Di..." NK began when Anjali said, "I'm fine NK bhai. My leg hit the pot and he helped me, that's all!"

Anjali looked at Arnav and said, "Thank you for your help Mr. Singhania!" And she walked away holding Nani's hand.

Arnav looked away and gulped down the lump formed at his throat when he heard NK's voice, "Ruhaan is not your son, right?"

Arnav looked at her and said hoarsely, "For me, he is my son!"

NK smiled mockingly and said, "Have a great life, with your family'!" And he walked away.

Arnav stood watching his brother, who knew nothing but pester him, walking away without even calling him "Nannav".

He slipped his hands to his pocket and took his stress buster - cigarettes.