Chapter Eight
AR Farmhouse
11th July 2010, 11:00 pm
It had been five since Khushi has left. Arnav had tried looking for her. He even went to Udaipur in search for her. She was not there even. It seemed as if she vanished into thin air. Arnav had turned out to be gloomy than before. He rarely visited Shantivan. His relationship with Siddhi had seen no improvement rather Arnav had distanced himself from everyone. He turned out to be workaholic. He would stay late in the office and would be the first one to reach in the morning. He would even skip his meals. He had lost quite a few kilos since Khushi's departure. Khushi seemed to take all his happiness along with her. He was a broken man.
Arnav was on call with Aman. Doing the last minute checking Arnav heads out to go for the airport.
"Have you pre-booked the Hotel room Aman?" Arnav speaks through his Bluetooth.
"Hmm... I don't want to roam with luggage around in Mumbai." Arnav warns Aman.
Shantivan
12th July 2010, 9:30 am
Devyani Raizada had been a strict lady. She had seen a lot in life. She had made sure that everything was according to what she wanted. She never regretted for plotting against her own children's happiness for her own gain. She could even kill to keep the dirt away from the Raizada name. The name and glory was very dear to her. She always ensured to keep her dirty laundry away from the eyes of the onlookers. But today as she sits on her velvety sofa she feels defeated. In her urge to make everything bend to her, she has eventually broken it. Arnav had stopped visiting Shantivan. When Khushi had left, Devyani was ecstatic. Everything was falling into place. But she was in delusion. She couldn't see what harm it did to Arnav and in turn to Siddhi. In her reluctance to see beyond the light, Devyani had destroyed two souls Arnav and Siddhi. Today even if she wants to bring Khushi back, she couldn't do a thing. She prayed to her lord every day to bring back the happiness in her grandson's life. All her prayers fell to deaf years.
Mumbai
12th July 2010, 9:00 am
Somewhere in a dingy cell a girl could be seen tied up. Her mouth was stuffed with some wet cloth and her hands tied at her back. She was crouching on her knees. She pleaded with muffled screams to let her go. She could hear nothing but her own cries echoing in that dirty cell. Suddenly she sees the door opening with a screeching sound. She squints her eyes due to the sudden invasion of bright rays into the room. She sees the same man from the past 5 months of her abduction entering with a plate filled with food. Her expression changes to disgust as she finds Veer Pratap Chauhan hovering over her form with a menacing glare.
Veer takes out the wet cloth from her mouth, now dripping with her saliva due to constant screaming. He sneers at her "Give it up already! You are never going to get away!" Veer tears off a small piece of roti, dips into the dal and brings it to her lips "Have some food Khushi"
Khushi moves her face away from him and tightens her jaw in fury. Chuckling at her defense Veer gets up, dusting his pants. He goes behind her and opens her tied hands.
"Eat it." Ordering her Veer leaves her and locks the door from outside not before switching on the light in the room. As soon as Veer leaves the room, Khushi brings the plate to her and feeds her empty stomach. This had been the routine since she had been held captive by Veer. As she eats Khushi cries at her fate. Khushi remembers the fateful day that brought her here.
AR Farmhouse
2nd February 2010, 7:00 pm
Khushi had spent 2 hours crying and contemplating over her relationship with Arnav. At the end she had made up her mind to not let anyone rule her heart but her. She was not going to get influence by those spiteful words of Siddhi. She was about to call Arnav when she saw a shadow looming across the balcony. Before she could grasp a hand had covered her face from behind shutting her out completely. As she inhaled the wet cloth pressed across her face she felt dizzy and eventually felt unconscious. Veer keeps unconscious Khushi on the sofa and dashes into her room. Rummaging through the closets and suitcases Veer takes out the necessary ID proofs and documents of Khushi. Carrying her across his shoulder he exits the door. On the way he stumbles onto the vase kept near the door. The vase falls down and breaks into pieces.
Randhawa Mansion
12th July 2010, 6:00 pm
The floor was scattered with coloured chart papers, crayons, sketch pens, pencil and other stationary objects. Siddhi was deeply engrossed in making some cutouts, colouring some figures and gluing them together. Dheeraj looks into her room through the ajar and smiles in admiration. It has been a month since Siddi and Arnav had divorced. It came as a shock to everyone. But eventually everyone had accepted. Siddhi was devastated when Arnav had gone ahead with the divorce in spite of Khushi leaving him. It took time for Siddhi to realize her mistake. She cannot make someone just love her. She had finally realized her fault. She had even confronted Arnav about her last conversation with Khushi. At first Arnav had been furious, but later on he had calmed down and even forgiven Siddhi. He in turn had apologized Siddhi for not being a good husband. They had shared a teary laugh at the end of their conversation. Siddhi had felt at peace. She was happy now. She had started teaching in a nearby pre-school. Being with kids made her happy. She was now working on some project.
Mumbai
14th July 2010, 3:30 pm
Khushi had been lying in the room tired of incessant crying. She hears the door opening but refuses to get up. Veer enters and sneers at her "Get up Khushi."
Khushi pays no heed to his command and keeps lying looking at the wall. Veer gets annoyed and shakes her up. Khushi tries to pry his hands off her but Veer is strong enough. He slaps her across her left cheek and yells "You bitch!" He is about to raise his hand again when he gets a call on his landline. He leaves Khushi crying in pain to attend the call.
Twenty minutes later Khushi is seen running in the forest. She has no clue where she is but she keeps running. Her throat is parched, her clothes torn and her body feels weak. When Veer left to attend the call Khushi had managed to sneak out of the house, keeping herself away from the security guards' eyes. As soon as she left the gate from the back she ran. She ran for her life. A few minutes later Khushi spots a main road at a few distances. She runs faster as a sudden relief washes across her face. She reaches the main road and runs along the road. Suddenly she feels at a loss of energy. She feels her head heavy, her surroundings whirling around. She can see a car approaching her fast but before she could move out of the door everything around her blacks out. Khushi falls down with a thud as the car comes to screeching stop centimeters away from her.
Furious at the lady for having come in the middle of the road out of nowhere Arnav steps down the car. He finds her lying on her front. He suddenly filled with concern looking at the disheveled condition of the lady. He goes down and turns her around. As her face comes into vision Arnav feels the earth slipping beneath his feet.
The City hospital, Mumbai
14th July 2010, 5:00 pm
Arnav had been pacing the corridor as the doctor inside the ICU operated on Khushi. He had been overwhelmed upon finding Khushi but he also bewildered upon the condition she was in. She didn't look at all. She had grown so thin. He was getting anxious at the each passing second. Arnav sprints to the doctor as he comes out of the ICU.
"How is she doctor?" Arnav asks with urgency in his voice.
Keeping his hand on his shoulder, the doctor replies "There is nothing to worry Mr. Raizada. She had fainted due to dehydration and starvation. We have kept her under observation. You can take her home in a day or two."
Arnav feels a sense of relief passing through. He nods at the doctor and looks at her through the glass door.
The City Hospital, Mumbai
15th July 2010, 8:00 am
After keeping Khushi under observation for 6 hours she was shifted in a private ward. Arnav had never left her side the whole she was here. He feared that Khushi would disappear again if he leaves her. He held her hand in his as he kept looking at her pale face. Kissing her hand he promised to himself to destroy the person responsible for her this condition. He didn't know when sleep took over him. He held her hand in his and slept keeping his head on her side.
Khushi could hear a soft humming of an exhaust fan. She flickered her eyes adjusting to the bright light in the room. Khushi was surprised finding herself in a hospital bed. Last thing she remembered was she running on the road. She tried to remember but couldn't. She suddenly felt a tug at her right hand and looked at it. What she saw next took the air out of her lungs. There slept Arnav Singh Raizada with her hand holding in his beside her. She was into tears. She couldn't thank her stars more. Bringing her other free hand she brushed off the few strands of his hair falling on his forehead. Feeling ticklish Arnav gets up with a sudden jerk. He finds Khushi wide awake looking at him with a tear filled gaze. He feels his emotions overpowering him, tears involuntarily rolling down his cheeks. He gets up and holds her face in his hands. Bring his face closer, he brushes his nose with her. Khushi gives a teary smile and breaks into cries clutching his collar. Hugging her close to his chest Arnav consoles her. As her cries subsides, Khushi wipes off her nose turning it into red at the end.
Arnav flicks her nose with his index finger and mocks her "Tumhari naak laal ho gayi hai." Khushi breaks into giggles at his remark.
Arnav then turns serious suddenly and asks Khushi with an accusing gaze "Where did you go Khushi? Why did you do this to us? How could you leave me?"
Khushi looks at Arnav with a puzzled expression and replies "I didn't go anywhere Arnav. I was kidnapped. Veer had abducted me that night. He held me captivated all these months here. I f**king hell don't even know where this place is!"
Khushi tells Arnav about her ordeal with Veer for the last five months. As the truth sinks in Arnav feels a maddening rage built up inside him. He vows himself to ruin Veer Pratap Chauhan once and for all. The emotional moment is broken by a nurse who comes with the food and medicines. After feeding Khushi, Arnav goes out to make some necessary calls.
Within 24 hours Veer was arrested. Khushi's clothes and ID-proofs were the initially recovered evidences found in his home in Mumbai needed to arrest him. Later on DNA samples collected from the dingy were Khushi had been kept captive backed up the case. Veer was also charged with domestic violence and his mental condition was declared unstable. Later on it was revealed that Veer had murdered Khushi's uncle Dr. Harivansh Gupta. His body was located after intensive search near a dump yard. His body had rotten almost but forensic reports helped him identify. Khushi had been shattered when she came to know about her uncle. She held onto Arnav as she cried bitterly. All these events helped Khushi to get a quick divorce. Veer's medical license had also been revoked owing to his medical condition. He was sentenced life-imprisonment for murder, 3 years for kidnapping and a year for domestic violence. He was sent to the psychiatric division of the prisoners. Finally Veer's chapter had come to an end.
3 months later
It took Khushi sometime to come out of the trauma of being held captivated and subjected to torture and losing her dear Uncle. But with Arnav's care and love Khushi emerged a winner. After coming to Delhi she even met Siddhi. They had a long heart to heart conversation and apologized for each other's behaviour. Everything was finally falling into place. The Raizada members were quite skeptical about Khushi and Arnav's relationship in the beginning. But upon seeing Arnav getting back to his original form after Khushi's entry into his life they warmly welcomed Khushi in their life. Their marriage date was fixed and they had decided on a court marriage. Khushi was staying at her uncle's mansion before she could be wedded to Arnav.
Khushi was on call with Arnav when suddenly someone snaked his arms around her waist. Khushi shrieked at the sudden intrusion but calmed down realizing it is Arnav. Holding her from behind Arnav kissed her cheeks. Khushi kept her hands above his arms and blushed. Arnav was surprised at this coy Khushi. His Khushi was bold and brazen. "What happened to her suddenly?" Arnav questioned himself. Arnav turned her around and lifted her chin up look at her properly. Khushi looks at his confused gaze and smiles to herself. She lifts up his right hand and places it on her belly. She waits for a while to catch his expression. As the news sink in, Khushi sees his expression changing from a perplexed one to sheer merriment. Arnav was overwhelmed. He couldn't help him from crying. Cupping her cheeks in his large palms he asks "Are you pregnant? Am I going to be a father?" Khushi nods in confirmation. Arnav takes her into a bone crushing hug not before kissing her full on her lips. It was his way to say thankyou for the most beautiful surprise. After showering her face with innumerous pecks he lifts her up in his arms to make love to her one more time.
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