Master Chef! - Chapter 55 Posted on 01/03/2018 - Page 21

Thank you all for so many comments and feedback...

Here comes the next chapter! Hope you enoy...

Chapter 15 - A Realization!

Within just two months of their marriage, they both managed to bring all the negatives possible in their marriage misunderstanding or rather no understanding, insecurities, distrust, disrespect, ignorance and no clarity on where their relationship is headed... Rather he allowed, he knew...

Wow, The great Arnav Singh Raizada who is famous to nail every minute detail in any project at work before signing it off, has no clue what's happening in his personal life... How thick headed he had been all these days?

He knew, to the most extent, he is the culprit... He never acknowledged her, never tried to clear her misunderstandings when she read those Page 3 news or saw his pics with Lavanya... She did not know how to handle his anger or ignorance and she could never dare to ask... It was his responsibility to assure her!

But then he never announced their marriage... He demeaned her in his anger... The list goes on...

He tried to think straight... He did like her... He is always mesmerized by her looks, her innocence then what is it that stopping him... He in fact is jealous of NK so strongly that he even doubted her... He simply has to work on their relationship... She did try from her side, now he also needs to step forward... He made a little progress when she got sick, but he went million steps back after he screamed at her 4 days ago and then just now... And it was not her fault, she tried to participate in a show to show her skills, she just got trapped in words and answered truthfully... Not her fault that he never announced their marriage to the world...

She never took any advantage of their relationship, in fact she refused to use it because he did not acknowledge her... Any other girl would have simply started enjoying the status, money and every luxury that comes with his name... But she has tremendous self-respect unlike his old girlfriends...

She is exactly opposite of what kept him away from all those girls! She is neither after his money nor status, she is beautiful inside out, caring and loving towards everyone in his family! She is exactly what any man would dream in his life! Was he sleeping all these days not to realize her worth as his wife? Was he always this blind and ignorant?

And what was the need to demean her like that? He felt guilty remembering her tears streaming down her beautiful face... He almost felt like a monster crushing her dream like that...

"Is she suffocating in this relationship with him?" Her today's outburst and tears confirmed it for him... She let him go and set him free saying she will never bother him!

"She doesn't see a future with him!" The reality bothered him for the first time... And yet he never gave her any hope, it occurred to him slowly...

He hated and stayed away from women because those few girls he tried to date, everyone cheated on him! No one looked beyond his money or status... And today he did same to her!

"Di, how are you?" Arnav called his Di...

"Chote, you are calling so late at night... Is everything ok?" was the first question Anjali asked... Anjali could feel his voice so depressed...

"Hope so... Do you have some time to talk?" Arnav asked her.

"What happened Chote? You are scaring me?" Anjali was worried for him...

"Di, I ... I mean Khushi..." He was not sure how to express to his Di...

"Did you guys fight again?" Anjali felt they must have had another argument... Of course Anjali is in touch with Nani and NK and she is aware of her thick headed brother's behavior towards Khushi!

"I messed it up big time Di..." Arnav sounded almost crying...

"What did you do now? Did you hurt her that bad?" Anjali was shocked and now more worried for Khushi than her Chote... She cursed herself for not calling him after their last fight when Khushi was on the TV show... She needed to put some sense in him...

"Yeah Di, I don't know what I was thinking... I acted beyond inhuman..." Tears escaped from his eyes...

"Chote, can you please tell me what exactly happened?" Anjali tried to calm him down...

"Di, I just behaved rash, rude and ..." Arnav was still trying to put things in perspective what transpired in their bedroom some time ago...

"I have no words to explain my audacity..." He was so caught up with this sudden guilt, haze, anger, and self-loathe that for the first time...

"Di, there is no excuse for my behavior... No past, no prejudice can justify how I treated Khushi... I was selfish, ignorant, rude and arrogant of my power and dominance over her... I somewhere took her for granted knowing her traditional values... Held grudges against her for no fault of her..." Arnav hated himself that very moment...

"Di, I burdened her fragile heart with tremendous weight of my ignorance... It has aggravated so bad that I could see the inner turmoil in her eyes... She gave up her charade today and had the tenacity to show me how I wronged her and failed our marriage..." Lone tear escaped from his eyes...

"And you know what the funniest part is, now that I am aware of the magnitude of damage I caused to Khushi, I may not even have a chance to redeem myself... She will leave me Di... Truly speaking, I am not even worth her..." Arnav was in for a big reality check but a little too late... He knew there is nothing funny with the reality...

"Chote first you calm down..." Anjali was trying to process his words fast enough without knowing exactly what they argued about or what he did... All she knew is Arnav has realized his share of mistakes and his ignorance towards Khushi...

"Is Khushi there with you?" Anjali asked suddenly...

"No, she ran to guest room after I shouted at her... I have been so angry and vented out on her... I promise I will go and check on her later..." Let me give her some time for now... Arnav first time felt concern and care for her...

"Chote, I can guess she is very upset with you and she has all the right to be... She has lost hope because of your behavior... So it can be only your behavior that can restore her faith in marriage and maybe even in love..." Anjali showed him the mirror further...

"First you have to make up your own mind whether you want her in your life or not... And if you want her, then you cannot give up no matter what... I understand situation is not ideal... Always remember, no matter how far you have gone on the wrong road, you can still turn around... You broke her heart, you will fix it... Do whatever it takes... It's that simple... Or let her go and someone else will..." Anjali politely put her thoughts to see his reaction...

"No Di, I will try... I promise I will try with all my honesty and determination... Maybe it' not about trying to fix something broken... Maybe it's about starting over and create something better..." Suddenly he felt rejuvenated and alive... He won't let Khushi suffocate in their relationship either...

"Di, thank you so much... Everything is going to be alright. Maybe not tonight but eventually..." He has much required clarity about his relationship with Khushi...

And he is ASR, can he give up so easily...?

"What did she say, she lost her mind and hopes after hearing about him and Lavanya, does it not mean she liked him or if not liked, at least she considered him as her husband. That's a positive he can start with..." He sat there for hours dissecting their conversation... She is passionate about cooking and wants to become a Master Chef... She has all the right and he will help... She will live her dreams to the fullest just like him... He will make sure of it...

He was angry at her for assuming he has an extra marital affair with La but then he also was insecure of her with NK... All because they never communicated well or rather he denied her, all her rights over him...

He thought about how to sort the mess and tried to catch up some sleep... He went to guest room first to check on her and he could see she has cried herself to sleep... She looked so innocent and adorable... She never hesitated to speak her mind nor when it came to asking apology... She was so quick to apologize when she realized she assumed something not true... She is an honest and caring person... Beautiful inside and out... Suddenly he knew his self-loathing was going to stay for a while, for treating her so bad for no reason...

He just pushed the hair strand behind her ear and kissed lightly on her forehead...

"I promise you, I will make it right for us... Just us... You and me, Khushi... I promise..." He whispered and went back to his room to sleep.