ArHi FF: Yeh Saali Zindagi
Chapter 33-D
"Please sign here." Looking at her, the nurse murmured sympathetically, her hand moving to indicate the space left for it. She watched as the woman in front of her took a deep breath, reading the contents of the paper quickly to sign on the dotted lines.
Handing the papers back to her, she asked anxiously "Is he going to be okay?"
Patting her shoulders in assurance, the nurse smiled brightly as she answered "We will be trying our best, Mrs Khushi."
Khushi nodded, swallowing slowly. Watching as the nurse quickly walked back in the operation theater, pulling a surgical mask over her mouth in the process, she shivered, drawing her hands against her front feeling suddenly bereft and alone.
Her heart still felt stuck in shock and bewilderment.
She never thought something like this would happen to Aman. She knew that by fighting for justice, Aman has earned a fair amount of enemy on his own but no one managed to get him till now. Hell, his office had the tightest security along with his house. Not to mention, he always remained alert of his surroundings.
It had happened today of all the day, when everything was supposed to get better. Today was meant to bring happiness in their lives.
But everything had fallen down the hill the moment sun started its descent in the horizon. In a span of few hours, everything she worked for and loved was destroyed in pieces.
Along with her best friend. Again.
Clutching the half-moon pendant she had worn along with her electric blue sleeveless floor length gown for the party, Khushi closed her eyes, looking down. As a veil of dark hairs hid her face, tears spilled from her eyes, falling on the back of her palm rapidly.
"I am so sorry, Aman." She murmured regretfully, looking ashamed.
Wrenching her eyes open, Khushi moved towards the operation theater, looking inside it through the square glass window in the door, her trembling fingers resting on it in longing. Her vision blurred as she glimpsed an unconscious Aman lying on the stretcher, an oxygen mask on his face as people in green coveralls worked hurriedly over his body, blood coating their gloves generously.
Slapping a palm over her mouth in dismay, Khushi looked away, her fingers closing on the pendant so hard that it broke in half, sliding down her neck before falling on the floor.
"OH MY GOD!!" Gripping her head in her hands, Khushi sobbed feeling miserable and guilty, knowing that she is responsible for it somehow. If Aman is lying there injured, it's because of supporting her always and fighting along with her.
She was supposed to do something. She was supposed to watch his back like he did always for her.
Turning back, she looked inside the operation theater once again as she straightened, gathering every ounce of strength in her body as she vowed firmly "I will make him pay, Aman. I will."
Staring at her best friend resolutely, she wiped her tears away slowly, vowing silently to not shed tears anymore.
She will make others cry now.
Whirling around, she ran towards the elevator at once, slowing her approach as her head security guard came in view, nodding at her passively. Stopping in front of him, Khushi jerked her thumb over her shoulder as she said "Protect him for now. No one should be able to get to him at all. Got it?"
"But Madam, what about you?" Her bodyguard asked evenly.
Staring hard at him, Khushi bit out, "I will be fine. He should be your concern now. You do know what will happen to your team if anything happen to him right?"
His jaw squared as he nodded, clipping out his answer "Yes, Madam."
"Good." Khushi commented firmly, moving to press the button for elevator. As an empty elevator opened a second later soundly, she moved to walk inside it when her bodyguard asked "But what are we supposed to do if anyone persistently tried to get to him?"
Standing inside, Khushi looked at him as the door started closing, answering his question instantly "Kill them."
"Arnav, are you okay?" Staring ahead, Arnav heard a voice speaking to him far away, shaking his body slightly.
But he couldn't respond, the horrendous events of the day catching upon him finally. Dazed, he looked up, blinking his eyes softly to see his brother crouched in front of him, looking concerned and torn.
He couldn't comprehend how to respond. He couldn't just understand how everything just went out of control when he made sure of reining his control over everything. His sister was in coma and his father, no matter how much he hated his arrogance and controlling nature, was dead?
It can't be possible. It just can't be.
Shaking his head, Arnav grasped the hand being offered by Akash and pulled himself up, mentally chiding himself for thinking like that. Taking deep breaths, he turned to the police officer and said in a calm voice "So where is the body?"
Meeting his eyes, the officer answered evenly "In the morgue. We were about to call you when the nurse informed us about your presence in the hospital. How is your sister? Was she attacked like your father?"
"No. She was sick from few days. She will be fine soon." Akash answered quickly, exchanging a quick glance with Arnav, knowing that they couldn't get the police involved. There were no evidences against Vikrant at the moment and putting all the blame on him will only create more trouble. By bribing the doctors, they had made sure of no one reporting about the bullet wound.
They knew they need to keep quiet about the whole thing. As they travelled downstairs, their minds ran through the different possible scenarios regarding Anuj. There had to be a mistake. Anuj Raizada couldn't just die like that.
He was too clever for it.
"Here we are." The police officer commented somberly the moment he walked inside the cold and chilling atmosphere of the morgue, turning to watch as Akash and Arnav followed him in, ashen faced. Gesturing to the covered body lying on the stretcher in front of them, he added "Please have a look at it so that we can confirm it is your father's body."
Steps faltering at the words spoken aloud, Arnav swiftly turned back, closing his eyes in dismay. Feeling a hand gripping his shoulder firmly, he looked over his shoulder at Akash, realizing that he too was going through the same.
"You want me to do it?" Akash offered, looking broken and sad.
Moving his head in denial, Arnav hissed through his clenched teeth "No let's just do it together."
Gathering the distraught emotions bubbling in his heart, Akash nodded looking a bit relieved, realizing that his efforts were not rebuffed by his brother.
Walking forward together, they stopped beside the stretcher, staring down at the covered body in dread. Taking a step ahead, Arnav moved to draw the sheet back from the body, his hand trembling badly as his fingers closed around the fabric.
Closing his eyes for a moment, he wrenched the sheet back and looked down to see a face damaged and scarred. Blood seeped from every pore as the skin was broken and jarred.
A huge gash ran from the left side of the forehead, trailing along the nose before ending at a dislocated jaw.
It looked so gruesome that Arnav couldn't stop staring in horror, feeling nauseous.
A sudden sound snapped his eyes away, making him look back as Akash suddenly ran out of the room, his hand clamped on his mouth.
The moment his brother went out of his sight, Arnav heard loud wrenching noises making him realize that Akash couldn't stomach the present condition of the body. He scowled, quickly covering the body again before turning back to the police officer, glaring at him in anger.
Vaguely motioning at the body, Arnav growled "What's the meaning of all this, officer? The face is damaged beyond recognition and you want me to look at it and tell you whether it is my father or not? Is this some kind of joke?"
Looking apprehensive now, the police officer rushed to explain "No Mr Raizada, not at all. We also wanted you to look at the clothes and watch we have retrieved from the body. We knew that by looking at the face, it's difficult to recognize the person. We just wanted to be sure about it."
"Has the doctor already done the DNA test of the body?" Arnav bit out, his glare hard and full of anger.
"No." The officer stammered, fear lurking in his eyes now. Glancing up quickly as Akash reappeared on the doorway, looking very pale, he shuffled on his feet quietly making Arnav's control snap at last.
Pushing the sides of his coat apart, Arnav placed his hands on his waist and growled "Then what the hell am I doing here along with my brother?"
"Sir, we were just following the procedure..." The officer answered in a choked voice, taking a step back instinctively.
"Arnav..." Akash whispered, looking at him in panic, trying to warn him not to say anything further.
Laughing darkly, Arnav shot back ignoring his brother's panicked expressions completely "What kind of procedure is this? You call the family without properly establishing the identity of the dead body? Do you think I am that big of a fool to believe your words without any solid evidences?"
"Arnav, stop." Akash pleaded.
His eyes skirting around, the officer pleaded "Sir, if you just take a look at the belonging we have retrieved..."
Raising a hand in the air to quiet his brother into voicing further warnings, Arnav talked over the officer "I will be willing to cooperate with you only when you come back to me with evidences. I am a busy man, officer. I hope you realize you that. I can't run around just because of a faint possibility brewing in your mind."
"But..."
"Listen to me." Arnav ordered firmly, looking down his nose at the fidgeting officer in front of him "Do the DNA test as soon as possible and only then call me. I will sue you if your claims proved out to be wrong. My sister is already in hospital and I am in no mood of wasting my time. You got that?"
Watching the trembling officer shake his head in affirmation, Arnav nodded back briskly before walking out of the room, a heavy weight settling over his heart at the possibility that it might be his father after all.
"What the hell do you think you were doing Arnav?" Akash hissed at once, finding himself alone with his brother.
"Trying to get them to do their damn work for once. Don't worry. They will not be able to touch me." Arnav reassured in a bitter tone, feeling very irritated.
As he started walking back to his sister's ward with Akash hot on his heels, Arnav realized something very important. While he might have hated his father throughout his life, he didn't want him to be dead.
He simply cared enough about Anuj Raizada to make sure that he is breathing and alive. Enough that he was praying for the same.
"Good evening Judge."
Khushi watched as the man in front of her jerked a bit in start, before looking up at her and staring hard, his face full of surprise and curiosity. As she continued looking in his eyes, she didn't miss the exact moment his eyes dropped from her face to her trapped arms, forced behind her back slightly by his bodyguards. Quirking her left eyebrow up, she drawled lazily "Care to tell your men to get their hands off me?"
She smirked as he flicked his wrist quickly, motioning for the two big, well dressed men on the either side of her to release her. Not waiting for another second, she forced her hands out of their grip, turning her head slightly to glare at them as they took a last look at her and stepped back quietly.
Rubbing her wrists where their hands had left an impression, Khushi looked around the amazing interior of the hotel, noting its refined elegance and impressive uniforms of the hotel staff, the shining silverware and soft music floating in the background. Her lips curved in a smile as she watched people dressed elegantly dining around, talking in hushed voices to each other.
"To what do I owe this hostile visit, Mrs Raizada?" Turning her gaze back to the man sitting in front of her, eating his dinner with a very young girl, dressed in a short black dress, her dark brown hairs cascading down her back, Khushi smirked, noting her bright red lipstick and her heavy makeup. She realized just how he was used to this lavish lifestyle along with the fact that his government job couldn't pay for all this alone at all.
"The reason I wanted to talk to you about is something very personal, which cannot be discussed in front of the people who can be bought for a rather small amount of money, Judge." Khushi taunted, staring meaningfully at the girl as she looked up in surprise and glared at her, realizing the insulted words directed at her.
Throwing the serviette on the table in a huff, the girl walked off at once making Khushi chuckle. Slowly sitting down on the opposite seat, she commented dryly "Sorry for scaring off your choice for the night. But I am sure you can arrange for another one once I leave."
Looking at her annoyingly, the elder man bit out "Again, what do you want, Mrs Raizada?"
Picking up a glass of water from the table, Khushi sipped from it slowly before meeting his enraged gaze "The reason I wanted to meet you is quite simple. I just simply want to know that why, when Vikrant Raizada filed a request to delay the hearing of his case because of his illness, you postponed the hearing for almost a month but when the day Nia Sharma's lawyer, Aman Mathur was attacked, did you decide to postpone the hearing for two days only and directed her parents to hire a new lawyer as soon as possible?"
She watched as the man sitting opposite to her leaned back in his chair before answering uncomfortably "I am not entitled to explain anything to you Mrs Raizada just because of the fact that you have taken a keen interest in this particular case."
Shaking her head in agreement, Khushi replied lightly "Very well Judge. I thought so as well. But tell me how today, when another hearing of this case was supposed to take place, everything was just postponed for two days later? You know that notices were sent out to both of the parties, dictating that a hearing will take place today. You know Aman Mathur received the notice as well. Then why it was cancelled and then postponed all of a sudden?"
Pressing a finger around the collar of his pristine white shirt, Khushi watched him try to loosen the fabric around his throat before licking his suddenly dry lips and answering nervously to her question "I wasn't feeling well enough to be present in a hearing and make observations for my decision."
Resting a hand on her chest, Khushi looked at him in feigned concern "Oh my, are you feeling alright now? Well enough to dine in a five star hotel?"
Gripping the fork tightly in his fingers, he nodded making anger erupt in Khushi's heart. Forcing a smile to restrain her bubbling anger, she commented sarcastically "I am glad to hear it."
As the man in front of her shot an annoyed glare at her again, Khushi stood up abruptly, clutching the glass firmly as she said cheerfully "It seems that I am bothering you now. Well I am going to take your leave. Thank you for answering my question. However I have another question to ask."
"Go ahead."
Twirling the glass in her hands, Khushi asked innocently "Given your monthly salary as a Judge of the Supreme Court, how do you manage to maintain this lavish lifestyle so smoothly?"
Watching as he reared his head back in shock at her question, Khushi kept the glass down on the table and walked away, not bothering to look back to see how much she had managed to spook him.
It doesn't matter to her. At all.
He was guilty as hell in everything, Khushi knew now and it was more than enough to proceed with the plan she has made only minutes ago.
She was going to tear him down in pieces. Very soon.
"WHAT THE f**k!!!" Straightening away from the wall, Arnav looked up along with Akash as a very livid Shyam stormed towards them, his cloth dirty and wrinkled. His hairs looked disheveled as he stared up at the familiar faces wildly, looking completely out of his mind. Fixing his best friend with his deathliest glare, he bit out "Where is Anjali? And what the hell has happened to her?"
Placing a hand on his shoulder, Akash looked at him in pity "Shyam, please calm down."
Turning to look at him, Shyam growled "CALM DOWN?? Just 20 minutes ago, your brother called to inform me that she is in hospital. How can you expect me to behave normally?"
Shifting his gaze to Arnav, Akash looked at him in silent request. Giving him a faint nod, Arnav stepped forward, placing his hand on his best friend's forearm and forcing him to meet his eyes. Placing his other hand on his cheek, he said softly knowing that he had his attention completely "Shyam, she was shot but we got her to the hospital in time. She is alive."
Stepping back suddenly, Shyam shouted looking totally panicked "SHOT??? What do you mean she was shot? Who did it?"
Slipping his hands inside the pockets of his trousers, Arnav answered somberly "Vikrant."
Cursing loudly, Shyam grabbed his collar and pulled him closer, shouting in his face "How could you let this happen? YOU said that YOU won't let him get anywhere near to her. You said that YOU will protect her. How could you be so careless about it?"
Looking around, Akash whispered furiously "Shyam calm down. People are looking at us."
Paying his words no heed, Shyam stared at Arnav in anger while he met his gaze calmly. Leaning a bit closer, he hissed his answer "You are right. I have failed in protecting her. But it'll not happen again trust me. I know what I need to do now."
"And what exactly is it?" Shyam taunted.
Shaking his head, Arnav backed away with his hands raised in the air in surrender "I am not going to fight you if that's what you want. I just want you to know that I have realized my mistake and I am going to rectify it."
Turning his body slightly to look at his brother and his best friend simultaneously, Arnav continued speaking emotionlessly "Look I need to leave soon. But before leaving, I need both of you to promise to me that you will look after Anjali and no harm will come to her in this hospital. Please I need your words."
"But..." Looking at him in astonishment, Akash started speaking, words dying in his throat abruptly as Arnav shook his head slowly, staring at him before flitting his gaze to his best friend, "Please don't ask me what am I going to do. Whatever I have planned is best for everyone in our family."
As they thought about his words, Arnav continued now looking at his brother "I hope you can handle the press if you needed to?"
Nodding his head in agreement, Akash stood firmly knowing that he won't be able to argue his brother into telling him anything. Knowing him and his unconventional plans closely, he said hesitantly "What do you think we should do about our parents? What am I supposed to tell Divya Maa if Bade Sahab didn't come back or if he is really dead?"
His eyes flickering in discomfort at the question, Arnav shrugged nonchalantly "We will think about it when it comes to that. For now, just call Shashi Uncle and tell him to send your son to my house soon. I want to send your wife and son out of anyone's reach before I do anything. And also make sure to take Shashi Uncle along with you whenever you face reporters."
Akash nodded, walking away as he took his phone out to make the call. Watching his retreating back for a moment, Arnav turned to Shyam, feeling surprised as he found his bloodshot eyes focused on him in concern.
Clearing his throat loudly, Shyam whispered "I suppose you haven't planned anything that might put your life in danger?"
Watching him calmly, Arnav answered "I am not sure if I will be able to live beyond this week as we speak Shyam. You know what I need to do. I need to look after my responsibilities."
Shyam rasped desperately "But why? Why can't we just shift abroad with everyone? We can live there peacefully you know."
Arnav smiled grimly "I never took a coward's way, Shyam. I am not going to run. I am going to finish everything for once and all. Please look after Anjali if I didn't make out of it alive."
Giving him a curt nod, he turned to walk away when Shyam pleading voice slid in his ears "Please don't let yourself get killed, Arnav. I don't think I can bear losing my only family."
Arnav froze, closing his eyes in regret. Not looking back at all, he walked away, his steps full of determination.
Taking a deep breath, Khushi got out of her car, feeling tired and lost after running around the city for hours, trying to implement her strategy to perfection. Now, all she needed to do was to just sit back and watch it click into action.
After entering the security code, she slid her keys to the front door and turned the knob down slightly to enter inside, expecting the living room to be empty.
But she couldn't have been more wrong.
"NO. NO DADDY PLEASE. I DON'T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE!!!" Khushi stiffened, her body stilling for a moment at the familiar childish shout, full of pleading and tears. Quickly placing the keys inside her purse, she walked ahead, turning around the corner to lay her eyes on a crying Manyata, her hands firmly clasped in her father's as he looked down at her.
Her eyes widened, noticing the anger and hate in his eyes as he shook the little child in front of her. Her hands clenched into fists as Khushi shouted in outrage "Arnav, what the hell do you think you are doing?"
Turning his head up, Arnav looked at her expressionlessly as Manyata whirled around, her wet eyes closing in relief for a moment before she forced herself out of his grip and ran towards her.
"Mumma..." Her daughter cried out in a broken whisper the moment Khushi opened her arms to pick her up and hug her tightly. Her eyes misted as the child in her arms hid her face in the crook of her neck and broke down, repeating a sentence again and again "I don't want to go. I don't want to go. I don't want to go."
"ENOUGH!!!"
Feeling her tremble in her arms at Arnav's shout, Khushi glared at him "What's the meaning of all this Arnav? Why is she crying?"
Scowling at her, Arnav shot back "Why don't you ask her yourself?"
Running her hands up and down on her back, Khushi murmured soothingly in a sweet tone "Manyata, what happened beta? Why are you crying? And where do you don't want to go?"
Pulling back, Manyata stared at her with wide, pleading eyes as she pushed the answer out of her violently trembling lips "Daddy wants to send me away with Payal Chachi and her son. I don't want to go Mumma. I told him again and again but he isn't listening to me at all. I don't want to go anywhere. I want to stay with you and Daddy."
As Khushi stared at her in horror, Manyata begged further "Please tell him. I don't want to go."
Looking away, Khushi registered the presence of her distressed sister along with a four year boy hiding behind her while watching them in piqued interest for the first time. Her eyes momentarily trailing to the packed suitcases kept nearby, she turned to look at her husband in disapproval.
Narrowing her eyes at him, Khushi bit out "Arnav this is not the way to talk to our daughter. She is just a kid."
Returning her gaze in feigned hurt, Arnav replied sarcastically "My bad, I forgot the fact completely. But while you are at it, why don't you tell your daughter that she shouldn't shout at her father first when he was patiently trying to make her agree on leaving from here without making much fuss?"
As his wife frowned, he added mercilessly "Did I forgot to mention how I told her that it's just a weeks' vacation for her along with her aunt and cousin after which she will be back here? I am sorry for losing my temper after hours of tolerating her irrational shouts and insults. Care to tell me how should I have behaved exactly?"
Sliding her daughter down her arms to make her stand on the floor, Khushi smiled at her and said casually "Wait here sweetheart while I talk to your father."
As her Mumma grabbed Daddy's arm before taking him to his study room, Manyata fell down on the floor, drawing her knees against her chest before resting her chin on it and crying silently, praying that somehow her mother manages to talk her father out of sending her away.
She trembled remembering the anger and hate in her Daddy's eyes as he looked at her. He never looked at her like that. Ever. Somehow, she doubted that her mother will manage to sway him from sending her away.
She was truly scared, feeling as if she went away, she will never get to see her parents again.
"Why are you doing this to her, Arnav? That girl worships the ground you walk on and you are shouting at her like you hate her very much. It's breaking her heart." Khushi asked in exasperation the moment Arnav closed the door of his study room, whirling around to look at his blank face.
Raising his left brow up in arrogance, Arnav answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "You very well know the answer Khushi. After what had happened today, do you really think she is safe here?"
Twisting her hands together, Khushi looked away knowing that what he was inadvertently saying is true but making their daughter go out of the country for a week is not the very suitable option. Once she returns, her life will once again fall in danger because of her own biological father. Unless Arnav has planned something else, which might end everything happening around them soon?
Meeting his eyes hopefully, Khushi asked with strained patience "Have you planned something specifically for Vikrant?"
Leaning against the door lazily, Arnav nodded rushing to add some words once he glimpsed at the excitement bubbling on his wife's face "But I am not going to tell you about it."
"Okay then." Khushi scowled, crossing her arms across her waist consciously as she returned to the current problem and said apprehensively "Can't we just keep her inside the house for a week instead of sending her away?"
Arnav rebuffed the suggestion coldly "No, not at all. I don't think our house is safe anymore. Besides your sister and my nephew needs protection as well considering Vikrant burned their house down today. However, if you offer to go with Manyata, she might agree to leave but considering how Aman is in hospital now, I know you feel that your presence is needed here."
Not surprised at how Arnav knew everything, Khushi nodded looking away from him in distress. She didn't want to force her daughter into doing something against her will but she damn well knew she need to.
Why couldn't they just live as a normal family where their problems amounted to silly pranks and household problems than the risk of their kid getting hurt because of who they are?
Lost in her own thoughts, Khushi didn't realize the moment Arnav moved toward her, looking at her sympathetically. As he placed a hand on the back of her head firmly, she flinched, meeting his compassionate eyes at once.
"I know that you love her very much but we need to do this, okay. We need to keep her safe. So can you please make her agree about everything? I don't want to yell at her further and I am afraid I don't have patience enough to do this. Can you do this?" Arnav whispered softly, meeting her searching eyes with sadness and torment.
Glancing down for a moment, Khushi contemplated everything before whispering back "Okay."
Arnav smiled gratefully "Thanks. Now just go and talk to her. I need to leave soon as well. I have hired some more people to look after you and others. So don't even try to leave the house without them, okay?"
Nodding her head in agreement, Khushi turned to leave the room when Arnav's grip tightened on the back of her head, making her stumble and crash against his chest. Closing her eyes as his head swooped down to kiss her hungrily, she leaned forward, her hands sensually trailing over his hard chest before looping around the back of his neck.
Still kissing her, Arnav groaned "I am going to miss you so much."
"When will I see you again?" Khushi asked, clinging to him, her tone tinged of longing and love.
Smiling into the kiss, Arnav answered "Soon if everything went according to my plan."
Clutching her close in his arms, he broke the kiss, burying his face in her unbound hairs, closing his eyes in satisfaction. Letting out a sigh full of regret, he stepped back, snapping his eyes open to roam over her face, trying to mesmerize her every feature.
Raising her hand to press a kiss against it, Arnav nudged her away good naturedly "Now go."
He watched as she walked towards the door hesitantly, lingering on the doorway to look back at him over her shoulder before pulling the door open. Looking back at him again, she asked "Aren't you going to say good bye to Manyata?"
"No." Arnav answered firmly, turning his back on her. A silence fell between them before he heard her move out.
Picking the duffel bag he had hidden under his desk, he listened carefully as his wife and his daughter's voice reached his ears. He waited patiently for them to leave for airport before he exited his study room.
With the bag slung over his shoulder, he left from the back door after instructing his security detail once again about protecting his family.
The dark shadows of night swallowed him, hiding and protecting him as he walked away from his own life.
Sorry for the delay in update but I was travelling once again so couldn't type the update soon. Next update will be posted soon in 3-4 days,
Aditi
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