Darmiyaan- ARSHI 3 Shot - completed. Part 3 Page 4 - Page 3

Beautifully written, though absolutely heart breaking. Looking forward to reading the what happened…

It is different yet, gripping.

We are used to read about Arnav and Khushi getting together. But, here Arnav is married to Lavanya and doing everything in his capacity to be a good husband. This was a possibility in the show.

You wrote the emotional turmoil and reasoning of Lavanya very well.👍🏼

What will Arnav do and how will Lavanya respond?

Can't wait to find.

Cheers..

Can you share the links of your previous Arshi stories, if there are any?

Cheers..

Darmiyaan Part 3

"Khushi…"

The heavens had unfurled their fury, and a heavy downpour enshrouded the world beyond; Its relentless tapping on the windows and roof being the only sound against the thick silence that hung in the air. Lavanya didn't realize how much time had passed. Although it may have been just a few seconds, she felt like she had stood still for an eternity. The shock at the realization that the bubbliest girl she knew no longer walked on this earth had left her speechless. But it was Arnav's heartbroken whisper that had been her undoing. She did not want to turn around. She did not want to see her knight in shining armour's vulnerability over Khushi Kumari Gupta. She had all the answers she sought today. She didn't need proof.

"Chhotey!" Anjali Di's voice sounded so far away. She knew that the loving sister must be by her brother's side in a heartbeat. She did not know why, but she felt like an intruder in this place at this moment. She felt like a mere onlooker, gazing upon a sacred moment of mourning shared by a group of people who had lost something they cherished. Indeed, every aching heart in that place had once loved Khushi - each and every one of them, including her own husband.

Lavanya finally turned around, hoping to see Arnav still looking at Khushi's photograph on the wall, but he had plopped down on the weathered couch again, looking at his sister, a thousand questions and the entire world's pain visible in his eyes. Anjali had since knelt before him, her anxious fingers clutching his trembling hands tightly and tears streaming down her face.

"Di...what...is this?" Arnav's voice quivered with fear, his breathing ragged and unsteady. He gulped down a lump in his throat, struggling to string together a meaningful sentence. Lavanya observed him grapple with his emotions for several fleeting moments before finally giving up, whispering in a voice fraught with anguish, "Di...Khushi..."

"I'm sorry, Chhotey." Anjali hid her face in their holding hands. "I couldn't. I thought it would break you."

As inappropriate as it would have been, Lavanya felt a laugh rising in her throat at her own blindness. So Anjali di knew too!

"Anjali Bitiya..." Bua Ji's tears had dried up, replaced by a quizzical expression as she surveyed the commotion unfolding before her. "What is the matter? Does Arnav Babua not know about my Titaliya?"

"Nahin Buaji"

This voice wafted from the far end of the room. It was Payal Gupta, draped in a blue cotton salwar kameez, her tresses gathered neatly into a side ponytail, and her eyes brimming with tears. Clasping a little plastic tray, she bore three glasses of water, dispelling Lavanya's earlier misconceptions - it was Payal, not Khushi, whom they had heard in the kitchen.

"But...how could he not…" Bua Ji interjected again, casting an anxious glance at Arnav, who now held his head in his palms, his body wracked with tremors that filled the old woman with concern. "I thought the Raizadas were aware. Naniji had visited. Anjali Bitiya too. It has been over a year!"

Arnav's head snapped up at these words, his bloodshot eyes now transfixed on his sister, consumed with disbelief and horror. Anjali Di sighed and shut her eyes as if conceding defeat before raising them apologetically to meet Arnav's gaze. She cupped his face, tenderly wiping away a solitary tear that had escaped the corner of his eye before whispering, "Khushi Ji asked me not to tell you, Chhotey. I am so sorry!" And with that, she succumbed to tears.

Lavanya bore witness to the worst kind of anguish that overtook Arnav's face upon hearing this. With each passing moment, Khushi's passing became more real to him, and she watched as it consumed him, rendering him speechless. His expression was one of disarray, uncertainty, sorrow, agitation, helplessness, and brokenness, all at once. Finally, he turned around to look at Khushi's picture as a few more tears trickled down his face. The tenderness with which he looked at that photograph almost broke Lavanya's own heart for him.

"I need to leave!" Arnav sprang up from his seat as if the very walls of the room had begun to close in upon him. Forgetting the key and wallet he had earlier placed on the table; he bolted towards the door. But before he could escape a plaintive voice, arrested his frenzied steps. It was Payal's voice, and it held him rooted to the spot like a tree in a tempest.

"Arnav Ji Khushi left something for you!"

When he turned to look at Payal, his earlier tears had dried. You couldn't tell anything was wrong except, as always, his eyes were giving it away. They were red, and Lavanya was sure they must be burning. He looked expressionless for a second, but only a moment later, Lavanya could see his jaw and fists clenching. His mouth pursed in a thin line, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Arnav Singh Raizada was angry.

"I don't want it." His tone may have been calm, but nobody was naive enough to miss the underlying rage.

"But Chottey…"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!!" Anjali physically recoiled at Arnav's roaring voice. "I don't want anything the great Khushi Gupta has left for me! We hated each other, Remember? With some very unfortunate events underway, she just forcefully entered my life despite my trying to stay away. You were the one who brought her to Shantivan after she was gone for good. NOT ME!!"

He had now taken several steps towards a flabbergasted Anjali. Lavanya felt panic rising within her heart. She did not know this Arnav.

"How many times have I asked you to throw her out? HOW MANY TIMES? Did you listen to me? No! You were all busy organizing your How-great-Khushi-is tea parties. I was the only one who could see her for what she was. A cunning, selfish girl who doesn't give a shit about anyone else. Who doesn't have any decency or manners whatsoever! Who doesn't know that the damned seatbelts are there for a reason. WHO THINKS SHE CAN GO ANYWHERE, CHANGE EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO HER AND THEN JUST GET UP AND LEAVE WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A GOODBYE!!"

Anjali's face, earlier contorted with shock, was now etched with pain and empathy. However, she did not attempt to calm Arnav down, recognizing his need to release his pent-up emotions.

"SHE DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO ME, AND I CLEARLY DON'T MEAN ANYTHING TO HER EITHER, AS EVIDENT BY EVERY SINGLE THING SHE HAS EVER SAID OR DONE TO ME! IF I'M SUPPOSED TO STAND ON THE SIDE WHILE YOU ALL GET TOGETHER TO SHARE YOUR SORROWS AND JOYS, I'M HAPPY TO DO SO!I DO NOT NEED ANYTHING FROM HER IF SHE DOESN'T WANT TO LET ME KNOW…"

"Didn't…want to Arnav Ji." Payal cut off Arnav's rant with a single sentence, emphasizing the first word. "She is no more."

As if a bucket of cold water had been doused on his rant, Arnav halted mid-sentence. His hand, which had been raised in mid-air sometime during his shouting in an animated manner, hung there trembling for a moment. Then, with a laboured inhalation, he gradually lowered his hand, though the embers of anger still smoldered in his features, making his breathing unsteady.

Once again, the room was dominated by the pitter-patter of raindrops as the five of them lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Buaji slumped into a chair, her head cradled in her right hand, her gaze fixed on the floor as tears silently streamed down her cheeks. Evidently, the repeated mention of Khushi had deeply disturbed her; after all, she loved her nieces as though they were her own daughters. Meanwhile, Payal fidgeted with her dupatta, at a loss for how to approach a seething Arnav Singh Raizada, who remained transfixed on Khushi's portrait, his expression etched with anger and nothing more.

"Fine! What is it?" Arnav spoke after nearly a minute, still looking at Khushi's photograph.

The elder Gupta sister turned to Anjali as if seeking her approval, which she granted with a nod. Lavanya couldn't help but notice how visibly anxious the young woman was, shaking her head and dusting off imaginary specks of dust on her clothing before speaking to Arnav.

"Aaiye Arnav Ji. "Payal said, moving towards the third door in the Gupta living hall.

Khushi's room.

Lavanya watched Arnav take angry strides towards the door after Payal. At first, it seemed as though he would burst into the room, snatch whatever Payal offered him, and storm out again. However, when Payal opened the door, his momentum abruptly stalled. He lingered outside the threshold, his face softening as his anger dissipated, nearly taking a step back. Payal turned to him and nodded in encouragement, prompting Lavanya's curiosity to pique once more. She joined Anjali as they followed Arnav into the room, immediately understanding what had caused him to pause.

As Lavanya stepped into the room, she was struck by how quintessentially Khushi-Kumari-Gupta-esque it appeared, as if she might suddenly materialize out of a corner at any moment. The antique bed frame in the centre of the room was draped in a vibrant pink sheet with big white roses printed on it. Three oversized Salman Khan posters adorned the walls, two of which also had cutouts of Khushi beside her favourite hero, of course. The pillows and cushions were a veritable rainbow of colours, and a bamboo rack on one side of the room was adorned with multiple colourful fabrics. Khushi's signature beautiful dupattas, Lavanya recognized, she couldn't miss the intricate gotawork from a mile away. Despite the melancholic setting, Lavanya couldn't help but smile wistfully as a few tears trickled down her cheeks. Chamkeeli...

The unnerving thing about the room was that It didn't look like someone didn't live there. Khushi's notebook, which she always carried around with her in Shantivan to take notes of naniji's instructions, lay open on a small table near the window, a pen tucked away between its pages. Her mobile phone, which Lavanya immediately recognized, was charging near the switchboard. The shelf beside the mirror was filled with bangles and jewellery that Khushi often wore. It was almost as if Lavanya could envision a frenzied and very tardy Khushi rushing around the room, preparing herself while muttering about how far away Shantivan was from this place. The room had an eerie sense of expectancy, as if waiting for Khushi to walk back in at any moment.

Payal must have sensed Lavanya's questions because she almost apologetically said the next second, "This makes it a little easier to pretend. I feel alone in here otherwise." Her voice was heavy with tears.

But Lavanya's attention had shifted from the surrounding artifacts by now. The centre of her observation was now Arnav, who stood in the midst of the room, his gaze fixed upon the bed frame adorned with about twenty artificial stars. The sight of those celestial adornments had unexpectedly evoked a memory in Lavanya's mind - another moment when Arnav had shed tears upon gazing at stars, back when they were miles away from Khushi Kumari Gupta, Delhi, Lakshmi Nagar and the heartaches that came with it.

As Arnav's trembling hand reached for a solitary plastic star, Lavanya observed the transformation in his demeanour - his initial rage was now entirely supplanted by a wellspring of tears. Indeed, she thought that he had successfully surmounted the denial and anger phases of the five stages of grief. Lavanya also didn't realize Anjali di had reached next to her until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see her sister-in-law's apologetic face, and Lavanya almost broke down. She loved Anjali, and the fact that she remembered to check up on her amidst emotional chaos, one where Lavanya was feeling incredibly lonely, warmed her heart.

She could understand Anjali's nonverbal apology and held back her tears. She gave her a reassuring nod, and Anjali understood too. Arnav needed her more right now.

As if on cue, a deafening peal of thunder echoed outside, punctuating the gloomy atmosphere that had descended upon the room. Arnav, overcome by the weight of his grief, collapsed against the bed and slumped onto the floor, a torrent of tears streaming down his face. Ever the devoted sister, Anjali darted to his side and embraced him fiercely, the siblings' cries intermingling in a symphony of sorrow. Meanwhile, Payal steadied herself against the wall mirror, her tears flowing unrestrained too.

Had Lavanya's own heart not been wholly shattered into a thousand pieces, she might have found this scene straight out of the most heart-wrenching romantic tragedies she so loved to read. After all, these things only happened in fiction, didn't they? The leaden sky outside, heavy with rain, perfectly represented the heart-wrenching thoughts that hung over them. Arnav, consumed by a maelstrom of emotions - anger, grief, and helplessness - had repeatedly struck the bed frame with his fists, hurting himself. Consequently, the thin string of decorative stars suspended above had given way, and now he was sprawled on the floor like a broken man, surrounded by Khushi's fallen stars, Inconsolable in his sister's arms.

"Why would she do that to me, di? I didn't even get to see her… I didn't even get to tell…" his voice was barely a whisper, laden with sorrow as he cried into Anjali's shoulder. "I didn't get to say a proper goodbye! I never got to say sorry!”

At last, Lavanya's strength proved insufficient, and she descended onto the floor beside Khushi's desk, unable to contend with the storm of emotions churning within her. On the other hand, Payal was moving towards Arnav, brandishing a letter tightly gripped in her grasp. With one hand, Anjali kept caressing Arnav's hair in a comforting gesture, while with the other, she received the letter from Payal.

"She did say her goodbyes, Arnav Ji. She asked me to give this to you if you ever found out" The guilt was evident in Payal's voice.

A momentary relief washed over his features. Arnav gazed at Payal with a mixture of disbelief and gratitude. Khushi had not failed to say goodbye. He grasped the letter with quivering fingers and attempted to collect himself before reading it. However, Arnav promptly returned the letter to Anjali and shut his eyes as a fresh wave of tears cascaded down his face. He required a moment before he could bear to go through his Khushi's parting words to him.

His Khushi.

The words seemed somehow fitting and appropriate to Lavanya despite Arnav and Khushi being employer and employee. It had always been evident not only to her but to everyone around them who took Arnav's mourning over Khushi as the most natural and expected reaction.

Lavanya suddenly saw another diary next to her feet. She must have knocked it down from the table while trying to sit on the floor. She could see Khushi's cursive writing peeking from between the pages and picked it up. After flipping just a few pages, she could tell it was a personal diary. She considered shutting the journal down, but a random page she had flipped to caught her attention. 'Arnav Ji' was the first word on the page, and she realized she could finally know what truly transpired within the walls of Shantivan from Khushi's perspective.

Lavanya was overcome with guilt at the idea of reading Khushi's personal diary, a sacred space of private thoughts and emotions. Such a trespass of someone's privacy was not her typical behaviour, especially not with a friend's diary. However, as she saw Arnav's tear-stained face, she realized that the topic of Khushi Gupta would remain taboo between them forever. Bringing it up could only serve to resurface painful memories for Arnav, she was sure.

So Lavanya turned the pages and found out what exactly Khushi kumari Gupta had gone through for her Arnav Ji.

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Khushi glanced at the giant yet minimalist clock that graced the east wall of Raizada's living room. It was already 8 pm, and she knew her Buaji would scold her for neglecting her health again. The room was alight with activity, the air abuzz with the clamour of decorators darting to and fro with their armfuls of lights, flowers, and curtains. Khushi seethed with frustration at their tardiness. She had already instructed them thrice that the floral centrepieces for tomorrow's event were to be lilies, not roses. Why couldn't they get it right?

She will deal with Buaji. After all, she would not come back to Shantivan anymore.

Tomorrow night she will leave for Lucknow for good.

Right after Arnav Singh Raizada and Lavanya Kashyap got engaged.

As Khushi's mind involuntarily conjured up his image, the weight of the grief that had taken up permanent residence in her heart these days, made itself known and her eyes welled up. With a determined shake of her head and a blink to clear her eyes, she banished those traitorous thoughts and refocused on her tasks. She had been entrusted with ensuring the ceremony proceeded smoothly and without any hitches. He had personally asked her to take care of his engagement, and she will do so, with utmost dedication.

It didn't matter that the ache in her heart intensified with each item she marked off on her notepad.

A radiant Anjali Di had walked down the stairs, speaking to her Pandit Ji about tomorrow. Her energy and happiness were almost infectious as a smile broke out on Khushi's lips. Di was beyond happy that her chhotey was finally getting engaged. Her limp had not stopped her from running around the house with Khushi, organizing and double-checking everything. Finally, she disconnected the call and moved towards Khushi, flashing her pearly whites.

"Khushi Ji. Everything looks beautiful!" She beamed. "I hope you've had some rest. Nani had been telling me for weeks that you've lost weight because I'm making you work too much!"

"You know how Naniji is di. That was the first thing she said to me when I came to Shantivan. I once overheard her saying the same thing to Lakshmi ji."

The elderly matriarch's fixation on their weight brought about a chuckle from the two women, momentarily distracting Khushi from her worries. However, as the laughter subsided, the stark reality of her situation resurfaced, and she knew that she needed to have a difficult conversation with Anjali tomorrow. She was going away, and she hadn't informed anyone. With a heavy heart she realized just how much she would miss each and every one of them. She's long accepted them as her other family, especially Anjali Ji.

But the task for which she had arrived here had been accomplished, her duty fulfilled. And the engagement announcement had been made in such haste that she wasn't able to tell them that she needed to go. In her defence though, a lot was going on in her life beyond Shantivan.

"Here, Khushi ji." Anjali smiled as she took a packet from Hari Prakash and handed it to her. "A little something nani selected for you to wear tomorrow, and please don't say no!" Anjali quickly added when Khushi opened her mouth in protest. "Nani is already sad you refused to take her Red Banarasi for tomorrow. She had especially ordered this one now. I would have loved to see you in red too, though. You looked splendid on Diwali last week!"

The mere mention of that fateful night sent Khushi's pulse racing.

His gaze hadn't left her at all, the fiery intensity of his eyes palpable even from across the room. The mounting tension that had steadily brewed between them over the course of numerous weeks had now reached a fever pitch, and the air was thick with anticipation. Each brush of skin, every locked gaze, and even the dhak-dhak that she had felt previously, all paled in comparison to the electrifying nervousness that consumed her on this Diwali night.

Why wouldn't he look away!

In retrospect, she should have run away when Arnav met her by the poolside, when he tenderly placed her Payal on her feet, when he walked towards her with nothing but desire in his eyes, when he had her trapped between his broad frame and the unyielding wall. There were so many moments to go away, and yet she remained frozen, almost allowing him the kiss he was going for when she closed her eyes in surrender instead of pushing him away.

She will forever be grateful for the timely ringing of the phone that disrupted their intimate moment. It would have been nothing but wrong.

She will also forever remember the look that briefly flickered across his eyes - a potent amalgamation of shock and anger, at his own audacity. He left abruptly, taking away the warmth and leaving her alone in the chilly November winds.

And before she could figure out what was happening, he was already announcing his engagement to Lavanya. Next week. The wedding will take place in February.

Khushi did try to summon all her willpower, but the tears still came through. And he saw them. He saw the evidence of her broken heart before turning around and didn't look back at her during the entire party.

He did drop her home, though. In fact, insisted on it. And Khushi wished that he didn't. At her doorstep, he let her know she meant nothing to him, and she could kiss her dreams of a rich husband goodbye. He let her know what exactly he thought of her class and her people and how he wished she would go away. When he left, there was nothing but hatred in those dark eyes.

Khushi stood rooted in her place, feeling emotionally choked up in a way she hadn’t felt in years. It was as if Devi Maiyya was testing just how many blows her fragile heart could take in a single night.

And she wasn't done just yet.

Khushi had opened the door to her devastated family. Her crying Amma had pulled her in her arms while bua ji couldn't stop cursing Nand Kishore for bringing her titaliya such fate. A confused Khushi looked at her Babuji, who was crying silently too, his head buried in his hand. And his best friend sitting next to him.

Dr Hanumat Gupta was her babu ji's old-time friend. He had been in Delhi for the last month for Khushi, and she had gone for various tests owing to her constantly deteriorating health and violent migraines. Dr Gupta kept quiet, telling her all this was a formality to ensure everything was okay. He had returned with the news that it wasn't.

Brain cancer. It had a name starting with the letter G, but she couldn't remember the name for the life of her.

They would do their best to treat it.

They had the facilities in Lucknow. They will start right away.

There are chances. She didn't need to worry.

They'll start with surgery, followed by radiation therapy. She didn't need to worry.

Nand Kishore will make everything alright. She didn't need to worry.

Babu ji, Amma and jiji will lose their will to live once she is gone. She didn't need to worry.

Who will care for her family when they are too old and fragile, and a meek jiji cannot stand up to her in-laws to return? She didn't need to worry.

She will never see Arnav Ji again. She didn't need to worry.

So a bewildered Khushi returned to Shantivan the following day, her mind reeling from the previous night's events. She was here to ask them to let her go now that her job was done. Yet before she could utter a single word, Arnav Ji descended the staircase, informing his shocked family that he would very much like Khushi to oversee the arrangements for the engagement ceremony.

The already wilted heart broke a little more when he looked at her with mockery in his eyes. And Khushi should’ve felt the usual rage that accompanied the hurt caused by his words. But At the moment, all Khushi could focus on was the grim reality of her limited time left with the man she had hopelessly, irrevocably fallen in love with. The revelation of impending death had brought about a newfound sense of clarity about her own feelings. The ones she had been vehemently denying to herself all this time.

She loved him.

So she will take anything at the moment. Desperate, she found herself saying yes to his proposition, willing to endure his mockery, taunts, and anger if it meant she could steal even one more moment with him. She would take care of his engagement, despite the pain it caused her, simply for the chance to be near him for a little longer.

Khushi knew he could see the grief flash deep within her eyes when she agreed, but she was beyond glad that he could not comprehend the depth of it.

For the first time, Khushi was grateful that her feelings were unrequited. It was for the best. Devi Maiyya had a plan in mind, and Arnav Ji not falling in love with her was perhaps a well-thought part of it. Khushi shuddered at the thought of Arnav Ji feeling an iota of what she felt for him. While she could handle her own heartbreak, the mere thought of his heart breaking over a dead girl made her insides turn with grief.

So she had come to Shantivan for the next few days, watching Arnav Ji give her favourite jewellery set to Lavanya ji and taunt her whenever he could. She did think of picking up fights with him for the old time's sake, but she just couldn't. Khushi was busy keeping her tears at bay when he spoke harshly with her, too consumed by the pain of never seeing him again. She could see confusion pool in his eyes every time she walked away from a fight. His patience snapped one day when Khushi didn’t respond to a very provocative and uncalled for lashing out from his side. He dragged her to the poolside and asked her what the hell was wrong with her while she tried her best to not walk into his arms and tell her she was dying and afraid. She could see fury leaving his eyes slowly as his gaze softened towards her. That scared her more. She ran away mid conversation , knowing full well it angered him to no end when someone did that. But she couldn't care less. She'll take her share of memories and leave. And he can, and must hate her in peace throughout his hopefully a very long and happy life, Khushi found herself praying.

"Khushi Ji, what happened!" Anjali ji's voice shook her back to reality as she held a lovely Royal blue saree to show Khushi. In a moment of sudden recognition, Khushi realized it was a blue rendition of the same red saree she once adorned in the illustrious AR office.

As the memory of that day came flooding back, she couldn't help but ponder the effect that the colour red had on Arnav ji. The way it seemed to exhilarate him, the way it seemed to bring out something in him that Khushi had never seen before. Yet, she knew that such thoughts were a waste. For what did it matter to her now, when their time together had come to an end?

"I was telling you how pretty you look in red, Khushi ji. And you're not even listening," Anjali Ji said in mock anger.

"I don't like that colour, di," Khushi reiterated, breaking the sudden silence as she took the blue saree from Anjali. "Red seems to bring nothing but bad news to me." With that, she turned and left, her back to Anjali, who was left with a look of perplexity etched upon her features.

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In her ivory and gold AR lehenga, Khushi mused, Lavanya ji appeared nothing less than a radiant princess. The sheer beauty of her sight was such that it caused an emotional Naniji to wrap her in a tight embrace. Anjali di's eyes too were brimming with tears of joy. The Raizada mansion was alive with music, drinks, and merriment - the engagement celebration was in full swing.

"Khushi bitiya, my whole house is glowing like a new bride, thanks to you!" Naniji had beamed at her earlier, clearly very happy with her decorations. "I wish you had made your famous Jalebis, though!" She teased her.

"You know Arnav Ji wouldn't have liked it. It's his big day, Naniji," Khushi lied through her teeth. She had not found the strength to delve into the process of jalebi-making for several weeks. But, just because she now knew the reason, didn't mean that a joyous Raizada family needed to be in on it.

Arnav Ji donned a svelte black bandhgala for the occasion, a far cry from what his sister, Anjali, had expected. She had thought he would show up in a three-piece suit, straight from his corporate quarters. Khushi had been keeping her distance from him all day, and when she saw him descend the staircase in traditional Indian attire, her mouth gaped in astonishment. She quickly turned to her elder sister, who had been specially invited to the event and was the only family member who could make it for a few hours. Meanwhile, their parents and aunt were occupied with packing their belongings for their train journey later that night.

"Arnav Ji in these clothes!" She chuckled to Payal, "Marne se pehle sab dekh liya humne!"

The words had barely left her lips when Khushi realized the insensitivity of her remark. Jiji went pale at her words, and Khushi regretted speaking so thoughtlessly, especially as her family had not yet given up hope. A visibly shaken Payal had taken her leave right after the ring ceremony that took place in the afternoon, asking Khushi to come back soon too.

They were all sitting in the Raizada Living hall by seven in the evening as the last guests took their leave. The dhak dhak had been on an all-time high since morning, ticking like a countdown clock in her ears as Khushi dreaded the moment of goodbye. She stood a little away, taking in sight in front of her. Mami and Mamaji engaged in a friendly banter while Naniji kept rolling her eyes at them, simultaneously feeding some leaves to Lakshmi ji. Anjali ji held her husband's hand, who Khushi didn't know much about since he had just returned from a foreign trip. Lavanya Ji, on the other hand, was occupied with scrutinizing the pictures on Akash ji's digital camera. As the moments ticked by, it became increasingly arduous for Khushi to stifle her tears.

"You knew this was temporary. It's your fault to get attached to everyone this much," Khushi admonished herself.

Arnav ji was there too, engrossed in his phone. Khushi hadn't spoken to him at all today; both of them never had a moment to themselves. And now she was confused about how to say goodbye. She knew other people would make a fuss over her leaving so suddenly, but he would just ignore her. And that would suck. Big time.

Had it been any other day, Khushi knew she would have gone to his room. In all likelihood, he would have asked her to get out, but she would have had a moment to say her farewell. But right now, she was terribly late; the function lasted longer than expected.

She told herself she would pick a fight with Devi Maiyya later when she's with her for not allowing a proper last moment with Arnav ji.

"Khushi bitiya, why are you standing there?" Naniji's voice startled her. "Come here and sit with me. You've worked a lot today. I could see you were exhausted!"

Khushi moved towards the seating area, fidgeting with her Aanchal, building up the nerve to bid adieu.

"And don't think about leaving today. Just stay here in the guest room. We have so much gossip to do from today's party!" Anjali Ji laughed.

"I can't stay, Anjali ji. I need to leave."

"Come on, Khushi", Lavanya exclaimed with a cheerful smile, her face still radiant with the joy of the engagement. All the other guests had already changed into more comfortable attire except Khushi, who stood there, cloaked in a bright shade of royal blue fabric.

"I can't, Lavanya ji. I am leaving for Lucknow. I have a train in four hours." There. She finally said it.

In an instant, the ambience transformed. Anjali Ji and Naniji exchanged perplexed glances, while Lavanya Ji and Akash ji appeared taken aback. Khushi would have seen it all had Arnav not abruptly focused on her and hawked all her attention. His head snapped up, and for the first time throughout the day, he gazed directly at her.

The unshed tears choked on her throat so hard she felt she couldn’t breathe. She needed to look away from his questioning eyes.

"Khushi ji! What are you talking about? How can you leave like that?" Anjali di was aghast.

Thus began an uncomfortable round of conversations for Khushi. The Raizadas were clearly hurt by her sudden decision to leave. Naniji expressed her disappointment, saying that she would have appreciated knowing beforehand that Khushi bitiya was departing on some other day when she wasn't too busy with her grandson's engagement. Anjali di and Lavanya echoed the same sentiments, expressing sadness at not being able to arrange a proper farewell for her, which they had already planned. Even Mamiji looked sad. Khushi tried to console them by assuring them that she would return to Delhi soon and come back for her farewell. That she would keep in constant touch.

"Liar," a voice in her head said as she hugged a crying Anjali.

Arnav rose to his feet and departed as soon as it started, perhaps to evade the task of bidding farewell to Khushi as the rest of the family would have likely requested of him. In truth, Khushi was relieved that he left, despite the rudeness it appeared to convey. Her emotions were too jumbled at present to trust herself. She was also certain that no matter where he was standing there, his eyes were still fixed on her. She could alway tell. And perhaps that was as fitting a last moment as one could hope for.

"I'll take my purse from the poolside and leave with Mohan ji", Khushi finally assured a very emotional Devyani Raizada. Her own tears had dried on her face as she turned around and exited the living hall of Raizada mansion for the last time.

This was harder than she thought.

————————————————————————

Poolside brought her a fresh batch of tears. This tranquil corner of the Raizada mansion was where she had shared some of her fondest memories with Arnav ji. The lush green plants that surrounded her were a testament to his unwavering devotion to gardening, a hobby that Khushi had grown to love too. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered her initial surprise upon discovering the usually stern and unapproachable "laad governor" amidst such natural beauty. How many times had she stumbled here and found herself caught in his strong embrace? How he had deftly untangled her from the pesky light strings before Diwali.

Once again, the memory of the Diwali night flooded Khushi's mind. She couldn't help but ponder over the possibilities of what could have been if the phone hadn't rung. Would she have had a moment of pure bliss with the love of her life? The thought of it filled her with both uncertainty and regret. The fact that she had been mere seconds away from kissing him, only to have it interrupted, sparked a sense of bitterness within her.

You have a lot to answer, Devi Maiyya.

She didn't see her purse there and realized jiji had taken it away with her in the afternoon. She had her phone, though, and she was almost done dialling Mohan ji when he called out to her.

Khushi,"

His voice echoed, breaking the stillness of the moment.

Her heart skipped a beat as she felt his presence behind her, but she couldn't bring herself to turn and face him. She will not be able to say goodbye. Not from this proximity.

“Kya kar rahi ho tum?” Came the query, urgent and panicked.

"Humne kya kiya?" With a sharp inhale, Khushi turned around, finally facing the source of the voice. There stood Arnav Ji, his face marred by a palpable anger that set her on edge. He was dressed in his black tracks and grey t-shirt, a sight that Khushi had always found more appealing than his usual crisp and formal attire. It looked domestic. He looked like Arnav instead of ASR.

It took him just a couple of angry strides before he was towering over her.

With a sharp tone, Arnav Ji's words pierced through the silence, disrupting the serenity of the poolside. "Why are you leaving all of a sudden? Why didn't you inform anyone? Why didn't you tell me?" Khushi took a sadistic solace in the agitation in his voice; at least her going away affected him.

"My job here is…."

"TO HELL WITH THAT JOB!" He shouted and turned away from her as Khushi flinched. A surge of passion coursed through him as he dragged his fingers through his hair, a blatant display of frustration and helplessness. His gaze was now fixed upon the pool, its surface reflecting the twinkling stars above, and Khushi wondered if their reflections in the water ever reminded him of their conversations about death and becoming a star.

Any other day she would have asked him. “Aapko kya farak padta hai?”. But not today. She was scared that if he chose to answer, she wouldn't be able to leave. And she somehow had an inkling that today he won’t shy away from completing his sentence. She wasn’t going to temp fate.

"Are you going away because I'm getting married?" He asked directly, looking at her.

His direct question made tears well up in Khushi's eyes, and she couldn't bring herself to deny it. Yes, his impending nuptials were a significant factor in her sudden departure. She had even contemplated turning in her resignation right after his engagement announcement, but that moment felt like a distant memory now. Now she had to leave because she had no other choice. The agony she was currently experiencing in her heart paled in comparison to the pain she had felt that day.

"Tell me, Khushi. And don't you dare lie to me. I would know."

So let me stay silent.

Just like that, he drew closer to her, and with a gentle touch, swept aside the locks of hair that had obscured her face. As if it was the most natural thing to do. As if standing so close to her and toying with her treacherous heart was his right. Khushi met his softened gaze, and in an instant, comprehension dawned on her.

Within the span of a few moments, she witnessed him wrestle with the same emotions that had plagued her for weeks. Arnav Singh Raizada was undergoing the very same tumultuous journey as her, albeit at a much faster pace. While it had taken Khushi a considerable amount of time to decipher her own feelings, she could pinpoint the exact moment when Arnav had reached the same realization as her.

He loved her too.

Unlike the night of Diwali, when he was taken aback by his actions, Khushi now saw nothing but relief and tenderness in his eyes, and they were pleading with her to accept the love that he had only admitted to himself mere moments ago.

“Khushi…main…” He struggled.

"I know Arnav ji!" Khushi blurted out before she could control herself. And the relief that washed over his face was her undoing.

The happiness almost made Khushi's heart burst out as he cupped her face tenderly, his own eyes now moist, and rested his forehead against her and sighed in relief. Khushi closed her eyes too, as she clasped Arnav's hand with her own that were still holding her face and allowed herself just one moment of warmth. Nothing else mattered.

They looked at each other at the same time. And before Khushi could take him in her arms for the first time, her eyes darted to the decorated board behind him.

Arnav & Lavanya.

Lavanya, her friend.

Lavanya, his now fiancé.

And Khushi immediately took a step back; her sudden movement jolted him momentarily, yet he swiftly regained his composure and looked at her with a steady gaze, ready to say something. But Khushi, with heart in her mouth now, interjected once more.

"I'm getting late, Arnav ji. I can't miss this train!"

"What?" He looked at her, shocked.

"I'm sorry," Khushi uttered, unsure why she felt compelled to apologize. She needed to escape from the situation, before Arnav ji's unanticipated compassion shattered her carefully crafted expectations. To her mind, he was supposed to hate her happily, yet here she stood, ruining everything.

Dabbing away her tears with a determined gesture, Khushi locked her eyes onto his, conveying her conviction through a resolute tone. "I need to leave. Right Now!" she declared, pivoting sharply on her heel and walking away.

She had hardly taken a few steps when two strong arms darted out and pulled her back with urgency. Khushi's palpitating heart raced wildly, as she felt the firmness of a chest pressing against her back, a robust embrace enfolding her tender frame with ardent possession. Arnav Singh Raizada wrapped his arms around her tightly, and he did not seem willing to let go.

No, no, no…

You’re supposed to hate me…

Devi Maiyya, you really do have a lot to answer!

"No," he said a single word as he buried his face in the recesses of her neck, his sinewy arms cinching her waist in a vice-like grip. She felt his tears, dampening the skin on her shoulder, while his pleading voice pierced her soul with the depth of his anguish. He, too, was struggling with the sudden realisation of losing his beloved, just like Khushi. Except she had had a week to process it, while he had mere minutes to reconcile with the daunting reality.

"Arnav Ji, let me go", Khushi pleaded, her voice quavering as she made a half-hearted attempt to free herself from his embrace.

"No, Khushi I can't. Not like this. Not now when I…." His words trailed off, choked with emotion, and instead, he clutched her with even greater intensity, unwilling to let her slip from his grasp.

A defeated Khushi surrendered in his arms, gazing upwards at the heavens. A mere seven days ago, she would have given anything to be rested like this in his arms, to hear him profess his feelings for her. How cruelly has it all changed in a matter of days? Now he was an engaged man, and she was a dying woman. What name could she possibly bestow on such love, wrought with cruel irony and dashed hopes?

Despite never having more than a couple of meaningful conversations, she somehow knew her Arnav ji. He had not attained his success by being a passive spectator in his life. He was right; he made his own fate. And now that he had realized his feelings for her, he won't care about how many traditions or hearts he broke; he would be by her side. He won't let her go.

And if she told him she had limited time on earth, he would still try to defy god and heal her. And when her eventual demise would arrive, it would only reinforce his misguided conviction that every person he ever loved inevitably abandoned him in the end.

The worst of all, if she leaves here without speaking another word, he will still go back and break his engagement. Khushi knew he was with Lavanya Ji because they fit perfectly on paper and there were no other prospects, romantically or practically. He indeed wouldn't have agreed to marry her in a jiffy if it wasn't for Diwali Night, but he would be with her anyway. Until now. When he was acutely aware of his love for someone else. He would go back and break Lavanya ji's heart.

Lavanya ji, who loved him very much.

Who would keep him happy for all his life.

Who deserved nothing less than his sole attention and love.

And Khushi had the answer in a heartbeat. She knew what to do.

She had never felt more helpless in her life. She was going to do a vile thing. She was going to break his heart, and she prayed, no, told Devi Maiyya that she would have to bless Arnav Ji with a life of unbridled happiness, in exchange for this miserable thing she was making Khushi do. She shut her eyes, attempting to etch this moment into her memory so that she could relive it time and again. Till the day she dies.

As she sensed Arnav tenderly planting a kiss on her hair and then her shoulder, her determination faltered momentarily. Nonetheless, the very next instant, she uttered the words that would undoubtedly shatter his heart in the worst possible way.

"You're turning into your father Arnav ji," Khushi spoke, her words cutting through the air like a sharp knife. "Don't become that man."

Immediately, she sensed his arms relinquishing their embrace, as though she had burned him with her words. Khushi pivoted around to meet his gaze and witnessed the hurt and shock reflected in his beautiful eyes.

Khushi knew her Arnav was nothing like Arving Malek, the despicable man whose misdeeds had cost two lives and the happiness of a family. Anjali Di had told her of the sordid tale of Malek's shortcomings as a husband. The mere suggestion that the emotions Arnav Ji harboured for her were similar to the treacherous acts committed by Malek was revolting, and she knew that her words had been successful in inflicting a deep wound in his heart. Just like she intended.

It still broke her. Khushi could see the anguish and disbelief etched onto his face.

And then his eyes changed.

Arnav ji was gone. She was looking at a determined ASR.

"Goodbye, Khushi" he turned around and left without sparing her a glance. She kept staring at the french doors he had disappeared behind for a long time.

Khushi trudged back to the waiting car stationed outside Shantivan with a mechanical gait, her mind consumed by an all-encompassing grief. Buaji's exasperated rebukes at Gupta household were mere background noise to her as she silently sat in the auto. The train station was their next destination, and they were severely late, yet Khushi was barely aware of the urgency. The journey was a haze, the words of her loved ones nothing but a dull drone to her ear as she stumbled through the blurred motions of boarding the train.

And finally, on the upper birth of a sleeper compartment of Indian railways, in the dead of night, Khushi kumari Gupta allowed herself to weep to her heart's consent.

"I'm sorry, Arnav ji."

————————————————————————————————

Lavanya closed the diary, her fingers lingering on the cover as she took a deep breath. As she shut her eyes, the wetness on her cheeks reminded her of the constant tears that had been streaming down her face.

She felt like a fool.

Arnav was ready to give her up right after getting engaged. He had decided to marry her in the first place because he was feeling guilty about wanting to kiss Khushi. Had she ever meant anything to him? At all?

Lavanya was struck by yet another crude realization - she had indeed married the perfect man, in every sense of the word. Arnav, it seemed, had never faltered in his duty as a husband, constantly striving to prove to himself that he was nothing like the infamous Arvind Malek. How well Khushi knew him to have said the exact words that would send him back to Lavanya in a heartbeat! As the weight of this realization dawned on her, Lavanya could not help but let out a silent sob. It all made sense now.

She gazed at the shattered Arnav, who was poring over Khushi's final letter, and a sudden fury took hold of her. She, Lavanya, had been cherishing a man who saw her only as a means to demonstrate to the world that he was nothing like his father. She was ready to leave. She would go away for good.

"She struggled a lot towards the end. Cancer took its toll." Payal spoke to nobody in particular, but a tear-stricken Arnav looked at her, having finished the letter which he mindlessly kept on the floor, within Lavanya's reach.

"It was hard to see her grow so frail with surgery and radiation therapy…." Payal's voice trailed off.

"Haan chhotey, I saw her six months into her illness", Anjali confessed too. "She was here to attend preeto's wedding, I believe. she never wanted to miss it. When I saw her at the temple, I couldn't…" Anjali bit back a sob. "I couldn't recognize her. She was scared to see me, but Nani and I came back with her here, and buaji told us everything."

Anjali regarded her younger brother, hoping for some sign of response, but he remained silent, his face wistful and withdrawn.

"You were the first person I thought of calling. She stopped me. She made me and nani promise we won't tell anybody else. I dragged her to the best hospitals, chhotey, I swear. Everyone said the same thing, and I just couldn't see hope dying in her eyes one more time. I gave up! Only Nani could make it to her funeral as all of us were away from Delhi when it happened."

Arnav nodded, tears still streaming down his face.

"She was having speech troubles towards the end," Payal spoke again. "She got a little better during December that year. She was excited for Christmas and the new year. She made me decorate the whole house in red and white for Christmas" A sad smile was visible on Payal's face as she remembered her sister.

"It had been more than a year since she wore red. Ever since she had come back from Shantivan,but she did that day. Came out of her room after so many days, had breakfast with us Christmas morning and told ma baba she wanted to have cake in the evening and some jalebis right away." The smile widened on Payal's face before disappearing completely.

"She then went into her room to sleep. I went back after a couple of hours to wake her up with fresh jalebis. My sister never woke up." And she broke down.

Lavanya was struck by a sudden realization that left her feeling as if she had been punched in the gut. It hit her with the force of a thunderbolt: Khushi had passed away on Christmas morning, and at that very moment, Lavanya and Arnav had been on their stargazing tour in USA, lost in their own little world. She remembered how she had left Arnav alone with the stars on the night of the twenty-fourth, because he couldn't stop his tears and looked restless.

"I don't know what's wrong, Lavanya. My heart feels heavy," he had confided in her. Lavanya had offered an explanation, attributing it to being overwhelmed by the magnificent sight of the night sky. But the truth of the matter was that Arnav had spent the entire night silently gazing at those twinkling stars with moist eyes, while his Khushi ascended to become one among them.

He had his moment of goodbye. Even if he believed he didn't.

Lavanya was suddenly overcome with a sense of insignificance as she stood witness to the profound connection between Arnav and his Khushi. Her earlier resentment towards him dissipated, replaced by a feeling of pity as she observed him reliving that night and clutching his shirt near his heart. The sad realization of the cause of his restlessness that night made him look so vulnerable that Lavanya almost leapt to her feet to embrace him. Yet, as she placed her hand on the ground to rise, it landed on a sheet of paper.

Khushi's last letter.

With trembling hands, Lavanya opened it.

————————————————————————————-

Arnav ji.

If you're reading this letter, it means you know. I am sorry for whichever way you found out. I have never written a letter that I hoped is never read by the addressed party, but I can't help it. I know someday you're going to find out. If not accidentally, then on purpose because I know you’ll eventually come looking for me. I just can't shake the feeling that someday you will need this letter. What do you people call it? Yes, for closure.

I know your first reaction would be anger. You'd think I kept this from you because you weren’t important enough. Nothing is farther from the truth that this notion of yours. I'm sorry, Arnav ji. I hope you're so happy in your life right now with Lavanya Ji that my decision is understandable to you. I hope you're in your forties, with grey hair here and there and two lovely little kids who annoy you as much as you annoy everyone around you. Or are you already in your seventies? Are you a grandfather Arnav ji?

I can't stop smiling as I think of you growing up and growing old. But it's painful to think I won’t get to see any of it. I hope I'm right and you're wrong. I wish I become a star after dying and can watch over you instead of vanishing into nothingness as you believe. I don't know how you cope with that thought. It's scary to think I may be lost to emptiness. No, I'm definitely a star, the brightest one out there, and I can see you growing into an older grumpier laad governor. I'm here getting pampered by Amma Babuji, and I regularly meet your Amma too. She's as lovely as Anjali di. And she’s proud of you.

I'm rambling again.

It's been six months since your wedding when I'm writing this. No, I'm not dying right now, but the doctor tells me it's a possibility that I may lose these regular functions. That I may lose my memory too. So I'm writing before I'm unable to. I'm scared, Arnav ji. I'm going to be very selfish in this letter and just say that in these moments, I wish you were here. I'm the one who has to be strong for Amma, Babuji and Jiji because I see them dying a little with me every day. They cling to every last bit of hope, and I smile. I sit in the puja they believe will cure me. I'm tired. I want to be vulnerable. If you were here, I'd just cry in your arms for a few moments, and I know I would feel better.

I saw Anjali di a couple of months ago. I'm not proud of myself for behaving the way I did when I saw her and naniji. In my defence, I thought you might be with them, and all common sense left me as usual. But they came back to my place. And I lost it. I cried in di's arms and naniji's lap. I can't believe they love me so much. It was easier to keep up the façade over the phone. But it's a good thing they found out. I made them promise not to mention me in Shantivan anymore.

They told me you'd be hurt if I didn't tell you. I don’t know why they think that is the case. Maybe they know you better than you thought Arnav Ji. They told me you've grown quieter since I left. I think they suspect something, but they don't know the whole truth, do they? Please don't be angry at them. I made them promise not to tell you. Probably the only perk of being terminally sick. People don't tell you 'no' because they don't know what may be your last wish.

That’s a bad joke. I’m sorry!

Jiji knows now too. She found me crying at a picture of yours in the newspaper. She begs me to call you once and see you. To not deny myself what I desperately want. I won't lie, Arnav ji. I do want to see you once more. Hear your voice once again. Even if it's just "What the…" I want it so badly it physically hurts my heart. But I can't do that. Not to you.

I hope you're happy. This is literally the only thing I ask of you. And of Devi Maiyya. Do not blame yourself for anything that happened. I know we've never said it out loud, but that day when I said "I know Arnav ji" by the poolside, I meant it. I heard every word your eyes spoke to me. I swear.

You have no idea how sorry I am for tainting that moment with my comment. It took everything to say that horrible lie to you. You're nothing like him. You never were. Lavanya Ji loves you as you are. You don't need to change anything. You don’t need to prove anything. I hope you've realized that in your life by the time you read this and have found love again, with her. I already know you're taking care of her the best you can. Allow her to take care of you as well, Arnav ji. She loves you more than you know.

I know you don't believe in reincarnations. But my poor heart can't let go of the hope that maybe in some lifetime, we will meet at the right time, right place. Maybe we will fight initially like we always do, but I'll eventually find my forever with you. Is it selfish to think so? I don't care right now. I do want to be with you in some other world. But I can't leave this one without saying goodbye.

I love you, Arnav ji.

Even writing it here is making my weak heart beat faster. The words I never got to say to you, but it doesn't make them any less true. I've fallen in love with the sly smiles that you so badly try to hide after you find something I do amusing. I've fallen in love with the man who cares for his family with his life, even if he doesn't see eye to eye with their thoughts. I've fallen in love with the man who became what he is after life gave him nothing but agony. And the hopeless Bollywood romantic in me had fallen in love with the man who beat up goons for hurting me.I have loved you then, Arnav Ji. And Wherever I am as of now, I am still in love with you.

This is goodbye. For this lifetime.

Yours,

Khushi Kumari Gupta.

Ps: If they're still there, I'm leaving you my plastic stars. Take them with you if you want to. The one that has a little bit of pink glitter is me. God knows your life could use some colours.

————————————————————————

Lavanya folded the paper slowly, as if it was the most fragile thing in the world. Her vision blurred, and her chest tightened, weighed down by the sorrowful emotions that gripped her heart. She stole a glance at Arnav, pondering if he was lost in reminiscence of his final encounter with Khushi. Was he remembering how the bitter words she spoke actually emanated from a heart that held nothing but the purest love for him? Before she could stop herself, an audible sob left her lips.

And Arnav immediately looked at her. His face was scrunched in pain, but he steadied himself, as if suddenly realizing his wife had been here all this time. Lavanya felt scared. What was he going to say?

"Lavanya, I'm so sorry I…" He looked vulnerable and scared himself. "I didn't mean to hurt you like this."

And every last shred of anger left her body.

Here he was, in the middle of a devastating news, and he was apologizing to her for grieving. For grieving!

She was by his side the next second as Anjali di stepped away. He was still looking at her apologetically when she sat down next to him and held his hands. He didn't need his wife right now. He needed his friend in front of whom he could at least mourn properly.

"I'm here, ASR." Lavanya brought back his old nickname. "Always".

And for the first time ever, he broke down in her arms.

But a wounded Lavanya sat there, holding her husband, who was devastated by the news of another woman's passing. Where do they go from here? How will they ever go back to their previous selves?

You left a note and a bye to everyone, Khushi. Tell me, what do I do?

Her eyes fell on the idol of Ma Durga Khushi carried around, and she found herself asking questions. To Devi Maiyya, who had a solution for everything, according to her friend. And the answer did come when her eyes fell on something behind the idol - a picture of a smiling Khushi dressed in a vibrant red salwar kameez.

The very same colour she had happily relinquished, for it had caused quite a stir in Lavanya's and Arnav's lives on the night of Diwali. Just as she had given up her dying wish to lay her eyes once more on the love of her life, all so that her friend's comfortable life may not be disrupted and her Arnav Ji could remain guiltless and joyous.

How much was she willing to sacrifice? How much were they both willing to sacrifice?

How have they kept loving each other with no expectation of reciprocation, ever?

And why couldn't she do the same for her husband, who had been nothing but a fantastic partner in all senses?

Lavanya was struck with a sense of guilt and remorse as she pondered over her relationship with Arnav. What right did she have on his love when she had conveniently avoided his inner demons for the past two years? Arnav had been a constant pillar of support for her, patiently sitting by her side when her father suffered a stroke and immediately flying them out to London to be with her family. Yet, when was the last time she had initiated a conversation about his own mother? She was a proud wife of a skilled businessman, but she really knew nothing of the fourteen-year-old Arnav, who was thrown out of Sheeshmahal. And she had never wanted to know either.

She was right. They had a weird distance between them in their marriage. But even bound by duty, Arnav had walked his miles. It was her turn to meet him halfway. And she will. If Khushi and Arnav could love each other from a distance, then she had enough love in her heart for her husband to build this relationship from scratch. If they could love with no expectations, she could too.

She sent out a silent thank you to her friend.

Her friend.

The one who had looked out for her when she was the worst kind of mean to her. The one who made sure that Lavanya was not only accepted by her in-laws, but loved. The one who was the reason for Arnav's decision to marry her, but if Lavanya was being truthful, Khushi was also the reason for her changed attitude towards marriage in the first place. The one who was the sole reason she was happily married today.

The one who had a chance to be with the love of her life, even for a few moments but walked away for the sake of Lavanya's relationship.

The one who would never sit with her again, gossiping about the TV shows they both loved to watch. And the one who would never call her 'Lavanya Ji' in her sunshine voice every time she thought of a new plan to irritate Arnav, mamiji or Naniji.

Amidst the chaos, Lavanya realized that she was not a spectator anymore. She had lost Khushi too.

Her friend.

And she finally let the tears fall freely.

—————————————

This was a monster chapter and it took its sweet time in coming to me. I’m exhausted emotionally as well as physically. But it always feels great to compete a story. Please do let me know what you thought of it. Comments always inspire me to write more.

I can understand how much it drained you because I felt a bit drained myself after reading it.

It is a tragic end, but, you wrote it very well.

I must say this is the best tragic Arshi story I have ever read. I will be back with a more detailed comment later.

Sending lots of hugs for you.🤗

Take care!

Cheers..

I just cried reading this !!!

So Brilliantly done , that i am struggling with words.

Thankyou dear writer❤️

Originally posted by: Savera84

I can understand how much it drained you because I felt a bit drained myself after reading it.

It is a tragic end, but, you wrote it very well.

I must say this is best tragic Arshi story I have ever read. I will be back with a more detailed comment later.

Sending lots of hugs for you.🤗

Take care!

Cheers..

Thank you so much! :)

Hello Arpita

A beautiful short story with a deep tragic end- how K's passing is so real, and the end with L being the narrator- "and the Oscar goes to..."- I'm at the wrong place!! But jokes apart, a great story with the right end for our ARSHI, keeping your story plot in mind. Are we in for something a little longer, and maybe with a happier ending..."and they lived happily ever after". Thanx

Originally posted by: gurukhush

Hello Arpita

A beautiful short story with a deep tragic end- how K's passing is so real, and the end with L being the narrator- "and the Oscar goes to..."- I'm at the wrong place!! But jokes apart, a great story with the right end for our ARSHI, keeping your story plot in mind. Are we in for something a little longer, and maybe with a happier ending..."and they lived happily ever after". Thanx

Hi, thanks a lot for the comment. Yeah I wrote the whole story from Lavanya’s POV except the flashback where she gets an insight into Khushi’s emotions.it was supposed to be a One Shot. But I couldn’t cram everything in one part when it demanded a bit more writing. I do like to think Lavanya was eventually successful though if you wanted my version of this. But I had always planned to end the short story here and so everyone can choose their own ending :)

The feels…. Usually sad arshi endings upset me. However, you have handled this beautifully. Loved it. Looking forward to more works.

Am very new to the arshi universe. If you have written other works, please do share. Would be delighted to read more. Take care