A few hours later,

Nestled amidst lush greenery, Shantivan stands with elegance, decorated like a bride. Its walls are draped with flowers and fairy lights. As guests arrive, they pass beneath a floral archway that seems to hold its breath. Roses, lilies, and jasmine entwine, creating a fragrant tunnel. Petals cascade like confetti, welcoming all who cross the threshold.

The heart of Shantivan, the main hall, is a vision. Crystal chandeliers hang like frozen rainbows, casting prismatic light on the polished marble floor. Silk drapes in white, fairy lights, and the color of moonlight, frame the grand windows.

Beneath the intricately carved mandap, the couple is exchanging vows, with their families beside. The pillars are adorned with jasmine garlands echoing the promise of eternity. The sacred fire awaits its promises to be fulfilled as the couple walks around it.

Arnav dressed in a grey suit is numbly looking at everything happening in front of him while his mind is lost in the other thoughts amidst the wedding of NK and Sheetal. His family members including his Di were on the other side showering blessings on the new couple who had stood up from their place as Pandit announced them as Husband and Wife. But he wasn't in this world, yes his body was present in the wedding but his mind was somewhere else.

A week ago,

Mumbai

Khushi's revelation has left him utterly perplexed. If Khushi left him and he was fully dressed then, how by the time he woke up he was naked? It doesn't make any sense to him. The timeline doesn't align—she left him while he was fully dressed, yet somehow, when he regained consciousness, he found himself naked. It defies logic, and he's certain he didn't hallucinate waking up in such a vulnerable state. His mind churns, replaying the events in that hotel room. Only that he couldn't remember much. How could he? He was fully drunk the night before. He was in no such state to remember everything. What transpired during those missing moments? The uncertainty gnaws at him.

All answers to his questions lie in the hotel room. He thought deciding in an instant to travel to Nainital and he did, he needed to prove to himself and Khushi that he wasn't making up things.

The Naini Retreat, he read the hotel name as he entered. Transporting back to the night three years ago.

Devastation clung to him like a shadow since Khushi's departure. He ceased caring for himself, and the world faded into hallow in his eyes. If he was ASR before — Arnav Singh Raizada, the formidable tycoon — he now embodied a darker version of himself. The sharp retorts and the number of times he'd be irritated by insignificant things — all abandoned. Life reduced him to a single sentence: he stopped living.

Yet, amidst the wreckage of his heart, he clung to one responsibility — the empire he had built, AR. It wasn't just a company; it was his baby and a lifeline for countless employees. Their livelihoods depended on its success, their dreams woven into its profit and loss statements. Arnav understood this unwaveringly. Personal turmoil couldn't dismantle the professional fortress he'd erected.

It was yet another day when duty called — an important client he had a deal with — he stepped into the opulence of the party. After which the next morning he'd have a conference meeting with them. His second shot warmed his throat, but it was something else that set his pulse racing. A familiar scent, elusive yet unmistakable. Khushi. His wife. No one else could stir his heartbeats like her, no other perfume could weave his memories so vividly.

He abandoned the wine, his chocolate-brown eyes scanning the room. Legs moved of their own accord, guided by an ache that transcended reason. Amidst the sea of faces, he sought her — the woman who held his past, present, and perhaps even his future. His wife. His Khushi. Without whom he ceases to exist and without him he can never find his happiness.

She stood there, a mocktail in hand, an enigma wrapped in moonlight. He was right. She was here. His Khushi. His oasis in the desert of despair.

"Khushi?" His voice, a fragile thread in the dark night, barely escaped his throat. The weight of two years pressed upon him as he gulped in his tears, the tears that indicated — an eternity of longing and pain. She stood there, clad in a silver saree.

Even in the hushed murmur, Khushi heard him. Surprise flickered across her features. She'd come to this party as a friend's guest, lost in the crowd until the fairy-lit canopy beckoned her. The lake shimmering nearby was an attraction to her eyes and so she was here enjoying the silence. Until the hushed whisper of a known voice hit her.

"Where were you, Khushi? Do you know how much I've searched for you? Where did you disappear? How could you?" His voice trembled, raw with emotion.

At his last question, she fumed. How could I? Did he forget what he said? "How could I not?" Her retort held echoes of pain and fury. "After what you said, what else could I do?"

He knew it, his voice soft as he clutched her hands, "Khushi, I told you that whatever I said was in anger. I apologized, didn't I? What else do you want me to do, Khushi? Apologize again? I'd if that makes you come back to me. I am sorry, Khushi. I am very much sorry for hurting you that day."

His words touched her heart yet she had to cut his words, the independence she was soughing for needed it, no matter what it'd be her priority. Not this.

"If sorry were paper, I'd tear it into pieces and throw it away." Her defiance cut through his heart and hers too. But she wouldn't show it. She promised herself her freedom, her independence, and her self-respect over their love when she left him.

"Khushi—"

"I don't want to hear anything. Just leave me alone." She tried to walk away but Arnav didn't let her, "No. I won't. I won't let you leave me, Khushi. You need to understand."

"Understand? I don't need to. Do whatever you want." Khushi tried pushing his huge frame.

"Khushi, please —" he clutched her shoulders not wanting to leave her at any cost. His eyes moist in pain. Why is she not listening to him?

"Is it hurting?" Her eyes bore into his. Seeing a thin line of tears in his eyes, she gave a sadistic smile even if her heart was hurting, "Then I'd make sure I do this again and again just to hurt you."

"Khushi..." his eyes widened with shock and pain. Is this his Khushi? She isn't someone who'd be happy seeing others in pain. He was busy gulping down the pain as she walked away.

His heart shattered yet again yet he followed her inside composing himself. She is with a woman by her side now, talking and laughing as if she never met him here, as if she never uttered those words that don't align with her character. A waiter came his way with wine and he volunteered to drown his sorrows in shot after shot.

But she watched, her own heart aching. Beneath the facade, she couldn't bear to see him drink like a parched wanderer, especially when he battled diabetes. She saw him bearly able to stand and with the help of a waiter, she took him to the room he'd booked into for tonight.

She yearned to slip away after coaxing him onto the bed, but her escape wasn't written in her fate, at least for the night. In his woozy, half-asleep state, he clung to her hand with surprising strength. She tugged gently and then hardly, attempting to free herself, yet his grip remained unyielding. So she settled on the edge of the bed, waiting for him to release her. Unbeknownst to her, exhaustion overtook her, and she drifted into slumber beside him.

Around midnight, Arnav's bleary eyes fluttered open, and he beheld the blurred form of Khushi nestled beside him. Was this reality or a dream like another one he is used to having? His fingers loosened on her palm as he succumbed to sleep, the wine's effects pulling him under.

Khushi stirred from her sleep later that morning and noticed the loosening of his grip on her hand. Her heart weighed heavy as a rock as she slipped out of the room, leaving behind a man lost in his haze. Not noticing the way he rolled his eyes under the closed eye sensing the loss of touch, his half-closed eyes tracked her blurry departure.

Yet, he remained powerless—the wine's aftermath still held sway. And when clarity finally dawned a few hours later, he found himself sprawled naked on the bed.

And that's how he had thought Riya could be his baby. Although he didn't remember doing anything with Khushi that could lead to her pregnancy, seeing himself naked had him thinking along such lines. He assumed he might have forgotten things because of the wine in his system.

Now that Khushi had said he was fully clothed when she left, he needed to know what had happened to him that by the time he woke up, he was in such a vulnerable state. Determined to uncover the truth, he returned to the same hotel.

Discovery he did. The hotel's CCTV footage proved invaluable. Nobody could deny ASR (Arnav Singh Raizada) anything.

He watched the CCTV footage, his mind racing to piece together the fragmented memories. Khushi, his wife who's always been in his thoughts, appeared in the grainy video. A waiter supported him to his room along with his wife, and then he moved the clip to the next morning. Khushi was leaving his room in the early hours, and it was also etched in his hazy recollections. This same clip had caught his eyes three years ago when he was in a desperate attempt to verify if Khushi had been in his room that night.

This clip was another reason why he thought he had slept with Khushi. Brushing the thoughts aside, he moved forward.

Half an hour later, he could see a room service man coming into the room. He frowned.

Arnav was certain he hadn't requested any service that morning. Turning to the hotel manager, watching all this, he voiced his suspicion. "This, the man who came to my room, why did he come? I am sure I didn't call for any room service and that too when I was still lying on the bed."

"I'll check if there was any call from your room that day, sir." He ordered a few of his men to go back to the record room and check and they did.

The hotel manager nervously relayed the information, "Sir, there was a call from your room and one of our service attendants - Kishore Nayak attended the call and provided service." Fear gripped him; any misstep by his employees could lead to legal action by Arnav Singh Raizada. The hotel's reputation hung in the balance, and the consequences were dire.

Arnav Singh Raizada's stern command echoed through the room, "Call him."

The hotel manager promptly summoned Kishore who was working in one of the rooms had immediately started and soon, he was here in front of ASR, his manager, and a couple of other employees who were there left the room

Kishore's eyes widened upon seeing Arnav, but he quickly averted his gaze. Expressions on his face weren't missed by Arnav and the Manager. While Arnav gritted his teeth, the Manager wiped his sweat in fear. The tension in the room was palpable.

"Do you remember him, Kishore?" The Manager's voice held an edge. "A few years ago, he was our guest, and you attended his call."

Kishore stammered, "How would I remember something from years ago when I can't even recall recent events?"

Arnav's eyes narrowed. "Alright, alright," he snapped. "You don't remember, is that why your face changed when you saw me? Is that why you attended a call I haven't even dialed?"

Caught in a trap of fear, Kishore's throat tightened. "But sir," he stuttered, "you did call, sir. That's why I was in your room."

Arnav's anger flared. "Caught you," he hissed. "So you do remember lifting the call and attending my room, don't you?"

"No, sir. No..." Kishore's voice trembled, he fell into Arnav's trap and spilled the truth..

"You just told me you came to my room after my call," Arnav pressed. "Or am I hearing wrong?"

The manager's warning cut through the tension. "Whatever it is, Kishore. Out with it, or else I'll have to fire you."

Kishore's mind raced. He had no answers, only fear. But then, with a desperate resolve, he blurted out, "I don't know anything, sir."

Arnav's patience snapped. "Well, good then," he declared. His voice steely, "Ready to be on the roads."

Kishore's breath hitched. He had to confess, had to reveal the truth. "I will tell you," he whispered, hoping against hope that they don't fire him after whatever he did, a hope warring with dread. 

The attendant hesitated, then spilled the shocking truth. "On that day, the woman in the room beside yours had called for room service from your room. I went, and she was there in your room. She asked me to strip you naked except for your innerwear and then went to her room through the shared door. She had offered me 50,000 for that, and I, desperate for money, compiled and did as she said. You were unconscious and didn't know what had happened to you. After that, I got out of your room and don't know what she did or why she asked me to do something like that. I don't know anything."

The truth had spilled, raw and shocking. Kishore's fate is now in the hands of Arnav Singh Raizada who after hearing the words of Kishore, after knowing the truth, he stood as if he swallowed a bitter pill. It was devastating to know that you have been used in your vulnerable state in such a worse way and you don't even know about it. Arnav Singh Raizada is facing such a situation in his life. No matter what he has faced in his life till now, this has to be worse. He gulped down the emotions. He isn't just shocked, he is disgusted and hurt. Fury had to mask the rest of the emotions soon. The service attendant and the women who did that with him had to be punished.

"You are fired," the manager's stern voice echoed in the silent room. He didn't want such immoral employees in his Hotel.

The manager also apologized, fearing legal repercussions. "I apologize for all of this, Mr. Raizada. I will give you the details of who stayed in that room that night, but please don't sue us."

"I will see to that later. Details first," Arnav gritted his teeth. Someone had played with his dignity while he was unconscious, and he had been oblivious to it all these years.

The Manager checked the data on the computer and revealed the names. "Mr. Naveen Chopra, aged 35 then, and his wife, Mrs. Savita Chopra, aged 25 then."

Arnav vowed justice, even if it meant confronting painful truths. Why she did that for what was still unclear and he'd only know this once he confronted her. He would unravel the mystery of that fateful night, no matter the cost.

He walked away from the Hotel dialing his Friday man, Aman.

"Aman, call Roy and tell him to slap a lawsuit on The Naini Retreat Hotel in Nainital for Neglegiance and its employee named Kishore Nayak for fraud, are you getting me?" If they think they can walk away after messing with ASR and his dignity, they are wrong. They had to face the consequences. 

"Yes, ASR."

"And yes get the details of Mr. Naveen Chopra and his wife, Mrs. Savita Chopra, as soon as possible."

"Done, ASR."

And the very same day, in the evening Arnav had an email from Aman that included the details of Naveen and Savitha.

Noting down the address of Savitha, he left the same night to confront her, anger still shimmering through his body.

Bangalore,

Savitha's Home,

The Next Day,

The living room of her house was charged with tension as Arnav Singh Raizada stood in front of her, dropping out of nowhere. She was shocked to find him at her doorstep. He didn't wait for greetings to confront Mrs. Savita Chopra, the woman who had orchestrated his vulnerability that fateful morning. The truth hung heavy in the air, and Arnav's voice remained unyielding.

"Mrs. Chopra?" he addressed her formally.

"Miss. Mehra," she corrected, her eyes betraying a mix of guilt and fear.

"Miss. Mehra, do you remember me?" Arnav's gaze bore into hers.

At her unwavering silence, his voice wavered into a thick bundle of sternness, "Of course, you do. Don't you?"

She shifted uncomfortably at his words.

"Why did you play with my dignity? What did you do to me that morning?" Arnav's fury was visibly dangerous. 

She gulped down the fear and invited him in since she didn't want nosy neighbors poking into her house.

At his steel gaze, Savfunrita's mind raced back to that day—the betrayal, the hurt, and her impulsive decision. She hesitated, then began her confession. Her guilt made her do that.

Naveen Chopra, her husband, had been her world. But that morning, she had glimpsed him through the half-open door, entangled with another woman in her room.

She went into flashbacks.

"Anyway, I'll leave now; otherwise, my wife will get suspicious," Naveen said, kissing the woman in front of her oblivious to the fact that the room door is not closed properly and his wife, Savita can hear and see everything.

"Five more minutes and then you can go, please," the woman pleaded, not having enough of him, not ready to leave him.

She had watched them, tears streaming down her face, unable to tear her eyes away from the scene unfolding before her.

The pain had seared her heart, and in her desperation, she sought revenge.

"I wanted to give the same pain to him when he comes back. I got into my room and thought to pay someone to act with me, but then I noticed the shared door and then I saw you. I got an idea, you were sleeping and I could smell wine. I didn't want to take any chances, so I gave you a sedative I made. Since I am a doctor, it wasn't that difficult for me," she admitted guiltily. In her room, the shared door beckoned — a portal to her impulsive plan. Arnav lay unconscious, the scent of wine clinging to him. As a doctor, she concocted a sedative, ensuring he remained oblivious. The room service attendant became her accomplice, and she paid him to strip Arnav down to his innerwear.

"I called the attendant from your room and offered him to..I regret it now. I really do," she confessed, her voice breaking.

"You can regret it later, finish with your story," he gritted his teeth, his body raveling in fury.

"I gave him 50,000 to make you naked and when he did and he was gone out of the room, I waited in my room and when I was sure my husband was coming to my room, I dashed into yours through the shared door. Slept beside you and waited until my husband came. I left the shared door open so he could notice and he did, he saw me sleeping beside you. What I wanted my husband to feel has indeed happened or so I thought. He didn't react and went away. I sat on your bed disappointed and crying. And went after my husband, only that he didn't react. He never reacted. Neither was he angry nor was he hurt. He never loved me and I understood only then. We are divorced now and he's happily married to the same woman he had cheated on me with," she said palming her face, tears of regret shaking her body. 

"I regret. I regret everything I did. I shouldn't have done that. It was wrong and cheap of me to do that. I didn't even care that you could have had any health issues and giving you sedatives is not the right thing, not as a doctor at least. I regret. My impulsiveness and anger left me with just regrets. I am so sorry. I played with your dignity. I don't deserve your forgiveness. Sue me. Punish me for whatever I did. I can't live with this regret and guilt," Her remorse spilled forth.

He sued her. Arnav's resolve remained unshaken. He would seek justice, her tears didn't tug at his conscience. Savita's regrets would not absolve her of the consequences she faced.

"Chotte?" Anjali shook his shoulder.

Arnav came back from his thoughts that happened a few days ago with Anjali's touch on his shoulder. It took him a few days to process the legal actions against Savitha, Kishore, and the Hotel, which is why he was late to his cousin-brother, NK's wedding, and only arrived at the last moment before his wedding was to start.

And yet here he was, standing and not in this world, he just couldn't. Even if he sued them, the thought that someone had taken advantage of his vulnerable situation gnawing at his heart.

Only if he was booked into a room that didn't have a shared door.

Only if he wasn't drunk. 

There were many 'only ifs' if he could think of but he knew he couldn't change things from the past, he had to be okay with disgust, the hurt, the fact that he..he had been used for one woman's cheap act. He has to and soon, he has no other choice. 

Surviving hurt and vulnerable forms of his heart isn't any new for him anyway, he'd survive this too. He has to! 

Regards,

Poly

03/04/2023

So this is what that had happened with ASR in Nainital. Any reviews are welcome.