Hey fellas. I am back with the next update.

Thank you so much for liking & commenting on the previous update.

Now enjoy the update friends.

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Arnav was on his way to Laxminagar to bring back his Khushi. From the moment Khushi left his cabin, it was getting very difficult for him to control the various emotions. His happiness of being again with his Khushi, his anxiety of hurting Khushi again, his guilt of again taking advantage of her helplessness.

He knew he has again made her helpless by pulling his latest stunt which has hurt her immensely. The image of her agonized visage in his office was not letting his heart & mind at peace.

But he was helpless too. He had to do it to get her back with him. He had no other option apart from using her weakness - Her family.

He knew that she can never see her family in any kind of problem or pain. She herself would endure all the troubles but won't let her family get affected.

He knew she won't be able to pay his demanded rent & neither she would be able to see her family homeless which would leave her with only one option, that is to come back to him & it happened exactly the same.

He is not happy blackmailing her again. But he isn't upset either. He strongly believes that she too isn't happy to stay away from him as she feels the same for him. But due to his uncontrolled anger & caustic tongue she wants to keep herself away from getting more hurt & pain.

He is very much aware of the trauma he made her go through. She must be sad, hurt, angry, upset on him. May be still she would try some other excuse to not come to RM with him & stay at her buaji's house only.

But he can't let that happen because their contract marriage has left with only 12 days to end. After that he won't have anything to hold on to her as she wont be his wife anymore.

The thought itself of her not being his wife was enough to drive him insane. No no, without her besides him, he won't be able to breathe. He won't be able to live. He wont be able to survive in his dull & dark life which can be illuminated only by Khushi's twinkling eyes, her sweet sugary voice, the jingling sound of her payal, her heart warming laughter & above all the kind & loving heart she posseses which keeps his heart beating too. All these things are the most essential things for him to live his life.

He won't let her throw their life together for his unintentional mistakes. He will do everything needed to save his relationship & now he very well knows what he needs to do. He will make her understand his feelings. He will do what he hasn't done till now - Voice out his feelings for her, in words & actions both.

He has 12 days to persuade her, to win her back & he will definitely succeed in this test & make her believe again in him, in his love & win her love & trust back for life.

He decided that as soon as he will take her to RM, he will first apologize for all his rude words & behaviour towards her. Then he will lay his heart open to her & show her that she resides in every nook & corner of his heart, mind & soul. She won't be able to overlook his display of emotions which won't be less then the 8th wonder of world for her.

He chuckled at his own crazy thought.

The only thing he needs to take care of is that she comes back with him without creating any scene or fuss infront of her family. Which he is sure she won't. But still she is Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada, who is likely to do the unexpected at any given point & turn the tables.

Amidst his thoughts he reached Laxminagar & stopped his car outside buaji's house. Seeing the house, again the hurt face of Khushi flashed infront of his eyes when he had told her about vacating this same house.

Less she knew that now she herself is the owner of this house as he has done the registry under her name. But he couldn't tell her now. Lest she would take it as one more of his obligations & this would add on to the pile of his guilt.

Taking a deep breath, calming his restlessness he came out of his car & moved towards the door & knocked.

Buaji was cutting veggies to make for dinner in the evening sitting on the sofa & Garima was massaging Shashi's legs with warm oil as per directed by the physio, sitting near his feet on the ground in the hall itself.

Khushi was pacing in her room restlessly. She was expecting him anytime. As soon as she heard the car stop near her house she understood its him.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes tight & chanted DM's name to give her strength for what she is going to do now. Composing herself she came out of the room & heard the knocks at the door.

"Sankadevi, just see who is it!" Buaji said seeing her coming out of the room.

"Ok, buaji." nodding her head she moved towards the door & opened it knowing well who it is.

His eyes met hers & his heart tightened with pain to see the grief in her eyes.

'This is the last time I have hurt you Khushi. Now you will get only happiness from me.' He promised to himself.

Seeing Khushi not moving from the door & letting the visitor in, buaji asked in her loud voice, "Who is it titaliya?"

"Jiji's jethji" She replied & moved aside to let him in.

Arnav understood the sarcasm in her words "Khushi... He started to say but before that buaji came to him & said in her usual loud manner.

" Arnav babua! Come in, come in." She invited.

Garima too stood up from the floor wiping her oily hands with the waste cloth & came near buaji to welcome her son-in-law.

"Namaste." Arnav greeted the three elders present over there to which they reciprocated with the same. They were surprised to see him at this hour as it is his office time. Nonetheless they invited him in and asked him to take the seat. He obliged by sitting on the sofa but his eyes were fixed on Khushi. Whereas she was looking everywhere but him.

Buaji and Garima noticed this and felt something fishy. Buaji took a seat beside him on the sofa and started the conversation, "Babua, how are you and how is Anjali bitiya? We know she must be shattered. It must be very difficult for her to believe about her husband being a two timing bigamous lecher, whom she worshipped as god. We really feel bad for her. Hope she gathers herself for her baby which would be her support and reason to live."

Arnav could feel the love and concern for his dii in Buaji's voice but he also understood that Khushi hasn't told anything about previous night and morning incident to her family. He was right she can never give any pain or trouble to her family.

He felt proud of himself for loving such a kind hearted and loving soul. He looked towards her with soft, tender eyes which melted Khushi's heart for a moment but then she composed herself & averted her eyes.

When Arnav didn't answer to buaji & was looking longingly towards Khushi & the way Khushi averted her eyes, confirmed buaji's doubts of something wrong between the couple.

She gave a tensed look to Garima & Shashi & they mirrored the same expression.

Buaji again tried to break the ice, "Babua is everything ok? I mean you are here at this time. Don't take me wrong babua. Usually you are in the office at this hours."

Buaji tried not to sound rude to her son-in-law to which Arnav nodded & answered, "Everthing is fine buaji. Dii is also trying to absorb the reality." He looked towards Khushi after saying that. Her look was challenging him to tell the truth of his dii.

"What would you like to have babua? Tea or coffee." Buaji asked him lovingly.

But before he could reply Khushi dropped her bomb, "24000 rupees."

Arnav snapped towards her & so did the elders.

"What are you saying Khushi?" This time it was Garima to ask.

"You exactly heard what I said Amma." replied Khushi.

Arnav sensed danger. He understood Khushi is upto something big which would tear him apart. So before she spills the beans he stood up from his place to stop her.

But Khushi quickly continued halting him in his steps," Buaji, amma, babuji our house owner Mishraji has sold this house to Arnavji & now he is the new owner of this house." She said pointing towards Arnav.

"Khushi.." Arnav tried to stop her holding her elbow but she jerked his hand & continued, " Being the new owner, Arnavji has doubled the rent amount. So now we have to pay him 24000 & he has come here to collect the same."

Arnav was looking at her with unbelievably widened eyes. But the rest were looking confused.

Not understanding anything buaji asked,"Titaliya, what are you saying? Why would he buy this house & even if he bought it why would he double the amount instantly?"

"So that he can blackmail me to go back to him & stay with him in his house." Khushi answered in a hoarse voice, trying not to cry.

Buaji was now more confused then before so she almost shouted, "Can you go more crazier then this Sankadevi? What are you saying? Why would he need to blackmail you to stay with him when you both are married & being his wife you belong to him & his house?"

"Buaji, I want to.. Arnav again tried to intervene to stop the disaster but Khushi again beat him to it," Because our's is a contract marriage which will end within 12 days."

This was a shocker for buaji & Khushi's parents. The ladies gasped covering their mouths & her father tightened his fist in pain.

The rotund buaji sat back on the sofa with a thud holding her head in her hands.

Arnav caught hold of Khushi's wrist & tried to pull her in her room to talk with her, to stop her doing this nonsense. But Khushi didn't budge & tried to free her wrist from his tight hold.

Arnav whisper shouted, "Stop acting smart Khushi. Do you even know what you are doing? You are going to tell them about our contract marriage. Do you have any idea how hurt they would be?" He tried to do some damage control by making her emotional.

But Khushi was past all this now. She pulled her wrist briskly from his grip & retorted, "I know what I am doing. I should have done this way before then I wouldn't have got to suffer all those miseries." She couldn't hide the pain in her voice & tear filled eyes.

Arnav was taken aback seeing her all defensive & before he could react Khushi turned & moved towards buaji. She sat beside her on the sofa & held her hand.

"Buaji, amma, babuji I am going to tell you a very big truth which I have hidden from you all since months. But I can't handle it anymore. I am tired & worn out of bearing everything alone. Now I want to confide in my family & want their support." Khushi said almost crying. Buaji looked into her eyes & saw pain & grief which pierced daggers in her heart.

Buaji nodded her head telling her to continue. Khushi looked towards her amma & patted the seat on her other side, asking her amma to join her.

Garima obliged & Khushi held her buaji's & amma's hand on either side, gaining strength. Khushi gave a look to her babuji who blinked his eyes offering his mute support. Khushi gave a warm smile to him.

Then she looked towards Arnav with determined eyes which was enough of indication that now she won't stop.

Arnav felt his nerves going numb, his life slipping from his hands & his heart beating speedily with the fear of loosing her.

To be continued......

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So guys, how was it?

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A/N

Friends I am changing this story from TS to FS.. I hope u all won't mind...

Next part would be Khushi's much pending outburst on Arnav & then the last would be Arnav bearing his heart open to Khushi with lots of explanations & apologies.

Thanks.
Love - Kavita 💝