Part 15 Arnav's Question

Arnav became calm, seeing Khushi. Anjali smiled. Arnav took his mobile from her.

"Thanks," Arnav said.

"Di, shall I help Amma in the kitchen?" Khushi asked glancing at Arnav.

"Chotte, she is asking for your permission," Anjali said controlling her laughter.

Arnav looked at Khushi and nodded yes smiling. Khushi went feeling relieved.

"Didn't I say she is scared? See, how she hesitated to leave your room without your permission..." Anjali said laughingly.

"She should have understood the reality..." Arnav said with pride.

"What do you mean by reality?" she asked sarcastically.

"I'm her protector... I'm going to safeguard her for her whole life"

"Do you think it is even possible?"

"Isn't it?" he asked immediately.

"You can't do that..."

"Why?"

"She will get married to someone in somedays..."

Arnav was shocked to hear that. He turned his gaze to somewhere.

"Your responsibility will end when she gets married. Protecting her will become her husband's responsibility after her marriage. How could you be her protector after her marriage? Even her husband won't like your interference in their matter..."

"Who the hell is her husband to stop me? I gave words to her father"

"Who are you to her, Chotte? Are you her brother? or a Relative? or a Friend? By which means will you protect her? of course, you gave your words but it will get over when you hand over her responsibility to someone called her husband. That's what marriage..."

Arnav became thoughtful. Anjali was not wrong.

"What are you thinking, my little brother?"

Arnav nodded NO.

"This is our society setup, Chotte. A girl's life depends on her husband. So, find a good guy to get married to Khushi. Then you will be free. She will be her husband's responsibility then"

When Anjali extended her hand to feed him the next morsel, Arnav stood up.

"Arrey, don't leave the food... finish eating and go"

"It's enough, Di"

"Are you going to search for a groom for Khushi right away?" she teased.

Arnav glared at her.

"I'm not Khushi to get scared of your BLUNT glare my dear little brother. I know your glare won't harm me" she stood up with the plate smilingly.

Anjali walked towards the door. She stopped hearing,

"Di..."

Anjali turned around and raised her brows.

"I would like to keep my words till my last breath as I promised. What should I do to protect her for her whole life?"

Anjali didn't even take a second to answer.

"Marry her... simple"

She left the room smiling brightly. Arnav stood, gazing at her retreating figure. We can't say what was running in his mind.

In the meanwhile,

Rajeev was driving a car glancing at Simran who was furious. He never faced such humiliation in his life, that too in front of his daughter. According to her, he was her hero but Arnav made him ZERO today. Rajeev almost lost his hope of getting him as his son-in-law. How wrathful he was... it seemed there was no chance for him to mend things between him and Arnav. Arnav was thinking, Rajeev ruined Anjali's life. Arnav was not wrong though. Rajeev wanted to keep not only Arvind in his control but also Raizadas. That's why he brought Dheeraj's alliance to Anjali. Dheeraj was none other than Rajeev's brother's son. He thought he can get the whole Raizada clan into his control through Anjali. But everything went in vain. Simran could not hold thinking about the flashback.

Flashback

Dheeraj was a drunkard who came to the stage in a drunken state on his wedding day. Anjali looked at him horrified as he stunk like hell. His bloodshot eyes scared her more. When they were asked to take pheras, Dheeraj fell down closer to the Havan. His wedding turban fell on the holy fire and caught fire. It became ashes in a jiffy. Anjali stood looking at him shockingly could do nothing. Dheeraj's relatives took him to Groom's room. Ratna glared at Arvind who was looking at Rajeev helplessly.

"What the hell is this, Dad?" Arnav shouted at Arvind.

"His friends should have made him drink... he is a good guy" Rajeev tried to handle the situation.

Simran was taken back seeing Arnav's wrath. She got captivated by Arnav who had just come from London to attend Anjali's wedding. Till then she didn't expect Arnav would be so fetching because Arnav was so simple before he went to London. After a few years, she saw him at Anjali's wedding. That too in the wrong situation... when he shouted for his Di.

Clutching Arnav's hand, Arvind tried to pull him away from the crowd. Arnav shrugged his hand off furiously.

"Arnav... everyone is looking at us"

"Everyone looked at the groom when he fell down, Dad" he sneered.

"Compose yourself Arnav..."

"How could you choose such a man as a groom? Don't you get anyone other than a drunkard? What is so urgent? Didn't you enquire about him?"

"How could he enquire about him when he is Rajeev Bhai's brother's son?" Ratna said sarcastically even though Arnav stopped talking to her.

"We will talk later..." Arvind said looking at the surroundings embarrassingly.

"When? Look at Di... she is standing alone... waiting for her drunkard husband to come to complete the pheras..."

Arvind looked at Ratna who was spitting fire on him through her eyes. She so wanted to slap her useless husband and his egoistic friend. She gulped the thought along with tears, suppressing her anger.

Arnav walked to Anjali. He tried to remove the garlands from her neck. Anjali stopped him, clutching his hands. Arnav looked at wrathfully.

"Chotte, please..."

"Are you going to live with him? He came to his own marriage in a drunken state, Di. How could he be a good husband? He is not even a good human, who doesn't know the ABCD of morals"

"Mind your tongue Arnav," Dheeraj's father said.

Arnav looked at him wrathfully. He was taken back seeing Arnav's anger as he looked like a God of death.

"Do you want me to mind my tongue? I wish you would have minded your drunkard son when you brought him up..."

"His friends should have forced him to drink..."

Cutting him,

"And your son drank could not avoid them? Will he drink every day if his friends force him?"

"Arnav, we elder will talk..." Rajeev said.

"Go to hell with your talks..." he howled.

He kicked the flower plate that was on the stage.

"I will kill you for sure if you dare stop me..." Arnav roared.

He turned towards Anjali and removed the garlands from her neck. This time, Anjali didn't try to stop him. She was scared, seeing his angry avatar. Throwing the garland on the floor, Arnav started walking, dragging Anjali with him.

"Chotte..."

Arvind blocked his way, spreading his hands.

"Chotte, don't spoil her life"

"You have already spoilt her life... don't make me spoil the little respect you have in the society"

Pushing him away, he walked. As Arvind didn't expect, Ratna also followed them.

Flashback end

Simran came out of the flashback when Rajeev pressed the brake. She saw them reach Sinha Mahal. Getting down from the car, she rushed in. Rajeev followed her helplessly. She ran to her room and cried her heart out. The crying sound of Simran echoed all over the Sinha Mahal.

Shyam, who was getting ready for the office came out of his room, hearing her high-pitched tone. He saw Rajeev and somewhat understand what could have happened in RM.

Sitting on the couch, Rajeev was looking to the roof, leaning on it. Shyam came to him and sat opposite him. Rajeev sensed his presence. Staying in the same position,

"Arnav insulted me. He insulted me for a mere girl..."

"Getting insulted by Arnav is not new to you though," Shyam said without any expression on his face.

"He asked me to leave RM... He threw Simran out of RM..." h sat straight.

"She should have done something that made him do so"

Rajeev looked at him disappointed.

"She was in RM when he came from Lucknow. He didn't think of throwing her then..."

Rajeev rolled his eyes.

"We should stop interfering in their matters, Dad"

"Simran likes Arnav..."

"I too like Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, (Miss universe 2021) But who am I? Just because I liked her, could I marry her? No right?"

Rajeev looked at him shockingly.

"Arnav is as same as Harnaaz..." He left the place, leaving helpless Rajeev but Shyam didn't know Simran had another plan to get Arnav.

Shyam saw Simran rushing towards him. She hugged him and cried.

"I'm sorry Bhai... I hurt you. I didn't know LOVE FAILURE can be so painful. Because of my over-possessiveness, I broke your LOVE. I loved you so much, that's why I could not tolerate you loving someone. I'm sorry... Because of me, you could not get ANJALI" she cried on his cheat. Shyam stood, tightening his jaws whereas Rajeev stood shockingly.

To be continued...