"Every time we would either end up fighting or he would just walk away. I was completely devasted, with no one there to support me. You people thought we married out of love but it wasn't the case. I guess he hates me to core. He still does. He is punishing me for the deeds I never did." She slowly raised her eyes to meet his, enraged ones. They were filled with anger and disgust for her.

Looking away, she continued.
"I knew there was no one for me. So I just kept waiting for six months to get over. I just-"

"Six months?" Anjali interrupted, confused as other.

Khushi realized that she spoke, what she had promised herself not to reveal to family. She had many hidden truths of that marriage she wasn't going to reveal, this one amongst them.

She looked over at Arnav, who had clenched his jaws and palms controlling himself.

"We had a contract marriage for six months." She whispered but audible for all to listen as only silence surrounded them.

She heard gasps after gasps. She looked up to see Anjali covering her mouth in shock.

"Chotte, how could you?"

"No di-"

"Di please, you promised!" Khushi interrupted Arnav. A while later Anjali came out of the shock and nodded her to continue, wiping her eyes.

"So I would daily go to buy my grocery and on my way I would go-" she gulped and looked over to her family. "I would go to see my family. I would hide in a corner and look over my family. I have seen Babuji trying his best to wake up, try to move his hands, trying to speak. I would cry when he wouldn't succeed in it along with him."

"I knew he had distanced himself from family. He would never communicate with them. Happy ji would come and give him meds. He never took them from Buaji or Amma. I have even seen Amma cry when Babuji wouldn't talk to her. Buaji would curse me to spoil their happy family." She bit her lips to control her sob from escaping but she didn't dare to look at her family's shocked expressions.

Shashi smiled through tears as if he knew or realized that his daughter was the best and never would let their heads down in shame.

"This continued for a while until-" She closed her eyes, trying to come out of something horrible.

"It was after four months of our marriage on one night, You all had gone to some function for two days. But no one cared to inform me. It was just me and Arnavji in the house. But he too had gone to office and came only at night. I was all alone in this big mansion." She clutched her dupatta tightly and started.

Folding the heap of clothes she moved towards the closet to keep them, when suddenly lightening striked. It was so loud that it made her scare and the clothes fell from her hand. She clutched her heart over her chest as her heartbeats raised.

"Something is gonna happen." She whispered as her intuitions told.

Rubbing her palm over her heart, she made it relax and bend to pick up the clothes. Folding the messed up state of clothes, she was picking up the last piece when the lights of the room went off.

Scared of dark already, she screamed lowly and left the clothes on the floor and rushed to pick her cell on the bed. Switching on its flash, she heaved a sigh for a moment untill she heard a loud crash.

"Hari prakash ji?" She yelled, scared to death. She knew she was alone in the house but still hoped that the maid was back here for something.

"Arnavji?" She thought it to be him.

She slowly took her steps towards the door when she didn't get the reply. Creaking it open, she tried listening for anything amidst the pitter-patter of rain. Gulping she clutched the handle of door and peeked outside in the dark corridor.

"Hey Devi Mayia, raksha karna." (Oh lord, help me.) She mentally send a prayer.

Stepping out of the room, she flashed the light infront of her illuminating her path. When she was in the middle of stairs, she saw some movement near the kitchen.

"Kon hai?" (Who's there?)  Her hands shook in anxiety.

She heard nothing for few minutes and then suddenly she heard sound of something felling and someone yelling and then muffling his/her voice.

A panic alarm went through her spine and she retraced her steps back to the room. As she was closer to room she heard someone climbing the stairs in haste.

Quickly shutting the door behind her and locking it, she backed away from it. Dishing out her cell, she tried calming her senses and taking a breath, she had lost in panic. Dialling the man she wanted at that moment, she waited for him to reply tapping her feet in nervous and panicked state. But it was switched off.

"Open the door Khushi ji." She heard his voice.

Shyam

Her senses calmed for a second but regained its speed when she thought "why was he here at this hour of night?"

She knew he was lurking her and was behind her. He had visibly made her 4 months stay in this house, a living hell. But who would she tell this to?

"Kya chahte hai aap?" She neared the door. (What do you want?)

"Khushi ji lights shayad humare hi ghar ki gayi hai. Hume aapki madad chahiye fuse check krne mei." He spoke. (Lights have been cut off of only our house. I need your help in checking the fuse.)

She knew it was a bad call to open the door for him but his voice held genuineness. She feared but couldn't do anything.

Sighing she pulled the door open and he entered.

"Aap neeche the jab humne awaaz lagayi thi?" She asked. (You were downstairs when I called)

"Ji. Voh hum bas aaye hi the tabh aur andhere mei hum pta nhi kisi cheez mei takra gye." He replied and she nodded. (Yes. I had just arrived and in darkness I bumped into something.)

"Chaliye." She said when she saw him eyeing her. Shifting on her steps she headed for the door. (Let's go.)