Part 25 The Truth

Khushi became excited seeing Preeto in her place.

"Preeto... how are you?" Khushi hugged her.

"Abhi, come here, see, Preeto maasi is here"

Abhi rushed out of the room, leaving his homework, hearing Khushi's thrilling voice.

"Maasi..." Abhi shouted.

"How are you Abhi?"

"Fine... how are you?"

"Superfine"

They sat in the living room.

"What's the matter Preeto, you have been visited us surprisingly?"

"Yeah... just thought to visit you"

"How is your Mister?"

"He is busy with wedding arrangements"

"Why don't you bring him here?"

"Will bring him soon for sure"

"What would you like to have?"

"Coffee..."

"Yup... Abhi, finish your homework quickly. We will have dinner altogether" Khushi said.

Preeto didn't deny it.

"Ok..." Abhi rushed to his room to finish his homework.

Khushi went to the kitchen and Preeto also accompanied her. Khushi boiled the milk.

"Then? How is your work going?" Khushi asked.

"Yeah, it's going as usual... you tell me, how is your job going with your interesting Boss"

Khushi's hands stopped for a second.

"Yeah... going good"

"We didn't have time to talk about your Boss the other day. tell me about him now. Why did you say he is an interesting person?"

"Leave it Preeto... tell me how is Karan Bhai is talking to you"

"Why Khushi? Why don't you want to talk about your Boss? just because he loves you?"

Khushi said nothing.

"He loves you... he likes Abhi also... then what's the problem Khushi?"

"I don't think it works... We should think about Abhi. Don't know how he will feel seeing me with someone other than his father"

"Father? Who is his father? Has he ever seen his father?"

Khushi was silent.

"Ok, tell me, are you ready to marry his father?"

Khushi looked at Preeto bewildered.

"Tell me, Khushi. Will you marry the person who is the REAL father of Abhi?"

"What are you talking about, Preeto...?"

"I met your Boss yesterday in Space Mall..."

Khushi looked at her shockingly.

"He and Karan are college mates. That's when I got to know he is the owner of Unique Software"

Khushi gulped down.

"So...? What is the relationship between him and Abhi's father?" Khushi asked Preeto not showing that she knew the truth.

"Your Boss is none other than Abhi's father," Preeto said calmly.

Khushi was horror-struck. Did Preeto know about Arnav? But how did she remember him when she met hundreds of people every day? This is what she feard of...

"Yes, Khushi... He is Abhi's father... he loves you... he likes Abhi. You are so lucky to get such a chance to regenerate your life. I think this is why fate examined you a lot... it wants you to wait for him to come from Canada..."

"No, Preeto. I don't know how it works... according to this world, I'm Mrs. Aditya..."

Cutting her,

"Mrs. Aditya my foot... don't you dare address yourself like that"

"I won't... but the world..."

"Throw the damn world in the dust bin... why the hell are you minding about the useless world?"

Khushi swallowed hard.

"What are you going to do, Khushi?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Marry Arnav... start a new life"

Khushi bowed down. Preeto lifted her chin.

"You have to marry Arnav..."

Khushi looked at her shockingly.

"Do you think Arnav will be quiet if he gets to know Abhi is his son?"

"Will you tell him?" Khushi asked nervously.

"I won't but Karan"

Khushi closed her eyes helplessly.

"Karan wishes a good life for Arnav. Don't you think he deserves a good life? Doesn't Abhi deserve his father?"

"To give him a father, I have to accept him as my husband"

"So what? what's your problem Khushi?"

Khushi was silent.

"Why are you scared to this extend?"

"I... I scolded him, Preeto" Khushi gulped down.

"Why did you scold him?"

"When he proposed to me... In the process of stopping him from nearing me, I touched his ego..." she said panicking.

"Don't worry... everything will be alright"

"Please don't tell him anything Preeto" she pleaded.

"I won't... but Karan will tell him the truth"

Khushi sighed.

"Get yourself ready to marry him. Or, get ready to face him..."

Preeto left the place, leaving Khushi in distress. She didn't know what Arnav was going to do. She let out a deep breath.

Abhi came out of the room.

"Mom, where is Preeto Maasi?"

"She got an emergency call from hospital... she left"

"Oh..."

Abhi sighed.

The next day

Arnav was fed up as Khushi didn't come to the office that day also. He expected her to come in the afternoon at least. But she didn't. He thought to meet her in the evening.

Arnav smiled, seeing Karan in his office.

"Hi, Karan... what a surprise...! don't your fiancé come with you?"

Karan nodded No.

"What happened? You look stressed... did you fight with Preeto?"

"I need to tell you something very important Arnav..."

"What's the matter, Karan? You are talking seriously? "

"The matter is really serious... It's about your son..."

Arnav was stunned... SON?

*What is he talking about? Is he truly talking about HIS SON? What a new problem this is...?* Arnav thought.

"Do you know what happened to the girl who carried your son?"

That's when Arnav understood what he was talking about. He managed himself.

"Karan, please... I don't care about it because the clause between me and the hospital management was *I should not care about the one who carried my child...*"

"But, the girl's life changed upside down it seems"

"Karan, please... it's none of my business. I don't want to know about her and I definitely don't want to care about it..."

"Don't you really care about your son ABHIMANYU?"

Arnav was about to deny it... he stopped hearing the name ABHIMANYU.

"Abhimanyu?"

"Yes... your son's name is Abhimanyu"

Arnav gulped down. He felt like a crab running inside his head. As Karan expected,

"Do...you... know... the name of the mother...?" Arnav asked.

Karan nodded yes.

"Khushi... Khushi Gupta... your PA"

Arnav felt a lack of breath...

*Khushi...? is it even possible? Is she the same Khushi who is with her son Abhimanyu? Is Abhimanyu none other than his SON? Khushi is the one who carried his son in her womb. Is this why he always felt something for them in his heart? Of course, she is not his wife... so what? She carried his son without any sexual relationship... but it doesn't matter at all now.* he thought.

"Karan... how do you know about it? "

"Preeto told me"

"Preeto...? How does she know? "

"She is the one who was with the doctor when she did the process..."

"Could she recognize Khushi? "

"She is in touch with Khushi"

"Really? "

"Yes... when Khushi was thrown out of her in-law's house, Preeto was the one who brought her to the hospital. "

"whaaaat! Was Khushi thrown out of the house? But why? "

"Khushi's in-laws were rich people. Their only son was impotent. They wanted to get an heir for their family. So, they searched for a poor class girl who won't question them. Khushi didn't know her husband's capability when she got married to him. She was not told the truth. She came to her in-laws with a lot of expectations... but she got only disappointment... She was shocked when she was taken to the hospital for the test tube baby process. That's when she got to know why they got her married to their son"

"then why did they throw her out?"

"Khushi's husband died of a heart attack when she was in the nine-month of her maternity period. They didn't want a child who is not their real heir. They were not ready to give the property to someone's child. They decided to drop the child in an orphanage. Khushi got to know their intention and fought with them... after all, she is a mother... They kicked her out of the house without showing mercy. They didn't even think of her condition was on her due date. Thank God, Preeto went to meet Khushi as she skipped the check-up due to her husband's death. She brought her to the hospital and admitted her because the delivery was also included in the package. So, the doctor treated Khushi. She was the one who named your son Abhimanyu..."

Arnav took his mobile out and sent Khushi's photo to Karan.

"Karan, ask Preeto whether she knew this girl"

"Who is she?"

"I want Preeto to answer the question" Arnav wanted to know the certainty.

Karan sent the photo to Preeto and called her. Preeto saw the photo right away as it was from Karan. Preeto attended the call. Karan turned the speaker on.

"Karan, how do you get Khushi's photo?"

"Arnav sent it to me"

Preeto understood what Arnav wanted to know.

"Yes, she is Khushi... Arnav's son Abhimanyu's mother"

Karan looked at Arnav who closed his eyes tightening his jaws.

"What shall we name this? " Karan asked.

"Fate... what else? " Arnav said huffing.

"I hope Khushi will accept you"

Arnav gulped down. He looked at his watch. It was 3o clock. He went to meet Khushi.

To be continued...