Morning sun rays flittered inside Arnav's room through the glass door of his pool window, he fluttered opened his eyes and looked around; the bed beside him is empty 'where is she?' Just then he heard her tinkling payal and clinking bangles he is so used to, but never had he accepted the fact in past not even to himself. He missed her so much, her every little thing when he was stuck in those dark rooms for number of days.

Khushi entered to see him awake and exclaimed 'Arey aap utt gaye {arey you are awake!!!}, good I was coming with your black coffee to wake you up.'

She turned to him keeping the coffee tray in the table 'Good morning Arnav ji and please now go freshen up before coffee gets cold.' Arnav nodding at her 'Good morning to you too, will come in a min.' Khushi started arranging their bed, Arnav came out and sat in his recliner taking his coffee, Khushi came and sat beside him 'Arnav ji can I go to temple?' Arnav looked at her surprised 'Khushi you don't need to ask my permission for such small things, just inform me and that's enough, you have your full freedom to do whatever you want like every other member in this family.'

Khushi smiling at him 'ji!!!' Arnav keeping the empty coffee cup 'I'll just take my shower and get ready after which we can go down for breakfast.' Before Khushi could tell him anything he went taking his clothes. Khushi looked at the closed door of the bathroom and moved towards poolside. Laxmi came there like usual to visit her favorite person in the house after her master nani, Khushi sit beside her patting her head while Laxmi chewed some of the green leafs from Arnav's plant.

Khushi taking Laxmi aside smiling slightly told 'no no Laxmi ji, Arnav ji will get angry if he will see you chewing his baby which he nurtured with so much love.' Laxmi 'mee-hed' at her as if understanding her each and every words.

Khushi caressing her 'You are not angry with me, do you?' Laxmi looked at her as if she has gone mad, Khushi smiled brightly 'I know you will not be upset like other's in this family. You love me, don't you?'

Laxmi chimed her consent like always making Khushi grin, Khushi hugged Laxmi to herself before kissing its head 'I knew it, you are my first friend here na so you do love me. You know I love you too haan but Arnav ji beat you first because I love him more than I do you or to say anyone else in this world.' Laxmi looked at her accusingly, Khushi laughed 'oh don't be upset on that, he is my Rajkumar after all, don't worry soon you will get one too like I got mine. Don't worry otherwise I'll set you up with bankelal ji's raju, he is handsome and you will surely like him.' Khushi who was blabbering all this failed to notice Arnav standing at the door frame of poolside, he had came earlier when Khushi was asking Laxmi if she was upset with her like other's in his family. His throat burned with unshed tears with her every word. He then smirked to see her confess her love for him to Laxmi 'of course he had been jealous of Laxmi in past for taking all her attention but not now after see her declaring her love to same goat. But then she is really a pagal to set the goat with another one, only she can think like this.'

He came towards them and called softly 'Khushi!!!' Khushi looked up at him 'oh you came I did not notice it before.'

Arnav 'yeah right you are so engrossed in your plans to set Laxmi with Raju then how will you notice my presence.' Khushi looked down embarrassed; Arnav laughed saying 'let's go'. Khushi looked up at him 'No Arnav ji, I'm not feeling hungry, you have it na.'

Arnav 'Khushi you did not had your dinner last night too, I don't want to listen anything come lets go down.'

Khushi 'Arnav ji please.'

Arnav 'what is it Khushi? Spit it now.'

Khushi looking down 'I'll have it later, Di is downstairs I don't want to cause her any trouble.'

Arnav sighing 'Khushi you don't have to do this, hiding from Di is not going to heal her, she has to come out of it by her own and blaming you is not done, we will help her to come out of this together, trust me.'

Khushi smiled at him 'I trust you Arnav ji but for now please you go and have your breakfast, it is already late. You should not skip your any meals and then medicine is to be taken too.' Arnav looked at her pleading eyes which he cannot refuse and left the room, he went down to see his family sitting in living room around his Di.....

Nani 'chotte!!! Come here.' Arnav went towards them looking at his Di who at the moment was not looking at him rather than the intricate design on floor. He bent on his knees before her 'Di, are you not going to talk to me? I did everything for your best Di, trust me Di he does not deserve you.'

Anjali pulled her hands out of his 'I don't want to talk on this matter.'

Arnav nodding 'did you have your breakfast and medicine.'

Anjali 'yes!!!' and looked up at him for the first time 'did you?'

Arnav 'I'll have it.'

Anjali looked little concerned and tried to stand up 'no you should have your food and medicine on time. Wait let me bring it.'

Arnav was pleased to see her concern but refused her from getting up 'doesn't worry Di I'll have it, in fact I'm going to, you take rest I'll go and have my breakfast.'

Nani 'you go chotte, HP will serve you.' Arnav nodding at her went to dining table. He took a plate first stuffing his toast with butter than keeping them in a tray arranging it with a glass of juice. He then took another plate to look for what is prepared for others; he opened the lid of the vessel to see it is empty, and checked through others and same, nothing left. He shouted for HP who came running on his summon.

Here in living room hearing him shouting other's came to see what happened? Khushi too heard his shout and came out of the room to witness the scene down. Arnav 'What is made for breakfast?'

HP 'Paratha with curd.'

Arnav 'So where is it now? Is there in kitchen?'

HP 'No bhaiya, there is no paratha left.'

Arnav 'what the?'

Nani coming forward 'what happened bitwa?'

Arnav 'Nani Khushi yet not had her breakfast, I thought to take her breakfast up with mine, she don't like these toast and butter which is the only thing available here.'

Mami 'hello hi bye bye, Can't Maharani comes down and have it on her own. Look at the time it is 11 am, and expect the breakfast to be available' Arnav fumed at her comment, Khushi blinked back her tears, Nani chided her 'Manorama chup rahiye.'

Arnav did not said anything and kept the taken plate down taking a bowl, took an apple and started cutting it, Payal came forward to help him but he stopped her with his hands glaring at her, and started peeling an orange, added some other fruits to the bowl and putting a fork in it placed in the bowl, filled another glass of juice and kept them in tray. Without saying anything took the tray and started moving towards his room walking past sulking mami, not so pleased Di, guilty Payal and worried nani, he knew if he opened his mouth then it will be disastrous.

Khushi on seeing coming went inside the room wiping her tears; Arnav came inside to see her arranging their closet. He called her 'come first have something then you will do those work.'

Khushi smiled at him hiding her pain, came and sat beside him where he is waiting for her, Arnav 'today you have to manage with toast and fruits I'm afraid.' Khushi chuckling 'it's alright Arnav ji, I'm not even hungry too.'

Arnav 'again same rant, common now start having this.' he took a toast bringing it close to her mouth, she took the bite from him and moved it towards him, both shared the toast, fruits and had their glass of juice. Khushi then fetched the water and handed him his tablet which he obliged her without complaining.

Khushi 'hmmm toh shall I visit temple and come.'

Arnav 'Are you going alone?'

Khushi 'I'll ask jiji and come.' Arnav nodded at her, she went out when his phone rang, and not getting the signal he came towards the poolside and saw his wife approaching Payal.

Khushi called her 'jiji jiji....' which Payal tried to ignore and walk toward her room, Khushi ran to her and caught her arms 'jiji where are you lost? I was calling you from last 10 minutes.'

Payal faked a smile 'nothing Khushi, I was thinking about Akash that's all.'

Khushi worried 'Is jija ji upset with you? Shall I talk to him?'

Payal snapped at her 'You don't have to interfere between us Khushi, you have done already enough.' Khushi dropped her hand, her face becoming pale, she then shaked her head 'jiji is upset that's all, she did not mean it' hid her pain behind the smile and asked 'It is okay jiji I'll not interfere between you and jija ji. I came here to ask you, will you come with me to temple?'

Payal replied her rudely 'No, and don't disturb me like this Khushi, I've work to do.' Saying this not for once she looked back at Khushi and went away leaving behind her hurt, who was on the verge to cry, mami came there listening to them and taunted 'you phatti saree stay away from Payal, it is not good for you or her. And besides she is not your sister now, but my bahu and my son's wife, so keep your distance from her now onwards.'

Khushi looked at her mocking smile, mami rubbing the salt on her wound went away sauntering, Khushi choked on her tears, she looked around and went for a glass of water to wet her dry throat. Tears escaped even after her trying to control. Arnav was watching all this and heard everything, his own tear escaped seeing his wife go through with no fault of her, and he was angry at Payal 'how can she behave like this with Khushi when all she did was for her happiness?' and mami, his anger on his family was reaching his peak but he bound by the situation of the family did not want to create a scene kept quite.

Arnav went inside the room and called her 'Khushi!!!',Khushi heard him calling her and wiping her face without any trace of tears came running inside to see him getting ready in his three piece suit.

Arnav looked back at her 'I need to go for office, have an important meeting with Mr. Roy, our lawyer, there are some urgent issue needed for me to look out.' Khushi came near him and took his wallet and laptop bag to give him; he looked at her 'Are you not going to temple?'

Khushi smiling at him 'No Arnav ji, I'll go some other time, jiji is having head ache.'

Arnav looked at her for few minutes 'how well you are trying to hide your pain but you cannot hide them to me Khushi'..... 'What happened Arnav ji'

Arnav 'oh nothing, just thinking why not I drop you to temple, you wished to visit your Devi Maya, right? then why not fulfill it.'

Khushi nodding negatively 'no no Arnav ji, you will be getting late.'

Arnav 'oh common it will hardly take my time, and beside it's on the way to my office, no discussion, I'll wait outside in car for you, come soon.' Patted her cheek lovingly and giving her smile went to take his car.

Khushi came down running after getting her purse and adjusting herself, he opened the passenger door for her on seeing her coming towards him, made her sit carefully before closing the door. The car moved out of Shantivan gate and reached the temple in 30 minutes.

Khushi 'Thank you Arnav ji.'

Arnav 'No mention and you are welcome.' Khushi got down from the car and Arnav came from his side, Khushi looking up at him 'I'll visit Devi Maya and after my prayer I'll leave for Shantivan taking rickshaw. You can go now Arnav ji, Mr. Roy will be waiting for you.'

Arnav 'Will you mind if I join you inside?'

Khushi looked at him wide eye 'you are willing to come inside but you don't believe in all this.'

Arnav 'I did. But you believe her, don't you? Then I believe in your belief.' Khushi smiled at him, he slid his hand in hers and moved forward to the stairs, she tugged his hand making him look back at her 'voh Pooja saman for Devi Maya.' nodding at her let her lead the way, Khushi buyed a pooja thal for her prayer and again holding her left hand in his right hand with clutching the pooja plate in her right both reached Devi Maya's idol. Khushi gave the thal to pandit 'Pandit ji do the pooja for Devi Maya in my husband's name, Arnav Singh Raizada.' Arnav looked at her surprised, Khushi looked at him 'she returned you safely na' smiled at him and then closed her eyes praying to Devi Maya. Arnav looked at her smiling and content face with a smile on his own face 'a simple gesture from him makes her happy.' He joined his hands together 'I promise to always support her and keep her happy. She will always have me with her in every turn of our life. Bless us for our better future ahead for together forever.'