It started getting darker due to the heavy storm; clouds gathered all around the palace, making the early evening look like midnight.

"What's wrong with the climate? This sudden change?" Rani Maa frowned to herself.

"Maa, why don't we ask the people to come inside until the weather changes? There's no way we can be assured of everyone reaching home safely!" Arnav said with a thoughtful look.

An astonished Khushi looked at him as if he had grown horns.

Though Rani Maa was confused herself, she told the guards to let the people enter in.

Some people had already run out, while those who were stuck were escorted inside the gates. They entered and folded their hands in respect to Rani Maa and Arnav, while Khushi just rolled her eyes.

The huge doors of the palace opened for the bride and groom, while the whole royal family stood in to welcome them. Some with happiness and some with bitterness, which wasn't unnoticed by Khushi.

At Rani Maa's instruction, they all came out so that Khushi could step in first and they all would follow her. Khushi gave an inside glance to the palace with a smirk, seeing it decorated perfectly for her welcome.

So peaceful, right? The great Sheesh Mahal, here comes Khushi, to destroy your being. Do whatever you can in your power to stop me!

Rani Maa asked her to step in so she could do her aarti, but that didn't happen as expected. Instead, as soon as Khushi stepped in, all the lights of the palace went off, plunging everything into pitch darkness.

Some screams echoed in reaction to this sudden incident.

"Now what happened to these lights?" A woman screamed in irritation, whom Khushi recognized as Arnav's Chachi, Manorama.

"This is not a good sign! As soon as bahu entered the house, the lights went off?" Arnav's Dadi said in a disgusted tone.

Ahhh, Subhadra Raizada! The most displeased woman right now! But I must say, you are the only one who thinks I'll destroy all your peace. And yes, you are right. Don't worry, I won't let your expectations go unmet!

Though Khushi had her own thoughts going on, she made a fake pity face which instantly melted Rani Maa's heart.

"Maa, the lights went off because of the storm. There's no fault of Khushi's in this," Rani Maa explained, though Dadi made a face.

"But this has never happened before. Surely, this is a bad sign," said Arnav's Chachi again, though Arnav's Chacha tried to stop her.

"I don't believe in all this. I think we should enter without any more drama," Arnav said in an uninterested tone.

"Akash, go check with the electrician," Arnav's Chacha told his son.

Arnav was about to enter when he heard his mother.

"Wait, Arnav. Just a little more time," she said, instructing something to the maids.

The doors were closed, making everyone curious. Then, after some time, when the doors opened, it astonished them.

The whole way was lit with candles, making it look beautiful.

"Now come inside, beta," Rani Maa asked Arnav and Khushi to enter.

See! No one could stop me from entering, not the darkness, not Dadi, and not you, the great Sheesh Mahal.

She hit the rice kalash and stepped into the red kumkum to mark her steps inside. Though no one noticed due to the darkness, the step marks were black instead of red.

Rani Maa instructed the servants to show the people to the outhouse, which was itself big enough to accommodate everyone until the weather settled.

"Bhabi, let me introduce you to everyone," said a young girl cheerfully, appearing in front of Khushi.

Ragini! How can I forget you?

"Rags, introductions tomorrow. Everyone should move to their rooms now. Tonight, each of us will have dinner separately in our rooms. Hopefully, this light problem will be solved by then," Rani Maa said. Everyone nodded and went away after her words.

"Arnav, take Khushi to your room. I'll ask the servants to send your dinner."

"Yeah. Let's go, Khushi," he said, holding her hand, which she pulled back instantly, making him frown.

Rani Maa wished them good night and went away, while Arnav still stood staring at her confusingly.

"Let's go?" Khushi broke his stance.

"Ugh! Yeah," he replied. Before he could move, she started making her way towards his room... oops, their room.

They were crossing the temple when Khushi's leg rooted to the spot. She started feeling a strange pull towards it. The lights came back on, and the temple bells started ringing, which started haunting her.

No! What's this? Why am I feeling this way?

Is this something coming between me and my motive? No, I can't let anything ruin me.

I have to stay away from all this!

She glanced at the temple with hate and forced herself to walk away.

"How do you know the room is here?" asked a confused Arnav, entering the room behind her.

"Memory... how important the role of it is!"

"I don't get you," Arnav was truly puzzled by her talks.

"You don't have the thing for which you can understand," she again confused him.

This time, he was so irritated that he held her shoulders tight. But instead of wincing in pain, like any normal girl, she stood staring at him with more intensity than anyone could bear.

"I get it. You are playing with me. I know what I've lost. And I also know I've done something terrible in the past which has made you angry at me. So, why don't you give that thing to me, Khushi? Why don't you just reveal? Why this game?" He shouted out his frustration.

The truth is so deep that you can't bear its intensity. It is much more beyond your imagination!

"No, Arnav. I won't talk about the past. I leave it all to you. It is better this way," she said in a suppressing way, closing her eyes.

"What is stopping you, Khushi? Now everything's sorted, isn't it? I did everything you asked me to do. I married you. Now, please solve this puzzle for me," his tone became emotional, which could melt anyone who heard him. But Khushi, she stood as a stone.

"No," she shouted. "I won't say anything to you. If your love was true, you will get answers on your own. It's you who should find out, who should try to get back your..." she screamed, scrunching her eyes.

"Memories," he shouted in reply. "I know, dammit. I know that I have lost my memories. Just, all I remember is loving you. But then what? Where did you disappear? Why was I deserted? What happened in the past? I need to know," he held his head, which started paining due to the stress he gave it, trying to remember his past... their past!

Huh?! When you can't bear this! How do you expect me to believe that you'll be able to bear what I have in my heart? Will you be able to recognize who I actually am?

She laughed mockingly and turned to the other side while he just sat defeated.

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Hope you have fun, reading and solving the mystery.

With love, ❤
Uzma.