Arnav sat in his study till late evening, brooding over the revelation about Khushi. The report lay open on his desk, confirming his worst fears. The woman he thought was his wife, the woman who had stirred emotions within him, was not Khushi. She was an imposter, a lookalike. He clenched his fists, struggling to contain his anger and confusion. He needed to know her real motive, but for that, he had to keep playing the game.

A soft knock on the door broke his thoughts. He straightened up, schooling his features into a neutral expression. "Come in," he called out.

Khushi entered, her face lighting up with a warm smile. "Arnav. Are you Planning to stay here all day? Is everything alright?"

Arnav forced a smile. "Yeah, just a lot on my mind. What about you? You seem to be in a good mood."

Khushi walked over to him, her eyes sparkling with a mix of determination and something softer. "I am, actually. Just… handling things one step at a time. But I wanted to check on you. When Akash came to fetch you, You seemed tense."

Arnav’s heart ached at her concern. He reminded himself that this wasn't Khushi, even if she looked and sounded exactly like her. He had to stay focused. "I appreciate it. But really, I’m fine."

Khushi perched on the edge of his desk, her gaze steady on him. "You know, you can talk to me. I’m here for you."

Her words hit him harder than he expected. For a moment, he saw the woman he loved, the one he had lost. He had to force himself to remember she wasn't real. "I know. Thanks, Khushi."

She tilted her head, studying him. "You’ve been different lately. Is something bothering you?"

Arnav shook his head. "Just work. You know how it is."

She reached out, placing a hand on his arm. The touch was gentle, comforting. "I do. But I also know you. There’s more to this."

Arnav looked at her hand on his arm, then back up at her face. He saw genuine concern in her eyes, and it twisted something deep inside him. He had to stay strong, had to find out what she was hiding. "It’s nothing, really."

Khushi withdrew her hand, but her eyes didn’t leave his. "Alright. But Arnav if you are trying to remember the past, don't force on yourself too much..., you’re not alone."

Arnav nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for the deception he was maintaining. He had to play along, had to keep her close to uncover her true intentions. "I won’t forget that."

Khushi smiled softly, then stood up. "Good. I’ll let you get back to work. But don’t stay up too late."

He watched her leave, the door closing softly behind her. Arnav leaned back in his chair, the conflicting emotions swirling inside him. She was so convincing, so much like the woman he loved. But he couldn’t let his guard down. Not until he knew the truth.

Khushi walked back to her room, her mind racing. Arnav’s change in behavior worried her, but she couldn’t afford to be distracted. She had a mission, a purpose that burned inside her. She had to find the culprit and exact her revenge. There was no room for anything else, not even the confusing feelings she had for Arnav.

As she closed the door, Khushi took a deep breath. She couldn’t let anything derail her. Not Arnav’s strange behavior, not her growing fondness for him. She had to stay focused. The truth would come out, and when it did, she would be ready.

Meanwhile, in his study, Arnav thought its time to dig deeper. He couldn’t afford to let his emotions get in the way. He needed to know who she really was and what she wanted. Only then could he find some semblance of peace.

Arnav sat alone in his study, his thoughts a tangled mess. The report confirming that Khushi was not the real Khushi weighed heavily on his mind. He had regained fragments of his memory, but they were incomplete, like pieces of a shattered mirror that refused to form a coherent reflection. He remembered his feelings, his emotions, but specific details like addresses and numbers remained frustratingly out of reach.

His eyes drifted to the other envelope that Akash had handed him earlier. Inside was the address that might hold the key to understanding everything. It was the same village where he had gone for a work project in the past, the place where he had met Khushi for the first time. The memories of that village were hazy but filled with warmth and a sense of fateful connection.

Arnav stood up, determination hardening his resolve. It was time to visit that place, to dig into the past and uncover the truth. He couldn’t let this imposter continue deceiving everyone, least of all himself. He needed answers, and the village held the promise of those answers.

He found Akash in the living room, engrossed in some paperwork. "Akash," Arnav called, his voice firm.

Akash looked up, noting the seriousness in Arnav’s expression. "Bhai, are you alright?"

"Yes. Never like before. Now, It’s time," Arnav said, holding up the envelope. "We need to visit the village. The place where you got the address of. The same place where I met Khushi for the first time."

Akash’s eyes widened slightly. "Are you sure, Bhai? I mean, are you ready for this?"

Arnav nodded. "I have to be. My memories are still fragmented, but I need to find out what happened there. It’s the only way to understand who this imposter is and what she wants."

Akash sighed, setting aside his paperwork. "Alright. I’ll make the necessary arrangements. When do you want to leave?"

"As soon as possible," Arnav replied without hesitation. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we can start finding answers."

Akash nodded. "I’ll book our travel and make sure everything is ready. We should be able to leave by tomorrow morning."

Arnav felt a mix of anticipation and apprehension. This journey to the village was not just a physical one; it was a journey into his own past, a past that held both beautiful memories and painful truths. He glanced around the house, wondering how much longer he could keep up the facade with the imposter Khushi.

Later that night, as Arnav walked through the halls of the palace, he found himself outside his room. He hesitated for a moment, before entering

Arnav pushed the door open and stepped inside. Khushi was sitting by the window, looking out at the garden. She turned to face him, a smile playing on her lips. "Arnav, finally free from work?"

He just forced a smile "yeah, finally!"

He had to remind himself that this wasn’t the real Khushi, even if every instinct screamed otherwise. "I’m going to be away for a few days," he said, trying to keep his tone casual. "Work-related."

Khushi’s expression shifted slightly, a hint of concern in her eyes. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," he replied, forcing another smile. "Just some things I need to take care of."

She nodded, though the concern didn’t leave her eyes. "Alright. Be safe. When are you starting?"

"Tomorrow, early morning" He just informed in a casual way

"Ok. Let me help you pack your bag" He was confused if she sounds extra sweet after he know her truth or is it just him feeling that way

"No, I'll manage" He said calmly and went out, not able to bear her softness

As he left the room, Arnav felt a strange mix of emotions. Part of him wanted to believe she was the real Khushi, but the logical part of him knew better. He had to stay focused on the mission. Tomorrow, he and Akash would visit the village, and hopefully, they would start unraveling the mystery that had turned their lives upside down.

The village held the key to his past and the truth about the woman pretending to be Khushi. Arnav just hoped he was ready to face whatever they found there.

________________________

The next morning, Arnav and Akash stood in the grand foyer, their bags packed and ready for the journey ahead. Dadi, Rani Maa, Manohar, and Manorama gathered to see them off, each with their own thoughts and concerns.

Dadi's face was etched with worry as she looked at her grandsons. "I don’t like all my grandchildren going out of the palace at the same time," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "First Ragini to her friend's place, and now you both for office work. It doesn’t feel right."

Manorama, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. "There’s a lot of negative energy around here lately," she said, glancing sideways at Khushi. "Maybe it's better to stay cautious."

Manohar stepped in to calm the situation. "Arnav and Akash are going for important work, Maa. The guards will be with them, and they’ll be fine. We shouldn’t think negatively."

Dadi sighed, her concern deepening. "I just worry because of what happened in the past. We were on the verge of losing Arnav once. I can’t go through that again."

"Maa, please.. " Rani Maa tried to stop dadi from speaking of past

Arnav stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Dadi's shoulder. "I promise, Dadi, I’ll take care of myself. Nothing from the past will repeat itself." His eyes flicked to Khushi's imposter, a silent vow in his gaze.

Turning to Khushi, he put on a warm smile making sure she doesn't doubt his intentions "Take care while we're gone. Make sure you rest and don’t overdo things."

Khushi smiled back, touched by his apparent concern. "You too, Arnav. Be safe."

Arnav then addressed his mom "Please take care of her while we're away, Maa. Make sure she has everything she needs."

Rani Maa nodded. "Of course, Arnav. She’ll be well looked after."

Dadi made a face, sensing Arnav’s implicit hint. "I hope you’re not suggesting that I’m the one causing trouble for your wife" she muttered under her breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

Arnav smiled gently at Dadi. "I’m just making sure everyone is taken care of, Dadi. That’s all."

With final goodbyes and promises of safety, Arnav and Akash headed out the door. The family watched them leave, each lost in their thoughts.

As everyone began to disperse, Khushi lingered, watching the retreating figures of Arnav and Akash. Once the others had gone their separate ways, her expression changed. The soft, gentle look on her face twisted into something dark and menacing. She smirked, her eyes gleaming with a strange, unsettling light.

"Go, Arnav," she murmured to herself. "Go and try to uncover your past. Or should I say, our past?"

She chuckled softly, the sound eerie in the now-empty foyer. "Let's see what truths you find, and how you handle them."

Her thoughts swirled with plans and secrets, each more sinister than the last. Whatever Arnav and Akash hoped to discover, Khushi was ready. She would make sure their quest led them deeper into the darkness of their shared history, a history that held more secrets than they could ever imagine.

__________________________

Arnav and Akash had been on the road for hours, their destination a village that held the key to past. As the car rolled along the seemingly endless stretch of road, a sense of unease began to settle over the brothers.

Akash glanced out the window, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Bhai," he said, turning to his brother, "I think we've passed that same tree three times now."

Arnav frowned, looking out at the familiar landscape. "That can't be right. We've been driving in a straight line."

Akash shook his head. "I’m telling you, we’re going in circles. Even the driver seems confused."

Arnav leaned forward, tapping the driver on the shoulder. "What’s going on? Why do we keep seeing the same landmarks?"

The driver, a seasoned professional, looked just as perplexed. "I don’t know, sir. I’ve been following the directions exactly, but it seems like we're looping back to the same place."

Arnav exchanged a glance with Akash. "What about the guards? They were following us closely. Do you see them anywhere?"

Akash scanned the road behind them, but there was no sign of their escort. "They’re gone. It’s like they just disappeared."

Arnav's face tightened with concern. "This doesn't make any sense. Something is definitely wrong."

Akash nodded, his eyes narrowing. "We need to figure this out. There must be some logical explanation."

Arnav pulled out his phone, trying to get a signal. "Maybe the GPS will help us find our way out of this loop."

But the screen showed no signal, only adding to the growing sense of frustration. "Great, just what we needed," Arnav muttered, pocketing the phone.

The brothers fell silent, each lost in their thoughts as the car continued down the eerily familiar road. The landscape outside the window repeated itself, a never-ending cycle that seemed designed to disorient and confuse.

After a few more minutes, Akash couldn't hold back his frustration any longer. "We need to stop and figure out what's happening. Maybe there’s something wrong with the directions."

Arnav nodded in agreement. "Let's find a safe place to pull over and reassess. We can't keep driving in circles."

The driver found a small clearing on the side of the road and brought the car to a halt. The brothers stepped out, looking around for any signs or clues that could explain their strange predicament.

Akash walked a few steps away from the car, his eyes scanning the horizon. "This is unbelievable. We’re rational people,bhai. There has to be an explanation."

Arnav joined him, his mind racing through possibilities. "Maybe there’s some kind of magnetic interference, or the roads are designed to disorient travelers. We need to stay calm and think this through."

As they stood there, contemplating their next move, a gust of wind rustled the leaves around them, adding to the unsettling atmosphere. Despite their logical minds, a nagging doubt began to creep in, a tiny whisper of fear that something beyond their understanding was at play.

Arnav took a deep breath, shaking off the uneasy feeling. "We’ll figure this out, Akash. We just need to stay focused and keep trying. Let’s get back in the car and try a different route."

Akash nodded, drawing strength from his brother's determination. "Alright. Let’s see if we can break this cycle and get to the village."

With renewed resolve, the brothers climbed back into the car, ready to face whatever lay ahead on their mysterious journey.

____________________

Khushi sat in a dimly lit room, her eyes fixed on a small, intricately designed toy car. She moved it in circles on the table before her, her fingers deftly guiding its path. As the car completed yet another loop, she let out a dramatic, sarcastic sigh.

"Ugh," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "This must be enough warning for you both to stop the journey. If not you two, then at least I’m tired."

She yawned theatrically, stretching her arms above her head before bringing them down with a flourish. Her expression shifted from feigned exhaustion to one of malevolent glee. A wicked smile curled her lips as she imagined the confusion and frustration they must be feeling.

Khushi leaned back in her chair, her eyes glittering with a dark amusement. "You thought you could dig into the past so easily?" she mused aloud, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Well, think again."

She picked up the toy car once more, giving it a final spin before setting it down with a satisfied smirk. "Let’s see how long you can keep going in circles before you realize you’re wasting your time."

Khushi stood up, her demeanor shifting from playful to sinister. She paced the room, her mind racing with plans and schemes. "They think they can uncover the truth. They have no idea what they’re up against."

She paused, looking back at the toy car with a chilling smile. "Enjoy the ride, boys. The past isn’t something you can just dig up without consequences."

With that, Khushi let out another exaggerated yawn, stretching her arms as if she had just finished an exhausting task. "Well, I suppose that's enough fun for one day."

She walked over to a mirror, her reflection staring back at her with the same cold, calculating eyes. "Time to rest. Tomorrow is another day to play."

As Khushi turned away, her expression softened briefly, a flicker of something almost human crossing her face. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced once more by the mask of cold determination and vengeful purpose.

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Uzma