Kabhi kisi ko apne itne kareeb nahi aane dena chahiye

Kyun k phir wahi log tumhe chot ponchate hain...

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Garima burst into sobs with her head in her hands as soon as Madhumati told her everything that happened in Arnav's house upon her constant insistence.

"He took her back right from our door Jiji. He must be so angry. What will he do to my Khushi? What must he had had already done?" Garima cried out scared.

Madhumati shook her head now regretting bringing up the topic the way she did in front of Arnav.

"Jiji, you shouldn't have brought up the topic up to separate Khushi from him. Didn't you know what he did on the wedding when Khushi chose me over him?" Garima shuddered thinking of the possibilities of how would Arnav make Khushi pay now that she has agreed to leave him and has come over to her maternal home as well.

"I thought I could get to him Garima. I was wrong I guess." Madhumati mumbled with tears in her eyes as worry for Khushi made her restless too.

"How could you get to him Jiji? How? By telling him the whole story? He becomes a raging bull at the mention of his father and.. me that telling him everything is next to impossible. I shouldn't have let you go there. It would only make things worse for Khushi now." Garima shook her head and then her eyes widened when the door creaked open and Shashi came in wheeling his chair. Madhumati sighed as did Garima because his expressions told them that he has heard it all.

But before he could say anything, a frantic banging on the front door made them rush to the door worriedly.

"Koi tumhe aaj tak tod nahi saka kyun k ye kaam Arnav Singh Raizada k hisse mai aya hai aur jo kam Arnav Singh Raizada k hisse mai aye usse wo kisi na kisi tarah poora kar hi leta hai.(No one could tear you apart till now because this task was reserved for Arnav Singh Raizada and whatever Arnav Singh Raizada is obliged to do, he do it anyways by either means.)"

"Good luck with that." She snatched the door knob and gave him a push back to bang it shut before she drove off without another glance leaving him standing alone on the deserted road.

"Aman, get me a car." Arnav called him and told him the address before clenching his jaws looking at the way she has drove off without looking back.

"Let it be this way Khushi Singh Raizada.Let it be your way this time around but just wait and watch how I will turn it into my way, really soon!" He gritted.

In a few minutes, Aman was there with a car. Sitting in which he demanded to be taken to the hospital. He has to visit his Nani.

The car screeched to a halt. She exhaled and rapidly blinked her eyes to keep the moisture at bay.

"I-I left him." She whispered with a whimper. "Anyways, he deserved it." She wanted to sound confident but it barely came out of her mouth with stutters.

Vengefully, she started the car again trying to ward off the worry that was now nagging her mind as her heart protested when her mind reminded her that she left him all alone standing in that deserted road with no one around.

Driving ahead slowly for a minute she reversed the car with her heart gripped into a fist.

"I will just give him a lift back to his mansion then I will go away peacefully.Yeah!" She mumbled to herself while driving back as a few tears spilled down her cheeks.

She blinked back the tears when her vision blurred. Taking another turn to the road she stopped the car and looked around for any sign of him. Finding none, she almost jumped out of the car worriedly.

"Mr. Raizada?" She called out looking around. Her eyes darted around to the point where her vision could allow.

"Arnav ji?" She tried again with her heart drumming in her chest.

"I-I didn't come back to you okay? I just thought that.. that you are alone here and I might give you a lift back to your home perhaps?" She croaked nonetheless.

"Where are you A-Arnav ji?" She cried out at the end with her hand to her mouth.

"F-Fine. I-I am going. H-Help yourself out." She gritted out loud feeling anger bubbling up within her.

What the hell was she doing?

What has gotten over her that she came back into the lion's territory?

What if he had been here?

He would've taken her back to cage her within his castle?

"You will pay. Pay for what you made me go through by chosing your family yet again staring right on to my face. And pay, you will."

"What will you do?"

"What do you think? Are you afraid of getting caught Mrs.Raizada?"

"Make sure I didn't catch you because if I did this time around then I will make you regret it. Big time!"

Shuddering she ran back to the car and hopped in before starting the car looking around scared expecting him to pop out of the any tree to dump her back in that lonely mansion all over again.

She was about to enter into the Laxmi Nagar street when she applied brakes.

"This all will end the day I will see Garima Gupta in the condition in which I last saw my mother."

"Do you realize what you are saying? The last time you met your mother she was-" Buaji shrieked.

"--breathing her last I know." He said silently.

She closed her eyes in pain taking sharp intake of breaths.

"These are the papers of your Buaji's house in Laxmi Nagar that are now on my name.Yes I have bought it.I will throw their luggage out of MY property and will make sure they are on roads when i'll be done with them..So if you don't want me to do any of this than just abide by my orders and don't pester me with your whining like you wanna meet her and all!"

"You are free to move around or go out but just don't go to Gupta House or Raizada Mansion if you don't want me to take drastic actions. Don't think of leaving me either because that won't end well."

It left her in a dilemma. Where would she go then if not to Gupta House or Raizada Mansion?

More dangerous was going to her mother. She can't risk that as if he got to know that she went there then he will definitely make her family suffer which she don't want at any cost and if she went to RM then what will he do?

Make her suffer?

Only her, right?

As if he wasn't doing that already!

So she changed gears and headed to the route of Shantivan.

Madhumati opened the door with her mind still on Khushi. Garima standing behind Shashi's wheel chair praying in her mind for Khushi's safety.

It was Sunita, Preetika's mother at their door looking hysteric with expressions of worry on her face.

"Sunita? What's wrong?" Madhumati asked.

"Madhumati ji, please help me. Preeto fainted all of a sudden and she is bleeding." She exclaimed horrified. Living alone with her pregnant daughter and not having anyone to help her has made her panicked.

Madhumati and Garima ran out taking her along with her. Taking a cab they took Preetika to the hospital.

"Is my daughter alright? She was bleeding doctor." Sunita asked with Madhumati and Garima standing besides her.

"Emotional turbulence perhaps has triggered the bleeding but mother and the baby both are fine. Make sure she don't stress much from now on." Doctor said and left.

Sunita fell on the seat besides the bed taking her daughter's hand in between hers.

"How can I take away her stress? I can't get her what she seeks for in this condition." She sobbed.

Garima placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I maybe cruel to think like that but I hoped that Ankur has kept her with him instead of leaving her even if his mother treated my daughter like a servant. In that way she would've at least had her husband with her to look at. She has lost her will to live getting separated from him."

Garima swallowed while Madhumati felt her heart well up.

"Once she will wake up she will go back to pretend that she is doing all fine and then one day again burying it all inside without a word, would bring her back here Jiji!" Sunita looked up at Garima who didn't know what to say to console her.

She just hugged her when Sunita broke down.

"Tell Ankur about the baby Sunita. Maybe that change his mind." Madhumati suggested.

"She don't let me do it either." Sunita choked.

Garima came out of the room holding her cries but as soon as she did she broke down with her palm to her mouth. Madhumati came out knowing what was going on in her mind and hugged her.

"If Arnav has left my daughter then my Khushi would've been exactly like this Jiji. He didn't though but still she isn't in peace with him. I am wondering too whether that would have been better or this is?" She said pulling back.

"At least titaliya isn't pregnant Garima. That might have made things more complicated and a mess." Buaji said.

"Till when Jiji. What if she got pregnant one day and he left her? Then?"

It made Madhumati speechless for a second before she shook her head.

"Let's hope it doesn't happen until things doesn't get sorted out between them."

"But what if it did?" Garima said with her eyes wide.

"Let's not think about it Garima. Okay?" Madhumati said sternly this time making her nod but before she could calm herself she saw Arnav coming from front with his PA Aman following behind and as soon as he noticed them his eyes turned dark and glassy with overpowering rage.

With a heavy heart she honked and Mohan opened the gate seeing her in the car. Coming out she passed the keys to him with a teary smile to which the old man smiled wide.

"Its good to see you back Khushi bitiya." He said and was about to take the bag from her but she thanked him telling him that she would do it herself.

Hanging the bag over her shoulder she entered in through the door right when Payal, Anjali and Akash came face to face with her with bags in their hands most probably all ready to go to hospital.

"How is Nani ji?" Khushi choked as all of a sudden she felt too worn out. Reality hit her hard that she has left the man who has already not only stolen a major part of her being but also was going to be the father of the baby growing in her womb.

"She is recovering fine Khushi ji." Akash spoke because the other two ladies were too shocked to react seeing her here.

It was not long that they noticed the bag in her hand and it dawned on them.

"Khushi?" Payal asked.

"Did you escape from Chote and come here?" Anjali asked anxiously knowing that it would infuriate her brother too much and it would be a problem not for anyone else but for Khushi herself.

"No." Khushi said hoarsely."He allowed me to go anywhere I want. H-He left me!" The words burst out of her before she broke down falling on her knees. They stared at her shocked not understanding anything.

Arnav and would let Khushi go?

How so?

Why?

"I couldn't possibly go to Amma because it would give him the reason to hurt her for snatching me from him.Can I live here as I don't know where else to go." She looked at them expectantly causing them both to crouched down to her level with their eyes pricking.

Payal hugged her close while Anjali rubbed her back. Akash went to fetch a glass of water.

"You don't have to ask Khushi ji. It's your home too. Of course you can live here. Always!" Anjali said softly.

With Payal's help Anjali took Khushi to the living room inside.

Akash handed Anjali the glass of water as he looked at Khushi worriedly because he knows something no one else does. It wasn't good for Khushi to stress too much in this condition.

Khushi took a few sips before handing the glass back to Anjali. She leaned back against her jiji and closed her eyes.

"Jiji, I want to sleep." She mumbled as tears flowed down her cheeks unchecked. She wanted this. She wanted him to be free then what was wrong with her now? She didn't know. It was like needles were pricking her throat and she won't be able to live the same way like before. Ever.

Akash nodded at Payal who herself looked all ready to join her sister in crying. Composing herself she made her sister stand up.

Anjali and Akash watched them go.

"Let Payal stay here with her while we can go to the hospital." Anjali suggested to which Akash nodded.

As Khushi passed by the kitchen and the smell of the food hit her nostrils she felt nausea built up. Before Payal could understand what was happening Khushi ran to the nearest bathroom and threw up making Payal shriek for her husband horrified.

Akash and Anjali who were about to walk out of the door heard Payal and ran back into the house to the direction of the sound.

They reached the bathroom where Payal was patting Khushi's cheek who has fainted in her arms after throwing up many a times until she couldn't keep her eyes open.

Hurriedly Akash carried her up in his arms in amidst Payal cries to call for a doctor but her husband kept quiet until he lowered Khushi on to the bed in her old room. Arnav and her room!

"It's normal Payal!" Akash said exasperated at Payal's constant insistence on taking her to a doctor.

"She fainted after throwing up too many a times and you are saying its normal?" Payal said angrily while Anjali gulped hard feeling her eyes tearing up as a thought struck her hard.

"Stay here with her Payal. Make her eat something light when she wakes up.We will try to come back as soon as we can." Akash said patting her cheek.

In panic Payal's mind must have stopped functioning otherwise she might had thought of the possibilty which Anjali had.

"We will take Khushi to the hospital too did you get it Akash?" She grabbed his arm.

"I said we don't have to." He was adamant.

"Why not?" She gritted.

"Because this type of sickness is normal in pregnancy!" He exclaimed out loud making Payal dumbfounded.

Anjali shut her eyes tight as her doubt got confirmed. But she didn't know whether to be happy or sad in this kind of messed up situation?

Chote has allowed Khushi to leave when she is pregnant. How could he?

What kind of test was this for Khushi and Arnav now?

Wait a moment. Does Chote even know that Khushi ji is pregnant?

Anjali thought looking at Akash alarmed to which he shook his head making her stagger back with her hands shaking.

"Oh my god Akash. You know it but Chote don't. Do you know how mad would he get if he got to know that Khushi and then.. you hid it from him?"

"Just be calm Garima." Madhumati whispered to her when Arnav took deliberate steps towards them with his eyes glinting with maddening rage.

"How can I be calm jiji? He is in the hospital. Why? Did he do something to my Khushi?" Garima exclaimed horrified that made Madhumati scared too.

"Where is my Khushi? Did you harm her physically now?" Garima gritted as soon as he reached them.

Arnav clenched his jaws.

"Don't try to act smart with me Garima Gupta nee Sharma." He scoffed knowing very well they were trying to play a game with him now that Khushi must have reached their house and met them. But then why were they in a hospital?

"What are you doing in the hospital? Don't tell me my long lost wish is going to be fulfilled and you are finally saying goodbye to this world which will be better off without you!" He taunted.

"Shut up Arnav!" Madhumati growled.

"What did you do to my Khushi this time because she tried to go away from you Arnav?" Garima said unaffected by his obvious taunts to her. More than her life, she cared for her daughter's safety.

"Why? Didn't she tell you?" He sneered.

"How would she tell us when you don't even let her talk to us or meet us?" She exclaimed teary eyed.

"I told you. Don't act smart with me. I know she must have come to you." His heart galloped with fear.

If she didn't go to them then where must be she?

"What do you mean?"

"She left me a while back dammit. I allowed her to go wherever she wants." He burst out making her eyes widened. She looked at Madhumati terrified.

"But she didn't come to us. We came here just fifteen minutes back."

Madhumati took out Shashi's cellphone from her bag she has taken just in case and dialed home. Arnav tried Khushi's number with his heart thumping in his chest. Garima held the chair for support.

"Shashi, did Khushi come home?" Madhumati asked urgently. Upon hearing the answer, she shook her head at Garima who looked on the verge of passing out. Madhumati made her sit on the bench.

They were looking at Arnav hopefully who was frantically dialing her number but to no avail. He turned to Aman who was standing behind him silently till now.

This woman never listens to him. Her cell was again switched off without any news of her!

Dammit!

"Her phone is switched off Aman. Try tracking my SUV's GPS because she took my car. Get back at me with its location. Hurry up!" He ordered and Aman immediately followed his order as it is.

"You said you won't ever leave her. Then why did you?" Garima couldn't hold back the anger.

"I didn't. Do you get it. I didn't. She was getting too persistent on leaving me that I let her go but just for a few hours. I would've gotten her back the minute I had left the hospital knowing that she must have gone to you!" He couldn't keep his cool either and blasted.

"If you let her go even for a bit then at least you'd had dropped her home by yourself. Don't you know her mind isn't in the right place all thanks to your tortures!" Garima said bursting into sobs.

He pressed his lips into a thin line. As much as he despised that woman, he couldn't argue on what she said. He should've himself dropped her wherever the fuck she wanted to run to.

"What would you have done the minute you have gotten her back? Make her pay? Make her suffer for even thinking of leaving you eh?" Madhumati scoffed.

He ran his fingers in his hairs agitated. Garima and Madhumati stood up anxiously when Aman came running back.

"ASR, your car is in the vicinity of Shantivan. That's what the tracker says." He mumbled while Arnav heaved a sigh of relief.

She went to RM?

Why didn't she go to GH?

He closed his eyes as he realized why. Because of him. Because of his threats.

Still to be sure he called Shantivan. HariPrakash took the call.

"Is Khushi there HP?"

HariPrakash frowned.

"Khushi ji? N-No Arnav Baba. She isn't here."

"How come dammit? My car is there. How can she be not?" Arnav barked.

"I don't know Arnav Baba. Mohan kaka said that she came here but left leaving the car here."

Arnav cut the call breathing fire.

"Khushi Singh Raizada!" He gritted as with every passing second his anger was bubbling up that if she has been in front of him now then he would've made her regret for doing this to him.

"Khushi is in RM right?" Garima asked and it only fueled his anger. He stormed to the elevator without replying to her. Madhumati quickly dialed Payal's number to know about Khushi's whereabouts herself as to relieve not only hers but Garima's worries as well.

The minute they were in the elevator Aman got another command.

"I know she is in RM. I just need proofs. Find them out till I meet Nani."

HariPrakash shuddered as he heard the beep from the other side.

"He dropped the call. But Payal ji, he would kill me if he got to know that I lied."

"Don't worry. Nothing will happen. Because he won't know it at all. Not that easily." She said firmly. She was coming downstairs to make something for Khushi when she has heard HP taking Khushi's name and she knew right away who must have called to investigate about her whereabouts.

Relieved that she prevented their meet until Khushi would recover Payal headed to the kitchen. She has no doubt that Arnav would find it out if not sooner than later but she would delay it as much as she can until her sister would be strong enough to face him.

She was heading to her room with the soup in a tray when she saw Khushi running out of the room breathing heavily and stopped in front of her with thick rim of tears in her eyes.

"What happened Khushi?"

"Who brought me in his room? I can't live there."

"It's your room too Khushi."

"I can't stay there jiji. There.. there everything.. everything reminds me of him!" She cried out with her fingers in her hairs.

Payal swallowed blinking back the tears.

"Okay. Relax. Calm down. Come and stay with me in my room until I get another one ready for you, alright?"

Khushi nodded with tears stuck to her lids and followed Payal to her room.

"Maa, you don't like hospitals. That's why I made the arrangement. Everything will be available for you at home." Monohar said whilst Akash, Anjali and Manorama stood behind him looking at each other worried for her.

Subhadra Devi tried too but nothing worked on Devyani.

If it had been any other day then Devyani Singh Raizada would've gone home by now with her constant insistence as she hated hospitals but now, she refused to even though her son has done the needful for her discharge.

"Do you think I care about that Manohar?" Devyani's voice though weak but determined reached Arnav as he was about to enter the room and it made him stop right there.

"Then what is the problem Maa? Tell us and we will do our best to solve it."

"You can't." She croaked as a tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

"Nani at least tell us? We are getting scared here." Anjali pleaded.

"Dadi. Please?" Akash probed too in which Manorama joined in and Devyani blurted out.

"I won't go home until Chote and Khushi bitiya won't be there."

Anjali and Akash looked at each other. Khushi was there at RM but Arnav..wasn't.

Arnav who was listening to all this swallowed hard. Composing himself he turned the door knob and entered silencing them all there.

One by one everyone left the room leaving him alone with his Nani.

"On one side you don't talk to me Nani and on the other you want me home?" Arnav asked silently.

"I want Khushi bitiya home and I know that you won't let her be out of your sight as she can't go anywhere without your permission hence I have to let you enter my home too!" Devyani started confidently but her voice shook at the end causing Arnav to exhale.

Sitting besides her he took her hand in both of his.

"Forgive me Nani." He croaked bleary eyed kissing her hand.

"It's not me to whom you should say sorry." She said sternly.

"It's only to you I can say that. Understand that. Please?"

Her heart welled up when he placed his head over her hand and saw the tears dropping from his eyes.

"Don't dig up the past more or you might lose everything. Because exhuming old graves gets you nothing but remains of certain dead bodies that aren't pretty to look or remember most of the times. Let it go Chote." She said softly this time.

He raised his head and looked at her with his misty eyes lined with red hue.

"I-I can't. She was my mother Nani. Y-Your daughter." He choked.

She closed her eyes in pain.

"I accepted the reality long back that she is no more Chote. Neither can she come back if I held any grudges against anyone being the cause of her death." Tears flowed from her eyes as she said that.

He swallowed.

"I had you, I had Anjali to look upon whenever I missed her."

"I have no one to look upon when I miss her, Nani. No one." He shook his head with his heart cutting into pieces.

"You have me. You have Anjali bitiya. You have your whole family." She exclaimed.

"It isn't enough Nani. No one could fill the void that her death caused within me. No one." He said hoarsely with his bloodshot eyes as tears dropped that were stuck on his lashes.

"Chote?" Today Nani saw truly how much Ratna's death has broken her grandson. She thought maybe he has recovered somewhat all these years but no, he was still there. Stuck in that age when he was just 14 and his mother lost her life in his arms.

"I tried to look upon Di, to you when I missed her too much. I even let you and Di call me Chote like she did but nothing worked." He blinked back the tears."I tried to live all headstrong showing to the world, to you, to Di that I am past that but I am not Nani and I can never be until I don't make those people pay because of whom I lost her."

Devyani didn't say anything to make him understand because by now she has realized it was impossible seeing the way he was broken inside out. It wasn't THE ASR avenging his mother. It was Chote tired of being stuck in that one moment where he lost his mother and he was fighting a war within himself in a hope that someday he could make peace with it all. But that peace he now thinks lays in taking revenge.

"How could I not see how much broken you always were?"

His Adam's apple bobbed. Sniffling he left her hand softly before wiping his face and took a deep breath.

Devyani saw that his guards were up again as he didn't answer her question but said instead.

"You want me and Khushi back in RM, right? You will get it. Now get ready to go back home." He stood up.

Kissing her forehead he turned to leave.

"What is Khushi's fault in all this Chote? Why are you making her suffer?" Nani said from behind when he reached the door.

Swallowing hard he turned to her with his back to the door.

"She believes so much in faith and destiny Nani. If I did too then I would've said that she might have had come to this world with big misfortune because I, Arnav Singh Raizada, was destined to fall in love with her. Fault isn't hers but mine." He clenched his jaws as he finished.

"You will make her suffer for your own fault?"

"I will make her suffer until she won't chose me!"

There was certain madness in his eyes that shook Devyani. She felt really scared for Khushi of what he might do.

"Won't it hurt you?" She tried to get into his thick head.

"It will. It does. But what love is without pain or suffering?" He said and left the room but Devyani Singh Raizada couldn't ward off the restlessness that developed inside her due to the mad, crazy emotions she has seen emanating from his eyes.

Aman met Arnav halfway in the corridor and informed him that his intuition was right.

Khushi was there at Raizada Mansion.

Smirking he took the keys from Aman and headed to RM.

It was already hours he has last seen her and after the painful conversation and the breakdown he has had with his Nani he really needed to see her, hold her, touch her, kiss her to get himself back together.

"But Shyam ji, you just came and you aren't well yet. Can't you take a few more holidays?" Anjali said worriedly as doctor changed his dressing and left after giving him the medicines.

Shyam told Anjali that he has to go out of the town for an important case and it made Anjali anxious.

"Rani Sahiba, it's just for a few days. Try to understand it is important and related to child abuse. I can't back of from helping people can I?" He tried the only tactic that would work on her. Sympathy for needy people!

It worked as usual.

"Keep me informed about your health." Anjali said touching his cut lip and the bump on his forehead.

"I will and you keep me informed about Nani's health. I wish I could stay for-"

"It's okay. I understand." She said softly.

Anjali hugged him after he dressed up and left from hospital only.

He met Subhadra Devi at the exit and they both left to their separate destinations after a small talk.

Payal sighed exasperated as Khushi drank a few spoons from the soup and then placed it back on the tray making a face.

"Khushi, drink it whole. You haven't eaten anything and whatever you did since morning you threw it up pretty badly!"

"Jiji, I don't want it. Please don't force me."

Khushi turned her face swallowing her tears. She was feeling too emotional.

Why?

She didn't have any idea or say she didn't want to acknowledge the reason.

"Khushi? You do know that you have to eat. For your baby!" Payal said softly.

"I know. I know!" She cried out."But I don't want to. Understand that Jiji. I don't want it." She croaked at the end.

"Why not?" Payal asked quietly.

"I don't know. I am feeling too emotional without any reason." She sobbed which someone heard while passing by the door and stopped.

Payal hugged her to her side but refrained from telling her that she knew that why she was feeling like that.Pregnancy hormones weren't the only reason for her state.

"Mrs.Akash Singh Raizada, will you leave me alone with my wife?"

They both sprung apart startled at his voice.

"Most probably, your sister don't need you or the food but something else. Or rather someone else!"

Khushi gulped looking at him standing there at the door with his gaze fixed to her eyes, her face melting her from within.

What was happening to her?

She was never this weak. She told him off on his face then what was wrong with her now?

Why she wanted him when she don't need him anymore or did she?

Clenching her jaws she stared at him with accusations. Their last encounter was still fresh in her mind. She recalled it all over again to build up some of the strength to face him.

He has caught her. Yet again.

What would he do now?

A shiver ran down her spine and she hugged Payal hiding her face in her chest.

"Didn't you hear me Payal? Leave us alone!" He said still standing at the door.

"You let her go yourself. Let her breath now!" Payal said firmly hugging her back.

"Get out Payal!" He warned.

"You, get out because it's my room." Payal narrowed her eyes at him.

"You're right. Very well then."

He addressed Khushi already losing his patience as the urge to take her in his arms doubled within him and seeing her crying made it more necessary now. Not only for him but her too.

"I am going to our room Mrs.Raizada and I want you there in less than five minutes because we have to discuss a very serious matter." He said and left.

That's when Khushi raised her head to the door and sighed in relief.

She frowned clearly confused at her own behavior. She wanted to see him until she didn't.Now when she did she was getting irritated at his orders.

What was wrong with her?

"Jiji, is my room ready?" Khushi asked getting out of the bed.

"Yes. Your luggage is shifted there too."

"Thank you jiji. I will go and rest. I am so tired." She hugged and kissed her cheek before running out to the room right next to Payal and Akash's leaving an anxious Payal behind who knew neither would Khushi relent nor Arnav would. That means another fight between them.

Shutting the door behind, Khushi leaned against it with her hand to her chest and her eyes shut tight.

"I am going to our room Mrs.Raizada and I want you there in less than five minutes because we have to discuss a very serious matter."

"A serious matter huh? I know what that is." She croaked.

Now that he have caught her, he will make her pay for taking the opportunity he gave her to go away and she wasn't a fool nor an idiot that she would go to that room to get punished.

She wasn't scared but terrified of what he would do not for herself but for her baby!

Locking the door firmly she shut the poolside doors as well before drawing the curtains together and got into the blanket on the bed. She closed her eyes curling herself up like a ball under the covers and slept not knowing that she was only inviting all the troubles for herself by not listening to the monster over and over again.

Pacing the length of his room for exactly five minutes he dashed out angrily when she didn't come.

"Where is she?" He asked Payal as soon as he entered and saw her arranging the cupboard with no sign of Khushi around.

"She just left to your room." Payal said without turning to him mentally praying that he buy it.

"I came from the same way Payal. I didn't see her." His voice held an edge to it.

"She went through the poolside." She made it up quickly.

She exhaled when she heard his footsteps going away from her room. She called Anjali Di and telling about the situation to her, she pleaded.

"Di, tell Akash and come back home as soon as possible. I can't hold him back for long."

"Payal ji, do me a favor. Just this once please?" Anjali said reluctantly.

"I support Khushi ji from the bottom of my heart but for this once let Chote meet her. Don't hinder it."

"What are you saying Di?"

"He needs her Payal ji. He has to be with her to gather himself." Anjali said as she has seen Arnav's breakdown in Nani's room and upon confronting Nani, she told her everything of what they talked.

"What about my sister Di?"

"Let him be back to his composure then I promise that whatever Khushi ji wants would happen."

Payal stayed silent.

"Please Payal ji?" Anjali was on the verge of crying that Payal has to agree.

Arnav came back to the room and checking around thoroughly, gritted his teeth.

"These Gupta sisters!" He groaned. He dropped the idea of confronting Payal again.

Instead he searched every nook and corner of RM until only one room was left which was locked.. from inside.

He went back to his room and taking out the master key came back to open the door before entering. She was here. He knew it the minute he has set foot in. What made his heart grip into a fist was the drawn curtains and the minimum light coming into the room with her covered into the blanket from head to toe.

He switched on the lights first of all and the next he closed the door behind before approaching the bed.

"Enough of the games Khushi. Get up!" He said with his folded against his chest. His gaze locked to the person lying curled up like a baby under the blanket.

"Mrs.Raizada!" He tried again as nerves at his temples throbbed.

"Khushi, don't test my patience." He growled then.

"KHUSHI!" He shouted losing his cool and threw the blanket off her only to freeze.

She was asleep!

ASLEEP!

When he was going through hell and back being mad for her she has the audacity to sleep over his misery?

Pacing besides the bed with a volcano bubbling up inside him, he gave her occasional glances as his heart almost melted as she pouted in her sleep. Almost though until the rage overpowered all the feelings as his mind recalled what she has said when she drove away from him.

"Today three months have passed Mr.Arnav Singh Raizada. THREE MONTHS. If you couldn't completely shatter me till now then it doesn't matter how many more months or years will pass, it means you can't achieve that. Ever. Till now, no one has been able to make Khushi Kumari Gupta surrender.Neither did it happen today nor will it tomorrow and neither will it ever."

Clenching his hands he stood over her head before jerking her up to stand in front of him jolting her up awake.A flabbergasted Khushi was about to shout scared with her eyes half open, half closed when he covered his mouth over hers shutting all of her screams right there.

"I heard that you were getting sad for me." He rasped pulling back.

"Your ears must not be functioning well if you are hearing such nonsense lately!" She pushed at him breathing hard wiping her mouth with the back of her hand feeling emotional all of a sudden. Again!

She rubbed her arms lowering her head whilst taking deep breaths to put concrete over all of her emotions.

"I want you Khushi. Right now. Right here."

Her head shot up to him stunned.

"Are you c-crazy?"

"Maybe I am. Or maybe I might turn mad if I didn't do this. I need it. I need you."

She stepped back whilst her knee hit the bed behind causing her to fall on it with a thud.

"What has gotten into you?" She exclaimed feeling perspiration gathering on her forehead. Her arms already wrapped around her stomach as motherly instinct kicked in her.

"I won't take no for an answer Mrs.Raizada because I have all the rights. You have signed them to me, yourself!"

There was some unhinged, deranged emotions shining in his eyes telling her that today, tonight he won't back off.

"But you let me ... go!" She murmured with her lips trembling.

"Yeah. For fun. Because I knew I will catch you before you know it." He shrugged.

"You are torturing me just for.. fun?" She croaked looking up at him as her heart clenched painfully.

He didn't reply to that but said.

"Now, do you want it here or in our room?"

She swallowed hard lowering her eyes.

"Fine. Let's get this over with. Right here. Right now as you said." She gritted.

His Adam's apple bobbed as she stood before him determined.

"You can escape it though Mrs.Raizada. Think about it because I won't be gentle or considerate at all once I started."

Pressing her lips into a thin line she exhaled with chills running down her spine but refused to get intimidated by his threats.

"All you have to do is help me.. destroy your mother and I will back off from my plans to destruct you!" He whispered leaning to her face causing her heart to split into two. She would never agree to help him and he knew that too.

"Only this was left Mr.Raizada. Only this. You haven't taken me forcibly to your bed yet. Do it and finish the final phase of your plan to destruct me once and for all." She challenged with hurt and angry tears forming in her eyes.

He balled his hands into fists.

"Duniya k samne toh mairi koi izzat rehne nahi di aapne. Khud ki nazar mai thoda bohat jo khud ko bacha k rakha hai usse bhi khatam kar dijiye. Phir shayad aap k mann ko shanti mil jaye!(You have destroyed my image in front of the world already. Now finish whatever little respect I have for myself in my eyes. Maybe then you would live in harmony!)"

"Tumne toh kaha tha k tumhe toh koi tod hi nahi sakta Khushi Singh Raizada toh ab kya hua?(I thought no one could break you then what happened now Khushi Singh Raizada?)" He chuckled sarcastically with his own heart cutting into pieces as he said that.

"Mai todne ki nahi, khatam karne ki baat kar rahi hun Mr.Raizada. Todne aur aik saath sab khatam karne mai farq hota hai.(I am not talking about breaking but finishing it all Mr.Raizada. Because there is a difference between shattering and annihilating everything.)"

"Aur mujhe uss fark se koi farak nahi padhta!(And I don't care about any difference at all!)" He cupped her cheeks raising her face up to his threading his fingers in her hairs.

Needles pricked her throat as he leaned to her face despite having his own eyes filled up from the corners.

Taking a sharp intake of breath she pushed him and stood up.

"Don't. You can't." She murmured in a choke.

Someone clawed a hand on his heart gripping it making it squeeze painfully. He lurged her to his chest as the pain doubled him over and folded one of her arm at her back when she weakly protested.

"Wanna see how I can?" He gritted.

"I am thinking of bringing Khushi back here. Didn't you see how angry he was when he was searching for her? Thanks to Payal that she informed us that Khushi is in RM and he doesn't know yet otherwise we would have gone mad with worry for her." Garima said after she and Madhumati told Shashi what happened at the hospital.

After Arnav's left without answering they have met Akash coincidentally and upon inquiry they have gotten to know about Nani being admitted there along with the reason behind it but Garima couldn't muster the courage to go meet or face her. There was a nagging feeling inside her that all of it was happening because of her and she didn't know how to end all of their sufferings.

"Now that he has let her be free then get her here Garima. Khushi has suffered enough at his hands." Shashi said stuttering nonetheless. His speech was getting better day by day and so was his hands and legs movement.

Garima nodded but Madhumati hesitated.

"You are forgetting an important detail Garima. He said that he has let her go for a few hours only to get her back with him."

"In what mess my daughter has gone all because of me!" Garima cried."What would we do now Jiji? Shashi ji?"

"It's high time we take a stand despite of being guilty for all that happened because of the past Garima. Tomorrow when Devyani ji would go back to RM we will pay them a visit." Shashi announced with as much firmness as he could.

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