Part 28 Arnav's stand

Khushi came to the kitchen just like a storm and saw Laila pouring coffee in a cup. She turned Laila towards her and slapped her hard. Laila stood, touching her cheek shockingly as the slap vibrated her whole body.

"What do you think of me...? Haan...? What did you ask me about trapping men? Why are you asking me about it? You are an expert in that matter after all... My husband told me everything about you from when you started nagging him for the marriage. He blocked your number could not tolerate your nuisance right? I know how much you tried to trap Arnav and what you did. when you couldn't trap him, you trapped his younger brother putting blame on him and married him. one more word about me, and I will cut your tongue off... mind it..."

She took a step close to Laila.

"My husband left the place silently because he doesn't want me to be so naïve. He wants me to break the opposite person who degrades me. This is what he wants and I fulfilled his wish... if you again cross my path, I won't mind breaking your teeth..." she flicked her fingers in front of Laila's face in a warning manner.

"How dare you slap me?" she said gritting her teeth.

"Of course, I dare... if you could dare degrade me, I would dare save my respect. You too try to save it because your husband won't stand for you as my husband does for me... that's the difference between you and me"

Making herself cool, Khushi prepared coffee for Arnav casually as if nothing happened there.

"You don't even have a penny..." Laila said.

Cutting her,

"You have piles of money... what can you do with it? I have my husband by my side... he is my property... who is ready to face any problem for his wife..."

Laila was standing like a statue, holding her cheek. Khushi left the kitchen with coffee cups.

She came inside the room and extended a cup to Arnav. He took it from her smilingly.

Khushi sat on the bed and drank the coffee, glancing at Arnav who was also drinking the coffee smilingly. They looked at each other and smiled again and again.

"Is your palm in pain? " He asked with a lopsided smile.

"Warriors won't mind the pain..." she said smilingly.

Arnav chuckled. Something sparkled in Khushi's mind.

"How do you know my palm would ache? " she asked.

Arnav sipped the coffee al smilingly said nothing.

"Were you there? "

He smiled.

"Tell me"

"Hann... I was there... how could I miss seeing you lashing over on her? "

Khushi chuckled.

Taking the cups, she walked towards the door.

"Khushi..." Arnav called her with a slight smirk.

She looked at him raising her brows.

"Keep smiling... you look pleasant while smiling..."

Khushi left the room with a smile. She felt her heart fill.

In the meanwhile,

Laila went to Neerav's room. He was about to shout at her for entering his room, he stopped, seeing a slight fingerprint on her cheek.

"Khushi slapped me, Neerav. Please come and ask her that how could she slap me"

Neerav thought for a while and hurried to Arnav's room. Laila followed him feeling happy. Neerav knocked on the door of Arnav's room. Arnav opened the door and saw Neerav standing with Laila. Khushi also came and stood beside Arnav.

"Did you slap her?" Neerav asked Khushi.

Arnav was about to say something, Neerav stopped him, showing his palm.

"Did you?" Neerav asked her again.

"She insulted me... she raised her finger on my character..." Khushi said.

"I didn't ask you the reason..."

"Yes, I slapped her"

"Can't you do the simple thing perfectly? Learn from Arnav how to slap hard..." Neerav said making all the trio dumbfounded.

"Have you gone mad?" Laila shouted.

"If my Bhabi had raised her hand then you would have done something intolerable... she is not a woman who losses her patience just like that" Neerav said that made Arnav and Khushi speechless.

"So, you have started your nasty act on the first day itself?" Neerav asked Laila and she was taken back.

Ratna who came there hearing their talks panicked.

"What happened Khushi? Why did you slap Laila?"

"Mom, you better stay away from this issue... She questioned Bhabi's character and Bhabi paid back... it's over..." Neerav said.

"Neerav is right, mom. Being their mother-in-law, you better don't interfere in their matter. Let them solve it by themselves. That's what I too want. that's why I did nothing (he stressed) even though I was there when she degraded Khushi" Arnav said glaring at Laila.

"Where you there?" Neerav asked.

Arnav nodded yes.

"What did she say?"

"Leave it Neerav..."

"Tell me Arnav. I just want to know what exactly is in her mind"

"Maybe, but I don't want to recall them again and make my wife suffocate," he said that melted Khushi like anything.

"You would have slapped her hard there itself..." Neerav said to Arnav, glaring at Laila.

"I will surely do that if she does anything again," Arnav said looking at her dangerously.

"what do you guys think of me? I'm also a bahu of this family. I too have respect. Why don't you guys understand that?" Laila said with a painful expression.

"Respect is earned by your behavior. Who will respect you if you hurt people?" Arnav asked.

"Chotte, please calm down," Ratna said.

"Already I'm... if I would have shown how angry I'm hearing her hurtful words; she would not have been alive by now" Arnav said.

Not only Laila but also Khushi gulped down, seeing him so furious. Laila felt she touched the wrong nerve of the Raizada family.

At the same time, Arnav got a call from Aman. Arnav attended the call with a smirk.

"Yeah, Aman..."

"ASR, Rakesh has been arrested...as you said"

"Whaaaat! Did the police arrest Rakesh? But why?" he asked as if he doesn't know anything.

Hearing Rakesh's name, Laila's face drained whereas Neerav was shocked.

"Being the mastermind of the plan, are you asking the reason?" Aman asked.

"Is it...? I just can't believe Rakesh had HOT fifty lakhs in his house..."

"Whaaaat? But he borrowed thousand rupees from me the previous day of the marriage..." Neerav said shockingly.

"Oh... Is Neerav there?" Aman asked.

"Exactly."

"Ok ok, go on"

"Oh, is he a druggist?" Arnav asked Aman, shockingly.

"Druggist?" Neerav also was shocked.

"I understood..." Arnav disconnected the call frowning.

"What happened Arnav?" Neerav asked.

"Narcotics inspector got information that Rakesh has drugs in his house. So, they round up his house and searched but instead of a drug, they have gotten fifty lakhs from his home..."

Cutting him,

"It may be his own money," Laila said hurriedly.

"Police won't accept if he says it's my own money... Rakesh has to tell them the source of money... I mean, he has to tell them, from WHOM and for WHAT he got the money...and police will definitely make him spit the truth" Arnav said.

Laila was horrified. What bloody problem is this? Seems like Rakesh will drag them to the road...

"Let's see, what he tells..." Arnav smirked.

Laila skimmed the place silently which was not gone unnoticed by Arnav.

"Khushi, come with me..." Ratna called her.

Khushi looked at Arnav and about to go, Arnav clutched her hand.

"If you want to question her about the slap, I won't send her with you," Arnav said.

Ratna sighed.

"I just am going to ask her what happened..."

"You can ask her here itself..."

"Chotte, I'm not going to swallow your wife..."

Arnav rolled his eyes. Khushi removed his hand.

"Let me handle, Arnav" She walked with Ratna.

Arnav sighed.

"I'm sorry for whatever happened Arnav" Neerav said.

Arnav nodded yes.

"And...thank you so much"

"For?"

"For standing for me...even Dad didn't trust me but you. I felt strength..."

"But it went in vain..."

"Do you think I would have done something like that?"

Arnav nodded no.

"No... I don't think so..." Arnav said.

"Why?"

"I don't think you would have drunk in my wedding... So, everything that happened after that also not possible"

"Thanks..."

"What do you think about Rakesh?"

"Because of him, I became a drunkard in Dad's eyes"

"What do you mean?" Arnav asked frowning.

"He was the one who brought alcohol to the office. Unaware of the truth, I drank it because it was in the coke bottle. Dad was there when I came back to my cabin. Dad thought I'm a drunkard."

Arnav rolled his eyes because he understood the scenario.

"I don't want Rakesh to lose the job. So, I didn't say anything to Dad but I didn't expect it will change my life upside down"

"Everything will be alright..." Arnav said.

"Really?" Neerav smiled painfully and left the place.

Arnav felt bad for Neerav. He was trapped by Anup cleverly. Rakesh was his partner in crime. Don't know what will be Neerav's decision if he gets to know who is behind the issue. What will he do with Laila after that? Arnav was restless not for Laila but for Neerav Purely...

To be continued...