Wo jo dabi si aanch baki hai...

Night

Sheesh Mahal

He kept trying her number and most ardently she cut it off like it was unimportant. As if he was unimportant, nothing.

Akash has told him how Khushi has stayed silent till the half of her journey back home until it must have become impossible for her to restrain herself and silent tears kept rolling down her cheeks but neither did she produce a sound nor did she wipe them. She just looked out of the window till her home.

What the heck that Tanya said to her that made her this upset?

Dammit!

In the office he has thrown Tanya out without proper answer because he was worried for Khushi. The anger emanating from her was not only disastrous but would've turned out harmful for her health too.

But now, now he was regretting not finding out everything before letting that Tanya go!

Now there were only two options left.

Either he go to Tanya and ask her or get the answers from Khushi herself.

He chose the latter because the former would mean hurting Khushi as he knew how much that woman affected his fiance.

He would sure find out from Khushi herself. If necessary he would bring her to the brink for her to blurt out everything.

Feeling a light ache still in his stomach he smiled sadly as the image of her kicking him twice flashed in his mind making him feel anguished and despair falling on him.

You hit me twice. At least ask how am I coping up with the wounds given by you. He messaged her.

He waited for the reply gazing at his cell's screen for many minutes hoping she would reply but she didn't.

Dejected he placed the phone back on the bedside table and that's when it pinged.

He lurged to it as if it was the only thing left on this world to give him back his.. happiness, perhaps.

I HATE YOU.

The uppercase letters told him the intensity with which she must have wrote it in anger and hurt.

You should be happy that I don't hate you at least because trust me, you definitely don't want to be in ASR's hate list. He didn't stay behind in replying with a solid retort.

Trust? Oh please. No one should ever, EVER trust a man like you. And I won't too.

He gritted his teeth before typing.

Let me make another promise to you right here. One day you'd trust me like you haven't trusted anyone. EVER. Not even your father. ;)

He deliberately added the wink emoticon just wanted to rile her up as a small payback for how she attacked him in the office.

Neither I trust you nor do you trust me and I think it's better we don't make any relation in which the foundation itself is shattered already. Trust itself isn't there between us Mr.Raizada.

He sighed. Even though it hurt him but he liked the way, for once, at least she was considering marrying him and was discussing it honestly with him.

Talk about yourself Khushi Kumari Gupta because I trust you more than anyone. The question is would you ever trust me with your weakness and feelings. Ever? Would you?

He sent and waited but the answer never came as he kept staring at his cell until the sunlight peeked through the glass windows of his grandeur, vast room.

"If, IF you didn't sleep tonight and stressed over this bloody thing or whatever the heck that Tanya said that I'd make sure you become my wife by tomorrow night."

"And you very well know it would not be difficult for me to make your father agree."

With his bloodshot eyes stinging with lack of sleep, he stood up with his heart prickling with hurt and pain and downright anguish that without having shower and even without changing in his formal wears, he took his car keys and zoomed off to a known destination with his rough look and jaws set tight.

"I would see by my own eyes that whether you took my commands seriously or not. If not then tomorrow at this time you'd be sitting with me, in this very car with me driving us towards my office and I won't remain just Arnav Singh Raizada anymore for you. I would be your husband!"

Just wait and watch dammit!

The car screeched to a halt in front of Gomti Sadan. He hopped out and didn't bother shutting the door behind. His eyes were burning with not only lack of sleep but moisture too as he pressed the doorbell and left it only when someone pulled open the door.

"Bitwa, sab theek toh hai na?(Son, is everything alright?)" It was Shashi. He gave a furtive look to the watch hung on the wall in the hall. It showed 6am.

"Mujhe Khushi se milna hai abhi. M-Maira matlab usse dekhna hai (I need to meet Khushi right now. I-I mean I have to see her!)" He demanded with authority.

"Did she do something again to trigger your rage?" He frowned in dismay.

Not wanting him to suspect anything he just nodded. Selfishly!

Shashi stepped aside and let him in.

Without even waiting for his permission Arnav took one step at a time climbing the stairs and reached her room and pushed open the door not even bothering to knock. Not even thinking that it was a room of girls and he should've considered their privacy a little bit.

But like always, he didn't give a damn to anything.

He so wanted to see her awake, sadistically. He so wanted her to disobey him so that he could get the opportunity to marry her right away.

But he was left disappointed as he saw her sleeping hugging Payal with her head on her shoulder as he neared the bed.

Mairi neende auda k khud kitne maze se so rahi hai!(Taking away my peace, how soundly she is sleeping!)

Oh come on ASR. Didn't you want her to rest well at night? Wasn't that the reason you threatened her yesterday? One part of him reasoned.

I did. I did. But I never said anything about stealing my sleeps to achieve that. Another part sneered.

By any means, she would get even with you. Maybe this is one of her tricks to get back at you!

Oh dude. She doesn't even know you didn't sleep at all.

But she very well knew that if she won't reply he would not be able to stay in peace!

Tada, that's why she didn't bother texting back at all.

There the mystery solved ASR.

Now go back home and sleep only if you could. A sadistic, sarcastic chuckle rang in his ears.

Dammit shut up!

He growled to his insides as the verbal brawl continued between his heart and mind.

"Arnav?"

He turned startled as his painful chain of thoughts broke and he found himself looking into concerned eyes of his to be father-in-law.

"Is everything alright? What did she do now?"

"Nothing Uncle. Nothing I can't handle I mean. I-I just want your permission to take Khushi out for shopping today. Only if you won't mind."

Shashi went into deep thoughts and gestured him to come out. Once they were in the corridor, Arnav spoke understanding his reluctance.

"Uncle, don't worry. Everything will happen as per the traditions. According to one of the customs, bride's dress comes from her in-laws and I just want Khushi to choose it by herself, by her choice. And also, I'd see to it she backs off from her new unyielding demands."

Shashi's features relaxed when he added.

"Payal and Akash would go too but only if you'd allow us. The final decision will be yours."

Arnav mentally patted his back for not losing his calm even in desperate of situations like this and as Shashi agreed and gave him the permission his eyes took a calculative look, the look which Shashi Gupta would've read if only he really knew the manipulative man behind the mask. THE REAL ASR.

"In the evening after your office, Arnav and Akash would take you both to shopping. So if they asked you then don't refuse. I have given my consent already." Shashi announced at the breakfast table. Khushi's head shot to him stumped while Payal could do nothing but stare. Her eyes darted to Khushi at whom their father was looking pointedly as if warning her not to deny going with Arnav when he would ask her to.

"I am going to office as per your say Babu ji. I can't do more than that." Khushi's tone already turned low when she spoke to her father who now a days don't even spare her a glance let alone talk. With every passing day it was cutting her into pieces, rusting her insides. Upon that the new revelations about her so called fiance by his Ex was only adding to the piles of the anguish in her life.

"I wasn't asking Ms. Gupta. It's my order." Shashi said sternly to which Garima, Madhumati and Payal looked on worriedly as Khushi clenched her hands over the table as if she would burst any second from now.

"I won't go with him at all." Defiance shone in her eyes to which Shashi's anger only notched higher.

Every person sitting at the dine had their breaths stuck up in their throats. Payal who was sitting on the seat right besides her tried to calm her down by placing her hand on her thigh but Khushi seemed to have not noticed it or say she ignored it royally.

"Itni badtameez kab se ho gayi ho tum?(From when did you become this disrespectful?)" Shashi asked barely controlling his anger.

"Jab se apne humein Ms.Gupta bulana shuru kar diya hai tab se.(Ever since you started calling me Miss Gupta!)" She choked with a snap raising her head to him with her eyes moist.

"Beti nahi maante na ab aap humein?(Don't you consider me your daughter anymore?)" She asked with more tears filling her eyes causing every eye to tear up there while her father looked away before exhaling and this time when he looked back in her eyes he was more firm than ever.

"Jaanta hun maira tumhe bitiya samajhne ya na samajhne se tumhe ab koi farak nahi padhta par agar mujhe abhi bhi apna pita samajhti ho toh mairi baat maano aur ab maira aur imtehaan mat lo Khushi.(I know it doesn't make a difference to you anymore whether I consider you my daughter or not but if you still consider me your father then agree to what I am saying and don't test me more than you already had Khushi)"

A cry left Khushi when he called her by her name after days that she even swallowed his harsh words. She can't see him upset with herself anymore yet she can't do anything to prove her innocence either.

How else could she win her father over again? She didn't have any idea.

"Aise toh mat kahein na Babu ji. Hum aapki beti hain ye hamari zindagi ka sabse bara gharoor hai. Aise kaise humein farak nahi pade ga? Aap na hote toh ye Khushi bhi na hoti Babu ji.(Don't say that Babu ji. I am your daughter and that is the biggest pride of my life. How can it not affect me? If you weren't there then this Khushi wouldn't have been here today either)" She cried out shaking from inside. She wasn't lying. He was her biggest support when she lost her real parents. If he hadn't took her in his shadow, she would've lost herself altogether by the huge loss she has faced in such a young age.

Payal placed her hand on her shoulder but Khushi didn't register anything not even the comfort offered by her mother neither by her Buaji but her gaze was fixed on her father who didn't say anything to her pleads but only narrowed his eyes at her as if he was finding it hard to believe that she still cared that much for him and it.. it was enough to rip her apart. Drown her in sadness.

So she conceded. She surrendered. To her father. As it was the only way left for him to make him believe in her.

"Theek hai. Theek hai. Aap jo kahen gay hum karein gay Babu ji par aap waada kijiye humse baat karna band nahi karein gay. Hum nahi reh sakte apse baat kiye bina. Aur kabhi ye mat kahiye ga k humein apki parwah nahi hai. (Okay. Fine. Whatever you'd say I will do it but you have to promise me that you won't stop talking to me. I can't live without talking to you. And never say that I don't care about you either. Please)" Khushi sobbed grabbing his hand in between hers, kissed it and pleaded resting her head on his hand.

Shashi swallowed before placing his free hand on her head reluctantly before leaving the table where Payal, Madhumati and Garima couldn't hold back their tears either. Breakfast was long forgotten as the gloom surrounded them all.

"Babu ji ko humpe yakeen kyun nahi hai Jiji?(Why doesn't Babu ji trust me Jiji?)" Khushi cried as Payal hugged her. Payal was more worried fearing the stress triggering her migraines so she has to calm her down by any means before she lose herself in emotions.

"Bachchon se ho jati hain galtiyan aur samajhdari issi mai hai k apni galti maan k us ki maafi maang li jaye. Waise bhi Babu ji hai wo tumre akhir kab tak naraz rehein gay? Aik na aik din toh wo tujhe maaf kar hi dein gay.(Children do mistakes and it is only sensible that they accept them and ask for forgiveness. He is your father. For how long can he be upset anyways? He would mellow down one day and forgive you for sure)" Garima came to her side and said placing her hand over her head.

Khushi jerked straight as some of her words jolted her from inside.

"Galti ki maafi hoti hai. Apne bachon ki ussi galti se maata pita apki shaadi toh nahi kar dete na? Iss tarah maafi mili wo toh maafi nahi saza hui na Amma? (Forgiveness is given for the mistakes. The parents don't go and marry their children to the same mistake do they? That won't be a forgiveness but a punishment. What else would it be Amma?)"

Garima looked at her tongue tied. She did have a point but making her husband understand that wasn't easy either. Rather it was impossible. He has made up his mind and Shashi Gupta she knew has never backed off from his given words and words... he has given to that Arnav Singh Raizada that he would marry Khushi to him only no matter what.

At her silence, Khushi's heart clenched and in fear of her mother also turning against her she threw her arms around her hugging her waist while sitting on the chair. When she placed her hand over her head did she feel somewhat relieved and cried.

"Babu ji se kahein k humein maaf kar dein par humein Arnav ji se shaadi karne ko na kehein. Humein hamari galti ki itni badi saza toh na dein.(Ask Babu ji to forgive me but don't ask me to marry Arnav ji. Don't punish me more than the gravity of my mistake)" She mumbled against her stomach causing Garima to close her eyes in pain. Payal couldn't hold back her sobs either while Madhumati blinked back the tears and wiped her eyes with the end of her veil.

"Wo faisla kar chuke hain Khushi. Ab iss mai na tu kuch kar sakti hai na mai na hi koi aur. Behter ho ga k khud ko tayar kar le. Waise bhi kuch hi din reh gaye hain teri shaadi ko.(He has made his decision Khushi. Now neither you nor me nor anyone else could do anything about it. It would be better if you prepare yourself as your marriage is just a few days away anyways)" She ran her fingers in her hairs.

"Amma humein baccha lo. Please. Humein uss insan se shaadi nahi karni. Hum apko chod kar nahi jayen gay. Hum Babu ji ko chod kar kahin nahi jayen gay. Kabhi bhi nahi.(Save me Amma. Please. I don't want to marry him. I won't go anywhere leaving you or Babu ji. Never.)" She was getting hysteric now hugging Garima more tightly causing all the three of them worried sick for her.

"Hum kahin nahi jayen gay. Bas! (I am not going anywhere. That's it)" She buried her head more into her stomach and cried harder that it took great efforts by her mother, sister and Buaji to stop her cries and take her to her room where after various assurances from the trio did she stop crying. And she agreed to go to office only when Payal promised her that she would find an escape for her to bail out from this shopping thing with the Raizada.

As Madhumati and Garima left, Payal made Khushi eat a few bites and wash down the medicines with a glass of water. Already her sister was having a headache and she knew it won't take long turning into a migraine attack which she definitely don't want her to have so she did prior precautions. Her sister seriously had had enough on her plate already. Whatever she could help her avoid, she would do it for sure.

Payal left to get ready after Khushi was relatively calm.

While Khushi was getting ready for the office combing her hairs before the dressing table she was full of rage up to her neck unknown to her sister.

Today this time has come when she has to beg for her father's love and it was all because of that one man who was hell bent on destroying everything and every relation in her life just to make her his. Just to prove his superiority above hers. Just to show her down. Make her surrender.

This one relation is so important for him isn't it even if its to win over her right? She thought as her gaze fell on the ring in her left hand.

For this one relation he has destroyed her years and years of relationship with her father, right?

Now she would make sure every other relation stays in his life except for this!

She decided with vengeance with red hue shining in her eyes and looking at herself in determination in the mirror, she slipped the ring out of her finger. Throwing it rudely in the first drawer she banged it shut and exhaled feeling light as if a huge burden has been lifted off her. As if it all slipped out of her along with the ring.

Bunching her hairs up in a messy bun, she took her purse and files from the table before leaving for AR with her sister, having a goal set in her mind.

She would not lose her calm before him ever again like she did yesterday. Firstly by fainting in his cabin after seeing Tanya close to him and later when the same woman revealed earth shattering 'truths' to her.

Not anymore!

But as she sat in an auto along with Payal she couldn't stop the tears from welling up when her ears buzzed with,

"Listen to me very carefully you Khushi Kumari Gupta. For the time being you may get him but when he would be done with you, he would come back to me because forget marrying he won't even look at you. You know why?"

"Because he did the same to me."

"He made promises to marry me too. He even got engaged to me but marriage. It never reached there. It never would because you'd be so lost in his charms that you'd surrender to him forgetting everything about your dignity or morals or innocence whatsoever. Like I DID."

She winced as tears burned her eyes. She turned her head fully to look outside lest her sister catch her vulnerability.

"I even got pregnant with his baby. If you don't believe me, come to my apartment and I would show you the living proof."

"RUKIYE BHAIYYA! (STOP!)" Khushi shrieked. Payal's eyes widened not only because she shouted but also hearing the sob that escaped her sister along with it. Auto was stopped hurriedly before Payal asked the auto driver to wait for a bit.

"Khushi?" Payal called worriedly as Khushi jumped out on the side of the road and breathed deeply with her palm over her mouth as if to stop herself from crying out loud.

"Kyun khud ko halkan kar rahi hai Khushi? Btati kyun nahi hai mujhe k baat kya hai?(Why are you torturing yourself like this? Why don't you tell me clearly what's bothering you?)" She knew her sister enough to know that Babuji's behavior wasn't the only reason for making her sad. Her yesterday out of control behavior with Tanya and breakdown before Arnav was a proof of that she was suffering in another hell made inside of her too. Hell of various secrets she hasn't shared with her sister too.

"Jiji. Babu ji-" Khushi turned to her with tears stuck to her eyes but Payal cut her sternly.

"Don't. Don't lie. Babu ji's behavior isn't the only reason. You still haven't explained to me why did you beat Tanya and hit that Raizada too yesterday?"

Khushi gulped. She couldn't sleep the whole night despite that Raizada's threat. In the morning she has heard and seen that Arnav Singh Raizada's car from her window and she has pretended to sleep. She would not give him any reason to prepone the wedding. Never.

Now the tension, Babuji's coldness, lack of sleep and now memories were taking a toll on her. If Jiji hasn't given her the medicines then she was sure she would've fainted here on the road.

Rubbing her temples, she turned bleary eyed to her sister before opening her trembling lips.

"Tanya was his ex-girlfriend." Khushi burst out not being able to hold it for long while a sigh left Payal. She got to know about it yesterday only when they had overheard Tanya and Arnav's conversation yesterday in which he has bluntly told Tanya that Khushi was his fiance and she don't have any right to talk ill about his to be wife. To be honest at that time, she really thought him to be a different man. She thought maybe he wasn't that bad which he appeared to be. But now.. her sister's condition was making her think otherwise.

"What did she say to you that made you so mad? That crazy?" Payal asked softly wiping her tears before cupping her shoulders turning her to herself mindful of the passersby giving them weird looks.

"That he would leave me one day when he would get bored of me." Khushi cried out and her sobs got stuck in some region of her throat as she realized what she just said. Payal realized it too.

Khushi's eyes widened. A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked into her sister's knowing eyes.

She was in excruciating pain since yesterday and was burning in the hell just because she was upset over that one sentence Tanya said to her. Mora than anything else? How could other things not matter the way it did? Her insides yelled.

Wasn't it her who has vowed to leave him once her sister would be married?

That she would destroy all his dreams, him, everything he weaved or vowed to her and she won't sit until she won't win?!

If she didn't then she would kill herself. Hasn't she been clear?

Then from where did the fear of him discarding her, leaving her came to her mind or was it always there and she didn't had any freaking idea?

What planted that fear in there?

Diwali night?

Or his cruelness in the way he left her on that cliff?

Now doesn't matter how it got there. The truth was that the fear of him leaving her was there and she was now suffering in it's terror.

She shuddered as the realization made her shoulders slumped.

"Jiji, hum aisa soch bhi kaise sakte hain? (How can I think like that Jiji?)" She croaked while Payal rubbed her shoulders before cupping her cheeks.

"Zyada mat soch. Sambhal khud ko.(Don't think much. Gather yourself)" Payal said affectionately.

"Kaise sambhalun khud ko? Nahi ho raha. Jiji tumne suna na abhi humne kya kaha?(How can I gather myself? I could not. Didn't you hear what I just said?)" She asked with disbelief placing her hands over her sisters on her cheeks before she stepped back dumbfounded at her own self.

It was like her own heart wasn't in her control. As if she wasn't in her control either.    

Just day before yesterday she has confessed to her sister that he has killed all the emotions inside her. That when she kissed him in his penthouse she didn't feel anything.

Then what happened now huh Khushi Kumari Gupta?

How easily he manipulated your emotions to bring you to this point with his shrewd ways that you are actually thinking that you have rights on him. That you can't see someone else with him. Not only that you are afraid of him leaving you too.

"How could you Khushi? How could you?" She whimpered.

"There will come a time in uh lets say in near future Khushi Kumari Gupta when you won't be able to even breathe without me. When you won't see anyone but me. When no one would matter but me.When you will love me more than your father and family!"

She blinked back the tears with naked fear in her eyes as her insides shook.

He was already winning without much of a hard work!

That was enough to jolt her from head to toe and an answering fire to burn everything else for that man in her heart except for hate rose to the fore for Khushi Kumari Gupta which even Payal saw as she raised her bloodshot eyes to hers.

"Chahe kuch bhi ho jaye. Hum unhe jeetne nahi dein gay Jiji. Kabhi bhi nahi! (Whatever happens. I won't ever let him win Jiji. Never. Ever)" She was clear. At least about that.

Payal who was observing her silently couldn't help but exhale. She wanted to say something but zipped her mouth seeing that with her decision, a strength , a courage shone in her sister's eyes which was missing ever since that Arnav Singh Raizada has come back in her life.

And god knows, her sister needed that strength badly to withstand a man like Arnav Singh Raizada!

That man has damaged her sister enough. Now it was Khushi's time to put her pieces back together no matter how but she has to fight back to get back everything she has lost to that man.

Including her heart!

Payal swallowed as she acknowledged the truth silently which her sister couldn't. Wouldn't!

In that particular moment, Payal Gupta questioned her own set mind and pondered on her father's decision.

Is it that being caught in the lies even being on the wrong side her Babu ji was making the right decision?

But as soon as that thought struck her, she jerked it off.

Rubbish!

How could it be a right decision when her sister was suffering like hell even before completion of that agreement?

Feeling a headache coming due to muddled thoughts, she looked at her sister, Khushi who was sitting in the auto which was now back on the road with them heading to AR. Khushi had her head rested on Payal's shoulder while her eyes were closed but still Payal knew she wasn't sleeping.

Feeling her heart cutting for her she ran her fingers in her hairs soothingly before dropping a kiss on her head.

"I do remember my promise don't you dare forget it or stress over that shopping thing. I will handle it."

Payal tried to divert her mind a bit but as she saw the stream of tears leaving from the corner of her closed eyes she zipped her lips back up not knowing how to console her younger sister and pull her out of the gloom that has become her constant companion ever since that ASR happened to come to Lucknow and back to her sister's life.

In those pain strikingly silent moments with their own desolate conditions both the sisters reached AR where another battle was set up for them to either loose or win depending on how would they react to the circumstances.

Khushi entered in the office and saw every worker giving her weird looks. She knew it was because of her behavior and Tanya's allegations on her yesterday. With that everything came back which she has just pushed at the back of her mind while entering the AR premises. Not that it ever left even for a second since yesterday. Every moment she has lived that moment when Tanya has revealed those awful things about ASR.

"Oh great. Your feet must not be touching the ground after luring THE ASR in your fake innocence eh you good for nothing stupid girl." Tanya mocked.

Ignoring every stare as if it was nothing she climbed the stairs to his office. This time, today, the drapes weren't down. Instead she saw him there behind his chair working on his laptop even before she knocked and entered upon his permission.

"It would be interesting. Won't it be? I am the mother of his child while you're his fiance. The other woman in his life. If you weren't there, he would've been mine. He would've stayed with us. But no, he got his eyes on you and now he wants you. Tomorrow he would see another beautiful face and would leave you or who knows your child too.. for her!"

She clenched her teeth while passing greetings which she considered a part of her job.

"Good morning!" His reply was cheerful and with a wide smile that made her want to scratch it off his face.

She felt like he was mocking her for falling in his web just like once Lavanya ji had and now Tanya.

Coming to think of it, was Tanya his girlfriend before Lavanya ji or after it?

If after then her allegations could be questioned. But if before, her revelation could be possibly true.

"How can you leave me after using me? You left me I tolerated that. You transferred me from Delhi to Lucknow I obliged to that too hoping you'd realize your love for me one day and would come back to me." Tanya has pleaded.

She exhaled while walking to her desk feeling his intense gaze set on her making her feel bare. Uneasy. As if he could see through her. Would see through her. That's why she avoided eye contact. The realization about her fear of him abandoning her was still new and raw and she would rather die than let him be aware of that.

Sitting on her chair she opened her laptop--new laptop which she has gotten yesterday only after he has crushed the old one under his feet followed by her breakdown and migraine attack. When she has come down from his penthouse back here, a new one was awaiting right here on her desk which she has used then without any inquiries. She was too drowned in conflicts to talk anymore.

Yesterday another realization has stumped her before Tanya's revelations. It was when she was talking to Vishal Kaka, the cafe incharge here. It has made her heart sore and heart drop into the pit of her stomach.

He was taking some kind of revenge from her for being the reason of his sister's ruined life!

What else could be his reasons for proposing her except for this?

Because on one side he asks her to marry him and on the other he belittles her in her own eyes as if she is nothing.

On one side he promises to take care of her every problem if she agrees to marry him and on the other he himself makes her life a living hell by creating one problems after the other.

On one side he says he likes her and on the other he says he would marry her to take back his money from her little by little all her life with a good interest.

What should she believe then?

This side or the other?

Above all he doesn't speak when she asks anything.

She huffed audibly while Arnav who had his every breath attuned to her couldn't take it any longer.

He left his chair and came to stand across her table breaking her chain of muddled thoughts while she pretended all her concentration on her work.

When she didn't raise her head from the laptop screen he sat on on the chair across her before snatching the gadget from her hands and shut it vengefully.

"Roti rahi ho tum (You were crying weren't you?)" He asked sternly.

"I don't understand where that concerns you?" She snapped looking into his eyes from across the table.

"How does it concern me huh? Very well. Great. Should I tell you in actions how so?" He raised his eyebrow challengingly.

"Whether I cry or not. Whether I live or die. It shouldn't bother you."

He closed his eyes as he heard her underlined warning reminding him of her brutal promise to him. He barely contained his anger at that considering she was already going through a trauma and an illness called a freaking migraine.

"Rona band kar do Khushi. Warna tumhe chup karwana aata hai mujhe. Agar tumhe kuch ho gaya na toh mai tumhe kabhi maaf nahi karun ga. (Stop cryin Khushi otherwise I know how to make you stop. If anything happened to you then I'd never forgive you)"

She laughed mirtfully.

"Mat kariye ga maaf. Agar humein kuch ho gaya toh hum konsa zinda rahein gay. Phir isse koi farak nahi pade ga k aap humein maaf karein ya na karein.(Then don't. If something were to happen to me then obviously I won't be there anymore. Then whether you'd forgive me or not won't make a difference to me anyways)"

He banged his fist over the table causing her to jerk back on her seat startled because for a moment he took her by surprise by his sudden rage. His expressions changed in the blink of an eye from soft to brisk, dark.

"Tanya ne kya kaha tha kal tumse? Aj ka din khatam hone se pehle mujhe bta do warna yahi baat mai tumse kal pochun ga par yahan office mai nahi hamare bedroom mai. Aur tab sawal pochne wala tumhara boss nahi tumhara pati ho ga. Phir toh tum ye bhi taana nahi de pao gi k mai kon hota hun tumse kuch bhi pochne wala.(What did Tanya say to you the day before? Tell me before this day ends otherwise I'll ask the same question to you tomorrow but in our bedroom. And asking that question won't be your boss or employer but your husband. Then you won't be capable to taunt what freaking business or right I have to ask you anything either!)"

Khushi sat stock still at her place wide eyed as he stood up and went back to his desk while she couldn't move for several moments.

No matter how much she shows strength she knew right now, he holds all the strings to her life and her relationship with her father. If he pulled at it even slightly then it could cost her the remaining bit of her relation with her father too. Which she won't allow at any cost.

Feeling helpless as well as frustrated she did something which in her normal state of mind she never had had. A few hours later she has crossed her limit of endurance so in those moments of vulnerability she mixed two spoons of sugar in his coffee when he sent her to make one.

Anjali handed over the cup of tea to Nani before taking the chair across her. They were sitting in the lavish lawn of Sheesh Mahal. It has been so long she has had such casual teas and talks in this palace. Last time she dined like this was before her first wedding rituals started. Moisture seeped in to her eyes remembering those happy days and then the tragedy thereafter.

"Kya sochat ho bitiya?(What are you thinking about?)" Devyani asked softly.

"Nothing. Just.. old memories. Happy ones." She wiped her eyes.

Devyani sighed. No matter how she try to cover her daughter's absence in her grandchildren's life she knew it won't be enough. Some days like today when they were sitting in their paternal home after years, memories would resurface and make them emotional. She didn't say anything but gave her granddaughter time to recover from the overwhelm she must be feeling.

After a few moments Anjali gave her a reassuring smile telling her she was fine. That's when Devyani broached up the subject she has been wanting to discuss ever since she witnessed how Arnav dragged Khushi out of their engagement ceremony and she has clearly seen Khushi's reluctance and her Chote's dominance. She knew the truth but now she was having second thoughts about supporting her grandson. He was going too overboard with his attitude with Khushi.

"Chote kya karna chahat hain bitiya? (What is Chote trying to do?)" Devyani inquired to which Anjali stiffened for a moment before replying.

"Nani, he just wants to marry the girl he loves. That's all. Don't you know-"

Devyani shook her head interrupting her.

"Love doesn't give you the authority to consider someone your own property. I didn't like the way he behaved with Khushi bitiya on the engagement." Devyani was honest.

Anjali averted her eyes. Even she didn't like it but even as she tried to talk to her brother about it he silenced her by saying that Khushi won't let this marriage happen if he didn't take things in his hands.

"I-I would talk-" Anjali was cut again.

"No bitiya, this has gone beyond talking. I sympathize with Khushi bitiya now. Maybe I did a mistake siding with Chote. But still it's not too late. Marriage is still a few days away. Before that, I will myself talk with him that what does he exactly want to achieve by dominating his own fiance who soon might be his wife?"

Anjali stared at her Nani tongue tied and gasped at what she said next.

"I won't let Khushi bitiya become another Ratna Singh Raizada. I couldn't save my daughter but I sure could save my to-be-daughter in law, if ever, she became one."

Placing the cup at the usual place on his table with her trembling hands she walked to her desk. From the corner of her eyes she saw him engrossed in his laptop. With her heart galloping in her chest, her eyes prickling she saw him take the cup with his eyes glued to the screen. He brought the cup up to his lips and was about to take a sip when she ran back to his side and snatched it stunning him and also making some spill over his thighs.

"What the?" He stood up pissed.

"You--erm you can't drink this coffee." She stuttered hiding the cup at her back. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Her nervousness made him curious and.. angry nonetheless.

"Why can't I?" He turned to her with anger written all over his face. Yesterday along with Tanya's fiasco and him knowing about her migraines, another thing has happened. And that was her withdrawing from her rights on him and him agreeing to it.

"If I had had affairs and even spent the night with women out there, that won't affect you right. You won't be perturbed or jealous at all. Is that so?" His jaws clenched when she gave an affirmative firm answer in order to get back at him

"Fine then Khushi Kumari Gupta. You yourself gave me the permission and now, just wait and watch how would I avail this freedom."

If she has given him freedom then why the hell she made a huge fuss upon Tanya yesterday?

How dare she play with him like this?

"B-Because it's not for you." She wiped the beads of sweats from her forehead with her free hand. If he wasn't too preoccupied he would have noticed her ring missing at the same hand rubbing her forehead.

"Khushi, give me back my cup." He ground his teeth stepping to her. She stepped back raising her frightened eyes to him.

What was she afraid of?

Him?

Not a chance!

She can never be that afraid of him.

Then why she was looking like she would lose something if he drank that coffee?

He sure would find that out. Soon!

"What are you afraid of Ms. Fiance Gupta?" He asked huskily catching her elbow when she tried to move away. She gulped and gasped when he easily extracted cup out of her hand at her back before stepping back and bringing the cup to his lips looking into her eyes which turned wide like saucers. She placed her right palm over his mouth blinking back the tears.

"D-Don't drink it. P-Please." She pleaded for that moment.

"Why not?" He spoke causing his lips to touch her fingers to which she snatched back her hand electrocuted.

"Because I made it for myself. Not you!" She blabbered and snatching it from him drank it all in one go before making a face.

Yuck!

How does he drink this black bitter liquid that even with sugar it tasted awful?

When she was finished and thumped the cup on the table she looked up and found his scrutinizing gaze on her.

"You mixed sugar in it didn't you?" It wasn't a question but a downright realization as he saw the bottom of the cup still had the sugar cubes which didn't dissolve in the coffee.

She won't meet his eyes. He swallowed thickly when she turned without an answer.

"Don't you dare move away without replying." He growled catching her elbow and pulling her back at her place. This time he stepped too closer to her with his breath fanning over her face. She breathed deeply.

"Did you or did you not mix the sugar in my coffee Khushi?" He croaked at the end which forced her to raise her misted eyes to him.

"I-I was a-angry. I didn't mean to." She whispered guiltily as a tear rolled down her cheek.

He closed his eyes pursing his lips before jerking her away and turned to the cordless. Pressing a number he brought it to his ear while Khushi stood behind him paralyzed. No matter what he did, no matter how bad he was she didn't have the right to harm him that way.

Sugar was poison for him and she went on and mixed it in his coffee.

How could she? Her insides yelled.

She wasn't Arnav Singh Raizada to use other's weakness to make them bow down. She was Khushi Kumari Gupta who has always learned to turn your weakness into your strength that nobody could take advantage to it.

Then how could she do something like that? Just how could she?

Why was she losing her true values in order to teach him a lesson?

She didn't get the time to ponder further as she heard.

"Bring a coffee in my cabin Vishal and make sure to add three spoons of sugar in it."

It bowled her over. Made her speechless as well as frayed her nerves. His voice was full of rage as he ordered Vishal but as he turned to her cutting the line he was extremely calm and so were his expressions. He bent a little to bore his eyes into her worried pools.

"You want to see me die. You will." It was said with the same calmness.

Hazels orbs dilated with apprehension ignoring which he sat back in his chair before resuming his work. While Khushi couldn't move from her place for good two minutes.

"I-I said I didn't m-mean to, A-Arn- Sir." She was twisting her fingers nervously.

"Get back to your seat and work Ms. Gupta." He ordered not so kindly.

Feeling moisting pooling in her eyes she stared at his stoic face feeling mixed feelings of guilt as well as resilience.

She wanted to tell him to go to hell and at the same time she wanted to apologize for almost trying to kill him by mixing sugar in his coffee very well knowing he has diabetes.

In the hotel where she has worked as a waitress when they had met after an year, about days ago, she clearly remember how she has come running up to his hotel suite to save him from drinking the coffee with sugar. Then, she was Khushi Kumari Gupta. The real Khushi. Now as she searched her insides, she realized how cruelty has seeped into her due to his cruel actions and the consequences she faced due to it.

She felt awfully distraught finding so much change in her ever since. So she did which her older, real version has done. She apologized.

"I am so sorry Arnav ji." She said genuinely and proved to herself that she wasn't taking after Arnav Singh Raizada. Not at all.

An exaggerated sigh left him following her words. Yet he didn't turn to her or raised his eyes from his laptop. Khushi felt her heart clenching at his lack of response.

"I am talking to you Mr.Raizada. I said sorry."

"I heard that." He rolled his chair to her leaning back leisurely with his gaze fixed on her.

"Now go back to your seat Ms.Gupta." He gestured through his hands authoritatively.

Huffing she felt like pulling her hairs out. Or better his hairs out. But she gulped down all those destructive thoughts to gather herself and walked to her desk. Before she could sit she heard the door knock and on his approval Vishal entered dropping her heartbeats to dull aches. As he handed the cup of coffee to him perspiration gathered on her forehead all over again.

Vishal left the office as silently as he came but Khushi couldn't breath and ran over to him in seconds before grabbing his hand holding the cup away from his face with her face inches away from his.

"I am Khushi Kumari Gupta. Not Arnav Singh Raizada. Humein toh jeete jee maar diya hai apne par hum aap jaise bilkul bhi nahi hain k aap ko sach mai maar dein gay.(You have turned me to a living corpse already but I am not like you to kill you literally)" She said firmly extracting the cup out of his hold.

She gasped because in next moment their positions were switched as he suddenly stood up and whirled her around to gave her a push to his leather chair before hovering over her with his hands on the arms rests.

"You think only you can threaten me with your life huh Ms.Gupta? I can too. I won't just threaten I'd do it in front of your very eyes." All the calmness was gone replaced by a blinding rage.

Maybe his anger was contagious because she felt her blood boiling by his audacity to threaten her all over again.

She pushed him away before standing up facing him spitting fire at him.

"I did a mistake. I accepted it. Said sorry for it. I did what you couldn't. So don't you dare show me this attitude. I just tried. I realized my mistake before even doing it. I rectified it. Unlike you I own what I do wrong. I don't hide behind anger, silence or dominance Mr.Arnav Singh Raizada." She was breathing harshly at the end of her outburst while he stood like nothing she said affected him because he reached for the cup the very next moment and would have gulped it down if suddenly he hadn't realized something. Something of great importance. Something that took away his breaths.

The cup went flying in air to a corner of the room much to her surprise and relief but her relief was short lived.

He grabbed her hand more like snatched it closer before looking into her eyes vehemently.

"Where is your ring?" He exclaimed.

All of a sudden she smirked loving the expressions on his face. The worry, the fear. Good. For a record he should feel those too.

"I didn't know such symbols of togetherness meant to you this much Mr.Raizada? Weren't you dead against marriage, rituals or beliefs related to it?" She taunted. "Anyways, didn't I freed you from this relation or its committments so that means I am free to do whatever I want with it too."

"Where is your ring?" He clenched his jaws repeating his question.

"You didn't expect me to wear it all the time now did you?"

"Khushi!" He gritted.

"What?" She shrugged and turned only for him to whirl her around angrily.

"That was our engagement ring!" He said exasperated.

"Sorry? Come again!" She appeared like she was really enjoying this.

"What will you do now that I am not wearing it?" She pushed him. "Plaster it to my ring finger so that I never could take it off or are you going to force me to kiss you again before my father to make me do what you please huh?" She blinked back the tears.

It only fueled his anger not relieved it.

A certain kind of fear has instilled in him for her life. Her condition ever since she threatened him with her life by making that promise. Upon that the revelation of the migraine attacks she was having lately has heightened his terror. Now as she has tried to almost sent him to hell, literally, he was feeling extremely broken, worn out and torn from inside.

If they has to play this game of living and dying then they would play it equally. If he had to feel the terror of loosing her, she will too.

"Here is the deal Ms. fiance. I am giving you a day to tell me everything Tanya said to you and also tell me since when and how many times did you have those migraines and also for making up your mind to keep wearing that ring too."

"There is a little glitch with the last one here. The minute I saw your ring removed would be the moment you'd yourself feed me death by making me a sugar filled coffee and I swear it won't go wasted like this one did." He pointed to the broken cup and coffee spilled over the couch at the corner of his cabin. While Khushi looked at him stumped to silence.

"Got it?" He grabbed her upper arms and shook her. She whimpered despite herself.

"Don't be afraid. Before drinking your hand made coffee I will free you off the charges of my murder too. Phir jee k dikhana." He said in a low menacing voice causing shivers to run down her spine.

"You are a monster!" She cried out.

"That would make you Mrs. Monster. Sounds cool, no?" He said casually but his eyes were only darkening with every passing second.

She twisted in his hold to get free.

"Now tell me where is your ring or should I order another cup of coffee?" He gritted on her face and she stopped protesting looking up in his intimidating eyes with hurt written all over her face.

"It is at home." She choked.

"Where exactly?" He chewed on his each word.

"In my room." She said. He pressed her arms making her wince. "In the first drawer of my dressing table." She elaborated as his eyes ordered her to.

"Great. Your ring will be here soon. And I promise when we would leave for shopping in the evening our engagement ring will be shining with all its glory on your hand." With his hand snaked around her waist he kept her closer and with his free hand dialed Gomti Sadan while holding her protesting form in his arms despite her yells.

He smashed the receiver on the telephone before turning to her and growling on her face.

"Stand still and don't shout Ms. Gupta otherwise I'd be forced to complain to your father."

That had the desired results. She silenced and stood stock still in his arms as he dialed her home again. Her mother picked up the phone. Very politely he told her that Khushi forgot her ring at home and its exact place. That a man from AR would soon be there to collect it.

Cutting the call, he pressed a button on the intercom and instructed a worker the address and the work before shutting the call.

"Done." He turned to her with a cheerful mood and dropped a kiss on her cheek.

"Acha hota hum wo coffee peene dete aapko (I should've let you drink that coffee)" She shrieked pushing at him and it sucked all of his cheerfulness.

"Phir kya hota Khushi? Kya hota? (What would've happened then Khushi? What exactly?)" He breathed hard. He pushed her away and called Payal to his cabin. As Payal entered, he ordered her.

"Give her the medicines before she have another migraine attack!"

Payal looked from Khushi to him perplexed before she saw him leaving his office clearly upset.

"Khushi, what happened now between you two?"

Anjali was suprised seeing her brother home this early. It was past 1.30 and there was still hours before office time ended. Also didn't he say that today he would be late because he and Khushi were going shopping for the wedding?

Not only he was home early, he was extremely on edge too. Downright angry and upset.

"Now what happened?" She asked as she followed him to his room. He threw his tie across the room carelessly after dropping his laptop bag in vengeance on the settee. His blazer followed and joined his laptop bag before he paced every inch of the carpet making Anjali shake her head. Quietly she left and brought him a freshly made coffee seeing which his heart welled up and so did his eyes.

"D-Don't drink it. P-Please." She pleaded.

"You mixed sugar in it didn't you?"

She won't meet his eyes.

"Did you or did you not mix the sugar in my coffee Khushi?" He croaked at the end which forced her to raise her misted eyes to him.

"I-I was a-angry. I didn't mean to." She whispered guiltily as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I-I said I didn't m-mean to, A-Arn- Sir." She was twisting her fingers nervously.

"I am so sorry Arnav ji."

"I am Khushi Kumari Gupta. Not Arnav Singh Raizada. Humein toh jeete jee maar diya hai apne par hum aap jaise bilkul bhi nahi hain k aap ko sach mai maar dein gay.(You have turned me to a living corpse already but I am not like you to kill you literally)" She said firmly extracting the cup out of his hold.

"Where is your ring?" He exclaimed.

"I didn't know such symbols of togetherness meant to you this much Mr.Raizada? Weren't you dead against marriage, rituals or beliefs related to it?" She taunted. "Anyways, didn't I freed you from this relation or its commitments so that means I am free to do whatever I want with it too."

"You didn't expect me to wear it all the time now did you?"

"Acha hota hum wo coffee peene dete aapko (I should've let you drink that coffee)" She shrieked pushing at him and it sucked all of his cheerfulness.

Pressing his fingers to his eyes, he exhaled feeling his heart cutting. Everything was taking a toll on him. He thought he could fight it. Fight her hate for him despite of everything. Despite of everything he did to her, he was sure there was a part of her that cared. That may had felt something for him like he did during those intoxicated moments of Diwali. Scratch that- Even before that. But now-

"Naraz ho unse?(Are you upset with her?)" Anjali asked and he swallowed a wallow of agony feeling his eyes burn. He was in an illusion that she maybe liked him too, had feelings for him as well but what she did today brought him down. Made him lose all his expectations. It has torn him. Broken him altogether.

What she wanted was happening. Arnav Singh Raizada could see his defeat very clearly. He could see it but accepting it, he would not.

Fine if she don't like him now. She soon will. For sure.

He decided and turned to his sister finally with something akin to madness in his eyes which made Anjali gulp. She gasped at what he said next.

______________________

Precap:

"Only I can look at you. Only I can keep staring at you. Only I can touch you. Only I got to do whatever I want to do with you. No one else. I repeat no one else. Did you get it?"

"Only I am allowed to get lost in your beauty.Just I. Just me."

.

.

She frantically searched for it all over her room and upon finding it she grabbed it tightly in her hand. Her eyes shone with determination as she looked at it outstretching her palm.

This was her final chance to get back at him and she would.

After that he won't be capable enough to marry her.

_________________________

I am too tired to type a note or Q/A. Sorry about that.

I just hope you liked the update. Also I am waiting for your feedback. Keeping VOTING and COMMENTING because only your support can compel me to write now a days otherwise I am fully packed with my hectic studies.