(Unedited)

Devyani turned off the television with the remote embarrassed while Anjali looked here and there. Madhumati and Garima condition wasn't any better after watching how the press release ended with Arnav kissing Khushi in front of press. Not to mention, before umpteenth number of people who must be watching it live.

It was only Shashi Gupta who didn't show any reaction. He stood up abruptly turning to his wife and sister.

"Now that the matter is sorted I don't think it's appropriate for us to stay at our daughters' in-laws home for more."

Garima and Madhumati nodded. Anjali and Devyani looked at each other worried.

"Shashi ji, let them come home then you can go if you want." Devyani spoke cautiously.

Shashi turned to Devyani with respect in his eyes.

"I think we have troubled you enough. We can't stay here anymore. Also, a lot of work is pending at home too regarding the upcoming weddings which is just in four days. Please understand."

Devyani nodded in understanding and stood up as they all prepared to leave.

As soon as Guptas left, Anjali sent a message to Arnav and received one back saying,

It's okay, Di. Let them go. I have my men all over that area. No one would bother them anymore.

Garima as well as Madhumati were confused at Shashi's lack of response upon such a hype in the press conference and also many revelations. Even after Arnav himself declared that it was him after Khushi for two years, would he still believe Khushi was at fault? They didn't know.

Soon they were back in their neighborhood. While a few neighbors were out on the streets were giving them looks which they could decode somewhat. Some were envious that they were about to marry their daughters to such a big, wealthy family while some were looking with extreme contempt as if they stole their opportunities. Some were just giving curious glances trying to decipher the truth as if they would have it written on their faces while remaining were gossiping in other ears which they knew would soon reach them.

Madhumati glared at them causing some of them to hold their stares and look away. Didn't they already watch the press conference where Arnav revealed everything about his and Khushi's relationship? Then why were they still on it as if there was something between the lines?

Garima and Madhumati breathed almost running in their home with Shashi following behind and closed the door.

It was almost the same like that day when that news was released of Khushi falling in a rich tycoon's arms. 'Almost' because back then they all only blamed Khushi but now, everything was out in open not only of that time but also of today's situation. No one would or could blame Khushi because she wasn't at fault. That's clear. But the above were the thoughts of Garima and Madhumati's. Not Shashi Gupta's.

"Bless that man Arnav Singh Raizada who took all the blame on himself to save not only Khushi's but also our reputation!" Shashi broke his silence causing the ladies to look at him with shock.

"Didn't you hear what Arnav babua said, Shashi? It was him who was after our titaliya not the other way around." Madhumati exclaimed.

"He did that to cover up for her. Didn't you see? He has been doing that from the time he met her clearly. What a great luck your titaliya has got Jiji that even after so much trouble that she put him through he is still ready to accept her and give her the respect of being his wife. He went out of the way in that press conference too to make people believe that your so-called titaliya is right while he was at the wrong which I know isn't the case. Khushi is sure lucky to have him in her life despite of all that she did!"

He balled his hands into fists closing his eyes.

"All of this made my belief more strong on Arnav and all of it," He swallowed with his eyes moistening. "All of it made me realize how much wrong I perceived my Khushi. She isn't what she always pretended to be." He exhaled."I don't know who the real Khushi is anymore." He croaked at the end.

Garima wiped her eyes while Madhumati sniffled. Shashi stormed upstairs when they tried to reach him to comfort him leaving them worried like hell for not only him but also Khushi too because it seemed the distance has only increased more between the father and daughter after all the press fiasco.

"Oh come on Khushi. It was just a peck. Not that I haven't kissed you before." He said exasperated seeing her sitting on the passenger seat all silent and rigid. After the press conference he has sneaked out with her while she kept looking back longingly at her sister's direction but didn't protest when he dragged her out because she has said she would concede. She did. Much to his relief. He himself didn't like forcing her for everything. For him it means, one less thing to worry about.

"Did I say anything? No, right? So, stop mentioning it again and again." She gritted still looking out of the window.

"All right." He conceded too this time knowing how much exhausting and mentally challenging the difficult questions were for her. That at one point she even cried on his shoulder.

"Was the kiss part of your script? The 'climax' of the press release?" She asked after several moments finally turning her head to him.

He stole a glance at her before looking back at the road. Sighing he gripped the steering wheel changing the gears.

"What if it was? So what? You are my fiance and I can kiss you however and wherever I want. Doesn't matter anyone is looking or not." There. His arrogance made a blasting comeback.

"How much more shallow would you go to show your superiority on me?" She screeched.

"Lower your voice, Khushi." His tone held a warning and a reminder of her promise.

"What if I didn't?" Her voice only notched higher.

The car screeched to a halt on the side of the road before he reached over and yanked her closer untying her seat belt all at the same time causing her to gasp. Before she could protest his lips landed on hers. Not a peck, he kissed her thoroughly this time before letting her go.

"This!" He pointed to her swollen lips which soon started trembling and no sooner than that her eyes which were already misty started pouring down on her cheeks. He cursed under his breath running his fingers in his hairs averting his eyes.

"Stick to your promise and you will not have to endure this. Do not question or challenge me Khushi. Do. Not!" He gritted avoiding looking at her as she cried with her hand over her mouth.

The rest of the drive was torturous for him as he heard her muffled cries and sniffles throughout driving him insane.

"Did you ever love me?" She croaked bunching the front of his shirt in fists.

"I am too damaged to love anyone Khushi. I told you I like you."

He swallowed feeling choked up.

If it wasn't love then what was it that he feels for her?

Why just the feeling of her parting from him rips him apart so much that he resort to even hurt her to keep her with him?

"Zid hain hum aapki. Aur kuch nahi! (I am just your obstinacy. Nothing else!)" She cried out unknowingly giving him the answer to his unasked questions running in his head.

"And guess what Khushi Kumari Gupta. Mairi iss zid ko pura hone mai ab bas kuch hi minute baaqi hain! (To fulfill this obstinant demand, only a few minutes are left)" He said calmly stopping the car.

She squrimed in her seat feeling her heartbeat quickening up. Last time he stopped the car he kissed her. What would he do now? She shuddered inwardly.

"Kya matlab?(What do you mean?)" She raised her misty eyes up to him. He pointed to her window asking her to look outside. Gulping once she turned her head and her eyes widened. Then it struck her.

"The lawyer or the marriage certificate won't go wasted today because the minute the press conference finished we would be signing on marriage documents and I'd be taking you to RM with me!"

"Ab isski koi zaroorat nahi hai. Waise bhi kuch hi dino mai hamari shaadi hone hi wali hai.(There is no need for it anymore now that we are going to marry in a few days anyway!)" She tried to make him understand as her hands and feet turned cold looking at the place she barely escaped last time. The court. They were outside the court. Just that this time it was the backside where not a single soul was present except for them.

"Mai poch nahi raha Khushi. Bta raha hun. Utro ab! (I wasn't asking but telling you Khushi. Now come out!)" He hopped out of the car while Khushi has frozen on her seat.

"No." She whispered blinking back the tears. Her whole body trembled that by the time Arnav reached to her side of the door and pulled it open she was shaking badly with red hue shining in her eyes as she raised her eyes to his when he gripped her wrist and pulled her out causing her to crash to his chest.

She threw cautions to wind and protested with all her might in his hold while he had a hard time keeping her encaged. What he said next pulled the rug from under her feet. He leaned to her ear after locking both her hands at her back pulling her flush against him sending chills down her spine.

"We would sign the marriage documents and from here we would leave for Delhi right away. Four days you said, right? We would spend our 'mini' honeymoon in RM while our families prepare for our traditional wedding here in Lucknow. What say? Acha plan hai na maira?(Good plan it is, isn't it?)"

"Aisa kabhi nahi ho ga na hum hone dain gay! (That will never happen neither would I let it)" She raised her bloodshot eyes to his just inches away from hers. "Na hi hamare babuji itne dino k liye humein aap k saath akele jaane dein gay! (Neither would my father allow me to be alone with you for days)"

He smirked evilly. Nuzzling his nose with her red one he whispered huskily,

"You are being ridiculous Khushi. Tum jaanti ho aj kal tumhare babuji mairi koi baat nahi talte. (You do know your babuji doesn't say 'no' to me now-a-days at all!)"

"Jhoot bolein gay phir se aap? (You will lie all over again?)"

"Kya kehti ho phir? Aaj sach bol dun ga. Yahan se apni shaadi ka certificate le gay aur un ko bta dun ga k hamari shaadi ho chuki hai jaisa ap ki beti ne chaha ho gaya. Aik shadi ka bhoj utar jaye ga un k kandhon se. (Okay so let it be as you say. For a change I'll say the truth. After getting our marriage certificate I'll tell your father about the same that we are married now like your daughter wanted. He will be relieved off the burden of at least one of his daughters marriage. Won't he be?)"

He released her and leaning against the car with an eyebrow quirked smugly. Stuffing his hands in his pockets casually he half smiled when she pursed her lips to keep herself from blasting at him because she knew how would that end. But looks like she couldn't stay silent after all.

"Aap insan nahi hain! (You are not human!)" She growled.

He chuckled darkly.

"Janta hun kya hun. Us k liye tumhari stamp ki zarurat nahi hai.(I know what I am. For that I don't need your stamp whatsoever)"

Khushi breathed fire clenching her hands at her sides before closing her eyes praying for patience. Interlinking her fingers together she nervously locked and unlocked them before opening her eyes and her misty eyes fell on the ring.

"I know you enough to know that you won't just give your mother's ring to anyone!"

"I knew it she is special for you the minute I saw your mother's ring on her finger. You'll have to change your ways ASR in order to keep this special, innocent girl in your life otherwise you'll lose her even before she became yours!"

How much close that beautician or stylish or whoever she was, was to him who knew him this much that she knew he gave her(Khushi) his mother's ring?

How does she know this?

Or how much more does she know about him?

Does she know about his past too?

Does he go around opening up about his past to anyone? ANYONE?

"I bared my soul to you Ms. Gupta. I told you all about my past, a very dark past yet you are saying I am not answering to you?"

"Well, that was me giving you importance which I never gave to any other woman in my life." He gritted.

"I told you why I am what I am. I told you clearly. If you want to overlook that. Fine. Be my guest."

An ache settled in her chest and out came a whimper which caught his attention. Khushi Kumari Gupta didn't know what of his words to believe and what not to.

A war waged inside of her which was eating her up alive from within.

"If you are done meditating then shall we head inside? Already the lawyer is waiting for us with the papers!" Came his cold reminder.

She raised her accusing eyes to his to which he felt his throat clogging with unbound emotions. Pushing himself off the car he walked to her. She moved back the moment he was a step away from her.

She couldn't believe he was the same man who supported her throughout the press conference and even apologized for his behavior in front of whole media. Huh! Of course those apologies were empty because if he meant them then he wouldn't have been treating her like this right now turning all of her emotions back to conflicts of whether to be relieved of her reputation being cleared or cry for what he intended to do next?

To her surprise he kept standing a step away gawking at her but didn't make any move while her heart was drumming in fear inside her ribcage. Her face flushed not because of shyness but of terror of what would follow.

"If I kept refusing to marry you there is a chance you can become that beastly with me?"

"Yes." He has said.

She shuddered visibly before him and heard him let out an exaggerated sigh before he closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her pulling her in the hollow of his arms with his one hand on her head and other around her shoulders. Her eyes widened some more in horror. She stiffened breathing harshly which even he felt and rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"Relax. I won't hurt you." Maybe he has seen the memories shining in her eyes which has made him cautious. But nothing calmed her. Her body remained stiff.

Arnav was losing his belief on himself. He thought his embrace comforted her but right now it wasn't the case at all.

"Okay." He murmured against her ear closing his eyes as his nose grazed her hairs filling his lungs with her unique flowery intoxicating scent. "We will sign the documents tomorrow. You must be tired. I will drop you home."

"H-Home?" He heard her strangled cry muffled by her head buried in his chest.

His Adam's apple bobbed.

"Your parents home. Yeah. Gomti Sadan. Okay?"

"Really?" She sprang apart from him with her eyes shining back with spark.

Now it was his turn to stiffen as he gave her a curt nod.

A satisfied sigh escaped from her lips causing his blood to boil and heart to burn.

Khushi found herself backed against the car the next moment with his lips on hers. Her breaths left her in a whoosh and all of her happiness turned into frustration as she tried to wriggle out but he wouldn't let her not until she herself didn't surrender and stopped protesting. Only then he released her. By then he has successfully spoiled all of her joy and has crushed her heart into millions.

Good. He said inwardly while opening her side of the door and would have shoved her inside if she herself hadn't climbed in silently. If I won't be happy then you have no right to be happy either and that too with the news of going away from him. HIM?!

Dammit!

Sitting on the driving seat he closed his eyes and dragged in air to calm himself down gripping the steering wheel tightly. After a minute or two he opened his eyes and peered a look at her.

This time neither did she cry nor did she throw any tantrum but sat rigid on her seat with her hand clenched in her lap rather stiffly. He was afraid she was holding her breaths even.

"Breath!"

She took a sharp intake of breath before she started choking with her hand on her throat to which he passed her the water bottle urgently. Her face turned red and then blue but she refused to drink. At last he grabbed her nape and forced the water down her throat. That's when she drank and breathed normally which ended with her splitting into helpless sobs.

"Ab kya problem hai tumhe? Le k ja raha hun na ghar tumhare. Band karo ye rona dhona. Zeher lagti hai mujhe har waqt rone wali ladkiyan! (What is your problem now? I am taking you home. Stop crying now. I hate the girls who cry every time!)"

"Zeher lagte hain hum toh hamara peecha chod kyun nahi dete? Chod dijiye humein! (If you despise me so much then why don't you leave me? Let me go then!)"

"Ahan? Taa k tum jeet jao aur mai haar jaon? Kabhi nahi!(Oh really? So let you win and I lose?)"

"Haarna toh aapko pade ga kyun k jeetna hamari bhi fitrat mai hai Mr. Raizada! Jitna udna hai udd lijiye kyun k akhir mai jeet hamari hi hone wali hai. Kyun k humein apni devi maiyya pe pura bharosa hai!(You will have to lose because winning is also in my nature Mr. Raizada. Enjoy your little victories as you can because at the end only I am going to win. Because I trust my devi maiyya with all my heart!)"

"Tumhari devi maiyya bhi Arnav Singh Raizada ka kuch nahi bighar sakti!(Even your devi maiyya can't do anything bad with Arnav Singh Raizada!)" He said arrogantly.

"Sirf bigarey gi hi nahi aap ko aasman se utha kar zameen par patakh dein gi. Tab aap ko samajh mai aaye k hum iss waqt kaisa mehsos kar rahein hai. (No only bad she will make you fall back on earth from sky high. Then only you will understand what I am feeling right now)" She pointed to herself in vengeance with her hands shaking with emotions.

"Chahe kuch bhi ho jaye. Mai aasman pe rahun ya zameen pe. Kuch feel karon ya na karun. Ye teh hai k tum har jagah maire sath ho gi. Jo mai feel karun ga maira waada hai tumse, tumhe bhi wahi feel karna pade ga. Na kiya toh mai tumhe ussi hadd tak le k jaon ga jahan tumhe pata chale mujh pe kya beet rahi hai! (Whatever happens. Whether I stay on earth or above on the sky. Whether I feel anything or not. This is so done that you will be by my side at every place whatsoever. Whatever I'd feel, this is my promise to you, I will make sure you feel it too. If you didn't then I will go to any length and to any limit to bring you to the point to understand and feel what I'd be feeling!)"

Khushi blinked her eyes at him stock still. The madness in his eyes told her he meant what he said.

"How could you do this to me?" She croaked. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"

He looked away and leaned against his seat. It was good he has made sure she had her medicines otherwise this much stress would have definitely triggered her migraines. He made a mental note to give a visit to her doctor as earliest as possible. Obviously with her.

"Aur rahi baat tumhari shadi k documents par sign karne ki toh wo toh tumhe aj nahi toh kal har haal mai karne pade gay warna hamari hi nahi tumhari jiji ki shaadi bhi main hone nahi dunga aur uss sab ki zimmedar tum ho gi. Aur kabhi socha hai k agar tumhare babuji ko pata chala k tum zimmdar ho dono shaadiyan tootne mai toh phir kya ho ga?

(As far as you signing on marriage decuments is concerned then if not today, tomorrow for sure you will have to sign at any cost otherwise not only ours, I'd not let your sister marriage happen either. And for that only you will be responsible. Have you thought if your father got to know that you're responsible for the calling off of both the weddings then what would happen?)"

Mention of her father and sister drained her off all the strength. Fighting left her and she slumped against the seat while he ignited the engine and pulled the car on the road.

He has put a bucket of cold water on all of the softness she developed for him when he opened up to her last night. How could he behave as if they didn't share anything with each other at all as if she meant nothing all over again? How could he?

She didn't know what was she for him anymore, either?

Little did she know it was his instinct which was warning him day and night of her possible departure form his life that made him react llke that and he needed a security. He needed this to ward off all of his worries. He needed some relief and this was his relief. Security. Their marriage. Their signature on marriage certificate with a stamp of husband and wife from the law to make her his legally.

After that no one would be able to take her away from him. No one. Not even her!

Payal opened the door and seeing Khushi she threw her arms around her and hugged her.

"Are you okay, Khushi?" Payal cupped her cheek pulling her inside the house and closing the door behind. Khushi clenched her hands nervously looking around the vast veranda gulping not knowing how would she face her father after everything.

Garima and Madhumati came from the kitchen seeing whom Khushi walked slowly to them with her eyes brimming.

"B-Babu ji?" Khushi asked upon reaching them.

Garima averted her eyes while Madhumati spoke.

"He is sleeping after taking medicines."

"Is he still angry?" Khushi croaked.

Garima and Madhumati looked at each other.

"All of this made my belief more strong on Arnav and all of it made me realize how much wrong I perceived my Khushi. She isn't what she always pretended to be. I don't know who the real Khushi is anymore."

Madhumati tightened the clothe around her head.

"Pita hai wo tumre titaliya. Kya gussa nahi kar sakte tujh pe? (He is your father. Can't he be angry at you?)"

"Kar sakte hain Buaji. Jitna gussa karna hai kar sakte hain par iss tarah humse nafrat toh na karen. Humpe bharosa toh karein. Pura na sahi bas thoda sa hi. (He can be angry as much as he wants Bua ji but he shouldn't hate me like this. He should trust me a little. Give me a benefit of doubt at least.)"

"Thak gayi ho gi. Ja, ja k aaram kar le. (You must be tired. Go and rest for a bit.)" Garima spoke trying to divert her attention.

"Nahi Amma, hum aaj babuji ko manane k liye un ki pasand ka khana banayen gay. Aaj unhe manana hi pade ga! (No Amma. Today I will make Babu ji's favorite dishes to pacify him. He will have to let go of his anger today once and for all)" She said wiping her eyes and headed to the kitchen.

Garima sighed. Khushi must be too hurt to realize that making her father's favorite dishes, something that trivial wouldn't built back the cracks in the daughter-father relationship. It would take a lot more.

"Haye re Nandkishore!" Madhumati muttered with her hand on her head while Payal caught the look on her mother's eyes who has already told her what her Babu ji thought and talked about the whole press fiasco. And in this situation if Khushi tried anything it would only backfire on her and hurt her more. Increase her tension.

Nodding she headed to the kitchen and with much coaxing took Khushi upstairs much to Garima and Madhumati's relief. It will be better if Khushi don't come in front of Shashi for a while until his anger calms down.

"Kal se shaadi k functions shuru ho rahe hain Garima. Iss titaliya ko samjha ab kuch bhi karne ka koi faida nahi hai. Shashi nahi manane wala. Toh shaadi kare aur apne ghar jaye.(From tomorrow wedding functions are going to start so make this titaliya understand that nothing could be done now neither would it affect Shashi because he isn't going to relent. So she should just marry and go off to her in-laws!)" Madhumati said seriously to which Garima nodded sadly.

Payal collected the mess around the room. Amma and Buaji has given her some clothes to sew embroidery on it when Akash dropped her off. She tried Khushi's number several times but found it switched off. She was only pacing worrying in the corridor when Khushi came much to her relief. She got to see her sister only two times after yesterday press fiasco. One when that beautician made them ready for the function and second in the press conference itself. Now it was already evening.

"Khushi tu theek hai na? (Are you okay, Khushi?)" Payal came to sit besides her on the bed while Khushi was lying in the middle looking up blankly on the ceiling.

"He said he loves me. Except that he was lying." Khushi said briskly but the moisture in her eyes gave away her feelings.

A gasp escaped Payal.

"Are you sure he was lying?" Payal asked cautiously.

"I know." Khushi swallowed past a lump. "He could never love anyone. He is too damaged to love and care." She blinked back the tears.

Payal placed a hand on her head and caressed her hairs as she had an idea maybe Arnav opened up about his past to her sister. Akash told her somewhat too but now as looked at Khushi and her desolate condition she realized maybe the whole truth must be far more earth shattering, too consuming. too draining to digest.

Khushi shifted her head from the pillow to Payal's lap.

"Jiji, wo insan nahi hai. Shaitan hai shaitan! (Jiji, he is not a human. He is a Satan. A satan!)" She mumbled.

"Toh tu babu ji ko pura sach bta kyun nahi deti, Khushi? Bol de ta k iss aziyet se chutkara mile tujhe! (Why don't you tell Babu ji the whole truth, Khushi? Tell him so that you could be free of this torture!)" Payal tried to get it out of her.

Khushi opened her mouth to reply but a loud knock followed by more taps on their front door caught their attention. As if not one many persons were banging it.

Khushi sat up straight. Garima and Madhumati downstairs looked at each other worriedly because the last time they opened the door to such loud knocks they ended up in front of the cameras with the press breathing down their neck.

"Amma?" Khushi came running down along with Payal. "Why aren't you opening the door? It might wake Babu ji up!"

Before they could stop her she was already walking to the doors and pulled them open.

As soon as she did her face blanched seeing the men before her.

They weren't any men but the same goons who would have done worse if Shyam Manohar Jha hasn't saved her after that video release almost two years ago.

Next thing she knew they were at her feet begging for forgiveness causing her to jerk back alarmed. Her Amma, Bua ji and Jiji gathered behind her while hearing the noise neighbors came out too.

"Please. Please forgive us for whatever we did or said to you after that video that day in the market. We are really sorry. Please forgive us. You are our sister from now on. In fact every other girl in this world are our sisters. We will never look at any girl, ever. Ever. We promise on our lives!"

By then Shashi Gupta has woken up hearing the loud commotion and has come out of his room whilst looking at the scene from the top of the stairs.

"Will you at least get up bhaiyya?" Khushi jolted herself back from shock and said calmly.

"No. No. He will not let us get back home or get our jobs back either. We have families to run. Please say that you have forgiven us only then we will get up."

Khushi let out an exaggerated sigh. She didn't had to guess or ask who that he was.

"Okay. I forgive you. You all can go. I will talk to him." Khushi gritted out the last words.

"Please sign here that you have forgiven us." One of them raised a paper to her with a pen.

Khushi's eyes widened.

Were they kidding?

She heard a few chuckles coming from the neighbors. In order to avoid creating more scene she took the paper and signed huffing.

He so was getting it for creating this scene in front of her home!

No sooner than that each one of them raised a paper to her too to sign for them. Gritting her teeth she signed them off.

"Thank you Didi." They said in chorus.

Khushi frowned highly frustrated as neighbors looked amused while behind her Payal, Garima and Madhumati snickered while the men got up on their feet and scurried off.

Pursing her lips in anger she turned and found her Amma, Bua ji and Jiji holding their laughs. Seeing the pissed look on her face they burst out laughing.

"Didi?" Payal chortled. "Seriously?"

But none of it amused Khushi, it only increased the rage inside of her. And when her eyes met her Babu ji's skeptical ones while he stood on the top of the stairs with his accusing gaze fixed on her, despair fell on her. Her heart ached when he turned shaking his head and walked back to his room.

The laughter has long died in Garima, Madhumati and Payal when they noticed the exchange between Shashi and Khushi.

Khushi turned fuming and was running out of the door turning deaf ears to her Amma, Jiji and Buaji calling out to her of where was she going?

Sheesh Mahal

Anjali, Devyani and Akash were sipping tea in the living room while Arnav was sitting on the single couch busy with his phone. Even when Anjali and Nani tried to talk to him about all that happened, he stalled them. He wasn't in any mood to discuss anything right now.

His phone pinged.

ASR, its done. Those men did what you asked them to. But, Ms. Gupta just left quite angrily from her home right after their departure.

Where?

We don't know. You want one of us to follow her?

Yeah do that. Make sure she is safe.

Sure, ASR.

After a few minutes he received another message which made his lips quirk up in a smirk.

He looked up for a moment from the cell and found Anjali quirking her eyebrow at him. His smirk widened as he glanced back at his phone screen.

I think the auto she is in, is heading to the route of Sheesh Mahal.

"Di, we are going to have a guest in here. Ask someone to prepare more tea and snacks." He said looking at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Who?" Anjali asked perplexed.

She didn't have to wait for his reply because by then the answer itself came bursting in through the front doors of Sheesh Mahal and stood right in the middle of the grandeur living room spitting fire at Arnav royally sitting on the couch straight at her line of vision passing a victorious smirk at her as soon as his eyes met hers.

As Anjali held her breath, Akash adjusted his collars nervously while Devyani prayed in her mind to calm Khushi down because she could see how her anger could end up. Soon it all would rub on Arnav and he would blast only on her. Khushi needs to tread carefully. If only the poor girl knew she was going to spend her whole life on egg shells with a man like her grandson!

And still you are letting all of it happen? Someone sneered inside Devyani to which she lowered her eyes in shame. Voices rebuked her but she buried them in some dark, lone corner of her mind for the sake of her Chote.

Arnav stood up and came around the large couches to stand in front of her with a perked eyebrow.

"What was that you did with those men?" She blasted moving back when he tried to reach through his hand to her cheek.

"Whatever they deserved." He said pulling back his hand and folding it at his back, clenched it hard which though not Khushi but his family did see and their breath got caught up in their throats.

"By threatening them with their families?" She said incredulously. "You only know how to use people's weakness to your advantage don't you? You don't really care what others feel when you behave so cruelly." She exclaimed with naked rage in her eyes coupled with sheer contempt that sliced through him and he closed the remaining distance ignoring her stunned expression.

"That's how I am." He growled pulling her in his arms. "You should get used to it fiancé. Because if in future anyone, anyone tried to lay his eyes on you they would get the same treatment those men did. Or maybe worse because no one has got the rights to even look at what's MINE."

A startled gasp left her. A lump got stuck in her throat.

His one hand slid up her arm and reached her nape, cupping it he turned her head up until their noses were almost touching making breathing difficult for Khushi.

"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?" He shook her causing her to close her eyes as her eyes prickled. He exhaled closing his eyes touching his head with hers.

She pushed the lump down her throat as the veins at her neck throbbed.

"Only I am allowed to get lost in your beauty. Just I. Just me." He whispered his fingers trailing on her nape, her neck as he breathed hard on her face and so did she feeling like their heart might as well burst out of their chests any moment from now.

Not only Khushi, his Di, Nani and Akash were stumped too seeing his madness. They couldn't react neither could produce any sound.

Some sanity made its way back to her mind when she felt his hand going down her arm and slid around her waist but that wasn't enough to give her the strength to stop him but the next thing did it.

"Chote!" Devyani's reprimanding voice put a bucket of cold water on Khushi's head and her senses started working on overdrive.

She pulled away letting out a gasp. Her chest heaved up and down. She took several steps back maintaining a decent distance between them. Her eyes fell over his shoulder to the trio standing many feet away besides the couches.

Should she be thankful that his back was facing his family and he was towering over her otherwise how would she have ever faced Nani ji, Akashi jiju and even Anjali ji for that matter if they had seen how he was about to.. out in open.. She closed her eyes but the lava built up inside her and she couldn't contain it.

"You are insanely crazy. I am not your play thing that you can do whatever you wanna do with it." She cried out and her voice boomed around the hall.

"I told you I'd find them. Make them pay. I did." He was being nothing but jerk. An arrogant freak. She lost it.

"Why don't you make yourself pay because you're the root cause of everything?!" She gave him a rough push flaring her nostrils.

Anjali took a step forward but Devyani grabbed her hand in hers before shaking her head. Anjali pleaded with her eyes watering but got a stern look from her Nani. Akash already had sworn not to interfere in his Bhai and Khushi's matter so he kept silent.

"Tumhe bari hamdardi ho rahi hai unse? (Oh now you're feeling sympathy for them?)" He gritted.

"Han ho rahi hai kyun k humne dekha hai aap kis hadd tak ja sakte hai dosro se wo karwane k liye jo aap chahte hain! (Yes I am because I have seen to what length you go to get people abide by your wishes!)"

"I did it for you, dammit!" His masked emotions resurfaced.

"Did I ask you to? No! But you go ahead and turn people's life upside down because you can. You have the power. To just show it off." She cried out.

"I cant believe you are defending those goons who tried to moles-" He was cut off rudely.

"I am not defending them. I am saying there were other ways to make them understand too. But no, you went ahead and threatened them with their families. By only thing you are best at. Manipulating. Using people weakness to your advantage! Jaise hamare sath kiya apne! (The way you did with me!)" Her raw wounds bled inside of her.

"Matlab mai galat hun aur wo sahi? (Are you implying that I am wrong and they are right?)" He askekd in disbelief.

She huffed. He won't understand what she was trying to say. He was so full of himself that he would never admit his faults even if he was wholly wrong.

"Agar tum unhe maaf kar skti ho mujhe nahi? (If you can forgive them then why not me?)" His eyes took a calculative look.

"Maafi galti ki hoti hai gunah ki nahi! Aapne humse hamare babuji ko cheena hai. Wo rishta jo mairi zindagi ka haasil tha. Jo maira gharoor tha. Apne hamara gharoor toda hai. Humein- (Forgiveness is for the mistakes not for sins. You have turned my father against me. You snatched my father. The relation which was the soul of my life. Which was my pride. You broke my pride into pieces. You-)"

Her voice shook.

"--humein toda hai!(--you broke me!)" Her hand trembled as she pointed at him and so did her lips in an effort to contain her sobs.

"Aur us k liye hum aapko kabhi maaf nahi karein gay. Kabhi nahi! (And for that I'll never forgive you. Never!)" She said defiantly swiping a hand on her eyes to wipe off the brimming moisture.

"Matlab wo doosra chance deserve karte hain, mai nahi? (So they do deserve the second chance but I don't?)" He was holding himself barely on the edge. Only he knew how he listened all of her outburst and still appeared calm and collective. Except for his hands which clenched at his sides he showed no other signs of emotions.

"Han kyun k unhone sirf dhamki di wo sab pura kar nahi paye jo wo karna chahte the. Kuch bura nahi kiya unhone hamare saath jitna k aap ne kiya. Aap ne humein dhamki bhi di, usse pura bhi kiya aur humein barbad bhi kiya hamari aankhon k samne humse hamara sab kuch cheen liya aur hum kuch nahi kar paye! (Yes because they just threatened me. They didn't, couldn't harm me. At the end they did nothing bad unlike you. Not only did you threatened me you fulfilled it too and destroyed me in front of my very eyes while I could do nothing but watch you let me burn into ashes!)" She sobbed out.

He stepped forward to at least wipe her tears but she glared at him with so much hate that glued his steps on the ground itself. She composed herself before looking square in his eyes with her bleary ones.

"Aur waise bhi sab kuch aap ki wajah se hua tha. Unhe ilzam dene se pehle khud ko dekh lein zara Mr. Raizada. Wo sab aag aap ne lagayi thi. Na aap vo video release karte, na wo sab gunde hamare peeche padhte aur na aap k jiju hamari zindagi mai aate! (And by the way, everything happened because of you. Why don't you look into your own faults before blaming others Mr.Raizada? It was you who ignited that fire. If only you hadn't released that video they wouldn't have bothered me and neither would have your brother-in-law had entered in my life!)"

"Kya matlab kya hai tumhara? K jo kuch bhi hua mairi wajah se hua? (What did you mean by that? That everything was my fault?)" His eyes showed dangerous glint which even though she saw but choose to ignore it because she was too wound up to care about his anger.

"Han hua hai. Ye sab aap ki wajah se hua hai! (Yes that's what I mean. Everything happened because of you!)" She bellowed silencing his anger and out came the hurt as his body turned from rigid to slumped.

But she wasn't done yet. She was in full mood to get back at him if not by any other means then at least letting it all out. Once and for all.

"Na aap hamari zindagi mai aate na hum aap se milte na hi ye sab hota. Mairi zindagi ki sabse bari galti hain aap. Sabse badi. Kaash hum dobara ussi din ussi jagah ponch sakte toh aap se kabhi na milte. Kaash ye hamare haath mai hota! (Only if you hadn't come into my life. Only if I hadn't met you then all this wouldn't have happened. You are the biggest mistake of my life. The biggest. I wish I could turn back time and if only I could then I'd have never met you given the choice. I wish it was in my hands!)"

There, Khushi Kumari Gupta shattered everything inside Arnav Singh Raizada.

He caught her wrist when she turned to leave and pulled her back at her place rather harshly and closed the distance between them.

"Chote!"

"Arnav!"

"Bhai!"

Anjali, Nani and Akash said in unison but Arnav listened to none as he dragged her closer and held her up against him.

"TAKE. IT. BACK!" He ordered.

"Payaliya, kuch pata chala wo sankadevi kahan hai? (Any news on her whereabouts?)" Buaji asked while Garima looked at Payal expectantly who was holding the phone to her ear.

Payal shook her head dejected.

"We have to find her soon or else if your babu ji got to know he would get all the more reasons to be angry on her." Garima said worriedly.

Payal gulped. Buaji took her shawl and headed out to look for her taking Shashi's cell phone with her while Garima was using the landline to reach Khushi through her friends. Payal had Khushi's cellphone which if she had taken they would have at least be able to contact her and needn't have to be this concerned.

Even after two hours Khushi didn't come back and Buaji also came back empty handed Payal did the only thing she knew would get her any information on Khushi.

She dialed Akash.

As soon as he picked she cried out.

"Akash, Khushi is missing. We-" She narrated everything that happened here before heaving a tired sigh.

"Please help me find my sister." She said pleadingly with her voice turning hoarse. "You know she is not in her good health either. So," She frowned when she didn't get any response from his side. He stayed silent whilst she explained everything. There wasn't even a single word of comfort coming from his side.

She looked at the phone and seeing the call still connected she brought it back to her ear.

"Akash? Are you listening?"

"If I helped you find your sister would you stop being stubborn and let them marry without any hurdle from your end?"

Payal gritted her teeth and curbed her anger not to lash out at him. Garima and Madhumati were looking at her expectantly with so much hope that she closed her eyes, swallowed her self respect for her sister and said,

"Yes. I agree." She kept her tone clipped.

"Okay then. I will get you her location in half an hour. In fact I will make sure she reaches home safely." With that the phone was cut. Payal barely could handle herself not to curse out loud at his audacity.

"What did he say?" Garima asked urgently.

"He said not to worry. He will get her home safely." She didn't indulge more information and seeing the worry turning into relief on her Amma and Bua ji's face she realized how much they trust Akash to find their Khushi soon.

"Should we inform Arnav bitwa?" Madhumati asked cautiously.

"No!" Payal exclaimed. When they looked at her confused she scratched her hairs and said,

"She left being angry on him and if he went after her she would only get more mad. So it's better Akash look for her."

They nodded satisfied with her explanation.

Payal prayed in her mind not to get the things out of hand that they have to take help from that monster of a Raizada. She wished Akash keep things to himself only. She so wished.

Not knowing her sister was in the hands, clutches of the very same man right now and she didn't have any idea either what was going on between the two of them.

Unlike her, Devyani, Anjali and Akash there in the Sheesh Mahal knew as well as witnessed everything with their own eyes. Not only the extent of Arnav's involvement with Khushi but also Khushi's predicament being manipulated by the ASR every other passing moment which wasn't a pretty at all.

"TAKE. IT. BACK!" He ordered.

"Mairi zindagi ki sabse bari galti hain aap. Sabse badi! (You are the biggest mistake of my life. The biggest!)"

Arnav's grip tightened on her, around her causing her to wince out loud. This time when Anjali rushed forward Nani didn't stop her because she herself was hell terrified as she has never seen this side of her grandson ever.

Anjali pulled them apart to which Khushi took huge gulps of air and coughed twice to clear her throat which seemed to be blocked with prickling needles.

Arnav turned his back to her and ran his fingers in his hairs cursing under his breath.

Anjali placed a hand on her heart and taking a deep breath looked at the frightened Khushi who was still trying to compose herself.

"Khushi ji, driver will drop you home. Go!" Anjali mouthed the last word pleading with her eyes not to say another word at least not right now.

Khushi was too shaken to utter a word so she turned only for her wrist to be grasped in a strong hold. She was then being dragged in the opposite direction as she looked longingly at the door while gasps reverberated in the living room of Anjali, Akash and even Nani's.

Giving her a push to the couch he was sitting earlier he sat himself on the arm rest on her right with her hand gripped tightly in his despite her attempts to get free. Ignoring her protests he played with her fingers as if it was the normal thing between them. Anjali and Devyani were too shocked to react while Akash's stupor broke with his cell vibrating in his pocket. Pulling it out he looked at the caller ID and his eyes widened.

Giving a furtive glance at the couple he was about to cut the call when the call itself disconnected and a message popped up. Reading which he realized he had to take her call or Gupta family would worry about Khushi's whereabouts. He stood up and silently went to the garden only when he saw his brother has calmed down because Khushi has stopped fighting and was now sitting rigidly on the couch.

"Chote, ee ka tareeka hai Khushi bitiya se baat karne ka? (How could you behave like that with Khushi?)" Nani finally found her voice coming to stand behind the couch across them.

"It's her fault." Arnav tilted his head to Khushi's direction. "If only she would stop fighting I'd stop behaving like this!" His grip on her hand tightened. Khushi flinched. Devyani closed her eyes in regret. Anjali placed a hand on her shoulder and when Nani looked at her she shook her head asking her not instigate him more now that he has cooled down a bit.

Huffing Devyani sat on the couch in order to keep an eye on Arnav while Anjali sat besides her.

"Now that your anger is gone, let her go home." Anjali said after a few minutes.

Arnav's eyes shot up to his sister whilst his nostrils flared.

"Ramu Kaka!" He called out loud lowering his gaze back to Khushi's hand in his. He has entwined his hand with hers and his fingers fit in the spaces like they were two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Ramesh came running upon Arnav's shout.

"Ji Arnav baba?"

"Make fresh tea and snacks. Don't forget to bring sugar coated jalebis too."

"Right away, baba." Ramu said with an awkward smile as he felt the tension in the air too but without another word he left taking the order.

"Chote, Anjali bitiya said something. Drop Khushi bitiya back home!" Devyani tried this time.

"I will. Don't worry. But only after she have something. It is the first time she has come here after our engagement. Aise kaise isse jaane de sakta hun? The moment is special. You should know it better what it means to me." He raised his eyebrow.

Devyani's eyes went from Arnav to the girl who was now sitting with her head hung low and shoulders slumped. Her heart cut into pieces. What the hell was she, they doing to this girl? It wasn't right.

She couldn't ponder further as Arnav's phone rang and looking at the screen he stood up leaving her hand to which a sigh of relief left Khushi which didn't go unnoticed by either of them. It made Arnav fume.

He turned to his grandmother and sister.

"Keep an eye on her till I come back." He then turned to Khushi. Placing his hands on the arm rests he leaned forward and she dug herself more into the couch.

"And mind you Khushi Kumari Gupta don't try to escape because you simply can't. Bahir hi darwaze tak ja raha hun toh kuch bhi karne se pehle ye soch lena agar maine tumhe bahir jaate dekh liya toh phir kya kar sakta hun balke karun ga tumhare saath! (I am going just to the front door so before trying anything stupid think before you do because if I found you trying to sneak out then you can't imagine what I could, would do to you!)"

Her eyes widened in horror. He smirked as his warning was taken seriously by her. He marched out then and Khushi gasped in and out with her hand on her chest. No sooner than that tears leaked her eyes and she sobbed silently burying her head in her lap making Anjali and Devyani's eyes to tear up too.

Just then Akash came back inside and stopped short seeing Khushi sobbing.

"Di?" He asked concerned.

Anjali's body trembled as Khushi's sobs cut through her while Akash walked hurriedly to Khushi.

Before he could do anything to console her Arnav came back with unbridled rage in his eyes that stopped Akash on his track and also made Anjali and Devyani to stand up shocked when Arnav pulled Khushi to stand and for a moment he stood staring at her tear-stricken face with pained expressions before his eyes darkened as a shadow passed across his face.

"Ms. Gupta didn't had any purse with her so she wasn't able to pay the rent once she got off the auto she hired urgently while running out of her home. That's why maybe she took off the ring she had on her finger to pay it off. I saw it so I did the needful. Here is the ring."

His man who has followed Khushi gave him the ring seeing which his blood boiled and eyes brimmed with red hue of hurt and pain which eventually turned into rage too.

"Where is your ring?" He barked on her face. She whimpered. He ignored his Di and Nani who were saying something. He was too hurt and angry to care for their advises to stay calm or whatever. Akash stood with his mouth hanged open.

"Dammit Khushi! Kyun mujhe bar bar zid par uksati ho? (Why are you hell bent on provoking me to force you again and again?)" He gritted.

"I forgot my purse at home. I will pay you back!" Maybe crying out did help her regain her strength to fight back with full vigor.

"How much more would you pay me huh? You already owe me too much money!" Not him but his anger spoke.

Khushi's face lost all color. He flexed his jaws to reign in his emotions as they kept pouring in from every pore of his body.

He grabbed her left hand and raised it to his eyes keeping her glued to him with his right hand around her waist.

Seeing her empty ring finger his heart broke into pieces.

"You do it always. How dare you? You gave away such an important ring to pay off the trivial rent? You knew what it means to me and.. and.." He huffed."I-I gave you my mother's ring and this is how you pay me back by selling it off?" He said menacingly pressing her hand. She grimaced closing her eyes. He left her waist and took out the ring from his pocket and raised it to her eyes. She glanced at the ring then up in his eyes. Dark ones. Promising her hell. Hell, if she would keep fighting him.

Maybe it was in that moment darkness seeped in her too and started spreading in her. Slowly, gradually but absolutely. She didn't protest then when he slipped the ring back in her ring finger and as soon as he did he sighed satisfied before looking back in her eyes. His stance took a calculative look.

"Don't make me glue this ring to your finger. Agar dobara aisa kiya toh jaan le lun ga .. tumhari nahi balke un sab ki jinse tum pyaar karti ho. (If you did this ever again then I'd take away the life.. not of you but of every relation you hold dear to your heart)"

Pin drop silence coupled with palpable tension thickened in the atmosphere. Most of all, Devyani Singh Raizada was stumped. Angry. As well as guilty.

Ramesh entered breaking their trance. Arnav made Khushi sit on the couch and resumed his position on the arm rest. Ramesh left after arranging the snacks and tea on the table while Arnav himself filled a plate and placed it on her lap. She didn't make any move to eat. He made the tea and taking the small tray placed it on it and picking up the plate on her lap shifted it to the tray before placing it on her lap.

He clenched his jaws seeing her not moving. Not only her, his family were rooted to their spots too. Thankfully his Mama, Mami weren't here or else they would have had their own set of advises. If only they knew Khushi Kumari Gupta wasn't any other girl to be tamed by politeness. She was as stubborn as he himself was and he knew by heart nothing could break his obstinacy then how could he break her stubbornness which was a match to his own?

"Sit all of you or just leave us alone." He said out loud causing his Di, Akash and even Nani to jerk on her position before they sat silently knowing it was better not to leave them alone.

"And you-" He turned to Khushi and tipped her chin up to look in her misty eyes. "Have them all--" He pointed to the snacks and tea. "--and after that I'll myself drop you home. If not, then no worries you could stay here all night." He shrugged. Khushi's heart galloped in fear not for herself but in fear of increasing her father's anger. So she silently grabbed the cup and started drinking tea much to his relief.

He smirked. She finished everything in less than ten minutes and then turned to him.

"Please can I go now?" She kept her tone soft knowing that her attitude only ignite his arrogance.

"Sure. Come I will drop you like I said." He took her hand and this time pulled her softly up.

Anjali, Nani and Akash kept looking at their retreating backs until they exited the doors before their eyes met each others not only with worry but also horror because none of them has ever witnessed this much aggressive behavior of Arnav with Khushi as they have just seen the snippets and now when they saw it whole, it was too late because to bring Arnav to this point they have been an equal participants by supporting him not only in his lies but also encouraging him to go on too by giving him what he wanted.

With realization came the guilt and with guilt, fear.

Fear not for anything but for Khushi's safety with.. Arnav!

"Agar Chote Khushi k saath rehat rahe toh pagal ho jayen gay. Wo dono aik dosre k liye theek naahi hain bitiya.(If Chote stayed with Khushi then he would go insane. They both aren't right for each other)" Nani said wiping her eyes.

"Ye pyaar naahi hai Anjali bitiya. Koi alag hi junoon hai Chote ki aankhon mai. Wo dono aik saath rahe to aik dosre ko khatam kar dein gay jaan se nahi baaton k zeher se. Lafzon ki maar bohat takleef de hoti hai jaan nahi leti par insaan ko ander se khokla kar deti hai. Uski rooh ko chalni kar deti hai. Samjhat ho hum kya kehat hain bitiya?

(It isn't love Anjali bitiya but some other kind of madness I have seen in his eyes. If they both stayed together then they would finish each other not by life but by their venomous retorts to each other. Poison of words is too crippling. It hurts more than anything. It doesn't take your life but surely rusts your insides. Penetrate to your soul and destroys every bit of you till your roots. Do you understand what I am saying?)"

Devyani exclaimed to Anjali while Akash dropped himself on the single couch with a thud as Payal's words rang in his ears.

"In order to protect himself he got the right automatically to burn someone else into ashes?"

"You don't want your brother to go back to the darkness and you want me to watch silently while he is pushing my sister into the same abyss more closer day by day?"

"Nani par agar Chote Khushi ji se alag hue to wo aise hi pagal hi jayen gay. Saans nahi le payen gay.(If he got separated from Khushi ji then he would go crazy anyway. He won't be able to breath even!)" Anjali was saying.

"Aur agar wo Khushi k saath rahe toh uss bachi ka saans lena mushkil kar dein gay.(And if he stayed with Khushi then he would make breathing difficult for the poor girl)" Nani said firmly.

"Hum toh ab uss waqt ko kos rahe hain jab humne Chote ka saath dene ka socha. Humein Shashi ji ki saamne sab kuch sach bol dena chahiye tha. Khud hi bta dena chahiye tha k unki beti nahi hamara beta galat hai.(I am now regretting the time when I decided to be on his side. I should have myself spoken the whole truth in front of Shashi ji that not his daughter but my son is at fault)" She choked at the end.

"Nani ab agar aap ya hum mai se koi peeche hata bhi toh aap ko kya lagta hai Chote bhi peeche hat jayen gay? Nahi. Balke un ki zid aur bhar jaye gi. Please Nani, aisa kuch mat kariye ga jisse Chote khud ko barbaad kar dein. Aap jaanti hain na wo agar takleef mai hun toh humein toh kuch nahi karen gay par khud ko hi nuksan ponchayen gay. Please Nani. Hamare liye. Hamare liye khamosh rahiye ga. Hum.. hum apse waada karte hain k jab Chote Khushi ko shadi kar k layen gay toh hum khud un pe nazar rakhen gay k wo kuch ulta seedha na kar dein.

(What do you think if we backed off now then Chote would too? No. But it would only increase his obstinacy. Please Nani, don't try to do anything which could force Chote to destroy himself. You do know if he is in pain he won't say anything to us but harm himself only. Please Nani. For me. For me stay silent. I-I promise you that when he would bring Khushi here after marrying then I'd keep an eye on him that he don't do anything reckless)"

Though she didn't negate Anjali knowing she was too emotional and biased regarding her brother but Devyani Singh Raizada made a promise to herself that she wouldn't let Arnav marry Khushi because if he did then not only would he destroy Khushi but also himself too. Truly and absolutely. Because what he feels for Khushi wasn't love but a dangerous undefined emotion. An emotion which no word in any dictionary of the world could define.

Not only Devyani, Akash was now thinking on the same line after getting the clearer picture by his Nani's words.

He stopped the car at the end of the street. She turned the door knob only to be whirled around on her seat to face him.

"Remember to dress well for tomorrow. We are going to sign our marriage agreement, okay?"

She snatched back her hand spitting fire at him.

"Of course. As you wish, boss!" She mocked causing him to tighten his jaws.

"Khushi," He warned. "Watch your tone!"

"Sure your highness!" She snapped pulling open the door and hopping out.

He jumped out of the car too and came just in time on the other side to block her way. Khushi looked around her neighborhood and to her relief no one was out but it won't be a case for long she knew.

"Let me go, Mr. Raizada. If anyone saw us they would only specul-"

"No one would speculate anything because now the whole world knows you are my fiance. Mine!" He gritted.

"Whatever!" She crossed her arms across her chest turning her head to the other side.

"This attitude of yours has to change and I promise you I'd make sure of it after our wedding." He stood nose to nose with her glaring at her.

"What about your attitude? Would that change too?" She looked into his eyes defiantly.

"Arnav Singh Raizada don't change for anyone!" He said arrogantly.

"And you think Khushi Kumari Gupta would change for a freak like you? Never!" She spat the words on his face. Pushing him away she walked away only to be whirled around to crash to his chest with her one arm folded at her back.

"Tomorrow at 3. By 3pm, you'd be my wife. Mrs. Arnav Singh Raizada. Then I'd see how would you defy me!" Saying that he pushed her away and walking to the driving seat sat in. His eyes met her through the windshield. Giving her pointing look he ignited the car and reversed the car before zooming off.

Khushi walked defeated to her home and entered the already opened door only to be engulfed with hugs and kisses from her jiji, Amma and Bua ji. She held on to her mother longer closing her eyes with her head on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw her father standing a few feet away with a scowl on his face.

"Babu ji" She choked. Shashi turned and left giving her a disappointed look crushing her into more tiny pieces.

Pulling away from her mother she ran upstairs to her room ignoring the concerned calls of her mother, buaji and sister and locked the door from inside. With a resigned sigh she glanced all over the room raking her brain to remember where she has placed it and ran to the cupboard first.

She frantically searched for it there but in vain, she looked for it all over the room and upon finding it after half an hour of thorough search 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.

Payal was stumped when she got up the next morning and saw Khushi all ready even an hour before they have to leave for office. Not only that she has done some extra efforts to look good but also was wearing jewelry. With the red chudidaar she has worn matching necklace and earrings. Also, bangles on her both hands. Lip gloss was of a darker shade today. Mascara, eye-liner enhanced her beauty and a red and black duppata completed her look.

What stunned Payal more was a smile, a blooming genuine one at that on her face that made her heart squeeze in her chest because after a long , long time she was seeing her sister smile like that.

"Khushi?" She croaked rubbing her eyes thinking maybe she was having a dream but when opened her eyes back on, nothing changed. Neither Khushi's avatar nor her smile that radiated on her face.

"Oh jiji, don't be so surprised okay? It is the first time I'd go to AR after my engagement announcement on the media so I thought to dress well. After all, I have to maintain the image of CEO's fiance, right? I think you should get ready properly as well so,"

Payal cut her sharply.

"What's going on Khushi?" She wouldn't fall for her sister's tricks to keep her from worrying. She knew what she must be going through.

"Nothing jiji. I just thought to give Arnav ji a chance. Didn't you see how he taught those goons a lesson? Yesterday I couldn't tell you but listen now. I have made peace with him." She walked to the bed and embraced Payal. On her shoulder, Khushi's smile vanished. "We have come at a truce. He confessed too that he wasn't lying when he said he loves me." She swallowed as her heart clenched. "H-He loves me. I couldn't ask for more." She swiped a hand on her eyes and pulled back with a smile back on her face.

"Are you serious?" Payal still couldn't believe it.

"Yeah jiji. He promised to clear every misunderstanding between me and Babuji as well as soon as possible so why would I be angry on him anymore? And do you know whose ring is it?" She raised her ring clad hand to her eyes.

Payal frowned.

"His mother's. And.. and.." She smiled with misty eyes. "Do you think he would just give his mother's ring to anyone? No. I am special Jiji. I hold a special place in his life. I am beginning to realize it now." She choked.

"But whatever he did Khushi how can you-"

"Jiji, it will take time I know but I am ready to take the chance with.. him." She said grabbing her hand in hers.

"Are you sure Khushi?" Payal wasn't convinced fully.

"Cent percent." She smiled wide. "Anyways, tell me." She stood up and twirled around holding her dress. "How am I looking? Its Arnav ji's favorite color. Red. Am I looking okay?" She asked unsure.

"Not just okay but stunning." Payal smiled seeing the excitement on her face. How could her sister change over-night? Maybe something definitely happened between Arnav and Khushi and it may be good because otherwise Khushi wouldn't have been this happy and content.

"Thank you Jiji. Now get up and get ready you too. I don't want to be late. I can't wait to see his reaction upon seeing me in his favorite color." Khushi ushered Payal to the bathroom and came back to sit on the bed with a thud with smile and twinkle vanishing from her face.

AR

Payal was shocked but Arnav was dumbfounded and so was Akash and everyone in AR because as soon as Khushi spotted Arnav there with his back to her in between employees checking their work going to every desk, she marched to him and entwining her hand with his took him by surprise. His head shot to hers in stupor. He got more shock at what he heard next.

"Good Morning Arnav ji!" She said cheerfully.

His heart did a somersault as he noted her appearance causing a lump of emotions to form in his throat and his stomach to twist.

A confused Akash looked at Payal in question but she shrugged in response knowing she herself has no idea about this 360 degree turn in Khushi's behavior. As far as employees who has been standing behind their desks in respect for Arnav were witnessing it all with amusement because it was the first time they were seeing their boss falling short of words and no doubt it was an interesting sight. Now that they all knew Khushi was now their boss's fiance they knew she ought to be special for him too considering how he defended her in front of the media.

"How am I looking?" She pulled back and spread her arms a bit to ask for his opinion.

He swallowed thickly. Akash placed a hand on his mouth to stifle the smile while Payal was surprised too seeing Arnav speechless.

"What?" Khushi dropped her arms to her side dejected when he didn't answer. "Ache nahi lag rahe hum kya? Ye toh apka favorite color hai na phir bhi? (Am I not looking good? This is your favorite color isn't it?)" She closed the distance between them and placed her hands on his chest playing with his shirt button. Arnav gulped.

This was quite extra dosage of sweetness coming from Khushi and it quickly alerted Arnav bringing him back from his drooling. The smile on her face was too soothing to his heart but that smile didn't give him any good vibes. He could smell trouble.

"You are looking gorgeous, honey." He said placing his hands over hers on his chests before leaning in and pressed his lips to her cheek. Her smile vanished for an instant but as he pulled back it was back on.

AR employees averted their eyes while Akash and Payal saw it all with their jaws dropped open.

What the hell was going on?

"Everyone get back to work." He ordered turning his head to his workers who quickly obeyed."And you, come with me!" He said to Khushi and tagged her along to the escalator. Once the lift doors closed and he pressed the thirteenth floor button it started ascending up whilst he turned to her with an arched brow.

She threw her hairs off her shoulder to her back passing him a wide smile.

"What's going on Khushi?" He took slow steps to her until he was just a step away.

"What?" She asked instead. "You asked me to be dressed well. See I did. You didn't want me to argue. I didn't. I should be asking then. What's going on?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Look Khushi if you are planning to-" He pointed a finger at her.

"It should have been me worrying if you are planning anything or not. Not the other way around." She linked his finger with hers and pulled his hand down before retrieving her hand to adjust her hairs.

He grunted before leaning to her face.

"So that means you are backing off from your stupid promises and accepting me finally?"

"I am just doing what I should." She said neither negating nor giving an affirmative answer to his question.

"Good for you!" He cupped her upper arms and softly trailed his hands down her sleeves. She swallowed feeling a current shooting through her spine. A sudden urge to push him away rose in her mind which she curbed with great difficulty realizing he was just testing her seeing the look in his eyes. So she stood still in her place while his hands trailed up her arms coming to rest back on her shoulders.

"Really?" He smirked. "Now you won't fight my touch either? Great progress, honey!" He whispered leaning to her ear causing her to shudder.

Ping of the lift caused him to move back and turn his back to her. He walked out and it was then she breathed in and out harshly to fill her lungs with her hand on her chest. She didn't realize that lift door were closing again and straightened up pressing the back of her hands on her cheeks when a foot hindered the door to close. The doors went back in the wall revealing him standing in there with a calculative look on his face.

"Lift mai hi rehne ka iraada hai aj kya? (Want to stay in lift the whole day?)" He asked narrowing his eyes.

"No. I-I was just about to follow you." She smiled coming to stand in front of him.

"After you." He said gesturing her to walk ahead. She clenched her hand at her back before walking out and leading the way until they entered his cabin. They took their respective seats behind their desks and started working.

Arnav was confused seeing Khushi's cheerfulness and lack of sadness and hurt with which he left her last night there on the road. Upon that she has obediently followed his orders and has dressed well that too in his favorite color tickling his senses and desires with her beauty coupled with innocence radiating from her face. Knowing that today they are going to marry Khushi's calm behavior didn't fit in the picture. Not at all. He has to be extra cautious with her. He told himself.

Khushi stood up and coming to stand across his desk asked softly.

"Its your coffee time. Do you want something to eat with it?"

"No." He said frowning.

"Okay." She has just reached the door when he called her.

"Yes?" She asked with a small smile on her lips.

"Did you take your medicines on time?" He asked concerned.

What she did next bowled him over. She strolled to him and cupped the side of his cheek caressing his jaw.

"Don't worry, honey. I have had my medicines on time." She said leaning a bit so their eyes were at level.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he clenched his hands on the arm rests to curb the urge to pull her in his lap and kiss those luscious lips thoroughly which were looking more alluring today with a cherry red lip gloss.

Patting his cheek she pulled back and walked out passing him a warm smile warming his insides. This was too good to be true. After everything he did, she couldn't just let it go and act this much normal.

While Arnav pondered on what brought this change amidst going through his mails, Khushi reached the cafe and headed to the coffee machine. Putting the ingredients in, she turned to the counter and saw Vishal Kaka giving her a knowing look.

"Good morning. How are you, Vishal Kaka?" She greeted him usually but today with extra cheerful mood.

"Good morning puttar. I am fine but you look quite happy today. What's the matter?"

"Oh don't tell me you didn't watch the news?" Khushi reverted the topic of her happiness.

"I did and I was waiting when would you come and I'd get the chance to congratulate you." He said affectionately.

"Bohat bohat badhayi ho, bitiya (Congratulations dear) You are going to marry a gem of a person."

A gem? Something poked in her chest.

"Oho your boss is a gem and what am I? A stone?" Khushi said in mock anger.

He laughed.

"No, bitiya. Only a gem deserves another gem. Only an innocent girl like you who is so genuine at heart deserves ASR whose heart is as pure as yours."

Pure heart? And of Arnav Singh Raizada?

If only he knew!

As far as she knew he has a rusted heart full of arrogance, contempt and manipulationa and above all meanness and selfishness.

Khushi just smiled in response and turning to the coffee machine poured the steaming hot coffee in the cup.

"Talk to you later, Kaka. Have to give this to your gem of a person who has a pure heart." Khushi teased him but if Vishal knew how her tone change he would have felt the mock in it too.

"Pure heart? My foot." Khushi mumbled while walking to his cabin. Entering in her expressions of anger were gone replaced by a radiant smile. Passing him the same she turned to go back to her desk. He returned her smile with a frown turning back to work.

"Khushi" He called while signing some cheques.

"Yes?" She came around his desk to stand besides his chair.

He tore the cheques and handed them over to her with the brown envelopes.

"Place the respective cheques in separate envelops and deliver them to accounts office."

"Sure!" The smile won't leave her face.

"Unbelievable." He muttered under his breath, taking a sip of his coffee. Instead of going to her desk she walked around his and took the seat across his chair.

While doing her task, her eyes would widen every instant when she would look at the amount on the cheques while sealing each one of them in envelopes. Arnav couldn't help but smirk at the priceless expressions passing across her face. He took the cup of coffee in his hand and leaned back in his chair to enjoy the show.

Leaving the last one on the table to go to her desk and retrieved her bag. Coming back to sit across him she resumed her work taking out hair pin from her bag and pinning her hairs which were bothering her while working.

"Won't you become penniless with the way you are throwing your money away like this?" She asked sealing the last one and standing up to deliver them to accounts department as per his order leaving her bag there on the chair.

"No. I am a millionaire, honey. These cheques contain just 0.001% of my income."

"0.001 percent? Are you serious? But combining the amount in these cheques it is more than 10 crores."

He chuckled taking a huge gulp of coffee while she stood frowning cutely.

"Go ahead. Ask me what is written on your face."

She twitched her face before shuffling on her place.

"What is your monthly income?"

"Khushi, I am not an employee but the boss. Ask about my one day profit or just the whole fortune." He said amused.

"What is your whole fortune, then?" She asked curiously.

If any other woman at her place had asked this he would have considered her a gold digger but not her. Her asking him this made him want to tell her. She was too innocent to take his advantage. He has learnt it the hard way.

"You really wanna know?"

She shrugged.

"Unless you don't want to share such a confidential information." She mumbled.

"It's not like that." His smile vanished.

"No. I mean who am I to even ask that question?"

"My fiance. Soon to be my wife!" He said sternly.

"Why don't you go ahead and say that yes, I am definitely be after your money? That I turned out a gold digger which you always told me I was?"

"Shut up Khushi." He growled and she closed her mouth. He didn't want to spoil the day when they were at least being normal with each other. Whatever her reasons may be but he was content with the outcome.

He took out a card from his wallet silently and scribbling the amount on it extended it to her.

"Here. My whole earnings." He urged her. She took the card with trembling hand.

Her eyes widened and jaws dropped open as she looked at the amount.

"Happy now?" He asked with a smile. She swallowed and nodded before leaving to accounts department with envelopes in her hands.

He heaved a sigh of relief for getting to her. After days she was calm and was behaving alright with him.

Good progress it was, wasn't it?

He waited for her to come back while looking at the wall clock while finishing his pending work and sending important mails. Once done, he looked at the time. They were to leave to the court by 1 and it was already 12.55

Where was she?

It should have taken less than fifteen minutes for her to go, deliver the cheques and come back to the cabin.

What was taking her so long?

It has been forty five minutes since she was gone. He connected to the accounts department and shoot up from his seat when they informed that she has delivered the cheques long ago.

Then where the hell was she?

Maybe she was busy chatting nineteen to dozen stopping by some employee.

But no, that wasn't the case as he made a call in every department asking for her but the result, zilch.

He tightened his jaws. This was her plan obviously to mellow him down and then escape their impending marriage in the court.

"You will pay for this, Khushi!" He gritted thumping his hands on the table.

Marching to Akash's cabin he stormed in and found Payal still there but no signs of Khushi.

"Where is your sister? Where is Khushi?" He demanded answers from Payal.

"In your cabin obviously."

"SHE IS NOT THERE. Not anywherein the office either. She left her bag along with her cellphone in my office." He exclaimed.

______________

For your convenience and mine too I am giving a target for this update. As soon as its achieved next part will be up in a week. Not only in this I'll follow it in my other stories too. So if you want your favorite story to be updated first then just vote and comment fast ;)

Target: 500 Votes

Next Part will be the INTERVAL of Phir le Aya Dil which will be a major turning point in the story ;)

Gear up for unexpected and unpredictable twists and turns in the story. Things are going to be more heated up from here-on.

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