Chapter Sixteen

Khushi's eyes shot wide as she stared at Arnav. He was smirking at her, his arms crossed. Khushi looked down at the glass of water in her hands and Arnav walked up to her. He took the glass from her and placed it down.

"Your hiccups are cured."

Khushi scrunched her eyebrows and waited a moment. Her hiccups were gone.

"You're welcome," Arnav smirked.

Khushi looked up at him and blushed. "Were you thinking of me," she asked softly,

"What do you think," Arnav asked, moving forward.

Khushi moved back and was trapped, leaning against the wall. "Yes," she stuttered.

Arnav smirked. "You're right."

Khushi looked up at him and was stuck in gaze. Arnav was very close to her, his lips very close to hers. She tilted her lips up unknowingly and Arnav smirked. He covered her lips with his and Khushi went into bliss. She felt her knees about to give away, ready to collapse, when Arnav held her around her waist. He pulled her to him, their lower halves meeting. Arnav groaned and Khushi blushed, feeling his erection. They continued to kiss, unable to let go.

Shyam came walking in for a glass of water. He paused right in his tracks when he saw the couple entwined to each other. He grew furious seeing how Arnav was holding her and especially by how Khushi had moved her arms around Arnav's neck. Clenching his fists he calmed himself down. He took an empty glass and walked back out. He pretended to drop the glass and had it rolling into the kitchen.

Khushi broke away from Arnav at the noise. Both looked at the source of the noise and broke away as Shyam came walking in.

"Sorry, the glass slipped out of my hand and came rolling," he said. "But what are you two doing in here?"

Khushi didn't look at Shyam disgusted by him.

"We were getting water," Arnav said, seeming believable. 

"At the same time? Seems strange."

Arnav and Khushi glanced at each other.

"Saleh sahab, I know your wife is beautiful..."

Arnav looked at Shyam with scrunched eyebrows.

"To you," he quickly added, "but I think we all know why you're here," he teased.

Arnav looked away and Khushi squinted her eyes at Shyam. Shyam smirked at Khushi and Khushi looked away, completely disgusted.

"Shall we go join the others," Shyam asked, once he poured himself some water. 

Arnav nodded and him and Khushi walked out. As Khushi passed Shyam, he grinned at her and Khushi looked away, totally disgusted.

This man is passing his limits, Khushi thought to herself. And it's completely wrong! Something must be done! But what?!

Khushi looked at Arnav ahead of her. 

Should I tell him? Would he even believe me? He loves Anjaliji too much, so I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't.

Khushi just looked at him as she followed him upstairs.

I have to tell him. It's wrong of what Shyam is doing to Anjaliji.

Arnav took Khushi back to the room where Payal was in, standing outside of it. "Here we are."

Khushi looked at the doors and then looked down. She didn't know how to tell Arnav about Shyam at all. Arnav noticed the expression on her face and scrunched his eyebrows.

"Khushi are you okay?"

Khushi looked up at Arnav. "No. Arnavji, I-"

Hari Prakash came up to them. "Arnav bhaiya, Naniji is calling you."

Arnav nodded. "Tell her I'm coming." 

Hari Prakash nodded and left.

"Khushi, I gotta go, Nani is calling me."

"But-"

"Whatever it is, tell me later," and he walked away.

Khushi looked at Arnav walking away. She had to tell him and she needed Arnav to know!

"Arnavji it's about Anjaliji," she blurted.

Arnav paused and looked at Khushi. "What about Di?"

Khushi pursed her lips and looked down. She didn't know how to tell him. 

Arnav scrunched his eyebrows and went up to Khushi. "Khushi what about my Di?"

Some girls came up and Khushi recognized them. They were Payal's friends and they all said hi to Khushi. Khushi smiled lightly and when they all walked in, Arnav led Khushi away to the poolside.

"What were you saying about my Di Khushi?"

Khushi looked down. "I don't know how to tell you this but...."

"But what Khushi," he said exasperatedly.

Khushi looked up at him. "Shyam is cheating her," she nearly whispered.

Arnav's eyes widened. "What?"

Khushi told him of how she had met Shyam. She told him of how Shyam had come into Buaji's home as a paying guest and how he had agreed to marry Khushi. She told him of how she had found out that Shyam was none other than the Shyam that was married to Anjali, and how she and her family hated that man for trying to deceive them and his family.

Arnav couldn't believe what he was saying. "It can't be."

"Believe me Arnavji, we had no clue," she said, tears in her eyes. "The man is evil!"

Arnav looked away, completely confused and shell-shocked. He'd seen how loving his Jejaji was to his Di. What Khushi just told him made no sense.

"You have to believe me Arnavji! He's a cheat and-"

"Enough Khushi."

Khushi's eyes widened. 

"I don't want to hear another word."

"But Arnavji-"

Arnav faced her. "Khushi, how could you lie to me?"

Khushi gaped at him. "Arnavji, I'm not lying-"

"Yes you are! Khushi I see the way he is with my Di. He loves her!" He shook his head. "I can't believe you'd lie about something like this."

"Arnavji-"

"What did my Di ever do to you? Why are you trying to ruin her marriage?"

Khushi gaped at him. "I would never want that-"

"Then why are you lying?"

Khushi opened her mouth to speak, but Arnav cut her off.

"I can't even look at you anymore."

Khushi felt her heart pit in. "Arnavji," she whispered, feeling completely hurt.

Unable to stand there another second, Arnav walked out. Khushi watched him as he left, tears going down her cheeks. She shut her eyes as the tears went flowing down, hurt that Arnav had said that.

*~*

Arnav stood at his poolside, remembering back to Khushi's words. He couldn't believe any of it. His Di loved Shyam too much and he knew his Jejaji loved her too. Otherwise why would he love her the way he did? It made no sense, though, to Arnav as to why Khushi would be lying about Shyam.

Arnav then remembered that his Nani was looking for him earlier. Heading down, he found his Nani in the main hall, along with Shyam.

"Nani, you were looking for me," he said.

"Haan Chote. Anjali betiyan isn't back yet," she said.

Shyam nodded.

Arnav scrunched his eyebrows. "What?"

Nani nodded. "It's been so long and I'm feeling very nervous. Something just doesn't seem right!"

Arnav was going to reply, when his phone rang. "Hello," he said int his phone.

"Hello? Is this Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada?"

"Yes, this is Arnav."

"This is Inspector Verma. Mr. Raizada, one of your cars was found in the lake."

Arnav's eyes shot wide. "What?!"

Nani and Shyam looked at Arnav confused.

"Yes Mr. Raizada. We pulled the car out and tracked the owner of the car with the license plate number and found out it was yours."

"But that can't be! No one took a car-" Arnav froze. He remembered his Di telling him to get the car ready. "Di," he whispered.

Nani's eyes widened, all tragic things coming to her head. "Where is she," she cried.

Shyam smirked lightly. I guess she bid her farewell.

"The driver was found and he's in the hospital-"

"I don't give a damn about the driver! Where the hell is my Di?!"

"Chote." Nani was in tears and Shyam held her shoulders, comforting her while he was smirking on the inside.

"Saleh sahab, where's Rani Saheba," Shyam asked.

"Mr. Raizada," the officer said, "please calm down-"

"No I will not calm down! Damn it, I'm coming over there right now," and he hung up.

Nani went to Arnav and clutched his arm. "Chote, where is my Anjali betiyan?"

Arnav couldn't look at her. "There's been an accident."

Nani gasped. "What?!"

Arnav bit the inside of his cheeks. Nani went into full tears and Shyam comforted her. He called Hari Prakash and had him take her upstairs to her room.

"Saleh sahab, we have to go there right now," Shyam said.

Arnav nodded and they both walked out the main doors.

"Where are they," Shyam asked.

"The accident happened at the lake," Arnav said, going to his car.

"I can't believe that the brakes failed," Shyam said.

Arnav froze. Shyam went walking to Arnav's car and noticed that Arnav wasn't moving.

"What's wrong Saleh Sahab?"

Arnav just looked at him.

"What?"

"I never said the brakes failed."

Shyam realized that Arnav had never said that and his eyes widened.

"The officer didn't even tell me that. Then how did you know Jejaji?"

Arnav remembered back to Khushi's words.

No, he thought.

Shyam didn't say anything and Arnav was getting mad.

"How did you know Jejaji?!"

Shyam broke into a smirk and Arnav's eyes widened. Shyam started to laugh and Arnav couldn't believe him.

The man is evil, Arnav remembered Khushi crying.

Shyam stopped laughing. "It's about time that I can stop this drama."

"What," Arnav said, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"What do you think? Pretending to be some loving guy that's all witted by your sister is just too much."

Arnav just blinked.

"You sister is pretty, don't get me wrong; pretty dumb, that is."

Arnav clenched his jaws.

"Oh? Don't get mad Saleh Sahab, your'e just too serious. You see, your sister has too many feelings. She can be an emotional bunch. And that's very annoying." Shyam walked around Arnav. "But Khushiji..."

Arnav turned and looked at him with wide eyes.

"... she's something else," he grinned.

Arnav turned him around and gripped Shyam's throat. "Don't you dare say a word about my Khushi!"

"Your Khushi? Khushi is mine! Do you hear me?! She's mine!"

Arnav tightened his grip on his throat, causing Shyam to grunt.

"Khushi is mine," Arnav said. "She has been, is, and always will be mine!"

Shyam laughed. "As if! I've seen the way you've acted towards her. You couldn't stand her."

Arnav paused.

"Some love you have for her. What did you do after that night she fell off the stage at that show of yours in Lucknow? Huh?!"

Arnav remembered back to how mean and evil he was towards Khushi.

"You were a bastard to her," Shyam said. "And me? I helped Khushi and was by her side. I helped her and her family and you? You didn't do crap!"

Arnav looked at him.

"You don't deserve Khushiji and her kindness. She always cared about the best for people and worried for them before herself. But you? You were never nice to her. But I was! I was, but yet I couldn't have her all because of your stupid Di!"

Arnav's eyes widened and clenched his jaw.

"But now that your sister is gone, what's there to stop me," he smirked.

Arnav pushed him and knocked Shyam down and was ready to punch him.

"Go ahead! Punch me away Saleh Sahab! But that won't change your coldness towards Khushi."

Arnav froze.

"It won't change how cruel you were to her."

Arnav moved back slightly, images of his cruelness towards Khushi, flashing before him.

"You don't deserve her."

Arnav let Shyam go and got up. Shyam was right. Khushi was sweet and she did always care about others before herself. But him? He was a cold-hearted man. Shyam got up and cackled. Arnav looked back at him and then looked away. He headed back towards the house, leaving Shyam, who was laughing away.

Arnav walked back into the house and walked up and into his room.

He shut his eyes. I don't deserve you Khushi.