Part 1

Arnav watched as the news of his sister's pregnancy flooded the hall. Everyone was pleased. 

"What a wonderful day this was. First akash and payal's wedding and now the pregnancy news."

His heart ache. If everyone only knew the truth. Especially that of his jijaji (brother-in-law) and Khushi. He tried to remove the images from his mind but struggled. He studied Khushi and Shyam throughout the evening. Khushi looked nervous and upset. He pondered was that to do with the fact that now Anjali was pregnant and there was no way, she could force Shyam to leave Anjali? Or was something else bothering her. He didn't want to know. He didn't care and he had had enough of caring for that stupid girl. Now all he was going to concentrate on was his sister's happiness. And to ensure that, he would do anything. Anything?! Yes anything. And as he stared at the bain of his existence, he figured out his next action.

He walked towards Khushi and grabbed her wrist. "We need to talk."

Her eyes searched his but he just briefly glanced at her and walked away. "Arnavji, are you ok?" she spoke timidly.

"Come with me." He removed his hand from hers. He made a mental note that he would have to stop himself from wanting and needing to touch her. He stepped back from her and walked to his bedroom. She followed him obligingly.

Arnav reached his room first and then stood by the door, waiting for her to walk in. as soon as her body passed his, he slammed to door shut causing her to jump.

"Arnavji? Are you ok?" she looked concerned. What a brilliant actress, Arnav thought but not anymore.

"Stop this khushi."

"Stop what?"

"This pretense of caring. I now know your truth and what you are capable of. And to think that I for once thought maybe I had gone too far with the aukad issue."

He watched as she looked at him confused, her hands grasped tight."Disappointed Khushi? Another unexpected twist in your plans. Now what are you going to do?"

"what the?"

"That's my phrase Khushi. But then again, I suppose you like to take things that belong to others." He inched closer.

"I don't understand what you are saying, Arnavji." She bite her lips, drawing blood.

Arnav fought against the temptations to attend to her lips. "I watched you with jijaji on the terrace. I heard you tell him to leave Di." Arnav felt a shiver down his spine at the thought that he had trusted Khushi and how she betrayed him.

Khushi stumbled back and dropped on the floor. Her life as she knew it was over. She struggled to comprehend how it had started so beautifully in the morning and now she felt that she was standing naked in the middle of a motorway, with cars heading towards her at 100mph. Oh this was so wrong. If he had seen her with Shyam, he was going to blame her completely. She could feel it. She understood it and partly she knew why she did not tell him before either, he would never believe her. But she had to make him see that Shyam was the culprit and not her. But why would Arnav? At this point time? He could easily think that she was just finding some excuse.

"Arnavji, I know it looks bad but it actually is nothing like that. Believe me please." Khushi knew it was futile but part of her wanted to believe that maybe a small part of him would listen. She had seen how he had changed to being more soft and caring towards her and now knew that had all gone. But somewhere in him, it had to still exist, right? It could not have died so quickly, she hoped and prayed. Please devi mayaa, help me. Please!

His cold laughter terrified her. "Khushi, you must realize that they all say that once the truth is revealed."

"I know I look bad. I can see that. But I did not hug him. I was there because you wrote that message on the mirror. Why else would I be up there?" She found an edge to her voice. If she was going down, she might as well fight.

"What message?"

"The message you wrote on the mirror, asking me to come up to the terrace. Why else would you be there in the first place?"

"I followed you."

"If you didn't write it then Shyam did?"

"Enough of this nonsense."

"No. If you are going to judge me and punish me, the least you can do is listen to the evidence first."

"I have no time for this Khushi."

"Make time. The least you can do isn't. You are going to punish me aren't you. You are going to make me pay?" she asked him. "At least have the decency to be honest."

"Yes. Very well. You have 1 minute. Go." Arnav stepped back and watched her.

"You know I was engaged before?"

Arnav nodded.

"His name was Shyam?"

Arnav again nodded.

"What you don't know is that he was our paying guest. He followed us from Lucknow and stated he had no family. Buaji liked him a lot. He seemed decent. A lawyer. On the day of the Diwali do, when I came home, babuji was poorly and buaji stated it was because there were two young unmarried girls in the house and that I was refusing to agree to marry Shyam. I was heartbroken Arnavji after your engagement announcement and I said yes. I have no reason to say no. And then later on I find out that he is Anjali's husband and I broke off the engagement. That is the day I accidentally bumped into you at the poolside, you do remember? Please tell me you do remember?"

"Yes." Arnav was not so sure now. But he did see her hug Shyam and tell him to leave Anjali.

"I was at the terrace today. Shyam came up to me and hugged me. This was the second time he approached me. The first was during the sangeet night where he grabbed me very tightly and caused the bruise. You had come later."

"Your minute is up. Did you hug him Khushi?"

"No. He hugged me."

"Convenient isnt it. Did you tell him to leave Anjali?"

She nodded. "Anjaliji deserves someone better, not him. a two timing snake."

"Do you love him Khushi?" he whispered.

"No. I cant stand him at all. You have to believe me Arnavji. Ask buaji. Ask Payal"

"I don't have time." He moved closer to her. "How sure of you of your innocence?"

"Very."

"Willing to do anything  to prove it?"

She nodded. "But don't punish my sister and ruin her marriage, please."

"But you are about to ruin my sister's marriage."

"No. I wont do anything to ruin anjaliji's marriage. I respect her a lot. Why do you think I kept it a secret about her husband. I was hoping he would change. See that anjaliji loved him completely. And I wanted to tell you today but after they announced the pregnancy news, how could I. maybe the baby will be the glue that keeps Anjali and Shyam together."

"I doubt it. He still has eyes for you."

"What can I do about that? Go away somewhere? You tell me?"

"Will you go anywhere I send you?"

"Yes."

"Even if it is to hell?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Define hell"

"Just answer the question."

"Well what is hell?"

"I thought you said you would do anything to prove your innocence. Obviously not anything then."

"Fine. I'll go to hell if that pleases you."

"Its not about pleasing me, is it khushi? Answer me one thing. Why did you not tell me this earlier?"

"What? About hell?"

"About jijaji."

"I was afraid. I spoke to jiji, buaji and ammaji who all agreed that I should say the truth. I had come to tell Anjaliji the next day and then her mangalsutra fell, I caught it and returned it. She was so worried. I did not want to upset her anymore and I did not want jiji's wedding to again be cancelled. So I did not say anything. And then I believed that he had changed. But obviously I was wrong. Maybe you are right. Maybe I'm at fault afterall. I think too much with my heart and not my head. So now here I am prepared to go to hell."

Arnav glanced at his watch and then dialed a number. "Everything ready? Good. We shall be there in 20 minutes." He shut the phone and glanced at Khushi. "Stand up Khushi." He grabbed her hand.

"Where are you taking me Arnavji? Is there actually a place called hell?" ver voice controlled though she was panicking inside. "can i atleast say goodbye to jiji and my family."

"No time. I thought you would do anything and go anywhere?"

"Yes. But I've not packed. What do you wear in a place called hell?" Khushi asked not sure if she should actually keep a mouth shut, but anything to deal with her nerves.

"Nothing. Hell is just a figure of speech. You are going to a place far worse." He guided her out of RM discretely and into his car.

"What could be worse than that?"

"Raizada Mansion"

"What?! I can't live here. You want to get rid of me, so that I can stay away from Shyam or to put a lot of distance between Shyam and I. So how can you even suggest me staying here? And in what capacity?" Khushi turned and looked at him and froze."You want me to live in with you?"

"No."

"Thank god." She breathed a sigh of relief. "You do believe in my innocence then?"

"It does not matter. You made some stupid choices and now you will have to pay for it."

"Pay for it?" Khushi pondered for a moment. "But not live in?"

"Its worse than that."

"What could be worse?"

"We are going to get married. And I want you to be my wife in all sense of the word. Understood?"

Khushi sat silently, shocked. It was definitely worse than she had imagined!