Chapter Twenty One

Khushi had been sat with Payal, Akash, Di, Nani and even Mami for the past few hours in Arnav's and her own room. They'd caught Khushi up with anything that she had missed, which had been little. For the most of it they joked around until Akash suggested showing Khushi Payal's and his wedding DVD.
"After all Bhabi you did miss most of it." He said jokingly and Khushi grimaced. Arnav was sat further away from everyone trying to focus on his work when his ears picked up on this.
"Arre Jiju don't call me Bhabi, I'm you're wirfe's sister before I am you're brother's wife." Khushi said stubbornly and Arnav looked up at her. She caught his eye and steadied a look as he raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Erm Bhabi I'd rather upset you rather than take on Bhai." Akash said as he got up to put the DVD, raising his hand in surrender. Khushi gasped and Arnav smirked. Everyone else laughed and Khushi sulked. Akash sat down next to Payal as the DVD began to play, it started with the Haldi. Khushi clasped her hands and laughed.
"Di, I didn't realise you were the one who put Haldi on Arnav's face." Khushi said happily and Anjali smiled looking up at her.
"Of course it was me, who else could get away with that?" Anjali said proudly until Arnav shot her a glare and Anjali abruptly stopped laughing, unlike Khushi.
"I wouldn't smile too much Khushi, maybe your head injury is making you forget what happened next." He said through gritted teeth, Khushi was confused until she looked up at the t.v. to see a shot of an angry Khushi and arrogant Arnav. This was after he'd used her dupatta to wipe his face.
"Arre Bhabi why do you look so angry? Is Bhai, is he smiling?" Akash said shocked, having never focused on this part of the DVD before. Khushi looked up at her husband who looked just as smug now as he did on the film.
"Ha, ha. Yeh toh smile karega, humari dupatta jo bigarke rakha tah." Khushi said angrily at the memory of it, she loved that suit and he'd gone and ruined it. Everyone was confused. Khushi sighed. "He used my dupatta to clean his face." Khushi said and everyone began to laugh once again.
"Arre Khushi bityiya yeh humare Arnav bitua ka style zara differentwa hai. Hello hi bye bye, duppatta churate nahi duppata ko lekhen apna facewa ponchda hai." Mamiji said unable to control her laughter.

Khushi would have been angry normally but seeing her family like this, as one, happily spending time together, it felt so right and she'd missed it so much. So what id the fun was at her expense, she wouldn't have had it any other way. Arnav caught the look of endearment on Khushi's face as she looked onto the family and knew she mirrored the same feelings he held in his heart. Arnav often found it hard to say things and express what he felt but Khushi seemed to just know what he held inside without even realising she had the ability to. It was one of the many things he loved about her. He excused himself as he was getting a phone call, knowing fully well his absence wouldn't be missed that much now that everyone's "Khushi" was back.
"Yeah Aman tell me." Arnav said, Aman began prattling on about stocks, investors and how AR could benefit from a bit more publicity at the moment. Arnav noted all this but his attention began to wane as he spotted Shyam pacing back and forth downstairs. Arnav hid behind a corner close enough so he could hear Shyam's vague mutterings.
"Everyone's enjoying upstairs, meh toh uppar jah nahin sakta uss kaminey Arnav ke vajaa se." Shyam cursed, Arnav disconnected his call to Aman and turned his phone off, his fists balled up. "Aur Rani Sahiba bi, "Chalo Khushi ke saath tohra waqt guzaare" Arre hum toh usi ki saath zindagi guzarne hai, tumhare saath nahi." Shyam said, Arnav's anger rose, he knew it was not right to hit him, Di would become suspicious to why her husband kept getting hurt but Arnav really felt the need to.
"Saab kuch tik hota abb aggar mere plan ki mutabik Arnav uss accident margaye hota. Lekin woh kambaqt bewakoof neh humare Khushiji ko saath legein aur usse choht paunchaye thi." Shyam said and hit his fist against a wall. Arnav couldn't believe his ears, Shyam? Shyam was the one who cut his brakes. Shyam was the one who caused the accident. Shyam was the reason Khushi was in this state. Arnav couldn't take it, he was about to storm up to Shyam and teach him a lesson when he realised. He had no proof, whatever words just came out of Shyam's mouth could easily be denied and he was a lawyer after all. No Arnav had to be clever about this. He would keep this to himself for now, telling Khushi would only frighten her and right now she didn't need that. There was no one else he could really tell, was there? On that note Shyam stormed out of the house angrily and Arnav turned back to go to his room.

Arnav walked back in but paused by the door frame as everyone was immersed in the DVD.
"Awh, Jiji kitne sundhar lagre nah?" Khushi cooed and everyone agreed including Mamiji. Apparently since Khushi's accident Mamiji had become more tolerant of the Gupta sisters, she even expressed a caring side and this had only grown since Khushi had come back. Arnav signalled for Akash to join him outside, Akash got up and followed his brother outside. Akash could see the concern on his brother's face and began to worry.
"Bhai what's wrong?" Akash asked, he began to feel tense.
"Akash I'm about to tell you something that you more than likely don't want to hear but its necessary you hear this." Arnav said, Akash nodded and Arnav began to tell the sorded tale of their brother-in-law's antics. How Shyam had supposedly "saved" Khushi from gundhe in Lucknow, then followed her here finding lodgings in Buaji's house, then how he manipulated the family during Shashi uncle's illness to force an engagement to Khushi and then how Khushi broke it off but he had become obsessive to the extent where he had tried to kill Arnav. Akash was in shock, he knew his brother would never lie about something so serious but Jijaji? He'd only ever treated Di like a Queen and was always so loving towards this family. He couldn't believe that was all a show, just so he could get his hands on their money? But he trusted his brother.
"What are you going to do now, Bhai? Akash asked dumbfounded, he couldn't understand how Bhabi and Bhai had been dealing so well with this this whole time.
"I don't know Akash. He's smart, we need to plan something to catch him out, to show his reality to everyone before he does something worse than what he already has." Arnav shuddered to think of how Khushi's state had been a mere twenty four hours ago.
"Whatever you need Bhai I'm here for you 100%." Akash said putting his hand on Arnav's shoulder. Arnav looked up and saw Akash standing up as a man today. Akash had seen enough damage happen in this family and he was willing to do anything to protect it. Arnav felt proud to see Akash like this but Arnav also feared what was to come.

Read more of this here.