Dark Night Dawning

Chapter 1

I have decided that our marriage will no longer be temporary. I will be responsible for you and will provide you with all the comforts for the rest of your life. I will have every right over you. And remember that you belong only to me.

The words came back to haunt Arnav, as he sat in his cabin. He had come in to work immediately after returning from Nainital.

His thoughts went back to the wee hours of the morning when he had woken up, his face snuggled up in Khushi's neck, his arms around her waist, hers on his chest. He had gotten off the bed making sure not to disturb her. She looked so innocent and trusting in her sleep. He had dressed quickly and ordered for some coffee. He needed to think. How could he let this happen, when there were so many unanswered questions between them?

Somewhere in the corner of his mind he had seen it coming, known it was inevitable. Each and every moment, from the time they had taken that walk on Thandi Sadak, the unforgettable bike ride to Binsar, to their first kiss on sun set point, to the night they spent at the remote hut on the unknown mountainside had been etched in his memory forever. When he had seen her walking toward him in the beautiful red gown looking sensuous, the only word that came to his mind was-----Mine! When he had seen her talking to another man, he had dragged her off to the dance floor to prove to the world that she was his for the taking.

When she had bared her heart out to him during her emotional tirade at the gazebo, the feelings that were reflected in her eyes had been genuine. And it was not just since Nainital. It was even before that. All these emotions that were boiling inside had erupted the moment she had taken him in her arms after her nightmare. He wanted to remove all traces of the fear that he had seen in her face moments before they turned into exalted relief. After that, he hadn't been able to stop himself from loving her.

Could he have been mistaken in judging her?

This was something he needed to figure out. In the meantime, he had come to a decision. He could never let her go. He tried to remember that exact moment when he had made this decision and failed. He wanted her. Forever. He would ensure she would never want to leave him.

**

Later that night, Khushi lay on the bed thinking. Arnav was still at work. He had dropped them and had gone back to the office. Khushi was thankful for that. She couldn't face him just yet after what had happened between them last night. Was it only last night? The time between then and now seemed like eons to her agitated mind. What had come over her? She knew the answer. She loved him. Had been in love with him for a while now. Had known it when she had let him almost kiss her on Diwali night. Only then, she hadn't realized it. She had thought she had acidity. She was an idiot! He was right in telling her that she didn't have a brain. In fact she was so brainless that she had gone ahead and blurted out her feeling to him at the gazebo. What was she thinking? It must be the altitude in Nainital. It must have muddled her brain. Khushi angrily dabbed at her way ward tears that insisted on flowing down her cheeks. Why waste tears on someone who would never love her back?

And now, he wanted to continue this farce of a marriage for ever. What had made him say that? She just didn't have answers to anything, thanks to his cryptic ways of talking. He had first told her that it would be a six month marriage. He had even told her that it would be difficult to tolerate her during that time, that he hated her and then suddenly after last night he had changed his decision. Could it be that he had an attack of conscience after what had happened between them? Well, if that was the case, he could tell his conscience to take a hike! She didn't need his pity. I will have every right over you. How could he talk like that? If he thought she would fall in line with everything he said, he had it coming. A permanent marriage with him? Impossible! She would ensure that he would let her go even before six months, if she could help it!