Married to my Professor ~ Arshi ff

Chapter 7

Arnav and Khushi were in the car, and the silence was heavy. It was impossible for Khushi to keep quiet for long, so she finally spoke sincerely, "Thank you, Sir, for your help."

Arnav nodded, still focused on the road.

Khushi pouted and thought to herself, 'Thank goodness I did not agree to marry him. It's impossible for me to stay with him. He acts like he's going to pay a tax for speaking.'

Unable to hold back, she spoke again, "Sir, it's so funny. Despite the fact that we are so different, our parents wanted us to marry."

As she was about to continue, the car suddenly stopped. Confused, she asked, "Sir, what happened?"

"I think there is a problem with the car. Let me check," he said while unbuckling his seatbelt.

As he opened the door to inspect the car, someone grabbed his shoulder. Arnav struggled and glanced at the person, seeing two men with their faces covered.

"What are you doing? Leave me!" he demanded.

"Give us whatever you have quietly, or I'll kill you. Hand over the car keys," one man said, brandishing a knife.

Khushi stepped out of the car and pleaded, "What are you doing? Leave him alone!"

The man looked at her and sneered, "Nice catch. We'll take her too."

Terrified, Khushi tried to run, but one of the men grabbed her hand. She struggled to push him away, but he was too strong.

Seeing this, Arnav pushed the man violently to free Khushi. "Run!" he shouted, grabbing her hand. They sprinted away from the car, their feet pounding the wet ground as rain began to pour.

The men pursued them, shouting threats. Khushi stumbled over a rock and nearly fell, but Arnav's grip on her hand kept her upright. "Keep running!" he urged.

Breathless and drenched in the rain, they reached a dense part of the forest. Arnav pulled Khushi behind a large tree, pressing a finger to his lips to signal her to stay quiet. They heard the men cursing and searching nearby, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the rain.

Khushi's heart was pounding so loudly she was sure it would give them away. Arnav squeezed her hand reassuringly, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of the men.

After what felt like an eternity, the voices faded away. Arnav whispered, "I think they've gone. We need to keep moving."

Khushi nodded, her breath shaky. They continued through the forest, their pace slower but still urgent. The rain had turned the ground to mud, making every step an effort.

"I'm exhausted. I can't walk anymore," Khushi panted, finally stopping.

Arnav looked around and spotted a hut in the distance. "There," he pointed. "Let's go there."

They reached the hut, and Arnav pushed open the creaky door. Inside, it was dark and musty, but at least it was dry. They collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.

"Are you alright?" Arnav asked, his voice filled with concern.

Khushi nodded, though her entire body was trembling. "I'm okay. Just...scared and cold."

Arnav found an old, dusty blanket and handed it to her. "Here, use this to keep warm."

Khushi took the blanket gratefully and wrapped it around herself. "Thank you," she murmured, still shivering.

Suddenly, the only source of light went out. In fear, Khushi shouted, "Mumma, Mumma..."

Hearing her scream, Arnav said, "Khushi, it's alright. Let me turn on the mobile flashlight."

Khushi, still sobbing, said, "But you told me your mobile isn't working."

"It doesn't have a network," he clarified while turning on the light. She sighed in relief.

After some time, Arnav informed her, "Khushi, my phone battery is getting low."

"What... Is there anything we can do? I'm scared of the darkness," Khushi said, worried.

He moved closer to console her, "Khushi, don't worry, I'm here. Just hold my hand, and you'll feel better." Hesitantly, Khushi held his shoulder, having no other option.

Khushi slowly drifted to sleep holding Arnav, while he stayed awake worried about what had happened.