PHIR SE

Bechari vamp

Chapter 20

Bechari vamp

Arnav was standing by the windows in his room when suddenly Khushi barged into the room without knocking.

“ De…Ahrnav!" She cried. Arnav turned towards her as she held his hand in hers. “ I am sorry forgive me…”

“What happened Khushi?” Arnav cupped her face.

“I... I can't marry you …”Saying this she covered her mouth with her palm and ran away to her room. Arnav followed her in an attempt to stop her from going away.

“Damn it!
Indrani Shashi Upadhyay! What the hell did you do now ? Here I try to make up things and there you destroy them within milliseconds!” He punched his fist on the wall.

Marrying Khushi was extremely important for him. To destroy the Upadhyay family, he must break it from their very root by being a part of them like a parasitoid.

***************

Khushi cried and cried, hugging her pillow. She had dreamt of marrying her Dev, all her life. Now that he is finally here for her, she can't marry him because that shall land up Indrani in big trouble.

Esha’s in laws shall banish her from her home if they don’t get the dowry amount by the end of this week. How will she arrange a crore in such a short span of time?

Indrani had talked to shyam about this all and he had agreed to pay all the expenses provided that Khushi marries him without any dispute within two days time.

Of course he would have said so! After all he was a divorcee, not to forget a pervert. Who would marry him without love ?

It is only for money that now she had agreed to marry him.

I am so sorry, Arnav!

*******************

Arnav came to know everything that had happened downstairs from Aman who was keeping an eye on all the activities in the house since the first day itself.

Appreciable master plan, Indrani! It was so easy for you  to persuadr Khushi to give up her self esteem for that useless Syam without becoming the vamp yourself. You acheived this by acting as a bechari, a helpless poor woman.

He roamed around the house looking for Khushi. She wasn’t in her room or  in the kitchen. He searched for her in each and every room of the Haveli. He stopped outside Shashi‘s room as he heard Khushi's sobs.

Khushi was sitting on the bed beside Shashi and crying out all her problems while he was blabbering his own non-sensical stuff.

“Papa, h..he is back for me! He wants to marry me but I… my cursed fate! I have to marry that Shyam …or Esha ‘s marriage, Ma’s reputation. Everything shall be destroyed!” Khushi cried.

Arnav entered the room at that and kept a hand on Khhushi’s shoulder “Stop crying, sweetheart.” he offered  his hand kerchief to her. She accepted it and blew her nose into it making Arnav scrunch his face.

“Don’t worry! I shall wash it and give it to you...” She said noticing his expression

“Uh ...No need, keep it with you.” Arnav said casually .

Suddenly Shashi got up from his seat and started acting weirdly.

“You ...You are back! Forgive me please! Punish me as you like… I grieve my sins! ” he bowed his head and joined his hands and shouted.

Khushi got scared and she went forward to console shashi. She kept her hand over his shoulder which he swiftly removed pushing Khushi to the floor .

“Stay away from me! You are Indrani‘ s daughter! You too are a villain! My daughter was such an innocent child!”

Arnav was taken aback at this. Did Shashi know the whole truth behind that incident?

“What has happened to Shashi uncle? Why is he behaving so?”

“Wait, I will tell you. Help me console him and put him on the bed.”

Both of them caught hold of Shashi and made him lie on the bed. He slowly drifted to sleep.

They closed the door and went away towards the terrace talking on the way. They failed to notice  someone who saw them sharing their woes together.

****************

Manorama rushed through the hall into Indrani ‘s room.

“Jiji, my guess was correct. That Khushi is having an affair with Raizada ji. I saw them walking through the corridor saying something. She had her head bent on his shoulders and his arm was on her waist. Haw Jiji! This open romance toh we don’t show even after marriage and these both! Hey bhagwaan! Kalyug! Ghor kalyug!“

Indrani was shocked to know this that even after all the drama she performed of being a bechari helpless poor mother, Khushi had the guts to roam with a
Arnav.

Will she deny and defy my orders to marry Shyam?

No! This can't happen! Khushi has to marry Shyam only! I want money and only Shyam is ready amongst our caste to give so much money for Khushi.

She realised that she needs to play her next move sooner than accordingto her plan.

***************

“Some months after you left Allahabad, Papa got a stroke and  a case of high blood pressure and something happened which made him all disturbed. He had started saying things which were unrealistic. The doctor diagnosed him with Schizophrenia and prescribed some drugs for him. Since then he is like this, he denies the fact that I am his daughter...”

“What unrealistic things does he say?”

“He says that Indrani i.e Maa made his innocent daughter i.e me to do all the wrong deeds that happened 10 years ago. But I know the truth that neither me nor Ira or Esha had anything to do with the temple riot  which happened 10 years ago.  When I try to tell him this he says that I am not his daughter because I obey my mother.  He had even tried to strangle Maa once. Maa has been kind enough to let me keep him here and not send him off to an asylum. But he... he doesn’t even recognise me…” she sobbed .

Arnav now understood that maybe Shashi knew the real truth. Maybe Shashi knew everything that he didn't know. Maybe Indrani had something more to do with his illness. Gosh Indrani! How many crimes have you got up your sleeve?

“I know what happened in the  morning when you talked to your mother.” Arnav said.

Khushi looked up to him.

“No matter what! You will marry me and only me!” He said in a determined voice.

“It is not about just you and me, Arnav. It is about my family's prestige, my mother's pride, Esha's marriage…”

“Your fault! You let her get married to a family who asks for dowry.”

“I  had tried my best to explain  Maa but it was too late by then .” She placed her argument.

" Shyam ji has agreed to pay the dowry along with all of our debts provided I marry him within 2 days .”

“So you are selling yourself to him for money.“he scoffed
“ I had never thought you would be so money minded, Khushi!  You will leave me for money?“ He looked at her in disbelief. He moved away from her and proceeded to go outside the door.

“No! Please don't go!" she put her arms around his waist and held him tightly. “I have lost you once I can't let you go again. Marry me! I won't marry Shyam. Please don’t go .”

Arnav turned and said “ Are you sure about this?“

“Yes! I will manage everything about Esha on my own. “she nodded her head

Arnav lifted her in his arms to take her to his room as she wound her arms around his neck .