PHIR SE

She will be loved

Chapter 22

She will be loved, her heart shall break

Khushi drew the curtains of her room aside to let the golden sunshine reach her sleeping husband. She went near him and softly ran her palm through his hair. He was looking so handsome that Khushi couldn’t stop  looking at him. Moreover he was shirtless, so Khushi‘s cheeks knew a new shade of red.

“ Get up Arnav! You had said you have a meeting with some media company here at ten today! Come on wake up!”she chirped to him .

Arnav stirred a bit and gave a wide yet sleepy smile.

“Good morning, Khushi!” he smiled to her.

“Good morning, go take a bath. You have a meeting to attend.” she persuaded him to get up .

“Bath… alone? Won't you allow me the pleasure of bathing with you?” he smirked to her.

Khushi blushed  hard and hit him playfully on his shoulder.  

“Well for today, you are going to bath alone. Better luck next time. Now go take a bath!”

“Okay okay, I am going. Why so strict, Khushi?” he chuckled as Khushi got up from the bed and went outside the room to get his morning coffee. Sugarfree, of course as she  knew that he suffered diabetes mellitus since childhood. She felt so bad for him, he had so much suffering in his life.

Arnav sat on the bed looking towards the door as he saw Khushi’ s petite figure going out of the room. He sighed guiltily. She loved him so much that would be so difficult for him to break her heart!

In these six months he had found out a lot about the temple riots that happened 10 years ago, the one which gave impetus to his doom. He had come to know that Shashi had actually turned mad due to Indrani’s torture so his words that Khushi was innocent couldn’t be trusted. He had come to a conclusion that Indrani was behind all those riots and she did all of that selfishly.

Also he came to know that Indrani was lying about Ira and Esha’s dowry. The groom’s family had been decent enough to never demand any 'gifts'. Indrani had lied so as to manipulate Khushi into marrying Shyam. Then, Indrani could enjoy the money Shayam would offer for Khushi. Arnav’s blood boiled on knowing this. He decided that he would give her the punishment she deserved, disrobe her of the power and position for which she had murdered his parents.
Khushi had been persuaded by Indrani  to voluntarily do all that she had done. So Khushi too is  blame. Let her heart break!

Since the past two months he was pretending to be her prince charming  by doing all things that would make her believe that he was deeply in love with her. He thought he was just pretending to love her. He thought he had only pitiful feelings for her. But the real truth was that somewhere deep in his heart, the love he had for her had completely rejuvenated. The truth was that he was falling for her once again.

The truth was that his heart too shall shatter when he shall leave Khushi.

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

Khushi came down the stairs with a small smile on her face thinking about how her life had changed in the past six months. Her marriage with Arnav had changed her life completely. She loved him to the moon and back. Although he never said that he loved her, she knew he did. After all their love was since childhood and shall last for an eternity. Their love was meant to be.

Was it?

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

She entered the kitchen and saw that Indrani was making tea in the kitchen.

“Arre Maa! I would have made it for you...” Khushi smiled to her.

Indrani ignored Khushi like if she were filth and went away with her cup of tea, leaving a sad Khushi behind. Indrani was yet upset with her and Arnav’s marriage so she had stopped talking to Khushi. Mami and Mama had left Allahabad a month ago to start their own business in Banaras.
So, Arnav and Khushi were left in the home with Indrani and Shashi. Not to forget, Aman was there at home as Arnav's personal assistant, bodyguard and spy.

Khushi was happy that Arnav was there for her. She was hàppy that her childhood love was now her  husband. He was there toconsole, support and love her every time she would be disheartened because of Indrani.

Arnav was giving her the fairytale life she always dreamed about all her life , read about in romances and wrote about in her poems.
He was that happiest moment of her life that she wanted to preserve and cherish the rest of her life.

She loved him,  worshipped him with whole of her heart, soul and body.

She expected that this fairytale to continue for the rest of her life with her arnav.

She would never do anything he didn’t like. This was why she had discarded the name Dev from her life. She  knows  only Arnav now. Only him .

Little did she know that fate had  other plans for her.

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

Arnav had left the Haveli for meeting some people for legal work related to the temple. He wanted to ensure that it goes in the safe hands of the government before he leaves London. He had suggested this to Khushi who immediately agreed and took permission from the priests and other authorities. Everyone except  Indrani had agreed.

Arnav had told her that he planned on shifting back to Europe and so helped her fill out forms for visa.

Khushi was watering the plants in her yard when she suddenly started feeling a sudden imbalance in her body. Her vision started blurring, her feet started stumbling all of a sudden. A sharp pain shot through her head and she felt like she would fall down any moment.

“Ma'am!”  Aman came and steadied her.

He offered her a glass of water and helped her drink it.

Khushi wondered  why she was getting such headaches. She usually got such headaches when she had panic attacks and she needed her medicines but now? She hadn’t had a panic attack since her marriage with Arnav, so she hadn’t even touched her medicines ever since.

Suddenly, she got Esha’s call.

“Hello Jiji” Esha chirped from the other side.

“Hi Esha! ” Khushi stuttered a bit.

“What happened jiji? Are you fine ?” Esha asked with concern, sensing the lowness in Khushi’s voice.

“Nothing serious, I just felt a little faintish …” Khushi said holding her head .

“Jiji! Oh my God! Are you hiding something from me? Am I going to be a maasi soon? Are you pregnant?” Esha screamed excitedly.

Pregnant?