Far Away From You

You'll Never See Me Again

Purple Orchid Restaurant, New Delhi

1.30 pm

Anjali looked up from her plate when he asked, "So what's your decision?"

She sighed and said, "Arhan, I really want to introduce you to my family. But I don't know how my brother would react."

"Why? Doesn't he support his divorced sister dating someone?" Arhan asked leaning back.

"I don't know" Anjali said honestly, "He doesn't talk to me anymore. He always stays aloof and only spends time with Ayaan, Akash's son."

"Why?" he frowned.

"I didn't tell you about Khushi ji didn't I?" Anjali said.

He nodded no and Anjali said, "Khushi is Arnav's wife. She left us three years ago"

"Oh! I'm sorry. How did she...."

"No no she is not dead. She left us! She walked out!" Anjali said.

"Why?"

"Because of me!" Anjali whispered.

.

"Di!" Khushi called out as she entered the room with a tray of food.

Suddenly she froze seeing an unconscious Anjali on the floor.

"DI!" she screamed and ran to her. "ARNAV JI! JIJAAJI! COME FAST!" she screamed and tried lifting Anjali from the ground.

.

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"She is safe but I'm really sorry. We couldn't save the child" Doctor said.

Everyone gasped and doctor said, "It was a complicated pregnancy and her body couldn't take the stress! We had already warned you about it! I'm sorry!" he walked away.

Nani slumped on the seat and mami burst into tears. Arnav supported himself on the wall with tears running down his cheek.

"Are you happy now?" Mami screamed at Khushi and Payal and everyone looked at them.

"My Anjali bitiya lost her baby, just because of you gold diggers! You sisters planned it right? You wanted her baby to be dead. That's why you revealed Shyam's truth now, when she was six months pregnant. You wanted the child to be dead so that you both can enjoy the Raizada property all by yourself. Wasn't this your plan?" Mami screamed.

"Mami stop!" Arnav hissed, "Please....STOP!"

"No I won't" mami said angrily, "You're under her spell Arnav. You won't see anything beyond her. You can't see these girls' true colours. You can't see Anjali bitiya's sufferings! If you can't speak up and act for your sister, I will! I will not have these girls in our house anymore!"

.

.

"Then?" Arhan asked.

"Everyone blamed her and Payal, except Chotte" Anjali said in tears, "Although they meant no harm and just wanted me to see my husband's true colours, they became the culprits! Chotte always supported Khushi ji before us!"

Arhan gave her a glass of water and Anjali accepted it.

"It's all my fault" Anjali whispered, "If only I was courageous enough to accept the truth. If only I believed in my brother...Arnav and Khushi would've been together! But no! I was a weak woman who could not see anything beyond her scoundrel husband!"

"What happened then?" Arhan asked leaning back on the chair.

"Days passed and I was still in my shock state. Shyam used to visit me in secret and that kept me sane. I begged Chotte to bring him back but he didn't budge. This created hatred in me against Khushi and Payal, Khushi especially. I taunted both of them and mami joined me. Nani, who knew that they were innocent, kept quiet. And one morning, when we all woke up, Khushi ji was missing. Her clothes were gone, certificates were gone.....she was gone. She never returned!" Anjali finished and wiped her tears.

"And then Arnav and NK gathered proofs against Shyam" Arhan said, "That's what you told me!"

Anjali nodded.

"How's Arnav? How's he coping up?"

"He's still waiting for her. Hoping that she would return!" Anjali said looking down.

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AR Fashions, New Delhi

3.30 pm

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"ASR" Aman called out and forwarded a file, "Need your signature in this"

Arnav signed it and said, "Did you transfer the money to Amaara NGO account?"

"Yes" Aman said nodding, "Mrs. Mehra called me. Said you were unavailable. Some of her staff from Mumbai are shifting to Delhi to help her in the educating the children. So they will be submitting a detailed report of how your donation was used in the NGO!"

"That isn't needed" Arnav frowned.

"They do that" Aman shrugged, "It's a proof that the money is indeed used for helping the poor."

Arnav nodded and said, "Okay then!"

Aman walked out and Arnav leaned back on his chair.

.

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"Did di have something?" Arnav asked as he entered the room.

Khushi looked up from where she was folding clothes and said curtly, "I don't know. I'm not allowed to go near your sister."

Arnav said nothing but closed the door behind him. He walked to the recliner and sat on it. Rubbing his face vigorously he said, "She again begged for Shyam today!"

She hummed and he said, "She is not accepting the truth"

She again hummed and kept the clothes neatly in the wardrobe.

"I was thinking...we should bring him back" Arnav said slowly.

She shot looked at him. Arnav shuddered under her gaze. Unlike her usual kind eyes, this time, it spoke fury.

"I meant, we could've him around and then place cameras around, recording his moves and then...."

He was cut off by her, "Are you really that stupid or are you pretending?" she asked sharply.

"Khushi main...."

"You are bringing him back! HIM! BACK IN THIS HOUSE!" she shouted.

"It's for the better. Nothing will go wrong. We all will obse....."

"OH SHUT THE CRAP" Khushi shouted and he stumbled back, hearing her loud voice for the first time in his life, "If you want that man back in this house, you can. But you'll never see me again!"

She threw the clothes on the floor and stormed out of the room.

.

That whole night, she didn't talk to him. He cancelled the idea. He assured her that he will never bring him back, not only into RM, anywhere near her.

If you want that man back in this house, you can.

She wasn't right about that. He didn't want him back in RM. He thought it was a good idea to reveal him before his sister but he was really against the idea of him around his family.

But she was right about one thing!

But you'll never see me again!

He never saw her again.