Titaliya

Chapter 15

"Nani!"

The bungalow in Richmond Town was peaceful. As soon as she passed through the wrought-iron gates she felt safe again. She could be whomever she wanted. Whether it was Khushi Kumari Gupta, Khushi Bharadwaj, or just a girl lost in her own emotions and circumstances.

Her Nani was sitting on the lawn with one of the lawyers. Aditi was on the phone. Khushi looked around for Ayush. He was picking up Kannada faster than anyone expected, and playing gully cricket with the neighborhood children.

"Khushi, beta. I'm just finalizing some property issues. We'll have tea in an hour. Relax until then."

She went upstairs to her room and set her suitcase in the walk-in closet. Inside, the locker was the first thing that her eyes fell upon. She unwittingly walked over to it and opened the smallest box inside it. She withdrew the small mangalsutra from the box and wrapped it around her fingers. She hadn't thrown it away, instead hiding it away from Nani and even herself.

What had Arnav Singh Raizada turned her into? She couldn't call herself a married woman. She couldn't call herself unmarried. She was stuck in some limbo only she knew about. The mangalsutra felt so light around her fingers, but the few hours it rested on her heart... it felt heavier than an anchor. She was tempted to tear it apart and watch as the black beads spread across her floor.

Her phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts. She almost dropped the mangalsutra. She placed it back in the locker and looked at her phone.

Payal. She had a lot to say to her sister.

"Khushi! How are you?"

"Jeeji. How would I be? I did everything possible to get away from that man. Then my sister gives him my address. Tell me, Jeeji, how would I be?"

"Did you tell Nani?"

"That would turn out well, Jeeji, wouldn't it? Hey Nani, my sister has become best friends with the man that turned my life into hell and now he's my neighbor! What do you think about that?"

"Khushi... He said-"

"He says a lot of things, Jeeji. He told my neighbor that he was my boyfriend. By the time I go back to the apartment, the whole building will think we're in a relationship."

Khushi stepped out of the walk-in closet and lay down on her bed.

"Jeeji, he keeps telling me he loves me. Do you know how that makes me feel? I don't know whether to laugh or cry."

Khushi took a deep breath. "How can he even say that? How can he even say that after everything that's happened? Should I just tell him I remember everything? Do you think that would make him stop?"

"Maybe," Payal answered. "Khushi... you said you don't know whether to laugh or cry. That's why I told him. If you love him, you two deserve a second chance. I'm not saying you have to be with him, but that you should see if there is something there. The last time, if Shyam wasn't in the picture, would you have been happy with Arnav?"

"I don't know, Jeeji," Khushi admitted. "I thought I would be, but you saw how he reacts so quickly. He doesn't give people the opportunity to show their side."

She thought over it. If she told him, what would Arnav do? Would he leave her alone? Knowing him, it was unlikely. He would probably try a different approach, try to guilt her about his family. His family. She forgot entirely. Naniji, Anjaliji... she wondered if he told any of them about finding her. Shyam. Her skin crawled at the thought of the man. She hoped Arnav hadn't told his family.

"I can't tell him yet," she decided. "He's tried to use this against me. He thinks that because I don't remember anything, that I'll fall in love with him. That it will be easier for him. I'll prove otherwise."

He might've succeeded if it was Khushi Kumari Gupta.

Before learning how bitter betrayal was, she would've loved Arnav immediately. But she knew exactly how capable Arnav was of going from love to hate. He acted so kind to her in the weeks before Jeeji's wedding. Perhaps she had been in love with them. Puppy love. Her first love. She fell so easily, for a few bangles and some meager displays of care. It took him one misunderstanding to brand her a characterless woman.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to do to him everything he did to me, Jeeji. I want to repay him for everything he's done to me."

"Khushi. I think he loves you. Maybe-"

Khushi was tired of hearing about Arnav's love for her.

"How much, Jeeji? More than his work? More than his sister? I don't think so. It's better to never be loved at all than to be loved by someone like him. I'm tired of talking about him. Please don't tell him anything more about me."

"I'm sorry Khushi. I just wanted you to be happy. I'm happy because of you, and I know you loved Arnavji. And he was so miserable when he heard you left. I thought I was doing the right thing. You lost a lot because of me, Khushi. I thought I'd try to help you regain it. I just went about it the wrong way. I won't call him anymore."

"It's okay, Jeeji. I'll call you tomorrow."

She set down the phone and exhaled. She hoped Payal didn't tell him anything more. Even if she did, it didn't matter. She finally had the resources, and the heartlessness, to do whatever she wanted to Arnav Singh Raizada.

For the first time, she googled Arnav Singh Raizada. Background research was essential for her plan. Two days till her plan started. Two days till Arnav Singh Raizada's reality would falter in front of her.

Writer's Note

Hey guys. I'm on schedule. Updates are Mondays or Tuesdays, and today's Tuesday. I'm studying a lot. Have to.

Have to since exams are coming up. I'm putting Beastly on hold, and will finish Titaliya first. I might up the frequency of updates on this story a little bit. We'll see.

As always, keep reading, and I hope you enjoy.