The Controlling Lover (ON HOLD)

Chapter Seventy Eight

Arnav looked at his father in shock. "Wait, what?"

Arhat nodded. "When Kaushali found out what Rishi, her ex-husband, had done, what he led Aisha to do... she just had to leave him. She couldn't find it in her heart to forgive him for his disgusting actions... no matter how much she loved him."

"So... what happened," Khushi asked.

"After Kaushali discovered what Rishi had done, she immediately wanted to get away from him. She wanted a divorce, she wanted nothing to do with him. But Rishi - he really loved her, he refused to let her go - she was his life."

"But... he did though?"

"After Kaushali took drastic measures."

"What do you mean?"

"She threatened to end her own life."

Both Arnav and Khushi looked at Arhat in shock, their eyes wide.

"She what," Khushi said incredulously.

"Rishi was at the office pretty late. He wasn't budging and wouldn't divorce her, so she went to him and threatened him. Rishi only continued to refuse so she... slit her wrist."

Khushi could not believe what she was hearing, her eyes still very wide.

"Luckily for her, she hadn't cut in too deep, but she did lose a lot of blood. Afraid to lose her, Rishi agreed to sign the divorce papers."

Arnav couldn't help but to let out a scoff. "I'm sorry, but you really mean to tell me that she really slit her wrist just to divorce the guy?"

"Yes, she did. Haven't you ever wondered why she wears such thick kangans on her wrist," Arhat frowned slightly.

Khushi slightly leaned back, thinking back to the day before. She wears thick kangans? Since when? Did she always?

She looked at Arnav and could see the same confusion on his face. And as hard as Arnav tried to remember any memory of Kaushali's kangans, he couldn't. After all, he barely gave the woman the time of day.

"She really isn't that bad of a person," Arhat said softly.

Arnav looked up at his father, Khushi glancing from him to Arhat.

"She knew your mother pretty well. At society parties, the two got along quite well. And after she found the truth, she truly felt awful. And knowing how Rishi felt towards me, she wanted to get back at him... so she asked that I marry her.

"At first I refused, I could never replace Aisha, but at the same time... both you and Anjali were so young. And her being a single mother, the world was too cruel at the time. She needed support for her daughter, and I wanted for you and Anjali to have a mother. And the idea of getting back at Rishi didn't seem so bad to me either, especially not after what he had done."

"So you two got married," Khushi said. "Or rather compromised as you once told me. But... what happened to her ex-husband?"

"He fell sick after she left him. And when he learned the news that I had married Kaushali, Rishi lost it. And then thanks to a cruel twist of fate, his heart gave out."

Khushi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. 

"Kaushali's not a cold person, she did cry for many days and barely spoke to anyone afterwards, keeping her distance; she did love him, after all. Eventually she pulled through and was able to carry on with life... somewhat."

"Meaning," Khushi frowned.

Arhat glanced at his son before looking down. "Well... given that our family was now her new life, all she wanted was for it to be loving and perfect. Anjali gave her a little place in her life but Chote...."

Arnav glanced at his father before looking away.

"She had almost everything... except Chote's affection. She sees the way you cringe at her..."

Arnav's eyes widened, as did Khushi's.

"...and she's always never taken it to heart," the old man smiled sadly.

"You mean she's... she's noticed," Khushi asked.

Arhat nodded.

Khushi pursed her lips. It did actually make her sad realizing that while she only hoped to give Arnav comfort whenever she would see him cringe around Kaushali, she never took the moment to realize if Kaushali had noticed his actions and how it affected her.

The thought remained with Khushi, even after Arhat left. All of it stuck with her and Khushi couldn't help but wonder - if Kaushali truly wasn't so bad as Arhat claimed, why did Arnav and Anjali scowl at her so much? Arhat had revealed that he had only told her and Arnav about this, and not yet to Anjali. In fact, he had wanted to tell both Arnav and Anjali together, but after what had happened the other day, Anjali had refused to come over with him.

But she wasn't the only one, Khushi could see that Arnav was too busy lost in thought. She went over to him and wrapped her arms around him, placing a kiss on his back.

"What are you thinking about, husband," she asked softly.

Arnav let out a small scoff, shaking his head. "What am I not thinking about, angel," he replied, his tone matching hers.

The two simply stood there for a moment, saying nothing, when Arnav sighed and turned around.

"So sweet angel of mine, shall we announce to the world that you're now my wife?"

Khushi's eyebrows shot up on their own. "Announce?"

"Yes, announce."

It only occurred to Khushi then that given the big businessman that Arnav is, announcing their marriage was something that shouldn't be so surprising.

"Um, yeah - but we're still going to have a reception!"

"Whatever you wish, wife of mine," and he kissed her forehead.

"I mean it jaan, and it's got to be traditional. You're lucky I really loved the ceremony on the beach."

"Oh? Lucky huh?"

Arnav started to mess with her, making Khushi shriek with laughter as he poked away at her sides and enjoyed the sound of her laughter, giving him a sense of peace and joy.