Part 37 Losing the Bet

The villagers became curious and watched them with the same curiosity. They felt relieved, seeing the brightened face of Akash. Of course, Akash got a very good set of cards.

All of their eyes turned on Arnav as he started arranging his cards but they couldn't see any change of expression on his face. He looked calm.

Akash is the one who is going to discard first. He waited for Akash to do that. Akash put the card down. The card was heart Queen... without any expression on his face; Arnav showed his cards off, keeping them on the table, and finished the game.

The hall became pin-drop silent whereas Akash became furious. He stood with seething anger and threw the chair away as he couldn't accept the defeat. He tried to take a step towards Arnav who was in the name of Ankit but the villagers stopped him by clutching his hands by either side.

"The inspector is here." One of the villagers whispered.

Akash looked at the inspector who was sitting casually, waiting for him to do something.

"He is waiting to get a CASE in this village for the last five years. Don't give him a reason to bring a police station to our village." Another one said.

"If you give him a reason to bring a police station, you will be tabooed from our village forever." The first one warned.

"We warned you not to bet on Khushi. See... what happened now... you have lost her... not only her but your dignity." The second one chided.

Akash was fuming. His eyes became teary in anger and his ears became red. He just wanted to kill the old man in front of him.

"He is a cheater... he cheated on me..." Akash yelled, pointing at Arnav.

"Then, why did you play with him, that too betting on your would-be wife?" Daniel asked.

"I wanted to get my property back. That's why I played."

"We can do nothing with that. It's over. You have to accept the defeat. Don't forget you have been signed the paper." Daniel said.

"How could I let an old man marry Khushi?" He sneered.

"You should have thought about it before itself." Someone from the crowd said.

"My mother-in-law won't agree to it," he said with an attitude.

"It's not our problem. You are the one who ought to answer her because it's you who lost her to the old man. And... even though the bride is not ready to marry him we don't care. She has to marry him." Daniel said with the same attitude.

"This is too much..." Akash yelled.

"Betting on a girl not looked too much for you?" Shyam asked.

"Look, take my property but Khushi..." Akash said.

Before anyone answered, Arnav said...

"I will give your property back but the girl..." Arnav spoke for the first time.

"You are looking like a half-dead person... do you need a young girl as your wife?" Akash spitted fire...

"Did I ask you to bet on her? It's you who brought her into the game... what was my mistake? Why should I give up on something which I won?"

"She is a small girl... how could she live with you happily? Can't you consider it?"

"You don't have to worry about it. She will be happy with me."

Akash pushed the villagers in anger and came out of their clutch. He advanced Arnav, raising his hand to punch him in his face. Daniel came in between them and pushed Akash away. Removing his gun, he kept it on his head.

"Behave Akash... or else. You will leave your life along with the properties. You can earn the property again but your life." He warned him in a rough tone.

"Sir, we will make him understand." A villager said.

"There is nothing to make him understand because he did everything in the full sense. Bring him to the village president's house. He has to deal with this matter." Daniel said.

The villagers agreed to it. They started heading to the president's house, taking Akash with them. Arnav, Shyam, and the inspector followed them. All of them gathered in front of the president's house.

Akash felt humiliated. In one hour, the whole village is going to know about he gambled, betting on Khushi. Khushi and Garima are going to spit on his face. How could he see their face, after doing the cheapest thing? What would he say if they ask him about his deed? Garima is going to kill him for losing her daughter to an old man.

As it was mid-night, the president of the village was sleeping. Inspector Daniel knocked on his house door. The president opened the door, squeezing his eye. He frowned, seeing people in front of his house. He couldn't guess why they are here and what the problem is because the inspector and the two archeologists were also standing with the villagers.

"What happened? Why all of you are here at this time?"

"This is a case... if you don't give me the right judgment then I will go to court. And for your kind information, I have an inspector as an eye witness for my side." Arnav said in a gruff voice.

"Not letting me know the matter, why are you talking like this? Without knowing the matter, how could I give the judgment? Tell me the matter first." The president said firmly.

"You know very well that Akash Gambles..."

"Yeah, I know he plays well." The president agreed.

"Exactly... today also he played with Ankit Chowdry sir on the bet. He lost everything... everything means, he lost all the properties to Ankit Sir. This is the paper he himself signed in."

Daniel showed the paper to the president. The president looked at Akash shockingly with an unbelievable expression. At the same time, his eyes spat fire of loath.

"And... he didn't stop betting with his properties..."

The president looked at him questioningly. What else is there to bet? He couldn't even think that Akash would bet on Khushi.

"He bet on his would-be wife Khushi and lost her to him."

The president became furious. He couldn't bear the truth. No one would ever think of doing such a thing in this village. Who gave the rights to him to bet on a girl?

The president pulled a long and thick stick from behind the door. He started hitting Akash with the stick while shouting...

"How dare you....? How could you even think of betting on a girl? That too to the stranger... That too to the old man... Who are you to bet on her? Do you think she is your property? Doesn't she have feelings? She obeyed her mother and agreed to marry you. Is this what your responsibility? You won't deserve to be called a MAN. You are a loafer... you won't deserve any girl in your life...."

He threw the stick and sat on the step of his house, panting hard.

"What will you say to Garima? She agreed to give her Daughter's hand to you because she believed that you will make her happy... you destroyed her trust. You are a cheap man in this village." The president sneered.

As it was midnight, the noise of the people and the tone of the president woke the villagers up who were sleeping in their respective houses. People started knocking on their neighbors' houses to see different case. Slowly slowly, all the villagers gathered there and murmured about what Akash did.

Someone knocked on Khushi's house also as she is the main character of the scene. The mother and daughter's shock was not estimated. They looked at each other and headed to the president's house.

Khushi was thinking deeply about the issue. She was highly disappointed with Arnav as she doesn't like him gambling. But what she just heard is unexpected. Did Akash lose her to Arnav? Really? Is Akash that greedy? Or he is dumb? She can't believe even Akash gambles and definitely can't believe he dared to bet on her. How dare he? She gritted her teeth.

They reached the president's house and the people gave them space to enter. The president sighed, seeing them.

Garima glared at Akash and he bowed down. She looked at the president to get an authentic declaration of what Akash did.

"Garima...Akash gambled, betting on Khushi and he lost her to this old man..."

Garima closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheek. What would she answer to Khushi now? How could she console her? Khushi loved someone wholeheartedly. Even though the guy helped her to get her vision back she didn't agree to marry him; giving a lame excuse that she couldn't believe a stranger. But what Akash did is just beyond the limits. How could he do this? How dare he? She asked Khushi to marry Akash leaving Arnav behind. Now should she ask her to marry an old man leaving Akash behind? She couldn't control her anger. She opened her eyes, gritting her teeth. In no time, she slapped Akash hard right and left, letting out her frustration.

To be continued...

The next part is available on Inkitt

Khushi's stand

The villagers pitied Garima who cried clutching Akash's collar.

"Why did you do that? Is this why I wanted you to marry my daughter? She had a dream about her future... I destroyed it for you... you disappointed me... you shattered my dream... you are a scoundrel..." she slapped him again.