"What happened there Khushi? There's no problem right. Did Shyam harmed you? How is Anjaliji? What does dadiji and maaji said? Khushi speak something" Payal shook Khushi vigorously as soon as Khushi stepped into the house.

"Jiji. Stop. Stop.. Take a take breath. Bride shouldn't be worry like this" Khushi dragged her through the hallway.

"Khushi.. you came" Garima took fast strides to reach her.

"Haan Haan.. I came as single piece like I went. Where's buaji? I'll tell you all everything in detail" Khushi muttered making Garima to sit beside Payal and went in search of buaji.

"This Khushi na..." Payal hissed not having ounce of patience to know what happened there.

Can I call Aakashji? He knows what happened? But how can I call him when amma was sitting right beside me, Payal mused. She fiddled her fingers circling the end of her dupatta.  Fortunately, the guests were directed to Raizada guest house at earlier owing to their small house.

"Arey Khushi, wait let me put my glasses"

Payal peeked from her place to see an energetic Khushi dragging buaji who was mumbling her own phrases. Her heart drummed against her rib cage. She was afraid of her marriage, the marriage which she dare to dream after her broken marriage. In a nook of her heart, a fear of her marriage still reside there. She knows, if the truth was out before everyone then her future will be a question mark. Even if everyone accept her, she was scared about manorama maa's reaction. Will she accept her after knowing the truth???

"Khushi enough. Just tell me what happened there" Payal hopped from her place.

Seeing her desperateness Khushi have no heart to delay in telling the happenings. She narrated what all conspired between her, Aakash, Arnav and Nani.

Payal let her lungs to fill oxygen only after knowing her marriage has no qualms.

"Now like a good bride, jiji is going to ready like a princess" Khushi chirped twirling Payal.

Payal smiled which reached her eyes.

"Finally, everything is well" Garima heaved a sigh.

"Nothing is well Garima. Still that Shyam is living under the roof, not everyone is aware of this" Buaji's worried voice reopened the balmed mind.

Leaving Payal, Khushi held buaji and Garima palm in her each "Arnavji is there na. He's with us, he'll make everything alright"

Garima looked at her with hesitation. Khushi squinted her eyes in assurance.

Payal hugged her from back and whispered on her ear "What's with you and arnavji?"

Khushi hiccupped and stare at her with wide eyes.

"No..thing..." Khushi stuttered sprinting away.

Payal raised her eyebrows and following her.

"Seems like another wedding is on the way Garima" Garima couldn't help but agree on her words.

.
.
.
.

"Khushi, you didn't answer me. What's with you and arnavji?" Payal nudged khushi's elbow who was rummaging her cupboard.

Khushi remained tight lipped giving hints to Payal unknowingly.

"I never know you could work hard on our wish" Said Payal.

Khushi frowned "What wish?"

"You forget it pagli. Remember how we dreamt of marrying brothers and to live in same house" Payal answered with a teasing smile.

Khushi darted immediately "Don't speak stupid jiji"

Even though she behaved as if  irritated by her suggestions, her expressions told another story to Payal.

Her cheeks reddened and her lips curved in a shy smile which she's trying hard to hide. Isn't it said that, one who avoid your eye contact was doing exact opposite of what they're saying.

"Smart are we? Don't forget I am elder to you. And I can really see how rubbish my talk were" Payal cocked her brows.

Khushi continued to arrange her lehenga and taking matching accessories for the dress trying hard to evade from Payal scrutinizing gaze and her twisted questions.

Payal snatched her dress and distracted her "Tell me Khushi. Who admitted first? Leave it, how you two ended up being together. I still can't digest this. You always say you hate him and scolding him in each and every talks and what changed now?"

Khushi shook her head in denial "What you're thinking is totally absurd jiji. Today is your wedding, go and daydream about Aakashji than probing me"

Payal adamantly palmed Khushi cheeks "Don't try to fool me Khushi. I can feel what place you gave him in your heart. When he didn't reach here like he informed, you went hysterical and when you saw him with wound on his forehead you were scared Khushi, aren't you?"

Khushi closed her eyes when his image of standing there with bandage on his forehead appeared infront of her closed pupil. To say, she was terrified when she saw him. A lone tear trailed down her cheeks when the one hour torture of not knowing his whereabouts knocked her again.

She opened her eyes when a thumb wiped the tears. Payal stood there with concern dripping from her each and every cell.

She made Khushi to sit and cupped her cheeks "What's bothering you Khushi? I am seeing you from the time you came from RM, you're not into yourself. Anything bad happened there which you're hiding from us?"

Khushi held Payal's both wrists.

"I am afraid jiji. Shyamji is still there. Now he knows arnavji escaped from accident. In his thrist of money, he can do something even more worse. Do you think, I am selfish that I.. feel.. he... Arnavji is my.. only family..." Khushi closed her eyes tightly in guilt.

She doesn't mean to say, she's thinking her family is not her own but is true that what she feel for Arnav was her only family. She felt, she can claim her authority on him without any restriction, without any limitation. He'll be her very own relation. He'll be her's. And she won't owe anything to him other than love.

Her family gave her everything. They give her shelter when she was orphaned. They gave her a bauji, amma, buaji and jiji. They gave her their name when she was exposed to the society. They gave her their precious love even though buaji pointed out few times. They gave her education and accepted her as their daughter. They gave everything but still a part of her heart made her feel outsider. Her bauji did everything keeping her in mind still she felt grateful to them for giving her shelter and raising her, why is so? We never feel debited to our parents but she felt when her bauji shop got closed, she felt when her jiji's first marriage broke, she felt when they first step into Delhi, she felt when she started to go for work, she felt when buaji forced her to marry Shyam, she felt when her engagement broke by the true colours of Shyam, she felt when her jiji is engaged to the same family where Shyam lives, she felt when she was made to hide the truth for her sister marriage. Isn't it wrong?

"It's not wrong Khushi. Somewhere we failed to give you the feel of family, that's why you felt the love outside, that to with the one whom you claims to hate" Payal swallowed her hurt. She can't understand what and where they went wrong.

Khushi frantically consoled her "It's not your fault jiji. I was wrong. I should not feel like that"

Payal shook her head palming her cheeks wiping her tears "Don't cry. You cried enough. You can't control your feelings and push your thoughts to heart. You done that enough. Now it's time to live. Live with your love. I.. I am afraid Khushi, arnavji was short tempered, egoistic person. You're totally opposite from him. You two cannot stay without fight. I mean, how can you both live under a single room for lifetime"

Khushi smiled through her misted eyes and trailed towards window.

"It's not hate jiji. We were trying to push the love we felt the instant. If he was the cause of my pain then he was the healer too. If he was the one who pushed me far then he was the one who pulled me towards him. If he was the one who made me shed tears then he was the one who wipe it though indirectly. If he was the one who send me to death then he was the one who gave oxygen to me to live. If he was the one who showed hate then he was the one who shows love too. He can be a closed book to the rest but not for me. He's the missing part of my life. Didn't you heard Opposite attracts. That's what happened with us. He was an iron and I was a magnet!" Khushi finished with a beaming smile.

Payal hugged her from back in happiness.

"So you both confessed and when you guys planning for marriage?" Asked she.

Khushi pouted and nodded in dismay.

"Laadgovernor. Words doesn't come out of his mouth easily. We need to snatch it from him. He's playing peek a boo with me. But who can win from Khushi Kumari Gupta"

Wait and watch Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada! You yourself will come to me and confess your love. It's my promise, Swore Khushi.

And she smirked and Payal frowned seeing her smirk.

______

So how did you guys find this update?

Be patience guys, Shyam truth will be out soon. Before that I want to show everyone relationships at present. So brother's talk would be next chapter!

Do press the 🌟 and comment✍️