Part 44 Starting Point

Khushi was restless, thinking about Arnav. She wanted to ask about him but she knew Akash would not tell her. She saw Anjali was also in the same turmoil. She believed the police would rescue Arnav soon.

That was when she got a call from an unknown number. Yet, she attended it. She thought Arnav might have called her from someone's number.

"Hello, who is speaking?"

"It's not important... what I'm going to say is important. Listen to me. No one should know about it. If you tell anyone, then I'm not responsible for your husband's life"

"Whaaat? What did you say?" She was shocked.

"Your husband is in my custody"

"Who are you? Why did you kidnap Arnavji? What do you want?"

"If you want to see your husband alive, come to the place I say with a file"

"File? What file?"

"It should be in your cupboard..."

Khushi rushed to their cupboard and saw many files there.

"There are many files in the cupboard. What file do you need?"

"A black file"

"Black file... black file..." she searched.

"Yes, there is only one black file..."

"What's written in that?"

"Mehra constructions..."

"Exactly... that's the file. Bring it to me"

"Where do you want me to come?"

"come to the HILL POINT. Remember... no one should know about this. You should come alone"

"Jee..."

Taking the file, she rushed out. Lallan disconnected the call and smiled at Shyam who was the director of the scene.

"She is coming," Lallan said.

"I know she will come"

"What do you want me to do now?"

"Get the car ready. Fill the tank. We will leave Delhi after Khushi comes here"

"Jee..." Lallan left the place.

RM

Khushi saw Nani and Manorama in the living room. She didn't know how to cross them without their knowledge. She inserted the file into her salwar pants. Wiping her face, she came out, trying not to show her anxiety. Yet, she could not be normal.

"Khushi bitiya, are you all right?" Nani asked.

She nodded yes plastering a smile.

"Naniji, shall I go to the temple?" she asked hesitating.

"If you want to go to the temple, you can go. What's there to be hesitating?"

Khushi nodded ok smilingly and left the place hurriedly. She came out and ran towards the main road. Stopping an auto, she asked the driver to go to Hill Point.

The auto started. Akash who came out of RM to go to Arnav saw Khushi getting into an auto.

"Where Khushiji is going?"

Akash removed his phone and dialed Khushi. Khushi became nervous. Making up herself, she attended the call.

"Jee, Jeejaji?"

"Where are you Khushiji?"

"I'm going to the temple, Jeejaji"

"Which temple?"

"The one which is near GH"

Akash frowned. If she was going to the temple that was nearby GH, why did she travel in the opposite direction? Something was fishy.

"Jeejaji, I will talk to you later..." She disconnected the call.

That surprised Akash more. Why did she sound nervous? He immediately called Arnav, while following her. Arnav attended the call.

"Haan, Akash, the formalities are over. I'm coming"

"Bhai... Khushiji is going somewhere"

"Where?"

"She said she was going to the nearby temple to GH"

"Oh..."

"But, she was going in the opposite direction"

"Whaaat?"

"Yes, bhai... she sounded nervous... I sense something fishy"

"Where are you now?"

"I'm following her, Bhai"

"Ok, direct me"

"Ok, Bhai"

Arnav became tense. His Gut Instinct warned him. This was what he was scared about. Why did she leave the house? Where was she going? He rushed out of the commissioner's office to get a taxi. He found one.

"Take me..."

"Where?"

Arnav didn't know what to answer. He thought for a while and said,

"Hill Point"

He didn't know why he said Hill Point. That made him more nervous because that was the same place where Khushi fell into the Valley.

That was when Arnav got a call from Akash. Arnav attended it.

"Haan Akash..."

"Bhai, I missed Khushiji"

"Whaaaat? How?"

"I'm following her but got stuck at the railway gate"

Arnav rolled his eyes irritatingly.

"Ok, come to Hill Point"

"Hill Point? But why, Bhai?"

"I think she is going to meet someone. That someone may be Shyam"

That was when Akash remembered Shyam was also not at home.

"You may be right, Bhai. I'm coming"

They disconnected the call.

"Please go fast..." Arnav shouted.

The driver looked at him oddly.

"My wife is in danger... please go... I will give you whatever you want"

The driver geared the car up towards Hill Point.

.........

Khushi got down from the auto, cutting the meter. The auto left the place. She saw no one in the place that looked plain.

"Arnavjiiii..." she shouted.

She looked here and there restlessly.

"Arnavjiiii where are you?" She shouted again.

That was when Shyam came from behind a tree smirking. No need to say how shocked Khushi would have been.

"You?"

"Yes, me..."

"What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you restlessly... with a lot of love"

Khushi looked at the file in her hand speechlessly.

"It's just for an eyewash... you can throw it away..."

"What do you mean?"

"My man asked you to bring the file. So that you won't get doubt on me"

"Your man?"

"You are so innocent, Khushiji. It's me who brought you here"

"But why?"

"To get you"

"Whaaaat? Where is Arnavji?"

"He slipped from my clutch... he should be on the way to RM"

Khushi was horrified. She tried to leave the place, but Shyam clutched her hand.

"Leave my hand..." she twisted her hand from left to right, in the attempt of getting it out of his clutch.

Shyam smirked, seeing her struggling in his clutch.

"You can't get away from me this time, Khushiji. I missed you once but not this time" he said looking at the pathway expecting Lallan's arrival.

They saw the car coming. Shyam's face brightened. It was Indeed Lallan. Khushi was dismayed. What if they took her from there in the car? Her eyes tear up. What was she going to do?

She bit Shyam's hand making him hiss. She pushed him and rushed aimlessly. Lallan who saw her running got off the car.

"Catch her..." Shyam ordered.

Lallan chased her. Khushi took the mug from the ground and threw it on his face. Lallan was shattered by her unexpected attack. He squeezed his mud-filled eyes. Shyam headed her furiously. That was when another car came there. Shyam was confused about who was coming to his place whereas, Khushi was scared. She thought Shyam's men came but her face lit seeing Arnav getting off the car.

"Khushiiiii..." Arnav shouted.

"Arnavji..." Khushi smiled, in between her tears.

Arnav saw her teary eyes. He looked at Shyam who was shocked like hell. He didn't know how Arnav found the place.

"Arnavji, he is trying to kidnap me," Khushi said.

"Shyam... I know you are pretending like a memory lose patient... you don't lose your memory"

"You became super smart, Sale Sahib... well done"

"You will be punished for all your deeds... how dare you try to kidnap Khushi...!"

Shyam looked at Lallan. He removed a gun from his pocket and pointed at Khushi, making her horrified. Arnav stopped breathing for a while. He felt a shiver in his spine. The place, Khushi at gunpoint, Lallan, everything made him panic. Did he reach the climax where he had to prove himself to Devi Maiya?

He saw Khushi in Lallan's clutch. If he failed to save her, he would lose her forever. He ran his eyes searching for something. he saw a stone near him. In the blink of an eye, he took the stone and threw it on Lallan's hand. He dropped the gun, hissing in pain. In no time, he pounced on Lallan and punched him hard.

Khushi saw Shyam running towards them, aiming to take the gun. She took it in her hand and threw it away. Shyam raised his hand to hit Khushi wrathfully. Before his hand touched her, Arnav kicked him off. Shyam fell to the ground. Arnav sat on his back and banged his head on the ground making him bleed. Lallan tried to pull him but he could not. Collecting his energy, Lallan pulled him from Shyam. Arnav pushed him hard. Taking a big stone, Arnav threw it at Shyam, making him scream. Lallan was horrified to see his anger.

"Arnavjiii... leave him..." Khushi pleaded.

Lallan rushed to Khushi and pulled her towards the valley. He knew she was the only source for him to escape from wrathful Arnav which made Arnav more furious. He galloped to Lallan without caring about anything. Lallan pulled Khushi backward to throw her into the valley. Before she fell, Arnav clutched her hand and pulled her. Lallan saw the gun thrown by Khushi lying there. He looked at Khushi with an evil grin. Arnav was alerted, getting his intention. As he expected, Lallan aimed the gun at Khushi. Arnav looked at Khushi for once. Without thinking anything, he pounced on Lallan and pushed him into the valley. As he didn't expect, Lallan clutched his hand and pulled him into the valley with him. Arnav rolled down into the valley.

When he opened his eyes, he saw himself having Khushi on his lap and the Devi Maiya idol in front of him.

To be continued...