The family were shocked seeing the actual footage of that night and when it ended they were all numb with shock while Shyam was sweating profusely for being exposed and he knew he could never sweet talk himself out of this.

Akash's Penthouse.

Khushi sat down on one of the chairs on the balcony of the penthouse staring at the skyline and thinking about how her life had changed just in the one year since she met Arnav.

Their meeting may have been horrible ninety-five per cent of the time but it gave her something she could never have and always wanted, brothers in the form of Akash and Nk.

She loved Payal but always wanted a brother and her horrible encounter with Arnav resulted in her having not one but two.

She never thought of them like that in the beginning because she didn't know them but they had proved they were the epitome of what a brother should be and not the toxic one like the one Arnav was with Anjali.

And she was so grateful for it, especially the way they stood by her and never doubted her after finding out the truth about her and Shyam.

Flashback.

Khushi tossed and turned and stretched with a smile on her face loving the cosy sheets she was sleeping on but she frown as it didn't feel like Arnav's bed because it was more comfortable and softer than his bed.

She opened her eyes to find herself in a different room.

She jerked out of the bed to find herself facing the beautiful skyline of Delhi.

The door knop twisted and in came Payal holding a tray with food and fruits on it.

She placed it on the table and smiled at her sister who was looking so confused.

"Jiji..... Where am I? " Khushi asked as she took the hand of her sister.

"We are at one of Akash's penthouse. " She replied shocking Khushi.

"But how? "

Payal sighed and dragged her to the bed and they both sat down and she told her everything.

"Akash was furious and he made me pack our things and yours and brought us here...... We will be staying here from now on because Akash doesn't want us to be in RM when he confronts the family, especially Arnav. "

Khushi smiled hearing this and she now knew if there was any doubt about Akash being the perfect husband for her sister then all that doubts were gone.

"But he is mad at you?" Payal voiced out with concern and this made the smile on Khushi's lips drop.

"I know...I should have told him the truth about Arnav and Shyam but I didn't. "

"That's not why I am mad at you. " Akash voice was heard and Khushi looked up to find Akash leaning by the door with his arms crossed and he looked visibly angry and Khushi gulped and looked down unable to met his gaze.

He moved closer and pulled and chair and sat in front of Khushi.

"Look at me. " Akash demanded sternly and Khushi looked up with her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Payal was about to speak in Khushi's defense but Akash raised his hand stopping her.

"Am not mad you didn't tell me about Shyam because the only person I should be mad at is Payal. " Payal looked down ashamed when Akash looked at her disappointed but turned to Khushi. "Am mad because you think I could stoop so low to leave Payal, the love of my life because Arnav demands it. "

Khushi shook her head making Akash angry at her for denying it.

"No I didn't agree to marry Arnav because you will leave jiji..... I knew you would never leave jiji. " Khushi voiced out sincerely making them confused.

"Then why did you agree to marry him? " Payal asked concerned as they both stared at her.

"I did it to save you from Mami. " Khushi replied doubling the confusion as she stared at Payal.

"Why from my mother? " Akash asked confused but he was bubbling in rage hearing his mother in this as he knew she might have done something horrible for Khushi to take this decision but he knew he had to control himself and allow Khushi open up.

"I knew you would never leave jiji because you love her way too much to stoop that low and if didn't agree, Arnav would have found another person to torture jiji and that was Mami...... All it will take was for him to give her unlimited access to money and she will make jiji's life a living hell and then you would take jiji away because I know you are capable of it because you can't stand any disrespect directed at jiji and if you leave the house with jiji, they will villainize jiji as the woman who took a son away from a family and you will spend the rest of your lives defending jiji and not leaving a happy life which will affect your marriage...... I didn't want that, that's why I agreed to marry him..... It was to protect the both of you. "

To say Akash and Payal were stunned by her confession will be an understatement.

Even in sure a situation, she thought that far and they knew she was right because Mami would have done it on Arnav's say.

Akash kneeled and hugged Khushi will all his mighty and she reciprocated as her tears betrayed her.

He broke the hug and cupped her face.

"Am so sorry for doubting you..... But no more..... No more sacrificing your life for us..... From now on it will be us standing up for you..... I, Payal, Papa and Nk will stand up for you and protect you. "

The sisters were shocked hearing Papa and Nk.

"Akash does you father and Nk know? " Payal asked and Akash nodded.

"I told them and they are in support of Khushi but Nk discovered something he wanted to show us. " Akash pulled out his phone and played a video of the night at the terrace and it proved Khushi's innocence and Arnav could even be seen in the background. "He found it just yesterday when he was compiling the videos for our wedding and engagement..... Apparently, he had left one of the cameras on the terrace and it had recorded everything..... Papa also knows about this and we have ordered for a background check on Shyam and how he met Anjali..... Very soon we will expose him and have your marriage with Arnav annulled. "

Khushi cried and hugged Akash who also reciprocated and he didn't stop her from crying because she needed to cry because it was another step in healing her.

Akash broke the hug,pulled the chair forward and sat on it as he held her hand.

"Until we expose Shyam, I want you and Payal to stay here because from now on we will be staying here...... Payal and an agent I hired will be looking for a place for her restaurant like we agreed on before we got married. "Khushi looked at Payal who nodded with a huge smile on her face and she wished Arnav was half of Akash who cared about his wife's dreams of owning a restaurant and helping her fulfil it. "And as for you, you are going to continue your college education. " Khushi gasped in shock. "Payal told me you had to drop out your first semester in your second year due to financial difficulties but I have a friend at Delhi University and I will speak to him and I know for sure he won't deny me so get ready okay........ You will be the architect you always dreamed of becoming and I know one day, I will brag about my baby sister being the best in the world. "

Akash hit his chest boastfully making Khushi laugh through her tears.

Akash chuckled and took the food Payal brought and fed her from his hand and Khushi gleefully accepted their pampering.

Flashback ends.

Khushi smiled at the memory of that day and a bing sound from her new apple laptop broke her reverie and she smiled as she clicked on it and it was a study materials from her professor for her to catch up on her studies before the semester reopens.

She couldn't be more happier because she was now going to finish her education, her sister was finally going to fulfill her dreams of owning a restaurant and soon she will be free of Arnav Singh Raizada.

"I wonder what is going on at RM, by now. " Khushi thought.

RM.

The police had arrived at the mansion and dragged Shyam who was being charged with sexual harassment, attempted bigamy, intimidation and defamation.

All the neighbors come out to watch Shyam being dragged into the van mouthing profanities at all of them and swearing to be back to make all of them pay and have Khushi.

Akash turned to the family to find all of them looking so remorse but it didn't move him to feel pity for them.

Anjali like always was crying and being consoled by Nani and Mami and Arnav was looking so broken and remorseful but his heart ached seeing no one there for him and even more so when Akash and Nk stared at him in disgust.

"Mr Raizada. " Akash called out sternly. "My lawyer will bring the annulment papers tomorrow and you better sign it our else, the whole world will know all the atrocities you did to Khushi and also how your sister married Shyam and you know what will happen to you, this family and your business..... You will lose everything and your sister will forever be stigmatized and one more thing..... If I find anyone of you near my wife and sister, I will kill you. " Akash threatened  and walked out of the mansion with Nk and drove off to meet his wife and sister leaving the family behind in total shock.

Laxmi Nagar.

Buaji fumed hearing Payal on the phone and Garima looked devastated.

"I can't believe our own blood is turning on us because of that orphan...... I shouldn't have allowed Shashi adopt that girl and making you pretend you are related to her....... He was just a common cook at her parent's company but see how he was in a hurry to protect that girl...... If not because she will inherit all that money after her marriage I wouldn't have allowed this...... My plan was going to perfect..... With Shashi in a wheelchair and unable to speak, we would have emotionally blackmailed her to make is live lavishly but it all went to the drain....... Now out utility bills are piling up, Payal has disowned us and taken Shashi away and it's all because of that witch Khushi...... I curse that girl...... She will never have a happy life. " Buaji yelled shaking in rage.

She had planned to have Shyam marry Khushi to get access to Khushi's inheritance which will be transferred to her after a her marriage according to her parent's will which they had a copy of but Shyam ended up being fraud.

She and Garima decided to find another person to force Khushi to marry but they were in for a shock when Khushi showed up married to Arnav which caused Garima to slap Khushi as she had ruined their plans again.

Now she was beyond their reach and they couldn't do anything as Akash had threatened to have them arrested of the contact Payal or Khushi again and they knew he wasn't bluffing especially after finding put from Payal what he did to his family and how he left with them and disowned his family.

"There must be another way to get put hands on Khushi's inheritance...... We can't lose like this. " Garima exclaimed frustrated not knowing they are in for a surprise they will never forget.

To be continued.

Next update will be on Monday.

Don't forget to hit the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ button, comment, share and follow for more.

٩(ര̀ᴗര́)ᵇʸᵉ.

Xoxo xoxo.