NK stood shocked for a second before he came back to consciousness.

" No, Nani-Ji. I'll tell them myself. After all, it's my duty to let them know. " he convinced Nani. What could he have done? He probably can't let her talk to his parents about his marriage. What will he answer them? And what about Ayesha? That will probably ruin his whole plan. He couldn't let her converse with his parents. Or else Raiazda's will get to know the truth that I'm... He stopped himself from thinking further.
His plan has to be successful. At any cost!

And that's when he could no more think about anything as he heard his phone ring.

Ayesha.

His lips curved up looking at the name. He needs to talk to her.

NK's Room

"Friends!" he declared after a minute of thinking.

" Friends? When did we become one? " she asked raising her brows.

"Now! You are my friend and I'm yours. Yeah, it's different than I had dreamt of us being friends way before. So, don't bother. We are friends! " he declared making Khushi gape at him. Yeah, she gaped at him. He dreamt of them being friends?  How? How's it possible? This god-damned-arrogant-stupid-raizada dreamed of her as a friend with him. She

" Anyways, now eat breakfast, Khushi. I know you cannot stay without your love and that is food. Come now, eat, " he said and Khushi became emotional. No one bothered about her hunger. Once again, he's the only one who brought food for her. As she thought about this, tears rolled down her eyes.

Arnav who looked at her tears nodded his head as no, telling her not to cry. He wiped away her tears. And brought the two plates with him after getting up to get them. He sat down beside her handing her, her plate.

Khushi took the plate smiling at him.

As she ate, her stomach has filled with food. She stood up to go washroom to wash her hands.

"Where are you going?" Arnav asked hurriedly who looked at her standing up.

Khushi chuckled at him and said, "For washing my hands, Arnav."

"Arnav?" He raised his eyebrows completely ignoring the washing part. Khushi bit her tongue, nevertheless said, "Yeah, Arnav. We are friends, aren't we? Age shouldn't matter in friendship."

"Hmm.. Smart. Age shouldn't matter." He nodded his head still sitting on the floor, smirking at her.

Khushi went washroom chuckling all the way.

Arnav went inside the room, putting aside the plates on the side table and started watching the room with his hawk eyes. As if he is an investigator and will get some clue in the crime scene. As he continued scanning the place, Khushi came outside with a smile.

"Arnav," Khushi called out for him.

"Yes, Khushi?"

"Aren't you getting late for office?" Khushi asked.

"Yeah. I'll go. See you later. I'm a call away if you have any problem." Although he didn't want to leave, he had to. He bid bye to Khushi and went to his room to pick his laptop bag and his SUV keys.

After sometime,

Khushi sat on the floor at poolside thinking about recent developments. Precisely, about her friendship with Arnav. She was just so lost in her world that she didn't notice when NK barged into the room. As soon as NK noticed a lean figure sitting on the floor, he went towards her with his fireball eyes. There is no particular reason for him to be angry, as, for him, just a vision of Khushi is enough.

"Hello, Ms Khushi Gupta,"  he said walking towards her. Khushi looked up at him.

"What," she spat at him.

"Woah! Woah! Angry, are we?" he quirked his eyebrows.

Khushi looked away from him. Disgust dripping from her body and the chilled atmosphere did no help to cool her down.

"Anyway, I don't want your tantrums," he said with his eyes filled with hate.

"And listen, I'm going out. So—" he was cut off by Khushi as she got up from her position.

"Why are you even saying that to me?" she asked acting confused, and kept her forefinger near her chin as if she is in a deep thoughts. All of a sudden, she smiled and said, "Oh, I get it. You probably have some memory problem. Is it not?"

NK fumed at her words as the words rolled out of his tongue, "What to do you mean? Don't try to act smart. Because you are not."

"Hahaha.." she laughed.

"Is it so? I didn't know that I was not smart. Thanks for enlightening me—" she grinned as she continued,"—By the way, are you sure you don't need Rehab? Because I'm sure you need."

"How dare you? You are calling me Mental?" He strode towards her fuming.

"I guess I didn't," she said smirking.

"You— Don't try to act smart," he gritted his teeth.

"Oh, is it? Aren't you the one saying you are not smart and all. So, are you agreeing that I'm smart or disagreeing that I'm not smart?" she quirked

"You, don't you dare open your mouth again. I very well know what I am doing. And I, certainly, don't need Rehab. I know my memory power," he gritted his teeth, confusion and anger overriding him.

"I guess I know you are aware of your memory power," she said, sarcasm rolling out of her her tongue.

"You, just stay indoors. And don't you dare interact with anyone and let the secret out. I am going out. So, don't play any games," as he said this out of no-other-words. Khushi laughed at him and said, "See. I told you, right? Haven't I? You forgot that we are not husband and wife in this room."

"What? No, I haven't forgot. Don't dream too much. We are not going to be a husband and wife in this room."

"Then why the hell are you informing me about your whereabouts. Go and Die. And I don't even care," she spat and NK left fuming banging the door.

As soon as NK left, Khushi slid to the floor. She thought about her happy days. How happy she was. She was missing those days. As Khushi was lost in her own world, she didn't notice a figure falling down beside her.

"So, he's your friend now?" he asked Khushi.

Khushi who heard the voice, turned towards him. And clutched her head as her head started aching. Unknown to the fact, that she is having the headache from past few minutes.

"Who? NK? No way,"  she said composing herself looking at the familiar figure.

"No, not NK. Arnav," he said. Khushi smiled at him as she heard his name.

"Yes. I'm happy there is someone who truly cares for me." Her eyes twinkled.

"I know. I'm here too. To care for you." As Khushi heard the figure whisper, she turned towards him with Arnav still in her mind, only to see the figure disappear.

"What's wrong with me? Why I am seeing him?" She clutched her head a her head started aching badly

"I guess, I need to go to temple," she said to herself.

"You are right, Khushi. Go to temple and get some peace. I'm with you," the figure appeared again.

Khushi nodded her head and turned towards washroom to freshen up as the figure disappeared again.

Evening

Arnav came to home in evening, quite early than usual and straight away went to his room. He needs to see Khushi. He needs to know whether she is fine or not. Only if he know. So, he went to his room and quickly freshened up.

He went towards Khushi's room ignoring his coffee HP brought.

NK's Room,

He knocked on the door but no one answered. He wondered if Khushi is in washroom. He saw NK down in hall and he is sure Khushi is alone in the room. He need to know if she is fine or not. He knocked again and there was no response. He opened the door and went inside.

"Khushi," he called out.

"Khushi," he called again.

But there was no response. He went towards the washroom. Washroom is locked from outside.

She is not even in the Washroom. He wondered as he opened the washroom door to check if she is inside. Even though, he know that is not possible as the door is latched from outside. Who knows if NK did something? With the thought making him worried, he opened the washroom door and got no result.

Terrace. She must be in the terrace.

He went to the terrace and searched for her. But he haven't got any result. She couldn't be in Kitchen as well. Where is she? The only way is to go down and ask his family. Even though he know he doesn't have any right to worry about his brother's wife, he couldn't help but worry as she is his love.

"NK, Nani, Di," he called out for them as soon as he reached down.

"What is it, chotte?" Anjali asked limping towards him.

"Where is Khushi?" he asked to no one particularly but his eyes rested on NK.

"She must be in our Room. Where else she could be," NK replied nonchalantly.

Only if he could punch the daylights of his brother. Acting like a jerk.

"No, she is not in. And being a husband, you must know where she is,"  Arnav said gritting his teeth, getting riled up with NK's attitude.

"And why did you go to our room, Arnav when you know that she is alone," NK questioned and a gasp left from Anjali at the implication it left on the on-lookers.

"I don't think so that is important now. What really should matter is your wife is missing from home," he spat at him although all he wanted to do was, just kill him.

Soon, HP and other members of family searched the whole mansion and there was no Khushi. In the meanwhile, Arnav tried her phone several times which went to voicemail directly.

"Hello hi, bye bye. Was she kidnapped or what?" Mami muttered under her breath after cursing her for thousand times.

"NK and Chotte, I think you both should search for her," Nani said thoughtfully.

"Let me ask watchman if he have seen Khushi going out," Arnav said.

"HP, go and bring him in," Arnav ordered HP and HP went to bring the guard in.

"Where is Khushi-Ji? Hai Bagwan, please let her be safe," Anjali muttered under her breath. Though she is angry and rude with Khushi for the runaway marriage, she never wished any harm for her.

"Yes, sir," Guard said greeting him.

"Have you seen Khushi going out?" Arnav was direct to the point.

"Khushi-Ji? Yes, she went out," Guard said fearing for his boss's reaction.

"Hello hi bye bye, how dare that phattisaree? She went out without taking permission from us?" Mami started cursing her while Arnav fumed in anger.

"How can you blame her when you are the one asked her to not to show her face or open her mouth in front of family, Mami?" Arnav spat out as his patience level is hanging by a thin thread.

"That middle-class-girl. She didn't leave you, did she? You are taking her side, now," Mami complained. Arnav was about to counter her back but stopped himself from saying anything. For him, Khushi is his priority. All the while, NK stood acting all worried. That anyone can easily guess that he is really worried for his wife. Anyone or everyone but Arnav. He saw his pretence.

"What was the time when she went out? And do you know where she went?" Arnav asked the guard.

Guard squirmed in his place for a second. Nervousness is clearly visible in his posture.

"Around 11:30 AM in morning, sir. She said she is going to temple when we asked her to go by car, but she denied and went by walk." Guard completed and wondered if he could say more or not.

"And she was walking when a guy in bike stopped her and later both went by the bike." Guard said and Manorama gasped in shock and concluded her own story and went on cursing Khushi.

Along with Manorama, two other persons clenched their fists. One in anger and One in worry.

" Hello hi bye bye, NK son, you said yours and Khushi's marriage is Love marriage? Huh? And here, your lovely wife ran away with another man? ", NK clenched his fists as he heard Manorama say once again.

To be continued...,

Precap,

"I have to go to Sydney. I have conference," Arnav said to his family while having dinner.

"Sydney?" Anjali looked happy.

"Yeah."

"Then you can meet Uncle and Aunt as well. What's say NK bhai?" Anjali turned her gaze towards NK?

NK who heard Arnav became pale. No, Arnav can't go to his house. He will get to know the truth that I'm not. He stopped himself from thinking further.

Who are the two persons affected by Khushi's absence? Who was worried and who was angry?

Where is Khushi?