Khushi's room.

"Khushi.. Khushi.. Open the door Khushi," Arnav knocked the door of her room desperately.

Khushi opened the door after his constant knocking, she looked at him who instantly walked in her room, his eyes fell on her bag laid on the bed and the clothes in it.

He looked back at Khushi who was closing the door, he held her wrist and pulled her closer to himself as his other hand circled on her waist, his face so closer to her that Khushi could feel his rapid and shallow breath as well as hear his loud heartbeats, "Don't leave me Khushi.. Please.. Please trust me.. I don't know who that woman and kid are.. I never met them in my life.. trust me. I know I've always judged you wrong and never trusted in you.. I always hurt you in our past. You've all the reasons not to trust me.. but.. I'm still begging you to give me a chance.. please don't give up on me.. I will prove it to you that I'm saying the truth only.. You can talk with my doctor to-"

"Shh," Khushi whispered blinking her eyes once, "I know that you're not lying to me. I trust you."

"You trust me," he stated, with a stunned relieved smile growing on his lips and his breathing returning to normal, "But why are you packing your bags then?" he frowned the next moment.

"I want to move in to your penthouse," Khushi said.

"But why? This is your house Khushi.. You're not going anywhere," he said. 

"Please listen to me first. I don't want Avish and Aashi to know what happened downstairs. You already know how much they suffered without you all these years and how sensitive and possessive they're when it comes to you. You already saw how much they got affected by your closeness with Sona.. do you think they'll be able to bear Payal, Akash and Sheetal filling in their minds that you're that boy's father? They won't Arnav.. and they're innocent little kids, they don't deserve to live in this environment. That's why I want to take them to your penthouse, till the time we fix this out," Khushi explained.

"You're right.. then I'll go and pack my bags too!"

"No! You're going to stay here," Khushi immediately blurted, holding his arm to stop him.

"I'm not staying here without you and our babies Khushi," Arnav narrowed his eyes at her.

"I can't live without you as well Arnav but we'll have to do this to expose Akash and Payal's real face to our family and prove your innocence!" Khushi cupped his face, "Please trust me now.. I know what I'm doing!"

"I don't need to prove my innocence to anyone.. You trust me and that's enough Khushi. And I can teach a lesson to Akash, Payal, Mami and that woman right now, if you want," he frowned, hugging her tightly suddenly, pouting slightly like a baby being abandoned by his mother, "You don't need to leave me for them!"

"This time they crossed their limits Arnav. They have cooked up so many fake stories to me, you and our family.  They've tortured me all these years and easily justified that with a stupid speech.. and all this just for what? For money and power! I still can't believe they changed so much after you left. And instead of asking for forgiveness and repent for their mistakes, they're still plotting against you. They're still trying to destroy you to keep the money and power intact in their hands. This is so not done. I've stayed quiet for long and ignored their drama.. but not now. They can do anything for money and power Arnav. We need to stop them before it's late,"

"Please let them think that I've really left you forever.. while we plan something to finish this once and for all," she whispered in his embrace, burying her face on the crook of his neck, inhaling the smell of his cologne.

Arnav sighed in defeat, "Okay," he whispered back.

"Once again.. I'm not leaving you. I trust you.. and," she leaned closer to his ear, "Keep visiting us secretly.. I'll be waiting for you."

Arnav nodded his head as she broke the hug and walked to finish packing her clothes. Arnav helped her with a sullen mood.

"I'm going to take Avish and Aashi now. You go downstairs and act like you tried your best to stop me but you failed, okay?" Khushi said.

Arnav nodded.

Khushi took few steps towards the door, when she felt being pulled back and before she could realized what had happened, his moist hard lips were slammed in her soft ones, for a quick urgent passionate kiss.

"Go," he whispered as he broke the kiss, wiping the corner of his lower lip to remove her lipstick.

Khushi stood still, astonished and speechless. She didn't expect him to kiss her suddenly. His kiss reflected the love he feels for her, the fear he has of losing her, the concern he had for her, the anger as well, of her decision of leaving the house and him having to stay away from her and their babies.

"Arnav,"

"Khushi I'm fine! Go!" he stressed, knowing well she wanted to assure him that she wasn't leaving him, but doing this for the reason she already mentioned. He understood it. But then his heart wanted her and the babies always near him. Just the thought that he would sleep on his bed alone tonight, make his heart wrench.

Khushi took baby steps away from him, as she left the room, heading to the kids room.

************************************************************************

At the living room.

"Chote what is all this? Will someone explain us as well?" Anjali asked as soon as her brother joined them in the living room.

"Where did that woman go?" Arnav asked, looking around as only Aman, Lavanya, Nani and Anjali were present there.

"She almost fainted here.. she was crying a lot. So Payal and Akash took her and her son upstairs to the guest room. Your Mama and Mami also went to their room," Nani said, "Now will you tell us what is happening in this house? And did you talk with Khushi bitiya? How is she? She must have got the biggest shock of her life.. thankfully your kids weren't here otherwise I don't know what would have happened."

"I will explain my side of the story later.. but for now, Khushi is leaving this house but please you all don't react to it.. because Aashi and Avish don't know anything that happened here," Arnav said.

"What? Khushi bitiya is leaving the house. She can't leave the house that too with two small kids," Nani said tensed already.

"But with which right we will stop her Nani? She's not wrong either.. even I wouldn't be able to stay in the same house with another woman who claims that she has son with the man she loves. This pain is unbearable, not only for Khushi but the babies as well, who lived years without Chote," Anjali said sadly imagining what is to be in place of Khushi.

"But Di I already told you many times that ASR is not lying.. We can prove that he was actually paralyzed by the medical reports or even talk with the doctor who treated him," Aman said, unable to hear false accusations about his best friend.

"I know Aman.. I also doubted on Akash when he said that Chote wanted to snatch the babies from Khushi. Because if Chote wasn't paralyzed, then after knowing about Khushi's pregnancy, he would have come back that time only to take the kids away from her.. He wouldn't have to wait till the babies grow up, to later take more time in winning their hearts. But who will explain these plot holes in this story to Khushi? Will she even believe us?"

"We are here.. We can make her understand that Akash and Payal are just fooling her," Lavanya said.

"It's of no use La.. Do you think I didn't try to make her believe in me upstairs? She doesn't want to hear anything.. She just wants to stay away from me.. She will not even understand that this Akash and Payal's script doesn't make any sense because the pain I've been giving her from past is bigger. She will easily believe that I can do anything to give her pain because I'm a Rakshas in her life."

"Di is right.. We've no right to stop her," Arnav said, wiping a fake lone tear from the corner of his eyes.

"But," Nani still didn't agree to accept letting Khushi go away from Shantivan. She loved her Khushi bitiya and her great grand children too much to let them go. Her eyes moistened automatically.

"Nani please.. don't cry. Be strong for Aashi and Avish. They don't know anything what is happening here. They will be upset if they see you cry.. Please let them go now, I will bring them back home when I prove my innocence to Khushi. For now, please be patient and strong. I will handle this situation," Arnav consoled his Nani, who started crying bitterly.

"Promise," Nani looked up to him with teary eyes, and he nodded, "Promise!"

************************************************************************

Sometime later.

Payal jumped happily, clapping her hands giggling, "I can't believe this.. Our plan worked Akash ji.. Khushi left this house forever and now Arnav ji will turn into a Devdas and you'll continue handling AR and this house. And we'll make Raizada family dance to our tunes again."

Akash smirked as he half laid on the bed comfortably, "I had told you Payal.. Your sister is an emotional fool.. she believes in everything her dear family says so easily. Did you even saw after your mind blowing act, she didn't even say anything else and just left to her room to pack her bags? She might have started to wear modern clothes, learnt how to drive a car and opened three sweet shops.. but she still is big fool woman!"

Payal laughed, "True.. Khushi is so fool and dumb. Even in past, when we used to live in Lucknow, I always had to cover for her mistakes so that she doesn't get scold by Amma and Babu ji."

"Anyways let's not spoil our mood by talking about them," Akash said, "Come here.. Today we need to celebrate our victory."

Payal blushed, but then frowned worriedly, "Akash ji now that Khushi left, what are we going to do with Sheetal? We don't need her anymore!"

"Let her stay for a few days just to torture the great ASR, then we'll ask her to abandon him as well like Khushi abandoned him. Poor bhai.. He has bad luck with women.. every woman he was in a relationship with, left him for good," Akash smirked.

Understanding his next move, Payal nodded smiling and laid beside him on the bed. 

************************************************************************

7:00 pm.
AR Penthouse.

"Papa.. Papa.. Papa came!" Avish and Aashi squealed standing two feet behind Khushi as she opened the door for Arnav, staring up at their father with twinkling eyes and a bright excited smile on their faces.

Arnav walked in and kneeled down, taking both in his arms. Khushi smiled watching them.

Aashi looked at her father, "Papa is the house full now because Akash uncle's friend and her son came home?"

"Isn't there space for us to live there anymore?" Avish pouted.

Arnav looked at Khushi with questioning look, Khushi gestured to him that later they would talk.

He looked back at his kids, "It's nothing like that.. Shantivan belongs to you two only. Weren't you both who said to Amma that you liked to stay here? So she thought to stay with you both here for some days. Enjoy now you both!"

"Your answer match with Amma. So you both are saying truth!" Avish said, confirming his doubt. He had asked his mother previously as well, the reason why they had to leave the house so suddenly.

Khushi shook her head,  "Now stop being a detective!"

Arnav chuckled pulling his boy's little nose.

"Papa you'll sleep here with us na?" Aashi snuggled to him.

"Yes yes.. I will," Arnav said, making both kids happy. Khushi widened her eyes at him, and he blinked his assuring her that he knows what he's doing.

"We will play many games.. It will be fun!" Avish said excitedly.

"You'll lose them all," Arnav laughed.

"Ammaaaa.. see what Papa is saying.. He's laughing at me," Avish cried, beating Arnav on his arm with his small fist.

"Let him laugh beta.. We will show him later what we can do," Khushi glared at Arnav.

Arnav raised his brows smiling, "Oh really?"

"Yes really.. We've done master degree of playing video games.. You can't win from us," Khushi said confidently.

"Then me and Aashi have done doctorate degree! Hain na Aashi?" Arnav too said challenging Khushi.

Though Aashi didn't understand what her father said, she cutely faked a smile and nodded her head.

Arnav kissed her cheek lovingly, "That's Papa's baby girl!"

A jealous Avish left Arnav, and jumped to his mother to earn a kiss and be called Amma's baby boy.

************************************************************************

"What was Aashi saying when I reached?" Arnav asked to Khushi setting the dinner table.

"She said to me that she saw Akash and Sheetal talking as if they already know each other in the corridor that moment we were in our room. She assumed in mind already that they're friends, that's why she asked that to you," Khushi said. 

"I was already doubting that Akash is involved in all this," Arnav said.

"Me too," Khushi said, "We need to find out about Sheetal. Who is she? Why is she doing this? What will she get by doing this with you?"

"I'll ask Aman to do that," Arnav said, "Akash and Payal must be celebrating their fake victory.. They didn't walk out of the room yet. Shantivan is so silent now.. I'm feeling suffocated already by staying there alone!"

Khushi shook her head, "Let them celebrate.. Very soon they'll pay for their sins!"

"Did you miss me Madam?" Arnav asked sarcastically, "I also said I feel suffocated in that house now!"

Khushi giggled silently, "Hmm!"

"Hmm! Is that all you've to say?" Arnav asked in disbelief.

"Hmmm!" Khushi nodded smiling, as she left to kitchen.

"Hmmmmmmmmmmmm," Arnav annoyed rolled his eyes taking his seat at the dining table.