Two days back in AR office,

Arnav pondered deep in thought, he had left Khushi and came to AR so to avoid any confrontation from Anjali on his whereabouts missing from work place. She will definitely ask if she comes to know if he did not come to AR when he clearly told while leaving house he is going for work. Such a spy she is, always keeping an eye on him.

He needs to do something. Nothing is happening as per his wish.

The girl who has come to mean so much to him is in hospital all shattered and battered.

And there his family is all ready to get him married to Lavanya.

There is nothing wrong in Lavanya but it is him who does not wish to when he clearly knows he cannot give her any happiness. How can he? When he has lost himself in Khushi?

From few days he is trying to talk to Lavanya about this but then something or other always happens, and now when he came to know Khushi in those few days has gone through so much from losing her child to her health deteriorating to such an extent he could not keep quiet any longer.

Just now, he got a call from his jiju Abhay about the thing happening in RM, why can't the women in his house quit doing things. Can't they let him in peace? What was the need to call a pandit and arrange for engagement day for his and Lavanya without asking him? It is okay for Akash and Payal, but why are they involving his personal life too in it. Did I not say to them to let him be for some time as he don't want to marry now and focus on Akash Payal relationship? But no, these women want two wedding at one time. To hell with weddings, he can't even imagine his life now ahead with someone else let alone Lavanya.

A sound of beep indicating message coming knocked him out his frustrated thoughts. He sighed as he read the message....

Sure ASR, I'll be there.

Today or never, he thought determined.

Afternoon around Lunch time, at some posh restaurant,

Arnav belittled how to talk with her, he could not keep her in dark neither he will be able to do so.....on other hand Lavanya tried to initiate conversation which only got monosyllable answer or an hmmm from him. After trying few times, she stopped attempting to talk as he seems to be in deep thought of his own. It will be a lie if she told herself she is not nervous, because she is. The way ASR asked her to go on lunch with her seems odd, it would be always her who would try to initiate any such thing but today ASR himself asked her out seems really very odd.

Done with their lunch and after ordering their dessert,

Lavanya "Tell me ASR what is it you want to talk? I can guess to an extent but I would really like to listen from you hoping what I'm thinking is wrong"

Arnav sighed "Lavanya, I'll not beat around the bush. Just remember this, you have always been good friend to me and always will. *he looked at her to see if he has her attention* Abhay jiju called me earlier and...."

Lavanya "and?"

Arnav "and he said back at home pandit ji has been called and is been asked for our marriage date"

Lavanya looked on....Arnav "And I'm not okay with it"

Lavanya asked calmly "you are not okay with getting married now or you are not okay with getting married to me"

Arnav shaking his head "You deserve more Lavanya, and I'm not the one for you. I could not go ahead. It will be a compromise if I went ahead with everything and at the end we will be hurt. I can't love you, Lavanya and will never be able to. You are nice girl and you deserve lot better guy who can love you back"

Lavanya "You love someone else?"

Arnav looked at her shocked, Lavanya chuckling softly at her ill fate "don't be....I know you never loved me or either promised to love me when I proposed to you. But I had blind faith on me that I can make you fall in love with me. It was easier thought then done.....lately I realized it, you will never be able to love me. Do you know why?"

The waiter came with their dessert and they stopped their conversation till he left their table. Lavanya continued again.

Arnav just let her talk it out, Lavanya "because earlier you were at ease around me even though after committing to me you were still behaving as friend and not as boyfriend but you were comfortable but lately for months now I saw how you were restlessness and uncomfortable.....I thought it is pre-jitter of marriage talk and it's preparation going on but then I could see you avoiding me always at one or other excuse. I've seen the way you react to whenever someone asked about our marriage"

Lavanya shaking "but now I can see you love someone else. I always had known you don't love me even then I wanted to be in your life only because I know there was no one in your life but then hearing you say today how you can never love me I realized The ASR had at the end fell in love with someone. Who is she, ASR?"

Arnav "I'm so sorry Lavanya.....I'm so sorry"

Lavanya blinking back her moist eyes "It is okay ASR. I knew it someday we will be here at this stage but I really had always hoped we would not"

He held her hand squeezing "I'm not the one for you. I can't destroy your life knowing how I can't keep you happy"

Lavanya nodding "she is one lucky girl and you have yet not revealed her name"

Arnav "I would have if I could. Not now, at least"

Lavanya "I understand but I really envy the girl who captured your heart. She must be special"

Arnav "that she is....."

Lavanya "I'll leave for London"

Arnav shaking his head "you don't have......"

Lavanya "I need to....I'll go and visit my parents, if you have no problem I can join in our London branch"

Arnav "As I said earlier, you are my friend Lavanya and one of the best assets to AR, and I really would not want to miss them both"

Lavanya "thank you!!!"

They parted their ways from the restaurant as Arnav had to leave for hospital to meet Khushi and Lavanya left to AR, as she had decided finally to let go of the sham of their relationship at the end. It is the best for them. It hurts but at the end it is better now than later when they would be so hurt to mend anything.

The same evening,

Arnav had a row with his family as they came to know the decision of Lavanya and Arnav, Nani "aisa kaise.....it was you who agreed on your will to marry Lavanya. And when I accepted you are back tracking"

Arnav "I can't betray her"

Lavanya looking at everyone "don't blame him Nani, it is better we parted in mutual way then to later regret it. I agree with him. We cannot go further in this relationship when we know we will be hurt"

Anjali "but....."

Lavanya "Di, this is the best. And I'm leaving for London tonight"

Maami "Miss tip top....bhy (why)"

Lavanya "I'll be good with my family."

Anjali came and hugged her "Sorry Lavanya...."

Lavanya "Don't be Di. No one is at fault here. I'm not that lucky to have ASR in my life as my life partner"

Arnav felt awful hurting her but he is tied in the hands of his heart, he will not be able to keep her in dark.

Lavanya had left saying her good bye promising to keep with everyone in touch. Family members were so upset with Arnav. In the pretext of wanting to be left alone for few days he left the house next morning.

Today,

Arnav's penthouse, both of them are sitting outside the balcony as Khushi wanted to feel fresh air getting bored resting inside the room. So, they are in the balcony of their penthouse, sitting on the wooden plank resting on each other arms, enjoying the silent companionship of each other.

Arnav "Khushi I want to talk to you about Lavanya" he felt her stiffening and trying to withdraw her hands from his hold. He did not let her.

Arnav "I could never get close to her Khushi *she raised her eyes to look at him* she always had asked why I'm so uncomfortable when she tried to cross the line. I just could not commit myself to her. I felt something missing. I know I never loved her or promised her for that. But I know what I'm getting into when she proposed me. And I at that time wanted to get away with my families pestering to getting me married, media's unwanted attention on trying to frame me with every other women and other women who are ready to pounce on me so I agreed to her proposal. I had thought I could try.....but at the end I could not. I was never comfortable with her and was never able to become more than a friend. In the end all that was platonic relationship. She tried to fight it; she tried to make it work. But a relationship cannot work from one side when the other partner has to work from their side too which I did not. I realized the reason for "Why?" when you entered my life. The very earth slipped beneath my feet. Again, I tried to fight it but the difference is I tried to fight the attraction and the pull I was having for you but here too I was defeated because at the end I could not fight it anymore and accepted it. *Khushi looked down* I talked to Lavanya two days back and we agreed to part our ways. I could not go further and give her dreams of happy future with me which will never be true. And she left for London"

After few seconds of silence Khushi said "She must be hurt."

Arnav "She is but it is better now than latter if it had continued she would have regretted latter"

She nodded her head understanding his words, one side she is happy to see Arnav opening up to her regarding him and Lavanya, and his decision of not getting married to Lavanya. But at the same time, she felt sorry for the girl who she knew genuinely liked him. Arnav "I told you all this because I did not want to hide anything from you nor I want you to have any doubt on your mind regarding me and Lavanya. There was nothing to begin with between us in the first place"

Khushi "I understand and trust you"

He hugged her tight "that is all I want Khushi.....your trust in me. I'll never give a situation for you to regret trusting in me"

Khushi "I know!!!!"

Arnav "Khushi, what are you hiding Jaan? Will you not share with me?"

Khushi looked down averting her eyes from his, Arnav "Khushi I can guess what happened with you but I want to hear it from you. How can your family do this to you?"

Her eyes welled up, he cupped her face "No...No Khushi don't cry. I did not want to hurt you asking about the incident taken place but.....but I could not control it. Even now thinking of the situation and condition I saw you in, my heart shudders at the thought of what would have happened if I did not came to know...did not come to see you. I...I would have lost you Khushi. I would not allow it. I can let go of anything but I can't let go of you. You mean my breathe Khushi and I'll cease to exist if you are not with me, in my life."

Khushi "No, don't say that. Please....."

Few minutes passed in silence, both in the embrace and knowledge of being with each other.

Khushi "I had told you my biological parent died when I was eight"

Arnav held her tight, gulping....the pain was too much for them, and they know how it feels when the shadow of your parent is being gone forever from your life.

Khushi "Maasi adopted me after that. No one else was there other than her to be called as immediate family. Mausa was too kind to take me under his wing."

Arnav "What about your father's family?"

Khushi "I was told my parents had love marriage and my dad's family did not accept their relationship and cut their ties with him."

Arnav "Oh!!!!"

Khushi "Mausa ji he is really an angel with big heart. He never made me feel as if I'm not their own. It was his love and care that I accepted them as my amma and babu ji. Amma is strict but loves me too which she hardly allows anyone to see it. She fears of bua ji too much but Babu ji had no such qualms. Bua ji did not like me coming in the family but at the end she had to accept it for Babu ji and Amma. She did not accept me fully and I had realized with each passing day. Some time's she would lament and complain about it. It would hurt, her taunts but with years passing I had started ignoring her taunts not paying heed to it, accepting the fact not everyone will be loving me. Jiji is like my real sister. She had accepted me and loved me like her own, not having a grudge of sharing her parent with me."

Arnav "but....."

Khushi "I know....what happened recently is wrong? It was very wrong in their part. When they came to know I got pregnant they were very angry. No one was able to believe it. Amma stopped talking to me. And buaji, she was very angry. If she had she would have killed me that instant if not for Amma and Jiji."

Arnav "She beat you....."

Khushi stopped saying anything looking at him shocked, Arnav gritting his teeth "don't be...doctor said there were many bruises on your body"

Khushi looked down "Buaji cursed me....being more worried of who will marry me knowing what I did. It was such shameful act to get pregnant without wed-lock. I know I did wrong"

Arnav "do you regret it Khushi" his voice turned hoarse filled with pain.

Khushi shaking her head "I don't regret a moment what happened then but I did betray my parents' belief on me." Cuddling more in his arms she continued "Shyam ji came with the solution to do the abortion for me. *he fisted, his anger going beyond control* I could not agree with it. How can I, Arnav ji?"

He tightened his hold on hers, his hand caressing her waist listening to her, while his heart is in so much unfathomable pain.

Khushi "but then they did what they wished.....I did not know Arnav ji. Sacchi *holding his hand tight* I was coming to talk to you about it. I know you will not leave me to face this alone but before it I had gone to abortion and painfully it happened without my knowledge. I was given sleeping drugs before taken to abortion. All I know when I opened my eyes were everything is over. A part of me died that day Arnav ji. I could not come to term with it. I was so happy when I came to know I'm going to be a mother but then....then they killed my child. Jiji and Amma did not look into my eyes; they were too ashamed of it. They knew what they did was wrong. But they did not stop anything at all. It was jiji who told me everything. How Shyam ji suggested to the idea of drugging me and then doing my abortion? He even promised to the extent of marrying me. I wanted to die, Arnav ji. My life went dark all of a sudden. How can they do this do me Arnav ji? How can they?" she cried.....the loss of her child hitting her hard.

His eyes turned red but were moist; they had lost too much in such a short time. If anything, now he felt is enormous loath towards Buaji, Shyam, and her family.

Arnav "Khushi, the medicine...." He did not tell her what would have happened if she was continued given that medicine.

Khushi "All was brought by Shyam ji. He said doctor prescribed it."

This made him mad....so much mad on that man. What did he want? Was he planning to kill Khushi? What was his motive? But foremost how dare he hurt Khushi. He was killing her little by little, unknowingly his hand tightened around her in fear.

Arnav "Khushi what is the hospital name where your...." He stopped.

She looked at him with moist eyes, clutching him hard, she sniffing uttered "it is a clinic, Disha Clinic"

Arnav "No one will be able to get away after what they did to you Khushi? I'll make sure they pay for it. They pay for every hurt, every pain of ours, and every cry of our unborn child when it was being killed"

Note: I have answered the identity of Khushi's unborn child's father.

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