One year Later

Khushi knocked at the door of Arnav's cabin, waiting to be permitted inside while Arnav was busy explaining something to Aman, a girl around her mid-twenties stood next to Aman with her back in Khushi's direction. Arnav looked up at the sound of the knock and smiled at Khushi. Khushi returned the gesture.

"I didn't mean to interrupt." 

"Well then.. you shouldn't have." Said the woman glaring at Khushi. Khushi sighed, rolling her eyes at the girl. She had become so used to such obnoxious creatures in the last few months that sometimes she didn't even pay any attention to their existence, let alone their words. 

"Come in doll, you didn't even have to knock." Arnav said softly after throwing a sharp glare in the girl's direction. 

Khushi nodded, stepping inside the cabin and proceeded to stand next to Arnav, who immediately wrapped her arms around her waist in a possessive manner. The girl fumed, making Khushi chuckle internally. Arnav smirked at her.

"Hello Aman-ji." Khushi chirped at Aman.

"Hi Khushi. What brought you here today?" Aman asked with a smile, after khushi had joined (and completed) her internship with The Raizada-Jha law firm, she was more or less a constant visitor of AR Fashions too, sometimes on the pretext of accompanying her brother to attend to AR's legal matters and other times just to have lunch with Arnav or spend her break with him. Quite obviously, almost everyone knew who she was (especially after what happened to sheetal) and most of the AR's staff adored the bundle of joy. Aman and Khushi were best friends in no time, to no one's surprise.

"I brought your friend lunch." Khushi told aman, raising the lunch carrier a little as evidence.

Aman nodded.

"ASR is going to have lunch with me.. I mean us. Me and Aman, right ASR?" Interjected the girl with a proud look.

Khushi frowned. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Srishty." She answered. Khushi nodded. 

"Did you have a prior appointment with Miss Srishty, Annav?" Khushi asked turning to Arnav.

Arnav shook his head. "We were discussing something and she had requested that we continue the discussion at lunch. I had not given any formal consent." Arnav explained to Khushi who nodded.

Turning to Srishty, she spoke sweetly. "I assume that's your cue to get the hell out of his cabin?" 

Srishty looked at Aman and Arnav, as the former shrugged and the latter kept a poker face before she left feeling humiliated.

Arnav broke into a huge fit of laughter as soon as the door was closed. "Well done Ms. Jha" He looked at her approvingly.

"I just don't like the girl who think they own the whole world when they can't even afford their own drinks." She said flatly. 

Arnav engulfed her into his arms. "You are my beautiful and feisty lioness and I love you." 

"I know." Khushi said relaxing in the enclosure of his arms.

"Get a room." Aman exclaimed.

"We're not kissing yet." Arnav said matter of factly. "There's nothing 'get a room-ish' in a normal hug." 

Khushi blushed, but didn't retreat from the hug

"You've made her Shameless." Aman said jokingly.

"I'd say I've made her bold." Arnav said "There's a difference." 

Aman exhaled deeply. "You are so not the man I knew. ASR was never built to act like a love sick puppy." 

Arnav shrugged. "For her? I'm everything she wishes for me to be."

Aman sighed dramatically, "lost case." 

Arnav chuckled. "On a serious note, I'm actually starving. Can we eat?" 

***

*~*

It had been a year since The Rathore couple had first visited the Raizadas on the pretext of taking Khushi back with them. A year had passed since they had accepted the Raizadas as a part of their and Khushi’s family alike. It had been a year since Arnav had kicked Sheetal out of their office for being the absolute pain in the *** that she had turned out to be. A lot has changed in the last one year, Arnav and Khushi's relationship had strengthened even more, Khushi’s relationship with Shyam and Anjali was another level of beautiful. Khushi’s memories had started to recover and even if she didn’t remember everything, it was a start and a very good start at that. Avinash and Aarpita had been accepted wholeheartedly into the small family of the Raizadas and were now an inseparable part of them. While Khushi called Arpita and Avinash 'Mumma and Papa' Shyam-Anjali had taken to address them as Masi Maa and Baba.

*~*

Later that evening, Arnav entered the house followed by Khushi only to witness Arpita and Avinash sitting in the hall of the Raizada Mansion.

"What a pleasant surprise Aunty. When did you come?" Arnav asked and walked up to them and bent to touch Arpita's feet followed by Avinash.

"God bless you Arnav." Arpita held his shoulder and pulled him upwards. Avinash pulled him into a big hug.

Next, the couple engulfed Khushi into a hug almost crushing her between themselves and showered her with kisses.

“When did you guys come Mumma and why didn’t you tell me beforehand?” Khushi asked

“We reached in the afternoon. We wanted to surprise you, so didn’t tell you anything about our apparent arrival.” Avinash said

“You don’t look very happy.” Arpita said fake-frowning at her.

“Of course I’m happy Mumma.” She said softly. “I was really missing you guys.”

Arpita looked at her with a teasing smile. “You miss us too?” She asked acting surprised

“Don’t tease me Mumma.” Khushi whined 

Arpita chuckled. "On one condition."

“What condition?” Khushi asked frowning cutely.

“Tell your Annav to stop calling me Aunty and start calling me Mumma.” Arpita said 

***

Arnav was sitting on a recliner overlooking the poolside adjoining his room, He was fidgeting with his fingers, absently staring into the still water of the pool. 

His stupor was broken by the sound of anklets, drawing closer and closer with every passing moment and eventually he felt her presence next to him.

“I’m sorry, I know it was really rude of me to walk out on Arpita Aunty like I did.” Arnav said quietly. Khushi smiled and entwined her fingers with his.

“I know why you did what you did. It’s okay to be surprised, even I was. I hadn’t expected mumma to put forth such a preposition.” Khushi said calmly

“I just can’t- not that easy.” Arnav said looking at her intently, his eyes pleading for her to understand his turmoil.

“You think I don’t know that?” Khushi asked softly caressing his knuckles “You think I don’t know how difficult it is for you to give your Mumma’s place to anyone?” 

“She doesn’t want you to give her Mumma’s place Annav. No one can replace her in your life, and Arpita Rathore knows and understands that. All she intends, is to earn a place of her own in your life. Not someone’s replacement, just herself.” Khushi added calmly

Arnav nodded slightly, processing her words. He turned to face her. “She must be upset with me.” 

“She’s not. Your walking out of like that definitely startled her, but she knew that she had dropped a bomb.” Khushi said with a teasing smile on her face.

Arnav smiled. Khushi took his hand in her own. "Are you okay?" 

Arnav nodded. "How do you always manage to do this?" He asked.

"Well, I am a lawyer. Manipulating people with my words is one of my talents." Khushi said and chuckled. 

Arnav shook his head, and laughed along with her.

"Let's go back to the others." Arnav suggested. 

Khushi shook her head, making Arnav frown. 

"Why?"

"I want to stay here." Khushi said softly, scooting a little closer to Arnav.

Arnav instinctively wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest. 

"This is nice." Khushi confessed in a low whisper. Arnav kissed her forehead.

***

Next morning, the family had assembled for a quick breakfast before leaving for their respective offices, when Arnav received a call.

Arnav sneaked a glance at his mobile, "I gotta take this. It's Aman." Arnav looked up at the rest of his family, in a way of explanation. 

Anjali nodded, "Of course. Aman must be missing his husband." She said without missing a beat making everyone laugh at Arnav's expense. 

Arnav rolled his eyes at Anjali and left the room taking his phone with him.

A few minutes later, Arnav re-entered the room beaming. 

"You look very happy." Arpita observed.

"He must've bagged another one of his deals." Shyam teased.

Arnav looked at him pointedly. 

"What is the matter?" Anjali asked, ignoring her husband.

"Anirudh Rathore confessed that he had attempted to murder Khushi in order to claim their stake on her property. He is being sentenced for ten years along with his son." Arnav informed his family earning delighted gasps from them. 

"That's such a good news." Shyam and Anjali exclaimed in unison.

"They deserve to be punished for trying to hurt our daughter." Avinash said 

"They do." Arpita agreed while the rest of them nodded. 

"I can't believe it was my own brother who tried to kill my daughter just for a few acres of land and money" Avinash said softly.

Arnav and Shyam squeezed his hands, making him give out a genuine smile to them. 

"I'm fine, I don't feel bad for Anirudh, just that maybe Atharv didn't deserve it as much. He is a young boy, and was merely doing what he was told to do. He has, however, tried to kill Khushi and he deserves the punishment that is bestowed upon him." Avinash said sadly. 

"Everything will eventually be fine Baba, whatever happens, happens for the greater good." Shyam said soothingly.

Avinash nodded with a small smile.

***

I know I'd said I'll update TDKMDS, but I wasn't able to think of anything in that story. So you got this one instead.

This is the second last part of this story. Almost everything is now sorted, everyone is now happy. One last update and epilogue are left. 

So tell me guys, How did you like this part?

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Vinny