Hotel XYZ..

Payal and her family reached at the hall of Payash sangeet function. As soon as Raizadas saw them, they rushed to greet them except Arnav who was sitting on a chair lost in his thoughts.

Khushi smilingly greeted Raizadas, but she felt her Laad govorner missing. She looked around to search him and finally she spotted him, looking so dull and lost sitting in a corner alone. Her heart ache seeing him like this and her eyes moistened automatically.

"What happened to him?" she rushed to his table. Even being standing in front of him, Arnav didn't realize she was there already.

Khushi sat on the chair beside him, and held his hand to gain his attention. Feeling her touch, Arnav stare at her startled.

"He's really worried over something.. His eyes tells me everything!" Khushi thought as she kept her head on his chest, holding his hand tightly, "You can share everything with me Arnav ji.. Is something bothering you?"

"I need to talk with you Khushi.." Arnav said.

"Now?" she asked. His serious tone was scaring her.

Arnav nodded, "Let's go to my hotel room.."

Both stood up and left the hall. They took lift to the 5th floor and head towards his room. All this while, Khushi was very nervous and scared. Why was he so serious? Why wasn't he saying anything to her? Why was he avoiding eye contact with her? And leaving all this aside, he didn't even compliment her for wearing his favorite red saree.. she thought she would be his centre of attention tonight of this party.. but nothing of what she had thought happened.

Arnav opened the door for Khushi and she entered in the room lost in her thoughts.

"Tell me Arnav ji.. What you have to talk with me?" Khushi asked fidgeting her saree palu as she watched Arnav close the door.

Arnav turned to her, "Sit.."

"No.. I don't want to.. Just tell me fast what happened.. I'm not liking this.. You're treating me as a stranger.. I'm so scared.." she said with tears in her eyes, her cheeks became all red.

"Lavanya came home tonight when I was getting ready for the sangeet function.." Arnav said.

Khushi listened to him with attention, "Why did she came to meet you?"

"Because I had asked her parents to send her to New York so that she get out of our lives and also it would be a punishment for her.. We argued over this but at last when my decision didn't change she.." Arnav stopped.

"She? Boliye na (Tell me)" Khushi asked.

"She called me a Malik.. she said I'm exactly like my father who betrayed my mother and for that she committed suicide.. she compared my mother's story with hers.. and also said that if she commits suicide because of me, it's because I'm worse than my father.." Arnav said.

He walked towards her and stood behind her, continuing the story, "I asked her not to end her life.. and she asked me to marry her if I don't want her to end up like my mother.."

"What was your reply?" Khushi asked shocked.

"I have full faith in you Arnav ji.. please don't break my heart" Khushi said to herself, while waiting to hear his reply.

"Never.." Arnav kissed her cheek from behind, while keeping his one arm around her waist.

Khushi's heart skipped a beat. She immediately turned to him, still in shock and numb state.

"Kya hua? Darr gayi? (What happened? Felt scared?)" he asked with a teasing soft smile on his face.

"Is this even something to joke Arnav ji? I almost died!" Khushi scolded him, and started crying badly.

Arnav circled his arms around her waist and placed his lips on hers, the kiss from his side was his way to apologize to her. Khushi responded to his kiss sobbing, she bit his lip in between as a punishment for scaring her like this.

They broke the kiss feeling lack of air, Arnav cupped her face with his palms and rest his forehead on hers, "Look at me.. (Khushi looked at his chocolate dark eyes) if I had decided to marry Lavanya, then would you have ended your life?"

"Nahin.. I would surely revenge you for playing with my feelings!" Khushi pouted acting like angry with him, then smiled, "But my heart has full faith in you Arnav ji.. deep inside.. I knew you didn't accept to marry Lavanya.. kyun ki app sirf mere hain aur main app ki hoon (because you're only mine and I'm yours)"

"That's better.." he said. His heart sighed in relief 100 times, at hearing that "Nahin" from her. It was an assurance for him that he won't have to suffer again like he did in past years when his mother committed suicide.

Khushi moved near him and tried to reach his cheek, to give him a peck but unfortunately someone knocked the door.

"Good moments end so fast!" Arnav said frustratedly as he walked to open the door.

"Chote sangeet didn't even start properly yet and you're already in your room.. What is this? It's your brother's sangeet.. I know you don't like this music and dance at all.. but at least participate in it for Akash's sake!" Anjali stopped blabbering when she noticed that Khushi was also with him.

"We're coming!" Arnav said watching her gaze towards Khushi, "Let's go Khushi.."

Khushi nodded and came forward, Anjali hurriedly went back to the hall. Khushi also followed Anjali but Arnav pulled her back suddenly and closed the door, pinning her to the door.

Khushi gasped staring at him with wide questioning eyes.

"Stay with me!" he pleaded like a child.

Khushi could see through his eyes that he wasn't well still.. He was just trying to be okay.. but the topic Lavanya picked, left him shattered from inside.. He was scared of the word 'suicide' .. He was scared to be like his father.. Right now, he was that little Arnav who lost his parents and had to work hard to handle his family, his Di!

Khushi held his hand and took him to the bed. She made him lay but Arnav sat on the bed stubbornly, "Don't think I'm gonna sleep and you'll leave me silently!"

Khushi chuckled softly, "I'm here with you only.."

Arnav stare at her and realized he was being selfish. Khushi needed to be at her sister's side in sangeet. She too must want to attend her sister sangeet function and enjoy the night with her family. After all, tomorrow Payal is going to be a married woman and will live with his family now.

"Don't think too much.. I can watch Jiji's sangeet later.. NK said he will make video of Jiji and Akash ji sangeet.. So I will not lose anything!" Khushi made him lay on bed again and laid beside him.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Khushi nodded her head, she caressed his cheek with her fingers, "Should I say something to you?"

Arnav nodded.

"I'm glad you didn't turn out to be like me who got manipulated by Lavanya.. She just knows our weakness and uses that against us.. I'm so happy that you didn't fall in her trick Arnav ji.. I'm so happy that you didn't let yourself feel guilty and accept her marriage proposal.. You listened to your heart and used your brain at the right time.." Khushi said.

Arnav nodded, he kept his head on her chest and closed his eyes, listening to her heartbeats. Khushi caressed his hair, feeling shy to be like this with him.

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

Lavanya sat on middle of her bed, hugging her knees and crying bitterly remembering how Arnav denied marrying her.

Flashback..

"Then marry me! Don't let me be another Ratna and don't let yourself be like your father.. Marry me Arnav!" Lavanya said, with moist eyes yet determined tone.

"Never.." Arnav broke the few seconds silence in the room with his husky voice. He stare directly into her eyes while refusing to marry her and made it clear that no matter what she does, he's Never going to leave Khushi to be with her.

Lavanya gasped shocked at his tone and the refusal that felt like someone threw a bucket with cold water on her face.

"I will be like my father if I break that girl's heart who loves me unconditionally.. who despite not knowing when I will confess my feelings to her, is always by my side.. who can make this ASR turn into Arnav.. if I betray her and her family, then I will be a Malik only.. I'm committed to Khushi, not you.. so you better not compare my mother's story with yours.. You want to come in between me and Khushi.. You want to be the third person in our relationship.. And I will never let you succeed.. Go and try to manipulate another person with your stories, not me.. I've gone through a lot in life.. I know how people's intentions with me very well.." Arnav said.

"I'm not manipulating you Arnav.. I'm telling you the truth only.. I will really end my life and you will live with this guilt for all your life.." she shouted frustrated.

"Let me help you then!" Arnav said and held her hand forcefully taking her with him to the kitchen. Lavanya kept asking him to leave her on the way but he didn't listen.

He took a knife and handed it to her, "End your life.. right here.. right now!"

Lavanya looked at him shocked, "How can you say like that?"

"What happened? Didn't you want this? I'm just making it easy for Lavanya.." he shrugged gesturing her to go ahead.

"Come on.. Just do it.. You were eager to die right.." Arnav said bringing the knife near her wrist.

Lavanya threw the knife away scared and shocked at the way he was forcing her to die, "Just stop it Arnav.. this is not a joke.. It's my life dammit!"

"Such a great actress you're! First I thought you might really commit suicide because I thought you were depressed with the fact that your parents aren't talking to you and your career is ruined now.. but when you used my mother's name to make me accept marrying you.. then I got it that you didn't change yourself still.. you're just a cheap and disgusting lady that can go at any cost to get a man who doesn't even love you.." Arnav shook his head in disbelief.

Lavanya widened her eyes realizing he just wanted to take the truth out from her.

"Before trying to play smart with me, remind yourself that I'm ASR.. not any emotional fool ok!" he patted her cheeks and walked to leave the kitchen, then stopped at the door, "And yeah.. Have a great time in New York.. Hope to never see you again in my life!"

Flashback ends

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"What happened Arnav ji?" Khushi sat on the bed and stare at him as he woke up.

"I'm feeling bored.." Arnav said.

"Bored when you're with me?" Khushi raised her brows.

"I want to see you dance!" he winked at her, "Let's go the hall.."

"Arnav ji don't try your tricks on me.. You are not well, so don't force yourself to make me happy.. I already said to you that I will watch Jiji and Akash ji sangeet later.." Khushi said punching his shoulder lightly.

Arnav stood up and run his fingers through his hair, staring at himself on mirror while adjusting his suit properly.

Then he looked at her, "You stayed with me to make me happy now I want to attend sangeet to make you happy! Tit for tat!"

"There's no tit for tat in relationships!" Khushi glared at him.

"But healthy relationships requires balance.." Arnav said.

"That's true!" Khushi said.

"It's the same thing.. I just changed the word!" Arnav mocked her.

"No, it's not.. It's different okay.." Khushi argued pouting.

Arnav lifted her in his arms, while walking towards the door smiling at her, "Oh.. then tell me the difference.."

Khushi kept blabbering the difference to him on the way to the hall.