No proofread.

Tijar Jail Complex.

Anant Malik was dragged out of his cell to the visitors Hall to find it empty except for one man with his back turned to him.

"He wants to see you. " The guard exclaimed angrily and shoved Anant towards the man.

Anant muttered cusses at the guard as he walked up to the man.

He halted a few steps from the man and folded his arms.

"Listen man...... I don't know who you are  but please say what you have to say because I don't have all day. " Anant uttered in an arrogant tone and the man chuckled which sent shivers down the spine of Anant as he was familiar with that chuckle.

The man turned and Anant knees buckled and he fell to the floor in shock and he started hyperventilating seeing the man smirking at him.

"Hello little brother. "

"Arvind? " Anant exclaimed shaking as Arvind helped him up and lead him to the chair.

He sat on the opposite side of the table facing his brother.

"Surprised to me me huh? " Arvind chuckled as Anant gulped. "Don't be brother...... I am alive and you would have known that I faked my death if you hadn't been in a hurry to have me cremated to get back and snatch every from me and kick Anjali and Arnav out...... I can see you are reaping the consequences of your actions from that night....... Nimrat Gupta or as we know her now as Isha Kundra is making you pay for trying to kill her and her husband that night........ All she had to do was report you to the authorities about your illegal dealings and you already have to spend the rest of your life in prison....... Let's face it brother, after your sentence ends in thirty years, you will be old and wrinkled. " Arvind mocked laughing which pissed Anant off and he wanted to punch him but he held back knowing his brother was not only strong and well built, but he was friends with some really shady people, more shady than the ones he deals with and they could cause serious damage to him in prison if he commands it.

"Why are you here? " Anant asked miffed by his mocking.

"I want to know where maa is...... It's about time the world knows the truth and I want a fresh start with the love of my life...... After so many years, I finally have Garima as my wife but the past is preventing me from having everything that rightfully belongs to me, my son and my daughter....... Where is she? " Arvind roared making a shocked Anant flinch.

"You are married to Garima?...... But how? " Anant asked and Arvind slammed his fist ont the table making the room shake and Anant nearly peed his pants.

"How is none of your business...... Now tell me where that wretched demonic woman is...... She has to reveal the truth to Anjali and Arnav..... That's the only way I can have my children back and finally have the life I always deserved. " Arvind roared with blood shot eyes and at the moment Anant realised this could be his chance to get out of prison if he played his card right.

"I will tell you but first you have to get me out of here first. "

Arvind started laughing hysterically scaring Anant who cowered as his tall brother towered over him.

"Do you think you are in the position to bargain with me....... Okay, I can wait for my men to find her but you will be lifeless in your cell by tomorrow. "

Anant rushed to his brother and fell to his knees begging to spare him as he knew his brother was a man of his words, something Arnav also inherited from him.

The night he kicked him and Anjali out, Arnav vowed to snatch Sheesh Mahal from him,kick him out and ruin his reputation and he did just that over three years ago.

"She is at the St Mary's Catholic Church...... They have a hermitage for elderly people on the far outskirts of the church premises. "

Arvind straightened his suit and started walking away but halted hearing Anant's words.

"Arnav and Anjali will never believe the truth about Ratna........ You have sinned so many times for them to believe you over Ratna........ Ratna may be a snake under grass, but you a the demon who caused them to lose their stability and the twist in your life history will always make you the culprit instead of the victim you really are....... Give up because they will never believe you. "

"And who are you to decide? " Arvind questioned annoyed as he walked up to Anant who looked pitifully at Arvind.

"You cheated on Ratna with not Garima but multiple prostitutes...... Faked your death and watch them suffer, you rejected Garima and made her out as if she was some gold digger....... It's no secret you and Garima love each other but you are toxic for each other......Garima did the most horrible things a person could do to her family and now she is your wife....... You may have been a good father to them until you found out the truth about Ratna and Maa but they have suffered for years because of our mistakes....... That suffering will never let Arnav and Anjali see you as the victim in the sick and twisted conspiracy of Ratna and Maa. "

Arvind punched Anant and walked away leaving him bleeding from his nose.

"No one will believe you brother....... Unfortunately for you, you will die alone and be betrayed by the ones you love again...... That's your destiny. " Anant whispered as the guard arrived and dragged him to his cell.

RM.

Arshi Room.

Arnav entered their room to find six months old Anaisha laughing hysterically at Khushi playing peekaboo with her.

He baby has grown sho much and was the most lively child you will ever met.

Her gummy squeals and laughter made her even more adorable.

Anaisha all of a sudden let out a loud squeal and made grabby hands seeing her father at the door and Khushi turned to find Arnav holding a huge box.

He placed it down and rushed to the bathroom to wash his hands but even before he could open the tab, he heard Anaisha letting out a loud cry followed by Khushi consoling her.

Arnav tool off his suit and hurriedly washed his hands and walked out.

He took Anaisha from Khushi and threw her in the air making her go from sobbing to squeals of giggles.

Arnav kissed her cheek making her giggle more at the ticklish sensation of his soft beard on her chubby and soft cheeks.

"What's this? " Khushi asked pointing to the box.

"It's some old toys of mine I asked Sumit Kaka to clean and pack for me from Sheesh Mahal...... It arrived at the office today...... I wanted Ana to have some of my old toys....... She needs something sentimental from me like you have given you old teddy bear...... I want her to have something of mine too. "

Khushi gushed and opened the box as Arnav moved closer.

Immediately  Anaisha saw all the toys, she started babbling happily and pulling herself down and that was Arnav's cue to let her down.

Khushi gently poured the content of the box on the floor and Anaisha who is obsessed with toys started playing with everything he hands could touch and her parents chuckled at her.

Khushi saw a brown box and picked it up and shook it.

"What's in this? " Khushi asked shaking the box which sounded like there was something in it.

"I have no idea......... I have never seen the box before. " Arnav responded with a frown,totally oblivious of the content in it.

Khushi tore the tape around the box and opened it revealing a brown book.

She flipped through it and realised it was a diary.

"Maa's diary? " Arnav exclaimed as Khushi stared at him surprised.

"This is maa's handwriting. " Arnav said as he flipped through the book. "My sinful confession. "

Arnav stood up and walked to the bed as Khushi picked up Anaisha who became cranky because her mother took her away from her new toys.

Khushi stared at Arnav as she comforted Anaisha but she wasn't having it so she kneeled and picked up on of the toys and gave it to her calming her down.

Khushi turned back to Arnav to find him displaying different emotions and she knew what ever was in the diary wasn't good and it was confirmed when Arnav dropped the diary looking defeated with his hands covering his mouth and tears in his eyes ready to betray him.

Before she could react, Arnav rushed into the bathroom and Khushi heard him puking.

She rushed in to find Arnav vomiting and hysterically crying which shocked her.

She immediately went back to the bedroom and placed Anaisha on the floor and rushed back to the bathroom to find Arnav hyperventilating and without saying anything, she hugged him and he reciprocated and started crying.

She didn't ask him any questions because she knew it wasn't the time as her husband needed comfort more than being questioned.

"I don't know what's happening the truth anymore....... Everyone who seems to be decent ends up being a monster in disguise........... Why Khushi?....... I can't I have a true picture of my family......... I do this anymore........ It hurts so much" Arnav cried out as Khushi comforted him as he cried into her chest.

Khushi saw Arnav's phone in his suit laying on the floor and pulled it out.

She called Aman to come take Anaisha with him for a few hours and Aman not knowing what was happening teased Khushi and she had to go alone with it.

She hunged up, pulled Arnav up as she turned on the showers and taps in the bathroom to hid Arnav's crying as she waited for a few seconds.

The door opening and the squeals and babbling of Anaisha to Aman was heard and Khushi knew he had arrived.

"You both take all the time you need. " Khushi heard the voice of Payal followed by laughters and the door closing.

It was clear Aman had come with Payal and she finally managed to get Arnav to take off the rest of his clothes and make him take a shower.

After an hour, they where both out and Khushi helped a robotic Arnav wear new set of clothes and lead him to the bed.

After two hours of non stop crying, Arnav finally fell asleep holding Khushi's hands.

Khushi felt sorry for Arnav but carefully removed her hand and tucked the comforter over him and stared at the book that started all this.

She picked the diary up and sat on the bed as she read through it.

+

"My sins has deprived my children of their father's love and I don't blame him.

He may not have loved me like his love, his Rima but he was always a dutiful husband.

The day he told me about how much he loved Rima but his cowardice made him lose her should have been the day I should have refused to marry him but I thought since Rima was already married, I could make him forget her but I couldn't.

Rima will forever be the love of his life and I was hurt so I decided to trap him with pregnancy but he refused to touch me because he told me it felt like betraying his Rima.

Another sign for me to have to have dissolved the marriage but I chose to stay and inform sasuma about and she suggested we drug Arvind so that I can sleep with him and get pregnant.

I was so desperate to get him that I went along with it and the perfect opportunity came during holi and I did it.

He felt so disgusted and cried making me feel like the rapist I was but out of it came our beautiful Anjali with all her disability which I was scared might be a turn off for him but it made him love her more.

Even though he loved our daughter, he never gave me any love but respected and protected me from taunts about me giving birth to a disabled child.

It should have been enough for me but no I let sasuma get into my head because she wanted a normal grandchild and once again I took advantage of another holi celebration and took advantage of Arvind resulting in our Arnav.

This caused Arvind to never participate in another holi celebration again and just like Anjali, he loved Arnav and spoiled him rotten but that was all about to change when on Arnav's fourth birthday, Sasuma again cornered me wanting another grandchild and in my anger I refused and threatened to expose what we did not knowing Arvind had heard it all.

The look of betrayal on his face is something that will forever haunt me.

He not only changed towards me but our Anju and Arnie as well.

He was no longer the loving father and supportive husband.

He spent all his day in the office and began drinking, soliciting prostitutes and hanging out with deadly criminals and mafias of our community.

It was as of he was intentionally ruining the family reputation which he knew his mother valued more than anything and painting me as a woman who couldn't satisfy her husband to an extent that he was now taking in prostitutes.

I tried to stop him and was happy after I found out he had stopped soliciting for prostitutes on the streets and brothels but it was short lived when I found out about his affair to Rima.

I knew it was the end for me especially when I saw how happy he was when he arrived home after meeting her.

For three years I kept quiet until I had enough and confronted him but what he said that day will forever haunt me.

I vowed to expose me to everyone as a rapist after Anjali's marriage and he was holding back because he knew I was the only support and love the children had and he didn't want to ruin that.

I knew he would and our Anju and Arnie will forever blame me for ruining their father's love for them.

For now all I can do it give Anju and Arnie all my love because in six years, I will lose them.

+

Khushi was stunned to her core reading the diary and a part of her felt sorry for Arvind.

Arnav always spoke so highly of his mother but they never imagined she could do such a thing.

Ar that moment, Khushi realised Ratna's betrayal shaped the life of Arvind Malik just like Garima let Arvind's betrayal and her insecurities shape her life.

They were all shaped by the mistakes, selfishness and greed of their loved ones.

All of them especially Isha, Ajay, Shashi, Arnav, Garima and Ratna suffered the most amongst all of them.

She mastered up her courage and read the final entry to the diary.

+

"It's been years since I wrote here and my life is about to end.

My children are about to hate me because Arvind had arranged Anjali's marriage to one of his rich clients and he made it a point to remind me he would expose me.

He has been really angry over the past few years and I suspect Rima had ended their affair or she is about to.

Anyways, I hope my children understand my point of view and not judge me which I doubt because of how they have been asking about what made their loving father change so much.

If their hate is the punishment I deserve for being a rapist then so be it.

I just hope they someday find it in their hearts to forgive me.

I will never hold it against Arvind if he goes back to Roman because she is the only woman for him.

+

Khushi closed the diary and turned to a sleeping Arnav and knew their lives was about to change soon enough because such revelations change people.

But it was certain Arnav will be the most hit because he spent his entire life resenting his father for putting a stop to his love for them and being an adulterer but now it's seems there is more to his father and mother he didn't know.

Khushi knew there was one person who could reveal the whole truth.

She walked up to the recliner and picked up the phone and called a number.

"Mohan...... Find me Sudhadra Malik ASAP. "

To be continued.

The twist and turns are intensifying and relationships are about to change for the better or for the worse.

Some about to make the hard decision of choosing sides and feelings are about to be hurt.

Stay tuned for more and,

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