Just when the past seemed resolved, another secret unravels—this time from Khushi’s buried childhood…

-×-

Shantivan – Next Morning

Khushi hummed softly in the kitchen, her hands busy making Arnav’s favorite breakfast. The air around them had softened—Arnav was quieter, but not cold anymore. Something had shifted between them.

He walked in, watching her from the doorway, his expression unreadable.

Arnav:

“Tum thak gayi hogi… itna sab kuch karte hue bhi, tum mere liye poha bana rahi ho.”

Khushi (smiling over her shoulder):

“Main sirf poha nahi bana rahi, Arnavji… main aapko phir se jeena sikha rahi hoon.”

His chest ached at her words. He stepped closer, gently taking the ladle from her hand.

Arnav:

“Ab meri baari hai tumhare liye kuch karne ki.”

Their eyes met—warm, unspoken promises lingering between them.

-×-

Meanwhile – Shyam’s Hideout

Shyam sat before his laptop, scanning through scanned documents from “Lucknow Orphanage Archives.” A photograph blinked on the screen.

A little girl. Big hazel eyes. Khushi.

He smirked.

Shyam:

“Toh Khushi Kumari Gupta… tumhari kahaani waisi simple nahi thi jaise tum dikhaati ho. Tum Raizadaon se kahin zyada judi ho… jitna tum soch bhi nahi sakti.”

He picked up his phone.

Shyam:

“Time for another truth bomb.”

-×-

Shantivan – Study Room – Afternoon

Arnav sifted through old company documents when he received a delivery. A sealed brown envelope. No sender.

Inside:

A photo of Khushi as a child… standing outside an orphanage.

And a letter:

> “Khushi Kumari Gupta was adopted in 1994 from the Lucknow Orphanage. Her parents—killed in a car crash involving Arvind Raizada’s vehicle. Is that how you two met? Through guilt?”

Arnav’s fingers tightened around the letter.

Arnav (whispers):

“Yeh kya mazaak hai?”

-×-

Poolside – That Evening

Khushi found him again by the pool, stiff and distant.

Khushi:

“Aapne kuch khaya nahi…”

Arnav (holding out the envelope):

“Tum iske baare mein kuch jaanti ho?”

She took the photo and froze. Her face paled as her hands shook.

Khushi (softly):

“Yeh… meri bachaapan ki tasveer hai… par yeh letter… kya keh raha hai?”

Arnav:

“Woh keh raha hai ki mere Papa ki gaadi ke accident mein… tumhare asli maa-baap ki maut hui thi.”

Silence.

The only sound—ripples in the pool.

Khushi (whispers):

“Nahin… mujhe yeh nahi pata tha…”

Tears brimmed in her eyes.

Khushi:

“Yeh toh… Devi Maiyya ka kaisa khel hai, Arnavji?”

Arnav (strained):

“Agar yeh sach hai… toh tum meri zindagi mein pehli baar guilt ke wajah se aayi thi…”

Khushi (firmly):

“Main tumhare zindagi mein pyaar ke wajah se hoon. Usse kam ya zyada kuch nahi.”

-×-

Gupta House – Later That Night

Khushi visited her Buaji.

Khushi:

“Buaji… aapko kuch yaad hai? Mere maa-baap ka accident…”

Buaji grew silent.

Buaji (after a pause):

“Woh raat… bahut bura tha, bitiya. Hume sirf itna pata tha ki tumhare maa-baap ka accident Delhi ke kisi ameer aadmi ke gaadi se hua tha… par naam kabhi nahi pata chala.”

Khushi:

“Par kya aapne kabhi yeh Arnavji ke family se jodne ki koshish ki thi?”

Buaji:

“Nahin. Tumhara past band karke hi toh zindagi aage badhi thi.”

-×-

Shantivan – Night

Khushi sat beside a quiet Arnav, their fingers entwined.

Khushi:

“Agar hamari kahaaniyan kisi haadse mein mili thi… toh ho sakta hai woh haadsa hi humein ek doosre tak le aaya ho.”

Arnav (softly):

“Tum mujhe har raaz mein roshni dikhati ho.”

Khushi:

“Tum mujhe har dard mein sahara ban ke milte ho.”

They looked at each other, the past no longer as heavy as it once was.

-×-

Elsewhere – Shyam's Hideout

Shyam watched them on his hidden feed.

Shyam (furious):

“Ek ke baad ek raaz… aur yeh dono aur kareeb aa rahe hain? Ab aakhri chaal chalni padegi…”

He opened a drawer and pulled out a tiny velvet box.

Inside: Mangalsutra… and poison.

-×-

To be continued…

Next Up: Chapter 28 – The Poisoned Vow

By

Muskan Tarway

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