I'm back! Those who have waited, I thank you for your patients and those who haven't, well they'll never know what happened next. I'm going to admit that I'm not particularly proud of this chapter and I'll understand if you aren't too. As always the purple bits are Hindi. Enjoy :)
Chapter 18: Drama
Queen
“I just came now.” Replied Neha. Amba breathed a sigh of
relief but it was short lived. “But from your position I can see you guys are
getting comfortable.”
Amba tried to correct the misunderstanding. “Neha it’s-”
But Raj intervened. “I was just giving Amba a proposition.”
Neha raised an eyebrow. “About?”
“Sex.”
Both Neha and Amba’s mouth fell open.
Amba tried again. “Neha, honestly it isn’t-”
But again she was interrupted by Raj. “Look Neha, just go
back inside and pretend you didn’t see us. There are still a lot of guests that
you need to say goodbye to. Amba and I will be out in a minute.”
Amba had had enough. “No! Neha it’s not what it looks like.
He is just a creepy perv.” She tried to say it as quickly as possible before
Raj had a chance to interrupt again.
“Do you think I’m stupid?!” yelled Neha at them both.
Raj decided to answer her rhetorical question just to rile
her up. “Yes I do.” Neha stared at him with a broken expression. “Why else
would you be marrying a man that doesn’t love you and certainly won’t be
faithful to you?”
“Raj-”
“Oh come on Neha. You’re behaving as though you’re hearing
this for the first time. I told you that I don’t love you and I’m only doing
this for the business benefits.”
“It’s ok, I have enough love for the both of us.” Neha said
desperately.
“I think we should stop all of this.” Raj said seriously.
“We’re conning both our families. I like your family Neha and I don’t want to
deceive them. Besides do you think they’ll be happy to know the real reason
we’re getting married?”
“Raj, please.” Neha begged.
“I’m sorry Neha. You were good in bed and everything but
this has gone far enough. We shouldn’t be getting married.” He turned to Amba,
“Look Amba-”
But Neha lunged at her causing both of them to fall on the
ground.
“You! You did this!” Neha said with a deranged look in her
eyes.
Amba pushed Neha off her before she could do some real
damage.
“Haven’t you been listening? First of all, he said he didn’t
want to marry you in the first place so none of this is my fault. Second of
all, do you know how much this lehenga cost? I’m going to be sending you the
dry cleaning bill.”
Neha started crying. “What have I ever done to you?”
Amba’s face softened as she began to feel pity for the girl.
“Neha, it wasn’t anything I did.” She said softly. “I promise you, this is not
my doing.”
“My mother told me stories about your aunt.”
“What?”
“She told me of her home wrecking tendencies and I chose
ignore it because she had lost her memory but you’re no better than her.” She
spat out.
Amba lost all traces of pity. She saw red. No one insulted
her mother and got away with it. “Listen you spoilt brat, my mo-aunt is not a
home wrecker! What ever you’ve heard from your mother is the deranged ramblings
of a woman whose psych is not exactly on the healthy side. There are two sides
to every story, so don’t you dare judge my aunt before you know her side. I
grew up around ignorant fucks like you who don’t bother to get their facts straight
before spewing their thoughts on to the world. And let me tell you something,
I’ve whipped the floor with them because I’m not afraid to get dirty unlike
you, princess Raizada.”
“HEY!”
The trio turned around to find Arnav and Khushi standing a
few strides away from them. Neha acted quickly. Crocodile tears began falling
down her face and before they knew it, he hurled herself at Arnav and began
sobbing like a mad woman.
“Did you hear her Mamu? She was
so mean to me. She seduced my husband just like her aunt seduced my dad. She’s
such a home wrecker and she’s trying to wreck my perfect marriage. I can’t take
it Mamu. I can’t take the fact that history’s repeating.”
Neha’s words brought memories back to Khushi. Images with
faces and conversations she didn’t remember having. The memories didn’t come
back in full but just a lot of flashes. Flashes of angry and sad people. The
anger and sadness they felt was because of her, because of something she did.
If only she could remember what. Khushi tried to focus on one of the images.
Her head had already started to hurt during the flashes but now it was
throbbing. But she was set on finding out what was going on and getting back
her memories and she wanted to do it tonight.
Amba wasn’t paying attention to Neha telling her uncle lies
upon lies, she was focusing on her mother. At first it looked like she had a
headache as she was rubbing her head but soon she began to sway. Amba lunged
and managed to catch her mother before she hit the floor.
Amba screamed at the top of her lungs. “DAD!”
Karan came sprinting from the house, followed by a few
Raizada’s and Gupta’s. Arnav gently dislodged himself from Neha and picked
Khushi up.
“Am, what happened?” asked Karan.
“Dad, it’s a really long story.”
“Amba tell me!”
“I’ll tell you what happened.” Piped in Neha.
“Neha shut up. Everyone shut up!” Arnav commanded. “Let’s
get Khushi inside and call the doctor. Amba you can then explain to us your
side of the story, Neha can explain hers and Raj can explain his. No one is
leaving, do you hear me? Good.”
Arnav practically ran back to the house with Khushi in his
arms and Karan didn’t stop him. He knew that Khushi’s health was of the utmost
importance in this case. Arnav took Khushi to the nearest room and called the
best doctor he knew. Once the doctor came and reassured everyone that Khushi
was fine, Arnav arranged for someone to take the Gupta’s back to their house.
Arnav them gathered everyone in the living room.
“Ok, this has been a hectic day and we all want to go to
sleep, so let’s get on with it. Raj, you go first.”
Raj stood up and came to the front.
He took a deep breath and said, “I have a confession to
make. I don’t really love Neha.”
A collection of gasps filled the room.
“Shocking!” said Priti in a sarcastic tone.
“But why?” asked Anjili.
“It’s all because of that whore!” burst out Neha.
“No it isn’t.” said Raj. “Look, Neha came to me with a
business proposition that I couldn’t refuse; I will marry her and in return, I
will get AR’s backing in whatever business venture I might make. I’m not a fool.
I know that AR is the biggest company in India,
it was too good of a chance to miss, so I agreed. I thought this would be easy
but it’s not. I came to really like this family and I just couldn’t go through
with it. So I came up with a plan, unfortunately Amba became a part of it. I
want to apologise to the Raizada family and to Amba.”
“How exactly did I get tangled into this mess?” asked Amba.
“Well, my plan was to offer the girl that Neha was most
jealous of the chance to sleep with me and to make sure I was caught while
doing so. I am really sorry.”
“So you weren’t really hitting on me?” said a sceptical
Amba.
“You are a very beautiful woman but I’m not that type of
man. Again I apologise.”
Amba could see that in his eyes that Yuvraj was telling the
truth. “Apology accepted.”
“Well, thank you Raj, I think. Amba lets hear your side of
the story.” Said Arnav.
“I was attending to some business calls and Raj came and hit
on me. Neha tried to beat me up but failed. Then she started to insult me and
Khushi aunty. Then you and Khushi aunty came. Neha flung herself at you and
started to spew lies. Then Khushi aunty fainted.”
“So that’s how she fainted.” Said Karan.
“Yeah, it must’ve been from all the excitement of today.”
Said Arnav.
“Yeah, it must’ve been.” Mumbled a doubtful Karan.
“Well the stories match up so far. Neha it’s you turn.”
Everyone looked over to where Neha was but she wasn’t there
anymore. They looked around the room but she didn’t seem to be anywhere.
“Neha. Neha!” called out Arnav.
“Chill out Mamu, I saw her walking out of here a few seconds
back.” Said Priti.
“Where did she go?”
Priti just shrug her shoulders. Everyone looked at each
other before dispersing out to find the whereabouts of Neha.
“Hariprakash, Hariprakash!”
shouted Anjili.
A man came running towards her. “Ji?”
“Have you seen Neha?”
“Yes, she was heading upstairs.”
“Thank you, you may go.” Hariprakash
scuttled off. “It’s ok everyone, I think she’s in
her room.” Shouted Anjili.
“Di, bring her back, she can’t
run away from her problems. Plus we have to sort this out today.” said
Arnav.
“Yes Chote.”
Anjili began to head for the stairs when her husband stopped
her.
“I’ll go, I know how your legs can’t take long climbs.”
“Thank you.”
They all headed back to the living room while Viren went to
find Neha.
“I suppose the wedding’s cancelled then.” Said Mrs Verma.
“Yes I suppose so.” Said Arnav.
“Shame, we would’ve been great business partners.”
“Mum!” warned Raj.
“What? It’s true. At least your father didn’t fly in from America,
he would’ve been so disappointed.”
Viren returned before the conversation could go any further.
He had a grave look on his face.
“She’s not in her room.” He said.
Everyone started worrying and Anjili started crying.
“Ok, everyone split up and try and find Neha, look
everywhere. She should be in and around the house, she can’t have gone out
because it’s past midnight, the gates
close and lock at midnight.”
Amba turned to her father. “Dad, stay with mum in case she
wakes up.”
After nearly 30 minutes of searching, everyone received a
text from Arnav telling them to come to the roof. From time they had gotten
Khushi inside, it had been pouring with rain, so when everyone had come up to
the roof they found Neha and Arnav soaking wet.
“Neha!” Anjili began to walk as fast as she could towards
her daughter.
“Don’t come any closer.” Said Neha.
Anjili frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Di, look at where she is.” Said Arnav.
Everyone turned to look and found Neha standing on the edge
of the ledge. Anjili, Viren and Priti’s face turned white and Anjili looked
like she was going to faint.
“Jiji, stop being stupid.” Said Priti.
“Shut up Priti!” screamed Neha.
“I’ve been trying to convince Neha not to jump.” Said Arnav.
“Neha, my baby, why are you doing this?” asked a despaired
Anjili.
“Because Mamu said I couldn’t get married to Raj.”
“Neha, Raj doesn’t love you.” Said Arnav softly.
“I don’t care, I’ll have enough love to make this relationship
work.”
“Neha please.” Begged Arnav.
“Mamu, I want him. I want him so much that I will leave
everything and everyone for him. He is the only thing I want and if I can’t
have him, what’s the point in living? Haven’t you ever been in love before?”
“Of course I have, but it’s not worth killing yourself over,
trust me.”
“If you say that then you’ve never truly been in love.”
Anjili walked over to Yuvraj and fell, clutching his feet.
“Raj please marry my daughter, I will do anything, just
please don’t let her die.” Begged Anjili.
Raj bent to pick Anjili up. “How can you even say that? Of
course I won’t let her die Anjiliji. I’ll marry Neha.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.” He gave Anjili to Viren and began walking
towards Neha. “Neha, I promise to marry you and try and make our marriage work.
Now will you please come down?”
Neha carefully got down from the ledge and hugged Raj. After
a while, Raj let go and Anjili strode over to Neha and slapped her hard. So
hard in fact that it left a red tinge on Neha’s cheek.
“Don’t you dare, don’t you dare do anything like this ever
again! Do you understand?” A teary Neha nodded. “Good.”
Anjili turned her back on her daughter and walked away.
Arnav rubbed his forehead and everyone looked around awkwardly.
Arnav cleared his throat. “Ok guys, that’s enough excitement
for one day. Raizada’s get to bed, now. I’ll tell the guards to open the gates
and arrange a car for the Malik’s and Verma’s.”
“Mr Raizada is my aunt awake?” asked Amba.
“I don’t know.”
“I’m not leaving without her.”
“I understand your concern but I assure you, we will take
care of her.”
“I don’t doubt that for a minute but if she stays so do me
and my father.”
“Be reasonable-”
“I AM being reasonable.” Amba replied coldly.
Arnav sighed, he was too tired to argue. “Fine, if Khushi’s
not awake, you and your father can stay the night.”
Amba smiled sickeningly sweetly. “Thank you very much.”
By the time Arnav and Amba reached Khushi’s room, the
Raizada’s were all in their rooms and the Verma’s had gone away. They opened
the door to find a cheerful Khushi, chatting away with Karan.
“Ah Mr Raizada, I trust everything’s ok.” Asked Karan.
“Why? What happened?” asked Khushi.
“Oh nothing to worry about, just Neha being a drama queen.
Are you feeling better Khushi?” asked Arnav.
“Yes I am.”
“Great, Mr Raizada has already arranged for our passage home.”
Said Amba.
“Or you could stay the night.” Suggested Arnav.
“No thank you, I’m dying to get home.” Replied Khushi.
“Amba would you take your mo- I mean aunt to the car, I want
to talk to Mr Raizada for a while.” Said Karan.
“Dad.” Warned Amba.
“We will be very civilised, won’t we Mr Raizada?”
“Yes we will.” Replied Arnav.
Amba took Khushi and lead her to where the cars were waiting
for them. After they had left, Karan went and closed the door.
“Ok Arnav, you don’t like me and frankly I hate you more
than I hate my parents and that’s saying something. I have to leave for a few
days and I know this will give you perfect opportunity to “win” Khushi over. I
know that you’ve already applied some of your charms to seduce her and I hate
to admit it but it’s working. I’m not going to try and stop you after tonight
because tonight I’ll say everything that needs to be said. It’s been 23 years
since she last saw you and you her. A lot of things have changed, you have
changed and so has she. She is not the sweet desi girl that you think you know,
she’s a strong independent woman. You think she hasn’t had relationships after
your divorce? She has had plenty. I’m not saying this to hurt you, I’m saying
this because it’s the truth. Arnav, this is the first and last time that I’ll
beg you, I’m begging you not to go after her after I leave. I’m begging you to
leave her alone and to let go of the love you harboured for so long. Because
when she gets her memories back, it will hurt both of you.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No, its advice and you’d be a fool not to listen. She’s not
the girl you knew all those years back and once she gets her memories back,
she’ll go back to her life in London.
I’m trying to save the both you of enormous amount of heart ache. I’m not going
to say this again and I’m not going to try and stop you. Whatever you choose to
do now will be on your head.”
That being said, Karan opened the door and walked out
leaving a smirking Arnav behind.
