Chapter 4: Ruined
Arnav stared at her with a smirk and she stared back in
horror.
“Khushi!” yelled Shashi. “What are you doing?”
“Babuji? Please tell me you haven’t sold the house to this
man?”
“I have Khushi. It had to be done I thought you understood
that.”
“But Babuji-”
“Khushi I’m still doing business so either stay here and be
quiet or go to your room!”
Khushi shut up immediately and stood there. Arnav was still
staring at her with a smirk that raised alarm bells in Khushi’s head. Shashi
and Arnav sat down again.
“As I was saying before Khushi interrupted, I want your
daughter.”
Shashi’s eyes lit up. He turned towards a frozen Khushi.
“Khushi bring your sister down.”
“You misunderstand me Mr Gupta.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t want Payal, I want Khushi.”
Khushi’s head was spinning at this point. She felt like she
was going to throw up any moment now. She sat down on a nearby chair just to
keep herself from falling.
“But Khushi’s still a child.” Protested Shashi. “Payal’s 6
years older than her, she’ll be perfect for you Mr Raizada.”
Just then Payal was shoved into the room by her mother who
had been listening to the conversation. Payal looked slightly bewildered and
awkwardly stood by her sister not knowing what to do.
Arnav spared her a glance before looking back at Shashi.
“She most certainly isn’t a child. She proved that a few nights ago in the
Sheesh Mahal.”
Khushi’s head began pounding as bile rose to the back of her
throat. The silence was actually painful and the only one who seemed to enjoy
it was Arnav. Both Payal and her father threw her a confused look.
“What are you talking about?” asked Shashi.
“Oh you haven’t told them Khushi. Its ok, I will. A few days
ago Khushi came to see me in the Sheesh Mahal. I believe it was on your wedding
day Payal.”
Payal’s eyes widen and she took a sharp in take of breath.
“How did you know that?” she asked shakily.
“Khushi told me. She also told me she was there to
‘convince’ your fiancé to lower the dowry. She certainly ‘convinced’ me. ”
He said with a smirk.
Khushi couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down her face.
She ran out of the room and in to the nearest bathroom to throw up with Payal
following close behind. She was bent over the toilet hurling everything in the
stomach while Payal rubbed her back. When she was done, Payal helped her clean
up.
“Jiji please don’t believe any thing he says.” She
hiccupped.
“Silly girl!” said hitting her softly on the head. “Why
would I believe him over my sister?” But Khushi wasn’t convinced. She went
towards the door and locked it. She then proceeded to strip down to her
underwear. “What are you doing?!” asked a surprised Payal.
When she was just in her underwear Payal gasped. There were
ugly purple, yellow and green bruises all over her sister’s body.
“This is why I don’t want you to believe him.” Khushi said
quietly.
“We need to talk.” Said Payal seriously.
Shashi looked at the
door where Payal and Khushi had run out to Arnav.
“What are you talking about?”
“Let’s just say you have a very active daughter sir. I mean
have you ever wondered why, even though Khushi supposedly went to convince
Abishek, that they cancelled the wedding? Are you wondering why I know all of
this?”
“What?”
“Let’s sit down Mr Gupta and have a chat about your niece.”
Shashi slowly sat down. “You see Khushi has always been jealous of Payal and
that’s why she purposefully ruined her wedding.”
“What rubbish!”
“You haven’t heard the full story yet. You see on her
conquest to seduce her sister’s fiancé, she accidentally ruined my fashion
show. When I asked for compensation she said she’d sleep with me.”
“I don’t believe you.” Said Shashi shaking his head.
“I thought you might say that.”
“Khushi you need to tell me how you got those bruises.”
“He gave them to me. ”
Whispered Khushi as tears continuously fell from her eyes.
Payal’s eyes widened. “Did Abishek rape you?” She asked
fearfully.
“No.”
“Then who the hell did this to you?!”
“That man that Babuji just sold the house to.” She sobbed.
Payal held her as she cried. “Khushi, did he-”
“No but I thought he was going to.”
“What did he do Khushi?” Khushi shook her head in response.
“You need to tell me Khushi so we can deal with this.” She said softly.
“He kissed me and he touched me. ”
She croaked.
Payal’s jaws clenched. “Put your cloths back on Khushi. We
have to get our house back from that bastard.”
Arnav held the dvd up high. “All the proof is on here. Don’t
worry, I can play this on my laptop.”
He slid the disk in and the dvd started playing. Shashi
watched as his daughter fell from the stage right into Arnav’s arms. He watched
as she ran away. The video jumped to show a dishevelled looking Khushi running
out of the Sheesh Mahal towards her scooter.
This was too much to digest for Shashi and his heart started
hurting. Just then Payal walked in dragging a weak Khushi behind her.
Arnav didn’t even look at them and addressed Shashi. “So you
see, if you give me your niece I’ll keep her out of trouble and make sure she
doesn’t ruin anyone else’s life. In return you get to keep your house and you
don’t have to worry about the promiscuity of your niece.”
“Screw you Mr Raizada!” yelled Payal. “You’ll never get my
sister nor will you get this house. How can you even ask for her after what
you’ve done to her?”
“Payal, she likes it rough; I distinctively remember her
asking me to go harder. And unfortunately for you, I already have this house.
And Arnav Singh Raizada always gets what he wants.”
Payal looked at her sister and her father. They looked way
too weak to be standing. She needed to get rid of this man quickly before
something terrible happened.
“We’re cancelling the contract.”
“You can’t. So either hand over Khushi or pack your bags.
You have until the end of this week to decide.”
He walked away after saying that. Shashi really couldn’t
take any more and neither could Khushi. Almost simultaneously, they both fell
to the floor.
