"Khushi Bitiya!"

Nani called her, while she was busy arranging some clothes in the closet.

"Yes Nani?" She answered, seeing Nani standing at the doorstep of her room.

"We are going for the Satsang.. It will go on for 2-3 hours, so we won't be having dinner at home tonight. All the arrangements are done there itself. Is chote home yet?" 

Nani enquired.

"No Naniji.. He might be late. I think he has some important meeting today." She replied.

"Ok, khushi bitiya. No problem. You have your dinner in time."

"Yes naniji..And please take care of di. After all this mess, she is going out somewhere for the first time."

"Don't worry dear. Anjali bitiya would be fine."

And saying this nani patted on khushi's shoulder and left for the religious gathering.

*

Khushi was all alone in the house.

For a person like Khushi, who was always chirpy and talkative, staying alone was really something difficult. Her best friend NK too wasn't there. He had a date planned with his pen friend.

Sitting on the bed, she had glimpses of the scene that took place in the morning between Arnav and her, in this same room.

*

"To my dear wife, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada"

She was very fond of her new name.

The rejoice of belonging to the man you love more than your own life, to have his name entwined with yours for life, just the way your fingers are entwined with his, for ever.

It was an exquisite feeling..

"BUT, He won't ever understand.."

She muttered to herself.

He was ASR, who believed he was the Master of the Universe!

For whom saying few simple words like "Happy Birthday" to the woman he claimed to love, seemed implausible.

She sighed and came out of her deep thoughts and her sight shifted to the red saree gifted by that same ASR.. The same Arnav.. Her HUSBAND.

She loved it.. She loved every bit of it..

..Why wouldn't she?

It was chosen by him.. FOR her..

But only if he could confess.. TO her.. Rather than playing a game of "hide and seek"..

" Pal mein Shaitan ..Pal mein Rajkumar"..

She was all alone in the house but her mind was occupied by his thoughts.

Why was it so.. ?

That every time he was near.. She would pretend as if she doesn't care.

But every time, he would be away.. She would die for just a glance of him?

'Nafrat Paas aane na de.. Mohabbat door jane na de'

She stood up, taking the saree in her hands and went to the washroom to change her clothes and just for a fraction of second, wear the saree.. given by her love, to feel his love.. to know how she looked in it..

*

It took her five minutes and she came out of the washroom.

Standing in front of the mirror, she couldn't set her eyes right to look at her reflection.

To see how she looked.. Because just having the thought in her mind that it was HIS gift to her, made her blush.

..And finally she looked at herself into the mirror..

Never had she admired herself so much before.. than how she was doing now.

RED- the colour of love.. the colour of THEIR love.. His favorite!

She lost the track of seconds passing and couldn't notice that Arnav was already there standing at the door, looking at his beautiful wife.

The one who was glowing like a fairy sent from heaven..

Looking at her, wearing the saree he chose, gave him a contended feeling..

A feeling of happiness, a feeling of satisfaction.. A feeling of being forgiven..

A feeling of having your love reciprocated by the one you love unconditionally.

He remembered the time he first saw her in a red saree..

During AR's photo shoot.

That was then.. And things were so different now.

But something certainly was common.

He couldn't stop staring at her constantly, back then..

And now was no different.

In fact, the intensity was only increasing with every passing second.

*

Arnav entered the room, and Khushi sensing his presence, looked at him.

Their eyes met each other and it seemed time was suddenly frozen.

Khushi didn't know what to say, what to do.

All her pretence would go in vain..

All her behaviour since her birthday, to make him realize, to make him confess, would all go in vain.

She couldn't lose this time.

She couldn't let the mighty ASR win EVERY TIME.

Searching for words, she broke the eye lock and said-

"..Umm.. You? Here? Weren't you supposed to have a meeting today and come home late?"

"The meeting got over early," replied Arnav instantly, not understanding the sudden change in her gestures.

"Oh I see. Get fresh then, I will arrange dinner for you."

Saying this, Khushi made way for her to go out of the room, but was it easy to evade from the grip of ASR so easily?

Within a fraction of second she was just inches away from her husband, who pulled her holding her wrist, like always.

Arnav- I ain't hungry.

Khushi- Fine, then. Get fresh and go to sleep.

Arnav- Khushi, what's wrong?

Arnav interrogated her, slowly letting go of his grip on her..

His tone was now softer.

Khushi- Nothing is wrong.

She had no words and neither did she want to say anything.

The only thing that was going in her mind was that she had to win this time.

She couldn't bend herself, this easily to the man who would always make her go weak in the knees and give butterflies in her stomach, who would always make her heart beat faster than usual.

"You look beautiful"

Arnav said,while he was about to put forward his hand to move away a strand of hair coming towards Khushi's eyes, but she moved away and said-

"Don't think that I wore this saree at my own will."

Arnav- Then, why did you wear it?

Khushi- ... Because...Because I was to go to this satsang with nani and jiji. And nani came to this room and this saree was lying on the bed and seeing this she said that I shall wear it for the religious gathering today.

Arnav- Really?

He asked with an evergreen smirk on his face.

Khushi- Yes...ummm.. Why would I lie?

Arnav- Then Khushi if that is the case, then why are you still here? Nani and everybody went long back right? Then, Why..did..yo..

Before he could complete his sentence, Khushi said-

"Because I was making jalebis. I was in a bad mood since yesterday, and I guess you know by now, what I do..When my mood is off. So I was making jalebis. And I would leave for the gathering now."

Khushi knew how lame her excuse sounded that too in front of someone as intellectual as ASR.

But what could she do? She couldn't give in this soon, either.

Arnav- Ok. Fine. Then, let's go. I will drop you.

..

Arnav knew she was lying.

He had already overheard Khushi's conversation with Nani in the morning where she had clearly said that she won't be accompanying them for the function, since it wouldn't be a good idea, considering that Anjali would be feeling bad if Khushi went.

But somehow, Arnav liked teasing her and playing with her this way.

And hence, he continued the game.

*

Khushi- No need! I can go on my own.

Arnav- Khushi! Don't try to act smart in everything. It's 8.30 p.m. and its quite late. I will drop you.

Khushi- Why?

".. What why!?" Arnav retorted, confused.

"Why do you care anyways?" Khushi shouted.

"Its my life and hence I decide. Who are you to tell me, what I will, will not do?"

And that's it.

The ASR in Arnav was back!

He couldn't control himself anymore.

Gathering his hands into fists. He fiercely asked-

"What did you just say???

"Exactly what you heard! You are no one to tell me what I should do.. And what I shouldn't."

For a split second, even Khushi questioned herself in the back of her mind.

What was she doing? Was this really herself?

It was not just "Khushi".. But a wife, who wanted answers, who wanted confession, who wanted her husband's realisation.

*

Arnav held Khushi from her shoulders tightly.

"BECAUSE YOU ARE MY WIFE, DAMMIT!!"

He answered curtly to her "why"

"Wife?"

"Yeah right.. A wife for 6 months. Because of a contract marriage!"

Khushi replied, letting go of his grip once again.

She was giving Arnav the taste of his own medicine.

Arnav didn't have words to utter.

He knew that this was the result of his words. Words that he said 2 days back, forcing her, and telling her to stay in RM till the contract was over.

Though, the truth was something else. Because he would never want her to leave.. But for Khushi, those words came as the truth.

Trying hard to utter some words, he came forward, but Khushi went out of his reach, some steps away.

"Its ... n...not the truth Khushi...Its not.." He finally spoke.

"Then what is the truth?" She questioned him again..

The t...tr..truth is that.. I don't want you to leave... because... I...I.."

He hesitated..

..And he stopped there.

For once Khushi felt elated for his efforts at least, but then again, he shattered her hopes.

Feeling helpless, she said.. she was leaving for the satsang and went away from the room.

*

Arnav felt restless, knowing that he had hurt her once again.

But on the other hand, he knew that Khushi won't be leaving for the satsang, considering the nani-khushi talk in the morning.

But Khushi went out of the Raizada Mansion.

She wanted to spend sometime alone.

She wanted to go to buaji's place and for once, get out of the turmoil that she was going through.

She was calling for a cab but it was already quite late but Khushi was Khushi. She was headstrong.

And right now, a part of ASR was imbibed in her.. in the form of EGO..

She said to him that she was to leave for satsang, so she HAD to..

*

After 10 minutes, Arnav freshened himself and was looking for her.

But to his surprise, she wasn't there. He searched for her everywhere. But no, his efforts were futile.

"Did she really go to that satsang?" He wondered.

"But its too late."

He was worried.

He rushed to take his keys of the SUV and called up Nani at the same time.

"Nani, is Khushi supposed to come to that gathering?"

"No, Arnav bitwa. She is at home. You aren't home yet?" She enquired.

"No, nani.. not yet. I'm on my way back home"

Saying this, he hung up. He knew he lied, but there wasn't any other choice.

He geared up his SUV at full speed and by now, he knew that she could only go to Buaji's place.

He changed his course in the direction of Laxmi Nagar, meanwhile his eyes kept looking for her in the empty roads.

He tried calling her cell, but it was switched off.

He drove faster..

His heartbeats became faster at the same time.

..And ultimately, his eyes found her.. walking on the road.. at the extreme left corner.

And he felt an endless stream of emotions flood in his veins.

*

She didn't go that far in that 10 minutes.

She couldn't.

He sighed a relief and applied the brakes in full fledge making his car screech and finally come to halt.

The sound made Khushi stop and for a second she got scared, for, she was all alone..in that deserted road.

Until she found him, coming out of the car in anger that knew no limits.

In a super speed, he approached towards her and held her tightly.

*

"What do you think of yourself? At this hour of the night, you are walking alone in this deserted place? You LIED to me about going to the satsang. And here you are, walking like a free spirit. WHY THE HELL? Answer me DAMN IT!"

Arnav couldn't control himself.

He was fuming with anger.

Not because she lied or she defied him. But because, he was possessive about her.

There was no way, absolutely no way to deal with that part of ASR, that part of Arnav.

And Khushi knew this very well by now.

ASR and Arnav maybe the same person.

But they had different qualities.

Yet, this one characteristic of Arnav Singh Raizada and just Arnav bound the two radically different personalities together.

And that was the "possessiveness" for Khushi.

"Why? Why does it bother you? When I'm the reason for all the problems in your life and all the worries. When you regret even meeting me ever. Then why should you care?"

Khushi spoke, trying to get out of his grip, but her attempts were fruitless.

.

And just then it started raining.

The loud thunders and the endless lightening.

It was completely dark, only the light from the lightnings in the sky made them visible to eachother.

.

.

.

"Because .. I LOVE YOU!!!!! DO YOU GET ME? I BLOODY LOVE YOU!! And NOONE ELSE IN THIS WORLD APART FROM ME HAS ANY RIGHT ON YOU. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"ONLY I CAN TOUCH YOU. I CAN HURT YOU. I CAN LOVE YOU!"

"Mrs. Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada.. You are ONLY mine..!!"

Arnav bursted out without any pause.

Khushi was flabbergasted and couldn't stop staring at him in astonishment without even blinking her eye for a second.

She was speechless..

Was this the same man, who stammered to say the words "Happy Birthday?"

Was it the same man, who gave her a gift worth Rs. 2 lac but didn't have the guts to wish her?

.. He won.. She lost.. She won.. He lost..

Her mind knew no answers.

It wasn't a battle anymore.

THEY won.. THEIR love won..

And that is all she could gather in her mind..

Arnav brought her closer to him..

So close, that there wasn't a chance for her to escape. And finally, he surrendered himself to the woman he loved like crazy.

His lips finally met hers.. and he kissed her passionately, while his hands gripped her tightly.

One at her waist and the other on her shoulder keeping her closest to him.

..And for the first time, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada, didn't feel the necessity or urge to step back..like she always did earlier.

She surrendered herself to this man.. The laad governor, the strict Boss, the heartless monster, the mighty ASR..

Her husband.

Her angel..

Her Arnav.

She wanted him.. not only for now, but for ever.

She belonged to him..and she knew it.

And so she reciprocated..

Kissing him with the same passion, as if nothing else mattered to her in this world, apart from being in the safe, protective embrace of this man.

They lost track of time and finally broke the kiss in need of air.

Arnav embraced her in a tight hug.

The one where words didn't matter.

Where the silence answered everything.

The silence, which said their love was forever, and nothing in this world could change that.

Looking at each other, they shared a smile.. and Khushi blushed and started looking downwards, when Arnav lifted her face up by holding her chin, and pulled her close for another kiss.

*

Finally, Arnav lifted her up in his arms and she gripped a tiny spot of his shirt, her favorite spot, every time he picked her up.

He placed her safely in the SUV and ran fast to the driver's seat.

.

The scenario would be something different today..when they would go back to their house.

To their room.. And they both knew that.

There won't be any barrier between them.

Be it the pillows or anything else..

It was going to be a new beginning.. A new start for Mr. and Mrs. Raizada..

Despite speaking no words, they understood and read each other's minds.

While Arnav turned the key and the engine roared into life, only silence spoke volumes.

Khushi placed her head on his chest, the most comforting place in the world, while he placed one hand around her, keeping the other on the steering wheel, driving to Shanti Van, where their new beginning was waiting for them...

**