Part 8:

Before Khushi could say anything Garima started saying "That night, Shashi Ji came to our house and asked me to pack our things, saying we are leaving with you all. I started packing our things. Chutki was fast asleep. I left her on the bed after finishing the packing and came to you all to help you. After helping you all and when Shashi asked me to get everything ready for our move out, I came to my home and saw that Dhruv carrying Chutki in his hands. I couldn't understand what to do. I wanted to alert you all about Chutki but thought you all might have gone off. Before I move from there his men caught me and took me to Dhruv. He asked me about you all threatening to kill Chutki. But I know him well; he never can harm Chutki for anything, because he wanted to use her in his work. So, I thought of make him waste time till Shashi Ji comes. After a long wait Shashi Ji came there" Garima continued saying their horrible experience on that night. Along with Garima, Khushi also shared her past with Raizada-s

Flashback:

"Shashi... you go and bring Chutki. We will wait" said Aran

"No Malik... You all better go from here as early as possible. If Dhruv finds out about your missing it will be problematic. Don't worry, I will manage things here. I will bring Garima and Chutki in another vehicle as soon you leave from here. This is the address you are going to stay for few days. We will meet you there. Go Malik, it's getting late. Please leave..." Shashi urged them. He turned to Garima and asked her to set everything ready for their journey.

"But Shashi uncle..., Choti..." both Arnav and Anjali asked with worry about their Choti.

"Don't worry beta... I will take care of her. I will bring her to you later. For now, you should leave from here. Come on... move" he ushered them to hop the car. After they left from there, Shashi ran to his house to get the shock of his life. Choti is in Dhruv's lap sleeping peacefully keeping her head on his chest and Garima is on her knees crying begging for Khushi.

Shashi stood there rooted to the spot

"Oh there he is... Come... come... please come in Mr. Shashi Gupta... come..." Dhruv welcomed Shashi sarcastically.

Shashi stepped inside in baby steps and with thudding heart. His eyes never left his daughter

"Oh don't worry about her Shashi... she is my daughter from now on. Nobody can take her from me. No more arguments on this. Now, I am coming to the point directly. Where are they? Where did you send them?" Dhruv's question is clear

"I... I don't know what you are talking about. And give my daughter back; you don't have right on her. She is MY daughter... you can never take... AAAHHHHH" Shashi couldn't continue his words as a shooting pain erupted in his leg caused by a bullet. He held his leg and fell on the floor crying in pain. Garima looked at him and his bleeding leg and ran towards him. With all this noises Khushi woken up from the sleep, but before she understand the surroundings and happening with her parents, Dhruv took her out, silently commanding his men to tie Shashi and Garima to the chair and interrogate.

"Where are Amma and Bau Ji Chachu Malik? What are you doing here?"

"Don't worry beta... they went out. You sleep now, and when they will come then you can go with them, okay?" he knew she is completely into her sleep. He knew that she can't ask any more questions because of her dropping eyes. Dhruv made Khushi sleep in another room and came back to the room where Shashi and Garima held, but not before making sure that Khushi won't listen any noises from inside.

"Any answer?" he asked Shashi sitting opposite to him. His man opened the cloth which is tied to Shashi's mouth.

"I don't know what you are talking about Dhruv Malik. AAAAHHHH..." Dhruv's man bet Shashi with a rod on his knees.

"Tsk... tsk... Shashi... why are you taking so much pain for them? See Garima, at least you tell to your husband. You can't live your life without him, right? Your daughter needs father too. Make him understand and tell him to give me the whereabouts of that family"

"What are you talking about Malik? I can't understand! Shashi Ji... what is it about he is asking?" Garima's asked

Garima's innocent expression made Dhruv anger to rise to next level.

"I'm warning you. If you don't tell me about Aran and his family, then you have to forget about your life" he warned Garima

"I don't know... if I knew also I don't tell, because I don't want to" Garima is adamant.

Seeing her firm expression, Dhruv lost his control and held her by her hair and slapped her hard. Not getting any answer from her, he pushed Garima towards the wall making her head hurt badly. Dhruv turned to Shashi and asked him last time. When he didn't get any information from Shashi too, he ordered his men to make him answer and left from there.

After facing unbearable torture from Dhruv's men, Shashi lost his conscious. Dhruv's men informed Dhruv about Shashi's condition.

"Garima... see your husband's condition. He is almost dead. If you won't tell me about that family then I will surely kill Shashi. Think before talking..." Dhruv threatened

After thinking for some time, deciding something, Garima said "What I will get in return if I say? Would you arrange treatment to my husband and leave us along with our Chutki?" Garima don't know how she got that courage to talk before this evil man.

"Hmm... good deal..." smiling cunningly, Dhruv continued "Okay fine... I will agree with you" he turned to his men "Take Shashi to the hospital and ask doctors to treat him well" he again turned to Garima "Now tell me where are they?"

"Mumbai... they are leaving to Mumbai... they left after the dinner. I think they would have gone far from here. Their plan is to reach Mumbai before tomorrow afternoon. Aran Bhai sahib wants to meet his police friend in Mumbai. That is what I heard when Bhai sahib and Shashi Ji talking" Garima said trying to get her breath normal.

"Are you sure...?" asked Dhruv not believing Garima.

"Do you really think I will lie to you when my husband in this condition and my daughter is with you?" Garima answered him with a question

Dhruv looked at Garima for few minutes and nodded his head; he commanded some of his men to take both Garima and Shashi to hospital and some of his men to go to Mumbai.

Garima prayed the God silently for helping her in that horrible situation, giving her strength to make a lie to look like a blunt truth and making Dhruv trust her.

She went to hospital along with Shashi, leaving her daughter with Dhruv not having any further option.

Flashback ends

"That night was worst night in Amma's life. The doctors said, all the harassment, beatings and mental pressure have affected Bau Ji's brain and body badly. His body got paralyzed with the beatings and he can never walk again. His legs, hands and back bone were paralyzed. From then he was glued to the bed. He couldn't use his legs or hands for any of his works. After that day I never heard my Bau Ji saying how much he loves me. I never heard him calling me with so much love. I never knew how my Bau Ji was. I never knew how he dealt with the situations. I never knew how strong he is. I never knew what he feels for me. I never experienced my Bau Ji's warmth" tears rolled on her cheeks. Arnav hugged her sideways when she continued saying "Whenever I want to go to Bau Ji, that Dhruv Singh Raizada made some or other excuses and made me stay with him. But at nights I used to sneak out from the palace to the outhouse to meet my parents"

"Amma asked him about leaving us alone and let us go from there. But he bluntly rejected her saying that his men didn't find you all in Mumbai, because Amma gave him wrong information. She tried to make him agree, but he didn't. He said he should punish Amma and Bau Ji for misleading him. So, he started to create MU and distance between me and Amma, Bau Ji. He managed to spoil my mind telling lies about you all. He said you (She pointed Aran) are the reason for my Bau Ji's situation. He said your family was the reason for our problems. Somewhat I believed him, but still I felt there is something amiss. I was confused about how Chote Malik and his family can become that rude. I'm sorry for believing him for some time and little over you all. I think my heart knows that he is filling all lies. One day, when he went out of Lucknow, I got time to talk with my mother for long. That is the time; Amma told me everything about that heartless monster. I was really fought with her for supporting you all. She explained me and made me understand the things. She even bet me for accusing you" Khushi smiled little and continued

"That day I decided to pay him back for his deeds. He made us suffer a lot; he made me opposite to you all. I think I was 16 years that time when first time I heard him shouting at his men for not able to track you all. That was the first time I felt anger, hate, fear, desperateness and more all together at the same moment. I dared to ask him about his planning. I made him trust me that I hate you all and I believed him in your matter. He explained me and then I showed some loopholes in his plan. He was very much happy knowing that I'm willingly helping him to... to... I'm sorry... to kill you all. That time he asked me to stop going to school and learn about the law. He arranged two teachers for me to teach me both the criminal and civil laws. He never allowed me outside the house, saying the men out there are not good. They can harm the innocent girl like me"

"I knew that he is afraid thinking that I might meet you all and will come to know the truth. He wanted to use my brain. He used to say that I'm too intelligent and he wants my help in his business. I agreed whatever he says and I helped him completely with all his deeds and deals and business. I made him trust me completely. I helped him in finding you all. On the other side, I made a team with the people who suffered because of that man. I asked them to work for me to keep you all safe. I made Dhruv to believe that, those men are working in favour for him. He again trusted me. As I studied both the criminal and civil laws, I got to know how to do and what to do and what not. It helped me a lot. With the help of my team, I managed to inform Chote Malik whenever I got the information about Dhruv's plans which may lead to your loss."

"He started the game by using me and I want to end the game using him. But, things got changed and he got doubt about my intentions, my behaviour and my thoughts. So, he arranged few men to follow me wherever I go. I noticed this, but luckily I managed to shift Amma and Bau Ji to the place unknown to them. They followed me wherever I went. All the times except two, I managed to divert them. Those are the two times when I met you both (she said looking at Aman and Arnav) and gave you that information. Yesterday he came to know about my intentions completely. He asked his men to catch me and my family at any cost. So they did. After that you know whatever happened and we are here now..." Khushi stopped there telling about her past life to till day and looked at everyone who is watching her with wide eyes, teary eyes, angered eyes, lovable eyes and concerned eyes.

She smiled at everyone and said "We are fine now... Don't worry..." she assured them. Arnav hugged her tightly sideways

"We are lucky to have you all in our lives Choti. If you are not there I don't know what we would have done" everyone agreed with Arnav.

"Don't say that Chote Malik... you all are good people, nothing will happen to you. God always supports the good"

"What's going on there?" everyone looked at the source of sound. Khushi felt her anger rising every second after seeing the only person she hates – Shyam Manohar Jha. Before anyone can answer him, she herself answered

"What made you think that I will answer your question or I will let others to answer you?" everyone looked at Khushi surprisingly.

Arnav held Khushi when he saw Shyam almost ran to Khushi. But Khushi removed Arnav's hand from hers and stood up to face that Shyam.

Shyam looked at Khushi with so much anger "What did you say?" he gritted his teeth.

But Khushi didn't even flinch a bit. She looked at him in his eyes and said "I think you have an ear problem. It's okay, I will repeat my words. I asked what made you think that I will answer your question or I will let others to answer you. Is the question clear now?"

"How dare you?" Shyam gritted his teeth again

"Don't... don't ask me about my dare, because I won't answer you... actually there is no need to answer you... so, I won't tell you"

"What you won't tell Chutki?"

"Di... Good Morning... I was just asking about you only. But your husband is hell bent to separate us. He is saying he doesn't want me near you and he won't allow me with you" said Khushi pouting cutely making a sad face before Anjali. Everyone in the hall looked at Khushi with surprised eyes

"Don't think about his words Chutki... you know you can come to me whenever you want, right? No one can stop you, not even Chote, okay? Don't worry about anyone. You are my Chutki and you have all the rights to come to me and meet me and talk to me whenever you want. Don't give me that sad expression, I can't see you sad. You are still that innocent 5 year Chutki for me. You have every right on me as my family, may be more than them, umm...? Okay?" Anjali said holding Khushi shoulder and looking at her face

"But... Jijaji is not allowing me" Khushi said in low voice which sounded as if she is on verge of crying.

Hugging Khushi Anjali said "Aww... meri Chutki... meri bachi... Don't worry about jijaji words... he don't know how important you are to me, to Chote and to this family"

"But that doesn't mean he can scold me when I want to meet you all" Khushi said again in low voice

Smiling at Khushi Anjali said "I will tell him. From now onwards he won't say anything to you. Okay?" getting a nod from Khushi she continued "Then, you change that expression now. I want to see that beautiful smile on your face always. If you stay sad, my day won't be good. Come on... smile"

Khushi gave a big smile to Anjali and hugged her tightly. Khushi looked at Arnav and winked with a victory smile on her face making Arnav roll his eyes and controlling his smile biting his lower lip. He is a proud man now... because of his Choti

"She is too dangerous. I have to be careful. Otherwise, she will surely make me her slave. I don't want to be a slave to an innocent yet intelligent kid" said Aman in low voice only for Arnav to hear.

...to be continued