Chapter 19

Khushi engrossed in the story, looks at him expectantly: So did you confess your love for me then or did I confess first? Is that when we had our happy ever after?

A voice booms from behind startling both Khushi and Arnav: No Chutki. That’s when your worst nightmare from hell began.

Khushi and Arnav turn around to see a furious VJ is standing there with the Gupta and Raizada family as well as her nurse, Lacy.

Khushi asks confusedly: What do you mean Big B?

Arnav moves to VJ threateningly: How dare you come to my home uninvited? Get out before I throw you out.

VJ snarls to ASR: Gladly. Let go Khushi and we won’t even bother darkening your door again.

Arnav stands in front of Khushi barring her from VJ and snarls back: Don’t you dare even look at her.

VJ clenches his teeth: Why don’t we let her make her own decision? Or is that a foreign concept to you? I guess kidnapping and forceful imprisonment is the only way you can get any woman?

Arnav snarls: Shut up.

Then he turns to Khushi and grabs her hands: Khushi, don’t listen to him. Please trust me. I love you and I’ll never hurt you again. I can’t live without you.

VJ looks at Khushi and tells her: Before you make any decision Chutki, may be you should hear the rest of the story.

Then VJ proceeds to tell the rest of the story to a frozen Khushi from the misunderstanding to the kidnapping where she got shot.

When the story was completed, there was a stunned silence. Khushi didn’t even blink for a few moments.

Then she slowly releases her hands from Arnav’s tight grasp.

Arnav clenches his hands tight around hers, then slowly let’s her go as his heart pounds in fear of losing the one thing that matters the most to him.

Khushi slowly walks to VJ and tells him: Big B, I’m not saying that you are lying. But if what you are saying is the truth, then why am I getting memories of a different wedding?

Arnav’s eyes frowns as he tries to understand what’s going on.

VJ asks confusedly: What are you talking about, Chutki? I hired a private investigator myself and they gave me all the information with proof. How can you remember differently?

Khushi frowns as she rubs her forehead which starts pounding again: I remember how he proposed to me and our engagement. In fact I remember our Mehendi, Sangeet, Haldi. I even remember our wedding and our first night. We had an accident on the way back from the garden where we spent our first night together.

Arnav’s eyes widen with surprise. Khushi is talking about the dream he had when he was in coma.* But if that was all a dream or hallucination of his, then how is that Khushi’s memory?

He looks at Lacy and sees her looking at him, solemnly.

*Reference: Prequel to First Forward - Rewind. (Link on the right) 

Those who forgot the story, I suggest you give it another read because from now on, the story will have a lot of link ups from the prequel.

Chapter 18

Living Room, Shaantivan:

VJ says: We need to go to Lucknow. I will book flight tickets.

Anjali stops him: There’s no need. We have a travel agent who books chartered flight for family vacations. I will call him and book us a chartered flight. It’s the least we can do.

Then she picks up her phone and books a chartered flight to Lucknow. 

Sheesh Mahal, Lucknow:

Khushi screams in rage: YOU…

Then she pushes Arnav away in anger.

Arnav tries to calm her down: Calm down Khushi. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry.

Khushi’s head starts pounding with a killing headache.

She screams in frustration: How did I get here? (Then she thinks about the kidnapping) Did you kidnap me? And Big B? How is he? Did you kidnap him too?

Arnav says: No, I didn’t kidnap your Big B. My men informed me that he is perfectly fine. I just wanted to talk to you.

Khushi presses her hand to her pounding temple: And you’d kidnap me because you wanted to talk to me? Are you crazy?

Arnav looks at her in concern: Khushi, are you okay?

Khushi looks up at him in anger: No, I’m not okay. I go out with Big B and suddenly a couple of stranger make me unconscious and kidnap me. So no, I’m not okay.

I wake up in a strange home in Lucknow. So I’m not okay.

The kidnapper turns out to be crazy cousin of my brother-in-law and I don’t know how worried my family would be right now. So I’m not okay.

And if you think I won’t press charges for this kidnapping attempt just because you are my brother-in-law’s family, then you are not okay either.

Arnav gets angry: Look, if you want to send me to jail, go ahead. But I couldn’t let that VJ take you away from me. You are mine.

Khushi screams: Are you nuts? I’m not your possession. You can’t just pick up people like that. Who the hell do you think you are?

Arnav stalks to her and grabs her arms in bruising grip: I’m your husband and you belong to me.

Khushi gets very still and asks faintly: What did you say?

Arnav relaxes his grip on her arms and says softly: Khushi, we are married. You are my wife. I’m sorry for not telling you anything before. But when you came out of coma, you forgot everything that happened last year and the doctor told us to take it slow. So we kept quiet. But I couldn’t let VJ take you away from me. You are my life and I love you.

Khushi gets still after hearing Arnav's confession. Arnav was starting to get worried when Khushi asks softly: Then everyone knew that we were married, except me?

Arnav pulls her in his arms: Yes, Khushi. Everyone knew. But we all love you and we didn’t want to lose you again. I’m so sorry, baby.

Khushi starts sobbing in Arnav’s shirt: I’m so sorry I can’t remember.

Arnav rubs her back soothingly: It’s okay honey, it’s okay. I love you enough for both of us.

Khushi looks up at Arnav with tear-filled eyes: Would you tell me about us? How did we meet? When did we fell in love? Everything from the beginning?

Arnav smiles softly: Yes, I will tell you. In fact, I will show you. We actually met where we are standing right now. It’s funny how our life came back a full circle…

Then Arnav starts telling Khushi their story, none of them realizing how the time flew.

When Arnav reaches to the time of Payal and Aakash’s wedding day, he pauses.

Khushi engrossed in the story, looks at him expectantly: So did you confess your love for me then or did I confess first? Is that when we had our happy ever after?

A voice booms from behind startling both Khushi and Arnav: No Chutki. That’s when your worst nightmare from hell began.

Chapter 17

Lucknow, India:

Khushi opens her eye in the city of her birth, her childhood, her heart… LUCKNOW…

At first, her disoriented self looks at the city confused; then her eyes widen in panic as she remembers that she is not supposed to be here… She was in Delhi on her way to have lunch with Big B. 

She whirls around in panic and starts running through the wide corridors. But as she runs, long buried memories of being chased increases her anxiety.

She vaguely hears her name being called and runs faster to get away from it.

Suddenly an arm grabs her and whirls her around. Her back hits a pillar and her startled tear-filled doe eyes looks up in panic to see a pair of very familiar caramel coloured eyes looking at her.

Khushi screams in rage: YOU…

Living Room, Shaantivan:

VJ sneers at Aakash: Would you like to do the honours of sharing your bhai’s deeds or shall I?

Aakash sits down on the couch in shock and shakes his head. Payal tries to console him.

Anjali asks anxiously: Will someone tell me what’s going on here?

Garima also asks: Vishal, what are you talking about? Is it about Khushi?

VJ nods his head curtly: Yes, it’s about Khushi. In fact, what I am about to tell you is something you may find hard to hear. But you all need to know what Khushi has done for all of you.

Then he narrates the whole story that his investigators found out.

After he finishes, there is a pin-drop silence in Shaantivan. Everyone seems to have turned into stone.

Buaji breaks her silence first: I always thought Sanka Devi was crazy. But now I know she is. Because only a crazy woman like her destroys her own life for people as selfish as us.

Garima starts sobbing: What have I done? I will never be able to forgive myself.

Shashi slowly raises his hand and holds Garima’s hand.

Garima looks at her husband in surprise: You knew all this time, didn’t you?

Shashi nods tearfully.

Garima breaks down on his lap.

Shashi slowly pats her head.

VJ says: He knew more than everyone. He found out about Shyam first, but Shyam caused his accident to keep his mouth shut.

Anjali looks up in shock: So that’s what he was trying to tell me when we went to his place to talk about Payal and Aakash’s wedding.

She starts crying: How could I have been so blind?

Mamiji holds her: We were all fooled by him, Anjali bitiya. Not just you.

Naniji looks up sharply: Yes, but the only person who paid for our stupidity was Khushi. So that doesn’t excuse us. We were all feeling high and mighty when we thought we forgave her for her mistake of running away with Chotey. But it turns out, we should have been asking for forgiveness for misunderstanding her.

Naniji walks to Shashi and says: I don’t know if you can ever forgive me, but I am sorry for my grandson’s mistakes and I am sorry that your daughter paid such a huge price. But I promise you that when she comes back, we will ask for her forgiveness and her wish and no matter what she decides, we will accept it.

Shashi nods gratefully.

VJ says: Yes, but where is she and why isn’t there any ransom call yet?

Mamiji says: We should have got some contact from kidnappers by now. It’s been almost 8 hours since the kidnapping. It’s like the kidnappers don’t need anything from us.

VJ’s eyes gleam: You are right. The only reason the kidnapper didn’t call is because he got what he wanted.

Mamiji gets confused: What do you mean? What could the kidnappers want that they won’t even make a ransom call?

VJ turns to Mamiji: The kidnapper wanted Khushi and he got her.

Mamiji gets even more confused: Why would the kidnappers want Khushi?

This time Anjali answers: Because the kidnapper is Chotey.

Mamiji exclaims: What? But how can you say that?

Anjali answers: Think about it Mamiji. I called Chotey informing him about Khushi’s kidnapping. But not only he is out of town, he didn’t even call me to ask about Khushi. Chotey loves her more than anything else in this world. He used to go crazy when Khushi used to come late for work and that was when he didn’t even know that he loved her. Now he knows that he loves her, do you think he could have waited calmly while she is missing?

Mamiji nods slowly: But where could he have taken her?

VJ turns to Anjali: He couldn’t have taken her out of the country without a passport. That means they are in India. How many places have you got in India?

Anjali says: Other than Delhi, we have a bunglow in Mumbai and our ancestral property in Lucknow. That’s it.

VJ thinks for a moment: He would require a flight to go to Mumbai. It would be difficult to sneak in an unconscious woman on a commercial flight without grabbing unnecessary attention. So, he must have taken her to your ancestral property in Lucknow. Where is it?

Anjali replies with a small smile: Of course Chotey would take her there. Because that’s where it all started – Sheesh Mahal.

Chapter 16

Shankar Road, Delhi:

VJ hears some pounding noise on his car window which wakes him up. He opens his eyes and sees a police officer was pounding the window of his car.

At first, he looks around in confusion wondering what he was doing in his car in the middle of the road. Then his memory comes back of the couple and the lift, followed by sharp pinch on his hand where the needle pierced him. He scrambles up and opens the window.

The police officer sneers: Hello sleeping beauty… Had your nap? You couldn’t find a better place than road side to catch on your beauty sleep?

VJ opens the door and gets out frantically, but stumbles as dizziness hit him.

The police officer catches him before he falls: Are you drunk?

VJ looks at the police officer in panic: Inspector, you have to help me. I was drugged and left here and my friend, Khushi has been abducted. I don’t know what has happened to her. We need to find her.

The police officer frowns and calls the nearest police station: Pandey, send some officer here. We have a case of kidnapping.

VJ paces restlessly by the side of the road and frantically runs his fingers through his already mussed hair. Then suddenly he remembers Khushi’s family. He runs to the police officer and asks: Can I borrow your phone? I need to call Khushi’s family.

The police officer gives him his cell phone. VJ makes a call.

Living Room, Shaantivan:

Naniji was worried as Khushi or her family haven’t called yet: I wonder why Garimaji hasn’t called yet about Khushi bitiya leaving with VJ. Payal, did you talk to your mom today?

Payal shakes her head: No, Dadiji. Until we know the truth behind Khushi’s marriage, I thought we should keep it to ourselves. I know Khushi will be safe with VJ bhaiyaa.

Suddenly Anjali’s phone rang.

Anjali frowns seeing VJ’s no. but picks up the phone: Hello?

VJ: Hello… Anjali? Can I speak to Payal please? I don’t have her contact no. in Delhi.

Anjali frowns at his frantic tone: Ok.

Anjali gives the phone to Payal: Payal, its VJ for you.

Payal takes the phone: Hello VJ Bhaiyaa, what is it? Is Khushi okay?

VJ’s voice trembles in pain: Payal, Chutki has been kidnapped.

Payal stands up in shock and screams: What?

The rest of the family stands up in alarm seeing Payal’s reaction.

Payal chokes out: What are you saying, VJ bhaiyaa… How did it happen?

VJ narrates the incident and tells her: Payal, don’t you worry. I will find Chutki even if it means I will have to go to the end of the world. I won’t let anything happen to her. I’m now talking to police. Once I complete the formalities here, I will come to your home. Please call your family and ask them to meet us there.

Payal replies in trembling voice: Okay VJ bhaiyaa.

Then she hangs up the phone.

Naniji asks worriedly: What happened Payal?

Payal starts crying and narrates the story.

Mamiji gasps: Oh my God, I hope Khushi bitiya is okay.

Naniji wipes her tears: I hope so too.

Anjali thinks of her brother: Chotey will be so worried. I should call him.

She picks up the phone and calls Arnav while Payal calls her family from her cell phone.

Anjali reaches Arnav’s voicemail, so she leaves an urgent message.

Payal asks her family to join them in Shaantivan, narrating the incident.

Later that night, VJ arrives after completing all formalities. As soon as HP opens the door, everyone rushes to him and starts asking questions.

VJ halts their questions and tells them that police is on it and hopefully they will get the kidnappers soon.

Anjali asks worriedly: But why would anyone kidnap Khushiji?

Mamiji answers: Because Khushi bitiya is Arnav Singh Raizada’s wife. May be they are after money.

Aakash replies: If they are after money, then we should get a ransom call soon. Di, did you tell bhai that Khushiji has been kidnapped?

Anjali nodded: I tried to call him. But I couldn’t reach him so I left an urgent voice message. I also called Aman and let him know what happened.

VJ suddenly becomes alert: And where is ASR, Anjali?

Anjali frowns: Aman said that he is out of station for a contract.

Aakash frowns trying to think which contract has forced ASR out of Delhi.

VJ stalks to Aakash with a deadly stride: Aakash, isn’t it surprising that your bhai, who claims to love Chutki so much, has not even called to ask what is going on when the so-called love of his life has been kidnapped?

Aakash frowns: What do you mean? Bhai loves Khushiji very much. We have all seen it.

VJ sneers: And how far is he willing to go for that love?

Aakash gets angry: Mr. Vishal Jaiswal, you are making accusations that don’t have any proof. Please show us proof if you have any, otherwise please refrain from making accusations against my family.

VJ snarls: You want proof? Fine.

He stalks to the table where he dropped a file, grabs the file and stalks back to Aakash: Why don’t you read the file, Aakash? And share the information with your and Khushi’s family members?

Aakash opens the file and starts reading it. As he goes through the pages, his hands start trembling and tears start to fall from his eyes.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in India:

ASR listens to Anjali’s voicemail and then deletes it. Then he turns to look behind him where Khushi was sleeping on a massive bed.

He walks to her and softly caresses her cheek. Then he bends to kiss her forehead before leaving the room silently.

The soft butterfly caress wakes up Khushi. She opens her eyes only to close it again as a mild headache hits her temple. She rubs her temple slowly and then looks around again confused.

Then she remembers what happened and she jumps out of the bed in panic. She rushes to the window and what greets her eyes leaves her speechless…

In front of her eyes, is the cityscape she knows by heart… The city of her birth, her childhood, her heart… LUCKNOW…