Dark Paradise Chapter Thirty Seven

Khushi practically ran towards the doors of Shantivaan, feeling as though her feet weren't carrying her fast enough. Her mind flooded with memories of when she'd seen Arnav collapse previously when his sugar levels had dropped. That in itself had nearly scared her to death, now she knew he was ill but she didn't know why and she didn't know what state she was in. She pushed the doors open and ran in when her foot hit something hard. She looked as she saw the copper jar fall, scattering rice on the ground. Khushi looked at it confused, what was this doing here? Then she heard it, Arnav cleared his throat, Khushi looked up to see him standing proud on the stairs of his home. Khushi was half-shocked and half-angry. She should have suspected something was up. Arnav practically skipped down the stairs, that's how excellent his health was. The smug smile was clear on his face. He walked up to Khushi who looked away.
"Maine kahata na? Tum yahaan keeche chale ayegee. Apke phir se swagaat hoon ghar main, Khushi." He said softly to her and Khushi couldn't control herself any longer. She focused all her anger as she took her hand and smacked it across Arnav's face. He looked back at her with rage and shock.
"Aapko zara sa bhi khyaal hai khi main kiss haal main thi? Main joh three months pregnant hoon, yahaan bhaage dhoree ayeen si, main jiske sassein tumnewali thi, tumhare liye, kyunki main daargaye thi woh bhi ek mazaaq ki liye..." Khushi said disgustedly and Arnav looked at her with anger.
"Tumne aur kya chaara chora mere liye? You wouldn't come back after all my appeals so I got you back here by hook or crook." He said as though he'd not done anything wrong. She grabbed him by the collar.
"Aapko yeh saab ek khel samjake rakha hai? Main itne daargaye thi khi main tunko bataa bhi nahi sakti. Aur tum ho khi..." Khushi couldn't even finish her sentence as hot tears began to run down her cheeks, she let go of him and looked away as she frantically wiped away her tears.
"Oh shit." Arnav muttered to himself as he realised how much he'd actually terrorised his wife by doing this drama. That's the last time he listens to Di when it comes to Khushi. He walked over to her and turned him to face her. "I...I'm sorry Khushi." He said and Khushi looked up at him. "I didn't mean to get you so upset. I didn't think you would get so worried." He said and Khushi shot him another shocked look.
"You thought I wouldn't be worried? Arre khab tumhaare samaj main ayega? I LOVE YOU, YOU IDIOT! Of course I'd be worried! Main tumhari patni hoon, dushmaan nahi!" She shouted at him and even though she was throwing insults at him Arnav didn't care because she'd said she was his wife and that she loved him. "Aur apko kya laga, ki when I see you're fine I'd be so happy that I'd just stay here? Wrong. Main jaari hoon." Khushi said as she turned to leave.

"Rukho Khushi bitiya." Said a familiar voice and Khushi turned shocked.
"Buaji, app...yahaan?" She asked as her Bua and the rest of her family came into the living room from the dining room with the rest of the Raizada family in tow. "Yeh hum saab ka plan tah, toh aggar tum Arnav Bitua se rhooti hoon toh hum saab se bhi hoon. Aur ek aur baat abh tum vapaas mere ghar mein nahi asakti." Buaji said and Khushi felt upset. They were all in on this?
"Buaji? Hum kaise-" Khushi began but her mother interrupted.
"Khushi beta, jaab tumhare aur damaatji ke beech mushkilein thi toh humne aapko vapaas annedhe. Lekin abh, tum dono tik hai aur tum Maa baanewali hai, yeh saab tik nahi hai Khushi. Aapko yahaan apne sasuraal main honichaiye." Garima said lovingly as she cupped her daughter's face. Khushi frowned but had to give it to Arnav he had planned this out beautifully, trapping her completely. Tik hai, if he wants her back, if he wants her to stay with her, to look after her during her pregnancy, then she wouldn't stop him...oh no she'd enjoy this. She smiled and squeezed her mother's hands and removed them from her face.
"Tik hai, Umma, Buaji abh hum aur waqt barbaad nahi karegein. Hum yahaan phir se rahogee." She said and everyone smiled. Nani was the first to embrace Khushi, then Anjali, Payal and Akash awkwardly hald hugged Khushi. Then NK drowned Khushi in a strong hug.
"I'm so happy Khushi Bhabi! Aap Nanav ke ghar mein vapaas ayee." He said and Arnav grimaced, Khushi saw this and smiled to herself.
"Arre hum todhi unkeliye kiya, maine to tum sabh ki liye kiya, maine aap sabh ko bohut yaad kiya, khaas ki Laxmiji." Khushi said and everyone started laughing, Khushi snuck a look at her Laad governor who simply stood on the sidelines, letting her say as much rubbish as she wanted. He was content, she was back in the house, that was the first step to getting them back on track, now he just had to earn her trust back. Which, since she'd made such a fuss over this, Arnav could see would be difficult, but there was nothing Arnav Singh Raizada loved more than a challenge. Khushi went to her room to find her stuff had already been shifted over here, she was going to question it but then she remembered this was Arnav Singh Raizada she was talking about "voh toh namumkin koh mumkin banaata." She shook her head and flopped onto the bed, her feet hurt so bad from the amount of running she'd done and she had such a migraine from all the worrying and arguing she'd been doing. All she wanted to do was sleep.

"I guess I won after all." He said smugly as he stood by the poolside entrance to their room. Khushi groaned and closed her eyes trying to block him out. "Oh come on Jaan, its not that bad being back here...with me." He said as he joined her on the bed, Arnav didn't lie down, he leant on the crook of his arm so that he could survey Khushi's face. First she frowned and then opened her eyes and sat up to look him square in the face.
"Har baat haar jeet se link nahi. Kuch baatein toh baas aisi hojate." Khushi said and Arnav looked back at her confused. "Maine samajdari ki kadam utaya yahaan vapaas aanein mein. Meri kohi haar nahi hoi, toh tumhara jeet kaise hua?" She asked and Arnav was stumped, if she didn't see this as a loss then he didn't win did he? He smiled.
"Tik hai, you've got me there, but you did what I wanted in the end didn't you?" He asked and Khushi smiled.
"The rest of the family wanted this also, that doesn't mean I did it just for you. In fact you didn't cross my mind while making this decision." She lied, Arnav could tell, Khushi always went overly flamboyant with her gestures when she lied. He smiled to himself and turned to her as he touched the cheek Khushi had slapped.
"You know Khushi, I'll remember that slap always." He said and Khushi smiled.
"Patta hai, it must have hurt a lot." She said, smiling.
"No I didn't really feel the pain, I focused more on the emotions behind it. What was it you were saying? I love you...I'm you're wife of course I care, or something like that." He said with a knowing smile and Khushi frowned again.
"You left out me calling you an idiot!" She said angrily and he smiled as he placed his arms on her shoulders.
"Yes but you still admitted you still love me." He said and Khushi pulled his arms off of her.
"Love is blind and deaf apparently." She said as she got up, deciding to go to Jiji's room to rest. Arnav smirked.
"Go, go, go. We've got an entire lifetime together for this." He said and Khushi groaned aloud. Oh sure she loved him but not this side of him, if she didn't bring him down a peg or two her name wasn't Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada.

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