23

Sensitive content ahead. Reader's discretion is advised.

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Khushi

Immediately walking to where Vivansh was standing, I clutched his arm. "What are you doing here, Vivansh?"

"I came to rescue you, Khushi. You have no idea how much I searched for you in the last few weeks. You had said you would return to Mumbai after your sister's wedding, but you did not return months after that.

"So, I got worried for you and called you. But your phone was unreachable. I also called your home number, which you had given me, but that line was also inaccessible. That is why I came to Delhi to find you in your home.

"I was shocked when your neighbors told me that you and your parents have not returned home ever since you all walked out from there on Priya's wedding night. I then searched for you everywhere, Khushi. And finally, I found you." Vivansh finished speaking, and I frowned at him.

"How did you find me, Vivansh?" I wanted to know.

As soon as I asked that question, I saw the mixture of nervousness and anger marring his face. I could not understand why he suddenly had that look, but it certainly made me suspicious.

"Does it matter how I found you, Khushi? The only thing that should matter now is getting you out of this place.

"I know about Arnav, Khushi. I know how he forced you to marry him and how he has been torturing you. That is why I have come to rescue you, Khushi. We need to run away from here," Vivansh said, and instead of being relieved by what he said, I felt the anxiety grow within my heart.

The feeling I get whenever something terrible is about to happen.

Seeing Vivansh, I had been relieved for a while, but now, as I continue hearing him, I cannot help but be wary of his words.

"You are just my batch mate, Vivansh. Yes, we had been good friends in university, but we never shared any close bond. So, why did you come to Delhi to search for me? How did you find out about my forced marriage and abusive husband? And how did you know Arnav is keeping me locked in this house? Tell me, Vivansh."

Vivansh shifted on his feet for a while before looking at me and sighing heavily. Taking my hands in his, he started speaking.

"There is one truth that I have hidden from you, Khushi. The truth about my love for you," he said, and my eyes widened, hearing him. I was about to interrupt, but he did not let me speak.

"Please, Khushi. I have gathered the courage to tell you everything today. So, please, let me confess my love to you properly.

"I was attracted to you when I saw you for the first time in the university. And as time passed, I did not know when that attraction turned into something profound. I, too, did not realize when I fell in love with you. But that is the beauty of love, isn't it? It just happens." Vivansh tightened his hold on my hand as he confessed his love, smiling at me softly.

I continued to peer deeply into his eyes and face but could not find sincerity in them. Even his words sounded hollow to me.

I do not know if Arnav's betrayal and ruthlessness have turned me into this unfeeling person, wary of trusting anyone else. Or if Vivansh is really lying and this is Anjali's or Arnav's plan to break me again.

'There is one way to find out,' I thought and removed my hand from Vivansh's hold.

"How much money were you paid for this, Vivansh? Tell me." I glared at him, and he seemed taken aback by my question.

"What are you saying, Khushi? Why would anyone pay me money?" His voice was loud, making me think if he was being defensive, trying to cover up his guilt.

"You are one of the worst liars I have met to date, Vivansh. Your love confession was pathetic. I know you are a sub-standard student of our batch, but this was below standard even for an average person like you," I said rudely, wanting to see his reaction.

Knowing him for almost two and half years now, I know how emotional Vivansh gets when someone pokes him, calling him an average person.

I had seen him lose control when some seniors used to do this in the university.

Seeing his torn face, I felt guilty and almost apologized to him. But I stopped myself in time.

I need to know if I can trust him. I need to see if he is here to help me genuinely or if all this is a part of someone's plan to ruin me more.

To my surprise, he suddenly hugged me, tightening his hold on me, not letting me even wriggle.

For a moment, I thought he was speaking the truth. That he hugged me because he truly loves me.

Although I felt suffocated due to that hug, for a moment, there was an ounce of relief too.

I know I can never reciprocate Vivansh's love, but I now will have someone who will help me in getting my revenge and help me escape from this hell of Rathore siblings.

I will clarify with Vivansh that I will never be able to return his love, and I will also tell him never to expect anything from me. Then, it will be up to him whether he wants to help me or not. I can only hope and pray that he would agree for the sake of our friendship.

I was startled out of my thoughts when suddenly Vivansh started whispering in my ear.

"I was feeling somewhat guilty for betraying you, but by taunting me, you proved you deserve this, Khushi. You deserved all the pain you got until now and also deserve all the pain you will be getting after this," he said, and I was shocked.

I tried to push him away, but he was too strong for me. The more I pushed, the more he tightened his hold, plastering me against him.

Suddenly, someone from behind yanked my hair and pulled me to him, and Vivansh's hold on me immediately loosened.

"What the fuck were you doing, Khushi?" It was Arnav who had yanked my hair and pulled me away from Vivansh.

"Arnav, I was not...." I started but could not complete my sentence because Arnav let my hair and slapped me hard, making me fall to the floor.

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Third Person's POV

"You... you are Arnav Rathore?" Vivansh pretended to sound surprised even though he knew it was Arnav. After all, he had been shown this man's picture before being sent here.

"How the fuck did you get to this house? And how dare you be alone with my wife inside my bedroom?" Arnav fumed, walking toward Vivansh to punch him.

Realizing what Arnav was about to do, Vivansh immediately started spewing lies.

"Sorry, Sir. But it was your wife who called me here. If you do not believe it, you can check my phone. She used to call me from a landline number, confessing her love to me.

"She had been persistently calling me for the last two weeks, even when I repeatedly told her never to contact me. She insisted that I meet her, and when I refused, she threatened to harm herself and blame everything on me.

"Fearing she would do so, I came so I could make her see reason. But when I got here, she started hugging me, even when I kept refusing. I am sorry to say this, Sir, but I think your wife needs help." Vivansh finished, smirking inwardly at the perfect way he said everything exactly as he was ordered to.

Arnav felt his anger rising with each passing second. Initially, his mind refused to believe this man because he did not want to repeat his mistake. He had believed Niranjan over Khushi back then, and he still feels guilty for committing the mistakes in his misunderstanding.

But as he continued thinking, he felt there could be a possibility of Khushi doing this to get back at him, in the name of getting her so-called revenge on him.

So, he decided to investigate it further. He will thoroughly double-check everything this man said before coming to any conclusion.

"You said Khushi has been calling you for the last two weeks, right?" Arnav asked, and Vivansh nodded.

"Show me your phone then. You must have call records on your phone, correct?"

"Yes, I have all the records on my phone. You can see." Saying that, Vivansh took out his phone and gave it to Arnav after unlocking it.

Arnav gritted his teeth as he checked Vivansh's call log. What he was saying was indeed true.

Vivansh had been called from the landline number of this house. The first time being two weeks back. Since then, many calls have been made from here. Some calls with a duration of one to five minutes, and some calls even had the duration of an hour.

"How dare you go behind my back and do this, Khushi? How dare you cheat on me?" Arnav was barely controlling himself from slapping Khushi again.

Still slumped on the floor with her cheek still stinging due to Arnav's earlier slap, Khushi looked up at Arnav and shook her head.

"All that Vivansh is saying is a lie. But I know you will never believe me. So, think what you want to, Arnav. Anyway, what you think about me does not matter to me anymore," Khushi replied to Arnav and stood up from the floor.

She was about to walk away from there, not wanting to see both men's faces, but Arnav clutched her wrist tightly.

"I know how to find who is saying the truth, Khushi," Arnav said, and hearing him, while Khushi remained calm, Vivansh got a bit nervous.

'He had said Arnav's sister will manage everything. But what if she missed something? If Arnav caught my lie, everything would be over,' Vivansh thought, trying his best not to let his nervousness show.

"SABITA, COME HERE RIGHT NOW," Arnav shouted for his house help.

He had hired Sabita to cook and clean and also to keep an eye on Khushi. He had ordered her to keep Khushi mostly locked inside the room but let her come out at least for an hour or two so she would not feel suffocated being inside the room all day, every day.

So, the only person who would know if Khushi had really been talking with Vivansh was Sabita.

"Yes, Sir? You called me?" Sabita hastily walked inside, looking worried as she saw Arnav glare at her.

"You had been kept in this household not only to cook and clean but also to keep an eye on my wife, weren't you, Sabita?" Arnav asked, and Sabita immediately nodded.

"Then, tell me. Did Khushi spend hours on the phone over the last two weeks? Did you notice her talking to someone over the landline?"

Sabita gulped as she heard Arnav Sir's question. She knows her answer will be catastrophic for Khushi Madam, but she does not have any other choice too. After all, her family is more important to her than anyone else.

"Yes, Sir. Khushi Madam has been spending hours on the phone for the last two weeks. I used to tell her not to do so and even stop her sometimes, but every time she scolded me, telling me that I am a maid and I should not forget my place. She even forbade me from saying anything to you, threatening that it would cost me my job. That is why I kept quiet, Sir," Sabita lied as she was instructed to.

"Get out, Sabita. And take this man out of this house too. You do not need to come to work from this moment onward. Your pending salary will be sent to your account by this evening," Arnav said angrily, and Sabita was surprised. This was not part of the deal made to her.

"But, Sir..." Sabita started to say when she was interrupted by Arnav.

"GET OUT, SABITA," Arnav shouted at Sabita and turned to Vivansh.

"You too get out," Arnav said and held Vivansh's collar, looking threateningly at him. "If I see you around this house or near my wife one more time, I will shoot you dead. Do you understand?"

When Vivansh nodded mutely, cowering under Arnav's raging gaze, Arnav left his collar.

Both Sabita and Vivansh then ran out from there, not glancing back even once.

"Why do you always force me to punish you, Khushi? Why?" Arnav trailed his hand over Khushi's cheek, smirking at the goosebumps he saw erupting over her neck.

No matter how much she says she does not fear him, her body always betrays her by showing its fear.

"I do not fear you or your punishments, Arnav Singh Rathore," Khushi replied, fisting her hands to curb the anxiety she felt due to his touch.

"The goosebumps in your body are saying a different story, Khushi. Anyway, it is not your fear that I will play with today. It is the humiliation that will arise in you after I am done with you."

"What do you mean?" Khushi felt her restless rise due to Arnav's words.

"Well, my slutty wife, I think I could not satisfy you properly. That is why you felt the need to contact another man, isn't it? Well, I intend to fully satisfy you today. I plan to make your body submit to me. I will force you to want the release.

Saying that, Arnav pushed Khushi to the bed, immediately pinning her below him and using the handcuffs on the bedpost to tie her hands to the bed. "Your body's need will humiliate you today, Khushi. If not fear, then I will make your humiliation my weapon to break you. You will never escape me, Khushi. Never."