34

Khushi

I sat on the bed and immediately looked at the phone as I sensed it vibrating. I have been waiting for Nisha's call for the last five hours.

Walking to the door, I ensure it is locked before receiving the call.

Me: "Are you absolutely sure about it, Nisha? Because my entire plan relies on this one crucial information being right."

Nisha: "I am sure, Khushi. Vivansh really is Ridvansh's brother. I double-checked everything."

Me: "That's good. And what about the other thing? Did you talk with the doctors in the hospital and asked them to prepare the documents?"

Nisha: "It's all done, Khushi. You can move ahead with the next step of your plan."

Me: "Are you sure they won't double-cross us? What if Ridvansh went there and threatened them? They might start singing about you being the one who coerced them into doing it."

Nisha: "I have shut their mouths with the money they requested. Also, I have threatened to call the police if they ever derailed from the story. They did not call the police when you and your parents were admitted there after the accident. They chose to skip that part due to Ridvansh's threats and Arnav's money. Even the director of that hospital is on the plan with us because he does not want to get embroiled in any controversy. All he wants is to be done with it."

Me: "Thank you for doing all this for me, Nisha. I promise I will return the money you spent on my plan as soon as I leave Rathore Mansion."

Nisha: "Don't worry about that, Khushi. Do what you have to. And once you are out, you must give me exclusive rights to tell your story. That will help us both."

Me: "That's a deal."

Hanging up the phone, I smiled slightly.

Everything is working perfectly according to my plan, and if this continues the same way, Anjali, Arnav, and Ridvansh will soon get what they deserve.

I have not forgotten Vivansh too. He will also get the punishment for betraying me that day.

I will spare no one—absolutely none.

I school my expression quickly as I hear the knock on the door.

I know it must be Arnav. He had messaged me half an hour back about coming home early so we could go out for dinner.

Yes, that's right. He takes me out now.

After I told him about being ready to give him a second chance three weeks back, he was ecstatic, but it took him a week to relax around me. It took him another week to genuinely believe I won't run away from him.

That is why he took me out for dinner the night he realized that.

I was surprised when he said that to me. I was guarded, too, because I won't ever trust this man, but I wanted to see how much he had started trusting me.

Because I need to know if he trusts me enough to believe everything I tell him.

As I opened the door, I gave him a warm smile—the one I have perfected in these three weeks.

He smiles back at me and caresses my cheek.

I feel proud of myself when I do not flinch away from his touch.

This has been the most challenging thing to do. Pretending to welcome his touch instead of showing how utterly disgusted I am because of it.

Whenever he touches me anywhere, I want to break his hand first and then peel my skin next. That is how much his touch repulses me.

But I do neither. Instead, I fake my pretend smile to widen and lean into his touch despite nausea that rises within me.

"You have not started getting ready?" He asked as he walked inside the room.

"You said we would leave at 7 pm. It's only 4 pm now," I replied to him as he took off his coat.

Nodding at me, he walks to me. From the look on his face, I know he has something in his mind.

For a moment, I panic. But I try my best not to show it.

I wonder if Arnav somehow has gotten a whiff about my plan.

That's impossible. How would he know?

Still, I recount everything I have done since the night I returned after meeting Nisha. I remember every tiny detail of everything I have done, trying to figure out if I have left any loose ends.

I relax a little when I can't think of any and stare at Arnav as he reaches near me.

"I wanted to ask you one thing. I have been meaning to, but I always get distracted or forget about it," He said, and I frowned at him.

"What do you want to ask?"

"If you have decided to give me another chance, why did you transfer your parents from that hospital? I would never have harmed them until you stayed by my side. So, why do that?" He asked me.

I had known he would ask me this one day or the other. So, I have a perfect reply to the question.

"I did that because I could not afford you to screw our marriage again."

Arnav narrowed his eyes at me. "What do you mean?"

"I know how impulsive you are, Arnav. I sometimes am intrigued by it. Sometimes I even find it endearing. But sometimes, it becomes too much for me.

"I do not know what can set you off, and it scares me. I did not want you to do anything stupid, like hurt my parents when I did something to make you angry. I love my parents and can never forgive you if you harm them again. I love you too much to let anyone mess up our relationship, Arnav. Not even you," I lied convincingly, knowing I had him when his frown smoothened into a warm smile.

Just a smile on my face and warmth in my voice as I look squarely in his eyes and lie to him, and he believes me.

That's the thing about lies, you see. You don't even have to make much effort when they are what the other person wants to hear.

Like right now, I know what Arnav wants most is for our marriage to work. Not only because he thinks he loves me but also because it will make him guilt free of his crime.

If he believed that I, the girl who he had raped and abused mercilessly, have not only forgiven him but also loves him enough to never leave his side, he would never have to feel the weight of his crime again.

That is the reason he eagerly soaks up my lies. The selfish bastard thinks it will absolve him of all his crimes.

If only he knew what I have in store for him.

"Thank you, Khushi, for not giving up on me. You do not know how much joy you have given me by choosing to stay by my side," he says, and I smile at him when all I want to do is scream at him that he never gave me a choice.

But I stay quiet. The time to tell him anything or scream at him is long gone. The only thing left is to punish him, and I will do that.

"But, Khushi, why did you say you didn't want me to hurt your parents again? I have never hurt them," Arnav said, and that surprised me.

"Don't lie, Arnav. I know you hired people to threaten me and my parents and make me return to you. When I refused to do so and started running, that truck deliberately sped toward us and caused the accident," I said and saw he was about to protest.

Before he could do that, I rushed to reassure him. I didn't want him to think I harbored any resentment toward him for the heinous crimes he had committed in the past.

"It's ok, Arnav. I know you did that because you loved me," I cringed inwardly at that but continued speaking. "I have forgiven you for everything, even for trying to kill my parents."

"But, Khushi, I really didn't do what you are thinking I did," Arnav told me, and I believed him this time.

Why would he lie about not doing something even after I said I had forgiven him for doing it?

"But there were four people who—" I was saying, but Arnav interrupted me.

"I agree. I had hired people to get you and your parents back to me. I had planned on keeping your parents locked away somewhere while I convinced you to stay with me for their sake.

"But when those reached there, the accident had already taken place, and as soon as they told me about it, I immediately ordered them to get you all to the hospital.

"That is what happened that day, Khushi. You all getting hit by the truck that day was accidental," Arnav said, and I believed he had no hand in causing that accident.

He didn't have a reason to lie about this.

But I know that accident was not accidental because I had seen Ridvansh that day on the road. The sinister smile he had given me was enough for me to know he was up to something.

It was he who had hired the driver to cause that accident.

Until now, I had been thinking he did it on Arnav's order because Anjali had been in a coma then.

But now, as I think of it, I have only seen Ridvansh with Anjali. Could it be possible that Arnav does not know who Ridvansh is?

There is only one way to find out.

"That night, when Anjali brought you home after you passed out due to drinking, there was another man with her. She said he was her friend.

"Umm, I think his name was Ridvansh. Do you know him?" I asked because if Arnav does not know Ridvansh, it would be much better for my plan. It would be easier to drive a wedge between the siblings.

"I also met him for the first time that night. Anjali introduced him to me because she is considering opening a boutique with him. Why do you ask?"

Hearing Arnav, I almost squealed. Almost.

Because this is perfect.

Perfecting the sad face I have practiced countless times over the past few weeks, I looked at Arnav, blinking my eyes in a way that made it look like I was trying not to cry.

"I had seen him that day, Arnav. He was there when my parents and I had that accident. I thought you hired him," I said to Arnav.

"But why would you think that? You saw him there and just came to that conclusion? It might be a coincidence he was at the same place," Arnav told me, and I shook my head.

I cannot tell him I had seen Ridvansh in the basement with a naked girl.

I cannot tell him I had seen Ridvansh commit a murder that night with Anjali.

Not yet.

It is not yet the time to show Anjali's and Ridvansh's murderous side to Arnav.

So, I go for the lie I have built up to tell Arnav. The one that would cause Arnav to start doubting and possibly mistrusting his sister.

"I thought that because Ridvansh came to meet me when I was admitted to the hospital, Arnav. He was the one who told me to fake memory loss. He was the one who told me to keep my mouth shut about a devastating truth," I began, hoping Arnav would buy my lie.

"Why did he do that? And what truth?"

"The truth about my miscarriage, Arnav. That accident not only caused my parents to go into a coma. It also killed our child, who had been just four weeks old." I faked a sob, smirking inwardly at the devastated look on Arnav's face.