The Wait - Chapter 28

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CHAPTER 28

KHUSHI ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA

In the dimly lit room, Dhruv's anger simmers beneath the surface.

"You are choosing Arnav over me?" he asks, his voice, edged with frustration, cuts through the tense silence.

I meet his gaze with determination.

"Yes, I am. And I would always choose Arnav over you. Now... and forever."

The atmosphere crackles with the intensity of our confrontation. Dhruv is unable to contain his rage. He clenches his fists tightly and slams them on the table beside him. The impact reverberates through the room, unsettling everything in its wake. I didn’t know he had got a cake too with the words 'I love you, Khushi' delicately scripted on it.

The sudden force of Dhruv's action sends the cake toppling down, a cascade of emotions mirrored in its descent. Startled by the unexpected crash, I glare at Dhruv knowing he is losing his calm.

"Arnav is a better man," Dhruv's voice is almost a growl, punctuated by the rhythmic thud of his fist striking the table again. "Arnav is a good husband. Arnav knows how to run a business. Arnav, Arnav, Arnav..."

The repetition of his words highlights Dhruv's jealousy and resentment, a list of grievances that he can no longer contain. Each word is a forceful declaration of his inadequacies compared to his brother.

"You are right, Khushi. I didn’t come here because I want you back in my life," Dhruv declares with a bitter intensity. "No! I returned because I can’t see you in my brother’s life."

The revelation stings, though it aligns with the undercurrent of insecurity I've sensed in Dhruv since his return. His frustration pours out like a torrent, and I stand there, caught between sympathy and anger for him.

"It’s always been like this. It’s always him over me.. It’s always him in the spotlight. Why?" He reaches me again and grips tightly on my arms, his anguish evident in every word.

"Why Khushi? Why was Arnav always the sensible one? Whenever we fought in childhood, he was always sacrificing for me, becoming the hero, and I would be the villain. The 'good boy' tag was always bagged by him, and I became the bad one. Why?"

His questions hang in the air, seeking answers that the past has buried deep. The pain in his eyes is palpable, his struggle for validation from a family that seems to have placed Arnav on a pedestal echoed through his words.

"My family always considered him to be the most responsible man of the house, and me? Despite being his twin, I was the least responsible one according to them. The one they would never rely on completely. Why? What is my fault in all this? Is becoming a twin of someone so perfect so bad?"

Dhruv's outburst catches me off guard, and the revelation of his deep-seated insecurities about his twin brother Arnav sends shivers down my spine. His grip on my arms tightens, expressing a mix of frustration and desperation, as if he's seeking answers that have eluded him for far too long. I look into his eyes and see a wounded soul yearning for acknowledgment and understanding.

I soften my gaze and place my hands over his, attempting to loosen the vice-like grip on my arms.

"Dhruv, I get it. I can see your pain, and it's not easy. But blaming Arnav or the family won't heal these wounds. You need to let go of this resentment and stop misunderstanding Arnav.”

He looks at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of hurt and vulnerability. The realization that he needs to confront his demons and make peace with his past is a daunting task.

"Your family loves you, Dhruv. And Arnav, he isn't competing with you. He cares for you deeply. Stop needing validation from others,” I continue.

“I’m not seeking validation from others,” he shrugs my arms and steps behind. “Only because we are twins, people’s expectations are similar from us. And I hate that. All my friends loved to hang out with me but they adored Arnav because he was the most sorted one. My girlfriends loved me but never stopped admiring Arnav. There was never any comparison between Akash and me, or Arnav and Akash. Only Arnav and me. By becoming twins people just expect you to be same. If one is best and the other is not, you have to hear their judgements all the time. My own people have put this competitive spirit in me by passing their judgements. And this includes you too, Khushi. Remember when we were dating, you too didn’t leave a chance to instigate me unknowingly how you liked Arnav in suits, his dressing style, his overall conduct. You hadn’t even met him properly and your impression about him was superior than me. I used to feel bad, Khushi. Had I a different face, you or anyone else in that matter wouldn’t have compared us. I would get to live the life freely as a different identity, as Dhruv Singh Raizada and I wouldn’t have become and termed just as the twin of Arnav Singh Raizada. Is this fair? Is this fair on me?”

“It’s unfair, Dhruv, I know. And I am sorry I didn’t realize you were that hurt when I used to playfully say all that about Arnav to you. I wasn’t demeaning you or trying to put you down or compare you two. I just …” I pause as tears cloud my vision. I cannot even fathom what Dhruv had been thinking and undergoing all this while.

He looks at me and sighs.

“Nothing you say now will matter anymore, will it??” He asks. “Because the truth is that you have made your decision. You want Arnav and you are happy with him more than you were with me. Why? Because I couldn’t be the best boyfriend but he is the best husband to you.”

I shake my head in disappointment. He is taking my love for Arnav in the wrong way.

“Don’t let people’s judgements come in between your relationship with your brother, Dhruv? Arnav has never looked down upon you. He adores you, he loves you.”

“I loved him too,” Dhruv snaps. “But what has he done to avoid such circumstances from happening?”

“Maybe he doesn’t realize this. When you were undergoing such turmoil and deeply affected, why didn't you confide in him? Why didn't you ask the family, Dhruv, to cease comparing between the two of you? I'm certain they would have understood your pain. You didn't take the right step back then, and you allowed this resentment to fester in your heart for far too long.”

“Yeah, me. I am again the one who did the wrong. And he is the innocent one.” He claps. “This competition would never end, Khushi. And look what I have done. Today I myself have proved that I will always be the bad one.”

I stare at him in disbelief. What is he talking about? There are tears in his eyes as he looks back at me.

“I knew no matter how much I tried you wouldn’t leave Arnav so I did exactly what a bad boy like me should have done in this situation.”

My heart skips a beat. What has he done?

“I sent our affair pictures to everyone in the family. The pictures of us in London.”

“Dhruv” I shout in anger.

“Sorry, Khushi. I shouldn't have, but I did it. To prove to all of you that I give up. That I accept the label of being the wrong one always between me and Arnav. I am sorry.”

He leans down and picks up the sharp knife placed next to the cake on the table, which fell when Dhruv punched his fists on the table.

"I wish I hadn't done that, but now the entire family might know about us. And with you still choosing Arnav over me, it has left me with nothing."

He points the knife at his wrist, and my heart pounds in my chest.

"Do you know what happens to the bad boys at the end of the story?" he asks.

"Dhruv, don't," I shout, taking a step forward, but he moves a step back, maintaining our eye lock.

"They die, Khushi. And Dhruv Singh Raizada will have to die so that this stops. So that this chain of competition between me and Arnav stops. I have to die."

"Dhruv, no!" I lunge forward the same moment he's about to cut his wrist. We both wrestle for the knife. I won't let him die because of his foolishness. Dhruv is too strong for me to stop him, but I don't stop trying to wrest the knife from him.

"Khushi, move! You will hurt yourself. Just let me go," he yells.

"No... I am not letting you die, Dhruv. Just give me the knife."

The wrestle continues and I give in all my strength to stop Dhruv. When he realizes that I might be successful in grabbing the knife from him, Dhruv pushes me hard to leave him. A sharp pain shoots in my arm as I stumble behind.

“Khushi…..” Arnav’s voice echoes in my ears.

But why can’t I see him? Everything begins to turn dark before my eyes. What’s happening? I look down at my arm where the pain level keeps on elevating every second. My wrist… It’s slit by the knife. I am … I am bleeding.

“Khushi,” Arnav scoops me in his arms before I collapse. “Khushi, hold on.”

I don’t know what to say, what to do. My body is giving up. My eyes are closing.

“Khushi stay awake, Please.. Please baby. For me,” Arnav says swinging me into his arms and rushing to the main door.

And everything blacks out!!

ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA

“Drive fast, Mohan,” I scream at Mohan who is driving the car who accelerates the vehicle. “Khushi” I pat Khushi’s cheeks but she’s passed out.

She’s still breathing, giving me hopes that my wife will be alright. I have tied her slit wrist with a scarf but the blood just doesn’t stop.

“Khushi please baby. Don’t give up. I need you. Don’t give up on me. Please..” I plead, kissing her forehead, pulling her almost lifeless form close to my heart.

How could I let this happen? Wish I had reached home a few minutes earlier, then I would have stopped this madness. My Khushi would have been fine and Dhruv… I don’t even wish to think about him right now. If anything happens to Khushi today, I am not forgiving Dhruv ever. He will pay for doing this to my innocent wife.

When Di told me that Khushi didn’t attend the event with the family and even Dhruv made an excuse, I knew something was wrong. I left from the office for home, dialing Khushi but she didn’t answer and later her phone was switched off. When I reached the mansion, the lights were out and it scared me again. Why weren’t the generators working? This never happened before which only meant that someone had purposely disconnected the generators from automatically turning on when the lights goes out. And who else than Dhruv would do this? I almost stormed inside the house in search for Khushi. When I entered the living room, I saw Khushi and Dhruv wrestling for something… a knife. Before I could reach them, Dhruv pushed Khushi away and that action led to Khushi’s wrist getting slit. That was a moment of terror for me to watch my wife bleeding before me. I would never forget that scene. Never!

The car comes to a screeching halt before the emergency unit of the hospital. I get down with Khushi in my arms and sprint inside.

***************

An hour later

“Chotte,” Di and Shyam storm towards me with the rest of the Raizada and Gupta family.

“How’s Khushi?” Shyam asks, worried for his sister.

“She’s unconscious. They are treating her,” I reply in a pale voice.

Di hugs me tight, feeling my pain. And I break down.

“I need her, Di. I can’t see Khushi in pain. It’s all my fault.”

“No its not your fault, Chotte,” Di pulls me away and cups my face. “Khushi was saving Dhruv from harming himself. She was brave enough to do so. God will not let anything happen to her. Just be patient. Nothing will happen to your Khushi.”

The family surrounds us and I don’t have words to assure them. Dhruv had shared the pictures of his and Khushi’s past affair with both the families. I got to know that from Akash who was with the family at the event when this happened. My twin brother has crossed the lines. I am not bothered that the family now knows about their past, I am hurt that he could go to this extent to break Khushi and my relationship, to portray Khushi and me in the negative light.

“I will not leave Dhruv that easily. How could he try to hurt my daughter?” Shashi Gupta shouts. “Whatever he has done, by sharing his past with Khushi with all of us only shows his intentions of breaking Arnav and Khushi’s relationship. I am not going to spare him.”

“Shashiji,” Manorama aunty interrupts. “We also don’t support what he did but at this point lets focus on Khushi.”

“Manorama is right,” Garima aunty speaks. “Khushi needs our support. She and Dhruv whatever past they shared, we are no more concerned about it. “None of the two ever told us about it.”

“Even Arnav didn’t utter a word,” Shashi Gupta continues. “You knew it all, didn’t you? Even about Dhruv’s fake accident news in Scotland. And yet you didn’t tell us anything? Why Arnav?”

“Tell you all what?” I snap. “Dhruv was Khushi’s past. I didn’t want to complicate our lives by opening up about it. I thought Dhruv would stop whatever he was doing with us. But he crossed a line this time.”

“We all have a lot to talk to Dhruv. But right now he too isn’t in the right mindset. That’s why Nani and Akash are with him at home. He is guilty for what happened, Arnav. He wanted to come here but I stopped him from doing so. Until Khushi is fine, he better stays back home.”

“I’m never letting him be around Khushi again,” I declare in anger. “He’s hurt her enough, not anymore.”

The families look at me agreeing in unison.

*****************

The doctor steps out, and a collective sigh of relief emanates from the family as he assures us that Khushi is going to be fine. The shallow cut allowed for timely intervention. Only I am allowed into the room now to see her. I step inside and my eyes are immediately drawn to Khushi, lying unconscious on the hospital bed. The room feels cold, too sterile for the warmth that should accompany my wife's presence. Khushi lies there, unconscious, receiving a blood transfusion. I watch over her, my heart heavy with concern.

Approaching her bedside, I pull up a chair quietly. Taking her hand in mine, I feel a surge of tenderness. Kissing her fingers softly, I can't help but murmur a sincere 'sorry' for not being there when she needed me.

“I am sorry, Khushi,” I kiss her fingers again. “I promise you that you won't have to face Dhruv ever again.”

Pressing her hand to my heart, I silently vow. “I’m never leaving your side again. I promise.”

Her eyes flutter open, and our gazes lock. A weak smile curves her lips, and my heart swells with both worry and love.

"You scared me today," I admit, caressing her hair.

Khushi nods faintly.

"I was scared too. I don't want to go away from you, Arnav. We have just started our life. We have a long way to go,” she whispers.

I nod in agreement, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. She lifts her hand to wipe away my tears, playfully chiding, "Tears don't suit you."

"Pain doesn't suit you either. Get well soon, Mrs. Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada. Our honeymoon is pending," I reply with a smile, trying to infuse a moment of lightness into the heavy air.

A sad expression crosses Khushi's face as she remembers something. Her expression tightens, and she questions, "Dhruv?"

I clench my jaw.

"He is fine, but from now on, we are never going to speak anything about him."

Khushi is about to argue when there is a knock on the door. The rest of the family enters, and Khushi grips my hand.

“Dhruv told them about me and him,” she whispers, feeling a tinge of embarrassment about facing them.

I reassure her silently, conveying that none of this matters to anyone anymore. Whatever happened was the past, a past none of us can ever change. But the future lies in our hands and I would not waste a single second anymore to make it memorable for all of us.

To be Continued.

NEXT PART 

Note: Hello friends. My apologies for updating almost after a month. Diwali festivities took all my time and energy and then I got viral fever for a week or so. Hence I couldn’t draft more. The release of my upcoming book – The Checkmate is delayed too. It won’t be coming out until December 10th. But, I have decided not to make you all wait for the next chapters of this ff or my new fiction ‘Love Me Not’. I am going to post twice every week henceforth on the blog for now. If things work fine, I will post more updates. And once again thank you for supporting me throughout 😊

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