Betrayal and tears(Season 1) | ✔

Chapter Eight

"So, Khushi. What's the plan? What are you going to do next?" 

Payal asked as she kept the pile of folded clothes in the closet, while Khushi was laying on the bed. Akash had been with Arnav, in his room, discussing some important upcoming project. So, taking the advantage of that, Khushi came to visit her sister.

She sighed, sitting upright on the bed before answering, "I don't really know. Amanji called this morning, he said he has already hired the private detectives and now all we have do is wait for the results. Only then will we be able to actually make a move."

"But." She added short after, sinking into worry. "But what if we are wrong? What she didn't do anything like that and we end up blaming her futilely? She sure won't forgive us for that."

"Khushi." Payal moved and sat next to her, blinking reassuringly. "Nothing will happen. Like NKji said, even if she didn't try to kill Arnavji, she did plot against him in another way and no one will forgive her for that. She will be punished, not tended to." Playing with the loose thread from her pillow, she added. "And besides, why do you worry about that? You won't be here to bear any of the consequences, anyways."

Khushi looked up, mildly confused. "Meaning?"

Payal smiled. "Meaning you will be with your Arnavji."

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Khushi had returned to her room after about an hour later, when Akash had walked in. She deemed it only right to retreat back without saying a word to him, for he looked like a walking ticking bomb these days. God knows how Jiji puts up with him. 

Speaking of Jiji, her mind wheeled back to the confused statements Payal was mumbling. She found it weird, one thing having zero connection with the other, but still, thinking it to be her tiredness, she had just nodded to whatever she was saying, with a befuddled smile.

But now, she was so glad to return to her room that she forgot about all that, only to have her excitement go down the drain at the sight greeting her eyes the second she entered inside. She sulked, seeing Arnav fully engrossed in the endless piles of files surrounding him. She knew it was a bad idea to let him know anything about the current office works, but she had allowed it upon his promise of not exerting himself much.

But clearly, he forgot about his own promise.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She sighed, moving to sit on the bed. 

"Yeah, one minute." He responded without looking up from his files, clearly oblivious of what she was actually saying. 

She huffed at his ignorance and stood up with the intention of marching towards him and just snatch her sautans from him, when her phone rang. She looked over her shoulder at her phone laying on the bed, then at him, and finally, heaving a sigh, she walked to pick the phone. 

Amanji's name flashing on the screen brought a jolt of alertness in her, and she swiftly glanced at Arnav, suddenly grateful that he was too busy to notice anything else.

"Umm, Arnavji, continue with your works. I'll be right back from the kitchen." She said, and exited the room upon a nod from him.

She answered the call only once she was sure no one will hear her conversation. "Hello?"

"Ma'am, the detective just called. Anjali Di just exited the house." Aman informed hurriedly, glancing at his other phone and waiting for the detective to call again.

"What?" Khushi said, briskly turning towards the staircase to glance up at Anjali's room. She closed her eyes, cursing herself for not paying attention to her today.

God bless that detective.

"Good. T-tell him to be prudent so Anjaliji doesn't see him and, and to make sure he doesn't lose track of her. Please." She said over the phone and upon the assurance of Aman, she cut the call. 

She tapped the phone on her palm, anxiously looking around, not knowing what to do. She remembered Anjali's conversation with Shyam just a few days ago, where she agreed to take the extreme step. From that day she has been on high alert, making sure to keep track of her converses. 

Just one day, just for one day she turns unknowingly negligent and Anjali is already off, most probably to meet Shyam and finalize their plan, against Arnav. 

Dammit.

The shrill of her phone brought her back from her thoughts and she answered it, after the very first ring.

"Hello? Amanji? What happened? Did he find anything? Where did Anjaliji go, and why?" She asked, heart in mouth as she waited for Aman to reply.

The heavy and audible sigh she heard before his answer, however, worsened the feeling of foreboding her and she swallowed, hard.

"The detective called. He-he lost her." Aman dejectedly said and she closed her eyes, sagging the pillar. 

Anger and fear bubbled through her and she clenched her fists, almost crushing her phone, which was still being resounded with Aman's apologetic calls.

Why does Anjali always have to be one step ahead of her? 

She thought, agitated and confused, completely zoned out of what to do. This meeting of Anjali and Shyam was probably the most important key of the investigation. It could have brought forward whether or not Anjali was trying to kill to Arnav and if she was, then it would have given them the needed proofs against her.

This mystery would have been solved today, in an instant but most importantly, they would have know what exactly Anjali and Shyam have been storing for Arnav, and therefore, she could have an idea on how to save her husband from that danger.

But now, she's blacked out. 

She knew Anjali was suspecting her, that's why she never called Shyam. If she did, then it was with high carefulness. And now, she has even escaped the detective. The detective in which Aman was taking so much pride, about whom he was boasting and had given him his full confidence. A detective as such, was perhaps fooled by Anjali. 

Her actions are growing more and more prudent and unexpected and maybe, the next time she attacks Arnav, everything happens so unpredictably, that no one is able to save him. 

That thought made her snap open her red eyes and she shook her head, determined to not let that happen.

Anjali can't win, in whatever she is doing. Arnav is her husband, her life and she will not allow her hatred to even touch him, harm is out of question. And it doesn't matter if they lost this chance, because she still have that courage in her, to face Anjali and ask her everything directly.

Yes. That's what is left to do. Enough of this mouse and cat game. Now, Anjali will have to give every answer, honestly and directly.

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