Sometimes Hate is Enough

Chapter 23

Khushi

I walked for some time with Anjali Ji before going to the back of the house because that was the only place other than the living room where you could take a seat. When I settled down on the stairs that led to the backyard, Anjali Ji followed suit and sat next to me before saying, "It's really beautiful here. You did a really great job with this place."

I gave her a small smile before looking ahead again. Only if I knew we wouldn't be getting any peace in our own house would I have never let these Raizada's come.

"I lied to you about wanting to walk." She spoke slowly as I felt her eyes on me. And can you and your lot do anything better than that?

I turned to look at her before asking, "Why?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you." She answered.

"About what?" I asked as I tried to sound at least a little curious.

"Don't punish everyone for something they didn't do. Whatever happened, it was because of Shya... Shyam Ji.... Akash, and Chote; they didn't have any part in it." She answered before turning to face me completely and taking my hands in hers. "Akash really loves Payal. He's not himself since the wedding broke. He doesn't talk, and he doesn't eat. And... he doesn't even look at Chote with respect anymore."

I bit my cheek wall hard to stop myself from saying anything, but I ended up saying it anyway.

"Akash Ji and Jiji's wedding broke because of him. I didn't do anything but tell everyone what Arnav Ji had tried to do." I replied as Arnav Ji's words from that night rang in my ears.

"But how can you expect him to choose Payal over his own family?" Anjali Ji inquired with a little tilt of her head.

I pulled my hands away from her as I tried to calm myself and said, "I never expected him to do that. All he had to do was make a decision for himself. And I mean completely by himself, without anyone's orders."

Anjali Ji stared at me for a second before she pressed her lips and nodded slowly.

I turned to look ahead again, and we sat there for some quiet moments before she spoke up again.

"You know Shyam Ji is in jail right now." I stilled, and I felt my breath catch as soon as she said that. I slowly turned my head to look at her. But she stared ahead of her into the night, unblinking.

"I always thought that he actually loved me... At some point, I think I knew that he might have loved my money more than me, but I didn't make a big thing out of it. I knew I had a place in his heart. It might be small, but at least I had it. and I was happy with it. But then he confessed... I felt my whole world collide in front of me while I stood and watched helplessly." She said it quietly, still looking ahead, like there was something only she could see.

"But what hurts the most is that he doesn't even care about his unborn child or what he's doing to others while trying to get what he wants, but he will get furious and defend you if anyone says a single bad thing about you." She looked at me with tear-filled eyes and gave a weak smile. And that smile of heartbreak felt like a punch into my guts.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I would have never done that to you. I never wanted you to face this. Or else, I would've told you about him as soon as I knew. I... just thought that you deserved to be happy. And I had honestly thought that he'd change and finally be honest with you. But..." My voice broke, and I stopped when I saw a tear fall down her face while a sob broke through her mouth. I clenched my jaws and blinked a few times before I felt the moisture in my eyes go away.