"It is my business, because you are mine, damn it" Arnav bit out and slammed a hand over the top of his car, startling everyone.

Kushi was trembling. She didn’t understand whether it was because of anger or any other emotion, listening to his passionate declaration.

“Akash, please take Payal and go for a walk. I want to talk to Kushi alone” Arnav told his brother, without taking his eyes off Kushi.

Akash nodded and quickly pulled a shocked Payal away from there, before she could respond.

“What do you think you are doing, Mr Raizada? This is a public place.” Kushi asked furiously

“I don’t care what others think, Kushi” Arnav bit out and Kushi let out a mirthless chuckle.

“Of course. You are The Great Arnav Singh Raizada. God! You don’t care what mere mortals like us think about you” Kushi said with a scoff.

“Nothing in our life is going to change depending on what others think about us” Arnav said

“Maybe not for you. But we are simple middle class people. It matters to us” Kushi said adamantly.

“Kushi..”

“No. You listen to me. I have tolerated enough of your tantrums and whims. Back in Lucknow, you ruined my reputation to such an extent, I had to run away from there” Kushi said and Arnav’s eyes widened in horror.

Is that why she moved to Delhi? He wondered. He never thought about it before.

“You said what others think doesn’t matter, didn’t you? Do you know how others' thoughts about us affect us? I will tell you” Kushi said and her eyes had welled up by then.

“Kushi…”

“You remember telecasting the footage of your fashion show, Mr Raizada. You portrayed me as a tramp in that video. And people believed it. Do you know what happened to me after that? I was molested. Publically, in the daylight. Why? Because they thought ‘Ah she is a tramp anyways. Out hunting for men. Why not have some fun with her?’. So, you see, Mr Raizada, it very much matters to me what other people think about me” Kushi said and Arnav felt chilled to his bones.

Kushi. His Kushi was molested? Because of his impulsive stupidity?

“When Lucknow became too unbearable, we came to Delhi. If Delhi becomes the same, there is nowhere for me to run, Mr Raizada. So, I request you, please don’t ruin my reputation” Kushi said and walked away and Arnav couldn’t bring himself to stop her.

On the other side, Payal snapped out of daze when Akash pulled her to another side of the temple.

“What are you doing, Akash ji?” Payal snapped

“Bhai wants to talk to Khushi ji. Let’s give them privacy” Akash said softly.

“No. I don’t trust him not to hurt her. He has done that too many times. Not anymore” Payal said and turned to go get Kushi.

Akash quickly held Payal’s arm, stopping her.

“He will not hurt her anymore. He loves her” Akash said with a smile.

“That’s what he says” Payal said with a scoff.

“Let’s talk about us,” Akash said, pushing his specs up his nose.

An act, Payal always found so endearing.

“There is no US, Akash ji. We already talked about this in the morning” Payal said, hiding her hurt well.

“If I make my mother agree, will you accept me Payal ji” Akash asked

“If..” Payal said with a sad smile.

“No. When I make my mother agree, will you accept me, Payal ji?” Akash rephrased his sentence

“I don’t think it is likely to happen, Akash ji. Don’t waste your time and energy on impossible things” Payal said and before Akash could say something, Kushi stormed towards them.

“Jiji, shall we leave?” Kushi asked

“Yes”

The sisters walked away and the brothers stood watching them go.

Once they were out of sight, Akash looked at his brother and was shocked to see the broken look on Arnav.

He hurried towards Arnav.

“Bhai? What happened? All okay?” Akash asked

“Akash, drop me at the farmhouse and you go home” Arnav somehow got the words out.

Akash reluctantly nodded his head and drove the car towards Arnav’s farm house in the outskirts of Delhi.

Arnav dropped himself on the bench near his mother’s rose garden. The place where he feels her presence the most.

“I am a monster, aren’t I, momma?” Arnav asked his mother.

“She was.. She was molested. Because of me. I can’t bear it momma” Arnav said, choking out the words which were getting stuck in his throat.

“Oh god! What have I done to her” he cried out.

A while later, he composed himself and dialled his private investigator’s number.

“Hello, Mr Raizada. How can I help you?” the other man asked

“I want you to find someone for me” He said

“Pass on the details please”

Arnav proceeded to give him the date the footage was released and bare minimum facts about what happened.

“I want every one of them. I want them alive, but as good as dead” Arnav said coldly

“On it, Mr Raizada” the other man said and hung up the call.

“Kushi. Those men will be at your feet, begging for mercy. This is Arnav Singh Raizada’s promise to you” Arnav vowed to himself.

GUPTA HOUSE

“What do you know about this Shyam?” Garima asked Kushi and Payal when Buaji was out of ear shot.

Kushi and Payal looked up at their mother curiously.

“He is a lawyer. And an orphan. Why Amma?” Payal asked

“He was here today. His behaviour, I found it odd. Something was off about him” Garima said, making the sisters frown.

“He saved me from those goons in Lucknow, Amma. That’s why we didn’t think much before renting the room for him” Kushi said

“Just be careful, okay. He is a stranger after all” Garima said and quickly changed the topic when Buaji came back.

“Eyy Payaliya Titiliya, take leave at office next Wednesday” Buaji said

“Why Buaji?” Kushi asked

“There is a pooja for unmarried girls being held at the temple. You two should fast and do the pooja” Bua ji said and Kushi’s cheeks burned remembering Arnav asking the pandit if there is any pooja for unmarried men.

“Aye haye. Look at her. Blushing at the thought of marriage” Buaji teased making Kushi pout.

“I don’t think that laad governor will give us leave, Buaji” Kushi said, remembering clearly how he held her back at office until midnight on her sister’s birthday, because he realised she wanted to go home earlier.

And after the way she talked to him today, his ego and pride must have gotten severely wounded and there is no way he would give her a day off.