As Arnav explained the situation to all the family members, he realized suddenly how loud his voice seemed as there was pindrop silence in the room. He was definitely loud and practically on the verge of shouting. How could his best friend have done that? And where in hell was Karan right now? He couldn't have disappeared off the face of earth now could he? How come nobody could find him?

After he had explained the whole situation, the remainder of his friends had took off to go find Karan and he should have went himself too but as he looked at an extremely quiet Khushi sitting in the corner of her room with Priya by her side, he all of a sudden didn't want to go look for him.

Maybe he didn't care at this point. What Karan had done was unacceptable. So if someone was to go find him now, would Khushi marry him? According to the panditji, the mahurat for the wedding was already over and he knew Khushi being the strong headed person that she was, she wouldn't agree to it anymore but everybody still had left to go look for him just in case something had happened to him.

But Arnav knew better. His text didn't provide details but he knew Karan had left this girl on his own will. Did Karan really think he could have done better than Khushi? He must be out of his mind to think that.

Khushi, was what you could say, the closest thing to perfect. Atleast, amongst all the girls his age that he knew. She was ambitious, respectful, the perfect blend of western plus Indian and looking at her sitting there with her arms around her knees with a lost look on her face, something in his heart fluttered and Arnav Singh Raizada knew what he had to do.

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Two hours later, after convincing his, Karan's and Khushi's family, he slowly sat down beside her to talk to her. As he sat down, he noticed his hands slightly trembling. He had no problems talking to the elders in regards to his decision but as he sat beside her, all of a sudden he felt like his tongue was swelling up.

"Khushi, I know your mom already talked to you about this and she told me you said your answer was no but before leaving this place, I wanted to talk to you myself once. I don't want you to feel that I am doing this out of pity. I don't pity you. If there is anybody I pity, it is Karan right now. I don't know why he did this Khushi, but he has no idea what he just gave up in life. I know we don't know each other very well. Hell, you probably don't even know what my sister's name is but Khushi, we will have a lifetime to learn. Our parents had arranged marriages and theirs worked successfully. As much as I can remember about mine, they were madly in love with each other. Not like they knew each other before they got married. Neither did your parents and look at them today. The way they stood holding onto each other through this tough time is remarkable. They honestly are like an inspiration for me.

We all learn to love Khushi. Life doesn't always go as we want it to but if there is anything I can promise you today, it would be that I would never leave your side. I will be your friend and I will stand through thick and thin with you. Doesn't matter how hard times will get." Taking a deep breath he slowly looked up to see her staring at her hands intently. A tear was making its way down her cheek towards her neck and without giving much thought; he slowly lifted his fingers and brushed the tears away. That's when she finally looked up at him. The confusion in her eyes was evident and why wouldn't it be? She had put all her trust in this person that had ditched her so how could she trust his best friend at this point? How could she trust anyone at this point? Taking a deep breath, she wiped her tears and gave him a small smile and never would he have thought that hesitant smile would have his heart doing cartwheels.

"I don't know what to say. Heck, I don't even know what to think right now. I wish this was a dream and I could wake up and it will be over but I know it won't" she replied with tears brimming in her eyes. "I can't do this Arnav and I am not saying this because I don't think you're not worthy of it but because I don't know what I want anymore".

And she truthfully didn't know what she wanted. But as she looked his crestfallen face, her heart twisted painfully. Whatever he said was true. You don't always have to know someone for years before getting married. You learn to understand and respect the person. You learn to fall in love'

Arnav, knowing that this was it and her decision was final, he gave her a small smile and stood up and was about to walk out when her next words stopped him in his tracks.

"Wow Raizada, you're already breaking your promise. I thought you just said you would never leave my side" and as he turned around to see her walking towards him with her hands lightly holding up her lehnga to prevent herself from falling, Arnav Singh Raizada knew at that instance, this was the only girl he would ever want to spend his life with.

The rest of the few hours were a blur. After all the basic rituals and the phera's, came time for him to fill her maang and as he looked at the mangalsutra that was held before him, he all of a sudden froze. Karan had bought this for Khushi. All of a sudden, this haste decision of his didn't seem as well planned as he thought. Why would she be gifted with something that is so sacred and be reminded of her ex-fiance every day and that's when he noticed the solitaire missing on her left finger. She must have taken it off sometime in there because he knew she was wearing it when he had gone to go break the news to her.

Khushi looked up at him as all of a sudden she noticed he wasn't taking the mangalsutra to put it around her. Panic gripped her for a second. Did he all of a sudden just realize what he had done and was now getting cold feet? But before she could think any further, he looked up at her and then the mangalsutra which her mom was now holding infront of him and then up at her mom.

"I can't" he whispered slowly shocking everyone that heard him but before he could elaborate any further, he noticed his sister's fist infront of him and as she slowly opened it, there was his mom's mangalsutra.

"When we were coming for the wedding, I just packed up all the jewellery I had at home just in case you know'" Anjali, his sister, whispered in his ear.

As Anjali and her husband, Shyam, had flown down for the wedding, she had, as always, packed up all the jewellery she had at home just in case anybody was to figure out that they weren't home for a few days. Even though she always kept all her jewellery in her bank locker, her mom's kangans and mangalsutra always remained with her and today she realized the significance of it.

Maybe everything happens for a reason.

Without any explanations, Khushi knew whose mangalsutra that was after he had taken that deep breath and closed his eyes. The significance of it didn't go past her and she realized why he all of a sudden froze. That simple little gesture of his had her heart racing as she realized he didn't want to give her something that would remind her of Karan every day she saw it. As she felt his hands slowly snaking around her neck, she blissfully closed her eyes making her officially his.

Let me know what you guys think!Pinki