His eyes stayed locked on her phone, as if he was watching a video rather than hearing an audio. Each passing minute making him feel more sick and he wondered how she must have felt listening to all this? The girl was a genius to even think about recording Karan's whole confession but being able to actually record it all, under the circumstances that she was in, was insane. If Karan or somebody else would have found out what she had done, the consequences probably wouldn't have been too pretty but this was Khushi. His tigress. The girl definitely knew what she was doing and he silently thanked his father in law who she probably had learnt all this from.

He didn't realize when Karan's voice had stopped until he felt a slight nudge on his arm and Khushi's expectant eyes looking at him, waiting for answers of her own.

"What was Karan talking about that you were searching on the computer?" he asked, staring at her intently and the grave expression in her eyes told him whatever he was going to hear wasn't going to be pretty, but he was ready for it. He had hired a private investigator to find out about Shyam's law firm, however he hadn't got much information in regards to that. Shyam was a lawyer, however as busy as Shyam made himself sound, Arnav had only been able to find out about two clients that he had and now he wondered if those were even legitimate. At that point, Arnav knew that there was something not right with Shyam. How come he was always travelling? How come he never took his Di with him? So what if he was gone for work, she could go with him.

"Remember the day you walked into my office and you accused me of watching p*rn because I was staring at the screen intently, well that day I decided to google Shyam Jha to see what kind of search results pop up. I didn't find much until I typed in his full name Shyam Manohar Jha". From there, she explained to him the information she had found out about Manohar Jha and his involvment with drugs in India a few years back.

"I was going to tell you that day but we left for our honeymoon right after and since I really didn't know if that was the right person or not, I didn't want to go around and play the blame game and accuse him of something I wasn't sure about".

Needing some time to digest everything, he moved closer to her and snaked his arms around her waist, resting his chin against her shoulder from behind. Her hands followed his and she wrapped her arms around his, leaning back against him, reassuring herself that everything would be ok. He was with her and that is all that mattered. They would find a way out of all this, but her heart went out to the woman sleeping in the room next door. How was Anjali Di going to react when she found out? Did she already know like Karan said?

"I had no idea Khushi and I don't think Di does either. She wouldn't keep quiet for these many years. I am sure she would have approached me or nani to discuss this. This isn't a small thing. The guy is as dangerous as a man can get" he told her, unconsciously tightening his arms around her even more. As much as he wanted to say more, explain more, he couldn't form the right words and he knew he didn't need to say more when she turned around and tightened her arms around him and buried her nose in his neck.

As much as he wanted to say he had no idea, he knew that wasn't the entire truth. There were signs that he ignored even though they were right in his face. Shyam's constant travelling, his Di's changed behavior. Even though Anjali was always the quiet and sweet girl, she was never unapproachable. Over the past couple of years, Arnav knew how hard it was to talk to her about anything, but he had thought of the reason to be something different altogether.

Flashback- 2 years ago

After working a 16 hour day, he entered the house as noiselessly as he could. Tiptoeing around, as if he was burglar in his own home, he looked around the house and sighed seeing all the lights off. Even though he knew it was past midnight and everybody was asleep, he was hoping Di would be up so that he could talk to her for a little bit while having his dinner. She didn't seem to be too well over the past few days and he hadn't had time to sit with her properly and ask her what was going on. He looked towards the dining table to see his plate covered with another. As hungry as he was, he grabbed the plate and put it back in the fridge, his appetite lost all of a sudden.

Loosening his tie, he walked up the stairs while rolling his arm sleeves when he heard a faint sniffing noise. Walking towards Anjali's room he was about to knock on the door but then decided against it. Maybe she had came down with a flu, he thought as her face seemed to have lost its color over the past few days. It was well past midnight and knocking on their door seemed inappropriate. When she wasn't married, he wouldn't have thought for a second but now she had Shyam with him. When he had discussed with Shyam and Anjali whether they wanted to just live together as the house was big enough for five families to be living together plus nani would have someone with her during the day as Anjali didn't work, Shyam had agreed without any complaints. Since Shyam had been so flexible, Arnav had learnt to not just barge into his sister's room or knock on their bedroom door once it was closed. They needed their privacy and he was more than willing to give up anything just to see his sister's sweet smile after a long, hard day at work.

Walking into his room, he showered and now laid on his bed, staring at the roof. Getting up, he walked towards Anjali's room again and noticed a faint light on in their room. Maybe she was in the bathroom, he wondered and before he could turn around to go to bed, the door slowly opened and Anjali almost screamed noticing the large dark figure just outsider her room but before she could open her mouth, she noticed Arnav's waving arms telling her to calm down. Taking a few deep breaths, she steadied herself and when he had questioned if she needed anything, she told him she was just about to grab herself water but before she could walk past him, he took hold of her arm.

"You were crying" he said it more like a statement, rather than asking while Anjali shakily laughed.

"Of course not. Why would I be crying? I just got a flu" she told him while she moved away and walked down the stairs slowly to get some water for herself. Arnav followed her down to the kitchen and when she opened the fridge, she noticed his plate.

"You didn't eat?" she asked while pouring herself some water and drinking it but before she could put away the glass, he turned the light on and noticed her red eyes and sullen face.

"Di! What's wrong? I knew something was wrong! You haven't been looking ok. What's going on?" he asked as he grabbed her hand and walked her towards the dining table and seating her. Kneeling down infront of her, he took her hands in his and looked up to see a fresh stream of hot tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Where is jijaji? Do you want me to go get him?" he asked almost ready to run away and grab Shyam when she held onto his hand tighter.

"He's not home Chotte. He's out of town for work"she told him, while wiping away her tears.

"Ok, so you're crying because you are missing him?" he asked a little unsurely, not doubting for a second that his sister wouldn't do that. Their love for each other amazed him. Dazedly, she shook her head in a negative and before he could ask again, she told him that actually that she was missing Shyam, but Arnav knew better. Catching her lies wasn't hard and he didn't even need to ask her again but just a gentle squeeze from him on her hand was her undoing.

"I lost my baby" she muttered, while he looked at her shocked. Panic grew in him like wildfire thinking she just miscarried.

"Why are you sitting here! You should be in the hospital!" he almost yelled but before he could pick her up and take her to the car, she told him it happened three days ago and he wished the ground would open up and swallow him in right now. His sweet sister had just lost something so precious while he had no idea that she was even pregnant? How come he didn't know? Why hadn't anybody mentioned anything to him? Even though he didn't say the questions out loud, Anjali understood.

"It's ok Chotte. Don't panic. I was only two months, that's why we hadn't told anyone. Nani doesn't even know. We were planning on telling everyone after the first trimester" she whispered while a few more tears made their way down her cheeks. Grabbing a chair beside her, he pulled her into a hug while she had silently cried on his shoulder.

"Why isn't jijaji with you?" he asked in a controlled voice, not wanting to sound like he was pissed, which he definitely was.

"It was an important meeting and he had it booked about four months ago. Life isn't going to stop. It's just... he wasn't here... and I just kind of got emotional... I am sorry I worried you" she whispered against his shirt, while he told her to stop apologizing as he should be the one doing that, for being so busy to not ask her what was going on. Telling her not to worry, he was about to get up and walk back to her room when she stopped him, the grave look on her face telling him that wasn't all.

"I can't conceive again. I will never be able to become a mother" she whispered and Arnav just stared horridly at her, while she quietly cried. The 27 year old woman in front of him looked more like a 16 year old silently sobbing and not being able to hold himself, he pulled her in a hug while he silently took it all in, rubbing her back, telling her it would all be ok. Knowing this wasn't a good time to talk about anything, he tried to control himself knowing it was his Di's personal matter but he couldn't help himself and the words slipped his mouth.

"Did jijaji say anything to you?" he asked worriedly, wondering if she was upset because Shyam had said something to her. Perhaps the news that she couldn't conceive wasn't taken well by him.

"No no. He's absolutely ok with it" she reassured him, telling him how Shyam was ok with even adopting a child, if she wanted to. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, she wiped her tears, got up with him and walked back upstairs but before she walked into her room, she turned around and hugged him, holding onto her brother, who had become her pillar of strength since their parent's death. Smiling at him, she told him she was ok and went back to her room while Arnav waited around for about an hour outside her room to make sure she wasn't crying and when he finally peeked in her room, she was fast asleep.

However, sleep had eluded him that night.

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

After being on the floor for four hours with over ten emergencies, he finally got a chance to take a break and walked towards the cafetaria to get himself some coffee. After months, he finally felt relieved today, knowing that Khushi knew everything that she needed to know and would be making her decision soon- the decision to leave Arnav.

The cafeteria lady had his coffee brewing before he walked upto the counter and within a few minutes, he had a frewshly brewed cup ready to go, along with the warm smile from the lady that could brighten up the whole hospital. Thanking her, he walked towards a table and sat down to breathe peacefully for a few minutes. As much as he tried to keep his work and personal life separate, that task seemed a little hard to right now. Khushi flood his mind and he wondered what she had decided. Had she talked to Arnav? Was she packing her bags? Perhaps she was sleeping and waiting till the morning? He had been checking his phone every few minutes, waiting for a call or message but nothing came.

Leaning his head back against the hard metal chair, his thoughts drifted to a few months back. He had been paged at the hospital and was told that he had a relative in the waiting room to see him. Knowing it wouldn't be his parents as they hadn't even called or messaged him to see if he was even alive or dead, he hurriedly walked down the corrider, hoping it would be Arnav, but instead got the shock of his life to find Shyam sitting on one of the chairs. Shyam had never come to the hospital to ever see him before and he wondered what may have happened that he had come all the way to see him when his parents, Arnav or any other friends hadn't cared enough to do that.

Flashback- few months back (the day Khushi had seen Shyam at the hospital)

Karan stared at Shyam, a little unsure as to why of all the people he knew, this man would be the first one to come and talk to him, but it didn't take long to realize as Shyam went straight to the point.

"Arnav married Khushi"

The simple statement hit Karan like a punch in the gut. Arnav married Khushi? What was that suppose to mean? How did that happen? It sounded more like Arnav had dragged her to the alter than than the story that he had made up in his mind that their parents had decided it. A thousand questions filled his mind while Shyam narrated everything that happened after Karan's disappearance.

"You know, Arnav had always been jealous of you. Your parents supported you and loved you while his had been too busy their whole lives working that he never got any attention from them. But just to please his dad, he went to business school and got his degree, hoping his parents would start working less but before that day came, they passed away. You had the good, reputable job and above all, you met the perfect girl that any guy in this world would want and he couldn't take it. He got the opportunity and he took it- he's a business man. It's all about profit and loss in his world and he profited from your loss"

Shyam looked up at Karan's shocked face and before Karan could ask him, how he could say all that, Shyam decided to say his part before leaving.

"I am married to his sister Karan. I know how they work. I just thought I'd tell you since Khushi now works across from you- with Arnav, just incase you happen to bump into her" Shyam told him as he walked out of the room, leaving a devasted Karan behind.

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

Shyam paced his hotel room, his thoughts scattered. Karan had told him about his meeting with Khushi however since then he hadn't heard anything from Karan. What was going on with the girl, he wondered and he stared at the wall clock again. Knowing he should give them till the morning, he sat down and turned the TV on. The clock seemed to be ticking too slow and knowing he didn't have the mindset to go out anywhere, he laid down on the couch and smiled while replaying the past few months in his head.

Arnav's decision to marry Khushi had shocked everyone but mostly Shyam. He didn't want the girl around their families and after setting up Karan, he had thought he would be able to get rid of her but his brother in law had other plans in mind. Arnav had ended up marrying Khushi and there was nothing he could do at that point to stop the marriage.

Both these boys had turned out to be more stubborn than he had thought. Shyam had tried to stop Karan from marrying Khushi but he had turned out to be stubborn. Her father was a huge threat to his business and having them as a part of their family just made things worse. His business was suffering. Dealers were finding out that he was now related to the DEA (drug enforcement agent) and they were giving him a hard time; refusing to do business with him and it was all because of that girl. He had secretly sent threatening messages to Karan, left nasty messages at the new place him and Khushi were going to share but nothing had budged the guy and he knew his last shot was to try on the wedding day itself. If his plan worked, he was lucky, if not, he would have to kill them both but life had taken an unexpected turn and Arnav had married Khushi. And as much as he wanted to hurt Arnav and Khushi, he knew he just couldnt do it' that would place too many other things in his life on stake.

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

Arnav looked down at Khushi, while she breathed evenly against him now. Slowly, he laid her down on the bed and wrapped his arms around her. Placing a light kiss on her forehead, he buried his face in her hair. How could he have been so stupid until now? He had spent so much of his past few years trying to take his dad's company reach great heights, to make his dad feel proud of his achievements, that along the way he had stopped paying attention to things happening around him. His Di was married and she was happy, and there was nothing else he wanted. His Nani was always there for them and he thought Shyam was a perfect addition to their family. How much more wrong could he have been? For the guy who used to pay so much attention to every little detail around him, how did he overlook something so significant?

But that was the past and he couldn't change anything about it. He just had to think of what to do next. He had to protect Khushi, his Di, Nani and probably millions of other people out there that were suffering from the hands of his brother in law. If nothing else, he now knew one thing for sure.

Anjali knew about Shyam and why she wasn't saying anything was something he had to find out.