A/N: Thank you so much for your wonderful response to this story. Many thanks to my heart and soul NallyAshlokFan; my favourite person in the world.

Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction whose characters and original plots are owned by their respective authors, I wish I was one of them but I'm not. The plot changes belong solely to me, thank you.

CHAPTER – 2

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Have I really been that blind? Why was Lavanya so shocked that I cared about her feelings? Does Khushi –

And suddenly the cup of coffee in his hands flew out of his reach and crashed on the poolside tiles.

"What the –

"Can't you watch where you're going?"

Khushi crouched down to collect the pieces of the broken mug. Can she collect the pieces of her broken life just as easily? Will her sister collect herself if another marriage prospect is taken away from her?

Arnav looked at her dainty hands shaking like a leaf. Out of sheer habit he used his hard voice to ask her.

"Khushi, I'm asking you something!"

She looked just as broken as the pieces of china she was picking. The lines on her face, the distress clearly evident as she continued picking up the pieces with shaking hands.

"Khushi?"

Arnav lowered himself to her level to take a closer look at her; he saw unformed tears in her eyes.

"Khushi? What happened to you?" Arnav asked in the soft voice that he used only with Khushi and his sister.

Her shoulders shook as Khushi sobbed silently.

"Khushi."

Arnav placed his hands on her quivering shoulders and lifted her up from the sitting position. He took a good look in her eyes. Eyes that wandered a mile a minute, clearly desolated. Arnav felt helpless and clueless. Maybe it's something personal? Money problems?

"Khushi, are you facing a personal crisis?" Arnav asked without any inflection. On Khushi's continued silence, he probed further.

"Do you need any help?"

Crisis was a good description. If only it encompassed Khushi's life shattering before her eyes. Shyam wasn't a life partner she would've chosen for herself but he was a part of her life nonetheless, her fiancé. How could he do this? To me, to my sister, to my family, to his own family, how could he?

"Khushi?"

Khushi stood still as a statue. Maybe she doesn't need me. Shit, how am I so bad at this! I don't even know how to make her talk about her problems, let alone solve them. No wonder Lavanya was so disappointed. Arnav took a step back subconsciously wondering how to make her talk to him or open up to him when he felt her fragrance before he felt her weight on his bicep. Her sobs racked through his body.

"Khushi? Khushi? What happened to you?" Arnav asked in a rough voice that turned panicked. A voice keenly like his sisters screamed in his head Console Her. And so he did.

He caressed her shoulders and consoled her, "Khushi, shh shh."

"Khushi, it's okay." He rubbed her shoulders and back, he engulfed her more in a hug than a supporting shoulder.

What has her so distressed? His mind wandered into every possible scenario when it screeched to a halt. Him! He was the one person in her life that Arnav absolutely never wished to think about, ever.

"Khushi, did your Fiancé say something –

Fiancé, her breath faltered. Arnav never talked about him. He didn't even acknowledge her fiancé's presence in her life. How did you know, Mr. Arnav?

"What did he do?" Arnav thundered.

"Khushi, what did your fiancé do? Did he try to hurt you?" Arnav mentally planned all the ways he wanted to hurt Him if he had laid a finger on her.

"He-he, he said –

"Tell me, Khushi." Arnav persisted.

Khushi wanted to tell him everything, right then and there but something held her back. A scene witnessed on a rainy day when Arnav confessed that his sister was his world. The day of Rakhi, Arnav's celebration was only for his sister's happiness. His love, his affection, his only emotional connection was Anjali. If Arnav found out about Shyam, it would change everything. Shyam, what have you done?

"How could he? How could he do this to me? To us! He lied. He's married, how could he lie!"

Arnav couldn't believe the words out of her mouth. He shook her shoulders, "Khushi, what did you say?"

As the reality of her confession set in, Khushi decided to leave before she ended up confessing everything to Arnav.

"I-I have to go." She scampered.

"Khu-Khushi!" Arnav followed her trail. Who lied to her? Did she say married?

xoxo

"And? Do you think I'll find out?" Arnav asked Khushi.

"I don't think so. I never wanted to make huge changes in our lives Mr. Arnav. I just wished that I said a few words to you. Words that you needed to hear. I don't know, I just wanted to have my say, I think."

Arnav planted a kiss on her forehead.

"And now you can. This is your canvas, darling. Paint it Red!" Arnav chuckled.

"Have you been spending time with Aman? What happened to your sense of humour?" Khushi slapped his chest.

"Two years of your absence has made me stray from 'acceptable jokes,' my love." Arnav kissed her neck.

"Okay, let's see next." Khushi insisted.

"Please tell me this one has more smut than a hug and some tears." Arnav pleaded.

"Oh it's got so much more." Khushi smirked.

xoxo

A/N: Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review if you can, your words make my day.