Arshi FF: Cruel Fate

Chapter 2

Payal Singh Raizada formerly Payal Gupta, was only child for Shashi and Garima. She was happy in her own world with her mom, dad and her Buaji. When she was 9 years old, her parents brought a fair skinned 8 year girl with puffy red eyes to her house. She knows that she has a maasi and cousin sister in Agra, but they never met because their moms were not talking with each other for some reason. They made both of girls to sleep in same room at night. Payal switched of the lights and went to bed. She then felt a hand clasp onto hers.

Khushi:- Ji....ji....jiji I am scared of darkness

Payal's heart filled with love and protectiveness for her newly found sister. She went up and switched on a lamp. Khushi hugged Payal and slept peacefully for first time since her parent's accident. She grew close to her sister and cared for her almost like a mother. So for Payal to see her Ladli burning in fire was so shocking that she fainted into Aakash's arms. While he was trying to wake her up, he could see his wife's cream sari drenched in blood. He quickly picked her up and took her to hospital. When Payal woke up and saw Aakash crying.

Payal:- Aakaashji, why are you crying?? Kya hua??

Aakash:- our....our....ba....baby is no more (still crying).

Payal was shocked. Why did God choose take her two children on the same day. What has she done to deserve this punishment? She couldn't bear this pain anymore. She saw a scalpel and secretly hid it under her pillow.

Payal:- Aakash ji, I need some water.

As Aakash left, she took the scalpel to cut herself, Then the door opened and she saw mami waking with Aarav in her hands.

Mami:- KHOON BARI TAANG, WHAT ARE YOU DOING. (She angrily snatches the scalpel and threw it away.)

Payal:- Maaji, my child and my Khushi have left me. For whom should I live (Crying)

Mami:- Payal bitiya, see who came to meet you, (She hands Aarav to Payal), He lost his Mother and cousin today, do you want him to lose his Badi ma too? And you didn't think about my Aakash bitwaa, he lost his child too, does he need to lose his wife too on the same day.

Payal:- Mujhe maaf kijiye maaji, mei bina socha ye kaam kiya. (Forgive me, Maaji, I didn't think it through.) (She hugs Mami and Mami strokes her Hair and kisses her forehead. Payal kisses Aarav.) From today onwards you are my child. By this I can repay your mom for the sacrifices she made for me. (Payal knows about the contract marriage).

From that second Payal considered Aarav to be her son. Even after giving birth to her own son Aryan after 2 years, she never differentiated between Aryan and Aarav. For her Aarav will be always her eldest son.

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Subhadhra Mallik has had her way since her childhood. No one ever dared come in her way. So she couldn't come into terms when her Grand son, went and married Khushi. She knows that Khushi's mother/maasi was not the reason for Arnav's mom's suicide. But she didn't want a low class chit of a girl to be a Mallik Bahu so she got rid of the 'filth' by killing her in the fire. (Dadi thinks that Khushi and her daughter died in the fire.) She paid some goons to light the hospital on fire. She planned to raise Aarav by poisoning his brain with old-fashioned 'Mallik' values about male superiority. But for some reason, Arnav didn't let her touch his son. He has given Aarav's responsibility to Payal. Subhadhra was furious at Arnav. She felt insulted by this decision. She went to confront him.

Dadi:- What is this Arnav? Why are you not allowing me not to go near Aarav?

Arnav:- because I don't want your shadow on my son.

Dadi:- Ye kya baat kar rahe ho Arnav??

Arnav:- I want my son to be a Raizada, who respects women and not Mallik who uses women like trash.

Flashback:-

Arnav was passing thru the halls of Shantivan, when he stopped by his Dadi's room. He heard his dadi speaking to his 2 year old son

Dadi:- Aarav, You are a Mallik prince, Grandson of Arvind Mallik and Son of Arnav Mallik. Your mother pollutes half of your blood. That's why I am going to teach you how to be a proper Mallik.

Arnav blood boils when he hears his dadi polluting his son's thoughts about his mother. He also remembers the horrid past of his mother's suicide on Di's wedding day. He goes inside quickly and grabs his son from dadi and leaves the room fuming.

End of Flashback

Arnav:- (clenching his fists) remember what I am talking about. I thought you changed; no you are still the same person. Even though you said these words I let you stay in my house, if you don't like my decisions you can leave.

Subhadhra left Shantivan feeling insulted, but she let out a evil smile thinking how she destroyed Khushi's life.

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Khushi's Apartment, Delhi

Khushi is thinking about Arnav and Aarav. She was thinking weather her Arnav moved on with life and married again. What would she do if Arnav married again?

Khushi:- (self thought) No Khushi, don't think like that, if you want to find out, go in a disguise to Shantivan to find out the truth.

Her daughter interrupted her thoughts.

Arshitha:- What are you doing amma? When are we going to meet Papa?

Khushi:- Meri Gudiya, We will meet him soon and he has got a surprise for you.

Arshitha:- AMMA, how many times I have to tell you not to call me Gudiya, call me Arshitha or if you want a pet name for me call me ASR.

Khushi jaw dropped listening to her daughter and muttered "Laad governor ki bacchi ".

Arshitha:- Amma, r u dreaming again? I made a new friend in school. I told him come to our house this weekend, Is that ok Amma?

Khushi:- of course meri gudiya (Arshitha glares at her mom) ooops, sorry I mean ASR.

Arshitha went to her bed and was tucked to bed by her Amma, She got a goodnight kiss and thought about meeting her new friend.

Flashback:- (Arshitha's POV)

I was walking in the hallway to go to my class. I saw someone crying. I went to him and wiped his tears.

Arshitha:- Why are you crying?

Boy:- I miss my mumma.

Arshitha:- For that you are crying, I miss my Papa too but I am not crying like you.

Boy:- My papa is the best, he brings me toys and takes to amusement parks.

Arshitha:- My amma is best too, she feeds me food, tells good stories and makes the best Jalebi. Waise, Whats your name?

Boy:- My name is Aarav. Whats yours?

Arshitha:- My name is Arshitha, (lifting her finger up), but I want you to call me ASR. Samji?

Aarav:- (gigiling) Hey that's what they call my papa too.

Arshitha:- What the, (not believing what Aarav said), I want to meet you papa.

Aarav:- Can I meet your Amma.

Arshitha:- Bring him to my house this weekend, we can all play together. (st:- I can see what Mr ASR looks like). Deal.

Aarav:- Deal (they shake their hands)

End of Flashback.

Meanwhile in Shantivan, Aarav convinces Arnav to take him to the play date. Arnav agrees because he never seen his son this happy before. So he agrees to take him to the play date.

Aarav:- (self thought) I want a mumma like ASR (in his view Arshitha). I want papa to meet her and fall in love with her and then we can all live together, me, ASR, Papa and my New mumma.