Atlantis

O3 - The Time That Has Now Gone

Hi guys! First of all, I am sorry for the late update. I have been really busy with my second year at University and I have been struggling with the worst form of writer's block. I am not sure about the way I wrote this chapter so apologies in advance if it seems weird. Hope you guys like it!

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Despite the horror of it, Arnav had believed Khushi's words about Shyam. But he also found himself unable to talk to her about it.

He had skipped the rest of the sangeet and had not shown up to see the Gupta family off at the end of it either. Confusion and anger had battled each other in him throughout the night as he struggled to come to terms with everything he heard and with everything it meant. Fear had soon creeped its way across his mind, filling him with horror-filled images of the past where he had lost his mother due to one betrayal and the possible future where he might lose his sister to another. He had wanted to kill Shyam and he had also wanted to keep him safe for his sister's sake. He had wanted to chuck him so far away that he could never make his way back and he had also wanted to threaten him into submission so that he would never leave his sister.

In all the chaos, he had avoided everyone in his family and would have probably continued to do so if Khushi hadnt shown up in his room the very next day when she came to prepare for the upcoming Mehndi ceremony.

Khushi had been visibly terrified at the prospect of approaching him but he could see that she was equally worried for him as she gathered enough strength to breach the subject and ask him if he was okay. He had remained silent and as she went on apologizing for having kept the truth for so long, he had given her no response beyond a blank look.

Finally, when she saw that he was in no mood to reply, she hesitantly reassured him in a low, trembly voice that if there was anything she could do, she will, before she made to leave. He had not known at the time what it was that made him do it but the second she turned her back to him, he had reached out and grabbed the end of her flying dupatta to stop her.

That had been the day they had bridged miles and miles of distance that a year of rivalry had created between them. Arnav had told her that he believed everything she said and that he did not blame her. He had looked earnestly into her teary eyes and had promised that he will fix everything.

She had shown him an understanding that he hadnt known he needed. As they sat side by side at the poolside after long minutes' silence, she started forwarding possible solutions to the predicament. Perhaps because he was overwhelmed by the weight of it all to be too proud or simply because he found an inexplicable comfort in her presence, Arnav had listened to all that she had to offer.

A half-hearted solution was to let Shyam grow out of his sickening infatuation with her and allow him a chance to reform himself, but Arnav had shot that one down. He had enough experience in his life to know that a person who can cheat once, will not outgrow it, nor will the pain of betrayal be any less when his sister finds out about it even if Shyam truly amends himself. They had at last agreed that they would have to do away with Shyam, but that option was not as simple as it sounded. Nor as easy.

Khushi had been concerned about Anjalis reaction and had recounted the day she had tried but failed to tell her the truth.

The problem is that even if we give her the most undeniable evidence, she might not believe us. And if she does, Arnav-ji I dont think she will be able to handle it she had said, voicing out loud what Arnav was most afraid to think about.

Her world revolves around him, she had continued in saddened tone, thats the problem. Is it—would it be possible to change that? Maybe if shes more independent