Unfinished painting

Chapter 1

After the basketball match, everyone comes home. Nani feels distraught seeing Khushi's fallen face. She can't believe how callous the family members are to her Khushi bitiya's feelings. Khushi... No Arohi... Her daughter in law, Nandini's niece, Manohar's actual wife. How happy the Raizada family was 15 years back... it just took one mission and a web of lies to break her family.

That one secret that has been kept to keep all the younger generations of Raizadas, Malliks and Singhanias is still weighing in her heart. When the time comes, when everything gets revealed will things change for her family? When she had met Garima on the remarriage day, she knew that she would be forever be indebted to the Guptas for all they had done for the three families. 

Nani looks at Payal whose face is filled with anger and anguish looking at the situation in front of her. The girl who left her lawyer profession to keep her sister away from all danger. Though Nani was against the fact that she had kept the truth away from Khushi, she knew that people who are protective tend to make unreasonable decisions. Wasn't she an example of it?

"Was she a coward?" Nani always wonders. Why didn't she raise her voice against Manohar's wrong decision years back. If she had, maybe things might have been a little different today.

As all the members disperse to their rooms, Khushi rushes to the kitchen to make jalebis. She was no longer sure what position she holds in this house. Her Arnavji no longer notices her, takes care of her, rile her up or hold her with love. Only if he had noticed, he would have known that his Khushi is not feeling well. She is getting nightmares every night probably flashes of memories probably of the past few years.

Khushi has only memories of the past 3 years only. She was told an accident had robbed her of all her previous memories. It was a miracle that she had escaped from that incident. After two months of being in coma, she was taken to Gupta house to restart her life. Nobody spoke of her past memories, it was as though it was not at all important. But Khushi always felt an unexplainable void in her heart as though someone close to her heart is missing. Who was that person? Who was that lady whose eyes sparkling of love that always came in her dreams? Why did her face always make her feel happy?

With her own issues to deal with, Sheetal and Arav's entry has caused her more emotional damage she imagined. She felt as though Shantivan was no longer her home. Why is life so unfair for her?

"Hey DeviMaiyaa, guide me please! I no longer know what the future holds nor do I know what my past is. The only thing before me is my present which is clouded with miseries and sorrows."

Payal comes inside and sees her doll in distress. She curses herself for marrying into Raizadas and ruining their lives. How happy they were before and now, it has been days since they had even smiled. She rushes to Khushi and hugs her tight. Both the sisters try to find comfort in each other's warmth. Payal finally decides that she would no longer safeguard the Raizadas. Only Khushi matters and needs to be by her side. Only her Arohi is needed to live her life till the last breath. Akash and the rest of the Raizadas can go to Hell.

As the flames of fire die down, so does the love for the Raizada family diminish into nothingness. Now what the future holds for them would be decided by them. If Khushi is there, Payal is there. If Khushi is not there, Payal is not there.