Entwined flames (OS/SS)

8. Scattered Pieces

On your requests and in gratitude for all the supportive feedback on the previous shot I'm here with the continuation of the TS 'Broken Pieces'

It can't be read as stand-alone. To know the crux of it, read the 3rd and 7th shot of this book first.
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He sensed the stillness in the air later but the familiar feeling and even more familiar scent hit his nostrils, made him dazed, and almost forced his body to crumble down before anything else.

His heart skipped a beat or two as he looked around the hall of AR downstairs standing at the top of the stairs at his shocked employees to follow their line of vision and soon his condition was much more pitiful than anyone else.

Everyone knew about the strange twist of fate that has happened in the great ASR's life. They knew but they haven't seen it before until now.

He gulped hard. Moisture burned behind his eyelids. He clenched his jaws and fists in self-restraint.

As the bane of his existence roamed around the desks chirpily greeting the workers she has once worked with, a long time ago yet she remembers them.

Of course she would. She was the most cruel woman on the face of this earth. She rememebers everything or everyone. Except him. Especially him!

He has promised her that he would take any punishment from her as long as she would come back. She listened. She came back miraculously only to execute him soon after.

And this is what that heartless woman dished out for him. As his punishment.

As his reward for all the days and nights he has spent praying earnestly in every temple of this country bribing her best friend with infinite offerings. He didn't leave a single dargah either.

He has grovelled and has locked so many padlocks in different places wherever he was told that your 'Mannat' is heard if you pray there. He has had a box full of keys to those padlocks; saved preciously in their cupboard.

He gave charities at her name. He even inaugurated an orphanage in her name which now sheltered a hundred orphan kids.

ASR politely requested everyone whom he helped to pray for his wife to get better who was in coma for the last one year.

He was ready to do anything. Anything just to see her laughing, chirping, jumping around like a butterfly she once was. Anything!

He hasn't refrained to accept all his sins either, before both Guptas and Raizadas without mincing anything out.

He revealed everything to even a little single details, all his tortures, misbehaviour, manhandling, forced marriage, everything he did or said post marriage till the day he lashed out at her calling her his biggest mistake.

It has left everyone shocked and absolutely shattered for how they punished an innocent for his fault.

In the initial days of their shotgun marriage everyone's behaviour had been really harsh with mostly Khushi only. Arnav was let go scott free because he intimidated everyone. Still Khushi won everyone's heart once again forgiving everyone despite the fact that they didn't deserve it at all.

Now, not anymore. It was time for the real sinners to get punished. Rightfully.

Madhumati, Garima, Payal cried blood tears of guilt for what their titaliya went through FOR them and they blamed her only. Not only Arnav but also they were at fault bringing them back on track.

The big shocking revelations opened the dazed, pregnant Anjali's eyes as well and she filed for divorce from Shyam much to everyone's relief and Shyam's dismay who saw his plan to fool her was once again destroyed by that Khushi herself even if she was lying unconscious in that critical condition in the ICU for a while now.