Love me,if you dare

7

New York
It had been a month since Khushi arrived in New York. Yet neither she got appointment with Arnav,nor she met Anjali. It felt like the siblings had holed themselves up in their cave. Even Aman Mathur was unavailable. Khushi was getting frustrated. The plans were on hold for she didn't know what Arnav was planning by bringing Anjali out of that hell. She just wished for some clearance from Arnav to move towards next step.

Every morning Khushi would go to the nearby park,for exercise and jogging. Same was today. Yet she was surprised to see a lady in traditional Indian clothes,saree,sitting on a bench,lost somewhere. To her surprise it was none other than Anjali. Anjali had started to come out,early morning to get some alone time,feel freedom after a week of her arrival in New York..

Khushi looked at her watch. She was early that day,by more than half an hour. So that is why she never met Anjali before.

She just went there and sat on the bench beside the one Anjali was sitting..Then she left ..

Same repeated for almost a week. Khushi would come,watch Anjali sitting all lost,sit somewhere noticeable,then leave.. She just hoped Anjali would notice her..

Somehow Anjali noticed her. One day she smiled a little looking at the Indian girl coming to the same park. Khushi did an Eureka dance in her mind. Yet smiled politely..

Few days of distant smiles,and one day Anjali introduced herself to Khushi. Khushi also introduced herself. Both bonded well on the topic of India,Indian foods. Anjali,though lived like a slave,had vast knowledge on topics that interested her,thanks to the smartphone Arnav gifted her. Khushi was amazed by that. She thought Anjali was going to be a crybaby,crying over her fate. Yes,she didnot have certificates,did not have job, opportunities.. But that doesnot stop knowledge. Knowledge is an Ocean without end. We donot need certificate to earn knowledge..And Anjali proved her that..

Khushi noticed Anjali liked to connect with nature. She loved watching it. Anjali was suffering from something that was affecting her hands. May be her body too. She would often twist her fingers,rotate her wrist. So she observed that Anjali was in some kind of pain..

As their bonding was growing,Anjali was observing Khushi too. She noticed Khushi was really silent,so silent that it was scary sometimes. Khushi liked to wear full sleeve clothes more. Sometimes she would look lost,sigh..Khushi had something hidden about her,that she didn't like to share. Khushi would hesitate a fraction of second before telling her full name,Khushi Khurrana..

Both were observing each other. Anjali somehow knew Khushi wanted to,wished to approach her. Yet it was not for anything bad. Both never talked about their family, backgrounds etc. For them,they were simply Anjali and Khushi. A bond that was moved for something else was moving somewhere else..

Actually it can be said,Khushi loathed Anjali a little before. A question always bogged her,why did Anjali let her husband destroy so many lives. Yet with time Khushi understood,how destroyed Anjali herself was. A man who had destroyed so many lives,how hellish the life of the woman married to him would be..

Often victims only think from their perspective..Anjali should have blamed all the women who were Aryan's victim too. But she never did. She knew what kind of men Aryan Raichand and Aarav Raichand were.. In fact she got to know her husband's true face,the next day of her marriage..

Afterall she was whipped with belt on her marietal bed by her Newly married husband who she had loved for years...

That man had raped her,then vomited out all the curses he was suppressing,then whipped her till the clean white sheet was drenched with her blood..

She had to sleep in the servants quarter. No clothes,no food ...

The only thing that kept her and Arnav alive was the will that stated that if anything happens to Arnav and Anjali,then the property would go to orphanages across the globe and Aarav Raichand would be held responsible..

It was Ratna Raizada's intelligence that saved her children..