SS: Shattered Souls - Chapter 10

"He didn't come because of me" Ruhaan said as he walked in.

Khushi looked at Arnav and then at Ruhaan. Ruhaan stood in front of her and said, "Dad was coming to you. He was driving as fast as possible to reach to you but..."

"But I got into an accident!" Arnav said cutting him.

Khushi gasped and looked at Arnav who said, "A truck was coming opposite to me and I suddenly turned my steering not noticing the car which was coming towards me overtaking the truck. I hit the car and in that car were Ruhaan's real parents!"

Khushi gulped and looked at Ruhaan who looked down in tears. "Roo...go..." Arnav said softly and Ruhaan walked away silently.

Khushi turned to Arnav and looked at him shocked. She wasn't able to say anything. "Ruh...Ruhaan's...you..."

Arnav looked down and said with his voice chocking, "I killed them Khushi...I killed his parents!"

Khushi gasped and Arnav said, "Not only his parents," tears flew down his eyes, "and his baby sister, Ruhi, who was just 5 that day! She was a baby Khushi...a baby girl like Aashi!"

Khushi looked at him numb and he said in tears, "I don't remember anything after the collision. When I opened my eyes I was at hospital with Aman near me. Aman had set off searching for me and found my crashed car. He had tried to call Akash, NK and other but all had their phones busy. When I opened my eyes, he said to me about the accident and that the people in the car died, except the 8 year old boy...Ruhaan!"

"Where is that boy?" Arnav asked weakly to Aman sitting on his hospital bed.

"He is unconscious" Aman said. "What about his relatives?" Arnav asked and he replied, "No one is here yet. I'm still enquiring about that!"

"Sir, can I call Khushi ma..." "NO!" Arnav cut him. "But sir, she would be waiting for you!" Aman cried.

"There is a boy lying unconscious before me, not even having the slightest idea that his parents and sister are no more! THIS BOY IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN KHUSHI AMAN!" Arnav shouted.

"Are you the same person who had once told me that Khushi is more important than anyone?" Aman asked shocked by his reply.

"That day I never knew that I would kill somebody and would make a little boy an orphan!" he said weakly.

"Sir it was just an accident..." Aman began when Arnav cried, "That explanation won't bring them back Aman! I can foresee the boy's reaction when he wakes up. I know how it feels to be an orphan!"

Aman kept his hand on Arnav's shoulder and said, "At least inform Khushi mam"

"Go and find the dead person's relatives and friends!" Arnav ordered. Aman sighed and walked out.

Arnav sat alone on the hospital bed and cried his heart out, "I'm sorry Khushi! I'm so sorry but I cannot come now! Not until I hand over that boy to a safe hand!"

He covered his face with palm and cried, "I'm a killer! I killed his parents and his little baby sister...I'm a monster!"

It was then Aman came in. Arnav hurriedly wiped his tears and looked at him.

Aman said, "Sir both of them are orphans. No relatives and family!"

"Friends?" Arnav asked shocked.

Nodding no Aman said, "No one close sir. They are pretty introvert people."

Arnav gasped realizing the truth in horror. He has made that boy a true ORPHAN!

At that time a nurse came in and asked to Aman, "What are the dead couple's names?"

Aman said, "Karan Singhania and Ayesha Singhania"

 Karan Singhania and Ayesha Singhania

Karan Singhania and Ayesha Singhania

Karan Singhania and Ayesha Singhania

Arnav looked at Aman in horror. "What did you say?" He asked shocked. "Karan Singhania and Ayesha Singhania, that boy's parents!" Aman repeated.

"Can I see them?" Arnav asked to the nurse.

The nurse nodded and brought a wheel chair. Aman helped Arnav to sit on it and wheeled him to the morgue. The nurse removed the cloth covering the dead body and Arnav gasped seeing the faces.

"You know them?" Aman asked seeing his reaction.

"You knew them?" Khushi asked in low voice and Arnav nodded his head saying, "We were in Harvard. My only friends at Harvard!"

Khushi sighed hard and looked at him in tears.

Arnav continued in his chocking voice, "Ruhaan woke up and he became hysterical hearing his parents' death. He started shaking their and Ruhi's body demanding them to wake up. No one could control him. He ran away to top of the building and was about to jump down when Aman went there and stopped him. He was given sedatives and he fell unconscious again.

I decided not to come back leaving him there. I was the cause of that. I killed his parents, I killed his sister and I am the reason he was given anaesthesia. He was my responsibility. Aman was busy talking to police and lawyer about closing the case and I was so into the chaos that we didn't feel like informing anyone. I'm sorry Khushi. I was shocked...numb...I did not know what to do..."

"What happened next?" Khushi asked maintaining her voice.

Arnav sighed and said, "Ruhaan was depressed. He didn't talk, eat, sleep...he just sat numb. I didn't have the mind to leave him in such a state. And I decided something. I'm cause for his pain and I'll take up the biggest punishment in my life - to be away from my family. I decided to leave you all for him. I took him to London with Aman following me telling that he'll help me. I took him to the best physiatrist of London and slowly he started recovering. He became close to me and started calling me dad."

Arnav smiled and said, "Do you know how I felt that moment Khushi? I was away for a day and when I came back he had run to me and hugged me tight crying. He begged me not to leave him alone again and called me dad."

Khushi smiled in tears and Arnav continued,

"He loved singing. Ayesha also sang well. He got her trait. When asked he told me that Karan and Ayesha wanted him to be a rockstar. I wanted to fulfil the ream of my friends and I started encouraging Ruhaan into singing. Singing was his passion and soon he became the best in the field. With Aman helping me, I made him the biggest singer the world has ever seen!"

Arnav finished and looked at her and said softly, "I never doubted you. I never doubted your mother! Yes, I was shocked for a moment and needed a peace of mind that I went away. But soon I realized that the traitor was none other than my father. He hid his identity of being married from your mother just like Shyam did to you! I realized that neither you nor your mother is at fault. Dadi is the one to be blamed. She had seen aunty before marriage but she chose the marriage day to reveal the truth. Why? She wanted to stop the marriage!

I was coming back to you Khushi but fate had other plans. I never left you! I loved you Khushi and I still love you!" He said in tears.

Khushi stood with tears flowing down her eyes. She bit her lips to control her sobs which was unsuccessful. "Ruhaan is alright now. Why didn't you come back?" She asked chocking.

"Years have passed. I thought you have moved on. And I was right, you see! Everyone has moved on! Nani, di, Akash, you...everyone hates me! Even NK!" Arnav said.

Khushi sighed and said looking away, "I never moved on! If I had, Aashi would have been calling someone dad!"

Arnav looked down and said in his chocking voice, "I killed three people Khushi! A boy became an orphan due to me!"

"Four Arnavji...you killed four people!" Khushi said. Arnav looked at her and she said looking at him, "Amma committed suicide!"

Arnav gasped and Khushi said in tears, "When you didn't come back, she broke down blaming herself for destroying herself. And before anyone could stop her, she jumped into the flames. We pulled her out but the flames had caught on her sari and it spread like forest fire"

Khushi looked at him and said with her voice breaking, "The flame which I thought would strengthen our marriage and our love KILLED MY MOTHER!" She shouted and broke down on the floor. Arnav stood closing his eyes with tears flowing out.

"Khushi..." he leaned on the floor and held her shoulder. She clutched his shirt and cried bitterly. He hugged her tight. She rested her head on his chest draining his shirt with her tears.

"I'm sorry Khushi"

"Sorry won't bring her back" she whispered in her broken voice.

"I can't do anything other than apologizing!" he whispered, "Forgive me...if not, please don't hate me...I can't see hatred for me in your eyes"

Khushi clinged on to him and cried, "Come back Arnav ji...please come back to me..."

"No one wants me back!" he stated.

Khushi withdrew from the hug and stood up. Arnav also stood up. She held his hand and said, "No one hates you. They are just angry with you! If they know the truth, they'll surely accept you back."

"Do you accept me?" he asked in whisper.

She looked at his eyes and then stood on her toes and kissed his forehead. He smiled faintly and heard her whisper, "Come back..."

"Ruhaan..." Arnav said softly.

"He'll stay with us...as our son!" Khushi said softly.

"Aashi..." Arnav asked.

"I'll tell her the truth!" Khushi said.

"What truth? That her father abandoned her mother at altar? Or he killed her Nani? Or he killed three people and made a boy an orphan?" Arnav asked laughing bitterly.

"Stop blaming yourself!" Khushi said crying.

Arnav sighed and looked away.

"You and Ruhaan are coming with me." Khushi said sternly.

"Khushi I..." Arnav began when Khushi said in her sternest tone, "It's final!"

Arnav's lips curved to a smile, "You're speaking like me" he said smiling. Khushi looked away to hide her smile and said maintaining her tone, "I have to! Your employees are lazy bums!"

Arnav chuckled and Khushi smiled seeing his reaction.