32 Proposal
Part 32 Proposal
Ratna asked, "Will you marry Arnav?" The question stunned Khushi.
"I can see an attachment, Chotte, between you and Aashi. He cares for both of you very much. Otherwise, we wouldn't have allowed Aashi to call him 'Dad.' The man who never wanted to get married allowed her to do that. I don't think he permitted it just because he liked Aashi. I see beyond that. He can't let the child call him 'Dad' without having feelings for the mother as well. It's clear you both have a special place in his heart. I'm sure he will make you happy, and he will also find happiness in you."
"Do you know what happened in my life?" Khushi replied hesitating.
"I don't care about your past. We are not living in the past; we are changing every day. I appreciate who you are today. I admire all your gestures. I will be happy if you become my daughter-in-law. I will die satisfied after seeing my son with his family."
Khushi was left speechless by Ratna's generosity. What mother would be so broad-minded?
"Take your time. You will be protected, and Aashi will have a great father. I believe Chotte will be a wonderful father to Aashi, even if you don't marry him. But I want you to acknowledge this relationship authentically so that we can all be happy and at peace."
Khushi fiddled with her nightgown as Ratna continued,
"I'm sure Arnav will not refuse if I ask him to marry you..."
Khushi looked at her, perplexed. This meant Ratna was speaking to her without Arnav's consent. She was unaware of Arnav's proposal, but she guessed Ratna had sensed his feelings since he allowed Aashi to call him 'Dad.'
"Please think this through. If you find any difficulty in accepting our proposal, let me know. We will work to address it because I can see a new light in Chotte. He smiles more, seems lively, and gives priority to something other than his work. I like this family setup that I never dreamed of. Accept us and provide meaning to our lives, beta," Ratna said, making Khushi emotional.
Khushi remained silent.
"I hope you will give me a positive answer."
As Khushi stood up, she noticed Arnav standing nearby, listening to their conversation. She saw that he looked emotional. Yes, he was emotional, but she didn't know the REAL reason. In fact, he felt grateful that Ratna was supporting him even before he had asked for her help. Composing herself, Khushi attempted to lift Aashi, but Ratna stopped her.
"Please, let her sleep with me, beta."
Khushi had no heart to deny her request, so she left Aashi with Ratna and walked away. Arnav was gazing at her, and she was acutely aware of it. She didn't understand why she lacked the courage to meet his gaze. She was afraid that his eyes might make her weak.
Arnav gazed at her until her figure faded away. He approached Ratna, who was looking at him. He sat beside her silently, and Ratna placed her palm over his. Arnav looked at her with gratitude, and Ratna smiled.
"I understand how you feel, Chotte. When you didn't want to get married, I respected your wishes. Now, I can see why you asked Aashi to call you Dad. Being a single mother, Khushi had many reasons to hesitate. I don't want to be the one. That's why I clarified that I am completely fine with her proposal."
Arnav held her hand and replied,
"Thank you so much, Mom. You've lessened half of my difficulties."
"Let's hope for the best," she said.
Arnav nodded.
"Go and get some sleep..."
"Good night, Mom," he said as he walked out, closing the door behind him. As he passed Khushi's room, he noticed her sitting on the bed, holding her head in her hands.
Arnav paused, confused about whether he should talk to her. Khushi looked up and met his gaze, frozen for a moment. She stood up, gulping nervously and staring at him. Arnav entered the room, letting go of his confusion.
"Are you not sleeping?" he asked.
Khushi looked down.
"Can't you sleep?" Arnav pressed.
She looked at him but didn't answer.
"I can understand. You're confused. Just remember that my mother and I feel the same way about this. Keep that in mind. Good night..."
Just as Arnav was about to leave, Khushi's question stopped him.
"Do you know what I've faced in my life? Do you think this will work?"
"Yes," he replied with conviction.
"I believe it will work because this is my life. I know how to make it right. Why do you think it won't work? You can voice your doubts; I'll try to address them."
"I'm a single mother. I have a daughter..."
"She is MY DAUGHTER, too," he emphasised.
Khushi rolled her eyes.
"She calls me Dad. She has accepted me as her father and loves me just as I do her."
"People will taunt you," Khushi warned.
"I won't let them," he responded firmly.
Khushi frowned at him as she processed his words.
"I know how to silence people. Once we're married, no one will dare to raise a finger at YOU," he assured her.
"But how?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Leave it to me. I will handle it. What's your next question?"
Khushi looked at him in surprise.
"Arnav, this isn't an exam where you must answer questions..."
"I'm ready to face it PRACTICALLY as well."
"But why? You could find a nice girl..."
"I don't want any nice girl; I want YOU," Arnav said, making her heart race.
The room fell silent.
"Why don't you want to marry anyone else?" Khushi asked, probing into a sensitive topic.
"I will answer that question, but first, I want to know what you think of me," he said, making her feel awkward.
What could she say? Could she confess how much she admired him and how protective she felt? Or would she dare to lie and say she didn't like him? No, Arnav would surely laugh at her.
"Are you considering lying to me about not liking me?" he asked, slightly smiling.
Khushi was taken aback.
"I know you like me. No girl would be with the man she dislikes. So, don't try to lie."
"I'm not trying to lie..."
"Then tell me the truth: do you like me?"
"Arnav, I've told you many times how thankful I am to you. You are a gentleman like no other. But marrying you has never crossed my mind."
"It hasn't crossed your mind because you didn't expect I would propose to you. Now that I have proposed, your perspective will change. Take your time and analyze it. Khushi, understand this: you and Aashi will always be here, no matter your decision."
Khushi looked at him in astonishment.
"Don't think I'm trying to dominate you. I want you to be here; that's all I expect from you. After that, everything will happen as you wish. I won't force you into anything. I want it to be done with genuine rights."
Khushi was amazed. When did Arnav start thinking so profoundly? When did he come up with the idea of marrying her? She looked at Arnav as he said,
"Don't think too much. I will be there for you forever. Good night," he said as he walked out.
Khushi sat on the bed, contemplating the conversation she would have with Payal the next day.
...
GH
Sheetal saw Pramod lost in deep thought.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked.
"I'm thinking about the man with Khushi. Where have I seen him before?" He tapped his forehead with his fist.
"Why are you focusing on him now? He's with Khushi... that's all that matters."
"Exactly why I want to know more about him. I need to find out what kind of relationship Khushi has with him. I will definitely uncover it."
"Look, it would be better for us to keep our distance from him. He is Aman's friend. Don't do anything reckless."
"Did Aman actually say he is his friend?" Pramod questioned, a frown forming on his face.
Sheetal hesitated.
"He mentioned he was Aman's friend, and you believed him. Perhaps he said that knowing your connection. You should ask Aman first before jumping to conclusions."
Sheetal realized this was a valid point. Aman had never mentioned Arnav's name. Why had she trusted him? She decided she would ask Aman about Arnav.
To be continued...
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen3h.Co