Let Me Love You Th #4 Link to Th#5 on PG 1 - Page 35

Payal found herself muffled and choked as her abductors gropped her, as a woman who had no thoughts of guilt as she shared herself with different men willingly , this was gruesome to have a group of men rip through her, she tried her best to fight them away but she was too powerless and tied up, she just wanted this nightmare to end and die, but amidst all the pushing, she did manage to free her mouth and found her voice, she yelled her lungs hoping that someone would hear her, her mind was flooded with unbidden images of Khushi struggling through depression, Payal remembered all the trauma that Khushi had to go through because of their parent's crimes , she remembered all those days when she herself had taunted Khushi and Payal felt pain flood her sense s because now she truly knew the agony that Khushi faced.

Meanwhile Nikhil Vaid was passing through the street, a hot shot free lancer who could sell even himself for money, he was on the lookout for prey and thats exactly what he got, he saw a vehicle ahead and a lady screaming, as he sped forward what met his sight thrilled him, it looked like a juicy front page news which could earn him quite a lot of bucks in return, as he caught sight if the girl's face, his excitement increased manifold because this lady was too familiar, she was a constant Page 3 socialite of the Delhi Society, Raj Gupta's daughter Payal Gupta was the woman and if he could manage an exclusive, the media would celebrate and the media loved Nikhil always.

He immediately took out his camera and with the perfect precision of a skilful paparazzi, he shot the entire ordeal , her cries for help fell on deaf ears, the abductors realising they were being snapped threw Payal away and sped away and so did Nikhil, he dialled the police and alerted them of what he saw and left the place immediately knowing that the entire police force would zoom in very soon.

Hours later ...

It was CHAOS.

Nikhil had the best bids for his story ... Payal Gupta was not a nobody ... her story would sell and thats exactly what the blood sucking media wanted.

Soon the leading news channels were screaming the story with live footage , social activists , human rights organisations , the law and legal system ... they were all out on the streets with their own propagandas.

Raj and Maya stared at the TV screens in horror as their daughter flashed across the screens, the phone calls and msgs at the home unrelenting, it was the shame on Gupta family hour because the headline wasnt kind to Payal ...

" Socialite ... Out Of Bounds ... Gupta's Frolicking ... NightLife Gone Wrong ... " the taglines were cruel one after the other.

Meanwhile at the Raizada household, Khushi was shaking in Arnav's arms as they saw the news, all were too stunned to react, Arnav tried to calm Khushi but she too long gone in the trauma, like history repeating itself, the pictures being aired were too powerful in bringing in dj vu for her , Akash was shaken up totally, he related to Sayali and Samar the details of their confrontation with Payal but Khushi had other ideas in her mind , she turned to Arnav ..

"Arnav ... take me to my sister now ... I want to see her "

Arnav looked at her desperate eyes and knew that it was the right thing to do. No matter what Payal did before, she needed Khushi by her side now.

He nodded and got up to leave with Khushi , but the entire Raizadas decided to go along , soon they were on their way but as soon as they reached the hospital , the media swarmed them like bees, they all wanted to know the Raizada connection , Khushi was about to step in when Akash came forward and faced them ,

"Payal is my fiance and she needs me and our family right now ... if there is anything to be informed to the media, it will be made public , now I expect you all to leave us alone and mind you , if anyone tries to sneak your way in ... I will sue you for harassment. "

And without a word Akash walked away as the family followed him in, no matter what the real situation was about Payal, what she needed was an iron clad shield and she will get it.

But at the same time, the Guptas were being briefed by their own staff about the information that was collected from the hospital and Raj Gupta was ready to face the press and his statement was quite shocking , considering that Payal was his daughter, his eyes were cold as the grave as he addressed the press and Maya looked equally taut,

"Payal has been punished for her careless life , as parents we always tried to give our daughter the best values we could give but apparently we have failed, she has shamed all of us, I as her father would like to let everyone know that she is no longer a Gupta !!

As cruel as it may sound, she will be given all the financial support needed for her treatment but she has no place in our lives anymore, she is no longer welcome here , its better not to have a daughter that to have one like her, as of now we have only one daughter and thats our Khushi.

Let all youngsters in our nation know that their wayward lives and crimes wont go unpunished. "

The media celebrated the two conflicting statements from the Raizadas & Guptas, each group had its own ground support with Moral Preachers applauding the Guptas for their firm stand against their own daughter.

Khushi had heard the statement from her so called parents in the hospital TV feed and was left stunned, the levels to which her parents could sink to protect their name ... she was disgusted.

But what mattered right now was to make sure Payal was safe.

Heavily sedated, Payal slept as the doctors briefed the Raizadas.

" Payal was caught in an attempt to rape but she HASNT been raped.

Luckily for her , we assume that her would be rapists abandoned their plan but we can say this for sure that there was no rape.

We feel it was the man who took the pictures that scared them off, forcing them to abandon their plan in the fear of being filmed.

Whoever the guy was did play a role in saving her but he is no good Samaritan , thats for sure because he would never have given away the pictures to the media.

But coming to Payal, she is in trauma and only when she wakes up , will we know her true situation.

She might have bouts of memory loss due to shock or may even slip into COMA but we have to wait till she regains consciousness. "

Khushi heaved a sigh of relief as she heard that the worst hadn't happened, she rushed to the room where Payal was with Sayali and Alaka following her.

Akash turned to Arnav and Samar, all three men were livid,

" Bhai we need to find the person who took those photos, whoever the vile bas***d is , I want him found. " spoke Akash ,

And Arnav couldn't have agreed with him more ... Samar spoke up,

" I will ask our PR office to get in touch with the media bosses, a meeting will be called up immediately , the Guptas can save their asses while their daughter suffers, they can wash their hands clean but Payal is Khushi's sister and that makes her a part of our family no matter what her sins were before !! "

Arnav turned to Akash,

"Akash what you did outside , I know you did it for Khushi and am truly proud of you but you should know that we will never let Payal be an obligation on you, we will find a way to sort things up okay ?? "

Akash shook his head,

"its true Bhai ... I did it for Bhabhi because I know she cant bear to see her sister's unprotected and being attacked by hawks but I also feel guilty, after what happened between us and Payal today, we left her all alone in that cast away place and thats how she landed in the hands of those vile men.

I don't love her Bhai but I feel responsible because Payal came there in the first place because I called her there.

Even if I don't love her, I will do everything it takes to protect her name even if it means I have to give her the protection of my name. "

Arnav didnt know what to say, his little brother was right , if Payal was in this situation today then they were all indirectly responsible for it, he hugged Akash tight ..

" no matter what happens ... we are in this together .. okay ??

We are all with you in whatever you decide to do. "

The men soon walked out and joined the ladies, Khushi ran into Arnav's arms as soon as she saw him,

" She has hurt me a lot Arnav but she didnt do anything to deserve this !!

Why did the fates do this to her ??

She is my sister for Godsakes and the entire country is celebrating the worst trauma in her life !!

No woman deserves this fate Arnav !!

I am thanking the Gods that the worst didnt happen but look what her parents did !!

They disinherited her without a flip of any eye ... so easy for them to severe all ties to their own blood !!

What kind of parents are they ???

What will she feel when she wakes up to realise that she has been thrown away by her own family !!

The world wont care for the truth Arnav ... they are like vultures feeding off the dead !! 

I know how its going to be but I never had to deal with the society.

It was all hushed up.

But Payal will have to face it lifelong ... how will I ever be able to erase this pain for her !! "

Khushi screamed her heart out and she wept against Arnav ...

"Dammit Arnav ... I wish it was ME instead of her !!! "

Khushi fell against Arnav as she bled in her pain , Arnav felt his heart breaking as he held her and her last line chilled his nerves that he immediately covered her lips from uttering any more cruel lines for herself,

The entire family wept ... it was a BLACK DAY !!

Inside ... Payal woke up.

Nikhil Vaid