Chapter 17

'Mr. Roy, please stop the payments to Di's joint and personal account. Block the credit cards too.' Arnav ordered his accountant on the phone. Arnav Singh Raizada knew how to play dirty. It's just that he never felt the need to when it came to his family. Now, it was necessary. There was no way Shyam Manohar Jha was getting a dime of his money. He didn't earn just so that man could spend his money on his sleazy schemes to hurt Arnav Singh Raizada's family. Shyam wasn't financially capable of pulling such stunts off without his money and Arnav would be damned if he let Shyam have even a penny. 

Sometime later, Arnav smiled hearing the commotion downstairs. He went on to see the drama ensuing and smirked. Shyam was literally on the verge of pulling his hair out making a delivery man understand that he didn't order anything. The delivery man was persistent, and rightfully so. It was after all a parcel worth ₹ 50,000 ordered by a certain Shyam Manohar Jha. One by one, the family had gathered around and started exchanging looks when the delivery guy started explaining that Shyam had just confirmed his email address and ID card number and now refused payment. 

'Rani Sahiba, I'm telling you that I didn't order anything.' Shyam exasperatedly tried to explain to Anjali running a frustrated hand through his hair. He couldn't understand how the company had gotten a hold of his contact details. He even had an order confirmation message in his email inbox and couldn't wrap it around his head how that had happened. He would've let it go if his credit cards were working. Every card that he and Anjali owned were blocked. He had tried it this morning. Wouldn't he have bought that expensive watch if he had the money? Now, what could he do when the whole family looked on strangely as he haggled the delivery guy for what everyone thought of mere thousand rupees in their eyes. 

'Just pay the man, Shyam ji. We can sort everything later.' Anjali replied trying to keep her calm. The delivery man was looking at them condescendingly at being unable to pay and it was starting to irritate her why her husband would order something and refuse to pay. The details on the box were accurate as far as she knew. Was he having financial problems again, she wondered? 

'I don't... I don't have that much money.' Shyam spoke keeping his voice low. He was confused as it is and now this embarrassment of admitting that he didn't have enough money was too much to bear. Why he had thought of staying at home today was beyond him. 

Arnav looked around the living room standing at the bottom of the stairs where he could see and hear everything clearly. Everyone looked taken aback by Shyam's declaration but he focused on his Di specifically. If Arnav's suspicion was right, she looked annoyed at the fact that first Shyam had ordered something so expensive, denied it and was now admitting that he didn't even have that much money to pay for his own expenses. His Di had never bothered about money, her own spending limited to poojas and donations. She was definitely under the illusion that Shyam transferred money into their joint account for savings, no matter how small the sum was. The first step was to break that illusion. He heard the delivery man get a little louder demanding his payment. Time to make his presence known, Arnav thought. 

'What the hell is going on here?' Arnav's voice boomed the hallways of Shantivan.   

'Hello Hi Bye Bye, apparently Damadji spent more than his pocket allows.' Mami was quick to answer. Her sharp tongue making everyone cringe at the reality of this situation. 

Anjali looked torn, never having to deal with these matters herself. On any other day, she would've asked her brother to take care of it but given the things between them these days, she couldn't bring herself to do that. Shyam began to vehemently refuse the whole thing before Arnav showed him his hand to stop talking. He folded his arms together and looked at Shyam with patronizing eyes, his silence speaking more than any words could. Shyam averted his eyes but not before letting Arnav see the desired effects. He was mortified. 

'Forget it. What is it this time? A watch, helping the poor or buying a gift for YOUR wife?' Arnav hissed. Anjali looked up at her brother shocked that he would ever bring something like this up. The delivery man chuckled at the direct insult and Shyam sent him a glare that did not have any effect. Instead, the young man raised his eyebrow and looked on challengingly at Shyam to deny Arnav's words. Giving a dramatic pause to let the meaning of his words sink in, he continued. 'I'll take care of it. Have been doing so for a long time now.' 

Everyone in the family looked at him surprised. He had never questioned anyone about their spending, even encouraging them to not bother about money since he was earning and could take care of it. It was such a habit and they had welcomed Shyam into the same circle. Now, they were forced to re-evaluate certain things. It seemed like a rude awakening for the ever generous Raizada clan, especially Anjali, who seemed to never account for their precious Damad ji's finances and spending habits.

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Everyone laughed at the incident when Arnav told in detail what had happened in Shantivan. It was just a minor victory. Making everyone realize the complicated layers that hid behind the mask of their perfect and innocent Shyam bitwa. There was a time when Shyam had denied any dowry or any other financial help at the time of his marriage to Anjali and that had won everyone's heart instantly. His emphasis to live within his means even if it was meagre in comparison to the Raizadas was met with objections from almost everyone except Arnav and Anjali. Anjali wanted to live independently with her husband, in his house, and knowing that, Arnav had given her his blessing. But later, when Shyam's 'business' trips had increased leading to Anjali feeling alone, they had gradually shifted to Shantivan. This was the problem with his family, they were too trusting for their own good. And he needed to break that pattern. He was deep in thoughts when a soft hand covered his own and he immediately smiled forgetting everything. 

Khushi smiled assuredly and felt warmth spread inside her when he returned her smile with one of his own. No matter how many times he did that, it still gave her butterflies in the stomach. It made her want to reach out and caress his face making sure that smile was intact. And that touch would soon turn into certain things that made her red in the face. When Arnav's smile turned into a smirk knowing exactly where her thoughts were going and promising to turn it into reality later, she shook her head and tried to focus on the conversation. 

'What was in the box that was worth ₹ 50,000?'  Khushi asked instead. Initially, she had thought they would send any person with an empty box. But Arnav had wanted to focus on details. Everything was real and it pained her to see Arnav ji's hard-earned money going to waste like this. 

'Just some magazines, membership cards to a club, and fake scorpions.' Arnav stated with a teasing hint in his voice. If only Khushi's naive mind knew what kind of magazines were there, she would burst into flames. 

'That's not even worth ₹ 1000.'  Khushi mumbled innocently.

'Adult entertainment industry is quite expensive.' NK's cheeky reply earned him a kick under the table from Arnav. What these girls didn't know was that it wasn't just any adult stuff, it was same-sex adult stuff. Same-sex explicit magazines, a membership to a gay strip club and some DVDs on how to come out of the closet. It was petty but Arnav knew that Shyam would be scarred for life reading his name printed out on each of the items in the box. 

'You guys did not!' Preeto, who was a little more sensible in these matters gasped when NK whispered the exact contents of the parcel in her ear and looked on impressively at the three guys sitting in front of her. It would've been a treat to watch Shyam's face. She looked on amusedly at Khushi who still had no idea why everyone was laughing and planned to tell her in detail what was so expensive in the box.

'It was ASR's idea.' Aman explained. He still couldn't believe the ever sophisticated ASR would play such pranks. The satisfaction it gave them was out of the world though. 

'Who knew behind that innocence, such an evil mind lies?' Preeto commented playfully looking at Arnav and everyone, except Khushi, burst out laughing. She looked on as Arnav tugged on Khushi's hand and kissed her knuckles lovingly bringing her out of the confused state she was in. Khushi blushed and turned her face away from him and Preeto couldn't help but pray to God to keep them like this always. 

**********

Arnav sat on the recliner kept at the balcony with his arms behind his head. He was waiting for Khushi to come up here with their tea and coffee, which was a routine for them after dinner. If anything that kept him going the whole day, it was this moment. He looked on as Khushi entered through the glass door and kept the tray on the small coffee table beside the recliner with two steaming mugs. She refused to meet his eyes and was still red in the face. He pulled her towards him and she gasped at the contact of their bodies. He settled her between his legs with her back to his chest, smiling contently when she leaned her head towards his shoulder albeit her shyness. 

'Preeto told you?' Arnav inquired kissing her temple at the adorable blushing picture she made. He saw her bite her lip and nod, not being able to form words and he couldn't control it anymore. He chuckled at Khushi's innocence knowing that Preeto wouldn't have left out any details about explaining to Khushi what adult stuff meant. 

'How could you send such stuff to him? What if Nani ji saw it?' Khushi questioned accusingly turning around to face him and see his eyes dancing with mirth. She still couldn't believe that it was Arnav's idea. Deep down, she felt so good to see him act his age. It was little things like these that gave her a glimpse of Arnav ji hidden behind that ASR mask and she loved it. However, she shuddered thinking what would've happened if anyone in Shantivan opened the box. 

'The whole Shantivan would've been going under purification from the evilness of the world. Mantras would be chanted and poojas would be held.'  Arnav exclaimed dramatically making both of them laugh out loud at the truth in his words. Scandalized, Nani ji and Anjali ji would've done exactly the same thing. 

'We're so different from each other. I can't even say such things and...' Khushi sighed, intertwining her fingers with his. It fit perfectly.

'And yet here we are. Together and in love.' Arnav admitted giving her hand an assuring squeeze. He nuzzled his nose into the creamy expanse of her neck that looked so inviting and felt Khushi shiver at their proximity. He kissed her gently there and smiled when Khushi shifted her head a little to give him better access. They could be different from each other in all aspects but their love bound them together. 

'Hamesha.'  Khushi declared looking into Arnav's eyes that were always shining with love for her. It felt so right.

'Always.'  Arnav promised, taking her lips in a kiss that touched their souls.

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