Chapter 19

Thank you, everyone, who are still with me on this journey personal life has been busy so couldn't post this will try to post henceforth regularly. 

Chapter 18

"OUT, NOT A WORD, JUST GET OUT" he marched towards her, held her arm, dragged her towards the door and pushed her out of it. He better distance himself before he does anything which he regrets later.

"But...

"Ms. Gupta OUT NOW"

"I knew I was wrong, today, here at this moment by spoiling everything out there, but I guess the only wrong factor here is me hoping to have a word with you, with a person who doesn't see beyond his wants. " with that she was gone with the same speed she came in, to accompany her sister.

...

"Khushi, are you okay?" she knew there is nothing to worry about but still if something has missed from her vision, so she asked finally.

"I'm fine Jiji, I wouldn't say about the same regarding my dupatta though. what is his problem? always ready to explode, I was just trying to help both us and he is being rude to me instead of thankful, accepted that the current state of his cabin is due to me but still that is not how you treat your employees only because your cabin is cluttered." Khushi was seated on the pillion seat this time while Payal was driving them back home.

"It's okay Khushi until there is nothing wrong with us, these things happen and you just need to figure out what and where it went wrong, problem solved." Payal saw ASR dragging Khushi out and shouting at her to leave, she rushed to help her sister, manhandling is not something she would accept at any point of time from anyone, but her sister beat her to it, showing them that she is learning to handle the situations without third person's involvement. For now, she would stand on the outer circle and watch, guiding Khushi is her duty, she did it, now it's time for Khushi to show what she learned.

...

Arnav was seated on his couch with his laptop in front of him blinking indicating the low charge but all that was running in his mind was the events since Khushi entered his life. Nothing is going as he planned, everything seems like it is getting tangled. He needs to be in control before everything blows out of proportion, he would have a word with Ms.Gupta the next day he would surely get back his life in order like before. Closing the curtains he moved towards his bed when the pearls lying on his dressing table attracted his attention, they lay scattered on different sides of the table.

Taking them into his palm he gave one long stare," she was wearing something in this color today" his mind reminded him and took him back to the time he saw her sleeping in his cabin without a care.

"As if I give a damn" throwing them away to their original place all these, he jumped on his bed wishing to avoid a certain someone from entering his dreams.

He was on his regular jog when everything around him changed into cream color, his surrounding was disappearing slowly and there were cream color curtains flying around him winding him up in the process until only his face was visible, he tried entangling but they only got tighter with each passing second, there was severe pain surging through his body where cloth was holding more stronger than the minute before, he could feel himself drowned in his sweat with the non-resulting fight he was putting to get released from the binding, he could hold no longer his eyes started to droop, his mind losing control of the surroundings. When he felt the last breath leaving his system there was a sudden push, even before he realized he was falling flat on his face, he tried holding on to something which would stop the fall but it felt he was going deeper and deeper into space, the hard surface was not visible anymore. As he went deeper his surrounding started changing into different colors within a fraction of second and he finally felt the ground beneath him, as he tried to move he felt a soft moment beneath him and there lay the doe-eyed girl staring right back into his eyes.

"Ah, huh, Ms.Gupta?" he woke up with a start from his dream, "now this girl started to spoil his nights too". It is better to deal with her earlier than later.

...

"Jiji, this is something me and Garima have already decided, I only wanted to let you know as we don't want you to be unaware of the happenings in the house, don't let Payal know about it, she is just out of it." Shashi only wanted to inform his sister what has transpired in her absence, but as Madhumathi got to know about the new alliance for her niece she started to convince Shashi to at least have a word with Payal to let know her decision.

"I still feel speaking to her once would be of use to us on the larger front, we would know where she stands right now" she is not going let this opportunity go out of her hands.

"Jiji, please not a word more, let it be like this, take care." with that he kept his phone on the desk and ran to see if the truck is loaded to deliver at Mishra's.

...

"Buaji, I have some important work, let Jiji know I left, she slept in wee hours working all the night let her sleep for a while."

"Ha, ha, Parameswari, I will not disturb your Jiji's beauty sleep, you take care of urself, don't come home with another torn dupatta."

Khushi gave one scornful look and rushed out mumbling something under her breath which seemed something close to as how her Nanda Kishore is handling her all these years.

...

"It's more than 15 minutes since we are here, why don't this man open his mouth and say something? Is he expecting me to speak? No way, Yesterday while leaving I told him what I have in mind, now it's his turn to say something on it rather than waiting for me to do his talk too. And the way he threw her out of his cabin, a sorry has to be spelled before she goes forward with the conversation" Khushi stood fidgeting with her scarf.

Arnav and Khushi entered the premises almost at the same time, they both understood that the other wants to speak to them on the day before discussion but both stood tight-lipped on both sides of the coffee machine giving a sideways glance once in a while sipping the already finished cup.

"On any other day, the girl never keeps her mouth shut, now why is she behaving as if a cat got her tongue? Is she expecting me to do the talk? No way, why should I initiate something on which she has issues, ok even he wants to sort it out but her parting words, how dare she says he never looks beyond himself, even without a sorry she is standing here expecting me to speak to her? 2 more minutes and he would leave there is no way he is going to stand all day here waiting for her to realize her mistake." he stood scrolling through his mobile.

"Looks like you have to take the lead here Khushi, so what if he is not being open on the apologize? remember what babuji always use to say the person who forgives is the person with a big heart, this rakshas will keep me standing here for the rest of my life but the word wouldn't come out of his mouth, for my your dear life speak up before he marches away shouting on something or other." she finally decided to take the lead rather than to waste time making the handsome wall beside her to speak. Did she just say handsome? "AHHH we will deal with this later Khushi, first things first."

"Sir, what have you thought about..."

"Ms. Gupta, Let's move to my cabin." with that he marched towards his cabin with Khushi following him making different faces at him for not reacting until she spoke up.

They both sat facing each other and went on about issues Khushi faced till now, Arnav sat listening to her rant about the whole issue, his dream from the day before flashed in front of his eyes, he instantly looked straight at her eyes, the doe-shaped eyes, with every word she spelled her eyes changed the expression. He scanned her face next the bangs were covering half of her face, the hair pulled back into a ponytail, there was a small bindi just between the shaped eyebrows, white studs adorned her ears. His eyes next went in to take her overall appearance, she was wearing a white plain kurti with 3/4th sleeves, the left wrist has a watch and the right one a simple silver bracelet. A light orange colored scarf was worn in such a way that it forms a V shape in the middle.

"So what do you say?" Khushi gave an expectant look towards Arnav hoping him to say something after her speaking continuously close to 10 mins.

"Huh? Oh Ok, so have you planned anything on how to solve this?" to be frank he zoomed out the second he looked at her eyes, but will he be called ASR if he gets caught? So he simply turned the ball into her court.

"I would want us to daily have a meet before the day starts, we can discuss what needs to be done and how you want it to be done, I can ask if there is something which needs your help."

"The office starts at.."

"We can have this  when you have your coffee, in fact, I will bring mine to here"

" If you don't mind," after seeing him raise his eyebrow she spelled.

"And for how many days will this go on?"

"For the starters let's say one week, we can see how this works."

"Fine, let's start for today then"

...

"Good morning buaji.." Payal wished as she saw her aunt preparing a grocery list.

"Aww, Payalia you woke up? I have made your favorite today, come"

"What is it? You look a lot happier this morning, did Nandakishore finally answered your prayers?" Payal spoke looking at her aunt all smiles face.

"Of course I'm happy dear, after all, I'm going to be the brides bua." Madhumathi tentatively dropped the bomb.

"Bride?" her niece looked all more confused the morning chirpiness flew.

"Hai re Nanda Kishore, you, who else? That Abhishek was a fool to leave you, but not all are like that..."

"Buaji, what are you saying? You have fixed a new alliance for me? Why did anyone not spoken to me on this? Did I say that I'm ready to get married?" with each sentence the soft-spoken niece's pitch rose higher.

"So what are you going to do without getting married?"

"I'm happy like this."

"And what will you do after we elders are no more? "

"Buaji please, I'm not getting married and that's final"

"Will you stay like me with no happiness all your life? Payalia, see if you don't like this guy we will see someone better as per your liking but speaking like this will only make you look like an arrogant person to others, already there are rumors all over about the broken wedding the only way to put a stop to them is your wedding."

"Buaji, all you care is about others? what about me and my feelings?"

"I care for you only that's why I want you to take this step. Society will never be good to a single woman"

"That is my least concern" with that she took her handbag, banged the front door and rushed to her office with tears in her eyes.

...

"Oh, then why don't you get married and settle, a girl has this option.." Akash was speaking over a phone when he saw Payal standing in front of him looking with red eyes and a bit swollen face, something is surely off with her.

"I need some signatures on this," she said without looking at his face.

"Okaayy" he signed still looking at her face confusingly.

"why is that only the idea of marriage imposed on girls?" she spoke once he handed her the file with a forlorn look.

"Huh?"

"Even you think the same that a solution to any problem for a girl is to only get married. How mean is that."

"Excuse me" she wasn't looking at him but the spitefulness in her words is clearly visible to anyone.

"I guess all men are like that, always looking down at women, even your brother no one said a word when he crossed his limits in torturing Khushi." she was not sure herself how the conversation steered this way.

"Payal, see I know what bhai has done isn't correct but why bring this up now? Let the bygones be..."

"You are supporting him? Why am I even surprised? after all, he is your family and more than that you can never accept that a man was wrong"

"I never supported him and from where does this men and women come into this?"

"Now act all innocent haven't you know what all has transpired since Khushi joined here? I never saw you speaking against him too? Both the brothers are on the same line, All men are the same "

"PAYAL, you are crossing the line, if you have any issue regards to me tell me clearly don't drag bhai into this"

"And why shouldn't I, you guys keep preaching to the whole world that women are not able to handle problems and only a man can be their savior while you men will create a lot of such problems which will be unbearable for us,..." she was going on with her rant.

"SHUT UP, just what the hell are you going on and on about, will you tell me what is the issue in the first place rather than talking in riddles or criticizing?" Akash cut her string of accusations, banged his desk and shouted at Payal.

...

"What the.." Arnav stood watching his always calm and composed brother lose his cool on a girl while beside him stood Khushi who was dumbstruck with the way her sister was hurling accusations with no relevance at that moment. Khushi wanted some reports from the marketing department and when Payal was not to be seen in her cabin she walked to Akash's cabin. Arnav wanted to know the progress of the Mumbai deal and was continuously trying to Akash's number which went unanswered as he was busy trying to understand his PA, ASR finally decided to grace his brother's cabin with his presence to know what the issue is.

Both Arnav and Khushi reached the door handle at the same time and they were sure something is surely wrong with their siblings and standing at the threshold of Akash's cabin now they were confused with the fight.

PRECAP-Gupta sisters meet the Raizada family

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 Any resemblance of the storyline or dialogues to other is just a coincidence and please do let me know if any such thing is noticed.

varanasi2018-12-11 07:30:29