Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Arnav was late for work, due to the fact that he and Sumer had been awake until almost dawn. The cleaning of the house had gone on till the wee hours of the morning. Not wanting to disturb their family, they had taken charge of the same. Grabbing some breakfast from the table, Arnav had raced to work. However, there was not much work he could manage to finish that morning, as the Delhi Times that lay on his desk, showed a pictorial display of him with various girls. Six pictures from the party last night, flashed at him from the front page. 'Arnav Singh Raizada... the man every woman wants', the headline summed up the entire article. There was a picture of him hugging Alia, a picture of him with a few other women... some friends and some just acquaintances... and a picture of him kissing Khushi on the cheek. Dammit!! How had he let that happen?
He had been careless... that was the only explanation to this whole mess. Love can make one do stupid things at times. His sole focus had been on Khushi at the party and he had completely ignored the press. Not that there were too many of them, as he had invited only a select few- the best in the business. The only saving grace was that Khushi's face was not visible. Only her back could be seen and he relaxed a little bit at the thought. He knew she was going to freak out when she would read this article and all the progress they had made in the last few weeks, would go down the drain. He cursed loudly and summoned his right hand man... Aman. After firing orders to get the DT reporter to publish a written apology the next day itself, Arnav dialed Khushi's number. He had to speak to her about this mess. The phone kept ringing at her end and then went silent. Once... twice... thrice! Arnav threw his phone across the table and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.
All the meetings for the day had been promptly postponed, as Arnav sat in his cabin desperately, trying to reach Khushi. By now, he had come to the conclusion that she had read the article and was upset with him. His mind had gone completely blank, trying to think of ways that would convince her of his innocence. He knew that this article was not the first time that the media had portrayed him as a womanizer... yet, it was the first time after he had met Khushi and fallen in love with her. Her opinions and impression about him mattered... especially after their first kiss. The magic spell that seemed to have been cast around them last night had been completely shattered this morning. He tried her number yet again, in the hope of hearing her soothing voice. The phone kept ringing at the other end and he had almost cut the call impatiently, when she picked it up.
"Hello... Arnav?" The voice wasn't hers and he wondered if it was Payal, "Is it Payal?" She confirmed his doubts and Arnav wondered why Payal was picking up Khushi's phone at this time of the day. Had both the girls not gone to work? Was she so upset with him? He asked hesitantly, "Payal, where is Khushi? Why did you take the call?" He heard Payal's broken voice through the phone... "Arnav, I am at the hospital. Khushi has met with an accident..." The moment he heard the words hospital and Khushi' in the same sentence, his heart stilled. He did not want to hear anymore. He just wanted to see his angel, as extreme fear seized his heart. "Which hospital, Payal? Tell me now!" He screamed over the phone, not really bothered that he was speaking to an equally frightened Payal. Arnav rushed down the staircase of AR Designs, not bothering to look at the shocked faces of his employees. His phone tightly clutched in his hand, his breath coming in short gasps, panic written all over his face and being. Arnav got into his Ferrari and sped through the streets of Delhi. The tears in his eyes were blurring his vision and the fear that engulfed his heart made it difficult for it to beat... beat for the woman he loved... his angel... his Khushi.
Parking the car haphazardly, Arnav ran through the entrance of the hospital. Inquiring at the casualty section, he took the stairs to the fourth floor, where he had been told, Khushi was. The last half hour had been the worst time in his entire life. Never had he been so scared and lost. His brain had frozen and so had his heart. As he reached the fourth floor, his heart had almost stopped beating, the frustration and the fear of losing her... was driving him insane. The few steps towards Room No. 413 seemed like an endless journey. He spotted Payal, waiting outside in the lobby. He rushed towards her and asked... his voice laced with concern, "Payal... what happened? How is she?"
Payal looked at a broken man, the great Arnav Singh Raizada looking like a lost child. That moment, she realized that her best friend had truly found her soul-mate. She had been lucky enough to find a man who loved her more than his own life. To ease the worry from his face, she calmly said, "Arnav relax. Khushi met with an accident a couple of hours ago. A car rammed into her scooty. I got a call from her cellphone by the hospital authorities, as some locals admitted her here. I rushed here to notice so many of your calls." Looking at his anxious face, she quickly got to the part about what the doctor had told her, "Arnav, Khushi is fine. The doctor is just dressing up her wounds. She has a few scratches on her head and hands. There is a deep gash on her right leg, and it is also fractured. Dhanno's weight did the damage to her leg when she fell, but the doctor says that she should be fine in a month or so. There is nothing to worry about, ok? The doctor will be out in five minutes and we will get to meet her."
Somehow, looking at a composed Payal, helped Arnav relax a little. He knew how much Khushi meant to her, and if she was relaxed about this situation, he could take things in his stride too. When the doctor walked out of the room, a few minutes later, Arnav and Payal rushed towards him. "Ms. Payal, Khushi is fine now. She is still under heavy sedation, as she lost a lot of blood because of the leg injury. We have put her leg into a cast and she will be required to keep it on, for at least a month. Then, as per her recovery, we shall consider removing the plaster. There is nothing to worry about. She is slightly shaken, because of the shock, but she will be fine soon." After a few questions from Arnav, the doctor walked away, leaving Payal and Arnav to enter the room. Both of them stood mute by her bedside, looking at her sleeping form, silently praying for her well-being. Payal told Arnav that she would be back soon, as she needed to tell Akash about Khushi's accident. As Payal left the hospital room, the silence consumed Arnav completely, overwhelming him once again with worry and fear. He held Khushi's fragile hand in his own, drawing warmth from it to keep his heart beating.
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Khushi had been lost in the dreams of a beautiful tomorrow. The morning air not helping much to clear her fuzzy mind, she had ridden her dhanno in complete abandon. His kisses, his touches, his scorching gaze flashed in front of her eyes. So lost was she in her sapno ki duniya, that she did not notice the black sedan that was speedily coming her way. And then... BANG! She recollected being sprawled on the road, her head spinning, her right leg stuck under her scooty, as she struggled to pull it away. The last memory she had was of blood oozing from her right leg, and then everything blacked out.
Khushi blinked her eyes twice, before his face came into focus. She saw Arnav's gorgeous face staring at her intently, with concern and a frown marring his handsome face. She wondered if she was still dreaming and was about to close her eyes again. She tried to move a little but winced in pain, as the sensations in her body, made her realize the reality of the situation. And then, her eyes were wide open, as she asked him in a raspy voice, "...Arnav?" "Shhh... shhh.. Khushi. It's ok. I am here now, angel", he was stroking her cheek lightly, not being able to see her in pain. It took a few minutes to get out of her disoriented state, as she slowly began to remember everything clearly. She looked back at the worried expression on Arnav's face and said, "Arnav... don't worry. I am fine."
Arnav had been quietly watching the myriad expressions flitting across her face. To see the love of his life, lying lifeless in front of him had shaken him completely. Even before they could begin their journey as life-partners, Khushi was being pulled away from him. This thought worried him and was eating him up from within. The past two hours of fear and frustration crept up, once again, into his heart. However, when she spoke those few words... 'I am fine,' something snapped inside him. Fine? Was she fine? Looking at her delicate form... at the moment... she looked far from being fine. He held her hand tight in his own and blurted out all the emotions, that had been bottled up in his heart. "Fine? You say you are fine!! Pagal ho gayi ho tum? Gaadi chalani nahi aati toh chalati kyon ho? Khushi agar tumhe kuch ho jaata to? What if I had lost you, dammit??!!!"
He looked at her, fear mingling with tears brimming in her eyes and he mentally kicked himself for his outburst. She was scared... shocked at the accident herself, and here he was, yelling at her, trying to get over his own fears. How could he be so selfish? He leaned into her frame, holding her tenderly and placed a soft kiss on her bruised forehead. Taking in her sweet fragrance, he could not stop the words that left his mouth, "I love you so much, Khushi. I love you so much. How would I have survived, if something would have happened to you?" Tears rolled down his eyes too, as she gaped at him with her big round eyes. She looked at him, shocked at what he had just said... said it, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world... and she realized that it really was that easy. She had fallen in love with him too. He cupped her face into his warm hands, brushing her pink cheeks with his thumb, as he looked at her in anticipation of her response.
"I am sorry. But, it really wasn't my fault. The car owner broke the signal and rammed into my dhanno. I swear it wasn't my fault. I was driving through the traffic, with full attention on the road and sudden..." His mouth was on hers, silencing her narration of how the accident had taken place. Here, Arnav was expecting a reciprocation of his love, but his angel was reliving that horrible moment, when he had almost lost her. Even the thought, made him shudder. However, he forgot his anger soon, as her soft lips started moving under his in complete abandon... taking the required strength from him and giving away her innermost feelings. He knew she loved him too, yet wanted to hear it from her mouth. He pulled away from her lips for a few seconds, leaving a trail of lingering kisses all over her face and mumbled, "Say it Khushi... say what I am desperately wanting to hear... please..."
Khushi was in a daze, lost in the love of the man she loved. She did not even realize when those words left her mouth, "I love you Arnav... I don't know since when... but I have fallen madly in love with you." Arnav's heart soared in joy, as he kissed her once again. All the thoughts of a grand declaration of love, seized to exist. Who needed a perfect moment, a perfect setting or the perfect words? The perfect moment was when he held her in his arms, the perfect setting was any place that they were together, and there could be no better words than a heartfelt admission of love... 'I love you.' After a really long time, when he realized her uncomfortable position, he withdrew and made her sit comfortably on the bed. The nurse walked in with a plate of food, and Arnav fed her slowly, chatting about some casual things.
This is how a panic-stricken Akash Roy saw them, when he entered the hospital room, with Payal following him. The comfort that he saw between the two pricked his heart, although the relief at seeing Khushi smiling, was much greater. After taking a complete update from the doctor on the after-care necessary for Khushi, the trio was more than glad to take her home. Arnav urged Akash and Payal to go ahead and get some snacks ready for her, and he would follow them soon, after completing the hospital procedures. He did not want Khushi to be out of his sight, even for a minute now. Today's day would always remain very special for him and he wanted to make it even more special for her. So when finally, he settled her comfortably into the Ferrari, he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and mumbled, "I don't think I am going to be able to control myself from touching or kissing you in front of your friends. You better tell them about us soon." She just gaped at him open-mouthed, at his bluntness and his adorable "threat".
They laughed and chatted on the way home, while Arnav took a little detour through Chandni Chowk. He picked up their favourite Jalebis, to celebrate their love and divert Khushi's attention from the pain that she was going through. Even though she did not voice it openly, he noticed the slight frown or the smallest painful wince that she felt, while driving. As they parked outside Khushi's house in Dilerganj, Arnav quickly pulled open the door for her. Without paying attention to her protests, he swiftly picked her up in his arms and carried her inside the house. "Arnav stop it, what will Payal and AR think? Put me down, Arnav... let me walk and just hold my hand for support..." Khushi's rants, fell on deaf ears as he said, "Khushi, stop struggling and talking. You know very well, how I can silence you. Just imagine what Payal and AR will think then!" All Khushi could do was grumble at a laughing Arnav, "Laad Governor kahin ke!"
Akash and Payal had already tidied up Khushi's room and made it comfortable for her. Payal had cooked up a quick meal comprising of Khushi's favourite dishes. Payal had not missed the happiness dancing in Khushi's eyes, when she had returned with Akash to the hospital. She knew that something big had transpired between Arnav and Khushi and she would soon get to hear of it. She was happy for her best friend and more so, because when Khushi was in pain, she had seen that pain etched over Arnav's face as well. She knew for sure, that Arnav would keep her happy forever. She looked over at Akash, who was helping her out to set the dining table and said, "You, okay?" He nodded slightly and said, "I have been better, Payal. But I am relieved that Khushi is allright. Nothing bad happened and I am happy to see her so happy..." after a small pause he added, "...with Arnav." Payal squeezed his hand in understanding, when Arnav walked in, holding Khushi in his arms.
Payal quickly went over to them and guided Arnav into their bedroom, to lay Khushi down. Akash watched quietly, trying hard to gulp the lump that had formed in his throat. Arnav put Khushi down on the bed and settled her leg comfortably over it. He brushed away the strands of hair that were bothering her face, and asked softly, "You, okay?" Khushi nodded in approval and Payal announced that she would get some soup for all. The four of them sat quietly, sipping the delicious vegetable soup Payal had made, when suddenly Khushi spoke with a jerk, "Where is my dhanno?? Is she ok? How did it slip of my mind?? Hai!! Devi Maiyya!!" The rest of them laughed at her dramatic exaggeration of the situation. "Khushi, relax. She is at the mechanic's workshop, getting a make-over at the moment. And yes... you are not going to be riding her for a while now. She is going to remain in my garage, until I think its fine for you to ride again. Till then, you will be using my car and driver," Arnav's clear and commanding voice left her shocked. She tried to convince him to get dhanno home but he refused to budge. Payal giggled at the cute bickering duo, as Akash got up and quietly left the room.
PRECAP:
"Wait. Let me help you." Sumer moved forward, trying to take the tray from Payal's hand, however she refused to leave it. "Its fine. I can manage," she replied curtly. Having Sumer in her house was more than Payal could deal with... and now he was trying to help her out with serving food. The ease with which he had made himself comfortable in their house for the last few hours... his jokes, his quirkiness making Arnav and Khushi laugh out loud... was making her uncomfortable. His question broke her reverie, "Why do you think I am like Shyam, Payal? And how do you know him?" She was stunned at his brazenness and refused to answer him. Sumer knew, it was time to use his trump card and said, "Fine, don't answer... I will have to ask Khushi. I am sure she wil..." "No! Please don't speak to her about Shyam," Payal's pleading voice left him stunned.
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Hey guys,
Thank you for your wonderful comments on the last chapter. Instead of responding to your comments, which I would have done all evening today, I thought it better to give an early update. I hope you'll are enjoying the story. From this chapter onwards I have decided to dedicate each update, to two of my friends / readers, who have been with me throughout the journey of my stories...
This update is dedicated to the duo of kondhili and 1chilly, who I met months ago mock-fighting with Vandana for dedications on IF. Thank you girls, for always inspiring me to write better, supporting me from my first story itself. Your opinions really mean a lot to me.!!! 🤗
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