Chapter 16

Chapter 16

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This is for all those⭐️ who were disappointed with Arnav and wanted to know how Khushi would prove her innocence! I am nervous!🤢 But read on! 😃 And please do like! 🤗

Arnav surveyed the burnt down portion of his factory along with Aman. He breathed heavily into the handkerchief he held to his nose. Smoke was still billowing from dark corners. Water thrown to douse the fire was now dripping from parts of the roof that had caved in forming black puddles on the burnt floor.

Arnav was worried. It would take days to mend and start production again. He would have to shift base to his other factory in Lucknow.

The good thing was that all his workers were safe. A portion of the workers' quarters in the factory premises had also been damaged in the fire but the families had escaped with minor injuries. They were being treated in the best city hospital as per his orders. The situation was more or less in control gauged Arnav.

Someone lay a hand on his shoulder. It was Di. Her eyes were red and wet. Mamiji was trying to comfort her like a mother hen.

"Its all my fault," Anjali said in a sad voice. "If I had not got involved with Shyam in the first place, this wouldn't have happened. Sorry Chhotey. Very, very sorry!" Anjali said tears in her eyes, her voice choked.

Arnav hugged her sideways and said, "Don't be silly Di ! This has nothing to do with you!"

"Arnav bitwas eez right Anjali ! Asal main that bed breakwa Khushi is reezpanshible (Arnav is right Anjali. In reality the bed breaker Khushi is responsible)! ", Mamiji piped in, scowling as she took Khushi's name.

Arnav was surprised! How did Mami know that the anonymous caller had mentioned Khushi's name! He had told Aman not to mention that to anyone. He looked at Aman angrily.

Aman was crestfallen."Sorry ASR," he whispered, "But believe me I did not disclose Khushi's name to anyone."

"I don't know how Mamiji knows about this! Very fishy!" Aman muttered to himself.

Anjali turned to Mami disbelievingly, "Khusjhiji? Please Mamiji, spare her."

"Buts..." Mamiji was about to break into a tirade when Arnav raised his hand in warning. Mamiji huffed and waddled away towards her waiting car.

I am no better than Mamiji, Arnav thought. I accused Khushi of being in cohorts with Shyam. I know she will never hurt me deliberately. I don't know how I know she is innocent. But I just do! Deep down somewhere... dammit!

And maybe that is why he had blamed her. His own feelings for her surprised him and disturbed him! She seemed to have cracked the shell he had built around him!

She affected him and he was angry and perturbed! If he could prove to himself that she was a gold digger like Shyam who had entered Di's life with the objective of looting the Raizada fortune! Or she was a woman of loose morals like the one who had entrapped his father, forcing his mother to take her life!

Had he done so he would have got rid of Khushi's thoughts, her smell, her touch and be at peace.

But there was no sense of calm in accusing her. His mind was in turmoil.

He suddenly asked Anjali, "Di, how many times did you say sorry to me just now? Is it so easy to say sorry to someone? I don't remember the last time I said it!"

Anjali looked at him and smiled a watery smile.

"Chottey, was that supposed to be a joke? It was not a very good one!"

"But it made you smile Di," Arnav smiled and hugged her by the shoulders.

"You have always been bad at expressing your emotions, Chhotey! Remember, as a kid, how you used to get a red rose from Ma's garden if you wanted to apologise to any family member?"

Arnav kissed her forehead and said gently, "Di, I have to be somewhere. Aman will take you home," And even before he had finished the sentence he sprinted towards his SUV.

Anjali looked at her brother's retreating figure thoughtfully.

Khushi had just stepped into the shower when she heard her phone ring. She quickly wrapped a towel round her and rushed out. Neha was on the line.

"Hey Neha ! How was Bangalore! Has your flight landed?" Khushi gushed.

Neha laughed."What do you mean, has the flight landed? One day with your sexy man on your sexy bed and you have lost track of my movements. I am downstairs, just getting into the lift. Open the door na! Can't find my keys again!"

"Really Neha! Tum bhi na!" Khushi sighed into the phone. If only Neha knew what had transpired between her and Arnavji yesterday...

Disconnecting the line Khushi hurriedly opened the latch of the main door and left the door ajar!. She turned back towards the bathroom when an idea occurred to her and giggling she hid besides the door. "Ab ayega maza, Maharani Victoria (Now, we will have fun, Queen Victoria) !" she muttered to herself.

Her thoughts immediately flew to her sexy man, as Neha had coined him. But her eyebrows knitted in worry. Hayye Devi Maiyya, how will I prove to him, I am innocent ? He does not care two hoots about me and all I can think about is, him, every waking and sleeping moment! A strange warmth filled up her senses. She sighed again! Kya yahi pyaar hai? (Is this love?)

She drifted back to her senses as she heard footsteps at the door. There was a hesitation and then the door swung open. Khushi giggled softly and pounced upon Neha with a ear shattering, "Booo!" But the person at the door was not Neha but Arnav!

Arnav quirked his eyebrows and smirked at Khushi's antics! He did not look the least bit surprised or intimidated by her sudden jump at him! In fact, he looked heart stoppingly handsome, his smirk wider, his eyes shinier, his stubble darker. It was difficult to imagine he had been up at his factory all night and returned home only to take a quick bath.He.hadn't slept a wink last night. But nor had Khushi!

She had tossed and turned on the bed all night waking up to the realization of her love for him, craving to see him again in the light of her new discovery!

And here he was! Arms round her waist, holding her close, smirking at her with his deep brown eyes, shaking his dark wavy head from side to side, and saying in that unmistakably husky voice of his, "Unbelievable !"

Something soft brushed her right breast and she gasped, trying to break free.

She heard his throaty laugh against her ear. "Its just a rose, Khushi."

She looked down. Yes it was a rose. Fresh.Beautiful. Red. And Arnav was holding it .

"Is it for me?" she whispered, looking up at him.

He was still for a moment. Then he nodded and spoke softly,

"Yesterday Khushi, I did not mean what I said. I know you are not into this. Shyam just used your name. I should have known...Instead, I lost my temper with you...Main aisa hi hoon ( I am like this) !

Khushi gaped at him. He believed she was innocent. Just like that !

Khushi grinned. "I don't believe this Arnavji. I have been trying to make a list of clues since morning to convince you of my innocence. And you are standing here and telling me it was all in vain! You just know that I am innocent!"

Arnav was not sure how to react. He looked away. He is so unpredictable, Khushi thought. And he looks so sweet and so huggable when he is embarrassed! She smiled inwardly and decided to pull his leg some more.

" After all the dreadful things you accused me of, apologizing with a rose is not good enough, Arnavji," she said staring at him in mock anger. "Okay let me test your general knowledge. What other ways can you think of to say Sorry' Arnavji?"

He realized instantly that she was pulling his leg.

"One other way," he whispered huskily and his lips sought hers hungrily, in a kiss which punished and apologized at the same time! Khushi could not suppress the love that welled up in her heart, singing through her veins, stoking a fire which spread out and closed in on her core!

Khushi moaned as she felt Arnav's tongue inside her mouth, exploring, demanding, emptying her senses. She lifted her arms encircled them around his neck, pulling him closer into her.

And then it happened !

The knot of the towel loosened and it cascaded down her legs, bundling at her payal clad ankles!

Arnav was the first to react! He jerked up his head, his smirk back and Khushi shrieked, "Arnavji shut your eyes! Don't look"

"Why, can't I look?!," he laughed throatily. "It's a free country!" He was not going to give up the chance to get back at her for teasing him earlier!

Khushi quickly clamped her hand on his eyes, shutting them forcefully.

"Yes, but none of the articles of the Constitution grant you the Right to Vision, Arnavji!"

Arnav guffawed trying to remove her hand from his eyes, "I tell you! Our leaders! High time an amendment was made, what say Khushi?"

"Don't talk crap Arnavji," Khushi said pinning her palms over his eyes and trying to get out of the situation she had put herself into. "I am backing away from you now. Don't even dare to open your eyes, unless I tell you."

"If you insist !" Arnav smirked, but he kept his eyes shut.

In a moment, Khushi picked up her towel from around her knees and bent again to pick up the rose which had fallen to the floor and ran to the bathroom. She called out from there, "Okay you can open your eyes now but don't you dare move."

Arnav opened his eyes and looked around the living room with a grin on his face.Then sitting on the couch he called out to her, "Okay Khushi. I am staying put. But do whatever you want to do to me fast. I don't have all the time in the world. Have to go to the hospital to see how the workers and their families are doing."

Khushi emerged from the bathroom, after a quick shower, towelling her wet hair. She was wearing a yellow salwar kameez. Arnav stared at her , his brown pools deepening with desire. She looked like the morning sun.

He watched mesmerized as she walked towards him and sat beside him. "Arnavji," she said in an emotional voice, "Can I visit your workers in the hospital too? Will you take me?"

Arnav looked at her and nodded simply.

Khushi took his hand in hers. "I am sorry for your loss Arnavji! It must have been terrible to see the factory you built up from scratch in flames."

Arnav closed his fingers around hers.Time seemed to stop.

A restlessness surged through Khushi. Does he have feelings for me like I have for him, she thought...

Her ringtone cut through the magical moment. Khushi let it ring before reluctantly freeing her hand from his clasp and picking it up.

Neha was on the line. "Hey, Khushi, I called to tell you...

Khushi interrupted and scolded Neha, " Where did you disappear, Neha? Exactly how much time does it take you to clamber into the lift and arrive at our apartment door?"

"Sorry, sorry Khushi, " Neha apologized. "What to do, yaar! Simran Auntie caught hold of me as soon as I stepped into the lift. She took me to her apartment and is feeding me my favourite aloo ka parathas! She wants you to come too."

"No, no, Neha listen. I can't come. I am busy.."

Neha chuckled, "Busy? Doing what, Khushi! Day dreaming about your superman on your superbed?"

"Something like that, " Khushi whispered as she felt Arnav's eyes on her.

Khushi had just finished talking to Neha when a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders from behind. "Khushi, how are you my girl?" a voice boomed.

It was NK. Finding the door unlocked, he had sauntered into the house.

A movement made Khushi look at Arnav from the corner of her eyes. He had sprung to his feet and was looking at NK with distaste!

Oblivious to Arnav's disapproval, NK swung Khushi around and kissed the top of her head softly. Then sizing up Arnav asked breezily, "Hey man! Do I know you?"

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wiwy2013-09-04 08:55:10