Chapter 21
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[NOCOPY]
RECALLING ARNAV - II
Part 21
Section 2
Khushi marched in to AR Designs, unaware and uncaring of the eyes on her.
"Amanji, is Arnavji free?" she asked Aman.
"Yes, Khushiji," Aman beamed. "He is in his office, having the lunch you sent with the help."
Khushi knocked on the door.
Arnav looked up from the food to see Khushi framed in the doorway.
"Khushi, come in. You don't have to knock," he said, smiling.
Khushi took the chair across from him.
"Have you finished, Arnavji?" she asked.
"Yes. It was delicious, Khushi," he said as he placed the lid on the box.
"I need a favour from you," she said.
He stared at her for a moment. Then he said, "Anything, Khushi," he said slowly. Everything he had was hers. Why did she have to ask him?
"Aap ko yaad he, you bought the house in Laxmi Nagar? Remember Amezing Developers?" she asked.
"Yes," he frowned in confusion. "Does Buaji want any help?"
"No, her niece does. I want to rent the building from you. Buaji will be leaving for Lucknow tomorrow morning. I want to occupy that house," Khushi said.
Arnav paled. "You are leaving me, Khushi?"
Khushi frowned. "Why should I leave you? I need the house to cook in," she said. "I will pay your twenty thousand today evening."
"What the!" Arnav exclaimed.
"I will be signing a contract to ready packed lunches for fifty-five construction workers tomorrow morning. They will give me an advance too. I will buy the pots, pans & provision I need to start my work," she said.
Arnav could only stare at her.
"It is alright if you don't want me to cook in that house," she said casually. "Happyji and Bediji will never let me down. I can use the shed in their workshop," she said, sure of her backup plan.
"Khushi..." he whispered.
"You don't have to feel bad, Arnavji. I haven't told the site supervisor that you are my husband," she comforted him.
"Uuhh?" he asked.
Khushi got up to leave, not having expected him to help her. She had a hundred things to do today and the first priority was calling Happyji.
"Khushi, sit down," he managed to find his voice. "Please."
She sat down slowly.
"Why didn't you tell the... who was it? yes.. the site supervisor that I am your husband?" he asked, perplexed.
"Because I don't want to put you to shame," she said cheerfully. "You are a well-known businessman. If the world knows that your wife is a 12th pass girl boxing lunches for labourers, people will laugh at you."
His face hardened.
"I don't give a damn!" he bit out. "You want to cook, Khushi? You want to start a business? Do it in your married name. My lawyers will help you. I will fund you. We will draw up a contract that is so tight that it strangles your supervisor. We..."
"No," Khushi was calm but determined. "I will do everything on my own."
He stood up in anger. "Why? Why can't you take my help?"
Khushi looked down at her feet. "I want to start the business on my own. I don't want to mix up my business and my personal lives."
He paled. "Khushi, you don't think that our marriage will last, do you?"
Khushi laughed wryly. "Who am I to think or not think? Things happen to me. I don't have to do anything, just breathe."
He swallowed hard.
"Sorrows strike me like tsunamis; tragedies befall me as though I am the only living person left on earth. Before I can figure out what is happening, they loot me of everything I think my own," she said softly, a smile on her lips. "This time, I am trying to contain the damage."
He had nothing more to say.
"Khushi, I wrote the house in your name," he said softly.
She frowned at him.
"I bought it for you. It is yours to use or sell," he said.
She parted her lips to ask him more, but he stopped her.
"Khushi, you are free to do whatever you want to do, but do it in your married name," he said.
Khushi looked at him.
"I am not ashamed of you. I will never be ashamed of the work you are doing, even if you decide to sweep clean the roads of Delhi tomorrow," he said, his eyes serious, honest.
She waited.
"Promise me that you will ask me for help if you need it," he said.
She looked long at him before nodding.
"Please don't pay me rent for using the house you own," he said.
She got ready to argue, but he added, "I was wrong to blackmail you, wrong to push you to the wall by increasing the rent. I was desperate to get you back home, so desperate that I took the worst way possible to force you to do my bidding. I should have just admitted how much I loved you and asked you to return with me. We could have gotten married again for life."
Khushi swallowed.
Arnav caught her by her shoulders and helped her up. He pulled her in to his arms and showered her face and forehead with warm kisses.
"My wife," he said, proud of her. "The Rani of box lunches."
Khushi looked in to his sincere eyes for a moment and then leaned forward to kiss his lean, stubbled cheek.
Arnav shut his eyes in relief and pleasure.
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