Chapter 23

"Khushi!" A shrill voice pierces her eardrum. Oh God! Not her! Not that Fakhreen sucker-bitch again! Why hasn't she been sacked yet? She gave Khushi a little mocking wave and left.

Maddy stuck for head in the room. "Let's go, Arnav, Khushi! Five minutes and we're on!"

"Fine," Arnav said getting up to put on his tie and waistcoat and jacket.

Annie scurried up to Khushi for the touch up. "Fine," she echoed feebly, not feeling fine at all.

***

"Good morning to all of you out there and welcome to this special edition of First Hour Tea," Maddy spoke to the camera with perfect ease. "We have with us today Khushi Gupta, freelance journalist who works for The Economist and has recently written an article on the windfall of OurSupport Company Ltd, which most of you must have heard of..."

In Khushi's mind, Maddy's voice trailed away into an irritating buzz, while she sat in the comfy turquoise blue leather chair, and wearing an emerald green Juicy couture dress.

"...do you think this kind of sham is usual?"

There was suddenly a defeaning silence before Khushi realised everyone was waiting for her to speak. She suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe and her eyes were widening.

"Should the investors be more prudent, you think?" Eric prompted her expectantly.

Khushi blinked confusedly. "Yes... yes I think they should."

God! Why did her mouth feel like someone had stuffed wool in it? And all those speeches she had mentally prepared on the way here?

"Arnav, as a representative of OurSupport Company Ltd" Maddy turned towards him. "Do you think-?"

Crap! She felt like an idiot! And now she was not even paying attention to what Raizada was saying.

"This is certainly not a case of sham or deception or anything," he was saying smoothly, completely at ease with the camera in front of him. "Nobody can predict a windfall, it just happens. This case is simple. It's just that some investors who happen to be greedy stir up bad rumours to sink the company. We should remember that there are thousands of people who have benefitted from OurSupport."

What? What?

"I see, but-"

"Wait a minute!" Khushi interrupted Eric harshly. "Mr Raizada, are you implying that the investors are greedy?"

Arnav shrugged. "Not all, maybe some."

Khushi gaped at him, her skin burning with fury. How dare he? An image of Saira and her daughters flashed in her mind. Saira was an innocent girl, she had herself been tricked by a man and found herself a lone mother and now this man who lived each of his days in a cosy cocoon was accusing Saira?

For a few moments she couldn't speak. Eric was already asking Arnav a question but she didn't care. She was here to defend Saira and all those who had been conned and she would do it even if it killed her!

Which of course was out of question.

You don't die debating on TV while you're defending a bunch of abused folks, right? But you do die defending your country on the border.

Crap! What the heck am I thinking? Get to the real thing!

"Mr Raizada! Correct me if I'm wrong, okay!" she said her voice loud. Khushi had even miraculously forgotten about the cameras which were focusing on her face presently. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but OurSupport Company Ltd was originally a mutual company! Which means it involves the mutual benefit of all the investors!"

Arnav clenched his jaws together. "Yes," he replied without flickering. "But that does not mean all the investors should get an amount of 20,000 like your friend claims."

"You could be right," she snapped back, stiffening in her chair. "But it also does not mean that the investors are entitled to get conned by the freaking company! Saira trusted the company and look where it took her!"

He rolled his eyes grimly. "Investment is a game of luck."

"Not it is not in this particular case! How do you explain the fact that exactly two week prior to the downfall, over hundreds of investors were instigated to agree to some modifications in their contract, hence banning them the money which is their right?"

"My clients were simply making an available offer. They were assuring to make their clients happy. They-"

"Excuse me? So what you are trying to say is that your clients are incompetent."

Anger flashed in his hot chocolate eyes and Khushi felt tiny bubbles of elation erupting all over her.

"Look-"

Maddy gave a short, alarmed cry as she understood Arnav was finally losing his composture but she disguised it as a sort of laughter. "Well... we could go on debating all day but... we'll move to-"

"Oh, c'mon, Mr Raizada!" Khushi interrupted. Now she was in the mood for fighting him, in front of the whole world, she did not care. She wanted to now. She was Khushi Kumaari Gupta and it would take more than a spoilt, sarcastic workaholic like Arnav Singh Raizada to take her down. "You can't have it both ways!"

She leaned forward ticking the options on her hand. "Either your clients were incompetent, or they were actually stealing money from their investors! Whichever you tell me, your clients will be at fault! It's so obvious!"

She looked around for support but both Eric and Maddy were shell-shocked with their jaws hanging open and all. Didn't these guys realise they were live on TV right now? As for Arnav, he was shooting daggers at her, still looking for the correct argument but it seemed she had blown his socks off.

She stared at Eric who seemed to be coming out of it. He gave her a small I'm-not-very-sure laugh. "This is... uhm... too technical for me..."

Khushi sighed in frustration. "Okay, let's put it another way, then. Let's imagine..." she pinched her eyes shut. Think of something, Khushi, think! Then it clicked.

"Okay, we'll put it this way. Just imagine you're in a clothes shop. And you've chosen this fabulous cashmere Nicole Farhi knitwear."

"Hey, I love Nicole Farhi!" Maddy exclaimed, suddenly snapping out of it.

"But then, a sales assistant comes and tell you there's a better offer. She shows this other coat which she says is better quality at a better price, and you even get a voucher free with it. You have no reason not to trust her. So you buy it!"

She opened her eyes to find Maddy, Eric and even Mr Raizada listening intently. "But when, you get out," she continued, her eyes wide. "You find out that far from being a designer clothing, the coat you've bought id not even real cashmere. And cherry on top of cake? The voucher is expires, so you cannot use it."

"But that's outrageous!" shrieks Eric. "That's a pure sham!"

"Exactly! It's a rip-off!" Khushi punched one fist on the other palm with a victorious smile. At least she was getting people on her side now. "OurSupport did not break the law maybe but they did break the trust of so many clients. Faithful clients! And that's just not done! It's unfair to all those who've trusted the company so for many years and stuck with them when they could have gone elsewhere to get better offers!"

She fixed her gaze with Arnav's unwavering one. "If you are honest, Mr Raizada, I'm sure you'll recognise that."

He stared at her but she could only imagine what was going on inside that thick skull of his. Maybe he was looking for another rebuke? She had no idea.

"Arnav?" she heard Maddy say. "Do you have any argument against what Khushi just said?"

He did not reply. He kept staring at her. And Khushi did not feel like looking away, even if her heart was waltzing against her ribcage.

"Arnav, do you-?"

"Yes..." he broke the contact to shake his head, his eyes full of amusement and Khushi realised he was trying not to smile. "Yes, I do..." He looked at her again.

"Khushi, you are absolutely right."