Chapter 44

He gaped, unable to move the least limb by the least inch, as she glared at the flowers, her arms crossed under her chest. Arnav willed his breaths to steady. It washer. The workman had just confirmed it. It could not be anyone else. His heart was pounding intermittently. It reacted like that just for her...

Gulping, he took a few steps forward, only to have her rigidly turn away from him to Hari Prakash. "HPji, voh jo humne phool mangaaye the? Unka kya hua?" (HPji, I had asked for flowers? What happened to them?)

HP paled and looked at Arnav with fear. "Voh, Arnav bhaiyya ne kaha ke aarkids baad mein mileinge..." (Arnav bhaiyya said you'll get the aarkids later...)

Arnav narrowed his eyes. The man would be sorely sorry for this. So, he actually thought could talk in proper hindi with everybody else while ASR would be supplied with uncomprehensible English, and get away unscratched? You just wait, HP!

But hang on. She had asked for the orchids? What the hell? Hadn't HP told him that it was the bride who wanted them? Okay, there was definitely something wrong there bec- Or was it...? No! He was just acting crazy... right? HP had surely made a mistake. Again. Because Khushi could not be the bride! Heck! She just could not be!

"Khushi?" he managed to choke out. "Orchids... voh tumne mangaaye the?" (...You had ordered them?)

She was glowing with fury he could not understand at all as her head snapped in his direction. She clenched her jaws and he could barely repress his shudder. Maybe that was exactly how his employees felt when he was around? Ugh, he understood that only too well now. He should definitely be working on that too...

"Haan! Humne mangaaye the," she gritted out viciously. (Yes! I had!)

What the hell? They were meeting after so long, and there was no way he had expected her to react like that on seeing him. Even in his worst dreams. What had gotten in to her? His own ire rising, he edged closer to her, ready to snap with as much poison, but then, he sighed and forced himself to calm down. Hadn't his volatile temper been one of the factors that had ended up separating them? So, he pasted a small smile and looked at her pleasantly.

"How are you?" he asked politely, wanting some warmth from her.

But it did not seem to appease her the least bit. "When will the orchids be ready?"

He flinched at the coldness that filled her eyes and laced her eyes. "I'm sorry, Khushi," he took one diffident step towards her. What was he exactly apologising for? For not having called her after the one year had elapsed or for not having the orchids ready? Hell! He himself had no idea! He was too muddle up by her sudden appearance.

Arnav cleared his voice. "For the orchids, I mean. HP told me the bride had asked for them-"

"Yes, she did!"

A frown marred his features. What was she...? The hot, heavy lump that was forming in the pit of his stomach was screaming at him, but he just ignored his gut feeling.

"But... you just said you wanted them..."

"Exactly!" Khushi rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Look, just bring them up when you're done with them," she muttered before turning around to leave but he had already locked a hand around her elbow fiercely.

"What the f*ck?" he growled, realisation hitting upon his head like a hammer. "What the hell do you mean, Khushi Kumaari Gupta? Yeh tumhaari shaadi hai?" (...Is this your wedding?)

She scowled at his hand as she tried to unwind his grasp with her free hand, the only result being the tightening of his hold. She finally lifted her blazing eyes to his shocked ones defiantly.

"Ji haan," she spat. "Yeh humaari shaadi hai. I hope ke aapko koyi farak nahin padta!"(Yes. This is my wedding. I hope you don't care!)

Stumped, Arnav's grip went slack and she took advantage of it. Khushi snatched her arm and with one last furious look at him, she stalked away as fast as she could, apparently indifferent to the devastation that was clear on his face.

***

Ulka immediately dropped her eyes onto her clipboard as soon as she saw her cousin march towards her, instantly pretending to be busy.

"Ulka."

She swallowed a wince as he spoke. His voice was eerily calm. Too calm. That was creepy...

"I'm busy right now, Bhai," she nonchalantly said without looking at him. "I don't have time for your rants."

"Ulka," he repeated in the same tone that freaked her out. Smiling tightly, she looked up. She was mentally bracing herself for his attack but after she saw his face, it took a superhuman effort to stifle her gasp.

Arnav was no longer Arnav. He had morphed into ASR, the ruthless business tycoon who switched off all his emotions and feelings when he went out for the kill, that is, to take down his opponent. And that was really dangerous. She had expected anger, but not this.

"What happened, Bhai?" she rasped, terrified.

"Who is the groom?"

"What?" she squeaked.

He inhaled sharply, his jaws clenched together. "Who is the f*cking bridegroom, dammit?"

"Shyaam Manohar Jha," Ulka blurted, leaning away from her enraged cousin. His eyes flared and she heard him grumble under his breath. She caught something that sounded like 'bloody bas***d' but she couldn't be sure.

Rigid with blind rage, Arnav spun around and stormed away, letting her sigh in relief.

"Hey!"

Ulka jumped violently with a loud gasp.