Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Passed Out

Khushi had danced to her heart's content at the Sangeet. She came home completely exhausted & collapsed on her bed fully dressed. Payal walked into her room & saw the exhausted look on her face. She ran to her worried & took her in her arms, "Khushi what happened? Are you alright? Did that Arnav Singh Raizada turn up at the Sangeet? I shouldn't have let you go. Did he hurt you? I swear I will not let him go this time." She said fiercely.

"Jiji, jiji relax!" Khushi got up & cupped her face. "No he wasn't there at the Sangeet. I'm just tired, I danced so much."

Payal heaved a sigh of relief but cursed herself internally. It was an unspoken rule that ASR shouldn't be mentioned in front of Khushi.

Khushi looked at Payal, she knew her very well, "Jiji, I know what you're thinking. But I can't go on like this. I have to move on. He may be there at the wedding but that is not going to stop me. I have done no wrong & he knows it too. So why should I be scared. I will not miss two of my best friends' wedding for the world & for that if I have to face the devil, I will."

"Khushi" Payal hugged her "I'm so proud of you. But promise me that you will take care of yourself."

"Of course jiji, its Pari & Karan's wedding and I'm not going to think about that LG at all"

Payal kissed her cheek & left.

But not thinking of ASR was easier said than done. It had been over a month since she had seen him but there hadn't been a day' hadn't been a moment when she hadn't thought of him' or his melting honey gold eyes' or his hypnotic smile' or the feel of his arms around her waist' or the feel of his lips against hers'

Then she suddenly remembered the last time he had touched her' Hatred was a smaller word to describe the feeling that ran through her body'

'Aaahhh' She buried her face in the pillow & punched it hard'

******Flashback******

It had been a few weeks since Khushi had started at AR Group. She had thoroughly settled down, which according to her was a miracle. Her boss was a strange man. Akash had told her ASR & he were cousins. That ASR had lost both his parents in a car crash at a very young age & his father's brother had kicked him & his older sister Anjali out. Akash's father was ASR's mamaji & they'd lived together ever since. ASR had seen so many ups & downs at an early age; that it had made him ruthless & harsh. He had started to believe that only money & power could make him happy. He was a self-made man & lived on his own terms.

This had completely changed Khushi's POV towards ASR. In fact she had started to secretly develop a small crush towards him. His murderous glares had started to seem killer looks to her.

But for all of that, he hardly seem to notice her. The way he treated her; she could've been a robot programmed to follow his orders'

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A few days later'

"Khushi, I'm not letting you go to work tomorrow." Her mom said.

"I can't do that Amma, the boss has an important conference tomorrow & I have to be there to make arrangements." Khushi replied annoyed.

"Khushi, baby you have fever; you can't go to work like that. I'm sure your boss can understand that." Her father said soothingly.

"But Babuji'"

"Don't argue Khushi, it's no use; you are not going to work tomorrow & that's final.

Khushi knew better than to argue when amma got angry & gave in. She mailed ASR her leave request & slept.

She woke up late next morning but was still burning with fever. Her office usually started at 9:00 AM. At 10 minutes past 9:00 her phone rang. It took a while for Khushi to answer & with great effort she managed a feeble "Hello?"

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS MISS GUPTA?" Khushi heard a deafening growl from the other end & sat bolt upright.

"S-S-S-Sir I'" Khushi's voice failed.

"What do you think of yourself dammit? How can you be so irresponsible? Don't you realize how important today's conference is for AR?" Another growl.

"S-Sir b-but I've got fever." Khushi stuttered.

"I DON'T CARE." ASR was definitely in the worse of his rages. "You will report to work before lunch break or you can take your leave for good. YOU UNDERSTAND?"

The line went dead.

Khushi's body had gone completely numb & for some strange reason her ears were ringing.

Suddenly she came out of her trance & threw the thick quilt she was wrapped up in, off her. She got ready in record time & came hurrying out of her room, her bag swinging madly at her elbow.

"Khushi? Where are you going?" Amma, Babuji & Payal asked in unison.

But before they could so much as move from their places, Khushi just said 'Work' & disappeared out the door.

Khushi ran past everyone with a terrified look on the face not waiting to greet anyone. She entered her cabin, threw her bag aside, picked up her notepad & rushed to the connecting door & knocked.

"Come in Khushi Kumari Gupta" A triumphant voice called out. She entered trembling head to foot.

ASR smirked at her, "I knew if you could answer the phone you could definitely come & work."

Khushi just stood quietly, she knew it would be useless to reply.

"Now sit down we need to get some work done." And he started giving her several letters to type and certain reports to prepare.

Once he was done Khushi asked, "Sir but this is routine work, this has got nothing to do with the conference."

"Oh yes, didn't I mention? The conference has been postponed." He smirked at her shocked look.

Khushi was so angry, she longed to throw something at him. Could there exist a more cruel man? She was so furious, she didn't trust herself to speak. She just stood up & started to leave when he stopped her. "And Miss Gupta since you came in late today you will not leave until you have compensated for the lost hours, you get that? Leave."

She walked back to her seat & almost collapsed. She was still in fever but she needed the job to support her family.

She sighed & got to work. It was 6:30 in the evening & everyone had left half an hour ago. Khushi was preparing a report when 'The ASR Phone' rang.

"Yes Sir?"

"Get in here." He sounded angry again. What had she done now? She hadn't been able to concentrate on work. Her head was pounding. She stood up & the room around her spun. She clutched her desk for support & took in a few deep breaths. She entered his cabin dizzily & stood before him.

"So since you didn't get your leave, you decided to mess up with your work, did you? Do you realize how many mistakes you have made in one letter'"

Then all of a sudden his voice faded out. She could see him screaming at her but there was an odd ringing in her ears. Slowly his face started blurring & everything went black' shraddska2012-08-18 16:37:58