Chapter 8

2 months ago

Pearl_Oyster

@Pearl_Oyster

The evening air was still warm and humid when Khushi pushed open the door of her shared flat and stepped inside. Along with the cool air, the familiar quiet welcomed her; broken only by the soft volume of the television playing in the living room. Khushi caught a glimpse of Payal, curled comfortably on the couch watching another episode of whatever she was into these days.

"Hey" She said to Payal while dropping her handbag onto the side table with a muted thud.

Payal looked up at once, her face lighting up. "Hey! I am glad you did not choose today to work late.”

Khushi smiled briefly, feeling the exhaustion of the day in her bones. Working longer was not an option today, she told herself and padded towards her bedroom, her mind already spiraling through the conversation she knew awaited them.

Inside her room, she leaned her back against the closed door, drawing a deep breath to steady herself. Then she looked at her room, her space crafted with choice and determination. It was comforting to be back inside it. She stood at the door there for a moment and then began moving.

Changing out of her work clothes, she moved through the familiar routine almost mechanically — washing her face, combing her hair, slipping into a soft cotton t-shirt and trouser. Each small action dissipated the tension that had built up in her head since the afternoon.

When she finally stepped out, she found Payal exactly where she had left her — legs tucked under herself and engrossed in the TV. She too walked up to Payal and lowered herself onto the couch, sitting close enough that her shoulders bumped against Payal

In response, Payal paused the episode and turned to her.

"So, I was checking the tickets," she said. Her voice was calm, practical, as if they were planning an ordinary trip.

"Train tickets are available and surprisingly flights too are not going to cost a limb like most of the time. Which one do you think we should take?”

Khushi looked up slowly, the words heavy in her mouth.

“There is... another problem,” she said.

Payal’s brows knit together in instant concern. “What happened?”

Khushi inhaled deeply and spoke.

“Arnav has invited me to ARA's anniversary party. He called when I was in the office. He said it is an important day for him. But the party is on the same day. On 25th" she finished.

“Oh,” Payal said after a beat, her voice coloured with a mix of surprise and dismay.

“How did I not piece this together ? Akash had mentioned the party to me. I had forgotten the exact date of it. This is totally crazy" Payal said, her eyebrows scrunched together as she thought about it.

“Yes. And I could not say no to him over the call. I said I will think about it. But, I can't think! I don't know what to tell him. Tiwariji claimed that if I am present in person for the hearing, it would leave a stronger impact. That my presence matters" Khushi explained and Payal nodded, her expression earnest.

“Of course it does. You must go to Kanpur. Not attending the hearing is out of the question” Payal replied.

There was a pause during which Khushi stared at the paused episode on the TV. That is when Payal spoke again, her voice thoughtful.

“As for Arnav... maybe you could just tell him you have urgent matters to attend to in Kanpur? Or...” she hesitated, gauging Khushi's expression, “you could tell him everything.”

The suggestion, tentative though it was, fell like a stone into still water, making Khushi stiffen almost imperceptibly.

“No,” she said at once, the refusal low, firm, and absolute.

“I do not want to tell Arnav about any of this. Especially not now... when it is so close to ending.”

Payal studied her closely, noting the unyielding set of her jaw, the shadows flickering in her eyes.

“But Khushi...” she began gently, “this hearing may be significant, but the final verdict could take months. Would it not be wiser to share this with him? Maybe he could help... he must know people who—”

“I cannot,” Khushi said, cutting her off with sudden vehemence.

“I cannot ask him for favours, Payal. I cannot pull him into this darkness I am trying so hard to leave behind” Her voice dropped, brittle with suppressed emotion.

“I want to forget all of it. I have lived with it long enough. I cannot keep dragging it into every corner of my life. To be honest, it is a relief, in a way, that Arnav does not know. At least... there is one relationship in my life that has nothing to do with Shyamji. One bond that is not tainted by him” Khushi spoke, her voice both strong and weak and Payal remained quiet.

"As you wish, Khushi. It is your decision. Do you want me to book train or flight?” Payal spoke after a beat and Khushi was glad that Payal did not press further.

"Flights would be better," she replied finally, "Less time to think...less time to stew over everything".

Payal nodded.

"That makes sense," she agreed, “I will book them after dinner."

"No," Khushi said quickly, impulsively, before she could think better of it. She turned to face Payal more fully, her brows drawing together in quiet insistence. "I want to do it."

Payal hesitated, reading the determination in her friend's eyes. Slowly, she leaned back against the couch cushions, offering a small, conceding smile.

"Alright".

“What should I make for dinner?” Khushi asked after a few seconds of quiet.

“Anything you feel like eating. I can eat everything" Payal drawled, resuming her episode again and Khushi nodded, heading straight to kitchen.

~~***~~

“What is this?” Simmering with fury, Shyam’s voice sliced through the quiet of the house like a whip. Khushi froze in the kitchen where she was serving the food after having finished the hour-long cooking. The blood drained from her face when she saw what he was holding aloft — her entrance exam results, the printed sheet crumpled slightly in his grasp, as if his rage had already started to shred it.

For a breathless moment, she could only stare, chill seeping into her bones.

How... how had he found it?

She had been so careful. She had checked the results two days ago on her phone, her heart pounding with a mixture of hope and desperation. She had barely been able to contain her excitement upon seeing her name on second number in the merit list. But, she had kept quiet, had expressed nothing. Only yesterday, upon finding some time, she had quietly asked the neighbour’s son — an introvert , studious boy she trusted — to get the result printed out for her, along with a few other documents she would need for the admission. She had tucked them carefully under the mattress in her room, hidden away like a secret treasure she could not afford to lose or to be discovered by anyone else.

Had he…? Her stomach twisted. Had he searched her room while she had been cooking?

The thought made her blood run hot with anger and cold with alarm.

"I asked you something," Shyam snapped while stepping closer, waving the paper before her face like an accusation.

Her fingers tightened around the steel plate, knuckles whitening. She dared a glance up at him, reading the same dangerous glint in his eyes she had seen two weeks ago, just before the back of his hand had come crashing down across her cheek while his parents had been sitting just outside in the hall.

The memory flared painfully — the burning sting of the slap, the way she had staggered back, too shocked even to cry at first. Her cheek had stayed swollen for days afterward, tender and bruised. Shyam had been in exceptionally good mood since then, asking her to participate enthusiastically into the wedding preparations that began soon after. In his mind, the wedding was set and the future was carved in stone.

But she had only been biding her time, clinging to the hope that the entrance exam results would be her key to escape. And now, he held the key in his hands.

"I—It is just—" she began, her voice faltering.

“Did I not tell you clearly to give all this up? No more degrees!" Shyam hissed, stepping even closer, forcing her to look up into his flushed, furious face.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stand straight, to meet his gaze even though every instinct screamed at her to lower her eyes, to apologize, to shrink away.

"I want to study," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper, but steady. "I am getting a scholarship. It would not be a burden on you”.

For a moment, there was a heavy, crackling silence.

Then, Shyam laughed — a cruel, humorless sound that made her flinch inwardly.

"Burden? You think it is money that is bothering me? It is less about the money and more about you strutting around, meeting random men, betraying me behind my back!" he snarled.

"Your character is very questionable at the moment, Khushiji" He said and Khushi felt the words slice through whatever self-respect she had managed to hold onto.

"If that is what you think, Shyamji, then perhaps you should not marry me. There is no marriage without trust" she managed the words in a quiet tone, looking only at her feet.

There was silence again in the room before Shyam lunged forward and grabbed her roughly by the arms.

"I will make you into an obedient wife, Khushiji. And it is for you to decide whether you want that to happen the easier way" his fingers dug into her arms viciously and she whimpered in pain, "or the dififcult way. Because it is happening" he hissed into her face.

She could only feel the pain shooting up and down her arm for a few seconds while Shyam looked around. When his eyes landed on her phone sitting on the kitchen counter, he let her go with a rough shove and grabbed the phone.

Before she could anticipate his next move, he smashed it onto the tiled floor. The screen shattered into a spiderweb of cracks, the loud sounding making her jump.

"There! No more talking to anyone. No more internet! Enough of your little games. Consider this your last warning," Shyam said, voice low and vibrating with threat. "If you try to get out of this marriage or pursue this foolishness again, you will regret it until the last day of your life, Khushiji. Do you understand?" He said.

She stood motionless, and he grabbed her bruised arms again.

"Look at me" He ground out, forcing her dazed gaze to meet his. She looked at him. Into his manic eyes!

"Say it! Say that you understand and accept."

Her body trembled and tears slipped from the corners of her wide eyes.

When she did not respond, he shook her again, harder.

"Say it!" His voice was louder this time.

"I… I understand and accept," she spoke quickly, brokenly, her voice barely audible.

A satisfied smile curled his lips.

"Good. Now serve me food," he said, as though nothing had happened.

"Later, get ready. We are going shopping for jewellery".

She nodded mechanically, moving to fill a plate, her hands numb and her mind reeling, the broken pieces of her dreams scattered like the shards of her phone at her feet.

Khushi woke up with a start, her eyes wet. Everything was pitch black in the darkness of her room and her fingers immediately found the light switch. The golden stars began glowing and soft yellow light lit the room dimly. She lay still for a moment watching the stars while her breath came in shallow pulls, her heart pounding uncomfortably against her ribs.

It took her a few seconds to compose herself. To remind herself that she was not in the house she had fled from but in her own home. Drawing in a shaky breath, she turned onto her side, her fingers feeling the soft bedsheet. The familiar scent of her room began to fill back in but her mind remained tormented.

Will these memories keep drowning her until this hearing is done? Or will they continue even after that? Depending upon where the case goes? She wondered.

After staying still for a few more moments, she pushed herself up slowly against the headboard of the bed and she closed her eyes, thinking back over her dinner with Payal. After eating together, she had retired to bed and considered calling Arnav to let him know she had urgent matters to attend to in Kapur. But, since there was still enough time for the party, she had decided to talk about this later, giving him and herself some time.

It was why she had not even received his phone call soon a few hours ago. She was sure he would mention the party and she did not want to pretend that she would come. She had fallen asleep with the thoughts of Shyam Manohar Jha in her mind, wondering why did he come and meet her. And whether he may come to the office again now that a date was set. Her thoughts had led her to his painful memory in her sleep.

Unable to clear her thoughts, she pushed back the covers and got off her bed. The floor was cool underfoot, but she welcomed the sensation.

Almost without thinking, she made her way to her cupboard.

From the highest shelf, tucked between other documents, she drew out an old, thick notebook. Her fingers hesitated on the cover for a moment before she opened it. Inside, pressed carefully between the pages were two photographs.

She drew out the first one.

It was from an Independence Day celebration at the orphanage — she must have been about ten then and Arnav was two years older. The photograph was a crowded one, full of children in colorful costumes, paper hats, handmade sashes, little flags waving in some hands. There she was, standing near the center, her face lit with a broad, unguarded smile, her costume slightly askew. And next to her, tall even then, was Arnav — his smile less wide, more reserved, but unmistakably there, clear and genuine.

Khushi traced the edge of the photograph lightly, her heart tightening in her chest. She could remember that day so vividly — the clatter of children's laughter, the scratchy loudspeaker blaring patriotic songs, the smell of fresh paint and glue from the handmade decorations. Arnav had been made to sing a song, reluctantly at first, but he had sung — his voice cracking once or twice — and the children had cheered and clapped for him all the same.

She turned to the second photograph, older and slightly more faded. It captured a different moment — her, on a wooden stage in the courtyard, receiving a prize from the warden for her dance performance.

Her hair was tied back severely, and her tiny figure seemed almost lost in the large costume she wore. But it was not herself that her gaze lingered on.

It was Arnav —off to one side, among the crowd of children, clapping with a shy, proud smile that was entirely his own. A lump rose in her throat, thick and painful.

How had life changed so much from those simple days? How had their worlds grown so vast, so complicated? And yet — in some small corner of her heart — she still carried this version of him. Of them. Where life was not easy but simple.

She carried the notebook to bed and looked at the pictures for some more time, letting the memories wash over her — not as weapons this time, not as wounds, but as a balm against the restlessness that had filled her mind.

No matter how twisted the world had become, this piece of her life — this friendship — remained untouched. And now she has this friendship back. She leaned her head back against the headboard of the bed and breathed slowly. These painful memories may pull her under for some time but she can always come back to the comforts of the present, she told herself. Or go back to the small moments of joy she had at Vaatsalya. Like she held them close in these photographs.

Then, her eyes then went to the photograph on her night stand. The one that Arnav had seen. Her Buaji and her. She had never thought to keep these two photographs out in open. They deserved to be seen only when she really needed them. Like now. While thinking that, her hands reached her phone and she opened the message box. Last message from Arnav was after she had deliberately missed his call tonight.

"I need to speak to you. Call me in the morning".

An urgency stirred inside her upon reading those words again. She needed to speak to Arnav. To see him. To hear him speak. After looking at these photographs, she wanted to be sure that he was indeed around and accessible. Unlike so many years in the past. She decided to call him first thing in the morning. Having decided that, she slid the old notebook back under her pillow, close enough to reach if she needed it again.

Switching off the dim light, she lay back against the bed, watching the faint golden stars overhead.

The night stretched out, deep and quiet, around her. Sleep did come eventually, but far too late.

~~***~~

In the morning, she woke up with a start to the shrill beeping of her backup alarm, her first one already long silenced. For a few disoriented seconds, she sat up blinking at the clock, her mind sluggishly registering the time — far later than she had intended.

A groan escaped her as she scrambled out of bed, hurrying through her morning routine on muscle memory alone. By the time she was ready and outside her building, the office cab had long departed.

Regretting the snoozing of first alarm, she hailed a personal cab from the roadside and climbed in, giving the office address in a breathless rush.

As she settled into the backseat, her mind raced back to Arnav's message and the call she had ignored last night. She decided to speak to him while the cab weaved through traffic and endless signals.

She took out her phone and dialled Arnav's number.

The call rang once.

Twice.

Thrice.

She felt some more disappointment rush into her spirit as the call went unanswered , the line disconnecting after a long, empty wait.

Was he busy? He must be.

By the time she reached the office gates, her nerves were wound tight because of being late and not being able to speak to Arnav.

And it did not help that the moment she stepped into the building, she could sense something different — a kind of buzz in the air.

Employees moved briskly along the corridors, their faces tense with a kind of hurried purpose.

It was reminiscent of the time before Arnav's earlier visit.

Could he be here? The thought rose in her mind. Maybe that was why he had called her last night — to warn her he would be coming earlier than expected?

Still caught in that wondering, she walked briskly to her cabin, placing her bag down just as Akash appeared at the door, tapping lightly before stepping in.

“There you are! Ms. Kashyap was looking for you” he said.

Khushi blinked, startled out of her spiraling thoughts.

“For me? Why?”

Akash shrugged casually. “Well, for both of us, actually. She wants to brief us about some new update, apparently. Told me to bring you along immediately.”

As he turned to leave, Khushi found herself blurting out, “Wait, Akash…is Arnav here?”

Akash turned back, eyebrows lifting in mild surprise. “I do not think so. Why? Why do you ask?”

Khushi hesitated, realizing she cannot just say that she has a feeling.

“Forget it. Let us go to Ms. Kashyap” she said and Akash narrowed his eyes for a second before following after her.

When they reached Ms. Kashyap’s door, Pam, her assistant, looked up from her desk.

“She is not here right now! You can wait inside” she said to both of them.

Akash nodded and leaned casually against the wall, while Khushi entered the cabin and sat stiffly on the edge of one of the visitor chairs.

The large office space felt colder this morning, the air-conditioning sharp against her skin. She glanced at Akash, who seemed relaxed enough while scrolling through something on his phone.

But Khushi’s nerves refused to settle.

What update was this? Why the sudden urgency?

Was it about the merger? About the party?

Or something else entirely?

She was still chasing her thoughts when after nearly ten minutes the door opened and Ms. Kashyap walked in.

She moved with a swift, clipped grace, her lips pressed into a thin line and her brows slightly drawn. The usual polite smile she reserved for her team was missing.

“Good morning, Ms. Kashyap” Akash spoke first as he took the chair beside her and she chimed in, repeating the same words right after Akash.

Ms. Kashyap merely dipped her head in acknowledgment, not uttering a word of greeting in return. Her expression was composed, but there was a tightness around her mouth, an edge to her silence that Khushi could not miss.

“What is the status of those reports I asked?” Ms. Kashyap began in a curt and straightforward voice.

Akash looked at Khushi. They had been told to start only yesterday.

“It is in the process, Ms. Kashyap. We shall finish it and hand it over by Friday, as you directed” Khushi managed to speak.

Ms. Kashyap’s gaze rested on her for a moment longer than necessary, her kohl-lined eyes unreadable.

“How would you like to work from ARA Studio? The two of you” The question rendered Khushi both surprised and confused. She looked briefly at Akash who was looking at Ms. Kashyap, his brows raised slightly mirroring the confusion she herself felt.

“Work from ARA Studio?” It was Akash who spoke the words.

“ASR believes the process can be expedited if the team works together under one roof. Since Akanksha’s team is already there, the two of you will join them. Rakshit will move there too, once he is back” Ms. Kashyap folded her arms as she continued, her sharp eyes watching the two of them.

Khushi’s throat felt dry. Her mind, suddenly too full, scrambled to process the implication.

Work from ARA? With Arnav in the same building?

“But we have already started work here…” she began, her voice trailing as she tried to ground herself in logic, “…and all our records, the paperwork.. that is all here in this office. At least the files related to Raizada Textiles”.

“We do have digital records, need I remind you, Khushi?” Ms. Kashyap responded promptly, a bite in her remark.

“They will be transferred to the systems at ARA Studio. A dedicated office is being set up there—it should be functional by the end of the week. Until then, you will be using a temporary space within the same premises” Ms. Kashyap continued.

“When do we have to leave?” Akash asked while Khushi tried not to feel affronted by the remark.

“By the end of the day,” said Ms. Kashyap crisply. “Pack up your things. The company will have your materials shifted. You may use your own transport or request a company car—your choice.”

The tempo of the conversation was swift and matter-of-fact. Too swift for Khushi’s spiraling thoughts to catch up.

“But… why this change all of a sudden?” she asked before she could stop herself.

Ms. Kashyap looked at her. Not annoyed, exactly—but there was a pause. A measured stillness. Then she said, “You should be more concerned with the work, Ms. Gupta”.

Khushi felt her back straighten in quiet defiance at the use of her surname. “I am concerned with the work. Which is exactly why I want to understand this shift. It is bound to affect how we function.”

That made Ms. Kashyap lean back slightly in her chair. A flicker of something—amusement, maybe—passed across her face, quickly gone. Her voice, when she spoke, was less curt than before.

“ASR wants to get this done under his direct supervision. He is not always available here. It makes sense to carry out this part of the work from his base. That was the original plan. The timeline has merely been moved forward. That is all you need to know.”

Khushi gave a slow nod, her lips pressed together. “What about the report? Do I send it to via email on Friday?”

“Yes! Although, you would be seeing me from time to time at ARA Studio. That is after all, my second workplace” Ms. Kashyap replied, admitting to a fact Khushi knew well by now. Ms. Kashyap was one of the models at ARA Studio, sometimes featuring in their collections.

“Okay” she replied.

“I am looking forward to working from ARA Studio! They do have a more modern infrastructure” Akash gave a half-smile, clearly less burdened by the implications.

“That they do! Until Rakshit is back, you can report to me directly. And if I am not available, you leave a message with Pam. I will be in touch. Alright?” Lavanya responded.

“Yes” Both of them replied in unison.

“You can leave now,” Ms. Kashyap spoke, glancing at the screen on her desk. “Begin wrapping up your stations. And let the administration know your choice of transport.”

Khushi and Akash turned to leave. As they stepped into the corridor, Khushi felt the questions bubbling inside Akash. She slowed her steps slightly and then turned to him before he could ask anything. “You go ahead. I want to get started on the packing before the admin team gets overwhelmed with last-minute instructions.”

Akash looked at her for a second before giving a light nod.

Without waiting for further conversation, she turned down the corridor leading to her cabin. Though her footsteps were sure, her mind was not. A restless murmur had taken root in her thoughts. Could this sudden change be because of what Arnav had said yesterday when she had brought up the point that there was no reason for her to speak to him in the office?

“I’ll take care of it!”

His words had been sure. Is this all his doing? She was still trying to decide how to feel about it when her footsteps came to a halt in front of her cabin. Inside it, a man was waiting who looked familiar. He stood next to the chairs with his hands loosely clasped in front of him. The moment she stopped at the cabin door, he noticed her and turned towards her.

“Hello, Ms. Gupta” He said, offering a polite and professional smile.

Aman Mathur! Arnav’s assistant.

Her heartbeat gave a nervous thud and a prickle of awareness danced up her spine. If he is here, then—

“Mr. Raizada would like to see you,” Aman said in a smooth, professional tone. “If you are available, would you please come up to the tenth floor?”

There was no urgency in his voice, only the quiet certainty of someone who rarely heard a refusal on the behest of his boss. For a moment, Khushi stared at him, unsure of how to respond. Her thoughts scrambled for an appropriate answer but none seemed to come. So, she simply nodded realizing that Arnav was indeed here.

Aman Mathur stepped out of her cabin and walked ahead, gesturing needlessly in the direction of the elevator.

As she walked behind him, she kept her gaze down and kept her steps hurried so that no one would have the time to notice that she was walking behind Arnav’s assistant.

As they reached the elevator, Aman Mathur pressed the button. Thankfully, the elevator was at their floor. The doors opened quickly and Khushi wasted no time getting in. Aman walked in too, standing at the front as the door closed.

Inside the elevator, the soft hum of machinery surrounded them. She finally found her voice, quiet but steady.

“What time did Arnav arrive at the office?”

Aman turned slightly toward her, a restrained but amused smile on his face.

“Mr. Raizada has been here for quite some time now” he answered.

She found herself mortified as she realized she just addressed Aman Mathur’s boss as Arnav instead of Mr. Raizada. So, she only nodded at his response, making sure to avoid any eye contact with him for the next twenty seconds.

As the elevator reached the tenth floor with a gentle chime, Aman stepped aside, letting her go ahead.

“He is in the conference room,” he said and without stepping out himself.

As the doors of the elevator closed with Aman still inside it, Khushi stood still for a moment, staring down the familiar corridor.

It was the same floor. The same hallway where she had first met him a week ago! A week? Had it really been only a week? Because it did not feel like it. She felt closer and comfortable in his presence. He was her friend again. But in this office? Especially now that she was sure he had spurred this shift they had just been updated about? She did not know what to expect.

She stepped inside the conference room with her mind unsure about what conversation lay ahead.

She noticed him right away, standing near those tall glass windows again, deep in thought. Only this time, his body was half turned towards the glass pane and half towards the room.

As he noticed her walking inside, the seemingly stern lines on his face eased. But the smile she had come to expect from him did not make an appearance. Was he upset about the call? But she had called him back, right? He had been busy apparently, making all these changes here at Raizada Textiles.

“You are here today!” she said as a way of greeting, shoving inside the joy at seeing him a day early than expected. She recalled his face from the photographs last night where he had looked so carefree, unlike now.

“I wanted to surprise you” he said, walking towards her, his eyes and his expression getting warmer every second.

“You sure did surprise me” she replied, and when a smile manged to appear at the corner of his lips, she became sure that all of this was deliberately done.

As the distance between them receded, she became unsure what to do. But, Arnav seemed to be sure. He continued walking until he was in her space, his eyes too observant.

“Aman…your assistant said you wanted to see me” she replied, looking at him but only briefly. Why did his eyes seem like they are searching for something?

“Yes,” Arnav said, his gaze meeting hers with deliberate steadiness. “I have been wanting to talk to you again. And to see you again. We have hardly spoken since you came home and met Ratna Ma and Anjali” he replied.

“Yes, I had plans with Payal and Akash. And you were busy too” she replied, referring to his visit to LA. He nodded slowly.

“Yes, both of us were occupied. So, let us sit down now. Let us talk properly” he said, pulling the nearest chair.

But she remained standing.

“Arnav, do you remember what I said to you that day…at your house? About us maintaining a professional work relationship at the office?” she asked, holding his gaze. She wanted to know what he was thinking, why he was doing what he did.

“Yes, I remember what you said” he replied, not seeming affected that she was calling him out on his actions.

“Then why? Why did you ask Ms. Kashyap to shift our entire base to your company immediately? Why make a change that would raise questions? I could feel that Ms. Kashyap…even Akash seems to have caught on that this is your doing” she said, her words came out faster than she meant them to, propelled by a growing confusion she was trying to overcome.

“This—this is the opposite of what I asked you to do, Arnav. And you agreed. You said you understood. So, what changed?” she asked, this time letting herself hold his brown gaze, not backing.

He did not respond. Not immediately. The silence stretched, not out of discomfort, but a deliberateness that made her aware that he could see she was stressed because of this sudden change. And then, without answering her question, Arnav stepped forward, closer to her than he was.

It was not intimidating—at least, not in the physical sense—but it unsettled her nonetheless. He was looking at her now in a way that made the air feel too thick, too private, for a conversation taking place in the conference room of her office building.

“Did you think about it?” he asked, his voice low. “About the ARA anniversary event?”

The shift in topic threw her off for a moment.

“What?” she said, confused by what he was asking instead of answering her questions.

“The party,” he said, eyes unwavering. “I asked you to come with me and you said you will think about it.”

She blinked, disoriented by the sudden turn in the conversation, by the look in his eyes—too intent, too sure. And then, like instinct, she took a step back. Her back almost brushed against the edge of the conference table.

“You are not listening, Arnav” she said, trying to bring the conversation back to solid ground. “I am telling you that this decision you made—it complicates things for me professionally. I am trying to keep the lines clear between work and—”

“I am listening,” Arnav cut in, not harshly, but firmly. He took the step she had withdrawn. “But I am just not going to pretend, Khushi.”

She looked up at him, startled by the sudden finality in his tone.

“You and I...” He took another step forward, covering the distance she had just put between them by stepping back. His tone was softer now, but steady—too steady. “We know each other. That is the truth. You can dress it up in rules and boundaries and office protocols, and I will respect all of that as much as I can. But I am not going to stand in a room with you and act like you are a stranger to me, Khushi. I cannot. It was hard enough the first time I saw you in this room and you called me Mr. Raizada”.

Her lips parted slightly and her throat tightened with emotions at the honesty of his words.

“But..” she tried to find something to say.

“Please, Khushi! I know this maybe too much to ask after thirteen long years but I need this,” he said finding her gaze again while his hands held her by the arms, softly and gently.

She could not help but nod, unable to look away from those eyes that were so familiar.

“Thank you” he whispered, his smile returning and softening the air between them, like a breath that could finally be exhaled. He gently guided her to the chair he had pulled earlier.

“Sit down, now! Let us talk like the friends we are” he said, seemingly feeling lighter.

“So, where was I? Yes! The party? Do I have your final yes?” he asked, sitting on the chair beside hers, facing completely her.

Her pulse quickened at the mention of the party again and she knew she will have to say it now. She will not be able to make-up a lie again, not after everything he had just said.

“I will not be able to come, Arnav. I am sorry. I have... other commitments,” she said, her tone evasive, hoping he would not press further.

She watched as shadows reappeared in his eyes, his smile gone. She hated herself for eliciting that reaction out of him.

“Tell me what it is!” he said and she looked at him for seconds before saying.

“It is a court-hearing in Kanpur! On the same date as your party and my presence is crucial there.” She watched the surprise and the confusion play on his face and an obvious hint of immediate concern. And she steeled herself for the questions she knew were now bound to follow.

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