Chapter 9

2 months ago

Pearl_Oyster

@Pearl_Oyster

“A court case?” Arnav repeated, his voice heavy and she nodded.

"What is it about?" He continued, scanning her face for any clues.

“It is a property related case. My Buaji’s house..! There is some..legal mess around it and I need to be there in Kanpur. Mostly for paperwork!" she replied, forcing herself to look him in the eyes when she spoke. It was not a lie. Not the complete truth but not a lie as well.

However, Arnav did not seem satisfied. He leaned further, his hands on the table but his body attuned towards her.

"What kind of legal mess? Who are the parties involved, apart from you?" He asked, his tone pressing and dipped in curiosity, carrying an edge. She breathed in.

"They are Buaji's distant relatives! But, the matter is almost sorted. It is just that my presence is required there. So, I will not be able to make it to the party. I am really sorry" she answered, the regret genuine.

Arnav was still looking at her, quiet, processing the bit of information she had revealed to him.

"You will be going alone?" He asked after a few seconds.

"I was thinking that initially, but Payal wouldn't let me. She is going with me. The tickets are booked" she replied, leaning back in her chair. She had booked the tickets last night. After her dinner with Payal. Before going to bed and waking up because of the bitter memories surfacing up in her dreams.

She looked at Arnav's face. He was watching her too, the crease on his forehead evident.

"I will go and come back within a day, Arnav! It is nothing to worry about" she said, feeling the need to put his mind to ease. "You should focus on the more important thing - your company’s anniversary" she added, inducing excitement in her voice, hoping he would catch it too.

But his face did not ease, if anything, it only grew more solemn.

“You will let me know if there is something, right?" He asked, the question sending ripples through her heart. His eyes remained fixed on her face, waiting for her answer.

She nodded, not trusting her voice. Was he able to see through her attempts of downplaying the matter?

"Khushi, I am here! You do not have to do everything alone. I want to..."

"I am not alone, Arnav! Payal will be going with me. And like I said, it is nothing to worry about. I can take care of this" she answered, bringing a firmness in her voice so he could see that she meant it.

She is capable of doing this.

Arnav seemed to consider her words before he nodded stiffly.

"Alright! If that is how you want it. But I am going to be here. If you need anything, you call me anytime. Okay?" He said, urging her while his hand slid across the table and reached hers, his fingers clasping around hers. She looked at their intertwined fingers, felt the brush of something tender in her heart. His words, of support and assurance, they tugged at her heart. But, she cannot let him get involved.

"Okay” She replied and then flexed her fingers.

“I should be going now. I need to pack my things. I have to move to another building thanks to someone” she said, and felt his fingers loosen before he pulled them away. Then, she stood up.

Arnav stood up too, pocketing his hand which had been holding her. The heaviness on his face seemed shifted, lighter now.

"That someone is looking forward to seeing you every day" he replied, eyes twinkling.

"We won't be friends in your office, Arnav" she answered, reminding him of her words earlier.

"But not strangers as well" he added, as if reminding her back. She shook her head at his persistence.

"I will go now. Bye" she replied.

"Bye" he said and she turned and began walking out of the conference room with composed steps.

Once she was inside the elevator, she loosed a long breath. A huge task was done away with. She had managed to tell him that she will not make it to the party. And the conversation had gone well.

As the elevator descended, she now began to prepare herself for the next task. Packing and moving! The prospect seemed both nerve-wracking and thrilling. Arnav would be there in the new office for more than eight hours. Definitely not in front of her but in the same space. It will take some getting used to, she told herself while stepping out of the elevator and heading to her cabin to get started.

In the next two hours, all her belongings were taped into two medium sized moving boxes. One box full of her work files and the other of personal items that she had managed to gather in six months. The boxes were put in the office vehicle, along with Akash's boxes and sent on their way.

Both Akash and her however, stayed back having decided to travel together in Akash's car. After updating Ms. Kashyap, the two of them found themselves in the parking lot.

"This is going to be fun" Akash said, as he got inside his car and Khushi took the passenger seat.

"Which part?" She asked, setting the seatbelt.

"All of it! ARA Studio is a much more dynamic place, Khushi. Designer clothes, models walking in and out, media hanging around the building, celebrity walk-ins! It is an altogether different experience" Akash gushed, as the car began moving.

"How do you know?" Khushi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How don't you know? It is all over F-TV and social media. And of course, Payal keeps me updated" Akash said.

Right. Payal did keep herself updated about everything related to the fashion industry, seeing that her boutique was dependent on it. And since Khushi purposely kept herself away from it, it would make sense that Payal would talk about all of this with Akash.

"Payal and I are going to Kanpur. On 25th. My hearing has been scheduled" she replied after a break, and heard Akash swear under his breath.

"When did that happen?" He asked, turning his head towards her before looking back at the road.

"Yesterday! First I got a call from Tiwariji. Then I got a call from Arnav. He invited me to come to the party and..."

"Oh damn! The party is on the same date! That is crazy, Khushi! And Arnav invited you himself? What did you say?" Akash cut in, his tone animated, caught between surprise and dismay.

"I told Arnav I will not be able to come. It took some explanation but he understood" she answered, not wanting to go into the details of it.

Thankfully, Akash did not stress upon that part.

"So, that means Payal will not be coming to the party with me. This is just... I mean, I know she has to go with you and she should go with you! But, it sucks for me! What were the odds! Both the things on the same date" Akash said, shaking his head.

She remained quiet, letting Akash process the news while she texted Payal that she had shared the news with Akash.

After another minute, Akash gave her a side look. One which meant the question was coming.

“Are you okay? With this court hearing? It must…” He began speaking.

“It is what it is, Akash! I will go there and I will deal with it” she replied, brushing off the topic. And as expected, Akash let her, nodding his head.

“Yes! I am glad Payal will be there, though” he said before speeding up the car. Khushi leaned back in the comfortable chair and let her eyes rest.

“We are here” Akash spoke after what seemed like fifteen minutes. She opened her eyes, taking in the glistening entrance of the office complex that loomed closer. Compared to “Raizada Heights’ where her office was located, this building was not as towering that stretched fifteen floors upward into the sky. Instead, it was a modest five-storeyed complex with a clean architectural design. The AR Studio trademark was shining brightly on the top storey of the building. Khushi couldn’t help but be intrigued by it, and the quiet efficiency to the entire surrounding.

“ARA Studio! Finally!” Akash said as he brought his car to halt at the designated visitor slot.

She, however, kept her eyes trained on the building watching the cars streaming in and out of the automated parking. There was a rhythm to this space, one that differed from the structured calm of Raizada Textiles. This was sharper, faster—purposeful.

As Akash collected a ticket from the parking machine and drove the car into the parking, she undid her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Akash came around and joined her as they walked toward the glass doors.

“We are here from Raizada Textiles” Akash said to the woman behind the reception as they approached her.

“Mr. Singh! Ms. Gupta” Khushi heard the familiar voice and turned to find Aman Mathur behind them, holding the ever polite smile on his face.

“Hello, Mr. Mathur!” Khushi spoke first.

“Welcome to ARA! Your things arrived a short while ago. Please follow me” He said and Akash looked at her before both of them began walking behind a sure-footed Mr. Mathur.

“Mr. Raizada’s assistant?” Akash asked in a low voice.

Khushi nodded in response.

“We apologise for the inconvenience,” Aman Mathur began as they moved through the sleek corridor. “Your offices will not be ready until Friday. For now, we have set up the conference room on the first floor for your team. It is a shared space—Mrs. Pathak’s team will also be working there.”

He glanced back briefly, referring to Akanksha’s group, before continuing to lead them towards the stairs with his usual brisk efficiency.

“Yes, we were briefed about that by Ms. Kashyap” Akash said as they walked up the stairs.

“Good to know!” Aman Mathur spoke as he pushed open first door as they reached the end of the stairs.

It was a large hall, with several desks placed at appropriate distance from each other. There were about eight that Khushi counted. Then there was another part of the hall, where comfortable looking sofas were placed around two large glass-top center tables.

“There is a canteen on this floor. Just down the corridor that we came through. It is open at all times! Feel free to order anything. And in case you need anything else, you can dial me at 112” Aman said, pointing towards the intercom.

“Thank you, Aman” Both Akash and Khushi spoke, while Akash extended his hand to shake Aman’s hand.

“Most welcome! I take your leave now. Your boxes are there” Aman replied, pointing to a desk.

As Aman exited the hall, Khushi and Akash began making their way to the said desk. Khushi found both her labelled cartons there.

“Choose your temporary desk!” Akash said, as the two of them looked around.

It was evident that some of the desks were already taken by Akansha’s team.

Khushi lifted her box and made her way to the one near the windows.

“Good choice” Akash grinned and began choosing his own desk.

Khushi carried her second box to her desk and then looked out the window. From the first floor, she could only see the traffic on the main road. Thankfully, the room was quiet, shielded from the noise by thick glasses. And then she began setting up her desk.

~~***~~

Two hours later, she sat at her newly claimed desk, her back straight and her eyes absently fixed on the laptop screen before her. The room was quiet, except for the dull sound of fingers hitting keyboards and rustling of papers.

Khushi sighed! She was unable to summon any concentration at all. She turned slightly, her gaze falling on Akash, who had taken the desk directly opposite hers—also beside a window. He looked settled already, his brow furrowed as he scrolled through something on his laptop, his fingers poised in that typical rhythm of someone halfway between thought and execution. For a moment, Khushi envied that ease which came so easily to Akash. He didn’t seem affected enough by the newness of the space. Except that he did look a little drowsy.

She felt that too. After setting up her desk, Akash and she had paid a visit to the canteen. They had already hit past the lunch hour. However, thankfully, that is where they had run into Akansha and her team who were about to finish their lunch. After loading the delicious looking food on their plates, Akash and she had joined Akansha’s lunch table where polite greetings had been exchanged. Akansha, unlike Rakshit who had always been something of a boisterous presence, had always been a restrained person. There was a polish to her—a quiet efficiency that reflected in the clipped professionalism of her tone. At the table, she had welcomed Akash and her, and had spoken appreciatively of ARA's infrastructure, praising the design, the amenities, the sheer ease of working here over the past week.

Her team members- Sonia and Rahul, as Khushi recalled from previous interactions, were both competent and curiously chatty. Thankfully, she had busied herself eating to avoid talking a lot. Akash, however, had filled the absence of her words quite deftly, engaging in an animated conversation about the most recent celebrity walk-in at ARA. All of them had walked back from the canteen together.

From the corner of her eye, she could see them all sitting focused at their desks, engaged, busy, present. But her focus was all over the place. Her thoughts kept straying back to the morning conversation she had had with Arnav. To that moment in the conference room where he had said that he was not going to act like she is a stranger.

Will that impact how her colleagues see her? Because there would be no hiding here. These people will notice. Will discuss! Her interactions will be sliced, dissected like they were discussing how Arnav had dealt with a certain top actress of the country when she demanded last minute-alterations in her dress worth a million. Every gesture of his had been examined, every word repeated and assessed for tone and subtext by the people.

Sonia had even gone as far as to declare, with unmistakable awe, that by the end of that conversation, the actress had walked away utterly enamoured by Arnav Singh Raizada.

She could not fathom how Arnav managed under such close and constant scrutiny—every word weighed, every action noted and retold. And that too, in his own office. In his domain.

How did he not flinch beneath the relentless attention? How did he carry himself with that quiet authority, utterly unfazed, as though none of it touched him?

Perhaps it truly did not, she thought. Perhaps, like her, he had simply learned to breathe through the noise and continue forward.

The realization brought some sense of control back into her. That is what she needs to do here as well. Wade through the noise. Not flinch at the glances or the whispers that might follow. Not let any of it settle inside her.

She sat back in her chair, letting her eyes fall once more on her desk, the open laptop, the fresh stationery she had just arranged. All of this was hers—this corner, this moment, this chance to advance her career. The others could talk, the world could watch. But her path, like always, would be walked with silence and resolve. Just as she had done all these years. Just as she would continue to do now.

She smiled and was glad to see the coveted concentration restoring slowly inside her—steady, familiar, loyal. She brought her attention back to the laptop and began working. Roughly an hour later, she was pulled out of her work by a light tap on her desk. She looked up to find Akash standing there, arms crossed and a grin on his face.

“You did not even hear me walking up, did you?” He said. She did not reply, instead gave him her ‘I-am-working’ look.

“It is move-in day, Khushi. I am sure Mr. Raizada does not expect us to drown in work on day one,” he said, nodding toward her screen, where multiple tabs and spreadsheets were open.

“Did he tell you that?” She leaned back slightly in her chair.

“No” Akash shook her head.

“Then how do you know? Didn’t you hear what Ms. Kashyap said in the morning? Mr. Raizada wants quality and speed” she said, reminding herself to get used to calling Arnav that inside the office. She did not want a repeat of what she had done in front of Aman.

“I see” Akash crossed his hands, still smiling, seemingly amused which irked her.

“And someone has to deliver the report by Friday, Akash. And we both know Akansha is probably ahead of schedule already! I am not looking to disappoint either Ms. Kashyap or Mr. Raizada” she finished, lowering her voice as she looked at Akansha’s desk at the far end from hers.

Akash chuckled, shaking his head.

“Glad to see you are feeling like your usual, competitive self, Khushi” His voice was warm but carried the teasing tone she was subjected to every now and then. She couldn’t say she disliked it.

“Go on! It is evident your day productivity for the day has reached its end” she replied.

“What about you? How can you keep working? We had to lug our stuff here, set the desks and then that heavy lunch! You must be exhausted” Akash said.

He wasn’t wrong. She did feel a little exhausted. But, the work was finally on track.

“I will leave in an hour or so! You can go now” she replied.

“Are you sure?” Akash asked.

“Yes!” she said, getting back to work.

“Alright then,” Akash said, stepping back. “Do not stay too late” he spoke a little loudly as he grabbed his bag from his desk.

With a final wave, he walked away. Khushi continued with the work. In the next thirty minutes, the rhythm of the room began to thin. Subconsciously aware of the ‘Bye’ and ‘See you tomorrow” being hushed in the room, by the time she looked up from her laptop, almost everyone had left. Sonia and Rahul from Akansha’s team being the last ones to leave.

She glanced at her watch. Ten minutes to seven.

Should she call Aman Mathur and check about the office cab? She had not yet asked how late it ran. Her phone was within reach, and she was just picking it up when noticed the shadow outside the glass door. A knock sounded and her hand paused mid-air. Was it…!

Arnav!

What was he doing here? Her mind beeped as she watched him walk inside in slow strides.

“Hey” He said, as he neared her desk and then his gaze scanned the room. Then it landed back on her.

“Hello” She stood up, surprised and unsure, too aware of the fact that she was alone in the hall with him. In his office.

“You are still working?” He said, as he reached her desk where she was standing still.

His question was simple, direct. But she could not answer. What was he doing? Is this what he meant when he said he was not going to pretend not to know her?

“Yes, Mr. Raizada” she replied, reminding herself that she has to call him that. Get used to calling him that inside this building.

She watched a smile curve on his lips as she called him Mr. Raizada.

“There is no one here, Khushi! I am sure we can save that for when others are around” He said.

She gave him a look that said ‘I-am-practicing’ and followed it with a question.

“What are you doing here?” She said, crossing her arms against her chest.

“I had a meeting upstairs. Thought I should check in” he replied, looking at her desk and the things she had arranged neatly.

As he said that, another question popped in her head.

“Did you know everyone else has left?” she asked. Is that why he sauntered in here so calmly?

“Maybe” The smile grew as he shrugged lightly and then wheeled the nearest chair next to hers.

“Come on, sit! I want to know how was your first day here” he said, looking at her, apparently unintimated by her stance.

“My day is still ongoing” she replied, looking back at the door of the hall.

“No one is going to walk in, Khushi” she heard him say. When she looked at his face there was a quiet certainty on it. As though he had ensured no one would walk in. Was it good? Bad?

“Arnav…” she began to say but he shook his head.

“Sit down! I want to know how was your first day here!” His voice softened, as if he could already see the words of caution and warning that was about to spill from her lips.

She breathed, recalling her resolve to get used to this. Sharing this professional space with him. I guess this is how it will be. Him walking in anytime and she learning to maintain the fine line between professionalism and friendship.

So, she sat down in her chair. Looked at his twinkling eyes that glowed, appeared darker than usual in the artificial lighting of the room.

“Today I stepped into the building I have only driven past before a couple of times!” She began, turning her chair a little towards his so she was looking at him.

“And the office…this place..it is beautiful. Efficient! I like the architecture. I like everything, I mean whatever little I have seen of it so far. I met Akanksha and her team. They seem to enjoy the space too. They have been here longer. Workwise, I am sure they are ahead on the project, in case you want to know that! And I—” she paused, “I am trying not to catch up” She said.

Her smiled when she said that.

“I am sure you are going to succeed at that” He replied and she allowed a faint smile to cross her lips.

“We will see that on Friday! I am supposed to send my report to Ms. Kashyap” she answered and watched him nod again.

A silence of few seconds prevailed and she welcomed it. It was surreal. To be sitting beside Arnav in his office. Their office! She told herself. Even if temporarily, this was her office too now.

She saw him studying her desk again and the question left her mouth.

"How long do you stay in the office usually?”

“That depends! When our collections are close to launching dates, I am here almost all the time. This month, however, since it is the anniversary of the company so I will be here mostly. Sometimes, I don’t go home” He said and she blinked.

“You don’t go home?” She repeated, surprised.

“There is an apartment on the top floor. I crash there when work stretches into the night,” he elaborated, his tone matter-of-fact, as if sleeping at the office was an unremarkable part of his life.

She looked at him, processing that information.

“You live here?” she asked softly, not quite able to keep the disbelief out of her voice. And she thought she was the workaholic!

Arnav gave her a half-smile, as though amused by her reaction. “Not all the time. Just when I need to. It saves time.”

She nodded slowly, unsure of what to say to that. ARA was sleek, beautiful, impeccably maintained—but it was still a workplace. To imagine Arnav spending his nights here instead of the comfortable and welcoming bed of his home in Panchsheel where his family was! She found it odd and …lonely.

“I did not know you worked like this! Don’t Ratna aunty and…Mr. Raizada object?” she could not help but ask.

Arnav leaned forward, resting his elbows on her desk.

“This place is everything I built from scratch, Khushi. This is second home! They know that, I think!” He spoke without pride or complaint. Just clarity. As if this was normal.

She could not help but marvel at this side of him. The man that he was. This wasn’t just ambition. It was accountability and ownership. Maybe even something deeper. Something closer to a burden?

“I suppose that is what makes ARA what it is. Your dedication” she replied.

Arnav looked at her, his expression heavier now.

“Mine and the people who work here, who care about the work, make it what it is too” he said.

Of which she was a part now! He seemed to be saying without saying it. And that filled her with a small sense of achievement and pride.

She looked into his brown eyes, mesmerized by the colour and the depth of his gaze. The moment stretched and she could not look away. Neither did he! Their eyes remained locked, not speaking but taking each other in.

She was sure a minute had passed in silence when voices outside the hall broke the spell. She looked back at her laptop screen. It had gone into sleep mode.

Arnav, beside her, shifted back into his chair.

“Do you plan to work longer?” He asked, looking at her laptop too.

“I guess not!” she replied, clicking on the shut-down button.

“I was wondering about the office cab timings!” she said.

“The cabs are always available. You just have to inform the office coordinator. Make sure to keep her contact handy” He answered.

She nodded.

“But since it is your first day at ARA, I would like to drop you home” Arnav stood up, as she stashed the laptop into her bag.

She turned to look at him. He was watching her.

“You just said you would be working late. This month is hectic for you. I cannot keep you away from your work, Arnav ” she said.

“I have worked enough for the day,” he replied simply. “And I want to step away for a couple of hours. Ratna Ma would be glad to see I am back early. She was asking about you, by the way! Was asking me when are you visiting again”

She tried not to bristle. Visting his home again? Yes, the people were lovely but isn’t everyone open and welcoming until they are not? She did not want to get too close, too attached.

“Do I have to meet them again?” she asked, making sure to keep her tone calm.

Arnav met her gaze.

“Only if you want to. There is no pressure, Khushi” he spoke.

She nodded slowly, a slight pause before she spoke again.

“Maybe after I am back from Kanpur. And… once you are relatively free from work.” He nodded in understanding, stepping back as she moved out of her chair.

“I will go by my myself, Arnav!” she said, looking at him again.

“You are one stubborn person, Khushi” He said, taking a step towards her and she immediately looked at the door again where muffled voices could still be heard.

“Meet me at the front of the building in ten minutes! I am dropping you” He said and before she could say anything else, he turned on his heels and began walking out in large strides.

She watched him go. He looked at her one last time before stepping out of the door. She sat down in her chair again. Arnav was being impossible. And thoughtful. And entirely himself.

She let out a quiet breath and looked at the desk again, making sure she was not forgetting anything.

Then she looked at the door where he had disappeared. Shaking her head, she rose and held her handbag close. Then she began walking out of the hall with unhurried steps. She wondered if anyone would see her getting into his car.

So what if anyone does? She has decided not to be bothered by it, she reminded herself. When she reached the ground floor, she noticed the receptionist at the counter was different than the one she had met earlier in the day. The office really was working full-time, she realized. It was close to 7:30 pm but she could see the office was still vibrant with activity.

As she stepped out of the office building, she noticed Arnav’s familiar car parked right outside the gate, waiting. For everyone to see and notice. He really did not bother. She reached the car and stepped inside without wasting too many seconds.

~~***~~

As the car began moving, she allowed herself time to feel more relaxed. They were heading towards her home, away from the office. She watched Arnav behind the steering wheel. He seemed at ease already. Apart from work, did anything bother him ever? She wondered. Sleeping at office! She recalled how he had told her that he rarely got to enjoy the peace his home had to offer. The beautiful poolside, the terrace garden.

“This court-case about the property? How old is this “legal mess”, exactly?” She heard him ask, bringing all her senses to alertness again. How did he go back to that topic again? She searched herself, sifted through the facts and wondered what to tell him.

“The house belonged to your Buaji and when she passed away her relatives tried to claim it?” He asked, turning to look towards her briefly.

“Something like that” she answered, forcing out the words.

“Did she not adopt you legally?” He asked again, turning the car to a sharp right.

“She started the paperwork. But, it is a legal hassle in its own right! I don’t think the papers came through” She answered, trying to recall the details. It was an aspect she herself was not fully aware of.

“I see” Arnav replied.

“What about you? How much time did the paperwork take?” She found herself curious. With Mr. Raizada’s connections, it would have been sorted out without much complications.

Arnav looked at her for a brief second and then shook his head.

Her brow furrowed. That reaction did not match the man she knew — direct, composed, never evasive. She noticed the shift in his posture, the way the relaxed set of his shoulders had now tightened. The earlier lightness between them, tentative as it had been, seemed to ebb away.

“Arnav…” she began, but he interrupted gently.

“Will Payal be there? At your home?” he asked, eyes still on the road.

“No,” Khushi answered, surprised by the abrupt change in topic. “She will not be. Akash left early today, so I am guessing they might be together. Maybe dinner plans.”

It was a safe assumption. Payal might not return for hours — not unusual when she and Akash needed to talk, especially now with the upcoming party and her decision not to attend.

“So, you will be eating alone?” Arnav asked.

“Maybe,” she replied, still watching him closely. There was something deflective about his manner now — something uncharacteristic.

“Alright then,” he said, slowing the car as they neared her building. “We will have dinner together.”

She turned fully towards him, uncertain if she had heard him correctly. His eyes met hers, steady and intent.

“I think we have a lot to talk about, Khushi. I have been trying to..keep it away! To take it slow because I know a long time has gone by, but I don’t like these silences and pauses. So, let us sit and talk. Over dinner. You can tell me everything...in detail. And so will I” Arnav said, as his car pulled into the parking of her building.

And she could only nod.

______________________________________

A/N: I am aware that the story is progressing slow and for those who feel so, I simply want to say that for the first ten chapters, that has been my intention from the beginning. We will be seeing more things unfolding as we cross the ten-chapter mark.