Chapter 16

This update is dedicated to- nnsunn, anabiya1, sfghfj, kinjalcp87, pmehra300, saradagandu, JCJS, pup03, hiralhk, Arshi.Sugi.IPK, ranogill, koisk .

You guys are with me since my first SS and I can't tell you all how much thankful I am to you all for reading my stories. I never want to update till the time I don't see your comments and if I do, I feel so bad.

So thanks everyone!!!!!!

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ArHi SS: A Thing Called Marriage

Chapter 12

As bright sunshine fell on his face, he turned to the other side instinctively ignoring the dull pain in his left shoulder. Opening his eyes slowly, he sat up looking around the room absent-mindedly. What was he doing here? Wasn't he in his office, ready to attend a meeting regarding the upcoming fashion week?

He looking down and realized that he was still in his office clothes. Oh huh he'd not slept like that, did he?

Hiding his face in his palms, he tried hard to remember what had happened yesterday.

Then it all came rushing back to him.

How seeing Khushi in AR had triggered all the negative thoughts that he was trying to run away from to start fresh. How he had thought that he is again going to blame Khushi if he didn't stopped right then and there, even if he knew that maybe Khushi was the reason that he lost everything he loved, but wasn't at fault at all.

And then came the realization that he need to get rid of the things that lead him to think like a 14-year old kid whose parents have suddenly started focusing more of some orphaned girl than on him not like a 26 year old hot-shot business tycoon who is famous for his sharp calculative business methods.

He remembered how he then burnt his parent's clothes along with the picture that had him along with his parents to erase the almost decade-old notion of him that his parents loves him the most in this world.

Arnav knew that he is a very selfish, insecure guy and to fight his inner demons he needed to wipe all the memoirs that lead to all the misconceptions and misunderstandings in his mind. That made him bitter towards the every aspect of his life and to everyone.

He felt calm and relaxed after a long time. He wasn't feeling even a bit guilty of burning everything now.

The bright sunlight seeping in the room through the French windows soothed his mind, reminding him of the beautiful dawn he used to see early morning when he was a kid.

Everything is good, now.

Girls are always known to be either beautiful or smart. But Khushi Kumari Gupta had always been a lethal combination of these two qualities. She always looked breath-taking stunning with milky white skin, thick mass of silky dark brown tresses and a petite figure to flaunt on. But it was her brain that had always overshadowed her beauty.

And she had no qualms about it.

Ever since she got married to Arnav, she noticed every single and small detail about him which might help her in future. She remembered how and when Arnav lashed out on her, asking her again and again to leave Shantivan.

On their wedding night, when Arnav had thrown her out of the room she interpreted the cause of his anger as his helplessness and his inability to avoid getting married to her. Next day when he had come home from work and chided her for trying to make Anjali support her, she interpreted it as his fear of losing his elder sister's love.

She knew what Arnav held closer to his heart- his parents, his sister and grandmother and his company.

Unluckily, he had already lost his parents and she knew that he isn't in great terms with his grandmother for now. That left his sister and his company- the only two aspects of Arnav's life that might bring out a reaction from him. She had witnessed his fear of losing his elder sister's love and support and now was the time to take another step.

Yesterday she joined AR with the sole purpose of making Arnav realize that he had lost his monopolistic hold over AR and seeing his reaction to the realization that the things he loved no more belong to HIM ONLY.

Taking claim of one of the thing Arnav loved dearly and is attached to, she knew that she is taking a big risk and her step proved to be a beneficial one as when she got home, she saw Arnav crying bitterly while taking refuge in his sister's arms.

The tears in his eyes tore her heart apart as she realized that she had pushed him to the edge to make him let go of the shadows of the past.

She felt very guilty of making him feel miserable.

Pouring tea in a cup, she pushed all her thoughts back and tried to concentrate on the task in hand.

Walking carefully towards their room, she peeked inside and saw Arnav sitting on the bed-his face cradled in his palm. Putting on a small smile, she stepped inside and said "Good morning."

She saw Arnav glancing at her immediately before averting his eyes, nodding in acknowledgement and shoving the duvet off his body. He sat to the left side of the bed and kept his feet on the cold floor, when Khushi handed him the cup of tea.

Reluctantly, he took a sip of the tea and smiled which made Khushi relax a bit. He looked up at her and asked "Who taught you making tea?"

"Aruna Maa." Khushi replied hesitating as Arnav took another sip and leaned back against the headboard of the bed, looking very relaxed. He muttered while closing his eyes "Just as I thought. For a second, I assumed that Maa made it, not you. She always added pepper in it."

Opening his eyes and taking another sip, he added "She was the best cook in the world."

Khushi smiled seeing how Arnav was talking to her normally for the first time and said "You miss her, don't you?"

"A lot more than you can ever imagine" Arnav answered finishing his tea and looking up awkwardly realizing that he was talking to her. He rushed inside the washroom the next moment, not wanting to talk more.

Khushi smiled, feeling a bit happy realizing that Arnav wasn't holding his real-self back from her.

NOT ANY MORE.

She was happy to see him alright.

She knew that it was just a small start and she was happy to witness it.

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Arnav got ready for work and was wearing his waistcoat when Anjali came in his room and stood behind him, peering at him curiously.

"What Di?" Arnav asked simply as Anjali went to the wardrobe to pick up a tie and placed it around his neck, tying it.

She beamed at him as Arnav kept looking at her, "so how are you feeling today?"

"I am feeling like jumping off a cliff. What's wrong with you, Di?" Arnav replied sarcastically making Anjali giggle and shake her head in denial.

Keeping her hands on his shoulder, Anjali looked at him intently and said honestly "I am happy for you, Arnav."

Arnav sighed "I know Di." Making him wear his coat, Anjali said happily "I made your favourite breakfast today."

Devyani looked as Anjali and Arnav came out of the room, chatting merrily making her smile with tears of joy in her eyes.

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Stepping out of the car, Anjali smiled at Khushi bidding her bye and kept standing there till the driver drove off though she saw Khushi looking around sharply.

Having a glance around, Anjali sighed in relief not finding him there when a hand shot out of nowhere, gently steering her away from the usual college crowd. Holding herself from lashing out on him, Anjali walked behind him quietly.

When no one was around, Anjali pushed him away making him stumble before turning towards her in shock. Anjali looked at him blankly and after a while spoke in an icy tone "How dare you touch my hand, Mr Shyam Jha? Haven't I warned you to stay away from me?"

"Anjali, why aren't you trying to understand me? I am your husband for haven sake and I have every right to touch you." Shyam spoke, running his fingers through his hairs in frustration.

"Oh right, just like you have the right to treat me like I am your slave. Just like you have the right to hit me whenever you want. Am I right, Mr Jha?" Anjali retorted icily, her eyes shooting daggers at him.

She watched in satisfaction as Shyam looked down guiltily and replied remorsefully "I am sorry, Anjali."

"Your apologies cannot bring back the Anjali you married, Shyam. I loved you and what you did? You insulted me, treated me like a trash. Go back Shyam. I don't have anything left to give you." Anjali replied in a determined voice, keeping her tears at bay.

She turned and walked back as Shyam followed speaking hurriedly to stop her "Anjali I am a changed man now. I swear on everything I ever loved that I will not let you down this time. Anjali, please come back to me. Anjali please, I love you. I can't live without you."

"DON'T say the word LOVE, Shyam. If you have ever loved me, you would have never treated me like that. You would have never killed our own baby, Mr Shyam Jha." Anjali roared her body shook in pure rage.

"I didn't even know you were pregnant that time." Shyam explained helplessly.

"That does not give you the right to push me down from stairs, Mr Jha." Anjali roared again, closing her eyes as her heart pained remembering that moment again.

"Anjali please."

"I HATE you, Shyam. Just go away. I don't need you in my life." Anjali said with full conviction keeping her emotions in check.

She turned to walk away as Shyam kept looking at her wistfully. After few minutes, he walked towards his car wearing his sunglasses secretly wiping his tears.

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Arnav looked up the moment Khushi entered inside his cabin and sat in front of him "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes actually. Since you have decided to join AR, I want to offer you a deal." Arnav said seriously, with a no-nonsense look on his face.

"A deal?" Khushi questioned curiously raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, actually I never hire anyone in AR without an interview. But since you own 40 per cent shares of AR and have worked in a fashion house previously, I want you to represent AR in the upcoming Delhi Fashion Week. If you managed this show successfully, you can permanently work in AR. I don't want any employee to feel that you are here because you are my wife. You need to earn your position in AR." Arnav said walking towards her, standing beside her chair.

Swirling the chair a bit to face him, Khushi looked up and agreed without any protest "Okay, if that's what you want I am ready to take this offer."

"Great, so deal?" Arnav brought his hand forward as if to seal this deal with a handshake, speaking like the owner of AR.

Khushi stood up smirking and shook his hand, ignoring how warmth crept in her cold hand through his and said confidently "Deal, Mr Raizada."

Arnav smirked, eagerly waiting for Khushi to start her work.

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That day, Khushi left AR a bit early reaching the college where Anjali works as a teacher. She was impatient to know about the man she had seen with Anjali the other day. In morning, she'd not got the chance as Anjali kept looking at her till she didn't went away.

She saw Anjali walking out of the college and hid behind a car. She saw a man walking to stand near Anjali but Anjali kept walking, ignoring him and went away in the car.

Khushi ran behind that man and shouted "Hey you."

The man stopped and turned towards her in confusion. Khushi who was still running stopped finally seeing his face and stepped back in shock.

"Shyam? Shyam Jha?"

He looked at her curiously before speaking "Khushi Gupta, is that you?"

Khushi's eyes widened as the complication of the matter dawned on her. Pacing around, she cursed furiously "Shit you are so dead, Shyam."

Not giving him any chance to speak, she continued "Its Mrs Khushi Raizada now. And we need to talk."

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Aditi

uv-crazyfan2013-11-15 09:41:23