Chapter 5

The first day of the fashion week was finally over. But to some people it felt like a lifetime!

After that charged, unexpected ‘reunion’ after years, Arnav and Khushi had managed to avoid each other for the rest of the evening. Their fashion brands weren’t anyway scheduled to showcase on the ramp tonight, which meant there was very little chance of crossing paths backstage. So, while Khushi thanked her stars for helping her survive the day without breaking down in public, Arnav found refuge behind his usual wall of aloofness, guarding what was left of his heart.

Dhruv on the other side, was restless. He had an inkling arnav and khushi had met and something had happened which made khushi stick by his side more than she usually would. He should have seen this coming. Arnav’s presence at such an important event wasn’t exactly a surprise. But Dhruv had counted on Anjali, Shyam, and Lavanya to keep him in check. After all years had passed since that night. Five years was a long time in which Dhruv had done everything he could to make Khushi forget the pain of Delhi, to help her build a dignified life. He didn’t want Arnav’s return to threaten it…

Lavanya, on the other hand, was feeling content. For the first time in years, she had found a reason to believe that maybe, just maybe, Arnav was finally letting the past go. He hadn’t tried to pull his hand away when she held it through the evening, he didn’t look distracted or searched for exits to avoid Khushi! It was such a huge win. When she had first learned Khushi would be attending this fashion show as well, a small part of her had panicked, afraid that old ghosts of their past might rise again. But watching Arnav tonight, being so composed, she felt like she had no reason to worry. From his side at least.

If only the truth was so.

If only Lavanya could notice the way Arnav’s eyes sought Khushi through the crowd every time she laughed, or every time she shook hands with someone, trying and failing to look unaffected.

And Khushi, too, had felt those eyes on her. She never turned, though, or never acknowledged them, but her heart knew he was watching her.

.

The clock had barely struck ten when Khushi decided to call it a night. The rest of the team was still busy wrapping up the last-minute things and managing the display counters with Dhruv instructing them when she mentioned she was going home.

“Wait, I’ll drop you home.” He said, tapping his pant pocket for the car keys.

She shook her head lightly. “No, Dhruv ji. You stay here. There’s still a lot to finish right? I’ll get an Uber.”

He studied her face for a moment, trying to read what she wasn’t saying. “You sure?”

“Yes. I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.” she said, forcing a small smile.

He didn’t look convinced but didn’t press either. “Fine. But text when you reach, okay?”

She nodded and stepped out of the hall.

Soon, her cab arrived and she slid into the back seat, leaning her head against the window. But her mind kept taking her back to that one moment when old wounds had reopened. How she wished she hadn’t noticed how defeated he looked, how hollow his eyes had seemed, how his steps had lost their usual arrogance. The world might not see it, but when it came to Arnav Singh Raizada, she always noticed everything.

Just like that first day she met him. He had scared her so much, intimidated her during the interview… and yet, over the following months, she had been privileged to see that soft side of him the world never knew. Those late nights at the office, when she struggled to finish her work and he stayed back too, guiding her, those stolen glances in meeting rooms. One would wonder how the owner of the company, was teaching a new employee the intricacies of design!

Eventually, those late nights became a pattern, something they both intentionally did, especially after his breakup with Lavanya. Most nights, workdays would be followed by dinners. Unofficial dates. And then their brief but passionate period of dating… She didn’t realize when a smile had formed on her lips, remembering some of the best days of her life.

.

.

Unbeknownst to her, there was a Mercedes following her cab through those deserted roads in Lucknow at that late hour of night. It was Arnav Singh Raizada.

Arnav had been worried when he noticed she took a random taxi. And to ensure she reached home safe, he had decided to follow her discreetly. Or at least that’s what he told himself.

.

Back at the event venue, Dhruv was trying to box a pile of silky dupattas but was failing miserably. The dupattas were getting slipped and he had to fold them again to add them to the box.

“Still can’t do it, ha?” a familiar voice teased lightly, and he paused for a moment.

Anjali stood a few feet away, watching him with a faint smile. When he didn’t respond, she stepped closer, took the pile from him, and began folding them neatly into the box. For a moment, it felt as if nothing had changed, as if this was still their old routine, him messing things up and his Di quietly fixing them. As if 5 years hadn’t passed at all.

“Khushi left already?” she asked softly.

He nodded, not looking at her. “She was tired.”

Anjali nodded in response.

They continued to work in silence for a few more minutes before Anjali finally asking, “Dhruv… didn’t you miss us at all? I keep hoping you would come to meet me at least on Rakhi. But- you never did. Abhi bhi naraz ho (are you still upset)?”

He looked at her, with a faint disbelief in his eyes. He had somewhat expected this talk with his Di, expected some coaxing even but not the accusation that it was him who stopped the contact. “Really, Di? You are asking this? Did you forget I tried to reach out so much that time? At least a dozen times in those first few months. But you, you never picked up my calls.” He scoffed, “Only Jijaji would do so and tell me you’d call back.” He said, shaking his head in disappointment, “I do talk to Nani sometimes though. I am sure she tells you. The rest…were never really bothered about me, were they?"

Her lips quivered, hearing the accusations she very well knew were not false. “I am so sorry, Dhruv. I- I was trying to protect Arnav. It was such a difficult phase… and you know how he is. He wasn’t himself that time, Dhruv. He had disappeared for almost a year. We didn’t even know where he was.” She sobbed.

Dhruv sighed. Of course. Arnav and his polar emotions. “I know.” he said quietly, thinking wasn’t that why everything had happened in the first place? Arnav was either too cold or too attached to people, to things, to relationships. So, everyone had always tried to ensure that his perfect world stays intact. Heck, Dhruv himself was guilty of doing the same for years. Except when Khushi came in their lives… that was the only time he had rebelled against his own rules. But that didn’t mean his Di would completely abandon him.

“I needed you too, Di. You were my sister too.” he said, trying and failing to keep any accusation away from his tone.

Anjali closed her eyes, looking away for a moment. What he just said was something she herself had said in her head million times. She had abandoned one brother for another… but that was the choice she had made. No matter how much anyone tried, things had unraveled that night. And sadly, her relationship with Dhruv had become collateral damage… “I’m sorry. I really am. I thought I was doing the right thing back then… but maybe I just ended up losing both my brothers.”

Dhruv’s gaze softened hearing that. Her apology brought some closure he didn’t know he needed. She had always been someone he looked up to. And he could never forget how she cared for him in her own ways, growing up. In any case, her loyalty would be to Arnav, the brother who came from the same mother, was something he should have assumed.

He closed the box, pushing it aside. “You’ll never lose me, Di. You are always welcome to come to my house, any time. Ok?”

She smiled faintly and nodded, giving a watery smile.

.

.

The next morning, Khushi declared she was having a headache and would like to stay home. In fact, she would directly come on the final day, 3 days later.

Dhruv’s first thought was to argue and persuade her to come with him. He would ensure that she didn’t face Arnav alone. But over the last few days, he had seen firsthand how deeply Arnav still affected her. So, he decided to let her be.

Besides, her parents- who lived in the same city, just a few kilometers away- had arrived that morning as a surprise, planning to stay for a few days. And he had welcomed that safe feeling one gets from family. After all, it was only her parents that were ‘family’ for them now.

As always, Garima took over the kitchen as soon as she stepped in their house and Shashi joined Dhruv on the breakfast table, discussing his work. The pride Shashi felt for Dhruv was always clear in the way he spoke.

.

A few minutes later, Garima called Khushi for breakfast, not giving heed to her protest. So, reluctantly, Khushi came out and pulled out a chair and sat down at the dining table while her Amma placed a plate in front of her, the paratha still glistening with ghee. “Eat while it’s hot, bitiya.” Garima said gently, brushing a loose strand of hair off Khushi’s forehead before returning to the stove.

Dhruv was already halfway through his breakfast at that time, but his attention wasn’t really on the food. Every few minutes, his gaze would flicker towards Khushi, first in concern, then in frustration at not knowing how to ease what she was feeling.

Soon, Garima joined them too and both she and Shashi shared a glance watching their daughter fiddle with food on her plate and her husband equally distracted having his breakfast.

Garima sighed, deciding to break the silence. “You both look tired. This fashion show has taken over your lives, haan? I think once it’s over, you should both get away somewhere. A small trip with just the two of you. Right, Shashi ji?”

Shashi smiled, picking up his cue immediately. “Yes, exactly! In fact, let me sponsor that trip. Consider it a belated dowry.” He said, trying to make the atmosphere light.

That earned a small, awkward smile from Dhruv, but Khushi’s fingers froze mid-motion. Not liking where it was going

Garima of course noticed the stiffness in her daughter’s stance, but still added cheerfully, “And maybe, after that, you both can think about starting a family. It is high time you have a baby-“

Khushi’s head shot up in surprise, even anger at her mother, but before she could respond, she began coughing. Dhruv quickly passed her a glass of water.

He rubbed her back gently and forced a small smile for Garima’s sake, though his jaw had tightened. This topic was too raw, too heavy for a casual breakfast table. He wished Garima hadn’t said it so bluntly. Turning back to Khushi, he caught the sheen of tears in her eyes and he spoke, looking at her but addressing her parents, “We do not want to think of another child, yet, Amma.”

Khushi looked at him with teary, grateful eyes. Just like she had that day when he promised he would stand by her and give her child his name. When the man who should have done so had disappeared into oblivion for God knows how long, it was Dhruv who had stayed. For that alone, she owed him her life, her everything… perhaps, even her love.

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A/N - Payal is not Khushi's sister in this story, neither is she Garima-Shashi's daughter. Khushi is their only child.