Posted:
Hi guys and gals of IF!
I am back with another OS, which I think is growing, by the looks of it. :P
I am gratified by the support you guys 've shown a newbie and I hope that this one too, is enjoyable reading.
So without further ado, lemme present to you, my newest ArHi fic,
Beneath the Stars
Part 01
Arnav Singh Raizada had never been the kind of man who worried about things. He was a man of action, a man of few words and even fewer emotions... or at least, he had been, before one Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta had tapko-ed into his well ordered and peaceful life. Suffice to say, she was Khushi Singh Raizada now and his life was nothing but a riot of colors, emotions and words coming at him so fast that they jumbled over each other. Yes... That was what his Khushi was, a complete storm of colors, of ever present smiles, a million words and mercurial emotions. And somehow, ASR wasn't feeling anything but happiness.
It was a testament to how much love and the right woman could change a man. Make no mistake, he was still the much feared and extremely respected ASR when at the office, the adored Chotey around his Di and Nani, the respectable Bhai to Akash, the slightly overwhelming Jethji to Payal, the irritated Nannav to his idiotic cousin, the dreaded Arnav babu to the assorted Prakash's that roamed about Shantivan, and mortal enemy to Lakshmi the goat.
Around all these people, pretty much nothing had changed about him in the months following his kidnapping, subsequent return to Shantivan, and the drama that had followed. It was only one person, who had seen, heard and felt the change that had taken place inside of Arnav Singh Raizada. Because she had been the cause of the change and she'd be the one who would feel the effects of it.
Arnav wasn't the kind to admit to feelings and emotions being a part of his world, but after the whole kidnapping drama, he'd been more than ready to open up his heart to the one woman who he knew completed him in ways he'd never even known existed. But of course, she was Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada... and she would never make it easy for him. And she hadn't.
Khushi was the kind of person who never did anything by half measures. If anything had to be done, she would jump in with both feet, not even bothering to check the depth. And here he was, the kind of guy who would probably sit down and develop a blueprint of his plan of action, taking into consideration every damn variable before he stepped into the fray.
It was why Khushi was the front man (woman) in their relationship and it was also why Arnav had saved her shapely backside so many times. He looked, she leapt. He stayed quiet while she poured her heart out. He stood strong while she bent with the strength of her emotions. He thought with his mind, while she felt with her heart.
It was why they clicked. It was also why they'd had such a difficult time adjusting to each other in the beginning. They each stood for all the things that the other hated in a person. His reticence, arrogance, cold calculativeness... all of which Khushi had loathed, had all transformed into qualities such as quietness, pride and a strategic mind, when she'd come to know him better. And they'd helped her in times of trouble. He'd stood calmly as her pillar of support, something she could fall back on, someone she could depend on.
And the things he'd at one point of time thought he hated in her - her loudness, her perpetual good cheer, her non stop chattering and her unshakeable belief in things that had no contact with reality. But once Khushi Kumari Gupta had successfully formed a place for herself in Arnav's hardened heart, he'd found himself enchanted by her vitality, her beautiful smile, her mellifluous voice and her strength of character. It was what had made the days after their forced wedding remotely bearable for him. The fact that he was continuously discovering new facets of his wife, always something surprising, always something new. She kept him on his toes and he loved it.
Even though they'd almost never acknowledged it, even to each other, they knew that it was these differences that made them click as a couple, as a team and as a single entity. It was these differences in thought and action that had led to the successful unveiling of the man behind the whole kidnapping drama in the Raizada family.
Of course, there was one less permanent member at the Raizada Mansion now, but no one liked to talk about that. Anjali Di had made her peace with Arnav's actions regarding her husband when she'd seen and heard the requisite proof of his unsavory actions regarding both her and Khushi. He hadn't told most anyone about the extent of financial ruin that one Shyam Manohar Jha had caused the Raizadas. It wasn't something that would benefit anyone by their knowing it, but he'd needed to vent to someone and who better to do it to, other than his wife.
So till now, Khushi was the only other person who knew exactly what that snake in the grass had done and what he had been about to do, when they'd foiled his plans. Arnav had had to spend literally days locked up in his office with his lawyers and accountants to try and figure out a way to get back most of the money lost by his crazy brother-in-law. Even more difficult were the bad faith suits that AR Designs had to face due to Shyam using the company's name for a lot of transactions that he'd made money from.
It had taken a long and painful two weeks for all the proof against one Shyam Manohar Jha to come to light. Even though the rest of the family didn't know of it, Arnav had at Khushi's behest, put a couple of private investigators on his tail, and they'd struck gold in Mumbai, where they'd found him busy spending the money he'd fleeced off of AR. He'd also been in the process of roping in another woman with his sob stories of a controlling wife who cheated on him, and her heartless family.
With the whole case against the man coming to a head, even being the halfway decent lawyer he was, Shyam couldn't do much more than plead guilty for a lesser sentence. To Arnav and Khushi's satisfaction, it had been one of close to ninety years rigorous imprisonment, compounding all the charges he was facing. Shyam would never be a free man while they lived and that, was enough for the Raizadas.
With the shadow of Shyam gone from their lives, most of the Raizadas had returned to life as they knew it. Except two... Anjali and Khushi. Anjali Jha, or Anjali Singh Raizada as she called herself now, was a changed woman. A much more mature and much stronger person than before, she had become what the others thought was a mellower version of her Chotey. While Arnav was all volatile temper and furious questions, Anjali was unshakeable and calm but always on point.
But due to the effect of having Khushi and Payal always by her side, Anjali hadn't lost her cheerful, softer side. She'd become a lot stronger, even her brother, who'd coddles her before understood that now. Anjali Raizada knew that she would have to be strong, if not for her family then at least for her child, which would be coming into the world in just a couple of months now. The child that had done nothing wrong and would know nothing other than the fact that she was his or her mother.
While Anjali had changed for the better, Khushi had done quite the opposite. Once the whole Shyam fiasco was done, she'd become a lot quieter and seemed almost pensive some days. Most noticeably, the ever present smile on her face, that lit up any room she was in, was becoming more and more of a rarity, coming onto her face only when she was around Anjali or her Jiji. It was something that bugged Arnav more than he cared to admit, and Arnav Singh Raizada was nothing if not a man of action.
This time, whatever he did would have to be carefully planned out. Khushi wasn't an easy person to mollify, especially because gifts and things that usually made other women squeal in joy had no effect on her. His one of a kind wife, had absolutely no respect for brands and would appreciate a single rose with a thought behind it, more than a diamond necklace bought without one. But first, he'd have to find out just what the problem was, before he went barreling in to correct it. Looked like Khushi had started rubbing off on him in their six months together. But then, he'd always been the hotheaded one when it came to one Mrs. Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada.
Wait. What?!
Maybe that was it. Who was he kidding?... Of course that was it!
That had to be it... the goddamned six month contract that he'd thrown in her face after their horror of a wedding ceremony... during the time when he'd possibly lost all of his brain cells. All he'd been thinking about on that day was the fact that he had to protect his Di and that he couldn't let Khushi become someone else's. Plus there was that unfortunate sight of Khushi in Shyam's arms running through his mind as if on continuous loop. It was that more than anything, that had prompted a completely disproportional reaction from him, making his react like a spoilt child whose favorite toy had been snatched away. He'd thrown a temper tantrum, and completely spoiled any chance of him and Khushi ever having a normal life.
Things might've changed in the intervening six months, but Arnav knew that Khushi would never even think of outstaying the contract. She was his certifiably crazy, one-of-a-kind, stupidly generous and highly principled wife who he loved more than he'd thought possible, one who would not even consider breaking the stupid contract he'd held her under.
She might've stayed back before for fear of his trying to destroy her sister's marriage in the beginning. But now, now that all those misunderstandings had been swept away, now that she knew in every cell of her being that Arnav, though he might've used it to threaten her before, would never break up Payal and Akash's relationship, she was still planning to honor the six month clause because it was part of the contract he'd made her sign.
It bewildered him as to how she'd managed to survive in this sort of a materialistic and power hungry world till she met him, what with all her outdated ideas of duties and antiquated values of honor and commitment. Though he wasn't about to complain about that now. It was exactly these qualities of hers, coupled with her generous and loving nature that had led to her honoring the stupid piece of paper that put a restriction on the longevity of their marriage. And for that, Arnav couldn't start to mention just how thankful he was.
If his stupidity and hotheadedness had let her walk out of his life then, he knew he couldn't have forgiven himself for the rest of his life, and he would've ended up making a lot of people miserable for a very, very long time. She was the saving grace of his sorry existence and if he had to thank some higher power he wasn't quite sure he believed in for that, he was wholeheartedly ready to.
But for the moment, he had to figure out just what to do, to make sure Khushi understood the fact that the six month contract was a huge and really sick joke which was about to become extinct. And it had to be done in a fashion that would reassure her of her permanency in his life... in their lives.
He had to show and tell her just how much he loved her, make her understand that even the thought of her leaving had him dying just a little bit and that if god forbid, she ever left him, he wouldn't be alive even to try and get her back. It had to be a big gesture, but it had to be something that couldn't be bought or ordered... those were really easy to do. He would have to work to get Khushi to forgive him... after all, he'd done something that wasn't worthy of being forgiven. It had to be a labor of love and for her, for his Khushi, Arnav was willing to go the distance. He would do whatever it took to make her forgive him completely and accept that he wanted to spend the rest of his life loving her to the exclusion of all else.
________________________
Okay... so that was it for now. I'll be back soon with the next chapter. Till then, happy reading!!
And don't forget to comment. Buddy me if you want updates.
Oh and check out my other fics
Permafrost
and
Stronger
Love, Hugs and Cheers!
Genie
*Edit*
Chapter 02 is up, scroll down to read đ ... and don't forget to comment!
I am back with another OS, which I think is growing, by the looks of it. :P
I am gratified by the support you guys 've shown a newbie and I hope that this one too, is enjoyable reading.
So without further ado, lemme present to you, my newest ArHi fic,
Beneath the Stars
Part 01
Arnav Singh Raizada had never been the kind of man who worried about things. He was a man of action, a man of few words and even fewer emotions... or at least, he had been, before one Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta had tapko-ed into his well ordered and peaceful life. Suffice to say, she was Khushi Singh Raizada now and his life was nothing but a riot of colors, emotions and words coming at him so fast that they jumbled over each other. Yes... That was what his Khushi was, a complete storm of colors, of ever present smiles, a million words and mercurial emotions. And somehow, ASR wasn't feeling anything but happiness.
It was a testament to how much love and the right woman could change a man. Make no mistake, he was still the much feared and extremely respected ASR when at the office, the adored Chotey around his Di and Nani, the respectable Bhai to Akash, the slightly overwhelming Jethji to Payal, the irritated Nannav to his idiotic cousin, the dreaded Arnav babu to the assorted Prakash's that roamed about Shantivan, and mortal enemy to Lakshmi the goat.
Around all these people, pretty much nothing had changed about him in the months following his kidnapping, subsequent return to Shantivan, and the drama that had followed. It was only one person, who had seen, heard and felt the change that had taken place inside of Arnav Singh Raizada. Because she had been the cause of the change and she'd be the one who would feel the effects of it.
Arnav wasn't the kind to admit to feelings and emotions being a part of his world, but after the whole kidnapping drama, he'd been more than ready to open up his heart to the one woman who he knew completed him in ways he'd never even known existed. But of course, she was Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada... and she would never make it easy for him. And she hadn't.
Khushi was the kind of person who never did anything by half measures. If anything had to be done, she would jump in with both feet, not even bothering to check the depth. And here he was, the kind of guy who would probably sit down and develop a blueprint of his plan of action, taking into consideration every damn variable before he stepped into the fray.
It was why Khushi was the front man (woman) in their relationship and it was also why Arnav had saved her shapely backside so many times. He looked, she leapt. He stayed quiet while she poured her heart out. He stood strong while she bent with the strength of her emotions. He thought with his mind, while she felt with her heart.
It was why they clicked. It was also why they'd had such a difficult time adjusting to each other in the beginning. They each stood for all the things that the other hated in a person. His reticence, arrogance, cold calculativeness... all of which Khushi had loathed, had all transformed into qualities such as quietness, pride and a strategic mind, when she'd come to know him better. And they'd helped her in times of trouble. He'd stood calmly as her pillar of support, something she could fall back on, someone she could depend on.
And the things he'd at one point of time thought he hated in her - her loudness, her perpetual good cheer, her non stop chattering and her unshakeable belief in things that had no contact with reality. But once Khushi Kumari Gupta had successfully formed a place for herself in Arnav's hardened heart, he'd found himself enchanted by her vitality, her beautiful smile, her mellifluous voice and her strength of character. It was what had made the days after their forced wedding remotely bearable for him. The fact that he was continuously discovering new facets of his wife, always something surprising, always something new. She kept him on his toes and he loved it.
Even though they'd almost never acknowledged it, even to each other, they knew that it was these differences that made them click as a couple, as a team and as a single entity. It was these differences in thought and action that had led to the successful unveiling of the man behind the whole kidnapping drama in the Raizada family.
Of course, there was one less permanent member at the Raizada Mansion now, but no one liked to talk about that. Anjali Di had made her peace with Arnav's actions regarding her husband when she'd seen and heard the requisite proof of his unsavory actions regarding both her and Khushi. He hadn't told most anyone about the extent of financial ruin that one Shyam Manohar Jha had caused the Raizadas. It wasn't something that would benefit anyone by their knowing it, but he'd needed to vent to someone and who better to do it to, other than his wife.
So till now, Khushi was the only other person who knew exactly what that snake in the grass had done and what he had been about to do, when they'd foiled his plans. Arnav had had to spend literally days locked up in his office with his lawyers and accountants to try and figure out a way to get back most of the money lost by his crazy brother-in-law. Even more difficult were the bad faith suits that AR Designs had to face due to Shyam using the company's name for a lot of transactions that he'd made money from.
It had taken a long and painful two weeks for all the proof against one Shyam Manohar Jha to come to light. Even though the rest of the family didn't know of it, Arnav had at Khushi's behest, put a couple of private investigators on his tail, and they'd struck gold in Mumbai, where they'd found him busy spending the money he'd fleeced off of AR. He'd also been in the process of roping in another woman with his sob stories of a controlling wife who cheated on him, and her heartless family.
With the whole case against the man coming to a head, even being the halfway decent lawyer he was, Shyam couldn't do much more than plead guilty for a lesser sentence. To Arnav and Khushi's satisfaction, it had been one of close to ninety years rigorous imprisonment, compounding all the charges he was facing. Shyam would never be a free man while they lived and that, was enough for the Raizadas.
With the shadow of Shyam gone from their lives, most of the Raizadas had returned to life as they knew it. Except two... Anjali and Khushi. Anjali Jha, or Anjali Singh Raizada as she called herself now, was a changed woman. A much more mature and much stronger person than before, she had become what the others thought was a mellower version of her Chotey. While Arnav was all volatile temper and furious questions, Anjali was unshakeable and calm but always on point.
But due to the effect of having Khushi and Payal always by her side, Anjali hadn't lost her cheerful, softer side. She'd become a lot stronger, even her brother, who'd coddles her before understood that now. Anjali Raizada knew that she would have to be strong, if not for her family then at least for her child, which would be coming into the world in just a couple of months now. The child that had done nothing wrong and would know nothing other than the fact that she was his or her mother.
While Anjali had changed for the better, Khushi had done quite the opposite. Once the whole Shyam fiasco was done, she'd become a lot quieter and seemed almost pensive some days. Most noticeably, the ever present smile on her face, that lit up any room she was in, was becoming more and more of a rarity, coming onto her face only when she was around Anjali or her Jiji. It was something that bugged Arnav more than he cared to admit, and Arnav Singh Raizada was nothing if not a man of action.
This time, whatever he did would have to be carefully planned out. Khushi wasn't an easy person to mollify, especially because gifts and things that usually made other women squeal in joy had no effect on her. His one of a kind wife, had absolutely no respect for brands and would appreciate a single rose with a thought behind it, more than a diamond necklace bought without one. But first, he'd have to find out just what the problem was, before he went barreling in to correct it. Looked like Khushi had started rubbing off on him in their six months together. But then, he'd always been the hotheaded one when it came to one Mrs. Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada.
Wait. What?!
Maybe that was it. Who was he kidding?... Of course that was it!
That had to be it... the goddamned six month contract that he'd thrown in her face after their horror of a wedding ceremony... during the time when he'd possibly lost all of his brain cells. All he'd been thinking about on that day was the fact that he had to protect his Di and that he couldn't let Khushi become someone else's. Plus there was that unfortunate sight of Khushi in Shyam's arms running through his mind as if on continuous loop. It was that more than anything, that had prompted a completely disproportional reaction from him, making his react like a spoilt child whose favorite toy had been snatched away. He'd thrown a temper tantrum, and completely spoiled any chance of him and Khushi ever having a normal life.
Things might've changed in the intervening six months, but Arnav knew that Khushi would never even think of outstaying the contract. She was his certifiably crazy, one-of-a-kind, stupidly generous and highly principled wife who he loved more than he'd thought possible, one who would not even consider breaking the stupid contract he'd held her under.
She might've stayed back before for fear of his trying to destroy her sister's marriage in the beginning. But now, now that all those misunderstandings had been swept away, now that she knew in every cell of her being that Arnav, though he might've used it to threaten her before, would never break up Payal and Akash's relationship, she was still planning to honor the six month clause because it was part of the contract he'd made her sign.
It bewildered him as to how she'd managed to survive in this sort of a materialistic and power hungry world till she met him, what with all her outdated ideas of duties and antiquated values of honor and commitment. Though he wasn't about to complain about that now. It was exactly these qualities of hers, coupled with her generous and loving nature that had led to her honoring the stupid piece of paper that put a restriction on the longevity of their marriage. And for that, Arnav couldn't start to mention just how thankful he was.
If his stupidity and hotheadedness had let her walk out of his life then, he knew he couldn't have forgiven himself for the rest of his life, and he would've ended up making a lot of people miserable for a very, very long time. She was the saving grace of his sorry existence and if he had to thank some higher power he wasn't quite sure he believed in for that, he was wholeheartedly ready to.
But for the moment, he had to figure out just what to do, to make sure Khushi understood the fact that the six month contract was a huge and really sick joke which was about to become extinct. And it had to be done in a fashion that would reassure her of her permanency in his life... in their lives.
He had to show and tell her just how much he loved her, make her understand that even the thought of her leaving had him dying just a little bit and that if god forbid, she ever left him, he wouldn't be alive even to try and get her back. It had to be a big gesture, but it had to be something that couldn't be bought or ordered... those were really easy to do. He would have to work to get Khushi to forgive him... after all, he'd done something that wasn't worthy of being forgiven. It had to be a labor of love and for her, for his Khushi, Arnav was willing to go the distance. He would do whatever it took to make her forgive him completely and accept that he wanted to spend the rest of his life loving her to the exclusion of all else.
________________________
Okay... so that was it for now. I'll be back soon with the next chapter. Till then, happy reading!!
And don't forget to comment. Buddy me if you want updates.
Oh and check out my other fics
Permafrost
and
Stronger
Love, Hugs and Cheers!
Genie
*Edit*
Chapter 02 is up, scroll down to read đ ... and don't forget to comment!
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
193