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Chapter 14
Arnav watched tensely, as Khushi picked up her phone to dial her father's number.
With every number she punched into the phone, he felt a deep sense of apprehension.
He knew if she were to reveal the details, he could be sued for harassment of an employee.
He knew he would be in deep, deep trouble.
Somehow, these thoughts were only a very minor part of his concerns.
The fact that he would not get a chance to make it up to her, to win her forgiveness, troubled him.
Not having her at work every day troubled him.
He did not understand this sudden feeling of anxiety over someone else. It was alien to him. He never cared for anyone but his Di.
He was jolted from his reverie when she said 'Papa'
His breath hitched in his throat as he watched her speak, his eyes never leaving hers.
'Papa, hope you are fine,' she said.
He watched the play of emotions on her face, as she struggled to control tears that threatened to spill on hearing the tender voice of her father obviously.
'Haan Papa. Mein theek hun (Yes Dad I am fine,' she went on.
Restless he began pacing the room, unable to watch her struggle with her tears.
'Papa, I have something to tell you,' she said and he stopped pacing. He stood rigidly, rooted to his spot. He did not turn around, just in case she saw the desperation on his face.
He had never been this afraid, since his childhood when he thought his Mom would leave him and Di. No, he would not succumb to that fear ever again. Had he not killed every normal human emotion to become this assertive, confident, ruthless ASR? He would not let a mere girl shake it.
Yet, he continued to have his back to her, his heart beating faster.
'Papa, I fell down and hurt myself a little. But I am fine now. Please don't panic. I am telling you this only because you should not tell me later I hid it from you.' she said.
Arnav let out the breath, he never knew he was holding. He felt like slumping somewhere in relief. Finally he turned around and met her eyes which were still gleaming with tears.
'Ji Papa. My boss took me to the hospital. It is just minor injuries. I am fine. I promise. Now don't worry and ask Mumma not to worry,' she continued.
Not once did she let her voice crack, he thought in admiration. Not once did she show the pain she was feeling mentally and physically.
'Zaroor (sure) Papa. I will call every day. Yes I will take medicines. And yes, my boss is in the next room. So, if I need anything I ask him', she said, darting a glance at him. He looked away feeling guilty.
'Bye Papa. Love you papa. No, I will talk to Mumma and Payal later,' she said and only after the phone was disconnected he saw her face crumple.
Once again, he felt the familiar pangs of guilt. He had bruised her heart. He had reduced her to this, from the happy woman just a few hours ago.
He wanted to hold her and tell her it was not her fault. He stopped short at the thought. What was wrong with him? Was he crazy? It is pity, he concluded. Pity was affecting him crazily.
'Thank you for letting me make it up to you. Thank you for not putting me in trouble, though I deserve it. I am cruel Khushi, but I am not inhuman. I know you have suffered. Hell, you could even be dead. I could deal with any punishment you gave. But, it was magnanimous of you not to,' he said.
She was silent for a while and he turned to leave the room when she did not respond. He was suddenly stopped by her voice,
'I did not do it for you,' she said.
He spun round to face her. 'What do you mean?" he asked, a part of him deflated due to her answer.
'I said I was not trying to protect you. I was not trying to save you from trouble. I did not tell my Dad because he would go through the harassment of suing you. He would feel terribly hurt someone hurt me. He and my family would be devastated to know that such human beings exist on this earth, who can endanger others and walk away. No, I will never tell them what happened, because they would be hurt beyond measure,' she said.
Arnav's shoulders slumped. For a moment he had been overjoyed she had wanted to protect him. He had been foolish. Who would want to protect a beast? That is what he was.
He nodded his head, unable to hide the hurt in his eyes. He turned away and said 'I will get some food organized, 'and walked away.
Khushi watched him go and when his footsteps slowly faded away, she let her tears flow.
Why did it hurt so much to hurt him? Why couldn't she punish him? She had picked up the phone to tell her father the complete truth and have Arnav punished at least through some angry words from her father.
But she had thought of worse consequences, which may hurt Arnav in the long run. Her father was powerful and emotional. He could really sue Arnav.
This thought had stopped her. She had changed her story at the last minute and fed her father with a pack of lies coated with truth.
She had lied to Arnav. She had been silent only for him. She could not bear to see him hurt, even now.
She was protecting him, even after all that he had done.
Was she so weak? Was she so hopelessly smitten by this man? No! No, she could not be. It was just a crush. It will go away, she promised herself. She was protecting him out of kindness.
'I will never let him get to me again. I will never even be civil to him again. He does not deserve it. He is a brute,' she told herself, and rekindled her anger.
Khushi Kumari Gupta, never realized, that her heart had a mind of its own'something she would realize soon.
Precap:
'I have never been happy that Khushi is working Garima. This rishta (proposal) is good. Risheek is my friend's son. He will be a good match for Khushi.
Khushi will never say no, if I ask her to get married to the boy of my choice.
She loves me a lot.
So when she comes back, let's have the first meeting and then the engagement. I have already seen that their kundlis (horoscopes) are matching. In a month's time she can get married...
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