Chapter 16
Recap :- A glimpse into the dark side of Arnav in his teenage years whereby he hurts Akaash and manipulates Khushi.. in the present,Khushi lands up at Sheesh Mahal for a job!
Khushi Kumari Gupta reveled comfortable under a warm soothing gush of water as a hand softly raked through her foamy wet hair.Up until yesterday Khushi had her week planned ahead in a structured fashion and she had pictured ahead exactly what it was going to be like.Though life was renowned to be incredibly unpredictable and a road block shaped as a man had solidly deterred Khushi from her intricately thought out schedule.It was colourlessly humorous how she had been all set to be slave driven by her new boss but had spontaneously been shifted of to an up-scale salon in Lucknow.The city wasn't known to be posh but money certainly worked it's wonders all around the world.
'Its done know, you can get up.'Nandini Jhadav's voice melodious voice cheerfully informed her while wrapping Khushi's thick and long hair in a tight beige towel.She was so strange, Khushi thought as she pondered over the vibrant women tending to her.Nandini had been a vital part of the Fashion industry, of this Khushi knew.She had heard her name countless times and of those infamous people who were grateful for her talent in the Fashion Industry.Working with busy celebrities and breathlessly intense artists, Nandini's name was synonymous with eternal style.Khushi had thought her high-esteem was due to the superficial build up by the few elite but found herself to be regretfully mistaken.Nandini had been a freshly powerful sight for her.She looked every inch of the graceful character she was described to be and her fame was to be credited to her lively charm.She was quick to beat at Khushi's initial iciness bringing out oozing warmth and glowing fondness.Such was her immortalized charisma, which called on to the crowd to follow her wordlessly, without hesitation.and Khushi Kumari Gupta,too, had indulged in a guilty pleasure as she succumbed to her irresistible charms.Thus when Nandini commanded her to get up, she meekly got up from her comfortable seat and was led to a barbers chair like a kitten following its mistress.
Even as Nandini performed the simple act of draping a plain black cape around her neck, Khushi simply beamed up at the winsome seductive women completely unaware of what was going to happen to her.She just peacefully closed her eyes with a soft happy smile on her lips as her hair was gently combed by lovely,magical hands and a boar brush.That was until she opened her eyes and saw what NandiniNandini Jhadav was exactly doing.
'What are you doing?' Khushi screeched out loud suddenly,as if her words were fiercely pressing brakes for a fast running car. Nandini had simply halted whatever she was intently involved in doing and had looked up startled at the commotion.
'Kya hua, Khushi?'She asked sweetly, already on first name bases with her first-time customer.
'Kya hua? What the hell are you doing with my hair?' Khushi cried out, all the while staring at her long lustrous hair dangerously caught up high between Nandini's hand crafted scissors.
Confused, Nandini carefully tried to clear out the hair. ' I am cutting it. As per instructions.'
'As per who's instruction exactly? His? But you're hacking all my hair of!' Khushi fiercely exclaimed at being reminded as to why exactly she was in her current situation. Nandini's persona had drugged her into a calm obedience but the reminder of her slaver rose her hackles once again.She didn't want to be here, Khushi reminded herself..but Nandini was oblivious to her predicament.
'So what jaan?' Nandini asked in high spirits,her's beautiful eyes sparkling due to the creative energy surging through her veins.She could do so much with Khushi's hair and she silently thanks ASR for blessing her with a new model.. .. as well as a hefty pay check.
'Let go of my hair.' Khushi suddenly demanded coldly.She should have known better to be manipulated by a disturbingly attractive woman who made everything look good.Sometimes even the tyranny of a certain Raizada.Khushi had now resolved to get her way, everything else be damned, including her secret wish to please the charismatic Nandini.
Not one to let things easily slip out of her hands, Nandini argued further,' But ASR-'
'Screw ASR.' Khushi sharply cut of Nandini's sentence which would have undoubtedly,painfully nailed in the fact that know she was at his mercy.Khushi's inner turmoil was as troubling as it is, she didn't need the reminder of others..but as Khushi attempted to establish her own will and whim in front of the impressive figurine she missed out the hint of interest in Nandini's eyes.Never in the many years that she had been working for Arnav Singh Raizada had she seen someone so outrightly disobeying his orders.Not to mention that Khushi was the only female employee that he had sent over to be personally groomed.It was definitely something strange.
'Aren't you scared of him?' Nandini asked suspiciously with curiosity burning in her voice.She was a tad bit impressed by Khushi's cool and calm collectiveness herself.
'I know how to handle him.' Khushi shot back fiercely with hot eyes but upon Nandini's carefully arched eyebrows she nervously shuffled a trace back on her words.
'I mean.. I know how to handle tough bosses.Had several of them before.' Khushi chimed out, her eyes dimming as an artificial colourless chuckle was forced out of her lips.Yet,her pathetic attempts at camouflaging her marking words didn't win over the astute Nandini.Though Nandini patiently breathed in to summon in her immense grace and promptly let the matter go.It was none of her business in any case.
'Alright then..but you're definitely not leaving till I dress you up.You'll be like my personal doll, not ASR'S. It will be decent, I promise!' Nandini fizzed out her exuberant words with a jolly animation.Her mystical witchcraft,then, once again had her way with Khushi Kumari as her request was answered in the affirmative.
Nevertheless, as Khushi Kumari was once again lost in the opulence of Nandini's wonderful presence that made her feel particularly special, she recollected the manipulative shady events of a few hours to go..
'You! What are you doing here?'Khushi ejaculated as she whirled around to face the shocking presence of a certain Raizada.At a place she hadn't expected him to be thus being completely frozen off guard.She didn't even register his close proximity to her, that her way out was physically restricted.
Khushi's glaring wide eyes clashed with ASR's cool indifference.If the star-crossed soul-mates were represented by rough shades in that singular moment they would be at the extreme ends of a spectrum.White would clash metallically with a jaded black.One's fire and heat was the others calm ice coolness.
'Why Khushi this is my cabin. What are you doing here?' Arnav purred out blamelessly and perfecting the art of innocence. It belied his lethal stance of being the ultimate predator as his hands had strongly caged a woman to his desk.
As his words registered Khushi's heart and soul, she softly cursed her existence.She just had to end up where he was, didn't she? It scared her, immensely so, because simply being in his presence for a minute moved her like to no other and now she was in his cabin for something like a job finalization.
'Your cabin?' She parroted due to the failure of her senses ability to return.Khushi simply stood their, gaping like a coward who had just seen a ghost.
Though her frazzled state was in sharp contrast with the light amusement tinting the Raizada's face.
'Yes, my cabin.' He answered back with a tinge of a taunt.
Realizing that she was being mocked and hating to be so, Khushi decided to gather herself.The first thing that dawned upon her, then, was his close toxic handiness with her.. and suddenly blood coarsed within her veins as she burned hotly.
'Move away from me.I need to leave.'She demanded rudely her eyes a hard steel as her hands pushed away Arnav's hard body with his compliance.Khushi was all set to take a another chance at running away when her arms were swiftly and tightly caught hold of.
'Where do you think you're going?' The Raizada asked mirthfully,his eyes light as Khushi tried to helplessly tug her hand free from his clasped grasp.
'Home.' She snarked back, her lips curling over the word.
'..but why?' Arnav whined parroting a spoiled child, his face a mask of absolute ignorant surprise. As if he wasn't being pushy in the slightest,like he couldn't feel the undercurrent of tension between them.Even his eyes didn't betray his articulation of wonder.
'You know why.' Khushi hissed back angrily, now taking on being verbally aggressive instead of trying to loosen his grip on her.
'No I don't.' He answered calmly and then continued on placatingly.' Weren't you here for the interview?'
'Maybe, but I am not interested anymore knowing that it's you who I will be working for.' She jabbed,exasperated and drained out by simply being with him for several minutes.
'Khushi, I don't get you.You seem to have some kind of problem with me, but I don't understand why and I don't like it.' ASR proclaimed dramatically and his suddenly distraught visage aided him in his theatrics.
'Excuse me?' Khushi asked,shocked.
'What excuse me? You've been incredibly rude to me ever since we met and now again you don't want to work here because I will be your boss. Is it because I didn't give you a spot at Rathdore Designs?I assure you, that it was all because of the Raizada policy and nothing personal.'Arnav continued on, as if the incident where he had been incredibly rude to her at the fashion show had never occurred.
'It has nothing to do with that.' Came the quick reply.
'Then what is your problem?After all we are complete strangers aren't we?' Arnav had then slyly come to the most focal point in his artificial melodrama.He wanted to gauge Khushi Kumari Gupta's reaction to his particular question which would ultimately confirm his doubts.. and sure enough as the blood slowly leached of her face and her eyes dimmed his suspicions had now started to become facts become facts.
'Yes.. yes, we are strangers.' Khushi chewed out slowly, with a deep melancholy in her voice. She was unknown to him, but she knew all about Arnav.The one who wanted to forget never forgot and the other was desperately trying remember what his heart couldn't let go of.They really were the flipped side to each others coin.
'Good then take a seat.Hear me out at least, I would hate to lose a potential employee like you.' Arnav instructed with a radiant smile. His blinding teeth had a charm of it's own and as Khushi realized a tad bit too late that she had been manipulated by his words to have to be agreeable to him.Thus as she failed to conjure up no polite excuse to refuse him she silently moved away from Arnav's loosed grasp to take a seat.
As Arnav Singh Raizada smartly placed himself onto his own throne he picked up a thin white file from the numerous ones neatly filed on his desk.He had been given the Gupta's resume before hand and had carefully looked over it before.
'So I looked over your file yesterday and I have to say that I am glad you took my advice.You have previous work experience and we have met previously.. that makes you the ideal option for me.Mr.Rathdore also seemed to esteem you highly.Consider yourself hired.I assure you, the benefits are tremendous.'Arnav informed to her sweetly being completely accommodating and generous like a perfect employer.
'I am pretty sure that the consequences outrun the benefits,Mr.Raizada.' Khushi scoffed, unwilling to co operate with a seemingly flawless,smooth-operating Raizada.
'On the contrary, this job pays thrice as much as your last one ,provides you with transportation means and your house bills are on the companies tab.I would say its a pretty good deal..and please do call me Arnav.' Arnav bated Khushi on with an enticing offer and a quick easy smile.He would make the deal completely irrefutable if thats what it took, ASR had decided.
'Still.I don't want this job.Now may I leave?' Khushi requested tightly,knowing, much to her frustration, that the only way she would be able to leave is if Arnav lets her.He had a certain way of getting things, and if he wanted her to stay then she couldn't leave until he willed it.Khushi Kumari Gupta's short foresight, however, couldn't imagine just for how long she would be chained to him.
'Khushi, what date is it?' Arnav questioned pretending not to have heard the woman right in front of him.
'The 2nd of August.' She told him, confused due to the random probing.Khushi just wanted to escape,being in his presence rarely ever did her good these days.
'Exactly. I don't know about you, but I always have back-up employees.You can refuse this job, however I doubt you'll find another one for this month.From what I could gather, you definitely would need this one. Are you sure that you don't want to work for me?'
With those simple words, Arnav Singh Raizada's work was done.Halfway, at least.With the use of his sly tongue, he had made Khushi picture her new future without this job.She was an under qualified worker in a competent market and the job offers that she had acquired earlier had been decliedalready..therefore she found herself into a treachous trap once again.Arnav made absolute sense logically.Khushi had no other option but to listen to reason and accept the glittering offer. Arnav, technically, was a stranger, right?Also, he also seemed to be at his best behaviour.If he continued to be so then Khushi could deal with her own excruciating emotions if it meant earning a livelihood and providing a comfortable life for her brother.. and Arnav knew this too,judging by the smug aloofness in his eyes at the meek hesitation Khushi's face.
'What will my job timings be?I was told that they would be different from the usual.' Khushi inquired instead of giving a direct yes. She needed to deal with the enormity of such a reality herself,first.
'Hmm, you'll be working the standard 8 hours shift, though your office hours will start at 2 P.M. There will be a car and driver assigned for you , so no worries about that at night.Over-time is paid for, but would be mandatory at times.You'll be managing my files, my appointment, run my day to day errands, etc.Anything else?' Arnav put forth.
Khushi merely shook her head,with pursed lips and eyes that were shamefully downcast.
'Good.You may leave now.' Arnav stated abruptly after his work was done, gratifying Khushi with her earlier wish to run away.Hence Khushi swiftly shot up from her seat to sprint of.
'Khushi.'Arnav then called out just as she was about to move away from the desk.
'Yes?' She asked exasperated.
'Sign this.' Arnav demanded pushing over a thick wad of papers towards her with a pen atop it.Khushi didn't need to ask what it was, and already having made her choice complied accordingly.Her signature was something that reminded the Raizada about the overwhelming photograph that he had discovered years ago..
'One last thing.I am sorry, but I can't have you dressing in Indian wear in my office.It's strictly western attire that works around here.Except on Fridays. I have placed a business card inside your resume, call it, it'll tell you what to do.That's all.' Hereby Khushi Kumari Gupta was officially dismissed as she angrily picked up her folder and fled down the dramatic stair-case and on towards her sanctuary. Making the way towards her home, while snatching away someone else's..
That same day, Khushi Kumari Gupta did exactly as she was told.Afterall, she had a job to do, her own personal prejudices were to be kept aside and professionalism was to be put forth.She wasn't surprised in the least when a woman had informed her to reach a certain location so that she could see what all work had to be done on her.Nandini however was stunned to see a gorgeous fresh face and knew her job would be easy.There was only the dressing that had to be fixed and standardized according to the Raizada Enterprises global policies..and Khushi's visage was nothing short of perfection.Then came the long luscious hair of the woman and Nandini didn't understand the need to cut it.Nevertheless she had never encountered anyone defying ASR's orders, neither did she want to be the first one to, and he had specifically instructed Khushi's hair to be cut short..No excuses..but Nandini couldn't force his will on a defying woman.
The next day Khushi Kumari Gupta woke up with a gripping heart pounding fear.She was going to work for Arnav Singh Raizada today, and it wouldn't be a smooth even ride, of that she was sure.What was she thinking, the day before?Khushi berated herself.What had made her accept the job, especially considering her murky past with her new boss?Her ever faithful instinct to run had reared its ugly head but now she was tired.Exhausted from the emotional curves dished out her way, all the endless hours of sadness and fresh endless tears.Her escapist ways had attained her nothing, and since Arnav didn't remember her any more so there was nothing to worry about, right?He had been accommodating and relatively polite to her at the job interview and that was the only dangling,tantalizing string of hope for her.Khushi climbed out of her bed with the belief that Arnav would continue to be agreeable and that nothing changed his current state of mind.
Dressed in an elegant dark grey pencil skirt and a classic black shirt, Khushi Kumari Gupta's look seemed to be completely transformed.A small change of the type of clothing she wore went a long way.Khushi looked presentable, as always, but she definitely looked better in her traditional clothes.New attire were acceptable but a drastic hair cut was definitely not.. and with each tight pull at the straps of her new heels Khushi's anger and resentment coiled painfully around her bleeding heart.
With quick strides and a deft push on the door, Khushi Kumari Gupta intruded ASR's office.The sharpened tip of an arrow had been stretched against the bow string..but her carefully placed stance got of the mark as she clashed with two ice cold slits.
'Miss Gupta I don't know how things were at Rathdore Designs, but you can't just barge in my office whenever you please.'Arnav said hardly, his tone sharp splinters as a greeting.
'I-I- am s-sorry.' Khushi stuttered, she really had thoughtlessly barged in to his office, in rage but when she actually faced him, her tongue was in knots.She had thought to deal with a more pleasing side of the Arnav she had seen yesterday..not a barb-wired man who's whole being reflected his heartlessness.
'Well don't just stand there. Make yourself useful.'Arnav snapped nastily, stunning Khushi a bit further.
'Here,' Arnav continued on roughly throwing a bunch of files towards her, which deftly fell at a corner of his large desk.'Check these for any typing or grammatical errors.Your cabins right next to mine, I hope you can find it even with that brain of yours.You may leave.'
Khushi Kumari had never expected a thoroughly blanketing warm greeting at her new job, but keeping in mind of Arnav's accommodating behaviour a day previously she wasnt ready to face a rude awakening either. Too shocked to instantly react with her own sauciness, Khushi slowly picked up the files and turned to leave the hostile lions cage she seemed to be in.This was her savage nightmare, she would have never agreed to work for him if this was the behavior she would have to face everyday.It hurt to much,his letters tiny pricks to her heart.She could have handled it with grace if it were any other person who was treating her like that.. but not her Arnav. Never, him.. but then she always fell for his tricks and manipulations, didn't she?
'Wait a minute.'Came Arnav Singh Raizada's demand. Khushi turned out hastily, a flower of hope blooming in her lovely eyes.
'Yes?'
'Didn't I tell you to call that number I gave you?' He inquired sharply.
'You did, and I called it.'
'Then why is your hair the same?' He asked softly, his words like cunning knifes, polished on the surface but lethally wicked. It simply reminded Khushi of the blade in her own back, something that wounded her even after seven long years..
'I didn't want to cut it.' She answered back hotly,all fired up again and continued.'You might be my boss, and I understand your clothing policy.. but my hair, my choice.'
Arnav merely arched his left eye-brow.
'My employ, my choice.' The Raizada stated simply, his short sentence stretched out carefully.'Let me make this clear, Miss Gupa.You work for me, I am your boss.You do as I say, when I say it.I pay girls like you for that and since you're working for me I do get to dictate how you look.Got it?'
'Girls like you,' Arnav's word reverberated through Khushi's mind.What did that mean? Khushi thought,the whole in her heart deeper than she had gauged.Why was he being so mean to her, she wondered in anguish.
'Got it.' She answered back with a mean hard lump logded stubbornly in her throat.
'Good.' He dismissed,turning around his chair so that he didn't have to look at the pain on his new employees fresh face..he didn't know why but his heart had clenched beneath his cold hard suit.ASR had resolved to be ruthless, no matter what it took.
'Arn-' Khushi began tentatively, only to be cut it.
'It's Sir to you.' ASR snapped his head spinning towards her once again and Khushi was taken aback once again. Wasn't he the one who had told her to call him by his name just yesterday. A lot can change in one day..
'Sir.' Khushi said softly, tasting the salty bitterness of those distant words on her tongue.She hated it, Arnav belonged to her.They had grown up together like friends and the soul mates andhad never contemplated that this day would come.
'Miss Gupta I don't have all day. Why are you still standing here?' Arnav asked harshly.
'What do you want me to do after I am done with these files?' She questioned as an answer tighly holding herself from not giving in the urge to tear up.
'Didn't I make myself clear? Looking the way I want you look as my secretary is part of your job. I'll call up Nandini. You will go there as soon as your done.No excuses.Now get out' Arnav ordered hardly and Khushi could only nod at his subtly humiliating words.It was as if he was back to owning her and dictating her life.Though earlier whenever he had got whatever he wanted from her, everything had been sugar-coated, done in the most subtle manner. Rarely ever outrightly ordered. She would pick those times anyday of the year..Khushi thought about that with every step she took on her way out.
As his new employee existed the cabin ,Arnav Singh Raizada carefully picked up a labeled black file from his desk.Thank God, she was gone, Arnav sighed in relief.His heart was still rebelling strenuously against his doubtful secretive actions but another part of his desire wanted something else entirely. He would get what he wanted, and the cost was a mere after thought. Akaash Gupta would remain as a pawn in his carefully laid out strategy.. a cold blooded alternative that ASR hadn't been able to convince himself of yet.However, Arnav wasn't above using the gold-mine of an opportunity and information he had receive just today. Khushi Kumari Gupta was going to be his,no matter what Arnav resolved as his eyes flashed dangerously.
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For whoever is reading this story, please leave your thoughts and opinions.This story has been established firmly so most of you have a general idea of what it's like and hopefully are entertained by it.So if you enjoy reading it or follow it, then I would really appreciate sincere comments from you all.This request is specially for silent readers, remarks from all you are inspiring, and gives me a purpose to write more and more.They're the greatest motivation, and would help give me a general idea of where you all want this story to go.Also, don't forget to hit like! Silent readers commenting is always the greatest pleasure, as well as regular ones!Detailed ones are the best, thanks a lot guys!
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