Arshi SS-Sentiments|Thread 2 link Pg 1| - Page 13

Chapter 4

Khushi walked down the stairs back from ASR's cabin, still pouting at the way he talked with her. It seemed as if he was deliberately finding ways to shout at her and hurt her.

'Has he found out that I'm Khushi?'

'No it can't happen'

Her eyes welled up anticipating the consequences of the fact that he is known about her actual identity. She has to work hard. May be that could only make him satisfied. Nothing else could she do to protect herself from the hatred filling up since these years.

*

The next morning.

Khushi stood in front of a huge mansion, the Raizada Mansion. A throaty sob escaped her mouth as the past memories came flooding in her mind.

"Khushi. Ab koi shararat nahi. Hume aunty ne chai par bulaya hai na.. toh tumne bilkul bhi shaitani nahi karni. Theek hai?" (Khushi. Now no mischief. Aunty has called us for tea na.. so no naughtiness now. Okay?) Khushi's mother instructed her, as she pressed the door-bell to Raizada house.

"Maa Jayanti aunty kitni acchi hai na. Hum toh bas abhi abhi yaha Delhi aaye hai, aur unhone hume apne ghar bulaya" (Maa Jayanti aunty is so good na. We've come here in Delhi just now, and she has called us to her home) Khushi said to her mother in a child-voice, smiling a broken-toothed smile.

"Haan Khushi. Hume bohot acche padosi mile hai" (Yes Khushi. We've got very nice neighbours) her mother replied.

Soon the huge door opened as a little boy stood in front of them, glancing at them with narrowed eyes. His mother came forward and grinned looking at Khushi and her mother.

"Garima ji. Aaye aaye." (Garima ji. Come come) Jayanti called both of them in.

Khushi stared at Arnav with wide broken-toothed grin, and passed him as she walked into the mansion. Arnav turned to look at her while she blew a flying-kiss to him.

Her eyes pooled with fresh tears. How clear were those memories in her mind.. just because she has enjoyed that time of her life.

She quickly wiped her tears and sniffed. After having pressed the doorbell, she waited for Arnav to open it.

The door opened and she found an elderly lady standing in front of her. Khushi smiled widely as she stepped forward and took the lady in a tight embrace, "Dadi!" she cried.

The elderly lady was Arnav's grandmother. Khushi, being a frequent visitor to Raizada Mansion during her childhood, used to spend most of her time with Arnav's grandmother, Subhadra. She was very old at that time, but hasn't changed a bit in these twelve years. She looked the same.. just a few more wrinkles added here and there.

"Khushi!" the lady hugged her back, caressing her head with her weak hands, "You came back?"

"Yes Dadi. I had to come back.. it was only you who didn't consider me to be a culprit." Khushi sobbed, holding Subhadra's hands.

"Na mera baccha. Don't think like this. You were not at fault.." Subhadra tried to comfort her, patting her head with her hand.

"But Arnav feels---" she was stopped by the devil's voice.

"If your dramatic talks are over, will you please care to do your work?" Arnav said loudly, coming down the stairs.

He came and stood in front of Khushi, folding his arms close to his chest.

"Sorry Arn-- I mean sorry Sir" Khushi apologised looking down, wiping her tears with her knuckles.

"See the time Ms. Gupta. I said you to show me the designs before half-past seven."

"Sir but its just 07.32"

"Late means late Ms. Gupta. Don't argue over it" he said with a emotionless expression.

"Arnav beta. Why are you--" Dadi interrupted seeing her grandson shouting unnecessarily.

"Dadi please. Its my professional matter" he said, lowering his volume a bit.

Subhadra shook her head in defeat. No one. Not even a single person can stop him from behaving in such a manner. He had become like this over these years. His hurt has made him so strong..and so heartless.

"And you Ms. Gupta. Why the hell were you hugging my grandmother?"

"Sorry sir."

"I clearly know your middle class mentality. You want to influence my family so that you don't have to work!" he ruthlessly commented.

Bas that was enough for Khushi to lose her patience. She knew he hates her, so what's the need of showing it every second? Just because she loved him, she didn't say a word against him. But enough has to be enough.

"Don't forget you belonged to this same middle-class category years ago Arnav!" she said raising her voice, regretting it the very next second.

"Remain in your limits Khushi!" he yelled at her. It was the first time in these 12 years that she has heard her name from his mouth. Her eyes welled up yet again, not because she heard his screamingly loud voice, but because she loved him calling out her name.. no matter if it was in anger only.

"I'm so"sorry sir" she apologized, closing her eyes.

"Where are the designs?" he asked, breathing deeply to control his anger.

Khushi quickly took out the designs from her bag and forwarded them towards Arnav.

Arnav took them, and without even seeing them, "Now get out. Be in the office on time."

"Arnav beta. You also have to go office na. Then you both can go together. I've prepared the breakfast. Have it and then leave together. Come Khushi" Subhadra spoke in between.

"No Dadi. I think she can manage her breakfast herself.."

"Yes Dadi. I'll manage. Don't worry."

"I don't want to hear anything Khushi. When you both have to go to the same place, then what's the use of going separately?"

"But Dadi..."

"No buts. Come and have breakfast"

Khushi looked at Arnav for his permission and found him already at the dining-table, working on his mails on his iPhone.

*

The breakfast went silently. Khushi didn't dare to speak a word, clearly known of the results. Subhadra too, preferred to keep quiet.

After the breakfast, Khushi helped Subhadra to clean the table, till the time Arnav came downstairs with the necessary things for him to take to the office.

"Dadi you still cook the best parathas I've ever eaten" Khushi complimented the elder-lady, flashing a wide smile.

"Whenever you wish to eat them, don't even think twice and directly come here. Arnav ko main dekh lungi.." Subhadra told her, caressing her head.

Khushi smiled faintly and hugged her for the last time before leaving the kitchen.

She followed Arnav to his car, after he handed her his laptop and a file. She tried to open the back door to sit on the back seat, just when she heard his alarming voice, "Am I your driver Ms. Gupta?"

"Sir?"

"Go to front seat"

Khushi shook her head and went to sit on the front seat, next to Arnav. All through the journey, she kept her eyes out of the window. She didn't wanted him to be angry, at least not because of her.

They reached AR at exact 08.00. How punctual he was! A minute can't go from here to there. He handed over the car keys to the parking-man and walked into the building with a fastened pace. Khushi saw him hang a bluetooth over his ear and speak something in formal language. She followed him carrying his laptop, trying to walk at the same speed with which he walked.

The other employees along with Gautam saw Khushi fiddling with ASR's laptop behind him, but dared to react. Gautam waved a hi to Khushi, but quickly dropped his hand as he saw Arnav's darting eyes.

'Kitna dara kar rakha hua hai sabko. Khadoos kahin ke!' (How much everyone is scared because of him. Khadoos kahin ke!) Khushi said in her mind and pouted.

She followed him to his cabin and cleanly placed the laptop and the file on his table. He was now barking orders on his phone, as expected.

"Bring me a coffee" he said turning towards her. She nodded her head meekly and then turned to go outside his cabin.

"And yeah. Ms. Gupta. Send Aman here with the Khanna's file" he ordered again.

"Yes sir" came a whisper from the other side.

"And yes. Re-arrange all the designs again with the materials to be used and show them to me by.. around 10 am" he commanded her once again.

"Yes sir"

He went back to his phone call but soon paused as he felt her still in his cabin, "What do you want?"

"Anything else sir?"

He pursed his lips and stared at her angrily, "No nothing. Now go."

She lowered her head and silently escaped his cabin. 'Am I a designer or his personal secretory?' she pouted disapprovingly.

How was it?

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Thanks for reading!

Love,

Sanjana.