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The full Moon in the sky is very bright tonight. Twinkling stars around it, making their beauty shine to its glory. The pool area in Shantivan is brightly lit up with the moonlight and the flaring candles. Rose petals floating in the water are swaying majestically for the ripples matching their movement with the breeze flowing through them.
Khushi settled on the jacuzzi looking at the ripples since she got ready as per Arnav's liking. She wore a plain white chiffon saree with gold border and she scooped her hair to one shoulder. She adorned her hands with white bangles. Every minute she is checking herself in the mirror of waters to make sure everything is perfect.
As she is waiting for Arnav to come, she remembered her conversation with Payal.
After she left the conference room, she immediately called Payal. When she picked up the call, right away she yelled at her, "What have you done Payal"?
Unable to understand what Khushi is talking, Payal just answered as she used to do, whenever Khushi calls to ask what she made for lunch, "Aloo Methi fry and Tomato dal. You wanna come for lunch".
"Stop acting smart Payal. I came to know everything". Khushi snapped instantly.
"What are you talking about Khushi. What happened to you. Did you fought with ASRji and trying to take off your frustration on me". Payal genuinely didn't understand why Khushi is angry at her.
"I spoke to NK, He told me everything about your years long plan. Yesterday night when Arnavji told me how jiju died, I literally couldn't take it why Arnavji didn't trust me enough to tell me this before. Today, when NK said you are his partner in crime, I was shocked to know that you also didn't trust me to tell about it. Is it my problem or the people around me. Why I couldn't give that hope to the people to trust me. Am I that failure to make you trust me". Khushi couldn't stop bringing out her feelings with Payal.
Payal who was shocked hearing that Khushi found out everything, relaxed after few minutes and spoke, "Sachi... Oh..Khushi, you made my day. Do you know how relieved I am now. You don't know how hard to hide truths to the most loving and trusting person. Believe me, we did it only for you and ASRji. We know that you will be safe and happy with him, because Rashi believed in it. We did what she wished for.
But don't forget that we didn't force you both to fall in love. Did you remember how many times I told you to re check yourself before taking your steps close to ASRji. Did you remember I refused you going to live with him. Although I helped NK to bring you both together, I always used to get scared of things happening between you. I didn't expect it to be that easy. I am always afraid that it will turn out to be a big nightmare. But many times you both proved me wrong.
We hid things from you that doesn't mean we didn't trust you. it means we don't want to hurt you and want to do what's best for you. In that process sometimes we end up hurting our loved ones.
So, It's not the time to think about trust Khushi. It's about time to think about love and your future. Rashi is no more. Stop clinging to her memories. Move on Khushi. Move on with your life and love. Don't think about NK, Lavanya and me. ASRji is yours. It's the destiny. We just gave our helping hand to make it possible. Wipe away everything you heard from all of us. Forget what you saw around you. Just go and talk to him and decide what you have to do next to take your relation to the next level and make Rashi's dream come true".
Khushi was dumbfounded. She was seeing a different Payal today. She felt like she was talking to her jiji. Every word she uttered was indeed true. What's the point of all these issues when she found Arnav is perfect for her. What's the point of thinking about what and why its all happened, when she is believing that Arnav is her happiness.
When the realization struck her, she wiped her tears and said, "Payal, I cannot repay you for what you did to me. You are truly my sister. I will talk to him about it. But before that he should completely leave his guilt and become Arnav what he used to be".
Saying that she hung up the call and zoomed towards conference room where she left Arnav with NK, thinking how he must have been reacting with NK. She should talk to him, to leave everything behind and to forgive them for what they did. She has to tell him that to forget everything and let the guilt away.
When she opened the door, the scene infront of her blew her away. What she saw just mesmerized her. She forgot everything around her and she lost her control seeing him smiling with new life. Before she realized what she was doing, Arnav took the control of the situation.
While she was melting under his touch, she heard him whispering, "Khushi, I have something to take care of before coming home. Arrange our dinner at poolside with candles today. Wear something white, just like I saw you first time. Make sure to put moon to shame. I want him to feel jealous of me tonight. I wish you will mesmerize me Khushi" .
That brought her out of her musings. Since she started from AR, she kept thinking about the reasons for this sudden pool side dinner plan. She tried to understand why he asked her to wear white when red is his favorite color.
Although she wore white as he said, she decorated the whole pool area with red. She kept couple of red roses in the glass vase as the center piece on the table and a rose on the dinner plates. Entire pool is covered with rose petals and few floating candles. She kept candle lanterns around the edge of the pool. Hoping he will like it.
She knew that he wanted to talk about what NK said this morning. She still couldn't understand what made Arnav change his vulnerable state after talking to NK. She knew he wanted to talk to her about it to make sure she is ok after knowing everything. He himself was not in a state to talk to her when he said they should talk tonight.
But later, the way he said to arrange the dinner at poolside, clearly stating it is not about the past. Infact he is happy, very happy than never before. No matter how hard she think, she couldn't anticipate what he is upto.
Whatever he wants to say, she decided to talk to him about what Payal suggested. No matter how he reacts, she decided to convince him.
Remembering his smile, hoping that he will still have that smile on his face, she turned to look at the reflection of the full moon in the water. Suddenly she saw the Moon smiling at her. She rubbed her eyes and saw the reflection again. This time Moon winked at her.
Khushi opened her mouth wide and started mumbling, "Arnavji Please come fast, if you delay more, I will sure go mad. It's becoming unbearable to me. Look at this moon, he is also teasing me. Come and teach him a good lesson".
At the same time she jerked for a sudden voice she heard very close to her. "With whom you are talking Khushi".
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After Khushi left from the conference room, Arnav immediately started to plan for the night. This is the day he was waiting for long. Although it is not planned, he felt like this is the right time to make his dream possible.
Next minute he dialed Aakash and told him to cancel all his meetings for the rest of the day. He told him to pick up few things from his house and ordered few things to do ASAP. Later he drove to pick the things he ordered.
After few minutes of drive, he received call from Aakash, "Bhai, it's done. You can pick it up in next ten minutes". Arnav smiled and replied, "Wonderful Aakash. I know you are very efficient".
When he was about to hang up, he remembered something and said, "Aakash, leave an hour slot in lunch time tomorrow and book a table for both of us in La Piazza".
He soon hung up and zoomed to pick up the ordered items on the way to home.
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After Arnav hung up the call, Aakash stood shocked. He even forgot to turn off his phone thinking, "Am I dreaming. What happened to bhai. He used to say shut up Aakash everytime I call him bhai. He didn't say anything today when I called him Bhai. On top of that he asked me to meet him alone. What's wrong with him".
Involuntarily he smiled and called Payal to share the good news. But Payal surprised him with shocking revelations.
Aakash reached home in fifteen minutes after Payal told him to come home immediately. When he asked the reason for the urgency, she explained what happened today and what he suggested to Khushi.
She told every single detail about how she and NK planned to get Arnav and Khushi together. How the plan finally worked. Although Aakash knows how Rashi died through Payal, he didn't know that Payal played cupid in bringing them together. Although he got angry that she kept him dark all these days, he felt proud for the selflessness of his wife. That made him forgive his wife immediately.
Now he understood the weird behaviour of Arnav and clearly understood what he is upto with the things he ordered today. Feeling happy for his brother he smiled and told Payal that they succeeded in their secret mission and left the house to complete the tasks Arnav had given him, leaving giggling Payal behind.
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Arnav after picking up the things he ordered, immediately wheeled towards Shantivan. He never felt the drive to his home this far from his office. Every second of delay turning out to be a torture.
By the time he reached home. The sky turned to dark hiding the sun and showing the moon at the top of the sky. He straightly walked towards poolside searching for Khushi.
He was flabbergasted when he opened the french door to the poolside from his bedroom. The bright red roses, brightly lit candles and lanterns, so bright full Moon and even more brightly glowing Khushi sitting on the jacuzzi.
She looks so beautiful in the white saree with the reflection of the moonlight on her face. The smile on her face made her look like an angel. The curve on her waist, made his mouth dry.
While he stood there lost in admiring her marvelous beauty, she seemed to be lost in her own musings and couldn't recognize his presence and started mumbling.
Looking at her craziness, he smirked and walked towards jacuzzi and said, "With whom you are talking to Khushi".
Khushi suddenly flinched for his startling voice. She instantly got up with the support of her hand and started to shoot the questions one after the other.
"Kaha the aap"?
Arnav smirked and took a step towards her.
"How long I should wait for you"?
He took his second step very close to her by adjusting his hair which are falling on his forehead with his fingers.
"Why are you not lifting my calls"?
He took his cell out switched it off to make sure nobody disturbs them today, specifically Aman and put it back in his trouser pocket.
"Why you always make me worry for you"?
He moved her hair strand which was blocking his view to see her face completely since he came here.
"Why.. you always make... me wait for you"?
He removed his coat vest and discarded them away revealing himself sexy in all white shirt.
"Wh...at ... more... important work... you had... than me"?
He moved all her tresses back and held her cheek with his one palm.
"Are... you... p...p...planning... to make me... p...p..poora ...p..p..pa...gal"?
He slid his other hand on her curvy bare waist and pulled her close to him with one move.
Why...W..Why...W...
He instantly captured her trembling nonstop talking lips into his mouth and started sucking and tugging without giving any chance for her to speak anymore.
She bunched up her saree on the her side of the thigh for the sudden warm and soft touch and released her grip on her saree, when he moved his lips gently on her lower lip requesting her to give access to the treasure hidden in the sweet cave.
She moved her hand to hold his nape and pulled him close to feel him very close to her while his tongue is exploring her crevices.
She felt him turning hot with every second of the kiss they are sharing. She felt him all aroused with every second of the warmth they are feeling.
She felt like there is a gentle promise in his kiss, she felt like there is a smooth request in his kiss. She felt like there is a warm confidence in his kiss. She felt like he is trying to say something through this kiss.
After few minutes of savoring each other sweet waters, they pulled back. Arnav cupped her both cheeks and pressed his forehead to her's and took couple of deep breaths preparing himself to the next step he planned.
"You were asking me something". Asked Arnav.
"Wo.. Wo.. Kuch nahi.. bas ... I am...", while Khushi mumbling unable to talk clearly after steaming kiss, her eyes turned round as saucers and her mouth formed a clean shape of circle, showing her famous three o's on her face seeing Arnav taking a small velvet box out of his trouser pocket.
He opened the box revealing a diamond ring with two hearts entangled and inside engraved with words, Together Forever.
Next minute she heard a completely unexpected question from him, surprising her to the core.
"Will you marry me Khushi".*************************************************************************************
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Udne Ki Aasha
35