Arshi FF : Merger Thrd # 2 Link to Thread #3 on Page 1 - Page 51

A/n: Hey all, back again with another update. I am improving, huh...😛

But speaking seriously, thank you for your wonderful comments. Love them all. And thankyou for still being there despite delayed updates from me.

Here is the next update. Do let me know how you felt about it.

CHAPTER 23

THREE WEEKS LATER (ON A MONDAY EVENING)

IN ARNAV'S DELHI OFFICE - CONFERENCE ROOM

"Hello everyone". With Aman by his side, Arnav addressed all his Heads of Sales from India, Europe and America.

"I have called for this urgent meeting to share some good news with you. We won the deal with the new client."

Hurrays... And Wows and Yays drowned the room.

"Finally ASR!!" Steve the American Sales Head said. "I will finally get to sleep. I don't remember when I slept the whole night. Guys don't you dare ping me for the next 2 days... I am taking off." The American Sales Head warned.

"Huff...you Americans are such whiny people." Jacques, the European Sales Head dimissed his American counter-part. "I slept on the carpet of a French designer for two days in Paris. I am telling you ASR, you are one crazy man. Where do you get these crazy ideas and designs?"

Arnav laughed hearing the ongoing conversation on the speaker phone. Oh Yeah ... He was at his tyrant best the two weeks before the American meetings, whiplashing pretty much everyone in the entire company.'

"Hold on... Hold on guys..."The Indian Sales Head stopped the inter-continental rant. "I have just sent you all a picture, give me your take on it." Everyones phone beeped all at once.

The picture had a broad smile from Arnav while Aman was grinning from ear to ear.

"Really ASR... you have teeth..." Steve pounced on him again.

"Don't tell me that I have to sleep on floor to get a smile out of you ASR" Jacques poked his boss. It was now their turn to take their boss to task.

Arnav cocked an eyebrow at the mischievous Indian Sales Head. "ASR don't give me dirty looks. Don't you think the world should know about the 8^th wonder of the world. Your smile."

Arnav burst out laughing. He let his team take a poke at him. They had all gone out of their way to make this happen.

"Well guys, on a serious note, THANKYOU... Thanks to each one of you...You all collectively made it possible."

"Steve, Jacques, Amit and Aman. Let's not forget that the client has chosen us to be a co-supplier. So we still have a competitor. Our furture work and target is already cut-out for us. Let us take a quick break and gather back next week to strategize on our next steps."

Yep...Yes... Alrighty... echoed in the room. Arnav felt grateful for having such spirited people in his company. Despite the back-breaking work they had done over the past few months, they still managed to keep up their energies for the uphill task coming ahead.

"All right... lets wind up this meeting. Thankyou... Thankyou all once again." He wound up the meeting quite abruptly. The reason being that his phone would just not stop buzzing.

There was this call he had been receiving from an unknown number. That person must have called atleast 25 times since morning. And not once did he leave a message. If that man called again, he decided to answer the phone and give a piece of his mind to the dumbo. I have a voice mail box you idiot. Can you leave a message and let me call you back.' He cursed the man mentally. The buzzing in his pocket stopped.

As he was about to leave the conference room, Aman called him.

"ASR... I need to talk to you."

"What's it Aman?" Arnav keept looking at the number on his phone, trying to remember if he knew anyone with that number.

"ASR, this is serious. Please sit down." That caught Arnav's attention.

"Wha...what is it Aman?"

"Sit down ASR. I know you have the rest of the day free. So, I know you can give me the time and attention that this matter requires."

"Aman, cut the suspense and come to the point dammit." Arnav sat down on a chair. Aman took the chair opposite to him, across the table. Better to maintain some distance, given what he was about to talk.

"ASR, I would like to resign from AR Corp, USA."

"What?? ... Whhhyyy?" Arnav did not hide his shock.

"What's wrong Aman?"

"ASR, do you remember the pact we had right after we finished college."

"Ofcourse I do. What about it?"

"Well we had decided that both of us would try to get investment for our respective businesses."

"I remember the pact Aman. I got the investment for my business first. So, we were to work together to set up this business. And then, after 2 years, we would fund your business with the money we both make from this business."

"Two years are almost over ASR."

"But not yet. We still have a few more months left. So why the hurry?"

"Well, we also got the deal. So, you are all set now."

"I only have an email that says that we have the deal. Nothing is finalized till we sign the contract. The business is yet to start. We are yet to make a profit. All that will take atleast a year. We still don't have the money to fund your business Aman. Why are you prematurely quitting?"

"That's not a problem ASR. I don't want any funding. I would like to start on my own. You shouldn't bother yourself about my business. I will figure something out."

"Shut up Aman. Why wouldn't I concern myself with your business and your dreams? You and I know very well that this company and I couldn't have been where we are today, had it not been your selfless contribution to this company. You had my back all this while, man."

"What is it Aman? I know there is more to it. It's just not your business, is it? Did I do something...? You know me right? I don't mean it Aman... bas ho jaata hain?" Khushi was right... He cannot get away with these "ho jaata hain" s any more. Even Aman was mistaking him. His friend of 9 years.

"ASR!" Aman bent his head, pursing his lips. "Alright, there is no easy way of saying this. I know it will break our friendship. But here it goes..."

Arnav creased his eyebrows, the suspense was killing him.

"I LOVE ANJALI, ASR. And I would like to marry her."

"AMAN...!!!" Arnav bellowed. "How dare you?" He banged the table and stood up. The chair noisily wheeled away from him.

"Look ASR. I didn't mean to cross the line and break the bro-code. But with Anjali... it all just happened. I didn't realise when and how she had slowly made a place in my heart..." Aman didn't realize when Arnav had walked across the table.

"Saaley..." Arnav held his friend's collar. "I let you stay at my home because you are my best friend. But what did you do? You have been letching at my sister right under my nose?" Arnav had gone red with rage.

"ASR... stop it...Its not like that..." But Arnav raised his hand and punched his friend. "Stay away from my sister." He warned him pointing his finger.

Aman staggered back and held on to a chair for support.

He charged back and punched his friend in return.

"And don't "YOU" dare tell me to stay away from Anjali. And if you ever accuse me of lusting after her, I swear on Anjali, I will kill you."

Arnav was slightly taken aback. This was the second time he had seen this aggressive side of Aman. The last time too was for Anjali.

"No wonder..." he heard Aman say. "No wonder Anjali wants to end this relationship. She knew that this is the way you would react. You idiot, that day at the airport, she was not crying because of her friend's broken relationship. She was crying that the same thing might happen to her, to us. And she wanted to break up with me."

"I guess, as a sister She understands you very well. But I am afraid I can't say the same about you. What kind of a brother are you if you cannot see the broken soul behind her chirpy faade?

You know what ASR, just forget it. No point in talking to a pigheaded person like you. Call me if you ever have a rational side.

And take it from me - I am not going to let Anjali or anyone from stopping us from the life that we can have."

He barged out of the conference room in a fit of anger and banged the door behind him while leaving.

Arnav was fuming with anger. How dare he? How dare he speak to me like that... Just then that incessant call from the unknown number interrupted his thoughts.

"Who the hell is this?" he barked on the phone.

"Arnav Sir?"

"Who the hell is this?"

"Sir, I am Chutki. I mean Payal. Khushi Jiji's sister. Do you remember me?"

Arnav took a moment to place her. "Payal? Of course I remember you. What is it Payal?" Arnav pinched at the bridge of his nose. He was in no mood to talk to anybody.

"Sir, I just wanted to check if you know where Jiji is?"

"What do you mean where is she? She must be at the office, in the Regional Branch."

"Oh...Even you don't know where she is...? ...Ok Sir, hum phone rakhtein hain."

"Hold on...hold on a sec. What do you mean? Is Khushi not there in the office?"

"Sir, the thing is Jiji came to visit us on Saturday morning. And she left home sometime during the day. Amma also doesn't know as she was sleeping. And since then we have not heard from her. Her suitcse is here with us. Only purse is missing.

Kaka called her office and they said she hasn't come to office today."

Arnav heard her narrate the incident of the day in between soft sobs. But as he heard her, his anger kept increasing by the minute. "She is missing since Saturday and you are calling me now? Are you out of your mind?"

"Sir, I kept calling you since yesterday night. You didn't pick my call..."

"Just leave it...leave it... let me deal with this on my own." He cut the call abruptly.

Arnav slumped on a nearby chair. Where could she be?

Bingo...Her friend. He called Sarita.

"Sarita, where are you? Can I talk to Khushi?"

"Arnavji? Khushi is at office. Infact I am visiting my parents and will be returning two days later. Do you want her office number?"

"She. Is. Not. At. Office. And I work at the same office, remember?" Arnav said with gritted teeth.

Sarita was a bit irritated with his condescending tone, but she let it be. "Then I think she is at her mother's place. She visited them last weekend."

This conversation was going nowhere. Arnav cut the call without as much as a goodbye.

Where are you...where are you Khushi? He kept chanting in his mind. But everything seemed blank. So he did what he did the last time. Called his security personnel.

That conversation was a dead end too. Khushi did not even have a phone, so that someone could trace her records to get an idea. The security personnel suggested to check her room. May be there was some clue there.

Arnav picked his phone to call Aman. He needed to book a flight ticket. Damnit. They were not on talking terms now. He called an agent and asked him to book a flight ticket, the earliest one, irrespective of price. He rushed out of the office building and began to drive to the airport. As he drove, only one thing was eating his mind. Aman, Di, Khushi... Three important issues, needing his immediate attention. But he was attending to only one, at the cost of the other two. He only hoped that this decision to prioritize Khushi over the other two would not result in broken relationships.

He called Di to inform that he had to rush to the regional branch as something very urgent had come up. "Di, Can you tell Aman that I will talk to him once I am back?" He sneaked in a small request.

Before boarding he asked Kaka to go to Khushi's PG and find out if anyone saw her there.

As he landed and picked up a taxi, he called Kaka again. No ... no one had seen her. And no, he was not allowed to go inside, as it is a girl's hostel.

Arnav stormed into the PG. The warden stopped him from entering the girls quarters. She backed out only when he warned her that if she didn't let him do his job, then he will call the police. The warden mutely showed Khushi's room.

Arnav tried to open it. "It's closed. It's closed from inside." He told no one in particular.

With the help of the security guard, they broke the door open.

And Arnav almost died that minute looking at the scene in front of him. "KHUSHI!!!!" he shrieked.

There lay Khushi, sprawled over the floor between the two beds. Evidently, she had hit her head. Lot of blood had oozed and clotted on her forehead and beside her head.

He gathered her in his arms and ran outside to the taxi. The warden came shouting behind him. "You need to fill out some paper work. You can't take her like this."

They caught hold of Kaka instead. Arnav boarded the taxi with Khushi in his arms and asked the taxi driver to hurry.

"Oh..God, Oh God... Oh God... Please please don't let anything happen to her." Tears streamed down his face involuntarily, dripping on her face. He wiped her face and held her closely. Blood stained his shirt and arms. He cradled holding her close to his heart. "Nothing will happen to you. Nothing will happen to you."

He gathered her close to himself and pressed his lips on her forehead. "Yeh kya kiya tumney. Khushi... Khushi... Can you hear me?" He kept wiping the tears from his cheeks just as a deep fear took birth in his gut.

"Faster... Drive Faster..." He yelled at the taxi driver.

The driver looked at his passengers from the rear view mirror. Seldom had he seen the pain of a man holding on to his hurt wife as if his life depended on it. He drove as fast as possible to the hospital and ran inside to get the attending staff. The staff shifted Khushi onto a stretcher and asked Arnav to fill in the paper work. The taxi driver said he will get the forms while Arnav should follow Khushi.

Arnav was asked to stand outside the emergency room. A few minutes later the taxi driver arrived with the forms.

"Saab, give me one of your IDs. I will fill up the forms." Arnav gave his drivers license.

The taxi driver asked - "Sir what is the patients name?"

"Khushi"

The driver looked at the ID card, and then wrote on the form ,

Name: Khushi Raizada

Person admitting the patient : Arnav Singh Raizada

Relationship: Husband

...

He filled the rest asking minimal questions to Arnav. The poor man was visibly disturbed and the hospital procedures can be insensitive sometimes. He got Arnav's signature and submitted the forms at the front office.

***

14 hours. It had been 14 bloody hours and she had not shown any signs of recovery. The doctor had given a 24 hours for her to come around. Else they would have to do further tests to check for any brain damage. The fact that she had not eaten in almost 3 days was slowing down her recovery. Her body was too weak to respond normally.

Arnav refused to leave the room even though Kaka had told him that he would take things forward from here. Saheb has already done so much for them. A stern look from Arnav made him withdraw from saying anything more. Since only one person was allowed in the room, Kaka left to sit in the lobby, albeit a bit confused. Was Saheb trying to say he was not an outsider for Khushi bitiya? He was as close to her just like himself? And were those tears in Saheb's damp eyes?

Putting his thoughts on hold, he decided to call Garima and Chutki. They would be worried where Khushi bitiya is.

***

4 more hours. No sign of recovery. As time passed, Arnav's fear started to over power him.

He held the coffee in his hand and stood near the window. He had travelled in a rush, carrying only is laptop bag. His office was trying to get in touch with him all day. Aman Sir had not come to office, they informed him. To add to that the client had sent their contract. It needed review and closure. He had forwarded the mail to the lawyers, but they wanted to meet up with him, before finalizing the document.

How was he going to manage all of that? He could not go back to Delhi with Khushi like this. He had promised her that he wouldn't abandon her.

Standing at the window, he turned to look at her limp body. Dark circles under her eyes. What had caused all this? Money? Was she going hungry again because she didnt have money? Once she comes back to consciousness, he would sit her down and ask her a number. "Exactly what number would alleviate her problems?" When she wakes up, he would fix all her problems. Only, she has to wake up. The fear started to consume him again. Keeping the coffee cup aside, he walked up to her. Holding her palm in his own, he quietly sat down beside her.

His throat constricted, his forehead cringed in dismay, lips pursed in grief. Placing her palm on his heart, he left a sigh of helplessness. He took her form in and slowly bent forward to move aside some stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He grazed his fingers down along her jawline and softly caressed her cheek with his thumb. His other hand holding and squeezing her's closer to his heart.

What is eating you up, Khushi? Wont you please tell me? Wont you please wake up? Wake up for me damnit. His heart called out to her, while he silently and helplessly sat beside her lifeless body.

Beep... Beep, beep... Beep, beep, beep. The monitors set off an alarm.

Nurses came rushing, followed by the on call doctor. They asked him to step out and closed the door.

Dread consumed him for the next 20 minutes. Nurses came and went. Additional doctors attended. Some more monitors were wheeled in. He just did not know what was happening. The ever "in-control" Arnav Singh Raizada was left helpless. Finally a nurse stepped out and called him in, saying the patient had regained her consciousness.

As he stepped in, their eyes locked. Relief spread through both of them. Oblivious to the attending doctors around them, they kept looking at each other.

"Ahem... Mr...?" The attending doctor addressed him.

"Raizada." Arnav filled in, looking at the doctor.

"I must say, Mr. Raizada, your wife has kept us on our toes." The doctor tried to lighten the moment.

Arnav gave a shooting glance at her, before turning back to the doctor.

"Everything is fine now. Her vitals are all normal. But she is terribly weak."

"So, Mrs. Raizada, next time you are upset with your husband, make sure HE doesn't get food. What's the fun if you punish yourself?" The doctor smiled and stepped out of the room, taking Arnav along with him.

"Thank your stars, Mr. Raizada. It's a miracle that she recouped after having bled through so much. She is under tremendous stress and shock Mr. Raizada. Whatever is the tension between the two of you, resolve it. Resolve it soon. You almost lost her." The doctor patted on his shoulders and left.

Arnav slowly stepped inside the room, and found Khushi desolately looking out of the window.

She spared a glance at him and went back to looking at the window. No explanation. Nothing!

Sudden rage overtook Arnav.

"Don't you EVER EVER do this to me again... Samjhi Tum?"

He rushed across the room, held her by both her arms and shook her.

"Kya samajhti ho tum apne aap ko? What if something had happened to you? What if I had lost you?"

"That would have been the best thing ever, isn't it?" She softly scoffed at him.

Arnav squeezed her arm out of sheer frustration.

"Look at me Khushi. Khushi. Look. At. Me. What's happening? Is it money? Don't you have enough to buy stuff? What will make your life easy? Give me a number."

"I have enough to buy, but I don't have enough to meet people's hunger." She sat up on her bed and said with gritted teeth. "And you want a number... tell me what is the number you would put on your sister. What is the number you would put on your mother?" Her voice rose with every word she uttered.

She saw Arnav go red with anger.

"Makes you upset, right?" She pulled out the IV stuck to her hand and stood up. "It upsets you that I asked you to put a price on the women of your family, isn't it?" She held him by his collar.

"Then how come, how come a price tag of Rs. 40 Lakhs, has been stuck on my forehead. Today, its 40. Tomorrow it will be 80. And day after I don't know what. So, Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada, she pushed him, don't you dare put a price on me. And don't you dare treat my like a wh...wh*re just like..." She lost her consciousness.

"Just like...just like who?... Khushi...Khushi..." Arnav held her in time, before she collapsed. "Doctor..Doctor..." he shouted for help.

***

The next time Khushi came to consciousness, Kaka was sitting in front of her. Arnav had gone back to Delhi, she was told. Good. Nothing surprising about it. Why would he want to associate himself with a girl like her? She rebuked herself.

Kaka told her, she was evicted from the PG, because of the scene that was created when she fell sick. He insisted that she should stay with him, till she found a new accommodation. She presumed Arnavji would not return anytime soon. And agreed to stay with him. She was drained physically and emotionally. She needed a few days to recoup.

***

As they stepped inside the house, her heart yearned more and more to have Arnav by her side.

After having a simple dinner, they both retired to bed. But sleep evaded her. She walked into Arnav's room and opened his closet. Couple of T-shirts were hanging there. She picked up one of them and sat on his bed. Slowly, she lay down, hugging the t-shirt. His scent from the shirt soothing her, reminding her of his presence. She crunched up into a fetal position and hid inside the shirt. "Arnavji, I don't know what this is. What this colossal and all consuming feeling I have for you. But I know one thing for sure Arnavji. As a girl, I cannot belong to anyone other than you. I may be able to live without you, but I wouldn't be able to bear the touch of another man." She wept into the shirt, loathing the games that destiny was playing with her.

Of all the people on earth, Arnavji had to be the one for her. And of all the people on earth, she was about to be tied up to that vile man. Her thoughts went back to the incidents over the last weekend, which had turned her life upside down.

***

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