IPKKND FF: JALEBI by Jalebi Jane Thread 1: EPISODE 001-042 - Page 5

Originally posted by: JalebiJane

Amus5:

reading this for the first time ... interested in knowing what happened next and also was it the door or the window?was it the stairway or the airway?

I believe it was a floor to ceiling window but I could be wrong.

JALEBI by Maya (EPISODE 003)

ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA was half-standing half-leaning against the edge of his desk when Khushi entered the office.

Some colour had returned to his face, she noted. But it gave her little comfort because the fingers with which he gripped the edge of the desk spoke of hard-won restraint. As though he believed that if his fingers left the desk, they would find their way to her throat.

She decided to remain as near to the open door as it was possible to be while still be able to claim that she was within the room.

"Please shut the door, Miss Gupta," he requested. "What I have to say is private."

Khushi's eyes blinked in rapid succession. That he had used the word 'please' was the first matter of wonderment, but the second matter---the more significant matter---was his tone. It was strangely subdued. Dare I call it vanquished?

But Khushi had learnt from their very first meeting in Lucknow that closed-door encounters with This Man always ended badly. Especially for her.

"I prefer the door remain open, Sir," she said, ensuring that her tone showed strength. Showed that though she deserved to be fired, she would not be caged then abused.

At her words, he lifted away from the desk and went to the smaller door, the one at the far corner of his office. Khushi was aware that that door led directly to his assistant, Aman Behl's office. Arnav turned the handle and left the door wide open.

Then he came towards her.

She hurriedly stepped out of his path, and then felt rather foolish because he came not to throttle her, but to shut the large door behind her.

"Aman is in his office," Arnav explained, pointing to the open adjoining door. "If you feel at all uncomfortable, you have only to call out to him. If he overhears our conversation, I know it will go no farther. I cannot say the same for anyone else, which is why I insist this door remain shut."

This speech astonished Khushi. This was the first time Arnav Singh Raizada had ever explained his actions to her. Nor had he ever hesitated to confront her publicly. Why would he insist on privacy now? And, again---why was his conduct so benign? So mild. So unlike himself.

He remained near, not returning to his previous position by the desk. But nor did he speak. She sensed he was arranging his words, but as his expression remained unchanged, she could not know what he was thinking.

However, she had had enough exposure to Arnav's anger in the past to know that he was not angry now. Something had most definitely shifted. But what?

She waited for him to speak, with her eyes resting on the floor.

But there was only silence. And the certain awareness that his gaze was parked on her.

It then occurred to Khushi that he might be waiting for her to take the lead. She had been in the wrong; therefore, it was a reasonable assumption that he expected her to show contrition. Was she meant to understand his silence as a gift? Was he allowing her the opportunity to apologize and then throw herself at his mercy?

Again, it was unprecedented. When had he ever shown such generosity and clemency towards her? Indeed, he had always assumed the worst of her, never allowing her to explain her actions, but leaping to a foregone conclusion based on what he had decided of her personal character and her social class.

But, if this was so---if he was ready to hear her---she was ready to apologize. In fact, she would find it a relief to do so. Khushi Kumari Gupta had no such misplaced ego which prevented her from begging forgiveness when she was in the wrong---as she believed she was now.

She lifted her eyes to meet his, and parted her lips to speak---when he stopped her with his words.

"You are absolutely right, Miss Gupta," he said. "You should pity the woman who ends up as my future wife."

The surprise and disbelief Khushi felt in hearing his words cannot be adequately stated. It rendered her utterly speechless. (We all know that our Heroine had never before been afflicted with speechlessness.)

But that was not all, Sisters. It seemed that Mr Raizada---once he had begun---could not stop speaking.

He continued, "I know what my faults are. I know I'm egocentric. I know my temper is unyielding. You have had to bear the brunt of it too often. And I know I'm not---how did you put it?---remotely charming---"

However dumbfounded, Khushi knew it was essential she stop him now. This was worse than any reprimand he could have given; to hear what she had said recklessly, repeated back to her by the very person she had maligned was unendurable.

"Please stop," she said, preventing him from speaking further. She was ready to press her palm against his mouth if he did not stop. "Please, Mr Raizada, I'm sincerely sorry for what I said. For what you overheard. I spoke carelessly."

"Nevertheless, it is your opinion of me."

"No!" she corrected, "it is the opinion of one who conveniently forgets her own faults. Therefore it holds no worth and should have no effect upon the listener."

"But it has affected me---which is why I've decided that you and I should no longer work together."

The second half of his sentence was such that it distracted her from the import of the first half. She would return to analyse his words later, Sisters, but in this moment she only knew this:

She was being dismissed.

More graciously than she had ever-ever expected, but dismissed nevertheless. Tears bloomed beneath her eyelids, and before they spilled, she wanted to take her leave.

Khushi said, "I'm sorry again, Sir. I'll clear my desk and hand over my work-in-progress to Pari."

"Yes, brief Miss Khan. She can take over the pending files, but there is no need to change desks. There is no reason why you cannot work for Aman from the desk you currently occupy."

"Kya?" This burst out before she could check herself. "You are not dismissing me?!"

"What would I accomplish by dismissing you? I would only prove right your opinion of my pride and vanity."

"Yes, but---"

He interrupted her, as though he was afraid to hear what she might say. "You'll be reporting to Aman from herein. Do you have any objection to that?" he asked, his one brow lifting to echo the question.

"None at all," she replied, her voice almost gleeful. According to Pari, Aman Behl was a dream boss. A perfect gentleman, Pari called him. Courteous, patient and never raised his voice nor made impossible demands. No, indeed, Khushi had not one single objection to working for such a man. But realizing that appearing too pleased with the change was not very politic, she added, "but I'm happy to remain under you, Sir."

She thought she detected a slight smile curve his lips, but it disappeared so quickly that she couldn't be sure.

He said, "this new arrangement is best. Perhaps if we are not in close daily contact, your opinion of me will in time change."

Khushi ought to have remained silent, but being our Heroine, she couldn't resist adding with a saucy smile, "And perhaps your opinion of me will also change."

"It already has," came his swift reply, his eyes holding hers.

A sensation she had never felt previously was introduced to her now. It centred around her heart which expanded and filled her chest with contented warmth.

But it could also have been indigestion so she gave it no further thought.

"Thank you, Sir," she said. She turned to open the door, and was almost through it, when on another Khushi-like impulse, she whirled back to face him and asked, "please assure me that you have accepted my apology for what happened earlier."

"Would I have you remain an employee of ASR Group if I had not?"

Satisfied, she flew from the room.

IT WAS ALMOST TEN MINUTES before Arnav moved away from his position by the door. From there, he had been silently observing Khushi Kumari Gupta's activities on the ground floor.

He now strode to the open door which led to Aman's office and stepped over the threshold.

Aman came to his feet.

"You heard?" Arnav asked.

Aman nodded, "yes, that Miss Gupta will now report to me. But I'm not clear on your intention, Sir."

"My intention is to teach that chit from Lucknow that lambs should keep away from lions."

"Then dismiss her and be done with it." It was a reasonable conclusion, Sisters. From a reasonable man.

But the man opposite Aman was well beyond the point of reason or reasoning. "I will dismiss her, Aman. I'll dismiss her once I've made her worst nightmare a reality. Once I've made her the unfortunate wife of Arnav Singh Raizada."