FF: Bruised Hearts II - Chapter 42, 43.1 pg 39; Updated 4/8/14 - Page 19

Arnav and RK stick their heads through the kitchen door and spots Khushi and Madhu.

RK (holding up a white handkerchief): We come in peace.

Arnav: Is it safe for us to enter?

Madhu (sets aside her cup of coffee): Ohh I am sorry...are you sure you want to come in?

Khushi (sarcastic): Because you run the risk of one of us NAGGING.

Madhu (adding on): And INTERFERING.

Arnav and RK step into the kitchen with their arms in the air.

Arnav: We are sorry. (Charming smile) We are very lucky to have such wonderful, caring ladies in our lives. Right RK?

RK (smiles): Absolutely Arnav. Our beautiful wives do not nag. They care about us and we appreciate it, right buddy?

Arnav: Quite right.

Madhu (in disgust): Spare us!

Khushi (equally disgusted): Like we are going to fall for such charming, bald faced lies.

RK and Arnav (outraged): They are not lies!

Madhu (rolls her eyes): Whatever.

Khushi (looks them over carefully): Well...I don't see any injuries.

Madhu (taunts): What? You men didn't handle your affairs?

Khushi: Ohh no Madhu...I think they have lost their balls.

Arnav (grimaces): Very funny ladies. (Sighs) It's no fun to punch someone willing to take it.

RK (cheerfully): You shouldn't have been worried. I would have gladly punched you back.

Arnav (thoughtfully): Hmm...then it's not too late now. I can still smash your face.

Khushi and Madhu (equally disgusted): Idiots!

The boys move closer to the table examing the pancakes and scrambled eggs, beckoning at them.

Madhu (inquires to RK): I thought you had an early morning shoot?

RK takes out his phone and quickly sends a message to Bittuji.

RK (puts away his phone and smiles): Not anymore. Shooting happens whenever Superstar RK wishes it. I had it moved.

Madhu (sarcastic): Of course...because the world revolves around Superstar RK.

RK (shrugs and looks around): Where's my little starlight?

Khushi: She ran upstairs to rummage through her closet.

Madhu (raises a brow): Right after she told us that you had agreed to arrange a DATE with her and her Ranbir Kapoor.

RK (grimaces): That was one of the conditions I have to fulfill before she fully forgives me. And it's a GROUP date. I told her we will all go on a picnic and I will invite her RK.

Arnav (pipes in): So technically not a date but she'll get to spend time with (grimaces) her blasted RK.

Khushi (warns): Better set the date soon. My baby is beside herself with excitement.

Madhu: Babyta is inventorying her closet as we speak. RK...I believe she said that you will also buy her whatever she wants, be it toys or clothes.

RK: That was another one of her conditions.

Khushi (laughs): Good luck! She may be only 4 years old, but she is an absolute diva.

Madhu (laughs): We should go shopping with them just to see how RK handles our little fashionista.

Arnav (grins): I'd join you ladies too on this fun.

Khushi (smiles evilly): Yes you should Arnav...so you can be well prepared when she drags you shopping on the next outing. It's part and parcel of daddy duty.

Arnav (defensively): I'll buy anything my baby girl wants!

RK (pipes in): Me too!

The girls shrug their shoulders and invite the boys to join them for breakfast. The boys sit down and heap up their plates with pancakes and scrambled eggs. Ravenous, they just concentrate on their food for a few minutes till their hunger is appeased.

RK (after a while asks Madhu): Where's sasuma and sasurji?

Madhu (grins): We finally convinced them to take a trip.

Khushi (giggles): A very belated honeymoon.

Madhu (giggles): Shh...maa has ears everywhere. She'll beat us both up if she hears us both label the trip as honeymoon.

Arnav (mutters): I wonder when we'll get to go on our honeymoon.

RK (murmurs): Hopefully a lot sooner than my in-laws.

The girls roll their eyes and decide to ignore their comments. Khushi is tempted to point out to Arnav that she has yet to decide whether she still wants to remain married to him. But she bites her tongue. That's a discussion they can have in private, should he make a fuss about the current state of their relationship.

Arnav (takes out his phone): Mami has been keeping an eye on the going ons in Shantivan.

Shows picture of Shyam meeting another person. The person he was meeting was shrouded in dark, so his features are not clearly visible.

Arnav: The **** is upto something again. I've hired a PI to keep watch on him and also asked Aman to monitor any withdrawal or transfer of large amounts of money.

Khushi (drily): I guess sitting back and enjoying your money just wasn't enough for him.

Arnav (smiles wryly): Ahh...you forget. Di...no longer has unlimited access to ARD funds. Ergo, neither does Shyam.

Madhu: That would cause the snake to strike.

RK keeps staring hard at the picture. Something is very familiar about the person Shyam is meeting but he just can't figure it out. He looks closer and notices a ring that he is sure that he has seen before. It's a unique piece of antique jewelry. RK jogs his brain yet he still can't seem to make any links to that ring to any person he knows.

Arnav (raises a brow at RK): Dude...you're staring holes at the picture. See anything interesting?

RK (pointing at it): Look at the man's ring. It looks very familiar but I just place where I have seen it before.

Madhu (looks at it): Thought it's a unique piece of jewelry, the unusual styling is concordance with the current fashion. So this is a fairly new purchase.

Khushi: Because it is a unique piece and most probably just recently bought, we can do some tracking on it.

Madhu (continues): Check out all the jewelry stores in the Delhi and Mumbai area and find out from they have records if they sold this ring recently.

Khushi: With luck if it was bought locally, the jeweler should have a record of the buyer's information. (Shrugs) I mean...even if it was bought with cash, we can always look at the security feed.

Madhu: And put a face to the snake's mysterious friend.

RK (leans forward to Madhu): Biwi...I could kiss you right now!

Madhu (gives RK a warning look): Behave RK.

Arnav (smiles at Khushi): My pagal but cute wife is indeed smart.

Khushi (pulls up her invisible collar): Smarter than you Laad Governor. Now are you going to give your men the instructions to look into the records?

Arnav (typing on his phone): I am sending Aman and the PI a text right this moment.

RK (takes out his phone and types): And I'll have Bittuji to look into all the jewelers here.

Madhu (smiles sweetly): Maybe even get your hacker friend involved again to help you out.

Khushi (smiles wryly): Ahh...yes that's how you retrieved copy of Tara's birth record. Silly me...how could I forget.

RK was about to speak but Arnav cuts him off.

Arnav: What the hell?!?

Khushi (concerned): What happened?

RK (leans forward in anticipation): You have some more info?

Madhu (snaps): Come on tell us! Don't keep us in suspense!

Arnav: The same day that the proceeds from selling Di's shares were transferred to her joint account, the whole account was wiped out in an hour. It was done 2 days ago. Dammit! Why did the bank allow the transfer of such a large amount out of the account to go through?

RK: You think Shyam took the money?

Arnav (grimly): Possibly. The account it was transferred to is an overseas, untraceable account. Dammit!

Khushi: How much was pulled out?

Arnav: Grand total of 250 crores.

Madhu (worried): If Shyam gets his hand on that amount of money, he can do a lot of damage.

Khushi (nods her head): He can hire goons again to go after you Arnav.

RK: There's only one thing to do then...increase security.

Arnav (slams his fist down on the table): Dammit!

Khushi (stares at Arnav's fist): I know you are worried about Anjali...she's still your sister. So just call her.

Arnav (shakes his head): No...Di...I mean Anjali and I cut all ties. (Changing subject) I agree RK...we need to increase security.

Khushi (groans): Great! More bodyguards to stifle our freedom.

Madhu (glares): I warning you guys...I am not going to tolerate one more of the muscled blues brothers following me around. Two is plenty. Thank you!

RK (calmly): We'll just hire a few more to keep a watch over the perimeter of this house. That's all. It won't affect your life. Promise. None of you will feel their presence.

Madhu (to RK): Good boy. (Stands up) Now I don't know about the rest of you...but I have a job to get to, clients to meet, contracts to negotiate...well you get the drift.

Khushi (standing up as well): And I also have to drop Tara off to school.

Both Arnav and RK stand up and follow the girls out of the kitchen.

RK (to Arnav): I guess they are kicking us out.

Arnav (sighs): Dude we are married to workaholic biwis. We better go and be productive before they label us lazy asses.

Khushi (speaks over her shoulders): This coming from the man whose most important relationship is with his laptop.

Arnav grins and both he and RK go to the main door to see their way out. Madhu turns around in the steps of the stairs and calls out to RK.

Madhu (loudly): RK...I forgot to tell you! I had express orders from my babyta to pass on her message to you. She wants you to go to her class 3 days from now. (Hands on her hips, imitating Tara) And you better be nice to her friends!

RK slumps his shoulders and nods his head in agreement. RK loves Tara but kids in general terrify him. Will he survive meeting dozens of little, adoring tykes?

As he and Arnav exit the Malik abode, rays of light shining brightly on their handsome visages. But soon dark clouds will swallow up the brightness of the sun.

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