ArHi SS #2:The Deadly Husband(New thread link: page 148..chap 36 up - Page 18

Part 21

As they sat down for dinner that night, Khushi noticed Arnav's tensed look. He was playing with his food. "Something wrong?" Arnav looked up to see Khushi's concerned face and gave a soft smile. "Ah...No...Nothing..." "I...I was just pre-occupied due to a meeting that will take place tomorrow". She nodded at his reply and went back to her food. But she knew, something is there. She was so getting used to a carefree Arnav and his intense looks that founding him this serious was making her worried. Arnav on the other hand had already made numerous calls to different people, saying one same sentence. 'Find out what Akshay Gupta is upto...? Is he here for Business Meeting or its a personal visit.' All assured him that they will get back to him asap, but Arnav knew, this stabbed snake is definitely upto leave his venom somewhere. "Anjali called me in the evening...She told how fabulous her show went..." Khushi decided to start up. Topic to distract him. The serious look was not-at-all suiting him now. Arnav smiled at the mention of Anjali. "She always had this straight ahead mind...Always knew what she wanted to do...Though I was a bit apprehensive when her first collection walked on the ramp...But she was confident even then...Not to mention, she got highly praised.." Arnav fondly remembered the day he went to give her the moral support, she needed. She was just 23 and a few months old, freshly passed out Masters but she made her way in the industry with her good behavior and Raizada Unmatched charms. "She is a charmer..." Khushi voiced out his thoughts, making his smile broad and proud. "That she is..." He agreed in a proud brotherly voice.

"Tell me...What you are planning to do...Is there something specific, you want to take forward your career in?" Arnav gave his full attention to her, making her know that he will be supportive to whatever she wants. After dinner, they were now sitting in the front garden, enjoying the hot coffee in cool nights of arriving winters. "Hmm...Right now, I just have these exams in my mind that will start from next week...But after that, I am planning to join a Dance Institute here. Painting will be my minor profession which I will like to perceive from home and that's it...Art is my life" Her twinkling eyes made Arnav feel relaxed. He was happy to know that she was confiding in him with her plans. Giving a soft smile in reply, Arnav covered her small hand with his in a friendly gesture. "And I know you will do great in whatever field you wish to pursue your career ...And we will always be supportive of you.." He gave a light squeeze to her hand before pulling his hand away. "I wish you achieve all your dreams Khushi...I want you to feel independent...and it will be starting with...One minute" He stopped and get up to bring that blue file, Rahul gave him today before he handed it over to her. Khushi looked at him confusingly as she put her cup down on soft grass and opened it to see the context. "Your financial in-dependency. I am sorry it took a bit time but the process went on a bit slow..." He apologized and took out the cheque book and 2 cards along with it. "Here, it's your new Account cheque book...Your Debit and Credit Card...And their pin codes are mentioned in these papers..." He passed on a sealed envelope that was having the bank stamp. "The share of your profit from your company will monthly get transferred into it...You so don't need to depend on anyone or suppress your desires or wishes for anyone now" He told her taking a breath of relief. Finally, a huge burden was taken off from his chest. He will be in peace now. "But Arnav...It's you who are going to take care of it then why should I get the whole benefit?" Khushi argued, only to see Arnav shaking his head. "No...I will take care of the business but on papers, it will always be you who is going to be the owner and I so don't want it another way. I am already having good amount of earnings from my work...You deserve each penny of the hard effort your mother and your Nana put into this business". He said with a tone of finality.

Khushi gave a look to the file and to him before she got up, standing across him and put her hands around his waist. His breathing stopped as he felt his muse of fascination standing in close proximity of his being. Her head rested on his chest and her hold tightened but that grip, seemed to be getting tighter on his heart which was getting too hyper with the sudden turn of events. "T...Thank you Arnav...Thank you for being here for me now...I ...I missed my friend always." She choked on her words. "I...I wish you would have find me earlier...I wish you would have been their when mom died...I was so alone." On having someone's constant care now, Khushi was feeling overwhelmed. Arnav's hand itched to go around her waist, to grip her tight, to keep her still at the place as she was standing now. Make her know that with his support, she also has him and his love. But for now, he had to avoid it. She was looking for her friend right now and he will give her exactly what she desires. So instead of making his hands way around her petite waist, he settled them over her shoulders, letting the moment sink into her system and his own. "I wish I had Khushi...I so wish..." He repeated her words, meaning them. He felt her slight shivering shoulders. "Let's go in...You are cold..." He pulled back from her half half-heartedly and bent down to get their cups from the ground. "Why haven't you started wearing sweaters? You do know how quickly you catch the cold..." And scolding her lightly, Arnav made her get inside the house.

Two days passed with Arnav keeping Khushi under his constant supervision. He didn't let her go away from the reach of his eyes, keeping her busy with one thing or another. He could not take risks with her till the time That Gupta was here in the town. She was asked to come to office by him and when she asked why? Arnav had his answer ready. "For the papers of your office...A new project is coming up for which we have to file quotation...so we have to prepare the authorization papers on urgent basis...There will be a series of signs that you have to do and getting back home from office and vice versa, won't help us much..." And Khushi couldn't argue being unknown to all legal procedures of a business. She would take her studies book along with herself...In breaks, she would read a light-hearten romance novel on Wattpad. Every intimate scene would make her feel blushed. Every arrogant, well built, passionate and possessive hero somewhere would make her remember Arnav and she couldn't help thinking, "Is he the one who was always destined to be her's? Was their fate interlinked from all those years?" She wondered. 11 years kept them apart. Anything could have happened? He could have found any beautiful girl and may be, would have married her. She could have been married to Abhinav right after a month of their engagement. Actually, it would have been decided if only Abhinav's mother would not have fell from stairs and had a bone dislocated. Doctor's strictly advised her to have bed rest for minimum 2 months. "Was that an indication from God that he was not my soul mate? Arnav was all through my actual destiny and destination?" Khushi thought deeply. His constant care and attention in the last few days has done its magic over her small torn heart.

Later the 2nd day, she was sitting in the living room, trying to learn about historic art when the door was flanged open by an exciting Anjali, screaming..."I am home". Surprised, Khushi got up with a broad smile and went to greet her friend in a warm happy hug. "Oh...I so missed you Khushi" She said hugging her back, making the carry on fell down on the floor. "Missed you too Anjali..." Khushi said before hugging her once again. Anjali in her excitement get in to greet her brother while Khushi smiled at her back before bending down to get the carry and pulling it in.

Anjali was freshened up and both friends shared a happy meal along with Arnav. The life of the house seemed to be back. And making it cherry on the top, the glee, easiness and comfort between Arnav and Khushi assured Anjali that things were progressing in a good way. She wondered why none from them had thought of it before. Leaving them alone with just each other. The two months whole effort to bring them closer seemed waste by seeing the progress she was witnessing now. But then, she was well aware of the fact that everything looks and works well at its own time.

Arnav opened his blanket as he was feeling cold and get in it along with a file, he wanted to review. He had another novel placed on a side table that he wanted to read next but his beloved sister had some other plans. After having dinner, she faked yawned and changing into her night suit, she barged into Arnav's room from the attached glass door built in between their rooms. Hoping against hope, she looked at the glass door shared by Khushi and Arnav's room only to see the blinds on the other side were still down. "Did she ever pull that up?" Anjali questioned with a hopeless look only to see Arnav looking up at her with a assuring smile. "She needs time...Let's give that to her..." Anjali would have questioned 'How much more time?' if she just had been Arnav's sister but she was Khushi's best friend too and knew what it is taking her to believe all of them. "Yeah...You are right..." "In between...Update me on things now...And I want details..." She jumped onto his bed and sat on the foot rest side. Arnav put the file away knowing that Anjali won't let him work anymore and sighing, gave a sweet smile to his sister. "What you want to know?" He teased her even though perfectly knowing what she wants. "Bhai...now don't start with you teasing tactic ok...I want each and every detail...What happened in our absence?" She adamantly inquired. Arnav leaned forward with an excited face as if telling her the biggest secret of his life. "Actually...We..." He stopped short with each word, making her smile bigger with an expectation of something huge. "Went to office together and had many lunches and dinners without you Haddi-s" Arnav said all of it quickly that left Anjali was left open mouthed. "Bhai..." She screeched as soon as she realized what Arnav did while Arnav started to laugh at her dumbfounded face. "We are haddi haan..." She got up from her place and took away the pillow from behind his back before starting to hit him. He laughed at her sister's antics while getting beat up.

Khushi was getting fed up with her studies. She had got them all and right now, her tummy was craving for some ice cream. She had seen some of it in the fridge yesterday when she was baking few cupcakes in the kitchen. Cookies and Cream. Her favourite. She could feel her mouth turned watery and her hands itching to get that cold bowl of yummy ice cream. Getting up, she put her books away and marched out of her room. "Let me ask Anjali and Arnav too...What's the fun in eating ice cream alone?" She thought with a happy smile, while remembering their childhood when they used to have such cosy moments of eating ice cream from the school's canteen. She remembers how sometimes when she would have less money, Arnav would fake stomach ache and made her eat from his money. A smile lingered at her lips while she tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. He was caring of her then too. But before she could take 5 steps, she was stopped to hear the giggles of the bro-sis duo.

"Anjali...Stop that...Oh my" Arnav was laughing and pleading at the same time. "Ever call me a haddi bhai..." Anjali warned before a last hit and then settled down beside Arnav who pulled her in a side hug. "Ah! I love you" Arnav said kissing her in hairs. "I love you too bhai...And I am so happy that you both are progressing in the relationship..." Arnav took a deep breath. "I think so...you know she almost got me bankrupt" There was laughter in her tone that made Anjali feel extremely happy. "Haha...How?" and Arnav explained the events from the Ball night as briefly as he could. "And you put that cheque in the box?" Anjali's eyes were wide open. "Well, it was the first time she showed her rights on anything that related to me...How could I not do it?" Arnav answered like a hopeless lover. "Oh you both were looking such a stunning pair of beings...Ishita Bhabhi sent me a pic from the event". "Did we?" a lopsided smile itched on his face and in reply he saw Anjali nodding her head briskly. Arnav gave a dreamy sigh, praying that they will be a couple soon before he turned all serious. "She told me that she wish I would have found her earlier" A helpless escaped his mouth. Anjali looked up on his brother face. "Bhai...I know, if it would have been in your hands, you would have never let her and Smriti aunty go right at the first place..." Arnav got up from the bed and pursed his lips. He for the first time wanted to voice his fears from all those years and explain his actions to someone, he knew would understand. "You know Anjali, you believe me don't you that I didn't want to marry her this way...I wanted to woo her...made her belief on my love for her...All those years, you and Aryan have warned me that I should prepare myself for a heart break...that may be she would have been married by now with a kid or two hanging in her arms..." A sarcastic chuckle escaped from his mouth as he imagines Khushi with the image. One baby up in her hands and other attached to her waist. "But you had a belief bhai...That she will be yours...That if your love is true, she would end up with you" Anjali encouraged his torn looking brother. Arnav turned around and nod. "Anjali...Will you believe that I would never have forced Khushi with this marriage if I hadn't known about Akshay Gupta's plan and Abhinav's reality...Will you?" And all Anjali could say in reply was. "I believe you bhai...I believe cause hurting her is the last thing you can even think off..."

Khushi was surprised, is the understatement. She was stunned. But still, holding herself she went to her room and sat down on the bed with a deep thoughtful look. Ears' dropping was not her trade but for the first time, she didn't regret it. This discussion that she overhears has provided her bags of information and each one has made her heart jumpy. She was tongue tied. Caressing her scalp, she ran her fingers in her hairs as she re-run the words in her mind. 'He loves me...He...All those years, he was trying to find me just to...Ahh' She covered her lips in wonder. A beat was skipped from her heart. Goosebumps appeared on her skin just with a mere mention. 'He...he... didn't want to force me in anything...He...He just want to keep me close to himself' The way he was talking to Anjali, it was completely evident that how much he was mad about her. All his actions from last days proved how much he was protective and possessive of her. "It wasn't due to the friendship but the love that he felt for me". She answered her own unasked question. He has already started to make a place in her heart from last few days. A warm feeling seeped in her body and a slow smile rose on her lips as she remembered his possessive touches and actions but soon, a frown took place on her forehead. "What is it about Abhinav that they were talking about?" She wondered. Was there something that she wasn't aware? She had known him from two years and has been engaged for few months. Was there something she missed to notice? Biting her nails under her teeth she thought.

Whole night she passed with twists and turns and that cause her to wake up a bit late than usual. But thankfully, she met Arnav out in the porch before he was about to leave for office. "Arnav..." "Arnav.." She called him from the back who was busy on a call. "Yeah...I will be there on time..." He heard her and rashly ending the call, he turned to look at her. She was looking beautiful while being breathless. Her open hairs were flying. Her breath rate was fast and her cheeks were red due to it. She was an epitome of beauty in each state. Sighing inside, he straightened up his posture and asked in his usual voice. "Yes Khushi...".. Khushi played with her fingers below as she once again rehearsed her words in her mind. "Wo actually Arnav...I want to tell you that...I need to go back to Dehradun tomorrow as my finals are starting 3 days later." Hearing of Dehradun made him stern. His eyes turned hard. But he knew that her exams are important for her future. Khushi observed his expressions and knew its reason too. He made up his mind and cleared his throat. "Ok...But I will go with you". He stated. It wasn't something Khushi had not expected but somewhere, the way he said it, made her giddy. "But Arnav...It's not needed...I mean its just for my exams...I will be back right after that". She lamely tried to argue but Arnav was adamant. "Khushi...Either I am going with you or all of us...You plan what you want" He gave his decision and giving her a departure note, he left. On the way, Arnav re winded their convo and re-consider his decision. "I think...I did right...I can't let her go to Dehradun, near that Gupta alone...But first..I need to know why he is here" Arnav thought and taking out his mobile made a call. "Mr. Sahani...I hope you have the information..."

Next: Akshay's 1st revenge tactic. 2nd Hug and Arnav-Khushi in Dehradun. May be First close moment too.

(Don't worry Dehradun main exams part kam hoga and close part zyada...hehe)

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Muwah