#3 Arhi FF : Limerence [ Completed ] - Page 45

Limerence : Part 18

Arnav flipped through the sheaf of papers Aman had just brought in. Almost a day and a half had passed, cosseted in one of Sheesh Mahal's conference rooms and there was still so much to be done. "This looks ok to me, Aman. Get the financial team onto it. Also, I hope our special team is ready for the instant shift to Lucknow. We need them to take charge of RK Group immediately and restructure it as per our planning. I do not want to throw out any of their employees. They are innocent. Merely regroup them and see to it that their potential is not wasted. The main arm of RK Group... the fabrics department is what we would like to announce to the media. That is what will work directly with ARD and help us expand our key business. The rest of the divisions will function independently."

Aman took notes of the things he required to do. He was one of the few men, who had worked the longest with Arnav and understood his boss's moods better than anyone at ARD. Like right now, his boss was hungry, bordering onto edgy and irritable. It was past lunchtime, the fashion show was in a few hours, the meeting with the RK Group's board of directors, was less than twenty-four hours away... and even though things were in place, he could feel the edginess in Arnav.

He had a fair idea of Arnav's history with Rakesh Kapoor. After all, Manohar Mittal had silently made sure that Arnav was never left unprotected. Aman had been a loyal employee to this generous man and always reported if things were not going in Arnav's favor or the baggage of work got too hectic for the young man to handle all by himself. Manohar had made sure to wordlessly, without too much interference, sort out the issues and add in the manpower required for the jobs to run smoothly. Aman knew how much Manohar loved his nephew, and it was evident why. The horrible tragedy that the young child had to go through, could melt anyone's heart. Even now, as Aman stood looking at a strained Arnav, he wished he could do much more. However, it was not his place be. He hoped with all his heart that tomorrow's day, would bring peace to his favourite boss.

Arnav ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He was exhausted. Last two days had been hell. Just breathing in the city he hated the most, working towards one of his most important shows and also making sure to keep a tab on Khushi... had taken a toll on him. He felt agitated at the fact that he hardly got to spend any time with Khushi. She had been swamped with work and was always surrounded by her colleagues. He had been grateful for it too, considering that way her mind remained occupied in this overwhelming fashion world. He knew she was in safe hands, with Payal and NK by her side.

The memory of the dinner from last night, drifted through his mind. He smiled recollecting Khushi's smiling face, her luminous eyes and relaxed stance. The restaurant was flooded with ARD staff. Akash, Payal, NK, Khushi and him had been seated in a private corner, facing the gardens. He had been surprised to see Khushi at ease around his family. Gone was all her hesitation and anxiousness. Not once did she crib about being treated differently than the other employees. It had been soothing to see her chatter animatedly with NK and Payal, while he had gladly remained a mere spectator. He smiled recollecting the small conversation he had post dinner.

"You look very beautiful Khushi."

"Haww Arnavji, that is such a lie. I have been working relentlessly since morning. I haven't even washed my face or looked at myself in the mirror for the past twelve hours. I am dead tired and you say I look beautiful?"

"To me... you always look beautiful. Especially when you smile."

"Oh... and more so when you blush like this Khushi."

"Arnavji please..."

"I just wanted to know ki tum theek ho na? Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Oh yes... I am learning so much. It is so nice to meet so many new people. It is my first time seeing these dress-rehearsals for the fashion show... the choreographer, the makeup artists, the lightsmen, this beautiful stage... everything seems surreal. I am happy Arnavji."

"Then, that makes me happy too. I know I haven't been able to spend time with you Khushi... especially after I promised to not let you out of my sight in Lucknow. Payal and NK are like your bodyguards, hovering around you all the time. And looks like you don't miss me at all."

"Arnavji!!..."

His name sounded so sensual from her delicious mouth. He sighed and laid his head on the back of the chair. He needed to tell her so much... about him, about what he was here for, about how much Lucknow affected him. He needed to tell her what he felt for her. There was so much to talk and no time to even see the woman he had fallen in love with. It was frustrating and his hunger added fuel to this splintering fire. Quickly grabbing his suit he was just about to make his way towards the restaurant, when his phone buzzed with an incoming call. Glancing at the display, he frowned.

"What?" he barked into the phone, clearly not ready to have this conversation right now.

There was pin drop silence in the room for a few minutes as Arnav listened to the other person... taking in all the information and going over it in his head. Rubbing his face with his free hand he replied coolly, "Don't be fooled by Shyam Jha. He is a nasty piece of work. Whatever you have told me so far, it seems like he has not been upto anything menacing. And that is something I am not ready to believe. After seeing Khushi and me at the temple, I am sure he is plotting something against me... or god forbid, against Khushi! I want you to find out every detail, about all the people he has met in the last few weeks. Don't miss out on anything and if you cannot do it, let me know. I am not particularly patient with incompetence." Cutting the call abruptly, he stormed out of the room, needing to put something into his grumbling stomach, before he fired the entire world.

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Khushi walked around the grand venue languorously. After two crazy days of hard work from her end, her job was done. The dresses were ready to perfection and now the onus was onto the models to do their jobs. Payal had finally gotten a panic attack this morning and Khushi had to literally drag an even more panicked Akash to calm down his wife. She had left the two alone for a while, knowing well that it was only Akash who could bring the serenity and spunk back in Payal. For the first time in her life, she had witnessed how people in love actually behave. She had seen the close bond Payal and Akash shared and felt a pang of jealousy rise within herself. Would she be a fool to dream of such a colourful thread to bind her to someone... someone whose name was Arnav Singh Raizada?

The set looked exquisite, against the backdrop of the mesmerizing Sheesh Mahal. The stage was deserted. Everyone seemed to be crowding the green room at the back, to get ready for the spectacular show that had been chalked out for tonight. She could hear soft notes of the song that was meant to be playing during the main event. There were a few dances and interesting acts to lead on to the main fashion show. She had been aware of the itinerary, as NK had made sure to get her involved into every tiny aspect of this event.

The distance that she had created between her best friend at ARD and her, seemed to have dissipated into nothingness in these last two days. This trip had got her back to herself with NK, and she had definitely noticed the change in his behavior towards her. Even though he was extremely friendly, he maintained a respectable distance that made her feel comfortable and at ease around him. Had he noticed the growing intimacy between Arnav and her?

She jerked as the earthy tones of Karsh Kale, resonated into the auditorium. The beats were soft and sensuous, the indo-western instruments fighting to make their presence felt. This song had been replaying in her mind since the time she had heard it the first time yesterday. Yet, it was only during dinner that she knew who the artist was. Arnav had heard her humming the song, lost in her own world. He had pulled her closer and whispered the meaning and details of the song intimately into her ear. His breath fanning her face, put her mind into overdrive. The quickening of her heartbeats, the charge surrounding her, his hypnotic eyes... everything made her want to throw her arms around him and never let go. It was an alien emotion... yet something that was now closest to her heart.

Khushi walked in a trance towards the green room, where there was mayhem at its best. The designers were hovering over the models, the makeup artists and hairdressers, busy using their weapons. It looked like a circus and she could not stop the giggle that burst out of her mouth. "You find something funny?" an overtly sweet voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned around to look at Lavanya Kashyap in all her glory. Khushi fidgeted under her extreme scrutiny. The stunning woman had always intimidated her and her perceptions had drastically changed, after she had barged in on Arnav and Lavanya together. Despite Arnav's heartfelt explanations, she felt slightly... No!... mightily jealous of ARD's top model.

Khushi admired how Payal's design fit Lavanya's curvaceous body like a glove. She made the miniscule blouse look sleek and elegant. This is why she was one of the best and better suited to someone of Arnav's class. Pushing away those stormy thoughts out of her head, she looked up at Lavanya and smiled mumbling, "No... I was thinking about something else." Lavanya looked smug and said, "You are Khushi right? The flavor of the month at ARD! Seems like you have the Mittals and Raizadas wrapped around your tiny finger." Before Khushi could respond to such a snide remark, it was NK's cold voice that startled her.

"Well she has been the flavor for a long time in ARD, Lavanya. It is just that you haven't been aware of anything beyond Arnav till now," NK's menacing tone made Khushi visibly cringe. She looked at Lavanya's startled face and then back at a fuming NK. "I was only kidding NK. I have heard a lot about Khushi. So just wanted to know her better," Lavanya tired to laugh through her jealousy, utterly embarrassed at being put in a spot. NK ignored her completely and turned towards Khushi, his face softening seeing her. "You look stunning woman! The designs Payal and you have been working on... I see that they are absolutely beautiful. Has Payal seen you in this? Come, you need to meet her... she is kind of freaking out!!" Still unsure of the reason behind Lavanya's sudden rudeness, Khushi smiled awkwardly and followed NK. Had Arnav spoken to Lavanya about her?

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Arnav was strolling across the green room, making sure that everything was as per schedule. His presence made sure that everyone was alert and diligently at work. He would soon need to head outside to the grand hall, to greet the long list of guests and business partners. NK and Akash were already there to make up for his absence. He had been somewhat occupied regarding the meeting tomorrow and the reoccurrence of old memories added to his distraction. As he took in the models dressed in all their bridal finery, his eyes scanned the room to search that one face which had broken through all the barriers around his heart and somehow managed to seep into his soul.

His eyes landed on a vision in dull gold, a striking pink accentuating the richness of her outfit. She looked exquisite and her glorious laughter took his breath away. She seemed to be busy in an animated conversation with Payal, which gave him a few moments to just silently take in her beauty. She had left her hair open, which was a rare sight, with two dangling earrings making sure to compete with the sparkle in her eyes. His ravenous eyes took in her bare arms, the slender waist and the flare of her hips. Despite the tumult of his emotions at the moment, he felt thrilled to see Khushi so happy... deserving of her name.

As if on cue her hazel eyes clashed with his. He felt her gasp in surprise but did not tear away his eyes from her. It seemed to be an impossible feat today and he groaned mentally for all the audience that they had. Taking quick strides towards her, he smirked at her... her brazen ogling at him not going unawares. She flustered and blushed, lowering her gaze. "All set Payal?" he asked huskily, trying to act nonchalant. Payal laughed seeing these two adorable people, slowly and steadily falling in love. It was evident to the entire world... and she was excited to see when these two, would admit the obvious truth. "We are all ready ASR... but my question is... are you?" she teased. Arnav smirked at her and turned his gaze to a silently rattled Khushi, who seemed to be fidgeting with her dupatta. "I am ready Payal... as ready as I can be," he whispered, keeping his gaze fixed on her. She looked up as soon as those words were uttered, her eyes beseeching him to just tell her what he feels, instead of confusing her. Giving her one of his dazzling smiles, he walked towards the exit, making sure to get a grip of his rapidly thudding heart.

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Khushi could not stop grinning listening to the thundering applause. She clapped like a schoolgirl, excited to see her first ever fashion show... her work on display... her work appreciated and applauded. Tears of happiness sprung at the corners of her eyes, that she closed to savor this moment, enclosing it into her treasure bank of memories. As the stage was flooded with models and designers, all she could see was a family who had unanimously made her dream come true. NK, Arnav, Payal and Akash, took the center-stage, reveling in the appreciation for their hard work.

Her eyes flitted towards Lavanya, who stood close to Arnav. They made an exquisite pair... both stunning and extremely beautiful. Her heart constricted at the thought. Arnav's words from a few days ago reverberated in her mind... "Lavanya and me are just friends, Khushi... just friends... just friends!!" Was that how he felt about Lavanya? But then what about Lavanya herself? Was she in love with Arnav? She felt like a fool to question their relationship, even after he had clearly told her about their arrangement. Maybe she was overthinking and right now was definitely not the time to let her mood plummet with these thoughts. Straightening herself, she rushed to the backstage, excited to hug Payal and congratulate her for the success.

The after party was in full swing, as the guests were enjoying themselves with the vast array of refreshments, drinks and upbeat music. Khushi had been engrossed, celebrating with the entire design team, gushing relentlessly about how the crowd had absolutely loved their enormous show. She could not stop smiling and nor did she stop thinking about Arnav... her Arnavji. Where was he?

She had seen him talking to a few guests earlier. He seemed to be happy, yet somehow the smile on his face never reached his eyes. Despite his presence in this party, he seemed to be somewhere far away... lost in some abysmal world. She had seen the rigidness in his stance and the uptight smiles he had been gracing everyone. What was bothering him? It hadn't hidden from her curious eyes, how Akash and NK always tried to be around Arnav. There was definitely something nagging him and she would make sure to be there for him, whenever he was ready to share this baggage. With her mind made up, she moved towards the huge doors, which led to the poolside. That was where she had last seen him walking.

As she walked into the dimly-lit exteriors, the sight before her, took her breath away. The cool blue waters of the pool, rippled with the whispering breeze. The area was secluded and probably closed at this hour. She walked more towards the lapping water when she saw him. Her breath hitched as she took in his lean figure. With hands in his pockets, she could only see his stiff back. He looked up into the star-lit sky, gazing with an intensity that she could not fathom. This silent solitude was such a stark contrast to the chaotic celebration happening on the other side of these doors. Khushi felt as if she is trespassing into his personal space... a place that he had wanted to keep away from everyone else.

She was just about to withdraw her footsteps, when an unknown woman walked upto him and gave him a dazzling smile. Khushi stood rooted to her spot, her hands curling around her dress in anxiousness. She had never seen this woman and it seemed that Arnav had never met her either. The silence around, made it easier for Khushi to hear what the woman had to say. "Hi Arnav Singh Raizada, I am Sheetal Kapoor... the daughter of Lucknow's biggest industrialist, Rakesh Kapoor." Khushi saw him give her a stiff nod and shake her hand with some hesitation.

She felt a pang of jealousy seeing how beautiful this woman really was. She wore a short black dress, that hugged her at the right places. Her lustrous hair left open, danced in the wind and the huge diamonds in her ears, dazzled in the shimmering light reflected by the pool. "The show was fantastic Arnav and I must applaud you for the way you have build ARD. I have always been interested in fashion and it is one of the reasons I made sure to attend this show. If you are going to be around for a couple of days, why don't we meet up over dinner? Maybe we can discuss a future together... I mean a business alliance," she flirted moving closer to Arnav.

Before she could stop herself, a loud gasp left Khushi's mouth, seeing the brazenness of this woman. She had never witnessed such kind of unashamed flirting... especially coming from a woman. This tiny gasp was enough to draw Arnav's attention, as his tormented brown eyes clashed with her hazel ones. Looking right at her he said gruffly, "I don't think I am interested in any such alliance Miss Sheetal. I don't think I am interested in anything that you have to offer." The bite in his tone pricked Sheetal as her ego took a badgering. She fumed in anger and whirled around, stomping out of the poolside.

It was now, only the blue waters, the starry skies and two souls who had drifted all their lives to come to this point, that would mark the beginning of their destiny. Arnav took slow steps towards Khushi, his eyes never leaving hers. She stood as if in a trance, captivated by the sorrow she saw in those brown pools of warmth. Why did he look so sad? Why was he so rude to the woman who had just left? Why was he standing here alone, leaving a party that was meant for him? What was tormenting her Arnavji? As a response to all the questions swirling in her head, she was pulled into a bone crushing hug, as Arnav breathed into her hair, taking the strength that only she could give him. As the stars twinkled above, Arnav and Khushi stood silently in the glimmering light, radiating an emotion... called love.

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Part 19