Arshi FF: Castle Of Glass l Ch 19 Pg 46 Note Pg 51 - Page 6

Chapter Nine

Twirling she came and fell on his chest. Encased in his arms she breathed heavily. She had danced like a flower petal caught in wind uncaring, floating and flying. She had looked like a dancing flame, able to set fire where it turned yet beckoned the spectators to come closer under a hypnotic spell. Her aura had felt like soaring waves in the ocean under the moonlit starry night hauntingly beautiful and dangerously captivating. And Arnav had been the ultimate partner for her. He had supported her pliant body and had matched her steps like they had practised them before to perfection. They had danced like an enchanting dream.

It was only when the music had stopped and the crowd had burst in applause that they had come back to earth and had taken a bow before dispersing in the different direction.

Arnav's heart was racing. Dancing with Khushi had left him breathless. Feel of her in his arms was still giving him shiver. He was not quite sure why she made such effect on him and the dilemma made him take the route of the bar counter.

**

If ever in her life Khushi's face had heated not because she was angry then tonight was the exception. Aby's wide smirk, Akash and Nik's dropped jaws and Lavanya's mischievous smile somehow got to her and made her want to run. And for the first time she like any other girl walked out of this embarrassing situation towards the ladies room.

**

Arnav could never forget the scent of her which stuck to his senses since that evening and always stayed with him even when she wasn't with him.

That morning when he bumped into the stranger he could smell the same intoxicating smell that he could only connect with her. The song reminded him of those moments and the moments took him back to the strange moment when an unknown stranger crossed his path carrying her scent and left him unsettled for hours. He thought he had forgotten that incident but seem like he didn't. Rather, this time, he could remember a few more things which his subconscious mind had noted but his fogged up brain didn't acknowledge in that time.

It wasn't a man. Even though the layers of clothing had hidden the person's body it didn't hide the hands. They were too slender to be of any man's. And now when he tried to remember carefully he thought even with the layers the body was curvy enough for not be mistaken for a man's. For a fraction of a moment, he had seen that person's lower part of the face peeking from the oversized hood and he could vaguely remember a deep cut along the jaw line. But whoever she was she vanished too fast. And that bothered him.

His heart was indicating him to something which seemed impossible but his mind was in a dilemma. He wanted to believe that she was very much alive and around somewhere, but wouldn't that be too much to hope for. Moreover, if she had really come back from dead then why she would be hiding from him when she knew he was pining for her so much.

He pulled his hair with both hands feeling distressed . When his miseries will end? When will this pain go? When will he wake up to live a day rather waiting for it to finish?

He started the car with much force and drove away.

**

Khushi Aleen Grover kept staring at her reflection in the small excuse of a mirror in her dingy room. To her, her face looked ugly with all those marks though they were fading. But the one which will never fade irked her.

She wasn't breathtakingly beautiful but still Arnav looked at her like she was and she could never forget the way he looked smitten that evening...

Khushi unlocked the door only to see Arnav standing leaning on the wall opposite to the entrance of the ladies room. He looked relaxed standing there. One of his legs was bent behind from the knee so that his foot rested on the wall and his arms were folded on his chest. But his eyes looked intensely in her eyes. She slowly walked to him seeming calm and composed as ever.

As she stood before him Arnav started conversationally, "Before you, I have seen many women and have been with few. Some were good and the rest too good." He searched in her eyes and face to see any emotion and feeling satisfied seeing the mild curiosity he continued, "And I did have a good time with them. And that's that. Once over I never turned back. There was never a woman who made me want to turn. Made me want to seek for her attention. Made me want to keep her for myself like a caveman." He left the wall and unfolding his hand he slipped his right hand around her waist and held her lightly there. With the back of his left hand, he caressed her face like someone touches a flower and asked lost in his own words "But you make me and I wonder why?"

"Because they were not me. Because you didn't meet me until now" words left Khushi before she could think.

They inched closer under some kind of spell and their lips met. It started slow and continued in leisure. They savoured the taste of the other. Arnav's left hand crept up on the back of her head. His fingers crawled in her hair and massaged her scalp making her hold his shoulder and clawing them with her nails. Slowly and sensually she dragged her fingers up and cupped his face. Arnav trembled with her touch on his sensitive face while goosebumps erupted on her bare skin and both felt a good kind of lightness in their body.

They came apart for air but didn't let their hold go on the other. Their foreheads and noses touching.

Other than their heavy breathing they could hear nothing.

After few moments, Arnav leant back on the wall again, this time, taking Khushi's weight along. He stared deep into her eyes unblinkingly.

"I think I am falling for you." it was a statement full of self-doubt but the reaction from Khushi was instant and loud "Don't."

Taken aback Arnav looked quizzically at her face for such vehement reaction and saw a strange kind of expression in her eyes.

Khushi realising her mistake quickly composed herself and forced a smile on her face before she managed "Don't say one kiss made you fall for me or is it your catchline with women that make them putty in your hands" She wriggled her eyebrows once to make light of the conversation.

Arnav smirked before he said "I don't need to use any line to make ladies fall for me. They simply do because Arnav Singh Raizada' ka bas naam hi kafi hai."

Khushi left eyebrow rose high, "over confident are we?"

"Nope. Just fact" Arnav stated simply. None of them realised that they still stood before the powder room in each other's embrace quite intimately and anyone could walk in. Such lost were they in their little talk.

"Maybe, but you cannot fall for a girl after sharing just one kiss. You may have had to work a little extra to get my attention and it made you feel that you feel something more for me other than attraction." Aby's word and her thought jumbled up and came out to convince Arnav and possibly herself as well.

Arnav smiled and echoed her word "Maybe" and then he turned a little serious "or it's because there is something different about you that makes me want to know you more. As if I unwrap, the enigma that you are, layer by layer, yet I would find another layer hidden beneath."

He might have said it for the sake of it but it made her shudder anyway. The words were no less than the truth and forced her to take a step back.

She was no stranger to men and their ways. She had met many guys in her line. Some, to work with. Some, to work on. Some were interesting enough for her to spend a little quality time with them and fulfil the need of the body. But none of those guys talked like him. Well, even she hardly spoke to them more than necessary. And they didn't make an effort to make it any different.

Arnav was different no doubt. But what worried her, was her out of nature behaviour towards him. Like she became someone else with him someone more ladylike, normal and better as a person. But she couldn't afford to do this. So she took the first step away and said firmly "the dance and then the kiss may have got to you. And I smell alcohol too. So why don't you go and have a good night sleep before you decide what you really feel." She smiled a little mockingly with little effort and turned to go back to the party.

But a hold on her right wrist didn't let her. Following his hand, her eyes met Arnav's unusually dark eyes. His face was set in hard lines, the previous light smile not in sight anymore.

"A dance, a kiss and definitely not a little alcohol can take Aranv Singh Raizada's senses away to such extent that he would misjudge his feeling. And I think you know that too. So stop giving yourself petty excuses to feed your righteous values and spare me too. If you want to play harder then I am all game but that will be futile for you only. Because I already see your defeat in your eyes as they don't show what you say rather what you are hiding." And with that, he sauntered away from there leaving Khushi stunned for a change.

Would he ever look at her the same way if they met again? Most probably no. In all probability, he might find her ugly. Suddenly her vision blurred.

She was never a girl who could be blamed as someone emotional but one Arnav Singh Raizada changed her and when some years back she thought it to be for good now it felt all wrong.

In past, someone's opinion on her didn't matter to her but now what Arnav Singh Raizada thought meant everything. If and when destiny would allow them to meet if he accepted her with all her past and present then she would simply let him lead their life the way he wanted. And if he didn't then this was her last task and once she succeeded she would make sure she by all mean disappear from the face of the earth like she never existed.

**

Pushing the door of her small apartment she walked in. She threw the clutch to her left; her pumps followed one in each direction. Then went flying her keys and knocked a bottle standing innocently on a side table. She cared less. Her frustration reaching new heights. How did she lose her composure? How could she? How did she let Aby get to her? She couldn't be so careless.

Dropping on the single comfy couch in her otherwise barren living room she leant back closing her eyes.

After a while, she looked outwardly calm but her fisting fingers said that a war was waging inside her.

There was knock, on her door. She frowned though her eyes remained closed. Who could be at this time?

Instinctively her hand reached for the revolver hidden beneath the cushion and that's when she heard "It's me"

She sighed. How could she forget the bane of her existence? The watchdog of their boss, who followed and controlled their every step as per his order.

Not bothering to get up to welcome she just let out an exasperated 'come in'.

There was only one light lit the room, the table lamp near her couch so she only saw his silhouette until he came close enough. The light fell on the middle of his body before he sat on the only other tool available. The light of the lamp finally illuminated the hard lines of Shyam Manohar Jha's face,who looked nothing like the loving husband of Anjali Raizada Jha at this moment but a very calculative man, a force to reckon with.

Khushi straightened in her seat. Their eyes met one pair speculative and other daring to ask anything unwarranted, out of the line.

"I have no business asking about your affairs that you do to entertain yourself but if that affects the mission in any way then I have all the right to question you," Shaym's conversational tone changed to a hard one as he hissed the next words, "what the hell do you think you are doing with Arnav?"

Khushi eyes flashed with an unreadable expression before she smirked mockingly and said casually, "Does it hurt because he is the dear nannav of your sweet Anju?"

"Don't go there Aleen" Shaym warned.

"Then don't poke your nose into something which is not your business. If you want to talk about the mission, which I believe is going smooth enough then speak whatever you want otherwise you know the way so see yourself out." Khushi spoke without an ounce of care that she was downright rude to one of their supreme.

"You do realise that your this behaviour can cause you some serious trouble," Shyam said harshly.

"Not more than you are already in" She was an equal opponent and the other side had to acknowledge the fact.

She was shrewd and daring that was why she was the only girl who worked directly with the team.

Shyam gritted his teeth knowing that she was right. This assignment had already taken his sleep away. If things go out of their hand then his whole life would blow up in flame and he wouldn't be able to do a thing. He had too much to lose. Anjali, their kids and his brothers. God, could it have been any more complicated?

Knowing that it would be no use to talk to this strong headed stubborn girl before him, he chose to remind her "I hope, you do remember that you have signed the bond and it clearly states that if you chose to do anything which may harm our work would have consequences. Don't you?"

"Which will be over by the end of this year." Khushi reminded him back with a smirk on her face.

In frustration, Shyam banged the lamp that was the only source of light in the room crashing it on the ground plunging the room in darkness.

He left his seat to walk out but turned one last time.

Khushi was still seated on the couch the crash couldn't even make her flinch a little. Though there was no light in the room but the light of street lamps faintly lit the room and surrounded them like an aura of dark mystery.

"Try not to get attracted to him it will only make things more complicated than they are already." With that, Shyam walked out of the apartment.

As the door clicked shut an ominous whisper bounced in the walls of the apartment "The battle is already lost SJ now it is time to see who wins the war and what twisted outcome it lands us all in."

**

Arnav staggered in the house tired beyond imagination and Shaym for the uncountable time wondered did he do right by them. And his conscience answered soon enough with a loud and clear No.

He wanted to go and talk to Arnav say something that would help him feel better but could he?

His guilt would never allow him and so his Sale Sahab. He had become so distant from all even from his Di. As if he didn't want to allow anyone in his personal space where he had created a sanctuary in himself to be with Aleen (Khushi).

Anjali had gotten her lesson seeing her brother's condition. Only just a bit too late.

He still remembered her reaction on that day...

Nobody noticed the reaction of Anjali, who was also present at the party and had been looking at the pair with a speculative gleam in her sharp eyes.

Shyam, who had been little shocked, didn't miss notice the look in his wife's eyes all the while Arnav danced with his PA intimately.

"What's the matter Anju?"

Anjali came out of her thought hearing her husband's question. "Nothing. Just thinking that Arnav looked quite close to his PA." Said Anjali meaningfully sipping the juice in her hand.

Hearing her Shyam chuckled, in an attempt to lighten the situation and said exactly what many other thought in the party, "What is new in that Anju? Sale Sahab is always close to some or the other lady. This time, it looks like his new temp PA has caught his eyes. So don't get your BP high thinking about it." and saying so left to get a drink.

Though Anjali wanted to believe her husband but the astute woman in her told her it's not the same' and she didn't like it. Period.

She thought Aleen's exit from Arnav's life would be good for him but she couldn't be more wrong.

She lived by her own set of belief and who didn't fit in her definition of worthy, she thought them unfit to keep any connection with Raizadas. '

She had thought, she had the right to decided for her family especially for her brothers. Since, from a very young age, she had been taking decisions for them. Be it their schooling, college or other matters. So she had taken the privilege of deciding for Arnav's future as well.

While she was brave to take decisions for the company and her brother's well-being at such young age she had been silly to think she could do that now as well.

She had forgotten the small detail that her brother was no longer an 11 years old and very much capable of thinking his own good. Every decision has its consequences and this one had the worst of all. Her righteous nature had almost taken her brother away from her. However, he couldn't blame her because he was equally wrong.

And among all these worries there was a new one had included.

Since Alee had come back to her old self she had become like a box of mystery. She knew something that no one privy of but she was no longer a loyalist to this team. His one decision had taken care of that. And recently he had realised that she was no longer bound by the contract to answer the team. Furthermore, she had the support of other members of their team. So even if she was still working with them if she chose not to or worst if she walked away at this crucial point then they would lose too much and he was sure that there would be a hell to pay for him in that case.

Feeling agitated he turned with an unwarranted force and bumped into La.

**

"SJ" The mocking voice of La made him flinch. He was called as SJ in his secret life and no one called him that outside. But now days, Lavanya had made a habit of calling him this whenever they walked into each other.

"Enjoying the fruits of your deeds?" She smiled sarcastically.

Shyam frowned.

"Cannot understand.?" Lavanya had all the time to make him. "You took her away. Even though you had a fair idea that what it could do to me and Arnav. You kept her away when we all mourned her loss and wasted away our lives living it half-heartedly. You stopped her when she thought to end our miseries. You let all of us suffer but lived yours fully with your hot-headed wife. Tell me SJ, how is it fair?" Lavanya face was too close as she demanded answer looking him in the eyes.

Shaym was shocked was an understatement.

Lavanya knew. That meant she knew about Aleen being alive and she had met her already. He knew it was supposed to happen but so soon he didn't think. So that was why Aby was here. Just what he had feared.

He could now very well see his painstakingly built world crumbling before his eyes because she wouldn't stop this time until she settled all her scores. And in the process, his secret life and his hand in her disappearance or false death report was sure to come out. And he was sure that wouldn't be taken lightly by anyone in the family, especially Arnav.

Well, somewhere he knew he deserved this for his deeds but just one thing he needed to tell Lavanya even though it wouldn't make any difference in her opinion about him.

"I know in the name of following duty I have taken certain decisions for my own selfish reasons and I am deeply ashamed for them. I want to work hard to rectify them as much as I can. But Lavanya I am not as happily living my life as you think. I am too facing the consequences of that one decision and you can guess how."

Lavanya heard the guilt and brokenness in his voice but she didn't find it in her to feel anything for the man before her. Rather she said in an emotionless voice, "Good. You deserve more. But I will hold on to you rectifying part and hope this time you don't backtrack because if you do then I won't care that you are Anjali di's so-called suhag and father of two" The threat was very much clear and seeing Shyam's stunned face it was obvious that he knew it as not fake.

She walked away as fast as her feet could take her away from the man who jeopardised their life two years back and ruined two lives just to secure his arse.

***

A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading the chapter though I don't feel much satisfied with this one. will wait for your comments.

I have received six mail ids and they are getting mail as I update. If anyone else want mail please drop their id in comment or scrap me.

Mou