(T1) Unknown Events - Arshi FF [Completed] - Page 58

Originally posted by: -FriedriceJi-

Mate ji,

I made this for you. Do use if you like it. I am not a great graphicer lol.😆

Hi! I update everyday (except for the weekends) so I will not be sending any PMs 😃

Chapter 21

Sorry for the late reply, I was clearing up some mess.. and watering the two flowers you'd given me. They're beautiful... Like tonight was.'

Her next message filled his heart with peace. He lay back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. After a long time, he slept. With a smile on his face.

Five days later, Khushi cleared her throat. She looked up nervously. Feeling anxious, she fidgeted, her hands churning her poor dupatta so many times that it got wrinkled. Then, she pressed down hard to smoothen it, before starting to twist it again. She gulped.

"I.. want to tell you something. Please don't get too upset. Or angry. I.. I want to actually clear something. I am not who you think I am. I mean, I am me, but me isn't me coz for you, me is someone else. Do you understand?" She hit her forehead.

"Of course you don't. I'm not making any sense, am I? Let me start over."

She took a deep breath. "I can't .. I don't think it's right to keep this from you anymore. I feel like we've grown so close.. So here we go. I guess what I'm really trying to say is, I am.. not exactly Khush.. Khushboo. I am not Khushboo. I am Khushi. I am Khushi" She repeated.

"What.. What are you saying? I know that you are Khushi" Anita asked Khushi who was currently standing in front of the mirror in the ladies room, talking to herself.

"Nothing. I was just.. Talking to myself" she smiled nervously at Anita.

Anita looked at her, puzzled. "You were talking to yourself.." Anita started.

"Yes well.. I was just.. Haha" Khushi looked on, embarrassed at having been caught talking to herself.

Anita smiled at her, shaking her head and went into the cubicle. Khushi dried her hands with the tissue and left the toilet. All the way back to her desk, she kept on preparing the speech mentally.

She wanted to tell Arnavji the truth, clear the confusion before he got to know it from someone else. It didn't feel right keeping this from him for so long, especially after how close they'd gotten.

She sat down at her desk, smoothing her red anarkali. It had been a few days since he's dropped her home and kissed her.. On the corner of her mouth.

She smiled at the memory, feeling her cheeks warm again.

Over the next few days, they were meeting with the top five exhibiting companies to give them a brief summary of what they can expect at the event, in terms of sales, visitor ship and also to discuss their hosted buyers.

Out of the five, they'd already met with two. Now, apart from AR Group, two other other companies remained for them to visit. Today, they were going over to the AR office to talk to them.

Today was also the day Khushi had decided to tell Arnavji everything.. From the beginning. She could only hope and pray that he didn't get too angry, that he didn't think she was immoral for having lied to his face just to set a meeting with him. She hoped he didn't get her wrong.

She swallowed.

Surely the dynamics of their relationship wouldn't change that much.. Would it?

"Khushi, ready? We will be leaving soon" Rakesh asked with a smile on his face. Khushi was like a daughter to him. He had noticed how she was spending more time with ASR.

Hmm, will have to do something about that, he thought to himself.

"Ji," Khushi replied. "I'm ready" she told herself.

The drive to AR Group wasn't long enough for Khushi, as she was still busy formulating the perfect speech for disclosing the truth to the man who had become, in a short amount of time, important to her.

Granted, it had been four months since they'd gotten to know each other, but he had very quickly made a place for himself in her heart. It was frightening, something she'd never felt before. But at the same time, she was exhilarated. This rush of emotions were making her feel.. Alive.

The ride to AR Group was mostly silent. Ritesh was behind the wheels, with Rakesh beside him and Khushi in the backseat. Khuraisha was insisting to come along, however with her being the communications manager, she had an urgent crisis to deal with, and so couldn't come along.

Hey Devi Maiyya, thank you for distracting Khuraishaji, Khushi thought. She didn't know what she would've done if Khuraisha had come along too.

They finally arrived at the office. She was impressed with the sophisticated and posh look. It was classy, elegant and very much high end. She was intimated by the building itself.

"Bring the files" was all Ritesh said before he exited the vehicle and walked off to the entrance. Rakesh and Khushi fell into step side by side.

"So, ASR seems like a good man" Rakesh casually stated. She nodded. He noticed Khushi blush a little and look down to her feet.

"That he is. A very good man" she murmured but he heard every word. That was enough for him. He would have to do something now.

They were led to the lobby and were told to wait for a while as ASR was still in another meeting.

"Such a big business man and still doesn't know how to manage his time. Our meeting is supposed to start now." Ritesh taunted.

"But Sir, it's okay. Even we arrived late the other day to meet with the client, remember?" Khushi innocently defended, not realizing she was adding fuel to the growing fire in Ritesh's heart.

"That's right." Rakesh added, supporting Khushi. Ritesh stayed mum.

They were asked if they wanted coffee or tea, all of them declined the offer. It was only 3pm.

Soon, after a few minutes, they were asked to join ASR in conference room C. Khushi swallowed the wave of nervousness threatening to consume her as she walked on unsteady feet to the room where Arnavji stood waiting. Her confidence wavered looking at the grim expression on his face. What was wrong? He looked.. Tired.

"Good to meet you, ASR" Rakesh stressed on his initials. They shook hands. Ritesh did so too, unwillingly.

When Khushi came in front of him, his face softened. His eyes lit up a little. And the glow regained in her heart. All was well, she told herself.

As they shook hands, he held onto her hand a little longer than needed. But instead of pulling her hand back, she let it stay, sensing his need for comfort.

Immediately her heart pulled, wanting to reach out to give him solace. What was bothering him?

She wished they were alone so that she could ask him, talk to him privately, and maybe even give him a corner kiss to make him feel better.

He let go of her hand and her thoughts came to an abrupt stop as she quietly took her seat, all while keeping her eyes trained on him, wanting to keep check of his mood from time to time so that she could talk about it later.

Arnav took in his fill of her. She looked fantastic in red; it was the color for her.

Looking at her after a stressful day, he felt some of the worry and tension leaving his taut body. His muscles loosened a little, cutting him some slack.

He could read the concern on her face, the quiet support in her eyes as she let him hold onto her hand. Even before knowing what had caused his bad mood, she was ready to offer him comfort.

How did he get so lucky?

He wished they were alone, so that he could pull her forward, wrap her arm in his arms, get a warm hug from her, maybe also get even with the kiss..

But alas, for the next thirty minutes or so, he had to fight to keep his attention on Ritesh and Rakesh who went on explaining what his company could expect in terms of sales, exhibiting benefits, targeted market and their hosted buyers.

He could sense her keen gaze on him throughout, and it took all that he had not to call off the meeting and take her somewhere private.

As soon as the meeting was over, Arnav dismissed everyone politely. He ached to order her to stay back, but he wasn't sure she would like him to do that in front of her bosses.

Reluctantly, after shaking hands with all three of them, once again holding onto her longer than needed, he dragged his feet to his cabin, burying himself in work.

He tried not to think of her leaving. But he couldn't do anything to stop her either. Maybe he would ask her out to dinner tonight..

"May I come in?"

Her voice made him look up at her, not understanding what she was doing there.

"I thought you left" he blurted out.

"I was going to.. But didn't. I told my boss to wait for a few minutes, that I want to use the washroom." She smiled sheepishly.

"You're here" he said, gazing at her as if she were the answer to his problems.

"I'm here" she echoed, looking at him longingly. Ever since he'd cornered her against her door and kissed her, she no longer liked this distance between them.

"Come in already" he said impatiently, wanting her to get closer to him. Much closer.

"Ji" she whispered before entering his cabin. Immediately, he leaned towards his desk to hit a button and the blinds fell in place, giving the cabin privacy from prying eyes. A click sounded as well; locking the door behind her firmly.

She swallowed. The air was loaded with tension and anticipation. Was it okay for her to want to leap onto him? He looked positively delicious. But then, that was nothing new.

Today though, his usually gelled back hair was slightly messier. As if he had repeatedly run his hand through his hair.

Pushing her need to engulf him into a warm hug, she took a few steps forward. "You seemed.. Off. Thought I'd ask if everything was okay. Are you okay?" She looked at him tenderly.

He remained seated in his chair, looking at her with something akin to hunger in his eyes.

Before she could comprehend what had happened, he was before her. When she opened her mouth, she found herself tightly wrapped up in his arms.

Big, muscular arms, so different from her own snaked around her, crushing her to a hard wall of warm chest. His heart pounded away, almost in sync with her own. She felt like she was home.

Her hands wasted no time coming up to gather around him. She squeezed tightly, letting him know she was there. His chin fit nicely on top of her head, the side of her face pressed into his shoulder.

His hands pressed her to himself tighter around her waist and he took note of her slim waist. She felt so good against him. She fit.

Unknowingly, without realizing, she nuzzled his shoulder. They fit together like a puzzle, she felt like she was enclosed in a warm fuzzy blanket. Oh, she could stay here like this forever.

"Thank you for coming" he said in a low voice.

"Of course." Khushi whispered. "What's the matter though? Is it serious? Can I do something to help?" She asked while pulling him closer by his shoulders.

He rested his cheek against her hair, smelling the fresh coconut and mint shampoo.

"Well.. It's just this thing. AR Group is in the middle of an acquisition." He informed her.

She pulled her head back to look up at him. "Isn't that a good thing?" She searched his face, not wondering why he looked sad. So sad.

"Yes it is, but.." He trailed off, looking at her as if memorizing her face.

"But" she promoted, placing her head against his chest, near his neck. She closed her eyes, feeling at peace.

"I'll have to go there. To deal with things personally. They want me present." He sighed.

"Arnavji, I still don't get the problem. What is it?" She asked him gently.

"The company we are taking over is in US." He said in one breath.

She froze. Her eyes snapped open.

"I'll have to be gone for around three weeks or so, Khushboo." He moved his hands to her hips, bringing her into his body.

She gasped and pulled her head back, searching his face. "Three weeks" she repeated.

"Yeah" he looked lost.

"Mat jaiye." She whispered.

"Khushboo.." He looked at her sadly.

As he said her name, her fake name, tension coiled in the base of her stomach. Should she tell him before he left?

"When do you leave?" She asked him, pulling him tighter as if he were leaving right now.

"Tomorrow morning. Real early flight." He gazed into her eyes.

"Then we should make this night count" She laughed, trying to hide her sorrow. He looked at her wistfully. How could he be away from her for so long?

He was already so sad and tensed. How could she tell him about her name right now? This was something she wanted to talk about, to discuss. She didn't want him to leave with a heavy heart knowing she'd lied to him. He hated lies.. What to do?

"Don't go" she whispered again as he held her closer.

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Chapter 22