Khushi along with her parents moved to Delhi within a weeks time. They had consulted their family pundit and decided the engagement will be held in a week followed by the wedding which was fixed 3 weeks after their betrothal. She had her head plastered to the car's window watching the hustle bustle of Delhi. The fancy buildings, the limos, the number of rickshaws, the metro everything fascinated her. She cared nothing about whom she was or whom her fiance was. She wanted to live her life to the fullest. She saw the car come to a halt before a moderately huge building compared to her house they stayed in Lucknow. The Guptas compared it with the Raizada's mansion. It wasn't as huge as the mansion but was definitely incomparable than the one in Lucknow they stayed. The family of three stepped inside the house. There was a warmth which Shashi and Garima were familiar to. They stared at a portrait of the couple on the wall which was garlanded. Shashi felt his heart constrict for a few seconds. He never wanted them to leave the world so soon but their cruel end worried him ever since their news reached his ears. Garima was no less. They were a close knit family when they were together. Khushi wasn't in a position to think much. All she did was stare at the photo. The striking resemblance she shared with both her birth parents shocked her. Her eyes moved all over the bungalow and saw how everything was neatly arranged. She slowly moved exploring the house and stopped before a particular room. Curiosity got the better off her and she opened the door. It was indeed a very colorful room just like her taste. It had fairy lights and stars hanging along the windows and the room had natural lighting which lit up the room nice and bright.
Downstairs was another story. Anjali Raizada had come to welcome them and check on the arrangements. Just when she was inquiring about Khushi her brother entered ordering instructions after instructions to his PA Aman Mathur. She wanted to play along with him to get some kind of reaction from his brother and asked Guptas about Khushi when his head shot up hearing the name. Without paying much interest to their talks he climbed upstairs towards the room he was always curious about. He was surprised to see the door open and his mouth kind of flew open when he saw a girl in her mid twenties standing facing her back towards him. Her wavy jet black hair that ended just above her waist and her slender hands perched on her waist. He was stumped at the perfection he was staring at. He saw her move towards the photo frame that decorated the wall. It was a very young girl clad in a frock posing away flanked by a couple on either sides. Her trembling hands traced the photo frame and a sudden rage took over her. She removed the frame off the wall dropped it on the floor which landed at her feet causing the glass shatter in to pieces on her feet and few glass shards pierced her feet. She yelped in pain alerting the elders downstairs. He rushed to her side and moved the frame off her feet and lifted her in his strong arms and glared at her in anger. She flinched as he held her arms tight
"How dare you?" he roared and stamped her injured feet accidentally.
He quickly realized his mistake and as always yelled for Hari Prakash but to his dismay none came to his rescue. She could do nothing but stare at the man before her. Who on earth was he. His strong hands, lean, well built body, dark brown caramel eyes and the infectious aura his presence emitted everything was attracting her. This was something new to her. Others had reached the room by then and called their names at the same time
"Chotte Khushi"
That's when both broke their eye contact and looked at the intruders.
"And I see both of you have taken the effort to introduce yourselves" Anjali chirped in and winked at them
"What the... She is hurt and you are talking about introductions. Can you first get someone to clean her feet or better a first aid box" he replied sarcastically.
Anjali and Guptas beamed and flashed smiles at one another. How much already Arnav cared for her and Anjali ended up talking about how Khushi was lost in his eyes. Both Khushi and Arnav looked at them with an impossible reaction. Reality did strike them. Their eyes once again met with new feelings stirring within them. She quickly withdrew her feet he was still holding on to and both glared at each other. She hated to stay with him in the same room now. She walked limping with her leg banging the door behind her. He was angry really angry. No one had her walked out over him but she did. He was angry for breaking that precious frame that decorated her room wall. He has seen her parents crying hours together staring at the frame longing for her. He walked out of the room closing the door with equal vigor and once again called Aman. He yelled at him to find the exact frame and get it on the wall. That was when the Guptas witnessed his fury. Anjali ran behind him trying to calm him down but he warned her a no and walked out of the house not paying attention towards any of them. A sudden fear engulfed Shashi and Garima Gupta but Anjali assured him and asked them to prepare for engagement and Arnav would be more than fine by then.
At the Raizadas:
Anjali had taken in everything she could to get him listen to her.
"Chotte for once look at what she went through. She did not know her parents existed till date and now she was made to face all this. And all of a sudden this nuptial drama. It's too much for anyone to take in such a short span. We are not the only one who lost our parents. She was brought up saying she was their daughter and today she is just their adopted and her parents left her behind for us and the friendship we shared. For both of you it's not simple but give her extra leverage this time" she pleaded.
He couldn't believe her sister was supporting her. He does understand what she has been going through but that doesn't give her the freedom to do something like that.
"Di, I am not happy doing all this. If am sitting through all this it's just for mamma and Papa and Uncle Aunty meaning Prem Uncle and Radhika Aunty" he said sternly.
"Can I please have my loving brother back" she pleaded with tears in her eyes.
"I hate you crying Di and that person will not exist anymore but don't worry I will make sure everything goes well" he assured her in return.
"Then you will design her bridal outfits" She forwarded her hand.
"I will but only the wedding outfit just for your happiness" he replied and hugged her.
That night was a long one for both Khushi and Arnav. She stared at the new ceiling. The fairy lights that glowed but it was those molten brown eyes that haunted her. She had never seen one such till date. The myriad emotions it shed in those few minutes. She for a second did see concern in those eyes but why was she thinking about the concern and not the hate and anger which the same eyes expressed. She still felt his strong hands holding her. His manly perfume that drove her senses crazy and his deep husky voice which had the power to captivate any woman. Sleep was far for Khushi Kumari Gupta that night.
His plight was no less. Her deep black eyes which spewed so much love definitely started to invade his sleep. Her perfect figure that fitted his arms like a missing piece of a puzzle. He had hugged many of his business partner's daughter but none gave him the spark she evoked. His instincts were almost cent percent right. Why did he feel she was emotional seeing her parents and why was it filled with rage the minute their eyes met. No one had walked over Arnav Singh Raizada but she did. Why was it affecting him now. Not finding any answers he tossed and turned in his bed waiting for sleep to overtake his thoughts.
Anupamaa
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