Arhi FF : Destiny Games T5 (New updates in T6) - Page 31

Is Arnav trying to set up a bait by selling the property?

Arnav is so angry with Khushi for going to meet sameer alone.. anjali and payal enjoy every moment of ArShi a lot and their comments are so superb.. curious for next update.. will ArShi fight or will have a mature talk?? Arnav is not at all happy with Khushi but she doesn't care.. loved reading this wonderful update.. 😊

Mind blowing superb fantastic.... This ff has everything that a great story should have - humor, mystery, love, family bonding, and not to forget the strong characters. I just came across this story and read all chapters in one go.  😍 💖 u r such a great writer.  The way u describe everything in so much detail i can actually visualize the whole scenario. 

Please update ASAP.  Just can't wait for the next chapter😁 

Yo! Update time! :D 

Cheers 

so much happened in the chapter... love arnav's concern for khushi..haha and khushi trying to avoid it....and enjoying their cold war... love how the youngsters are shipping for them and Akash finally caught up ...lol...he is so slowwwwwwwww

who is this new entry.... and trying to sabotage Raizadas...some old rival? the story is getting interesting! 

feel so bad for mami...very touchy issue...how do you manage to include these things in the story...absolutely love it :)

where is sheetal? not that im missing her but just

eagerly waiting for the next update!

pls update soon!

Waiting for update dear.,.

OH mYYYY gOOOODDDD...

U are a brilliant writer i tell u... the wat the story is developing

 ahhhhhhhhhhhhh LOVEDDDD iTTTTTT

love arshi nok-jhoks and siblings teases.... 

and the suspense myy goddd

had been chewing my nails all the while figuring who those mysterious persons aree and 

what will happen next  in our ARShi drlgsss

pm me the update plss

Desperately waiting

Wassup! New month! New update pls! 

cheers 

From the author's desk: hello peeps! how are you all? thanks for all your wonderful comments, its really made my day, each one of them! some of you really surprise me- with so many minute things that you notice. 

Here is another one- truly filled with Arhi moments.  Let me know how you liked it in the comments.

Happy reading! 

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Chapter 13: Clouds with silver lining

Part 3: Leads and trails

Khushi heard footsteps behind her and knew that Arnav was following her. 

“Damn him” she thought as she quickened her pace. What was he thinking, rubbing off that attitude on her in front of everyone? As if there weren’t enough events for them to start pulling her legs. 

She quickly took the turn down the second floor, hoping he would turn to his room and not follow her. Her room was in the first floor. But no, she heard him follow her to the first floor. 

She almost ran to the safety of her room. She didn’t want a confrontation now, not that she was cowering, but she was not in mood for an argument, not today. 

But, thanks to his long legs, his movement was swift and fast. She could sense him close behind her and when she huffed and finally turned to confront him. 

“Look!” she started to say, but his reaction was totally unexpected. He crossed her, reached the fridge and took out the water bottle and started to walk back towards the stairs. 

She covered her head with dupatta immediately remembering a past experience. But he seemed to give her the silent treatment. Without even glancing her way, he crossed her with a grim expression and started to climb up the stairs. 

She stood there with her jaws opened wide in surprise and seething in annoyance as she just realized that he had ignored her completely.

“What the hell” she blurted out as he went out of sight. 

She ran back to the stairs and looked up to see if he had really gone. He had. Stamping her foot at the display of evident indifference from his side, she huffed her way to her room, muttering to herself. 

***

Ten minutes later, Khushi stood in front of his bedroom door. She grew so restless at his silent treatment towards her, that she found herself standing here to sort out the issue.  

She hesitated before she softly knocked at the door. There was no answer. After a wait of few seconds, she knocked again, wondering if he was inside at all. Trying the door, she found it was locked. She was about to move away when she heard the TV switching on inside the room. 

Now that it was clear that he was inside and he was acting fussy, she banged at his door. After pausing a bit she raised her hand to bang even more harder when the door suddenly opened, forcing her to stop inches before his face. 

He stood there crossing his arms and glaring at her as she lowered her hand. 

“What do you think of yourself?” asked Khushi “Don’t you behave as if you are a…” she didn’t complete what she felt that he exactly behaving like. 

He had coolly walked back to his recliner by the bed and had returned to watching the match, leaving her to stand by his room door, gaping at him in disbelief. 

“Don’t you give me this treatment!” she called out from the door, reluctant to step into his room, the thought of anybody else (Dadi) finding her in his room at this hour flashing across her mind. 

He simply raised the volume of the television. 

“Damn you” muttered Khushi as she threw all caution to the winds and stepped into his room. 

Snatching the remote from his hand, she turned off the TV and glared back at him. 

“You are no different than an 8-year-old. I can’t believe you can be so sulking!”

Arnav looked at her with a nonchalant expression. It was in a spur of the moment that he remembered from his encounter with her long back at his office cabin, that ignoring her would tick her off. Not that he wanted to do so. He was angry and so badly wanted to confront her and give her his piece of mind. But he also knew that if he argued with her, she was as good with words and would return back a good measure and it would end up in another big bout of disagreement. More than anything else, he did not want to risk giving her a reason to pack her bags to Vizag. 

Honestly, he hadn’t expected that she would grow so restless with his refusing to talk to her. Controlling the need to smirk at the situation that had undoubtedly boosted his ego, he picked up his mobile, browsing through it.

As expected, that blew her fuse. Plunging forward, she angrily snatched his mobile from him and glared at him with her hands on her hips. 

“I am speaking to you, Dumbo Laad Governar”

He returned to frown at her. 

 “Ok, I know why you are angry, but won’t you give me a chance to explain?” asked Khushi exasperatedly. 

“you better do” he said finally, crossing his hands across his chest, leaning back on his recliner.

“Better do?” Khushi fumed “I don’t owe you anything, Don’t you take that tone with me”

“You are the one who wanted to explain” he replied calmly. 

“Hell! I don’t know why I am standing here wanting to explain you all this so badly.” 

He heard her swear and at that moment he understood that they both were in the same boat. Their relationship was complex. It was hard to explain. It was a kind of bond that was so familiar yet so strange. They shared a kind of understanding that sometimes was scary to the point that they understood each other’s thought process without the other needing to explain too much. There was definitely a factor of underlying attraction and of course the dissimilarities with their approach to think through mind and heart. Adding to the glam was their need to take control of the situation, giving raise to their numerous infamous rows that neither cared to keep in check even in public. And with a jolt he realized that this relationship was as complicated for her to comprehend as it was for him.  

“I was concerned about your safety” told Arnav. 

“I know you were” replied Khushi with a calmness that she didn’t have moments before. “I wanted to meet him alone. Moreover, he was in the lockup. There wasn’t anything to be worried about”

“Oh really?” he asked coldly. 

“I am not belittling your concern” she explained urgently “It’s just that you should understand that I don’t take my safety for granted. I had given a thought to it and I knew what I was doing”

“Did you? Do you realize that he was involved in a conspiracy? If he was involved, his gang may be around.”

“It wasn’t anything like that.” Said Khushi “See this is why I wanted to go alone. If you approach him with prejudice, you will not get anything from him. Didn’t Rajesh and Abhi confirm that he wasn’t forthcoming? I wanted to try and get anything that would be of any help. We are without leads and I thought if there was any chance, it was via some empathy from an old friend that will persuade him to open up”

“Did he?”

“He did. He admitted that he did it for some money and obligations. But I don’t think he is anyway related to the scam that is going on”

Arnav gave her a sympathetic smile 

“How easy is it to convince you of his innocence Khushi” he said sarcastically

“Don’t underestimate my intelligence” She said crossly. 

“What else should I conclude? That man impersonated your father. He tried to defame him. That call landed us in more trouble. And you still say that he is innocent?”

“I didn’t say he is innocent. I am only saying that I understand the circumstance that pushed him to do that. There are two kinds of people who do wrong things- the ones who are motivated by strong needs of desire and others who are forced due to circumstance. Sameer falls under the second category- mostly.”

“What exactly drove him?” Arnav asked mockingly 

“He admitted he was tempted with a movie offer that was promised, but mostly, it was for his child’s treatment that he was raising funds” 

“Now I get it. Child sympathy was also thrown in? No wonder, you came back feeling sorry for him”

“Not just that, I want you to help me release him from lockup”

“What the fff” said Arnav “Are you crazy?”

She didn’t flinch at his outburst. 

“You should trust me. It’ important that we earn his trust. Moreover, his child is at the hospital. I went there to confirm. His wife was all alone, struggling to meet the medical expenses. The family needs him” 

“You are crazy!” he said shaking his head 

“I am just being empathetic. Everyone does a mistake, but when they are repenting, they should be given a chance” she pleaded. 

“you want to be empathetic with him. Does he know that his one action spurred all our lives into so much trouble?” Arnav said angrily as he got up from the recliner “First of all- Do you even realize that he played with your father’s reputation? That you and I had to pay the price for his so called mistake“

Khushi was quiet for a while. For once, her head was bowed as she kept looking at her feet. 

“That’s exactly why I wanted you to help me with his release” her voice came as a bare whisper. 

Arnav stood there out of words. Something in her voice told him that he had touched a nerve and she was deeply troubled with that thought. 

“Khushi?” he asked tentatively. She was still looking at her feet. Was she crying? “Are you alright?” he asked stepping forward tentatively. All his anger gone in a jiff, he wondered if he had gone too far. 

“You know Arnav ji, I always had this guilt clinging to me that I drove my father to his death. This feeling haunts me to this moment, it wouldn’t even let me mourn for him the way I should. I have been kind of using all the escapism instead of grieving but then it will all come and hit me when I am alone– that I was the most responsible for his death.” 

A drop or two drops of tears rolled down her cheeks which she frantically tried to wipe away. 

“Shit! Khushi, don’t cry. Please!” Arnav said desperately. “You are not responsible for his death; this is baseless”

She gave empty laugh. 

“Every night, I try to convince myself to sleep with these very words”

 “Please stop crying” he pleaded. 

“I am sorry” she said wiping away her tears again “I am a mess; What should you be thinking of me… Cry baby…Normally I am not this emotional. My tears just don’t seem to stop.”

“It’s not that” He said urgently “I am not judging you. I just don’t want you to … to…” he couldn’t complete what he felt. He looked at her painfully, her tears were something that he couldn’t handle. He was himself fighting against this urge to pull her into his arms and wipe away all that grief along with the tears that rolled down her cheeks. 

“When I got to know that my father may not have had a normal death, I wanted to get to the bottom of it, but somewhere… down there, there was also hope that it was perhaps not me nor my actions which was responsible to snub him of his life”

Arnav nodded at her encouragingly. 

“I am again telling you, you are not responsible Khushi. May be I am. I was the one who forced you into that situation”

“I had a choice to say no”

“Khushi, Don’t blame yourself”

“I don’t want to and that’s why I ask you to help me release Sameer”

“I fail to understand how that will help”

“I know Sameer. He is not basically bad. But his needs drove him to do something that he is now ashamed of. If only satisfying a part of his needs can turn him this loyal to the other side, he will definitely turn favorable to us if we take care of his desperate need to protect his family”

Arnav thought for a moment. 

“What if…”

“Please Arnav ji, trust me in this… please?”

Arnav nodded. “Don’t worry, I will take care of it in the morning” 

Khushi smiled weakly and he returned her the smile. 

“Thanks.”

“Go get some sleep. Will help you with your headache”

“Good night”

She had almost walked towards the door when the phone in her hands rang. 

Jumping at the unfamiliarity of the music in the phone, she jolted raising the phone into view, then realizing she still had Arnav’s mobile with her. 

With a prick, Khushi noticed the caller name Sheetal flashing in the screen 

“That’s mine” she heard him call out

“Sorry, I forgot” she mumbled before she handed over. 

There ensued an awkward moment when Arnav noticed the caller too as he took the phone from her, briefly pausing to look into her eyes. 

“Good night” she smiled as she called out and turned away from him quickly trying to get past the floor to the confines of her room. 

***

“Hi Arnie” Sheetal’s voice reached him over the phone as soon as he received the call

“Hi Sheetal” he said still looking at Khushi’s departing back. 

“I was trying to reach you to confirm if our meeting tomorrow morning at 9 is confirmed. I messaged, but you hadn’t replied”

“Oh, I am sorry, Haven’t checked by messages. I have something else that has come up, I have to push our meeting to little later. We will have the meeting at 11.  “

“11? Hmm wait a min, I am just checking my calendar. Hmm alright. I have to meet another client at 3 and this is atleast an hour’s drive from your office. So I have a hard stop at 1pm. 2 hours should be fine?”

“Yeah. Will do I think.”

“Fine then. I will meet you at 11. Even if it prolongs, we can have a business lunch.”

“Fine by me”

“Good night”

As he finished his call, he heard voices by the lounge and peeked out to find his siblings ganging up around Khushi. 

***

As luck would have it, Khushi was trying to get away, Sheetal’s call to Arnav this late still in her mind, she didn’t first notice the gang was also getting down the terrace until they called out to her in the floor. 

“hi Khushi” Payal called out “Lost again?”

“What are you doing here at this hour” Anjali asked peeking towards Arnav’s room

“I just came to return some books”

“Books? Study room has changed location is it?” NK asked bewildered. “Very strange yaar”

Anjali giggled.  

“How is your headache?” Akaash asked staring at the others to leave her alone. 

“Better” 

“Got some therapy for your headache ah?” Anjali teased again as Payal and La giggled. 

"Perhaps a massage" Payal commented. 

Cursing her luck, Khushi was almost at the point of telling them to stop teasing her with Arnav – it was not sounding right. He was in relationship with someone else and it wasn’t helping with her thoughts as well. 

But then, the group suddenly dispersed muttering quick good byes and good nights. She looked up but they were all looking somewhere beyond her and she looking turned back to see Arnav peeping out of his room, glaring at the others pointedly. 

“Good night” He called out as he gestured at her to go. 

She gave him a thankful smile and she started down the steps. 

***

“Arnav, this is ridiculous! This is not the first time this is happening… You did the same thing with Shashi’s arrest too. What do you think we do? Arrest someone for your fantasies and release them two days after? Do you want us to investigate or not?” Abhi was furious. 

“Abhi, do this for me.” 

“But why. Give me one good reason”

Arnav was silent

“Is it Khushi?”

“It is complicated”

Abhi could only shake his head at his friend

“You are losing your head man”

“Trust me, I know what I want”

“You know we are working on this really important case of child trafficking that’s in the news? And in amidst that, I send people to arrest this guy and you want his release because she wants that?” Abhi said gesturing outside the windows of his first floor office towards Khushi was standing near Arnav’s parked vehicle. “It’s just like last time”

Arnav was thankful that Khushi was standing out of hearing distance. 

“Last time was not because she wanted it”

“So this time is for her?”

“Abhi, you are making me sound so corny”

“Irrational is the word”

“You want me to take back the complaint?”

“Hopeless!” he said as he picked up his landline and called Rajesh.

“Rajesh, release that Sameer guy.” ….. “Yeah. That’s right.” …. “Arnav will be there in sometime”….”Get all the formalities done.”

He placed back his receiver and looked at his friend. 

 “At a later point, don’t tell me that I didn’t warn you” Abhi told Arnav

“I will not hold you on that” Arnav replied cheekily. “By the way, you could have agreed on this when I called you this morning. You made me come all the way for this”

“You were ready to come” Abhi pointed out laughingly. 

“Whatever” 

As Arnav walked back to Khushi who was standing by his car, she looked at him expectantly. He smiled at her with a quick nod and that earned him a big smile from her. 

As the SUV left the office premises, Abhi who was watching this exchange by the window shook his head as he muttered. 

“This guy is falling for her… head over heels. Hope he realizes it soon”

***

Khushi placed a glass of tea in front of Sameer in the hospital canteen. The man looked up with repentance and gratitude at Khushi. 

“First eat Bhai, we can speak later” she instructed as she sat beside him. 

Arnav was standing by the table with one of his hand’s casually resting on the arm of the chair close by. But his glare was all but casual and it was aimed at Sameer. 

“Khushi, I can’t thank you enough for what you have done” Sameer told her earnestly. 

After they got him released from the lock up, Khushi had made Arnav take him to the hospital where Sameer’s son was admitted. 

After a quick chat with the doctor, Khushi had dragged him to the billing counter and enquired about the outstanding amount for the kid’s treatment. 

She had then demanded for Arnav’s wallet to settle the amount.

“Arnavji, do you have 6000 with you?” she had asked. 

“I have my credit card” he had said then, reaching for his wallet.

“Oh the credit card swipe machine is not working” she told him “How much cash do you have?”

He had then taken his wallet out, which she so rightfully taken from him, leaving him gaping at her audacity. She quickly browsed through the wallet pulling out 2 notes of 2000. 

“Can you withdraw another 2000 for me?” she asked gesturing towards the ATM in one corner. “I will settle this later, I don’t have that much now”

“May I have my wallet back please” 

“Oh sorry. I didn’t realize” she bit her tongue. 

“Getting into the habit of snatching all my things eh?” he said smirking at her obviously reddened face. 

After the amount was settled, Khushi had taken Sameer to the canteen to get him some food, after she heard that he hadn’t eaten anything after he was arrested. 

Now he stood facing Sameer as he ate his food. 

“Khushi, you have a big heart just like your father. He was a very kind man, After all he did for me, I betrayed him”

“Sameer Bhai, if you don’t help us now, we will be so lost. Help us now please” Khushi started to say

“How can a poor man like me help you?”

“Just tell us why did you impersonate my father?”

“I was asked to do that Khushi”

“Who? Roy?”

“I don’t know his name”

Arnav showed him Roy’s picture

“This is Roy. Was he the one who contacted you?”

“Yes. He is the one”

“Was there any one else Bhai? I mean how did he know that you do mimicry?”

“Vicky was with him. I think he should have told him”

Khushi nodded in comprehension. 

“Vicky?” Arnav asked 

“Vikrant” Khushi told him. 

“That ogre?”

“He was flaunting that he will get you Khushi- but this was before your wedding news came. I think he tried to visit your father- he was talking to Roy about it”

Khushi glanced at Arnav 

“We saw him in the hospital the other day”

“It was a misunderstanding planted by Roy Khushi.”

“He was directing all of us according to a story that he spun” said Khushi

“So you did it for money?” Arnav asked him “or were you threatened?

Sameer nodded. “Both. but I wouldn’t have done if I was not in urgency for Bitu’s treatment. And also…”

“Also?”

“That person promised me a chance in movies”

“Movies?”

“He said he knew Film Producer Sharad Sharma... Sharma Production house...” Sameer said “He even spoke to him recommending me”

Khushi and Arnav exchanged glances at this.

“So got your chance?”

“No. I went there at the time when the director had asked me to. But I couldn’t even meet him”

“Roy double crossed you” Khushi told “but still you want to protect him”

“It wasn’t that. I felt bad the moment they left. I wanted to meet Shashi Bhai. I went to the hospital. But I couldn’t meet him. Then Roy saw me there and started to threaten me. He threatened the safety of my family. He even sent Bento’s men to threaten me.  I had to keep quiet. “ 

“Bento? so Roy operates with that fiend too?” said Khushi

“Who is Bento?” asked Arnav

“A local don” Sameer said. “I kept my silence with the police too because of him. But Khushi, I have repented ever since. My son is suffering because of my bad karma. I have realized that. I am very sorry Khushi”

“Sameer bhai, you have redeemed yourself with trusting us with all that you know” Khushi told kindly. They were walking back to the hospital corridor. 

As they approached the common ward where Sameer’s son was, Sameer’s wife rushed forward in gratitude. 

“Khushi thanks so much for all your help. The doctor has told that we can get Bitu discharged now”

“that’s ok Seema Bhabhi, you should have called me before”

“How can I Khushi? After all, that Sameer did to you, how will I have a face to call you? But you have shown us what true kindness is. And so has your husband. A truly God sent man! Thank God you got him Khushi. Your husband is a good human being who willingly spent for someone who was your acquaintance of the past! That too without even asking a question…I am very happy for you. Imagine if you fell into that Vikrant’s hands. Your life would have been hell.  I heard he even hit Vikrant the other day, felt so good. It’s your good Karma Khushi, you got such a brave man for your husband. The entire colony was speaking about his daring act that day about how he protected you.”

Khushi’s who had widened her eyes at Seema’s misunderstanding about Arnav, quickened to clear the misunderstanding.

“Seema Bhabhi, you have mistaken about Arnavji”

“Why, he didn’t hit Vikrant?”

“No not that…” Khushi started to say

“He hit right? On his face?”

“No, on his nose. But Bhabhi…”

Seema was ecstatic that she went on

“It would have squashed his already blunt nose”

“Seema ji” A nurse called out “Can you please come here?”

“Seema Bhabhi, listen to me, all I wanted to say he is not my…” 

“Khushi, I will be back” 

Khushi turned back to look at Arnav standing a little away speaking on his phone. Thanking her stars for this little respite, she looked back at Seema. How was she even going to clarify to Seema about her misunderstanding? 

Her thoughts were momentarily broken by Arnav

“Khushi, I completely lost track of time. I had a meeting today at 11. Its already 10.30, I need to rush. Shall I drop you back at home?”

“No Arnav Ji, you carry on. I want to visit the Devi mandir and then I will head home”

“Ok come, I will drop you at the mandir” he said walking ahead. “But promise me one thing”

“I am not stupid enough to run and meet Vikrant or Bento, if you are worrying about that” she said.

“thank god, you have that much sense” he said laughing to himself. 

Khushi turned to look back at Seema. She and Sameer were still in conversation with the nurse. Even if she corrected her marital status with them, what about the entire colony? Sameer finally looked at her, directing Seema’s attention at her as well. 

“Khushi, I am getting late” Arnav called out

Khushi waved a quick bye at them and left with Arnav. 

***

To be continued. 

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Done! Now that I have given you a completely arhilicious update, You ought to be extra nice to me and give me extra nice comments. Will meet you soon with another update, Tata.

Hope they figure out who the culprit is.