Arhi FF : Destiny Games T5 (New updates in T6) - Page 51

Wish there were more of their Texts.. That was the cutest thing ever...

SO she made him to talk to Dadi but did he actually got himself accepting the relationship with Sheetal??

Anjali is kinda nosy and the way they both (Payal and Anjali) behaving with Khushi's phone, that was kinda immature... don't know why but I am glad they didn't get to read the whole msg...

So truth and dare game, Huh??? Excited.....

Gosh, all your characters are so darned cute! I can't choose a favorite after our lead pair. Is Payal? Or Anjali? Even Akash has his moments...

When I started reading, I was scared that Arhi had taken a couple of steps back, with the way that their previous conversation had ended, and then Arnav going and talking to Dadi. I was dead sure that Arnav's hot head had prevailed and he was going to cut off his nose to spite his face. Such a pleasant surprise to know it was all Khushi's doing. And getting Dadi to accept Akash and Payal before they set off on their honeymoon - pure genius! Though I wonder what Arnav fed Dadi to bring her around?

And we have something exciting to look forward to - a date with truth and dare. Ah Mr. Raizada, you sure know how to play your cards right. I wonder what he will get Khushi to reveal? Or will Khushi turn the tables on him? I can't wait to read whats next. Please please please update soon...

What a fabulous update!! Loved the mid night chat between Arnav - Khushi eagerly waiting to read about their game (Truth & Dare) night and also curios to know how Arnav handled Dadi ... Anjali is too much ...

oh wow that was a fantastic update.. i read it twice 😃

Im so glad arnav tookt he initiative and cleared the mess he created coz of his hot head 😛

loved their exchanges... eagerly waiting for the wednesday dinner.... im sure khushi will go.... arnav will some how make her go...wonder what she will choose

she is so thoughtfull... fixed 2 issues in return for giving forgiveness ... love her for that

haha anjali is really a dective...not goes past her... and payal is not less... they figure out how to unlock her phone... thank god for akash ...otherwise they would have read her message exchange with arnav

eagerly waiting for the next...pls dont make us wait toooo long

Finally I finished reading all chapters again.. super update dear please update soon

From the author's desk: Hello dearies, here I come with another brand new chapter.

but before that, two things to be cleared.

-I still get a lot of mails asking me for link for this story. I don't have it, I post it when I finish writing it.

-PM requests- sorry, I really don't have time. I try to keep up the time of once in two weeks time. Please bookmark the page and check it int hat interval.

Hope you like the chapter. There is a surprise in there for you, I am waiting to see all your reactions on it!

Happy reading!

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Chapter 15: Trials of truth

Part 1: To the rescue

“Arnav” Akaash started “thanks so much for convincing Dadi, I didn’t see that coming but it felt so good, being accepted”

“No problem”

“But, I wanted to be sure, you didn’t jeopardize anything to make this happen?”

“Do you think I would have?”

“No, I just had to ask you to be sure…how did you manage to do it?”

“Nothing! It was simple. Just made her realize certain facts, she came around”

Akaash nodded.

“Bhai!” Akaash called out to Arnav, taking the momentary solitude. The girls were standing a little further away, not at a hearing distance.

The change of tone in his voice wasn’t unnoticed by the person in front of him.

“What now Akaash? Feeling nervous about the trip?” Arnav asked, half amused and half exasperated. Surely, he didn’t want Akaash to start asking him tips. This was a honey moon trip for God’s sake.

“No, it’s not about the trip” Akaash said quickly “It’s about Khushi”

“What about her?” Arnav asked, his demeanor changing rapidly.

“It’s actually not about her. It’s about her mobile” Akaash clarified quickly, noticing his brother’s change of appearance from being idly spirited to acutely edgy. “This is between us, but trust me, she needs to change her mobile unlock pattern”

“Who knows it?” Arnav asked scrunching his eyes suspiciously. “Anjali or Payal?”

“Actually both” Akaash admitted

“I can’t believe this… who goes about giving out their phone unlock pattern to others?”

“No, it wasn’t given, it was kind of brute forced. Khushi doesn’t know yet that they know it”

“Gosh! How could they…”

“You know how inquisitive they both are when it comes to your love life.”

“Love life?”

“Today, curiosity got the better of them” continued Akaash not paying heed to Arnav’s question

“What happened?” Arnav asked growing increasingly edgy by the minute.

“Nothing to be worried about. Just make her change her mobile unlock pattern. I would have told her, But I didn’t know how to do it without raising her doubts”

“Come on Akaash, I need to know what happened.” Arnav demanded. He needed to know the extent of damage done. Did the girls actually read the private messages between them? Did they answer to any of his messages? The questions were too many.

“Khushi had forgotten her mobile at the table. We heard a message beep. They saw your name flash on the screen and immediately got very excited. The phone was obviously locked and they both tried patterns… One of those worked. They almost read the message that you sent to her. I stopped them before they could open it.”

“What the !*@#”

“I know.”

“thanks for letting me know man!”

“No problem. I ought to. I mean, knowing Anjali, I had to be sure it’s changed for her own good”

“I will take care of it.” Arnav assured Akaash “What was the pattern by the way?”

“I heard Payal mentioning it as letter D”

The men were momentarily distracted by the girls laughing loudly as Khushi looked mortified

“What are you two getting at?” they heard her asking Payal and Anjali. They saw the girls turning to look at the men. Then they saw Payal turning around laughing and walking towards the car, stopping by near Arnav

“Thanks Arnav, for the morning surprise.”

“No problem Payal, I am glad that I could do that before you guys left.”

“And oh there is a much bigger surprise that interests me… I wanted to ask you about…” She said

Arnav quickly caught Akaash in the eye.

“Hold on! once you come back, we will have ample time for a chat over coffee… but right now you guys are running late. Hop on to the car, you don’t want to miss your flight.”

“What are you talking about, we have a lot of time, we definitely won’t be missing our flight.” Payal reasoned

“Bhai is right.” Akaash said getting into the car “Mohan says the flyover is blocked with traffic and we are taking an alternate route”

Mohan, the driver, looked surprised, wondering when did he tell Akaash about any traffic news but quickly catching on watching the two brothers exchange smirks, started to play along.

“Yes Bhabhi, if we start now, we will be left with just about time when we reach the airport”

“Get in Payal” Arnav insisted holding the car door open and smiling at Mohan in appreciation. Akaash catching on his hints is different, they always did that for each other. Mohan doing it for him in a second’s notice was exceptional.

“OK…Take care guys and hope you miss us” Payal called out.

“I will miss you both. I am not sure about the other two” Anjali quipped happily as she waved at Payal and Akaash.

“Have fun” Arnav called out shutting the car door close as Payal got into the car.

“Stay safe” Khushi waved at them too as the car pulled out of the gates.

***

As the trio walked in, Arnav slowed down deliberately, letting Anjali pass him and caught up with Khushi who was coming behind, checking something on her mobile.

Taking advantage of her attention solely on her mobile, he pulled her mobile out of her hands before she realized it.

“What the!” she protested aloud

“Are you getting influenced by me? Using my dialogues”

“Give back my mobile please!”

“No”

“No? what are you up to?”

“I am only rescuing you”

“from what may I ask?”

“From getting addicted to your mobile?”

“I was only checking my mails”

“and was so into it that you didn’t hear me calling your name”

“You called my name?”

“Twice”

“eh? I didn’t hear you calling me…”

“That was because you weren’t paying attention. By the way, what are you hiding in this mobile that you got so worked up when I took this mobile”

“There is nothing in there, even if it was there, it wasn’t a noble act to snatch it off my hands, not expected of a chivalrous gentleman”

“Are you still into that damn classic by Jane Austen?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Chivalry, Gentleman, nobility, blah blah blah”

Khushi rolled her eyes

“But still, my act may get classified as noble and chivalrous…” he said successfully dodging Khushi’s attempt to plunge for her mobile in his hands.

“Woah! I am elusive too, that gets added into the desirability quotient of a gentleman”

“No it does not. Give it back before I….”

“I just wanted to see the model”

“A iPhone user wants to see a simple Android? How lame it sounds!”

“That’s because I was just reading about the weaker security in these models, just wanted to check if it is true. Do you know it is very easy to break the unlock pattern in these mobiles?”

“Don’t bluff”

“You just hold it in an angle like this, the light reflection shows the trails of your finger print and” he said pretending to analyze the locked mobile screen. Is your pattern something like D?”

“Devimaiyya! how in the world did you…”

“I told you it is easy with Androids- unless you have a biometric system”

Khushi quickly took the phone from his outstretched hands.

“I will never trust you near my phone again. I am going to change my pattern anyway”

He smiled as he walked away.

“Use the pin system, its more secure than the patterns!” he called out as he climbed up the stairs.

***

Just before the bend to the first floor landing, Arnav came face to face with Anjali.

“So chivalrous and noble of you, my Bhai!” she said in a sing song voice.

“I had to, seeing that I had an obligation to save my sister’s face”

Anjali bit her tongue, immediately noticing the anger in her brother’s controlled tone.

“Akaash let you in on what happened this morning… didn’t he. We were just having some fun” Anjali asked following him, she had seen the conversation below and all she was planning to do was some leg pulling. She didn’t expect her brother to be upset or angry with her.

“It wasn’t fun anymore. Reading other’s private message is hitting below the belt” Arnav told her before he continued walking up the stairs

“And he came running to you to complain about my bad behavior? Wait till get I hold of him when he comes back…”

“He didn’t Anjali. He wanted to protect your dignity and not let her know what you were up to. So it was up to me to stage a drama down there”

“But I was only trying to help.”

“What help?” Arnav asked pausing on the second floor landing, as Anjali caught up with him, breathless as she had to run behind him to keep up with his speed.

“I was… I thought… you… I mean Khushi”

“Anjali, I am not good with these relationship advises…” Arnav told her, in a tone that he always assumed when he would advise her as an elder brother through their years of growing up. “But remember, there is always a limit line for interventions- even if it is for helping others- whoever it is – be it your friends, your brothers or perhaps your significant other. With all due respect to your intentions of helping them, make sure you don’t cross that limit ever. Or you will lose your respect, and sometimes the beautiful bond between you and the other person.”

Anjali stood there, her eyes welling up as her brother held her hands and continued to speak

“Today, Akaash was there to save you from that situation. Imagine what would have happened if Khushi walked in when you were in the act of reading her messages? You would have broken her trust and respect in you. I had to take it upon me to make her change that password because Akaash felt that you would try that again.”

“Akaash doesn’t trust me anymore?”

“Akaash trusts you and we all know how much we can trust our sister’s curiosity to get the better of her”

Arnav smiled at her lifting his eyebrows, and she returned a weak watery smile at him.

“Promise me never to do that again.” He asked her and she nodded.

“I promise.”

As he turned towards his room, Anjali called out

“Thanks bhai”

“Good night”

***

As the couple sat down at a table of the restaurant nestled by a 7-star hotel, the waiter came forward to take the order.

“What would you want to have?”

“I will go with continental today.”

“Smoked pumpkin soup?”

“yeah, I am fine with anything light”

“ok, shall we then go with Lamb patties? And baked potatoes and Aubergines?

“fine”

Arnav placed the order with the waiter and turned to Sheetal.

“so, are you telling me that against the better judgement of your uncle, you want to take this up?” he asked her.

“Mine is the better judgement by a mile” she said confidently. “I know the stakes on the other side looks pretty bad given that you are there on this side.”

“You are making me feel conscious and very accountable”

Sheetal laughed lightly

“Still, I am grateful for your help” he told her.

“Arnie, you know I wouldn’t compromise on business. I am doing this on fair and even grounds. I wouldn’t have tried so hard if I knew that you didn’t have a chance. So don’t give me that gratitude bullshit talks.”

Arnav nodded at her.

“By the way, I need to meet your grandfather”

Sheetal raised her eyebrows in surprise at Arnav

“Dadaji?”

Arnav nodded.

“you want me to bring him somewhere?”

Arnav shrugged.

“Do I take it that you are asking me not to come home?”

Sheetal bit her lips.

“Arnie, you know what’s happening at home. Don’t you?”

They paused talking as the waiter served them with soup and bread sticks.

“Are you scared that I will get beaten up?”

“No, I am scared that things will escalate.”

“I don’t understand why people make a big deal out of this. You people are family for God’s sake”

“The equation is so different from what you share with your brothers. That’s one thing I admire in your family- how close knit you guys are! So supportive, accommodative and encouraging of each other. Mine is a completely different space. I hate staying here at my Uncle’s place Arnie, it’s like fighting day in and day out. The only reason that I am putting up with this is for you”

“I know and I am grateful for it.” Arnav told her earnestly as he put down his soup spoon down and reached out to her hand. “Sheetal, I am really sorry for this mess up that Dadi created with that engagement news. I seriously wasn’t aware that it was coming”

“That’s ok” Sheetal told him “But you know it still hurts to think you call it a mess up”

“Sheetal…”

“I got carried away for a week, wishing how wonderful it would be if it was true and to tell you the truth, I still hope to”

“Sheetal…”

“Ah… fine. I know you weren’t seriously into me but it’s not wrong to wish that it may somehow work out for us in future” she told looking at him and quickly gauging his reaction, assured further “I am not holding you responsible for any of my heartbreak”

“I am sorry”

“Don’t be. There are greater issues”

“like?”

“Making you meet my Dadaji. You didn’t tell me for what”

“There is this property down south which was one of the last acquisitions of my late great grandfather. Something that looks completely worthless, looking at it on a high level. But I am sure that there was a strategy. I have been working on it. But I want to know if my approach is right. I happened to see that the property papers have your grandpa’s signature as a witness. I am sure he will be able to help with some facts on it”

“Oh! I should have known, for a moment I believed that you wanted to speak to him about us”

“Sheetal, you want to rub it on me every opportunity you get?”

She laughed.

Food arrived.

“I rarely get such opportunities and I want to make good use of it when I get a chance”

Arnav shook his head.

“But seriously, don’t tell him anything about our breakup yet. I haven’t told the family, given the other things that happened. But once everything gets settled, I am intending to open it up.”

Arnav nodded.

“I thought all problems started with our relationship getting official”

“yes, it did”

“and so, if you are going to tell them that we broke up, it is going to settle everything won’t it?”

“and you think they will let me work on this project anymore?”

Arnav was quiet for a few minutes. The only sounds between them was a clanking of the forks and spoons.

“Sheetal, are you sure you want to take this approach? This is only going to strain the relationships further.”

“Lesser pain. We can stage a drama later. And seriously, I will get little more time to get over you”

Arnav didn’t tell her anything. He knew that she was badly broken when he told her that he didn’t want to take the relationship any further. But given the situation at Sheetal’s family, he consented to take the news slowly to the families.

From the time Sheetal’s father told his elder brother that Sheetal was willing to strike a business relationship with the Raizadas, her uncle had displayed strong objection to the cause. She hadn’t thought much beyond that he was not supportive because as a business strategy, the brothers had long back termed an agreement between them that Pratap will take care of the Delhi projects and Pratham will shift to Mumbai for his projects.

That’s how she grew up in Mumbai with her parents away from the family home.

But when the marriage proposal from Arnav’s dadi came, asking her hand for Arnav, that had been the last straw for her uncle. For the past month, a lot of family history had been discussed about – those that she has never heard of, those that were brushed under the rug years back- the forgotten history that painted the strained relationship between the two families- Stories that no one wanted to retell – about a daughter of the family that she has never seen, about an ugly breakup of a wedding, about a lifelong shame that the family had to be burdened with- all of which one or the other Raizada had a role to play.

Given the nuances of the strained relationship that pertained between both the families, it was rather a miracle that her Dadaji wanted to pursue the rishta in the first place.

Her Uncle Pratap and his son Samar were totally against the entire idea. Besides that, Sheetal had been struggling to convince her father about financing Raizada business. Usually, Kapoor finance decided on financing a business only after their consultant reviewed it entirely and gave a go ahead. In Raizada’s case, she volunteered to play the consultant role, for a lot of the facts would, at present situation of Raizada finances, act against Arnav’s cause. All that she had in hand was her stanch trust in Arnav’s capabilities and it had no proof on paper. It was her biased report that had worked in favor of Arnav for the financial support from Kapoor finance.

It had been her report against her uncle Pratap’s judgement. Her brother Samar’s anger hadn’t helped anyway . Rajaneesh and Pratham had skewed in favor of Sheetal for the sake of her engagement with Arnav. If she now opens up that they are no longer together, Sheetal was afraid that it will completely work against her chances of supporting Arnav at his crucial moment.

Besides, she still had strong feelings towards him that she knew that she would never be able to overcome in near future.

“I feel I am taking advantage of you” Arnav told her after a brief silence.

“No, that’s not right. I want you to take advantage while you can. There is a difference.”

“Nevertheless. It doesn’t make me feel good. It is not my nature to accept it.”

“Ah, we will make it all easy. All you have to do it say yes to me”

Arnav sighed as Sheetal laughed

“I was just joking. Consider this as a treat from my side for our good times sake. Besides, be assured that I am not doing any charity, I know you well enough to place the stakes on your strategies”

“I am still contemplating if this project is worth all this”

“Don’t be silly. I haven’t forgotten what you did for me three years back, considering all that this is nothing.”

“I didn’t do it expecting anything in return”

“Did I say so? Besides, for me, your happiness is worth all this.”

“Sheetal, how do you think this makes me feel”

“Don’t get too much into your head about this, What are friends for?”

“Are you doing this in the capacity of a friend?”

“Desserts?”

“No, I am full”

“Ok, I am getting a choco pie for myself”

“Go on” Arnav told her “You haven’t answered my question yet”

“I know you consider me as a friend. What I feel about you is none of your business”

***

The days seemed to fly at the Raizada mansion in-spite of majority of the inmates not being present. It was already Wednesday morning. What with Anjali’s persistent leg pulling or with Arnav’s cryptic messages, Khushi was still figuring out a reason not to go to the dinner with Arnav that evening.

“You want me to pick you up for the dinner Khushi?” Arnav asked her after morning breakfast.

“Dream on, I am not coming” she told him.

“You aren’t scared. Are you?”

“Don’t play that card. That’s not going to work this time.”

“Ha, I can see that in your eyes. You are scared”

“I am not. Why would I be scared”

“Because you know I would make you spill your secrets”

“You are over confident, too bad that your charm is not working on me”

“My charm has already worked on you and you are already thinking how to counter my dares”

“Excuse me? I am not even going to come, let alone playing that stupid game”

“After I did those tasks for you? you aren’t playing fair Khushi”

“I don’t owe you anything actually.”

“Ok leave it, I know you wouldn’t come because you wouldn’t dare”

He turned to go.

“Why do you want to have dinner at that damn place anyway?”

“I can have dinner anywhere I want, as if you care to join?”

“I don’t care. But at least, I would have given it a thought if it was my sort of place”

“No way!” Arnav said remembering the last time they went on a date

“Nothing can beat parantha galli, can it”

“You had your chance last time. This time I choose the place”

“Oh I know you cannot handle that spice nor that crowd”

“Dare me and you will know what I can handle and what I cannot”

“You mean, I can give you anything to dare and you will take it?”

“of course”

“I could ask you to watch a Sallu movie with me”

“Is that even a dare?”

“I have much more difficult ones up my sleeve”

“Oh really? I can’t wait to see what they are”

“Anyway you don’t have to be really bothered. I am not planning to come”

“Ok, I will give you a lee way. We will not start our game at 7 pm tonight. We can start it right away. Just one chance for both of us.”

Khushi thought about it for a minute. If he chose dare, she can even dare him to cancel this dinner.

“Deal!”

“Lovely!” he said laying the water bottle on the table “you spin it”

She spun the water bottle, and it stopped pointing at him

She jumped ecstatically.

“I dare you to…”

“Wait, you first ask me what I would like to choose”

“Truth or dare?”

“Truth”

“Truth?” she was disappointed.

“hmm ask away”

“Why do you want me to come for this dinner tonight with you?” she asked the burning question that came to her mind first.

“Because I want to spend time with you”

“What? why would you want to spend time with me? Why not with your girlfriend?”

“You get to ask only one question per chance. It is my chance now: truth or dare?”

Not willing to take truth, she chose dare. What can be ask her to do that she would be able to anyway?

“Dare”

“I dare you to come to the King’s courtyard at 7 pm tonight.”

With that, he turned and started to walk away as she stood gaping at his departing back.

It was then that an ingenious idea struck her.

“Anjali!” she called out “Where are you when I need you?”

***

Arnav looked on in disbelief when he saw Khushi entering the dinner hall at the King’s Courtyard along with his sister.

“Damn you Khushi!” he muttered to himself.

“Hi Arnav Bhai” Anjali called out cheerfully as Arnav glared at Khushi who was smirking at him.

“Wow! So nice of you to plan this dinner out. I was really feeling so bored and depressed, with everyone leaving and the house seeming so empty” Anjali continued to chatter.

In the meanwhile, the other two had already started their chat on their preferred medium.

Arnav: “This is so unfair Khushi”

Khushi: “Havent you heard of the phrase: All is fair in love and war?”

Arnav: “Of course! This isn’t definitely a war! So are you confessing your love?”

Khushi: “What Rubbish! There can be nothing other than war between us!”

The two was so engrossed in their messaging that they didn’t notice that Anjali had suddenly gone quiet and was intently watching them having noticed the two messaging each other.

“Guys, you know what? it is not decent to chat like this when you have someone else at the table” she told them as they both stopped typing into their phones and looked up at her.

“You see that outlet there?” Anjali asked them pointing out an adjoining jewelry outlet “I will be there. Once you both are done with telling each other whatever you wanted to say… come and get me for dinner.” She said getting up.

As Khushi looked on dumb stuck, Anjali made a move. “Anjali” Arnav called out making her turn around. “I love you for this!”

“I love you too bhai” she said throwing a flying kiss.

Khushi gave Anjali and Arnav an incredulous glare.

Behind Khushi’s back, Anjali gestured Arnav to get a move on already, earning a smile from him and then she turned and left leaving the two at the table.

To be continued.

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Long has become a standard these days. Applying the same rule to you all as well. Long comments please!

Cheers until the next update, Vi.

Wow cute.. Will he tell her his side

Hope sheetal is going to stand by what she says

I want to see how this goes further

No separation in this ff please

Wonderful update.

The way Aakash let Arnav know what girls know and how Arnav subtly managed to get Khushi change her password and how he conveyed Anjali that what she was about to do was wrong. Loved it.

Sheetal is openly telling Arnav that she still likes him and hoping for a future together. Even though she justified her reasons for not disclosing the broken relationship to her family, it looks more like she is doing all this to get him at the end. It was her plan to make Arnav either agree to be with her or be ready to get ruined in the business if he does not agree.

A daughter was mentioned in her conversation. Could that be Khushi or Kushi's mother?

The conversation between Arnav and Khushi was hilarious. Both have won and lost to each other.

Khushi has more points right now. Can't wait to know What is going to happen once Anjali leaves for that jewelry store.

Cheers.........

Awesome update!!!!

I loved arnav n Akash for saving anjali’s face while correcting n chiding her at the same time. Their sibling bond is amazing.

First time I admire sheetal!!!! I liked the way she is handling the situation.... hopefully she stays true to her words....

Arshi nok- jhok is really cute. They are always pulling ace on another 😝

Wow.. simply wonderful.. anjali is so sweet and Arnav was so cool that his sister caught him.. Khushi ab tera kya hoga?? Khushi tried her best to avoid being with Arnav alone but both sibling are simply superb.. liked Arnav and sheetal's convo.. feels likes sheetal is buying time by hiding her breakup from family but once they get to know all hell will lose as they already have a bad history between them.. but liked sheetal.. really for first time.. akash too was wonderful letting his brother know what is his wife and sister up to and Arnav acted so promptly and made Khushi change the pin of her phone and what Arnav told anjali agree with him 100%.. The Raizada siblings bond is amazing.. loved reading this super amazing update.. Thanks Abavi 😊❤️