Chapte 15
"No." Lavanya said almost in a whisper.
"Kya..? Kya kaha tumne?" Arnav asked disbelieving what he was hearing.
"Haan theek suna tumne, mein tumse shaadi nahi karoongi. I know you don't love me. Well, you asking me to marry you proves that you are incapable of love. I know you don't love me and you don't want to marry me but something or is it someone making you take this drastic step. Huh! Arnie, are you running away from something or may be someone." She paused.
Arnav turned away for even thoughts of her were taboo. Lavanya need not know the reason for his offer. He wanted to do this for he had to stay away from her. And she had to know that he was out of reach for her. She was a traditional girl, if he was married, she would stay away.
He ran his hands frustratedly through his hair, took deep breaths and turned back around to face Lavanya.
"No I am not running away and no this is not a marriage out of love, which you know I am not capable of anyway. I am offering you marriage, my money, status as a convenience for each of us. It will suit me right now to be married. Naani has been pestering me and so is Anjali with their not so subtle hints and social meetings with "eligible" women. That is all i have to offer and I know you are ambitious so you won't have any issues with this."
He waited for Lavanya to take all the information in.
He saw how her face was drained off of any color.
He then continued, "I will draw up a contract for us to be married for six months which will suit me to convince'" he stopped suddenly, clenching his jaw as her thoughts permeated again in his being like a wave of pain that refuse to be ebbed despite taking strongest medication.
Lavanya suddenly exclaimed, "You are in love."
"What? Don't be silly Lavanya." Arnav retorted sarcastically.
"Yes, Arnie, finally it has happened. What happened? She refused you, you the great Arnav Singh Raizada?" Lavanya caustically gave it to Arnav who did not even know, he had broken her heart. How strange, she thought, life has its own way of paying back.
She wondered, if it was Khushi.
"Khushi." Lavanya said.
"Don't take that name." Arnav barked angrily. "I don't want to hear that name again."
Lavanya cowered at the rage she heard in him and raised her hands in defense.
"Sorry. I did not mean to'anyway may be you want to think about it and let me know. I will be back in Delhi tomorrow. You can let me know before I go?"
"No. It is fine. I have my reply Arnie. I will marry you. Not because of money or status but because I think you need a friend and I hope with what we have had together, at least we can be that, friends. I accept your proposition of marriage of convenience." Lavanya gave her reply in a slightly dejected voice.
"Ok. Thanks. I shall get the papers drawn up and then have a press release ready for tomorrow's paper. I don't want to wait another day, if that is fine by you." Arnav declared.
Lavanya knew for sure someone and knew it had something to do with Khushi. May be she will find out from Khushi what happened between them for Arnav to run scared and ask her to marry her.
Khushi woke and walked rubbing her eyes to the door. Opening it she picked up the packets of milk and newspaper. Slinging the bag on her arm, she opened the paper to see Arnav and Lavanya's face staring at her with announcement that read, The Business Tycoon Finally Snared.
The article read, India's one of the most eligible bachelor has finally been bitten by the love bug. Arnav singh Raizada announced his engagement to Ms Lavanya Kashyap, who happens to work for him in his Lucknow branch are going to be married next month after a whirlwind romance. It seems absence does make the heart grow fonder. It has been few months since Ms Kashyab came to Lucknow to take over as the branch manager and Arnav Singh Raizada has been making frequent visits to the city'.
Khushi threw the paper as an acrid taste came into her mouth at the disgusting tale of him romancing Lavanya and he also had the nerve to kiss her, no more than kiss her. Her fingers automatically went to her lips.
How dare he? Her mind raged. How dare he use her like a puppet to cast away. How dare he announce his wedding in the most callous manner? Here, she had thought after that day in Delhi, he had come to say something important to her. Was it this? Her mind rebelled. No, No.
She grunted disgustingly at the duplicity of men. She knew she should not have apologised for calling him a lecher. He was one. He was in love with one, proposing to her and just the day before he and she had almost, if she had not ran away, God knows what could have happened?
Arnav Singh Raizada could not do this to Lavanya. She liked her and she was going to tell him a few things about himself.
"Ha!" she mouthed loathingly.
"Kya hua Khushi?" asked Payal.
"Kuch nahin Jiji. Kuch logon ko bataana jaroori hota hai ki woh kaun hai. Aur mein aaj aaina jaroor dikhaaongi." Khushi gave a cryptic reply and went to get dressed in a huff.
A shower did not change her demeanor and she decided she was going to see a certain Mr Raizada even if it was Oh! 6 a.m.
"Itni subah subah kahan jaa rahi ho Khushi." Payal tried to question but Khushi left without an answer.
"ye Khushi hi na'" Payal muttered to herself and then saw the paper lying on the floor and picked it up to see the page with photo of Arnav and Lavanya. She wondered what about this picture could have had Khushi get herself into a frenzy like that?
Khushi reached the hotel and went straight to the suite she knew that Arnav always booked for his stay in Lucknow.
She knocked on the door. When no one replied, she knocked harder.
She heard someone shuffling behind the door and then the door opened to see an unkempt Arnav in shorts and vest. A day's stubble darkening his chin. His hair ruffled as if he had run his hands through them a thousand times. His eyes looked red rimmed and bleak.
She heard him say, "Khushi," before he tried to shut the door on her.
She put her foot in it and pushed as hard as she could and saw him stumble backwards.
She went it and shut the door with a slam.
Arnav groaned holding his head.
"Easy will you?" he muttered.
"You have been drinking?" Khushi asked.
"Yes, what is it to you? Get out of here. Leave me alone." he snorted but he moved back unsteady and Khushi automatically went to support him.
He pushed her away and said, "Don't touch me."
"Ha! that's a neat one Arnav Singh Raizada, coming from you. Pehle tum mujhe'" she almost lost steam as images of him touching her flashed through her mind but no she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin with determination to say what she had to say.
"Tum mujhe choote ho. Tume mujhe, kiss karte ho. We almost were on the verge of going beyond a kiss, and here you are now playing a prude? That should be my line Mr Raizada. You almost make love to me one day and propose to another woman the next. Does she know you are a lecher, who can't keep his hands off of women despite claiming to love her?" Khushi accused freshly.
"Stop it Khushi! And go away. Yes I am a lecher. Now there happy? Now go." He showed her to the door with his hands as if to say scoot.
"What if I tell Lavanya, what you did with me. Do you think she will marry you?" She countered.
"Khushi, I am telling you to go before I do something we both will regret." He snarled through clenched teeth.
"No. I want answers. I want to know how you do it? How do you kiss me the way you do? Say what you said and then propose to another woman." Khushi asked putting her hands on her hips.
"You want answers. Ok here it is. Because I hate you. Because you rub me the wrong way. Because you dared to contradict Arnav Singh Raizada." He announced loftily.
"You are lying." Khushi sputtered unbelievingly but lacked conviction in her voice.
"Yes Khushi. I don't want to see your face. Now get out." he roared.
"No. Something has happened. I don't know what, but something has. I could feel it when you touched me. I could feel it when you held. It felt right. Arnav. It felt right." Khushi murmured musingly.
She knew her body felt it that he had been as affected as she had been. They had something that was special. She felt something that was like love.
"I love you, Arnav and I know you feel something for me. I know it. My body knows it." Khushi cried.
"No, No, No." Arnav denied, "Its wrong, wrong Khushi. Please just go. I can't bear this anymore. Just go." Arnav pleaded finally his anger gone.
Khushi walked upto him and he tried to back away. She prodded till he came against the window and she put a hand on his arm and said, "Wrong? How can it be wrong? I know there is something between us. You said so yourself. Why are you denying now? What has happened Arnav?"
"You are my sister. There, yes you heard right sister. Now, are you happy. Now you know why it is wrong? Why I hate you?" But before he could say anything more, Khushi had fainted.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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