PART 8
Arnav got into the car that had been sent to pick him up from the airport.
Sehestra Group was a massive corporation, and overtaking it meant a lot of work on his hands. They had various business ventures, that now the AR Group was incharge of. All their contracts had a clause according to which, any deal once signed could not be scrapped, by either of the parties. Hence, their deals were signed after a lot of scrutiny. This had given them a very good reputation in the market, and had established them as an honourable and dependable company. But this also meant that now the AR Group had to follow up all of their on going deals.
His men were at work. But for this Goa venture, he decided to go himself. Although it was not monetorily very significant, it was an important undertaking, which involved the work that was to be a part of the next year's Indian Fashion Week. And it was also to launch an exquisite line of Indian Ethnic Wear into the International Market. Hence it held huge importance as it would define Indian Fashion on a global level. Several designers had been commissioned for this venture, and all the work was to be carried out at the Sehestra Group's Goa base, that was now being renovated into AR's.
Plus, it afforded him an opportunity to get out of Delhi.
...
Khushi and Nathaniel set to work in the workshop that had been assigned to them in the premises of the Goa base of the company they had signed the deal with. They weren't allowed to wok anywhere else. Luckily for them, it wasn't very far from where they lived.
All their workers had come in early that day, machines had been set, and Khushi was busy supervising the work when Nathaniel came running in.
"Hey!
Did you hear!"
"Hear what?"
"This company has been taken over by another!"
"What! But then what happens to our contract!"
"Hey! Don't worry about that!
The deal's still on. I just talked to the manager of the new company."
"Okay. So, who are we working for now?"
"It's apparently a very big company. Some A..."
"Ma'am!
Khushi ma'am!!
We need help!", a livid worker came running up to Khushi.
"What? What's wrong?"
"We've by mistake mixed up the colours for the Jaipuri sari with the Jodhpuri one.."
"WHAT!
Oh my god!...", and saying this she ran to the workstation where the mishap had occurred, leaving Nathaniel mid sentence.
And then everything happened extremely fast.
Khushi had just reached the workstation when she slipped on the oil that had leaked from one of the machines, and fell out of the french window right next to where she had slipped. But thankfully, she caught on the ledge of the window, as she dangled from the first floor of the building, much to the horror of the onlookers.
...
Arnav had just stepped into the new AR Goa base when he was met with a commotion. Looking up at the object of scrutiny, he saw a girl dangling from the first floor window, holding onto its ledge for dear life. And then to his horror, he saw her hold loosen, and her hand slip.
And as if on instinct, Arnav sprinted forward, and caught the girl in his arms.
...
Khushi felt her hands sweat, and her hold loosen. Nathaniel had just managed to cut through the startled crowd by the window and reach Khushi, but before he could do anything, she had slipped.
Khushi felt emptyness engulf her as she fell into the nothingness beneath her.
Arnav's face flashed in her mind, as she awaited the painful fall. He had always been there to catch her. But guess this was it.
But the much awaited fall never came, as she felt a pair of strong arms catch her and break her fall. She felt herself being engulfed into a strong body, as she wrapped her arms around her saviour's neck, and buried her face in his warm comforting chest.
Arnav held onto her as if his life depended on it. He held her to himself, close to his chest, comforting her scared shivering self. Her soft body curled around his stout one, as if that was where she was supposed to be. Her face was buried in his chest, right underneathe his chin, and her delecate fingers held onto his coat in urgency. Her warmth warmed his cold heart, and her fragrance breathed air into his suffocated lungs. As her soft bosom pressed against his hard chest, he felt his heart come alive as her scared heart beat out of control over it. And standing there with her in his arms, he felt her infuse life into his dead body, as he felt himself come alive again.
Not wanting to set her down there and then, as he could feel her scared trembling body not loosening up, he carried her to his cabin, and set her down on the sette in the solitube of his cabin.
There was something about her that compelled Arnav to keep his arms around her, as he sat next to her on the sette with her in his arms. He gently stroked her long open hair, as her face remained buried in his chest. After about ten minutes of rubbing her back and stroking her hair, he felt her trembling reduce, and her hold onto him loosen.
Somehow she felt Arnav's presence engulf her when she was caught by those strong pair of arms. Which is why she did not want to let go. She felt safe, she felt at home. As if Arnav was comforting her like he had done on numerous occassions before all hell had broken lose. She felt him hold her in his arms, and warm her with his warmth. But then the dream broke, and she realized that it couldn't be Arnav, and that she was holding onto a stranger. She let go 'cause there was no way he could be there to hold and comfort her. And as she detached herself from her saviour and looked up into his eyes, she was met with the same set of black that she had seen behind closed eyes.
Health and Fitness
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