Arhi FF:Mirage Note pg 158 for next thread link - Page 59

"Shyam, are you sure these are the only ones in the Delhi network? No other men in this list?" Arnav asked curiously peeping into the monitor. Initially, he had doubts about Shyam's intentions and his loyalties. But there was no other choice left for him. Shyam had been the only one to have access to the most confidential info from the criminal network.

Arnav had wanted to find out about his assailants at Shimla. But his search was unsuccessful. It looked like the men weren't locals of Delhi or they weren't established in any gang.

"No. These are all the people in the list." Shyam replied back to him. "Any specific reason for this sudden search through the database?"

"Nope. Nothing!" Arnav said and turned around to leave. He didn't want anyone else to know about the attack on him. He couldn't trust anyone. He would have to be more vigilant than ever before.

o0o

"Miss?" Akash asked turning towards Khushi who was standing beside Buaji's bed at the hospital.

"Khushi Gupta." Khushi replied back her name.

"Can I talk to you for a second outside?" he asked indicating towards the door. Khushi stood up and went outside followed by the doctor.

"Your Buaji suffered an Asthma attack due to severe stress. Her stress levels have rocketed up. Looks like something is really bothering her. Not only that, but her blood pressure was alarmingly high when she arrived. You did the right job in bringing her to the hospital. We have now put her under anti-stress medications. I would suggest that she be under observation for a few days until her body stabilises. I'm afraid there could be more severe repercussions if this is ignored." Akash spoke in a low voice not wanting to scare her with this piece of information. He could clearly see the worry spreading across her face.

"Will she be fine?" Khushi asked softly, afraid of the answer to her question.

"For now, yes. But if this continues, I'm afraid, it's a no." he replied back not wanting to keep her in the dark.

Khushi tried to fight back all the tears that now threatened to flow down her eyes. But she couldn't. She had to be brave for Buaji and her own sake.

o0o

"So Lavanya, what are your plans for the weekend?"Arnav asked calculatively, his mind already on the verge of forming a new plan.

"I think I will invite Khushi over. You know for some girls day out. We haven't seen each other since the Shimla trip." Lavanya said lazing around on the chair at a restaurant in a mall. "Do you want to come over? I can introduce you to Khushi. You haven't met her right? She's a nice girl. You'll like her."

Arnav couldn't stop himself from flinching at the mention of the very girl's name who he had wanted to forget. Somehow, he felt guilty for doing this. But there was no other choice for him. He was doing it for his future. Once he got hold of that ten crores by trading the document to Mr. Goenka, then maybe his life would change for the better. He had been waiting for this opportunity to enter Lavanya Kashyap's house. But now it seemed impossible to go ahead with it. Khushi was the only one who knew his true identity, well atleast his name. And hence, he couldn't appear as Rishab in front of her.

Arnav didn't know how long this game could be continued. But he hoped that he wouldn't get caught until his mission was successful and the papers were in his hand. All he had to do was not appear in front of both Lavanya and Khushi. And it was possible if he exercised every bit of caution from his side.

"Sorry, I'm busy. Got to go to Ludhiana for the weekend to meet my family." He lied, using the first excuse that popped into his mind.

"That's bad. Maybe next time." She said.

Arnav had been busy sipping the juice from his glass, when he felt someone suddenly yank his collar and pull him up from his chair.

"You B*stard! How dare you snatch away my girlfriend?" The guy blared and punched Arnav's face. Arnav had been least expecting this and hence, was not able to defend himself.

"Karthik!" he heard Lavanya scream out at the guy who punched him. "How dare you! Don't blame him. I'm dumping you. It's over between us, you douchebag! Khushi was right about you!" Lavanya blared back furiously at Karthik's face, while everyone surrounding them looked at them in complete silence.

Arnav looked back at Lavanya's face with astonishment. Wow! So atleast Khushi had the right sense of judgement with people. This Karthik was definitely a douchebag.

"Let's go Rishab!" she said pulling him away from that place and leading him to her car parked at the basement of the mall. "I'm sorry, you had to go through this." Lavanya said apologetically.

"It's fine. I'm alright! I better get going home. See you later Lavanya!"

"Bye Rishab!" she said pecking his cheek. Arnav sighed as he turned around. This girl was going to be devastated at the end of all this.

o0o

"Buaji, Doctor said you have to be admitted in the hospital for a few days. He said you needed to be under observation." Khushi said sitting beside the hospital bed.

"Sankadevi, is his crazy? No, I can't stay here." She protested trying to sit up straight. "I need to go home."

Seeing the worried expression on her aunt's face, Khushi spoke. "Is something bothering you? I can help you. Please tell me Buaji." She pleaded holding her hand.

For a minute, Buaji hesitated to speak out. But after pondering over it, she decided to share it with her niece. "With the rising costs of living, it is very difficult for me to manage the household with just your uncle's pension money. Everyday, I barely manage to make our ends meet. And now, if I stay here in the hospital, how can we afford to pay for all these bills? It's better that we go home."

"Don't say like that Buaji. Your health is very important. And don't worry about the money. When I'm here, you needn't fear. I will go and find a job tomorrow itself. Anyways, I can afford to skip college. It's not like something great is happening there." Khushi said reassuring her.

Buaji protested but Khushi was in no mood to listen. Finally after a lot of convincing, Buaji agreed. Khushi stood up and decided to go back home and get refreshed and return back for her stay in the hospital at night. As she was about to leave, she bumped into Akash who was about to enter the room.

"Sorry Doctor!" Khushi apologised worriedly and went away from there, leaving him completely stunned.

o0o

It was late at night. A young man was walking towards his house that stood at the corner of the street. The lights were out in most of the houses, indicating most of them had retired for the night. The surrounding was eerily quiet and engulfed in haunting silence. Just before he could take a step further, he felt a strong arm glide over his mouth, suffocating him.

"Mmm!" he tried protesting but his voice was muffled.

"Where do you think you're going..." He heard the ambusher whisper into his ears, "Karthik? Did you have fun today punching me in public?" He released his hand and turned the young man's face towards him.

"You!" Karthik asked in surprise. "What do you think you are doing?" he stammered seeing an evil grin spread across the face of his attacker.

"Sshhh.. Someone might hear us. And I don't want anyone interrupting me." He said placing his hands on Karthik's shoulders. "We have unfinished business." And before Karthik could react, he felt a punch in his abdomen, so powerful that he felt his insides tearing apart. He immediately crouched down, grasping his sides, yelping out with pain.

"No one dares to mess with me!" Karthik heard him proclaiming out loudly. "No one!"

And with that he lifted Karthik from the ground with his hands. "Goodbye Karthik!" he whispered in a deadly tone, enjoying the terror rapidly spreading across his victim's face and without wasting any moment, twisted his neck, snapping off the nerve that connected his brain and spine, dropping him lifeless on the ground.

"Aman!" he called out to his aide behind him. "You know what to do. Make it look like an accident." Arnav said brushing his hands on the sides of his shirt.

"Yes, Bhai!" Aman complied pulling the lifeless body towards their car.

o0o

"Excuse me, Miss Gupta!" she heard someone call out to her from behind. Khushi had been silently standing at one end of the hospital's corridor, staring outside the window at the dark night, pondering over what could be done to resolve their financial problems. She turned around to find Akash standing behind her.

"Yes, Doctor?" she asked expecting some news related to Buaji.

"I hope you don't mind this, but I overheard your conversation with your Buaji in the morning. And I couldn't help investigating it further with her, but I think I have a solution to your problem." Akash spoke in a reassuring voice. "I know that you are in the lookout for a job. Well, I'm have my own clinic and I needed an assistant to assist me with the files of the patients. I'm sure it would be a suitable job for you. And we even offer insurance cover to our staff. So that will help you solve your Buaji's hospital expenses."

Khushi didn't know how to react to the words of the man who she barely knew anything about. She was reluctant at first, but she knew she had no other choice. It would be really difficult to find a job in such a short notice. Maybe this wasn't a bad idea. "But..."

"I know it is really strange for me to offer you this job, but somewhere I felt you needed my help. Maybe God is trying to help you through me." Akash said with a cheerful smile.

Khushi couldn't help smiling back at him. "Thank you Doctor."

"Nah! Call me Akash, Miss Gupta."

"Thank you Akash. And you can call me Khushi," she turned around and went back to the room, leaving behind a smiling Akash.

CHAPTER 14

So, I know this is a filler chapter. Gosh! Writer's block sucks!🤢 Hence the delay in updating. When ur mind is filled with accounts, it gets really hard to find your creativity.

henceforth, there will be delays in updating. Got to focus on studies. Afterall, I have no intentions of ending up as a writer.😆 So I have to focus on my career seriously!

Someone asked about the Akash- Arnav connection. All I've got to say is remember, till now I have never revealed Arnav's full name right?😈 Let's just say, the past is the key to his future.😉

And don't hate Akash yet! He maybe the key to Arhi's next meeting!😉