FF: It all started with 300 Rupees Updated Part 22 - Page 26

She asked with confusion "for what…….you don't have to tell me the password if you don't want to…….you can just enter it before leaving…….so I can be done by the time you come back………"

He replied "That is the password……….I am sorry Khushi……..no spaces…….." saying that he rushed himself out of the room………..

It all started with 300 Rupees Part 12

Writer's note: In microsoft word you can write something then cross it off with a line - on top of the acutal word - just like how you cross it off on your notebook - while uploading - it didn't let me do that - so - the word LOVE is actually crossed off - when Arnav is reading it - it will make more sense when you actually read the update. Thanks for reading - do leave LOT of comments!

Leaving Khushi there……..in a state of shock.…….

He walked out the door……….thinking……..I can't believe I told her that……..I should have just entered the password……….instead of announcing it………..I just hope she……..I shouldn't have……..

RING RING RING RING

He picks up his phone…….still talking…….he got to her room……swiped the key in……and opened it……..still on the phone……..

ASTONISHED to see the unexpected……….her room was filled with hundreds of bouquets………..all kind of flowers………..to congratulate her…….on her big day……..for her award……..her achievement……….her big collaboration with Oberoi's…….he said "I will call you back….." and hung the phone…….

Her room was filled with all kinds of flowers………it looked like a flower shop…….except only the best collection of flowers……….not just any kind………it included………….lilies…….roses…….orchids….tulips……..daisies………

He smiled………proud of his wife's achievement……….his Khushi……..has achieved so much in her life……….she totally deserved this………

He was even happier……….thinking about yesterday………just to be there for Khushi's award ceremony……..handing her the award……..it was an honor for me to be in the giving end of it………not her for to be on the receiving end……..he thought………

BUT

One huge vase of long stem roses…….with all assorted colors……….white……..yellow……..pink……….orange………no red though………

Shining………..showing off………flashing………..right there………in the middle of all the regular size bouquets……..like a show stopper………on the dressing table………..making other bouquets look so small and worthless………with a huge card…….taped to the mirror…………he couldn't stop himself from reading the big bright writing……..on the card……..it said………

Jalebi,

Congratulations on your BIG achievement………

I am so proud of you!

I told you, one day you will get EVERYTHING you ever deserved………

Today is THE day! Your life's most important day!

No one deserved it more than you……

Your hard work has finally paid off!

Love

Sorry, Enjoy your success

Karan :)

He saw the card…….flashing right in front of him……….he didn't know what to think……..

He was stunned………..shocked…………speechless……….

Why did he write that……..Love? But he has crossed it off………..Why? Did he mean to do that on purpose? Why write it when you have to cross it out…….so that she can read it?

Does he like her?

K's statements started playing over and over again in his mind……..

But he stopped himself……….

I shouldn't think all this……..

He didn't know what kind of feeling was taking over his mind……..

JEALOUSY

Yes it was definitely JEALOUSY

But WHY……….he asked himself………….it's not like Khushi is…….

Even if he DOES like her……….nothing will happen……….Khushi is MY wife………….

Should I ask her……..

NO of course not………what am I thinking……….where are her clothes? He looked around…..

He saw two bags on the table……..he picked both of them………and started leaving……….but turned to see the card again………read it all over again………word by word…….alphabet after alphabet……….then………glued his eye to 'Love'……….then shut the door and left………

He started walking towards his room again………still thinking about that card………but what is there to think about……….nothing……….it's just a card…….it was a big day for her yesterday…….that's why he probably wrote that…….forget it……that's not important………

He got to his room………opened the door……..and entered………

He saw his laptop……just sitting there on the table………Khushi wasn't there………..

His eyes moved around to find Khushi……..there she was………leaning on the wall size window…….over-looking the ocean………..she was standing there…….quietly……..still in her robe…….her wet hair was let loose……..water dripping from it………..she was just waiting……..or thinking………something……….her eyes wide open……..zoned out…..

He walked towards her………..she didn't know he was back already………she was still dazed……staring out the window………leaning in……..

Whatever he was thinking earlier………vanished his mind………just by one glance of her………he said "Khushi…….I got your clothes…….."

She didn't reply……..she was still staring out the window…………he said again "Khushi…….here are your clothes…….."

She was still lost in her thoughts…….she didn't respond to him……..

He walked to her…….facing her………held her hands……….breaking her spell……… he said "Khushi…..I got your clothes…….you can change……." She just looked at him…….blankly…….and said "Why us Arnav ji? Why?" He replied "what are you talking about Khushi……..what happened?" Khushi replied "Why is there so much in PAIN in our lives, WHY Arnav ji? Why us?" saying that she buried herself in his built chest…….holding him tight……..

She wasn't crying though……….

She just wanted support……….his support………her husband's support……….

He embraced her………tight………..and let her stay like that………without saying anything…….

After a while……….

He said "Khushi……." He tried shifting her……….to look at her face……..

She whispered "Don't……….let me stay like this……..this feels good………I am fine…….I just want to………" she gripped him harder……….

His vest was wet……..from her damp hair…………he just stood there………holding her……..comforting her……….silently………but firmly………..

He kissed her head………still embracing her…….he felt her hair……….on his face………tickling his face………still damp……….

TRING TRING TRING TRING

He turned to see……..it was Khushi's phone again……….she didn't move though……..she was still resting on his chest………without saying anything…..still holding onto him………he whispered "Khushi, your phone is ringing", she replied "I know……" still without moving………..

Something about her answer……….her closeness………..her hair…………..her body wrapped in a white robe………sensation ran in his body…………wanting her like never before…………right then and there………..

TRING TRING TRING TRING

"Uggghhh" said an irritated Khushi………. "stop calling……….whoever it is" she whispered again……….

She shifted her body………..in irritation………..looked up………and said "sorry, I should check it……." Saying that she walked to the table picked it up…….and said "Hello……..Hi Karan……..no I am fine……….I was just busy……….what's going on…….yes did Jenny call you……..ya she told me about it……..I am about to check it…….I was just caught up in something important……..no everything is fine……..just some personal stuff……..yes I will………I will let you know asap…….thanks……yup…….bye" saying that she hung up the phone………turned around to see him……….

He was just watching her speak on the phone………with Karan……..how comfortable she was talking to him………he saw her walking back to him again…….and said "Sorry, that was Karan………I am supposed to be finishing up lot of things but I don't feel up to it…….I am just……." Saying that she sat on the bed……. "I don't want to do anything right now……….I just want to spend time with you…….whatever time I have with you…….before you leave……….I am being so unprofessional………they are all waiting on some document………I don't feel like going through it right now………maybe I should take the day off………but I don't know when you are leaving………..are you still going to New York? What's your plan……..how are we going to work this out……….uggghhh……….my headache is back……..sorry I am just blabbering………"

He walked to her…………sat next to her………and said "Khushi, I will stay here as long as you want me to………don't worry about me leaving………..finish your work……don't leave them hanging………..the breakfast should be arriving……….you can eat first, then take something for your headache……..then finish whatever that needs to be done……I am not going anywhere……….don't stress yourself………

She leaned on his shoulder and said "I am so glad you are here……..with me!"

"Always" he replied………kissing her ear………..she replied "I should change……..thanks for bringing my clothes……..I already feel so dependent on you……and it's been only one night………why do always have this kind of effect on me…….." she tilted her head to see him……….he held her falling body……. And said "Khushi, be careful……..you could have fallen……." She smiled and replied "yes……I could have fallen……..right in your arms………sorry……..." before she could complete her sentence……..he interrupted "I love you Khushi……." Saying that he brushed his lips………lightly………on hers……..

Not kissing her……..just slightly caressing his lips on hers………..moving in a rhythm………making her want him………she opened her eyes…………looked at the hotness………he is so HOT………she thought……….how come I never noticed that before……he is so perfect……..his intense hazel eyes……….his lips………..his whole face………his body……….how could anyone be so perfect………..o my god Khushi……what's wrong with you………why are you thinking all this now……..he has been my husband for so long………but how come I never desired him like right now……..maybe because he never allowed me to……..ever……….

Maybe because we never had a normal marital relationship…………he never let me get so close to him……..never……….he never let me feel like that about him……….but what's so different today……….

He whispered "stop talking to yourself Khushi……" her eyes widened………..she asked "how do you know I am…….." he replied "because I know you too Khushi…….."

She sat up straight……..shifted her body from his hold………and said "I should go change……" saying that she got up and took both bags with her to the bathroom……..

He was in the room……..all by himself……….wondering the sudden change in behavior………..it must be too much for her right now………so much happened in one night……..I should just let her take her time………..to sink in all this………she already has gone through so much………it will take some time to bring her back to normal again……….

He was sitting there on the bed……….thinking about seeing her in her pom pom salwar kameez again……..after so long………he hasn't seen her like that…….it's been ages……….to see her………like his Khushi again……..in her bright clothes………door knob's twist broke his thought………..he was waiting to see her…….she slowly came out………

He was SHOCKED

WHAT THE………was the only thing he could utter…………

His eyes squinted……….his eyebrows raised………….

Why is she………what is she………...and I thought so much was happening in ONE night for her……….what was I thinking……….now I think I need some time to take in all this……….I never ever thought I will ever see her like this………..WHAT THE…….

She came out……….normally…………and saw breakfast on the table……….she exclaimed…….

"Oh, thank god, the breakfast is here already……..I was starving………I don't think I ate anything last night……..it was too much going on…….the only thing I remember eating was the Jalebis Karan brought………that was very sweet of him……I don't know where he arranged that from though…….."

She sat herself on the couch……..and started putting cream cheese on her bagel…….she looked up to him……..and asked "you are not going to……." When she realized how he was looking at her……..his facial expression……..all changed…..from few minutes ago……….why is he looking at me like this…….what's wrong with him……..

She asked again "What's wrong? Why aren't you eating? Should I bring your food there?" that's when she saw his eyes………moving from her legs………upwards to her face……..that's when she realized………he was looking at her clothes………but why…….

OH……..realizing………he has never seen her like this………does he not like this……..is he mad at me for wearing this…….is he going to say something……..I hope he doesn't get mad……..but what is there to get mad at……..these are just clothes…….this is what I wear now………

She got off the couch…….and walked towards him………sat next to him on the bed…….faced him………and said "What's wrong?" He replied "nothing…….." she asked again "You can tell me whatever you are thinking………you don't like my clothes?" Surprised by her statement, he replied "No…….it's not that……..it's just that I have never seen you like this……..that's all…….let's go eat……" he got off the bed to walk towards the breakfast table……….she held his hand from the back……stood up…….stopped him and said "you don't like it?" He turned around to see her…….looking at him……..with those eyes of hers………..

He saw her again……..from top to bottom………..her hair blow dried……..open……no make-up………just a lip gloss……..on her perfect lips…….she was wearing dark blue silk bebe dress shirt……..top button open……….half cuffed sleeves……..her shirt tucked inside black stitch bebe linen skirt…….knee length………made to fit her slender body………slits from both sides…….right out of the bebe's latest collection………

No shoes though………she was bare feet……..her foot still had some scratches from last night……..from the sand………

He answered "how is your foot now?" she looked at him surprised………at how he is not saying anything about her clothes……but rather wondering about her foot……she replied "It's fine…….maybe a band aid or two would help……especially before I put my shoes on………." He said "Come, let's eat……..before your headache comes back……" they both walked to the table…….and started eating breakfast……..she still looked at him…….trying to figure out what was he thinking……why didn't he say anything about her clothes………he should have said something………that I look good…….or not……..whatever………why is it so hard to read his mind………why doesn't he give it away ALL the time………why can't I read his mind when I really want to……..

He saw her looking at him………confusion all over her face………taking bite after bite of her bagel……..sipping orange juice……..slowly……….little nervous……but still confident…….he smiled and said "You want headache pills?" She replied "No, I am fine……I think I was just hungry……." He continued eating without saying anything further……..

She still wanted to talk to him……about what he was thinking……..about how she wasn't sure what's going on in his mind…….she broke the silence "Are you still planning on going to New York?" He replied "I don't know yet…….I will have to figure some things out……..I will let you know as soon as I find out…….." She was just surprised at his explanation – he had never given her this much detail the whole time they were married………he is right…….he has changed…….for me…….she thought……..I can't believe Arnav Singh Raizada is not only my husband but HE LOVES ME……..yes…….ME…….and she smiled……followed by a giggle……..

He asked "what happened?" she got up………walked to him………bent a little……..kissed him on his lips…….closed her eyes………and said "Thank you for loving me like this…….." she straightened up again…….and started walking back……

That's when he suddenly pulled her to him…….cupped her face…….moved the locks covering her eyes………and said "Thank you for giving me another chance……I will never fail you again…….I want to show you how much I love you…….ALL over again…….I LOVE YOU……..and don't ever thank me for loving you…….." saying that he pulled her into his body………holding her waist...and kissed her……like never kissed before……..passionately……..sucking her lips…….one by one…….top one…….then the bottom lip……..caressing her back……….making her moan…….slightly…….

She realized her reaction to his kiss……..she pushed him away…….gently…..smiled and said "Not now……I have to go do some less important work…….sorry……" He pulled her in again…….held her tight…….and said "I wasn't planning on doing anything……..I just wanted to kiss you……that's all……..unless…….you….." She quickly replied "No……" and tried getting out of his hold……..embarrassed……..

He undid his arm and said "Where do you have to go……..should I drop you off?" she replied "no thanks, Karan will pick me up……..I still have to talk to him about the project…….so….that's why……sh#t…..that reminds me……..I still have to read the document……..just give me five minutes………I will use your laptop again…….that's fine?"

She got his one word answer "Yes!"

She walked to the laptop……..remembering the password……..

She was working on the laptop for thirty minutes……..first reading something……..then typing something……..lot of typing………how efficiently she was typing……..he was impressed………she was nothing like the girl he had married……..she was a transformed being……..all of her……..from inside to outside……

She was done typing………she got up and called Karan…….. "Karan, hi……yes I read it all…….sorry for the delay……..yes……I am ready……..can you pick me up from the hotel…….and bring the print outs……..I don't have a hard copy…….yes…….I will meet you outside…….call me once you get here……..thanks Karan……I will see you…….yes…..bye……"

She turned to him……..and said "Karan is coming to pick me up……in a little bit…..I have to go the office for some meeting………how do I reach you……..what's your phone number?"

He replied "It's same", Khushi was shocked again "Same?" he answered "yes, I still have the same number……..never changed it………in a hope that you will call me one day………but that never happened………"

Khushi's eyes welled up………tears streaming out of her eyes…….wetting her cheeks……after gathering all her strength……all she could say was "Sorry……" and turned away……..avoiding any eye contact with him………he walked to her……..turned her around……..wiped her tears………and said "Khushi, don't cry…….it's not your fault that you didn't call me………you had no reason to……after what I did to you……..but I still waited for your call………I had the right to do that……right? No need to feel bad……that's not why I told you……."

She spoke "this is what I mean……all this pain……..why us? Why couldn't we have a normal life? First…..you……..then I……? Why Arnav Ji? I am so sorry…….I just didn't know…….that……..you……..loved………I am so stupid……..how can I ever forgive myself for all this……..how?" He replied "No Khushi…….there is no need to think about the past now…….it's over…….we have to start all over again……ALL OVER AGAIN…….you and me…….US…….our new life……..together…….just us…….like a real married couple……..I promise you Khushi……..it's only going to get better from here……no pain…….no aches……..no horrible past………no misunderstandings……..just happiness……..a New Beginning………."

She hugged him tight……..very tight………..and said "Thank you for coming to Mumbai Arnav Ji……..I never thought that I will go to a stupid award function and I will meet you…….not only that…….you will actually try and convince me to give our relationship a chance…….all over again…….but I am so grateful that you did……..I still don't know how this is going to work out……thank you so much for all this……..I could have never asked god for anything more……..thank you…….I still can't believe that you are okay with my conditions…….I……I……"

"I love you……." He spoke……. "and don't worry…….I will work something out…...about our situation…….."

TRING TRING TRING TRING

Khushi's phone rang again……..she said "it must be Karan……he is probably here…….I have to go now……..let me call you……..so you can have my number too….." she picked up her phone…….and dialed his number……….he looked at her…… and said "you still remembered my number? It's been long time……." She replied "Just because I didn't call you……..doesn't mean that I forgot your number..." saying that she got her bag……..took her shoes out……..a black pair of dressy shoes……she put it on……..she took her sari and put it in her bag…….and said "I will wait for your call…….I am sorry I have to go……..if it wasn't important……I would have cancelled it………sorry………"

He walked her to the door……..held her against the door………from her slim waist……..kissed her cheek and said…….whispered "you look sexy……..very sexy………" sliding his manly hands on her back…….through her curves………on her fitted clothes……lingering his fingers……..towards her neck……….trailing his thumb on her lips……..making her heart beat faster……..she arched her neck closing her eyes……..holding his shoulder……….breathing fast………..he leaned in and whispered "you are not getting late?" she opened her eyes……..and saw him standing there…….smiling at her………..she was embarrassed………she didn't say anything……….he spoke again "Do stop by in your hotel room before you check out……..you will like it……." He cupped her face………kissed her on the lips…….gently and said "I will miss you…….." saying that he opened the door for her……..and saw her walk away……….in the corridor………..turning into blurred image………and then vanishing………

He closed the door………leaned on it……….closed his eyes……….and just stood there…..for few minutes…….about how their lives had changed in one night……….all the way from the ONE night of their wedding………..then ONE night of their last day of six month contract marriage……..and then ONE night from yesterday………..hopefully nothing will go wrong this time……..this has to work……..I will make sure this works……..regardless of her two conditions……..

Her two conditions……..not to recognize their relationship in public………and not asking about her past after she left RM……..

I wonder what happened after she RM………after that morning……..where did she go……..she didn't even go to her parent's house………what did she do after that……how did she end up in Mumbai…….what happened……..what brought her here………what made her change so much………how did she survive this long without any support………what must have happened………

His phone rang again………he answered "Arnav Singh Raizada speaking"…….

He brought his phone in front of his face………he looked at his phone and then…….with all his strength……..he slammed it on the floor……..breaking it in many pieces…….

He stared at the pieces of broken phone……….while thinking……..

Earlier that morning while Khushi was still sleeping (7:45 am)

He dialed a number……….and said "Hello…….Mr. Khanna……this is Arnav Singh Raizada…….I needed a favor from you……..it's urgent…….yes……..as soon as possible……..I need to know about someone…….actually about their past……..yes……..few years……..yes I understand it may take some time but I still need to know ASAP………yes…….her name is Khushi……full name Khushi Kumari Gupta…….or Khushi Singh Raizada……..or Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada……..try will all the names……..yes……my assistant will send you a blank check…….fill out the amount you want but make this your priority……..IT'S URGENT…………."

PRESENT

How can I do this to her……..when she specifically asked me not to poke into her past after she left RM………why would I do this to her………no…….I will not try to find out until she is ready to tell me………I will have to wait…….I am sure she will tell me whenever the time is right…….I can't break her trust all over again……..no……I can't risk losing her again………NEVER……..how could I think of betraying her like this all over again……..I am a horrible person………she has barely started trusting me………No…….I can't do this……..I will not do this…….

To Be Continued………

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