Part 29
Please excuse the no-quote for this part.
Aman groaned as he looked down at the latest article on paper.
S. Sharma strikes again he thought, and felt the exhaustion and irritation creeping up as he picked up his phone to try and do damage control for the latest scathing article attacking the company.
This wasn't the first time such an article had been published. Previously, articles regarding Anjali had also come forth with some equally controversial statements, and Arnav often relied on Aman to clear up the mess. He would refuse to make comments on anything that was posted about him, however whenever a member of his family would get involved, Aman would have to work overtime to get everything sorted lest Arnav gave into the anger and provided the media more story to report.
As Aman made some calls, he looked up at the clock and ran a tired hand over his face, hoping that the gift would reach Arnav in time.
********
Khushi sat on the bed, her hands fiddling with the quilt, the heat of the sun pouring into the room and enveloping her as she sat in her light-coloured cotton suit, the dupatta sprawled on the chair at the opposite end, and her shoes thrown to the other end of the room. As she looked around, she saw her clothes messily lying in her suitcase, the towel that she used carelessly thrown over the couch, the bed sheets crumpled and the entire room now resembling more like how she used to live before marriage. She bit her lip as she looked down, the fingers continuing to pull at the fabric, slowly smoothing out the designs and the creases, before pulling at it again, mulling over the confusion in her mind.
She felt exhausted. Mentally and physically, and her throat hurt from having screamed so much. But she felt something else. She felt relief at finally giving in and letting everything out. She wasn't sure how much she had hurt him with her outburst, but she knew that she was tired of being the one trying to make this marriage work on the time. She knew that this marriage could not end so easily ' if it could, they would have taken a divorce the second they would have been married. But she was tired of being the only one always trying in this forced relationship.
********
Arnav stared out of the large windows, the sunlight pouring in, running a hand through his hair, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand as he heaved a large sigh. The small knock on the door alerted him out of his thoughts and he placed the cup back on the coffee table before quietly walking over to the door.
********
Khushi pulled a face as she stared at her reflection, a hand running over her face, taking in her puffy, red nose, her pale skin and her dark black eyes staring back at her. She took out a brush and combed her hair properly before tying it back into a plait. Taking out a brush, she quickly brushed her teeth, trying to keep last night's events as far from her mind as possible.
********
Arnav stepped into the room, hearing the shower running, and placed the gift on the bed. Looking at the state of the room, his mouth pulled down into a scowl and he sighed in frustration. Picking up the dupatta that was thrown carelessly, he folded it and placed it neatly on the bed, before pulling at the bed-sheets and fluffing up the pillows. Hearing the running water come to a halt, Arnav quickly stepped out of the room, softly closing the door behind him.
********
Khushi stepped out of the bathroom, the towel in her hand drying her wet hair, as she suddenly stopped and looked around the room. Something looked different. Her eyes focussed on the dupatta that was neatly folded on the bed, instead of it being draped around the chair, and her eyes looked around to see some other things being put back in place. Frowning, she started walking around, when the bell startled her out of her thoughts. Throwing the towel on the bed, she stepped out of the room to see who was waiting at the door, not noticing that her towel had landed on a small velvet box on her bed.
********
Arnav glanced at her from the corner of his eye as she greeted the girl at the door. He frowned as he saw her cordially being invited in and took in her funky hairstyle, appreciating her sense of style, and the confidence with which she carried herself. Arnav took out his blackberry and replied to an email as he took a seat besides Khushi, waiting for the woman in front of him to speak up. The way Khushi was around the woman told him that she knew him from before, and he looked at her briefly to see if she would explain it to him, but Khushi continued to smile at the stranger, the smile lighting up her eyes, spreading across her face, as she animatedly explained the difference in culture, using her hands to explain most of it.
As Khushi finished talking, she turned to look at him, and he immediately looked away after realising that he had been staring. Covering up, he leaned forward in his chair and looked at the woman seated in front of him, her laptop back casually placed on the coffee table, and a big file in her hand with pages falling out of it.
"What can we do for you?" Arnav asked, and the stranger looked at Khushi briefly, before turning to Arnav and stretching out her hand.
"Hi I am Nandini, hired by Mrs. Jha for yours and Mrs. Raizada's trip to Australia" She said, "I had come yesterday and met Mrs. Raiza-"
"Khushi" Khushi interrupted, and Arnav turned to look at her, as she kept her gaze fixed on Nandini, "Please call me Khushi"
"Of course Mrs-I mean, Khushi" Nandini amended, and turned her focus on Arnav once again, "Call me your personal concierge if you will. Wherever you want to go, you call me up, and I will make the appropriate bookings. Whatever you want to shop for, let me know, and I will make a list of the shops you can-"
"That won't be necessary" Arnav cut her off, getting up, and started walking towards the bedroom, not letting Nandini finish.
"But-"
"This is our honeymoon, so we can plan for ourselves Miss'"
"Sharma" Khushi finished for him, and looked at Nandini apologetically.
Arnav looked at her briefly, before addressing Nandini, " We can sort out our own trip"
"Mrs. Jha insisted that I do it, even if you refuse" She said, standing up to face him.
"I am sure I can talk to Anjali.."
"Very well" Nandini said, and took out her phone, punching in a few numbers, before handing it to Arnav, "Here you are"
Arnav's eyes hardened , as his lips thinned, "What's the meaning of-"
"I'll take it" Khushi said, and got up, taking the phone away from Nandini and talking to Anjali.
Arnav stared at Nandini, as she looked right back, "I am trying to do my job here, Sir" she clarified, "I was strictly instructed that under no circumstances was I to listen to you"
Arnav stayed quiet, folded his arms and glared at Nandini as Khushi talked to Anjali.
********
"...Yes di" Khushi said, the smile touching her face, as she stared out the window, the tension in the room intensifying, as she looked over her shoulder to see Arnav now getting ready, as Nandini sat on the couch, and marked off more attractions, "No, he is getting ready" Khushi said, "...Yes...yes, I will...Yes, I'll tell him to give you a call, Di'
"Oh-hello Jijaji!" Khushi exclaimed as she heard Shyam on the other line, greeting her, "Yes! It's a beautiful city!"
"...Yes, everything is fine..."Khushi said, "...Yes, I am having fun...What? No, he isn't! I am having a lot of fun!" Khushi said, her eyebrows twitching in confusion, as Shyam asked her again if she was fine, and she shrugged it off as his brotherly concern, "Yes Jijaji, everything is fine here! I will return very soon!"
"Okay...alright...yes, okay, bye Jijaji!" Khushi said, and switched off the phone, just as Arnav stepped out of the bedroom, freshly showered, the water dripping off his wet hair, the strands of which stuck to his forehead, his eyes immediately connected with hers, and Khushi looked away, placing the phone back on the table.
She heard him take a few steps closer to her, and she felt her entire body stiffen up, as she gripped the edge of the table tightly, her head lowering slightly, as she looked to the side from the corner of her eye, waiting for him to come in her peripheral vision.
She swallowed hard, and her grip tightened, waiting for him to try and talk to her, when suddenly the bell rang, momentarily startling her.
She turned around, and saw as Arnav looked at her, his eyes holding her gaze for a few seconds, before turning around and walking towards the door.
Opening it, Khushi adjusted her dupatta, and looked up when she heard a very excited, male voice exclaim,
"Nannav meri bai!"
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