From the author's desk: Sorry folks, I am not very happy with how the update has turned out to be' but I am in one of those crappy writing moods where nothing flows freely'
Thanks so much for the feedback, I feel so grateful to all of you Hope I don't disappoint you all much.. PMs later... Happy reading!
________________________________________Chapter 3: The First Impressions
Part 3: Tables turned
Before the family or Arnav could protest on the ingenious proposal, it was Kushi who reacted first to the proposed deal.
"No" she gasped as she went ner him "NO father, you can't do this- this is completely wrong- life is not a deal" She whispered in shock
But Shashi was not in a mood to pay heed. His eyes were fixed on Arnav who stood there stunned at the prospect of a wedding on those lines.
"If you make her your wife- the bahu of this family- I will give back the mansion to you" Shashi told again- very slowly as if the impact will be more then
"How dare you propose to us that this skinny skeleton girl is to become the bahu of this parivaar? What status has she got to become one? " Mami called out from somewhere behind Arnav, finally breaking the silence which seemed to stretch into infinitiy
Then everybody started speaking at the same time
"How can we believe that our father has signed this house for you?" NK asked him
"Do you even know the parampara of this family? There is an eminence required to become a bahu of this family- leave alone the elder bahu- Do you even know the magnitude of such a position? I can never accept her as the bahu of this house- never" Dadi told him bigheadedly
"What kind of person are you? First you openly accept that you won this house in a gamble, then you swap the deal for a girl- how can we even trust you?" Akaash asked him
"Don't you have any shame to make a deal with two young lives like this? Is she even of age to marry?" Nani asked angrily
Shashi looked at everyone and smiled wildly- Arnav was still didn't break his silence as he observed Shashi curiously.
"She is of marriageable age alright - you don't have to worry about it- and of course, I have this to prove that I am speaking the truth" Shashi told in a slurred tone as he pulled the document out of his shirt where he had secured it.
He tried to go towards Arnav but swayed a little loosing balance- Arnav didn't even flinch but Kushi let a gasp but he steadied himself again and waved the document in front of Arnav's eyes- who seemed to have adopted an unperturbed posture after his initial shock.
"your father's signature is right here" he slurred again.
He moved towards Dadi as the two girls scrunched their nose moving away hurriedly from his path
"and I don't care about status'if you care, she has enough of your royal blood to be a wife to your grandson" he told her as she too gave him a disgusted look
He seemed unruffled about the revolted glance that everyone where throwing at him.
"I want her married to him that's all " he said finally with a dramatic effect, his hands up in the air and circling around from where he stood.
"I think the document is Fake" NK challenged him
"see.. look look for yourself- I didn't even know your father was this wealthy- he was the one who signed this- in front of a notary- who sits in the club- its all legitimate.. I am not a fool- look" he said faltering towards NK
"I shall invalidate this once the wedding is over! Promise!"
"I wont agree to this marraige" Kushi told all of a sudden, surprising her father
"you wont?" he asked her as if perplexed what to do next as she shook her head.
"you dont like him?" he asked confused and then pointed to NK "this one? you will marry this one?" he asked her again as she glared at him impatiently while NK looked at Kushi with wide eyes
Arnav who had been observing him quietly, smiled at last. he has got the objective now... this was a child's game he thought.
"what nonsense is this?" Anjali muttered trying hard not to giggle.
"or this one?" he turned suddenly pointing to Akaash eliciting a scowl from Payal. Anjali giggled this time and then went quiet as the others threw her an unbelievable look.
"I didnt mean that way " Kushi stamped her foot as she sighed awkwardly, hoping against hope that it was all a dream and he would soon get up from this dream
"so you like him.. dont you? the elder son? " Shashi grinned at her stupidly...
Kushi decided enough was enough as she went forward in a lightening flash, pulled the document from her father's hand and tore it into two
Shashi looked at his daughter in shock as she clutched the two halves of the document in her hand and glared at him.
"What did you think? That you can buy me a Man? Is getting married a play? Like getting me an expensive doll? You can't force me on anyone, father -you are not in your senses- you don't even know what you are talking bout-stop this and come home with me"
"you tore it- you - you tore it? You tore the bond - all of my hard earned.. all of my dream..." Shashi screamed at her as he charged at her, not registering any of her words,
"It was not your hard earned treasure- you won it in a gamble... it is never yours..." Kushi shouted back at him as she stepped back
Shashi was already irrational and her act of tearing his bond had pushed him further into madness and in a rage of the moment his hands came in contact with her face, slapping her so hard that she lost balance on the impact. A general shock ensued following this retribution. Kushi who had been displaying quite displeasure till then- went very quiet as she slowly stood up, her eyes traumatized by this action of her father's.Payal had let out a loud gasp and Anjali stood there shivering, both of the girls probably fortunate enough to not even been treated half this bad or reprimanded by their fathers, looked petrified at the scene in front of them
Arnav too had taken in a sharp breath, not expecting this outrage, but now he stood staring at the man with fury.
"oh my god.. I hit you.. oh my bad my bad- you shouldn't have tore it bitiya .. but never mind- never mind" Shashi assured himself more than he assured her "the one that you tore was just a copy- I.. I have the original secure and safe- you..you will marry him- wont you? you know my desire.. you my aim.. you wont spoil it... now be good girl.. tell me this marriage will happen" he went on blabbering more to himself almost swaying without control
"And If I don't agree to it?" Arnav's cold calculating voice was not very loud but it seemed to have an effect on Shashi.
Shashi turned to look at Arnav again
"If you don't agree to what?" he asked Arnav
"If I say No this proposal then?" Arnav cooly asked him with a smirk
"if you say No.." Shashi repeated what Arnav told blinking back at him, looking completely lost
"then.. then.. you have to vacate this place' I will make you vacate this place" he mumbled again " but you don't want to vacate this place? do you? "He asked Arnav earnestly
Arnav didn't bother to answer him but looked at him steadily and shrugged
Shashi turned to his daughter
"You don't worry- he will marry you- he will agree - I will make him agree - he has to" he kept burbling as he lost conscious and collapsed on the floor.
Hasnt Shashi done enough damage already? What do you all think? should the deal be on or off? let me know your thoughts
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Edited by abavi - 12 years ago
Chakravarti Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan
Mangal Lakshmi
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