Chapter Six
Arnav watched her eyes widen in shock at his words, and steeled himself against the twinge of regret he felt.
He couldn't believe this woman.
First, she had created an elaborate plan for revenge.
And then, she had created an illusion that he had foolishly believed in.
And finally, she had almost succeeded in taking away his design house, a move that could only have been carried out by a cold, calculating person.
And after all that she done, she expected to get away with just a lame attempt at an apology by returning his shares?
Did she think it was that simple?
Did she really think he would just file for divorce, and let her get away with everything ?
Just who did she think she was?
She had made him go through so much, in such a short while, and now she thought that she could escape so easily..
He wouldn't let her go.
No one betrayed him, and got away with it.
And certainly not a woman who had dealt him a blow at a visceral level.
For the first time in years, he had regretted something he had done.
Why hadn't he thought twice before succumbing to her charms?
Why hadn't he paused to consider the fact that he was going into this blindly?
Why hadn't he listened to his family, or even to his supposedly-sharp intellect?
But there was clearly no point in wasting time in regrets, or what-might-have-beens.
He had to deal with the fallout of his impetuous decision.
One that was standing in front of him right now, looking beautiful enough to make him forget his resolve..
No!
He had to stop his mind from wandering into dangerous territory.
Wasn't that what had got him into this in the first place?
He wouldn't allow himself to feel any tenderness towards her. Or sympathy, either.
Even though a small part of him was screaming that her quest for revenge was not her fault at all.
She had been taken in by the lies of a deluded woman, and who could blame her for believing her sister?
NO!
He couldn't think about her that way.
He wouldn't allow himself to think about her that way.
He had to focus on making sure that she knew that she wasn't about to get away scot-free.
Not after what she had done.
And so he pushed Arnav away, and brought out ASR, the man who had created this empire with ruthless decisions.
And ASR would never pay any heed to the pain and guilt in a pair of hazel eyes..
"What do you mean? I..I had assumed.."
"Stop assuming, Khushi. Obviously, you don't know me well enough, or you wouldn't have even thought of such a thing. Divorce has never crossed my mind.Not even once."
"What?!"
"I never run away from my mistakes, Khushi. And that's who you are, one of the biggest mistakes of my life."
He watched dispassionately as her face paled further, and went on speaking before she could say a word.
"And I will not let you escape the repercussions of what you have done. It's time for payback, Khushi Kumari Gupta!"
"I..I can't believe this..why would you want to continue this farce of a marriage?"
"So now it's a farce? It didn't take much time for your true colors to emerge, did it? And let me worry about my reasons for doing this. You will have enough to worry about when you have to deal with being an ideal Raizada bride to the outside world, even while you know the truth that this is just a sham."
" I can't stay married to you, this marriage has no meaning for me at all! And I certainly have no intention of doing any of what you just said.."
"What gave you the impression that I was asking for your approval? I'm not asking you, Khushi. I'm telling you that this is what you will do. Starting tonight. Because this isn't just about you,and what you want anymore. There are others who will have to face the consequences of this marriage, and I will not have that."
"What are you talking about?"
"Have you forgotten that you aren't just my wife, but a Raizada bahu as well? Have you ever thought of the effect this could have on my family? I will not let the ugly shadow of divorce fall on them. In fact, they are going to remain unaware of anything that has happened today. I cannot take the risk of causing any emotional upheaval in Di's life right now, not when she has just found out that she is pregnant.."
"What?! I didn't know that, I'm.."
"Oh stop pretending as if it really matters to you. Obviously, you couldn't care less about any of them, or you wouldn't have gone about your revenge in this manner.."
"Stop this! Devi Maiyya knows that I did not intend to harm your family in any way! All I wanted was to take A.R fashions away and.."
"And then, what? What exactly was your plan after that? I must admit, I'm extremely curious to know.."
"It doesn't matter! And you know very well why I did this in the first place! Of all people, you would know what it is like to wait for years, hoping to take revenge.."
He winced inwardly as he realized the truth of what she was saying.
Of course he knew what that felt like.
Just a few weeks ago, hadn't he been the one who had exulted in throwing his uncle out of Sheesh Mahal?
Yes, he knew all about revenge.
But this was different.
He didn't quite know why, and he allowed himself no time to think about it either.
But how did she know that he had planned that revenge on his uncle?
The next moment, he answered his own question.
The whole of Lucknow knew what had happened, and she had been there long enough to hear the gossip..
"Let's not get into useless comparisons right now. And I really have no time for this anyway. I have pushed A.R to the back-burner for too long, and I'm not going to jeopardize my company anymore. Speaking of which, did you even give a moment's thought to what might have happened to the employees if the takeover had been successful? Everyone knows that the Singhanias are heartless b*****ds, what if there had been a massive lay-off? Did you ever think of the employee, or their families?"
Khushi stumbled back as the barb hit home.
She thought immediately of Buaji, who had been struggling to keep the shop open while she was injured, just so that she could pay her doctor's bills..
So why hadn't she thought of all those who worked at A.R Fashions?
For that matter, why hadn't she thought about the other Raizadas?
Why hadn't she thought of all the far-reaching repercussions of her plan?
Had she been so blinded in her single-minded pursuit that she had been unable to think about all the collateral damage that might occur?
As she gave it some thought, Khushi realized that she had ignored one thing for years.
She had spent the last four years in a quest to avenge her sister, and self-righteous anger had blinded her..
A quest that was wrong in every way, because it was based on a lie of massive proportions..
But knowing that didn't change the truth.
And the truth was, she didn't really like the person she had become.
And he was the one who had shown her the mirror right now.
She knew that she had to try and correct the mistake she had made, she had to try and limit the extent of the damage that might occur..
But was this the only way?
How could she live with him, knowing that she was his biggest mistake?
How could she face his family, knowing that she was lying all the while?
How could she remain in a marriage with a man who hated her?
She couldn't do this.
She just couldn't.
There must be some other way..
"I..I know that what I did was wrong..and I now know that I was trying to exact revenge for a wrong that had never been done..and I also know that no number of apologies will ever be enough to right that wrong..I..I am willing to do whatever it takes..but surely there must be another way? I can't stay in this marriage.."
She took a quick step back as he moved forward, but stopped suddenly when the back of her knees hit a chair.
He came right up to her, and she leaned back with nowhere to go..
When he was this close, she could see the intensity in his eyes..she could smell the subtle hint of his cologne..and she could almost feel the raw power that came off him in waves..
She had felt this way once before, when they had first met...
His next words broke into her recollections, and shattered the moment.
"There is no other way. This is the only choice you have. So listen to me, and listen well. This marriage will continue, and you will live with me, in my house. My family, and the outside world will never know the truth. And moreover, you will work at A.R Fashions, so that you can help undo some of the damage you have caused. And also because I can keep an eye on you, of course. I don't trust you, and I never will. But let me make this clear, you will be my wife in name only. There will never be anything more between us. And that is what your life is going to be like. Do you understand?"
She couldn't believe her ears.
Her life?
It sounded like her version of hell, and she knew she would never be able to do this.
And why was he asking her to do this anyway?
She knew he was angry,and she also knew that he had every right to be so..but didn't he realize that she had also received a blow today?
After everything that had happened, this was the last straw, and she pushed him away angrily.
"Understand?! All I understand is that you are trying to force me into something that I can never do! And I will not do it! I will do anything else you ask, but not this!"
He straightened up slowly, and took a step towards her, the coldness in his eyes intensifying as he spoke.
"I wasn't aware that I had offered you a choice. This is what I want you to do, and that's all there is to it."
She couldn't believe his arrogance.
Yes, she knew she was at fault.
Yes, she knew that she had to pay for her mistakes.
But that didn't mean that she would let him run roughshod over her this way!
"I already told you, I'm not going to do this! "
He stared at her for a long moment, then turned away to walk behind his desk.
He sat down in the armchair, and leaned back before he spoke again.
"Is that your final decision?"
"Yes!"
"Well, then , I guess I'll have to change mine. I'm no longer willing to offer money for those shares. I want them for free."
She couldn't believe this.
Was that all?
She had never wanted his money anyway.
She was a qualified professional, she knew she could earn back some of the money..
"I already told you that I don't want your money !"
"You should wait until you have heard everything I have to say, Khushi. If you are not willing to stay in this marriage, then here's what I will do. I will not give you any money for those shares. I will make sure that you get nothing in the divorce. And don't talk about the prenuptial agreement, because I'm sure I can get that nullified on the basis of fraud. I will also make sure that you are never able to work in the financial field again. I have far-reaching contacts, and I will let them know about the sort of cheating, lying woman that you are. And oh, let's no forget.."
He leaned forward in his chair, and she stared at him, stunned at his cruelty.
"I will make sure that your Buaji's business suffers too. Don't think that I can't do that, because I will find a way. So there you have it. This is what I will do, if you insist on a divorce."
She had known that he was ruthless, but this side of him was new to her,and she reeled in disbelief.
"What?! You can't be serious!"
"I'm very , very serious, Khushi. Don't ever doubt that I will not do this. I will ruin you, and I won't even think twice about it."
There was just something in his eyes that convinced her that he was saying the truth.
He would do all this, and it would make no difference to him.
For one moment, her thoughts flew back to the gentle lover who had kissed her hand..
The man who had placed a ring on her finger..the man who had taken the pheras with her..
But that man was gone forever.
And he had been replaced by this one, who was intent on destroying her life as she knew it.
Unless she did as he asked, and stayed in this marriage..
Suddenly, white-hot rage engulfed her, unless she couldn't even see him through her blinding anger.
Anger at him, anger at herself, anger at the circumstances that had brought her here..
And so she lashed out.
"I hate you, Arnav Singh Raizada! Do you hear that? I hate you!!"
He smiled slowly as he stood up and walked around towards her.
And his next words were softly spoken, but chilling in their effect.
"Oh I hate you too, sweetheart. Much more than you can ever hate me."
The echo of those words stayed with Khushi for a long time, even when she was in her new bedroom in Shantivan.
She stepped out of the washroom, running her fingers through her wet hair as she remembered what had happened after that..
NK had come in with the paperwork at just that moment, and he had stared at both of them before Arnav had broken the silence, and asked her if she would sign the papers.
She had agreed.
Of course she had.
She didn't have a choice, did she?
She didn't really care about herself, but Buaji was another matter entirely..
And he had known that too.
She had ignored the look of cynical satisfaction on his face as she had signed, and had continued to ignore him while he had called for the driver to take her home.
He had calmly informed her that he was staying back for a while, and she had just nodded before turning and walking out.
When she had entered this house, only HP had been here to welcome her.
She remembered that Nani was coming here tomorrow, and she knew a moment's relief that she wouldn't have to face her yet..
She hadn't seen most of the house, but from what little she had managed to see, she got the impression of clean, modern lines interspersed with comfortable, yet traditional furniture.
And then there was the room in which she stood now.
His room..
But she wouldn't allow herself to think that way.
She looked around it now, her eyes moving from the king-size bed to the sliding doors that led outside.
What was that splashing noise out there?"
She moved closer to take a look, and nearly stopped breathing at what she saw there.
Her husband was back.
And he was in the dark waters of the pool right now, his wet body glistening in the moonlight as he made fierce strokes through the water.
She stared through the glass, mesmerized by the sheer male beauty of his toned form.
As she watched, he came up to the edge and pulled himself out, the water cascading off him in sheets as he did so.
He seemed to be looking for something, and when he didn't find it, he headed towards the bedroom.
Straight towards her.
He saw her immediately.
His feet slowed, then stopped.
Their gazes met in mute acknowledgement of the pull that was still there, undiminished by everything else that had happened.
He walked forward, and pulled open the door, never breaking eye-contact.
Her heartbeat echoed in her ears, and she clenched her hands by her sides.
How could she still feel this way about him?
And then she had no more time to think, because he took the final step that brought him closer.
She gasped as he pulled her against him , his arm snaking around her waist as he molded her body to his.
She could feel every inch of him through the nightgown that was fast becoming damp from the wetness of his body..
She stared up at him, unable to break the spell..
Unable to do anything except close her eyes as he lowered his head towards her.
Her lips parted, her breathing slowed to a stop while her heart raced in anticipation of his kiss.
Until she heard his whispered words, his breath fanning against her lips as he spoke.
"In name only. Have you forgotten that?"
Shocked out of the haze of desire, she opened her eyes just in time to see the coldness in his as he pushed her away.
She stumbled, and held on to a chair as she straightened up.
"How..how dare you!"
"Dare? I didn't dare to do anything,sweetheart. You were just standing there with a blatant invitation in your eyes, and I just thought I'd show you how wrong you were to think that I would accept it."
"I hate you!"
"Yes, you've told me that already. It gets boring after a while. Now excuse me, I need to take a shower before going to bed."
"I'm not sharing a bed with you!"
He stared at her before smirking, and then he turned away as he spoke.
"Yes, you will. Because this isn't one of those daily soaps where I will offer to sleep on the floor with a pillow.."
He turned back to face her again.
"Or did you think I would throw you out by the poolside?"
He smiled again as she gasped.
"Don't worry, Khushi. I'm not going to do any such thing. We have to keep up appearances, right?"
He disappeared into the washroom, and she sat down heavily on the bed as she realized all the implications of just what she had agreed to.
Her turmoil wasn't helped by the fact that her lips still felt numb, and her body ached with unfulfilled desire..
She had to stop thinking of him that way.
This marriage was a pretense, and she couldn't afford to forget that...
And in order to do so, she had to fight her instincts, and ignore this thing between them.
She held on to that thought as she lay stiffly on her side of the bed, trying not to panic at the thought of him lying there beside her.
She didn't know when she went to sleep, or how..but when she awoke, it was daylight, and he was gone.
When she went downstairs, she found that Nani had just arrived, and she joined her for the pooja before being informed that Arnav had left instructions for her to come to the office at eight.
She barely had time for a quick breakfast before she left, and when she arrived at A.R, she found Aman waiting for her.
He told her that ASR had assigned her to help him throughout the day, and she was surprised because she had been sure that she would be working with Arnav..
She threw herself into her work, and quickly found out that the intended takeover by the Singhanias had been stopped in it's tracks.
Although she was thankful for that fact, she also realized that A.R was not out of the woods yet.
She felt distinctly uncomfortable at first, because she knew that Aman was privy to the truth, or at least parts of it.
But he never treated her as anything but just another colleague, and gradually, she felt more at ease.
She tried to immerse herself in work, even though she hadn't been given anything more than just clerical jobs yet. But she was glad that she was able to help in any way she could..
Was this her penance?
She hoped that somehow, A.R would manage to weather this storm..but she had no clue about what Arnav was doing to make that happen.
She didn't see him all day, because he was tied up in one high level meeting after another.
When the driver came for her at six, she kept looking back, waiting for..him?
Why did she expect him to join her?
Hadn't he made the terms of this marriage very clear?
When she reached home, she decided that she wouldn't go up to her room until later, and so she spent a few hours with Naniji, and then helped out in the kitchen.
But soon, it was time to retire for the night, and she went upstairs reluctantly, the semblance of normalcy dropping with every step she took.
For some reason, she went straight to the poolside, and stood there for a moment.
Her gaze was drawn to the star-studded night sky, and she remembered how her Amma had always told her that those who passed away turned into stars..
Are you one of them, Jiji?
Why did you do this?
Why couldn't you tell me the truth?
But she didn't receive an answer.
She would never know why Jiji had done this.
But what if she hadn't?
Would her life be different now?
She would have had her Amma..her family..
And maybe, just maybe..the man who had come into the sweet shop would still be with her..instead of the ruthless tycoon who could destroy her with one snap of his fingers..
She was surprised to feel the moistness on her cheeks.
Tears were a sign of weakness, and she tried very hard to never show that vulnerable side to the world..
She suddenly felt as if she was being watched, and turned around abruptly.
He was there.
He was standing on the other side of the glass, and as she stared at him, his gaze took in the tears on her cheeks.
He took one step forward, and she held her breath, uncertain, unsure..
But then he clenched his fists and turned away, and she felt as if she had lost something precious..
That night, she lay awake, staring at the ceiling as if it could give her some answers..
This became their daily routine for the next one week.
At work, he continued to make very effort to bring new investors into A.R fashions. The next international trip had been scheduled for next week, and she was accompanying him to Hong Kong, a time she was already dreading..
At home, they barely spent any time together, and she spent long hours with Naniji..and sometimes she spoke to Buaji, who had now recovered completely.
But the nights were the worst.
As she lay there beside him, she fought against a multitude of emotions.
Guilt, fear, anger, sadness..
And the most disturbing one..unfulfilled desire..
Was this the way things were going to be for the rest of her life?
Was she destined to live an empty, meaningless existence as she repented for her sins?
She had no answer to those questions.
But she did know one thing.
If this continued for much longer, she would lose herself completely.
Khushi Kumari Gupta would cease to exist.
And that thought scared her more than anything else.
Arnav entered his bedroom and threw his jacket on the bed, loosening his tie as he stepped towards his wardrobe.
Except, it wasn't really his, was it?
As he pulled it open with a jerk, his eye immediately went to her side, and his face took on a cynical cast as he saw the row of bridal sarees.
She was still playing a role, no matter how much she denied her acting skills.
The role of the perfect bahu at home, and the role of the reformed, supportive wife and partner at work.
In fact, the drama was still on downstairs, where she had joined Nani for the evening Aarti as soon as she had returned from the office with him.
And frankly, he was getting tired of this charade.
Why couldn't things have been different?
Involuntarily, his thoughts went back to a simpler, happier time when he had believed in her, in the apparent guilelessness of those eyes..
The next moment, he ruthlessly pulled his thoughts away from that time, because he now knew that it had all been an act.
Even after so many days, he still found it hard to acknowledge the fact that there had been a scheming, manipulative woman in the guise of an innocent, small town girl..
But in a small corner of his mind, there was also a tiny speck of admiration for her.
After all, she had managed to implement her plan, and pull the wool over his eyes successfully, hadn't she?
And there weren't too many who had done that, and gotten away with it.
In fact, her current work at his office was of the highest caliber, and if she had been just another employee at A.R, he would have promoted her soon..
But she wasn't, was she?
She was the woman who had lied to him, and shown him the dangers of letting his guard down..
Never again.
He would never be able to trust her.
Which is why he always made sure that Aman double-checked everything she did, discreetly of course..
Lost in his thoughts, he had hardly been paying any attention to what he did, but now he looked at the row of clothes and realized that his jogging suits were missing.
"HP! Come here right this minute!"
His yell brought HP running into the room in seconds, and he turned to him immediately.
"Where the hell are my jogging suits?"
"Arnav saab, they must be in the wardrobe.."
"If they were, why would I call you here?"
He watched in rising irritation as HP went over to the wardrobe, and the irritation quickly turned to anger when he saw where his clothes were.
"Why are my clothes on her side of the wardrobe, dammit?"
"Sorry, Arnav saab..we just hired a new maid, and I think I didn't explain this to her.."
"If she can't understand a simple thing like this, then fire her! And get out!"
As HP went out of the room as fast as he had come in, Arnav went over to the wardrobe, and saw the neat stack of his jogging suits placed among her things.
He had religiously avoided touching anything of hers, and he had never even opened this side of the wardrobe ever since she had placed her things there.
What were all these books for anyway?
Not that he cared, of course.
All he wanted to do right now was run for an hour or so, hopefully that would take care of some of his frustration..
He pulled one set of clothes off the pile, but his abrupt movement dislodged the rest of the items on the shelf, and he winced as some of the books fell down .
What the!
He was about to call for HP again, when something caught his eye.
He went down on his knees, and stared at the first book, which now lay open.
Stunned, he quickly opened the others, and saw the same thing as the first.
He couldn't believe his eyes.
He got up slowly, his mind whirling with the realization.
This could only mean one thing.
Khushi had been lying to him.
Again.
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