SS: Saints & Sinners |Chapter 1| - Page 4

"I'm here to cash in my check," Khushi said boldly to the clerk behind the desk and

handed the check to him.

"Name?" the clerk asked.

"Khushi Kumari Gupta."

"I'm sorry but you're check has been bounced," the clerk apologized.

"What are you talking about?" she asked shocked.

"The person who wrote you this check has a bank balance of zero," he answered.

"I knew it.." she muttered under her breath.

"Pardon me?"

"Never mind," she snatched the check from the clerk and stormed away.

As she was about to exit, she saw a man in a business suit enter in hustle. His quick strides caused his cellphone slip out of his pocket and fall on the floor with a thud.

"Excuse me?" she asked politely.

He rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated to be disturbed, looked over his back and annoyingly answered, "Yes?"

The man's arrogance struck her as unbelievable, but also, intimidated her.

"You dropped your cellphone," she handed the techy smartphone to him reciprocating the same ego.

Surprised, at this girl's confidence, he turned around and intently gave her the death stare while gently taking the phone out her hand, intentionally brushing his fingers against hers.

She took a deep breath in at his touch and then let it out with, "Well, aren't you going to say something?"

"Look lady, unless you're one the many girls I've slept with, then no," he made his point with furrowed eyebrows.

Her eyes widened and her eyebrows rose in shock.

"Unless… you wanted to be one of those girls, I'm ready to do all the talking you want," he continued with a smirk while eyeing every single feature of her body, ravishing her head to toe.

At that instant, her hand rose up to his cheek and stroke him across the face in one full motion. Her eyes were fiery and her breathing was uneven.

How shameless can this man be?

The sound of the slap echoed through the bank and immediately his bodyguards stepped forward but his hand motion stopped them.

His hand caressed his cheek while he spoke, "Arnav Singh Raizada usually doesn't tolerate this kind of behavior but I can tell you're a beginner. I spare you."

"I don't need you to spare me, I can handle myself quite well," she replied cunningly, turned around and stormed out of the bank while everyone else just stared at them trying to figure what had happened.

Amazed by this girl's ego and confidence, he flicked his hand motioning for his guard to come.

"I want you to call my private investigator now. I have a new case for him and make sure to tell him this one's worth big bucks."

"Yes, sir," the guard replied and walked away dialing his phone.

***

"Did you figure out anything?" her sister ran up to her as soon as she stepped into the apartment.

"Sis, will you please calm down? I can't focus if you're going to ask me that same question 15 bajillion times every day," she replied pressing her head and flopping onto the couch.

Payal came and sat next to her and continued, "I'm so sorry, it's just that I really love him and I don't want this dowry to come in between us."

"Come in between you?! Can't you see this has already torn you apart? You guys haven't even spoken for a week! And all I have done is cut class and figure out ways to pay that stupid dowry," she replied frustrated.

"I'm so sorry Khushi. I really appreciate your efforts, you truly are a true sister," Payal replied and placed her hand on Khushi's.

Khushi placed her other on top of Payal's and reassured her with a smile, "It's okay sis, everything is going to be fine. I'll figure out something."

"But I don't get one thing, if Ranjit is so nice and sweet how is family so…" she looked for the appropriate word. "..vicious?"

Payal laughed and replied, "His family is just like that, even though he's a pure New Yorker now, his family is still the same Indian narrow-minded types."

She shook her head in dismay and asked, "Why couldn't have you just fallen in love with a white guy? Things would've been so much easier." She got up from the couch and strode towards her bedroom flopping on her bed.

Her eyes slowly started closing shut when her eyes suddenly caught the incomplete History paper staring at her.

"Oh shit!"

In two seconds her sleep had worn off and she picked up her paper and started typing on her laptop. She had been cutting classes at Columbia for almost a week now and her parents were completely oblivious to this.

Of course they would be, everyone was too busy scrambling for the money here and there, no one paid attention to her anymore.

Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she started typing about the motives and consequences of Imperialism and in almost 15 minutes, her head was resting on her keyboard.

***

"Sir?" the guard asked for his attention.

"Hmm?" he answered without looking up from the file he was intently studying.

"Your sister is here to meet you, she's waiting in the lobby. Should I send her up?"

"What?" He flipped his folder shut and sat up in his chair with a scared expression sprawled over his face.

"Girls?" he called out and two girls appeared from his private study into his cabin. "You two need to leave, now."

"What? But I thought we were gonna.." one of the girls complained but Arnav shut her up.

"Get out of here now," he ordered. "Arnold, show them out."

They disappointedly picked up their clothes, shoes and purses and headed out.

The guard led them out with a grin on his face seeing his boss so scared of his sister.

Arnav pressed a button on his phone and called his P.A. "Samantha, send Anjali upstairs and also tell someone to bring some snacks and drinks."

He leaned back in his chair letting out a sigh of relief.

Knock Knock.

Here we go..

Anjali opened the door and walked in with a big grin on her face. "Hey, I saw those two s**ts leaving; come on you can do better than that!"

His expression meant to say, seriously? And Anjali completely understood that.

"Come on I was just kidding!" she laughed. "Come here," she embraced him in a warm and tight hug.

It felt so nice to be with a family member after such a long time especially their parents' divorce.

"How's Mom?" he asked worriedly.

"She's doing okay. At least she doesn't wake up in the middle of night anymore and start crying. She's getting better," Anjali replied her voice breaking.

Arnav nodded compassionately, held her hand and assured her, "I'm sure she will be fine especially with you around to help her recover."

The tone of his voice changed. "I'm very happy you're there for Mom. I just can't leave all my business for even one day to go to the Hamptons with you but all the people who work here are just idiots."

Anjali chuckled and her heartening smile planted a smile on his face too.

"Come on they can't be that bad!" she laughed and seated herself on his couch.

***

One more day passed and she still had no idea what in the world she was going to day. Every single phone call with her sister started with:

"Did you get it?" her sister would ask her desperately.

And she would always reply with, "Don't worry, I'll get it." It was sending false hope to her but that's all she could afford right now.

She passed by Bergdorf's and gazed at the beautiful dress behind the glass display. It was the perfect dress she could wear to Cotillion.

That's if she had the money. Or a date. Or the time.

She breezed past the store looking away from the display when her phone vibrated in her pocket.

Private Number.

"Hello?"

"Khushi Kumari Gupta?" a deep voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Yes?"

"Please report to 'Three Jokers' right away," the voice ordered.

"What?! Who is this?" she asked shocked.

"Report or you will be forced to."

She hung up the phone in frustration.

Probably just a prank call.

Jerks.

***

"Stop it! What do you think you're doing?!" she wriggled through the guards' firm grip. "Where are you taking me? Let go!"

Her eyes were suddenly blinded with a piece of cloth and she was pushed into some car. The car sped away as quick as lightening and no one around had a clue about the incident.

There was dead silence in the vehicle and her ears started ringing.

"Where are we going?" she let out a small squeak.

"You'll see," a deep voice replied.

She groaned. He had said the same thing for the past hour.

***

"Sir," the guard greeted him. "Here she is."

It was him.

She knew that morning wasn't the last she would hear from Arnav Singh Raizada.

***

The song ended and she slowly descended the stairs putting her coat on. She swooshed past Arnav picking up her purse and strode out of the club with Arnav right behind her.

He opened the door to his limo and they got in. Arnav ordered the driver to take them back to his hotel and then leaned back inhaling a deep breath.

She was looking out the window avoiding his gaze.

He moved closer and starting unbuttoning her coat only to get his hands smacked away by her.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a fiery eyes.

He opened his mouth to reply but she interrupted. "You know what, I don't want to hear you're perky pick up lines. Just because I stripped at that club and you liked it doesn't mean we have anything. I'm only in this car for the money," she rapidly talked.

"What makes you think I liked it?" he questioned with a smirk.

She turned towards and answered locking her gaze with his, "You know you did. I saw how you were staring at me."

Shivers ran up and down his spine as she held their fiery gaze triggering feelings inside he never had before.

He leaned and brushed her lips but she quickly backed away.

Turning away she boldly said, "Just give me my money."

Disappointed, he handed her his black briefcase. She grabbed and opened it in her lap. Her eyes widened at the amount of money in the case.

He observed how her expression completely changed and said, "That amount should do it."

The car halted to a stop and she replied, "Thank you." They shook hands professionally and stepped out of the car. Before shutting the door of the limo, she bent and said, "It was pleasure doing business with you but I hope this will be our last confrontation."

With that, she closed the door shut and the car resumed to motion.

He turned towards the other window looking at the street lights and sighed, "Me too."