Arhi FF: Destiny Games #2: Updated new thread - Page 43

Roy's Stratagem was a simple yet powerful divide and rule policy. Creating misunderstandings between parties which when joined together could threaten his aspirations was his preferred means, he simply manipulated the minds of the concerned people such that they wouldn't desire any dealings between them.

Roy had been the mastermind behind the state the Raizada family's wealth had reduced to. Though he was only half way down the final objective that he had sketched out for himself, he knew that getting Arnav sign the deal for Mr.Kher was a very significant step in his plan.

Now there were two things which threatened his objectives- One the potential union of Arnav and Sheetal- Having been an accidental witness to the family's enthusiastic discussions about the girl whom Arnav had brought home a few days back, he had been very disturbed that the union would eradicate Arnav's desperate need for money- The girl being wealthy enough, could support him financially, thus all of Roy's hardwork would go into the gutter. Wasn't this the same reason for him to spoil the friendly understanding between the Sharmas and Raizadas? The Sharma's could have possibly given financial support to the Raizadas if the marital alliance was a mutual one, he played in such a way that the families were now not on speaking terms- even if a marriage happens between Akaash and Payal, the film producer wouldn't damn much bothered about Raizadas's financial crisis anymore.

The second was an obstacle that he never expected. Though he had made Ajay mere putty in his hands, He had to admit that Ajay had been shrewd'. he was not as careless as he thought him to be' nothing else could explain his act of transferring the most valuable lot of his family heirloom to his trust worthy friend, who wasn't even a member of his elite group.

But still, Roy had managed to find out Ajay secret obstacle and precaution and had indeed used it for his advantage, he had got there before Arnav could get the entire picture'and had even managed to deter Arnav's meeting with Shashi. But that was not a permanent solution' If they met again, there were chances that things could go wrong- very wrong'

Now he decided to move the pawns in such a way that not only Arnav will earn Shashi's hostility but also Sheetal's hatred. It was indeed a child's play to let float a rumor that could easily take care of such things.

There could be 2 outcomes out of tomorrow's drama' the easiest and smoothest being that if Shashi was eager about his daughter's married life, he can happy buy the marriage and give Arnav the property papers- but he had a hunch that it was not going to be this smooth- He had a feeling that Shashi knew more than that and that's why he had been asking for Arnav. Even if Shashi tells Arnav about his father's precautions, there was no way for him to know about Roy's involvement. If he ever gets a clue, then he would take a different approach to the whole thing.

Roy knew that Kushi was someone who can change the game entirely- for she was the one who was at the moment the only link between Arnav and Shashi. But Shashi would do anything to see his daughter happy and he will definitely not be happy if he knew that Arnav used his daughter for the property documents. Roy was thus happy with how the things were progressing; he had a working plan and an alternate one too.

***

As much as Arnav tried to get into the mood to work, his mind kept going back to Kushi's agonized and broken voice. After an hour of near futile attempts to divert his mind into work, he gave up on the endeavor and grabbed his car keys.

***

Kushi sat quietly trying to gauge her father's behavior. She had already agreed to Arnav's plan following what she had heard earlier in the day but still she couldn't believe that her father with whom she had spent the entire life ' the father who had been her mother too 'after she lost her mother would do something this hideous just for the sake of fulfilling his dreams? This was not typical of the man who raised her'

She noticed that her father had been quite peaceful the entire day, engaging himself in small conversations with her. He had even caught her worried face the moment she walked in after he was transferred to the ward room, which she had shrugged off with ease. She also noticed that he hadn't spoken about her wedding to her for the entire span of time which was quite abnormal according to her.

Is he acting? Or was this a huge misunderstanding? Should she speak to him about Vikrant's visit? Will she be giving away Arnav's plan if she spoke about it?

It was then she received a call and nervously glancing at Shashi, she stepped out to attend it.

***

Shashi noticed that Kushi was not in her usual chirpy self for last four hours she sat by his bedside, She had not started any conversation- nor did she encourage any of his topics of discussion. Her answers were to the point and the conversations ended abruptly. As far as he remembered she had never been like this' No once ' only once he had seen her like this ' But that was long back' when she was in her teens ...The Mehtas... Aman and Kushi... how close they were? The only time when she hid something that big from him... But that was long back... Didn't she promise him that day that she wouldn't hide anything from him? Was she hiding something from him again?

***

As Kushi walked out to the hospital lobby her eyes wandered around seeking the one who had been the reason for her to step out of her father's room.

She soon saw him standing near the cafeteria, his hands in his pockets, looking the other way. She sighed as she walked towards him.

"Hi"

Arnav turned to see Kushi greeting him. From the time he heard her troubled voice, he had been in dilemma if he had to drop the plan completely or to go ahead with it. He knew he was being incredibly selfish- Whatever had transpired between her father and him- or rather his father was not her fault. She was being made a victim in this case- just as he was- but he was willingly getting into this- for his family name was under stake- But she didn't have to agree to his plan- If she didn't like Vikrant, she had numerous ways to get out of the situation' But she agreed to help- just because she promised him that she would do anything to help him get his papers.

"Would you like to have anything- Coffee, tea?" he asked looking towards the cafeteria.

She raised her eyebrows.

"Did you come here to get me a coffee?" her sarcasm was evident, In the little time they knew eachother, Arnav had been well aware that Kushi was not someone who would encourage beating around the bush- She dealt everything pretty directly- to the point.

"No, not really, hmm.. actually I thought you sounded a little upset when the 'yes' reached me"

"So?"

"So, I thought I would pay you a visit' None of the girls in my love life had been this upset to say yes to me" he told her raising his eyebrows.

"Are you for real?" Kushi asked amused and then added sarcastically "What else did you think would happen? That I would have jumped happily and said yes hugging you with happy tears and then sit right away to prepare my shopping and guest list for the wedding?"

Arnav let out a chuckle

"I wouldn't have expected any less'when the most admirable and prominent young man asks a girl to be his wife'" he told her smirking a little. But she cut him half sentence

"Correction my lord- it's not to be his wife'to act as his wife for an hour or two- at the most a day'" Kushi corrected him as she stepped closer to him with a finger pointed at his face, that he had to involuntarily step back a little' albeit smiling at how his idea of bringing her mood back to normal has clicked.

"Now on second thoughts, I do think that I shouldn't have wasted my precious emotions to say yes to you' an SMS should have been sufficient- saying that Kushi Gupta has considered your petition to act as your wife for an hour'."

"That would have saved my time and petrol too'" he told her jovially "I should have guessed what to expect seeing the sarcasm flowing towards me"

"What else did you expect from me then"

"Gratitude perhaps? This was a crude one- but a help nevertheless"

"Gratitude? You thought I can't handle this Vikrant Desai? I can - even 10 Vikrant Desai's' and more if they dare to come my way'"

"Alright you can'" Arnav smiled at her

"Ofcourse I can'What did you think? That I would succumb and keep begging for mercy? Or did you think that I would come running to you and ask you to save me?"

"You did' Didn't you? I mean you sounded upset, and I had to do something' and now that I know that you are back to normalhood' I can take leave"

"Wait'you do think too high of yourself'What did you think you are? Eh? A Superman?" Kushi asked him annoyed, as she kept coming towards him, forcing him to retreat back, until he hit the line of chairs in the reception and landed on one of them.

"you thought that you are the one to save me? The one who can change my moods and take care of my miseries?" She asked him bending towards him with her forefinger pointed at his chest "tell you what? Not only Vikrant Desai- I can handle a 100 Arnav singh Raizadas as well if I have to' and no one'NO ONE apart from me controls my life- Din this hard into your thick head! "

Arnav tiringly pushed away the reminiscent memories of his own dialogue which came to the fore' the one he had told to Payal not very long ago about men getting overprotective over the girls whom they like. He was suddenly aware of how cornered he was by this girl.

"Alright" he said as he stood up hitting his head hard with hers. "I was feeling a little guilty that I might have forced this upon you'" Arnav told her as they both stood there rubbing their own head at the place where the bang happened "Now that it is clear that it is not like that' and that you can very well take care of yourself' My conscience remains clear- It's a deal then"

Kushi looked at his stretched hand for a few seconds before she took it.

"Yes it is a deal'If you were thinking that you are forcing this on me' you don't have to worry about that' It is not you who is in the position to show mercy' It is me' I am helping you and not the other way around'So stop feeling all almighty, Alampanah and go do whatever needs to be done."

"You might have to sign a document tomorrow morning. Make sure your lawyer is there to assist you if required"

"What document?"

"Some papers to be processed' Whatever we are going to do tomorrow is only an act of convenience. I do not want any connections or obligations at a later point of time'" Arnav told her in a business like tone.

"I assume that is mutual then?" Kushi told him "I can't carry extra baggage in the deal too" she said pointing towards him

"I am as professional as I can be in this matter- You don't have to worry about that" Arnav told her "Do you have any other questions?"

Kushi shook her head. Then it happened, a young kid in his haste to run past her dashed against her, making her collide headlong against him

"Watch where you go kid!" he shouted to the kid unexpectedly scaring the boy.

"I am sorry didi" the kid whimpered to her

"Aman, careful!" a teenage girl who had come chasing him called out "Sorry about that' My brother is scared of injections and he ran away when the nurse came in with one"

"NO that's alright' I am fine" Kushi told as she pulled the boy near her, kneeling next to him

"Your name is Aman?"

"Yes"

She kissed the boy on his cheek

"Why did you kiss me now?"

"Because I like your name" She winked at the boy

"You like the name or do you like someone by that name?"

Kushi laughed at the question.

"So are you scared of injections?" Kushi's tactic to change the topic raised Arnav's curiosity. Does she really know someone by the name Aman?

The boy nodded

"I was too when I was young' then one day I grew out of that fear"

"How?"

"I knew someone by your name and he taught me that it was a silly little thing to be scared off'" she smiled at him

"Yes' But I haven't yet decided if the injections are silly things yet"

"Come Aman, we need to go, Mamma Papa are waiting there" the girl called out.

"I don't want to go'" the boy told Kushi

"Why are you getting injected?"

"He has got fever' They are doing blood tests for him'"

"You need to get the tests done to get alright" she said softly to him as she handed him over to his waiting sister

Kushi kept looking at the boy with a soft expression on her eyes and a smile on her lips. She seemed to be lost in thoughts that Arnav had to call her twice, the second time the call came in a irksome tone for being ignored.

"Oh .. yeah What did you say?" She said as she looked at him.

"I said I am leaving" he snapped at her

"Yeah, see you tomorrow" she said as she turned to back to look at the kid again, Sighing to herself as the kid was just disappearing around the corner.

Arnav turned back and marched to the entrance of the hospital, feeling angry, annoyed, ignored and invidious about that faceless and maybe a non-existent Aman whom he thought that Kushi might know' then he turned to glance at her as he stepped out only to catch her smiling to herself, chided himself for the direction of his thoughts and stepped out.

Oops.. who is this Aman now? What a coincidence that both the father and Daughter are thinking about him? who is he? how is he related to the story? Arnav is concerned for sure... Should he be worried about this Aman guy? see you all very very very soon with another update...

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