And in that instant, his whole view of Shashi Gupta had changed. He had known the man well enough on the business level, but personally, he knew nothing. And after listening to the daughter, he actually felt some pity for them.
At least, her father had done something to try save his wife. So what if it was something illegal? His own father had been the one who had shot his mother dead. Arnav closed his eyes painfully, seeing those torturous images again. He had been a witness to all of it. The gunshot... The blood...
He had been able to feel compassionate for someone after so long. How many years had elapsed since he had refused to feel anything? How many years had he spent as a ruthless, arrogant person who only knew how to take people down? What was there in that girl that had moved him, he could not explain. But he had had the unstoppable urge to help her. And he had done it without tarnishing the beast he had for image.
Arnav had let her know that he was in fact the founder and CEO of AR Resorts after hearing her out. The shock on her face had been priceless but he had gone on without leaving time for her to digest it. He was ready to drop all the charges against her father, return him all his property and even pay his hospital bills and whatever other debts he could have, if and only if she agreed to his one condition.
She would have to leave everything else, even her sick father, and work for him for a whole year without any salary. The price was big for her, he knew it. Yet, she had accepted it. For some reason, it had made him respect her. How could she sacrifice herself so readily? He had done some research on her. He knew she was in her final year and she loved literature. Khushi Kumaari Gupta was even aspiring to become a professor. She was losing almost everything...
***~***~***
She used to have her dreams, her ambitions... Now, everything lay destroyed at her feet... She couldn't even blame her father's rash decision. She understood his despair. He had loved her mother a lot.
Khushi stared up at the stars. Her mother used to say that people became stars after they died. Whether it was true or not, she didn't know, but she looked up at the heavens with a prayer. A prayer for a way out...
***~***~***
His face bore no expression as he gulped down the scalding black and, most probably, bitter coffee he had instructed her to bring. He had wanted it without sugar. Then, he had told her to see Mr Aman Mathur next door to be briefed about her daily tasks. She was to be his personal assistant.
From what Khushi had often heard, being ASR's PA was no easy task. He had a short temper, easily flammable, and he tended to be atrociously minute. If he found the least error, he could be shatteringly insulting. But she would take up the challenge. She had no other way out.
"And be careful to give him whatever he wants on time, or else he'll have one of those fury attacks," Aman sighed heavily.
Khushi gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll do my best."
***~***~***
The Beast, they called him. After five days of working under him, she could well understand why it was so. He was really as short-tempered as she had heard. Never in her life she had seen someone get this angry. He yelled the heads off people's shoulders. He practically ate them alive.
She had seen hundreds of people leave his office in tears during this one week. His replies were always curt, one-worded replied; never 'please', never 'thanks'. There were emails to which he never responded, some he never even opened. Arnav Singh Raizada fired people with an incomparable heartlessness. People could plead him, he did not care. Once you had offended him, there was no return. You had to pay for it.
Why was he helping her, then? She had no idea...
But she was glad to have the weekends off. She was relieved to be away from that stressful office. Khushi wished she could go and see her father once. The contract she had signed of her full accord, however, forbade it. And she would obey it sincerely.
Which is why she had carefully asked him beforehand, the previous day, just before he had dismissed her, if she could at least call and ask about her father. He had glared at her with an unfathomable expression before nodding gruffly in assent. She had smiled profusely at his generosity but he had already turned back to his files.
So far, Aman Mathur was extremely pleased with her. According to him, the other Pas that had been appointed before her would not stand the first week; some even got fired on their first day. Those who came to try seduced their new sexy boss never resurfaced anywhere else. The Beast would sink them so deep that the only job they could be offered was waitressing. Khushi was appalled but Aman had just shrugged, having seen such things too often.
Others, the lazy types would cowered because both the staggering workload and The Beast's volatility. Their inefficiency would earn them nothing but his insults and being recklessly fired. Those who could work hard enough to lift all the responsibilities would have left an error somewhere, and ASR believed that errors were unforgivable, hence their fates. Or else, the boss's temper would riled them up, hurt their self-esteem and they would leave all by themselves.
But Khushi Kumaari Gupta was contract-bound. Where could she go? If she breached the contract, they would land in serious trouble. Their property would be seized and the lawsuits would be at the door. Her father would be tagged as a fraud. Was that what she wanted?
Now, having completed the left over paperwork, she went down to the lobby from where she could use a phone to call home. Her father had been transferred back there before she had left for the resort and a nurse was being paid to look after him. For all that Arnav Singh Raizada had done for her, she was infinitely grateful. Personally, she thought that this one year of sacrifice would never cover what he was doing for her...
***~***~***
He was fine. He had even been able to speak to her on the phone. His voice was still weak, but Shashi Gupta was definitely getting better. He had again apologised for throwing her in that situation but she had reassured him. She was perfectly fine. She was well cared after. He was safe. What else could be important?
She glanced outside as she put the receiver down. It was a beautiful Saturday, the sun was bright and splendid. Just like her mother loved it. On days like these, they would both go and sit in the garden or in the park near their house while Shashi was at work. They would often read and talk. Sometimes, Garima would teach her embroidery, crocheting or knitting. Her eyes watered remembering those days. She found her feet dragging her outside against her will.
Thankfully, this was the wing reserved for the members of the staff, so there was practically no one there. She stood in the sunlight for a moment, drinking in the light. Then, she strolled in the direction of her room. Soon, the little pool came in view, making her smile sadly. But a sudden snap stopped her. Several other snaps followed. It seemed like someone was using a scissor-like tools.
Khushi cautiously tiptoed around, following the noise and what she saw made her freeze.
It was him.
The Beast, ASR, Arnav Singh Raizada...
Whatever they called him, whatever she had seen for these five days, they no longer seemed to exist. Her lips parted in surprise. There was no anger on his face. It wasn't expressionless either. It was something else, something totally different, but what? Then she realised it. And her hand flew up to clamp her mouth shut and stifle the gasp. There was love on his face. And he was actually looking handsome...
Suddenly, as if sensing her eyes, he froze too and looked up. Their eyes clashed and she saw, she felt the affection that had been there evaporate instantly, leaving those magnificent dark eyes void. She gulped in terror as he lowered the shears.
"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly.
She shivered. "I was returning to my room," she stuttered and he took purposefully slow stride towards her, his jaw set firmly.
He regarded her with narrowed eyes, his arms crossed. "Congratulations, Miss Gupta," he finally said.
"What?" she choked.
"You are the only PA I have had who managed to stay for three whole days."
She had not expected him to acknowledge that. Aman had told her he barely kept track of the people around him, except for his right hand-people, who, truth to be told, were excruciatingly few.
"The contract binds me, Mr Raizada," she replied, regaining her composture. "But thank you very much for giving my father a second chance."
"I did not give your father a second chance. I am giving you a chance," he stated, causing her eyes to widen in astonishment. "I believe you should be studying?"
Khushi swallowed and nodded dazedly. "Yes."
"In your final year, if I'm not wrong?"
She nodded, looking at the grass.
"And what are you going to do about that?"
Her head snapped up, her eyes wider. She shrugged nonchalantly when she had recovered from the initial shock. "I'll catch up later," she said, adding to herself, if I ever have the means.
He nodded mysteriously. The silence made her feel awkward. She looked away, still feeling his eyes burning on her, but she looked firmly over his shoulder. That's when a patch of deep blue caught her eye.
"Are those 'Propellers' polyanthus?" she gasped. In her excitement, she had taken one step ahead, which diminished the distance between them. Noticing it immediately, she felt herself turning red but he had a look of amusement on his face.
"I see you have a liking for flowers too?" he remarked in softer tones.
Khushi smiled, feeling the tears rush back to her eyes. "My mother loved those," she whispered.
***~***~***
Edited by ShikhaKhushi - 12 years ago
Bigg Boss 19
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