ARHI FF:Strings of Illusion:T6 |LINK 2 T7 - PG1 - Page 19

Khushi walked with her phone stuck to her left ear as she worked out some last minute details of the engagement party; she finished her call with the event manager who was probably running around in the huge house trying to tie-up the loose ends and stood quietly by the first floor bannister looking down at the beautifully decked up grand ballroom of the Gupta Mansion...Aradhana had never looked better and she knew her dear departed great-nanaji agreed.

She smiled fondly as she saw her mother and maasi walk out of the room behind her to join her near the vantage point from which she was gazing down "This looks perfect Khushi!" her maasi said as she side hugged her niece... "I am so glad we gave in to ma's insistence of having Akhil's engagement here...this house really did need a grand celebration to come of the gloom it had settled in recently" she said with a sad smile as Garima held khushi's hand

"I cannot agree more Tripti, Its our son's engagement...and we have to make it large! Don't we Khushi?" she asked her daughter whose laughter rang amongst the long corridor "Off course mamma...I would not have had it any other way...and its fatso's engagement...so it has to be the best! After he's chosen the best Bhabhi for me!" khushi said quickly glancing at the room the two woman had just come out of; where Mihika, Akhil's fiancee sat with her family getting ready

"Yes, she truly is a beauty...can't believe our kids have grown up so soon na rimmy?" Tripti said as she swiped some kohl off her eyes and placed it behind khushi's ear "And you especially my darling...very soon, your prince charming will be coming this way to sweep you off your feet...and I won't be surprised if you find him tonight...with the way you are looking, every man there would be looking at you only" she said as Khushi rolled her eyes

"Ya right maasi..." she said as her eyes sought the main entrance of the room where the many invited guests were streaming in from...it had been 5 days since she had met Arnav and it was killing her to not find him here on time...the last day they met was in a meeting with their team, the day after he had come to visit her mother...they were supposed to spend the day together, but some issue at R&S's Delhi office and a disagreement with its northern region partners had taken him there to sort things out

Since then they had only spoken on the phone wherever either of them had got some free time...Khushi had been busy trying to work out the D'Blanc account with their legal team to get the stuff ready for the contract signing while Arnav was bogged down by his work in Delhi...they were desperate to finally see each other tonight after such a long hiatus and the fact that it was Akhil's engagement made it even better

The engagement that was supposed to take place at the Grand Hyatt had been shifted to Aradhana owing to some structural problems the hotel was facing...it was a very last minute decision, but after persistent insistence from Khushi and her nani, her maasi's family had finally given in instead of going to look for another five star hotel to hold the function in.

Khushi had assured them that she will hire the best event planning company and she most definitely had held her part of the bargain...the house looked spectacular with a barrage of white and pink orchids with sheer net curtains of pale pink and Jhumars* made of white roses decking the entire grand room...the ornate architecture of the room lent a regal feel to the place while the strategically placed lights gave the place a magical feeling

She sighed as the rest of the women came out of the room along with the bride and walked down the large curved staircase to descend downstairs. Khushi adjusted the pallu of the beautiful designer saree [see below] she wore and looked once again at the entrance to see if he had arrived...her eyes lit up as she saw his grandfather walk in with a very elegant lady by his side...she strained her eyes to catch a glimpse of Arnav but could not see him anywhere

She texted him again out of disappointment 'Are you coming or nt? I will not ask u again' she wrote and sent to add another text to her growing pile of unanswered ones...she had been trying to call him since last three hours when she knew his flight would have landed back in Mumbai, but had gotten his phone switched off the entire time, she was worried and annoyed...she had also been tempted to call Lavanya and ask her about Arnav but had canceled that thought since it was a sunday and her holiday.

She looked back at her silent phone and walked down dejectedly to join the others as they gathered around the bride and groom...she heard her name being called and looked up to find her nani and Sanjay uncle, her maasi's husband standing with Arnav's grandfather and the woman who had come along with him "Khushi...you already know Raizadaji, come and meet his daughter Padmini" she said as khushi stood in front of them and joined her hands in a namaste

"Oh, so this is Khushi..." the woman said as she smiled at warmly and caressed her face gently "I have heard a lot about you beta...but no one told me you were so beautiful" she said as khushi smiled and blushed slightly at the admiration...many people had commented on her looks and praised her beauty before, but it had affected her deeply when Arnav's bua had done the same...as if, she was approving her.

"I hope you have heard all good things aunty" Khushi said as Padmini laughed gaily "Off course...Arnav doesn't talk much, but baba has spoken about you quite a lot...you may not remember but I do recollect you as a small chubby little girl who used to come to our house when you were young...when Bhaiyya and bhabhi were.." she said and stopped suddenly as emotions overtook her

"I understand" khushi said squeezing her hand as her nani, her uncle and arnav's dadaji looked at her "Its always difficult to talk about loved ones who are not with you...I wish I would have remembered them and my visits, but I truly don't" khushi said sincerely as Paddu bua kept her other hand on her's "Oh, don't you worry...I will tell you everything...at least what ever i remember that is...I too was very young you know...in fact, you should not call me Aunty...call me Paddu bua only...I'd really like that" she said as khushi smiled and nodded

"Khushi, why don't you go and see if Mihika needs anything...she seems to be very stressed" Sanjay said as she khushi nodded with a smile, she said quick good byes with a promise of catching up with Paddu bua soon...she started walking briskly across the room when she banged into a startled Payal "Oh...sorry..." Khushi said and stopped as she spotted Payal in front of her "You!" Khushi said as payal looked at her with a confused expression

"Yes, me...Payal Dinkaran" she said with a sarcastic smile as khushi narrowed her eyes "What was the meaning of teasing me in front of my mother the other day huh? Would you like it if i teased you in front of your father?? and that too when you don't know me at all!" khushi said as payal shrugged her shoulders "Hey! Your guy didn't seem to mind it...he is, your guy right??" she said as khushi pursed her lips

"That is none of your business...and it would be better for you to understand that now..." she said as payal raised her hands, her eyebrows lifting up in amusement "Okey...I really did not know you will take soo much offense...I'll be sure to zip it the next time..." she said as khushi calmed down a little bit "Fine...sorry I did not mean to be so rude...its just that this day is not going the way I intended" she said as payal nodded her head

"Yeah, I can see that...or cannot see that is" Payal said as khushi looked on in confusion "I beg your pardon?" she asked her as she grinned widely "I cannot see your 'Guy' anywhere" she said making air-quotes as she said guy giving khushi another reason to fume at her...but before khushi could say another words she quickly walked away from her exclaiming 'Food!' to which khushi gave her an annoyed look while her lips curved up a bit "Bhookad!* Reminds me of me" she thought as she shook her head and walked towards the main dais where Akhil and Mihika sat.

...

Khushi had tried, but she could not hide her disappointment anymore...the rings had been exchanged...the guests had all wished the lovely couple and now everyone was having dinner, with all the young one's dancing to the DJ's tunes...she sighed as she looked at her cousin and his fiancee dancing cheek to cheek to a vey romantic hindi song and started making her way up the stairs...she really wanted some quietude after all that mingling.

She had already spent a considerable amount of time with Paddu bua and Arnav's dadaji who had regaled her with many lovely stories about the olden days...not that many of her's since there went't that many to tell...but more of Arnav and his bother Akash...it had left a smile on her face as she imagined their 'Chotey' in all those situations...the talks had made her more restless to see him, but after not receiving any message from him till now, she had given up on the hope of seeing him today

It made her fume that he had promised her last night that he will come directly from Airport to the function here, but had probably not bothered to...he had not even answered her calls or replied to her texts...she wanted to see how he would respond to the cold shoulder she was planning on serving him tomorrow morning...even his bua and grandfather had not spoken about why Arnav wasn't here...instead they had told her how Akash was supposed to come, but had got some university work at the last minute

'Bloody Arnav Singh Raizada' she thought as a soft breath caressed her ears making her tingle all over "Thinking about me?" she turned around to come face to face with his caramel eyes that held passion, desire and longing all together...she kept staring at him as if wondering if he was figment of her imagination or was he really here "I'm here...in the flesh" he said, once again reading her mind as she stepped back a few steps

"What are you doing here!" she asked him as she realized they were alone in the upstairs terrace where she stood gazing at the starlit sky "When did you come?" she asked him as he chuckled and came forward to hold her by the shoulders "Let me see you first" he said as his bold gaze lingered over her curves lovingly wrapped up in the soft material of the sari

"Let me go...I don't want to talk to you" she said shrugging his hands off her and started walking out of the terrace...she had reached the corridor near her room when Arnav yanked her by her arms and pushed her inside her room, then proceeded to lock the door before standing with his hands behind him observing her "Now, let me see you" he said as khushi threw daggers at him with her angry eyes "What do you think you are doing? I have to go down.." she said as he went to stand by the door

"No one is waiting for you down there...Everyone is busy with their own thing...and all the formalities are done.." he said as he gazed at her with hunger in his eyes...he saw her stiffen before walking towards him, her hand on the knob of the door near his hips...he quickly covered her hand with his before bending down to her ear "I missed you babe" he said as khushi closed her eyes

"No you did not...otherwise you would have at least texted me back...but you obviously had better things to do" she said as he pressed his body closer to hers...his front meshing with her exposed back "I lost my phone at the airport...I had gone to get a new phone before coming here, that's why i got late...plus my flight had anyways gotten delayed...sorry...I did not call you because I thought you were busy with the engagement...I know how much stressed out you were for all this" he said as khushi relaxed against him

"Your'e not lying are you?" she asked him as he removed a brand new iPhone 5 and showed it to her... "Check the phone book" he said as she slid it open and saw the contacts...there was only one name in it 'Khushi'...she smiled as she looked up sideways to finally face him "Only my number?" she asked as he nodded "Its the only one i remembered...I don't even know my home number" he said as she shuddered at the intense look in his eyes

She turned around completely to wind her hands around his neck "I'm sorry...I thought that you had forgotten..." she said as arnav touched his forehead to hers "Forgotten? How could I forget khushi when all I thought all night and all day today was finally holding you in my arms...I missed you soo much that it hurts..." he said as khushi blushed

"I did not even meet anyone downstairs...As I came in I saw you walking upstairs...I followed you a few seconds later without meeting anyone...I just had to see you first" he said as he dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead, making khushi close her eyes in satisfaction.

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Khushi's Dress