Jokes apart, I really wish I could write faster and bring you guys an update a week but I have slowed down little more than usual lately, but I will do my best to catch up.
Thank you all for your respond on the previous update, really appreciate all your comments, encouragements and motivations, you guys are the best.
Here is the next update without anymore delays. Hope you like it.
Part 37
Next morning Priya woke up with a headache. Despite the fact that she had been able to sleep without nightmares since she arrived in Delhi she had been unable to rest the night before. She had thought about all that has happened between her and Arjun all night but she had been unable to convince herself to come clean with him before things went too far between them.
Even after Arjun cleared her doubts about his intentions she had been unable to persuade herself to let go of her fear and insecurity. She trusted Arjun not to judge her for what happened to her but she also couldn't burden him with the baggage of her issues with herself.
If she gave into her desires then there is also the fear of his family and society rejecting her because of what happened to her. If Arjun found out what happened to her he would refuse to leave her side, in fact it would make him more determined to be with her and she couldn't see him drift away from his family again. His family had already lost so much of him after Roshni died. She wouldn't be able to see that happening to him again. He deserves someone much better than her and somehow, some way she would have to convince of him of this.
Priya took a quick shower and got dressed in work clothes. There was no need for the traditional clothes, plus she needed to be in work mode in order to talk Dr. Meera. Her work clothes gave her confidence while the traditional clothes made her vulnerable. She wore black slacks coupled with a white shirt and lightweight, black jacket. She paired the outfit with black, low-heeled pumps. She tied her hair in a ponytail then applied minimum make up before taking a last look at herself in the mirror and walking out the door.
Priya was not surprised to be one of the first ones to wake up. The house seemed really quiet compared to the past two days. Most of the guest had departed the night before so it was just the ETF members and the family now. Priya headed in the direction of the kitchen but came to sudden stop when she heard Arjun's Vimla masi talking to his mom. "Savita I am telling you I don't like that girl being so close to Arjun. She is not right for him. What kind of girl goes out with a man alone at night and let him enter her room while his family is sleeping close by?"
"Didi aap bhi na, Priya is a nice girl and Arjun really likes her so please don't say anything to him about her." Arjun's mom replied with disapproval. Priya took a step back but was unable to move when she heard Vimla masi's next words. "What is there to like about her Savita? You should stop him, not encourage him. God knows what she did when she was on that undercover assignment for eight months. I mean look at her face, don't you think something big must have happened for them to do that type of damage to her face?"
"Didi I already explained to you how Priya got that scar. She saved Arjun's life." Arjun's mom replied with great deal of patience.
"Savita we know that but will the society believe all that. And what if she did save Arjun's life, does it mean he owes her his undying devotion? Besides he needs someone who can take care of his home and family, not someone he works with." Priya had heard enough. She made herself move before she could hear more.
Priya hadn't been the only one to hear the conversation between Arjun's mom and Masi. On the other side Swati was seething with anger while Maya winced at what she heard. They both saw Priya back away from the kitchen and hurry toward her room. Maya placed a reassuring hand on Swati's shoulder to calm her, "I will talk to Savita kaki, you go see if Priya is okay."
Swati nodded then turned towards the stairs with a heavy heart. The damage was already done; she didn't know how she would console her friend after what she heard. She took a deep breath before opening Priya's room door. As expected her friend was sitting on the bed, shoulders slumped in defeat as she caressed her palm. Swati sat next to her and bumped her shoulder gently.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Swati tried to sound lighthearted but wasn't able to pull it off completely. "Just when I start to hope I get a reality check. Why do I forget that I have no right to dream?" Priya curled her hand and looked away from the symbol on her palm.
"Why are you letting one opinionated woman's words get to you? She doesn't matter, what matters is how Arjun feels." Priya's head snapped around to Swati, "You heard?" Swati nodded her head, "Everything she said."
Priya stood up and walked to the window, "It isn't just her opinion Swati. It isn't just about how Arjun feels. If I were to go ahead and form a relationship with Arjun, I am not just forming a relationship with him. I would be forging an alliance with his family also. Priya glanced out the window at the beautiful gardens. "What they think matters and what society thinks affects them not just me."
Swati joined her at the window, "Why would the society judge you without knowing what exactly happened to you, for that matter why would his family judge you for it either?" Swati argued.
"It wouldn't matter until few years pass and I am unable to conceive a child, that is when they will wonder and come to their own conclusions. That is when all the questions will start. And with questions the resentment will also start." Priya couldn't take the risk of putting Arjun and his family through all that heartache. They have been through enough already when Roshni died.
"Priya when are you going to stop punishing yourself for what happened. It was not your fault. You sacrificed everything to save Arjun and Roshni and no one has the right to judge or punish you for it." Swati knew that no matter what she said Priya is not going to change her mind now. Only one person can make her listen and she hoped that he succeeds where she and everyone who has tried to talk to her before had failed miserably.
Arjun was about to knock on Priya's door when he heard murmur of words coming from inside her room. He was about to walk away when Swati's words stopped him in his tracks. He wondered what happened for Swati to sound so frustrated. He knocked on the door softly then entered Priya's room.
He crossed his arm and gave Swati and Priya an enquiring look. His eyes flickered over Priya and the warning look she threw towards Swati, who in turned replied with an irritated look. It didn't take a genius to know that something had spooked Priya in the time he left her last night to this morning.
Swati walked out of the room wordlessly and Arjun felt grateful for that. He turned and closed the door before walking towards Priya, who had turned away from him. He pretended not to see the changes in her or her standoffish attitude. He stepped in front of her and waited for her to acknowledge him.
Priya felt Arjun's gaze on her but she didn't have the courage or the strength to meet his eyes. She had tried her best to build the walls around her heart back up again in the little time she had but she had failed miserably. She didn't have the nerve to tell him she couldn't give him what he wanted after what transpired between them the night before, yet she didn't have the courage to tell him the truth about herself either.
When Arjun couldn't wait for Priya to look up at him, he cupped her face gently and raised her chin. He bent his head and placed his lips upon hers to give her a lingering soft kiss he then wrapped his arms around her and hugged her to him, "Good Morning Priya."
Priya tried to remain immune to Arjun's kiss and hug but as soon as he touched her she only felt relief. Her arms rose automatically to hug him back. He had broken all the barriers the night before and no matter how hard she worked to put up those barriers again she couldn't raise them.
His warmth, his strength was too enticing to resist. "Priya as much as I want to go on standing here, like this, with you, I can't. We have to leave to go see Dr. Meera." Priya immediately dropped her arms to her side and stepped away from Arjun.
"You don't have to go with me. I will take Chotu and Shree with me. You should stay here and spend time with you family." Priya turned to walk away but Arjun caught her hand in his to stop her.
Arjun couldn't resist wrapping his arm around her slender waist and placing his face against hers from the back. "I know I don't have to go with you but I want to, do you mind?" Priya's shoulders slumped in defeat. She turned towards him then looked up at him to make him understand, but the words got clogged in her throat as soon as she looked in to his eyes.
Arjun couldn't fight the temptation to taste her pouty lips again. He bent his head without breaking their eye contact and captured her lips with his. He made a deep groaning sound in his throat when she responded to the kiss. This time he didn't fight the need to taste the inside of her mouth and deepened the kiss.
Priya felt a tremor go through her when she felt Arjun probe her mouth then deepen the kiss. Her hands clenched on his biceps as his arms tightened around her to bring her closer to him. She forgot all about keeping her distance and the meeting with Dr. Meera in those few moments and poured her heart into the kiss.
Arjun pulled back gradually by gentling the kiss then trailing his mouth away from her lips to her cheek and pull back completely. It was a long moment before both Priya and Arjun released each other entirely. Neither wanted to ruin the moment with conversation so they both turned towards the door without saying anything.
Drive towards Dr. Meera's office was also a silent one. While Arjun was joyful with the latest developments, Priya was feeling unsure about everything. Try as she might she couldn't put Arjun's masi's words out of her mind.
Priya snapped out of her thoughts when the car screeched to a stop in front of the hospital doors. "Priya, you go in, I am going to park the car and join you in few minutes." Priya followed Arjun's instructions silently and stepped down from the car without saying anything to him.
Her mind was still in turmoil in regards to her and Arjun. Has she been in the right frame of mind she wouldn't have missed the man walking towards her with an evil smirk on his face, by the time she noticed him he was already standing in front of her.
Harish Shukla appeared the same as he had two years ago, only difference now is that he dressed as a politician rather than police officer and he now had two guards with him instead of two sub-inspectors. "What are you doing here Shukla?"
Shukla's eyes flared in anger and his smirk faded immediately, "That's minister Shukla to you officer Priya." He paused then smirked again, "As for what I am doing here, it is none of your business, but I will tell you anyway. I came here to see Dr. Meera."
Priya's face paled a little and her mouth pinched in irritation. Shukla gave a victorious smile when he saw Priya's reaction. "It won't be long before I find out the whole truth about what happened when you were doing your so called undercover assignment. If not from your doctors then I have other resources." Shukla derived great pleasure seeing the flicker of fear on Priya's face.
He took a step closer to further intimidate her after seeing the flash of fear in her eyes. "Did you think I would give up on making you pay for what you did to my sister? Don't think that just because Rawte family has accepted your lies that the rest of the society will too." Shukla raised his hand, "There is only one way for you to save yourself now.." His hand was caught in a tight grip before it could make a contact with Priya's face.
"If you know what's good for you then you will never attempt to touch Priya again," Arjun threatened as he pushed Shukla away from Priya. Shukla's guards stepped forward but one glare from Arjun stopped them in their tracks.
Shukl's arrogance deflated like a balloon as Arjun stepped in front of Priya, but he was not one to give up so easily. He recovered just as quickly and smirked at Arjun, "Shield her all you want Rawte but remember you won't always be around to protect her. She has messed with the wrong people this time I know they won't spare her."
Arjun took a menacing step towards Shukla but stopped when he felt Priya's hand catch his arm, "I am warning you again Shukla, stay away from Priya." Arjun said then took Priya's hand and walked past Shukla and his guards.
Once in the elevator Priya slumped against the wall. She didn't know why she had let Shukla intimidate her. She glanced at Arjun from under her lashes and wasn't surprised to see a nerve jumping in his tightly clenched jaw. His hands were fisted tight as if he was controlling the urge to punch something.
Priya slowly placed her hand on top of his tightly fisted hand. Arjun tried his best to relax when he felt Priya's hand atop of his but it wasn't so easy to release his anger. He didn't know whom he was angry towards most, Shukla for cornering her or at himself for leaving her vulnerable to a vulture like Shukla.
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