After dipping my toes into the OS field with "Homecoming" and being hugely busy with my Fan Fiction "Perfection" nearing a second innings in terms of action, of course, my brain decided to be a sadist to me and came up with this. This is a concept that WOULD NOT STOP BUGGING ME. I decided to give in, and so, here it is!
Background:
The story is set in the future-11 months ahead. The contract marriage is almost over, with Arnav and Khushi still in the throes of the misunderstanding. Shyam has had enough, so he tells all the Raizadas, Anjali included, that he loves Khushi, and claims that he and Khushi have been having an affair. Khushi tries to defend herself, but she is not believed, and Arnav throws Khushi out. Khushi returns to the Guptas, and she finally tells her family everything, why she married ASR, how she was tortured and rejected as his wife.
The Guptas are furious because Khushi is innocent, and has been treated cruelly. They cannot forgive Arnav, and decide that Khushi needs to move on. Before leaving for Lukhnow they reveal Shyam's true nature to the Raizadas and leave Delhi. Shyam is jailed. Arnav is devastated at having lost Khushi, but she is gone, and will not contact him. Five months have passed since Khushi and Arnav have seen or spoken to each other.
And now:
"THE LOVE STORY ON PAGE 3"
Prologue:
*******************************************************************
January 5, 2013--Page 3-Gossip Column, Publisher/ The Delhi Sun
"The great Delhi Business tycoon Arnav Singh Raizada is off the market again,
girls! But this time, after his much speculated, mysterious break up with the
enigmatic Khushi Gupta (no picture
available), The fabulous fashion guru ASR has already landed the biggest bitch...err..witch..err..fish
in the Delhi Social Scene! That's right,
ladies and gents-our very own Lisa Kampadia, the well known Ramp and Calendar
model is said to be the attractive ASR's latest arm candy!
Well placed sources in ASR/Lisa's camp say that not
only is the smoldering sexy sahib smitten with the lanky legs of Ms Lisa, he is longing to larry.. err...I mean marry the lass! And we hear the marriage is scheduled
as early as this month!! So when will Ms Kampadia become Mrs Raizada? Stay tuned
to "Page 3" for the latest and greatest on this love story !"
*********************************************************************
The newspaper fell from Arnav's hand and landed with a smooth "swoosh" onto his
desk. Arnav collapsed down onto his chair, feeling oddly breathless, as if someone had suddenly hit
him with something heavy in his chest. Sitting at his desk, he stared into
space for a few minutes, his mind a whirl of panic, confusion and anger.
Picking up the insane article plastered in the gossip section "Page 3" of the renowned Delhi Sun newspaper, he read
about his supposed marriage to that stick insect Lisa Kambadia again. He raised
his eyes, after the third reading, still not believing that anyone would have
the guts to print such outrageous lies about his private life.
His hands
trembled in pure rage as he barked to Pam on the intercom to connect him to the
Delhi Sun's Editor in Chief. He would drink that bas***d's blood, and have his
lawyers tear the paper apart! By this time next week, he would OWN that damn
paper, he'd bankrupt them, sue them for libel, for printing this crap! The call
was placed, the Delhi Sun had been apparently anticipating an extreme reaction from
Arnav Singh Raizada. Arnav conferenced in his own high powered legal team, and picked
up the phone-he was about to kill somebody...
Aakash, coming into his brother's office, cautiously, 30 minutes later, saw ASR
sitting with his head in his hands. Aakash had gotten a call from their company
lawyers, and had spoken to those formal, stiff men who were terrified to pass
the information they had on to their furious boss. "Bhai'"
Akash murmured to ASR, wincing inwardly when those angry red eyes glared at him.. "Mr. Mehta and the other lawyers confirm the Delhi Sun's
claims-they have a real source, someone highly placed, there is no question of
libel or asking them to print a withdrawal. Someone trustworthy has confirmed
the news, and they are standing behind their story. It could be someone from
Lisa's end, but whoever it is will be legally protected by the paper's privacy
policy. We can't touch them, Bhai."
"Aakash..." Arnav's voice, which had raged all morning
after reading the news item in the paper, now sounded soft, almost despairing "..Aakash, she will see this, it is all over the news,
all over the papers, on TV, every channel-its everywhere...She can't miss it. Oh
God! Oh my God! Aakash, what will SHE THINK?"
*********************************************************************
Note: for those of you who are unaware of this, "Page 3" is a famous scandal sheet, that is published in a lot of the top Indian newspapers. The reporting is on the parties, events, relationships etc of business titans, socialites, actors, politicians-the who's who of India, basically. The writer is usually anonymous, while the content heavily relies on gossip and innuendos . While the articles are salacious, the funny, tongue in cheek "masala" style reports on popular society figures, movie stars, etc. makes Page 3 hugely popular.
**************************************************************
INDEX: COMPLETED STORY
Prologue: Page 1
Chapter 1- Page 4 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2934427?pn=4
Chapter 2 - Page 14 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2934427?pn=14
Chapter 3 - Page 28 https://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2934427&PID=55981112�2
Chapter 4 - Page 39 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2934427?pn=39
Chapter 5 - Page 52 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/56041337
Chapter 6 - Page 66 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/56094834
Chapter 7 - Page 77 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2934427?pn=77
Chapter 8/1- Page 88 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2934427?pn=88
Chapter 8/2 - Page 100 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/56230441
Chapter 9 - Page 112 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2934427?pn=112
Epilogue: Page 127 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/56308818
Author's Note Page 147 https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/2934427?pn=147
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