Hi...Thanks for your likes and comments..each and every feedback is much appreciated...enjoy chapter 3 of Key to your heart..:)
Chapter 3
The blaring of the horns distracted Arnav..He looked up to see that the light had turned green. He stepped on the accelerator and drove towards home...
His thoughts drifted to Anjali di's wedding day...Arnav was watching Di talking to Shyam..whispering something in his ears, while Shyam smiled at her with a twinkle in his eyes..Arnav felt happy, knowing that his Di had found her prince charming..that she was not alone...not anymore...unlike him..Shyam saw Arnav glancing at them and beckoned him..
"Saale sahab, dariye math..hum aapke Di ko bahuth door nahin le ja rahen hein.." ..("Arnav, dont be worried..I am not going to take your sister too far away..")
Anjali spotted some of her friends and walked on to greet them..Shyam told Arnav
"Saale sahab, bahuth jald aapko bhi doolhe ka sehra pehanna hoga..mein jaantha hoon ki anjali ke bina aapka haalath kya hoga..isi liye hum keh rehe hain ki aap bhi shaadi karlo..aur hamari anjali ke liye ek pyari si bhabhi le aoo".
(very soon you too will have to wear the attire of bride groom..i know that you will feel very lonely without Anjali...That is why I am suggesting that you get married and bring a sweet sister in law for my Anjali..).
"haan chotte, bilkul pari ki tarah ek bhabhi"..(yes Arnav, a sister in law who will be like an angel)chimed Anjali, rejoining them..
******That is what she looked like..Pari...(Angel..)..kaun hogi woh...i have not seen her
before in my office..kaun ho sakthi hain..(who could she be..)
Then he remembered Aman's words about Aakash conducting interviews..Kahin woh meri secretary ki vacancy mein...Arnav did not have time to complete his thoughts as he had reached Raizada mansion..
Naani asked Arnav about his day and they talked for a while. Arnav thought of asking Aakash about the girl, but rejected the idea soon. He knew that if he asked Aakash about the girl, by tomorrow morning, Naani and Anjali would have booked the mandap (wedding venue) for his wedding. Ever since Anjali got married, his whole family was pestering him to get married.
As someone who did not even go beyond a few dates with some models at his design house, Arnav was sure he would not have time for a steady relationship, let alone a grand indian wedding and a wife. He had dinner and send some important mails for clients in U.S. He then settled into sleep.
Khushi was dressed in a light pink cotton saree that matched her baby pink colored cheeks and had worn her hair loose.She walked into the CEO's cabin. She was informed by Sheetal that he was in a meeting with Aman. Khushi glanced around the room...
Trophies adorned the cabinets and right in the middle was a mahogany desk with a large swiveling chair behind it.She walked towards it and saw that there was a photo made of crystal frame, turned towards the seat.
She took it in her right hand and was about to take a closer look when the crystal frame slipped. It hit the rug. She bent to pick it up and saw that a diamond shaped bead on the frame had separated from the frame and had rolled down the rug, below the desk. She got on all fours and tried to reach it. That was when she heard the cabin door open.
"Listen Aman, I am extremely disappointed. These clients are a pain in the neck...how could they change the terms at last minute...We have already placed their order to the suppliers...I want this sorted..NOW!!"...
Aman knew better than to reply even a yes and silently scrambled out of the room. Arnav sighed.."I cant believe this is happening..DAMMNIT"..
ASR walked towards the desk and thats when he noticed the pink cloth fluttering on his chair..He walked closer.It trailed down the chair and into below his desk.."What the..!!"..
Then he realized that it was a woman wearing a saree, searching something below his desk..She slowly moved back and raised to get up..At first she saw the shiny black shoes..
She slowly got up, moving her eyes upwards to meet his...He was shocked..the pari from yesterday..what was she doing under my desk..that was when he noticed her holding the frame in one hand and holding out the diamond bead in the other palm..
"Hamein maaf kar deejiye..woh...humse galthi se yeh frame gir gaya...sorry"...
Arnav continued staring at her..Mistaking his shocked silence to be that of anger, she kept both the things on the desk and ran out of the office..past a stunned Arnav...
Khushi entered the small cabin adjacent to the CEO's and took her seat..She glanced up to see Arnav, still staring at her through the glass wall separating the two cabins..That is when Khushi got a good look at Arnav..the firm jaw..the icy stare...and those eyes..brown..like her favorite caramel chocolate...and the looks.."hey devimaiyya...the CEO looks like a model himself"..
Slowly Arnav broke the stare and sat in his plush chair, swiveling away from Khushi's view..Khushi too looked down at the files and decided to go through those.
Thats when Aakash came at her door and asked her to follow him to ASR's cabin..Petrified, she stood up and walked behind him...Aakash went in as Arnav gestured him to take a seat..He then looked at Khushi, who immediately started studying the lines on the hardwood floor...
As Arnav finished the call, Aakash introduced Khushi.."Bhaiyya..meet Ms Khushi Gupta..your new secretary.."
Arnav while seated, extended a hand to her..which she took hesitantly..He could feel her nervousness..the soft palm in his rough hand was trembling slightly..."Pleasure to meet you Ms Gupta..Welcome to AR"
She muttered a low thanks and withdrew her hand..Neither Aakash nor Khushi noticed that Arnav's hand stayed in the air a fraction of a second longer..Aakash said.."So Khushi..I will be leaving now..good luck and bhaiyya..see you at home.I am leaving for a client visit.."and he left the room.
Arnav said teasingly with a smirk on his face, "Ms Gupta..are you going to stand the whole time you will be working in AR?..Oh i forgot..you like being on this side of
the desk, isn't it?"
Khushi felt the color rushing onto her cheeks..She quickly took a seat. "Ms Gupta, here is your first task..Please prepare a report on Mr. Khurana's KH Fashion...I have a meeting scheduled with Mr. Khurana..and I want to know every detail of their new acquisitions..you have 3 hours..and yes, you will be accompanying me "
Arnav called out as she was at the door.."Oh and one more thing..please get me coffee..no sugar"Khushi looked at him wide-eyed.."I am diabetic..."
After taking a sip of the coffee, Arnav could have sworn that the coffee tasted sweet, though he chose to remain silent than bark at his secretary.
The report was on his desk in 2:45 hours..Arnav and Khushi took the elevator down. Arnav got in the car and gestured Khushi to get in. They were then on their way to KH firm's Office.
****
Arnav was happy with the way the meeting had culminated. Mr. Khurana was one of his major competitors and to get him on their side was a sign of big achievement for AR. Mr Khurana was a highly respected fashion house scion and Arnav knew of his stature in the industry.
As Arnav got up to bid goodbye to Mr. Khurana, he saw that the elegantly derssed Mrs Lata Khurana had entered the room. She then engaged in the converstaion with the deputy CEO Mr Lalchand. Arnav turned to greet Mrs Khurana and he told Khushi in a low voice.." I will be back after talking to Mrs Khurana."
He had stepped ahead when he felt her arm tugging on his elbow. "What are you doing, Miss Gupta..?"
He growled under his breath..Khushi looked up at him and shook her head to indicate a no...Arnav looked at her for a few seconds and then shook her hand off him. He turned and met Mr Khurana, extending his hand in a goodbye. Everyone else had left the room.
Khurana sheked Arnav's extended hand and said.. "Its wonderful to know that we will be working together...This deal could not have come up at a better time..As you might know, we at KH have a tough time ahead, with my business in Hong Kong to be split with my EX-WIFE Lata..the details of divorce were finalized yesterday and though it will not affect our deal in any way, I wanted you to know"..
Arnav nodded as if in a daze, quickly bid goodbye to Mr Khurana and walked out of the room with Khushi in tow.
Once in the car, he looked at Khushi and said "Thank you...that could have been embarrassing..How did you know...about the divorce...?"
Khushi looked back with a naughty smile and replied
"Akhbar mein hum sabse pehle Page 3 padthe hein sir...unke anban ke baare mein tho che maheene pehle hi khabrein thi..divorce ki news aaj ke page 3 mein 2 column news bhi hein" ...
("Everytime I open a newspaper, I read Page 3 news first..There were gossips about dispute in between the Khurana couple since last 6 months...And in today's new paper, their divorce has been reported..that too as a 2 column piece in Page 3")...
Arnav could not control a small smile that crept up on his face..and for Khushi, the whole world stopped existing for her from that one moment...
Please note that Hindi is not my mother tongue...hence please ignore the grammar mistakes..Buddy me for PMs...and leave your comment...:)
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