AR Fashion House,

"WHAT THE HELL?" Arnav screamed at Lavanya again, his voice echoing through the office, reverberating off the walls.

"I'm sorry, ASR. I didn't mean to. It slipped off," Lavanya said, her voice trembling slightly as she looked at Arnav with wide, pleading eyes. She clasped her hands together, trying to appear as remorseful as possible. "It was an accident, I swear. I've been so-"

"GET OUT!" Arnav glared at her, his hand burning in pain from the scalding coffee. His eyes were dark with fury, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached.

"But ASR, I'm reall-" Lavanya tried to explain, her voice soft and pleading, hoping to gain some sympathy. She looked at him with wide eyes, trying to appear as sincere as possible.

"Didn't you hear me, Ms. Kashyap? I said GET OUT!" Arnav cut her off, his patience long gone. His voice was a low growl, filled with barely contained rage.

Lavanya flinched back and scurried out of the cabin, her heart pounding in her chest. She had been eying Arnav since forever and had started as his temporary secretary ten days ago, but her clumsiness and constant mistakes had only fueled his frustration. She felt a surge of anger as she left, determined not to let him see her falter.

_________________________

"Did he scold you again, Lavanya?" Sim asked, her voice filled with pity. Lavanya ignored her and stormed off, her mind already plotting her next move.

"How can he treat me like that?" Lavanya fumed under her breath. From the day she started as his temporary secretary, Arnav had done nothing but shout at her. She clenched her fists, determined to make him notice her in a different light.

Sim hurried after her, trying to keep up. "What happened this time? Did you miss any file?"

Lavanya whirled around, her eyes blazing with anger. "Nothing, can you just leave me alone?" she snapped, her frustration evident.

Sim stepped back, taken aback by Lavanya's harsh tone. "I'm just trying to help," she said softly, her feelings hurt.

Lavanya fumed, her eyes narrowing. "I don't need your help. I'll be fine."

Sim sighed and walked away, muttering under her breath about what kind of tyrant ASR was.

Lavanya closed her eyes, trying to calm down. She knew she had to be careful, but she was determined to make Arnav see her as more than just his secretary, temporary secretary. She would find a way to make him notice her, no matter what it took. Her next move shouldn't fail unlike today. She approached him with a cup of coffee while he was engrossed in his files, hoping to create a moment of contact. But as she got closer, the coffee slipped from her hand, resulting in a painful burn.

_________________________

Sim found a seat in the cafeteria, still fuming and ordered a Samosa.

"Hey, Sim, can I sit here?" Shyam asked, smiling as he approached with a plate of samosas.

Sim looked up and shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, whatever."

Shyam sat down, noticing her sour mood. "What's wrong? You look angry."

Sim stabbed her fork into a samosa. "I was trying to console Lavanya, but she shut me off in a rude way. I feel so angry now."

Shyam's expression turned concerned. "What happened to Lavanya?"

Sim rolled her eyes. "Her boyfriend scolded her again."

Shyam's eyes widened in shock. "Boyfriend?"

Sim nodded, her frustration evident. "Yeah, ASR. He's her boyfriend, right? There's a rumor in the office, and almost everyone knows. Don't you?"

Shyam shook his head, confused. "I'm not that free for gossip. And if it's just a rumor, how can you be sure ASR is Lavanya's boyfriend?"

Sim squirmed in her seat, feeling a bit guilty. "Well, Lavanya told me not to tell anyone, but I guess I can tell you. A week ago, she came out of ASR's cabin with a love bite on her neck. Pam and I saw it, and when we asked her about it, she just shrugged it off blushing. Pam couldn't keep her mouth shut, and the rumour started spreading."

"Lavanya is ASR's girlfriend, did you know?" Pam whispered to one of her colleagues, her eyes wide with excitement. The colleague gasped, and soon a few others started whispering things that were completely non-existent.

"I heard they've been secretly dating for months," one of them said, leaning in closer.

"Really? I thought she was just his temporary secretary," another replied, clearly intrigued.

"Don't be fools, guys. Dating for months? Seriously? ASR wasn't even in the country until 15 days ago. He was in the London branch for the last 6 months, and Lavanya only joined 3 months ago. Don't you think it's something made up?" one of the women muttered, clearly not amused with the gossip.

Pam rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Priya. You know how these things work. They could have been in touch online or something."

"Yeah, right," Priya scoffed. "And pigs might fly."

Just then, Lavanya walked into the office, her heels clicking confidently on the floor. She noticed the hushed whispers and the sudden silence that followed her entrance. With a knowing smile, she approached the group.

"Good morning, everyone," she said brightly. "What's the hot topic today?"

Pam smirked. "Oh, nothing much. Just discussing some... interesting rumors."

Lavanya raised an eyebrow. "Really? Do tell."

Pam leaned in, her voice dripping with faux innocence. "Well, some people think you and ASR are more than just colleagues."

Lavanya's smile widened. "Is that so? Well, I guess people will believe what they want to believe."

Priya, still skeptical, crossed her arms. "So, is it true?"

Lavanya chuckled. "Let's just say, ASR and I have a very professional relationship. Anything beyond that is purely speculation."

As Lavanya walked away, Pam leaned in and whispered to her colleague, "See? She didn't deny it."

Priya shook her head, clearly unconvinced. "I still think it's all just a bunch of nonsense."

The office buzzed with renewed whispers, but Lavanya remained unfazed. She knew exactly what she was doing and was determined to make ASR see her in a different light.

Later, Sim and Pam approached Lavanya in her cabin. "Why didn't you accept it, Lavanya? We saw that love bite yesterday," Sim asked curiously.

Lavanya smiled knowingly. "Well, let's just say ASR didn't want anyone to know yet. I hope you can keep it quiet until he makes it official."

Sim and Pam nodded in agreement, promising to keep the secret.

Meanwhile, ASR, completely unaware of the rumors swirling around him, focused on his work, clients, conferences, on-site projects, and upcoming fashion show, oblivious to the storm brewing in his office.

Shyam sat back, shocked by the revelation. "I can't believe it."

Sim nodded. "Yeah, it's crazy. But now everyone thinks Lavanya is ASR's girlfriend."

Shyam clenched his jaw, feeling a mix of emotions. He knew he had to get to the bottom of this.

_________________________

Arnav clenched his jaw, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his hand. He was already on edge from the mounting pressure at work, and Lavanya's incompetence was the last thing he needed. He walked over to the sink, running cold water over his hand, the coolness providing a brief respite from the burning pain. His mind raced with thoughts of how to handle the situation, his frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.

Just then, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Khushi.

"Arnavvvv, when you come in the evening, bring a butterscotch ice cream, please?🥺🥺"

Arnav sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the chaos. Khushi always had a way of brightening his mood, even from afar. He quickly typed back, "You're injured and on medications, remember?"

"🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭"

He texted back, smiling despite the pain, "Ask your mom or buaji." He knew they would deny and so would he. Can't risk her health ever! 

"😒😒"

Arnav chuckled, shaking his head. Khushi's dramatic reactions never failed to amuse him. He didn't reply, even though Khushi started sending message after message. It must be her crazy emoji attack or gif attack again. He could almost hear her voice, filled with indignation, as she bombarded him with messages.

Arnav went back to his chair in his cabin, examining his hand and started cursing Lavanya again. It had turned an angry red, the skin tender to the touch. Thankfully, his clothes weren't spoiled. He reached for the first aid kit, pulling out some antiseptic and bandages. As he carefully tended to his hand, he heard on a knock on his cabin.

"Arnav, I need your signature on this file," Akash said as he entered Arnav's cabin. He had just returned from a meeting with a client at a restaurant and needed Arnav's approval to finalize the deal.

"WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT WOMAN FOR OUR COMPANY?" Arnav, who was nursing his hand and muttering curses under his breath, shouted at Akash.

Akash widened his eyes in surprise at his brother's outburst. "Whoa! What happened? Which woman? And what happened to your hand?" he asked, hoping it wasn't who he thought it was.

"Who else? That Lavanya Kashyap. She's so clumsy and unprofessional. She spilled hot coffee all over my hand. Can you believe it? How can someone be so careless? Who even hired her?" Arnav fumed, his anger palpable.

"Arnav, you know she's Papa's PA. Actually, Lavanya is Papa's driver's daughter," Akash revealed, trying to calm his brother down.

"She's here on recommendation? What the hell?" Arnav's frustration only grew.

"Yeah, Arnav. She joined about three months ago." Akash sighed. They hadn't told Arnav that Manohar almost got into an accident and was saved by his driver. So, when the driver, Ram Kashyap, asked for a job for his daughter, Manohar checked her qualifications and immediately gave her the job of his personal assistant. Arnav was unaware of this as he was in London managing the branch there and had just returned 15 days ago with his secretary, Andrew.

When Arnav returned, everything was fine for two days. However, Manohar had to go to the US for a deal and took Andrew with him. Lavanya, who had been on sick leave, returned a day later and was temporarily assigned Andrew's role until he and Manohar came back. It's been 10 days, and while Lavanya has been doing her work, she's lazy, clumsy, forgetful, and always more focused on her appearance than her tasks. Despite this, she manages to complete her work, albeit late and clumsily.

Arnav rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. "Can you please arrange another temporary secretary for me until Andrew comes back? I just can't handle her unprofessionalism anymore."

"But we can't arrange anyone on such short notice, Arnav. Which is also the reason we decided to appoint Lavanya on a temporary basis, you know that!" Akash replied, trying to reason with him.

"Exchange your secretary with mine," Arnav offered, desperation creeping into his voice.

"Arnav, you don't know, but trust me, my secretary is crazy about you. I'm sure you would throw her out of the office. Lavanya is still better than her," Akash said, shaking his head.

"Fine, I don't want any secretary. Inform Ms. Kashyap to return to her role as Mama's secretary or whatever. And tell her never to cross me again," Arnav warned, his tone icy.

"Fine, I'll tell her, but how will you manage without your secretary?" Akash asked, concerned.

"Don't worry about it. I'll arrange for someone," Arnav said, dismissing the concern with a wave of his hand.

"Okay, as you wish. Here's the file," Akash shrugged, handing it over.

As Arnav signed the file, they discussed the deal for a few minutes. Once Arnav signed off, Akash left the cabin, leaving Arnav to his thoughts.

_________________________

Gupta House,

NK had come to Khushi's house since they practically live in the same street. Khushi had dragged him to watch a horror series and both were lounging in the living room, engrossed in another Korean drama. Khushi was sprawled comfortably on the sofa, while NK sat on the floor, both munching on popcorn. The horror series they were watching had them on edge, and when NK's phone rang suddenly, both of them jumped, spilling popcorn everywhere.

"NK, I want you in the office," Arnav's commanding voice boomed as soon as NK answered the call.

NK's eyes widened in surprise. "What? But you suspended me, right?" he asked, clearly enjoying his suspension period.

"I know, but I still want you in the office. Did you hear me, NK?" Arnav's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

NK gulped, glancing at Khushi, who was watching him with wide eyes. "Alright, Ravan Bhai—" he bit his tongue, realizing his mistake, "I mean, Nannav Bhai. I'll be there in half an hour."

Arnav cut the call abruptly, and NK sighed, looking at Khushi with a mix of frustration and resignation.

Khushi shook her head, giving him a sympathetic look. "Looks like your vacation is over, Nanhe."

NK groaned, getting up from the floor. "Your best friend is surely a Rakshas waiting to have me for his lunch and dinner."

Khushi chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, you did call him Ravan Bhai. That's bound to get you into trouble."

NK rolled his eyes, grabbing his jacket. "Yeah, yeah. I better get going before he decides to come here himself."

As NK left, Khushi couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. She knew all too well how demanding Arnav could be, and she hoped NK wouldn't find himself in too much trouble. Poor guy! First, he gets suspended, and now this.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a sudden jump scare on the TV, causing her to yelp and clutch her chest. "Hey Devi Maiya."

The popcorn bowl nearly tipped over again. Khushi immediately grabbed the remote and switched off the TV, her heart racing. She could never handle horror films alone, whether it was broad daylight or the dead of night. The eerie silence that followed only made her more jittery, and she sighed, sinking back into the sofa, trying to calm her nerves.

_________________________

AR Fashion House,

NK arrived at the office, still grumbling under his breath. He walked into Arnav's office, trying to muster up some courage. "You called me, Nannav Bhai?"

Arnav looked up from his desk, his expression unreadable. "Yes, NK. I need you to be my temporary secretary."

NK's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in disbelief. It felt like Arnav had just asked him to walk into a lion's den wearing a meat suit. "What? Me? Your secretary? Are you trying to ruin your company?" he exclaimed, half-joking, half-panicking.

"Well, too late. I already did that when I took you on as a summer intern," Arnav retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Bhai!" NK exclaimed, feeling both insulted and amused.

Arnav leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "Relax, NK. It's not like you can mess things up more than you already have."

NK put a hand to his chest, offended, though it was an act. "Wow, Nannav Bhai, your confidence in me is truly overwhelming."

Arnav raised an eyebrow. "Just try not to set anything on fire or, better yet, any foot in your mouth, okay?"

NK sighed dramatically. "Great. I'll just add 'firefighter' and 'foot injury prevention specialist' to my list of secretarial duties."

Arnav chuckled, shaking his head. "Get to work, NK. And remember, I'm watching you."

NK sighed, realizing there was no way out. "Yes, sir. But don't blame me if I mess up."

Arnav's smirk widened. "Oh, I will. And you'll regret it."

NK groaned inwardly, knowing he was in for a rough ride. "Fantastic. Just fantastic. Maybe I should start a blog: 'Surviving Arnav Singh Raizada – A Guide for the Doomed.'"

Arnav smirked again; NK knew it is a sign of a danger. "Just get to work, NK. And try not to turn the office into a circus."

NK saluted sarcastically. "Yes, sir! I'll try to keep my clown acts to a minimum."

_________________________

Shantivan,

Arnav was strolling on the terrace, enjoying the cool breeze, when he noticed two women on a bike from the corner of his eye. Narrowing his gaze, he recognized them instantly. It was Payal driving the bike, with Khushi sitting behind her, her bandaged foot dangling precariously just inches from the ground.

"This girl!!" Arnav muttered under his breath, his frustration mounting. He quickly turned on his heel and headed to his room to grab his car keys. "What is she thinking?" he grumbled, hurrying down the stairs.

As he reached the bottom, he nearly collided with Akash. "Arnav, what's the rush?" Akash asked, puzzled by his brother's urgency.

Arnav's eyes flashed with irritation. "Khushi and Payal just left on a bike. At this hour! And with Khushi's injured foot! I swear, this girl will drive us all insane and one day, we will be found in a mental hospital."

Akash raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Khushi's out again? She's supposed to be resting."

"Exactly," Arnav snapped. "I need to make sure they're safe."

Akash chuckled, releasing Arnav's arm. "Alright, just don't scare them too much. They're probably just having some fun."

Arnav muttered something unintelligible and stormed out the door, determined to follow them. Akash, shaking his head with a smile, decided to tag along, knowing this would be an interesting night.

Arnav followed them in his car, with Akash sitting beside him, his mind racing with a mix of annoyance and concern. They finally stopped at an ice cream parlour. Payal parked the bike and went inside, leaving Khushi sitting on the bike, her foot still dangling.

"Ice cream? At this hour? This girl must have blackmailed Payal into this," Arnav fumed, parking his car and getting out.

He marched over to Khushi, his expression stern. "Khushi, what do you think you're doing?" he demanded, his voice low but firm.

Khushi looked up, startled. "Arnav! What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that," he retorted. "You're supposed to be resting, not out on a bike with your injured foot, dangling like that." 

Arnav pointed to her foot.

Khushi tried to look innocent. "But I wanted ice cream..."

Arnav crossed his arms, unimpressed. "And you couldn't wait until you recover? Do you have any idea how dangerous this is, at this time of the night?"

Khushi glared at him, "If you had brought butterscotch this evening like you promised, I wouldn't have had to do this," she blamed him.

Arnav opened his mouth like a fish, "When did I promise? Besides, you aren't supposed to eat ice cream."

"Tell me one good reason why I can't eat ice cream," Khushi demanded, folding her arms and glaring at Arnav.

Arnav sighed, his patience wearing thin. "If you really need me to spell it out, ice cream is high in sugar and fats. Both of these can increase inflammation and delay your healing. Do you need any more logical reasons?"

Khushi's glare intensified, but she couldn't argue with his logic.

Meanwhile, Payal came back with the ice creams, looking sheepish.

"Sorry, Arnav. She insisted," Payal said, handing Khushi her ice cream. "You know how she gets when she wants something."

Arnav sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Khushi, you need to take your recovery seriously. This isn't a joke."

Khushi's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, come on, Arnav. It's just a little adventure. Besides, ice cream is good for the soul."

Arnav raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You can't say the same for the body."

Khushi huffed, folding her arms.

Payal chimed in, trying to diffuse the tension. "Arnav, we were careful. I made sure she didn't put any weight on her foot. And honestly, she was quite persuasive."

Arnav's stern expression didn't waver. "That's not the point, Payal. She needs to rest."

Khushi grinned, not ready to back down. "You worry too much, Arnav. A little ice cream won't kill me. Plus, it's medicinal. Ever heard of ice cream therapy?"

Arnav's eyes narrowed. "It's not about the ice cream, Khushi. It's about your health. You need to take this seriously."

Payal nodded in agreement. "He's right, Khushi. We should head back. And next time, let's plan our ice cream escapades a bit better."

Khushi sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. But you owe me double scoops next time."

Arnav's stern expression softened slightly. "Deal. Now, let's get you home."

"Payal, I'll drive the bike. You go with Akash in the car," Arnav said.

Payal nodded her head and went with Akash silently, giving Khushi a sympathetic smile.

Arnav helped Khushi onto the bike, making sure she was seated comfortably. "Hold on tight," he instructed, starting the engine.

Khushi, already munching on her ice cream, grinned. "You know, Arnav, you're not as scary as you think you are. You are just a baby lion." 

She giggled at her own words.

Arnav rolled his eyes. "Just hold on, Khushi."

As they rode through the quiet streets, Khushi suddenly noticed a ghost-like figure in the distance. Startled, she clutched Arnav's back in fear, dropping her ice cream in the process. The ice cream splattered all over Arnav's back, leaving sticky marks.

"Arnav, did you see that?" Khushi whispered, her voice trembling.

Arnav, trying to keep his focus on the road, felt the cold, sticky mess on his back. "Khushi, what are you talking about?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

"There was a ghost! I swear I saw it!" Khushi insisted, still holding onto him tightly.

Arnav sighed, trying to calm her down. "Khushi, this is what happens when you binge-watch those Korean horror dramas."

Khushi's grip on him loosened slightly, but she still looked around nervously. "But it looked so real..."

Arnav shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips despite the mess on his back. "Khushi, there's no such thing as ghosts. It was probably just a shadow or something. Let's get you home safely, okay?"

Khushi nodded, still a bit shaken but feeling safer with Arnav. "Okay, but you have to admit, it was pretty creepy."

Arnav chuckled softly. "Alright, maybe a little. But next time, try not to drop your ice cream on me."

Khushi giggled, her fear slowly fading. "I'll try, but no promises."

As Arnav dropped Khushi home, the ghostly encounter had made Khushi drag Payal to her room and sleep with her, hugging her tight.

_________________________

Gupta House,

The next morning, Payal woke up to find Khushi sprawled across the bed, snoring softly. After freshening up, she returned to see Khushi still sleeping soundly, snoring slightly. For someone who had seen a ghost, she was sleeping quite peacefully. Rolling her eyes, Payal gently nudged her. "Khushi, wake up. It's morning."

Khushi groaned and buried her face in the pillow. "Five more minutes, Payal. The ghost might still be out there."

Payal laughed. "I think the ghost has gone back to its haunted mansion. Come on, get up."

Khushi sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Fine, but if I see another ghost, I'm moving in with you permanently."

Payal rolled her eyes. "Deal. Now, just freshen up and I'll get you some breakfast. Ma, Buaji, and Papa are already done with their breakfast. We're late."

Khushi nodded and fell back onto the bed, not caring much about being late since she was on leave. As Payal walked to the kitchen, Khushi sat up again, yawning and stretching her body like a kitten. Her phone buzzed with a message from Arnav. "Did you sleep well, or were you haunted by more ghosts?"

Khushi chuckled at Arnav's message and quickly typed back, "I slept well, but I think the ghosts are planning a party tonight. Should I invite you?"

"Well, I am honored. Please do." - Arnav

Khushi rolled her eyes and sent back a string of annoyed emojis, "😒😒."

Arnav's reply was swift, "What's with the death stare? Trying to scare me off?"

Khushi smirked, typing back, "Just practicing for tonight's ghost party. You better bring your A-game."

Arnav responded with a laughing emoji, "I'll bring garlic bread. Heard it works on vampires, maybe it'll work on ghosts too."

"Can't believe the great Arnav Singh Raizada is talking about vampires and ghosts," Khushi sent the text, mocking him.

"What to do? He was just 12 when a 10-year-old crazy girl fell on his neck. Usika asar hai," he texted back, smirking, knowing it would rile her up.

(Influenced by her)

And it did. Khushi threw the phone on the bed and did her Srivalli dance step on her way to the washroom to freshen up.

Regards, 

Poly, 

08-08-2024

What do you think about Lavanya Kashyap and her motives?

A/N: 

I know Arshi scenes are less, but they will be more frequent in later updates, once Khushi is healed. 

Let me know how the update was!