"Pst.. Tomato!"

It's been two hours since Khushi was settled in a corner table of this hotel banquet hall, attending the private party thrown in order to celebrate the launching of a new clothing line of one of her husband's business partners, for her husband's sake.

She didn't want to be here. She wanted to attend her neighbour's birthday party in Laxmi Nagar along with her Jiji. But her Laad Governor insisted that she join him for this business party instead, and when she refused to go with him, he became angry and came to a conclusion that she doesn't love him as she always looks for reason to spend time with others, but him.

So she had no other option but to prove otherwise. This was supposed to be her test of love, but it ended up proving that who really doesn't love her. It's him! Upon reaching the banquet hall, he guided her to a corner table and asked her to sit with Akash as he needed to greet his business partners. She thought it would be a five-minute conversation out of courtesy, but no, her husband disappeared for two long hours. A few minutes later, Akash also disappeared from the table with the same excuse, leaving her completely alone and bored at this party.

And now, after two tedious and frustrating hours, she heard her husband calling her tomato. She found it weird that he was using endearments to call her in such a place as her husband is definitely not the one who prefers to display his affection publicly to her. His affectionate and loving side is reserved for her only to witness. Nevertheless, she turned to the side that his voice was coming from with narrowed eyes and stoic facial expression.

He blinked his eyes with a lazy smile playing on his lips, "Kya kar rahi ho? (What are you doing?)" he asked while pulling a chair back to sit down next to her.

Khushi's mouth hung open as she stared at her husband in disbelief, "Are you seriously asking me this question, Arnav ji?"

"Hmm," Arnav nodded his head, again smiling like a crazy man.

She looked at him suspiciously and leaned closer to his face, scrunching her nose seconds later after inhaling the strong alcohol smell from him. Arnav took the opportunity to plant a lazy, soft kiss on her cheek when she moved her face closer to his, forcing Khushi to lean back on her chair as she looked at him accusingly, "Arnav ji.. you're drunk!"

Arnav shrugged and, through his slurred speech, managed to convey to her, "No.. I'm not.. drunk.. I don't.. even drink, sweetheart. You know that.. I have diabetes."

"I know," Khushi said sternly, "It's seems like you're the one who forgot about your health status."

Arnav slowly raised his hand to reach her face. Khushi's eyes widened as she thought he wanted to strangle her with his hand after she scolded him. However, her husband pinched her nose, smiling at her with his eyes half closed, "You're.. sounding like.. ASR!"

Khushi sighed defeatedly, cupping his face to catch his attention, "And you're behaving like Khushi now. Come, let's go home. You can't stay here in this state."

"Home?" Arnav pouted, shaking his head vigorously, "No.. ghar pe nahi jayenge.. hum dono.. when.. we are home.. you never look at me. You're always busy with Nani..busy with Di.. busy Mami.. busy your Jiji.. busy HP.. busy Laxmi.. except Mama and Akash. Pata hai kyu? (Do you know why?)"

"Kyu?" Khushi asked curiously.

Arnav giggled as he whispered to her, "Kyun ki voh dono toh.. hamesha hi gayab rehte hai.. dikhte hi nahi hai (Because both of them are always missing.. they're never seen)."

Khushi chuckled softly. Even though drunk, her husband was speaking the truth. Akash and Mama are like invisible ghosts in the house. Maybe it's Mami's over the top and loud personality that ends up overshadowing the father and son duo.

"You're seen.. everywhere.. but not with me!" he said with a complaining tone.

Khushi's heart melt with the innocent sad face he was making while complaining about the fact that she spends more time with everyone else in the family, but him. She admits that ever since they got married, she's really struggling to maintain a balance between their family and him. Raizada family members didn't help much either. Invading married couple privacy seems to be a skill they've been honing for many years now.

"Don't you want to spend quality time with me?" she asked, holding his wrist firmly and releasing the fork he was using to mindlessly pierce the appetisers on her plate from his hand.

Arnav nodded with a puppy ​​face as she kept the fork on the table, out of his reach.

"Then let's go -"

"No, not home," Arnav scrunched his nose, shaking his head and resting his head on her shoulder.

"Haan haan.. We won't go home. We will stay at your penthouse tonight, ok?" Khushi said, trying to lift his head from her shoulder as people around started to look at them and gossip among themselves. But the stubborn man snuggled closer to her, hiding his face in the crook of her neck.

"Which penthouse?" she heard him blabber to himself and sighed, "Your penthouse Arnav ji!"

"Mine?.. Hmm.. I don't have anything that's fully mine," he chuckled lightly, "Remember what.. we promised.. to each other? What is mine.. also belongs to you.. and yours.. is mine.. so.. not my penthouse.. it's our penthouse!"

Without bothering about the people staring at them, she leisurely dropped a kiss on his hair, replying, "Hmm.. you're right! Ab chalein? (Shall we go now?)"

Arnav moved back, staring at her with a faint smile as he shook his head in denial, "Abhi.. toh party shuru hui hai! (The party has just begun)."

"We will make our own party alone at home," Khushi forced a smile on her face, trying to convince him to leave from this place.

"It's no fun.. you said.. it's your neighbour birthday party, right.. let's go there.." he said, getting up from his chair and standing near her, reaching out to her, his body swaying from side to side as he was unable to stand straight, "Payal akeli hai wahan.. chalo.. utho Sanka Devi (Payal is alone there.. let's go.. get up)."

Khushi looked at him incredulously before getting up to help him stand properly. While she held him by his arm with one hand, she collected her purse and her phone from the table with the other hand quickly.

She helped him walk until they reached the exit door, faking a smile and giving a random excuse to the people who asked them on the way, the reason for her early departure from the party.

Outside the hall, she quickly called Akash to help her take his brother to the car. While she was trying to explain everything to Akash on the phone, Arnav was playing with her long hair, brushing her hair with his hands, admiring his wife's beauty and her look in red saree, "Khushi.. you're.. so beautiful.. red suits you.. my favourite colour.. on my favourite person."

He spoke loud enough for Akash to hear and her to blush profusely. She tried hard to ignore his blabberings and concentrate on her phone call with Akash.

When she finished talking to Akash, she looked back at him sternly, "Behave yourself now. Jiju is coming now. Please don't embarrass me in front of him."

"What.. did I do?" Arnav frowned, making an innocent kid's face who didn't cause trouble to anyone.

"Nothing.. just remain quiet, please, Arnav ji," she pleaded him, joining her hands in front of him dramatically.

"My name is Arnav.. not Arnav jiiiiiiiiii," he argued, stressing the Arnav ji.

Akash walked out of the hall at the same time and approached them.

"Arey.. I can't.. believe.. I'm seeing you, Akash," Arnav laughed, going closer to Akash and staring at him with wide eyes.

Khushi sighed in relief, seeing him, "Thank God you came.. Jiju see na.. Arnav ji drank alcohol.. and now he's acting weird and speaking non-stop.. we need to take him home. Otherwise, if he ends up creating a scene here, it'll turn breaking news tomorrow."

"You're right. But why did bhai drink? He never touches alcohol during business parties," Akash stared at Arnav actually acting weird by removing his spectacles.

"Arnav ji aap kya kar rahe hai?" Khushi asked, trying to snatch Akash's spectacles from Arnav's hand, but it was too late as he wore it himself.

"Shhh," Arnav slapped her hand lightly to prevent her from taking the spectacles from him, "I'm checking.. if Akash can see people with these spectacles.. he doesn't speak.. to anyone.. maybe it's because he can't see.. anyone na.. we might need to change this one."

Akash was highly embarrassed and wondering what's his dear spectacles fault here. He caressed the bridge of his nose but then reminded himself that his brother stole his dear spectacles for the moment.

"Give him back his spectacles. He's the one who's going to drop us at the penthouse. If you don't return these spectacles, how will he see the path ahead in this darkness?" Khushi said scoldingly.

"Khushi ji ye aap kya bol rahi hai? (What are you saying?) I'm not completely blind without my spectacles," Akash intervened, embarrassed by the way he was being called blind by these two, husband and wife.

"Pata hai jiju.. but you tell me how to explain this to a drunk person?" Khushi sighed.

"I'm not drunk!" they heard Arnav's feeble protest and ignored him as they helped him walk to the lift. Once they stepped inside the lift, Arnav hugged Khushi from behind, professing his love to her loudly and openly, "I love you.. my Khushi!"

Taken aback by the sudden confession from his brother, Akash quickly pretended to type something on his phone to cover for the embarrassment he was feeling to witness such scene from his brother and sister in law. It came as a shock to him since he knows his bhai doesn't openly express his feelings or show this romantic side of his in front of anyone, except and now 100% confirmed, his wife!

Khushi turned into a tomato, her cheeks reddened when she felt his rough hands rest on her waist as he pulled her closer to himself from behind, only to openly declare his love to her. If they were alone, she would have reacted differently, but in front of Akash, it was making her feel extremely awkward and embarrassed right now. She turned her head to look at him and whispered with wide eyes, "Arnav ji.. kya kar rahe hai aap? Chodiye humein! (What are you doing? Leave me)."

Arnav stared straight into her eyes before releasing herself from his hold, and the second later, he stumbled back and almost fell on the floor due to losing his balance, but luckily, Khushi and Akash managed to hold him in time. Arnav held Akash's arm for support as he looked at Khushi accusingly, "You don't love me anymore.. Akash," he closed his eyes and paused, trying to recollect what he wanted to say, "Akash.. you go.. take her.. her neighbour party.. go with her.. go.. I'll.. stay here."

"You're not staying here. And I'm not going to my neighbour party. We're going to our penthouse, that's it," Khushi said firmly. She intentionally ignored the part he accused of her of not loving him anymore. That's something she would assure him later when they're in their private space and can talk in peace with each other.

"Haan.. chalo bhai!" Akash agreed as he guided Arnav outside the lift once they reached the parking lot floor. Khushi followed them to their car.

Akash made Arnav sit at the backseat, and Khushi joined Arnav, sitting beside him. Then Akash sat on the driver's seat and turned to look back when he felt a pat on his shoulder. It was Arnav who handed him his spectacles to him, giggling, "Yeh le.. don't lead us to an accident."

Khushi couldn't help but chuckle softly at poor Akash, who cried while taking his spectacles from him, "I'm not blind, bhai!"

"Don't take his words seriously, Jiju! He's not even conscious of what he's saying right now," Khushi said.

Akash nodded and looked ahead to start the car and take them to the penthouse.

*****************************************

"Akash.. play songs!" Arnav ordered, making Khushi silently wish that he fell asleep now.

"Rehne do (Let it be)," he yelled, suddenly making Khushi and Akash shocked, wondering what happened to him, "I'll sing.. for my wife!" he smiled lightly as he glanced at Khushi, "Give me.. your hand."

"Bas kijiye, Arnav ji (Enough). Can't you sit quiet for a while till we reach home?" Khushi glared at him.

Arnav laughed mockingly, "You're.. saying this to me?.. You.. Khushi!"

Khushi stared at him in disbelief. So now he's mocking her and directly hinting that since she's the chatterbox one, she can't ask him to shut his mouth.

She looked to the window side, folding her arms across her chest. She decided not to say anything to him now and let him do whatever he wanted in his drunken state.

Arnav came closer to her and nuzzled her cheek in a pacifying way, "I love you," he whispered in her ear, his eyes closed and a lazy smile intact on his face

Khushi felt her heart racing, pressing her hand on his chest to prevent him from going further as her mind reminded herself of Akash's presence in the car.

Arnav leaned back, disappointment written all over his face. He looked away, singing dramatically with a heartbroken tone, "sau dard hain, sau raahatein.. sab mila dilnasheen ek tu hi nahin (there are a hundred problems, and a hundred solutions, I've got everything, O beloved, except just one - you)."

Khushi pressed her lips tight to suppress her laugh. She couldn't believe she was witnessing her husband, the biggest Salman Khan's hater, using his song to express his disappointment to her. Akash was having a hard time containing his laughter, too.

She cupped his face, making him look at her, but he refused to look at her face, making a sad baby face.

"Arnav ji.."

Before she could say anything further, he laid on the car, resting his head on her lap. Khushi almost sighed in relief, thinking he wanted to sleep now, but to her disappointment, he sat straight again when he heard the sound of rain.

"It's raining," he exclaimed, smiling like a little kid in excitement as he stared in awe at the window side, "Let's go.. stop.. stop the car, Akash.. let's dance in the rain, Khushi."

"No.. you'll get sick, Arnav ji," Khushi denied straightly.

"Arnav Singh Raizada doesn't get sick!" he said with attitude.

Khushi rolled her eyes, "Yeah I know. You caught cold the same day you saved me from that car hitting me during my first days of work in AR. It was also raining that night."

"You caught cold too," he retorted.

"Haan toh.. when did I say I want to go out and dance in the rain?" Khushi shrugged.

"When.. did.. I say.. go out.. dance in rain?" Arnav mimicked her mockingly, making her jaws drop.

"Akash, stop the car!" he yelled, annoyed that Akash still didn't listen to him.

"Bhai,"

"I know I'm your bhai.. stop the car now!"

"Arnav ji nahi," Khushi shook her head.

"This is.. why one shouldn't get married. The wife says no to everything.. but husband.. has to say yes to everything," he sighed defeatedly, resting his head on her lap, "Akash," he yelled again, "Is Payal.. like this with you.. too, ahn?"

Akash was really trying hard not to jump from his seat while driving, but his brother's yelling at him was nothing less than a thunderstorm.

Khushi didn't register Akash's answer in her mind. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she thought Arnav was speaking his heart out in his drunken state, he seems to be fed of her as his wife.

Arnav looked up at Khushi again, holding her hand and bringing her hand close to his lips, "But I love my wife.. a lot.. the way she is. Ek hi piece hai puri duniya mein.. mere patni. Aapki hukum sar aankhon par, ok? (There's only one piece in the entire world.. my wife. Your wish is my command, ok?)."

Khushi blinked back her tears as she stared at him with nothing but pure love in her eyes for him. All her wrong assumptions about him getting tired of her flew away from her mind. She caressed his hair affectionately.

"Close your eyes, Arnav ji," she whispered to him.

"Abhi.. sone ka time nahi hai (It's not my time to sleep)," he said, making the bangles on her wrist clink together.

Khushi couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle as she pulled his cheek, "Stubborn kid!"

*****************************************

When they reached AR, Arnav insisted on visiting his cabin first before they headed to their penthouse. Akash and Khushi took him to his cabin and made him sit on his chair.

"Give.." he took a long pause before completing his sentence, ".. my files."

Akash was about to take some files obediently, but Khushi reached him and snatched those files from his hand, "Jiju nahi.. important documents hai. What if he spoils them? He's not conscious of what he's doing now. Tomorrow, he will wake up and scold me only."

Akash agreed. Khushi took some blank papers and gave it to Arnav, who happily took it from her hand, demanding a pen now, "Pen!"

After he got a pen from Khushi, he started signing those blank papers. Here, Khushi couldn't tell the difference between sober Arnav and drunk Arnav as the handwriting is still the same. His keede makode writing is permanent in any situation.

"Where's Di?" he asked as the pen slipped from his hand, and he looked up at his wife, frowning slightly.

Oh, the man is obsessed with his Di, even in this drunk state. Khushi thought.

"If she's not here," his half-opened eyes searched for his Di in every corner of his cabin before concluding with a teasing tone, "then.. she must be performing her pooja."

He chuckled to himself, leaning his head against the headrest of his chair, "Warna toh har waqt mere samne khadi hoti hai (otherwise she's always standing in front of me)."

"Chote khana.. Chote go.. freshen up.. Chote, go buy pooja items for me.. Chote, come back soon.. from office.. Chote this.. Chote that," he mimicked Anjali with his exaggerated dramatic tone.

Khushi looked at him incredulously. Her drunk husband didn't even spare his dear sister, "Don't talk like this, Arnav ji!"

"It's good that Di is not here. Otherwise, she would have cried in despair, seeing bhai like this," Akash commented.

Arnav pointed his index finger in her direction, "It's you.. I want.. I want.. always near me.. but you're.. always out of my sight."

"Samajh chuki hun. Maaf kijiye humein (I understood. Forgive me)," Khushi joined her hands dramatically, seeking his forgiveness. This is probably the third time he's taunting her for not giving him time in his intoxicated state.

Akash controlled his laugh, being a silent spectator to the scene.

"Don't.. say sorry," Arnav shook his head, staring intently at her, "Did you listen?.. Don't say.. sorry to me. I'm.. bad husband.. you're.. best.. best wife!"

Khushi smiled faintly as she approached him, ruffling his thick hair, "Ok.. ok. Won't you listen to your best wife now? Let's go upstairs. I'll put you to sleep."

"Abhi nahi," he shook his head vigorously, patting his cheeks, "I've lot of work to do now. You go.. I'll come later."

Saying this, he started searching for his laptop, "My laptop.. Where's my laptop?" Then he looked down at his lap, "My top isn't not on my lap."

"Ghar pe hai, Arnav ji (It's at home)," Khushi replied, pretending that she didn't hear the absurdity he said at last.

"Aur.. hum ghar pe nahi hai? (And.. we're not home?)," he asked, making a confused expression.

"Nahi.. we're in AR.. this is your cabin," Khushi replied, forcing a sweet smile on her face when she felt like stuffing her favourite jalebis on his mouth to shut him up now.

"Oh!" Arnav exclaimed with a realisation look, "That's why.. Di is not here!"

Khushi face palmed.

"Bhai," Akash decided to intervene to help Khushi, "Let's go to the penthouse. You need to take a rest now."

"Hmm," Arnav nodded his head as he opened his arms like a baby, gesturing Akash to take him to the penthouse.

Khushi fumed, thinking, "He loves to trouble me only. I was sweetly asking him to go upstairs to rest, but he won't listen to me. Now his brother said the same thing and he agreed immediately."

*****************************************

AR Penthouse..

"Thank you so much, Jiju, for helping me," Khushi thanked him wholeheartedly, "If you were not there, then I don't know how would I be able to handle Arnav ji there," she glanced back at her husband laid on a sofa in the living room.

"Arey Khushi ji.. you don't need to thank me," Akash said shyly, adjusting his spectacles, "Voh.. can I leave now? Payal must be waiting for me. I promised to pick her up."

"Yeah, yeah, of course!" Khushi smiled apologetically for giving trouble to him, guiding him towards the door.

Once Akash left, she came back to check on Arnav. He was still laid on the sofa, blabbering something to himself, lost in his world.

She thought to use this time to cook something quick for him before he fell asleep without having his dinner. Rushing towards the kitchen, she opened the fridge, her face lit up when her eyes fell on the eggs, "Yes.. bread omelette."

She was quick to take out all the ingredients she would need to prepare omelette for her husband and then set to work once she placed them on the counter.

A few minutes later, she gasped, shocked to see her husband walking in the kitchen, taking unsteady steps towards the fridge.

She cried, looking up at the ceiling, "Hey DM, please help me now. Me and Akash left him on the sofa, thinking he would fall asleep, but he's so stubborn, even drunk he won't listen to anyone."

She looked back at him, watching him open the fridge. Khushi rushed to him with the intention of helping him in case he wanted something to drink, "Aap ko kuch chahiye? (Do you want something?). Tell me.. I'll give it to you, Arnav ji."

Arnav didn't reply to her. He placed his head inside the fridge, resting on the glass shelf in an attempt to fit himself inside the fridge.

Khushi looked at him weirdly, "What are you doing, Arnav ji?"

"I'm feeling.. hot," he pouted, "I want to sleep here inside the fridge."

Khushi let out an exasperated sigh before tugging on the back of his shirt from behind and starting to pull him back in an attempt to separate him from the fridge, "Arnav, ji, stop this now. I'll turn on the AC for you. You don't have to sleep inside the fridge. For God's sake, stop behaving like a lunatic. I'm alone here to deal with a crazy drunk man!"

He lifted his head from the fridge and turned to look at her, who now stopped pulling him back, almost out of breath with the effort she had to make to pull him back, but failed to move even an inch of his body.

Khushi glared at him and ordered him in a stern tone, "Go back to the living room and sit quiet on the sofa."

"It's hot here in my head," he complained, annoyed, "I need to freeze my head."

"Who asked you to drink alcohol then? Now bear the consequences," she scolded him.

"I'm not -"

"Haan pata hai (Yes, I know)," she narrowed her eyes at him, dragging him with her to their room.

*****************************************

Inside their room, Khushi took him to the bathroom and poured cold water on his head, then washed his face. Then she made him sit on their bedroom and wiped his hair and face with a towel, asking him in a soft tone, "Feeling better now?"

Arnav wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his face on her belly. He nodded his head, "Hmm.."

"Now let me go and finish cooking omelette for you. I'm sure you must be hungry, haina?" Khushi asked him.

"I'm.. I'm not hungry.. but.. I want to eat!" he mumbled.

Khushi shook her head, chuckling in disbelief. Then she wanted to make him rest on the bed, but the stubborn man held her saree's pallu tightly, asking her to take him with her.

She took him to the living room and, after distracting him by switching on the TV, she rushed back to the kitchen.

*****************************************

Much to her relief, Khushi managed to cook bread omelette for him. She never thought there would be a day in her life where she would find making bread omelette such a tough task.

She rushed to the living room with the tray containing his plate of omelette and a glass of juice.

Thankfully, he was still awake playing with the tv remote buttons. He looked at her innocently and showed her the tv remote, "It's not working!"

Khushi took the remote from his hand, and after checking, she replied sarcastically, "It's working perfectly.. it's your brain that's not working today!"

Arnav frowned offended by her sarcastic remark, "When.. I wanted.. to freeze my head in the fridge.. you didn't let me."

"Chodo ye sab baatein (leave all these talks)," Khushi said, trying to feed him bread omelette. Arnav looked away, refusing to eat.

"Arnav ji, please don't do this, na. You need to eat," she pleaded, bringing the food near his mouth in an attempt to convince him to eat.

Arnav shook his head, "I don't want to eat.. if my brain is not working, then how can I eat? Make my Harvard brain work properly again.. then I will.. eat!"

"Shut up and listen to me carefully," Khushi yelled at him, losing her patience as she warned him with a dangerous tone, "If you don't eat the omelette I made for you, then I'm going to leave you and lock myself inside our room. I'll never talk to you again, samjhe aap? (Understood?)"

"Par mujhe nahi khana (I don't want to eat)," he cried, making an innocent puppy face to her.

Khushi's heart instantly melted, but she knew she had to act tough with him as he's under the alcohol effect, blabbering things that he didn't even know. So she got up to leave when she felt his hands on her waist, pulling her to his lap. She gasped, circling her arms around his neck instinctively.

"Feed me."

Khushi sighed in relief while thinking this drunk avatar of her husband was 10 times worse than her Laad governor. At least her Laad governor only glares at her and flares his nose whenever he's angry, but this drunk Arnav is something else. He's driving her insane with his antics.

Khushi started feeding him with her hand while her husband found a new way to distract her from forcing him to eat, dangling her jhumkas with his index finger, while repeating a line from a Bollywood movie song, "What jhumka!"

Khushi raised her brows questioningly at him, "What jhumka?"

Arnav mirrored her expression, "What jhumkaaaa?"

Khushi grinned at the idea she had as she watched him repeat this line from the song. She continued, "What jhumka?"

Arnav repeated, "What a jhumkaaaaaa!" playing with her earrings, and she took the opportunity to shove food into his mouth when he finally opened his mouth to say "aaa."

She played this trick with him till he finished the omelette and drank his juice. Then she rewarded him by showering his face with kisses for being a good boy and eating his food.

Khushi got up to keep the tray in the kitchen. She quickly escaped from Arnav, who wanted to hold her to prevent her from leaving him.

Arnav's hand fell on his lap with a thud. He furrowed his brows, muttering to himself in his grumy mood, "Buaji named her right.. Titaliya (butterfly).. she keeps flying everywhere.. that's why I'm unable to catch her always."

*****************************************

At the kitchen..

Khushi was leaving the kitchen when she found her husband stepping in. She opened her mouth to explain, "I was just coming to you, Arnav ji."

"Shh!" he ordered her to keep quiet as he took a few more steps inside, heading towards the counter. Khushi rushed to help him walk, "Kya hua ab? (What happened now?)"

"I want to cook.. omelette!" he said, taking a knife. Khushi almost got a heart attack, seeing him hold a knife carelessly. She carefully tried to take the knife from his hand, "Okay, okay.. careful Arnav ji.. you want more omelette.. koi baat nahi.. I'll make it for you."

"Bread omelette," he corrected her.

"Yes.. bread omelette. I'll make it," Khushi nodded, releasing the breath she was holding till she managed to snatch the knife from his hand and hide it from his view.

"But I want to cook.. for you. You didn't eat anything.. Khushi," he frowned, searching around for the ingredients to cook for her.

Khushi smiled a little, pulling his cheek affectionately, "It's okay, baba. I'll cook something for myself later. I'm not hungry now."

"You sure?" he asked.

She nodded, blinking her eyes assuringly, "Yes, I'm sure. Now let's go. I'll put you to sleep now."

*****************************************

When they reached their room, Khushi thought finally she would make him lay on their bed, and he would sleep peacefully. But no, her husband had other plans. Taking unsteady steps towards the dressing table, he stared at himself, scrunching his nose with a deep frown, adorning his forehead, "I look.. so boring in black."

"That's true!" Khushi added, agreeing with her husband's drunk avatar.

He turned to her with a mischievous idea running in his mind, "Khushi.. I want.. to dress like Mami.. colourful clothes!"

Khushi chuckled, "Okay. Tomorrow, we will go and shop for colourful clothes for you."

"I want to wear it now," he said adamantly.

"But where will I go and find colourful clothes at this time for you?" Khushi looked at him in disbelief.

He looked at her intently before demanding, "Give me your clothes!"

Khushi gasped, and her eyes went wide in shock, "Arnav ji, what's wrong with you?"

Arnav approached her, pulling her saree pallu as he demanded stubbornly, "Yes.. give me your clothes."

"Stop it, Arnav ji! Enough is enough now," she scolded him tired of his absurd demands, "Behave yourself. You're not a kid anymore."

"But I want to dress like Mami!" he cried loud, resembling a five year old kid only.

Khushi got angry with him, glaring at him. She said, "Fine. Wait here."

She chose her night suit from the closet and went to the bathroom to change her clothes. Then she came back and handed her saree, petticoat, and blouse to him.

Arnav readily took her belongings, figuring out by himself how he's going to wear it.

Khushi frowned deeply when he asked her to help him take off his clothes.

"Do it yourself," she glared at him and walked to her side of the bed, huffing, "I'm tired of your lunatic behaviour now. I'm trying to make you sleep, but you keep finding ways to trouble me."

Arnav sat on the bed with a thud, shoving her legs away, as he started to unbutton his shirt button with difficulty.

Khushi's mouth opened in a big "O" shape with his audacity to push her legs like this, "Arnav ji," she gritted her teeth.

"Don't talk to me!" he frowned slightly, failing miserably on his fifth attempt to unbutton his shirt.

Unable to watch him struggle, Khushi moved near him and helped him take off his shirt. He handed her blouse blinking his eyes innocently at her, asking her to help him get dressed in her saree.

Khushi sighed defeatedly. She helped him wear her saree. Her blouse didn't fit him, so she used her saree to wrap around his upper body like a towel, and then she helped him take off his pants to wear her petticoat.

"Done!" she announced and took him to the dressing table again so he could see himself in the colourful clothes he desperately wanted.

All this while, she was completely serious with him, deliberately trying to show him that she was getting fed up with his crazy antics. But when her husband broke into the hook step of Chikni Chameli song, she burst out laughing.

Khushi fell behind on their bed, laughing wholeheartedly, at him. Arnav threw himself on the bed, laying beside her. He looked at her smiling, "See.. I know how to bring a smile.. on your face. I'm drunk.. but I didn't forget my husband's duties!"

Khushi's heart instantly melted. It's true that she was getting frustrated and annoyed and whatnot with her drunk husband. But at the same time, she wasn't able to handle this cute side of his showing up every now and then.

Arnav closed his eyes with a long, tired sigh, mumbling, "Now.. I.. sleep."

Khushi sighed in relief, smiling at him, "Come.. I'll help you."

She helped him lay straight on the bed and pulled a blanket to cover him properly, dropping a kiss on his forehead.

Then she laid on her side of the bed and closed her eyes to sleep when she felt his hands on her waist, burying his face on the crook of her neck, whispering sweet nothings to her, "my baby, my life, my heart, my happiness, my everything.. I.. love.. you!"

"I love you too.. you think I don't love you anymore, but it's not true, okay.. I never stopped loving you and never will," Khushi confessed to him. She knows he was dying to hear these words from her, but she kept delaying it due to Akash's presence.

A lazy smile played on his lips while his eyes were closed, ready to finally fall in a peaceful sleep with his wife in his arms.

"Arnav ji!"

"Hmm,"

"I love you a lot.. but please turn your face away. Otherwise, I will throw up due to this strong odour of alcohol," Khushi made a face, scrunching her nose.

He silently obeyed her and turned to his side of the bed.

"Suno!" Khushi called him again to check if he was angry or not.

"Go.. eat something," she heard him reminding her in his sleepy voice.

Khushi smiled, nodding her head, "Ok. I will."

*****************************************

Sometime later..

Khushi came back to their room after having her dinner. She found her husband sitting on their bed, putting his feet on the floor.

"Oh no! Why did he wake up now?" Khushi thought, biting her nails nervously, wondering what her husband is up to now.

She walked to him, asking, "Do you need something?"

Arnav nodded, getting up from their bed, "I want to use the bathroom."

Khushi held him by his arms, "Come.. I'll help you."

Arnav took her hand off him, blinking his eyes assuringly, "Relax.. I can walk alone. I won't slip."

Khushi nodded. Since he insisted, she let him walk by himself to the bathroom. She giggled silently, seeing him with his lower body covered with her petticoat only. It seems like he removed her saree that covered his upper body, leaving him in just her petticoat.

She couldn't let this opportunity to tease Mr. Raizada tomorrow, so she quickly grabbed her phone from the side table and waited for him to come out. As soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, Khushi made a video of him walking till their bed, dressed in her petticoat, pressing her lips to suppress her laughter.

Now he looked calm. He silently went to his side of the bed and closed his eyes to sleep again.

Khushi was relieved to see him behaving a bit normally now. She jumped to her side of the bed and moved closer to him, pecking his cheek, "Good night, Arnav ji. I love you!"

"Good night," he mumbled, holding her hand as usual to sleep. Khushi laid beside him, watching him sleep cutely like a baby. She couldn't even believe she witnessed such a wild crazy side of her husband drunk this night. It was completely opposite to her Arnav ji. But even after the frustration, annoyance, anger, and desperation she went through while trying to handle him, she didn't regret ditching her neighbour's party to join his business party. Otherwise, she wouldn't have lived this crazy wild night adventure from a party hall to AR penthouse with him.

She chuckled lightly, as a quick flashback of this night played on her mind. She's never going to forget this night ever in her life!

*****************************************

The next day, Arnav woke up with a severe headache. He shut his eyes tightly, pressing his temple while putting his feet on the cold floor, wondering why he was feeling as if someone was pounding a hammer on his head.

He got up from the bed and walked straight to the bathroom to shower with cold water, hoping it would relieve him from this headache, when suddenly he stopped abruptly on his way, feeling something strange when he was walking. He frowned slightly, wondering why he wasn't feeling like he wore his pants. He looked down to check, and his eyes widened in shock, seeing himself dressed in Khushi's petticoat, "What the.."

He heard his wife laughing and looked up at her, leaning against the door frame and staring at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"What the.. Khushi. You did this, right?" he asked with his harsh voice while hurriedly discarding her petticoat.

Khushi pouted, narrowing his eyes at him, "Why don't you try to remember what you did yesterday instead of putting the blame on me?"

She walked away from there sulking and complaining to her DM that this is what she gets early in the morning, even after looking after him in his drunken state.

Arnav rushed to the bathroom, trying to recollect the memories of yesterday night after he engaged himself in a conversation with his business associates.

*****************************************

He joined her for breakfast and pulled his chair to sit down.

Khushi sipped her tea, ignoring his presence in the dining room.

Arnav cleared his throat to gain her attention, "I'm sorry, Khushi. I shouldn't have insisted that you go to that party with me. Maybe it would be better if you joined Payal at your neighbour's birthday party."

"Don't say sorry. I don't regret going with you to that party. Thanks to your drunk avatar, I found out that you're missing your wife. You want to spend quality time with me, but I'm unable to give enough of my time to you. Hain na?" she looked at him sadly.

Arnav nodded his head, wondering what exactly he said to her in his drunk state. It mattered to him to know how he conveyed his feelings to her because if he said all these things in anger to her, then he would curse himself to no end for making his wife upset over this matter.

"It's nothing serious, okay?" he said softly, caressing her cheek gently, "Don't take my words to your heart. I really don't remember what I said to you yesterday, Khushi. I was drunk. Don't take my words seriously."

"I heard all of your cute complaints. Be assured that I will work on them, ok? I will make sure we get to spend quality time together," she pecked his cheek.

Arnav smiled a little, but soon his smile vanished, replaced by his "What the" as he looked incredulously at his wife who slapped his arm, staring at him fuming, "Now explain to me.. did you really need to drink alcohol to tell me this simple thing? Was it so hard for Arnav Singh Raizada to convey his feelings to his wife in his simple words without getting drunk?"

Arnav rolled his eyes, "I didn't drink. Someone spiked my drink yesterday. I was engaged in a conversation with my associates when a servant passed by with juice. I took that glass of juice and drank it without knowing what they mixed in it."

"See, DM sent me there to save your image. If it wasn't for me, you would have created a scene there and embarrassed yourself, and the next day, your clips would have been all over the gossip and news channels," Khushi stated proudly.

"Yeah, right," he agreed, smiling lightly as he pinched her nose playfully, "Thanks."

Khushi smirked, "Don't thank me so soon, Mr. Raizada!"

Arnav looked at her confused, "Why?"

Khushi giggled in excitement before she started narrating to him everything he did yesterday night in front of Akash and then privately with her. At last, she showed the video she made of him walking to their bed, dressed in her petticoat.

"Delete this video, Khushi!" he ordered, shocked that he was the one who demanded to dress himself in colourful clothes like Mami.

"Nahi! I will never delete this video," Khushi shook her head vigorously, hugging her phone to her heart, "You know.. I really regret not filming you when you were dancing on chikni chameli Hook Step," she giggled.

Arnav tried to snatch the phone from her, but she was quick to raise her hand, holding the phone, keeping it out of his reach.

He looked at her intently before he got up abruptly and tried to attack her, but she was fast to leave her chair and went running to the living room. He followed her and kept chasing her until they reached their bedroom. After a few rounds, both slumped down in their bed, exhausted and out of breath.

"Fine," Arnav broke the silence first, "You.. don't want to delete it. It's okay.. but don't go and show it to everyone at home."

Khushi nodded her head with a victory smirk on her lips, "Done deal!"

"And don't mention to Di what I said about her," he said, embarrassed.

Khushi smiled teasingly, "Kyun? (Why?) Chote doesn't want to upset his Di!"

"Naughty woman," Arnav grabbed her by her waist, pulling her closer to him as he attacked her with sound kisses kisses all over her face, tickling her belly at the same time. Khushi screamed, laughing out loud, asking him to stop tickling her.

She circled her arms around his neck, and he came on top of her, peppering more feathery kisses down to her throat and then on her shoulder.

Khushi gulped, blushing hard as she got the hint of her husband's intention. She closed her eyes momentarily, feeling goosebumps all over her body with his touch, when suddenly she heard him wince in pain.

She opened her eyes and watched him sit straight on the bed, holding his head. She worriedly asked, "What happened, Arnav ji?"

"Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my head. Hangover!" he explained.

Khushi narrowed her eyes at him, "I'll go and prepare lemon juice for you."

"Why are you looking at me like this?" he shrugged, "I already explained to you that I didn't touch alcohol intentionally."

"Now I miss my cute drunk Arnav ji. He wasn't a romantic moment spoiler like you. He wanted to share some romantic moments with me, even dance in the rain with me. But I was pushing him away. Now I actually regret it," Khushi pouted, staring at him accusingly.

"What the.. why are you talking about me as if I'm suffering from multiple personality disorders?" he asked, staring at her weirdly.

"That's because I felt drunk Arnav ji was very different from you, Laad Governor," she glared at him and got up from the bed, heading to the kitchen.

Arnav followed her curiously, "What do you mean? You don't love me anymore?"

The way he asked her if she didn't love him anymore, she felt as if drunk Arnav avatar made a comeback suddenly. She looked up at him shocked but then sighed in relief, getting no concrete evidence from his behaviour that the drunk Arnav was back.

"I love you only, Laad Governor," she smiled at him, "Drunk Arnav ji is cute, but he's unbearable!"

Arnav chuckled lightly, "What an irony.. I can't believe it's you saying this."

"Arnav, ji, stop talking like your drunk avatar.. you're repeating his dialogues, and it's freaking me out now," she chided him.

"Pagal ladki," he laughed, hugging her from behind, pecking her cheek, "You're scared of your husband now?"

Khushi pouted, nodding her head, "What will I do with a man who wants to put his head inside the fridge to freeze his head?"

"Hmm.. Sochna padega (we need to think)!" he replied with a serious face. They looked at each other before burst out laughing.

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Happy birthday, chaddi buddy 😉😘! Starry0502

Enjoy your starry day to the fullest. May God bless you with happiness, health, and success in your life.