Gupta House..

Khushi reached home, and she walked straight to her room to freshen up. Then she walked out of her, dressed in her comfy pyjamas, to have her dinner with her brother.

"You reached late. I already had my dinner," Shyam said while keeping her plate on the table.

"Bhaiya, if you want to lie to me, then at least make it believable," Khushi chuckled at him, taking her seat.

Shyam took his seat beside her, pinching her cheek, "Bohot smart ho na! (You're very smart, ahn!)."

"Kya smart," Khushi made a sulking face, "I thought I was smart because I always guessed the culprit of Crime Patrol cases in every episode before Anup Soni ji revealed it to us. But now that I'm working for Mr. Cold Light, I've started to doubt myself.. I feel dumb in front of him."

"Ghar mein sab apne aap ko hero samajhte hain, ek galatfemi mein jee rahe hain..jab baahar jaate hain toh asliyat samne aati hai (Everyone at home thinks of themselves as heroes, they are living in a happy illusion..when they go outside the reality is revealed)," Shyam teased her, hiding his smile.

"You're sounding like Mr. Cold Light now. He keeps taunting and mocking me like this only," Khushi pouted, slapping Shyam's arm lightly.

Shyam chuckled, "I'm kidding.. but on a serious note, it's okay to feel dumb at first.. the more you explore the outside world, the more experience you'll get. When we learn new things, it's normal to feel nervous, but once we get used to it, we feel like others are dumb because it's now simple and easy thing to do in your perspective now. It's a cycle in life.. you will see this happening often in your life, especially in your workplace.. but always remember, even if you gain more experience and knowledge than others, you've to remain kind and compassionate towards them, ok?"

Khushi nodded her head, smiling. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder, "Now you're talking like Khushi's best bhaiya!!"

Shyam smiled, dropping a kiss on her forehead. He gestured to her to have her food. Otherwise, it would get cold.

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

Arnav held a cigarette in between his lips,  puffing out the smoke towards the open window of the car. Suddenly, the memory of Khushi asking him about the padman ad when he was smoking in the office flashed on his mind.

He fished his phone out of pocket and searched for the Padman ad on YouTube. He watched it silently and then kept his phone back in his pocket when he reached a hotel to have a discuss a possible collaboration deal with an event organizer company for the launch of AR's new clothing line.

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

Gupta house..

After having dinner, Khushi and Shyam sat in the living room to watch TV before they retired to their respective rooms to sleep after a long, tiring day of work.

"Khushi.. on a second serious note, I think you should be careful with your boss. I don't know.. after what Anjali told me today about him, I don't think we should trust him with this deal.. how easily he agreed to sell our parents' house to you.. don't you think it's fishy? We don't know what his intentions are.. that's why I'm sceptical about this," Shyam said with a serious tone.

"Trust me, bhaiya. He doesn't have any wrong intention behind this. He's actually helping me. I fully trust him, bhaiya," Khushi said, blinking her eyes assuringly at her brother.

"Seriously, Khushi? You completely trust a person you barely know, but you don't heed the warnings of your best friend, who you've known for two years," Shyam looked at her in disbelief.

"Aisi baat nahi hai bhaiya.. Anjali di doesn't get along with her brother. They were separated when they were little kids, due to which they behave like strangers with each other now. It's the lack of communication between them that make they misunderstand each other often. But this doesn't mean one of them is right and the other is wrong. One is a devil, and the other is an angel. I understand the way Di thinks her brother is rude, bossy, and doesn't care about her because of the way he treats her. But what she fails to see is that he behaves this way with everyone except Mohan Kaka. He is a master at hiding his feelings, emotions, and thoughts due to which people around him often think he's a monster, but he's not. I don't blame Anjali di too because it's really difficult to deal with him. But now that I've been told a glimpse of his past, I don't blame him either," Khushi said. She gulped, staring at nothing in particular with moist eyes as the words of Mohan Kaka kept ringing in her mind.

"Khushi, I think you're fascinated by him. That's why you're unable to see the reality. You want to believe that he's a good person even after everything he did to you, Anjali and Aman. I might hate Aman now, but I've to agree that throwing hot coffee on someone's face is not a sign of a good person. Like literally everyone who had any kind of interaction with this man has bad things to say about him, then there must be something wrong with him, too. Everyone is not mad to blame him without any reason," Shyam said.

"Okay, fine. Wait," Khushi said determinedly as she got up from the sofa and rushed to her room to get the contract documents of her house. She came back to the living room and sat beside Shyam, handing the documents over to him, "Now read this contract bhaiya and see if there's anything wrong in it. If he actually had any other intention behind selling this house to me, would he make a legal written contract for this? I didn't even remember I had to sign the contract. He was the one who reminded me and even forced me to read everything before signing. If, by any chance, he violates an agreement on this contract, then I've the option to seek legal help bhaiya. Do you really doubt his intentions even now?" she asked him, upset with his thoughts about Arnav.

Shyam, read the documents carefully, then he gave it back to her, sighing, "Okay, maybe you're right. But after what you had to face with Aman. Don't expect me to trust anyone blindly. I don't have any kind of enmity with your boss or anyone. It's my right as your brother to feel concerned and protective for you."

Khushi smiled a little, hugging him sideways, "Haan haan, I know. But tension not, I'm safe with Mr. Cold Light. He always saves unknowingly when I'm in trouble. See, he's the one who fulfilled my mannat in the dargah. Only when I started working for him, I got to see the other hidden ugly side of Aman's personality. Imagine if I had seen this side of Aman after our wedding? When Aman was forcing me to forgive him in the office, he came and threatened Aman if he created another scene, then he'd lose his job and because of him Aman didn't came near me or disturbed me that day. He saved me when I fainted. He said Amma's dialogue at the right time when I was in doubt whether I took the right decision or not by calling off the engagement. Aman thought I would have to accept his friendship because I needed his help with work, but Cold Light assigned Aina to give me professional training for the PA position before that, and I was confident enough to say I don't need his help since I've Aina to help me now. And when we were in a meeting, Aman tried to sit near me to talk with me and Mr. Cold Light intervened at the right time and sent Aman away from me. It's strange that he is always there when I need help. He came as a blessing in disguise in my life."

Khushi smiled faintly, thinking how Arnav managed to reach her whenever she was in trouble.

"You know, I'm really confused. When I hear you talk about him, I feel that he is a good-hearted person, but when I hear Anjali, I feel that he is a bad, heartless brother," Shyam sighed confused which side to choose now, which story to believe.

"Trust me, I'm right only," Khushi winked at him.

"So you're saying you know him better than his sister?" Shyam raised his brows, tickling her belly. Khushi giggled, nodding her head, "Haan!"

"Agar aisi baat hai, then tell me why doesn't he help Anjali to follow her dreams and become a professional photographer?" Shyam asked when he stopped tickling her.

Khushi pouted, "Voh toh mujhe nahi pata (That I don't know)."

"Pata lagao fir (find out then).. use your crime patrol solving cases skills to crack this mystery," Shyam said, teasing her.

Khushi hugged her pillow, making a grumpy look still the smile was trying hard to suppress was visible to him, "I'm sure you will get along well with Mr. Cold Light. Dono sarcastic men will speak in sarcasm language with each other."

Shyam chuckled. Khushi shook her head, smiling as she shifted her focus to the documents she needed to read before signing as per Mr. Cold Light's order.

Shyam stared at her intently while thinking, "I thought it would be difficult for you to move on in life after everything that happened with Aman. But I'm happy to see you stand firm in your decision and how you're being brave enough to stand up to Aman without having me by your side in the office. Your determination to wake up and go to your office and take your mind off everything that happened yesterday surprised me, Titalia. I didn't expect this reaction from you... but I'm happy to see how strong you really are, my little sister. And yes.. I will have to give some credit to your Mr. Cold Light, too, in this. Like you said, he unknowingly saved you when you were in trouble."

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

It was 11 p.m., and when Arnav reached home, he made his way straight to his room without noticing his father was lying on the sofa recliner in the living room.

"Arnav!" Arvind called him, and when Arnav halted on his steps, turning to look at him, "Aren't you going to help your old father get to his room?"

Arnav walked to him with a poker face as he stood there waiting for him. Arvind got up from the sofa and approached his son, taking support of his arm as Arnav escorted him to his room.

When they reached, Arvind patted Arnav's head gently with a smile on his face, "I'm proud of you, my son!"

Arnav gulped painfully. He avoided eye contact with his father as he turned to escape from having this type of conversation with his father.

"Arnav, come on!" Arvind rolled his eyes, "Are you still upset with me because I sent that model to you? I'm sorry then.. I just wanted you to have fun. You're always working."

Arnav chuckled painfully as he turned to look back at his father, "Isn't that what you always wanted?"

"Instead of talking to me like that, you should be grateful to me. It's only because I trained you correctly to be a sharp minded businessman that the world is praising you today. Tumhare hi bhale ke liye kiya maine sab kuch (I did everything for your good only)," Arvind frowned.

Arnav shut his eyes momentarily to control himself as he walked away from there, not wanting to listen a word more from his father.

"Badtameez (Ill mannered).. this is how he treats his father, who did everything for him," Arvind muttered angrily as he opened the door of his room.

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

Three weeks later..

Khushi was brushing her hair, getting ready to go to the office. When she first joined AR, she didn't care much about her look, she used to feel more nervous and worried about the tasks that would be assigned to her, if she would be able to complete it or not, if she would be able to fit herself in this corporate world. But now that it's been a month since she joined, although she's not an expert yet, she feels more at ease now. Now she cares about the way she is dressed and the way her wardrobe is 80% filled with traditional suits, which makes her repeat her formal clothes in the office, and that is bothering her now.

(Khushi's look)

She pouted, making a mental reminder to herself that at the weekend, she needed to shop more formal outfits and increase the percentage of it in her wardrobe.

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

When she walked out of her room to have breakfast with her brother, she received a message from Mr. Cold Light. Yes, they have exchanged numbers during this month to contact each other in urgent cases. 

Arnav: Good morning.
Arnav: Be ready by 8:30 am.
Arnav: We need to leave early to Taj Mahal tower.
Arnav: I'll come and pick you up at your house.

Khushi smiled a little, reading her 'Good Morning' first. He used to text her straight to the point without greeting her at first. But he doesn't know that she is Khushi Kumari Gupta. She didn't give up until she taught him how to send a message, greeting the other person first. She purposely emphasized her good morning messages by sending them in italics to him. One day, he finally gave in and let her savour her small victory by responding to her good morning. Just like she made him call her Miss Gupta when he called her Miss.

Khushi: Good morning, sir.
Khushi: Done.

Khushi rushed to have her breakfast before Arnav reached. She excitedly shared with her brother that she's going to Taj Mahal Tower today with her boss.

"Do you need money to buy something to eat?" Shyam asked.

Khushi shook her head, "I'm going there just for work purposes. Mr. Cold Light won't give me time to even appreciate that hotel. Voh na ekdum straight to the point wala banda hai (He's a straight to the point type of guy)."

Shyam chuckled, hearing her.

After she finished her food, Khushi went to sit in the living room waiting for Arnav.

Shyam went to the door as he was leaving for work. He opened the door and was surprised to see Arnav standing outside with his hand in the air. It seems he was about to ring the doorbell when Shyam opened the door, unaware of his arrival.

Arnav put his hand down as he cleared his throat, staring at Shyam for a few seconds, before he extended his hand for a handshake introducing himself to Shyam whom he was meeting for the first time, "Arnav Singh Raizada, Miss Gupta's boss."

Khushi came rushing to them when she heard Arnav's voice. She stood beside Shyam like a good girl, holding her bag with her hand.

Shyam shook hands with him with a humble, polite smile, "Namaste. I'm Khushi's brother, Shyam. Nice to meet you."

Arnav nodded his head in acknowledgement. He turned his attention to Khushi, gesturing her that they should leave now.

Khushi nodded, understanding his gesture, she side hugged Shyam before joining Arnav as they walked together through the corridor.

Khushi glanced at Arnav, who had his concentration on his phone now. She couldn't stop grinning, her heart fluttered, she was feeling special that THE GREAT ASR came to pick her up at her doorstep.

Shyam was staring at their retreating figure with a slight frown on his face, shaking his head, "He's indeed rude and arrogant. He didn't even greet me back. I don't know why Khushi is so intrigued by this man."

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

The driving journey towards Taj Mahal Tower was filled in silence until Khushi gasped with her eyes widening as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She was in shock and lost in her thoughts for a few minutes before she grabbed her bag and frantically started searching something on it.

Arnav was aware of her every move, but still, he kept his eyes on the road, acting unaffected by her antics and minding his own business. 

"Oh no!" Khushi cried, panicking when she realised she didn't bring what she was searching for. She gulped and looked at him, biting her lower lips nervously, "Can you stop your car near a pharmacy?"

Arnav didn't reply anything as he kept driving till they reached a nearby pharmacy. He parked the car on the side.

Khushi muttered while she unbuckled her seat belt, "Cold Light kahike. Couldn't he say anything to reassure me that he would take me to the pharmacy?"

She was about to open the door but then hesitated to get down the car, biting her nails worriedly, thinking something, and checking behind her seat awkwardly.

"What happened?" Arnav broke his silence as he looked at her with a serious look.

"Nothing.." Khushi shook her head, immediately feeling embarrassed and awkward to share this with him.

"Then go to the pharmacy and don't waste my time, Miss Gupta," he said in an annoyed, impatient tone.

"I can't go," Khushi muttered, thinking about her condition.

"Khushi, don't test my patience. Tell me what you want or get down the car and get it yourself," he glared at her.

"I can't tell you, nor I can go there. It's women's thing.. you won't understand," Khushi said, irked with him too while thinking of a way to reach the pharmacy.

"Padman ka movie nahi dekha kya? (Didn't you watch padman movie?)" he asked in a sarcastic tone because he understood very well what she meant. Still, he was disappointed with her regressive thinking, refusing to take his help because it's a feminine topic.

He got down the car and walked to the pharmacy and then came back with a packet of sanitary pads for her.

Khushi was shocked to know how he guessed that she was on her periods, and at the same time, she was feeling shy and awkward to take the sanitary pads from his hand when he got in the car and handed it to her.

Arnav extended his hand to reach his coat, laid on the backseat as he grabbed it in his hand and gave it to her, "Wear this and come with me." 

"Thank you!" she said in a feeble tone, avoiding eye contact with him, as she was feeling hell embarrassed to face this situation in front of him. Deep down, she was again shocked that he also understood that she was hesitating to leave the car as she feared to have stained her white pants.

She quickly wore his coat and put the sanitary pads on her bag, and they got down the car with Khushi following Arnav like a clueless baby. He took her to a nearby restaurant and asked her to use their ladies' room. Khushi nodded obediently and rushed to the ladies' room while he waited for her outside.

When she came back to him, they walked out of the restaurant together. Once they were on their way back to the car, Khushi, who looked more tension free now, glanced at him as she did a slight bunny jump, smiling chirpily, "Thank you! You saved me again."

"And you wasted my time again," he said with his eyes fixed on his phone.

Khushi pouted, "I'm sorry for that. I didn't know - "

She couldn't complete her explanation as he thrusted his phone into her hands all of sudden, startling her for a moment, "Here.. talk to Di and ask her to bring everything you need to change to Taj Mahal Tower."

Saying this, he left her to talk in private with Anjali as he walked around his car and got inside, waiting for her. When Khushi was done explaining her situation to Anjali, she also came back to the car and handed his phone to him, "Thank you."

"Don't irritate me," he said with an annoyed tone, a frown adorning his forehead.

Khushi widened her eyes incredulously, "Haww.. what did I do now? Do you get irritated when I say thank you to you?"

"Yes," he replied in a firm tone, narrowing his eyes at her, "Now keep your mouth shut and let me drive peacefully."

"Aap ko rakshas banne ka shauk hai? (You like to be a monster?)" Khushi asked in a scolding tone.

"What the.."

"Ji haan!" she squinted her eyes at him suspiciously, "Mujhe toh lagta hai (I think).. in fact, I'm 99% sure that you don't like people to see goodness in you."

"Miss Gupta, behave yourself," he glared at her.

"I'm not Miss Gupta now. We're not in office nor in that meeting at Taj Mahal Tower, so I'm Khushi now," Khushi crossed her arms stubbornly.

"Khushi.. you haven't seen my worst side yet, so don't ask for it," he looked at her intently with his eyes darkened, and his tone changed to an intimidating one, "I'm even worse than your ex fiance."

Khushi looked at him, shocked with his statement before she fell into silence, not uttering a word more during the journey.

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

When they reached the Taj Mahal Tower, they walked together towards an outdoor table reserved for their meeting near the poolside.

Sheetal and Aman were already there waiting for them. Aman was shocked to see Khushi in Arnav's coat. He clenched his jaws, hiding his fist under the table. He was clearly disturbed by the sight in front of his eyes, finding it too hard to control himself. His anger and possessiveness were reaching to its height, now imagining how Arnav and Khushi were alone in his car and what they must have done together for Khushi to come wearing his coat.

"Gold digger.. she didn't even wait for some time before trapping a rich man.. then her brother speaks about her as if she's a saint pure woman and I'm the bad guy," he thought, staring at her, feeling betrayed. 

But Khushi didn't even realize that he was looking at her all this time. Her eyes were on the woman who came out of the pool in a swimsuit and approached Arnav with a dazzling smile on her face.

"Good morning, ASR!" she stood close to him, checking him out with the smile never leaving her face.

"Can we start the meeting now, Miss Kashyap?" he asked in a straight, non serious tone, with his poker face.

"Yeah.. can you please wait for a few minutes so I can change my clothes?" she asked in a sweet tone.

Arnav nodded.

Khushi pressed her lips tightly to suppress the smile, threatening to appear on her lips when she realised Arnav only replies when she greets him.

Arnav looked back at Khushi and pushed the chair back for her, gesturing her to take a seat. Before she sat, she made sure to taunt him, staring at him with accusing eyes as she whispered, "Now you don't have a problem that Miss Kashyap is wasting your time."

"Toh swimsuit mein meeting attend karegi voh?" he retorted sarcastically.

"I'm also sitting here with your coat, na," Khushi knew she was talking nonsense, yet she liked bickering with him now.

"Di is bringing your clothes too," he reminded her.

Khushi was thinking of a befitting reply to him but had to unwillingly accept defeat as she had nothing in mind to counter attack him now. She groaned and looked away, crossing her arms with a cute pout adorning her lips.

Arnav shook his head with an invisible small smile playing on his lips. He's aware of the effect Khushi has on him. No matter how much he tries to remain unaffected by her antics, she always manages to bring some reaction out of him.

Most of the time, he scolds and warns her to behave properly in front of him, but she never takes him seriously. The next minute, she would be speaking her mind as if nothing had happened. Maybe that's one of the reasons he finds himself interacting with her more often than he would actually interact with a stranger. She keeps poking him. She never gives up, unlike his own family, who gave up easily without even trying hard.

The hotel manager came personally to meet Arnav. Arnav got up from his chair and kept talking with the manager for a few minutes, then he asked the manager to book a room for Khushi.

On hearing that Arnav wanted to book a hotel room, Aman shifted on his seat uncomfortably and suffocated. He was thinking Arnav was booking a room so he and Khushi could spend quality time together after the meeting. His heart beat rate increased, sweat beads forming on his forehead as he was determined to not let this happen at any cost. He needed to stop Khushi from getting close to Arnav and save his job at the same time. 

When the manager left, Arnav sat again beside Khushi. He looked at her, informing her to go to that room with Anjali to clean herself and change her clothes.

Khushi nodded her head, feeling shy that he was talking openly with her about this topic. Still, she was glad that he didn't forget about her state, and he was thinking about her comfort and well being, instead of focusing only on his meeting and leaving her to deal with her condition alone.

She glanced at him stealthily, who was doing something on his phone, with a soft smile playing on her lips while muttering to herself, "Then he wants me to believe he is a bad man. Hmmph.. Cold Light kahike."

Aman was hurt with Khushi. She was behaving as if he didn't exist. She looks unaffected by his presence. Her eyes were fixed on Arnav all the time, making him burn in jealousy.

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

Last update of the week! Hope you all enjoyed it. 😊