It was around 9 p.m., and Khushi was settled in her swing chair in the balcony of her room, finishing the remaining jalebis from her first day at work celebration all by herself, humming "Munni Badnam Hui" song and scrolling her Instagram page and engaging herself in conversations with her social media friends.

Shyam knocked on the door of his sister's room. Even though it was slightly open, having a sister in his life implied respecting her privacy always.

"Come in, bhaiya!" Khushi shouted, and after getting her permission, he walked in the room and joined her in the balcony attached to her room. Her favourite corner of their home sweet home, to be honest, this balcony is also his favourite place to be in their house, mainly because it holds so many special memories that he has with his little sister here. This is where they hang out, this is where they have the most random and silly conversations, this is where they laugh freely, this is where they dream together, looking at the sky at night, this is where they gossip about their neighbors, this is where they observe the hustle and bustle that people go through every day in their lives.. and this is also the place where they sit in silence and comfort each other whenever one of them is down.

Khushi kept her phone aside, still holding on to her plate filled with the few remaining jalebis, as she looked at her elder brother, Shyam, who settled himself in the same swing chair with Khushi, making her whine loudly and complain of the way he occupied most of the chair space and how suddenly the swing chair felt cramped as soon as he joined her.

Shyam just chuckled at her, stubbornly sitting there, and asked her to adjust with it teasingly, earning a glare from his sister, who looked away, faking anger and continued munching her jalebi.

"Hey Titaliya... You didn't tell me about your first day at work?" he started the conversation, picking up her long black hair to try several thin braids on them. Something that would give Khushi a hard time tomorrow when she would try to undo her braids to style her hair. Still, she enjoyed those little endearing and affectionate moments she shared with her brother, so she never stopped him from doing those things with her.

"Bataya toh tha (I did tell you). It was a good day. My boss didn't give me much work to do," Khushi replied.

"Sach bata rahi ho na Khushi? (You're telling me the truth, right?)" his tone changed, and Khushi could sense the seriousness and concern in the conversation now.

She turned her head to look at Shyam, "Remember when I left home to work, you said to me that this world is not going to treat me like you, bhaiya? You were right, and now I understand it. My first day didn't turn the way I expected at all, but I've come to terms with it. And it's not like everything had to be perfect for me. Despite one unpleasant incident, I had my Aman by my side, and that's the most important thing for me. I met Anjali di there too, and I've made a friend too, her name is Aina.. she's a very sweet and helpful woman."

"And what's the unpleasant incident you're talking about?" Shyam frowned. He surely heard the positive aspects she talked about her work, but the 'unpleasant incident' she mentioned caught his attention. If he gets to know someone dared to lay a finger on his sister, no one can help that person land in a hospital bed for sure, and he doesn't even care about the consequences.

Khushi gulped, wondering if it was right to share this incident with her brother or not. When she looked at her brother and realised he won't rest till he finds out what she's hiding from him, she sighed in defeat and began to narrate him the nasty coffee incident that occurred between Aman and her new boss, ASR.

Shyam's frown deepened, "How can he just throw coffee on someone's face like that? Why didn't Aman take action against him?"

"ASR's father offered a raise in his salary in return for his silence on this matter. Aman accepted it because he didn't want to lose his job and get into a legal battle with these rich people who think they own the world, that people like us are their slaves and they can do anything with us and we've to stay quiet only," Khushi said sadly.

"That's the bitter and harsh reality of this world," Shyam lowered his eyes in helplessness. The truth is he always wanted to keep his Titaliya away from the dark side of this world, she's such an innocent soul that he always felt the need to protect her from the cunning and dirty ways of the word outside her home sweet home. But for how long? One day or another, she would have to be strong enough to face the world by herself. One day or another, she would understand that the brother she considers as her Superhero is actually an helpless man who have to work hard day and night in a small shop and make few compromises in order to bring home food and money so they can survive in this cruel world. Just like Aman, who had to choose a raise in his salary, instead of raising his voice against the atrocity done to him.

She now seemed to start understanding that not everything is about right or wrong, as people like them with no power and money often had to make helpless choices  in order to sustain their lives.

"Hmm," Khushi looked down at her plate, sadly playing with the last jalebi as she suddenly lost her appetite.

"But you can resign from this job anytime you want Khushi. No one is forcing you to work. And if you're worried about me, then please don't.. your brother is here na, I'll manage everything, our house expenses, your wedding.. everything. It's just I'm going through a rough phase in my business right now, but I'm hopeful for better days," Shyam said in a soft tone, that held genuine concern and protectiveness for his sister. What to do? He does want her to be strong enough to face the world, but at the same, he doesn't want to impose his decisions on her and it's really difficult as a brother to let go of the sudden urge to want to hide and protect his sister before anything wrong happens to her. He always wants to see her beautiful smile intact on her face. He doesn't want anyone to snatch this precious smile from her.

"Bhaiya, please stop getting worried about me. I'm fine, really.. and I don't know why you and Aman are being so pessimistic regarding my job, always suggesting that I resign when it's just my first day. It's not like that, Rakshas tortured me on my first day. Instead, he didn't bother me for once!" Khushi pouted. 

Shyam relaxed on the chair as he raised his brow, "Acchaa? If he didn't torture you, then why are you calling him Rakshas?"

Khushi chuckled, "Dekhne mein toh Rakshas hi lagte hai voh (He looks like one)."

"What?" Shyam chuckled in disbelief, taking out his phone from his pant pocket as he asked her, "What's his full name? ASR as in?"

Khushi rested her head on her brother's shoulder as she looked down at his phone to see what her brother was doing on his phone, she realized he wanted to search for her boss picture on Google and immediately answered him, "Arnav Singh Raizada!"

Shyam typed his name while asking her, "Kya hua? Why are you not eating your last jalebi?"

"I'm full," she pouted. "Give it to me then," he opened his mouth, and she readily fed her brother the last jalebi on the plate.

Shyam was munching the jalebi fed to him, when few Arnav's pictures appeared repeatedly as a result of google search images, it seemed like not many pictures of him were available online as the ones that appeared repeatedly were from an old interview of his.

"That's him," Khushi pointed to his phone's screen in an enthusiastic  manner.

"Pata hai (I know)," Shyam rolled his eyes.

He took his time to analyse the picture before concluding, "He might behave like a Rakshas, but he doesn't look like one. You're exaggerating Khushi.. he's a handsome guy!"

Khushi made a face, staring at Arnav's picture on her brother's phone, "I don't know if he's handsome or not to others. But to me, he's not... When a person doesn't have a beautiful heart and isn't kind to others, then no matter how hard I try, that person never will be physically attractive to me as well."

"Aur Aman ka kya?" Shyam asked teasingly.

Khushi's cheeks turned red like a tomato as she shut her eyes momentarily, with a smile that made her cheeks hurt at this point. She slapped her brother's arm playfully, hiding her face on his shoulder, "Urghh bhaiya.. stop it!"

"Okay okay," Shyam chuckled as his shifted his attention back to his phone, staring at Arnav's picture again and a frown appeared on his forehead as he spoke, "He's such young man, why does he look so serious in these pictures?"

Khushi peeked cutely from her hiding corner and replied, "He's an angry young man. Bada apne aap ko Salman Khan samajh tha hai, par kabhi banega nahi (He thinks he's Salman Khan, but will never be him)."

"Well, you're wrong, my dear sister. The angry young man of Bollywood is my Amitabh sir, not your Salman Khan!" Shyam argued.

"Nahi nahi.. Salman ji hi hai!"

And they kept bickering over who's worthy of the 'Angry Young Man' title. Unaware that an angry young man is soon going to make his entry in their 'choti si duniya' and change it completely. Will he play the hero like Shyam's Amitabh sir and Khushi's Salman ji, or will he the role of a villain in their lives?

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

Next day..

Raizada Mansion:

Anjali was super happy today. She slept yesterday feeling so bad that because of her Khushi, she will lose her job even before she properly started it. But it seems God heard her prayers, as she woke up with the best news from Mohan Kaka, who informed her that he managed to convince Arnav not to fire her friend from the job.

So here she was, standing outside of her brother's room with a huge filled with gratitude smile playing on her lips as she knocked the door twice, impatiently waiting for him to give him a tight hug and thank him million times for saving Khushi's job.

Arnav opened the door while his concentration was on buttoning the last few buttons of his shirt. He gave her a look that says,'What do you want?' Before his attention shifted back to his shirt.

However, he was taken aback by his sister who suddenly jumped on him, wrapping her arms around him and screaming 'Thank you' enthusiastically as if she's a toddler who got her favourite candy from him.

He didn't reciprocate the hug. Instead, he took a step back indirectly, letting her know he wasn't comfortable with this form of displaying affection.

Anjali also distanced herself from him awkwardly, but the smile was still intact on her face, "I… wanted to thank you for making the decision not to fire Khushi from her job."

After hearing the reason for her childish behaviour early in the morning, his expression changed to a cold, unreadable one, "Everything comes with a price in this life Di!"

Anjali looked at him confused, trying to make sense with words.

As if reading her mind, he continued, "You have a friend who applied for my PA position because she wants to earn money for some reason that is none of my business, she has no experience in the field and has barely completed her studies. So that means she is a middle-class girl. She clearly doesn't and shouldn't belong in your circle of friends. And that's why it's not me but you who's going to take the decision to break this friendship or save your friend's job?”

Anjali looked at him painfully, shocked. "What?"

"Don't waste my time. You clearly heard what I said," he rolled his eyes, moving to his dressing table to grab his wristwatch.

He looked up at her disoriented reflection through the mirror and pressurised her more, "The clock is ticking Di!"

"Why are you doing this with me? What's wrong with having a friend like Khushi? I can't break my friendship with her, she's very special to me.. she's that one person I can speak my heart out with. I can't lose her," Anjali argued brokenly, her eyes brimming with tears.

"So you've taken your decision. Great, now you better discuss with the HR Department and send your best friend her termination letter," Arnav said, taking his bag and phone from the bed as he walked to leave the room when Anjali's afflicted voice made him halt on his steps.

"Don't fire her, please!"

"Only if you -"

"I will distance myself from Khushi. Happy?" she asked sarcastically and walked to leave from there, shutting her eyes angrily when she heard him reply, "Not really. I wish I didn't have to tolerate your friend as my PA!"

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

AR Office..

He reached in his office with a grumpy mood. He was only 15 minutes late than yesterday as he worked till late night yesterday and couldn't wake up in time for his early jogging and had to leave directly to office, skipping his breakfast as well.

With a lightning speed, he reached in his cabin but stopped at the door abruptly, a mild surprise was visible on his eyes as he watched his PA clean his desk, humming an energetic song he had no idea about and dancing lightly lost in her own world.

The constant frown on his forehead deepened as he sternly asked, "What are you doing here?"

As soon as Khushi recognised his voice, she stood straight, her heart started beating faster than its normal, and the piece of cloth she used to clean his table slipped from her trembling hands. She looked at him wide eyed in shock but couldn't even keep eye contact with him for more than two seconds as his eyes were spitting fire on her, she immediately lowered her lashes in fear and embarrassment. 

"I asked you something," he gritted his teeth.

Khushi nervously pointed her trembling index finger at his table as she stammered, "I.. I was cleaning.."

"And dancing?" he asked sarcastically, "My office is not a club for you, Miss. Behave yourself," his tone was rude and cold at its best.

"I'm sorry, sir," Khushi said in a meek tone.

"First work hard to earn money and then dance all you want on your wedding day, not in my office," he taunted, coming towards her to take his seat on his chair.

Khushi didn't give him space to sit as she was too shocked to process what he wanted, when he mentioned her wedding. She asked in a direct bluntly manner not realising she standing in between his chair and his desk, thus becoming an hindrance for him on his way to take his seat, "How do you know I'm getting married?"

Khushi was already overthinking that she could have hired a private detective to get the information and background of Aman's private life, that's why he came to know that she is his fiancée and they are getting married soon.

"And who do you think you are to question me like that?" he asked, his temper rising as he stepped forward to come face to face with her. Their eyes met, one burning in anger and the other getting burnt in that anger.

His anger brought Khushi back to earth as she mentally cursed herself, wondering what happened to her, to talk with her boss in this way. She fearfully took a few steps back, giving him his space to sit and bit her lips guiltily, "I'm -"

"Shut up," he yelled, "I'm least interested in your marriage. I just want my work done on time and efficiently. Otherwise, it will take me no time to replace you with an educated and experienced employee. Do you understand?"

Khushi nodded her head vigorously and fearfully. Her big hazel eyes filled instantly with big warm tears, and she looked down, trying her best not to lose her composure in front of him.

"Leave," he ordered, and she took no time to disappear from his cabin.

Arnav frowned, finally taking his seat as he kept his bag on the table, cussing, "What the.. acts silly, then shows me her big tears.. incompetent people."

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

Two hours later..

A beautiful, elegant, and tall woman walked out of the elevator and made her way to Khushi's desk.

Khushi, who was printing a few documents Arnav had ordered her to, rushed to her desk to attend the woman, "Good morning, ma'am. How may I help you?"

"Good morning. I came here to meet ASR," the woman replied, smirking, signalling to his cabin.

Khushi nodded, "Can I have your name ma'am?"

"Shanaya Kapoor," she replied.

Khushi checked the appointment list on her laptop before she looked back at the lady with an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I wasn't informed about your visit, nor do I have your name in today's appointment list. Can you just sit there and make yourself comfortable while I'll inform Sir about your presence and let you know his decision? And I would appreciate it if you could tell me the reason for this urgent meeting, so I let Sir know about it as well."

"Sure. Well, it's nothing urgent, just tell him, his father sent me here," Shanaya said before she moved to take her seat on one of the lounge chairs placed in the corner near Khushi's small cabin set up.

Khushi walked into Arnav's cabin when she got his permission. She approached his desk and informed him about Shanaya's arrival.

Arnav looked up at the cctv live footage of the area outside his cabin, playing at the large screen of his TV fixed above on the wall of his cabin.

Khushi followed his gaze, only to control herself from gasping as she realized that this wasn't a normal TV she thought when she walked in to clean his cabin, he actually installed cameras outside his cabin and he keeps an watch on her every single move.

"Does she have any appointment letter?" Arnav asked in a serious tone.

Khushi turned her head back at him, recovering from the shock, and nodded sideways, "No sir."

"Then why are you wasting my time?" he asked.

"Sir, she asked me to inform you that your father sent her to meet you," Khushi replied, lowering her eyes.

He looked up at her in an intimidating way, "Miss, use your brains and don't come to me unless it's something important. If you don't know, it's your job to keep these types of people who have no other work to do and just want to waste my time away from me."

Khushi looked baffled for a few seconds. Before she asked a little confused, "Does that mean I have to predict why people come to meet you and then decide whether or not it's important to be reported to you, sir?"

"You have to make a good use of your judgement and decision-making skills, that if you have any!" he replied tauntingly.

Khushi resisted the urge to pout, annoyed at the taunts he was throwing at her.

"Go and tell her I'm busy. There is no need to take her appointment as well," he said strictly and fixed his eyes on his laptop again.

Khushi nodded and quickly left his cabin to do what he ordered her. Shanaya looked disappointed but ended up having to leave without meeting him.

Khushi resumed her task of printing the documents. Now, she had time to process everything that just happened.

"So his father sent this girl to meet him, but he didn't want to meet her unless it was work related. Hmm.. Aman, maybe you know more about these spoiled rich brats and their shady lifestyle, but you definitely failed to judge ASR," she thought. And smile slightly in relief.

She gets so scared whenever Aman warns her about Arnav, his behaviour and lifestyle totally different to hers. But after seeing he's someone who's completely focused on his work, yes he's short tempered and gets easily irritated, but from what she noticed till now and she feels relieved about it, is that he doesn't look at her with dirty intentions and only approach her whenever it's work related. Not only her, but anyone in his workplace.. just like she witnessed how he sent Shanaya Kapoor out of here because he sensed the meeting would be anything but work related. 

He's really a workaholic!

She sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. Finally gathering all the printed documents, she rushed to his cabin to give it to him.

"Sir, the documents you -"

"Just keep it on the table and leave Miss, no need to explain to me what I asked you to do," came his irked reply.

Khushi jerked with this unexpected scolding from his side when she thought she was doing her task correctly till now. She kept the documents on his table with her shivering hands, then raised her hand to rub her chest as if recovering from nothing less than a heart attack with this man, as she spoke her thoughts loud, "Har baat pe daantna jaroori hai kya? (Is it necessary to scold me for everything?"

She didn't realize she spoke that loud enough for him to hear until she earned a cold, intimidating look from him.

She stood straight, zipping her mouth and turned to flee away from there, but no, oh, wait, she has something she can use it on her favour and give it back to him, even if it's not a big deal, it would at least give her the opportunity to correct the Mr. I know everything and taste this little victory of hers.

"Sir, it's Miss Gupta!" she spoke as she turned back to him, with a forced polite smile, flashing her innocent hazel eyes to him.

"How about you do something worth of me remembering your name first?" he retorted with a mocking tone.

"Right," Khushi faked a smile, walking away and wish to disappear from the earth as she dying of embarrassment right now. She slapped herself many times once she was out of his cabin, cursing herself for even thinking to correct her boss in the first place. She's already feeling ASR won't tolerate her for long time as his PA. Her job was seriously in danger right now.

Inside the cabin, Arnav uttered his favourite 'What the' watching her silly act of slapping herself as if she's a mental hospital patient outside his cabin.

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

Here's the update. Hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed interacting with everyone on the previous chapter.

So for those who were asking if Arnav doesn't remember Khushi or he was pretending after the coffee incident with Aman? The answer is there in this chapter, Arnav is someone who doesn't care about people who don't belong to his close circle. So he's least interested in his employees as well, sure he got angry when he heard Aman mocking him and threw coffee on his face, but soon after that, he might have even forgotten Aman's face and didn't even notice Khushi was sitting there with them that day, as they're not that important to him for him to be wasting his precious time thinking about them or to revenge them.

But, now our little Jugnu lightning up the dark night of someone's life with her magical glow.. so you never know, what happens next 🤔