Raizada Mansion

Half laid on his king size bed, Arnav Singh Raizada had just woken up to a beautiful Monday morning with a terrible headache due to the hangover. He was pressing his temple firmly in order to get rid of the headache as he groaned in pain. Few minutes later, he heard a knock on the door, earning a curt commanding reply from his side, "Come in."

A man in his late 60's walked in the room with a glass of lemon juice, he extended the glass to Arnav with a sweet smile on his face, "Good morning Arnav beta. You must be having headache, right? I brought fresh lemon juice for you."

"Keep it on the table."

Even though he got a cold reply from Arnav, the old servant continued smiling as he nodded his head and kept the glass on the side table.

"Don't forget to drink it Arnav beta. It will help relieve your headache," he added.

Arnav hmm-ed disinterested in the old man's talks as he took his phone from the side table, checking his unseen messages.

"Arnav beta.. I've a story to tell you today. Early morning, I left to the market to buy vegetables and I saw a little kid-"

"Kaka!" Arnav looked incredulously at one of the oldest servant of the mansion, the one who took care of him when he was a little baby. He pointed to his head with his index finger as if making the man understand he wasn't interested to hear stories now due to his nagging headache.

Mohan Kaka smiled apologetically as he nodded his head vigorously understanding his Arnav beta needed his space now, "Sorry sorry beta.. You're having headache and I'm here talking and disturbing you. I'll go downstairs now, do you need anything else beta?"

Arnav shook his head slightly. Mohan Kaka nodded, he reminded Arnav to drink the lemon juice for the second time and left from there.

Pulling the blanket away and dropping his phone carelessly on the bed, Arnav moved to sit on the edge of his bed as his hand reached the glass on the side table, he drank the lemon juice in one gulp, and squeeze his eyes shut as the bitter taste of the juice lingered on his tongue.

Once he composed himself, he got up from the bed and headed towards the bathroom. Today is an important day for him. No headache is going to ruin it for him.

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

Gupta House - Flat number 3

"Titaliya!" her elder brother knocked the door of her room sighing impatiently, "Why are you taking time to get ready? I understand it's your first day at work, but please be fast. I'm also getting late for work and I don't want to leave without seeing my sister ready to start her professional life."

"Haan bhaiya.. just two minutes!" he heard her reply and sighed softly walking back to the living room as he waited for her to come out of her room.

Khushi walked out of the room minutes later with a nervous smile on her face as she stood in front of her brother dressed in formal clothes for the first time, "How am I looking bhaiya? I look weird na.. this is so not me.. I look so mature in these clothes."

Shyam smiled as he got up from his seat and approached her, cupping her face lovingly, "I can't believe you've grown up so quickly that you're set to go and face the corporate world now. I still remember when I used to comb your hair and style it in braid, I used to iron your school uniform and quickly make breakfast for you to go school. And today you're here, getting ready by yourself for your first day at work. I'm so proud of you baccha!"

He kissed Khushi's forehead emotionally and she hugged him tightly with teary eyes, "Kya bhaiya.. you're making me cry on my first day at work."

Shyam broke the hug, wiping the corner of his eyes as he smiled apologetically at her, "Okay sorry. Let's talk about your look. You wanted to know how you look na?"

Khushi nodded her head vigorously, wiping away her tears too, "Yes please tell me. How do I look?"

"You are looking very beautiful. Not weird at all. And mature.. no, I don't think so, whether in you're dressed with casuals or formal clothes, you will always look an immature kid to me," he said teasingly.

Khushi frowned with a pout adorning her lips, making Shyam laugh at her.

"Wait here.. I'll get the kheer I made for you," he said as he rushed towards the kitchen and came back in seconds with a small bowl of kheer. He fed Khushi smiling fondly at her, "All the best for your first day my little sister. Be a hardworking, honest and committed girl to your work place. That's my advice to you. And remember, you're not going to be treated like a Princess there as I treat you, so you've to be a strong brave girl, okay?"

Khushi nodded her head as she ate the kheer fed by her brother.

"Bhaiya jalebis?" she asked making a puppy face.

"I forgot to buy it yesterday. Today pakka I'll buy it on my way back home," he patted her head gently.

Khushi nodded her head smiling, "Sounds good.. It will be like a celebration of my first day at work!"

"Yeah," Shyam nodded. "I'll leave to the shop now. Is Aman coming to pick you up? Are you sure he'll be able to reach office early with you? Or do you want me to drop you there?"

"No need bhaiya. You can go to shop. He must be on his way," Khushi said assuringly.

Shyam nodded as he kept the bowl of kheer on the table and took the shop keys from there, then he hugged his sister again and walked to leave when someone knocked the door.

Khushi smirked knowingly, "See bhaiya.. You need to trust my fiance now. He'll never disappoint you."

Shyam opened the door, welcoming Aman inside the house with a smile on his face, "Come in.. We were talking about you only."

Khushi approached them at the door, giggling, "Bhaiya thought you would make me late for my first day at office."

"Kya Shyam bhai.. I was the first one who woke up early and called your sister to get ready."

"Oh please.. I was already awake that time," Khushi rolled her eyes.

Shyam chuckled softly, "You guys continue the conversation. I'll get going.. It's late now."

After Shyam left the house, Khushi looked at Aman smiling as she twirled in front of him, "How am I looking?"

"Different," Aman replied as he looked at her from top to bottom.

Khushi pouted, "Even I thought the same. I look so different in these formal clothes. I'm used to wear my salwar kameez, kurti, jeans and all. But bhaiya said I look beautiful in this look too."

"I find you more beautiful when you wear traditional indian clothes. You look innocent, pure and simple. These clothes snatch the innocence away from your face," Aman said, his eyes showed a certain dislike for her look.

"Working on a multinational company like AR doesn't allow me to wear traditional clothes, right? So I'll have to follow the rules and Mr. Mathur you'll have to start liking this look of mine, because you're going to see me almost everyday with office formal clothes!" Khushi smiled sarcastically at him.

Aman chuckled, nodding his head at her, "Yes, Mrs. Mathur!"

"Miss Gupta.. I'm not your wife yet!" Khushi grinned at him.

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

Raizada Mansion

"Aa gaya mera Shehzada (My prince is here)," Ratna looked at her son fondly who joined them at the dining room to have breakfast.

Arnav simply passed a small invisible smile to his mother as he took his seat beside his twin sister, Anjali Singh Raizada.

Arvind, his father, looked proudly at his son, dressed in a three piece black suit, "Ready to take over AR, mere sher (my lion)?"

"Ready to retire from AR, Dad?" Arnav smirked at his father.

Arvind laughed heartily, "You're indeed my son."

Ratna smiled as her phone rang, she picked it up and began excitedly sharing with her friend about her son, who will be the new CEO of AR, taking on his father's legacy.

Arnav rolled his eyes at his mother's exaggerated conversations with her friend. It's not a big deal for him to take over AR as he was already handling AR's London branch before arriving in Mumbai two weeks ago at his father's request to handle AR's head office as he wished to retire now.

"I hope you'll make our company, AR reach new heights in terms of success and profits beta. Like AR branch in London is more successful and worldwide recognized than its own parent company AR in Mumbai all because of you, I hope your presence in the head office turn the tables now," Arvind said.

"Rest assured Dad," Arnav said confidently.

"That's the spirit!" Arvind smiled widely at his son.

Ratna hang up the call and kept her phone on the table, as she looked at Anjali drinking her juice silently.

"Arnav now that you're here please put some sense in your sister's mind and convince her to join AR as well. She just keeps wasting her time roaming around the city to capture pictures," Ratna said complaining about her daughter who wishes to become a professional photographer.

Anjali looked down upset. She knew they'll start showering praises on Arnav for handling their family business and make her feel bad and useless for wanting to turn her passion and love for photography into a profession.

"She's not a kid anymore that we have to convince her to join the family business... and if she behaves like one then I'm not her nanny to do that," Arnav glanced at Anjali with a serious look for few seconds before getting up from his seat, "I'll get going now. Meet you guys at the office."

Saying that, he walked away followed by Mohan Kaka who hurriedly took his laptop bag towards the car.

Arvind glared at Ratna once he left, "What was the need to talk about Anjali's matter now? You know how easily he loses his temper.. and you are spoiling his mood in such an important day with your stupid talks."

Ratna raised her hands as if surrendering, "I'm sorry.. I was just trying to have a casual conversation with my son."

"But he gets irritated with your stupid talks. Don't do that again," Arvind narrowed his eyes at her.

"This is your fault. You sent him away from us when he was a kid. Now he seem to have forgotten us," Ratna complained annoyed as she continued to have her food.

"What rubbish," Arvind shook his head in disbelief.

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Sometime later..
AR Cafeteria..

"Listen guys!" Aman shouted as he stood up on a chair to get the employees attention in the cafeteria.

Khushi looked up at him surprised as she wondered what was he upto now. They were talking about her first day as she was sharing to him how she's feeling nervous to be working in such a big company with new faces when he suddenly got up and climb up the chair startling her with his sudden act.

"Guess who is the new PA of our new CEO?" Aman asked all of them with a wide smile.

Everyone looked at Khushi as she was the new face there. Khushi whispered to Aman, "What are you doing Aman? Get down now!"

"Yes yes! It's my fiancee Khushi Kumari Gupta.." Aman made the announcement proudly.

Everyone smiled, clapping for Khushi as they congratulated her for the job and heartily welcomed her in AR office and Khushi smiled genuinely at them, thanking them for such a warm welcome.

"It's done.. Thank you for making me feel less nervous.. Now get down Aman!" Khushi said smiling at him.

"Wait.. I'm not done yet," Aman said making Khushi looked at him confused, "And guess who's the new CEO of AR?" Aman added teasingly.

"ASR!" everyone shouted.

"Right.. Boss ka Beta.. Nepotism rocks!" Aman said expecting everyone to laugh at his joke but no one did. They all took their respective seats silently and nervous making Aman frown slightly as he wondered what happened to them.

He looked down at Khushi who gestured him to look at the entry door side. Aman followed her gaze and gulped seeing ASR himself standing near the door staring at him with an expressionless cold face.

He immediately looked down and climb down the chair as Arnav approached their table. Khushi felt her heart would jump out of her mouth anytime now. When he calmly took his seat on the opposite chair, she shifted on her seat afraid of him, she just wanted to run away from there. The rest of employees watched the scene unfold discreetly in their respective tables.

Arnav gestured an embarrassed and guilty Aman to take his seat. Aman obeyed him as he sat back on his chair afraid of Arnav.

Arnav took Aman's cup of hot coffee leisurely as he asked in a husky intimidating tone, "So what were you saying about me?"

Aman gulped as he looked down, "Sir.. I'm sor-"

Aman couldn't complete his sentence as Arnav threw the hot coffee on his face before he could apologize for it.

Khushi gasped shocked with Arnav's move, she covered her mouth with her palms unable to believe he actually threw that hot coffee on Aman's face while Aman hissed in pain.

The rest were shocked to watch the scene but remained silent afraid of their new boss ASR.

Arnav got up from his chair and turned to walk away from there.

Once her mind registered what just happened, Khushi looked at Arnav leaving angrily, she wanted to take a stand for Aman but Aman held her hand firmly stopping her, "Don't Khushi! You might lose your job because of this."

Khushi looked at Aman, "But he did wrong with you. You were saying sorry.. What was the need to hurt you?"

"These rich spoilt brats are like this only.. they treat middle class people like us as if we're their slaves. You'll be working for this despicable man now. This is why I was against you working here.. but no, you didn't even listen to me.."

"You don't need to worry about me. I can manage," Khushi said, gently wiping his face with tissue paper.

"Oh really?" Aman asked mockingly, snatching the tissue paper from her hand as he cleaned his shirt.

"Yes Aman. Bhaiya already told me not to expect people here to treat me like a Princess the way he treats me, and I'm ready to face any situation here," Khushi replied seriously.

"But there's no need for you to work-"

"Please Aman!" Khushi frowned, "We already discussed about this. I don't want to sit at home now. I want to work and that's my final decision."

Aman sighed defeatedly, "Then be ready to work with a devil."

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

Sometime later..

"But how can just throw hot coffee on our employee in front of everyone Arnav? This is no way to treat the people who work for you. No one will respect you like this here. Whether you like these people or not, you need to fake that you care about them because you need them to achieve your goals in this company," Arvind paced around the cabin disappointed with Arnav's behavior.

"Have you ever thought about what kind of image you are giving employees on your first day as CEO here?" Arvind asked scoldingly.

"Why are you just scolding our son? It's not his fault.. that employee was making fun of him and Arnav just showed him his place," Ratna spoke defending her son.

Anjali just stood there watching the drama silently.

"Just shut up Ratna. I know everything. What do you think? I'm not angry after knowing what that good for nothing employee said about my son? Of course I'm.. but we need to act smartly in this situation and not lose cool like Arnav did. What will people think about him now? That he's just a rich spoilt brat who easily got to sit on his father's office chair!"

Ratna looked away frowning.

Arnav threw his head back relaxed on the chair as he twirled the pencil on his hand and coldly said, "I didn't do anything to that employee because you're still a few minutes away from announcing your retirement as CEO of AR. So it's up to you to decide what you want to do with that man now. But the moment I take over AR, I'm going to deal with these employees my own way."

Arvind and Ratna looked at each other taken aback by his attitude, while Anjali was shocked to know her brother was nothing less than a devil now and she was already regretting her recommendation of his PA post to her close friend, Khushi.

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