He Loves Me Not - Part 4

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Chapter 4

“Yes, I won” Ayush Raizada proudly shares his win with wife Revati after coming back home. She is getting ready for a Party at her friend’s place.
“That calls for a celebration Ayush”
“Of course. You should have seen Raj. I pity him. He was so close to winning. I thought I was going to lose but everything changed at the second half of the game”
Revati applies a blush on her cheeks to highlight them and turns around.



“What happened at the second half which changed the entire game?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to believe it but seems like a lucky charm helped me win the game today”

Revati chuckles.
“I wasn’t there Aysuh. Your Lucky charm, which is me, was home, selecting what to wear for tonight’s party”

Ayush gets up from the recliner and reaches her.
“I am not talking about you”
She frowns.
“Then who?”
“Shashi’s daughter” he says.
“Shashi’s daughter?” Revati expresses a surprise. “She is in London, isn’t she?”
“She was. She came back and I met her today at the Golf Club. I think the credit goes to her for my win”

Revati shrugs.
“I don’t think so. She is a stranger”
“Someone is jealous” he murmurs.
“Oh Ayush. I have nothing to be jealous of”

She gets up and tries to neaten his shirt collar.
 “Fine. I accept it if you think Shashi’s daughter influenced your win today. Now, let me go. My friends are missing me”
Ayush grips her hand.
“You are looking stunning”
She blushes and pats his cheeks
“I am always stunning Darling. But keep showering the compliments, you know I love them”

Ayush nods and while they turn to the door, they see Arnav standing already.

“Arnav” Revati speaks.
None of the two had expected him here.
“You need anything?”
“Your car is ready” Arnav replies.
“Oh, yes. Thanks for informing. I will be back midnight. You and Ayush I know will utilize this time in boozing in my absence but” she comes closer to Arnav. “Don’t let him drink too much”
Arnav smiles. “I will keep a note of that”
She pats his cheek. “I know you will. Bye”
“Bye Mom. Enjoy your party”

She heads out.

“Don’t take her commands seriously. You know I can easily manage 3 pegs and even beyond” Ayush mutters.
Arnav smiles sarcastically at his father.

“Yes, but I don’t want to upset Mom”
“You are upsetting your Dad now”
Arnav rolls his eyes.
“Dad… Don’t sandwich me between you two”

Ayush chuckles.
“You already are my boy” he replies. “Now let’s not waste time. I have so much to talk about”

The father-son head to the drawing room to make a drink and settle down discussing business.

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

Next Day 

I am running on the same jogging path and thankfully don’t find Khushi Gupta today. I am glad she isn’t here again. There is this unknown feeling I get every time she is around. She is a good girl but she is simply not meant to be mine. I recall a few moments of our past when she was a teenager, her budding hormones got her attracted to me and she couldn’t see anyone beyond me. Every time she visited Shantivan with her father, her eyes always kept searching for me. I was my father’s shadow. I did everything he asked me to do and learnt things he wanted me to excel in. I was focused and she found ways to break my concentration from everything and focus on her. Initially, I ignored her silly attempts and overlooked every action she took to draw my attention on her until the night of my 22nd birthday.

I stumble with a rock which I fail to see, but manage to balance myself before I can fall. I was so much lost thinking about Khushi Gupta that I didn’t bother to watch my own safety. I don’t want to repeat this again. I need to know why she is back and if has any plans to go back to London or not. I don’t want to think what she is capable of doing to me if she stays here longer.

My phone buzzes. I stop and check my phone. Who can call me at this hour of the morning?  It’s Sheetal. I answer her call almost immediately.

“Good morning” Sheetal sounds sleepy.

I see my watch.
“Morning, you are still on bed?” I ask walking slowly towards the exit.
“Yes, but you woke me up. I mean a dream of yours”
“Dream?”
“Hmm.. I saw we are married and you have taken me out for a Candle light dinner. Just you and me.. We are sitting close and ..”

I keep my eyes glued to the exit. This is not the first time Sheetal has given me hint of what she wants me to do when we are together. But I really cannot plan it. Things need to happen on their own… that feeling should come from within and somehow I never gets those feelings when Sheetal is with me, doesn’t matter how perfectly romantic the ambience is.

“Are you even listening to me?” she asks.
“Of course. I am listening”
“So? You will take me out or should I plan it?”

I stop trying to think on her demand.

“I will check my schedule and plan something soon”

She groans unhappily.

“You are such a work pest, Arnav”
“Watch your tone Sheetal” I get angry suddenly. She cannot talk to me like that. But I don’t get angry usually. Maybe I am throwing Khushi Gupta’s anger on her.
“Then how else am I supposed to talk to you? We are engaged Arnav and I don’t see any change in you. It’s like I am the only one trying to work on this whereas you are always busy.”

I know she isn’t fully wrong. I am not giving her time.

“Okay, calm down. I will plan something for tonight”

She takes a sigh of relief.

“You better. I will wait for your call then”
“Bye”

I hang up and run back towards Shantivan. I have no idea what I am going to plan. Maybe Aman can help.

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

AR Office 

“Candle light dinner” Aman suggests when I reach Office and call him there to assist me plan it as per his sister’s wishes.
“Yes, she told me that. But where? Any suggestion on the place?” I ask.
“The Golconda Hotel. She keeps visiting that place frequently with her friends. She loves the food there. Especially Chinese”
“Okay, I will ask Pam to reserve a table for us then”
Aman keeps giving me a sarcastic look, laced with disappointment.

“What?” I mutter.
“You don’t seem serious about this Date with your fiancée. Why forcing yourself into it? I personally feel you should not do things which you are comfortable with”
I roll my eyes.
“Aman, we have had this discussion before.”
“Yes, but you either need to work on it or dispose it forever Arnav. Dragging this can lead to serious complications on everyone’s life” Aman explains.

I raise my hand and show my engagement ring to Aman.

“I didn’t get engaged to break it later. I might not sound seriously working on it right now but I will manage to hold onto it and make it work someday. It’s just that my mind is focused elsewhere”
“Where?” he asks.
“We need an advanced Software for finance management but somehow the Mehta’s lack those features. They are good but not upto the mark. We need more and soon because we might lose a quite good sum if we don’t come up with such a software by the next 2 quarters”

Aman understands.

“We can take input from some software technical guys to build such a product”
“Yes, we are already doing that. But somehow their inputs are not very practical and few of which can take a year to implement”

Aman sighs.

“I get it. No wonder you are so much stressed these days. I will see if I can find a help”
“Please do and share with me once you have”
“Obviously buddy. Now coming back to the Candle light dinner. Can I suggest you something?”

Aman gets closer to my chair.

“Sure” I mumble focusing on my friend.
“I hope my sister doesn’t chew you out tonight, so if you have no plans to get laid, beware of her intentions”

I am shocked by his warning. Sheetal cannot be that desperate, can she? Aman notices the fear on my face and laughs aloud.

“Gosh!! Look at you face. You are behaving as if your date tonight is a witch not a beautiful woman”
My stomach is in knots. I push him away.

“Get lost Aman. I need to work”
“Of course. that’s what you always do” Aman walks back to the door. “Do tell me how your candle light dinner goes”
“Never” I bark.
“I will keep pushing you until you do” he shouts and walks out of the door.

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

Khushi wears the Gate pass and enters the AR office. She is overwhelmed to see the professional crowd who are either at their desk, working, talking on phones to their client, some are attending team meetings in the conference rooms, few are typing on their Workstation machines and others at the pantry having a coffee break. It’s such a cool workplace and posh.

“Khushi” Shashi comes to her. “You came early.”
“Yes Dad. I thought its such a big office so I will need more time to walk through”
“Indeed. Don’t disturb anyone. Especially the bosses”
“You mean Ayush Raizada?”
“Both Ayush and Arnav Singh Raizada. They are in their respective cabins, working. Don’t do anything that can disturb their work”
“Of course, dad. I am not a kid. I know to respect people’s privacy”
“Do you?” he mocks.
“Dad” she pouts.
“Alright. Call me once you done. We will have Coffee together”
“Okay. Bye”

She walks to the Elevator and then heads for the 23rd floor where ASR’s cabin is. That place is seriously some kind of a high-tech zone. There are security cameras everywhere. All her actions will be watched. She should be careful.
“Hello Khushi” Aman calls her from behind. She stops and turns around. What is he doing here? “What a surprise.”
“Hi” she waves her arm as he approaches her.
“You work here now?” he asks.
“No.. I just came for a visit”
“Visit?” he asks in a suspicious tone.
“Yes Aman Mathur. Don’t worry, I wont steal the secrets of this place”
“Aahh” he laughs. “I don’t suspect you would do that”

Suddenly Aman recalls something and thinks of asking her.

“You have done MBA in IT, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Why?”
“You can build software?”
Khushi has no clue why he asked her that.
“What kind of software?”
“Wait.. Uh… I think we can take your advise”
“On what?” she asks again, totally confused.

“Mr. Mathur” another woman comes to them. “Your father is Floor 15. He wants to see you urgently”
“Oh okay”
The woman goes and Aman turns back to Khushi.
“Do me a favor. Go to ASR’s cabin and tell him I sent you there. I will join you both in 15 minutes”

Khushi’s heart flutters. She was looking for an opportunity and she got one.

“Okay”
“Cool.. Excuse me”

Aman runs to the elevator. Khushi happily turns to the reception desk and asks for ASR’s cabin. She tells that Aman Mathur has requested her to be there so the receptionist doesn’t stop her. She leads her to Arnav’s cabin.

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

“May I come in?” I hear a familiar voice and my head raises up to look at the door. Khushi Gupta is standing there, in denims and a Pink top. She has curled her hair strands and has left them to hung on her shoulder. She knocks the door again and I know she has noticed me completely clueless of her presence.
“What are you doing here?” I ask getting back my tone.
She gets inside thanking my Secretary for escorting her till the cabin.
"Do you always push people away if they try to contact you?" she asks seeing the confusion on my face.

I stiffen.

"I didn't expect you here.  It's not a park where you can loiter. It’s an Office" he pauses. "And a very secured one"

She shows me the visitor tag that I forgot to notice.  I hardly concentrate anywhere else beyond her eyes. I find them very intriguing and approaching.

"I took a pass and this has your fathers signatures. See" she shows.

I cannot believe it.  Dad allowed her here? Why?  Did she meet dad? When?  Where? I try to keep those questions to myself.
“That pass doesn’t give access to my cabin for sure. Ask Pam, she will escort you and show you the office” I reply.
“I don’t need a pass to reach you” she mumbles that very softly, but looking in my eyes and if she thinks I haven’t heard that, then she is mistaken. It kind of provokes me to get up from my chair and reach her.

“Khushi.. You should” I am about to warn her to stay away from me but that’s exactly when Aman enters.
“You guys met? Good.” He steps in.

I retreat my steps, maintaining a distance from her again. I am pissed and confused.

“You asked her to come here?”
“Yes” Aman replies. “You wanted an advice on the Software, I have a person who might have some real ideas about it”

NO.!! I cannot involve Khushi Gupta in this. Doesn’t matter if she has the best qualification to prove me wrong.

“Why are we all standing?” Aman pulls a chair for Khushi. “Come sit” he offers.

Khushi meets my eyes again and then heads to the chair. I have no choice but to take the advice and make her leave this place as soon as possible.
“Arnav.. You want me to pull a chair for you as well?” Aman teases. Khushi giggles but she holds that as soon as I give her a heated glare.
I walk to my chair and sit opposite to them.


To be Continued.



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