He Loves Me Not - Part 20

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Chapter 20

“Arnav.. Take a look at this”

Revati Raizada’s voice breaks his chain of thoughts. He presses a weak smile at his mother and heads to her. Khushi steps aside to let him lodge that space beside his mother.

“How is this bracelet?”
Arnav pick the Bracelet in his fingers. It is very delicate and covered with tiny shinning diamonds. He was not aware of Khushi’s talent to pick the best diamonds and now that he saw it himself, his heart cannot stop praising her.

“Gorgeous” he murmurs glancing at Khushi Gupta once. She puts no smile for him.
“I will wait outside Ma’am until you settle the Bill”
Revati has no problem with that. Her job is done. Arnav settles the bill before his mother could give the card.

“Arnav… I can pay for that.”
“I know Mom” he smiles. “But I will like to pay for you”
She pats his cheek.
“You are being generous Son. But it is high time you save for Sheetal now. She is a very expensive woman for a self-made man like you”

That she is. Arnav is aware of her expenses and how lavishly she is used to living. She is still unaware that though he is adopted by the Raizada family, he has willingly denied any rights on their property. He might be the Acting CEO of the company and even stay in Shantivan with the couple but he will continue to take only his part of income from the overall profit of the Business and never demand more. Hence Sheetal has to cut down her unnecessary expenses and agree to stay like that for the rest of her life. He has to talk about this with her soon. He wants things to be clear between them before they take the marriage vows. The remembrance of marriage with Sheetal brings a bitter taste in Arnav’s mouth.  This never happened before. His eyes search for Khushi who is busy giving some instructions to her Colleague over the phone. She has left her work to accompany Revati. He has seen her dedicated to almost everything. One such moment was his 22nd Birthday. She was so excited that whole day in doing the arrangements for the party. It was the most important day of her life and his too.

“Sir, can I have the card?” the girl at the Billing counter shifts his gaze and mind from Khushi Gupta.

He hands over the card for the purchase and then follows his mother out. Khushi hangs up and follows the two.

“Ayush” Revati screams in joy seeing her husband waiting outside the Jeweler store. “What are you doing here?”
“I am so sorry Darling” Ayush gives her a gentle hug. “I promised you to take out and couldn’t because of a last minute important meeting. But then I also winded it up soon and came straight here to surprise you”

Revati laughs like a teenage girl who is impressed by her boyfriend’s surprises.

“That’s why I love you so much” she murmurs but loud enough for Arnav and Khushi to hear. They both look away from the old couple to give them enough space to express their feelings.
“I love you too dear wife. And that’s why I am going home with you. No more work today” Ayush declares.
“That’s a great idea Dad” Arnav responds. “I will handle the rest”
“I know it Son.” Ayush pats his arm. “You never fail me”

Khushi doesn’t know what to say.  Arnav is lucky to have found a family to stay with which is a priority for any orphan but Ayush Singh Raizada is luckier to have a sharp son like him who has always made them proud.

“Thank you, Arnav” Revati turns back to Arnav. “I will go along with Ayush home. And I have a party tonight at my friend’s place. Me and Ayush wont be there for the dinner. You have it alone or the best…” she pauses “call Sheetal home or make some plans to take her out”

Arnav smiles uncomfortably.

“No problem Mom. You enjoy the party”

Ayush turns to Khushi who is so quiet so far.

“Once again Khushi, you have helped us out. I know this is not your responsibility but still you didn’t deny us for the favor. Always thankful to you Kiddo”

His words are from heart.

“It’s okay Sir. You don’t need to thank me” she replies.
Revati holds Ayush’s arm.
“Lets go Husband. I have a salon booked at home”
“Yup” Ayush opens the car door for her and she gets inside. Once they leave, Khushi then realizes she has to travel alone with Arnav all the way to Office.

“I will take a cab” she insists.
“Why?? There are no thorns in my car that you cannot sit” he snaps.

Khushi swallows hard.
“Just before you make any further accusations Arnav, I didn’t know you were joining with your mother or else I would never have agreed to accompany her in the first place”
“I know” he replies in guilt. He has hurt her so much to make her think he is always suspicious seeing her around.

Their Driver halts the car before them. Arnav opens the door for her. She gets inside at the backseat. He follows her in. She keeps her gaze outside through the window the whole time. Arnav wants her to talk, like she usually does. He wants her to pay attention on him, like she always did but she shows no signs. He has created enough distance between them to make her behave like that.

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

An hour later

“Why didn’t you tell me you know Sharmas?” Arnav shouts to Aman over the call.

Aman bites the apple. He leans back on his office chair. It is a busy day for Mathurs too and since Raj Mathur, his father is gone abroad, he has to handle all the work.

“Was it important for you to know?” he mocks.
Arnav breathes hard.
“Stop messing with my heart, Aman.”
“Heart? What Heart? As far as I have seen, with respect to Khushi, you are taking all decisions with your mind, not your heart. And tell me one thing Arnav. What would you do if I had told you that I know Akash Sharma personally?”

Arnav tries to control his anger.

“I will tell you that when I see you tonight. What time are you getting free for dinner?”
“dinner? No.. I don’t think I have time for that today. Loads of meetings and the last video conference for our US client is at night. We can meet tomorrow, how about that?”

Arnav hates to shift this topic for the next day but since Aman is busy, he doesn’t want to push him too hard.

“Okay, will see you tomorrow Aman”

He hangs up and checks the watch. It is almost 06:00 and that’s the time when Khushi has asked Akash to pick her from Office. He takes his car keys and heads out.

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

Khushi’s jaw drops seeing Akash on bike. They had decided to see each other after her office but she didn’t realize he would get a Motorbike. She had allowed him to pick her up from work but not to go out. She doesn’t want to give any hopes to this man. But he insisted on at least dropping her home if not going elsewhere to which she had to agree.

“Bike?” Khushi frowns.

“Yup.. Bike” he smiles. “I have heard girls get impressed by boys who rides such cool bikes”
Khushi rolls her eyes. She knows he is teasing. She has no clue Arnav Singh Raizada was on his way to the Parking and has stopped at some corner away, seeing them together.
“Seriously? You believe that?” she asks.
“I don’t know. Why don’t we try? By the time we reach your apartment we will find out if you get impressed by me or not” he teases.

Khushi laughs.
“How many times have you used this trick before?” she crosses her arms.
“Uhh” he pretends to think. “Not more than 10.”
“So I am the 11th one”
“Yea and you know what? 11 is my lucky number”

Khushi rolls her eyes.
“Stop it.. And start the bike. I am getting late”
“What?” he expresses a surprise.
“People get worried to be late at office. Who fears reaching home Late?”
“Sincere people” she replies sitting behind him on the motorbike. He puts on his helmet and starts the engine.
“Hold me beautiful lady, the roads are bouncy”
“Shut up” she pats his back. He chuckles and rides them out.

Arnav fists the mobile phone in his fingers. How can she befriend with a man whom she hardly knows? She seems to have taken her father’s wishes way to seriously. But hasn’t he? Even he is marrying Sheetal only to keep his parents happy. So how does Khushi be wrong and not him?

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

Gupta House

“Dad. Not again. You cannot make me do all this.” Khushi shouts at her father.

Shashi wants her to go to Shantivan and handover some important file to Ayush Singh Raizada which needs his signatures.

“Those papers need to be sent for the bid tonight Khushi. And it is my mistake that I didn’t keep them in his car before he left from work” Shashi clarifies. “But. That’s okay.. I will drive myself and do this work”

Khushi stops her father.
“Its okay. I know you have got headache and I am not such a bad daughter. I will do this. Give me the file”
Shashi is still not satisfied.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes Dad. I will go. Now please, before I change my decision, give me the file”

Shashi passes the file to Khushi who heads out.

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

Shantivan 

There was a time when she used to find excuses to come in this house with her father and now whenever she steps here, she feels weak and in pain.

“Yes, whom do you want to meet?” Hari Prakash greets her at the hallway.
“Ayush Sir. I have to give this file to him”
“Ayush Sir and Revati Ma’am are out”

She then remembers about the party Revati Raizada had told her about.
“Oh”
“But Arnav sir is home. You can give the file to him”

That sounds like a good idea but she doesn’t want to meet him and spoil their moods again. But handing the important file to anyone else is risky and totally unprofessional.

“Okay. Where is he?”
“In the Kitchen”

Khushi is startled to hear that. Kitchen?? What is he doing there? She makes her way in the kitchen whereas Hari Prakash heads to the other room to finish his duty there. When she enters, she sees him standing by the kitchen slab but the grip on the knife which he was holding so far to cut the veggies, slip and it falls down on the floor. What happened to him? His eyes are closing and he doesn’t look well. She immediately rushes inside, keeping the file on the table aside.

“Arnav.. you okay?” she asks in worry.

Arnav hears her, even tries to see her but doesn’t respond. She touches his hand and realizes he has fever. His body is burning.

“Arnav.. Arnav” Khushi pats his cheek. She has never seen him so weak and to the edge of falling unconscious. “Arnav… what has happened?”

He tries to grip the kitchen slab but fails to get any support out of it. His knees hit the floor. Khushi instantly holds him before he can topple completely. She recollects Arnav didn’t eat anything today. When Aman insisted him to join for a Lunch outside, his last-minute meetings popped up and then Aman left for his office to finish his work. Arnav is not very used to online food ordering and prefers homemade food instead. He was cooking some pasta as the main chef went on an emergency leave. Revati Raizada is not at home to even think her son’s health. She is busy in some party which is why Arnav was self-cooking despite the fever he has. It is a coincidence that she came here to give the important file. Poor Arnav, he is hungry and couldn’t withstand his health until he could finish cooking. His medicines not allowing him to starve for long time.

“I… am… I am … okay” he lies.
“No.. you are not. Come here” she slowly holds him and makes him sit on the chair in the kitchen. Though seeing him in this condition is not letting her think wisely, but she knows doing nothing about it will harm him more.

“Where… where is sugar? Where do you keep sugar?” she asks him.

Arnav hardly manages to point out at the bottom drawer. She reads his gestures and opens the drawer. She finds the sugar box and quickly makes him eat a spoonful of it.

“Feeling better?” she caresses his back. He slowly nods. “Let me check something else”

She runs to the refrigerator and finds some ice cream. She takes it out and again makes Arnav eat some.
“Your sugar level gone down because you didn’t eat anything today” she shouts. “How can you be so careless Arnav?”

Arnav feels good but still very weak enough to even respond normally to her questions. And he must say, the way she is taking care of him in this tough time is admirable.


To be Continued.



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