He Loves Me Not - Part 23

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Chapter 23

AR Office 

“Sir. You are questioning my daughter?” Shashi fails to control his tone. “You too think she eyes on your son?”

Khushi’s jaw hardens. Her father has put so much trust in her, how is she supposed to break that. If she happens to reveal Ayush Singh Raizada about her true feelings for Arnav, she might break that trust of her father forever. Is she ready to sacrifice that? But what else is she supposed to do? Neither she can drag Arnav in this ditch, nor spoil her father’s reputation and prove Sheetal Mathur right.

“Shashi.. let her speak. I want to listen from Khushi what the truth is” Ayush cuts him off.
“The truth!!” she finally mutters meeting Ayush Raizada’s eyes. Everyone becomes quiet. “The truth Mr. Raizada is that I am looking for marriage proposals.. I wouldn’t have done that if I had any intentions of snatching Sheetal’s place in your family. That’s the truth”

Ayush exhales as if he is glad to hear that. Anything between his son and Khushi would have broken a lot many ties which he cannot afford at the moment.



“How can I be assured that’s the whole truth?” he asks. “I am sorry but being a Businessman I don’t believe things until I actually see them progressing. What if you are covering up for your father? What if you are just making a story which is never going to happen?”

Khushi swallows the lump of tears formed in her throat.

“This is too much” Shashi shouts again. “I won’t let you question on my daughter’s honesty”
“Dad” Khushi grips his arm. “It’s okay. I know exactly what Mr. Raizada is pointing at”

She inhales deeply as if making her mind to give a fitting reply to their Boss and clearing every misunderstanding they have.

“You will soon get my wedding card invitation with Akash Sharma. I hope that will be enough as a proof of my words”

Ayush relaxes but he is not convinced. Khushi’s eyes are conveying something else while she promises this. Why? What is it that she is hiding?

“I don’t wish to complicate things further in your personal or professional lives” she continues. “I will send my resignation by today evening. As it is, my tenure here and the work contract are coming to an end. Will that be all, Mr. Raizada?”
Ayush gets nervous and speechless too.
“That would be all, Khushi Gupta” he nods.
“Thank you”

She leaves her father’s hand and walks out. Shashi is confused and angered at her. Why did she take such a big decision of her life only to prove to these emotionless and worthless people? All these years he has looked upon at Ayush Singh Raizada as his role model but whatever happened today and the way he chose to handle this situation has really made him lose that respect for this man. Afterall he chose his wealthy friend’s daughter over a mere employee. He gives a pained look to his Boss and walks out too.

Ayush shuts his eyes in dismay. Shashi is a nice man and he really never thought someday their relationship would turn bitter. But this is just one side of the story, he still has to hear what his son has to say about it.

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

Shantivan 

His headache is worse. The fever is gone but his thoughts have put a pressure on his brain to think and take a wise decision. Khushi’s words last night are echoing in his ears.

‘They have adopted you .. not bought you as a Slave. If they have right to expect things from you… it is also their duty to understand what you wish for. Stop being blind Arnav because this will never help you in the longer run’

‘I am not making you stand against your parents. I just want them to stand with you, all the time, just like every other parent would support their child’  

Arnav gets down the bed, wears his slippers and slowly strides to the poolside. What is he doing? He can pretend being blind to Khushi’s love but how is he supposed to convince his heart? Sheetal cannot be more than a friend in his life. She never was. If he chooses to still go ahead with this marriage, for his parents wishes, it will all end worse someday and they all will suffer. He still has time to rectify things. Doesn’t matter how many proposals Khushi gets, she will always love him. But does she deserve him? This life which he himself is leading on the terms of his parents? He will hurt her if he does. Whose side is he supposed to choose if she and his parents are on two opposite directions? Considering their difference of opinion and ways of living life, one day he will have to make that decision. Will he choose Khushi and her love? Or will he have to choose his accountability towards the couple who adopted him? Why is all of this so confusing? Khushi might think he is spineless but would she not do the same if she was in his place?

“There you are” Aman barges inside the room, breaking Arnav’s chain of thoughts. "I heard you are sick”

Aman touches Arnav’s forehead but he shrugs.
“I am fine now”
“You don’t look fine though. Or maybe you are not taking the right medicine”
Arnav watches Aman smile. He is teasing him. But he is in no mood. He looks elsewhere. Aman gets serious.
“What’s wrong?”
“I feel suffocated”
“Hmm.. Then lets go out. Our usual hangout place. What say?”

Arnav doesn’t deny. He is not very homely types. He likes to keep himself busy. Earlier in studies and now in business. When he is home, he feels lonely, even if his parents are around or not. Doesn’t matter.

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

Gupta’s Apartment

“Shashi?” Buaji exclaims in surprise seeing him home this early. “What happened? Has AR office shut down that both my brother and niece have come back early?”

Shashi strides inside.
“Has Khushi come back?” he asks.
“An hour ago, yes. But she has locked herself in her room. Didn’t even eat lunch. I think she is chatting with Akash” Buaji blushes.

Shashi knows that’s not the case.
“No Jeeji… She is upset. I will go check on her”
“Upset?” Buaji follows him in confusion. “Did something happen at work?”
Shashi doesn’t respond to that. “Serve the lunch, I will get her out”

Buaji agrees and heads into the kitchen.

“Khushi?” Shashi knocks the door. Khushi opens it after few knocks. She has put a fake smile on her face to show her father she is fine. “Yes Dad”
“You okay? What were you doing inside alone?”
“Just chatting with my friends.. What happened?”

Shashi steps inside her room and finds the pillows on one side. She lied.

“You were crying, weren’t you?” he asks. “Now don’t lie. I can see your tears on the pillow and your eyes are swollen too”
Khushi lowers her gaze. Shashi holds her and makes Khushi sit on the bed. He sits next to her.
“Whatever happened today has shaken me too. I have served that family for decades and this is what I get. Madhumati always kept telling me to be aware of these rich people. No one can tell you when they change sides” he grips Khushi’s hands. “I always thought Ayush Sir more like a friend than my Boss. But I guess only like class people can be friends. We cannot match up to them. Today, he proved that by suspecting you for something so cheap”

Khushi gulps hard.
“It’s not his fault” Shashi further adds. “I should be guilty for sending you to Shantivan and be a part of that family whenever they needed our help. That’s where Sheetal started suspecting on you unnecessarily”
“Dad” Khushi intervenes. “It’s over now”
“It isn’t” he cuts her words. “You shouldn’t have hurried with your decision to marry Akash. You have hardly known him. I think it’s a mistake if you push your heart to accept him as your partner. Only because Raizadas want to be assured that you aren’t a hindrance in their ties with Mathurs doesn’t mean you have to be a scapegoat. I cannot let you do this, Khushi”

Tears blur her vision. She loves her father for his stand. Not even once did he become suspicious of her and asked if she really has any feelings for Arnav Singh Raizada. She is glad he didn’t ask, because otherwise she wouldn’t be able to lie to him.

“Take your time, Khushi. How much ever you want. Take it. Don’t push yourself. Am I clear?”

She nods and gives him a tight hug. She knows she cannot push herself to marry Akash Sharma. He is a good man and he deserves to get a good life partner. She has already messed her life, she cannot let him mess his. Until she is sure she is ready to marry someone else, other than Arnav Singh Raizada, she wouldn’t agree to the proposal.

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

Evening

Ayush strides inside the house, looking for Arnav.

“Hari Prakash” he shouts.
The servant comes running. Revati, who was patiently reading some magazine in the living room is alarmed by her husband’s return but why does he sound so pissed? This has never happened before. She keeps the magazine down and observes him.
“Tell Arnav I want to see him down”
“Arnav Sir is not at home” he replies.
“Where is he then?” Ayush shouts.
Revati decides to intervene.
“Aman took him out. Arnav was getting bored at home. Why? What has happened? Is everything all right at office?”

Ayush gestures Hari Prakash to leave.

“Call him home. I need to speak to him, urgent”

Without even telling his wife what’s wrong, he just passes these orders at her and strides to his room. Revati is puzzled. Something is fishy. Ayush has never been so harsh on Arnav. She has to talk to him and find out, not before dialing Arnav and asking him to come home soon.

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

An hour later

“Dad? You called me?” Arnav gets inside the drawing room where Ayush and Revati Raizada are sitting together. However hard Revati tried to understand what Ayush wants to talk to Arnav, he doesn’t spill a word.
“Come in” Ayush clears his throat. “Revati. Can you please leave us alone for some time?”

Revati is confused. He is asking her to leave?
“I need to speak to him in private” Ayush adds, leaving her no chance to argue. She frowns but leaves the room. Arnav can sense something wrong. It is on his father’s face. He is angry. Why?

“Close the door behind you” Ayush commands once Revati is gone out. Arnav locks the door.
“What is this about, Dad?”
“Have patience, Son” he gets up with a file and passes it to Arnav. “That’s Khushi’s resignation papers. Her tenure is being pre-closed”
“Pre-closed?” Arnav is shocked. “Why? She still has 2 weeks to go.” He argues.
“She told me she is done and that she cannot continue this further” Ayush exclaims.

Ayush reads the tension in Arnav’s expression which has suddenly erupted and all over his face.

“Relieve her from her duties. Just sign the papers and finish her contract. That’s all you have to do” Ayush continues to push him.
Arnav feels something terribly wrong happening which he isn’t aware of.
“I will speak to her before signing this” he replies.
“Why? Don’t you trust me or you think she will agree to extend if you convince her?”
“She is not someone who leaves a task halfway, Dad. I am sure she is being pressurized to leave early. No idea who would do that and why would she agree”

Ayush’s brow narrows.

“You know her quite well for a mere employee.” He taunts. Arnav is speechless.
“What do you want to imply, Dad? And why do you sound unusual?”
“Because something happened today at office which has screwed things up”

That picks his attention completely on his father again. Ayush tells him what occurred… how Sheetal was slapped by Shashi Gupta because she accused Khushi to try snatching her place in the Raizada family. He also tells Arnav about the conversation which he had later with Shashi and Khushi Gupta. Arnav is shocked and totally disappointed to hear everything.

“What? You …you asked her to leave the office because of this?”
“I didn’t tell her anything. She understood it on her own. It would complicate things further if she worked for us”
“Dad” Arnav sighs in frustration. No wonder he was feeling so low today. His instincts told him something worse is going to happen. Ayush is keenly observing him.
“She was never our permanent employee, Arnav. And you have done enough for her in terms of her sponsorship. Now if her presence around you is creating a misunderstanding in your personal life with Sheetal, it is best she leaves”

Arnav’s jaw hardens. Leave? She will leave him?

“Why should she leave? She is not at fault” he argues.
“She has no choice. Plus. She is getting married to Akash Sharma. She promised me to send the invitation card soon. She is going to evolve in life anywhere she stays.”

All that anger which had bubbled up in Arnav’s heart starts unleashing… a side of his which no one has yet seen… He throws the file away.

“I won’t let her go, Dad. Not like this.. Because if she is held guilty, so should I”

Without having further conversation, Arnav turns around and storms out of the room. Ayush sighs in disappointment. He has got enough status of Arnav – Khushi’s messy relationship by now. Why didn’t Arnav tell him he has feelings for her, before? Why did he hide it all this long? He had no idea there was something brewing between the two. This one truth is going to break many good relations they have made so far. And he has already chosen his side.!!!


To be Continued


NEXT PART

To Read He Loves Me Not from the Start. Click HERE



Books by Madhuri Tamse

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