He Loves Me Not - Part 33

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Chapter 33

“Just let me go” she whimpers with moist eyes recalling the other night, his birthday night. Wish she had shown the same urge to leave his room and not be submissive to her heart’s pleads. Tonight, is one such night when they both can lose their control and that’s the last thing which she wants for now. Too many complications have surrounded them already to add one more. “Please”.

Arnav leaves her wrist to pick the cordless phone and dial someone.

“Sam… Drop Khushi Gupta back home” he gives the orders and then hangs up.

She is glad he agreed, though a part of her heart wanted him to force her stay and assure her that now there is no turning back. It is irrational on her part to think so but love makes you go crazy at times and sometimes it weakens a person beyond limits. Before he can get up to escort her till the door, she runs out. Without even a proper goodbye.



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

Gupta Apartment 

Khushi unlocks the door of her apartment only to find her father wide awake, reading a book.

“Dad, you didn’t sleep yet?” she removes her shoes and puts the purse away.
“No. How was your party?” he closes the book.
“Good” she hates to lie but she does for now. Shashi notices the changes in her expressions. She never meets his eyes whenever she is hiding something or lying to him. Today she behaved the same.
“Go sleep now”
“Hmm. Good night Dad” she smiles at him and heads back to her room. The events of the past 3 hours slowly rewinding in her mind. How on earth will she stay away from him when he is so desperate enough to keep her closer? Will he really talk to her father? It is going to be awkward for all of them. Firstly, because once he was her father’s boss son and now, he is her Boss’s boss too. The circumstances under which she came to London didn’t leave a positive impact about Arnav Singh Raizada in her father’s mind. He will reject every little wish Arnav proposes to him, that’s confirmed. But what about Arnav? How will he react? Considering his hot temper these days, he is bound to make a mess.

She recalls his innocent face when he tried to stop her from leaving tonight. He genuinely wanted her affection, her love but she fled. She has left him when he needs her the most. Though she is glad she is not the person responsible for the rift between him and Ayush Singh Raizada, she is still confused on what grounds that bitterness developed between the two. Ayush Singh Raizada is a nice man who sincerely loved Arnav and even the later showed immense respect for the other. So, what might have happened there in her absence which screwed their relationship to this extent?

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

Office 

“You are late, Khushi” Katherine points out the moment Khushi occupies her cabin.
“I am sorry, Katherine. My car broke down and I had to leave it for servicing before resuming here”
“That’s fine. Anyways, you missed the morning meeting with the Client. There are few changes we have made to the team structure”
“What kind of changes?”
“Nothing major but as you know Clive is now handling the Project management part, I am moving you to work with the Software designing Team. Which means you will have to directly be in touch with the client to understand their requirements and work on them”
Khushi gulps the uneasiness formed in her throat. She is very sure, Arnav is responsible for this change. He might have suggested it or manipulated the situations in his favor. She wants to run way from facing him everyday and he wants to keep her right under his nose every time. It’s like a tug of war.

“But Kat, how will I alone handle all the requirements?”
“No.. you wont be alone. You will have a team of 5 to share your load and they will work on your orders. But you are going to be the face of this role. Am I clear?”

Khushi clenches her jaw. It’s like someone is giving her an influential promotion.

“Now get back to work”

Khushi nods and takes her seat. It’s hard for her to digest that she is been given a team now when she has just hardly joined the company 2 months back. In an hour, she gets to meet her team and they all begin to work together. Amidst all this, Khushi realizes that she has to get some important project papers signed by the client without which they will not be able to work officially on the design. As she is the face of this team now, it is her responsibility to get the signatures and discuss the designs. However hard she wants to ignore him; she knows she cannot at this moment. Plus, she also wants to know if he is doing fine. Last night he was broke. She collates the papers in a file and heads to his cabin.

“May I come in?” she asks authoritatively, holding the door slightly open.
She is amazed to see him playing with a rose. He looked normal, with no signs of intoxication on his face. He was a professional. He would never drink when at work. That’s good sign. He gives her a curt nod, enough to allow her in. She shuts the door behind and keeps the file on the table before Arnav.

“I need your signatures on this file. Have verified it with Michael too”

He doesn’t seem to care. He keeps plucking the rose petals one by one.

“She loves me” he plucks the rose petal and shoves it away, repeating his action again with the next petal. “She loves me not” his voice gets hoarse as he glances up to see Khushi’s expressions. She is surprised at his unnecessary provoking. He knows she used to do this very often before and not even a single time she got a positive response. She recalls once he had even called her foolish for believing a rose and a silly act like this could show their fate. So now why was he being silly?

“She loves me not….”
“She… LOVES ME” he plucks the last petal with a glow on his handsome face because it showered him with a response he was expecting. “She loves me?” he asks her.. throwing the twig away.
Khushi clenches her jaw.
“I need your signatures Sir. Please sign and let me out of here”
“You didn’t answer my question yet. Give me that and I will sign” he arrogantly replies. “Do you love me?”

Khushi rolls her eyes. He is becoming a jerk now.

“Arnav..” she snaps harder this time. “Stop being unreasonable”
He leans back on his chair, flaunting his command at this place… or more precisely on her..
“What I did before was unreasonable Khushi. Now each of my actions are towards my goal.. of reaching you. Is it that hard to understand?”

She stamps her foot on the floor below.
“Damn you, Arnav. How many times should I tell you I am not interested in having any relationships or love affairs in my life again? I am focusing on my career and you didn’t leave a chance to meddle with it too. Why did you offer me a team? I know it was you who suggested I be the only point of contact to your Company for the Software designs.”
Arnav takes a minute to apprehend her accusations and then raises himself on his feet to circle his desk and reach her.

“You got promoted? That’s news to me” he smirks. “Congrats. Our togetherness is lucky for both of us”
“Don’t lie to me. Tell me it was you who made it possible” she shouts back.
Arnav grips her forearms.
“I could have made it possible, but I didn’t. I would never put you in my debts again. I know it would hurt your self-esteem”

Khushi takes a minute to gaze in his eyes, to fetch the truth in his said words. He is not lying this time. He probably had nothing to do with her promotion. She shot him an apologetic look.
“You still look cute when angry” he whispers. “Gosh, I have never seen you this mad and confused. Are you on some meds?”

She is surprised when he asks her that. How did he know she used to take medicines to forget him, the pain he gave her? That helped her keep her mind in focus but it also gave her some serious side effects. She lost her temper easily when instigated and at times she also felt confused and nervous. Payal had changed her medicines now and thankfully they suited her.

She shoves off his arms and steps back.

“Just sign the papers, my work is getting delayed” she looks away from him while saying that.
Arnav is suspicious of her actions but because he doesn’t intend to pressurize her more, he decides to do what she wants. He signs the papers and hands it back to Khushi. She thanks him softly and makes her way out.

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

Gupta Apartment – Next day 

Khushi wakes up as usual even though it’s a weekend. Sleep doesn’t touch her eyes soon these days as the thoughts of Arnav Singh Raizada keeps occupying her mind all the time. It’s Saturday, she has no office today and thus no face to face conversation with Arnav Singh Raizada either. She should be happy about it, but she is not. However hard she wants to stay away from him, it still pains her.
Feeling restless about her growing feelings for him, instead of lessening, she checks her mobile phone to divert her attention. She has a message from him.

‘Wont you show me your city? Be my guide, Khushi. Lets spend the weekend together’ 

Her face glows. He wants to spend time with her. But the next instant she reminds herself that’s impossible. She types him back.

‘I am busy this weekend. Find another guide. But do see the city. It’s beautiful’ 

She wants him to enjoy his time here, divert his mind and be happy. If he keeps glued to the Villa and office, loneliness will kill him some day. She heads for a shower and when she comes back, her fingers itch to check if he has replied. She unlocks her phone after finding a reply notification.

‘Is that denial because of your father? Come-on.. You know you are equally interested in spending time with me. I can take your father’s permission if that’s what is bothering you’ 

Khushi clenches her jaw replying back to his message.

‘Don’t think of speaking or meeting my father. I wont like it. And my life no longer revolves around you anymore. I have other commitments and you are no more part of it’ 

She feels hurt typing such a rude response but its necessary. A beep buzzes on her phone almost immediately.

‘It hurts you to push me away, why try?’ 

Oh!! He can read her so well despite he is not around her right now to see her expressions.

‘I have genuine reasons this time to keep you away from me. My plans for the weekend are fixed. It cannot be changed’ 

She dries her hair, her eyes glancing back at her phone screen waiting for his reply. It’s such a heady feeling to try hating someone when internally you still love him like never before. Her phone beeps with his reply again. She throws the hairbrush away to read it.

‘If you can’t be a part of my routine, I will be part of yours. See you soon, Khushi Gupta. I hope to enjoy this weekend together with you’ 

What the hell!! How can he be so bossy? And what does he mean by that? How does he intend to be a part of her weekend routine? Will he come home?

The doorbell rings making her jump in shock. Shit!! He is here!! This early morning? But Buaji and her father are there home. She rushes out to open the door and make him go away before her father can notice.

“Khushi… I will open it” Shashi comes out at the same time from his room.
“No.. Dad. I… I will open.. You go inside..” she almost pushes her father back in his room and heads to open the door.

She grips the door knob, holding her heartbeat once before she can face him again. Once she thinks she is prepared to face him, she pulls the door open faking some anger on her face.

“I told you I am not free this weekend” she shouts the moment she opens the door.

Akash stares at her bewildered..

“Akash?” her jaw drops. “You.?”
“Yes.. Me!! looks like you were expecting someone else. Or must I say… Not expecting someone else who still planned to show up” he grins.

She is speechless and he sighs in disbelief.

“God.. Look at face. It’s like you were expecting a monster to show up and had to settle down for an angel”

That line makes her laugh.
“Shut up. You are no Angel. Come in”

She welcomes him inside. Shashi is already in the living room.
“Hello Uncle.. Good morning” Akash greets him and they take a seat on the couch.
“Akash.. what are you doing here early morning?” Shashi asks.
Khushi sits next to her father.
“You forgot? We are going for sight seeing Uncle. I had told you already about this, didn’t I?”
“Oh yes. But I was in the impression we are going out tomorrow, on Sunday”
“Right. That was the original plan. But tomorrow I have a soccer match.  I mean I have enrolled myself in the Soccer club here where we get opportunity to enjoy our hobbies. So, you guys have to come see me there tomorrow. Today, we can see the city. What do you think, Khushi?”

Khushi recalls Arnav’s message. He said he would be part of her routine if she doesn’t spend the weekend with him. If she goes out for sightseeing or watching Soccer match tomorrow, Arnav would never be able to intrude.

“Sounds good to me” she agrees.
“Great. So, get ready guys. We have a lot of places to cover for today”

Seeing Akash’s enthusiasm, Shashi and Madhumati get excited. The only one who is still disinterested is Khushi Gupta. She imagines what it would be like to spend the next two days with Arnav Singh Raizada instead. She would just devote her entire time to admire him, listen to him, cook for him and take care of him. If only, all of this was possible!!


To be Continued.


NEXT PART

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