The Royal Fling - Part 29

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Chapter 29



Mussourie 

“Arnav..” Khushi shook him to get his attention back.

After she revealed him Shyam’s intentions of splitting the Royal property, he was lost in himself. Her touch broke his stance and he kept the tea glass away.

“Let’s go”

His voice had lost the softness it had a while ago. It was hard to read him, to analyze what he intended to do about Shyam’s motives. But she didn’t poke him for answers. He was the reason of all her worries and stress these days. Now it was his turn to face that similar heat. But however practical she wanted to be right now and mind her own business, she couldn’t. Not because she had any soft corner for this man. If she helps him sort this out, it will be pure humanity and only because it was her father who was involved in it. Shyam alone hadn’t conspired anything, her father Shashi Gupta was equally responsible.
As they rode back to the Hotel in Mussourie, he was unusually quiet.

“I have to make a few calls” he said as they got back in the room and made his way to the

Balcony. He seriously looked concerned about this whole thing. Her phone rang again and whilst she decided to disconnect it considering her father was pestering her again, she stopped. It was Millie, her personal assistant.

“Millie.. hi” she answered.

“Ma’am. I have good news” Millie almost hopped from her seat. “It’s a miracle.. I ..I cannot believe this is happening.. Oh tell me this is not a dream”

“Millie… millie calm down first and tell me exactly what has happened?” Khushi headed to the bedroom. She felt little weak and wanted to rest.

“Ma’am. The producers had called. All your cancelled shoots have been reinstated and the ones which were postponed are preponed. Means you got all your contracts back.. You are not going jobless and neither am I” Millie replied.

Khushi froze. She got her contracts back? All of them? Just 2 days back it was all nullified and today she got them again? How? Arnav? Did he… did he do it?

“Ma’am. Your next shoot is hardly 3 days away. We have to hurry up. Are you back from Mussourie?”

Khushi was clueless how to react. Arnav had assured her the other night that he would set things right again. So, this is what he meant. Her heart swelled with pride that he kept his words but.. so what? Wasn’t he the one who ruined it at the first place?

“Ma’am? Are you there? Hello” Millie’s voice echoed in her ears.

“Yeah. I am.. I am listening”

“Good. So, I will confirm your schedule for the next shoot”

“No wait” Khushi interrupted pressing her mildly aching forehead. “Give me some time to think”

“Think?” Millie snapped. “Ma’am. Contracts have walked back to you and you want time to think?”

“Millie” Khushi growled. She didn’t want to explain Millie anything at this point. The girl wouldn’t understand. “Call me again in the morning”

She hung up and sat on the bed, clueless of her further actions.


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

Dinner was served. It was then when she saw Arnav Singh Raizada again after a short nap of 30 minutes. He looked the same, disoriented. But, so was she.

“Not hungry?” she asked checking his plate which hardly had any food served. “Dieting?” she teased.

“Lost appetite” he replied almost instantly. His voice was off.

Khushi served an equal amount of food in her plate like his and took her seat.

“And you are dieting I suppose?” he shot back at her seeing so less food served.

“Can’t I lose appetite too?”

“Not allowed. You are weak and the doctors have suggested you eat well” he served an extra portion of food in her plate without her consent.

“Millie called me” she mumbled

Arnav raised his head and met her eyes.

“My personal assistant” she clarified. “I got my contracts back”

Arnav shrugged.

“Well… congratulations”

“Don’t act like you have nothing to do with this” she snapped.

“Even if I do have everything to do with this.. would it change anything between us?” he kept his eyes still on her whilst gulping some water. She looked amused as if trying to intercept the meaning behind those simple lines.

“I don’t want your charity”

“You don’t want me either” he added. “But not everything that you want can be fulfilled”

The cheesiness in his tone was back. And anyone listening them right now would know how much he loved arguing with her.

“The food is getting cold. Eat” he urged.

She obeyed him because the argument had regained her lost appetite.

“Did your father call you again?” he asked after their meal.

“No. But he will. As far as I know him, he will keep bothering me until I do this work”

Arnav nodded but there wasn’t any worry in that nod.

“Tell him you have convinced me and that I want to meet him. That should stop him from bothering you over this topic” he stated.

“You want to meet him? Why?” she narrowed her eyes at him for an answer.

“Its high time I draw a line between them and us”

Khushi hiccuped. What is that supposed to mean? She felt both uneasy and curious.

“I don’t want them to use you every time to get to me” he simplified. “They want something from me.. they better come to me and not chase you”

She was convinced.

“And as it is… right now you have a lot to focus. Your modelling contracts are going to keep you busy. So, we despite being a team, I want you to stay away from our family disputes” he added.

“We are not a team Arnav. We can never be. I told you about Dad’s intentions and Shyam’s because I don’t like to cheat anyone. Doesn’t matter even if that person is my enemy and had hurt me in the worst possible way.”

Arnav grabbed her arm before she could slip away.

“That’s right.. We are not a team..” he agreed. “We are a Royal couple” he grinned.

Khushi’s jaw clenched. Couple?

“You forgot an adjective” she mocked. “We are a dysfunctional Royal Couple”

She shrugged from his hold and walked away. Arnav continued to grin. Dysfunctional? Only time would tell how they would turn into a totally functional couple someday… And this wasn’t his hope anymore. It was his heartfelt desire. His marriage to Khushi Gupta might have been a random decision but now he yearns to make it work. And until things fall in place for them, he would leave no stone unturned to woe his woman.

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

Shantivan

Shyam and Anjali were seated at the couch, discussing something privately, when the maid intervened.

“Ma’am, the girl has come”

“Make her sit outside. I will come and brief her”

The maid nodded and left.

“Girl?” Shyam asked looking at his wife.

“Yes. To look after your grandmother”

“What?” Shyam snapped. “To look after Daadi?”

“Yes Shyam. Like a caretaker. You know I don’t understand most of the things she keeps needing. And at this age she needs assistance”

Shyam wasn’t very convinced.

“But Rani Saheba.. has Daadi agreed for it?”

“She has. And what choice does she have? One grandson is dead, the other ran away. That leaves only you and Arnav. Your wife is too classy to look after her needs and Arnav’s wife.. Uff.. that woman has no regards for the old woman’s sentiments. Plus, she is always absent from the house. Either she is running to her mayka or behind her husband in Mussourie”

Shyam rolled his eyes and got up.

“Whatever you think is right for the family, please do. I have other stuff to handle”

As he slipped back to the drawing room to make some political calls, Anjali headed out to meet this girl. She had put her terms right. The woman had to be simple and from a middle-class family. But someone who had the experience of being a caretaker of an old woman before. As she reached out, she found a thin girl, standing right before her, waiting to be acknowledged. What surprised Anjali was the girl’s veil which she had covered her face with. It was unusual and totally unnecessary.

“Namaste” the girl greeted, ensuring her face was covered all the time.

“You have come for the caretaker’s post?” Anjali queried.

“Yes” she nodded slowly.

“Why are you covering your face?”

The girl didn’t hesitate to answer.

“This is to impress our deity Madamji so that the gods offer me a good husband in future. Our family believes that if a girl in her marriage age hides her face from the society for 3 months, she gets a good husband”

Anjali laughed sarcastically at the girl’s beliefs.

“Do you mean for next 3 months we have to see you faceless?” she teased.

“Madamji, whats there in the face? You can check my work” she offered her a letter which seemed like a recommendation from some Royal family from Chittor.

Anjali read the recommendation letter.

“So, you have worked as a caretaker before for one year”

“Yes” the girl nodded.

“I hope you know that you will have to stay in this house and look after the matriarch of the family.. our grandmother… Subhadra Raizada. She is a very strict woman and has loads of demands. Right from knowing what she needs and when, you will also have to look after her medicines and go with her out for Satsang and other holy rituals”

“Ji Madam” the girl bowed her head accepting her duties.

“Good. You can join from today only then. You will be staying in servant quarters at night and the whole day be around Daadi”

“Ji Madam”

Anjali seemed convinced.

“Fine. Come, I will introduce you to her”

Anjali took the girl inside the house.

“What … what is your name by the way?”

“Anamika” the girl replied.

Anjali held her laughter. Anamika? It meant nameless! The girl was both faceless and nameless!! She cleared her throat to curb her laughter and took Anamika inside.


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

Mussourie – Next Day

Khushi had packed her luggage. Today they were flying back to Delhi. She had dumped everything inside except the leather jacket which Arnav gifted her.. the one she wore on their motorbike ride.

“Dump that in my bag” Arnav tried to ease her problem. “It has some space”

Khushi passed him a grim look.

“In your bag?”

“Yes. Why not? We are heading the same place. What difference does it make whose bag it is dumped in?”

Khushi sighed halfheartedly. The man didn’t seem to remember anything.

“I think you haven’t taken my words seriously yet” Khushi pointed. “You promised me to let me go wherever I wish to from here. And returning to Shantivan is not my choice right now”

Arnav froze for few seconds. Yes. He had promised her that… to stop her from leaving that day otherwise she would never stay here for 2 days and take rest.

“2 days are over Arnav Singh Raizada and so is my stay with you. Don’t think by returning my modelling contracts you have done any favor on me or any of that will change my mind. I am not going to stay with you..”

Arnav smiled coldly.

“You cant stay away from me” he said tightly.

“Excuse me?”

“I mean.. you cannot stay away from my family.. from Shantivan.. There are eyes and ears all over the city. People will get a chance to backtalk and right now I have better problems to look after than handling media’s firing questions on our relationship”

Khushi shrugged her shoulders.

“That’s your lookout. I have made up my mind” she started dumping the jacket forcibly in her bag.

Arnav gritted his teeth. The woman had no compassion for him.

“Don’t make this difficult Khushi” he groaned. “Stay until I find a way out. We have holi in 2 days. And we royals have a huge celebration in the palace that day. What will I tell everyone if they ask for you?”

Khushi turned around and gave him a hard smile.

“I don’t care. Tell them the truth or lie. I have nothing to do with this marriage anymore”

Arnav was pissed. Angad had warned him of such a situation and here it was. He could stop her for 2 days but what next? He cannot even drag her to Shantivan and force her to stay with him considering she just sustained a panic attack. He felt chained and helpless.

“You said you don’t like to cheat anyone.. not even your enemies” Arnav reminded. “What you doing now is the same. Marriages don’t end just like that. It has emotions, feelings and dignity of two families linked with it”

Khushi gripped the handle of her bag tight. Was he blackmailing her?

“Holi then..” she snapped at him again. “Holi night will be the last night of me in Shantivan. I don’t know what happens to our wedlock but for sure I am not spending a day more in that house with you after Holi”

Saying that she strode to Arnav’s bag which was still open on the bed and dumped her jacket as he had earlier asked her to do. She will return to Shantivan for now and in next 2 days even prepare herself to shift back in Mumbai for her upcoming shoots.


To be Continued.

NEXT PART 

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