Lawful Sins - Season 2 - Part 13

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Chapter 13

Engagement Party
Arnav Singh Raizada returned back with the glass of Wine for Khushi Gupta. There was no difference on his face by the commencement of the deal. He looked quite composed and unaffected passing the Wine to her.

“I hope you haven’t mixed something in this?” she queried sarcastically.

Arnav rolled his eyes and snatched the glass from her. He took a sip and handed the glass back.

“Got the proof?” he snapped. “I will never stoop low Miss Gupta”

Khushi was amused when he sipped the Wine from her glass. Was she going to drink the same Wine which touched his lips? Arnav Singh Raizada had not thought so deeply for sure before tasting the wine from her glass. He did it subconsciously and even now he just glared at her.

“Since you are going to make me do things as per your convenience, I think you should also show some trust on me”
“I don’t trust anyone” she barked. “And don’t give me lectures. I didn’t sign the deal for that. Now get lost from here”

Arnav was definitely not going to take this calmly. The moment she scowled, he pinned her to the pillar behind.

“Watch your tone, Miss Gupta. I know we have sighed a deal where you will make me do things against my wishes, but that doesn’t give you the right to demean me. Not even in the public, not even when we are alone”

For a moment there was blankness on her face. The shock in her eyes was worth adoring. He gave her a once-over and then walked off. Khushi fisted her fingers and punched it hard on the pillar behind. This wasn’t as easy as she had thought it would be. Arnav Singh Raizada had sold his rights to her… not his conscience. Despite having all the controls in her hand, she felt weak. She had to take this slow and easy. The man would some day bend to her commands, willingly.!!

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

After slipping away from Khushi, Arnav Singh Raizada reached his Nani who introduced him to the Chopra family.

“That’s Mr and Mrs. Chopra. And she is Dolly Chopra, their only daughter”

Arnav smiled at the couple and then his gaze fixed on Dolly. She was sweet but not very innocent. The way she eyed him made him uncomfortable.

“Hello Mr. Chopra. Nice meeting you all” he shook hands with Dolly’s father and mouthed a quick “Hi” to Dolly.

The way she jumped in joy seeing him was enough for Arnav to reject her in his subconscious mind. She looked very desperate.

“Chotte, why don’t you and Dolly talk in private?” Nani asked.

“Sure” Arnav faked a smile and moved away with Dolly.

“I am so thrilled to see you” Dolly exclaimed. “I have always seen your photos in the magazines. You are quite hot than that”

Arnav was even more uncomfortable. He felt exposed.

“Thank you” he quickly replied and diverted the topic to her. “So, you completed your graduation last year?”

“I did, yea” she blushed. “Can I get a selfie with you? I want to make my friends jealous? When I told them that I am going to meet ASR for marriage talks, they were already fuming”

Arnav cleared his throat. The girl was little childish. He didn’t deny her for the picture though. She immediately posed together with him for the Selfie.

“This one isn’t good. Let’s click one more” this time she almost hugged him, moving closer.

And she was very fast. Being harassed by Khushi Gupta was better than spending time with Dolly, the thought.

Khushi Gupta was talking to Nandakishore and Lavanya when she saw Arnav and this unknown girl clicking selfies. She could read his uneasiness in the posture.

“Oh my god” Lavanya giggled. “ASR is surely going to reject her”

“Reject for what?” Khushi asked curiously.

“That’s Dolly Chopra. Nani wanted ASR to meet her and if things clicked, she would be my Bhabhi”

Khushi rolled back her eyes on Arnav Singh Raizada and that silly Dolly.

“He is clearly disinterested” Khushi mumbled.

“Yea, I can see that too. He needs a strong woman. Someone who can ease his hidden pain. I really wonder where we will find that kind of a woman for him. I so wish to see him get all the love he deserves” Lavanya hoped.

Hidden pain? Khushi didn’t understand. Was she missing something? Did anything happen in his life which she wasn’t aware of? Anything in the past? When NK and Lavanya moved across to meet the other guests, Khushi took the opportunity to make her way to her newly appointed Slave again. Just few feet away, Khushi pretended to stumble and bumped with Dolly Chopra whose smartphone slipped from her hand and turned off. The phone screen cracked and Khushi was very sure it was not going to work again. That piece of technology was no longer of any use.

“My phone..” Dolly cried.

Khushi faked an apologetic expression. Arnav immediately leaned down to help Dolly. He had seen Khushi losing her balance on purpose. She wanted to hurt Dolly.

“You should have been careful with it” Khushi replied unaffected by the accident.

Dolly was clueless. It was not her mistake. Arnav on the other hand was shocked by Khushi’s cold attitude.

“You bumped onto me” Dolly argued. “My phone.. All my pictures… selfies… oh God. How will I get them back?”

“You wont” Khushi passed a smirk “This phone is not going to be the same again and I assume the data is gone too. But since this happened because of me bumping with you, trust me you are insured”

Arnav frowned. Insured? How? Khushi showed no remorse or concern on her face. She was really heartless.

“Buy the best and latest smartphone for her and get it delivered by tomorrow” Khushi said to Mrs. Pinto who reached them on Khushi’s gestures.

Dolly’s eyes shone with surprise.

“Latest Smartphone?” she asked to be sure.

“Yes. The latest one and with lots of storage capacity so that you can click as many selfies as you like.. with anyone..”

Dolly was happy but Arnav Singh Raizada was still skeptical why Khushi Gupta was being so generous.

“Oh Thank you. Please get it delivered by morning 10:00”

“Sure” Mrs. Pinto smiled.

“Your face..” Khushi sighed. “You look drained. I think you need more blusher on your cheeks”

“Is it?” Dolly quickly took out her mirror from purse and checked herself. “Eekks.. I look horrible now. Let me go fix my face”

She passed a quick smile to Arnav and slipped away. Mrs. Pinto walked away too. Khushi then focused on Arnav again.

“You cannot break other’s stuff like this” Arnav confronted.

“I think you didn’t notice the joy on Dolly’s face to know she is getting a better phone than the one she had” she argued.

“That still doesn’t give you the right to play with other’s belongings”

“Money” Khushi said with pride. “Money can buy everything Mr. Raizada. Everything” she meant each and every word.

Arnav was quiet for some seconds as if he recalled something. It left a bitter expression on his face which Khushi didn’t fail to notice.

“Not everything” he replied. “Money cannot buy someone’s life”

Khushi Gupta had no idea on what context he said that but since he defended again, she lost her patience.

“You are testing my patience Mr. Raizada. I know the deal doesn’t let me intrude in your choice of a life partner, but how could you forget one thing? For the next 6 months you are my property. This face of yours is my property and I am not going to let anyone else capture it on their smartphones without my permission” she threatened.

Arnav was baffled by that kind of talk. She wasn’t here just to poke him. She purposely broke Dolly’s phone because she had taken selfies with someone who presently she thought she owned.

“Breaking.. hurting others.. is that all you know?” Arnav asked. “You sound like a possessive freak Miss Gupta. Why are you like this?” he really wanted to know.

Khushi clenched her jaw. Why she was like this? He would never know. He would never know what turned her the way she was today. She gave him a cold glare and slipped away. Arnav sighed in disappointment. She really needed help.

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

The party came to an end. As all the guests left including the Raizadas. Khushi returned back to her room. It was one tiring event. She sat at the edge of the bed, exhausted when suddenly she felt something sticky to her feet. She looked down and saw the puppy licking her feet. Bella!! She had almost forgotten this gift from that Raizada.

“Move away” she raised her leg and curled them over the bed. The puppy didn’t budge from its position. It kept looking at her with soft, dark eyes filled with adoration. What the hell was she supposed to do with this dog?

She picked the cordless phone and dialed her servant downstairs asking her to get some milk for the puppy and take it away. When her maid stepped in the room and picked the puppy in her arms, Bella wagged its tail side by side, whining softly. It didn’t want to leave her alone probably. Bella will take time to adjust to the new surroundings and Khushi Gupta to her new pet.

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

Shantivan
The next morning when Arnav Singh Raizada came down for breakfast, both Nani and Lavanya were discussing something but the moment they saw him, they paused.

“What’s conspiring?” Arnav asked taking seat next to his sister.

“ASR.. Can you explain us why you gifted Khushi Gupta? That too a puppy? You know she hates puppies. NK told me. I wonder how she will treat that innocent one?”

Arnav buttered the bread and took a bite.

“It was necessary to gift her that Puppy” he replied. “To activate her humanely senses. To soften her a bit towards people and make her show compassion”

“But why do you care to get all these changes in her?”

“Because you are going to be part of that family now, La. I don’t want you to face her unnecessary wrath and tantrums after your marriage. I don’t trust her”

Lavanya sighed but her brother had a point.

“To be honest, I worry how she will treat me after marriage to NK. She is so strict types. Having mother-in-law is better than a sister-in-law like her”

“And what about Dolly, Chotte? You didn’t tell me if you like her?” Nani asked.

“I don’t think Dolly and I will get along. Our choices, habits and most importantly our thinking don’t match”

Nani sighed but she had felt the same when she met Dolly last night. He needed a matured woman and Dolly and his match would be imperfect. They were almost finishing the breakfast when Arnav’s phone rang. It was Shyam’s call which he answered immediately.

“Sir, you should come to office” Shyam stated after greeting his Boss.

“Shyam I told you I am not coming for a week”

“Miss Gupta is here, Sir” Shyam added.

Arnav stiffened. What was she doing there?

“I am reaching in 20 minutes” he hung up. “Got some urgent work. Have to go”

“But Chotte, we have to send invites of the marriage today. And to a few we will have to give the invitations personally”

“I will try to come back soon” he promised and hurried back to his room to dress up.

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

AR Office
His cabin was huge. This was the first time Khushi Gupta had visited this office and she knew right now ASR might have taken the wheels to drive here. She sipped the coffee which she specifically ordered through Shyam Jha and sat on Arnav’s chair. It was comfy, very majestic and elegant. The door opened and Arnav Singh Raizada barged inside. Seeing her occupying his chair annoyed him even further.

“Mr. Raizada. Your cabin is..”

“Shut up” he groaned reaching the table. “How dare you come here?”

“By car” she interrupted him. “And language, Mr. Raizada. Because if I cant demean you… you too definitely cannot demean me because I still have the upper hand in this Deal”

She rose herself from his chair and circled the table to reach him.

“If you mess with my business” he scowled but couldn’t complete the statement as she placed her finger on his lip to shut him up.

“This…” she smirked staring his face. “This fear is what I wanted to see on your face… right from the day we met. The fear of losing something precious.. The fear of defeat.. the fear of exposure to things you aren’t comfortable with.. Glad I showed up here otherwise how would I get to admire this sight?”

Arnav shrugged her finger away.

“Why are you here??”

He realized she hadn’t come here to intrude in his business. It was something else otherwise this woman wouldn’t waste so much time.

“My driver is on leave today” she informed. “And I have heap of cards to distribute to my close people. And then I also have to shop a few things for the wedding”

“What am I supposed to do then?” he spat. She was really wasting his time by giving him unnecessary information about her today’s schedule.

“Mr. Raizada, are you really that fool not to read the hidden meaning of my talks?”

When he still stood clueless, Khushi picked her purse, ready to leave.

Arnav’s dark and dangerous stare at her confirmed he was unwilling to obey.

“Not my fault you see Mr. Raizada. You are the only one I can use as per my convenience. That’s what you signed for, didn’t you? Now come on…” she threw the car keys at him which he grabbed instantly. “Get the car ready”

Arnav fisted the keys and followed her out.

To be Continued.

NEXT PART

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SAMPLE CHAPTER 1 

‘An unexpected tragedy has pulled the strings of the Royal Dynasty of Jodhpur, shocking everyone related to them. His highness, Jahaan Singh, the 28-year old heir of the Royal Singh family who was supposed to tie a knot with his childhood friend Princess Lalitha of Mevar, has mistakenly married a wrong woman. We are yet to find the details of the now Royal bride of the Singh Dynasty of Jodhpur who fell unconscious in the Prince’s arms within minutes of realization of this fiasco. Stay tuned for more updates on this Royally Wrecked Marriage’

While there were vivid of news headlines like the above constantly displaying on every channel on TV at one side, there were guests and relatives of the Royals who kept gossiping around at the Wedding Venue, uninterruptedly about this last minute, shocking change of bride.

“Seriously? Jahaan Singh can make that mistake? Or did he plan this on purpose?”
“He played with dignities of two royal families”
“No, he himself was unaware of the circumstance”
“Poor Princess Lalitha. I hope she can sustain this cheat”
“She cheated Jahaan and not vice versa. If she hadn’t eloped, why would this confusion happen?”

Durga, the same elderly woman who had escorted Niyati, the now Royal Bride and wife to Jahaan Singh, to the Wedding canopy after she was brought here, mistakenly, slipped away from amidst the guests, to check on Jahaan. She hadn’t seen him from past an hour and it started worrying her.

When Jahaan Singh’s to-be bride, Princess Lalitha eloped, his guards went in search for her and wrongly got another bride who coincidently had eloped from her marriage, happening exactly the same day, same time.

Not finding him anywhere around the venue, there was only place Durga could think of looking him for; his presidential suite in this Hotel which had been their home from the last two days, even though Jahaan had reached here just yesterday evening from Paris where he had been for Business. As she opened the door of his room, she found him barking over the phone to someone. His anger was palpable. He tied a knot after all with a stranger. As she walked inside, she could hear the voice of the person he was talking to over the phone which was on speaker mode. She was Princess Lalitha of Mevar, his could have been wife today.

“Jahaan, I am sorry”

“Shut up, Lalitha” he groaned. “Do you even realize what trouble you have caused me and my family’s reputation? If you didn’t want this marriage to happen, you could have told me clearly. Why hide it?”
“I was scared” Lalitha cried from the other end.
“Scared my foot!!” he scowled. “We know each other from our childhood. And this alliance meant something to both of us. It was a promise between our families, Lalitha. How could you be so reckless to break it by one irrational decision like this?”
“I am sorry” she kept crying yet having no effect on Jahaan’s fury.

He disconnected the call and turned around. Durga waited for him to calm down before she could raise her own doubts and spoil his mood further.

“She had left this note” he showed the piece of paper in his hand. “She left a runaway note instead of calling me or talking to me once. How ridiculous is that Dayima?”

Durga took the note from him and read that one liner apology from Princess Lalitha. She might have left the note in his room for him to read, but it was late. He had already been waiting at the canopy for her and when none of them could find her in the Hotel, he sent his guards to look for her and get her back safely. He didn’t return back to this room since then. Had he come here before, he would have checked Lalitha’s note and his marriage with an unknown girl would have been avoided.

“Sir” a young sturdy tall man, almost Jahaan’s age, stepped in the room. His crisp white shirt with a black waistcoat glued to it revealed how muscular he was. But nothing between the two men was alike. “The media is waiting for you to address” he informed.

Jahaan looked at him with a quizzical stare on his face.

“Vikram, do I look ready to meet anyone right now?” he snapped.
Vikram, his body guard turned back to the door to leave when Jahaan stopped him again. “Give me some time, Vik” his tone mellowed this time.

Vikram was Jahaan’s personal bodyguard from past 3 years. They shared more than a boss – employee relationship though. They hit the gym together every day. Whilst Vikram gave Jahaan health and body building tips, Jahaan gave Vikram ideas on how to start his own Private Security Business, which was Vikram’s dream from past few years. There were times when Jahaan lost control over his anger but Vikram never took it to heart. He knew his Boss was just going through tough times.

“I will hold them for some time” he informed patiently and left the room.

Jahaan rubbed his temple.

“I feel screwed. Lalitha shouldn’t have ditched us at the last moment. She had a problem with the wedding, I knew. But I never thought she would elope like that.”
“Is she safe? Where is she?”
“She left the country. She said she needs time to understand what she wants to do in life. But she is fine”

Despite the tragedy Jahaan faced today, his humbleness towards Princess Lalitha didn’t surprise Durga. Jahaan and Lalitha had been childhood friends and they shared almost every little detail. That’s why their parents thought they would make a fine couple.

“You took care of Lalitha after her parent’s death, she should have at least considered that” Durga exclaimed.
“She was my responsibility Daayima, she still is. I will ask my sources to keep a tab on her. I don’t want Lalitha to end up in any kind of troubles. The media is going to hunt her down. It’s good she left the country for a while.”

His selflessness got a smile on Durga’s face.

“And what about the girl you got married to?”

Jahaan got speechless for a moment. In all this he had forgot about that girl.

“What about her?” he asked. His low deep voice threatened Durga. Jahaan was famous in his family for taking erroneous decisions due to his short temper. So, this time before he could conclude anything, Durga interrupted.

“Jahaan, we need to take some stand over this incident before people get to talk about it and spread more rumors.”

Jahaan nodded in agreement. His family’s reputation is at stake because of one silly mistake from his guards and he won’t let it slip out of his hands and become an excuse for people to mock. They want answers, he will give them.

ALSO READ - His Destined Bride (Sample Chapter 2 and 3)

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