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Chapter 36B
Khushi’s POV
This is not what I wanted when Arnav planned to arrange a video call between me and his extended family in Mumbai. I cannot do this in his absence. Since morning Arnav is not home. Dad said he had to arrange a meet on an urgent basis which is why he had to leave without informing me. That’s fine but I cannot meet his family in Arnav’s absence. Just five minutes back Aman called me and said he would connect the call on my Laptop in thirty minutes and I can speak to Arnav’s family.
I can’t do this. I need Arnav beside me. I don’t even know how his family will react meeting me like this? The call rings on my phone and with shaky hands I connect it. Thankfully I see Manorama Maami first and since I already know her, my tension eases.
“Hello Khushi. How you doing beta?” she asks anxiously.
“Umm.. I am doing good. How.. how was your Maldives trip?”
She laughs and then nods happily.
“It was great. Just what me and your Maama needed. Hold on. He is here..”
Maama soon joins Maami and I see them both now. I smile and greet him too.
“Stay blessed Khushi. Where is Arnav?”
I am blank for a moment what to reply. Do they know what Arnav exactly does? They should right?
“He.. he is out for work..” I reply. That’s the most diplomatic answer I could give them.
“He can never get bored of his work. I wonder if he even gives time to you.” Maami asks.
A smile forms on my lips recalling how Devil is adjusting between his dark life and me.
“He is managing both well,” I answer.
“Don’t give him that much liberty. Even Akash is out for hours and his wife Sheetal at times doesn’t see him for days. I sometimes dislike how our sons miss their household responsibilities”
Maami is right to complain but I do realize how important the mission is for Devil so I won’t support her.
“Come on Manorama. Our son and Nephew are securing the country. They are not normal men of the house. They have duties to perform.”
Maama’s explanation doesn’t bring any change in Maami’s expressions. Soon a young woman, joins them over the call. I assume that’s Sheetal, Akash’s wife.
“Hey Khushi,” she waves at me from the laptop screen. “I am Sheetal.”
“Hi. You .. you are beautiful.”
“Oh thank you. But not as much as you. You have no idea how much Arnav has told us about you. But that wasn’t enough. You are more gorgeous than he portrayed.”
My cheeks flame. Arnav talked to his family about me? And I had no clue about them at all. How unfair.
“Akash is back by the way. Hold on, he will soon join us.”
Since the whole family is so nice, I believe speaking to Akash will be equally easy. After a few minutes of our chat, he joins the call. He is tall, handsome and has spectacles. Just like Devil, he too is missing that smile on his face.
“Hi Akash,” I smile at him.
“hey” he just nods. “Nice to meet you.”
“Same here.”
He doesn’t seem very happy though meeting me and that pricks me. He is way too serious than I had imagined him to be. Seeing my nervous expressions Maami interrupts.
“Khushi, you don’t need to be afraid of Akash. He is always this stern.”
“Maa” Akash glances at her and then back to me. “Is Bhai back?”
Oh! He is talking about Devil..
“No Devil is not..”
“Arnav… his name is Arnav not Devil.” He corrects me and I don’t like that tone he uses. Why is he so grumpy with me?
“Yea.. I mean.. Arnav is …” I am about to complete that statement when I finally see Arnav stepping in the room. I take a sigh of relief. I want to run into his arms and tell him I don’t think Akash approves of me but I curb those feelings and keep myself seated on the couch. He is already aware about the call so he doesn’t waste a minute to reach me and sit beside.
“Hey… Hope you all didn’t trouble Khushi..”
Akash did!! I want to complain but I keep my lips zipped.
“You back.” Akash clenches his jaw.
Arnav leans back on the couch and without even looking at me he realizes my nervousness. So to ease that he holds my hand in his and rubs my palm.
“I’m back Akash.”
“We need to talk,” Akash sternly commands.
“Later.. this call is to introduce Khushi to everyone.”
Akash swallows angrily. I swear he doesn’t like me a bit but why?
“She met everyone already. This talk is more important.”
“I didn’t met Nani yet..” I interrupt Akash’s command. Arnav and the rest of the family goes quiet for a few seconds.
“She is resting Khushi. You can meet her personally when you come to Mumbai.” Maami replies.
I nod but feel something is terribly wrong. Even Arnav didn’t give me any hint about Nani. I hope she approves me unlike Akash.
“We will stay in touch Khushi,” Sheetal adds. “Next time we will have a long call.”
“Sure” I smile and wave a bye to everyone.
“I am calling you on the other phone,” Akash says to Devil before disconnecting the video call.
As soon as they hang up, I turn to Arnav and give him a tight hug.
“Akash dislikes me..” I say it aloud.
Arnav is quiet for a few seconds but he doesn’t stop stroking my back.
“Why did you feel so?”
“I felt it..” I raise my chin and look in his eyes. “He hates me. I don’t know why?”
“No he doesn’t hate you.”
“He does..” I argue but we are unable to complete this debate as Akash calls on Arnav’s phone.
“I have to take this call. I will be right back.”
Kissing the top of my forehead, Arnav leaves the room.
****************
Arnav’s POV
“You scared my wife.”
This is literally the first statement when I answer Akash’s call.
“I had no such intention but that’s not an important subject to discuss right now.. you..”
“Anything and everything that concerns about my wife is an important subject to me Akash.” I snap. “Don’t forget that.”
I hear him exhaling audibly.
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you Bhai. Why the hell did you make that open announcement in the dark world that Jaipal is threatening you?”
He had to know about my secret meeting. Doesn’t matter I share it or not, Akash being the intelligence head of this mission has his own ways of knowing what I do in the dark world.
“It was necessary.”
“No it wasn’t. You have almost given them a reason to side with Jaipal. We are yet to track the mole in the dark world who has hidden Jaipal and now you have spread the news to him and that mole that you are coming after them. Do you know what that means? They will be careful henceforth and totally trackless. You have no idea what explanations I had to keep giving here to the Senior heads for your reckless decisions. And most importantly when you do it without caring for your own safety.”
“This is not the first time I have went against our plans Akash.. we have done this before..”
“yes we have but this time you are blindly aiming at people to protect the soft target..”
I clench my fists.
“This is the last time I am letting you speak about my wife like that Akash.” I shout. “Khushi is not just a soft target for me anymore.. She is my wife and by all means I will protect her even at the cost of my own life..”
Akash gets my message loud and clear. I know he is more worried for my life and didn’t want me to take such a huge step of making that announcement in the dark world. But I took my best shot. I worked on my instinct and it somehow tells me whoever is hiding Jaipal is soon going to be out. I have spread the net. It’s just a matter of few days when that mole will be caught in it.
To be Continued.
Khushi’s POV
This is not what I wanted when Arnav planned to arrange a video call between me and his extended family in Mumbai. I cannot do this in his absence. Since morning Arnav is not home. Dad said he had to arrange a meet on an urgent basis which is why he had to leave without informing me. That’s fine but I cannot meet his family in Arnav’s absence. Just five minutes back Aman called me and said he would connect the call on my Laptop in thirty minutes and I can speak to Arnav’s family.
I can’t do this. I need Arnav beside me. I don’t even know how his family will react meeting me like this? The call rings on my phone and with shaky hands I connect it. Thankfully I see Manorama Maami first and since I already know her, my tension eases.
“Hello Khushi. How you doing beta?” she asks anxiously.
“Umm.. I am doing good. How.. how was your Maldives trip?”
She laughs and then nods happily.
“It was great. Just what me and your Maama needed. Hold on. He is here..”
Maama soon joins Maami and I see them both now. I smile and greet him too.
“Stay blessed Khushi. Where is Arnav?”
I am blank for a moment what to reply. Do they know what Arnav exactly does? They should right?
“He.. he is out for work..” I reply. That’s the most diplomatic answer I could give them.
“He can never get bored of his work. I wonder if he even gives time to you.” Maami asks.
A smile forms on my lips recalling how Devil is adjusting between his dark life and me.
“He is managing both well,” I answer.
“Don’t give him that much liberty. Even Akash is out for hours and his wife Sheetal at times doesn’t see him for days. I sometimes dislike how our sons miss their household responsibilities”
Maami is right to complain but I do realize how important the mission is for Devil so I won’t support her.
“Come on Manorama. Our son and Nephew are securing the country. They are not normal men of the house. They have duties to perform.”
Maama’s explanation doesn’t bring any change in Maami’s expressions. Soon a young woman, joins them over the call. I assume that’s Sheetal, Akash’s wife.
“Hey Khushi,” she waves at me from the laptop screen. “I am Sheetal.”
“Hi. You .. you are beautiful.”
“Oh thank you. But not as much as you. You have no idea how much Arnav has told us about you. But that wasn’t enough. You are more gorgeous than he portrayed.”
My cheeks flame. Arnav talked to his family about me? And I had no clue about them at all. How unfair.
“Akash is back by the way. Hold on, he will soon join us.”
Since the whole family is so nice, I believe speaking to Akash will be equally easy. After a few minutes of our chat, he joins the call. He is tall, handsome and has spectacles. Just like Devil, he too is missing that smile on his face.
“Hi Akash,” I smile at him.
“hey” he just nods. “Nice to meet you.”
“Same here.”
He doesn’t seem very happy though meeting me and that pricks me. He is way too serious than I had imagined him to be. Seeing my nervous expressions Maami interrupts.
“Khushi, you don’t need to be afraid of Akash. He is always this stern.”
“Maa” Akash glances at her and then back to me. “Is Bhai back?”
Oh! He is talking about Devil..
“No Devil is not..”
“Arnav… his name is Arnav not Devil.” He corrects me and I don’t like that tone he uses. Why is he so grumpy with me?
“Yea.. I mean.. Arnav is …” I am about to complete that statement when I finally see Arnav stepping in the room. I take a sigh of relief. I want to run into his arms and tell him I don’t think Akash approves of me but I curb those feelings and keep myself seated on the couch. He is already aware about the call so he doesn’t waste a minute to reach me and sit beside.
“Hey… Hope you all didn’t trouble Khushi..”
Akash did!! I want to complain but I keep my lips zipped.
“You back.” Akash clenches his jaw.
Arnav leans back on the couch and without even looking at me he realizes my nervousness. So to ease that he holds my hand in his and rubs my palm.
“I’m back Akash.”
“We need to talk,” Akash sternly commands.
“Later.. this call is to introduce Khushi to everyone.”
Akash swallows angrily. I swear he doesn’t like me a bit but why?
“She met everyone already. This talk is more important.”
“I didn’t met Nani yet..” I interrupt Akash’s command. Arnav and the rest of the family goes quiet for a few seconds.
“She is resting Khushi. You can meet her personally when you come to Mumbai.” Maami replies.
I nod but feel something is terribly wrong. Even Arnav didn’t give me any hint about Nani. I hope she approves me unlike Akash.
“We will stay in touch Khushi,” Sheetal adds. “Next time we will have a long call.”
“Sure” I smile and wave a bye to everyone.
“I am calling you on the other phone,” Akash says to Devil before disconnecting the video call.
As soon as they hang up, I turn to Arnav and give him a tight hug.
“Akash dislikes me..” I say it aloud.
Arnav is quiet for a few seconds but he doesn’t stop stroking my back.
“Why did you feel so?”
“I felt it..” I raise my chin and look in his eyes. “He hates me. I don’t know why?”
“No he doesn’t hate you.”
“He does..” I argue but we are unable to complete this debate as Akash calls on Arnav’s phone.
“I have to take this call. I will be right back.”
Kissing the top of my forehead, Arnav leaves the room.
****************
Arnav’s POV
“You scared my wife.”
This is literally the first statement when I answer Akash’s call.
“I had no such intention but that’s not an important subject to discuss right now.. you..”
“Anything and everything that concerns about my wife is an important subject to me Akash.” I snap. “Don’t forget that.”
I hear him exhaling audibly.
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you Bhai. Why the hell did you make that open announcement in the dark world that Jaipal is threatening you?”
He had to know about my secret meeting. Doesn’t matter I share it or not, Akash being the intelligence head of this mission has his own ways of knowing what I do in the dark world.
“It was necessary.”
“No it wasn’t. You have almost given them a reason to side with Jaipal. We are yet to track the mole in the dark world who has hidden Jaipal and now you have spread the news to him and that mole that you are coming after them. Do you know what that means? They will be careful henceforth and totally trackless. You have no idea what explanations I had to keep giving here to the Senior heads for your reckless decisions. And most importantly when you do it without caring for your own safety.”
“This is not the first time I have went against our plans Akash.. we have done this before..”
“yes we have but this time you are blindly aiming at people to protect the soft target..”
I clench my fists.
“This is the last time I am letting you speak about my wife like that Akash.” I shout. “Khushi is not just a soft target for me anymore.. She is my wife and by all means I will protect her even at the cost of my own life..”
Akash gets my message loud and clear. I know he is more worried for my life and didn’t want me to take such a huge step of making that announcement in the dark world. But I took my best shot. I worked on my instinct and it somehow tells me whoever is hiding Jaipal is soon going to be out. I have spread the net. It’s just a matter of few days when that mole will be caught in it.
To be Continued.
_______________________________________________________________
Oh my god that was awesome. Love this Arnav very different and very different kind of power here.👏👏👏👏👏
ReplyDeleteAwesome Update. Arnav is very possessive about Khushi. Liked the way he scolded Akash. Hope Arnav finds Jaipal soon. Thanks for the Update😍😍
ReplyDeleteAmazing update.. I don't like Akash already.. I understand that he is worried for Arnav but that's not the way to react Infront of Khushi. Glad Arnav made it clear to him.
ReplyDeleteKhushi finally meet Arnav's family and Arnav has already told them about Khushi. Akash is married to Sheetal. Akash is also like Arnav. Akash behaviour with Khushi was little serious. What's the problem between Nani and Arnav. Arnav is extremely possesive about Khushi. Arnav will protect Khushi at any cost. It's probably Rana Pratap and Samrat who are hiding Jaipal. Hope Arnav find out soon. Akash knows about Jaipal's threat. Hope Arnav finds both the mole and Jaipal. Arnav's love for Khushi is above everything. Love this Arnav😍😍
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely update but still this one was a short please update a long one, this little meeting was interesting. Waiting to know about mysterious nani 😅
ReplyDeleteAs always loved it 💕💕💕
Biya
Wow it's thrilling and also loved the way arnav set his priority
ReplyDeleteNice update dii..but akash seems to be a very serious character here.. loved the way Arnav spoke abt Khushi..❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteMr. Akash, wasn't that getting too much? Why were you hell bend on getting on our nerves!!! Preaching others but yourself behaving ill.
ReplyDeleteKhushi, don't think too much just be your bold self same as you were with arnav initially. Let's tame another grumpy and cold blooded jr.lion.
Where is nani
ReplyDeleteHope Arnav finds Jaipal soon. Nice update
ReplyDeleteHope you get jaipal.akash is rude
ReplyDeleteAkash little rude to khushi. He showed arnav's action disappointment to khushi. I think nani against arshi marraige. That's why. OMG arnav's posessiveness and protectiveness for khushi another level. Very happy. And arnav showed his wife importance and priority to dark world and akash too. Love you arnav.
ReplyDeleteWaiting for next update dear
Amazing but short
ReplyDeleteAwesome update. Khushi meats Arnav’s extended family members. Hmmm Akash being too rude with Khushi as he worries Arnav’s action was too dangerous.
ReplyDeleteAwesome fabulous update dear
ReplyDeleteLet's see how the plan is going to help Arnav....
ReplyDeleteUh oh!! Shocked to read Sheetal as Akash's wife instead of the usual PAYALJI 😁 but it's a nice change. So finally Khushi met Arnav's family. Everybody seems to b loving & caring. Akash sounds miffed with Khushi, though. Waiting to know his reasons but glad that Arnav put him in his place when he disregarded Khushi on Arnav's face. Hope Akash has got the msg loud & clear & he won't dare to hurt Khushi again. About nani, it seems something is wrong & that's why all went quiet at her mention.
ReplyDeleteQuite an intriguing update. Thanks, Madhu.
Love
Kavita Wadnerkar ❤️
Arnav is a good husband. Hope they will find the mole and finish their job soon
ReplyDelete