My New Boss - Season 3 - Part 9B

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Chapter 9B


Arnav’s POV


I still can’t believe Mom thought I am dating Khushi Gupta.


“She’s cute.” Mom adds as Khushi shuts the door of her room, giving me and Mom some privacy.

“Cute? She is a devil..”

I don’t mean it, Mom knows. So she makes more fun.

“Oh, so she is devilishly cute?”


Mom pokes my chest and I laugh. Khushi Gupta is devilishly gorgeous, and I will be perfectly insane if take her more than that.


“We are professionals, Mom. Can’t date the CEO of the Company I work for.”


We take the couch again.

“You’ll own that company someday Arnav,” Mom smiles. “And I will be so proud when you do.”


I shrug.

“It’s all Dad’s efforts.” I say. “but I will be glad to take his legacy forward.”


Mom nods in agreement.

“This is one thing I like the most about you. My son never stops sharing other’s success before his.”


Yea. I do. Did I ever mention how much I appreciate what Khushi Gupta does for our Company? Working so closely with her, now I know she is literally slogging to keep the company in the number one position.


“How’s Ayush?” Mom asks, sipping some water.

“He’s handsome..” I grin observing her expressions.


She doesn’t say anything but her cheeks turn red.

“You still blush when I speak about Dad. Isn’t that strange?”

“I loved him once..” her tone is clipped and cold.

“I think he is the only man you have loved.” I add.


She doesn’t comment on that.


“Forget about him. Tell me more about you.. How’s work going? Is he forcing you to work more?”

“Nope. Dad is cool. It’s just that he doesn’t trust me completely that I can take the responsibility of the Company which I am going to change soon. I will make him believe I can handle it all.”

“Oh” she sighs. “So he trusts the CEO more than his own Son?”

“Kind of. It seemed like a problem before but now I see why he does that. Khushi Gupta works like a maniac.”


Mom laughs.

“How’s she outside work?”

I roll my eyes. “You think we go out together outside work? Never. You have no idea how much we disliked sharing this trip together.”

“Aww..” she pouts. “Does she have a sister then? If yes, date her.”

“Mom?” I scream, annoyingly.

“Alright.. Sorry. Lets change this topic. Show me what are you wearing tomorrow at the wedding?”


Right!! I have loads of stuff to check on that with Mom.


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


Khushi’s POV


I am ready in an hour to leave for shopping. So when I come out, Arnav and his mother are still happily chatting in the living room. They both look at me with Arnav’s gaze staying longer than necessary on my face. It’s Odd..


“Umm.. I will be out for few hours.”


I don’t really care to share my schedule with him but I still do.

“You have dressed up like you are going on a date, Miss Gupta,” he teases.


Seriously? He wants to do this now? Teasing part? I know I have dressed up nicely and that’s because my friend Lavanya packed my bags. The moment she knew I was flying with Arnav and would be spending a few days with him, she packed the best of my dresses and God knows why I didn’t stop her. Maybe I love her too much to reject her silliness.


“You shouldn’t have a problem with that ASR.” I scowl then glance at his mother who is speechless by our bickering.

“Excuse me? I’m just being responsible here.” Arnav adds. “What’s the harm telling me where you going and with whom?”

“I am old enough to take my own responsibility. Don’t bother.”

This time Arnav’s mother supports me.

“She wants you to mind your own business Arnav and she is right. Khushi is a mature woman and she knows her responsibility. Stop dominating her.”

“She does the same on me all the time..”


He complains like a child to his Mom who grins and gets up to reach me.


“It was such a pleasure meeting you Khushi. Will you join us for the wedding tomorrow? It will be fun, I promise.”


She’s inviting me?

“Uh no thanks Miss Malik. I . I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t want to be that extra guest as I don’t know anybody there. But you two enjoy and if you don’t mind, please make sure he returns early. We have to discuss the project report for our Oman deal.”


Aarti Malik sighs at my denial but then gives me a hug. I feel obliged to hug her back and it feels good. I have missed feeling so blissful ever since I lost my parents in that car crash six years ago. When she pulls away, I don’t like this loss of contact but obviously I can’t ask her to hug me again. She surprises me by kissing my forehead.


“God bless you Khushi and all the best for your deal. Arnav was telling me how much you have strived for it.”


He told that to his mother? I turn to Arnav who hasn’t taken his eyes off me.


“Thanks, but your son over exaggerates mostly. Don’t believe all that he says..” I tease.


Now he gets up from his seat and reaches us. I don’t look at him. Why should I?

“Anyways I am getting late. I should leave now.” I grab my purse again.

“Sure.. Will you have dinner with us tonight?”


Now I’m even more confused.

“But..”

“Please. I insist.”


I glance at Arnav who has similar shocking expressions on his face. He too hadnt expected his mother to ask me out for dinner with them.

“Okay” I nod. “I will be there. Thanks.”

“Perfect. See you tonight then. I’ll let Arnav know where to bring you..”


I flash a smile at her.. a smile that’s genuine and so rare for me. With hurried steps I leave the room.


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


Arnav’s POV


I spend the rest of the day with Mom, shopping gifts for the wedding we have to attend tomorrow. She’s staying with her friends in some other hotel where I drop her and then promise to be there with Khushi Gupta tonight for dinner at her favorite resto. Mom has her favorite resto and cuisines in almost every country she visits. She’s travelled a lot in the past decade with her friends and I know she loves that. It makes her feel independent and confident. She’s always been a solo planner for all the events and hardly takes my inputs and all these years she has kept teasing me wish she had a daughter too as daughters are easy to plan with as they think similar. I never thought Mom will get so attached to Khushi Gupta in hardly one meet. There’s some charm for sure which the lady Gupta weaves around her, drawing people towards her even if she’s so egoistic and attituded at times.


When I reach the hotel again, Khushi is on a business call. She looks thoroughly pissed. I hope all is fine. I loosen my tie on the way to reach the couch where she’s sitting with her laptop on lap and the phone pressed to her ear.


“I don’t care Rita. You know how important this deal is to the company. I can’t believe we cannot meet the deadlines. This never happened before.. whatever it is. We need the project report in three hours..”


She pauses to hear something and then disconnects.


“What the F***”


She’s leans her head back shutting her eyes. I never heard her used such cuss word before nor I mind but this tension on her face doesn’t suit her.

“What happened?”

She opens her eyes and looks at me.

“We are doomed. The project report is not upto the mark yet. We might need to evaluate it again just to ensure we don’t sign a deal which isn’t that profitable for us.”

“you mean the Oman deal?”

She nods. “Yup and the report wont be ready until midnight.. which I doubt is the case and the team will need more time to prepare which gives the two of us less time to discuss and come up with the best presentation we can present to the client.”


That’s tricky. We really need a day at least to prepare without any disruptions. But seems like we will have to revise now.

“What if we evaluate the report ourselves?” I suggest.

“what do you mean?” she doesn’t look happy.

“I mean, ask the team to send us as much as they have done. The rest we will evaluate and parallelly make the presentation together.”

“Are you kidding me? It will take us more time than we already have..”

“Not if we are ready to stay up for additional hours tonight to finish it.”


She gives a thought.


“You have a wedding to attend tomorrow morning..”

“I look handsome even if I don’t sleep the whole night..”


I wanted to wink at her!! I really did but I know my limits. Me and Khushi are not friends to be that casual. Already my flirty remark makes her glare at me.


“I don’t believe that.”

“Right” I laugh. “I can’t even ask you to judge it yourself tomorrow morning because that would mean you have to stay awake with me to keep a watch on me and I’m not really sure what we can do together the whole night just to stay awake…”


Her glare turns into a frown and then she looks away. Did I say anything cheesy? Of course Arnav.. You just asked her what a man and woman could do the whole night together if they don’t plan to sleep. So? That’s nothing vulgar. We could play a game of chess or something else.. Stop!! I am going off track.


“Fine” she says.. What did she agree for? My idea for evaluating the project report or staying up with me for the whole night? It’s definitely not the latter. “I will ask Rita to send us whatever they are done with. We will take care of the rest.”

“Which means..” I smile. “We need to eat first. Our dinner date with my Mom is up in two hours..”


She checks her watch.

“I’ll be ready.”

“Me too..”


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


Khushi’s POV


I wear another A-line dress, covering my body till my knees and making me look thinner than I already am. I feel good and Arnav’s mom likes it too. She praises me so much that her son is totally jealous and feeling left out. Arnav is wearing a black jeans with his button-down shirt nicely tucked in and he’s wearing a jacket too which gives him a casual look. We have the best view table reserved for us and since it’s a circular table, we are all facing each other like sitting in a triangular position.


Aarti Malik is cool! I like her choices in the menu which goes perfect for me and Arnav being the gentleman he is, prefers not to have alcohol considering we have to stay up the whole night for work. That’s very sensible of him. I don’t usually do dinners like this, at least not so casual and fun but I like it tonight. I think I made the right choice by accepting the dinner invite from Aarti Malik.


We are about to order desserts when I hear someone calling my name. Oh!! I know who it is.. I turn around only to find Shyam Jha making way to our table. What the hell is he doing here? I rise to my feet and the moment he reaches me, Shyam gives me a soft hug. I make sure to push him gently as soon as I recall why I don’t like his presence at the moment here.


“Such a pleasant surprise Khushi. Why didn’t you tell me you are here in Abu Dhabi?” Shyam asks.


I left out a sigh of frustration.

“What are you doing here?”

“Work..” he winks and then turns to the other two people at my table. Oh yes!! Wont look nice if I don’t introduce Shyam to them. When I turn, Arnav is already staring at both of us very curiously and does it look like he is on the verge of clenching his jaw? No!! Why would he? Maybe I am reading too much and too wrong.

“Who are these wonderful people here? Your clients?” Shyam doesn’t leave a chance to slide his arm around my waist which I push away. I don’t want him to touch me at all. Even while I do that, Arnav doesn’t miss to notice and then his curiosity peeks up. He gets up and introduces himself to Shyam, shaking hands with him.


“Hi. I am Arnav Singh Raizada. Khushi works from my father’s company and that’s my Mom..”

“Hello, pleasure meeting you two..” Shyam smiles at both.

“And you are..?” Arnav looks at me, hoping I would respond but before I can, Shyam does it on his own.

“I am Shyam Jha, Khushi’s fiancée.”


And my heart lurches in pain. Yup, he is my fiancée but when I face that reality looking at Arnav Singh Raizada, he looks shocked, unhappy and utterly annoyed. Wait!! Is he really showing all these reactions or am I hallucinating? He shouldn’t feel this way.


“You are engaged?” Arnav asks openly, anxiously too as he looks for a ring on my finger which obviously isn’t.

“No”

“yes” Shyam cuts off my words. “We are engaged since we were what? 18? Right baby?”


A huffed breath leaves my lips and I fake a smile towards Arnav’s Mom.


“Excuse me.. I will just be back..” I turn to Shyam. “We need to talk..”

“Of course baby.. Lets go. Nice meeting you Arnav.. Good night Ma’am.” He grins at both of them before leading me out.


To be Continued.

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