Bride of Sheesh Mahal - Season 3 - Part 6A

(BANNER TO BE POSTED SOON) 

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Chapter 6A

Arnav’s POV


This house is good. Small, but cozy. I can already picturize Khushi and her father living here with lots of happiness surrounding them. Khushi had just come out to pass me a glass of water and she left in the kitchen again. Probably to serve the dinner. I am talking to Shashi Gupta till then. His phone rings but he doesn’t even care to check. That man is too scared to think I would misinterpret him if he ignores our conversation for taking that call.


“Mr. Gupta, you can answer the call. That’s fine.”

“No No. It’s my sister’s call. I can talk to her later.”

“You can talk to her now. My presence shouldn’t be hamper your normal activities. Plus, if you don’t mind until then I can see those pictures hanging on that wall?”

“Sure sure. Please do. I will show them to you..”


He gets up with me but I stop him.

“You are answering the phone call. I will check the pictures myself.”


It’s more of an order this time which he agrees. As soon as he answers the phone call I walk to the wall adjacent to the kitchen door and admire the pictures. I see ‘Khushi’ written at the corner of every picture which tells me she is the artist who drew all this. All are good but there’s this one picture which catches my attention. It’s a temple and a well at the backside of it. That well reminds me of my bad dream. Where I saw myself pushing someone inside it. The mere remembrance brings a bitter taste in my mouth. I need some water. I turn around and see Shashi Gupta still talking so I make my way to the kitchen to ask his daughter serve me some water.


The moment I enter the kitchen, breath leaves my lungs as I see Khushi unconscious on the floor. What the hell!! I rush to her and kneel beside her.


“Khushi..” I pat her cheeks.


My voice is loud probably which is why Shashi Gupta is inside in no time.


“Bitiya.. what happened to her?”

“I don’t know.. she is unconscious..”

“Lets take her to the room inside” he suggests and he is absolutely right. He is about to help me pick her up but he doesn’t have to neither I let him do that. I scoop Khushi in my arms and carry her the next instant.

“Where is the bedroom?”

“That way” he says pointing to my left.

“Bring some water” I say before heading to the bedroom.

I place Khushi on the bed carefully and check her temperature. She seems to be fine only unconscious. Shashi Gupta returns with a jug of water, I sprinkle some on Khushi’s face and pat her cheeks.


“Khushi..”


My voice and the water on her face forces Khushi to open her eyes gently. Thank God. I instantly pour some water in a glass and help Khushi drink it. She sips the water and feels better. Shashi Gupta takes the glass of water from my hand which I had been holding to help Khushi drink and then puts it away once Khushi is fully awake.


“Bitiya, what happened? You okay now?”

“Jee” she nods and suddenly her face drops. “Hey devi maiyaa.. What did you do?”

“What?” I snap, confused what she means.

“You made me drink water? You broke my Nirjala fast?”


My face heats in anger.


“Khushi you had fainted. How did you expect us to bring you back to consciousness.”

“I don’t know” she scowls. “You shouldn’t have done that. I was fasting and I had to break my fast tomorrow morning not now…”

“Khushi bitiya, why are you angry on him? He didn’t do anything on purpose.”


Her father scolds her but I see she doesn’t accept it still.


“I should leave..” I get down the bed.

“No No. Please don’t leave Arnav bitwa.. We have invited you for dinner and..”

“And I don’t think it’s the right time for me to be here.”

“Jee nahi.” Khushi scowls getting on her feet. “You are our guest and we can’t let you go until you eat. I will serve.”

“You are not well. You should rest.”

“I am fine..”


She doesn’t let me argue and rushes back to the kitchen. I just can’t believe a woman could be that adamant that she doesn’t even care of giving some rest to her body.


“I will go help Khushi. You please be comfortable”


I nod at Shashi Gupta who follows Khushi to the kitchen and then I make my way to the small dining table. The food is served in few minutes. I am glad I didn’t turn down such delicious food. Khushi really cooks well.


“I have never had such awesome food in London. This is the best of my meals so far.”


My comment brings a smile on Shashi Gupta’s face but Khushi is silent. We both have shared innumerous glances towards each other but didn’t speak again.


“I told you Khushi cooks nice. Bitiya, serve some rice to Arnav bitwa.”

I don’t deny because I am really hungry and I can’t miss such exceptional food. Khushi serves me and in an attempt to stop her from serving me more, I hold her wrist.


As soon as I touch her, she glares at me and I realize I shouldn’t have done that. She is touch-me-not woman after all.


“Touch naa karne ka bhi fast hai kya?” I whisper and her eyes widen in shock.

“You mind your actions. I don’t like strangers touching me.” she answers back in whisper so that her father cannot listen us.


Stranger?? Fair enough. Will she let me touch her if I agree to this marriage then? I wont technically be a stranger to her if that happens.!! Shit! What am I thinking? I focus back on the food and finish it quickly.


After dinner, I talk some more to Shashi Gupta while keeping my gaze on Khushi in between, seeing her winding up the daily chores. She does so much for this house with no help. I really appreciate that. I see why Daadi chose her for my bride. She really wanted a simple woman who could bind the whole family together. Khushi Gupta has those capabilities.


It’s around 10 pm when I finally get back on my feet to leave.


“Thank you for the dinner Mr. Gupta. I really had some nice time with you two here..”

“Pleasure was ours..” he replies. “Khushi, go and drop Arnav bitwa till his car.”


I can see what her father is trying to do. He wants his daughter to say yes to this proposal which is why he wants her to spend some time with me and know me. Typical traditional set up!! Khushi unwillingly leads me out and then towards the car which is parked at their gate.


“The food was lovely” I say again as we reach my car.

“You have said that many times.”

“I mean it. I haven’t tasted such good food ever.”


Now she knows I am not boasting her. I mean it for real.

“And sorry for breaking your fast.. I didn’t realize what I was doing. I did what I thought was right to do at that instance.”

“I know.” She sighs.

I am glad she understands and since we are talking normally now, I decide to tease her a bit.


“Who knows, it could be some kind of sign from your Devi Maiyaa? Maybe she wanted me to break your fast..”


Her jaw drops at my remark.

“Stop dragging my Devi Maiyaa in between ..”

“Why?” I shrug. “Don’t you keep saying.. whatever we do is all because Devi Maiyaa wants us to do? So maybe she wanted me to break your fast.. I did.. ”


Khushi now lowers her gaze from mine. Is she shy? I don’t know but her cheeks have turned red. But only for a moment. She again looks at me with the same anger that she always throws upon me.

“when are you rejecting this proposal to your Daadi?” she asks.


Very eager for me to do this, isn’t she?

“After you..” I reply.


My reply stuns her.

“What? After me? Why is that? You said your Daadi is not going to pressurize the other if even one of us has denied to go ahead with this.. then why can’t you reject it right away? Why wait for two more days?”

“Because its worth it..” I interrupt her.


I don’t know why I say that. She is about to dig for the reason behind my weird response but I don’t let her speak.

“If you want, you can reject this proposal any moment but I am not doing it until you do.”


Khushi stares at me confused.


“What if. What If I don’t deny? What Will you do then?”


I grin.

“May be I wont deny it too.”


She stares at me with even more confusion. I am being honest. I don’t know why I said that but I think if Khushi Gupta agrees to this marriage, I might agree too. Provided, I am confident first that she would stop being a touch-me-not wife because no matter what, I need complete access to the woman I marry, right from the day of our marriage itself. I don’t say it to Khushi yet because it might scare her even more. So, whilst she is still lost in my words, I make my way to the car and drive back to Sheesh Mahal.



To be Continued

NEXT PART 


Note: Short part so will give another one tomorrow.

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Standalone Enemies to Lovers Romance Novel

Jhanvi Sikand
I was supposed to marry my childhood friend, Mohit Raichand. Call it fate or destiny, I tied the knot with the Forbidden Heir of the Raichand family – Aarav Raichand, instead. I knew nothing about him except that he used me as a pawn to start a war to snatch from the Raichands what was legally his.

Aarav Raichand
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