Rabba Ishq Naa Hove - Season 3 - Part 7B

 

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Chapter 7B


Khushi’s POV


I was quiet most of the ride from AR Group office to the shopping mall. Arnav’s words still ringing in my ears.

You broke the man in me I was once. How can I stop with anything less than that? This is a war Khushi. Until you accept your defeat, confess and feel guilty for your sins, until you repent and beg to me to forgive you, I am not stopping this war.


I broke him. He started this war and now what? It ends on me accepting my sins? I don’t recall doing anything that brutal with him that might change his entire personality. Or did Dad do something at my back? But I had …

“Khushi,” Lavanya’s voice breaks my trance.

“Huh?” I finally turn to her as she smiles back at me. “Arnav had told me you are quite talkative… I think marriage has made you go silent totally. Is that so?”


Arnav told her about me? My traits? When? Suddenly the idea of knowing what else she and Arnav spoke about me, pokes my curiosity.

“What else did he tell you about me?” I ask.

“Not too much. He’s like a closed book. His feelings might reveal on his face but he won’t open up about them so easily. But he’s talked about you when he told me he was going to marry you.”

“And when was that?”

“Just a week before your marriage..”


A week before? Arnav had planned everything beforehand, didn’t he?

“And he didn’t invite you for our wedding?” I ask.

I didn’t mean to mock at her and looks like she understands that.

“I wasn’t in town during that time. And he wanted a private wedding… just between you and him. I believe that’s very romantic.”

Romantic? Anything about that wedding wasn’t romantic. So, whatever talks I have with Lavanya it’s for sure she has no idea about the treacherous ways Arnav has used to get me fooled into this marriage. We reach the store where I usually shop my innerwear from and Lavanya simply accompanies me there without doing much.


“How long have you known Arnav from?” I continue to probe. She is looking for some nightwear for herself.

“Six years..”


That’s the same period Arnav went missing from my life. So, that means he met her after whatever happened between me and him? Hmm.

“How did you two meet?” I query again. “I mean he wasn’t rich six years back and you seem to be born rich woman. So, how exactly did he earn all this in such a short span?”


Lavanya stops her search for the nightwear and turns to me.

“That’s his story to tell you, Khushi. I don’t think I would be able to tell you anything beyond that. Just remember one thing though.. he might be all broody right now but that innocence is still hidden within him somewhere. I hope you bring that out of him again because I know you are the one he lost it to..”


Yeah. Well. Arnav tells me the same. That I butchered his innocence. I still don’t understand how? I turn around to try some stuff when I see a white button-down shirt on a male mannequin at the other end of the store and suddenly, I recall how handsome Arnav used to look in white shirts before. Sure, he would look the same even now. An idea pops in my head. If I need my answers, and if I want to sustain with him under one roof until Dad finds a way to pull me out, I have to be cordial with him. The best way to start is by gifting the man and what best than that shirt can it be?


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Arnav’s POV


I enter AR Mansion, checking the message from Lavanya that she had dropped Khushi an hour back home after shopping which means my wife is home. When she had swiped my card at the store, I immediately got a message and I wondered why she didn’t shop her heart out like she did most of the time. Seeing only a five-digit figure spent on her shopping seems like a joke. I know how capable she is to spend money without any second thought. The day she’ll earn some herself, she’ll know its importance. But again, that’s not her fault. Shashi Gupta didn’t teach her to value money.


I enter my bedroom, take a shower when I hear a door knock. Must be the servant asking me if the dinner should be served. I open the door and for a second my heart skips a beat. Khushi stands before my door, in a black satin robe, whose knots are tied around her waist. She looks freshly showered like me as her hair are semi-wet. Suddenly my hard composure returns. She doesn't deserve my admiration.. not anymore..


“Sorry to disturb you but the dinner is ready..” she smiles.

“Then have your dinner. Why are you telling me that?”

“So that we dine together, Arnav.”


She must be joking. I don’t want to sit together with her for a meal and watch her relishing her food. Though I haven’t seen her doing so from past six years, I know that scene still can mellow down my anger. And I don’t want that to happen.


“I am not interested in eating dinner with you..” I say it on her face.


She doesn't look surprised.

“I know that. But just like I am tolerating you as my husband, can’t you tolerate me for few minutes at the dining table?”

“No”


And I shut the door on her face. Leaning back at the door, I shut my eyes, hoping she doesn't knock again but Khushi does. What the heck is wrong with her tonight?

“Arnav, stop being such a jerk. I’m asking you to have meal with me. That’s all.”


I don’t reply. Silence is the best treatment for now. I make my way to the dressing mirror and the door knocks again. Damn!! She is not going to relent.

“I’m either eating with you or not eating at all. Choice is yours..” she bangs the door once more. “I know you’ll be happy if I starve but let me tell you I am very hungry and it’s not good to let a woman sleep hungry. I get stomach cramps if I don’t eat at night. Mind you, you can’t tolerate if I get those cramps. ”


This time she bangs the door very hard, notching up my frustration level. I don’t understand why she wants to suddenly eat her meals with me. That could be her tactic to irritate me further like she did by coming to my office today. Whatever it is, I know one thing for sure. She can’t control her hunger for long. Khushi will eat without me. I am sure she will.


I continue working in my room and ask the servant to serve me dinner in my bedroom. But he tells me Khushi hasn’t eaten yet. A part of me wants to accept her wish to dine together but I know doing so will give her a hint that such tactics mellow me down and I don’t want her to manipulate me. So I eat my meals, though little than my usual quantity and that’s only because I know Khushi is hungry because of me. It’s strange how despite of all that she did to me and my family, I still have any feelings for her. Even sympathy feels too big to shower upon the woman who wiped off the smiles from my face forever.


Two hours later, when I finish working, I ask my maid again if she ate and the answer is still the same. Khushi hasn’t eaten anything at all. She’s in her room ever since I didn’t entertain her. Damn hell!! She’s very adamant, I know. When she wants something, she makes sure of getting it at any cost. But not this time. I ask Suman, the woman I have hired to take care of Khushi in this house, to ensure she eats and then I call it night. I have some important meetings scheduled tomorrow morning.


It’s been an hour since I am tossing and turning on the bed. Sleep is the last thing in my mind because its more worried if Khushi ate or not. Yes, I hate her.. A lot.. but keeping her starving is not my thing. The other day when she denied pleading to me at Gupta mansion and I didn’t stop her from wandering alone the entire day without any money, shelter or enough food is the last time I planned to let it happen. No doubt she deserves to be punished but I can’t let her face it empty stomach. So with a growl, that a part of my silly heart still wants to be lenient towards her, I get down from my bed and march out of the room.

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

Khushi’s POV


“Don’t touch me..” I push Suman away as she tries to give me the medicine.

“Ma’am. This should ease your cramps. Or at least eat dinner. If Sir gets to know you didn’t eat, he will not be happy.”


Really? He won’t be happy? If he was so worried of me eating, he wouldn’t have royally declined my eating together idea.

“Oucchh” I hold my stomach which aches badly again.

“Ma’am, I will have to inform Sir if you don’t eat or take this medicine..”

“He doesn't care..” I say with pain and the moment I do, I find Arnav standing at the door.


He is here? I thought he must have slept long ago.. The moment Suman sees him, she rushes to the door.


“Sir, Ma’am didn’t eat so..”

“I know.. Serve her food..” he orders.

“No thanks..” I growl. “I don’t want your pity…”


Suman is confused what to do but she takes the commands of her boss as expected and then rushes out. I sit on the bed, holding my stomach which hasn’t stopped aching and the pain has only intensified with every second. I try to give it a gentle rub but nothing works. This is the problem when I sleep hungry. I have this issue since my childhood. Even a fruit or salad is enough to keep my stomach full at night but if I sleep empty stomach, I get these weird cramps and they don’t stop until I eat something.


I am about to rub my stomach again over my satin robe when he does it for me.. Arnav’s palm rubs my tummy gently over the fabric and my breath hitches as I see that soft vulnerable side of his, especially those concerned expressions on his face as his gaze lingers over his palm which is stroking my stomach. This is the Arnav Singh Raizada I knew before.. the man who managed to steal my breath with his smile.. The smile.. which now seems to have lost somewhere and he blames me for it.


I don’t realize what goes through me that instead of pushing his hand away, I keep my palm over his, pressing his palm strongly to my stomach, and I do this without breaking my gaze from his face. Arnav’s broody eyes, meet mine and it feels like the time halts.. we are transported back to the night when he had touched me.. in the car…


To be Continued..


NEXT PART

Note: Flashback of Arnav’s past will be in the next chapter. Not complete past but enough to know why he hates Khushi.

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