Rabba Ishq Naa Hove - Season 3 - Part 8

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Chapter 8


Arnav’s POV


Six years back

I shouldn’t be doing this. Khushi and me together had always been explosive whenever I’d imagined about us in my head but tonight when she was on my lap, in the confined space of the car, straddling me, while I touched the most intimate part of her body, only heightened my desires for her. She had been the only woman I was so much attracted to right from the first time we met. But she being my Boss’s daughter had always kept my feelings at check. It was a surprise when I realized Khushi too had similar feelings for me and unlike me, she was very open enough to admit them. I couldn’t fathom what my next actions should be when she came daily to Office and tried seeking my attention on her. That slowly worsened when she openly drooled me in the parties whenever we were around. A part of my heart bloomed with the thought that the woman I loved was reciprocating my feelings back to me but I was worried this wouldn’t end well in the future. She was rich, pampered and her needs from life were bigger than my goals. I had a family to look after while she was carefree. I had to think twice before spending while she lavishly spent hundred times the money I earned, every month. I couldn’t afford her for long and that was the exact reason why I had asked Khushi to stay away from me. I thought that would stop her advancements but I was wrong. She failed to put every distance between us and openly expressed how much she wanted me to be a part of her life. Tonight, when she expressed her desire to spend the rest of her life with me, I couldn’t push her away and confessed how much I loved her too. That one confession turned into a kiss… later into a makeout and now… though we were still fully clothed, she made me touch her where it ached her the most…

Another car’s horn brought us back to our senses. I was the first one to realize we were in the middle of the road and anyone could catch us getting intimate in the car which wouldn’t go well with her dignity. So, I gave her a final kiss on her lips and then helped her get back on her seat. She looked absolutely in bliss and a bit disoriented too. But the smile she gave me thereafter was like that was one of the best moments of her life and I was glad it was me who made her feel that way.


After dropping her back home, I promised myself to do everything in my power to make sure we get our happily-ever-after too.


I couldn’t meet Khushi for a week again and whenever I tried to get some information about her, I could see Shashi Sir ignoring it. He was also very cold and distant to me suddenly which didn’t go well again with my heart. Suddenly another experienced man was recruited and I was told to give him knowledge transfer. All the duties I did, I was told to explain it to him. It didn’t take me rocket science to know I was going to be jobless soon. Why? I was yet to find out. Did Khushi speak to her father about us? Or did he see us in the car that night? I had no clue. But the fear of Khushi’s safety seemed more important to me than my present job. I knew Shashi Gupta would never approve of his daughter falling in love with me. Not wanting to guess what might have transpired between the father-daughter, I decided to meet Khushi secretly and get these details directly from her instead.


I managed to sneak inside the Gupta Villa that night. Shashi Sir was out for a party and wouldn’t be home anytime soon so I used this opportunity to my benefit. I didn’t have to locate Khushi’s bedroom since I already knew where it was. The door was slightly open and I saw Khushi lying on the bed, on her stomach and speaking on a video call with her friend. She was giggling and laughing which eased my heart. At least she was safe and Shashi Gupta hadn’t hurt her or locked her up.


“You always blush whenever I take his name.. Is Arnav really so handsome?” her friend asked.

“He is.. He is handsomeness personified..”


Her reply brought a smile on my face. It felt good to be praised by the woman I loved.

“Someone is falling in love, huh..” her friend teased again.

“Oh c’mon, Sheetal. Love is a very strong emotion. I don’t love him.”


My heart skipped a beat as she ended that statement. She didn’t love me? But she told me she did and that’s exactly why we ended up doing a lot more than a kiss..


“I know..” Sheetal sighed. “All you love is your father’s money, status, and of course your freedom. But what I don’t understand is how did you take the risk of fooling a man? That too the one who works for your father? What if Arnav tells your father about you two?”

“He wont.. And even if he shares it, my father would believe what I tell him.. not him.”

“And what would you tell him?” Sheetal probed.

“That I am old enough and I desired to know what it felt like to be touched by a man. My father can’t cage me forever with his protectiveness, Sheetal. I want to explore the world.”

“And Arnav? What about him? What would you tell him because as far as you told me about that scene, it feels like he is serious about you..”


Khushi took a minute to reply and my heart was already into pieces knowing she wouldn’t say anything in my favor. She had clearly fooled me..


“I would tell him find someone of his status then.. A woman like me is out of his budget.”

“Really?” I finally spoke, drawing her attention on me.


She turned around and her eyes widened in shock.

“Arnavvvv????” she squealed in displeasure and immediately disconnected the call.. “What… what are you doing here?”


I didn’t care to tell her why I came there.

“You don’t love me?” I asked as she got down the bed. I didn’t know my feet were already taking me towards her.

“Arnav, you can’t be here.. Dad can come here any moment..”


I grabbed her arms and pulled her to me..


“All that happened between us was not love? It was only a play for you, Khushi?”


She flinched at my touch.

“You should leave, Arnav.”

“Answer me..”

“Arnav, you are hurting me now..” she snapped.

I drew her closer.

“Answer me dammit…” I scowled.

“Yes..” she used all her force to shrug me off. “Yes it wasn’t love. I… I don’t know if it was love..”


She turned around and I grabbed her elbow to turn her back to me.


“You don’t know what that was?” I clenched my teeth.

“I don’t..” she nodded and exhaled. “Look Arnav. I really like you.. I just.. I Just wished you were not my father’s assistant..”

“I can leave that job for you...”


I wasn’t being insane but I said it to know what her reply would be. If she was really bothered of me working with her father was a problem for her to accept her feelings for me.

“Are you mad? You would leave a job for a woman?”

“I would leave a job for the woman I love..” I clarified.

“And then do what?” she shouted. “How would you give me all this luxury which my father has been giving me so far?”

“I would earn more Khushi.. Don’t underestimate my capabilities..”

“You are being over confident Arnav and it doesn't suit you.”


She thought I am over confident?


“Okay look. Whatever we have between us is great. I just… just don’t want to tag it with a name now. Let’s stick to that for some time. I can even suggest Dad to promote you and when the right time comes, and when you have saved enough money, we can talk to dad and tell him about us. If he really likes you, then who knows he might accept you and we don’t even have to stay away from this luxury. All that belongs to me here can be yours.. And…”


Before she could complete that, I pulled her arm and hauled Khushi to my body again.


“I don’t want your money.. your promotion or the perks of your luxurious life. I want you, Khushi. If you promise to just stay by my side, and love me truly, I can earn this for you..”

“Money rules, Arnav. And money like this needs a lifetime to earn. You or any other man can never reach the level of Guptas ever. I suggest you give up that thought and accept the easy way..”


I was shocked by her beliefs. She was highly mistaken about life, love and most importantly about me.


“If you think I’ll love a middleclass man and leave all this which my father has been giving me so far, you are wrong. I love my life here.. And whatever was missing in it, I tried sucking from you. Now if you don’t like that about me, I suggest you leave this room at once then and find someone who is ready to live in poverty with you. Because I definitely am not that good woman..”


I was so raged by her words that I cupped her jaw harder.


“Take back your words, Khushi.. Please tell me you are doing this because you are afraid of your father that he wouldn’t approve me..”


“Arnav???” Shashi Gupta’s voice echoed in the room. He was back from the party and inside Khushi’s bedroom glaring at me. The moment Khushi saw her father, she pushed me away and ran into his arms.

“Dad..”


Shashi Gupta secured her in his embrace while his heated gaze didn’t move away from my face.

“I love your daughter…” I said it because there was no point in hiding the truth.


Love was a sacred emotion and I had no shame admitting I was in love with a woman who was beyond my reach in every way. Shashi Gupta turned to Khushi.


“Do you love him back?”


She looked horrified. It was her moment of truth and she told the truth.

“No.. I don’t…”


That’s right. She didn’t love me. A woman like her only loved the lifestyle she was leading, with money and luxury at her feet. She could only love that.. Not a struggling man like me. It did hurt me infinite times to know how could I not see her real face before? She was so charming that I was fooled royally and she manipulated me. Here I had begun dreaming of being the kind of man she deserved, someday, while the truth was, she wasn’t even ready to support me be one. Forget supporting, she had no feelings for me apart from liking my touch because she never got close to any other man before. She used me and played brutally with my heart which had almost stopped beating after seeing her treacherous side.


“Leave this place at once before I call the police Arnav,” Shashi Gupta snarled. “And no need to come to office from tomorrow. I don’t have to tell you that you are fired.”


I shrugged and then laughed. That was the first laugh turning me insane.


“On what grounds are you removing me from work?” I asked.

“I am the boss, I can take you out anytime I want..”

“Wrong..” I challenged, coming closer. “I work sincerely there and I know every little secret of the company that you have been hiding very cunningly so far. You can’t risk all that Sir.”


Shashi Gupta was annoyed but he didn’t speak a word.


“Neither I will walk away from your deceitful daughter nor from your company. Try and see if you can..”


Saying that, I walked out giving a final glare to Khushi whose dropped jaw hinting she wasn’t prepared to face this new side of me.


Flashback ends..


The door knock breaks the flashback of our past, forcing me to shove away Khushi’s arm from my hand which was stroking her stomach to soothe her ache. I didn’t know what got into me that I came to her in this room. I just didn’t want her to sleep in pain and hungry. Suman enters the room with Khushi’s dinner plate served. That’s all the latter needs at the moment. So, I get up to leave when Khushi grabs my wrist and stops me from going away.


“When you couldn’t compel me to love you, this is the way you chose to teach me a lesson isn’t it? By forcing me to marry you while you pretend to hate me for life?”


I don’t answer to her. Not until Suman keeps the plate and marches out of the room, leaving us alone again. The moment she is gone, I shrug Khushi’s arm from mine and turn around.


“I don’t hate you because you lied about loving me once, Khushi. I hate you because of what you and your father did to destroy me and my family after that night.”


Khushi looks puzzled at my remark.

“I … I didn’t do anything, Arnav. I have no frigging clue what happened to you or your family after that night.. All I know is that two weeks later Dad told me you had finally left the company and the city, both.. and wait.. what did Dad do?” she asks, faking concern and surprise on her face.


I don’t believe her. She can negate anything but not this.

“You didn’t meet my mother?” I query and she goes numb. As if she finally remembers what her mistake was. And how much that costed me and my family.


She opens her mouth to speak but then looks away in guilt. I hold her jaw and force her to look at me.

“What happened? Still don’t want to accept your sins, do you? And why don’t you ask your father what he did? Then maybe you and him can both lament together on how you have invited hell upon yourselves by your past deeds..”


Khushi is speechless at the moment but I am not waiting for her explanation either. Whatever she and her father did in the past, can never make things right between us again. I leave her and then scoot out of her room shutting the door behind.


To be Continued.

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