THE WAIT - Chapter 3B

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CHAPTER 3B


KHUSHI GUPTA


Weekend


I get down my car at the farmhouse owned by the Raizadas where we are going to spend this weekend. It’s a beautiful house. I have never been here before but had heard from Dhruv many a times that this was his favorite place. Knowing that, I even had planned to propose him for our marriage whenever we came to India from London. But alas, that never happened. Only if Dhruv hadn’t gone to Greece and…

“Khushi move…” Dad’s scream brings me out of my stance and only to realize that a speedy car is approaching inside the mansion gates towards me. I’m so shaken at the moment that I literally shut my face in the horror of being dashed by the car. In a fraction of seconds, I hear a loud screeching of the vehicle and a wild gush of wind enough to make me shiver. My heart beats frantically, realizing the car didn’t hit me. I am alive!! Very much. The loud thud of the car door forces me to pull away my palm from over my eyes and I see Arnav Singh Raizada marching angrily my way after getting out of the driver’s seat. It was his car and he was driving it. So damn, rash!! Before I could react, he reaches me and grips my arms angrily.

“Where the hell was your attention?” he screams at me pulling me towards him. “Do you even realize you were mindlessly crossing the path and I hadn’t pulled the brakes the right time, you could have ..” he pauses unable to think or say what could have happened if he had hit me with his car..

As soon as Dad, mom and the rest of the Raizada family surrounds me, Arnav’s grip on my arms loosen and he steps away, clenching his jaw.

“Khushi? Are you okay?” Mom immediately cups my face and gives me a hug.

“You should be careful, Khushi. Where were you so lost?” Dad inquires with the same worry.

I am so shocked right now that I’m speechless. Not because of the accident that was avoided. But because of Arnav’s reactions to it. I agree he was worried too considering no matter we share any bond or not, he didn’t want to see any one of us hurt, but the way he pounced on me, with a mix of rage and fear told me a different side of him. I keep staring at him, as he moves the family away and makes his way inside the house, while loosening his tie on the way.

“Don’t scare her more, Shashi and Garima,” Nani’s voice breaks my trance again. “Let’s settle inside. She is already so scared. We should be grateful to God that nothing bad happened. Anyways, lets get inside the house and let Khushi relax too. C’mon.”

Everyone disperses inside and I too walk with Mom, following Dad and others. Even though that accident was averted, which sent goosebumps and shivers throughout my body, the only thing I feel right now is the intense touch of Arnav Singh Raizada and the only voice that still echoes in my head is his passionate vulnerable thick voice laced with pain. What the hell is wrong with me?


ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA


I remove the tie and throw it on the bed. What the hell was that!!! How can a woman turn so silent, cold and confused when she was anything like that in the past? She’s the most daring and vigilant woman I’ve ever known. Dhruv’s death has completely shaken her mind, changed her personality. She is losing it slowly, no matter how much strong she still tries to show up before her family. Damn!!

“Chotte..” Di enters my room and no matter how much I try to hide my anger and concern for Khushi, I can’t.

“Di I am fine..” I snap.

“No you are not..” she reaches me and holds my hand. “you are shivering Chotte. Come here..”


She drags me to the bed and forces me to sit on it. She takes the spot next to me and keeps rubbing my shivering hand.

“It’s okay.. Khushi is fine. Nothing happened to her.” She keeps saying.


I shut my eyes, trying to absorb what she is saying but hold on.. this isn’t good. I can’t let Di or anyone else from the family know that I even have a soft corner for her, forget having a full fledged feelings which can burn down this world if I ever decide to make her mine against her wish.. I open my eyes, and stand up again, shrugging Di’s arm.

“Di I am fine. How’s Khushi?”

“She is good now. Nani has asked her rest. All of us got so scared when we saw Khushi mindlessly crossing the pathway not realizing your car was speeding towards her.”


I swallow.

“Let’s just forget this because thankfully nothing happened. The families are here to unwind and so we should stop thinking on it.”

I nod. “I scared her..” I add, apologetically recalling how I gripped her arms, hauled her to me and snapped at her for being so recklessly crossing the driveway.

“You definitely scared her off.” Di chuckles. “More than the idea of accident, you pouncing at her confused her, do you realize that?”


Shit!! I do realize that because she was shivering in my grip when I shouted at her.


“There’s only one way to handle this situation now..” Di continues, this time standing before me and grinning. “Give her nice flowers and apologize for being so raw and rude on her.”

I am about to negate that but she doesn’t let me speak.

“We have enough red roses in the back garden. I can ask the Gardener to pluck a few for you. What say?”

I know which direction this conversation is going. I roll my eyes.

“I’m doing nothing like that. And don’t think I’m a fool to not understand what you trying to do, Di.”

“What’s my fault in this if I like to see you and Khushi together? As in… like a pair.. a couple?”


Couple!! Me and Khushi? I am short of breath.. words and heartbeats.. all together..

“Is that a blush on your face, Chotte, that I am seeing right now?” Di teases further.

I turn my back to her, to compose myself.

“Blush? And Me? You should get your eyesight checked up for seeing extra things..”


Di giggles heartily turning me around again.

“Chotte, no matter how many excuses you give me, I know you like Khushi and wouldn’t mind if she becomes your life partner. And you know what I think? I think she is already meant to be yours.. just yours.. Mark my words.. That day isn’t far when we all will see you both as a happily married couple.”


Married couple! No.. No matter how much I would like that too, I know Khushi would never give me the place in her heart which she had given to Dhruv. She’s still love with him, even after his death. Even if she marries me under pressure, she would never love me like she loved him and Arnav Singh Raizada would live single throughout his life but not want to marry a woman who had no interest in developing feelings for him.

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Rohan Oberoi

'Our Friendship was strong, but our Love?'

Adventurous, fun-loving and obsessed with my luxury cars, I knew exactly what I wanted from life until I met my college ex-bestie, Ishika Bhatia as the new lead designer of my jewelry brand, after a decade. Her reckless decisions in the past broke my heart and trust, ruining me for every other woman. Whilst I tried to shield my heart again from her, Ishika’s sassiness kept overpowering my tantrums. And then it happened. One unforeseen kiss and I knew this time she was in for more. A lot more!! But was I ready to reignite that love?

Ishika Bhatia

'I navigated the engine of our friendship, while he throttled the gears of his love.'

They say life is a race, and racing had been my only passion. So, when destiny played its card and brought me face to face with my best friend Rohan Oberoi, I didn't want to miss out on our only chance to rekindle our friendship. I knew I'd ruined what we had once. But don’t I deserve a second chance? No matter how much Rohan remained cold, distant and indifferent to my feelings for him, I was determined to turn his enduring grumpiness in my favour and fix our relationship, even if it meant snatching him against his will. And then it happened. One unplanned kiss and I knew this was just the beginning. But was I willing to cross the boundaries of friendship and ignite the flames of love?

Unrequited love is hard to live. But what if you get a second chance? Get ready for this super cute standalone romance of #Roshika (Rohan & Ishika) to race your hearts with their happily ever after.

Though this book can be read as a Standalone, to read Rohan and Ishika's Cameo roles, you can read the following books:

Mr and Mrs Kapoor (Vansh Kapoor and Vidhi Gupta’s Hidden Marriage Romance)

Love By Chance (Sameer Khanna and Tanisha Gupta’s Slow Burn Arranged Marriage Romance)