NEW FF: LOVE ME NOT - Prologue

 

PROLOGUE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Arnav Singh Raizada

We bagged another deal today and my best friend Aman Mathur, the Executive head of my fashion company AR Group has organized this party for me at Manhattan’s best nightclub. While he has excused himself to answer a phone call back from India, I take a sip of the Wine, looking at the beautiful women grooving their bodies on the dance floor. Being rich, handsome and born with a silver spoon, with sharp witty brains to run a company with a turnover of billions of dollars every year, I was never scarce of female attention. One look was all it needed for me and they would be ready to fall at my feet. My relationship status or rather marital status still didn’t bother them to dance around my fingers. Yet, it wasn’t the same for me anymore!!

“Trouble begins, ASR,” Aman returns, taking a seat on the plush red sofa at the VIP section of the Club.

I give him a curious stare to know what trouble he is talking about?

“Why don’t you just pick the call and speak to your father?” Aman asks.

“Speak what?” I shrug. “He just has one question for me every time we speak – when am I returning to India.”

“That’s because he misses you,” Aman replies sipping his wine.

“He misses me is one thing. But he also misses seeing me with that girl who has all his heart and blessings.”

“Girl?” Aman rolls his eyes. “That girl is your wife, ASR. At least call her by her name. She has such a beautiful name.”

That’s true! My wife has a beautiful name – Khushi! And whatever I have heard about her so far is that she is just like her name. Spreading happiness everywhere she goes.

“Look,” Aman puts his glass down and leans forward to speak. “Uncle told me Khushi’s graduation day is next week. He wants you to come and be a part of it.”

“C’mon, Aman,” I groan. “I’m not going to waste my time on that.”

“Arnav, shut up. I’m booking us in the next week’s flight to Delhi. You like it or not is not my concern anymore. I’m done being the mediator between you and Uncle. It’s high time you deal with this mess yourself.”

I swallow all the liquid from my glass in one shot. Three years ago, my father Ayush Singh Raizada dropped a bomb in my life. The marriage Bomb. I’m still facing its repercussions.

A decade back when AR Group was facing a lot of financial troubles and was on the verge of collapsing, Dad’s friend Shashi Gupta came forward and invested a huge sum so that AR group could stand again. His only condition that time was that he didn’t want the money in return but to get his only daughter Khushi Gupta married to me when she turns 18. Since Dad needed that money, he had blindly agreed to the deal, without even confirming with me. I was a teenager then but could understand it very well that I was being sold off to the man who was investing in our company. Since that day, my relationship with Dad took a bitter turn. Though AR Group rose again from the ashes of all the loses and debts, I could never come up with any solution to stop myself from getting tied to a girl who was 7 years younger to me. Khushi Gupta had no idea about this at all until she was 18. It was on her 18th birthday that our fathers announced our marriage in next two weeks. I still remember that shock on her face. She had outrightly rejected the idea of marrying me, opening up about her affair with her college crush. Urgh! I don’t even want to go in that zone of her breakup.

“Booked,” Aman’s voice jolts me in my seat.

Damn hell! This time I order myself a strong drink. Aman didn’t just book our flight to India, but my ticket to hell!!

INDIA

Khushi Gupta

I browse the itineraries on my laptop screen which my friends and I are yet to decide on. Born rich, I have already seen half of the world, or at least that’s what the stamps on my passport says, but I was too young when I went abroad to enjoy those family trips and vacations. I’d always wanted to have a vacation with my friends but Dad always had an excuse that once I was 18, he would let me go and have the real fun with my friends. But then on my 18th birthday, he dropped the marriage bomb! Screw it! I don’t even want to recollect those memories and how I have survived the last three years of my life, being married to the most disinterested husband of the world, while parallelly completing my graduation. Almost all my friends have hots for Arnav Singh Raizada except me, the one he is legally married to. I mean he is good, just good! For being exceptionally well in my eyes, he has a lot to do yet.

“How about Hawaii?” Pam’s voice echoes in the room, enough to divert my thoughts.

“Nah!” I shake my head in dismissal.

“Then Maldives??”

“We are not going for Honeymoon. It’s a girls’ trip.” I retort.

“What about Bali?” Lavanya suggests this time. “It’s calm and serene there.”

“We are looking for some fun, not peace of mind.”

“Then only one place comes to my mind,” Pam replies excited. “Las Vegas.”

My mouth drops. Even Lavanya seems interested.

“She is right. Extravagant hotels, fantastic nightlife, casinos and most importantly, world-class sexy men to have a good night.” She winks at me.

Payal who has been quiet so far suddenly speaks up.

“Stop it girls. Why do you want Khushi to feel left out, if we go in Las Vegas.” She asks.

“Why would I feel left out?”

“Because you can’t enjoy men. You are married dumbo!”

“Urgh!!” I roll my eyes. “You think my lawfully wedded husband is not getting attention from women everywhere around the world he travels?”

Payal pouts. Lavanya frowns at her.

“Of course he is getting every bit of attention and their time, Khushi. You know how these men are! They can never be loyal.”

I don’t comment. Lavanya has had three affairs so far and each of them broke off because her men couldn’t be loyal to her.

“I could have still vouched Arnav Singh Raizada had he at least been in touch with Khushi in the last three years of their marriage. But forget asking her how she is, so far he hasn’t even shown interest in meeting her once.” Pam continues.

“And there is no man without needs. Especially a virile man like him. If he hasn’t been demanding that from Khushi being his wife, he would have other women at his beck and call.” Lavanya adds.

“Enough, girls,” I shout. “We are discussing about our girls' trip, not how many women have warmed my husband’s bed so far.”

The room goes silent again as my three best friends, Pam, Payal and Lavanya stare at me with sympathy. Yeah well, what else can they do? They know how badly I am stuck into this wedding. They are living their lives independently, at least they have liberty to choose the man in their lives. I have lost that right three years back.

I turn to my laptop screen again. Whatever happens, I am not letting my forced marriage with Arnav Singh Raizada alter my life plans anymore.

“We are going to Las Vegas.” I decide, before clicking on the ‘Book’ button to confirm our trip!! A week after our graduation day, I’m going to open my wings and fly the way I always wanted to. Let me see who stops me this time!

TO BE CONTINUED...

NEXT CHAPTER TEASER LINK

NOTE


Hello Friends. Didn’t want to start with this NEW FF on Arshi until “The Wait” FF is completed. But due to the festival around the corner, I haven’t been able to draft much. Since this was already drafted before, I thought of posting it today. Will post the next chapter of “The Wait” in 2-3 days max. I’m still struggling with more updates every week so please give me a little time to sort this out. “The Wait” will have 5-6 chapters more to end after which this FF will begin.

‘Love Me Not’ is a mix of the following Romance Tropes:

Age Gap Romance

Forced Proximity

Marriage of Convenience

Enemies to Lovers

Grumpy Sunshine

It’s not one of the usuals I have written so far. So, I guarantee you will love it. 😊

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