CHAPTER 12: ON HIS DEMAND

"Whatever!" Lavanya snapped. "You are getting money for the work. And I WANT KHUSHI DEAD!"she emphasized her words angrily.

Anonymous: "How would I go in?You know the tight security that is always around her. It's not an easy job. And you know..."


"I know that. And to make your work easier, there is a party at RM you can easily get in their, even though there will be a tight security and people with invitation cards would only be allowed to go in, but you need not to worry about it, I will give you one and moreover, I will help you get through the doors. In the party of more than 500 hundred people you won't be picked up."


Anonymous: "Okay! But can't it be later!"


Lavanya got out of her mind when the person on phone asked for more time.


"No, I can't bare her anymore. I can't bare her see anymore."


Anonymous: "Please calm down!"


"Calm down my foot, I just can't see both of them together," Lavanaya said as she took a sharp inhalation of air. "If you can't do it, should I ask somebody else then."


Anonymous: No, I will do it.


"Okay, good be prepared."


Anonymous: Alright.


They both hung up the phone. Lavanya although was angry but was happy too at the same time she could sense her victory in the air. Finally, she would be accomplishing her goals.


"24 years we(Arnav and Lavanya) have known each other Mrs. Khushi Singh Raizada, and you think you could easily break 24 years of relation in a snap? No! (Lavanya screamed) You are too very wrong! You had already ruined my plan the day I came to know that ASR loves you, since then I worked day and night to throw you from my ASR life. When I thought my ASR is back to me when he decided to marry me but you ones again left no chance to take him from me. Instead of marrying me he married you, (Lavanaya pointed Khushi's picture in front of her) he chose you over me. And I can't bare that, no!" Lavanya said as she talked to Khushi's photo in front of her and laughed her evil laugh.


"You cannot take my ASR from me?" Lavanya again growled as she tear Khushi's picture. Lavanaya was completely out of her mind, to kill Khushi was the only motive that has become. "I wish that I could have tear you in real, just like I have torn this picture of yours. But it would be just not that convincing, right? You are gone Khushi Kumari Gupta. You are gone!"


Lavanya screamed even louder letting out the anger, frustration out of her mind.
"Lavanya!" Arnav said as he stood outside the door.


Lavanya froze like an ice, where she was. Her eyes were wide open in fear. She thought her plan has destroyed, before she could finish off Khushi's game Arnav has come to know everything. Before instantly turning around to face Arnav she put the torn pieces of Khushi's picture in the file in front of her.


"W-what?" She stuttered.


"What has happened to you? Why did you scream? Are you alright?"


By analyzing the tone in his question, she realized that Arnav hasn't heard anything.


"Uh. Yeah.(she paused before continuing) It's just that I am too frustrated with work. I don't want to work."


"Is that it?"Arnav asked in disbelief.


"Yeah!" Lavanya pulled her innocent puppy face, but she was having hard time calming her furiously beating panicked heart.


"Just go home and relax, you look really tired and yes Payal needs to talk to you!"


"Me, why?"


"I don't know just go home, I will manage the work here."


"Are you sure?"


Arnav nodded.


"Thank you ASR. I love you!" Lavanya said and kissed his cheek.


***
On her way Lavanya threw the torn pieces of picture and threw it in the garbage and she smiled her evil smile. And Arnav went to his office. He was still mad about the party, then his phone rang. It was Khushi's phone and he cut it.


He wanted to ignore Khushi as much as he could, that's why he came to London and work was just an excuse. He knew that if he would stay away from her, he could prevent himself from hurting her and indirectly himself. Why so? Because he didn't want to admit his love for her neither before nor now. He had loved Khushi, loved her more than his own life, but there relationship ended before even it started. The very first time he saw her was at the orphanage home, after his moms name. Khushi used to come there three days a week. Other than knowing that he loves her, he knew nothing about her, not even her name.


He was too arrogant and had too control of his feelings to fall in love with anyone but her. She had the exact key that fitted exactly like a key lock theory in his heart.


But the things didn't go the way he thought would go. If one would say Arnav loved Lavanya. The answer was without any loops, no!


Even though Lavanya was his childhood friend, but for Arnav she remained just a friend. But after Khushi broke his heart, he simply decided to marry Lavanya. But again things didn't go the way he had decided. It was like they were suppose to be together, but in an awful bitter way.


If Arnav had ever love someone in his life, he loved the person like nobody has ever with anyone.
But opposite was exactly true too. If he hated someone then it was sure that person would be the worst enemy of his.
However, Khushi's case was different. He had loved and he had hated her.


If love was the strongest force in their life that attracted them to each other, the hatred equally repelled each other like two magnets repel each other. He cannot love her and he could never hate her. It was just not possible for him to understand that they were one soul not at least at the under certain circumstances. But if one got hurt other one automatically gets the pain.


***
"Khushi, I wish you had never come in my life. I wish, I could forget you like a nightmare! I wish it was just possible to hate you or..."


***
"Arnav Ji I don't know what have I done that you hate me so much please tell me ones. I promise if I am at fault I will do anything to apologize," Khushi said and she again tried his number but he cut it again.


***
If Khushi was hurt, Arnav cried his heart out. He had never too weak. But one girl had changed that fact. One more call Khushi made and Arnav's phone flew in the air and hit the wall, it shattered in thousand pieces, just like his heart.


On the other side, she had cried to sleep.
***
(Wednesday)
It has been 3 days Khushi hasn't heard anything from Arnav. She had tried calling his number, but as always it was unreachable. She even called on his London office number but they said that he was busy in the meeting.


(Thursday)
Again this day was the same just like the other ones. But she was trying hard to keep herself busy and occupied. She went with Nani to Mandir for the Puja that her friends has kept. Nani hadn't accepted her but she was aware that as a person Khushi was a pure soul. And then she did shopping that needed to be done before the party.


(Friday)
Even Friday was marked as busy, but she felt alone, however, she remained busy with the decorations for the party. She hasn't need to do any of the work, as there were many people to do that but she had occupied herself to hide the feeling that was engulfing her heart, her mind.


 Nani had told her that the whole family would arrive today. Every hour, every minute, every second was getting heavier on her. If she was happy that Arnav would be coming but she was scared too that how would she face his whole family, how would they react to her.


"Everything will be fine Khushi you don't worry," she said to herself to calm herself.


Almost everything was done. Only dinner had to be prepared. She had gotten only 5 hours left. She quickly went in the kitchen and started cooking.
When everything was almost done, her phone rang.


"Hello!" She wished.
But the person on the other side of the phone was silent.
"Hello!" she repeated. "If you have called, would you mind talking please."
"Hello, Khushi!" again repeated and kept the phone.
***
"Mam everyone has arrived!" the servant said as he stood outside her room.
Khushi's heartbeat went frantic.
"Okay, I am coming in 5 minutes."
"Yes, mam!"


Khushi breathed in the fresh, cool air. She then checked herself in the mirror before leaving and in the royal blue designer sari she looked beautiful.
***
She came downstairs and was surprised to see the real Raizada family and they looked at her back with a serious look on their faces. But for most of the time her eyes were searching only one person, Arnav. And he was nowhere to see.


"How would she manage to talk if Arnav ji wouldn't be there?" she thought.


Her footsteps were betraying her, she wasn't ready to face all of them. She was beyond nervous and panicked.
Now she stood right in front of the family.


"Nameste!" She wished as she folded her hands in front of everyone.
But everyone remained silent for a while. Looks on their face were really hard to read.
And the only thing she knew that if everyone would just stay quite and stare at her with the unreadable expressions on their faces she would defiantly start to cry, however, luckily someone broke the silence.


"Hi!" one of them said as they broke the deadly silence.


"Hi, bhabi ji" another person spoke up.


"Hi!" she answered back with a smile.


"Is everything alright here?"


A voice came from somewhere in the distance. And Khushi was not only relieved but beyond happy hearing the person's voice. Without her accordance she ran to him, even though she was aware of the whole family present there but nothing mattered to her, like a lost child has found his mother and the emotions that fill his heart upon seeing her mother was the same when Khushi saw her husband. She didn't give anytime to Arnav to register anything and hugged him, she had literally shaken him and cried like there was no tomorrow.


"Khu...Khushi what happened?" Arnav's tone was filled with concern. He brought his arms around her, protectively.
"Khushi what's wrong? Is everything fine?"
Words choked in her throat.
"Nani!" Arnav said as he looked at her.
Nani was awed with Khushi's innocence and people around her somehow felt the same.


"Someone was really missing Bhai, huh?" Akaash said and everyone chuckled.
When Khushi realized what she has done she broke the hug but without breaking the contact with Arnav.
Again someone cleared the throat.
 Khushi quickly wiped her tears and apologized for her behaviour.


"Okay, we all are gonna introduce ourselves to her. Hi, sister in law I am NK, Nanav's cousin."


Khushi giggled when she NK taking Arnav's name in a childish way.


"It's Arnav NK!" Arnav corrected him.
"Na-nav!" NK again pronounced his name in the same way and Arnav rolled  his eyes.


"Hi, I am Akaash. Arnav bhai's cousin brother."


"Okay, guys if you will introduce yourself so enthusiastically, rats in my stomach would summon a world war 3," NK said and everyone laughed out. "Yeah, me and Akaash are brother and our mom..." NK said looking around but she was no where to see. "Well, I will introduce her later on. This is our dad, that is Arnav's bhai mama ji."


Khushi moved forward and touched his feet.
"Live long and God bless you, Bitiya!"


"This is Dhruv(Arnav's real brother and NK's and Akaash's real brother) our brother," NK continued.


"Hey," Dhruv replied with a smile.


"This is our Akaash bhai's wife, Payal!"


"Hi, bhabi!" Khushi replied with a genuine smile on her face. And Payal returned the smile with the same intensity.


Then two small boys came squalling towards Payal.


"Hey, kids calm down," Payal.
"And these two little naughty brats are the sweethearts of this family," Payal said as she introduce her two sons. "This one here, is Aditiya and we call him Addy and this second is Gavy short for Gavin. Say hi to auntie."
"Hi, auntie ji!" both the kids said in unison and touched her feet.
Khushi was awed with the two adorable kids she squatted down and kissed each of them on their cheeks."


"Hello, hi bye bye!" a louder voice remarked.


"And here you go mom is here," NK pointed at the women in her late 40s and everybody looked at her side.


She gave them all a smile but looked sternly at Khushi. She walked as a model walk down the ramp(exaggerating here, you know how our manorama mami used to walk. Yeah, exactly!)


"Nameste!" Khushi said with a nervous smile and touched her feet.


Everyone present there looked at Khushi as she has done a crime.


"N-no" NK stuttered and bit his nail.


"Hello, excuse me!"


Khushi instantly straighten up.
 "What do you think, I am that old to touch feet of? How disrespecting is that, look?" Mami ji snapped angrily.


"I am sorry mami Ji," Khushi said nervously.


"Oh common manny (manorama mami's nick name :P) she would treat a cow the way it is suppose to be treated."


"What? What did you call me?" Mami Ji rebelled.
Mama ji got scared.
"I haven't called you anything, what I meant was that you are her mami and she will touch your feet, right?"


"Whatever? I am still very young even though I have two kids!" Mami said as she patted her perfectly combed hair.


"Then you touch her feet Khushi bitiya!" Mama ji said in a humorous tone. And everyone laughed out.
Mami ji was going to say something in her defence but she stopped when she saw Nani.


"Are you all guys just here?" Nani said as she came downstairs from her room.


"Saasu ma(mother-in-law)!" Mami said and walked towards Nani to touch her feet and so did everyone else present their.


"How was your trip kids?"


"It was fabulous ma," Mama ji replied.


"Dadi I am really hungry can we get something to eat?"


"You are always hungry!" Dhruv slapped NK's shoulder playfully.


"Okay everybody go to your rooms and freshen up and dinner is ready!"


Everyone went to their respective rooms except Arnav and Khushi. Arnav was confused at the sudden outburst of Khushi.


"Was she really missing him?" he thought to himself.


Whereas Khushi was surprised by the fact that how easy going Arnav's family was. Nobody, not even ones made her feel that they have question about her and Arnav's marriage. "Has Arnav already told them about his version of the story that is they love each or what?" she thought and looked at Arnav who was looking at her. Their eyes met but Arnav shortly looked away and left from there.

@ The dinning Area


Food was all set and everyone has arrived at the table but only one person was missing, Arnav.


"Where is Arnav bhai?" Dhruv asked.


"Yeah where he is? You know where he is Khushi bitiya?" Mama ji asked the same question.


"No, mama ji I didn't see."


"If the wife doesn't know where his husband is then what else she would know?" Mami ji taunted.


"No mami ji actually he must be in his room," Khushi replied.


"What are you doing here then just go and call him don't you care if your husband eat his food or not?"


"Manorama!" Mama ji yelled at mami.


"There is no point to yell at me, the truth is truth."

"Yeah, like you care about your own husband," Mami ji as a matter of fact.


"Stop it!" Nani ji said to make them both mama and mami quiet. "Khushi bitiya you just go and ask him to come downstairs. Mary will look after this."


"Ji Nani!"(Okay grandma).


***
Khushi faintly knock on the door and without waiting for the response she got into the room. She was spaced out to see Arnav and Lavanya together. Khushi didn't have any idea when did she come back from London. Arnav's back was against Khushi and Lavanaya was facing her but she acted she hasn't seen her. Taking the advantage of the situation Lavanaya instantly got further closed to Arnav, in reality she was trying to take out the dust that has got into Arnav's eyes but to Khushi it seemed like they are trying to kiss each other. Lavanya put her hand at the back of Arnav's neck and leaned little bit further.
Khushi looked away, a tears has made down her eyes. She tried to keep her hand on the table but accidentally knocked the vase and it fell on the floor. Arnav instantly distanced away from Lavanya and turned around to the source of the noise.


"What the heck are you doing here? Can't you just knock on the door?"


"I think I should leave now!" Lavanya simply said and walked out of the room.


"I am sorry next I will take care of it. Nani ji has called you downstairs dinner is ready," Khushi answered without looking at him.


"I am not hungry, just go away from here!"


"As you wish!" Khushi riposte and exit the room with the mixed emotion of sadness, pain and jealousy?"


***
"Hey, Lavanaya bitiya when did you come?" Mami said.


"Just when you guys were freshening up!"


"Oh!"


"Khushi bhabi didn't bhai come?" Akaash asked.


"Actually he said he will eat later."


"Later when Khushi? You know that he is a diabetic patient, don't you? You have to take care of him, if he says no you have to force him no matter what," Lavanya said as she was really concerned about him.


"I..."


"Please no stupid explanations. I go and get him!"


Lavanya stood up from her chair and left to get Arnav from his room and on the way "What kind off wife she is? Doesn't even care about her own husband. Can't believe chote choose her over Lavanaya?" she heard mami ji saying. She looked over her shoulder and smiled an evil smile.


"Can't you just keep your mouth shut?" Mama ji muttered in mami's ears and she gave him whatever look.
***
In Arnav's room


"ASR?" Lavanya called Arnav's name.
"Come dinner is ready you must be hungry."


"Please lavanaya, go from here I am not at all hungry."


"Look ASR if you won't eat I would not eat either," Lavanya said as she tried to play with her words to convince him. "Don't say no! Common, I know you are hungry, if you consider your friend you won't say no. Come!"
Arnav gave in and Lavanya put her arm in Arnav's arm and took him to the dinning area.


"Here you go ASR is here."


She made Arnav sit in her seat and was going to sit beside him when NK spoke up.


"Hey, La why don't you sit with me?"
Lavanya rolled her eyes in mind and without her own wish she agreed. "Hey, Khushi bhabi come sit with Nanav bhai!"


Khushi and Arnav both looked at each other. "Common Nanav bhai ask her to sit beside you. After all, she missed you so much in these 7 days. Right bhabi?"
Khushi gave him a weak smile.


"Yeah come Khushi!" Arnav said.


"Its okay I have to serve food."


"Don't worry bitiya, Mary would serve just sit and have some food with us," Mama ji said.


Khushi did so and sat beside Arnav. She flipped the plate in front of her to put food in her plate.


"Please bhabi don't say that you are going to eat in a different plate," NK ones again spoke up.
Khushi was confused whereas Arnav wanted to say that this guy couldn't just keep its mouth shut but he remained quite.


"Share your plate lovely couple look how lovey dovey our Payal and Akaash bhai are they eat in the same plate."


Lavanaya resisted the urge to hit NK's foot with her high heels.


Both Arnav and Khushi were just too shy. Arnav reluctantly brought the plate in between the two of them and Khushi took the spoon.


"Oh please don't be too shy here we are family members," NK said and chuckled. "Why don't you guys make each other..."


NK was stopped from saying anything further by Arnav when he gave him a stern look. NK immediately looked down in his plate. "Uh Dhruv bhai can you just pass me lasagne!"


"Yeah, sure!" Dhruv replied and NK didn't dare to look at Arnav side.