CHAPTER 5: ON HIS DEMAND

Chapter 5

 

"Congratulations Ms. Gupta you have finally signed the biggest deal of your life that's also with me," Arnav said formally as he brought his hand forward for a hand shake but Khushi had long turned around to walk from there. Arnav simply smirked at her back. 

The other moment he knew was Khushi had collapsed on the floor.

***

He simply took her to the available general wards. And after that he called Dr. Sharma.

"Hello, Dr. Sharma could you come to the ward no. 504 immediately."

In a minute Dr. Sharma was in the said room.

"Mr. Raizada what's the matter?" Dr. Sharma asked. "What has happened to Khushi?" She added when she looked at Khushi lying in the bed as she quickly approached herand took her wrist in her hand.

 

"I don't know she fainted!"

"How come?" 

 

Arnav didn't bother to say anything but just shrugged his shoulder and left quietly. After Arnav left the ward Dr. Sharma checked Khushi's blood pressure and she ran other few check ups. .

***
"Get up!" Arnav said simply when he saw Khushi regaining her consciousness.

 

Khushi held her throbbing head tightly as the pain that was growing every minute was unbearable for her to tolerate. The bright light in the room made her to squint her eyes. Everything in front of her was blurry; it took few seconds for her to recognize Arnav's voice and to realize that she was in the hospital when she tried recollecting the memory and the surroundings. First she thought she must had had a bad dream but no she quickly got up when she saw Arnav sitting at the couch reading newspaper.

"Get up!" he repeated.

 

"How I got here?"

 

"I got you here. If you got an answer please kindly get up because I hate wasting my precious time," he said as he got up from the couch and threw the newspaper on the small round mirror table, with other piles of magazines.

"It's time to put every word in the contract to practicality."

Khushi had completely forgot that she had signed the contract but had absolutely no idea why Arnav had made her do so. Why he was being so cruel to me?"

Before she could open her mouth Arnav asked her to keep it shut.

"Ms. Gupta keep your questions to yourself! Don't dare to ask anything. You would do what I would ask you to do. No questions, no nothing!"

Khushi stayed quite. And before she could herself get up Arnav pulled her hand in his and literally dragged her along with him. 

"Aah!" Khushi moaned when Arnav held her injured wrist tightly. "Tell me where are you taking me?" Khushi asked as she fought the urge to free her hand from his. She didn't know that her pleas were falling on deaf ears. One thing she had known by now that doesn't matter how hard she try it would have no effect on Arnav. With no other option she let him drag. Her wrist had started bleeding again. Even though the physical pain was excruciating but it was nothing compared to the mental pain that she was suffering from. 

When they both were out of the hospital Arnav stopped in front of his BMW, he opened the back door of the car and threw Khushi in. It was not a surprise or shocking for him to treat her like that. The dam of her patience was ready to break anytime but she still kept quite. Battling with herself, she gripped her injured wrist even tighter. She was physically hurting herself now. 

"Get moving!" Arnav ordered his driver as he himself sat with her keeping a safe distance between her and himself. .

"To where sir?"

"To RM!"

She was silently crying now. More she tried to suppress her tears more they came out. Arnav looked at her side and he got even more annoyed than he already was. His blood boiled.

"Stop the car!" Arnav said his voice cold.

"But why sir?"

"I said stop the f**king car!" he growled.

Khushi's heart beat increased awfully hearing his growl. Driver stopped the car at the side of the road.

"Get out!" Arnav sounded calm but his calmness contained destroying storm. He was controlling his anger.

"Before I do something that I shouldn't do just get out and reach at RM within 15 minutes."

"But I don't know the way to!" She managed to say when Arnav himself got out of the car and pulled her out. It was raining heavily. Khushi had already soaked, the moment Arnav pulled her out. In instant Arnav got in and Arnav's car drove off away from Khushi's sight. Leaving her alone on the quite road in the harsh rain, where it was impossible to get any taxi and top of that she didn't have the house address.

Khushi started walking aimlessly in the rain. She wrapped her dupatta to cover her wet body to bring some warmness in. Luckily after long try one taxi came but that also didn't stop. The rain got heavier every moment making hard for Khushi to see properly. When another BMW stopped. 

"Hello mam! Are you Ms. Gupta?" the driver asked as he got out of the car. With umbrella in his hand.

"Please mam get into the car!"

"But who are you?"

"Raizada sir has sent me here!"

"Go and tell your sir that I would reach there in time. Also tell him he doesn't need to do all these favours," Khushi snapped angrily.

"Please mam get into the car otherwise Raizada sir will throw me out of the job!"

She understood driver's problem and she didn't want anyone get hurt because of her in anyways. She decided to get in and driver thanked her before he opened the car door for her.

*** 

When they have reached RM Driver stopped at the main gate he showed his ID to one of the security guards and they let him in. If it was a RM then it was not as big as white house itself. In front of the house there was a huge garden in the middle. Driver had to drive in a circle as the garden was a roundabout. The driver stopped the car at the driveway in front of the entrance.

 "Please mam!" Driver said as he opened her side of door and warmly asked Khushi to come out of the car.

She gave him a small smile and  got out and walked after the driver. 

There stood mighty ASR right at the entrance. He looked awfully handsome in his three piece suit. A mere look was enough for driver to understand that he should be leaving.

Arnav closed the distance between him and Khushi. His hair still wet. Before Khushi could take step back Arnav was already too quick to get catch of her and leaned closed to her.

"Behave the way as we love each other. And I have no doubt that you would do amazing work at that. As you are such a great drama queen. Get ready its our wedding today. And remember not a single word."

Khushi instantly looked at him in his eyes. As a smile, a cruel one spread on Arnav's face. His handsomeness slowly fading in Khushi's eyes. Mary looked at them lovingly. 

"Mary!" Arnav called. 

Mary was about 50 year old woman. By her clothing it looked like she was a maid.

"Yes, sir!" 

"Take this beautiful girl inside gave her a good bathe and bring her downstairs under an hour."

"As you say sir!"

Khushi couldn't able to register that Arnav was going to marry her without even letting her know before hand.

After giving his order Arnav turned on his heels and left from there. 

"Are you okay mam?"

Khushi gave her a weak smile and walked behind her. They were still outside the RM mansion. Mary took Khushi inside the mansion. Khushi was too lost in her thoughts that she didn't know where Mary was taking her. And on the way Mary didn't say much either.

"Here you go mam. This is your room. And if you walk in, there is a washroom. I have kept everything you need. Meanwhile, I get your dress."

Khushi simply nodded.

And she did as Mary said. 

***

Khushi was standing in one of the beautiful washroom Khushi could even think of. From bath tub to the walls with brown tiles, to the black marble wash basin, and the white marble floor, shinning so brightly that Khushi could see her face in, gave a sense of luxury.

Khushi stepped into the already filled with warm water, peanut shaped bath tub. She sunk her body into it until she was completely immersed into it. Khushi had no idea what she was doing. She held her breath and stayed in the bath tub. Water slowly started to make its way into her nostrils and to her lungs. 

.Before Khushi could harm herself knocking on the door brought Khushi back into her senses. She coughed water out. 

 Mary got afraid. 

"Mam please tell me that you are fine."

 

"I am fine," Khushi said as loudly she could manage.  

"Please, mam come out Mr. Raizada is waiting!"

"Yeah, I am coming," Khushi tried to sound normal. But she was on her knees coughing out the water out of her body. Her breathing was heavy. Small beads of sweat had formed on her forehead, however, she tried her best to gather herself and wrapped her body with the pink bathrobe and came out.

"Mam are you okay...you look little uneasy," Mary said as she reviewed Khushi's health.

"I am fine it's just I got little wet in the rain may be that's why"

"Oh, Are you sure?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay then get dressed in this Mr. Raizada is waiting downstairs," Mary said as she passed her the elegant red lehanga. 

It was a maroon coloured bridal lehanga. With heavy golden embroidery work done on it. It's choli was ornamented with glittering stones only limited to the arm, yet giving it an elegant look. But its skirt was where most of the work was done. Heavy gold patterns and design, embroidered with patterns at the borders, and broad laces. Priceless stones, golden embroidery, metal beads, real pearls, glass beads had increased the beauty. And the weight of it shocked Khushi.

"Its 100 Kg," Mary had told her. 

Walking in it was a far thing, Khushi was unable to hold it. And top of that the golden heels were 6 inch tall that Mary gave asked her to put on.

Mary laughed. 

"Don't worry mam you don't have to walk in this. Mr. Raizada would carry you!"  Mary said as she had read her mind. 

"What?" Khushi asked her voice filled with shock. 

"Yeah, this is the Raizada custom. That  brides are carried by their husbands in these heavy bridal dresses. And you will be happy to know that this is designed by Mr. Raizada himself."

Khushi was definitely going to faint after hearing that she was going to wear the lehanga that was designed by Arnav for the person whom he won't even consider his wife and top of that he would carry out all the customs.

Pushing all the thoughts khushi finally came out dressed. Looking not less than a beauty pageant. Lehanga fitted her perfect slim body and she was surprised how come Arnav knew her size. 

Mary asked Khushi to come and sit near the silver hairdresser and she sat on the white stool Mary called in few girls. Girls looked like they were hired by lakme or something. They opened their make up kits and made Khushi ready as a beautiful bride in less than 30 minutes and there she was standing in front of the mirror looking extremely beautiful. First of all she couldn't able to believe whether the person who stood in front of the mirror was her. Sadness again embraced her heart before tears could escape her tears she saw Arnav standing behind her.

Arnav's was looking totally bewildered the moment he set his eyes on Khushi.

"Beautiful!" he thought.

For few seconds, he had forgotten who was standing in front of him, his eyes were on the most beautiful woman in the world. 

Khushi couldn't able to meet his gaze the way he was looking at her and she looked away from him. Arnav looked her from bottom to top. She covered her bare stomach when she felt his eyes there.

Khushi was already having hard time managing her heavy lehanga but the weight of Arnav's eyes made her feel like she was carrying loads of weight.

"Mr. Raizada I hope I haven't left you disappointed," Arnav heard Mary talking to her. 

"Absolutely not."

 

Words left Arnav's mouth without his consent. But he quickly realized that he was completely wooed with Khushi's beauty and one fact left him feeling completely angry. 

"Mary it took you more than an hour to get her ready! Was it that hard for you to manage her?"

"No sir, Khushi is such a sweet girl she did as I said and she is perfect for you. God bless both of you," saying this Mary left both of them alone in the room.

Arnav walked around in the room.

"Hmm Ms. Gupta mark this date mentally in your mind because from now onwards your bad time officially starts. What you experienced up until now was just a trailer and the original movie starts now. Today, is the day you would regret for your whole life. I will make sure that you do."

"Why are you doing this to me, Mr. Raizada? What have I done that you are giving me such harsh punishment?"

"You soon will get to know Ms. Gupta ."

"Please let me contact my Bhuaji. She must be getting worried. Please she needs me. I can't take such a big step without even letting her know."

"I have told you before that I won't make your life easy in any way. You can deal with your Bhuaji later but right now there are more important things to do."

Khushi suppressed the urge to cry. God knows if she would make Arnav wait even for a second, what he would in return.

"Now lets go everyone is waiting for us!"

"Everyone?"

Khushi had no idea who that everyone would be. How would she deal with them.

"And wait!" 

Khushi stopped right away. Arnav approached her. Her heartbeat increased and before she could he took Khushi in his arms. She was as light as air for Arnav. Khushi looked right into his eyes but Arnav looked straight. 

"It's just a custom and don't even think I am doing this for people. I do everything for myself. Just for myself," Arnav said and took her down the hallway and paused at the staircase. Khushi looked at him then at everyone else. 

More than 400 people were present downstairs. All dressed traditionally nobody looking any less than anyone around and it was like a it was a wedding of a superstar (well Mr. Raizada was not less than a superstar).

"Was it his house or a hotel," Khushi thought. A low murmur started among present people the moment Arnav Khushi stood in front of everyone, as people around looked at them lovingly at the same time. 

Arnav maintained his plain face as he walked, downstairs looking at Khushi then at the audience present. Arnav out her down the moment they were downstairs. 

"Congratulations Mr. Raizada and Ms. Gupta!"

People congratulated them as they both made their way to the Mandap. It was beautifully decorated. 

"From interview, to contract papers, to Khushi's wedding Lehanga, the wedding was all preplanned," Khushi came to conclusion otherwise its not a play to set everything.

"Please start pandit Ji!" Arnav said.

Priest started the mantra and when he was done priest asked Arnav to apply vermilion in Khushi's maang and then mangalsutra in her neck. Khushi was deeply hurt from inside. She wanted to take running from there. 7 circumambulations that's it than she would be completely Arnav's doll not wife. 

"Now Bride and Broom get up and get ready for saat phere," Priest said and both Arnav and Khushi got up.

Arnav started walking around the sacred fire but was stopped when Khushi didn't move.

"Khushi!" Arnav said calmly but Khushi didn't listen him and in the end he took her in his arms and continued on.

First round:

"I promise that we would not walk together, in any phase of our lives," Arnav said in extremely low voice.

Khushi looked at him as he continued. Pain dancing in her eyes.

Second round:

"I promise that I would make you mine physically but not spiritually and mentally."

3 round

"I promise that I would take all the strengths away from you. And all would left with you will be pain."

4th Round.

"I promise that my hatred for you would increase and respect  (Arnav paused) never will be there."

5^th Round.

"I promise that I will give you the right to bear my child's or children but never let you be their mother." 

6 Round

"I promise that you will never get peaceful long life as long as you are with me."

7 Round

"Last but not the least I promise you that you we always be enemies. ."

"Congratulations, now you are finally husband wife, "Priest has said.

"MAY GOD KEEP YOU HAVE ALWAYS! MAY YOUR FAMILY LIFE GROW," priest gave them blessing.

 

"Welcome to hell Mrs. Khushi Singh Raizada!"