On his Demand Part 42

CHAPTER 42

"Tie this thread beta, it will help you stay away from evil eyes!" Pandit ji said to Khushi. After Arnav and Khushi had finally been settling down to normalcy, Nani had kept a havan (Puja) at home for the betterment of Arnav and Khushi, and the family.

It was very much needed. Nani had no idea what had happened because of which her family had to go through all those bad situations.

"I am sorry, but I don't believe in all this!" Arnav said and completely denied to wear it.

"Son, it's just a thread, tie around your wrist or your upper arm," pandit ji said.

"I don't think I really need it!" Arnav had made his proposal.

"Pandit ji, you give it to me, I will make him wear it."

"As you say, bitiya!" Pandit ji said and handed her the thread.

Arnav had agreed to sit in the puja, it was more than enough. By the way, whatever happened over the past few months, he had left with no positive review about God. Somehow he had started believing in him, but still to him it was proved there was no God.

"Puja is finished, Khushi bitiya you can distribute the prasad!" Pandit ji said and Khushi got up and took the plate from his hand.

"Khushi can eat her food now, right!?" Arnav asked pandit ji.

Khushi bit her tongue as Arnav asked Pandit ji the question.

"Beta not yet, it's a full day fast. After evening puja she can. Don't you know!?" Pandit ji asked.

Arnav looked at Khushi who looked at him back with a sorry look on her face.

"Shall I leave!?" he then asked.

"Yes beta, you may!" Pandit ji answered.

Khushi gave everyone prasad and when she was going to give it to Arnav, he had already left. Making clear enough he was pissed off. She had said she will eat after the morning puja, so just that he allows her to fast until afternoon.

"He looks really mad," Payal said.
Khushi nodded and gave her a sad look. Payal kept a hand on her shoulder. "He will understand, my dear," Payal said. "Give the plate to me, I will take care of the rest. You go and talk to Arnav!"

Khushi took a long deep breath and said, "I hope I didn't hurt him too much."

"You will be fine!" Payal said with a soft laugh. "Good luck!"

"Thanks bhabi!"

***
Khushi prayed to her Devi Maiyan that mood of Arnav wasn't that bad as she had seen him downstairs. When she entered the room, Arnav was muttering under his breath, furiously.

"It's quite hot inside," she joked to herself.

"When I need something I don't know where the heck my things disappear to!"

"You are gone, Khushi," Khushi muttered before entering the room.

As Arnav knew Khushi had come to the room, he got even more furious. "I don't know where is my handkerchief!" he said loudly.

Khushi shook her head and walked to the cupboard. She cleared her throat and gestured him to get away so that she could find him the handkerchief, which of course was, "on the left side of the cupboard, third bottom drawer, that's a place where my sweet husband's handkerchiefs are."

She took one of them, white in colour and put it in his pocket.

He didn't look at her and when she had put the handkerchief in his coat pocket he walked away.

"I don't know where is my wallet now. I am getting late for the office and I am not getting my things!"

"Such a kid," Khushi muttered.

"Excuse me!" Arnav hissed.

"Nothing I was remembering where I kept your purse."

"I did listen what you said, Mrs. Raizada!"

Khushi smiled at his annoyed expression and went to him, wrapped her arms around his waist,
"Did anyone tell you, you look smoking hot when anger sits on your nose!?"

"Was that my praise or you are trying to cover you lies!?"

"Of course it was praise, my handsome husband!" she told him.

"No need to butter me!" he said and unwrapped her around him and moved from there. But before he could leave Khushi held his hand and made him face her. Without any warning she gave him a short deep kiss, he closed his eyes to feel the touch of her soft lips in his. And he smiled.

As she pulled back, she said, "Arnav ji, I really wanted to keep fast. Please don't be mad," she said looking in his eyes.

"Khushi, why don't you understand your health is very important."

"Arnav ji, I swear I am fine."

"Alright I am not going to the office then!"

She kept her hands on his shoulders, " I will be fine, Arnav ji! You go another 4 or 5 hours, I will be okay. And please make sure you come early for the evening puja."

"Okay, but don't do any work, alright!"

"As you say, Mr. Raizada!" she said.

Arnav bent a little and give a small peck on her cheek. Khushi smiled. "Well, if you want I can stay here. To take good care of you!"

Khushi blushed and grinned. "Don't you think you blame kids for being naughty, for nothing?"

"Nah! I don't think so," he remarked. "I really want to take care of you!"

"No, thank you. I am no child, I will take care of myself!" she pushed him back. "Now go, Akaash bhai and Dhruv guys are waiting for you!"

"But I don't feel like going!" he sat on the bed.

"You are such a fussy child," Khushi complained and made him get up.

"Do I show you how much?" he said and pulled her in a hug, and made an approach to kiss her neck.

"Akaash bhai!" Khushi literally jumped. Arnav immediately let her go. Khushi taking an advantage ran from there.

"Akaash," he said as he turned around, but there was no one.

Khushi stuck her tongue out and wriggled her thumb in front of him and ran.

"Khushi," he said and ran after her. But he stopped right at the door. "This girl is totally crazy and for sure mine," he said and smiled to himself.

There was a wish in his mind that she stay happy forever. To bring her completely out of her past and to bring that little smile on her face, he would do anything.

***
Payal stood completely still as phone had almost fell from her hand as Karan had told her that Lavanya was arrested.

"Hello, Payal are you there!?" Karan asked, however, Payal was in no state to respond.

She put the receiver down absentmindedly, and had herself fell on the floor if Khushi hadn't held her on time who had come as she saw tears in her eyes and a pure shock on her face.

"Bhabi? What happen?" Khushi asked.

"Bhabi!" she shook her. "HP ji, please bring a glass of water."

Khushi made her sit on the sofa.
"Here you go, Khushi bhabi!" HP said as he came with a glass of water, immediately when he was asked.

Khushi tried to make her drink water, but she didn't made any effort to drink it.

There was no one at home, Nani and   Mami ji had gone to market. Even Dhruv and NK had gone to office today, so that they could help Arnav and Akaash.

"Bhabi, please tell me what happened? Who was on the phone?" she asked. "And what did he/she said?"

She was getting worried as Payal didn't say a word.

"Bhabi, is everyone alright? Was it Akaash bhaiya's phone?"

As a pillar Payal sat in front of her. "Bhabi, please say something, tell me what happened?"

She held her head, "Devi Maiyyan what shall I do!?" she thought.

"Arnav ji, I call Arnav ji and Akaash bhaiya!" she immediately thought.

Khushi quickly took her phone from the table, and dialled Arnav's number.

@ ASR Groups!

4 brothers sat in a conference room finishing their work that had been pending for weeks.

"Arnav bhai, the U.S.A's Pearl Fashion wants to merge with our company," Akaash said.

"That's awesome," Dhruv said.

"Isn't the same company that had refused Nanav bhai's contact ages ago," NK asked.

"Yup, it's the same company," Akaash told him.

"Oh yes, I totally forgot. How can they expect us to join them then!?" Dhruv added, sounding angry.

"We aren't going to," Akaash said. "It's just that I am telling you guys!"

"Anyways I still wanted to ask bhai, what does he wants!"

Before Arnav could answer, his phone rang.

"Hello, Arnav ji can you please come home soon!" Khushi said even before Arnav could say Hello.

"Khushi, what happen?" Arnav almost shouted on phone and he got up his chair. His rocking chair scrapped back. His heart thudded violently in his chest.

"Arnav ji, please can you come home soon. And Akaash bhaiya too. I don't know what has happened to Payal bhabi," she said in a hurry and her voice was trembling.

"Khushi, first relax. Tell me what has happened to Payal!?" Arnav askef as he had already gestured Akaash to come along with him. Akaash got up quickly in a worry.

"I don't know, she was talking on phone. And all of sudden she was frozen. Arnav ji, I don't know what has happened. Even Nani, and mami ji aren't home."

"Khushi, relax, me and Akaash will be home in just few minutes," Arnav told her.

When Khushi turned around Payal wasn't even there. Her heart thudded violently.

"Payal bhabi!" she screamed her name. Then she saw her going to her room. She ran after her. As Payal went to her room, she didn't let Khushi come in and closed the door on her face.

"Bhabi!"

Khushi paced back and forth. She waited impatiently for Arnav and Akaash to come.

Within 15 minutes; Arnav, and Akaash were home.

Khushi called Arnav and Akaash. They both came running upstairs.

"Khushi what has happened!?" Akaash asked. "Where is Payal!?"

"Bhaiya, I don't know what has happened to her. She has locked herself inside. I don't know what has happened to her," she was growing nervous. Words weren't even coming out of her mouth. "Someone's phone came and after that she didn't say anything."

"Khushi, calm down. Nothing has happened to her!" Akaash said. "I talk to her!"

"Khushi, she will be fine!" Arnav said. "Akaash go and talk to Payal and see what has happened!?"

"Bhai you take care of Khushi, I go and see what happened to Payal!" Akaash said to Arnav and Arnav nodded.

"Bhaiya I am fine!" Khushi said to Akaash, "please talk to Payal bhabi. She didn't say a word!"

"Khushi come with me!" Arnav said and Akaash went inside the room as he unlocked the door using his key.

Arnav took Khushi to the room. "Arnav ji, what must have happened to Payal bhabi. She will be alright, right!? Last time she had fallen sick, this time she would be..."

"Khu...Khushi, she will be just fine. And by the way, Akaash has gone to Payal, he will find out what had happened to her!"

"You sit here!" he said and helped her sit on the bed.

"I thought all the problems are away from our family and this!?"

"Khushi, why are you over thinking? I am telling you, she will be fine!" he said. And even he wished nothing wrong had happened.

"You lay down on the bed and take rest!"

Khushi was reluctant to listen to him and very worried about Payal, but as Arnav patted her head, she was sleeping in just few minutes.

***
"Payal, tell me what's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything? Look Khushi is really upset and so we are by your behaviour. Your health is fine? Who was on phone? Who called you? Is ma or la fine!?"

Payal immediately looked at him. "La..." she couldn't say anything beyond that.

"La? What happened to her, Payal?" he asked in a worry.

Payal immediately hugged him, "Akaash, we were right!" she said in between her sobs. "She had attempted to kill Khushi. Ka...it was Karan's phone and he told me, la had accepted all her crimes."

Akaash broke the hug and looked at her in shock. "What are you saying?" words hardly came out her mouth.

"Yes, Akaash. He told me. How I would face Arnav, Khushi. How would I tell Arnav, that my own sister was after his wife's life. He will never forgive me. I knew La going to harm Khushi and I just believed when she had said she will not touch Khushi. Akaash, I am scared, scared what if la was involved with Rahul!?"

Akaash was the one now who couldn't find a word to say. He had kept close eye on Lavanya, but during that time she wasn't behaving as she had any grudges against Khushi; in fact, he had seen her at the hospital and there he had seen Lavanya crying.

"I am sorry, Khushi," she had said. "I am sorry, I couldn't able to help to save your child. I hadn't been any help." Lavanya cried as Khushi laid unconscious on the hospital bed.

"Why would she apologize over which she had no control over?" Akaash thought. "And if she wanted to kill Khushi, why would she say such words?"

"Was their something that he had missed on?" Akaash thought.
He had to go to Karan and ask what was happening? If Lavanya was really after Khushi's life, he would never forgive himself. He wouldn't be able to face Arnav.

"Akaash, I have to meet Lavanya. I want to ask her why the heck she was doing all that, when she knew Arnav can't be hers. I just, can't believe she is my sister. Why didn't I die before I hear that?"

"Payal, please just don't say so. We both will go and talk. If Lavanya is a criminal, I will wish she gets the worst punishment she deserves."

Arnav who had come to see how Payal was doing, he was shocked, at both Payal and Akaash's revelation.

His anger had reached to the level where he couldn't think straight. He wanted to ask both Payal, and Akaash, "why in the world they both remained shut up, when they knew Lavanya was one of the culprit."

Every defeat, every harm came in front of his eyes; he couldn't believe people he thought were so close to him were keeping truth from him. That is also not just a mere one, but something that could have decided their fate.

He couldn't believe, he was living among people who said they were with him, but at the back they were doing something completely that didn't do any good to anyone.

Of course, it wasn't just Lavanya, but Rahul too, thought provoked in his mind. But to what extent Lavanya was harming Khushi, was something that sent him chills down his spine.

Now he was feeling unsafe among his own family. He didn't know how many enemies of him and Khushi, still wandered freely outside?

"And how in the world of god, he had really managed to save his lady, when his own brother had a dagger held right at his back."

May be he was just overreacting, he thought. He had to first talk to Lavanya, who right under his nose was hurting his wife. Who had once claimed they would remain best friends.

He picked phone out of his pocket and called Karan. "I want to meet Lavanya right now!" he said nothing else and kept the phone.

He swore if his brother and sister-in-law were wrong or anybody else in a way, he won't tolerate it.

He went straight to the room to see Khushi.

He was sorry, how fool had been since today, he was thinking as he held Khushi's hand in his.

He thanked god she was sleeping. Otherwise, he wouldn't have able to give reason to her behind his grief. He wouldn't have said to her, she was living among people, who kept their mouth shut even knowing how dangerous it could be for her and her life.

But what made la, confess her mistakes, he thought. 

He believed his brother, however, he knew that his brother had no bad intentions for not telling him. But what it could, he could not just help thinking. 

He ran his hand on Khushi's head smoothly. And kissed her forehead. He had swear on himself, if anybody even tried to touch his Khushi, that person would face hell. Even if it was his why of his family members.

Khushi fidgeted a little, but Arnav patted her shoulder and made her comfort to sleep.

She had gone through a lot, because of him as well as people like Rahul.

He would do anything to keep her safe. He had lot of shit from everyone.