Chapter 5A

||Chapter 5A||

A Moment of Love Soothes

She stepped back and walked away as she knew that her brother needed some time to deal with the reality.. But one thing she was sure about was that... her brother was not a coward like her father! Meanwhile Arnav closed his eyes as he went back to two months before... that night where he wanted Khushi.. and cared no less about the consequences.. He just wanted to feel her.. to be with her... That night when Khushi ignored not being protected for the only reason that her Arnav was going through a lot... And she couldn’t bear seeing the unbeatable Raizada being defeated by the ghost of his past...

FLASHBACK

It was almost midnight when Khushi suddenly heard a noise of an open door in the east side of the office.. Alone in the designer’s department, she felt a sudden fear and she called out the night guard anxiously...

Khushi: Sam.. is that you?

She gulped a breath on not hearing any response... Dropping her pencil on the drawing desk, she closed her sketch pad.. and then began to walk barefoot towards the door silently..The whole office was in complete darkness and her fear kept on increasing as she said to herself..

Khushi: Where the hell is Sam? I told him to keep some lights on..

All of a sudden, her steps stopped when she saw a ray of light from the upper office which was also the cabin of Arnav.. Shock, her eyes popped out as she thought..

Khushi thinks: At such hour.. who will be in Arnav’s office?

She looked from right to left hoping to see one of the security guards but in vain.. As she saw a flower vase on a desk, she grabbed it for safety and began to move forward towards the stair case.. She put on a brave face while repeating some prayers as she walked up the stairs.. Finally she pushed open the cabin’s door and saw a man in a grey vest.. his back facing Khushi while he arched his body, laying his hands on the table.. Khushi took a breath of relief while all her fear disappeared on finding Arnav in the office... She was stepping forward when she halted in shock.. all the office paper work, arnav’s laptop, his mobile, everything which was on the table crashed onto the floor violently.. Khushi froze when Arnav yelled out in furry oblivious of Khushi’s presence.. Her eyes moved to the floor and there she saw a newspaper.. and it’s headlines.. the reason of Arnav’s anger... Khushi sat on her knees and placed the vase on the floor before picking the newspaper.. Her eyes welled up as she read...

“Dark Secrets Revealed

The Mighty Raizada, the son of a failure!

Is Arnav Singh Raizada ashamed to talk about the suicide of his father?”

Khushi lifted her eyes towards Arnav.. a few tears rolled down her cheeks.. She stood back on her feet.. Her heart ached when Arnav hit violently into the glass desk and she was unable to stop herself from rushing to him.. She had to stop him from torturing himself.. Khushi could bare everything except a defeated Arnav. Out of his senses, he picked up a lamp on the side table and he was about to throw it when suddenly Khushi laid her hand delicately on his shoulders.. And without turning to face Khushi, Arnav said firmly...

ASR: Get out of here Khushi..

Khushi: Arn...

And all of a sudden he turned towards Khushi... his eyes were red and swollen.. He fixed at Khushi angrily... The burning furry in him transformed him completely into a beast.. And he yelled out furiously as he threw the lamp violently and it crashed into pieces to the floor..

ASR: I said get out.....

Khushi’s tears rolled down her cheeks as she fixed into the eyes of Arnav.. She finally began stepping backwards under his angry glare.. Arnav clenched his fists and lowered his eyes when suddenly his eyes popped out in shock.. Fear took over him as his gaze was fixed onto the red blooded footprints.. Ignoring her bleeding feet, Khushi reached the door and was about to step out of the cabin when her steps stopped at Arnav’s voice..

ASR: Khushi..

Arnav rushed to her immediately.. Worry lines formed on his forehead but Khushi didn’t react.. She stayed still while Arnav said worriedly..

ASR: Khushi, your feet, it’s bleeding.. Where the hell are your sandals? God, it’s bleeding so much... Come with me..

But she stopped him.. not because she was angry.. not because she was hurt.. or because he preferred to be alone instead of sharing his pain with her.. She only wanted to keep him away from any more pain.. Though he never said it.. but she knew it.. she believed it.. that he cared for her.. that he does react whenever it concerns her.. When a piece of the broken lamp pierced into her feet, she held back her pain and silently stepped back hoping he won’t realize it.. and she managed to say...

Khushi: It’s ok Arnav... it’s just a small cut.. I’ll manage..

And she laid her hand on the door knob.. As she opened the door, Arnav placed his hand on the door and closed it with a hard bang.. Khushi shifted her gaze towards him and in no second, she was swept off her feet..  For a moment they stayed still, sharing an intense eyelock.. Khushi held on to his collar as he walked towards the sofa without a word.. He laid her onto the sofa and he rushed to the attached washroom.. He came back with the first aid back.. Both stealing glances at each other.. their eyes were both teary.. he sat on his knees in front of her and took her injured foot.. Delicately he cleaned the wound when suddenly Khushi heard him uttered without lifting his eyes towards her..

ASR: I’m sorry Khushi..

Khushi brought her hands on his forehead while she caressed him affectionately.. Arnav didn’t react.. But Khushi delicately lifted his face with her fingers so that their eyes met...

Khushi: Why? Why you saying sorry?

And he said firmly...

ASR: You injured yourself because of me..

Khushi: So, if you say or don’t say sorry, do you think it will change anything in my feelings for you?

Arnav ignored her words and lowered his eyes to his task.. he finished cleaning the injury and then bandaged the wound.. but khushi said...

Khushi: Tell me Arnav, will my feelings change?... the way your feelings changed for your father?

Suddenly Arnav froze at the mention of his father.. And Khushi said...

Khushi: Arnav just look at me... I said look at me Arnav...

As he lifted his eyelids, a tear unexpectedly rolled down his cheeks and in a swift Khushi wiped off the tear with her delicate fingers.. as she asked..

Khushi: It never changed.. isn’t it? You still love him.. you don’t hate him.. you are just angry with him...

Arnav placed Khushi’s foot on the floor.. and he stood back..  he walked away without a word.. and halted near his desk, his back facing Khushi..  A few seconds later, Khushi had reached him, and she laid her hands on his shoulders and asked...

Khushi: Arnav, you do, right?

It took him some time to control his emotions and then he turned to face Khushi.. his expressions stern and he looked straight into her eyes... and said confidently..

ASR: I don’t Khushi... and I’m not lying.. I hate that man to the bottom of my heart.. His name, his face, his memories.. all this brings in front of my eyes, ma’s dead body, Anjali di and lavanya’s tears, nani’s struggle for us to live like every children should..

Arnav walked away from Khushi while saying...

ASR: You know.. ek dhin mujhe yaad tha.. (I remember..) I was very young..maybe 12, 13 years.. nani came tired from work.. aur uss dhin dinner ke liye.. (And that day for dinner..) there was only enough food for 3 of us..  Nani ne kuch nahin kaya.. (nani didn’t eat anything..)  not even a single morsel.. Ek nani hai, jo apne bachon ke liye apne jaan bhi de sakti hai aur ek dad hai jo apne jaan li hume akele marne chordiya.. aur nani kar bhi kya sakti thi, Dhin raat naukri karti thi jisme uski adha salary dad ke loan me jaati thi...(There’s nani, who can give her life for her kids and the other side, there is dad who took his life to let us die alone.. and what could Nani do else, she worked day and night and half of her salary went into the loan of dad..) This man don’t deserve to be loved Khushi..

Khushi: What about the love of your mum?

Instantly he turned towards Khushi...

ASR: Matlab? (what do you mean?)

Khushi: I never knew my dad Arnav.. I don’t even know if he’s still alive or dead.. Every time, I convince myself that I hate him.. but deep inside I know that he’s very important for me.. I hide my feelings from myself but I just can’t stop loving him.. you can grow from a child to an adult.. you can keep climbing the ladder of success.. but a child will always be the child of his father no matter how much hatred he has for him.. It’s the father and the mother together who gave life to us.. it was their love and I know how much painful it is if one of them is not by your side...

She began walking towards Arnav as she said...

Khushi: When I see nani, I don’t see her struggle, I see her happiness when she talks about her chote, When I see Anjali Di, I remember her saying that she chose to be by the side of her brother instead of getting married to a man who has not even half of the kind heart of her brother.. And Lavanya, have you seen her confidence.. She stepped everywhere carrying the name of Arnav Singh Raizada.. she says your name is her shield, no one will ever dare hurt her as long as she has a brother like you..

Standing in front of Arnav, she passed her arms around his waist and let her head rest on his chest as she said...

Khushi: And when I see you...I can see your success and upon all the blessings of your parents... your ma and pa.. un dono ke haath apne chote ke saar par.. (these two having their hands on their chote’s head..) this is my belief which I’ll never impose on you.. Neither can I force you to stop hating him.. I can tolerate anything.. be angry at me, yelled at me... I’ll hear it but I cannot see you break down over the past... Please promise me... it won’t happen again.. promise me arnav!

Arnav closed his eyes and let his arms slid around Khushi’s slim waist... He let his head rest onto Khushi’s shoulders while tears rolled down his cheeks.. His grip became tighter as if he was searching for that warmth into Khushi’s arms which he was missing from his close ones... His touch began to move up her back.. His nose burrowed into her hairs.. Slowly they pulled apart enough to face each other... and Arnav uttered...

ASR: Why Khushi? How can you be like this? Even my own sister will run away from me when I behave like such a beast.. Why not you? Why you are still here? Tum aise kyun hai? (Why are you like this?)

Khushi fixed into his eyes speechless.. and slowly their lips began approaching to each other while Khushi moved forward.. She lifted her hands and caressed his forehead caringly...  and she whispered..

Khushi: Yeh tum apne aap se khud pooch lo.. aisa kyun mein.. (Ask this to yourself.. why am I like this..)

And slowly.. Khushi leaned forward as she took his lips.. Arnav didn’t react but let her control him... Khushi slipped her tongue into his mouth... Her hands stroke his hairs while Arnav began to respond to her kiss.. His hands went to her waist and slid under her top... He caressed her skin with his fingers while the kiss became more passionate... He helped her to lift her thighs to both side of his hips while she held on to his neck.. kissing him with a heated passion like never before.. Slowly he began walking out of his office and walked to the open lift with Khushi in the same position.. kissing each other hungrily.. As he entered into the lift, he pushed Khushi to the mirror glass, her legs around his waist.. and they broke the kiss.. they stared into each other’s eyes while Arnav brought his one hand  towards the door and pushed onto the last floor button... Heaving for each other, Arnav crashed his lips onto hers violently while the lift door got closed and it moved up to the loft of AR Designs...    

Flashback to be continued In Next Part

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