Chapter 1

3 years ago

chaoticmind2021

@chaoticmind2021

Laughter. Correction, a burst of full-blown tinkling laughter made him stop outside his mother's bedroom and just listen. Spellbinding. It calmed his frayed nerves down and for a minute he thought he could come home to this. The next second his eyes widened and his heart picked up an erratic pace realizing the direction of his thoughts. Damn! The frustration of his personal life was turning him into a romanticist!

He knocked on the door albeit hesitantly, afraid to discover the owner of such contagious laughter and stepped inside after his mother's weak come in. He smiled at his mother who looked a little better than the morning. There was a twinkle in her eyes along with the warmth that exuded whenever she greeted him. He dared not to look at a certain someone that he could see through his peripheral vision lest his earlier thoughts return and he ends up making a fool of himself. What was it with him today?

'Oh, I'm so glad that you're here, Chottey. You can finally meet Khushi bitiya today.' His mother introduced the new face at one of their special evening tea time.

Of course. He should've known. His mother's ever famous Khushi bitiya was here brightening her mood. From the past year, he had been subjected to praises of a certain Khushi Gupta and he had gladly avoided meeting her knowing the favourite pastime of Raizada women - matchmaking. He turned around with thinned lips already planning his early escape and stopped. She was.... beautiful. In a simple white churidar with a radiant smile, she was a vision. What was it about her that he had his heart skip a beat and he stopped breathing for a moment?

'Hi. Khushi Kumari Gupta. Nice to meet you finally.' She spoke putting an end to the awkward silence that had ensued because of his mental assessment of the woman in front of him.

Dammit! Say something. 'Arnav Singh Raizada. Pleasure.' He replied. It was, at this moment, that Arnav appreciated his years of practice to school his expressions and maintain a confident stance in front of his business rivals. However, his lips stretched into a rare smile that he kept for his family only that she returned with a sparkle in her eye.

Thinking that he had finally lost it, he mumbled a work-related excuse and almost ran out of there but not before turning to have a last look at her. His eyes widened when she turned and winked at him mischievously letting him know that she had seen right through his facade.