Chapter 49

Thank you for all your love and affection. I want to give everyone a fair warning here. We have at least another 20 Chapters to go until the end. I am working on completing them as soon as possible, but it will be that much longer before you can see the magical words - THE END. I'm really missing some conversation here. Let me know what you think of the storyline, do you agree with what's happening, if yes, why, if no why. I've always drawn a lot of inspiration from these conversations and I really want to keep them going. I am also open to constructive criticism. Let me know what you liked, what you disliked, its great to hear feedback.

New readers welcome aboard. I hope you enjoy the journey. I have some housekeeping to do, which I will hopefully get to, in the coming week - with sorting page links, posting next chapter links, etc. I will also have time to send PMs for the coming few updates - I hope. If you do wish to receive a PM, please buddy me so I can send those out to you.

Warning: This is a fairly boring and short chapter. I will make up for it by posting a longer one later on in the week (hopefully Friday). However, this sets the tone for the remaining part of the story and therefore needed to be written.

Let me know your thoughts!

Chapter 45

3 weeks later

Khushi was making herself comfortable, covering herself with the measly excuse for a blanket that had been provided by Alitalia Airlines, while listening to the air hostess rant in Italian about safety procedures. She was sitting, staring out of the window seat contemplating how she was going to spend her next 12 hours. That's what it was going to take for her to reach Milan. The flight was going to Rome, from where she was required to take a connecting. Although the time difference meant that she would reach the hotel by noon the same day.

She looked outside the window at the multitude of airlines parked next to each other. They were so royal, the tails sporting their flags and their wings, giant pieces of steel. She looked at the airport workers, busy loading cargo into the plane right next to theirs, wearing a brightly fluorescent yellow and orange striped jacket. She took in the bustling activity taking place at the wee hours of the morning, when most of the city was only just begining to rise.

She leaned back on her pushback chair and closed her eyes, pulling the blanket closer to her neck and wrapping her arms around herself to prevent it from falling.

Her thoughts involuntarily went back to the last time she saw Arnav Singh Raizada, at Sheesh Mahal. He had consciously avoided her presence since and it had left her confused, and honestly, a little hurt.

She couldn't understand what had gone wrong. She had numerous times tried to accidentally be in his path, only to find out that he was extremely good at seeing through people.

She had even tried walk upto his apartment and knock on his door a few times, but the knock was never answered. He was never home. And if he was, he never answered her.

The final approval for the designs she had handed Arnav came from the Head Designer Vishal Malhotra, which stung her a bit, because she was really beginning to enjoy his mentoring and was looking forward to more of it.

Eventually, she gave up and waited for the day when a note on her desk would say that she was no longer a part of the project. That day never came. In fact, 5 days before the entire team was due to leave, she found a pair of return tickets on her desk. When she stared quizically at them, Jade sauntered by to let her know that the big boss wanted her to go alongwith the team to Milan.

She simply shook her head and put those tickets into her purse. Now that Arnav Singh Raizada, wanted nothing more to do with her, the trip had lost all its charm. She simply assumed that now that the two had finished their affair, ASR had simply moved on.

***

Arnav himself was quite confused with his behaviour. He had often worked hard to get a girl, and once she was his, had never shied away from enjoying the fruits of his labour. Well, there is always a first time. And this was the first time Arnav Singh Raizada was working this hard to stay away from a girl he was attracted to.

Yes, there were a few things in life that even Arnav Singh Raizada had to accept. And one of them was he was attracted to Khushi Kumari Gupta. She was no longer merely a challenge. She had turned into something beyond that. Something that threatened his sanity.

The realization stumped him. She wasn't like any of the girls he had dated before. She was traditional and shy, the opposite of what he liked in his partners, who were always bold and eager. When he had begun this little game of his, he was looking to break Khushi Kumari Gupta. However, it seemed as if the game was being played the other way round. He looked himself in the mirror and back stared the soppy version of Arnav Singh Raizada, who behaved like a hormonal teenager, stealing kisses from virgin maidens in public spaces. Gone was the beast, who commanded and ordered. And that, infuriated him to no extent.

His thoughts too often went back to the day when he almost ravished Khushi in the gardens of Sheesh Mahal. When Khushi had turned and ran away from him at Sheesh Mahal, he was still trying to compose himself. Just a few minutes later, Aman Bansal was standing right next to him. Seeing Aman, in such close proximity merely minutes after his tryst with Khushi left him reeling. What if Aman hadn't called out? What if Aman had walked in a few seconds earlier? He looked around. If someone had discovered them, where would that leave Khushi's reputation?

The thought wrung a dry laugh from him. Sure he cared about her reputation. He was the one who had offered her the demeaning contract, not just a few months back. He was the one who was experienced. He should have known better. He was the one who had a string of mistresses. He was the one who was always in control. And here, he was the one who had broken all rules of engagement.

Unable to take his anger out on himself, he took it out on the person standing right next to him.

"What is it Bansal? barked ASR.

"I just came to ask you about the renovations..."

"Bansal, if you can't handle your job, let me know so I can find someone else who can!" And he strode away in the true ASR style leaving a flabbergasted Aman to think about what invisible line had he crossed this time around?

Chapter 46: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/4807996?pn=95