Chapter 22

Arnav groaned at the ringing of his mobile that was now slicing the silence of his room.. Pulling out his hand from beneath the warm duvet, he groped for his stupid mobile that seemed hell bent on disturbing his night's peaceful sleep.. With one of his half opened eyes, as he saw the name flashing as if wanting to hide itself from his wrath but yet wanna show him the real culprit, Arnav sat up in a jiff and looked at the time.. 3:30 in the morning?!

"Is everything alright, Aman? Lavanya is fine, right?"

"ASR, relax.. Everything is perfect.. Erm.. I'm at your door step.. Would you mind getting yourself out of that bed and let me in?"

Now sleep was the last thing that would cross its way with Arnav.. Jumping out of his bed, Arnav slid his feet into slippers as he swore loudly..

"What the!!! Have you gone insane, Aman?!"

"Will you please do the favor of keeping my visit to you at this hour, a secret from this family? Lower your voice champ.. I'm at your house.. Not some board of meeting.. And about insanity, well, ever since I took up to be your friend, I guess it came up as a perk.. And now, can you be sane enough to kindly open the door of this house and save me from these chilling winds?!"

No matter how stupid Aman may sound and how irritating and frustrating he might make him, trust Aman to bring out a smile even the weirdest and stupidest situations.. Steering himself from being caught smiling, he put back his rigid face and opened the doors only to cringe back at the coldness of the winds.. A sudden concern and anger seeped through Arnav as he saw Aman standing in front of him, bundled in heavy fur coats with a fond smirk on his face..

"Why the hell did you plan to die in these cold winds, specially on the door steps of the house I'm living in?"

Stepping in, Aman smiled widely shaking his head..

"Good Morning to you too.."

Arnav rolled his eyes and closed the door.. Walking upstairs with Aman following him, he declared in a low rough husk..

"I'd rather shout a 'shut the hell up and get lost' than to wish you back a 'good morning', specially at this hour!!"

Settling on his bed, Arnav covered himself with a thick blanket and made place for Aman to join him..

"I thought Lavanya came to see you the last Monday and wasn't returning till next week?"

Aman smiled as he shed his coat and made himself comfortable on the bed beside Arnav.. Opening his laptop, he continued..

"I appreciate your concern for Lavanya, but let me add that she's more concerned about you and your love life right now.. Knowing the reason why I wanted to hurry here, she literally pushed me out of our home.. I'v dropped her back in Mumbai and landed up here.. She hates being in our home alone.. Makes her lonely and longing, she says.. I can't agree less.."

Arnav turned sideways and stared at his friend for a minute before he looked back at the closed window..

"So what's stopping you from not making her feeling alone?"

Aman stopped typing for a moment before he resumed both typing as well as speaking..

"Her commitment.. She's helping her friend, ASR.. Her friend who's in need.. The best thing I'v always loved about Lavanya is the way she sticks to her words and helps her people no matter how much of a toll it takes on her.. Kinda similar to you, but in a gentle, graceful and lady like manner.. If not me, who'l understand her? Besides, its just a matter of months.."

Arnav moved up and reached to the window.. Opening it a bit, he glanced at the dark garden of the Gupta Mansion..

"The distance.. Doesn't it create any.. You know, rifts or something like that?"

Aman smiled as he collected the papers from the file and turned the pages.. Placing the laptop on the table, he glanced at Arnav once, before he resumed digging himself into the papers..

"The point is whether you want to be or not in the relation, Arnav.. Distance, communication, etc. play a damn high role, true.. But, if you are willing to be with the one you want to be, I dont think distance and communication make any difference.. At the end of the day, its all your decision.. To love, trust and live.. Or to let go.."

A few moment of silence prevailed as Arnav looked at Aman who was staring back at him.. He then turned to the Mansion once again to find it still in darkness.. Aman slowly approached Arnav and laid his hand on his shoulder.. Taking a deep breath, he continued softly..

"Exactly how your love and respect for Khushi never decreased even when you were far away from her and din't have any sort of communication either.. Heck, you din't even know how she looked like or anything about her, except that she helped you years back and made you laugh and be happy.. I dont know what you are thinking, but let me tell you this.. What ever happened with her, is NOT your fault.. You should no where be guilty for it.. If anyone deserves you, its her.. And if it is anything she deserves, it is You.."

Arnav closed his eyes and let the cold winds hit his face.. Several things were playing on his mind, specially from the recent evening..

After Khushi confessed her love for him, she fainted in his arms.. It is the one moment he would never forget in his life.. A moment that filled him with both jubilation and dread.. A mix so hard and raw that even now he felt the shiver running down his spine at the thought.. He stood still for a few moments before he could register what was happening around him.. He slowly but mutely lifted her up and made her sit on one of the chairs.. Sprinkling water on her, he made her drink some water as he saw her opening her eyes.. It was then that he realized that he had been holding his breath all this long.. Not caring anything else, he crushed her to him and began pecking all over her face.. He cupped her face tenderly and stared into those Hazel pools with all the love he had for her..

Suddenly his mind was struck with the realization that, untill now, never did Khushi remember what she did or spoke just before she fainted.. His heart shattered and suddenly the entire world seemed dark and suffocating.. Arnav felt his eyes stinging but like hell he would let her know.. She loves him and he knew it.. And to top it, he heard it in her own words.. So what if she doesn't remember her confession now, he was sure she will do it again some day.. Hopefully some day sooner.. His love isn't so weak or questioning.. He'l love her further more.. He's falling in love with this woman more and more with every passing second.. With the same strong determination, he looked back at her to find her eyes glistening with tears.. Panic took over him which soon faded into ecstasy.. Covering his hands on her cheeks with hers, Khushi spoke into his eyes..

"I Love You, Arnav.. I really really do.. I don't know how, when or why.. All I know is, with you, I feel alive.. My heart beats, my soul dances and I feel me.. Its like, I finally found the reason of my life.. You make me complete, Arnav.. I feel special, loved and like a woman.. I feel pampered, cherished and protected.. You fill me with warmth and happiness.. You.. I.. I don't know what else to say Arnav.. Every moment since you entered my life, you'v filled it with love and light.. I can speak about you like forever when I'm alone.. But the moment you come, I'l just get lost in your eyes.. Your eyes that clearly show how much you love me.. "

Kissing his hands in hers, Khushi whispered to him as their eyes glistened in joy and love..

"I tried, Arnav.. I tried like hell not to get into your words.. Not to get affected by you.. But.. This heart was never mine.. It always beats for you.. It betrayed me easier and faster than my mind did.. And now, I can't even think of anything but you.. Everything reminds me of you.. Every thought, every action, every word.. Why did you have to be so stubborn, Arnav? Why did you love me with such passion, honesty and intensity? Why? Now look.. Even I have begun to love you.. Love you back the way you do.. I know I'l never be able to love you as much as you do but, I am truly in Love with you, Arnav.."

Not having any words that would justify his feelings right now, Arnav inched closer as he looked at Khushi's eyes for one last time.. Finding her submitting herself, Arnav's heart burst with love, possessiveness and desire.. He started off with gentle caresses that soon turned into wild passionate kisses.. After half an hour of satiated kissing session, Arnav pecked Khushi one last time before they ate in content.. Speaking a bit more about her past, consoling and promising themselves of the future ahead, Arnav kissed Khushi heatedly for a good 20 minutes before he left her back at the Gupta's.. He would have kissed her again if not for the step sisters barging their way out.. Not that he gave a heed about them, but he saw Khushi stirring uncomfortably.. He pecked her cheek softly as he continued his parting words..

"Get used to it, Khushi.. I'm not as patient as I seem to be.. And.. Get ready by 4:00 in the evening tomorrow.. We'r heading out.."

He saw her widening her eyes a bit and then he was graced with his favorite color changing session.. The cream-peach-pink-red one.. She nodded at him before she skipped to her home.. Arnav smiled fondly at her as he realized that this was the first time he saw her skipping.. His heart felt at content..

Arnav shook out of his thoughts as he saw the light of the Garden flicker to life.. Straightening himself, he looked at Aman who returned him a knowing smile and a pat on his shoulder before he returned back to the laptop.. Arnav couldn't stop grinning like a love-lost fool and shot his eyes up to the garden..

Angelic!!!

His angel never failed to surprise him.. The moment she stepped into the corridor, he saw Khushi stopping for a moment and smiling softly to herself..

She knew..

His heart fluttered at finding her realize his presence.. Clad in heavy sheets, his love appeared like a furry snow ball.. Chuckling to himself, Arnav leaned on the window sill with his arms folded under his chest, as he saw her lock the door and ever so slowly turning her head to him.. He smiled in content that filled his heart.. A warmth that he can never define filed him as he saw her smile back at him..

Neither knew how long they looked at each other.. Who said that love lies only in passionate moments? Love is walking in silence, hugging each other sideways as they pass the cold nights.. Love is staring each other below the starry night.. Love is waiting and knowing that the wait is worth.. Love is everything that makes you happy knowing that what you are doing makes the other person happy..

Its only when he heard Aman sneeze that Arnav came out of the reverie.. Smiling widely at his Love, he pointed out to the now raising Sun to her.. Snapping to reality, Khushi turned to the Dawn with her face flushed making it look even irresistible in the Morning rays, as Arnav watched the pure glee glowing in her face.. All Arnav wanted was to run down to her and kiss her senseless.. He could have surely done it if Khushi stared at the peeking Sun one more second..

As if sensing his intense gaze, she looked at him and pointed her fore finger to him.. Frowning, Arnav continued to look at her with his smirk in tact.. He then saw her pointing him once again and then the now raising Sun and then to herself..

'You are the ray of the dawn in my life..'

Arnav din't know how but his eyes blurred as the meaning behind her actions hit him.. Before he could make a move, he saw Khushi looking back at the Mansion and then to him.. Smiling warmly, she stepped inside, leaving a highly over-whelmed, emotionally moved and deeply touched Arnav staring still at the same spot..

"So.. This is where it led.."

Arnav leaned back on the chair as Aman flipped back the papers onto the bed.. Parimala Gupta was all set to sell Gupta Mansion.. And that was why Aman came rushing to him.. But, everything is in control.. Since the person whom Mrs. Gupta dealt to sell was already dealt by Aman and so, all Mrs.Gupta was doing right now, was directly selling it to Arnav but through a mediator.. The entire process was monitored and controlled by Arnav through Video Conference, but its just that Mrs.Gupta wasn't aware of it.. There by, the Gupta Mansion is now officially, the property of Arnav Singh Raizada.. Arnav closed his eyes and spoke confused..

"Yeah.. It did.. But, how? I mean, you said she can't do anything as such.."

Aman began packing his stuff as he shook his head in contradiction and continued..

"I said she can't do anything of such sort until she's not legally related with Khushi.."

Arnav jerked his head as his eyes shot open..

"What do you mean?"

Aman sighed as he looked up from the bag..

"I mean, dear friend that Khushi Gupta is officially in terms of the judiciary, an orphan.. This was long done ASR.. We traced each and everything.. Long before we even began searching for Khushi.. I still don't get the reason to why the lawyer Mrs.Gupta hired din't let her know about this until yesterday.."

Arnav's eyes went red with rage and pain..

An orphan? His Khushi? Never! As long as he breaths, she is his!

"So, Khushi's got no say in any property of Sashi uncle, not even the Mansion?"

"No.."

"Who's the lawyer?"

"A distant relative of Mrs.Gupta.. Shyaam Sinha.. Yes.. I too flinched at having heard the name.. But its just the name, ASR.. This is Shyaam Sinha.."

Arnav breathed hot, short and rapid as he walked to the window..

"I know.. Jiju is too good to even suspect but.. Why did this guy keep Mrs.Gupta in dark this long, if they'v accomplished the work long back.. Something is not falling in place, Aman.. Something is really wrong.."

"You okay?"

Arnav snapped out of his trance as he heard her voice.. Smirking at a now deeply blushing Khushi, he spoke softly as he pecked her cheek..

"You are goorrgeous!! And in this red.. Are you on a mission to get me down to my knees? Coz if it is, let me tell you Khushi Gupta soon to be Raizada, you'v succeeded!"

Arnav pecked Khushi on her lips as he ignited his SUV to life.. But all Khushi did was to stare at him.. Noticing that she went quiet all of a sudden, Arnav glanced at her to find her shocked.. Taking her hand in his, Arnav spoke softly..

"What is it, Sweetheart?"

Arnav chuckled at finding her widen her eyes.. He turned down the SUV and turned to her.. Leaning over, Arnav pecked her eyes and her lips and continued in husk..

"Khushi..?"

"Soo.. Soon to be.. be Raizada?"

Arnav stilled at her faint whisper.. I mean, dear friend that Khushi Gupta is officially in terms of judiciary, an orphan.. Arnav's eyes stung at her words.. Kissing her hard and firm, promising her of his love and joyous future, of never to let go or to make her feel alone.. Arnav moved back from her only when their lungs demanded air in urgency..

"Of course.. Any problem?"

Khushi blushed ferociously as she stammered..

"You.. Your.. Family?"

Nuzzling into her neck, Arnav whispered..

"They love you.."

Finding her still at her words, Arnav cupped Khushi's face and pecked her gently on her lips..

"Yes.. They know about you.. They love you.. Every single person.. All that they are waiting for is your approval.. I'm not going to speak anymore, since, this is not the way I'v planned to propose you nor is anywhere near to what you deserve.."

Kissing her with reverence and love, Arnav pulled back once again and whispered against her lips..

"I love you, Khushi.. Everything of you.. With everything of me.."

To the above buddies,