Chapter 5

ShikhaKhushi

@ShikhaKhushi

There happened to be none. He had just found it appropriate to parade to his company's anniversary in the foulest mood one could imagine. He was coming directly from a meeting and he was late. But being late did not bother him. In fact, arriving at your own party late was fashionable. His thoughts wandered to his beautiful protegee in a flash. He wondered what number she could have pulled that night.

And he had made sure she should come by threatening Antara with getting fired if the least employee failed to attend the party. Part of him had thought it would be better if she didn't come because the temptation in him had been rising past his limits these days. But the other, stronger part had decided to make her come, test himself. And he did want to see her.

But what he saw as soon as he crossed the threshold of the ballroom made him freeze, hitting him dead in the centre of his chest.

***

Her heavily kohled eyes trailed on the magnificent chandelier overhead, making her pink glossed lips part in admiration. She was not used to this sheer luxury that surrounded her. Her hands were bunched into fists at her sides. She lowered her head to look back down and the simple movement made the heavy black and white studded jhumkas that hung from her ear jingle. She shifted uncomfortably, feeling all those stares on her, and adjusted her saree so that it still covered her waist decently. Not that it would change anything because it was practically transparent. Khushi mentally cursed Antara for making her wear this.

Khushi's saree: http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o573/ShikhaKhushi/71244217_zps4f0736c7.jpg

Khushi's earrings: http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o573/ShikhaKhushi/7377489-2u898947_zpsaf7ed844.jpg

She wanted to escape as soon as possible. She didn't even want to be there, but she had to. Apparently, her boss had insisted on every employee's presence to show they had team-spirit and she was required to stay in the party until Arnav Singh Raizada had seen her. Then only she would be free to leave.

But up to now, there was no trace of the man in question. Khushi's face fell into a frown. How she wished he would come soon. She would should him her miserable face and take off. The looks she was attracting here were making her too uncomfortable.

Once again, she checked that her hair was covering her back properly because Antara had forced her in the tiniest black blouse, made of form-hugging velvet and which, outrageously, had practically no back but for a thin strap of jewelled lace at the bottom and the thinnest silver doris bound into a knot from which minuscule jhumkis hung.

Things were growing intolerable now. She felt the heat rush up her cheeks as the gazes on her intensified and she turned towards the darkened corridor that led to the washrooms, hugging herself.

Her fear blinded her and she walked past the ladies' without being aware of it. She walked further into the darkness, her heart pounding. She was starting to realise that she had gone too far when something gripped at her upper arm and whirled her around. Khushi gasped loudly. She didn't see who it was but the halo created by the lights from the ballroom indicated it was definitely a man.

Her eyes opened wide and she struggled to free herself, only to be pulled against a hard body. Strangely, her lips were sealed. She wanted to say something, to scream, but her mind had stopped working. She shuddered as a finger ran down the side of her face, down her neck and all of a sudden, hungry lips had caught hers in a searing kiss.

It started rather innocently. She felt the press of the man's hard, warm lips on her own, and stood there unable to react. Her brain was screaming at her to push him off and run but she was caught in time. His lips parted, he bit at her lower lip gently but he still did hurt her. That seemed to wake her up. Khushi lifted her hands to his chest and pushed, but he wound his arms around her waist to pull her closer and deepen the kiss.

His tongue tantalizingly traced the outline of her lips before nibbling at her against as she desperately tried to fight him off. His warm hands caressed her back, her waist, her hips seductively. But she still didn't give in. He pressed her fully against him, making her stand in his feet, moulding her body to his and bit again, harder this time. Khushi gasped and he took immediate advantage. She paused when his tongue delved in her mouth and the kiss became more heated. One of his hands had reached in her hair to pull her even nearer.

She felt her eyes sting. Soon, a tear had slid down her cheek. Whether the person had realised this, she didn't know but he lifted his head to look down at her. He would see her of course, since the light was shining on her face. She felt his eyes rove on her face, then he had released her. He took several steps back, leaving her to stumble against the wall for support and in mere seconds he was gone.

Khushi felt more tears escape but she swallowed them and wiped her face dry. She practically ran out of the hotel and caught the first taxi back to the apartment. And it was only when she had locked herself in the place she could call home that she let herself fall to her knees and cry her heart out.

And when her eyes had finally dried, a thought settled itself in her mind, a question interlaced with it. Had her mother fallen in love with the man who had fathered her to give herself to him? Or had she been, like Khushi had been that night, cornered into helplessness and raped?

A chill ran down her spine. What could have happened if the man had not relented? What could have happened if he had...? Would she have turned into the woman who had given birth to her?

***

He leaned over the washbasin, each muscle of his body coiled with tension. How long had he been there, staring at his reflection in the mirror? He straightened himself and punched the marble surface under his hands irately, barely filtering the flow of expletives that left his mouth. What had gotten into him to follow that girl and force a kiss on her? Had he freaking lost his mind?

Maybe.

But he still couldn't get that image of her out of his mind. The way she had innocently been looking at the surroundings. The way her eyes twinkled, trailing over minute details, open wide. The way she stood there nervously, her thin arms tensed against her equally tensed body. The way that saree was wrapped around her, accentuating her curves. The way the white gauzy material had surprisingly made her skin appear whiter. The way...

Damn! He punched the marble surface again. Why was he thinking so much about her? How could he have noticed so much about her? Usually, he didn't care about girls or women. One night with them, sometimes one simple kiss, and he would be satisfied.

This girl? Why the f**k did she need to be so mysterious? Why had that one kiss not been enough? On the contrary, he wanted to find her right away and...

No, dammit! He couldn't have his way with her!

Shashi Gupta had claimed her as his daughter, whether the fact was true or not was still unknown to him but he could not even think of attracting Khushi Kumaari Gupta into his bed. He was heavily indebted to her 'father'. If he did try sleeping with Khushi, not only his guilt would drive him crazy, but it was also very sure that Shashi would destroy him.

Arnav could only hope that she had not seen his face or recognised him. Her tear-stained face flashed before his eyes and he clenched them shut to retain that image. There was a strange fear in her eyes. He suddenly wished he could uncover the mystery that surrounded her...

He turned away from the mirror in frustration, his eyes still closed, breathing deeply. Then, he unlocked the door and swiftly stormed out, leaving the party without acknowledging anyone.

***

She had, by the following morning, convinced herself that it was just a nightmare, a horribly terrifying one. No such thing had really happened. Khushi got herself ready for work. She had chosen a rather loose fitting anarkali to erase the discomfort of the previous night.

Khushi's outfit: http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/o573/ShikhaKhushi/87471294801_zpse6cd3b15.jpg

She walked to the elevator, glancing only once at the door of her boss. She had returned home before he had showed up last night. She wondered why he had taken so much time. Maybe, he wouldn't notice her absence, the ballroom had been crammed. Biting her lip, she pressed the button to ask for the elevator, fervently hoping he could ignore her not being there.