Chapter 7

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Chapter 7

When Khushi received a courier bearing her name, she was surprised to say the least. Why would someone send her a courier? She signed for it and opened it. She first saw the picture, then read what was in the photocopied papers. She was just about to tear and dump the entire contents of the package, when she noticed that there was another piece of paper in that envelope. With shaking hands she removed it. It read:

It said: You already know who I am. Meet me at the Coffee shop next to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital at 12.30pm. If you don't come you will see this photograph being broadcast in today's evening news.

There was no signature on the note, the parcel or any of the contents it carried. And yet, this was unmistakably the doing of just one person - Arnav Singh Raizada.

She looked at the photograph once again. The shot looked like Khushi Kumari Gupta was about to kiss Arnav Singh Raizada, while Arnav was busy cradling her in his arms. She knew something like that had never happened. He knew it too. But the press would have a field day with the picture.

It had been almost a month since Payal's marriage was called off but her family was still trying to come to terms with it. The occasional question from a neighbor, relative or well-wisher was enough to break the wall of patience that her family had very diligently tried to build around them.

She couldn't heap this insult on them as well. But how could she face the very man who was haunting her every living moment? How would she sit in front of him and stop herself from giving him one tight slap on his face and telling him what she exactly thought of him as a person? No scratch that. He was no person. He was only a living thing. But how would she sit through the brief encounter? Because that is precisely what it would be, she would make sure of that.

She was almost ready to tell him to "go to hell" when she remembered something else. The face of a quiet scared child who was brought home by Shashi and Garima and given all the love and security a family had to offer.

She would go. She would do that for her parents. But what would she tell them? Khushi hated lying. But it had to be done this one time. Just so that she could set him straight.

Telling her parents that she was off to the temple, Khushi hailed an auto-rickshaw and directed him towards the coffee shop outside Ram Manohar Lohia hospital.

*******

Khushi Gupta was 10 minutes early and therefore decided to treat herself to a hot cup of tea. She could do with some soothing right now because within herself she was seething. Seething at the audacity of a man who had tortured her for 48 hours and then blackmailed her into meeting him. He might be a big business man but he definitely needed a lesson or two when it came to etiquette.

Arnav Singh Raizada arrived at sharp 12.30. He was never late. One could synchronize their clock with his schedule. He spotted Khushi Gupta sitting at the corner most tables in the coffee shop and proceeded towards her. Khushi suddenly felt something and looked up to see a very handsome man in a charcoal black three piece suit striding towards her. She knew it was a Gucci. Their brand image was unmistakable.

As Arnav came closer she could feel the sheer magnetism of the businessman. No wonder people were afraid of him. This man exuded raw charisma.

He sat down and began without a preamble. "I have a proposition for you. I want you to be my next live-in Business Developer. My current live in business manager is Lavanya Kashyap who will be vacating her position shortly. She will hand over all-important information that there is to know in order to fill this position. You have 24 hours to consider the proposal and accept it. Once you formally accept it, I will arrange for a meeting between yourself and Lavanya and you can get all the relevant information from her."

Khushi was stumped by the monologue to say the least. It sounded like he was offering her a job. But something didn't seem right. Had she misheard what he said? She asked again "What's the position again Mr Raizada?"

"I want you to be my live in Business Manager", he said as a matter-of-fact.

"And what would the job profile include?", she questioned uncertainly.

"It's not a real job Khushi. It's just a glorified name for a mistress."

Rage pumped through her veins. She had heard him right the first time. She couldn't believe his audacity. Firstly he tortures her and now he brings this ridiculously demeaning proposal to her. Who did he think she was?

"Thank you for the offer Mr Raizada but I don't need 24 hours to think over it. I can give you my answer right now, and the answer is no. "

Khushi got up to leave but Arnav held her palm firmly to the table. Try as she might she couldn't rid her hand of his deathlike grip and so she was forced to sit down.

Arnav's eyes had a cold gleam, like a tiger just before it is about to pounce on its prey. "I usually get what I want and I hate hearing the word no"

"Well, then start getting used to it because I don't like saying yes to you"

"You will say yes"

"Over my dead body"

"Not really your dead body but maybe your father's"

"What do you mean?" Khushi's voice sounded unsure.

"The land your father has his sweetmeat shop on needs to be renewed and the landlord is asking for twice the rent as the land is on prime property."

Looking at Khushi's dumbstruck expression, Arnav softly chuckled before continuing. "Considering the fact that your father is barely managing to break even, doubling the rent will break his backbone. And shifting the location of the shop is not really an option he will consider because the shop has been on the same location since the last 50 years."

"Interestingly, I am thinking of buying some more property in the heart of Lucknow and that particular piece of land seems to have taken my fancy. If you agree to this deal, I will lease the land out to your father for a term of 99 years at half the rate he is currently paying. If you don't I will triple his rental obligations and force him to declare bankruptcy. The choice is yours"

Khushi stopped struggling with her hand and sat down. Things were not as straightforward as she thought. What Arnav was offering was nothing less than an insult and yet it seemed that she had no other option. She wanted some time to calmly think things over and analyse the situation before she came to a conclusion.

"I need some time to think over it."

"Sure take your time. You have 24 hours. I will meet you at the same coffee shop tomorrow at 12.30 pm and hopefully by then you will have an answer for me."

He put on his aviators and strode out of the coffee shop. The black Mercedes was waiting outside. He got into the backseat and the car drove off. Khushi sat dejectedly staring at the table before she suddenly got up and rushed out of the coffee shop. She had a lot of work to do in a day. She had to find a way out of this mess. She could never accept what he was proposing. She was not going to give in without a fight.

Chapter 8: http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4343261&TPN=6