Chapter 6 - Unspoken Words
The silence in the room after Khushi’s sharp words felt thicker than it had any right to be. As she stared at the wedding guest list, her eyes narrowing in silent frustration, the last remnants of their argument seemed to hang in the air like smoke - dense, suffocating. She wanted to be angry. She was angry. But a part of her - small and insistent - couldn’t ignore the feeling that had been growing inside her since their conversation at the club: something more complicated than hate, more tangled than either of them cared to admit.
Arnav, for his part, seemed unaffected, his posture still as rigid as always. He reclined in his chair, one hand lazily resting on the armrest, the other tapping a slow, measured beat on the table. But his eyes, dark and unreadable, were trained on her, not the list, not the papers before him - her.
She could feel the intensity of his gaze, even if he wasn’t saying anything. Her heart raced for no logical reason, a pulse of nervous energy she tried to suppress by focusing on the guest list again. It was easier to feel angry than to acknowledge the warmth that was starting to simmer between them.
"You always find something to pick at, don’t you?" Arnav’s voice broke the silence, and it was as cold as it always was. But there was an edge to it, something like tension, something different.
"I don’t pick at anything," Khushi snapped, raising her chin and forcing herself to meet his gaze. “You’re the one who insists on making everything a battle."
He leaned forward then, his expression hardening as he looked at her, his jaw tightening slightly. "You started it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You always do."
Khushi opened her mouth to retort, but something in his tone made her hesitate. There was something raw beneath the usual veneer of disdain - something unspoken. Her mind replayed the words he had whispered to her earlier, the ones that had struck deep. I’m stuck with you just as much as you’re stuck with me.
Why did those words feel like a promise - or perhaps, a curse?
She closed her mouth, the words caught in her throat.
Arnav continued, the bitterness now replaced with a strange kind of resolve. "We’re not doing this to make each other miserable, Khushi." His voice softened, and for a brief, terrifying moment, she swore she saw a flicker of something else in his eyes. "We’re doing this because we have to."
Khushi swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on her chest. "I know," she said quietly, her voice uncharacteristically soft. "But it doesn’t make it any easier."
He shifted in his seat, the cool, controlled Arnav Singh Raizada slipping back into place. His eyes were unreadable once more, though there was an undertone of something else there - something neither of them was ready to fully face.
"Nothing worth doing is ever easy," he said with a detached calm, but the words felt like a silent truce between them, as if they had both given up trying to tear each other apart in this moment.
Khushi nodded slowly, glancing down at the list again. But now, instead of seething at the names, she found herself feeling... something else. Maybe it was the weight of what she had just uncovered, or maybe it was the raw truth of their situation, but suddenly, the reality of their engagement felt more like a cage than a celebration.
Her eyes flicked back to him - he was still watching her, his gaze piercing, but there was a certain... softness, as if the walls he always built around himself were beginning to crumble, even if only a little.
It didn’t make sense. It shouldn’t. But there it was.
"I never asked for this, Arnav," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I never asked to be tangled up in this mess. And I don’t know what you expect from me, but I can’t pretend like everything’s okay."
Arnav’s gaze softened, his lips pressing into a tight line. He was silent for a long moment, the quiet between them stretching, thick and uncomfortable. Then, without warning, he stood up, pacing to the window. His back was to her as he stared out, his silhouette sharp against the dimming light of the evening.
“I didn’t expect you to be okay with it,” he said, his voice rough. “I didn’t expect anything from you, Khushi. I didn’t ask for this either. But I don’t have a choice. None of us do.”
Khushi stood up, her pulse quickening as she walked to him, standing a few feet behind him. She could feel the cold air between them, the chasm that had always existed, and yet somehow... felt smaller now. She reached out, almost unconsciously, and placed her hand on his arm.
He tensed at the touch, and for a moment, neither of them moved. But then, slowly, his muscles relaxed, and he let out a long, measured breath.
“You know, I thought if I could just bury this - bury her - it would make everything easier,” he said, the bitterness in his voice replaced with something far more weary. “But it hasn’t. It’s only made things worse.”
Khushi’s heart twisted. She had seen the layers of pain Arnav had buried deep within him, but hearing him admit it, hearing that weakness in his voice, was like a blow to her chest.
“Arnav...” Her voice trembled despite herself. “You don’t have to carry it all alone.”
His head turned slightly, just enough for her to catch a glimpse of his profile. His jaw clenched again, the familiar hardness returning to his features. But this time, there was a flicker of something else - something raw.
“I’m not asking you to carry it, Khushi,” he said, his voice low but laced with a bitter truth. “But you should know... Because you are going to marry ME ... You are going to be a part of Raizada family”
Khushi flinched, her breath catching in her throat. She opened her mouth, but the words seemed to stick. There was nothing she could say. Not yet.
But in that moment, something shifted - something she couldn’t ignore, no matter how much she tried to push it away. Arnav was right. There were secrets, there was history, and there was a bitter, gnawing truth about his family that neither of them could escape. But as much as she hated to admit it, as much as she loathed the way things had turned out... she didn’t want to face it alone.
And, for the first time in their entire tangled relationship, she wondered if maybe, just maybe, Arnav didn’t want to face it alone either.
~~
The silence between them lingered in the air like a storm waiting to break. Arnav stood by the window, his back to Khushi, his expression unreadable, as if he were battling with some internal storm. Khushi, on the other hand, had her hands wrapped around herself, her heart racing at the confusion swirling inside her.
"I never asked for any of this, Khushi," Arnav’s voice cut through the quiet, breaking the tension with a harsh edge. “You don’t understand. All of this - this engagement, this wedding -it’s just... I can't explain.... They are hell bent on marrying me off, and I don't understand .. God How do I explain this .. There’s no romance, no love, no fairy tale here. It’s about duty, tradition, and family pride. You and I? We’re just.... I don't even know why are you even involved here. Just because your family members knew my people?"
"F#ck" Arnav sighs and buries
Khushi felt the sting of his words, but at the same time, a part of her couldn’t help but understand the weight he was carrying. The responsibility, the legacy of the Raizada family.
She pushed her frustration aside, focusing instead on the bigger picture, the truth they were both determined to uncover.
“So, what, we’re supposed to just play our parts? For the family?” Khushi asked, her voice challenging, as her hands rested on her hips. “You think I want to be in this? You think this is some dream come true for me?”
Arnav turned sharply to face her, his eyes flashing. “I never said it was a dream for me either, Khushi.”
“Oh, I know that much!” Khushi shot back, rolling her eyes. “You’re the last person I’d call dreamy.”
Arnav raised an eyebrow, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I’m too good looking for your taste, I get it.”
Khushi smirked, crossing her arms. “I’d say you're right. You’d give a rock a run for its money when it comes to being emotionally unavailable.”
“Emotionally unavailable, huh?” Arnav took a step toward her, his voice lowering as he leaned in slightly, his eyes narrowing in a playful challenge. “And what about you, Khushi? Always so eager to jump to conclusions. You’re an expert in that.”
Khushi folded her arms tighter, feeling the heat of his gaze but determined not to show any sign of backing down. “Me? I’m not the one who thinks a wedding is just an obligation. Maybe you should try smiling once in a while. You know, like a normal person?”
Arnav didn’t answer immediately, but instead gave her a cool, almost amused glance. Then, in the same sarcastic tone, he responded, “You do know, Khushi, that smiling isn't exactly high on my list of priorities, right?”
Khushi huffed, her chin lifting in a mock superiority. “I can tell. The only thing higher on your list of priorities is looking like you’re permanently stuck in a frown.”
He smirked, stepping back, though his gaze didn’t leave her. “Well, at least I don’t look like I’ve spent my entire life being hit by a truckload of sugar.”
Khushi gasped, looking completely affronted. “I do not look that sweet!”
“Oh, you do,” Arnav replied, the sarcasm in his voice barely masking the mischievous glint in his eyes. “Sweet as a candy store. Too bad it’s all wrapped in fire.”
Khushi blinked, her hand flying to her forehead in mock-exasperation. “I can’t decide if you're complimenting me or insulting me, Raizada.”
Arnav laughed, the sound rough but surprisingly genuine. It was brief, fleeting, but it softened his expression in a way that made Khushi stop and stare. His usual coldness was temporarily replaced by something else - something she had never expected to see. For a second, it was as if she caught a glimpse of the real Arnav Singh Raizada.
“Well, I guess I’ve got some skills when it comes to confusing people,” he said with a smirk.
Khushi stared at him for a moment longer, then shook her head in exasperation. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment,” he replied, already moving toward the door. “Look, Khushi, I know you’re not in this for love or fairy-tale endings. But we’ve agreed on something, haven’t we? We’re doing this because we need to, for our families.”
Khushi sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I didn’t ask for this either, Arnav. But..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. “But I don’t want to be part of a wedding that’s just without any feelings. I want to know what this means for both of us. I don’t care about the guests or the wedding plans. But I need to know... I need to know how you feel about all of this."
Arnav’s gaze softened at her words. He turned slowly, meeting her eyes with an intensity that felt... unfamiliar.
“Khushi, I don’t... I don’t know how I feel about this either,” he admitted, his voice unusually calm. “But I do know this: if I have to do this, if I have to face my family’s past, I’m not doing it alone.”
Her breath caught, and she swallowed the lump in her throat. “So, you want me to be a part of this mess?”
“I need you to be,” he said firmly. “Whether we like it or not, we’re both stuck with this... and each other. I don't understand why YOU are being involved though!"
Khushi didn’t say anything immediately. Instead, she met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. Arnav wasn’t the type to admit vulnerability - ever. And yet, there it was, hanging in the air between them, more real than either of them could have anticipated.
“You’re really making me want to punch you in the face right now,” Khushi said, her voice tinged with humor despite the seriousness of the moment.
Arnav chuckled softly. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I would, if you weren’t so annoying,” she shot back, though a smile tugged at her lips despite herself.
He smirked, the playful glint returning to his eyes. “I think I’m beginning to like this version of you. The one that doesn’t hold back.”
“Don’t get used to it,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’m still considering ways to throw you into a pool.”
Arnav raised an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
The banter, light and teasing, filled the space between them again, but this time it felt different. There was something behind their words now - something more than just a clash of personalities. Despite their differences, despite the tension that still lay between them, there was a moment of connection, of understanding that couldn’t be ignored.
Khushi’s thoughts wandered to the past few days - the investigation, the dangerous secrets, the escalating pressure - and she realized, maybe, just maybe, Arnav was right. They were both in this together. The wedding, the truth about his family, everything - they had to face it, no matter what it cost them. They were destined. They were meant to be.
“And just so you know,” Khushi said, giving him a side-eye, “you’re not getting away with this whole ‘bride of convenience’ thing. I’m not some shy girl who’ll sit quietly while you pull all the strings, Arnav Singh Raizada.”
Arnav’s lips quirked upward, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “Trust me, Khushi, I’m counting on it.”
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