IPKKND FF: JALEBI by Jalebi Jane Thread 1: EPISODE 001-042 - Page 66

oh no no Aman don't back out now.. I hope he soon comes to know that Pari was with Khushi n she too cares about him..

Pari following Shyam is much better option than khushi or payal.
Uhh..love story shuru hi nhi ki midunderstandings.Pari didnt go to office and automatically thought she is with some man .
Fool..!



Did arnav deliberatly bought such tight ring so thst she cant remove it.

Aman is annoyed with Pari I think

JALEBI by Jalebi Jane (EPISODE 029)

THERE IS NO USE DENYING IT, SISTERS. We live in a world where wealth has consequence. Those with money are treated favourably by those who hope to partake in it. In fact, actual money-in-pocket is not even required; the mere appearance of wealth is often sufficient.

Alas, our beloved Heroine had neither: Neither the lucre nor the look of it.

It was a gloomy ride to Headquarters and all Khushi could do was throw a mist of filmi-fantasy over her situation. She reimagined the morning scene. Visualized herself chauffeured to the jewellers in a plush vehicle. (A gold carriage would be over-the-top.) Saw herself stepping into the shop. In a charmeuse silk saree. It was allowed to be spun gold. No, not gold! But the exact colour of the diamond on her finger. (All who knew her knew that sunflower yellow was her favourite colour.) In her mind's eye, she saw the jeweller jump forward to assist her. His manner disgustingly obsequious. His eyes lapping up the superficial trappings of wealth. And she...she looked about with disinterestedness and disdain. An exact match to what his own expressions had been earlier.

But Khushi's imagination did not stop there---what if---

What if she had entered the shop on the arm of Arnav Singh Raizada? That would carry with it its own brand of power. For as we know, in our world there was yet another acknowledged passport: The Passport of Association.

Khushi could be a circus clown or a convicted criminal but the perception that she enjoyed the company and protection of The Textile Tycoon would make the world treat her with blind reverence.

But while these fantasies were milling, Khushi stumbled upon a significant realization. The realization that Shyam had deliberately chosen them, the Guptas, as his victims because they had limited means and had no powerful man, no father-brother-husband, to come to their aid.

This was followed by another realization: The reason why Shyam had been so determined that she not accept employment at ASR Group. He wanted the Guptas to struggle for money. He wanted them to become wholly dependent upon him.

Oh!---wait!---that is also why he was disturbed when he thought she was getting on well with her employer.

You remember, Sisters, my mentioning how Shyam had visibly bristled each time Khushi spoke of Arnav in any complimentary terms. Khushi understood it now. She understood Shyam's fear. He knew that the day would soon come when he would unmask himself and if Khushi had recourse to a man such as Arnav---a man of power and means---Shyam may not be able to blackmail them as easily.

(It was not quite immediately---but soon enough---that Khushi's mind asked the question that will now be obvious to us.)

What if Shyam was allowed to believe that Khushi would seek Arnav's assistance? Entirely a bluff, of course---however, if she had managed to convince Shyam that she was on good terms with Arnav, may she not also convince him that she would involve Arnav in their troubles? How would Shyam respond? Would he be subdued?

It was nascent idea. One which Khushi didn't quite see the full power of yet. Perhaps because she knew that a bluff could be challenged. And when it backfired, when Shyam saw that Khushi could not---and would never!---approach Arnav for help, he would have confirmation that the Guptas were indeed friendless and desperate.

She was just entering Headquarters when a beep notified her of a text message. It was from Pari: "S has just entered Humpty's."

It was a timely message as it underlined for Khushi that their best course of action against such a villain was to discover something incriminating about him and then make a concrete threat. A bluff may delay matters, but real evidence could destroy Shyam. And that must be their objective. Total Destruction.

The memory stick (which was safely tucked into her bra!) might contain something to finish Shyam. And failing that, Pari may discover something of value whilst following him. Something would turn up. She felt sure of it.

She slung her satchel across her chair-back and was saying good morning' to Devi Maiyya when a colleague approached her desk. She informed Khushi that Mr Behl had been in the office earlier but just now gone out for a meeting. He had instructed her to let Khushi know that he had left some work for her in his office.

Grabbing her phone (to receive Pari's quarterly updates) Khushi raced up the stairs. It was only as she entered Arnav's office that she realized she had from habit gone to the office of her previous supervisor.

No matter. As you know, the door at the far end of Arnav's office led to Aman's. Khushi crossed the floor, noting how vacant the space felt without The Great Man scowling behind the desk. Whatever one believed of Mr Raizada, even Khushi had to admit that the man had immense presence.

She entered Aman's office and found at the centre of his desk a stack of files and a note addressed to her. She was to input data from the files into the appropriate spreadsheets, which were to be found on his computer. But before that, she would have to call him for ---the password required to log into his computer. The note was signed 'AB' with his mobile number written neatly underneath.

Before she had even reached the end of his note, Khushi was breathless with excitement. Her Dearest Devi Maiyya could not have handed her a more opportune situation under which to examine the contents of the confiscated memory stick. On the ground floor, with all her colleagues milling about, she would have had to shield the monitor from inquisitive eyes. But here she was in perfect isolation.

With energy, Khushi reached for the desk phone to call Aman for the necessary password. Her fingers had just closed on the handset when it rang. It was that long ring which indicated that it was an external call.

She answered it: Good Morning. This is ASR Group of Companies.

The voice at the other end, after a negligible pause, came: This is ASR.

By Jalebi Jane

JALEBI by Jalebi Jane (EPISODE 030)

IT IS SUCH A SPUR TO ONE'S GENIUS, such an opening for wit, to have a dislike of the kind which Khushi harboured for Arnav.* It gave her licence to abuse him, publicly and privately, without any self-reproach whatsoever. Why? Because in her view---he deserved it. He was the nexus of all things which had gone wrong for her recently. Everything, including Shyam's entry into her life, could be construed as Arnav's fault.

"I despise you."

This she had said to his face less than twenty-four hours ago, less than twenty-four feet away from where she sat now. Such a strong statement. Especially from a Heroine otherwise capable of much magnanimity.

But what of Arnav's behaviour?

He was no paragon. He was equally resentful of her. Hadn't he always behaved unjustly towards her, Sisters? Always so eager to cast her in the worst possible light. Why did he react so harshly in all matters pertaining to Khushi? Should we accept Anita Sharma's expertise: You seem to be very much in love with her, but it's the love of someone who doesn't wish to be in love.

That certainly correlated with Aman's words yesterday. "Miss Gupta provokes you like no other person I have ever witnessed." It was true. In his industry, Arnav Singh Raizada was admired for his business acumen as much as for his cool, unruffled demeanour. Yes, Arnav's temperament had volatile tendencies. As a child, his mother and sister had to cajole him out of temper and into humour at least five times a day. But he was not that child now. He was a grown man. One who had built an empire, not by throwing tantrums, but by self-governance.

Yet that self-governance flew out of the window with Khushi. (No pun intended) Something about her inflamed him. Why would any man go to the extreme of proposing marriage simply because he thought a young woman needed to be taught a lesson? It was as though he had to destroy her because he had recognized that she had some destructive power over him.

I wonder what Arnav would have felt if he knew that when Khushi heard his voice on the telephone now, the embers of that kiss last night flared up in her body?

She drew a composing breath and said very coolly, very professionally, "Mr Raizada."

"Miss Gupta," came his greeting. Except his tone suggested he was mocking her professionalism.

"You can reach Mr Behl on his mobile. He is away from Headquarters."

"So you decided to break into his office." He was obviously alluding to that awkward business last night.

Khushi: I'm working at his desk. By his instruction.

Arnav: Tell me, will you be the sort of wife who follows all instructions?

Khushi: Unlikely. But you have my permission to pose that question to my future husband if you ever meet him.

Arnav: It appears you've made your decision.

Khushi: Decision? Decision implies consideration, Sir. I did not consider your proposal for even a mini-second.

Arnav: You mean millisecond. One thousandth of a second.

Khushi: No. I meant mini-second. Which is even less than one thousandth of a second.

Arnav: Is the ring still on your finger, Miss Gupta?

Khushi: (pause) Yes, but---

Arnav: Oh really!

Khushi: No-no-no! The reason I am wearing the ring is because it's stuck! I need the name of your jeweller.

Arnav: When I return, I'll have it resized.

Khushi: I don't want it resized. I want it off! I went to a jeweller this morning. He said it would have to be cut off, but it would take time to mend it.

Arnav: Understandably.

Khushi: I didn't feel comfortable leaving behind an item of such worth. And that is the only reason why it remains on my finger. If you would give me the name of your jeweller, then I will go to him during my lunch hour, have it cut off, and leave it in his trust.

Arnav: Worth? Who told you its value?

Khushi: The jeweller this morning.

Arnav: You had it valued---? How telling.

Khushi: Ek minute! (She came to her feet in a burst of fury) What are you implying?

Arnav: Your interest in the value of that ring tells me you are curious about what life would be like for a Raizada bride.

Khushi: Listen here, Mr Raizada, I don't know why---but ever since we met you have branded me a gold-digger. If that was true, then why would I refuse your marriage proposal? If I was interested in marrying for money, I would jump at the chance of being your wife. Especially now---

Arnav: Now?

Khushi: ---Never mind.

Arnav: No, if you are going to set me straight then do it thoroughly. Why now? What makes my proposal compelling now?

Khushi: Nothing! Nothing will ever compel me to marry you. I only meant now that you have declared your feelings, there would be everything for me to gain in such a union. Both emotional satisfaction and financial security. But I don't share your feelings. And I care even less for your money. I don't even feel the usual sense of obligation a woman feels when refusing a man's offer of marriage, because you have done nothing to earn my gratitude. And certainly not my affection---

Arnav: You have said enough.

Khushi: Not nearly enough! You invited me to be thorough, so--- let me be so now. From the very beginning---from the first moment---of my acquaintance with you, your manners, your arrogance, your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form so immoveable a dislike---I had not known you a week before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.* Did you think that admitting you treated me badly because you liked me against your will would make me forget what sort of man you are? That I would then rush to the mandap? Even if you could remove every single difficulty from my life and provide me with every single joy, I could never love a man like you. A man incapable of feeling and returning love---

When Khushi finally---finally!---stopped to draw breath, she realized she had gone too far. There was an ominous silence on the other end of the line to confirm this. Yes, she had spoken her truth but with unnecessary venom. Oh! Why did this man always reduce her to this shrew? It shamed her.

The handset fell from her trembling hand. And instead of picking it up and returning it to her ear, she slammed it onto the cradle with a force that sent the files on Aman's desk into disarray.

* From Jane Austen's -Pride & Prejudice-.

By Jalebi Jane

Oh that was too far Ms. Gupta. But, but, the emotions are a reality. He did treat her like a filth in his inability to identify his feelings for her. He did, sister.

episode 29

episode 30