29/2
Khushi stared at her husband of less than
24 hours!
He
was a charmer no doubt!
But only she could understand her
situation, which was very odd. He was a successful businessman and a celebrity,
and she was a small entity.
Ordinary, simple and what did her ex say?
Yeah! Boring! She would never forget that!
Why
would he fall in love with her? The great deal master and her? No way! But one look at his eyes told her, that
the intensity in his eyes, a soft glow that lit up his face could not be faked.
Nevertheless, she simply smiled and said “er…why not!”
Arnav’s eyes narrowed at her reply and he
hissed, “You don’t believe me.”
Khushi tried to be patient with him. She
didn’t want to complicate her already complicated life, so she smiled and
said,” Would you blame me for that? I just set foot into a strange place and
get attacked for what God knows, and then see strange things happen and find
some strange similarity between the legend of the unknown place and my life,
and then get married to a stranger out of the blues and sit in a hotel after
few hours after my wedding and listen to the stranger of a husband saying he
loved me at first sight?”
“Whoa!” Arnav laughed, surprising Khushi.
He seemed to be extra patient given her outburst and also the situation, which
also took a heavy toll on his sleep and nerves.
She shook her head in awe and said, “Everything
overwhelms me. My feelings, the Valley, the experiences I had, our wedding, the
Legend and last but not the least you!”
“Me?” He drawled and smiled slowly making
her toes curl in her sandals.
“Do I overwhelm you Khushi?” He asked
reaching out for her hand across the table.
Khushi gulped hard at the warmth his palm
spread to her hand, which he held softly and continued to smile at her.
“I… you…” she averted her eyes away from
his gaze but had to look back at his eyes as they were compelling her to.
“You don’t like me?” He asked again in a
low voice that sent shivers down her spine.
“It’s not like that Arnav! You don’t
understand. I… you agree that this whole thing is not normal at all?” She asked
him with a lot of hope. The last thing she wanted was, him to think that he
married a looney!
“Yes!” He said making her to sigh and
say, “…then how can you expect me to have an opinion about someone who I hardly
know!”
“Oh! OK! I am 29, I own several
businesses in Textliles, Media and …”
“Stop!” Khushi said waving her hand at
him.
“Please! I didn’t mean that Arnav! I just
meant… as a person…”
He was taken aback at her retort and
asked,” It doesn’t matter to you that you are married to one of the ten top
industrialists in the country?”
“Sorry! But I am afraid my answer is no!”
Khushi said seriously.
He looked at her suspiciously making her
laugh and say,” Lets say I have learnt very early in life that, these things
wont matter in the long run!” She said as an explanation.
“Then what does Khushi?” He asked her
with a glint in his eye.
Khushi was tongue tied for a moment at
the tell tale glint in his eyes and gulped hard before whispering, “ Trust!”
Whatever he was expecting it was not
that! She realized at the way he sucked in his breath and released it in a
whoosh.
“And may I know what I have done for u
not to trust me?” Was his cold retort.
“No No! You have me all wrong! I meant a
relationship….any relationship is based on trust and for me, only that matters!”
She said and shrugged and said,” Well I am what I am”… at his incredulous look.
“That you will stand to gain so much name
and adulation because you are married to the ASR is not important to you?” He
asked almost mistrusting her.
She nodded her head and saw him turn away
form her and then turn back stare at her for two full minutes before he burst
out laughing thumping his thigh attracting the interest of the patrons on the
neighbouring tables embarrassing Khushi.
“You find it funny?” Khushi hissed
looking embarrassed.
“I find it amusing…and lets say… uhhhhh…
something of a variety!” He said earnestly.
“OK! Sorry if you think I am play-acting”
Khushi said getting up.
“No stay!” he held her hand tighter
making her to sit again lest they might attract the attention of the others.
What do you want for me to… what do we say gain your trust. He asked.
Khushi smiled to herself. Now he was on track.
She said,” The truth”
“I told you the truth about you. It was
love at first sight!” he said wryly. And at her drawn face said,” Seems like I
lost touch with my convincing skills!” He smiled ruefully.
“Ok why wont you believe me?” He asked
again…
“Why wont I ? Coz I was followed by you
in a mask for God’s sake! Why would you…anyone do that?” She exclaimed her jaw
set.
“Oh! So that’s the problem!” He said easily.
“Everything is a problem” she bristled
combing her tresses back from her face.
How dared he thought it to be so easy!
He smiled ad said,” Tell you what babe…I
have a very good remedy. A quick fix solution for all problems” and as Khushi
raised her head expecting an answer, he winked at her, hinting at the obvious,
making her blush and then go read with anger.
“This is funny for you? “ She demanded.
“Well let me tell you its not for me as its
not at all funny to be attacked and strangulated by a stranger while another
stranger saves you…” She started…
His hold on her hand tightened, as he
said,” Did it occur to you that it was not funny for me either seeing you like
that and almost blowing off my cover for or safety?”
Khushi narrowed her eyes and asked “Cover?
What for? That’s what I want to know.”
Arnav sighed and said,” Listen! Its
complicated and …”
“I want to know” she said…
“Are you this stubborn in bed too?” His
pointed quip bowled her over as she sputtered on her coffee and glared at him
making him smile and say,” You look pretty when you are miffed.” He touched her
nose with the tip of his index finger and said,” Ummmm…this turns red, when you
are mad at someone…”
She looked away and whispered, ”Why would you save me that too undercover. Are you a cop?”
She looked away and whispered, ”Why would you save me that too undercover. Are you a cop?”
He smiled warily and said,” Nah! I happen
to be the descendent of the Arnav Simha you read in the legend. I am even named after him.My forefather-Sir Arnav Simha-II. I am Arnav Simha-III and the Valley belongs to my clan.”
Khushi could see the pride of the clan,
which Willow often described as the lion head in the emblem.
Her lips twitched and he glared at her
hissing,” What’s funny in that!”
“Nothing! Please go on” she said sipping on her coffee.
“Nothing! Please go on” she said sipping on her coffee.
“You see there are so many things Khushi.I
cant explain here… but trust me… I respect my motherland and my heritage and I
realized that many people with vested interests are trying to ruin that and
also harm the valley culture for political and personal gains.” He paused and
continued when she nodded in acknowledgement.
“On that day when I saw you walking
towards Joel, I heard a few voices that were talking about the Casa and how it
could be usurped and made into a resort- a commercial venture…
“Who?” She asked.
“Not sure. But I have an idea and please
don’t ask me anything about that right now.” He stalled her. “I need to prove
it first before I take names.”
“And one of them was talking about how
they would get rid off me, and my granny and how you could be used to actually
roll the ball in their favour.”
“Coz I am a novice there?” Khushi asked.
"Yeah! And also…coz you resemble Willow
Feathers” He said squarely…
“OH!!!!!So?...” Khushi was too dazed to
talk by then.
“So I decided that I won’t go back but
just see what they were up to. You see it’s easy to unravel their plans if they
thought I was in Mumbai.”
Khushi nodded again.
“I started following you and kept an eye
on the valley happenings and that’s how I could save you several times…"
That was true but there were so many unanswered
questions and she wanted to ask about the missing scarf. The presence in her
room…the encounter in the Casa grounds with him on horse back… the lady with
the dead knights head in her hand, the bouquet…many more…
Neverthless she held her jangled nerves
in check. She had to wait and patiently to unravel the mystery.
“Thank you so much for that…saving my
life” she said and he looked at her oddly and said, “That’s all?”
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“Won’t you share what I saved with me?”
His question hung in silence as the meaning of it soaked into her slowly.
11 comments:
Khushi is not the only one with jangled nerves now.. his answers are so open and unnerving at the same time..I'm loving it.. so he does realise that she resembles willow..may be that's y he fell for her.. Loved it anu :)
He answered so many questions... But still....as khushi thinks there are lot of confusion....we still don't know the story of arnav simha and Willow....!! Is it puner janam sort of thing..??
I'm getting more confused now...I'm going to read previous chapters again to see if I've missed anything..!!!
This story...I feel like I can't stop reading..!!!
Beautiful update once again.
He answered so many questions... But still....as khushi thinks there are lot of confusion....we still don't know the story of arnav simha and Willow....!! Is it puner janam sort of thing..??
I'm getting more confused now...I'm going to read previous chapters again to see if I've missed anything..!!!
This story...I feel like I can't stop reading..!!!
Beautiful update once again.
Wonderful update.. Waiting to hear more from arnav..
Hey Anu,
Another great update with some more answers. Appreciate Arnav's efforts at trying to be as forthright as possible to build that trust. But I guess if he comes to know of her insecurities and her ex-fiance's words, he will be able to understand her better. But for that, Khushi will have to form that connect with him of trust and love, so that she can lay her wounds open, giving them the chance to heal. One thing is sure though, Khushi will be a tough nut to crack and Arnav has his work cut out..
P.S: I SOOOO LOVED HIS STYLE OF ASKING HER TO BE A PART OF THAT LIFE HE SAVED..
wow finally we are getting to secrets............
but still i'm also having so many questions like khushi,,,,,,,,,,
everything is so mysterious ,,,,,,,,,,
just wanted to kept reading............
waiting for more anu............. :)
LOVED IT
SO HE WAS CLOSE TO HER
SO WHO WANTS TO HURT THEM
CONFUSED BY THE END
Amazing update.. Arnav answered many questions for Khushi so easily.. well lets see how things progress with them from here.. Arnav last question was sweet one.. he is charmer no doubt.. loved the update..
So from arnav's side it was love at first sight n he was in the mask n saved her many times but wat is the mystery of presence in khusi's room n other things n also arnav is actually the descendent of arnav simha2 n like him he also want to protect his land,is this some kind of rebirth of them
I also want to say that I don't receive notifications for WV
beginning to love the smallest changes too….
now the story begining..
awsome to read
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