~ Time is swift, it races by; opportunities
are born and die, still you wait and will not try, a bird with wings who dare
not rise and fly – AA Milne ~
He looked up towards her, his senses now controlled, the picture
drawn. Smiling ever so slightly he signaled for her to sit down in front of
him.
"Unless you think this is an interrogation of course,"
he winked.
She growled, her eyes widening slightly at how relaxed he suddenly
looked and stomped over to the seat in front of him and let herself sink into
the soft leather, folding her arms in front of her chest once again. She looked
to him pointedly. "Well start!"
He exhaled heavily and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his
knees and bringing his hands to his face, suddenly feeling exhausted. Khushi
loosened her arms and instead brought them in front of her, clasping her hands,
leaning forward ever so slightly, her heart beating slightly faster all of a
sudden. She continued to look towards his bowed head and as he slowly lifted it
to look at her, their gazes met and held. His caramel orbs like scorching
embers melting into her own confused eyes. They sat like that for a few
seconds, until Arnav stood up and paced away, putting his hands inside his
pockets. Khushi's eyes followed as he walked around. He cleared his throat,
gaining time to think through how to start.
He sighed again, then turned to look towards her, "I honestly
don't know where to begin Khushi," he began, his voice hoarse and raw,
"things are just such a mess," he admitted, not quite meeting her
eyes. She watched in silence, her features softer and understanding, giving him
the time he needed to tell her.
"Khushi... The point of it is you aren't safe in India, so I
had to make sure you were away for a little while," he stated blankly,
looking away, unable to form the words he had meant to say.
Khushi's eyes widened instantly as fear rose in the pit of her
stomach, she stood up abruptly, "what do you mean I'm not safe in
India?" She questioned, her voice quiet but strong.
His eyes flitted towards her then looked away again, he sighed
heavily, "You aren't safe in India because my mother wants to kill
you." The last few words coming out through gritted teeth as anger towards
Arundathi and then Shashi flared through him, the rage dancing fires in his
eyes, he clenched his fists needing desperately to punch something.
Khushi watched horrified, still quite unable to fathom what Arnav
had said. The hairs on her body stood up and her body trembled as she felt
herself break into a cold sweat. "But that... That's absurd Arnav,"
she stammered, her breaths heavy and difficult.
He looked up towards her, appraising her horrified expression for
a few seconds, the burning embers which were his eyes lightening for a mere few
seconds, the only sound being that of the flight and their hurried breaths. He
placed his hand on her shoulder, bringing her closer to look up at him, "I
don't know Khushi, it's just all so complicated," he stated as she moved
in closer, the curves of her body against his. "I guess it's because you
refused to marry Aakash," he said looking into the depths of her hazel eyes,
now glistening with tears still intact and un-shed, stating something which
wasn't a lie but was not the whole truth either, for he knew a great deal more
than that. But the truth of it being that it would open her truly and fully
into his world, a world which he had hidden in the depths of his heart, in a
dark corner of his mind for too longer. The truth of it was he didn't know how
to narrate to her a buried story anymore.
She continued to stare into his eyes, her mind not quite willing
to believe what she was hearing, as it didn't make much sense. She wasn't safe
in India? Arundathi Raizada wanted her dead? All this because she refused to
marry Aakash? Her eyebrows knitted together as she frowned and contemplated
this, the fear slowly leaving her and confusion now replacing it. She pushed
back from him suddenly, still scrutinising his eyes for a hint of something
else but finding none. "That's insane!" She said, putting her hands in the air and smiling incredulously for a minute, then began to watch his face again as
he looked away and focused his eyes to the ground. "What? Is this some
sort of joke you guys have planned? Or are you guys like trying to surprise me
with an occasion I've missed?" She questioned, bending sideways
so that her face was in front of his once more, her smile slowly fading.
He looked to the other side then began walking away only for her
small slender hand to grab his arm, rooting him to the spot, he closed his eyes
momentarily, not quite sure how to go on. This was proving a lot a more
difficult than he had anticipated.
"What the hell is happening here Arnav? This is all some sick
joke right?" She questioned once again, her voice trembling ever so
slightly now, the grip on his arm tightening. He turned around, calming himself
down further for his gaze to clash with hers once more, her troubled eyes
urging him to simply engulf her in his embrace. He broke eye-contact, for fear
that he may not be able to control himself if he didn't.
"Khushi... My mother is a dangerous woman," his words
were quiet, almost distant, as if he had removed himself from his body and was
now speaking these words to her from somewhere far away. "I couldn't risk
keeping you there," he continued. "This was necessary," he
stated looking into her eyes again, willing her to just believe him and move
away from her need for answers that he wasn't prepared to give. He didn't want
to tell her about the contract Shashi had signed, his mind whirring back to a
conversation he had had earlier that day.
"Sir, there seem to be a few properties that were in Shashi's
name a few years ago. But then they were transferred to Khushi's name. They are
worth millions of dollars and are formed partly by expensive inherited land. It
appears that when his company went bankrupt this was all that he had left."
"They are in Khushi's name?"
"Yes sir."
"Okay I don't have much time. Just find out about that damned
contract and let me know what you know. I need to get to the bottom of this and
quickly. Do you understand Aman?"
"Yes sir on it right now!"
He must have replayed that conversation in his mind a dozen times.
If only he had known sooner things could have gone differently. But slowly the
little scraps of information that he did have were adding up. Arundathi no
longer had the same amount of money that she had had when his father had been
alive. Simply because it was now all in his name. The only income she received
was from the two business partnerships she had, one of them being with Shashi.
But she had invested her own money into rebuilding Shashi's business, so she
must have done that with some sort of motive. And then the land that he had
learned of only today, Khushi's land. And if Khushi had married Aakash that land
could have become his right? That was the missing link, how would that work? But
now Khushi had refused to marry Aakash, so all of her hard work would go to
waste, all that money she had invested would be of no advantage to her? That
would have to be the reason! That would have been why she signed the contract,
maybe there was a certain clause in that contract that would transfer
everything into Aakash's name once they were married. Whatever it was Arundathi
was stupid, equally as stupid as Shashi. As Khushi was an adult Shashi no
longer had the right to sign anything on her behalf.
She watched his face as various emotions
flickered through it in silent confusion, her mind too flustered, perplexed at
what was being said, at what was happening, at the fact that everything felt
like a nightmare. This kind of thing didn't happen in reality, especially when
it was said in such little detail. "But it doesn't make sense!" She
screamed this time, moving back in agitation. It's not that she couldn't grasp
that Arundathi could be a dangerous person, she had never liked the woman.
She'd witnessed the pain in Arnav's eyes every mothers day when she had went and
bought her amma a present and card. How he never celebrated his birthday and
boarded himself up inside his room because that was the day his real mother had
passed away. She knew there were issues between Arnav and Arundathi but why was
she suddenly being focused on? "Why would she want to kill me because I
refused to get married to Aakash?! That doesn't make any sense!" She
screamed, her hands waving about animatedly.
"Khushi!" He exclaimed, anger flaring through him once
more, his eyes dark and his eye brows arched as he grabbed her wrists.
"Shut up! Shut up!" She stared back at him skeptically, her eyes wide
and angry. "I don't fucking know how else to explain this okay?!" His
face was only inches away from hers, his eyes boring in to her angry, fiery
hazel orbs. "Why don't you ask your stupid father what he's done!" He
exclaimed, then stood shocked for a moment, then letting go of her wrists
stepped back, clenching his fists and scrunching his eyes shut. Shit! What had
he just said, he hadn't meant to mention Shashi.
Khushi moved back in shocked disbelief, her mouth hanging open,
her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. "Wh... What?" She
stuttered, "My father?" He looked away, not able to handle her
confused, innocent eyes. She gulped, allowing his words to settle in,
"Arnav!" She shouted grabbing his arm then moved in front of him,
blocking his way. "You need to tell me the whole story! Now!" She
yelled into his face and yet he continued to look down, away from her. She felt
her annoyance exceed her holding capacity, his continued silence throwing her
off of the edge, grasping his shoulder she shook him, the force coming out of
nowhere. He looked up at her suddenly, slightly stunned by the strength she was
displaying whilst she continued to glare, every last brink of patience leaving
her. "Arnav! I am not a child! Stop hiding things about my own life from
me and tell me the bloody truth!" Her voice rang shrill and loud, like a bell
against the quietness of the cabin. She fell away from him, drained by her
efforts, suddenly feeling weak and nauseous, her feet moving awkwardly
underneath her, her ears ringing as her head started to feel hollow.
"Khushi? Khushi!" Arnav called out grabbing her hand and
then lunging forward to hold her body as she wavered unsteadily. He could feel
her shallow breath, the colour gradually draining out of her face. Panic rose
as her weight on his arm increased. "Khushi," his voice came out a
panicked whisper as he placed his hand on her face, her eyes fluttering rapidly
as they began to close. "Khushi, Khushi," he shook her body, then
leaning her body against his moved her over to a seat then placed her down.
****
"Ma'am I can't just book a flight and go!" Shyam exclaimed,
exasperated with the psychotic woman's requests.
"Oh for godsake!" Arundathi yelled, "if you need
money I'll put it in! Just get to Aberdeen!"
Shyam was slowly losing patience for her, he looked to the skies,
his face twitching in annoyance, "Ma'am I do not have a visa to go! I
cannot just get on a flight and go to a foreign country!" He exclaimed
back, not able to hold his annoyance in bay.
Arundathi's eyes widened as this fact dawned upon her. "Oh you
stupid fool!" She screamed into the phone then cut it off, already walking
towards her wardrobe to grab her clothes. She'd just have to go and look for
the little bitch herself!
****
"Khushi... Khushi!" Khushi began to flutter her eyes
open to a distant, husky voice, a blurry image at first then blazing caramel
orbs, wide and fearful peering into her own. She tried to move back,
fully conscious now, then as he continued to peer into her she
scanned her surroundings, where she was and what she was doing there only
gradually dawning on her.
"Khushi? Are you okay?" His voice was tender, every
little drop of anger replaced by concern. She looked to his hand which he had
now placed on her cheek, the warmth of it offering comfort, she nodded lightly
in return, then let the slightest smile break on her lips. The corners of his
mouth lifted up in a grateful smile, then after watching her face for
a few seconds and making sure she definitely was okay, he placed his hand on
her shoulder, "have you eaten anything today?"
"No," she replied rolling her eyes, feeling extremely
weak, her limbs heavy and her head throbbing.
He rolled his eyes back at her, rapidly feeling relaxed, thankful
that nothing else was wrong with her. At first he had been worried that she had
passed out due to shock, then quickly considered that she probably hadn't
eaten. He moved over and grabbed the food that had been left by
one of the crew members and opened it, his earlier irritation now completely
gone. She was right, she wasn't a child and she would have to deal with the
information in her own way. In a sense he was being unfair to her by keeping
things from her, about his life, he could still justify that. But not about her
own, she deserved to know about her own life. He passed the tray over to her
but she didn't take it from him, to which he cocked up an eyebrow.
"Arnav, I want to know the truth first. I'll eat later,"
She waved her hand dismissively, her voice still weak and quiet.
He made a face, not new to her stubbornness. "Khushi, if you
don't eat you'll pass out and go into a coma before I finish the story,"
he stated then pushed the tray of food into her hands and as she refused to comply
just left it on her lap. Sitting himself into the seat in front of her he
looked pointedly at the food, to which she seemed to pay no heed.
"Start chewing and I'll start narrating," he then stated leaning back
on his chair and folding his arms in front of him.
She frowned back, pouting and making a face then slowly started picking away at her food and raised her eyebrows,
signalling for him to start.
~
Maybe it's just me, Couldn't you believe
That everything I said and I did, wasn't
just deceiving
And the tear in your eye, and your calm
hard face
Makes me wish that I was never brought
into this place
~
Lyrics credit: Maybe by Secondhand Serenade
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