Hello…Thanks a lot for your appreciation and love…Iam happy…and here is the next one…Pls do say how this was..and The usual request..Pls..ignore my Typos and grammatical errors..
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Chapter -21
Arjun saw her sitting on the single couch of that bedroom balcony and look the dark sky with confusions running all over her face….He knew it could be about him.,his sudden change in behavior…He mentally slapped himself for rising her hopes…There she was waiting for him and here he was waiting for
Rana’s confirmation call about boarding Mumbai flight..he smiled recalling the word “Yummy chocolate’.,but now
still being unsure about his di’s situation its hard for him to be with her.,the way he planned their first time…Unconsciously he sighed exasperated heavily and she noticed him…
“You seemed to be tensed”,she asked as she got up.. He gave a nonchalant smile…”I saw you while driving”,she looked his face for his reply..
“That.!!I was little upset with Sam..It got late you see..almost past 11 we started.”,he lied easily..
She believed it and asked..”Late..For what?”…He missed to notice the mischievous smirk playing on her face..
“Late for us..to reach home…and..”,he stopped when he saw her before him so close..
“and..”,she asked as she stepped on his feet and looped her arms around his neck..”My yummy chocolate is shocked!!”,she mocked a shock expression andradiantly smiled at him.,her playful look with desires… He wholeheartedly cursed his fate for landing him at the worst situation ever he could even dare to dream of….Her eyes shone with love unaware of,him to turn a bitter disappointment to her..,he felt his lips to dry..
“Radhika..please get down”,he requested her at her face…She was about to claim his lips but blinked listening
him.,she looked his eyes.,”Am not feeling well..Guess..the food..”,he stopped when she stepped down his feet.His eyes downcasted unable to meet hers…
“Do you need any medicine..”,she asked concerned..
“I took tablets….I guess the mushrooms..”,his face scrunched up at the uneasiness building between them…
“I told Neil to check the menu with you..That Idiot!”,she spat in anger..
“Relax..nothing..I should have been careful”,he held her elbow..
“Do you have allergy Arjun..We need to meet doctor..Pls..don’t hesitate..”,she turned upset the next moment..
“No Allergy…may be over spicy..”,he walked holding her arm..
“I saw you..you spoke with a bald head idiot while having Mushroom fry..You are a fool Arjun..will someone be this engrossed in talk ..”she lamented over the situation
as she sat on their bed..
“Its not that serious you think to be..”,he got on the bed swiftly., and switched off the lights..
“Am still sitting and you switched off the lights”,she asked
“Sleep then”,he said..He saw her to be still in the same position even after a minute.. “Are you upset that you couldn’t eat your chocolate”,he asked as he switched on his table lamp..She glared him and hopped on him as she smacked his abs and chest..He laughed trying to hold her fists and held her close.. “Am Sorry Jerry…Honestly.”he said..
“Pls..don’t say so..”,she said as she snuggled more in his embrace..”Arjun..I had always wished for a day like today..A day with you!..only with you..!!…to hold you close and speak about random things..,pull your legs and get your scoldings..”.,she giggled and turned to him..
“Why one day?”,he asked as he switched off the light..
“Hmm..I wasn’t sure if you will accept me after I insulted you..and no contacts”,she sounded gloomy…
“Forget the past…now dream big”,he tickled her…
She rested her head on his shoulder and when he turned her side speaking something,”you had hard stuff?”,she asked..
“No”,he retorted and turned aside..
“I could smell..It’s just Champagne!”,she got over him and sniffed near his face..she stopped when his grip on her got tightened.. “I din’t see..when you had it..?'”,she asked..
“Baby..Get down…I could feel your breath”,he closed his eyes and let a sharp breath…She bit her lips and noticed her body over his…she held her breath as she slid down from him..
“After convincing a stubborn Sam!”,he said when she laid her head on his shoulder…
“May be you got unwell ’cause of the drink.. you were doing well in terrace..isn’t…hmm..some useless brand….will check tomorrow”,she spoke more like a monologue..
He smiled thinking about the brand.. “I did well in terrace!! Really..!! Feeling honored..!!(he chuckled) and about the brand…Its a good one..Not like one you had”,he mocked her..
“Shut up!”,she snapped..
“God..I thought you will r*pe me that night..”,he chuckled and crooked his neck to see her face in the dim light flashing from the hallway..
“You are lying..I din’t do any such”,she retorted and tried to move from his hold…
“I alone know what you did..”he turned his whole to face her…
“Hmm..how you came there..that Faizal..!”,she gritted her teeth..
He pulled her close and,”Leave him..well…One of your Junior said you went for a birthday party with Faizal,when I asked for you…and then I reached the party,I saw you drinking shot after shot for a bet..I took you with me that instant.,and on the way in car suddenly you started to hit me.,then pulled my cheeks..and din’t let me drive..that day I got to know how much you love…”he smirked..
” I love…”she asked biting her lip.,her voice glued with her vocal chords..
“You love…foods!!…you are big foodie Jerry…You know what you called me..!!..’Ajju..my lollipop..my silk…you are sweet..you are my Cherry on my cake..My Chocobar.. cupcake.. .then…some Icecream..and what was that….Choco lava vanilla..saying this you held my face…you would have kissed me if I din’t stop you…but you said you remember nothing?!!! Tell me why you always tag me with eatables…Are you listening..”,he asked sensing her silence…He called her twice,but still there was no response.,after a moment he said.,”Baby..I think you slept”..
“Yes”,she replied instantly and bit her tongue..He laughed as he pulled her close and wished her for night…”Good night chocolate lava cake”,she giggled as she wrapped her tiny arm around his waist…He felt relaxed.,he din’t want her to be worried or disappointed at their first day..She slept within minutes but it turned impossible for him with his thoughts wandering around the ways to tackle his di…
….
he recalled Nandini asking him to bring a big loss for BS..he sighed but felt her to snuggle close to him in her sleep,he kissed her forehead as he closed his eyes..
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Arjun snapped his head to his right and saw Radhika to be in deep sleep clutching his t-shirt,with her head beneath his right shoulder.,his mobile buzzed under his pillow,he gently
made her lay the other side and covered her with quilt before moving out of his bedroom..It was less than a hour he spoke with Rana.,he called back confused if they had boarded Mumbai flight or anything else turned out to be a problem…
“What happened”,his voice sounded low but clear..
“What didn’t happen”.. he was startled listening Nandhini’s arrogant tone the other side.. he stuttered,”di…”,he quickly switched off hall lights and went to the next room, with a thought that it shouldn’t turn a disturbance to Radhika now…As he expected Nandhini freaked out …He let her yell till her hearts content and asked,”Where are you now di?”
“Don’t call me so..”,she hissed back..He rested his head back and closed his eyes.. “di..you are worrying unnecessarily..I will do what you want..I told isn’t…”,he spoke in a ever convincing tone he could..within secs his efforts turned futile as Nandhini wasn’t ready to listen him..
“For God’s sake.,will you listen me..You were the one who asked me to work in BS..Am I not doing it..You are still suspicious on me..Why?You don’t trust your Aru..Fine..Come to Mumbai..and check yourself..And about Samaira..Leave her pls..Who told you She is the owner of BS..She isn’t…” he was cut in when Nandhini yelled sharp from other side..
“Don’t fool me Aru..I know..you are just like..every others…like…like..(she choked due to loss of breath in anger)..you too fooled me..”,her throat constricted and her voice turned brittle..
“di…Am doing what you said..Listen di..you want BS..I will get you..’.Am I not working on it….you know your Aru isn’t…..Don’t believe everything you listen di”he spoke just like convincing a whining bratty kid..
“Have you got married or Not..Just say Yes or No”,She asked inhaling a deep breath..
“Yes…But..”
“Is that Samaira”,she asked before he could finish..
“No..Why to marry Samaira..For that company…?!! I tell you..I will get it the other way… Are..hello..di..”,he felt irritated when she hung up the call abruptly…
After mins,he called again and Rana informed that they got stuck up on their way to Airport and that’s why he called Arjun.. “Tell him that am coming to Mumbai..No change in that..”he heard Nandhini saying it..
“Ok..Call me when you reach Mumbai”,he said enervated..The tiredness of the lengthy day and sudden turn of events had its effect on him physically and mentally,
he drifted off to sleep laying there….
–
He jerked when his mobile rang an alarm..Charging his mobile,he moved to his bedroom to see her curled up on the bed..He instantly reduced the AC level and went for shower..His mind preoccupied with Nandhini’s words,his eyes never left Radhika’s sleeping form on his bed.,he got ready and left a note before leaving..
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Arjun saw Neil and Samrat to discuss something serious as he entered the Airport..He saw Neil to assure something to Samrat and to hug him tight when he reached them..Samrat instantly gave a paternal hug when Arjun greeted him with a smile..”I owe you a lot My son!!! I owe you..!! You are a Precious gem I got at right moment!”,he spoke emotionally overwhelmed with a trace of tear screen covering his eyes…
They heard the announcement of his flight.,”Aru..I have given you a big responsibility..My everything is yours..Do it in your way..No one will question you..”,he said hastily adjusting his coat..,”and you both throw away your differences and trust each other..Take care of my daughters..”,he hugged them and walked only to return back.,”Aru..Take care of my Princess.”he held Arjun’s hand..
“Your Princess is my life…My queen”,he smiled wide and held Samrat’s hands in assurance..
“Santa banta Sammu uncle..Guess you will miss this flight..”,Neil took a step closer.,and Samrat smacked his arm..
“Uncle turned so emotional”,Arjun sat on a chair after Samrat left…
“He is a very strong personality Arjun..I really feel bad to see him like this..feared about something”,Neil shook his head..
“I think its more than what he said to us..”,Arjun said looking the passengers moving around.. “And what was that..Responsibility and my way..I din’t get him”,Arjun frowned and saw Neil.,who too shrugged his shoulders..
“Call him and ask once he reaches there.”,Neil pulled his mobile from pocket ,”Sam”,he said and received the call..
“Neil.!!.Mom asked about Dad..I said he went to look after his estates in Darjeeling..”she said..
“Okay..”,Neil noticed Arjun’s frown before he disconnected the call..
“Radhika said,he was going for some Ayurvedic treatment in south..”Arjun mumbled..
“Well..their mom doesn’t believe in all this…so that Estate cover up..”,Neil raised his brows.. The guys laughed a second later forgetting the busy atmosphere around.
“How many lies for one trip”,Arjun asked as he got up..
“Not more than you”,Neil said sarcastically with a fake smile…
Arjun walked smiling towards the exit,”You guys are still with this..Lemme clear the confusion with Radhika and handle you all people..”he wagged his finger at Neil..
“Oh..Scary…but do that first… and I will be coming around 9 to pick up you both..Mom said”,Neil moved to his vehicle..
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Arjun drove back pondering over Samrat’s words….He saw Radhika in formal attire…. “Radhika…Why are you going to office today?”,Arjun asked her.. She ignored his presence and checked her bag..
“What’s it my Jerry..”,he moved close to her..
“Nothing Arjun..I need to go today”,she said in a low voice..
“Are you upset baby..you sound low”,he held her chin..
“Got a call”,she moved swiftly out from there..
His mobile buzzed with Rana’s number..Sympathized over his situation,he moved to balcony and attended the call.,”We are coming to your home”,Nandini said sternly..
“I clearly told that idiot to take you to our house..not here..Di..Listen me!”,Arjun raised his voice..
“Why? I shouldn’t come to your home isn’t?”,Nandini mocked..
“Listen di..Don’t.come. here”,he said like a order..
“I won’t go to that house”,Nandhiini equally retorted..
“Then Check-in with a hotel..But not here..Did you get that..now..have the speaker on..”,he yelled sharp.. Nandini couldn’t believe him to yell at her.,yet she obliged.. “Are you there you both?”,He roared in anger..Rana and his driver instantly replied..
“Rana..Check-in with the best hotel here..and Ajeesh..!!..what the hell you are doing..I made it clear to call me isn’t..Will throw you out..,If you repeat the same..”,his voice echoed inside the vehicle shocking Nandhini…Rana was happy that Arjun gave back in his way and he know that’s not a warning only for the driver..”What to do Nandu”.,he asked though he know the reply..
“Do as he said.”,she said in a calm voice..
Arjun heard Radhika’s high pitched irritated voice when he was about to open his bedroom door…
“Argh..Pk..whats with you now?..I will say about Preeti..what’s the urgency man..I will throttle you”,she shrieked as she cut the call..
Arjun came back to his room,annoyed with this topic being going in rounds again…”Arjun..”,he turned listening her..
“Why are you still here…din’t leave to office?”,he asked annoyed..she stood calm listening him..
“Bye”,she moved with that.. His eyes involuntarily shut in,tired of facing the ordeals around him..He sagged into his single seat couch rubbing his forehead….His mobile buzzed again.,it was Prakash this time..His life had already faced enough twists from yesterday night.,he had been only hurting his Radhika’s feelings in the process of avoiding troubles to target her..Now again.,this Prakash..He recalled his words yesterday and Radhika’s reply now..,he took a sharp breath and answered when he called again.,”Whats up Prakash.?”,he asked in a intimidating voice..
“I want to..”,he was cut in when Arjun spoke.,
“You want to speak about Preeti..Isn’t..But I don’t want to listen..”,he cut the call with that..
“What the hell is wrong with you man?”,Arjun screamed in anger when Prakash called him again.. “What do you want to say..that Preeti is dead.!!.Radhika is responsible for that..Isn’t ..I knew that already..what else?”,he grunted in anger..and turned to his table but was shocked to see Radhika there..
“What nonsense you are blabbering….Don’t blabber this to Radz..Preeti is…”,Arjun disconnected before Prakash could speak further..
Radhika nodded her head negatively when he tried to speak with her..
“So you thought..I could be responsible for someone’s death..”,she asked..her voice sounded clearly disturbed…
“You got me wrong..I am not angry on you…See..that’s different…you may not be responsible for that..and I trust you”..he said impatiently..his mind recalled her words about being accused….
“What nonsense”,she muttered audible.. “you trust me?!!”her lips quirked up sardonically..”Really..if so..you wouldn’t have said this in first place”,She asked..her annoyance
and disappointment was very much visible in her face…
“Listen me..”,he started again..
“Why ?why should I listen to a person like you…Just tell me one thing..From when you know this…”,her voice yearned for an honest answer… “Truth plz”,she mumbled..
His face already had lost its color,and now it depicted his helplessness..”11 months back”,he said..
She felt her whole world to stop a moment.,”Arjun..Pls say that’s a lie”,she stepped back with tears.. “Radhika..I..”he stopped..
“Speak…Speak out you bl**dy arrogant dumb head idiot…You married me with all this stupid conclusions..and what you think about yourself…You gave life to me..what are you trying to prove…”she shoved his hand when he tried to hold her.. “Don’t touch me!! Step back!! “,she screamed..
“Why are you screaming…Listen me once..!”,Arjun snapped her..
“I have listened more than what I need to..You shouldn’t have done this..!! “,she heaved a sigh and walked out of the room… He saw her to search something,”What are you searching ?”,he asked..
She smirked at him,”You know what?..This is your plus point..this behavior of yours…I should really learn this from you..hmm…Am searching my keys Mr.Mehra!”,she said…her sardonic remark silenced him..He wasn’t sure of the way to react to her words..her words confused him more… still, he decided to play along..
“Guess..you forgot..Its Neil who drove your car yesterday Mrs.Mehra..”,he stood erect watching her moves..
“Correction! soon to be Ms.Khanna”,she smiled humorless..
“Mind your words Radhika..!! I accept I believed what I heard about Preeti..I was angry on you..I said you to be with her..not to play any pranks..what the hell you did she got scared..and..and…how she …dammit…!!..He gritted his teeth in anguished.. “My lover was responsible for the death of a girl whom I considered to be my little sister….Think from my stance..”he spoke with extreme helplessness..
She threw daggers with her eyes before booking a cab for her..
“Why are you booking a cab..Neil is coming here..aunty has called.”,he said like a statement..
She stood thoughtful and said.,”Don’t make this as a issue..I don’t want Neil to know this..your stupidity..”,she spat in anger…
“Stupidity???what..”,the door bell rang before he could speak more..Radhika opened it quickly..
“Good morning my radzzie”,Neil pecked her forehead and Radhika immediately hugged him…”Anything wrong Radzzie”,he asked caressing her head..
“How is cheer beats doing?”,she tried to sound business like but Neil’s eyes were on Arjun alone…
“Shall we go”,Neil asked looking him…
“Yeah..”,Radhika walked out without a backward glance….Arjun pretended to be normal and followed them..
“Drive it”,Neil gave his car keys.. But Radhika lost in her thoughts, pulled the passenger door of Arjun’s vehicle…
“Radhika..we aren’t going in ours”,Arjun said aloud miffed with her.. ‘why can’t she listen to me once,instead she is troubling herself getting me wrong’,he shook his head thinking..
They drove in complete silence which was enough for Neil to perceive about things..
“Where is Sam?”,Radhika asked the moment she stepped in Prena’s house..
“Neil..I have arranged personal..”Arjun was cut off in middle..
“Arjun..already Neil was doing this for years…I mean..for 2 years…he hired guards for her safety..so we don’t need to mess up..”,Radhika tried to sound polite… Neil noticed the cold behavior of hers..while Arjun was completely annoyed with her…
“Whats wrong buddy?”,Neil asked when Arjun made his way out after the breakfast..
“Just a usual banter..She got little hyper..I was at fault”,Arjun said looking her…while Radhika pretended to be oblivious of his presence… “Bye Radhika”,Arjun played along with her facade.
“Don’t forget to come for lunch”,Prena came hurriedly…
“Yes Arjun..Don’t forget..!!..and Don’t forget that you have resigned from my company..You may end up stepping there used with your habit”,She said with her eyes on laptop screen…She smiled wide at him…
“I won’t go for things which I myself keep away from”,Arjun said before stepping out…
She dint flinch a bit,but called Neil to look few files about BS….”Well..Dad moved so earlier it seems..”,Radhika spoke to Neil scrolling mails in her laptop… Arjun stopped near the door and looked back at her,she knew he was there but din’t raise her look for him…
“Is anything wrong between you guys”,Neil asked…
“Couple issues,buddy”,Radhika still maintained her behavior..
“Ok then”,Neil faked a smile ruffling her hair..She scowled at that..Neil refused to let her go to BS when she said she wanted to…”You should help Sam..Go to Event zone
today”,he said to her…
“After lunch”,Sam said..
“I called Arjun..he isn’t attending my calls”Prena frowned as she arranged the lunch spread..
“Let him come..Lets have together..Am hungry..”,Radhika pretended like a kid and served herself.. Though Neil and Prena found something to be wrong they din’t ask her..
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Arjun muttered curses ‘for god knows whom’ under his breath as he drove to meet Nandhini.. What was his fault anyway..he din’t even ask a word about Preeti..but still…Radhika’s cold behavior hurt him a lot..he expected her to fight with him,he would have made her understand but instead she decided to give up their relationship..theirs..that too within a day..not even a complete day after their marriage…his anger piled up beyond its range when she herself decided things..He parked his vehicle and sat relaxing himself..Now…he need to convince his di…He walked thinking how to silence her and send her back… He doesn’t want her to harm his Radhika or herself…He saw Nandini mumbling something as she sat looking the ground…
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So..How was it?…Pls share your views..Silent readers try to drop in..Love you all loads and TC…