CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 29

As a child everyone liked to play games like hide and seek. But no one told that when we grow up we will play the same game with our life as we have to sometime hide things and sometime try to seek answer that are hidden from us. But life is just like a game sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but still you play as winning is the one goal that keeps you motivated and drive you to keep trying till you reach where you want to. Life may give what you want but there is always a twist to everything you get because life is always a balance of many emotions but not everyone is lucky to see all its colour as sometimes all you have is just a single colour that has engulfed your life in such a manner that no other colour can reach you as after that single colour that had coloured your life every colour you see will have the shadow of only colour you have known for most of your life.

Khushi was silently eating her snacks and sneaking look toward ASR who from his look was still angry but khushi knew that he will cool down only when he wants to as no matter what she did or say she will never be to calm him down. 

So she sat eating the snacks and in between telling him about all the fun she had in her school and about the various pranks she played on her friends and others in her school. She knew Arnav was listening to her but like always he had not said a word. But khushi was still happy at least she was not on the receiving end of his anger and happy with his silent companionship, it may be weird for other but she had been used to this weird relationship of their.

ASR was silently listening to her but like always he had stored every word she said in his sharp mind. But his mind was still working on something and then he looked at her and said how did the Rathods let you come here haven’t Aman instructed them. 

Khushi looked at him and gulped down and said they did try to say no to me but I compelled them to bring me here and she looked at him with puppy face and said I even promised them you won’t be mad at them. 

ASR looked at her and said do you think your promise holds any importance to me. Khushi looked at him and jumped from the couch and got on her knees and pleaded please Arnavji don’t remove them from their job they are good people don’t punish them for no mistake of their, I will do anything you say. 

Moment khushi said that she will do anything ASR will do he looked at her and smirked at her and said you will do anything I say. Khushi looked at his face and gulped her saliva as she saw the wicked glint was back in his eyes and that scared her. 

ASR gestured her to get up and khushi did as he said. Arnav looked at her and said I will punish them but if you don’t want it to be extreme than you have to do something for I say and there is no way you can get out of it. He looked at her and forwarded his hand and said it’s a deal are you ready.

Khushi looked at ASR and shook her head in yes, as she knew Rathods will be punished if she didn’t not accept what he wants from her and she had promised Rathods that ASR won’t be angry on them. Khushi looked at him and said what she has to do, while playing with her fingers as she was nervous. 

ASR looked at her fingers and he had noted it that whenever she was scared or unsure about anything she will fidget with her finger. ASR held her hand and pulled her and she landed on his lap as she was standing right in front of him.

ASR encircled his hand on her waist and started creasing it and said something in a very hush tone near her ear that made khushi to open her mouth in O shape in shock. She tried to get up from his lap but ASR held her on place and said I won’t accept that. ASR looked at her innocent face and said it was you who promised the Rathods now the decision is yours. 

Khushi looked at him and snuggled at his close to his chest and played with his shirt button and said but I will feel so shy to do that what everyone will think about me. 

ASR looked at her and said don’t be scared of others even if you are good people only think what they want to and others opinion about you should not matter to you. Human are selfish being all they care is about what benefits them. 

Khushi looked at his and knew his word had a deeper meaning she was young but not dumb as she had seen pain and felt too deeply, so she could feel pain in his words. But she knew not to ask him what had hurt him that deeply that he had lost faith in everyone. So she snuggled more into him and said I will do it.

ASR smirked at her words and picked up the intercom and called Aman and said to send Rathods in his cabin and hung up. After keeping the call he looked at khushi and said take that dress kept there and get ready we are leaving for home in few minutes. 

Khushi nodded and got up from his lap and took the dress and left for the washroom and ASR got up from the couch and again sat on his chair and got busy in winding up his work. When he heard the knock on the door he knew who it was and said them to come in.

Rathods were hell scared but not for themselves but for khushi in this few day they had started to like the innocent girl who was different from the mean and manipulative people they had come across in their field. Who loved to be herself rather than pretending to be something that she is not. So they knew the famous temper of ASR as he was famous for his anger and they were sacred for khushi. 

Even when Aman had assured them that ASR will not harm khushi but they had seen the uncertainty in his eyes, even if Aman had tried to hide his worry they were quick to access a person and understand his behaviour even if they tried to hide. So they knew Aman was as sacred as they were for the innocent girl. So when they heard the come in word all they did is pray the almighty to protect that naïve and innocent soul.

As soon as the Rathods and Aman enter the cabin the first thing they did was look for khushi but she was no were to be seen. So they looked at ASR who was observing them. He looked at them and said to the Rathods you defied the direct order given to you so you have to pay for you mistake he was about to say further when they heard a door being opened and everyone’s attention turned toward the door and what they saw made three people to relax a breath.

Khushi had just, washed her face, changed her clothes and combed her hair and looked herself in the mirror and creased the peach colour dress that she was wearing she liked it a lot. It was beautiful and she felt like a princess in it. The flare of the dress was like a gown but it was a salwar suit and she loved when she twirled, it glittered lightly as the cloth had a glittery effect when she moved. She admired the dress for few minutes and then decided to go out as she knew that Arnavji must be waiting for her.

[KHUSHI'S DRESS]

As soon as she came out of the door she saw four people looking. Three in relief and one in admiration. ASR looked at her and ignoring others said you are looking beautiful come here and khushi walked toward him while giving her sunny smile to the other three who breathed in relief seeing her smile. Khushi stood near ASR and smiled at him and waited for him to say what he wanted to.  

ASR looked at khushi and then turned to the Rathods and said you defied the orders given to you so Mr. Rathod pack your bags as I think you both need space so you can concentrate more on you work rather than each other, so you will be shifting to the outhouse and will not enter the mansion without my permission. Rathods who heard him were shocked by his decision but they kept mum as more than what he said what he didn’t hurt them as he had indirectly diminished them by saying that they were unprofessional and they had not performed that duty as ordered them. So without a word they agreed to what he said.

Khushi who heard him say this wanted to say something when he showed her his hand and that was enough to make her gulp her words. ASR looked at Rathods and said you can wait down we will be leaving for home in a while. Aman who was also present there knew that ASR will grill him to and waited for his turn. 

After the Rathods left ASR looked at Aman and said I want the receptionist on the lower floor and one working on this floor to be here and make sure that everyone is present on the floor. Aman nodded and said anything else ASR. ASR looked at him and said is the shoot over Aman nodded his head and said yes ASR and the models had left Richard will soon show you the work than you can decide whom to hire. He looked at ASR to say if anything else was left but ASR without bothering to look at him said you may go and Aman left the cabin.

Rathods who had left ASR’s cabin and waiting for him looked at each other and Anjali held Armaan’s hand and said I was scared for khushi. Armaan just hugged his wife and said everything is fine now. Anjali looked at him and said but did you notice the hickey on Khushi’s neck. Armaan hummed in response and Anjali said do you think ASR could force her. 

Armaan looked at his wife and said I don’t know what kind of relationship they share, but if ASR had forced Khushi do you think she would have smiled at us, you know her emotions are like and open book she can’t hide them. Anjali looked at her husband and said but I feel that something is not right in their relationship. Armaan looked at her and said I there was something wrong in their relationship you know we would have been ruined by now for defying ASR we both know what a force he is and I think he let us go this time just because khushi said us she will take the blame on her and I guess that’s why ASR didn’t kill us.

He held Anjal’s hand and said their relation may not be normal and look weird to us but we can’t tell what a person is unless and until he want to reveal to us, so don’t try to poke in to their life and would you like someone poking in our no right so let them be as everyone has their own ways to deal with their relationship and don’t we know that relationship takes time to bloom. 

Anjali nodded her head and said you have to shift are you fine. Armaan looked at her and said we both know our work is the most important thing for us and I won’t take it lightly if someone questions our sincerity. Anjali smiled at him and said we are best at our work and always will be.

Khushi looked at ASR and said Armaan bhai and Anjali ji are married like us so why have you said him to move out of the house. ASR looked her and said that is their punishment to defy me and I had been generous because of you or else I would have made sure that they could never again find any word and turn their world that they knew upside down. 

Khushi looked at him in shock and said how you can do that to them it was not their mistake but mine. ASR looked at her and said a mistake is a mistake and it should be punished it not then you will never know when the person again tries to repeat it. Khushi knew that arguing with him was useless so kept mum. Soon ASR was done with his work and said lets go and got up from his chair and held her hand and moved out of the cabin.

ASR walked toward the area where his employees were still working as there was till sometime left for the office hour to be finished. The moment he walked every eyes was on him and his hand that was holding the girls hand who was walking next to him and they were shocked to see the girl in new dress. They had never seen their boss with any girl and it was shock to see him holding hand of a girl. They had heard about his night life but never heard of him having a girlfriend so this girl who was next to their boss was making them curious.

ASR knew every eyes was on them he smirked at thee way peoples mind work they were always curious about what was cooking in someone else lie rather than what was happening to their own, he saw only hardly few people were least bothered and still doing their work and he knew it was either they feared his wrath or they were on deadline they had to meet. 

So he walked toward the center where he had seen khushi sitting few hours back with those models. He stood in the centre and looked around and saw his employees trying to not be intrigued by the girl next to him and smirked and shouted listen everyone and saw everyone looking at him.

ASR had still held khushi’s hand and looked at her and said sit there and he saw Aman coming with both the receptionist who worked on the lower level and on this floor, he folded his hand on his chest and waited for them to be near him. Aman looked at the receptionists who was shivering in fear as to why ASR had called her but he was as clueless as her. So he looked at her and said her is the receptionist ASR.

ASR looked at her and his fist clenched and his mind said him it’s because of her that people got the chance of looking at his possession. He remembered what khushi had said that when she went to reception to ask about him the receptionist had replied before she could ask about him, the receptionist asked her to go to the top floor and then the receptionist on this floor asked her to wait her. So according to him they both were at fault and he knew what to do with them.

ASR looked at them both and said in his stern voice did you both and then pointing toward khushi said her to wait her. Both the girls nodded and one of them said she looked like the model who were here for the new teenage photo shoot so we send her here. 

ASR looked at them and said shouted did you ask her. Both the girls staggered back in fear his eyes had turned red and his whole body was stiff and nerves in his head where visible as it was sign of his immense anger. Both the girl nodded in no and shivered as they knew they had gone something wrong. ASR looked at them both and said you are fired. He looked at Aman and said make sure they won’t get the job of even house help anywhere making everyone shock by his works.

Aman nodded and assured the girls out. He knew they did a mistake and ASR was never the one to take it lightly. So he said the girls to pack their things and called the security to guide them out of the building. Everyone saw the girls being led out of the office but more than that everyone was curious about the girl who was so close to their boss that he had fired two people for a small goof up.

Khushi gasped at his word and wanted to stop him but looking at his angry face she was hell scared as it reminded her of the ASR she had seen during initial days of her marriage.  She was shivering with fear when she felt a hand on her and she looked up to see ASR looking down at her. 

ASR forwarded his hand which she took without a word and got up. She was till shivering so ASR pulled her by her waist and kissed her forehead and said why you are shivering khushi. Khushi looked at him and said you shout scared me.

ASR smirked at her and said was it my shout or my way of dealing with those girls reminded you of the initial days of our marriage. He smirked when he felt her stiff and said your eyes tell what you pretty mind thinks. He held her close and said they did a mistake and I never forgive anyone’s mistakes and said lets go home. 

When he turned around he saw everyone staring at them. He made khushi stand next to him and then what they saw made everyone shocked and confused at them same time, only one question was in everyone’s mind how had they missed it.