6. OS 19. His Elusive Bride (Part 6)

Part 6

Khushi got ready to go to office the next morning, her movements sluggish as she pushed her body to do what her heart and mind didn’t want her to do.

“Khussi, kya hua?” Payal asked, folding their blankets.

“Nothing, jiji,” Khushi replied, trying to smile.

“Didn’t you sleep last night? Your face looks...” Payal began, but buaji interrupted her.

“Sanka Devi, don’t forget to give in your resignation letter today,” buaji ordered.

“Yes, buaji,” Khushi said slowly.

“Your lunch box is packed and ready, Nandkisore. Take it and go,” she added before leaving.

Khushi slowly sat down on her bed, feeling weak.

“Khushi,” Payal called. “Don’t you want to resign? Sach batao.”

Khushi shook her head in a no.

“Why?” Payal asked, mystified. “Your boss is a fuming volcano who shouts at the employees and you wish to remain there?”

“Jiji...” Khushi tried to explain. “He shouts and fumes and I hide from him. Lekin...”

“Lekin?” Payal asked.

“He shouts at everyone,” Khushi explained. “Male or female. He doesn’t shout at the men and smile at the ladies.”

“Kya?” Payal was justifiably confused.

“The supervisor who interviewed me yesterday smiles at the ladies. I...I don’t feel safe,” Khushi blurted out.

Payal could only look at her in silence.

“Maybe it is because I am used to ASR not smiling, maybe it is because I am used to an akhdoo, khadoos boss, lekin I found the supervisor’s smiles very disturbing,” Khushi rushed to explain.

“Tum pagal ho, Khussi,” Payal concluded.

“Yes,” Khushi readily admitted, “but I feel safe with ASR.” Putting it into words was very soothing. She felt a load lighter. “I like being in the same office with him, even if I am hiding under a table in the store when he walks by. He...jiji...how can I explain? Jiji, when he is in the office, even if he is shouting, I feel everything is fine. That nothing bad will happen. And I like Amanji. He is like a brother.”

“Go to this brother and give your resignation or buaji will make burji of you,” Payal instructed.

Garima called from the living room, “Khussi, you will be late today.”

“Aaayi, amma,” Khushi hollered before grabbing her bag and rushing out of her bedroom.

                                                              ***

ASR looked at the girl standing at the entrance to his room.

“Come in,” he said, his invitation lacking any sign of anger.

Khushi blinked at him. He wasn’t angry? And why did he want to see her? Was he so happy that she was leaving that he had forgotten to be angry?

She walked unsteadily into the room, the heady fragrance that was his, flooring her.

“Sit down,” he said softly.

Khushi almost fell into the chair at his husky voice. She told herself, ‘Look your fill, Khussi. You are never going to see him again, except in your dreams.’ She breathed him in.

“Aman said you are leaving us?” he asked easily.

Khushi couldn’t find her voice. So she just nodded weakly.

“A job opportunity has opened up here. It pays more than what your new job will,” he said quietly.

Khushi’s heart almost stopped. Was he offering her a job? She didn’t have to leave him?

“Why?” she asked. Why was he considering her for the post, whatever it was? He couldn’t stand the sight of her!

Arnav swallowed. Then he sat back in his chair and tried to explain without giving away vital information.

“I am going to negotiate a very important deal with a Paris firm. I will be doing it from home, not here,” he began.

Khushi listened with full attention.

“I need a personal assistant who can liaise with Aman. You get along well with him, don’t you?” he asked.

“Ji,” she replied, a faint smile on her face at the thought of avuncular Amanji. The smile died away. “I don’t know anything about business,” she admitted.

“That’s why Aman and I picked you. You don’t need to know anything about business. I just want you to type a few confidential documents and...and make tea...and make a few calls to Aman,” he said, careful not to spook her.

“I can make tea,” she said, “but I have never learned to type. Matlab, I can, but I am very slow.” She wanted to be very clear.

“That’s fine. I can’t have anyone in the office do them,” he said. “Can you do this for me?”

How could she refuse? It was like a dream come true. But dreams never came true for her. Never. So she asked him, “Are you sure?”

“Very,” he said. To make her feel more comfortable, he said, “Aman speaks very highly of you.” Aman had freaked out when he had first informed him about his plan, but had soon realised that this was the only way.

Khushi smiled slightly. Amanji was a delight to work for.

“You will have to come to my house to work,” he said, inching carefully into dangerous territory.

“Ji,” she said.

“Aman will give you the address. Err...you will have to stay there,” he said quietly.

Khushi jumped.

“It is dangerous to let you go home. Business rivals may track you to your home and hurt your family,” he said, laying it on thick.

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers.

“I live with my nani, my mama and mami, Akash, my sister and her husband and about a dozen helpers,” he said easily. “You will be safe.”

Khushi swallowed hard.

“When the work is over, I will make sure that you find employment. You will suffer no loss by helping out AR Designs. So, will you work for me, Khushi?” he asked in his husky voice, his heart-stealing eyes trained on her.

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish, too shocked to react.

“I am afraid I need an answer now. If you are ready, you can move into my house tomorrow evening,” he said.

To work for him and see him daily for a month or so OR to walk out and never see him again?

She breathed in deep. The fragrance she associated with him filled her lungs. 

“Yes,” she said softly.

Arnav felt his being calm down, his body sag in relief. The first and the most difficult step was done. She was his...that is, she was willing to work for him. Nothing else mattered. The rest was child’s play. He was strong once more; he was invincible. Shyam Manohar Jha, count your days, he challenged.

                                                                  ***

“Where is di?” ASR asked HP as soon as he entered the house.

“She has gone to the temple, Arnav bhaiyya. Today is the first Friday of this month when she fasts for her husband,” HP explained.

“Ask the whole family to meet me in nani’s room. Now,” Arnav said.

“Yes, Arnav bhaiyya,” HP replied.

“Kaa hua, Arnav bitwaa?” mami asked.

All the others were seated around nani, waiting for Arnav to reveal the reason for this meeting.

“I need to prove to di that Shyam is a cheat,” he began.

All nodded.

“Khushi Kumari Gupta will be coming here to stay. Expect her around 5 in the evening tomorrow,” he stated.

“Hein?” mami asked.

“Oo kaun he, Chotey?” nani asked.

“My employee. She will be here as my personal assistant, officially. She has been told that she is here to assist me in a very delicate and confidential business deal. She knows nothing more. In reality, she will lure Shyam to his doom,” he explained.

“Arnav bitwaa!” mama exclaimed. “How?”

“I have never had any assistant but Aman since I started out. When di informs Shyam that Khushi is here and is staying with us, he will come running. It is all about the money, mama. He has been expecting me to stay a bachelor till my death so that he can lay his hands on my wealth. When he hears Khushi is staying with me, he will fly home to protect what he thinks are his assets. He will try to lure Khushi away from me. That will open di’s eyes to his true nature,” Arnav explained.

There was perfect silence in the room.

Finally nani said, “But the poor girl...”

“She will be fully protected at all times,” Arnav stated. “I have arranged for cameras to be fixed throughout the house tonight. A connecting door will be made tonight between my room and the bedroom next door where Khushi will be staying. And the door to her room will be fortified. Khushi will be in no danger.”

“If this works, bhai, then we are saved,” Akash said.

Arnav nodded. “I want all of you to play along, help her.”

Mami nodded. “Yejj, Arnav bitwaa. We bill help her. We bill give Anjali bitiya the impressionwaa that you lub Khussi,” she suggested.

“Yes, Manorama. And that Chotey is thinking of marrying her. That he has brought her here on the pretext of work to introduce her to us,” nani added.

“I will give di the impression that you were interested in Khushiji while she was working in the office, bhai,” Akash said.

“She will definitely call Aman to check. I have notified him,” Arnav said.

All nodded.

Arnav said, his eyes serious, “Khushi has no idea of the real game and she shouldn’t know. Keep it simple. Treat her as you would my prospective bride. That will send shivers down Shyam’s spine.”

His family nodded.