16 & 17
Part 16 To Bag the Deal
Garima looked at Shashi, who smiled at her. Garima reciprocated to it.
“Do you think Khushi agrees to this marriage?”
“She has to agree… we should make her agree.”
“I don’t think she will accept our decision.”
“As of now, she should not know about this. Let her be free. Exactly two days before her birthday, we will tell her…”
“She will create a big scene…”
“Can’t help… we will have to face this. Did you hear what Amrita Malik said? I don’t want to oppose her. We have to do what she says. We will lose our position if we don’t agree to it.”
“But, how could we decide her life, without getting her consent?”
“We are her parents. She should know we will do anything for her betterment.”
“But, it’s her life. She would like to live it as per her wish.”
“Sometimes, we should accept what life gives us… for the betterment of our family.”
Garima was supposed to say something, but Shashi stopped her.
“That’s final. There is nothing to discuss about it.” he left the place.
Malik Residence
Amrita Malik entered the house with her head up. Rajesh rushed to her.
“Mom, where did you go, without informing us?”
“I went to the Gupta house…” she smirked.
“Gupta House? Really? Buy why?”
“Don’t you know the purpose? You disappointed me. Being my son, how are you like this?”
“Did you go to their house to talk about my marriage?”
“What do you think?”
“What did he say?”
“You are talking to Amrita Malik…”
“Did he agree?”
“Who would dare to ignore my son?”
“Mom, you are the best…”
“Khushi’s birthday is ahead. Mr Gupta will announce the wedding on that day.”
“My god… I can’t believe this…”
“Believe…”
“Thank you so much, Mom…”
“Before that, you should prove yourself. You should bag the upcoming deal and show yourself superior…”
Rajesh nodded.
“The competition will be tough. I am focused on the deal, not the profit. Then only the business field will start noticing you.”
“I will surely bag the deal…”
“Today is the last date. Submit the tender before 5 o’clock.”
“Sure, Mom… I will do it right away…”
Rajesh left the place. Amrita smiled proudly.
“Did you really sort it out?” asked Avinash, who came there.
She nodded yes with an attitude.
“How did you do that? Mr Gupta openly hated Rajesh…”
“His hatred didn’t work in front of me…”
“What did you tell him?”
“I just asked him for his daughter’s hand.”
“Did he agree?”
“Not readily… but did…” she went to her room.
Avinash stood, could not believe. How did Amrita make it possible? He could not understand. It seemed beyond his knowledge.
………..
Arnav stopped the car at the Hotel Blue Moon’s parking lot. He looked at Khushi, who smiled at him.
“I don’t know what to say… this is the best day of my life. I enjoyed it very much…”
“I, too, had a good time with you. You are a good COMPANION.” He smiled.
“Thanks…” she extended her hand for a shake.
Arnav clutched it softly but firmly.
“It’s my pleasure…”
“Is it true?” she asked.
“Don’t you trust me?”
“If I trust you, I will expect you to take me to the long drive often.”
“With pleasure…”
“But you are a busy man… how could you make time for me?”
“How did I make time for you today…? Likewise, I will do it.”
“Feeling superior…” she smiled.
“I’m glad I could do that.”
“You should come to our house one day.”
“Just one day?” He asked teasingly.
“It’s a formal visit. After that, you can visit our house anytime…”
“Then, you too, come to our house…”
“I’m ready because I like your mother, father, sister, and Jeejaji…”
“Don’t you like me?”
She was stuck. She shrank her nose and nodded no.
“I don’t like you. That’s why I’m spending the whole day with you.”
Arnav chuckled. Both were smiling. Neither did they feel like getting out of the car, nor did they speak.
“Then?” she asked.
“Then?” he too asked the same.
“I didn’t expect you to give me your time. Thanks for everything. I’m just floating…”
“I don’t think so… you are sitting in my car…”
“I can’t see how I’m floating. To feel that, you should be Khushi. Then only you could feel what I feel.”
“I wish I could feel what you feel.”
“Why?”
“Thinking of doing a PhD in understanding girls…”
“Then, you will not get a doctorate…” she teased.
“Why? Is it that hard to understand girls?”
“You can’t even understand the girl in front of you, so how could you do a PhD?” She murmured.
“Did you say something?” he asked.
She nodded no, hurriedly. Arnav tried not to smile because he heard what she said.
“When will you come to our house?” Arnav asked.
“When will you take me to your house?” She back-questioned.
“Are you free tomorrow?”
Khushi was stuck. She recalled what Garima said. She didn’t want her to roam around. What would she tell her when she left the house the next day? How could she handle? She didn’t know. Yet, she didn’t want to miss the chance.
“Tomorrow morning, I have a meeting with the PM. Afternoon, I will have lunch with Shah Rukh Khan… and at night I will have dinner with the finance minister…” she said seriously.
Arnav rolled his eyes.
“You are asking me as if I’m a busy businesswoman…”
“You might have fixed your program with your friends. That’s why I asked."
“If you think so much, then why did you call me this morning immediately, without knowing about my schedule?”
“You were at my party last night. You guys didn’t make a plan. That’s how I guess you will be free today.”
“Smart guess…”
“Tomorrow, I will take you to my house. Be ready.”
Khushi nodded excitedly.
“Bye…” she got out of the car smilingly and left the place.
………….
Rajesh entered the government office to submit the tender code. He stopped the car and was supposed to go inside, but he stopped hearing. He hid behind the car and listened to them. They were officers from Arnav’s office.
“How much ASR coded?”
“The net worth of the tender is five hundred crores. ASR coded six hundred crores.”
“But why? He already has enough money. Isn’t bagging the deal important? He will get the tender if he codes a smaller amount…”
“What do you think about ASR? He has a standard. He knew his value. Other companies will code a minimum of six hundred crores. Though he didn’t do it for profit, he needs respect. Who will respect him if he works for a non-profit? He knows the tactics. Mark my words. He will bag the deal.”
Rajesh came out. He looked at the tender application in his hand. He removed it and changed the amount into 590 crores, less than Arnav’s tender amount. So that he could bag the deal with profit. He supposed.
To be continued…
Part 17 Difference
Rajesh was full of hope about the tender. He was happier because he stole ASR's idea. He was going to beat ASR in the deal by using ASR's idea itself. He came home in the same mood. While crossing the hotel Blue Moon, he smiled as he thought Khushi must be there. So, taking a U-turn, he entered the hotel. He saw Arnav coming out of his favourite hall. His filthy mind worked fast, but wrongly. He wanted to do something to prove himself right. So, he approached Arnav.
Arnav raised his head from the file that Aman was showing him. He shrank his eyes, seeing Rajesh grinning at him, standing before him. He was about to leave, without giving him a heed, but flinched seeing Rajesh blocking his way. He raised his left eyebrow with a dangerous gaze.
"I thought you were a genius..." Rajesh said.
Arnav folded his hands with a sarcastic smile, like, See, who is talking about what!
"Seeing you with a squad, people think they would also be like you, but they don't know how much of a failure you are!"
Arnav lowered his folded hands in confusion and looked at Aman, who was also in the same state. Aman knew how much Arnav hated the word FAILURE.
"What do you mean?" Arnav's anger rose.
"Don't your men know they should not discuss the coded tender amount in public?"
Arnav was horrified.
"When did our men discuss the amount of the coded tender in public? Which idiot had done that? Why?" Arnav yelled at Aman.
"ASR, ASR, cool... Poor him is also with you. How does he know about it? You would have been confident about the deal. But it didn't write on your fate. Better luck next time, but make sure your men keep their mouths shut."
"Who coded the amount?" Arnav asked.
"Raj and Rahul..."
"I want to meet them..." he said, biting his teeth. Then he looked at Rajesh.
"You have no idea how you have helped me indirectly."
Arnav glared at him.
"Yes, ASR... my life is going to settle down because of you. I'm going to marry the girl I liked..."
Arnav was alerted and widened his eyes. He knew he approached Shashi, asking for Khushi's hand for the marriage.
"My wedding is going to fix soon. You will be my VIP guest..." Rajesh smiled devilishly and left.
Arnav gazed at him sharply until he left. He looked at Aman, who was controlling his smile. Arnav burst out laughing, and so did Aman. They shared a hi-fi laugh.
"You are a genius, ASR..."
"Just now he said I'm not..." Arnav said, smiling.
"Such a pea-sized brain he is..." Aman said.
"When you utter it, make sure he doesn't hear you. His heart may blast if he hears..."
"I so want it to happen..."
"Let's go..." Arnav walked smilingly.
Gupta House
Khushi found a huge difference in her parents' behaviour, which confused her. They didn't talk to her casually, like before. She could sense a kind of hardness in them. She could not understand what happened to them. For more to her surprise, Garima didn't stop when she got ready to leave home. Didn't she order her not to step out of the house? What happened to her mother?
"Mom, are you all right?"
"What happened to me?" Garima asked.
"You and Dad look rigid..."
"Nothing... we are all right."
'I want your permission..."
"For what?"
"My friend invited me to their house.... Shall I go?"
Garima nodded readily. That surprised Khushi more.
"Are you sure? Shall I go?"
"Mm..."
"Mom, what happened to you? You didn't want me to roam with my friends..."
"How long will you be roaming around? Everything is still your marriage..."
"Marriage?" Khushi was shocked.
"Haan... one day you will get married. We don't know if you get a chance to meet your friends after your wedding..."
"Mom, what are you talking about? These days, guys are so forward thinkers. They are not like your generation. Meeting friends is common nowadays, Mom..."
"Maybe, but you will not get time in between your family responsibilities. I know you will not ignore your duty just to have fun with your friends... am I right?"
Khushi could not hold herself from thinking about Arnav. How could she ignore her duty if ARNAV was her husband? She nodded yes smilingly.
"That's why I'm allowing you to meet your friends now..."
"Thank you so much for your understanding, Mom. You are great. I'm so lucky to have you as my mother. I love you so much." She kissed Garima's cheek, hugging her.
Garima smiled mildly.
"Bye, Mom..."
"Bye..." Garima smiled.
"Why are you looking sad?"
"The thought of you leaving us makes me sad..."
"Oh, Mom... my marriage hasn't even fixed yet, and you started being sad about it...? Sometimes, you behave like a kid..." Khushi laughed.
Garima smiled.
"Bye..." Khushi rushed out.
Garima gulped hard. She felt a touch on her shoulder. She knew who it was.
"Are you feeling bad about Khushi?" Shashi asked.
"Why won't I be?"
"Don't be...she is a clever girl. She will adapt to any situation and fit herself into it."
"Why don't you hear that from her? If she said that, I will be stress-free..."
Shashi was silent.
"So, you are not sure about it. right?"
"I told you. We will tell her about it two days before her birthday. I don't want unnecessary drama. To avoid that, I don't want to tell her that now."
"I'm scared..."
"Nothing will happen. Be brave."
"I have lost my courage..." She left the place.
Hotel the Blue Moon
Khushi stopped her car in the parking lot and called Arnav. He attended it in the second ring.
"Hi..."
"Hi, send me your house's location..." She said.
"My house location?"
"Haan, didn't you say you would take me to your house? Have you forgotten?"
"I don't forget it. I think you didn't get it properly. "
"Means?"
"I said I WILL TAKE YOU TO MY HOUSE."
"Haan, so?'
"Then, why should I send you the location? Get out of the car..."
"Have you reached? Are you here?" she asked, looking at her surroundings.
She saw Arnav standing leaning on her car. She smiled brightly and got out of the car.
"When did you come? I hope I didn't make you wait for long."
"It doesn't matter...Let's go"
Khushi followed him to his car.
"Where are your guards?"
Arnav looked at a car in which his guards were waiting. Khushi pressed her lips, lifting her eyes. He opened the car door for her. Khushi sat inside and put on her seatbelt.
"I got cleared about your doubt..." Arnav said, starting the car.
"What doubt?"
"I made it clear that my guards will not be with me when I am with my wife..." he geared it up.
Khushi was stuck for a while and burst out laughing.
"I can't believe you thought about me so..." Arnav said, smiling.
"What?"
"That I will let someone be with me when I'm with my wife..."
Khushi smiled, looking outside.
"Do you really think I will be so blunt?" he asked.
Khushi controlled her laughter.
"So, you thought so..."
"Then what? You are always with your guards no matter where you are..."
"Oh... until I prove it, you won't trust me, it seems..." he said casually while driving.
"Will you prove yourself?"
"Won't I?" he asked, smiling.
"Let's see..." She looked outside.
Arnav drove the car, smiling.
To be continued...
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