Dedicated to psuhuna,EkaV01,Yuvonie,Saraali13,RaginiKumari4,user23549805,AminaTaliep3,MonnaS27,

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and to all my readers and friends.....

8 ~ Beside You...Always ~

Flashback...

Ray Mansion...

After the engagement..

Arnav's chocolate brown orbs successfully captured Khushi's hazel orbs...

The feeling of being each other was so intense and overwhelming that without uttering a single word both of them felt so contented, so peaceful, so complete.

But their beautiful moment was broken by the interference of some unwanted guest.

Listening the sound of someone clearing his throat Arnav break the eye lock unwillingly. But looking at the intruder Arnav's whole body got rigid and he clenched his jaw so tightly as if it will broke.

There standing Mr Arunoday Mallik with his second wife Kamini , son Veer and would be daughter in law Sheetal.

"Congratulations my dearest son, Will you not introduce your wife with your FATHER?" Mr Arunoday Mallik smirked looking at Arnav. He very well knew how to instigate his ever so angry son. And looking at Arnav's face Arunoday felt he had struck rightly.

Arnav was about to blast but Khushi's soft hand holds his rough one and the moment Arnav's eyes met Khushi's ever so calm yet sparkling eyes, Arrnav got his composure. " With brain, not with heart" Arnav remembered Khushi's words and it gave him the desired strength.

Turning towards the people infront of him, Arnav uttered, " Thank you so much Mr. Mallik for your good wishes. And for your kind information, I am the son of late Ratna Ray and grandson of Devyani and Devdutta Ray..ohhh yes, I remember you were just the mere sperm donor, but I don't think you ever reach the standard of being my father. You are only capable of called a father of bastard like VEER." Arnav replied with smirk wiping away the smirk of Arunoday.

" Sweetheart, meet Mr Arunoday Mallik, besides him, she is his ex secretary cum second wife Kamini.. and you must be remembering Veer , we met him in the mall. And Miss Khanna, the intruder who without notice disturbed our private moment yesterday at our penthouse .." Arnav smirked widely while introducing the four persons in his unique way with Khushi and it was impossible for Khushi to keep a straight face seeing the dumbfounded faces of the Mallik's.

But maintaining her composure Khushi showed her ever so sweet smile and folded her hands, " Namaste".

Coming out from the shock, Mr Mallik said with gritted teeth, "would not you bend down to take blessings from your father in law and mother in law? I thought Arnav selected a girl as his wife, with a good moral." Kamini, Sheetal and Veer smirked thinking that they had cornered Khushi, Arnav was about to shout but before that, Khushi replied with her sweet melodious voice.

" You have learnt absolutely right about me, Mr Mallik. I think you did missed, when after engagement and legal marriage, I took the blessings from my in laws Mr Manohar Ray and Mrs Manorama Ray and from my Naniji, Mrs Devyani Ray. I have that much moral and manners in me, but my conscience does not allow me to bend down in front of the person who got married with his mistress just after the funeral of his wife. And I cannot accept the lady as my mother in law, who got involved in an extra marital affair with a married man who had a wife and children at home, for me, she is just a home wrecker... and My moral does not allow me to bend down infront of those persons, who does not have any moral within themselves..."

Khushi's words were like direct slap on the face of Arunoday and Kamini. They never thought that, Khushi will reply so direct, as if they are standing in front of lady AR.

But Arnav was amazed. With her each and every actions, Khushi is proving that he took the right decision to keep his faith on Khushi. Arnav had a rare smile on his face seeing Khushi standing beside him and he also felt immense satisfaction seeing the insulted face of Mr and Mrs Mallik.

Arnav trance was broken when he heard Veer hissed, " Don't cross your limit Khushi Basu, Don't think you can say anything about my parents and I will tolerate it. By the way, was not your father too married second time after your mother demise? And your step sister Lavanya, you know she is my very good friend, if I want, I can dig many more thing about you, so, be in your limit, Miss Khushi Basu..."

" SHE IS KHUSHI ARNAV RAY...Don't ever forget that. And in future if you ever, ever again raised your voice against my Khushi, I will make sure, you will lose your voice forever. Khushi is the Pride of Ray family and Bride of Arnav Ray, so before talking about anything about 'my Khushi' think 1000 times, this is the first and last warning, next time I will bury you alive, if you said a wrong words against my Khushi." Arnav shouted towards Veer while holding Khushi close to him.

Khushi felt overwhelmed, her heart felt overloaded with affection for the man beside her, who is not only protecting him against all odds but the respect he had given her, is something which Khushi always remember. No one, no one after her mother's demise ever shown this much concern for Khushi . She felt her eyes become moist but as if sensing her turmoil, Arnav pressed her towards him more.

Gaining her composure, Khushi looked straight at the raging Veer Mallik's eyes and said, "One more suggestions for you Mr. Junior Mallik, instead of looking behind another person's life, you better focus on your own life.. Do you know, Your loving fiancée, yesterday, at late night went to Arnav's penthouse. Did she told you about how she tried to spoil my and Arnav's private moments? If not, ask your fiancée what she was doing there late at the night? one free advice for you that, you should remember about your Fiancee's habit Mr Veer, because Sheetal Khanna has the habit to jumping from one man to another or better to say, cheating behind their backs. Who knows, what Sheetal Khanna is doing behind your back? Ask her, why she went to the penthouse yesterday?" Khushi smirked looking at the shocked face of Sheetal.

" Is Khushi telling the truth Sheetal?" this time Kamini asked Sheetal in not so sweet voice.

" yes...I... I... just.." Sheetal stammer while don't know what to answer to her in laws and fiancée.

Veer looked at Sheetal in disbelief. He definitely did not expect this. And sensing the situation Khushi added, "Look Mr Veer I don't care what Your fiancée does, with how many man she dates behind your back or whatever but I will not tolerate her "surprise visit" neither in Ray Mansion or in any of our houses. If in future, I found her around My Husband in any way, I will smack her artificial face."

" What if your husband visit me? Don't forget he was my ex fiancée." Sheetal almost yelled forgetting her surroundings.

"I KNOW MY ARNAV, HE IS A MAN WITH MORAL AND I TRUST HIM, HE WILL NEVER VISIT A BACK STABBER, TWO TIMER LIKE YOU, and if he does, he will never hide it from me..... And about being your ex fiancée, you, yourself told the answer Sheetal.. Arnav is your ex fiancée but HE IS MY HUSBAND. And I know very well how to protect my family and my husband from the clutches of a witch like you..." Khushi's stern voice makes everyone surprise.

But the senior Mallik was surprised seeing Sheetal, why she was visiting Arnav at late night?

"Sheetal, I did not expect such an action from you. You disappointed me." Arunoday Malik said in no nonsense tone.

Sheetal regained her composure, and not wanting to drag it anymore she said sorry to her in laws and Fiancee, but Veer left the place feeling disappointed as well as insulted too. Sheetal ran behind him.

Mr. And Mrs. Mallik were about to turn to go, Khushi said in her sugar coating voice, " Please have your food Mr. Mallik. After all you are our honourable guest and as a lady of the house it's my responsibility to look after your comfort, Dinner is already served, that way."

Arunoday and Kamini looked at Khushi with rage and hatred filled eyes. They had the entire plan to instigate Arnav today and to create a scene in front of the gathering and media. It would have gone in their favour. But their entire plan went in vein. They were surprised to see Arnav's composure today. And now after interacting with Khushi, they knew from where Arnav gain his new found composure. It will be really tough now for them, to break Arnav anymore, if Khushi stays with him. They have to think about something, with the thought the Mallik left the place.

" Finally gone" Khushi muttered and turn her face only to face the handsome face to her husband, so close to her.

" Thank you Khushi.." Arnav's said it looking straight to Khushi's eyes and Khushi again felt the uncountable butterflies dancing in her stomach.

"For what?" Khushi's voice was a mere whisper.

" For standing beside me, for helping me to face my own demon today." Arnav said truthfully.

" I will do that every time, I will be beside you.. always.." Khushi replied with her sweet smile brightening Arnav's heart some more with new found confidence and hope.

Arnav pulled Khushi more to himself and whispered, " ALWAYS?"

"HAMESHA"...like in a trance Khushi replied.

They both had a intense eye lock and as usual their heart started to beat in sync and the world surrounding them, seems to fade away.

Drowning himself in the magical web, Arnav no more able to hold himself, and peck Khushi on her cheeks.. and as expected, the pink hue spread all over her face, making her beautiful face more adorable.

" Lal ho gayi...(it became red)" Arnav murmured in Khushi's ear.

" What?" asked Khushi who was trapped in those brown orbs of her husband.

" Tumhari naak,( your nose), by the way , you look so adorable when you blush Mrs Ray, and I feel proud knowing that I am the reason for this pink hue in your face." Arnav smiled in mischief making Khushi's heart doing marathon again. Khushi was about to run but Arnav's hold on her waist got tighter.

" Are you running away from your husband, Mrs Ray?" the ever so husky voice of Arnav send a shiver in Khushi and she trembled in his arms. Closing her eyes, Khushi took a deep breath. The smell of Arnav cologne also not helping her at all, it's making her weak in her feet. In her heart Khushi knew, she is falling deeply for this man, her rational mind wanted to warn her but her heart, how she will ever make a control when the said man is so kind and lovable towards her till now. Before Khushi could think further Arnav's voice draw her attention,

"So, you will protect me from any witch?" Arnav husky voice again stirs some unknown emotions in Khushi's heart.

Looking at the mesmerising brown orbs of her husband, Khushi replied, " Of course, any doubt in that Mr Ray ?"

" May I know how ?" the flirty tone and smile of Arnav forced Khushi to smile too.

Wounding her arms around the neck of her husband, Khushi replied, " Don't you know, I am an Angel, I have magic power in my sleeves." And this time Arnav Ray's breath hitched when Khushi softly peck in his rough jaw...

Forgetting everything, Arnav hugged Khushi in a bone crushing hug, and whispered in her ear, " Then don't let me come out from the magic spell of yours. Let me survive again in the magical web of yours, with you, beside you, always..." and then must to Khushi's unsaid words, Arnav finally put his rough yet warm lips on her forehead after breaking the hug...

" Promise me," Arnav murmur while his lips were still touching the soft skin of Khushi creating thousands of unknown desire within her.

" I promise..." Khushi replied snuggling more into him.

Their perfect moment was broke when someone clears his throat, again. Khushi looked at the person, a young man, who was looking at them in aww but there is a mischief also shining in his eyes.

Khushi looked at Arnav who was clearly annoyed by the intruder but making a face he introduces the person " Khushi, meet my PA cum manager cum worst friend Mr. Aman Majumder."

To be contd...

*********************

Author Note:

Hello My lovely readers...

Here is the Eighth chapter of this story..

Expecting your response ....

Please read My other works name, " Another chance" and " Rising phoenix".

There is two OS which are completed. Give them a try too.

Love and regards...

Mamree

16.10.2019