Part39 Clause

Arnav got a call on his mobile from an unknown number. He got struck when he attended it because the call was from Shashi Gupta, his going to be father-in-law.

"I'm Shashi Gupta... Khushi's father..."

"Yeah....I know"

"I would like to meet you...can I?"

"Sure...why not?"

"Where and when I can meet you?"

"Anytime...anywhere... (he paused for a while) you can meet me in the office, today."

"Thank you..."

"Welcome."

They disconnected the call. Arnav looked at the phone thoughtfully. It's obvious if a father wants to meet a man who is going to get married to his daughter. But Arnav could not conclude it just like that. Maybe, Shashi Gupta wants to talk about Khushi's past. Whatever, he prepared himself for the meeting with his would-be father in law. He left RM finishing breakfast.

AR

When Arnav entered the office, Khushi was already working in her cubicle. He stood for a while and headed towards her. She stood from the chair, seeing him. We can't say she looked usual but she tried to be casual.

"Good morning, Sir." She wished him like always.

Arnav smiled at her not reciprocating to her "good morning".

"Di said you agreed to marry me."

Khushi looked at her watch. The time was 9:55am.

"We don't have to care about TIME anymore... because our relationship is beyond that," he said teasingly.

"I don't want to change YOUR clause. It will remain as same as what it was..."

Arnav cocked his eyebrows while his lips curved.

"That means you have not understood the power of MRS. ASR..."

"Apart from the title, I'm KHUSHI... neither do I need any identity nor any tag."

"Ohh... is everything going to remain the same?" he folded his hands.

Khushi stood not answering.

"Then what about our marriage?" he smirked.

"It's you who wants to marry me. I'm agreed to marry you because you forced me...because my sister's life and my parent's happiness is important to me... I don't want them to suffer because of my decision. I would not have agreed to marry you if you had not forced me."

Though her stances are sharp her face looked expressionless.

"Yes.... it's me... I forced you... you would not have agreed to marry me if I had not forced you... I know you don't want to marry me... there is nothing you could do with it... am I right?"

Khushi looked at him dumbfounded. Why does he putting such statements on the behalf of her?

Khushi was scared that Arnav may question her about her past in the future. That's why Khushi tried to UNDERLINE the statement that THERE IS NOTHING SHE COULD DO TO STOP OR DENY MARRYING HIM. Arnav understood that and he himself took all the blames on him.

"Anyhow, you agreed to marry me. As of now it's enough. We will talk about the rest after our marriage."

He was supposed to leave, but again taking two steps, he came close to her, making her bewildered.

"Are you scared?"

Khushi looked at him gulping. What he is talking about?

"You don't have to be scared of anything if you prepared for everything." his voice sounded greasy.

"Whaaaat does...it mean?"

"It is exactly what you are thinking right now."

He left her cabin with a smile, making Khushi perplexed.

RM

Laya was shocked to the core, seeing Manorama talking to Lavanya's mother about marriage.

"Haan, jee. NK and Lavanya's marriage is going to happen soon."

"..................."

"Yes, Kusi bitiya agreed to marry Arnav bituwa."

"...................."

"You are right. Lavanya and Khushi are going to become a family."

"...................."

"No no you don't have to worry about the tickets. Arnav bituwa will arrange it for you."

"......................"

Manorama laughed, hearing Lavanya's mother's statement.

"Can't deny... Arnav bituwa really had fallen for Koosi."

Though Manorama said that happily the sentence poured oil in Laya's burning stomach.

"Ok Suganyaji, we will meet in India soon."

Laya was hell furious. Arnav had chosen Khushi over her. She was happy when Khushi was not interested on Arnav. Don't know how she agreed. This is not done. She gripped her shawl gritting her teeth.

After a while in AR

Arnav got a call from the receptionist Sowmya.

"Sir, Someone named Shashi Gupta is here to meet you."

"Send him inside."

"Yes sir."

Arnav welcomed Shashi Gupta, standing at the door step of his cabin. He shook hand with him. Shashi took seat in front of Arnav.

"How are you?" Arnav started the talk formally.

"I'm so happy that my daughter got such proposal which I never dreamed of. At the same time, I'm scared too because it's beyond our status... "

Arnav was keenly watching him as his daughter and father are talking the same.

"Don't take me wrong. I don't know what made you fall for her..."

That sentence brought a smile on Arnav's face. Had he fallen?

"We are middle class people... we are not up to your standard..."

Cutting him,

"But Khushi knows how to behave with people. She knows what to talk and what not to. She respects everyone and makes her surrounding lively. She fits with people easily. I don't think a girl needs more quality than this."

"Maybe... but..."

Cutting him,

"I like her. I just don't care about anything."

"But you should know where she belong to... what her real status is...because you may question her in the mere future..."

Again cutting him,

"Whatever... I won't question Khushi nor do I blame her for anything. I will be responsible for everything. I don't care where she belongs to and what her real status is."

"She is not our biological daughter..." Shashi finally broke the egg.

Arnav didn't give an immediate reply this time. He didn't want to show that he knows the truth. So, he stayed quite for a while. Shashi tried to continue and Arnav talked, stopping him.

"That doesn't matter. She has parents. I don't care whether they are her biological parents. She is a good girl with good morals. That's enough for me and I don't want anyone to talk about it."

Shashi sighed in relief.

Taking a receiver, Arnav called the canteen.

"Bring two cups of coffee."

Disconnecting the call, he again dialed.

"Bring me the INVOICE statement."

He looked at Shashi, disconnecting the call.

"Di and Nani want the marriage to take place soon."

Shashi was dumbfounded as Arnav looks stubborn.

They heard a knock on the door. A canteen woman entered with a coffee tray. Serving the coffee to Shashi and Arnav, she left the cabin.

Shashi was about to say something, they again heard a knock.

"Come in," Arnav said sipping the coffee.

Khushi entered with the INVOICE statement and got rooted, seeing her father having coffee with her BOSS. A smirk crawled on Arnav's face, seeing her facial expression. Looks like, her eye balls may fall down on the ground anytime. She didn't smile at Shashi when he smiled at her. Arnav gulped the chuckle with the hot coffee which rose in his throat.

"She is my PA Khushi... very professional... see, she doesn't even reciprocate your smile..." Arnav introduced Khushi to Shashi Gupta teasingly.

Shashi chuckled at his words, looking at Khushi. Khushi doesn't know whether she should be professional or personal.

"I will let you know the marriage date tonight after discussing with Nani and Di. I told you already this marriage should take place as soon as possible." Arnav said looking at Khushi.

Shashi nodded yes whereas Khushi gulped.

"I will be waiting for your call. Now, I'm taking your leave..." Shashi stood from the seat.

"Ok, uncle" Arnav smiled.

Khushi felt a kind of vibration in her body, hearing UNCLE form Arnav. Then what, Khushi bitiya? If you get married to him, your father would be his UNCLE... it's a simple logic...

Shashi smiled at Khushi and she nodded her head slightly. Shashi left the place.

"This is not done Khushi... your father had been in OUR office for the first time, you didn't treat him respectfully... don't know how sad he would have been felt..."

Khushi gritted her teeth. She wanted to ask,

"Did you intentionally call my father here?"

but she didn't as she is following Arnav's rule of "not mixing professional and personal" sincerely. She was about to leave,

"What could I do if my father-in-law wanted to meet me? How could I deny him?"

He answered as if he heard her mind voice. She clutched the door knob.

"Don't be so professional Khushi. Sometimes, it's necessary to break the rules." He smiled.

His smile got vanished when she uttered those words.

"Until my tenure period of one year gets over, I will be professional."

"Ohh... what after that? Will you be personal?"

"Yeah... very personal... because there won't be any clause which can control me... SIR."

Khushi pressed the word SIR intentionally. She left his cabin, leaving smirking Arnav.

To be continued...

Next update on Inkitt

Anonymous Call

After meeting her father in Anav's cabin, Khushi came to her cubicle. The intercom of her cubicle rang. She attended it.

"Khushi, someone wants to talk to you." the receptionist Sowmya said.

"Who is that Sowmya?"

"She said she is your friend."

"My friend?" Khushi frowned.

If she is her friend, why does she call on office number? She stiffened herself.