._._._.

Dining Table

"Can't you listen to me once? You are not allowed to roam around, and absolutely not to have this unhealthy breakfast."

As the feisty voice echoed in dining hall, Shashi Gupta could see a second Garima in his daughter, when she found him cherishing his favourite Parathas in his plate.

Getting no reply from her father Khushi got pissed.

"OP kakaaa... !"

The old servant came running with a fear-stricken face... when Shashi finally spoke.

"Khushi beta, it's not Om Prakash's mistake. It was that I was getting bore in the room."

He tried to calm her down. "And Arnav has come after so much time so I thought to have breakfast with him."

Khushi heard the name she detested... but she was not oblivious to Arnav's constant stare.

"Hi Khushi."

His husky voice was full of smugness, as he observed her gorgeous features. 'Not less than a super-model!'

"It's KKG for you!"

She snapped at him, irritated by his gaze, and that smirk he was giving exclusively to her.

'How badly I want to wipe that smirk off his face.'

She turned towards OP.

Her father sighed, hearing his daughter.

'These youngsters and their obsession of abbreviations'.

Even three Prakashas had their names shortened: OP, JP and HP. Their company 'Gupta and Rai' was also renamed as the 'G&R' by Khushi.

While Khushi had given her attention back to the servant.

"Kaka...Papa finds your khichdi boring. So make something interesting for him. Don't be generous with oil, masala or salt. Mind that your are cooking for Saabji not Damadji"

"Ok Madamji."

"And if by any chance I found out, that Papa had any of these greasy junks, then from tomorrow you can start finding another job for you."

Nodding his head on the warning, OP hurried away to make breakfast for his Saabji.

"Khushi I'm fine and..." Shashi tried to lighten her mood, only to cut off.

"I know how much fine you are!" There came her sarcastic reply.

"Fine! Sit here. At least have some tea with me."

"No, I am getting late Papa." Her tone was soft. "There is an important meeting today."

But the moment she found Lavanya serving Arnav, her mind got blasted.

"Anyways someone needs to work hard. After all, we are obliged to sponsor fees, arrange marriages and then have generous dining tables for our potential son-in-laws."

Directing the taunting words towards Arnav, Khushi marched out before Shashi could say anything.

While Arnav put his spoon back to the plate.

The morsel was tasting bitter to him.

'She never leaves a chance to demean me.'

If she wouldn't be the daughter of Gupta Uncle, Arnav wouldn't have to tolerate her.

It wasn't his mistake that her father commended him. Neither did he ever try to get their sympathy or favour. His talent and hard work had gained him respect from Shashi.

Ten years ago

"It is not a favour Arnav. I would have supported any person who have capability and you have that competence."

Gupta Uncle had told Arnav when he was denying the sponsorship to study in Harvard.

"I am supporting you now, and I hope that you will support someone else in future. Even your grandfather used to think the same way."

Flashback ended

Arnav's thought process was broken soon by Lavanya.

"Arnavji, won't you taste kheer. It's sugar-free." She tried to change his mood.

"Not now, I will have it later." Her sister's remarks were enough anti-sweetener for his diabetes.

'She is jealous of me.' Arnav thought. That was the only possible reason he could think of. 'And what is that son-in-law jibe?'

Arnav had never showed any interest towards Lavanya. Even Gupta Uncle didn't utter a word about it ever.

Apparently Shashi was ignorant of his younger daughter's feelings.

'Or Uncle ignores it knowingly.'

Whatever the reason is, Arnav was not interested in any type of kinship specially with that Khushi, even if he had to break the heart of Lavanya for this.

Shashi was feeling bad for Arnav. His daughter was always unkind to him and his family. Behaving strict and robust.

As a father, he was also responsible for such attitude of Khushi.

'I couldn't give my daughters much time.' He thought gravely.

After his wife's death, he should have looked into their upbringing. But the company had also needed attention.

While trying to share his time between both, Shashi might have failed as a parent.

He looked at the patient boy before him, "Arnav, whatever Khushi said, I am sorry on behalf of her."

"No Uncle, please! You don't need to be sorry for her silly banter." Arnav didn't have any grudge with Shashi for it.

Excusing himself to wash his hands, he went away to change his mood.

'This boy is a gem!'

Shashi thought.

The first time when he had met Arnav as an 8-year old, in the hospital after Garima's death. But that time Shashi couldn't pay much attention to the boy who had lost his parents.

It was later.... 14 years ago from now, when Shashi had come to know that family of Raisahab was in trouble, and then he had seen Arnav closely.

Arvind Singh Raizada or Raisahab was a fatherly figure to Shashi.

Chairman of AR Designs, Raisahab had given his life for AR. But later handed it over to Rajesh Singh Malik, his son-in-law and daughter Ratna who had a love marriage.

'That was a bad decision as Rajesh was not, what he had showed himself.'

Shashi Gupta was from a middle class family. Getting his education by taking loan, he had joined AR as Marketing Executive.

Raisahab had identified his potential then.

Grooming his skills and guiding him with his expertise, Arvind Singh Raizada had encouraged Shashi to startup his own company. He had even financed him and that had resulted into 'Gupta and Rai'.

In fact Shashi's marital life was also beholden to Arvind.

Shashi had fallen in love with Garima Mehta, Ratna's friend and daughter of the big politician of Lucknow.

Both Arvind and Devyani Raizada had requested Garima's father for her hand in marriage to Shashi.

But for a boy who was still a struggling businessman, Garima's father was not ready...to have Shashi as son-in-law.

Although Garima's persistence had led to their marriage, Mehtas were not very keen. It was Raisahab who had fulfilled all the rituals of marriage.

'I am so much indebted to Raisahab!' Shashi thought.

The successful businessman Raisahab was, he couldn't successfully pass on his legacy to his own kids.

Manohar, his son, was more interested in Art as a career while Ratna, his daughter, didn't care about anything other than her luxurious life.

After the death of Raisahab, Devyaniji-his wife had left Delhi and shifted to Lucknow.

Not heard of them for years, Shashi had later earned that AR Designs was renamed as 'Malik&Sons'. He also came to know that Rohit Singh Malik had grabbed the company illegally while the grandchildren of Raisahab were rightful owners of it.

That was the time when he had met Arnav Singh Malik who had impressed Shashi. He had seen glimpse of his Nana-Arvind Singh Raizada in him.

That serenity, calmness at such a young age!

He was sure that this boy would be the successor of Arvind Singh Raizada.

14 years ago

"Devyaniji, Arnav is very talented. He needed proper guidance and direction. He would be very successful. I want to take him to Delhi with me." Shashi had asked Arnav's Nani.

But Arnav was apprehensive for it. So Shashi had not forced him much.

His daughter Khushi, was also not very fond of the Raizadas specially Arnav.

That's why Shashi had used Arnav's name to divert Khushi's energy towards studies. He was also aware of those spoiled brats who were Khushi's friends. So he had started praising Arnav before her.

That had affected Khushi for sure, who had started taking more attention in academics, trying to compete with Arnav.

"I want to study in Doon Public School Papa. They say it is the best in India." Khushi was stubborn to go in same school that is of Arnav.

"If you will go away to Boarding school, I have to also come with you." Shashi had made an excuse to deny his daughter.

Well he couldn't leave Khushi alone, away from home. She had already distanced herself after her mother's death.

But Shashi's technique had backfired. In order to compete with Arnav, Khushi had become too tough in the competition-game.

And now she needed a strong person who would bring her back to her older self - a chirpy bubbly Khushi....

'Who can be more suitable than the ASR himself?' Shashi thought as he heard the roaring sound of his daughter's SUV.

With the current mood of Khushi, employees of G&R would have a hard time today, specially their Managing Director.

'Poor Aman.'

But before Shashi could pity Aman wholeheartedly, OP came with a bowl in his hand.

"Saabji, Upma."

The tasteless, colorless Upma had paled Shashi, who could hear Lavanya giggling, seeing his facial expressions.

'Poor Papa'.

._._._.

Thanks for reading🙂.