Arnav woke up the next morning with a grumpy face, the last few days had made him habitual to waking up to the sight of a beautiful princess engulfed in his arms. 

This morning, however, she had woken up earlier than him and hence, his morning hadn’t started the right way. He groaned, pushing the comforter off himself and made his way out of the room, to look for his angel.

Khushi was standing at the kitchen counter, stirring something in a huge vessel. The aroma from her cooking had engulfed the hall area completely. Arnav smiled, inhaling the delightful aroma and walked into the open kitchen.

“Good morning baby.” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her slightly into his chest. Khushi gasped softly, startled at the unannounced arrival of her boyfriend but smiled soon after, taking his palms and bringing them to her lips, kissing them softly. “Good morning Arnav. It’s only 5:45, you’re up too early.” She informed him. 

Arnav sighed lazily. “It certainly explains the need for lights. I thought I missed the alarm. When did you wake up?” he asked, while still holding her in a back hug. 

Khushi had, by now managed to find herself accustomed to the position and thus, continued with what she was doing, before the uninvited interruption from Arnav.

“I woke up at 4:00. I wanted to cook a special breakfast today.” Khushi answered his question. Arnav nodded, dropping a soft kiss on her neck. “You smell so good, baby.” 

Khushi blushed, her cheeks glowing scarlet and her eyes twinkling in happiness. She had had the perfect start to a perfect day, and it showed. She rested her left hand on both of his, squeezing them gently. “Arnav?”

“Yes baby?” Arnav nuzzled her cheek, smiling. Khushi giggled softly, feeling ticklish due to his stubble. “This is the truth right?” 

Arnav sighed and turned her gently while still holding her securely in his arms. He held her face, gently in his palms. His touch was gentle yet sure, his eyes' dark pools of love and adoration caused Khushi’s knees to turn jelly. Arnav tightened his arms around her and pecked her lips. “Yes, sweetheart.. Yes it is.” 

Khushi smiled, kissing his cheek. “Your early morning look is too cute. I feel like eating you up." She confessed, her eyes twinkling in mischief. Arnav smiled. “Don’t tempt me sweetheart.” 

Khushi bit her lower lip, her cheeks heating up again. "You're so beautiful, my love." He spoke softly, pulling her against his hard chest.

Khushi looked up at him innocently. He growled, loud enough for her to hear, before claiming her lips for a wild, passionate, borderline brutal kiss, pushing her against the kitchen slab. Khushi, although caught by surprise, responded to what he had started with equal passion. 

Minutes later, they both parted reluctantly. Neither was ready to let go of the other as they breathed against each other, their breaths heavy, mingling, hot. "Khushi.." Arnav grunted, breathing harshly. 

The woman in question looked up dazed, as if for one inconspicuous moment, he had taken her to a different world altogether. Arnav smirked at the dazed.. almost drugged look in her eyes. It gave his man ego a different kind of boost, knowing that he was the reason for her state. 

"I love you so much mery jaan!" He said quietly. His beautiful, adorable, sincere eyes shining like she'd never seen them before. Khushi smiled. "I love you too Arnav."

"What are you cooking, Khushi? It's smelling delicious." Arnav asked. 

Khushi chuckled, "You said we'll go and meet your Mumma today, so I thought I could make something special for her. Arvind uncle ne mujhe ek baar bataya tha kay Aunty ko badaam ka halwaa pasand hai. I was making that for her, and some breakfast along with that. (Arvind uncle told me once that aunty likes badaam ka halwa)" She told him, fidgeting with her dress, looking adorable. 

Arnav couldn't believe his luck. He was indeed in love with a literal angel. "You've been up since an hour to make halwa for mumma?" He asked surprised.

Khushi nodded, "Will it.. be too much? I.." She blabbed nervously. 

Arnav held her hand comfortingly. "It's okay. You're so adorable and so perfect my precious. I'm sure she'll love it. You don't have to worry about anything." He said softly. Khushi nodded. Arnav smiled and kissed her forehead affectionately. 

***

Khushi and Arnav stood at the front door of the Raizada mansion. The girl’s hand in a gentle yet tight grip of her man’s. Ratna Raizada stood at the door, looking surprised.

“Isn’t it supposed to be a work day?” Ratna Raizada asked her son. She looked surprised, but amused at the unexpectedness of her son’s visit. 

Arnav looked at his mother sheepishly. “I ditched the office. I wanted to come and visit you and--” he bit his lip, “I wanted you to meet someone.”

Ratna Raizada raised her eyebrow at her son, scanning the girl accompanying him from head to toe. She smiled politely at the girl and took her hand. “Come on in bacche, class iski leni hai mujhe, tu kyon khud k thakaa rahi hai!! (I have to take his class, Why are you tiring yourself out for him?)” She pulled her away from her son’s proximity. Khushi smiled nervously at the woman, glancing back at her man. 

Arnav was looking at his mother with a betrayed expression on his face. “ Meri class kyon leni hai aapko? (Why do you have to take my class?)” he asked, surprised, his mother glared at him. “Kyonki aap meri bacchi ko ghar laane mein poore chaar maheene late hain!! (Because you're a full four months late in bringing my daughter home)” She said sternly.

The look of betrayal on Arnav's face soon turned into full-fledged shock. “W--What?” he uttered, almost as if he were caught off-guard. His mother smiled, “I’m your mother Mr. Raizada. I know the exact minute that you fell in love with this woman right here.” She said matter of factly. 

“You do?” he asked, uncertainly. 

Ratna Raizada rolled her eyes at the bewildered expression on her son’s face. Did he really not know that mothers were some kind of superheroes when it came to their kids?

“Come in, I’ll tell you exactly how much I know you. Come on Khushi.” Ratna pulled the clueless girl gently by her hand, leading her inside the enormous mansion.

Arnav sighed  and followed the two ladies inside the house. “Mom, she’s going to die of confusion. You have to slow down.” He called after his mother who stopped immediately, glaring at her son.

“Don’t you dare say something like that again marein iske dushman!! Mera baccha toh 100 saal jiyega!! (Let her enemies face the fate of death, my daughter will live to see a hundred years)”  

Khushi chuckled, feeling a surge of affection for the woman next to her. “Aunty mein– (Aunty I–)”

“Okay, but I never told you her name.” Arnav looked genuinely curious. His mother visibly sighed. “Your father talks about her more than he talks about you and his business combined. If you hadn’t fallen in love with her, he would’ve arranged for you to get married to her anyway. You just spared him a hell lot of hard work and convincing.” 

“So Mr. Successful businessman, I do know the girl, maybe even better than she knows herself.” Ratna smiled pleasantly at her son. Arnav nodded, “Got it.”

The two ladies claimed their places on the couch, immediately launching into conversation, completely ignoring the third person who pouted at the lack of attention from two of the most important women in his life. 

“Good morning Arnav.” Arnav heard his father’s voice from the base of the staircase. He turned to look at him, his expression grumpier than a five year old’s. Arvind Raizada laughed, “Yeah, I know that look.”

Arnav pouted, gesturing to the two ladies.

His father patted his shoulder sympathetically. “That’d be my fault too.” He said sheepishly. 

Arnav made a face at him, ”Why aren’t you ready for the office yet?” he asked his father. The older man shrugged. “I didn't feel like it. I got a feeling that my personal assistant would ditch me.” 

"She dropped a message this morning."

"It read 4 AM. Why on earth was she awake at that ungodly hour?"

"She was making you and mom your favorite breakfast." Arnav explained.

"She was?"

"I made a sweet dish. Your favorite halwa." Khushi said meekly.

Ratna's eyes widened. "You made halwa for me?" She asked surprised. "You're officially my favorite."

Shehnaaz chuckled, hugging Ratna and Sidharth smiled at the two of them.

“You are ditching office the day that Khushi and I both decide to do that, very intelligent Dad.” Arnav looked at his father amused. Arvind chuckled, “I assure you that the office won’t be struck with lightning in our absence, nor will it reduce to debris.” 

Arnav pouted, while his father settled on the couch opposite to the ladies. “Good morning mera baccha, aaj toh bilkul pyaari si gudiya lag rahi hai! (Good morning my child, you look like a doll today.)” he said lovingly to the younger of the two women. Khushi blushed at the compliment. “Thank you uncle.” 

“So my son finally got the guts to confess to you?” Arvind asked her.

Khushi nodded. "Finally I know your son exists." She said cheekily.

Arvind laughed. "He does exist or maybe you're in love with a ghost. Anything is possible at this point." He said playfully.

“I’ll tell you something, Khushi. I have always considered you my daughter. You are in love with my son and that makes it kind of official but it does not change anything.” Arvind said softly.

Khushi smiled at him. “I-- thank you uncle.” 

Arnav made a face at the interaction, “So much sentiment.” 

Ratna glared at his son, pulling her new found daughter into a hug. “Get used to it Mr. Practical.”

Arnav rolled his eyes at them. Khushi giggled. 

***

The next few hours, Arnav watched his mother shower his girl in unbound, unadulterated, unconditional love. He always knew that Khushi was the last girl anyone in the world could ever hate but the way she had made her place in the hearts of both his parents, he couldn’t have asked for anything more. Khushi looked positively radiant as she talked nineteen to dozen with his mother about nothing and everything under the big blue sky. She deserved the world and in a way she had it!

“Yeh toh meri ho gayi Arnav, ab tu decide kar le kab sab kucch official karna hai. (This girl is now mine. Now you can decide for yourself when you want to make it official)” Ratna said to her son while Khushi was busy arranging the food on the dining table for lunch. 

It didn’t surprise him, even in the slightest. Arnav laughed softly. “Don’t you think it’s a little too early?” he asked curiously. 

His mother shrugged. “Its your call Arnav, but I won’t wait forever. That girl right there became my daughter the moment she entered this house hand in hand with you. Marriage is but a formality that you can complete whenever you want to.” 

Arnav smiled. “I can’t wait to call her officially mine but I don’t want to rush her. She has just started to live her life on her own terms. She has a lot to do, a lot to explore, a lot to experience. I want to give her everything that she deserves.” he said softly.

“What, pray tell, does she deserve, Arnav?” Arvind asked his son. 

"She deserves to be pampered, to come home to her mother after a long day at work, to complain about her boss to her sister, to complain about her boyfriend to her father. She deserves a family that she hasn't had in a long-- long time. She deserves to know that she's more loved than she can imagine. I just.. want her to know that.." Arnav sighed, his voice fading. "That she is loved."

Arvind Raizada smiled, "She told you about her foster family." He said plainly. Arnav nodded. 

"They're idiots. We're not. We see her for the angel that she is. She is the light of your and our lives and we're not going to let her feel the way she did with her family ever again." Ratna assured him. 

It was surreal. Khushi stood at a little distance from them, listening to their conversation. She couldn't help but feel grateful to be considered a part of this family. The love, affection, adoration that she saw in their eyes made her feel like the luckiest woman in the world. She felt her eyes brimming with tears, an overwhelming urge to just melt into their affectionate embraces overtook her. She walked up to them, Arnav pulled her to sit next to himself. 

Khushi pouted, "How can someone not love you, jaan?" He whispered to her, his eyes shining in adoration for her. "How can someone not see you once and fall utterly and completely in love with you." 

"Everyone is not the Raizada family." She chuckled. "Everyone's not you."

"Good for us." He kissed her forehead chastely. "I can't imagine losing you to anyone." 

Khushi blinked, looking at him like a child watching a meteor shower. Her eyes twinkled in wonder and ecstasy. He grinned. He loved to see her like that. Happy. Beautiful. So completely in love with him and so loved by his family. It gave him a different kind of satisfaction. It made him feel important, gave him something to wake up to every morning.  Her beautiful face, her twinkling eyes, her beating heart. 

Her

Like I said and promised another update is here! I'm trying to be genuinely regular but this is the only story that's going to get any updates so it's.. kind of important for me to maintain a reasonable amount of time between updates just in case I'm busy in future. I'm done with these chapters, but I still have little editing left so..

I hope you'll like this one.

Do let me know what you think of this chapter in the comments below.

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