Part 35 Red Handed

Akash rushed to Arnav's room all smiling.

"Bhai... you rocked"

"Why?"

"I saw you talking to Mrs. Radha..."

"I just..."

"Bhai, I know you won't talk to anyone unnecessarily. I know Mrs. Radha too... I have not seen such a jealous woman like her. She would have created a problem if you had not OFF her"

Arnav smiled.

"What did you tell her to shut her?"

"Nothing..."

Akash sighed.

"Anyhow, you protected Khushiji from the evil words"

"It's my duty. I will protect her for my whole life. After all, she is my wife" Arnav said and stopped to see Khushi standing, looking at him emotionally.

"Ok, Bahi, carry on..." Akash left the room, smiling at Khushi.

Khushi came in. Arnav smiled at her.

"Thank you, Arnavji"

"You don't have to thank me... (he stopped for a while and continued) for anything...! Our relationship is beyond thanks and all"

"No, Arnavji, Anjaliji and Naniji talked about Radhaji. They could not believe Radhaji spoke too nicely because she is not such kind..."

Arnav maintained his smile.

"Because of you, she became calm... is not it?"

"Khushi, listen, there is nothing to exaggerate..."

"I don't exaggerate...I'm telling the truth..."

Arnav folded his hands,

"So?"

"Thanks..."

Arnav was about to say something,

"I don't know what else I could say other than thanks. Tell me if you know something equal to thanks"

"There is something... not equal to thanks but more than thanks..."

"What's that?"

"Don't you know?"

She nodded no hurriedly.

"Take your time and think..."

Khushi gazed at him because she didn't know what it was.

"Thinkkkkk..." he smiled gorgeously making her confused.

He was supposed to go,

"Arnavji, Arnavji..." She came in front of him.

Arnav raised his brows.

"Please tell me what's that"

"What do you think? What can be better than thanks to me? What would make me happy?"

"What Arnavji?"

"Why are you restless? Take your time... ok?. I'm going to the office..."

Khushi pouted. Arnav left the place smiling.

Khushi sat on the bed. What could make Arnavji happier than the thanks? She bit her nails and thought.

"Why didn't Arnavji simply say what makes him happy?" She sighed.

She changed her dress and wore one of the dresses that Arnav brought her. She looked at her and smiled.

"How beautifully this dress is fitting to me...! Arnavji is a talented designer... that's why his selection is also super!" She thought proudly.

She came downstairs and heard Raizada women talking about her and Arnav.

"I can't believe Arnav bituwa would protect his wife by keeping her under his wings..." Manorama said.

"I can't still believe he made Radhaji shut. She turned like a kitten" Anjali said happily.

"I don't know what made him fall for her so hard..." Manorama said.

"He fell for her hard... is not it good?" Nani said.

"Haan... he even scolded me for calling her Patti Sadi..." Manorama said with disappointment.

Manorama saw Khushi getting downstairs.

"See, Patti...(she stopped not completing Patti Sadi) Kusi is coming"

"What happened Mami, you call Khushiji by her proper name?" Anjali intentionally teased. So that Khushi would know Manorama was following Arnav's words sincerely.

"Why should I get into trouble by calling her with some other name? I don't want to be on Arnav bituwa's BLOCK LIST...! He never chided me for anything, you know..." She said sniffing.

Khushi felt bad for her.

"This is the first time, he chided me... that too for someone," She said looking at Khushi.

"That someone is none other than his wife, Manorama. Understand that" Nani said.

"I don't have a problem if you call me, but I can't go against Arnavji's wish. Otherwise, I will ask you to call me as you want" Khushi said hesitatingly.

"Haan... you guys are made for each other... you will not do anything going against another one's wish. I understood that..." Manorama left the place.

Khushi looked at her feeling sad.

"Don't feel bad Khushi bitiya... she is like that. She won't care about important things but only about silly things" Nani said.

Khushi smiled.

"I'm glad you understood you should not go against Chotte's wish"

"Yeah, he will be happy if he knows that," Anjali said.

"What else makes Arnavji happy?" Khushi asked.

"He likes gardening and would be in the garden for the whole day," Nani said.

"He will be happy if his beloved ones are happy"

"More than knowing about the thing that makes him happy, get to know what makes him upset and furious," Nani said.

"Yes, Nani is right. He doesn't like cheating. Gets upset if anyone defies him. He won't like it if you support something he doesn't like"

Khushi was fed up. She tried to know what would make him happy but they were giving her TIPS about something. It seemed she was the one who should find it out.

Evening

Arnav was ready to leave AR. That was when he got a call. He frowned to see the caller. It was a DIAMOND merchant's call. He attended it as he thought he was calling him to tell him about the newly arrived jewelry designs. He decided to get a diamond jewelry set for Khushi.

"Hello, Mr. Lal..."

"Arnav sir, are you free?"

"Yeah. I'm free this evening. You can come to RM if you have new designs"

"Of course, I have new designs and will bring them to RM but I don't call you for that"

"Oh... tell me,"

"Did you sell the diamond set that you bought last year?"

"Whaaat? Why would I sell it?"

"I doubted... that's why I called you and I confirmed when you asked for new designs. If you are lacking money to the extent of selling the old jewelry, why would you ask for the new one?"

"What's the matter? Could you talk clearly?"

"The Diamond set you bought came for sale today"

"Whaaat? What are you saying?"

"Yes, you can find the same designs in gold jewelry. When it comes to a diamond, it's not possible. We won't make Diamond sets with the same designs because it's highly expensive. We will make the same design only on demand"

"What's the point?"

"The point is; the design I gave you is the only set we made. The same set came for sale...! I know you would not have sold it. Maybe, someone would have stolen it from your house..."

"No way... no way..."

"Mr. Raizada...please do check. Then conclude. I sent the photo of the Diamond set to you. I inquired about the Diamond merchant who bought it from the person who sold it. He said he would get his photo from the CCTV camera. I will send it to you when he sends it to me"

"Ok, Mr. Lal... I will check"

"Thank you. I will do whatever to catch the thief"

"Thank you" he disconnected the call.

Arnav was confused. He knew the merchant would not talk blindly. He opened the WhatsApp and saw the pic of the Diamond set. Yes, it was his gift to Anjali for Raksha Bhandan. He was sure about it because Anjali fought with him for buying such an expensive gift for her.

He left AR immediately all the way thinking about the Diamond set. He knew Anjali didn't wear it recently. She didn't attend any function. At Akash's wedding also she wore a matching jewelry set only. Then, when did it go missing? How didn't Anjali notice that it was missing?

Arnav entered RM like a storm and saw Raizada women having tea. His eyes softened to see Khushi smiling at him who was wearing the dress he bought for her. She looked cute in the dress. He smiled at her and looked at Anjali.

"Di, I want to talk to you"

"Tell me Chotte"

"Come with me"

Anjali kept the teacup and stood up. Arnav took her to her room. Nani and Manorama looked at each other questioningly.

"Di, do you remember the Diamond set I gifted you for Raksha Bandhan?"

"Of course, I do..."

"Shall I see that?"

"Why not?"

She opened the cupboard and removed a few boxes. She took one from them and opened it. Seeing it empty, she checked other boxes... of course, with nervousness. The other boxes had the respective sets but the Diamond box. Anjali looked at Arnav gulping down.

"I... don't know where I kept it" she started checking her cupboard.

"You didn't misplace it Di. The set was stolen" Arnav said.

"Whaaat? But how? I have not removed it recently. It's been long since I wore it... then how could it go missing?"

Arnav received a message from Lal. He opened it. It was the pic that was removed from the CCTV camera footage. In that, Shyam was giving the Diamond set to the merchant.

To be continued...