Part 39 Cause

"Tell your mom that I agreed to share the expenses," Arnav said.

"Me?" Khushi bit her nail.

"Why? Do you have any problem?"

"They will get to know we are talking with each other"

"Of course, we are...! Do you think they don't know we are talking?"

"They don't know"

"Is it?"

"Mm"

"Do you not want them to know?"

She was silent.

"But, I want them to know we are talking and I changed my mind only for you"

"but..."

"If you want me to accept your demand, tell them, you changed my mind"

"Is it necessary?"

"Is not it?"

"I don't think so," she said even though she knew why he wanted them to see the cause of his mind change. He wanted them to know he would give up on his stubbornness and change his mind for Khushi.

"Ok... you don't think so but I think it's necessary," he said stubbornly.

Khushi was silent.

"Ok... I will tell them. Good night" he disconnected the call.

Khushi looked at her phone and gulped down.

The very next minute, Arnav dialed Garima who just came to the bed. She looked at her phone and was surprised to see Arnav's name flashing.

"Damadji is calling," She said panicking.

Shashi sat on the bed jerking and said,

"Attend the call..."

Garima attended the call immediately.

"Hello, Damadji, is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine... why?"

"You are calling me in this time... that's why"

Arnav so wanted to say, *If something is wrong, I would have called Mr. Gupta instead of you*

"I want to tell you something. that's why I called you"

"Tell me, Damadji"

"As you want to share the wedding expenses, I let you do it. You can do it"

Garima was taken aback. What made him change his mind all of a sudden? Was not he so firm in his decision not to share the expenses?

"Do you think what made me change my mind?"

"Jee..." Garima said hesitating.

"Khushi changed my mind" he intentionally said.

"Khushi?"

"Yeah, she doesn't want you to feel awkward. She made me understand and I accepted it"

Garima looked at Shashi thunder stuck.

"I will send the marriage assembler to GH tomorrow morning. You can pay him"

"Jee..."

"Good night"

"Thank you Damadji"

"Anything for Khushi. Bye," Arnav disconnected the call.

Garima looked at Shashi unbelievably.

"What did he say?"

"He is ready to share the wedding expenses with us"

Shashi raised his brows and asked,

"What made him change his mind?"

"Khushi..."

"Khushi?"

"Yes, Khushi talked to him it seems"

"Did he say that?"

"Yes, he said he would do anything for Khushi"

Shashi smiled.

"The marriage assembler will come to GH tomorrow. We will have to pay him"

Shashi nodded ok.

"I can't believe he changed his mind going on Khushi's words," Said Garima.

"Your daughter proved you wrong" Shashi laughed.

"How?"

"Didn't you say, she should not be in the illusion that the Collector sir would accept her decision in the future?"

"Yeah, you too said, he would not be like her father who nods his head to her mother's decision... See, what happened now, Damadji started nodding his head even before his wedding" Garima chuckled.

"He likes Khushi very much... that's why he doesn't want to disappoint her"

Garima nodded yes.

"I was scared at first about how he would be with Khushi. After all, he is a collector..."

"I too thought about it because he is very professional. It's his other side. He is completely different in his personal life it seems"

"Undoubtedly... thanks to Devi Maiya..."

Shashi nodded yes.

The next morning

Khushi came out of the room, getting fresh. Garima gave her tea. Khushi took the cup from her with a smile.

"Damadji spoke to me last night," Garima said.

Khushi stopped sipping the tea and looked at her.

"He said, the marriage assembler would come to GH today to get our share for the wedding expenses"

"I don't want you to feel embarrassed, Amma. That's why I requested him..."

Garima nodded her head smiling.

"We are going to the Camp Office today to invite them to the wedding"

Khushi smiled.

"Won't they come to the wedding if you don't invite them?" She asked teasingly.

"It's a formality. They will also come to GH to invite us"

Khushi nodded ok.

"Did you finish inviting your friends?"

"Yes, Amma... only one person is left. I will invite him by phone"

"Mmm... ok. We have to go to the Camp Office before Damadji goes to the office."

Khushi nodded ok.

Garima went to her room to get ready to go to the Camp Office. After a while, she left GH with Shashi.

Khushi dialed Sulthan and heard a sleepy HELLO from him. It seemed he had not woken up yet. He opened his eyes jerking, hearing

"Sulthan Bhai..." in Khushi's voice.

"Khushi... you?" he sat on the bed as his sleep fled away.

"I don't know whether I could come to your home to invite you to my marriage or not. That's why I called you. If you want me to invite you in person, I will come to your home with the invitation"

"No need, Khushi. We will come..." Khushi knew WE meant his family.

"Thank you, Bhai, the wedding venue is..."

Cutting her,

"Indira Gandhi Wedding Hall, Friday evening 7 o'clock. Right?"

"Exactly..." Khushi chuckled.

"Everyone in this district knows your wedding date and time... your wedding is the talk of the town"

"Mmm... how is Dev uncle?"

"He is a wounded snake... there is nothing to say more..."

Khushi was thoughtful.

"Bhai, why did you ask the collector sir's phone number that day?"

"Didn't he tell you anything about it?"

"No..."

"At that time, I didn't want you to know about it because I didn't want you to be restless but now, I think I should tell you the reason"

"What's that Bhai?"

"Dev Baba and Shyam planned to revenge Collector sir for getting Payal married to Akash and Shashi sir for filing a complaint against him. So, he decided to bring you into this matter and ruin your reputation"

"I didn't get you"

"They decided to spoil your name by connecting you with the collector sir and spread the message on social media"

"Whaaaat?"

"Yes, they wanted to hit two birds with one stone. Of course, it would have happened if they posted about you on social media. That's why I wanted to talk to Collector sir before they did anything like that. I thought Collector Sir would stop them with the help of his officer's team but he was many steps ahead of my thought and got engaged to you. He made it as HOT news and spread all over the district. He is awesome"

Khushi was speechless. She didn't know what to say. Was this the reason why Arnav hurried their wedding?

"He cares for you. that's why he didn't give a chance for people to taunt you"

Khushi's eyes tear up.

"Thank you for letting him know the issue, Bhai"

"My pleasure..."

"Bye"

"Bye"

Khushi disconnected the call. She looked at the clock. It was just ten minutes since Shashi and Garima went to the Camp Office. They would not have reached yet. She dialed Arnav's number. Arnav wondered to see her number at that time. He attended it with confusion.

"What happened Khushi? Are not your parents coming to the Camp Office?"

"They are coming"

Arnav sensed the difference in her voice.

"Oh..."

"Arnavji..."

"Tell me, Khushi"

"Why did you hurry our wedding?"

Arnav was stuck.

"It's because I love you"

"Did you hurry only because you love me?"

"What else could be the reason, Khushi?"

"You have handled the problem well and sorted it out already. You don't have to hide it from me anymore"

Arnav understood she got to know the reason.

"I'm sorting many problems every day..."

Cutting him,

"I'm talking about the problem that was about to ruin my reputation"

"How do you know about it?"

"It doesn't matter, Arnavji" her voice broke.

"Relax, Khushi... there is nothing to get emotional"

"How easily you said that... What would have happened if they had succeeded in their mission?"

"But they didn't... we are going to get married..."

"Arnavji, I didn't know people would be so bent to pull you down"

"There is nothing to wonder about, Khushi. This is how this world revolves...! People would try to knock us. Winning them is the task here. Trust me, I will be cautious. I will never let anyone harm you"

"I can't even imagine my parent's condition if they had spread the news as per their plan. Thank you so much, Arnavji. You saved our reputation"

"Khushi, according to me, you and me are the same. It's not only about your parent's reputation but also about your respect. How would I let them ruin it? You are my wife, Khushi..." Arnav said making her stuck.

Khushi felt touched. It was not hard for here to understand what place he gave her in his heart.

"I love you, Arnavji..." She kissed the phone emotionally.

To be continued...