Part 22 Arrogant Arnav

"Kalyani is an expert in cooking biriyani," Dolly said.

"Who is my wife? Khushi or Kalyani?" I asked making both of them speechless.

"The Princess doesn't cook," Dolly said looking down.

"Did I ask you?"

Dolly was silent.

"Leave... Or else, you will see the worst of me," I said angrily.

Dolly left the place after throwing a warning look at Khushi.

"Arnav... leave my leg. Don't create the scene" Khushi said strictly, closing her eyes.

I left her leg. She washed the cream in the tub of water and hurried to our room. I looked at the servant crew and said.

"If any of you cooks biriyani, I will overturn it on your head... understand?" I warned.

Khushi looked at me turning her head shockingly and again walked. I followed her to our room. When we reached the room, she looked at me and asked,

"Are you drunk?"

I raised my eyebrows and chuckled.

"Why?"

"Because you are behaving like a drunken man... You are not in your sense, Arnav"

"I had not been in my sense so far... not anymore"

Khushi nodded no and was about to go to her room, I stopped her blocking her way.

"Won't you cook for me?"

"Arnav try to understand..."

"I UNDERSTOOD..." I said with a sharp gaze.

"I don't know how to cook biriyani" She lied.

"Really? (I chuckled) No problem... ask my mom and give it a try"

"I won't..."

"Why? Didn't you say, you like cooking?"

"We can't do all the things we like Arnav" She again tried to leave the place.

I clutched her hand making her shock.

"We...can... do... what we like..." I said steadily. She looked at me perplexed.

She looked down, could not stand my strong gaze. I lifted her chin up.

"Touch your heart and say you don't know how to cook Biriyani..."

She tried to bow down but I didn't let her do that.

"You are crossing your limits, Arnav"

"Then, you cross the limit... I have no problem..."

I stopped for a while and said,

"Come out of the CAGE Khushi... I don't want you to be caged for any Damn reasons"

"Arnav, you are complicating things"

"No... I'm trying to simplify things between us"

"However, I'm not in the mood to cook now. Leave my hand" Shrugging my hand off, she rushed to her room and closed the door.

I walked to her room to break the door. But at the same time, I got a call on my mobile. I saw Harikesh calling me. I attended the call immediately.

"Hello, Harikesh, what happened?"

"Success..." Harikesh said and I huffed in relief.

"Thank you so much, Yaar"

"You are right, Arnav. It was not an easy task as I thought. They didn't agree to it easily. I made my uncle talk with them"

"You mean Central Minister Govardhan?"

"Exactly. Then only they agreed. You will get a call from them. Afterward, you can take it forward"

"Sure, thank you so much, Harikesh"

"Anything for you, Dude. Have a nice day"

"Thank you"

I disconnected the call.

That was the chance I was waiting for... here it was. He had to wait for the phone call. I wanted to do something sensitive before making Khushi step into it. That should be the first step I had to do. So, I didn't nag Khushi that day and postponed the biriyani-making program.

As I expected, I got the awaited call. I attended it and disconnected the call after I got the needed information.

The next day

I got ready. Khushi didn't come out of her room. I know why. She wanted to avoid scenes, but I was not ready to avoid them. I was ready to create a scene... BIG scene.

I came downstairs and saw the same breakfast... vegetable salad, fruit salad, and boiled eggs. I looked at the servants who were constantly looking at me.

"Go and bring Khushi" I ordered.

The one who was close to the stairs galloped towards our room. I saw Khushi coming anxiously. I went to the dining table and took all the bowls from the table. I walked to the dustbin and threw them in it all the way looking at Khushi. She stared at me nervously.

"Neither I'm a rabbit to eat vegetables nor do I a snake to eat eggs. My tongue is dead eating this breakfast. I want to eat Poori and Paneer masala. Go and prepare it for me" I said.

All the servants looked at Khushi who was looking at me. No one dared to even open their mouths.

"Whaaaat? Go and cook"

"I... I don't know cooking..." Khushi said, looking down.

Taking my phone, I searched for a video on YouTube. I found one.

"Watch the video and cook," I said and Khushi wondered. She should have expected me to ask, 'DON'T YOU KNOW COOKING?' As I didn't say so, she was perplexed.

Clutching her hand, I walked to the kitchen, ignoring all the eyes that were on us.

"I will help her..." Dolly said.

I threw an angry glare at her and said,

"Step back"

She left the place.

I came to the kitchen with Khushi.

"Arnav, why are you doing this?"

"What I'm doing?"

Khushi sighed.

"Asking for food is offense or what?"

"Mini Palace has a cooking crew. They will provide you with what you want"

"Won't YOU ( I stressed) provide me?"

"I can't Arnav..."

"Why?"

Khushi looked somewhere not answering. I was supposed to say something, but my phone rang. I checked the caller and it was my father. I wanted to break the phone. I rolled my eyes with annoyance.

"This is why I said..." Khushi said.

I switched my phone off, looking at her sternly.

"What will you do if I say I can't cook?" Khushi asked me.

"I will kidnap you to somewhere else where I can eat your handmade food without disturbance" I didn't hesitate to say so.

Khushi was stunned.

"I like your dexterity... won't I deserve to eat it?" I asked.

"Your father will be here anytime... mark my words"

I knew she was not exaggerating.

"Please, don't make him join his hands in front of me, Arnav. It's highly embarrassing" She said feeling bothered.

"Ok... I'm leaving"

I walked out. Khushi rushed behind me.

"Have something and go, Arnav"

"No need..." I said and left the Mini Palace.

Night

I came back only at night, after finishing the work for what I went. I didn't find Khushi in the living room. I came to our room and saw Khushi leaning on the couch, closing her eyes. She looked at me when I closed the door. She stood up.

"Khushi, I would like to have a few words with you," I said.

"About what?"

"About us"

"What's there to talk about us?"

I sensed a disappointment in her tone.

"Without listening to me, how do you say that?"

"Whatever it is, I don't want to talk about it because I don't think it's necessary"

She tried to go to her room, but I held her upper hand and pulled her towards me making her shock. She looked at me with the same shock.

"You have to listen to me. We are husband and wife... There are many things to be sorted out between us. Understands that"

"You can't do that Arnav... You ( she stressed) understand that"

"What do you know about me? Nothing...." I said.

"Yes, I don't know anything about you. Because I don't want to please you"

"I don't want you to please me either... Just be yourself... But not like this... Stop pretending and do what you want"

She looked at me perplexed.

"Your father came here..." She said blinking painfully.

I understood what made her disappointed. I was supposed to answer her,

That was when we heard a knock on the door. I rolled my eyes with annoyance. I opened the door and found Dolly standing.

"Your Highness, this is the time for your manicure," she said looking at Khushi.

That annoyed me more. I kicked the door wrathfully and Dolly took a few steps back nervously. The shock was visible on her face.

"Don't you know what manner is? Did not your Royal palace teach it to you? Disturbing husband and wife's privacy is a cheap act. If you do it again, you will see the worst of me," I roared.

I looked at Khushi who was speechlessly staring at me.

"We are going out tomorrow morning. Get ready" I said looking at Khushi sternly.

She blinked her eyes gulping down.

"What are you waiting for?" I shouted at Dolly. She hurriedly left the place.

I shut the door and walked in. Khushi was looking at me all the way. Taking a box from the cupboard, I went to her. I pulled her hand and kept the box in her palm.

"This is for you," I said changing my tone to soft.

"Whaa...t is this?" She asked.

"Give it a look," I said. I wanted to see her expression when she saw the thing in the box.

She opened the box and looked at me surprisingly, seeing her favorite Bhandini soft silk black saree with a red border.

"Wear this tomorrow morning... Please..."

I requested her even though I knew she would wear it. I didn't want her to have hesitation to accept it. So, I added PLEASE.

"We will have to start a little earlier in the morning" Saying that, I went to bed and lay.

Khushi became an immovable statue. She was looking at the saree in her hand. I could see a soft smile in her eyes. She looked at me emotionally. I closed my eyes not wanting to make her vulnerable.

To be continued...