Part 44 Reactions

I showed Abiumanyu's message to Khushi. She became excited and then drained the next minute. Her face withered.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Everyone will get to know about the program," she said worriedly.

"Of course, it's a TV program. Everyone would watch. In fact, I'm going to send a personal message to everyone to watch it" I said eagerly.

"Arnav, everyone means, everyone..."

"So?"

"We have to face my father. I don't know how is he going to react to it"

"I will face him," I said.

Khushi was not satisfied it seemed.

"Relax, okay?"

"Mmm"

I came out of the lift with Khushi and looked at her.

"What would you like to have for dinner?"

"Anything for dinner but I would like to have YOU after the dinner" I said smiling broadly.

Looking at our surroundings, she offered a big smile, shaking her head and said,

"I will be waiting"

I threw my head back and laughed heartedly. That was when my eyes caught hold of someone who was keenly watching us. When he noticed me noticing him, he turned in the opposite direction. Seeing my changed facial expression, Khushi looked in the direction and saw the man. She shrank her eyes.

"Do you know him?" I asked.

"He looks familiar to me," Khushi said, looking at him.

"Is it?"

She nodded yes. I saw him leaving the place hurriedly, not looking back. I wanted to follow him but before that, he vanished into the crowd.

I got alerted. Would he be Mithra's man? Was she tracking us? I could never take that woman lightly. She was the most dangerous woman I had ever seen in my life.

"Shall I drop you?" I asked.

"No need... I will go. You carry on"

"Ok, don't stop the car anywhere"

"Mmm"

I thought something and asked,

"Do you have any other plans?"

"I thought to go to RM as it's a week since I met Aunty," she said.

"Ok, you go... I will join you there in the evening" I said as I too wanted to go to RM.

She nodded ok.

"See you," She said.

"Bye"

She headed her Mini Cooper. I stood until she left the place. Then I started my car and drove it towards AR. I was thinking about the man who watched us. He didn't seem goon. He looked decent. Would he be a detective? My mind thought about all the possibilities.

I could not be free. Khushi solved our biggest business problem. Her cooking program with Chef Alan Smith was going to be telecasted in a few days. Seemingly everything was set but, I didn't think so. In fact, from here on, we would face many problems, I guessed. Maybe, unknown problems. Mithra would not be quiet letting us be happy. She would not back off from her lifetime goal of torturing Khushi. She would not accept her defeat. She would try to continue it from any direction. Her actions might be more severe than the previous ones. I should fasten my moves. I had to hit her hard before she thought of hitting Khushi.

I removed my phone and dialed Payal. She attended it right away.

"Bhai..." She sounded normal.

"Is Akash there?" I asked.

"No... he went to the office with uncle"

"Where is Mithu?"

"She is downstairs" she chuckled.

"Don't assume... she may be eavesdropping on you, standing outside your room" he laughed.

"My room door is closed" She chuckled.

"Keep an eye on her," I said seriously.

"I saw her shouting at someone on the phone," Payal said what I expected.

"When?"

"Half an hour ago"

"What did she say?"

"Useless fellows... how could you be careless? What a grip I had... because of you guys, it slipped from my hands..."

"Oh..."

It was not hard for me to understand whom she scolded. They must be the ones who had AR's shares on her behalf. She would have shouted at them for missing the shares from their hands. From here on, they could not buy the shares as I locked them with the help of Mr. Sethi. So, our shares were not for sale anymore. Of course, it will restrict us from gaining profit. At the same time, we won't face loss though.

"She looked tensed" Payal whispered.

"OK, but always be careful in her matter and keep an eye on her. Let me know if anything suspicious in her actions"

"Ok, but why are bothering about her so much?"

"She is a dangerous woman. That's why"

"I know that... but, what will she do with you? Won't you swallow her in a go?" She teased me.

"No, way... swallowing Mithu is so dangerous. She will come out of my stomach, tearing it" I said seriously.

Payal laughed.

"By the way, I agree I'm a foodie... but, my taste is not so worse that I could swallow Mithu... yuck..." I said and Payal cachinnated.

"Bhai, you are too much..." she said in between her laughter.

"Not more than Mithu... wicked woman, she tried to fool Gupta men with a ten rupees TOOTHPASTE..."

Payal again laughed.

"Bhai, be careful... I know you would be... yet, I'm saying"

"You too don't underestimate her. Don't eat anything given by her" I warned.

"Do you think she will go to that extent?"

"She will go to ANY extent," I said.

She sighed.

"Take care. Bye"

"Bye"

I disconnected the call.

AR

I came to AR and saw Senior ASR waiting in my cabin.

"Chotte... do you know what happened?" he was full of excitement.

I knew he was talking about our share values. Yet, I asked,

"What, Dad?"

"Our company share values increased three percent" he was almost hopping.

"Yeah, I know," I said casually.

"I can't believe Mrs. Gupta would do this to us," he said happily and I raised my brows.

I was like what the... what kind of man he was! If he was not my father, I would have twisted his ear for sure.

"How do you think she is behind this?" I asked putting my hands in my pant pocket.

"She is the one who has the forty percent shares in her hands. Our company's growth depends on her, Chotte. Today, its value increased. Then who would be behind this?" he asked as if he had found out the big truth brilliantly.

"Your daughter-in-law..." I said.

My father looked at me thunderstruck.

"What did you say?"

"I said, your daughter-in-law is behind this," I said with a sharp gaze.

His LOOK said that he didn't understand what I said.

"I just coming after finishing the process"

"What do you mean?" disbelief occupied his face.

"I went to meet Khushi's friend, a share market skilled. Just now Khushi registered the shares in my name"

"But... how did she do it? Did Mrs. Gupta give her money?" he asked foolishly and I lost my patience.

"Dad, won't you use your sense?" I asked irritatingly and he glared at me.

"Why would Mrs. Gupta give her money? If she wants to help us, can't she just transfer the shares in Khushi's name instead of giving her money?" I asked controlling my anger.

My father became thoughtful. Thank God, at least now, he became thoughtful.

"Khushi sold out all of her GOLD jewelry sets and bought the shares in my name," I said.

My father was dumbfounded.

"Is it? Did Khushi sell her jewels to buy the shares?" He asked with an unnamed expression.

I nodded yes.

"But what will she do without jewels?"

He didn't understand what I said.

"She sold out her GOLD jewels. She has a few GEM sets for her use"

"My goodness..." he hugged me cheerfully.

I rolled my eyes.

"That means all our company shares are in our hands..." he asked smiling broadly.

I nodded yes.

"For a few days, we have to hold our shares in our hands. After a few days, we will release them slowly" I suggested.

"As you say, Chotte" he grinned.

Of course, he would do anything I said. I could see super excitement in my father's face.

"Do you have any work?" I asked.

"No, I don't have any work... do you want to go home?" he asked me as if he was doing me a favor.

"I'm going to RM to meet Mom"

"Oh, sure... Go, go... I will deal with the meeting" he said.

I nodded ok and left the office.

RM

I came to RM and saw Khushi sitting among my cousins. Her face flashed, seeing me whereas my cousins became super excited.

"Nannav, Khushi bhabi said you will come only in the evening. Are you surprising her?" NK asked.

"What are you doing at home? Don't you go to college today?"

"I have to submit my thesis... I have time" Said NK.

He was doing his Ph.D.

I went to Khushi and sat next to her.

"Where is mom?" I asked her,

"She is cooking" Khushi pouted.

I understood the meaning of her pout. My mother would not have allowed her in the kitchen.

"Let's go..."

Clutching her hand, I walked to the kitchen and my cousins followed us, countering.

"Nannav, Khushi Bhabi will not dissolve in the air if you leave her alone"

"We are not going to swallow her" Lavanya laughed.

"Too much protection is not good for health" Dhruv countered.

My mother smiled at me. I hugged her gently.

"How are you Ma?"

"Good... Khushi said you will come in the evening..."

Before I answered,

"He could not be without his wife. That's why he came leaving everything" Lavanya chuckled.

"Haan, so?" I asked.

"Nothing, Nannav... you can be with your wife..." Said NK.

"Yeah, after all, she is your wife..." Dhruv said.

"What are you cooking?" I asked my mother.

"Lavanya asked for GHEE RICE and Chicken fry..."

I looked at Khushi. She nodded yes.

"Mom, Khushi will cook. You go"

My mother and cousins looked at me as if I was a ghost. I paid no heed to it.

"Khushi, go ahead..." I said.

"Chotte... Arvindji will kill me..." My mother feared.

"He won't..." I said confidently.

"Chotte, try to understand. What if...?"

Cutting her,

"There is no chance for IFs and BUTs. You don't have to worry about anything because Khushi sorted out our business issues. She bought all the outside shares and transferred them in my name" I purposely said that because I want my family to know that.

All of them looked at Khushi who was suffocating to face their unnamed gazes.

To be continued...