ARNAV

I had planned on asking forgiveness from Aman when I arrived at work today, the way I behaved with him was totally unacceptable and I was going to take any punishment he would want to give me.

By the time I arrived at work, I found Khushi waiting for me in my cabin. I was so happy to see her, I mean everything in both our lives was so perfect, we both were in love with each other and happy together, what else could I ask for right?

Before I could walk in the cabin, my phone beeped, I pulled it out of the pocket and found a message from an unknown number on WhatsApp, when I opened it, I was surprised to see pictures of Khushi and Aditya eating together.

It looked like it was in Khushi's house, the surrounding seemed familiar. I was supposed to be okay with that, they were just eating together, there was nothing wrong about that and as he boyfriend I should really understand that but I also couldn't just get it, why would she have dinner with her ex-boyfriend? Why?

Trying to calm myself down, I walked into my cabin and tried to act as normal as I could and I somehow succeeded. The great part of it all was that Khushi did come here to discuss with me about her working with Aditya, which would somehow explain the pictures, maybe they just met to discuss work.

I wanted to be okay with them working together, believe me when I say it, I really wanted to be okay because that was the right thing, I trusted Khushi, I loved her and I knew she never loved Aditya, so there was no way I should be worried about him.

What was surprising was that I wasn't even worried, I just dint want him around Khushi for some reason, and although I acted all cool in front of Khushi, there was rage building up inside me.

I dint want to be like the men in my house, controlling and narrow minded, that's what I had been working on for so long, not to be like them, but it seemed like I was somehow like them and I dint want to be like them. Do you get me?

I loved Khushi, I wanted to set her free, I wanted her to continue living her life just the exact way she was before she met me, but right now something inside me was convincing me otherwise.

It was like I had split into two parts, one part wanting something completely opposite of the other.

I rushed out of my cabin, took the elevator downstairs and headed straight to the parking lot where I had parked my car.

"I need to know where Aditya Kapoor is at the moment, you have five minutes." I texted Aman and started driving. No matter how pissed Aman was at me, when it came to work, he was perfect, and I received a text from him pretty soon with the address, so I drove directly to the place where he was.

It was on the set of a shoot, once I arrived there I asked someone where he was and they led me towards him, he was busy in the shoot so I had to wait for a while until he got free.

Meanwhile I kept on staring at him, no doubt this man was perfect, maybe way better than me, then how come Khushi was never able to fall in love with him? What if she fell for him now?

No! Stop thinking nonsense Arnav, she can't fall for two people.

When he noticed me, he waved at me and walked towards me, he was being nice to me, why did I dislike him so much then.

"Hey Arnav, what brings you here?" He asked.

"You." I replied trying to control my anger.

"Me? Do you have any work for me?" He asked in confusion.

"I'll come straight to the point, I know you had history with Khushi, but you better not try anything on her when you two work together. If I learn of something I swear I'll kill you. And believe me when I say it, I mean those words!" I looked at him angrily trying not to grab him by the collars already.

"Relax Arnav, Khushi is just a friend to me, you don't have to be insecure of me." Aditya said.

"You are the one I have to be insecure of." I said.

"Look dude, I don't know what issues you have with me, but here's a little advice. If Khushi finds outs about this, she's going to be really mad and I think you don't want to get her mad."

"Are you blackmailing me?" I grabbed his collar having no more control on my anger.

"I am just warning you. She thinks you are the perfect man, don't change that." Aditya tried to be calm, how could he manage to be so calm despite me grabbing him this way.

I let him go and stepped back as I realized what I was doing, how could I let my anger take over me like this? It was all because of the pictures I received this morning. What was happening to me? Why was I becoming the person I dint want to be? The person I despised so much?

"Shit! I am so sorry." I looked at Aditya who was more confused than I was. One moment I was threatening him, other moment I was apologizing, I was more confused than he was.

"Look Arnav, I have no idea what's going on in your mind, I just know that Khushi loves you, and trust me when I say you are lucky she loves you, please don't let this anger of yours or whatever the reason that brought you here come between that." Aditya said as he headed back to shoot and I headed back to my car and drove home, but before that I had to stop by the office and apologize to Aman first.

*****

As I walked inside the house, I bumped into Ayush, I tried to ignore him and walk away but as if he was going to let me go without telling me some nonsense.

"How come you are home today little brother?" He asked.

"None of your business." I shrugged as I tried to walk away but he pulled me back.

He stared at me from top to bottom and smirked like an idiot, why was he even smirking?

"Deny it all you want Arnav, but you know it too, you keep hating us for being who we are but deep down you are just like us, you want to be in control just as much as we all do." He said.

"I am not, and I'll never be like you!" I looked at him seriously.

"Are you sure?" He smirked once again as he walked away, I really dint get what he meant by that, did he know something I didn't? Why did he say all those words to me? What were they supposed to mean?

I headed upstairs to my room, locked myself in the room as I sat down on my bed inhaling deep breaths to calm myself down.

I had to do something about my anger, Aditya was right, I couldn't behave the way I did, if I behaved like that then what exactly was the difference between me and the rest of the men in my family.

Is that what Ayush meant when he said deep down I was just like them?

But how did he know what I did? Was he keeping an eye on me? Was he the one that sent me those pictures?

Did he do all of this on purpose so he could show me that I was exactly like them, a controlling man who could let his girlfriend live the kind of life she desired?

No! I wasn't that man, I was never going to be like them, I was never going to force Khushi for anything, I was always going to respect her decisions.

I had to really do something about my anger, because if I dint, it was going to ruin the most beautiful thing that had ever happened to me, Khushi.

There was no way I could lose her. I loved her so much, so deeply, so crazily, what would I do without her?

A knock at the door disturbed my thoughts, I stood up trying to look okay as I headed to open the door.

"Arnav, why are you home today?" Ishani looked at me worriedly.

I immediately pulled her into a hug and she kept on asking me worriedly what had happened.

"I did something terrible today Ishani, something I never wanted to do. I don't even know how to tell Khushi about me. She's going to be mad at me if she finds out. What if Aditya tells her about it? She would be really hurt." I said.

"What are you talking about Arnav, I'm confused, what did you do?" Ishani broke the hug and cupped my face looking at me worriedly.

Before I could explain to her, my phone rang inside my pocket, I pulled it out and saw Khushi's name flashing on it.

Holy Shit! Did Aditya already tell her? What was I going to say to her now? She must be really disappointed. I dint even have the courage to receive her call.