Woh jo adhuri si baat baki hai...

AR, Lucknow branch

(ASR's cabin)

His one phone call and he got to know each and everything regarding Guptas and their problems.Khushi and Payal has taken this job in this seven star hotel seven months back as their sweet shop in Lucknow 'Satwik Mishtan Bhindar' has been sealed by the government due to the claim of a high profile builder of Lucknow that this shop was made on his land illegally and the land was his not theirs.

Shashi Gupta who has recovered from his stroke that time has filed a case against that builder named Vikrant Oberoi but owing to his low financial status and incomplete documents, he couldn't back up the case for more than five months and that happened which threw the Guptas into a mess.

The government sealed their shop owing to the fights between the two parties till the final verdict.

The final decision was due after a week and he was also informed that Vikrant Oberoi's case was very strong and the chances of his win were more.

He called his PA of Lucknow branch.

"Shilpa.. there's something you have to do and keep it low. No one should know anything about it. Am i clear? Good!" He cut the call after instructing her the work and sat back on his seat leaning his head back on the leather chair.

He glanced up at the ceiling which conjured up the image of her not so long ago in his hotel room looking at him with pinch of anger, hurt and above all relentlessness mocking him right on his face.

Now he would have to use her weakness as she has refused to take his direct help.

Her weakness was only one.

Happiness of her family especially her jiji.

"You didn't leave me any other choice Khushi.. Sorry in advance.. You will have to become mine by hook or by crook" he whispered.

His eyes shot open as someone barged in his cabin followed by a scared Shilpa, a smile broke out on his lips which he hid very conveniently.

"Sir i told her that you are busy but she..."

With a sign of his hand he dismissed her and she went closing the door behind.

He leaned on his seat again glancing at the fuming figure before him throwing daggers at him.

"Yes Ms.Gupta? How can i help you?" he asked coolly.

"Ye sab kya hai?(What is all this?)" she smashed the envelop on his table.

"Apki himmat kaise hui aisa karne ki?(How dare you try something like this?)"

"What? What did i do wrong? I offered you two jobs.. Either work with me as my PA or live your life with me as my wife, better half. That's what is written in this interview letter.Don't you think second option is better? But i added the date of tomorrow for your interview. Chalo ab tum aa gayi ho toh abhi interview le lete hain.. Tell me PA k liye interview lun ya biwi k liye...(Now that you are here already, tell me for which i should interview you. For a PA or a wife?)"

He asked with a killing smirk.

"Humein aap k saath koi job wob nahi karni.Samjhe ap?(I don't want to do anything with you.Don't you get it?)"She said and was about to leave when he hurriedly got up from his seat and coming around the table caught her wrist just at the time when her other hand landed on the door knob.

Pulling her towards himself he locked the door from behind and pinned her there.

"Ye kya batmeezi hai..?(You are misbehaving!)" She said struggling in his arms.

"Akash and Payal love each other.." He said hindering her struggles.

"I know.."

"Payal refused to marry him.."

"I know.."

"You told Payal everything that happened between us that day in the temple and later at the cliff?" she stiffened in his arms.

"Wo hamari behen hai.. Unhe sab janane ka haq hai.. Ap kon hote hain humse sawal karne wale?(She is my sister. She has the right to know. Who are you to question me?)"

"I didn't say you did wrong by sharing it with your sister but didn't you try to make her understand that Akash is not like me?" He ignored the sting of her words.If he have to tackle her, he has to do it calmly and patiently.

"I tried but she still refused." She sighed forgetting that she was locked in his arms.

"I know how will she agree.."

"Keep your manipulative ways away from my jiji.." She warned him.

"Agree to marry me.. In this way Payal herself will leave her inhibitions. Tell her that we sorted out our differences and have decided to marry each other."

"Agree to marry you and prove you right that yes i am a bloody gold digger?"She countered.

He kept mum pursing his lips as she hit the arrow straight at his heart.

Swallowing a lump, she continued.

"I will tell her that we have sorted out our differences par uss k liye hum dono ko shadi karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai... Hum apse koi rishta rakhna nahi chahte.. Na nafrat ka na shadi ka aur na moha..(But for that we don't have to marry. I don't want to have any relations with you. Neither of hate nor of lo..)"

She caught her words right at the time but he heard it well.

In her silence

"Do you think that Payal will trust your words without any solid proof? Okay don't agree to marriage, we will get engaged and later when Payal and Akash will marry, i will leave it to you to whether you want to keep the engagement or not."

He didn't realize that he was now pleading her caressing her face.

Biting back the tears she jerked his hands away from her face and pushed him away finally realizing their close proximity.

"Aap chahte kya hain? Aap wapis kyun aaye..? Hum bohat khush hain apni zindagi mai... Kyun humara chain sakoon barbaad karne phir se wapis aa gaye hain? Humein akela chod dijiye devi maiyya k liye humein hamare haal pe chod dijiye..(What the hell do you want? Why did you come back? I am very happy in my life. Don't turn it upside down again and snatch the peace that i made with my life. Leave me alone. Let me be!)" She had tears in her eyes threatening to fall onto her cheeks.

His chest tightened with ache.

He rested his hand on hers on the door knob standing behind her as she turned to leave sniffling and was wiping her tears furiously from her sleeves.

Her head automatically locked under his chin as he stood behind her and her whole form fit perfectly at his front as if they were two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Their one hand was extended to the door knob.

She was already shivering due to her outburst and his proximity wasn't helping much.

It was then when he encircled his other hand around her waist he realized that she was wearing a saree as his hands burned as they came in contact with her bare skin at her stomach.She tucked in her stomach doing some bad things to his body.

He needed a distraction...Badly!

He gave a keen glance at her clothes and gulped seeing her wearing a pale orange color saree with pale green borders.

Why pale?

He wondered and as answer came from his heart, his insides churned with pain.

Not anymore..

"What happened to your bright colored anarkalis and pompoms? Don't tell me you gave up on colours since the diwali last year? Mairi yaad mai rango ko hi nikal diya zindagi se? Ab mai aa gaya hun.. Toh ab ye pale colours pehnana chod do! You look more radiant in bright colors most of all red!(In my wake, you snatched the colors from your life.Now that i am here, stop wearing pale ones.You look more radiant in bright colors most of all red)"He said leaning on her ear from behind wounding both their hands on her midriff.

Her struggles doubled with his words and so did his attempts to keep her encased.

"Oww.." He groaned as she jabbed her elbow on his ribs to free herself.

"Khushi ladna band karo.. Khushi? KHUSHI!! (Khushi stop fighting.. Khushi? KHUSHI!!!)"He bellowed turning her around and locking her hands behind her back but she started hitting her shoulders to free herself.

"If you didn't stop right away Khushi toh phir jo diwali wali raat ko adhura reh gaya tha wo mai abhi pura kar doon ga and i mean it!(If you didn't stop it Khushi then what didn't happen on diwali right will happen right now and i mean it)"

Her eyes widened as she breathed heavily leaving her struggles but the effort she made to get away made her gasp for breaths which did strange things to his heart and body.

"Akash and Payal.. need us. I came here because of them. If anyone can bring them together then its us! Khushi sirf aik engagement ki hi toh baat hai.. Apni jiji ki Khushi k liye itna toh kar hi sakti ho na tum?(Its just a matter of an engagement.You can do this much at least for your jiji) This play will be only for them. Akash aur Payal ki shadi hone do phir jo bhi tum chaho gi wahi hoga(Lets continue this charade till Akash and Payal's marriage and then whatever you wanted will happen) If you'll want me in your life or not... Final verdict will be yours, i promise! Bas thode din mujhe bardasht kar lo phir chala jaon ga(Just bear with me for a few days then i will be gone) if that's what you want! I know you hate me but you love Payal don't you? For her happiness agree please?"He tucked a strand of hairs behind her ear swallowing a lump as he laid his cards.

Now the ball was in her court!

"Kabhi nahi.. Hum apse koi rishta rakhna hi nahi chahte sagai ya shadi toh bohat door ki baat hai.. Ahh(Never. I don't want to do anything with you. Marrying you is out of question.Ouch!)" she winced as unconsciously his grip on her hands at her back tightened.

He let her go quickly and grasped both her wrists in his.

"Lagi tume? (Did it hurt you?)"He caressed the insides of her wrists concerned.

Khushi looked stunned for a moment at his worry.

"I am sorry.. I didn't mean to hurt you... I.." He was saying.

She shook her head not wanting to fall into his tricks.

Who knows what he wanted from her now using her sister as a bait?

"Rehne dijiye.. Humein iss sab ki aadat ho gayi hai.. Apse milen aur humein chot na ponche wo baat zyada hairani ki hogi humare liye.. Ye nahi..(Let it be. I am used to this. I meet you and don't get hurt, that would be the matter of concern for me not this!)"

She pointed towards faint marks on insides of her wrists and quickly snatched back her hands taking two steps back from him.

He sighed and kept silent knowing very well she won't just trust him in just one day.

"Tum aur Payal ab uss hotel mai nahi jao gi! Samjhi tum?(You and Payal won't go in that hotel anymore. Do you get it?)" He commanded reverting to another matter of concern for the time being.

She fumed.

The nerve of this man!

"Ap..(You)"

"I am warning you.. Agar tum dono wahan gayi toh uss hotel ko band karwa dun ga.. Phir tumhari aur Payal ki hi nahi hazaron logon ki nokriyan jayen gi sirf tumhari zid ki wajah se..(I am warning you.If you both went there then i would make sure it shuts down at the earliest and just because of your stubbornness, many people would lose their jobs)"

"Ap aisa nahi kar sakte..(You can't do this)" She said even though she knew he can.

"Try me and I dare you provoke me"He folded his hands on his chest.

"Kal ja k dikhao wahan phir dekho mai kya karta hun..(Just try and go there tomorrow.Then see what i will do!)"He gritted out.

"I can't leave that job..aur jiji hum...jiji se kya kahen gay?(What will i say to jiji?)" she felt her eyes tear up at his arrogance and mean behavior.

"Look, i am not a Harvard graduate or too much qualified that i will get high class jobs." She said defiantly even though she knew she was stuck.

He was back in her life and now he was ought to take away her peace which she made with her life after a lot of sleepless nights, sobs and heartbreak.

He kept his stance cold and right there before her she found ASR not Arnav who was pleading for her to accept him even if its for a show.

"Humein uss nokri ki zaroorat hai... Hum aur jiji agar wo job chod dein gay toh ghar kaise chale ga...?(I need that job badly. If me and jiji lost that job that what will we do about our household expenses?)" She tried again.

"I offered you a job as well.. Not one but two.. Chose one of them.." he said smugly referring to the appointment letter he sent to her which she had thrown back at him.

"Biwi na bano PA ban jao..(If not wife, how about a PA then?)" He said playfully.

She hated it. Hated to see him win and she won't let him have the satisfaction of winning over her again and again. At least not this time. She has had enough of his blackmailing.

"Theek hai...(Fine!)" She said in a composed tone.

"Oh great! You agreed what for? Biwi bano gi ya PA?"His eyes lit up visibly.

She looked in his eyes sharply.

"Na biwi na PA. Humne kaha theek hai.. hum apni nokri nahi choden gay, apko jo ukharna hai ukhar lijiye..(Neither wife nor PA. I will NOT leave the job. Do whatever the hell you want to.)" She said and left.

"What the..." He muttered angrily banging his fist on the table.

Gomti Sadan

At night

Khushi's cell phone rang making her jerk up from her sleep.

Payal was soundly sleeping besides her.She came up to the gallery to attend the call.

"Hello..who's there?"

"Hi"

The phone was about to slip from her hand hearing HIM speak from the other end.

"It's me. Your future pati dev."

She could feel him smirking.

"Shut up.." She growled.

"Tumhare pass adha ghanta hai tumhare ghar k pass wale mandir k bahir mujhse milne k liye...Agar aik minute bhi uper neeche hua toh mai khud ko khatam kar dun ga aur phir mat kehna k btaya nahi...(You have half an hour to meet me at the temple close to your home.If you got even a minute late then i will kill myself. Don't blame me then that i didn't inform you!)"

He slammed the phone after threatening her the same way she did him an year ago.

She found his car outside the temple in a now silent road.Night was getting thick.

Angrily she stepped in the car and sat in the passenger seat.

Without her knowledge he pressed the button to his side and locked all the doors because he knew what he was going to do now would make her try to run away from him.

"Ap chahte kya hai? Kyun humare peeche pade hue hain? Aur ye konsa waqt hai humein bahir iss tarah bulane ka? Ab jaldi btayiye kya chahiye apko?(Why are you after me? And is this the time to call someone out to meet? Now tell me quickly what is it that you want?)"

"Tum..(You)" he stated making her fume.

Smirking he said.

"I just want you to leave that low class job and also make Payal leave it too. Akash is really upset seeing her working that kind of job."

"Tell Akash ji that i am already at it. I never wanted her to join me but she won't listen."

He was exasperated.

"I want YOU too to leave this job Khushi.. If Akash is concerned about Payal, i am concerned about YOU!"

She laughed in response, mocking...mirthless laugh.

"That would the joke of the century. Imagine Arnav Singh Raizada worrying for a low middle class girl who has no value whatsoever. Amazing! Good sense of humor you got huh!"

He grit his teeth at her obvious taunt.

"Khushi i know we have differences but that doesn't mean that i want bad for you.Please leave that job and save me and yourself from the consequences of the situations which will arise if you didn't."

She angled her head to look at him.

"And what that situations would be?"

Feisty. Came a voice from the back of his mind and despite the anger at her refusal again.

He felt his heart swell with proud for falling in love with a fighter like her who never gave in to his blackmailing so easily ever. But too bad, he was going to make her listen nonetheless.

"Situations like one i already told you. I will shut that hotel down."

"I told you my answer too about that. Do whatever you want."

"Fine then" He sighed.

"I gave you an option to go the easy way but looks like you like being treated hard by me."

"Excuse me?"She narrowed her eyes.

"Leave that job and join me as my PA otherwise tomorrow morning would not be easy for your family."

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN? Keep my family out of it you Rakshas!"

"Its 1am at night. Imagine you not getting home before anyone woke up and in the morning me dropping you back to your home, kissing you before your neighbours. What would they think about where you stayed last night and what did you do with a stranger in the night that he had the audacity to kiss you before everyone without a shame?"

Her eyes has turned wide in pure horror at his words.

As expected by him, she turned towards the door and struggled with the lock to open it.

"Open the door.I have to leave!" She shouted at him.

He straightened at his seat glancing outside the windshield focussing on the dark out there in the night ignoring her.

He had her where he wanted her and now she will have to do as per his likes otherwise he won't hesitate in crossing his limits too because she has crossed hers by defying him and taking up that pathetic job and not agreeing to work with him as his PA.

If threatening her is the only option left then he would gladly do it to make her agree to his demands.

"Mr.Raizada i said open the door right now!" She bellowed again.

He pretended to yawn and then closed his eyes leaning his head back on the seat.

His eyes shot open as he felt the click of the button besides his hand as she unlocked the doors but thankfully he was fast as she tried to get out, he tucked her to him before locking all the doors again with the main lock.

She fell on his chest as his eyes blazed in anger looking at her attempts to get away from him when he has no intention to let her go ever. Not now atleast when he realised how much a big blunder he has made by pushing her away in his ego.

"Dammit Khushi! Why are you being stubborn? You know me very well don't you? I get what i want at any cost. So save me and yourself further stress by agreeing to work with me!"

Her eyes teared up because she knew she was no match to his strenght as he held her petite form tightly against him in the closed space of the car.

He swallowed to ignore her teary eyes.

"Khushi stop fighting me. It would do you no good because i am not the one to back off so easily. You should know better. So drop it!" he said calmly now softening up a bit seeing her on the verge of crying.

"W-Why now?" she asked helplessly, her tone turning defeated.

"Because I..." He caught himself right in the time because he knew if he confessed right now then she won't believe him as he has been very mean to her since they met and this 360 degree turn in his behaviour would only make her suspicious to think that he was playing with her again so he stopped himself to confess instead chose an easy way out.

"Its about Payal and Akash. Akash is going berserk seeing Payal working there. I know he is cool and calm guy in general but when it comes to the one he loves, he isn't less than me. He can even hurt Payal to get her to leave this job but he has stopped because i asked him to. If he offered her to work with him in AR then she'll definitely refuse because I am the boss there and she hates me because...uh.." He swallowed.

"..you know the reason why she hates me. So if you'll agree to work with me. It might put her inhibitions to rest and she will accept the job request from AR too. It might bring Akash and Payal closer.." and us too if you'll agree to give me a chance.

He said the last words in his mind.

He held his breath as he saw a thoughtful look on her face.He knew he wasn't doing right by using Payal a bait to bring her closer to himself but she didn't leave him any other choice.

Her sister was her weakness and he was well aware of this fact and being the ever manipulative businessman he excelled in using people's weakness to get his own way and today too he was doing the same for she was the biggest deal of his life.

Its not that he lied when he told that Akash was angry and irritated with Payal and he has stopped him from taking any drastic measures but it wasn't as much serious as he put forth before Khushi because no matter what Akash would never hurt Payal.

"Khushi.." He called her still holding her close as he saw her in deep thoughts.

"Akashji will never hurt jiji no matter what. I am sure of that and you know that too...simply because he is Akash Singh Raizada...not.." She gulped the rest of the words pushing him away and settled back on her seat while he was too hurt to hear her unsaid words.

He failed to recognize the loopholes in his threat even though he knew that she knew about Akash nature too just like she knows his.

"So you won't work with me?" he gritted out.

"No.." she looked out of the window in the dark night.

"Fine then. Good night. You will have to spend the rest of the night here, in this car itself."

He said angrily banging his fist on the steering wheel.

"Look Mr.Raizada.."

"NO YOU LOOK KHUSHI KUMARI GUPTA!!!" He pointed his finger at her.

He used his ASR way to get through her because other ways won't work he now knew.

"If you don't want your parents to face humiliations because of you then agree right away otherwise i'll make you my mistress right here if not PA."

Her head shot to him in horror as she registered the implications behind his words.

"W-What?"

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