Wo jo adhuri si yaad baki hai...

Love is never easy. If it is then surely it isn't true love.

As Arnav saw the way her eyes widened with fear seeing him leaning towards her lips, he found himself back on the night days ago in the car when he threatened to make her his forcibly if she refused to work with him.

Now again, place was different though. His intentions weren't.

"You can't do that." Even though she tried to sound confident still her voice came out feeble.

"Oh sure I can and I will." The determination in his eyes shook her.

"What did you call me huh? A spineless jerk, a heartless man and a bloody selfish being on the face of this earth.No scratch that, on the face of this whole world, right? Fine.I will become one for you if that's how you see me then so be it." He gritted on her face putting pressure on her arms he was holding at her back causing her to wince.

His hand on her nape moved to the slope of her neck and her breaths caught up in some region of her throat when she felt him throwing her hairs at her back exposing her ear.

"You are going to be mine whether you want it or not." He whispered in her ear, his nose touching her neck making her tremble.

"In that way, you are only going to get my body not my soul. You can never reach there.Because you don't deserve it." She spoke getting her bearings making him stumped for a minute as he stared at her face and for that moment Khushi saw an emotion on his face she has never seen before.

Helplessness

She shook her head.She was seeing things probably.

Why would a man like ASR be helpless?

It was gone in a few moments before she could think further.

And he was back.

The ruthless ASR!

"You owe me 1 crore and one million. You are indebted to me not the other way around so you should stay in your limits because if I can get back your sweet shop I surely can snatch it away by getting some other builder interested in it in minutes."

"What?"

"You heard me. So keep your mouth shut before me before I do something I might NOT regret."

With that he released her and stormed off leaving behind a dumbstruck Khushi behind.

He has touched her sensitive nerve.

He has pointed out the power he has on her.

She was indebted to him.

He did it all cunningly.

"Even if you worked your ass off for days and nights you would never be able to return it to me.Ever!"

She sniffled.

He was right.

She was feeling too weighed down.

She was feeling too little ... too small

And she don't know how to repay him back the huge sum of money to get the burden off her shoudlers and...heart.

When she feels like he can't break her anymore.

He proves her wrong.All over again.

"Di, give the phone to Mami. I will talk to her." Arnav rubbed his palm on his forehead.First Khushi's stubbornness and now his Mami's. He would go mad trying to make them understand his position.

"Arnav bitwa? Eee sab ka hai? Kahe tum dono apni lifwa barbad krna chahat ho?(What is all this? Why are you both after ruining your lives?)"

"Will you listen to me atleast once Mami? After that if you still refused then no one will force you.You have my words on it okay?"

He heard her huff and he knew he has the consent to tell her his point of view.

"Few months ago you asked me why I broke the engagement with Lavanya and I told you some things are best if they stay under the wraps."

"You are going to tell me now?"

"Yeah because you won't understand otherwise." He sat on the arm chair with his elbows on the knees.

"What is it? The reason?"

"I fell in love but not with Lavanya." He stated simply and heard her gasp.

"Mami, just this once trust me and agree to this alliance."

"I trust you bitwa but that Gupta sisters.That phati saree and Khoon bhari tang. I thought that they were out of our lives months back but no, I didn't know they were secretly plotting to.."

"Stop it Mami. I have seen the CCTV footage of the day Khushi first came into RM and it wasn't her who tore the sarees."

He knew she was stumped at this revelation.

"I didn't say anything even after knowing that because I have done worse than you did.Deep down you know it too that Khushi and Payal are anything but gold diggers."

He took a deep breath when he heard her sniffles from the other side.

"Mami, I didn't tell you all that to make you feel low or bad about yourself.Trust me neither your respect in my eyes has lessened nor your love.I just want to convince you because you are a part of my family.Your opinion and consent matters to me." He sighed.

"I haven't wanted anything this desperately in my life like I want her Mami. Our alliance depends on Akash and Payal's. I know I am being selfish and I am thinking about myself but for this instant I want to be.." He trailed off."Mami, I can't imagine my life without her anymore.If you-"

"Okay." She cut him sternly. "You have my consent. Go ahead and book our tickets"

"Really? Are you-"

She cut him again.

"For you bitwa. I can tolerate anything. If your happiness depends on Akash and Payal's relation then so be it.But Don't ever say that you are selfish because I know you are anything but that."

"Thank you Mami." He released a relieved sigh.

"I am agreeing for you bitwa. That doesn't mean I won't be the tough mother-in-law to the Gupta sisterz huh!"

He chuckled. He knew if she has agreed, she would accept them too one day.She just need to know and spend some time with Khushi and Payal then she herself would love them.

If he had tried to make her agree telling her about Akash's love for Payal then she might have felt insecure so he has told her his own feelings about Khushi and where she stands in his life and he knew Mami who would do anything to see her Arnav bitwa happy, wouldn't disappoint him this time around too.

She didn't.

How can a woman who sold her jewelry to give him the money to start his business can step in the way of his happiness when he was ready to start a new chapter of his life?

Next day

Satwik Mishtan Bhindar

The government seal was removed and it followed by loud cheers of the neighbors and the Gupta sisters who stormed in their shop happily along with their parents with the wide smiles on their faces.

Cleaning started and so did all the measures to get the shop back in the place after being closed for almost an year.

Once done Khushi and Payal hi fived before turning to Shashi and Garima who entered with the necessary items needed to start the shop from the scratch.

Khushi was happily taking the grocery bags from their hands when her eyes caught the sight of the Mercedes stopping right infront of their shop and the man who stepped out of it made her tongue bitter with the memories associated with him.

"Ka hua Khushi? Theek se pakar na! (What happened Khushi? Hold them carefully!)" Garima hit her head softly thinking maybe she got into another one of her crazy modes when she followed her line of vision only to see Arnav coming towards their shop with his men trailing behind.By that time Shashi and Payal have noticed him too.

He took off his shades coming to the front counter and gestured his men.They entered the shop one by one and when they exited the shop was stacked full of the things in the quantity they wouldn't have thought in their wildest dreams to buy at once.

Shashi, Garima and Payal looked at him confused while Khushi was glaring at him.Ignoring her he stepped to the elders and touched their feet making Khushi's jaws drop while Payal hid a smile nudging Khushi who was barely able to hold her anger.

"Jeete raho!"

"Khush raho!"

Garima and Sashi blessed him with a tentative smile on their faces.

"Eee sab ka hai bitwa? Hum ye sab nahi rakh sakte.(What is all this son? We can't take them.)"Garima refused politely while Shashi nodded agreeing with her.

Khushi heaved a sigh of relief that her parents refused themselves otherwise she would've to get into another verbal spat with him.

"Oh No. No. Aunty, Uncle. I didn't buy them all. Court did. As a compensation for all the months you had to stay with the shop sealed due to a fraud."

Khushi looked at him suspiciously.

She hoped her parents don't buy the excuse and fall into another one of his trap.

But Alas, they did.

"Really?" Shashi asked a bit relieved.

Arnav nodded eyeing Khushi who was clearly trying to read between the lines.

Why didn't court directly contact Guptas?

Why did they hand over the things to him?

If they did anyways then,

Why ASR personally came to deliver the things when his men could do it well?

Why didn't the men who came to remove the seal said anything about this compensation?

They would have if it was the case!

No one asked the questions and confusions that ran in Khushi's mind and it made her restless when she saw her father hugging him in gratitude. Her mother kissed his forehead startling him.

He managed a smile still processing the love being showered on him when he wanted nothing else but a certain someone's love who refused to soften to him.She always misinterpret his actions and today too she didn't surprise him.

"I know court didn't give any compensation or whatever. So just take these back. We don't need any favors from you." She pounced on him when they were alone.

"I wasn't doing any favors. I told you I am going to get back everything with interest. Either its the money I spent on the case or these items I bought. Just that I would be getting it all from you directly."

He stepped to her leisurely.

She moved back cautiously.

"Now you owe me 1 crore, 1 million and an additional 3 lacs with it for all that I got just now!"

Her face turned red with anger.

"I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO BUY ANYTHING. Take them back!" She was shaking with anger.

"Relax honey, I have just started and you are already losing it?" He smirked.

"I will not sit back until I give you back each and every penny!" Her chest heaved up and down in rage.

He gulped.

"I will not let you sit in peace either when you haven't give me a moment of respite ever since you entered my life and then left me!"

"I didn't leave.You forced me to go don't you remember?"

She breathed.

"You took away all the chances of us living there in Delhi that we didn't had any option but to move in to Lucknow. Do you think that my parents will love you the same way if they got to know that you were the one who got our Gupta House evicted back in Delhi? Do you think that my jiji would let you get engaged to me if she got to know that you forced me to say yes to you by using her as a bait?" She finished gulping a mouthful of air as she felt too worn out, too choked remembering the day when her family had to spent the day out there at the streets and her family didn't know how all of a sudden their house didn't remain theirs anymore.

He clenched his jaws.

"Do you think that we both can ever be happy with this much bitterness between us if we ever got married?" She scoffed with her eyes filled with angry tears.

Arnav saw Garima, Shashi and Payal coming towards the shop. He glanced at Khushi on the verge of crying with her back to them.

If they saw her crying and that too standing with him then questions will arise.

He can't take risks now that he was too close to achieve what he wants!

He tugged at her and pulled her along with him inside the attached small room which happened to be a store room with utensils and sacks all over the space.

"W-" He covered her mouth with his palm shutting the door behind her and backed her there against it.

"Shh!" He whispered to her, her eyes dilated as she wriggled.

"Khushi bitiya, are you in there? Did Arnav bitwa leave already?"

Arnav's eyes widened and so did Khushi's.

"Umm-" She tried to shout.

He glared at her tightening his hold.

"I will remove my hand and you will say something that will get us a few minutes to TALK." He ordered in a whisper.

She bit into his hand trying to break free.

"Ouch Khushi." He muttered irritated but managed to keep her mouth closed with his palm.

Garima was knocking now as due to Khushi's struggle the door was creaking as if someone was pushing it worrying her mother.

"Khushi, are you stuck in there bitiya?"

Arnav cussed under his breath when her mother started pushing at the door thinking she was locked.

"Suniye, I think Khushi has locked herself in there. We need to break the lock or the door." Garima was saying.

"Amma, I will get someone from the neighbor to help too" They heard Payal.

"Khushi, agree dammit. Promise you won't ruin it if I removed my hand!" He whispered to her as someone started pushing the door. He guessed it to be Shashi when he heard him talking to Garima.

In response, Khushi kicked her feet at the door behind making him grit his teeth.

She won't relent

She bit into his hand again and this time it was too painful to keep his hold intact on her.

She got the chance and she shouted at the top of her voice the moment she pushed him away.His back hit the cupboard behind causing him to stumble and lose his balance and fall on the sacks.

"AMMA, BABUJI, JIJI SAVE ME!"

"We are trying bitiya!" She heard her parents and saw the glaring Arnav looking at her seething.Before he could get up and straighten himself she pulled open the door and ran out breathing heavily.

"Khushi, are you okay bitiya?" Garima cupped her cheeks wiping the sweat off her face.

Hearing her loud shout they were horrified thinking that she might have hurt herself.

"You aren't hurt are you?"

"Amma, Babuji there was a Rakshas inside.He was scaring me." She blurted out without thinking anything else. If she hasn't been too bewildered she would've probably told them the name of the monster too.

"Who is here?" Shashi asked her but before she could answer he entered in the storeroom with an iron rod in his hand.

She hugged her mother who caressed her head whilst Payal came back and asked her what happened.

"She got scared of a Rakshas." Garima said.

"Rakshas?" Payal muttered before asking Khushi who was he?

Khushi gulped.

If she told jiji then she would have to tell her all the history meaning an end to jiji and Akash ji future before it could even start.

Now she realized the blunder she made in order to teach that Laad Governor a lesson.

Babuji has gone inside the room.He must have found him and that means her jiji's happiness was doomed and so is she because that Rakshas won't leave her if things didn't happen as per his plan.

What was wrong with you Khushi?

Why didn't you just shut up as he asked you to?

Why did you have to mess things up for your jiji?

"Bitiya, there is no one inside." Shashi came out frowning.

"Huh?"

How was it possible?

There wasn't any backdoor where he could escape then how Babuji didn't find him there?

"Who was there inside?" He asked confused.

"I understand it now!" Garima shook her head.

"What?"Payal asked.

"She must have seen some mouse or something and she panicked.Didn't you Khushi?"

"Khushi, its high time you stop thinking that those little mice are the dinasours huh." Payal hit her shoulder playfully and giggled. Her parents chuckled agreeing with her.

Khushi let out the breath but didn't correct them.

"Babuji, Amma. Buaji is calling you both. She said she has something important to talk to you.Meanwhile me and Khushi will clean up the store room too."

They nodded and left shaking their head lovingly at Khushi.

"By the way, have you ever seen a Rakshas in real life?" Payal teased her.

"Ask me about it!" Khushi muttered under her break.

"Huh?"

"Nothing jiji. Come we should head back home too. I am tired."

"Nah. I know you are finding excuses to escape from that little micey. Let me get you face to face with that Rakshas as you call it. Only that way you will stop fearing him and fight it with courage."

Argh!

Ye jiji bhi na!

If Jiji went inside and started cleaning it that means she would find that Laad Governor in there who must be hiding somewhere and that means questions, questions means answers and answers means her jiji would know it all.

Uff!

"How about you go and I face him alone The Rakshas to show you I am not scared anymore?"

Payal's eyes widened.

"Really? Then I will see how you going to become a witch to face the Rakshas."

"I am not a witch!" She whined.

"But you will have to become one to tackle the Rakshas you idiot!"

"Jiji you want me to face him or not? If you want then go!" Khushi said exasperated.

Payal sighed.

"Best of Luck!" She hugged her and left.

Khushi let out a breath before heading in the store room and looked around.

"Umm Raks-" She shook her head."Uh Arnavji?"

"Everyone is gone. You can come out." She urged swallowing as she felt his presence.

He was here.

He was hiding somewhere.

But where?

In such a small room?

She let out a startled shriek when a sack moved and someone stood up from beneath it covered in flour.

She was in full mood to yell at the top of her lungs when he cut her with a whisper.

"It's me and...shut up. Dare you shout again!"

"You?" She mumbled shocked and looked at him from head to toe before pursing her lips to stop herself from chuckling.

He shook his head causing the flour to sprinkle around him.

She covered her mouth with her palm before clearing her throat.

"Ap k ASR style ka toh hello hi bye bye ho gaya!(Your ASR style is totally ruined!)" With that she burst out laughing clutching her tummy.

"Haha. Oh Hahaha!"

"Shut up Khushi"

She didn't.

"Oh devi maiyya. I didn't hear even a single What the yet? Should I say it for you? Here.What the. What the.What the!" She giggled.

He gritted his teeth.

"Ha--" The laughter died in her mouth when she felt herself being yanked in his arms.

"Laugh now!" He challenged rubbing his cheek with her transferring the flour to hers making tingles run all over her body.

"Bohat hansi aa rhi thi na tumhe. Ab kya hua? (You were chortling right? What happened now?)" He repeated the same with her other cheek making her breathless.

Thanks to him all the flour was now on her clothes and cheeks too.

He smirked at his work before turning serious tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You asked me a few questions out there.Like how are we gonna be happy if we ever got married? What will happen if your parents got to know about the eviction and if your jiji got to know about me blackmailing you to get engaged to me? How would we go on with this much bitterness if we ever got together?" He rubbed off the chunks of flour from her lips rubbing his thumb there making her breath hitch as she blinked her eyes at him.

"Just like we did right now. Right this moment. You can't deny the fact that few moments ago you were laughing. Because of me. If I can make you cry. It is only me who can make you smile despite of everything!" He said huskily staring into her eyes.

"If your parents or your sister got to know by chance then I know they won't agree.Ever.I know how to tackle that kind of situation too." He stopped and saw her staring at him in a daze.

"Just that. In worst scenarios I have the option to give the fuck to the consequences about what your parents will think or how are we going to be treated because in that case we will elope and get married without anyone's consent.Either way you are going to be mine by hook or by crook."

She gasped while he smirked.

"So did you like our life plans honey?"

"Why?" She blinked back the tears.

"Why are you hell bent on making me yours?"

She asked the question and his smirk vanished.

"What do you want from me?"

He swallowed.

Did he give away too much too earlier?

"Because you see.Now that you are too much indebted to me and there are no chance for you to ever pay me back any of my money. I am thinking of getting it back little by little for the rest of our life."

He regretted his words the next moment when he heard her say.

"You want to buy me in exchange of your money?" She choked.

"What do you think of me?"

He closed his eyes when she stepped back with hurt written all over her face.

"Do I look like I am up for the sale?" She cried out.

Dammit

Trust him to ruin everything with his sharp tongue!

________________________