Part 29 Bone Breaker

Arnav stood, keeping Khushi in his arm ring, looking at the truck that left the place seedily. Khushi was startled to the extent, she didn't even realize that she was in Arnav's arms and they were in public.

People started gathering around them which brought Khushi's sense. She moved apart grim Arnav hurriedly.

"Are you alright girl?" An old man asked.

Khushi stood not answering.

"Can't you be careful?" Someone from the crowd asked.

"Could you please mind your business?" Arnav gritted his teeth.

He didn't want to make Khushi upset who was already nervous due to the accident attempt.

"Why are you pouncing at me...?" The man muttered.

"The truck was over speed... What was her mistake?" Another one said.

Without giving them ears,

"Are you alright?" Arnav brought a concern on his face.

Khushi nodded yes. Holding her hand, Arnav went to the nearby shop.

"Mineral water" he uttered.

The shopkeeper gave him a bottle of water. Arnav grabbed it after paying the money. Breaking the seal of the bottle, he forwarded it to Khushi. Khushi drank it. An uneasy feeling settled in his heart.

"Relax..." Circling her shoulders warmly, Arnav pressed her upper arm.

A lump formed in her throat. Arnav felt bad for her.

"Just because I asked you to call me brother, you should not have tried to commit suicide, Khushi..." Arnav muttered seriously.

Khushi coughed, spitting the water. Arnav tapped her back gingerly.

"Slowly..."

Khushi suppressed her smile. Arnav pressed his lips into a hard line, not to smile but he felt relaxed as he made her relax a little.

Inspector Roshan who just came there to meet Arnav saw the crowd. Putting the side stand to his Enfield bike, he started clearing the crowd.

"Sir, a truck was about to hit the girl," an old man said.

"Thank God, this guy saved her" a woman pointed at Arnav.

Roshan looked at Arnav.

"Who are you guys?"

"I'm Arnav. I came to meet my friend"

"Are you Aman's friend?"

"Yeah... And you?"

"Roshan" He extended his hand.

"Hello, sir" Arnav clutched his hand and shook.

"So, is this the problem you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Apparently there is much more to talk to you about, sir"

"Let's go"

They came back to the temple but didn't get inside.

"Tell me, Mr. Arnav. What do you want me to do?"

"She is Khushi Gupta. Her parents died in an accident one and half a years ago. Her sister was attacked by some people a few months ago. Her father has a stepbrother and he filed a case against her father, claiming the property. Before the judgment only he died in an accident..."

"Something seems fishy"

"Exactly... That's why I'm seeking your favor"

"Who is her father's stepbrother?"

"Rishi Gupta..."

Arnav gave Roshan the full details about Rishi. Khushi was listening to him with a lot of quotations in her mind regarding.

"I will try to get something about Rishi Gupta"

"Thank you, sir"

"Where are you staying here?"

"In Gupta mansion"

"Oh... By the way, who is she to you?"

Khushi became curious to know how Arnav was going to address her.

"I'm her distance relative... She has no one other than me"

Though it was a truth that was not what she expected.

"Ok, Arnav, I will look after this issue"

"Thank you, sir"

"Be careful"

"Sure Sir "

"Don't bring her out unless it's necessary"

"Ok, sir"

"Bye"

"Bye"

Roshan left the place. Arnav turned toward Khushi.

"Shall we?"

Khushi nodded yes. Getting a cab, they moved to Gupta house. Khushi was silent all the way home.

When they reached home, Khushi stopped him with a question.

"I know your men are around Lucknow. Then, why did you approach an inspector? What's necessary?"

"If this it's not about you, I would have FINISHED it in my style. Rishi Gupta is a local person. If he turned the table against you, people may trust him over you. So, we need some local help. That's why I brought the inspector in this issue"

"It's just for me?" she wondered.

"I'm here only for you... Remember?" He walked to his room smirking.

Khushi stood, gazing at his back. Arnav stopped and came back to her. Khushi moved back as he came close to her.

"Your life is precious to me. Don't you dare think of committing suicide..."

Dropping her jaw, Khushi looked at him.

Arnav got back to his room.

Evening

Vimla called Arnav for tea. Arnav came and sat in front of Khushi who was already present in the living room. Vimla served Arnav and Khushi a cup of tea with biscuits.

"Thanks" Arnav smiled.

Khushi bit a biscuit before taking a sip. She was supposed to take another sip but stopped as Ritubala rushed in. She came to Arnav and pulled his hand, making him jolt.

"Excuse me..." He muttered.

She examined his hands without minding it whereas Khushi was full of annoyance.

"What are you doing?" He pulled his hand but she again clutched it.

"I heard a truck was about to hit you"

"How do you know?" Arnav frowned.

"My neighbor was in the temple when the incident happened"

"It was me who was supposed to be hit by the truck," Khushi said irritatingly.

"But, he was the one who saved you from the truck. So, he must be wounded"

"Even though he got wounded I would have treated him. I won't be waiting for someone like you to come and show concern for him" she said sulking.

Ritubala found a slight scratch on his elbow.

"Oh God... Did you get hurt?"

Arnav nodded yes. Khushi dropped her jaw.

"You said you won't be waiting for someone to show concern...?" Ritubala cornered.

Arnav controlled his smile because he was wearing a full shirt. So there was no chance for Khushi to know about the scratch.

"It's a simple scratch..." Arnav said pulling his hand back.

"I have some work... Excuse me..." He walked but not went to his room. He stayed a little aloof, observing Ritubala.

"Jeeji, I have one obligation..."

"What?" Khushi showed no interest.

"I think... I'm... In love with him"

"Him? Who?"

"Oh... Arnavji..."

More than Khushi, Arnav was shocked. At the same time, he was excited to know how Khushi would handle this.

"Whaaaat?" Khushi almost shouted that making Arnav chuckle.

"Haan, jeeji... But, what's there to get shocked?"

Khushi took very few minutes to manage herself.

"It's because he is married" She didn't think twice to lie.

This time also, Arnav was the one who shocked more than Ritubala.

"Whaaaaat?" Ritubala asked shockingly.

"Yes, he is a father of four children" she added.

"Whaaaaat?" Ritubala almost cried.

"You have no idea how ROWDY his wife is"

"Rowdy?"

"Yes... She doesn't like anyone eyeing her husband. She won't spare such girls who dare touch him. She would chop her hand. She already did that many times"

Ritubala swallowed her fear.

"They got married four years ago. In these years, she broke seven heads, nine hands, and eleven fingers"

Ritu bit her nail nervously. Suddenly, her facial expression changed.

"You said, he is a father of four children... And also said, he got married four years ago... It doesn't make sense"

"His children are twins... Two boys and two girls... All of them look like his wife. She is not only strong physically but also in THAT matter also. That's why he won't defy his wife at all... He goes mum in front of her"

Her fluent lies really made Arnav mute and Ritubala's faces hung. Seeing her face, Khushi danced for a high-beat song inwardly.

"I'm leaving," Ritubala said.

"Why...? I thought you will help us in our work"

"I don't know anything. Please manage yourself"

Arnav wanted to laugh louder but he had to do something before that. He came out of the place from where he was hiding. Khushi got alert, seeing Arnav whereas Ritubala looked somewhere.

"What are you guys talking about?" Arnav asked as if he was unaware of it.

"We just talked randomly..." Khushi said, looking at Ritubala who nodded yes.

"I heard you telling, something like THAT matter... MUM... or, something..."

"She was talking about..." Ritubala was going to tell them what they were talking.

"Yeah, we were talking about someone who is so possessive of her husband..." Khushi said, gesturing to Ritubala not to say anything.

"I'm going" Ritubala walked away sadly.

Khushi smirked at her retreating figure.

She saw Arnav smirking at her. Without giving heed to him, she began to walk to her room.

"By the way, Khushi... What's my wife's name?"

Khushi stopped, rooted.

"I wanted to know the name of the bone breaker..."

Khushi closed her tightly.

"I think, Ritubala could answer... Ritu..." He called loudly.

In no time, Khushi closed his mouth and Arnav smiled through his eyes.

To be continued...