Part 30 Who is that?

Pulling her hand down from Arnav's mouth, Khushi walked to her father's room.

"Hey, darling..." Arnav called her.

Dropping her jaw, Khushi whipped around to see him.

"Mind your words... this is Lucknow" she bit her teeth.

"Ok... jealousy queen...is that fine?"

"I'm not jealous" she headed to her father's room.

"Yeah... I have understood that when you elaborated about my non-existing wife to Ritu" he followed her.

"I have saved you from that cling. For that, you have to thank me instead"

"If you want to save me, there are multiple ways to do that... why this one?" he cornered.

"I can do only what I know... I can't think from your head" she tried to shut him.

"It's not a big deal... you could have simply said the truth that WE are in love"

"It's not true and we are not in love" she stepped inside her father's room.

Arnav clutched her upper arm and turned her to make her look at him.

"There is no love for me in your heart?"

"Hell NO..."

"Then prove it"

Khushi crossed her hands across her chest.

"Bring Ritu back and tell her the truth"

"Not at all..."

"Then..."

Interrupting him,

"Then, think whatever... I'm not going to bring her back here again and that's final. You are here for a purpose... remember? We have to find our property documents... remember?"

"Jealous at the peak..." Arnav muttered.

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"Making me a married man is fine... making me a father of four children is also fine... but, what's necessary to tell Ritu about how STRONG my wife is in THAT matter?"

Khushi looked at her feet, not answering.

"Is it a kind of FORESEEN?" Arnav smirked, making her cheek burn.

She made an effort to move but, Arnav brought her back to the same position.

"I would like to see how strong you are in THAT matter" he uttered in a husky tone.

Khushi met his eyes where there was no playful gesture.

"Ask my husband about it once I get married"

If Khushi had expected him to get mad at her for uttering such a statement, it didn't happen, Instead, Arnav asked,

"Do you want me to stand in front of the mirror every morning?"

She sighed.

"What do you want?"

"True"

"What you are seeing is true... what you are hearing is true"

"What about what I'm feeling? Is not it true?"

"I don't know about your damn feelings"

She pushed him with full force and Arnav fell on the wooden book self. To their surprise, the shelf moved a little. They spared a meaningful glance. Arnav pushed the shelf a little more forcefully. They found another shelf in the wall, behind the bookshelf.

"Khushi, bring the key bunch that you took from under the Krishna statue the other day"

She nodded ok and rushed to the Krishna statue and lifted it to take the key bunch. Taking the key bunch, she threw it to Arnav. They tried to open the secret shelf with the keys but they didn't suit it. They were disappointed.

"Do you have any other keys?" Arnav asked.

"No... the much I know, only this bunch of keys my father had... and this shelf is very new to me too. Neither I nor Payal Jeeji knew about it."

Arnav began to think deeply. Khushi sat on the bed not disturbing him, but looking at him intensively.

His face seemed as deep as an abyss, she supposed. There were a few lines appeared on his forehead, indicating how serious he became. Yes, he became serious to the extent he didn't even notice how a thin and fair girl staring at him. Khushi herself didn't know why she was so absorbed in doing that. Her lips could say she didn't like him but she couldn't deceive her heart though. She saw his eyes blazing suddenly. It seemed he got an idea. Was he going to break the locker? She turned her gaze somewhere casually as if she was not minding his presence.

Arnav jumped. He started removing the books from the bookshelf. Khushi got his point and she started checking inside the books. When Arnav touched the top shelf to take a book, he touched something, like, exactly what he was searching for. He pulled it down. Khushi became excited, seeing a KEY.

Arnav opened the secret locker with the key and it opened.

"Yes..." Khushi cheered.

They saw a bundle of papers in it. Grabbing them out, Arnav checked whether they were the documents or not. His face bloomed... those were indeed their property documents. Passing them to Khushi, Arnav pushed the bookshelf into its previous place.

"Rearrange the books in it" Arnav ordered her while walking to the bed.

Sitting on the bed, he read the documents relaxing. He heard someone's footsteps. He hid the documents under a pillow.

"Your father has a good collection of books." Arnav started conversing with Khushi as if they were just chit-chatting.

Dev came and smiled at them.

"Dinner is ready... Amma asked me to tell you"

Arnav nodded ok. Dev left after throwing a smile at Khushi. Khushi was about to walk behind Dev, and Arnav pulled her towards him.

"What now?"

"Why were you staring at me?" Came from Arnav.

Khushi became unbelievably quiet. She was watching him when he was thinking about the documents. She thought he was not noticing her but he did it seemed. But how? Weren't his eyes most of the time closed? Why not? After all, he was Arnav Singh Raizada... how could he rule the empire if he had not this cautious? she tried to stay unshaken.

"I was thinking what you are so much engrossed in"

"Really?" sarcasm scattered in his tone.

"Yes..."

"Listen... I have come to the conclusion. As I got to know you are unimaginably in love with me, we are getting married on the same day Akash and Payal's wedding is going to be held"

She was staring at him not knowing if he was saying that seriously.

"I'm serious... You are going to be my wife. No matter what... From here on, you are MINE... unconditionally"

"Have you done? (she mocked.) I'm not some commodity to own, Mr..."

"When did I say, you are a commodity? I'm talking about our marriage. For the God's sake, no one on the earth would marry a commodity. You are my sweetheart who didn't kick me out when I kissed you the other day"

"It's because, you forced me..." she stammered.

"Did I?" he moved towards her.

"Haan..." she looked at his footsteps getting close to her.

Taking a sudden long step, he clutched her hands and twisted them behind her. Khushi turned her face, closing her eyes when Arnav got close to her. He again approached her lips and she again turned her face. Pushing her towards the wall, he pressed himself on her, making her pant hard. He was looking at her, sandwiching her in between him and the wall. Khushi twisted her hands that were in his clutch. He leaned down to catch her lips. She turned her face again, this time, Arnav kissed the crook of her neck, sending 1000w current to her spine. She closed her eyes tight, feeling powerless. His lips traveled from her neck to her earlobe. In no time, he sucked her earlobe. He felt her hands halt. Freeing her hands, he held her waist gently while caressing her cheek with his lips. When he reached the corner of her lips, he licked it with the tip of his tongue.

Pulling his head back, he watched Khushi who was leaning on the wall panting hard with freed hands. There was no smile on his face who was waiting for her to open her eyes. Khushi opened her eyes slowly not feeling his hot breath on her skin. She was embarrassed, seeing him sternly gazing at her. She instantly straightened herself.

"Will you still say you don't have feelings for me?"

She stood mum.

"I don't know how I can help... because I don't know what exactly your problem is. I'm sure of one thing you are not reluctant of me being a rowdy" he paused.

The time, Arnav tried to say something again, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pant pocket and checked the caller. As it was Shubham, he attended it immediately.

"Haan, Shubham?"

"ASR, we caught the truck driver... he is in our custody now"

"That's great... did he say anything?"

"Yes... but the point is something. He doesn't even know who Rishi Gupta is..."

"Is it?"

"Yes... it was not Rishi Gupta but someone who hired him to finish Khushi Madam"

"Who?" his tone was highly inaudible to Khushi.

"Narendra his name is"

"Mmm... keep him safe..."

"Done"

Arnav disconnected the call.

"Who is Narendra?" Arnav questioned.

Khushi nodded no.

Taking the documents, Arnav kept them on the secret shelf back as he didn't have time to read that right away. He walked out not minding about getting the answer from Khushi to the question he asked her a few minutes ago. Khushi was staring at his back not knowing where was he going.

To be continued...