Arshi FF-Truth behind the Layer

14. Hide

Author's Note: 

I've not included Manorama's plot in this story before but if I've included it now, it was only because I've promised some of my readers to think about such a plot on which I've already written a story in my Drabble (Book 2). I'll be copying my own story's plot(not exactly, tho. I'm mixing it up) and a few dialogues from my other book in upcoming updates. Don't think you've read it somewhere and I have plagiarized it. They're my own stories! 

And I'm not going to reveal Drabble's title, you'll know in further updates. For now, enjoy reading!

———————————————

Shantivan,

Garima followed his gaze and took the burden to introduce him, "Arnav Bitwa, he's Aayush Mehrotra. Khushi's blood father's younger brother!"

Arnav was surprised at the information. He never met Khushi's family from her bloodline except for Garima. Nonetheless, he greets him, "Hello, Mr. Ayush Mehrotra!"

Ayush Mehrotra was a man in his late forties, to be precise, 47, and a businessman in the technology and engineering sector. Khushi is his niece, his elder brother — Karthik Mehrotra, and his brother's wife — Kavya Agarwal aka Kavya Mehrotra's only daughter. They were a happy family and Maya's presence in their life had added only more laughter. Only if he had known!

Ayush shook his hands with Arnav and patted his shoulders, "Hello, Arnav. Pleased to meet the man who stole my sweetie's heart. I am sure you've known how hard it is to make a place in my daughter's heart, don't you?"

He was being nostalgic, remembering his sweetie who would stubbornly sit in one place, with a pout on her face, and wouldn't mellow down until she gets what she wants. Like the cute chicks — she wished to play with one and they feared she the little birds would harm their sweetie and denied her the same. And the result was their daughter, who was three years old then, puffed cutely in anger, her chubby cheeks became more chubby and she sat down on one of the sofas in the hall, not talking to anybody, neither his mother and father nor him or anyone, glaring at the floor as if it did the biggest mistake in its life by just being there. Didn't let anyone even touch her and was too stubborn to eat anything, and he — being the loveliest Chacha, brought her the birds she wished for. It was worth it all as she jumped around in happiness and ran behind the little chicks with her little legs.

"Yes, she is one stubborn woman," Arnav slightly chuckles, remembering his wife who must have been throwing tantrums in front of Payal, to eat the Kichdi.

Oh, how true he was!

"Where's my sweetie? I mean Khushi?" Ayush was impatient to meet Khushi after 15 long years, too eager to meet his daughter-like-child! He was excited about how would she look like. Will she be the same chubby and bubbly Khushi who pounces on anyone if they teased her? Will she be the same angry bird who would pout and scream in anger if she was denied something? Would she be the same kid who would cry buckets if she saw tears in her loved one's eyes? Would she be the same naughty little girl who would prank someone for nothing? Would she be the same troublemaker who would occupy the whole bed while sleeping, kicking others away, or has she changed? He's able to imagine her child form and nothing else more than that. Not until he'd see the beautiful and naughty kid that she was.

"I'll call her but you be seated, please," Arnav senses the excitement in his voice. Although he had many questions raising, they could wait. The man in front of him who's almost as same as Shashi had a longing in his eyes for his wife. He had no doubt.