INARA

Chapter 43

"Pumpkin, Relax. I'll be there to pick you up by ten", 

"You said eleven",

"As soon as possible I'll be there", 

"What's wrong Arjun? Today wasn't a great day to begin with and you're scaring me", Ahaana said while opening the door and closing it behind before she walked to the living room. She saw her dadi who stood at the threshold of her drawing room.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Arjun asked, 

"Nothing, I will talk to you…" and the moment she reached near her Dadi, she stared at her frozen pale face for once and followed her eyes, only to welcome the most dreaded dream she was having these days.

"Dad…", her sound came out hoarse, like a sharp glass was scratching her soul. Her heart stopped witnessing the moment that she dreaded, she stood there staring at the person whom she hadn't seen or talked to for years with wide eyes. Her whole world felt crumbling down and she couldn't do anything. 

"What?" Arjun asked horrified, racing down the halls following his brother who could kill anyone in a second out of his rage, Arjun was already in an unfortunate situation, and the last thing he wished for was to hear what Ahaana muttered.

"Ahaana….." he called again and again from the other side of the phone but it fell on deaf ears.

"Good to know that you still remember you have one. You know a Dad", Gopinath smirked, his eyes went down to the newspapers that were placed on the tea table and he scoffed.

Geetha clenched her fist seeing her son, but before she could storm into his face Ahaana held her back.

"What are you doing here?" Ahaana held herself strong to ask her father,

Gopinath gave her a look and then smiled sitting back on the sofa. He kneeled over to the side and pulled a package up, a long decorated ethnic paper-covered package with a brand symbol of a tiger in gold, shining above the golden cover.

"A little late to the party, but now or never. How could a father stand back when his only daughter is getting married And that too, to Mr. Arjun Rajvansh", 

Ahaana hadn't hung up on Arjun yet, and the moment the conversation was out for Arnav and Arjun to hear through the phone, Arjun sighed.

Arnav let out a harsh growl, kicking his fist hard on the steering.

"If the news has anything to do with him, I am sorry but you wouldn't have a father-in-law. I will kill him the moment I get my hands on him", Arnav growled,

"Feelings are mutual", Arjun retorted back, 

"You should be on the road by now", Aayansh said getting inside the backside of the car along with Rishab. 

"What are you doing?" Arnav asked him,

"If the media have already been there, you will need a distraction. I will be useful", Aayansh said,

"You wouldn't want a public stunt before your movie premiere", Arnav murmured, 

Aayansh sighed, he knew what his brother might have been going through. Being yourself in a tabloid is one thing. The Vansh was used to that, and they will get over it, but putting the girl you love in that position for the paps to murder her with bash words was another. And no one would understand that better than Aayansh. Aayansh leaned forward and clutched Arnav's shoulder,

"Believe me, I know what it does to you and the girl you love. I could take the media. Get on the road", 

Arnav looked over his brother through the mirror with thinned lips and he nodded.