"What's your name?"
Rihaan asked in a cold, businessman tone. Arjun kept a cool smile and answered.
"Arjun Birla."
"Mr. Birla, what do you do for a living?"
"Ye toh mujhse hi puchh lete."
He heard Himani mumble and rolled his eyes. Arjun smiled but answered in a polite tone.
"I am an advocate."
Rihaan nodded and then finally got to the main point.
"What are your intentions with Himani?"
"I like her. And I want to be with her. I want her beside me, as my partner, an equal. For life."
Rihaan nodded with a mocking smile.
"Chalo maan lete hai ki ek baar ko Himani maan gyi tumhare saath rehne ko-"
"Mai maani hui hu!"
"Shut up Himani! Yeah! Where was I? Right! Uske ghar wale nhi maanenge toh kya kroge?"
Himani got quiet hearing the question. She did want to know what he would do because it was really a tough task, trying to convince her brother and her father.
"Agar wo saath hai toh phir mai puri duniya se lad skta hu uske saath ke liye."
She smiled and sat back content with his answer. But Rihaan knew better. If he was entrusting him with his sister's life, he had to be sure that the man could be trusted.
"Fancy terms! But agar tumhare ghar wale nhi maane phir?"
Right! Her family wasn't a problem. The main problem arose when it was his own family.
"Just like I said, wo saath hai toh sabse lad jaaunga."
"Aur agar unhone choice dedi, either them or her. What then?"
"Aisa nhi hoga-"
"I have to consider all the possibilities. Baad mai tumhare liye kehna aasan ho jaayega ghar wale nhi maane, meri behen toh beech mai reh jaayegi na."
Arjun nodded, getting his point. He then looked into Rihaan's eyes and spoke with utmost sincerity.
"I'll choose her."
Rihaan snickered and then said.
"Kehne mai kitna achha lagta hai. Fancy confessions, emotional words and boom! Ladki baahon mai. Jab krne pr aati hai toh achhe achhe side ho jaate hai."
Arjun smiled yet again and questioned.
"If your family had asked you to choose between them and your fiancee, who would you have chosen?"
Rihaan got quiet. He and Himani both knew the answer. Rihaan would have chosen Ahana in a blink of an eye. Arjun knew that too. Himani had told him so much about her brother and his amazing love story.
He smiled, having made his point and said.
"I understand your concern as a brother. Duniya mai sab log apne waadein pure nhi krte. Par aaj bhi aise bhut hai jo waadein nibhane ki niyat aur himmat dono rakhte hai. There are still people like you and me in this world. I really like your sister. And I want to give her every happiness in my share."
Rihaan nodded and then left the room. He surely wasn't going to let Himani date this man until he was satisfied with his background and everything else.
And he did run a thorough background check on him. They were back to their home and Rihaan had left no stone unturned to find out whatever he could about Arjun Birla. Once he was satisfied that he was a good man, he relaxed.
"Are you satisfied now? Chaar din se pagalo ki tarah ek hi insaan ke baare mai information nikal rhe ho."
Ahana asked, sprawled on his bed in his penthouse. Rihaan occasionally stayed there. He joined her and snuggled into her.
"I had to, Ahana. It's about Himani's whole life. I had to make sure she is safe with whoever she is going out with. Mujhe problem nhi hai uske kisi ko date krne se. Lekin wo insaan uske liye sahi bhi toh ho na."
She nodded and kissed his head, hugging him close. Ahana knew about his protectiveness towards her and also the reason for it. Himani was too young and she might not remember the incident but it had left a deep scar on Rihaan's conscience.
He was 11 years old and she was barely 4 when they were playing at the nearby park. Himani had recently started accompanying him while he played with his colony friends.
"Yahi rehna. Park se bahar nhi jaana. Mai waha hu apne friends ke saath, ok?"
He instructed her, making her bob her head in agreement and left the curious toddler sitting on the park bench while he went to play with his friends in the same park, making sure she could see him and approach him if she needed something.
10 minutes into the game and he looked towards the bench he made her sit at, only for his blood to run cold. She wasn't there. He rushed towards the bench and looked around for her.
For a whole 30 minutes, he and his friends looked around for her. Searching every road and corner. Rihaan had never felt more scared. A mere 11 year old boy, frantically looking for his little sister. He was scared out of his wits.
After an agonizing 30 minutes, he finally found her hidden inside a broken slide. One which nobody used. She giggled when Rihaan saw her.
"Himani! Yaha kya kr rhi hai? Mana kia tha na kahi jaane se! Itne der se awaaz laga raha tha mai, suni kyu nhi?"
He cried hugging her and she grinned a toothy smile.
"Mai hide and seek khel rhi thi aapke saath."
And the oblivious girl giggled again. Apparently, she had gotten bored sitting on the bench and unanimously decided to play hide and seek with him. Rihaan took her in his arms and hugged her again.
"Mujhe kaun batayega ki hide and seek khel rhe the! Darr gaya tha mai. Dobara kabhi tujhe apni nazro se dur nhi jaane dunga mai."
He promised himself and since then, he made sure that wherever she was, she was safe and within his reach.
Himani had gotten a lot of scolding from her father when she reached home with an injured leg. Even her mother couldn't intervene in between and safe to say she wasn't going on any solo trip again.
But the good thing was, after her brother completed his investigation on Arjun, he had convinced her father, following which Arjun had met him and her mother and she had met his family.
And with all of their consent and approval, the two were now dating each other.
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