Intertwined Fates -- An IPKKND FanFic

A Slap on the Wrist

Khushi shrugged. "I expected as much."

"Aren't you worried, Khushi Ji?" Anjali asked.

"Nope."

"Why not?" NK asked.

Khushi smiled. "Because everything is going exactly how I want it to."

As the others continued to pepper her with questions and she gave vague answers, Arnav studied her face. She wasn't putting on a brave face; she really did believe that she had everything under her control.

But how? From Arnav's perspective, it seemed like her case was falling apart.

"You know best, Khushi," said an exasperated Payal. "But if you don't dance at my Sangeet, I'll kill you."

Khushi lauged. "Well then, I guess I have no choice but to win then." She glanced at Arnav and her smile faded under his intense gaze.

She turned her attention back to the others and refused to look at him again.

***

Khushi's witness was a middle-aged, nervous looking man. He'd been arrested just yesterday and was charged with falsifying illegal documents.

Arnav smirked as the man explained that he had created a false birth certificate for Vikrant Amit's most recent ex-girlfriend. It turned out that she was sixteen and not eighteen.

He wanted to throw something when the opposing lawyer arrogantly said, "Objection, Your Honor. This witness testimony is irrelevant to the case. Even if all this is true, it does not mean that Vikrant Amit would force himself onto someone or participate in sex trafficking."

But this time, Khushi didn't stay silent. "Your Honor, this testimony is absolutely relevant to the case. My esteemed colleagues have argued that Vikrant Amit is not the kind of man who would do such things. However, the kind of man that would go so far as to fake a birth certificate because he's unable to control his attraction to a minor is exactly the kind of man that would use his power and his status to victimize other minors."

The judge cast an angry look towards the jury before growling, "Objection sustained."

Khushi's witness was sent back. Arnav was torn between being impressed by Khushi's counterargument and screaming at the judge to stop being so biased.

For the rest of the court day, the men that had been arrested while trying to get rid of the girls were questioned.

Though they denied knowing Vikrant Amit, Khushi managed to get one of them to confess that he'd met the orphanage director at Ek Baar Phir. But before she could question him further, the opposing lawyer threw another objection her way, which was promptly sustained by the judge.

The next trial date would be twelve days from now.

"That's the day after our fashion show. We'll still be in Paris," Payal said as they walked out.

"Yeah," Akash said. "Maybe it's better that we won't be here. I don't think I can take another day of being this frustrated."

"I feel so bad for Khushi Ji and the orphanage girls," Anjali said. "There's no way this judge will let her win this case."

Arnav bit back his own bitter words. He'd known this would be what would happen. He'd told that stupid girl not to do this. Her career would be destroyed.

Of course, it wouldn't be that hard for her to get a decent job. One word from him and Mehta and Mehta would happily take her on. But he knew she would never allow him to help her like that. Not when she'd put her foot down so firmly at his bodyguard offer.