*You need an inhaler.* Why? Come on, Read today's chapter. Mr Khanna is literally setting goals.
Avni's POV
"Mr Khanna, listen to me.", I said for the 3rd time this morning.
"I'm listening to you.", Mr Khanna said, who was sitting on the edge of the bed such that his head was leaning against the headboard with his laptop placed on his lap and eyes practically glued to it.
"Mr Khanna.", I said in a warning tone.
"Keep going.", his words were monotone and that made it hundred times clear that he was least interested in my talk.
"Mr Hypocrite Khanna keep that laptop aside this instant or the next moment it will be on the floor, broken in pieces."
This made him look up from his stupid device into my eyes." Me? Hypocrite? How?", the audacity of this man.
"You tell me to look into your eyes while talking and here I'm standing for more than 15 minutes and you haven't looked up to even acknowledge my presence."
He cocked his head making some hair fall on his forehead.
'HOT.'
'You shut up.'
"Come here.", he commanded and I rolled my eyes.
"No.", I stated, folding my arms to my chest.
"Come here and I'll listen to you.", I weighed my options and eventually gave in.
"You are the most devious person I've ever seen in my life, I promise.", I taunted once I was at a feet distance from him.
"You've told me that before Miss Mehta.", he said keeping his laptop aside.
He pulled me by my arm all of a sudden and I fall on him, in his lap with a squeak and I'm sure I sounded like a freaking hamster.
"What the hell?", I voiced out my conscience, heat crawling my neck and cheeks.
"Now you see we have proper eye contact. Now tell me.", he said coolly.
No no, this can't be happening, again a cliché thing was happening with me. I felt butterflies no, not the butterflies only, there was a freaking wild sanctuary in my stomach.
"I-I wanted to tell you that."
"Hmm.", he hummed softly, his hands running down the lengths of my hairs.
"Mr Khanna, what are you doing?"
"There are few tangles in your hair, I'm just untangling them. You carry on, I'm listening to you."
I tried to get up but he kept me in place with his arm that was draped around me.
"Am I making you nervous by any means?", his hands didn't seem to stop while his words were making me flustered.
'Yes, because of you I forgot what I had to say.'
'You shut up.'
"No, not at all.", I said keeping my calm.
"Really?", he asked, his hand around my waist tugged me closer to him.
"So you aren't lying now, are you?", his hand which was before caressing my hair was now around the back of my neck urging me more towards his face.
"No.", I breathed, nervous as hell.
"You remember I told you once how you can't lie for your dear life?" He was close, very very close.
"No, I don't remember such a thing.", I lied through my teeth.
"No?"
"No."
"Well let me tell you again. You can't lie, not to me anyway."
He was true, blast him he was absolutely right. Whenever I lied to him, he had always caught me. It was like he had a lie-detecting sensor fitted inside that brain of his.
"So, tell me? What do you want to tell me?"
"I forgot.", I muttered under my breath.
"You what?", he voiced out unsurely.
"I forgot because you are one devious son of a biscuit who always keeps on distracting me."
A deep chuckle escaped him and his chest vibrated, he was so close that I could feel his rhythmic heartbeat.
"You're adorable Miss Mehta.", he chuckled and my cheeks that were already burning heated more. He brought his hand to my cheek and stroked it gently.
"You're blushing.", he said quietly. His emotionless eyes were again shining with the one distinct emotion that I have been trying to decipher for days.
"I-I'm not.", I tried to get up from his lap again but he won't let me.
'Stubborn-Idiot-Arrogant-Jerk!'
He leaned towards me and brushed his nose ever se lightly with mine," But that's making you look more beautiful."
I froze completely by his words.
'Mr-Greek-God-Khanna is complementing you Avni hashtag Zindagi safal(Life Accomplished).'
Click.
A camera's shutter brought me back to reality and I tried to look at the source. Key word tried. Because Mr Khanna here had his palm wrapped around the back of my neck and this made our noses brush again.
Click.
"Earth to Mr Khanna.", I hissed to him.
Click
Mr Khanna looked at our left and an icy glare was shot, to whom? I don't know because he won't let me tilt my neck.
Click
"Liza what are you doing?", Mr Khanna asked icily, a visible annoyance in his voice.
"By all means ignore me and carry on you two. I'm just clicking candid pictures for you. You know to show junior Khanna.", Liza said, a teasing tone in her voice.
Heat rushed to my face with such a speed I wished the ground opens and swallows, not me, Mr Khanna. He was the one who set us in such a compromising position.
"Liza out.", Mr Khanna ordered but it only made Liza laugh.
"Aww is the big bad billionaire Khanna feeling embarrassed.", she mocked but walked out, not before commenting on how one should close the door before doing such activities.
'Technically she didn't say activities, she said being all lovey-dovey'.'
'You shut up.'
And then what followed was silence.
'Awkwardness' was the best word to display my emotions right now. I felt embarrassed, flushed and confused.
Mr Khanna's grip loosened on me due to our encounter with his notorious cousin and I found it the perfect chance to escape.
And for once he didn't stop me from running away.
__________________________________________
I didn't cross my paths with Mr Khanna all day because of how nervous I was to look into his eyes.
And I wasn't planning to do that any soon.
"Avni.", Liza knocked at my door bringing me back to the room I was in. All-day moments of him and I clouded my vision. His beautiful eyes shining with that one unknown emotion that I can't name, the way he was looking at me with so much tenderness.
I shook my head and opened the door for her to get in but I was met with some unusual chaos.
"Liza why is everyone in so much hurry?"
"Ah, that's what I'm here to tell you.", she said gingerly. There was a grim look on her face as if she was feeling uneasy in telling me something.
"Liza, what's wrong?"
"Neil's Parents are coming .", she bombarded me with this heavy news.
I knew I had to eventually meet his family but this soon, oh stars!
She looked at me and I'm sure she could see the uncomforted look on my face.
"You don't have to worry Avni. I and Neil will be there beside you."
"Haa.", I let out a guarded smile," Of course."
"Let's go." I nodded and followed her to the big hall, the first face that came to my view was of Mr Khanna. He came forward and intertwined his fingers with mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. His face was emotionless but this little gesture was enough to comfort me.
Moments later a whole train of cars stopped in front of NK Villa. My heartbeat was sky-rocketing. Liza, Reece and Ivan's faces were grim too as if they weren't excited.
"Father.", a cool voice made me look back in front.
A man in his early 50s was walking in. He had that I-am-the-King-of-the-world-kinda look. I'm not judging him, it's just the stern look on his face that gave me those vibes. He had the same pair of brown eyes that Mr Khanna possessed and that made my theory of supposing him as his father true. He looked up from his watch straight at us.
Beside me I sensed Mr Khanna stiffen.
I looked beside Mr Khanna and saw a lady, she was beautiful as if she was a supermodel in her era. She was wearing an expansive burgundy silk sari. Well, now I know Mr Khanna got these die for good looks from his mother.
Lucky jerk!
What happened next made me laugh so hard I had to pinch myself from bursting out. Mrs Khanna had engulfed Mr Khanna in a hug, Mr-Arrogant-I-Don't-do-such-activities-Khanna into a hug.
That is one thing that she had to practically bend Mr Khanna to hug her due to how she was shorter than him.
A stern, uneasy look plastered on his face.
"Mother.", he said ever so coolly but his face showed utter discomfort. All this while I noticed one thing Mr Khanna was not someone who would like to get love, comfort or hugs.
"Don't mother me boy.", the lady, Mrs Khanna said sternly." You allow us to see you 7 years later and then you mother me. How could you Neil?", her eyes were glistening with tears and they were justified, I don't think I would be able to live with not seeing my child for 7 years.
Mr Khanna pulled back but didn't say anything making Mrs Khanna sigh.
She came towards me and engulfed me in a warm motherly hug, "Thank you so much, child."
I furrowed my brows in confusion, for what was she thanking me, but even after seeing my confusion, she just smiled.
"I could see the love he possesses for you right through the television screen.", she took my hand that was holding Mr Khanna's and squeezed it gently." Just due to you, today I could see my son."
"I'm sorry ma'am, I'm not understanding what you're saying."
"Oh hush.", she shushed me."I'm no ma'am. And secondly, you don't see it but I do."
"I know it was you who wanted to meet us and that made Neil allow us to meet him.", she said and I gasped. How did Mr Khanna know I wanted to meet his family?
I looked at Liza and she smiled at me. Traitor! The last I talked to about his parents was with her.
Mrs Khanna followed my gaze and her eyes twinkled," Liza."
"Aunt Shiya.", she whispered and hugged Mrs Khanna. Reece and Ivan also smiled and joined them.
"Neil.", Mr Senior Khanna cleared his throat and everyone stopped their conversations.
"Father." Mr Khanna said with the same iciness.
"It's been long.", he said taking a step forward.
"I can't disagree.", Mr Khanna said but he didn't seem to plan to move towards him any time.
I looked at Mrs Khanna and she had a tense look on her face. The tension was clearly visible between Mr Senior Khanna and Mr Khanna.
"So, you love this girl?", Mr Senior Khanna said, his face didn't show any trace of liking towards me.
Mr Khanna gripped my hand back," I do."
Two words, it only took two words for Mr Khanna to make my heart skip a beat. Maybe it was an act, but with the intensity, seriousness and depth he said them, it made my heart do a flip-flop, it was as if he meant those two words with every single cell in his body.
'Maybe it's not an act, not for him.'
'You, my dear conscience are always high.'
'Shut up I'm saying what I'm seeing.'
"Robert, take our bags to the room.", Mrs Khanna said interrupting the glaring war going between Mr Senior Khanna and Mr Khanna.
'Should I introduce myself to Mr Senior Khanna?'
'Maybe.'
'What type of conscience are you? Can't answer a simple question even.'
'See, it depends on whose conscience you are. You are an idiot what do I do?'
'Did you just call yourself an idiot?'
'I did not.'
'So what do I do now?'
'I don't know.'
'Stupid.'
'Brainless Bimbo.'
'Am I fighting with my own self?'
'That explains how stupid you are.'
'Shut up'
Mr Senior Khanna walked towards me and analysed me as if I was an alien." So what did you do to trap my son hmm?", his words caught me off guard.
I felt Mr Khanna tightening his hold on my palm." With due respect sir, if you think I'm here just for Mr Khanna's money, power or reputation. You are very well mistaken, Mr Khanna and I have known each other for weeks now and your son here knows who am I and what are my intentions and, as long as he trusts me, I don't think I need to give any explanation to anyone.", my words were confident and I was amazed how I didn't feel nervous even a bit.
"And I'm sorry if I disrespected you anyway.", I added feeling a little guilty about how sharp my words were.
"No, Miss Mehta you have nothing to be sorry about. I agree with every single word of yours.", Mr Khanna said, his words ice freezing.
"Rihaan", Mrs Khanna bellowed out. Mr Senior Khanna stared at Mr Khanna but his face didn't show any emotion.
'Like Father Like Son.'
"Uncle.", Liza took a step towards him but he didn't say anything. I felt very bad for Liza, her ever-smiling face had a gloomy look.
"Excuse me.", Mr Senior Khanna said and marched towards the staircase, ascended them and eventually walked to a room.
All this was strange was an understatement. Today's event gave me two conclusions.
1. Mr Khanna and Mr Senior Khanna didn't go together.
2. Mr Senior Khanna didn't want me and Mr Khanna together.
Mrs Khanna apologised for her husband's rudeness to me but I waved her off saying it was okay. But Mr Khanna beside me didn't seem to agree, it was like he was controlling himself just because of me.
One thing was clear today if anyone was assuming the wedding to be simple normal all cliché, their assumption was truly rubbish. It was going to be thunderous and intense.
_______________________________________
Done done done!
Thank you for reading.
How was today's chapter?
Good?
Bad?
Meh~
P.S. God Mr Khanna *swoons*
Until then.
Stay safe and take care of your family and yourself.
Aapki seva mein sadev tatpar