Akash was really tensed and didn't know what to say, still he tried, "Papa, I thought you would ask bhai first and in the meantime, I will do some changes to the presentation," said Akash with sweety palms and continuously adjusting his spectacles clearly indicating his nervousness, which didn't go unnoticed by Manohar and others.
Manohar said without beating around the bush, "last chance Akash are you going to show your presentation or I will declare my decision."
Akash did not reply but was looking for his dadi or his maa to help him or at least he thought his di will help him but no one spoke even a word, and since Akash not even moving from his place, Manohar said "my earlier decision is final and no one is going to oppose it from now on."
Saying this Manohar got up from his place and go, when Devyani said "what about Chote's presentation, if Akash bituwa couldn't complete that doesn't mean we can't see Chote's presentation."
"Fair enough, Arnav bituwa show us your presentation," said Manohar and sat on his place. Akash was happy because as far as he knows his bhai also did not complete the presentation didn't he checked his laptop earlier.
Arnav got up from his place and turned toward NK and said, "NK connect your laptop to the screen." Akash was confused why his bhai is asking to connect NK's laptop.
Once connected Arnav opened his presentation and started and Akash was dumbfounded.
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Payal and Khushi reached their home earlier than expected. Seeing one gloomy and other little excited buaji and Garima are astonished because the one (Khushi), who is always excited for anything is gloomy and the one (Payal), who is always calm and collected is little excited. Madhumati and Garima shared a look, after the refreshments, Payal and Khushi sat in front of Madhumati, Garima and Shashi didn't know what to say.
"Oh Titaliya, you would never sit quite even for a second even when we asked you and now you are sitting with this gloomy face what happened. If you did not find a job, which is suitable for you, then that's ok it's just first day, right then what happened, you are the one who always have and give hope then what happened today. Hah," said buaji.
"Actually, we got an offer, we don't know, how you would react to it," started Payal.
"OK, isn't it good or what? Hey Titaliya, change you expression and tell me what exactly is going through that little mind of yours," said buaji who could not see her Titaliya gloomy.
"Buaji, jiji is not thinking straight, I know we want to build our career and support our family but not at the cost of her self-respect," said Khushi.
"Cost of her self-respect?" asked Garima and saw Payal and asked "What is Khushi saying betiya, tell us clearly?"
Payal explained what Manju said to them.
Buaji and Garima didn't know what to say before they can say anything their neighbor Vimala came to their house asking for a little help without any choice, Garima sent Khushi to their house, who reluctantly left.
Once Khushi left Payal said "Buaji, Amma I know what you both are thinking, when manju didi offered the proposal, I did not even for a second think of Akashji working in the same office. But when Khushi pointed that we working in the canteen of AR means facing Akashji almost every day they only I understood her fear.
Buaji, Amma, let me ask you one thing. During all this time our stay in Delhi and during our so-called marriage rituals didn't you see how Khushi and Arnavji behaving. I agree Arnavji is arrogant, egoistic and angry man but with Khushi he always behaved different, they both like each other, I know what ever happened between us should not affect the relation between them.
We also know that Arnavji is not Akashji, we saw how Arnavji defended us from the start, didn't he help Akashji in talking about our relation to the family or during shagun when maa... I mean Manoramaji was bad-mouthing about our gifts didn't he defend us, I know when Raizada's were humiliating us about that man... Shyamji and Khushi, Arnavji if he stood in front of us, we could not do anything, but he did not even say anything, he kept quiet, and we know he will never be quiet to defend or attack anyone but since there are no proofs he did not speak, I know very well that once he gets proof he will definitely do something . I'm saying all this after thinking a lot, yesterday after Khushi slept I was awake and I was remising the last few days from that I concluded all this.
We should not come in between those two, if they are meant for each other then why should we come in between.
From last two days, Khushi is sad but as usual she is smiling and thinking about me and us, but what about her, she is missing him, whenever I saw her alone, she was always thinking and I know my sister very well she was thinking about the moments she spent with Arnavji. I caught her many times thinking deeply, and I know behind her smile of hers there is sadness which she was trying very hard to cover it. She always tries to do so much for all of us and for me especially, then why can't I do the same for the one person who is so much to me.
And if you are both thinking, how can I face Akashji, let me ask you, if in future, which will happen definitely, if we get the proposal of Arnavji for Khushi are you going to deny it saying I can't face Akashji, and do you think Arnavji will be away from Khushi for more than a week after they came so far.
If Khushi is going to get her happiness, then why should we come in between, she always sacrificed for us then why should we let her sacrifice her happiness which is Arnavji. If Arnav will come for Khushi, which will happen, then can we stop him, he is a storm, which can only be faced but cannot be stopped.
If you are thinking about me then let me assure you, I can face Akashji, or let me at least try to face him. Let me show him that I'm not someone to push-over. Buaji did you forget, when once Arnavji bought Khushi home unconscious, how I fired on him, then I will definitely will not be quiet if he does something wrong.
Please let us do something we like, it's really a good proposal and Manju didi is giving us consideration, then why not we take the offer. Please Amma, Please Buaji," requested Payal.
Garima and Madhumati both started thinking about what Payal said, they know whatever Payal said about Khushi and Arnav is true, they observed how they were always steal glances with each other and always were found with each other and find excuses to spend time, and when she was unconscious during one of the rituals, he was beside her and was tensed until she got her conscious.
"Betiya, we agree to what ever you said but give us some time to think over it. we will tell you our decision after our dinner, OK," said Garima and Madhumati nodded her head, Khushi returned just in time when Garima was saying that they will say their decision after dinner, she understood that Payal tried to convinced both her amma and buaji, but before speaking to them she wants to talk to Payal.
Khushi took Payal inside to talk to her and Payal know that Khushi wants them not to take the proposal because of her, so Payal lead Khushi to sit in front of Devi Maiya status which is kept on her desk. Once both sisters sat, before Khushi could say some thing Payal started, "Khushi, I know what you are thinking, I agree that facing Akashji may be or may not be a hard for me, we don't know that until I face him, but that is not the point here first tell me something, tell me if you just think about the proposal only about the proposal and not about any person related to it, don't you think that's the type of job we are looking for, will it not be best for our career and to support our family." Khushi did not speak for few minutes and thought about what Payal said.
"Jiji, I agree that this is best proposal we got, we may not get a job which can be this good also, but... ... ... I don't know jiji, now you may feel that you can face Akashji, in the spur of the moment, but when this all settles, you may feel suffocated then what? Please think about that jiji," said a worried Khushi.
"You and our family may think that I'm taking this decision on impulse, but ... ok, for your sake I will think about it again and tell you my decision before dinner and you will also think about this job, only about this job and tell me you decision by then, promise me you will not think about anything related to it and will take the decision," said Payal and Khushi gave her smile and nodded her head and hugged Payal, who happily hugged.
Even though Payal said that she will think about it, there is no necessary for her to think about taking this decision because while returning from temple Payal thought about it deeply, her family member might think that she is taking the decision on impulse and after pointing about facing Akashji almost everyday also, she took that lightly, but that's not the point because during all these rituals the way Akash behaved with her and her family members, her heart started to distance from him, and final nail in the coffin was the way he asked no, no he ordered her to accept the ridiculous conditions of his dadi, which she will never do.
Yes, when they met, she liked Akash for his simple, calm and collected nature but he had been spineless and coward and did not stand for right, he did not speak even when his mother humiliated her and her family and did not let her speak. Whenever she thinks about the way he behaved all this time with them, her blood boils. In front of her and her family, he spoke as if he is most sensible person, but when the time came for him to speak, like the time when her first marriage proposal cancelled came in front of Manoramaji and she humiliated her and said all the rubbish, then he never opened his mouth or put his point strongly in front of his mother, instead he behaved spineless and coward and wants her to be like him, how ridiculous.
If this is the opportunity to show him what Payal Gupta is, then she will show him what she is, and what she can do and she will show him how strong she can be for her family and she will not let him walk on her like all the times he did, and will support her family like she should have done all that before itself instead of burdening her sister thought a determined Payal.
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Akash was shocked that his bhai completed his presentation and saw how best he prepared, and understood that his bhai came to know about his trip to his bhai room and that was the reason for him to do the presentation in NK's laptop and now he understood the look given by his father and bhai and felt ashamed of himself. He thought to himself that, for the sake of company how low he stooped and he was about to cheat for that. He was never like that then why was behaving like this is the first presentation he has done. Of course, he had done presentations in the past with his bhai help but that doesn't mean he can't do, he can but may not be as good as his bhai's presentation but at least he should had tried but instead he wants to copy his bhai, how can he show his father his caliber if he copy, isn't this the test for him, isn't this what his father wants to see in him, to do something on his own, let it be good or bad but something on his own, and he... he proved his father right by trying to copy his bhai's work tell him that he is not capable of running a company on his own, thought Akash and felt ashamed of his own.
After completing the presentation, Arnav copied the content in a pen-drive and gave it to his mamaji and took his laptop bag was about to go when his mamaji stopped him and said "Arnav bituwa, try to come early today, we have to go and see Shyam's and Anjali's house," saying this Manohar went to his room to get ready for office without giving a chance for anyone to speak, which left Shyam and Anjali shocked.
Manorama went to kitchen to organize for lunch and give other instruction regarding household-chores, Devyani patted Anjali's shoulder with a smile on her face, giving a look that she is waiting to see her home, and left for her room not before telling JP to bring milk for her goat, Lakshmi. Shyam went to out and Anjali limped to her room to plan something to escape.
NK took his laptop and was about to go to his room when Akash stopped Arnav and said "Bhai I did not think that you will complete your presentation in NK's laptop."
"Then you should have thought because I'm ASR. Come to the office in half-an-hour, you had a lot of pending work left because of your... your leave," saying this Arnav left. If the conditions were like before then Arnav would have done extra work on behalf of Akash but now, he will not burden himself, he will be like his boss in the company not like his brother, where he used to give him exemptions but now, he will be strict like he is with other employees of AR.
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