Chapter 48
Payal walked inside the company and looked around. She saw all this hard working, poor people and imagined she would be the wife of the owner and everyone would look at her, as the woman who could take their jobs away. She imagined, she could fire everyone who doesn't show her enough respect. She imagined, her husband would kill everyone who doesn't submit to her.
She turned once around and imagined all this would belong to her.
She would be Mrs. Payal Arnav Singh Raizada.
But, the sad truth was that she wasn't Mrs. Singh Raizada. Not yet.
After Khushi left her back home, she was in every room. Opened every door. Checked all drawers. She spent most of the time in their room, touched Khushi's things, smelled Arnav's clothes. She even laid on their bed, imagining about Arnav and being with him together.
Khushi was away with Lavanya and Payal took all her time to check everything out. Through opening drawers, she found the address of the factory where Arnav's office worker told her, that it belonged to him. After she saw Arnav and Khushi on TV, she listened carefully what was told about them and information's how to find him.
The good thing was, that Arnav's company's name was mentioned in the show. Then Payal just needed to ask for number and address. After she found out this, she tried to get the information of his exact whereabouts.
Thank god the girl on the phone was new and was talkative, otherwise she would have never been able to be here.
Payal asked one of the workers about Arnav's office. She knocked on the office door and walked in without waiting to hear one come in from her future husband. She walked inside and saw Arnav sitting on his table. The moment he saw her, she saw in his face that he wasn't pleased.
It was good that she bought some food, so that she would have an excuse about the reason of her presence.
She put her light face on and walked to him, ignoring his unfriendly eyes.
>>What are you doing here?<<
His tone was strict and angry. Payal thought about the answer and she knew it must be a good one. A believable reason for her presence.
>>Khushi asked me to bring you food. She and Lavanya went to town for shopping and they left me at home. Khushi told me to buy you some food and bring you so that she can enjoy the shopping day.<<
First Arnav smiled, but then his face turned all serious.
>>She told you? What do you mean with this?<<
>>Yes, she told me.<<
>>Did she talked to you?<<
Payal thought about his question. She knew she didn't have too much time to come up with a new story, but she would do her best to act as good as possible.
>>Yes. She told me when she dressed herself.<<
Arnav looked down on his hands. His face was sad and Payal knew she said the right things. She wanted to create doubts between then and it seemed her first attempt was successful.
She walked to one chair and sat in front of him.
>>She is my sister Arnav. We were very close before she left.<<
Arnav nodded. He looked like a little boy who just lost himself somewhere far away from home. Payal didn't say more for a few minutes but then decided to speak. Maybe she could manage to create some kind of bond with Arnav. Maybe he would finally start melting a little.
>>How about we have a lunch together?<<
Arnav looked up from his papers, irritated and nodded slowly.
Payal knew she needed to be careful.
Very careful, when it came to making steps for her plan to be the woman on ASR's side.
*
Khushi hid the papers in her bag and walked to the canteen to find Lavanya. Both were hungry and decided to eat something. Khushi thought of Arnav and whether he was hungry. She showed to Lavanya that she needed her phone and wanted to write that they should buy food and go to Arnav and Akash, but then stopped. She remembered suddenly her aim to leave and decided to teach herself distance from Arnav. It was heavy for her heart but needful and she knew it. Otherwise she won't ever be able to leave him.
Knowing what he did to her in the past was something she wasn't able to ever forget. The pain, the suffering was still very present and the fear to ever experience any of them again, left her with no option than to leave. After all things Arnav did in the last few months, she still did not trust him and it would be hard to every thrust anyone except the little one that was growing inside her womb.
She ate a little and decided to go back home. She needed to end her work and then finally leave. She knew there would not be many opportunities, but she will wait for the right time to run away.
*
Arnav looked down on his phone. His sister called many times but he was busy with Khushi and work. All he had in his head was to get to know more about Khushi's past, but sadly the detective office in Lucknow didn't find out much. The street where Khushi once lived was one place where people hardly talked to strangers and anything that happened was hidden forever.
Anjali has called many times and Arnav knew he needed to talk to her but somehow he was afraid to find out the truth. It was easier to listen to detectives, but to hear from his sister about Khushi would be too hard.
He knew he misunderstood something and he knew he was probably very wrong so he again continued pushing their conversation back.
He wasn't ready for the truth.
For this truth.
*
Payal was extremely satisfied with the day. She spent it in the factory and saw Arnav's working place. She imagined being fucked on his table and even on the couch, floor, wall. Everywhere. It was just a fantasy but one he intended to translate very soon into her very own reality.
Arnav even apologized for his rude tone and promised to try to behave better. He didn't give too much explanations and she didn't try to touch him again, because she didn't want to push her luck. But it was a beginning of her last victory over her unloved sister. The street child that Payal's stupid daddy took into her home and destroyed everyone's life.
At the end of the day, they drove back home with Akash. Payal wondered that Arnav let her sit on the backseat, but didn't say one word. She knew she needed time to get him where she wanted and even he was sometime rude to her, she was willing to ignore everything. After all, this day was very successful and she didn't want to destroy everything she was working for. And in the future, they will come closer and closer and then, she was sure, she will get ASR in the end. Till then Payal hoped to find his weakness. Maybe he is not a faithful husband. Maybe he is open and willing for some adventure with her. Only time will tell.
*
Khushi looked at her pregnancy report. Lavanya was in the bathroom and she couldn't wait to read the word positive again. She was the happiest woman in the world. She prepared dinner for all as a small celebration. Of course she would stay silent about the real reason why she prepared food.
She heard the sound of the key and desperately looked down at the file in her hand. She didn't know where to hide it suddenly and put it under the couch. The door opened and Arnav stood smiling on the door frame. Khushi gulped a few times, trying hard to hide her fear. She prayed that no one saw the file.
Arnav greeted her with a kiss and just when Akash wanted to leave, Lavanya came out and told everyone that Khushi and she prepared dinner for everyone. Arnav smiled again at Khushi and kissed her deeply in front of everyone.
If one of them felt uncomfortable, they didn't say it.
The dinner was nice and peaceful. Payal didn't talk a lot because Akash gave her weird look and also Lavanya didn't show her sympathy towards her. Arnav acted as if he didn't remark anything being busy in staring at Khushi.
Khushi felt uncomfortable knowing what was under the couch and she prayed for a chance to remove the papers from there, before anyone else find them by mistake.
After the dinner Arnav took Khushi's hand and pulled her up. Khushi pointed at the table and on the dishes, but Lavanya said not to worry and take a rest. Khushi was so glad Lavanya didn't say one word about their day and smiled back. Lavanya then formed the words with her lips without making any sound.
We will talk tomorrow.
Khushi bit her bottom lip, but couldn't do anything else because Arnav pulled her behind him.
In the room, he wanted to take a shower and asked her to join him. First she didn't want to, but then she felt the need to feel the water on her body. She joined him and enjoyed his hands touching her and spreading soap on her skin.
The closest thing they did was to share a few kisses but nothing else happened. It was just a closeness that both needed and wanted in the moment.
Khushi dressed herself in pajama and sat down on the chair to comb her hair. In the mirror she could see Arnav putting his clothes on. He wore one grey dark blue pajama. He turned around and Khushi could see his big broad Tattoo that covered his back. Her name in red and black fitted his skin perfectly.
As he felt her glance, he turned around and his eyes touched hers. His wet hair, his smile that slowly formed and then the white teeth. She has been with him for weeks but to see him now, was like to see him for the very first time. His skin was dark and veins on his arms created the need to be touched by him. All this took her breath away. She stopped breathing. For the first time, she forgot the past. She didn't think of it and she needed to remind herself.
Khushi took the material in her hands. Also one needle and thread out of the box. She started embroidering. She could feel how Arnav sat behind her and hugged her from behind. His voice brought goosebumps on her neck.
>>I love you, Khushi.<<
He kissed her slowly over her neck.
>>Can I brush your hair?<<
He took slowly the comb in his hand and brushed her hair.
Every movement was careful and let her relax more and more. She continued embroidering the cloth and while Arnav was brushing her hair. She stopped thinking and just felt his touch. Her body leaned slowly against his chest and she gave up thinking.
She decided to give into her feelings and ignore everything else.
For one night.
Just for one last night she wanted to be his wife and allow herself to feel the love she believed they once shared.
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