The boy run up to Payal and hugged her and she picked him up and placed him on her hip.
"I missed you so much aunty. " The boy said and kissed her cheek loudly.
"And what about me? " Akash asked from behind and Payal put him down and he run to him and Akash picked him up and tossed him into the air and caught him making him giggle.
"I miss you too uncle...... I miss everybody especially buddy. " The boy said as Akash lead him to the couch and sat down with him on his lap. "By the way where is Khushav? " He asked not seeing his brother and best friend around.
"Ohhhhh....Khushav is asleep. " Payal replied as she sat beside them and ruffled his hair making him frown and straight it with his hand and Payal and Akash shook their heads and chuckled remembering his father also doesn't like his hair being touched. "But Aarav.... I thought you will be back in two days and where is bhai? " Payal asked.
"You are right aunty...... Camp was supposed to end in two days but that means I will miss you buddy's birthday which I absolutely can't accept so I call Papa and he came to pick me up...... And you know no one can say no to him and uncle. " Aarav said and both chuckled and nodded after all no one dares to deny the Raizada brothers what they want. "On our way home Papa got a call for an important video meeting and you know how boring such meetings are so begged Papa to send me home and he made Mohanji drop me here. " Aarav explained as the guards wheeled his suitcases and luggage into the house.
"Okay..... Come and let's me help you wash up...... It's almost time for dinner. " Akash said and Aarav nodded with a smile and got up and that was when he saw Nani and Mami including Anjali stand at the opposite side of the Hall.
He rushed up to Nani and Nani smiled and picked him up and made him stand on the center table.
"How are you Devi Youngji? " He asked mischievously as he snaked his arms around her neck and smiled and Nani smiled back.
"Hey you...... How many time have I told you she is way older than you to call her by that ridiculous name. " Anjali scolded and the smile on the face of Aarav's face fell making Nani angry and Akash and Payal nearly lashed out on her.
"Shut up Anjali...... You know it's a playful name and I gave him permission to call me that. " Anjali rolled her eyes at her Nani defending Aarav. She then turned to a sad Aarav and made him look at her. "Don't be sad Aarav.... She is just jealous of you. " Nani said as a matter of fact and Anjali gasped in shock.
She limped away hurt that everyone no longer considered her feelings.
Akash then took Aarav up and helped him settle in and clean up and they both came down for their dinner and in came Manohar and Arnav.
"Papa." Aarav squealed and run up to Arnav who hugged him.
"Papa....How did you meeting go?" Aarav asked as Arnav broke the hug and picked up Aarav.
"It went absolutely fine...... " Arnav replied as he moved to the dining room with Aarav in his arms.
"Bhai..... What was the meeting about? " Akash asked as he sat down.
"Will uncle found a very good european Indian brand which will be good for a collaboration." Arnav replied and Akash smiled.
"Good..... It's about time we start exploring european market. " Akash said. "But which company is that? " He asked.
"A&A Designs. " Arnav replied and smiled at Aarav who was playing with his beard.
"I have heard about them...... They have some really good designs..... You made a very good decision. " Akash said.
"Actually it was uncle who suggested them....... He became friends with the owner and had seen some of his designs and suggested it to me..... The owner just called me after Aman contacted him and we have agreed on a deal but I will also need you opinion on it first before we finalize it. " Arnav said as Aarav who was sitting on his lap switched to playing with his loose tie.
"Bhai....No need for my opinion..... I trust your judgement. " Akash said as he stuffed his mouth with the grapes on the table.
Arnav smiled seeing the trust his brother had in him and Manohar smiled seeing now that his plan of bringing Khushi back has began not knowing someone is also plotting to bring Khushi back.
The other family joined and began eating. Arnav started feeding Aarav and Aarav also fed him much to the happiness of all with the exception of Anjali who had never liked Aarav since he became part of the family.
She is up until now amazed at how his brother who never liked children actually ended up loving a boy who wasn't his.
Flashback.
It's been four months since the wedding and a month since Akash and Payal returned form their honeymoon.
One rainy day, Arnav just arrived at the gates of RM but stopped his car when he spotted something at the entrance of the gate and got down to find out what it was and as he moved closer he heard the cry of a child.
He was shocked and moved closer only to find a little boy in a basket all wet and crying his lungs out.
Arnav immediately picked him up and the gates opened afterwards and he rushed into the house shocking everyone.
"Bhai...... Whose child is that? " Akash asked.
"I don't know Akash..... I found him at the gate with this note saying please take care of him. " Arnav replied and Payal moved closer to the baby who was now hicupping and touched him.
"Akash.... Arnav.... Call the doctor.... He is running a fever. " Payal said in a panicking tone and took the baby from him but he started crying again and the more Payal consoled him the more he cried.
Arnav then moved closer and took him away from Payal and to everyone's amazement he stopped crying and snuggled into his chest.
Arnav for the first time since Khushi left felt a peace he had never felt before.
"Bhai...... We better get him out of his wet clothes and I called the doctor he is on his way. " Akash said and Arnav nodded and strode to his room and took of the ragged clothes on the boy and went into the bathroom and turned on the heater.
After the water was hot, he placed him on his lap and Nani took a towel and started cleaning him up.
After she was done, Arnav covered him in one of his towels and the doctor entered and check him and gave Arnav some prescription for the baby and formulas appreciate for his age.
Arnav then called Aman and made him buy it ,some clothes, baby formulas and toys and when he brought it, Payal made it and Arnav fed the boy and he immediately fell asleep.
Arnav then placed him on his bed and all the family sat down to decide what to do with him.
Akash called his friend Aditya and informed him of the baby.
Aditya then suggested the baby stay with them at the moment until he had done some investigation.
The next day, the family woke up to the most shocking scene.
In the kitchen stood Arnav and the baby in his arms being fed by him and most shockingly, he was singing a lullaby to the boy who was enjoying both his feed and the song staring back at Arnav with his big chocolate orbs.
"Who are you and what have you done to my bhai. " Akash asked in shock breaking Arnav's reverie who exclaimed.
"What the!? "
"Akash..... I think someone kidnapped Arnav and he is his clone. " Manohar said and everyone nodded together as if in a trance.
Arnav rolled his eyes at them
"Will you all stop it..... It me and you know perfectly well I don't have a clone. " He says and took out the empty bottle from the boy's mouth.
Payal moved closer to the boy and was about to take him and burp him but he snuggled into Arnav's arms holding on to him tightly.
"Payal......Don't worry...... I already bathe him after watching a video on YouTube on how to bath a baby. " Arnav said and everyone looked at him shocked. "Why is there something else to do? " He asked seeing their shocked expressions.
"You've done everything right but after feeding him you have to burp him. " Payal said and Arnav looked at her confused and Payal smiled at him. "Place him on your shoulder and gently pat his back. "
Arnav did it and the baby belched.
Immediately he did that Aditya entered with two women.
"Aditya..... Any news about who abandoned the child. " Akash asked him as they all moved closer to them.
"No...... We checked the neighborhood CCTV but unfortunately the heavy winds caused the CCTV cameras to shut down and what we got surrounding the neighborhood wasn't of any help but I found some people who are from a very prestigious orphanage here in town to take him. " Aditya said and everyone was grateful about him having a place to stay but Arnav for some reason didn't feel good about it.
One of the lady's moved forward to take the boy but Arnav moved backwards shocking everyone.
The lady moved forward again but this time she took the boy who immediately started crying loosing the warmth of Arnav.
"We will continue our investigation to see if anyone turns up to take him but for now he will stay with them. " Aditya said pointing to the ladies.
"We will take our leave now and don't worry........ He is in safe hands. " The woman said and moved away but everyone except Anjali wasn't happy seeing the hurt in Arnav's eyes as he watched the boy being taken away in tears.
The boy stretched out his hand to Arnav as he cried.
"Stop!? " Arnav yelled making the women's steps falter.
"You can't take him away. " Arnav said as he moved closer shocking everyone. "He needs me. " He exclaimed looking at the boy. "I will be his family. " Double shock.
"Look Mr Raizada..... We have no doubt you can take care of him financially but emotionally..... It take a look of work and raising a baby is no joke...... He needs to bound with you emotionally and physically especially because he wasn't born of your blood. " The lady who was hold the crying boy said and Arnav moved closer and took the boy who immediately stopped crying and snuggled into his arms as he rubbed his back consoling him.
"You are right ma'am...... My brother in law may not have any experience with children but this proves he will be a good father to him and am here to help him raise him. " Payal said in support of Arnav who smiled at him.
"Me too. " Akash said.
"Count me in too. " Hari Prakash said and one by one the whole family came forward with the exception of Anjali who was sitting in the couch shocked at all of this.
"We don't doubt that you can take care of him...... We just don't want you getting emotionally attached to and getting hurt when his family comes for him. " The lady said.
"He has no family because they abandoned him...... I know what it feels like to be abandoned..... And I won't let it happen to him. " Arnav said with a misty eyes and the family knew his past has resurfaced with the presence of the boy but Aditya and the women were confused and even though they didn't know, they saw the pain in his eyes and knew he had been through some kind of abandonment. "He needs me and those people don't because they left him and he could have died if I hadn't gotten there on time...... He is now my son even if he is not my blood...... I won't abandon him like my mother did...... I will take care and love him like my uncle took care and loved me just like her loved Akash...... I will adopt him and love him in way I was never loved..... I won't abandon him..... I will stand by him and die for him. " Arnav said as tears streamed down his cheeks while he looked at the boy who smiled back at him. "He is my son Aarav Singh Raizada. "
Everyone with the exception of a shocked Anjali had tears in their eyes seeing the big smile on his face and the boy smiled back at Arnav.
The women having nothing to say and congratulated him and left wishing Arnav good luck.
And that how Aarav Singh Raizada became a part of the Raizada family.
After a lot of investigation and announcements, no one came forward for the boy and so Arnav legally adopted him as his son and he became the eye of the Raizada and Gupta family.
Not even the birth of Khushav decreased their love for him.
But there was one person who was never happy with his presence and did everything to hurt him but always failed as the family always stood by him and protected him from her and that person was Anjali.
Flashback ends.
Laxmi Nagar.
Happy's Garage.
Happy looked at his good friend Shashi in sadness as the man told him of how he misses his little daughter.
"I have had enough Happyji...... I must make her come back and I know what to do but you have to help me since you are the only one she is in contact with. " Shashi said and told him about this plan to bring Khushi back.
Happy moved back in shock at what Shashi said.
"Shashiji...... Are you insane?..... You can arrested because of that..... I can't believe you are so desperate that you are willing to put your life in danger like that......" Happy uttered still in shock at his plan.
"Desperate hours calls for desperate measures Happyji..... I want my daughter back and I want her now....... And my plan will only work with you by my side....please" Shashi begged in frustration and desperation almost on the verge of tears.
Happy sighed in defeat and looked at his friend.
"Okay fine..... I will help you but we have to be very careful because if we are discovered...... We will both lose Khushi's trust and that of the others and can even go to jail for it. " Happy said and Shashi stood up from his chair and hugged him.
"Thank you so much my friend..... We will start our planning tomorrow. " Shashi exclaimed enthusiastically.
Sydney, Australia.
Khushi sat down at the dinning table fidgeting with her noodles as Preeto watched on.
She knew the news they received was shocking but they are professionals who don't mix business with pleasure but she also knew accepting the offer means Khushi has to face her past again, a past she has been running away from.
And deep down she knew it was the only way for her friend to move on in life.
Flashback.
Preeto and Khushi just got up back from work and were about to eat when their boss called them for a video conference.
They both sat down and looked at the boss from the screen and in Preeto's six years and Khushi's five years of working for him, they have never seen him this happy.
"May we know who is responsible for you happy mode boss. " Preeto asked with a smile.
"Guys..... You know how we have been waiting for a good collaboration with a well known brand in India. " Mr Gupta exclaimed enthusiastically and the girls nodded. "Well we found one and it's the best not only in India and Asia but the world..... Such a collaboration will put us on the map....... I know it's impromptu but I need you two to pack because we are going to India in two days to seal the deal. " Mr Gupta squealed and Preeto smiled hearing this because it will also benefit them in their careers but Khushi who was taken aback by this was silent.
"It's such a good opportunity...... So what company is that?" Preeto asked
"AR Designs....... Owned by Arnav and Akash Singh Raizada." Adarsh said enthusiastically that he missed the shocked look on their faces. He phone then rang and he took it and saw the person and growled. "I have to go now...... So you two prepare. " He then turned off the screen leaving them in shock.
"Khushi..... Are you alright? " Preeto asked and Khushi nodded and walked away.
Flashback ends.
"Khushi stop fidgeting with your food and eat it. " Preeto said and she lifted her head to look at her best friend cum sister. "I know you are planning on not agreeing to go back there but this is business and it's time you face him and even fate wants you to meet him and ask him the questions you always wanted to ask him...... Think about it before you refuse it. " Preeto said and stood up from the table with her bowl and into the kitchen leaving Khushi in thought.
To be continued.
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