ArHi SS: Vertigo - Completed [Sequel link on Page 1] - Page 22

Chapter 9: Tere mere saath jo hota hai...

"What are you reading?" Payal asked looking at Khushi who had maintained reticence since the incident in temple. Though it wasn't the norm for her aunt to bring out Khushi's adoption more often than intended, this time Khushi had reacted in an unanticipated way.

"It's a book on corporate risks and strategic management," Khushi replied looking up from her book. "I picked it from our office library," she added and went back to reading. Usually this one question from Payal would fuel Khushi's chattiness but the day had stopped being usual a long time ago. The silence in the room made Payal restless making her wonder if this was a precursor to a hurricane about to hit them.

"Why are you reading it? I have never seen you reading anything related to office till date," Payal sat next to her on bed and leaned on the headboard. Khushi was sitting next to her in same posture turned and looked at her.

"Do you remember that I worked late one day last week?" Khushi asked folding the book on her lap. Payal nodded. "Lavanya assigned me to work on a risk model which needs an update every quarter for assessing risks - this would keep us better prepared when these risks materialize," Khushi replied. Payal looked at her sister, really looked at her. Khushi's eyes were startlingly clear as opposed to the hazy state they were generally in.

"What about it?" Payal asked not knowing where she was going with it. She picked up the book from Khushi's lap and skimmed though the pages.

"Well, I learned as I worked on the model and was taught a lot during that tenure. After completing the assignment I realized that I don't have enough academic training to work on the model when higher complexity levels are applied. Though it isn't part of my job description to work on an assignment involving risks or strategies let alone know about it, I decided to pursue it further anyway." Khushi replied. Payal hummed in response as her eyes and fingers continued skim through the book. She stilled when she found 'Arnav' written in pencil on the title page. She knew from memory that Arnav owned the company Khushi worked at and that Khushi never really got along with the man. But she was now reading a book owned by the said man.

"This is Arnav's book?" Payal asked not understanding why she felt compelled to know about the dynamics between her sister and Arnav.

"Yes, it is. He let me borrow this after he saw my work and thought that it would help me understand the concepts better," Khushi replied. Her voice was incredibly soft and very small traces of smile danced at the corner of her lips. It didn't escape Payal's eyes.

"Have fun reading Khushi," Payal said handing the book back to her. "Did Lavanya help you understand what you were supposed to do, that night?" Payal asked shooting an arrow in the dark. Khushi didn't respond for a moment. She turned around to look at her sister staring at the book open on her lap. Her finger was tracing the name on the title page and her eyes were out of focus. Payal swallowed when she inferred the implications of her actions.

"I will call you when dinner is ready," Payal replied and walked out of the room without waiting for any reply.  

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"We should stop meeting like this." She looked up from the book she was reading to find Arnav standing by her desk. "People might talk," he added for good measure earning a laugh from her. He smiled in response.

He walked around the desk in her small cubicle and took the spare chair in front of her, like had been now doing for close to a week. "What were you working on yesterday?" He asked her pulling a file which had projections for a quarter from previous financial year.

"Profit projections, Khushi?" He asked her looking at her notes which were tucked in between few sheets.

"I am working on old data and applying few of the theories I am currently reading to see how projections look like," Khushi replied. Arnav nodded in response and turned pages to understand the progress she was making.

"Once you finish your analysis after applying standard models, try something on your own," he said standing up. "You don't have to invent something new but just tweak whatever you have, mix and match, and then see how close the projections come towards real numbers. Okay?" He said. Khushi nodded making a note of what he just said.

It had become their usual exercise. He would drop by her desk first thing in the morning where only those two would be patrons in entire establishment.  They would talk about what she was reading and sometimes he would rant about an offshoot argument from previous day. When one spoke, other would always listen. It was peaceful atmosphere where he was simply being Arnav, without the tag of CEO attached or the fact that he had a girlfriend.

"Have a good day," he said walking out of her cubicle. She stood up involuntarily. He hesitated. She looked at him in question when she saw him shifting his feet. She caught him staring at her with an unreadable expression. She couldn't help but hold on to the gaze as if everything she ever owned, including her individuality, depended on it.

"I will be away for the rest of the week. I have a flight tonight for London," he said slowly. He didn't know the reason why he was updating her on his travel plans but in that moment the need to share was driving him insane.

"When will you be back?" She blurted, knitting her eyebrows. The news had come from nowhere, though unexpected, but punched her in the stomach nonetheless.

"Probably by Sunday," he replied. She nodded her head and broke the gaze. Her heart clenched and screamed to get out of ribcage making her squeeze her eyes shut. She exhaled loudly realizing that Arnav was standing few feet away from her and waiting for a response from her.

"Have a safe trip," she said, her voice betraying every bit of emotion she felt. She grabbed table for support and prayed for a stroke of sanity; she couldn't decipher the range of emotions dancing within her and the pain that arose in its wake.

"Thank you," he said. He took a step forward keeping a close eye on her. She was struggling with something, he could see, but didn't know what to infer from it. "I should probably go," he said taking another step towards her. She looked up to see him standing a bit closer to her than before. She lowered her gaze once more to avoid any conflict. She bit her lip and nodded her head, not trusting her voice.

"Will you please look at me?" He asked taking yet another step. He shook her head in 'no'.

"Khushi," he said. His voice was hoarse and barely above whisper. She refused to show him her vulnerability, her attraction and her tears.

"Please," she begged. She couldn't face him. She couldn't let him see her attraction towards him while she only saw sympathy and kindness in his.

"Khushi, I..." Arnav couldn't complete his sentence as he heard voices of his staff.

She looked at him first and then the entrance of their office where people would enter any moment.

He reluctantly took a step back first and then few more as the voices became loud and nearer. He turned and walked away before people could see the two of them together and start questioning her unnecessarily.

She collapsed on the chair once he was out of her sight. It was going to be a long week.

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"You are leaving early?" Lavanya asked her when she saw Khushi packing her bag.

"My aunt wanted me to come home early. I finished all the assigned tasks allocated to me for the day and if there is anything more, I promise I will finish it before you are in office tomorrow morning," Khushi said shoving books in her bag.

"That will not be necessary," she said waving at Arnav who was coming their way. "I am going to London with Arnav tonight and I am not in office for the rest of the week." Lavanya finished the moment Arnav stood in front of them. Khushi's eyes widened at Lavanya's words and immediately looked at Arnav who was watching her. Lavanya didn't miss this small exchange of glances and smiled inwardly.

"Lavanya convinced me that she is the right person to present our operational plan for the next fiscal year. And I agree since she is the best in what she does." He said openly complimenting Lavanya. Khushi smiled tightly and just nodded not trusting her voice anymore.

"Have a safe trip ma'am, sir," she said barely above whisper and walked away without looking at Arnav even once.

"Let's go," he said to Lavanya who was watching Khushi's retreating back with a frown. She nodded and fell in step with Arnav who looked he was several thousand miles away from her. He was generally distant from her at all points of their relationship but it maddened her to see the way his eyes involuntarily held Khushi for a moment more than necessary. She had seen the softness in his features whenever Khushi spoke to him.

It had hurt to hear that Arnav was glad to take her as an employee and failed to acknowledge the fact that she was also his girlfriend. She always knew that he was never in love with her the way she was with him. But it hurt, it hurt when she could see him falling in love with a person who, for all the things said and done, wasn't someone she could call a worthy opponent.

It hurt.

To be continued.