Chapter Twenty One

Arnav squirmed and was awoken by the sunlight. It came shining in right through the windows and shone on his glorious face. He slowly opened his eyes and turned to Khushi, only to not find her there. He looked around the room, but she wasn't there.

Slowly getting up, Arnav headed to the bathroom and washed up. He got out, dabbing his face with the towel and dropped it aside on the chair. Khushi still wasn't in the room. Just as he was about to call out, he heard:

"Arnav! Hurry down! Breakfast is ready!"

Arnav headed downstairs and saw Khushi in the kitchen. She was making omelets and placed them to two individual plates. As Arnav made his way in, Khushi placed the plates on the breakfast bar. She looked up at Arnav and smiled sweetly.

"Good morning," she said sweetly.

"Um... morning."

He found her behavior strange. After what he said yesterday, he expected her to be upset, but there wasn't a trace on her face. She went over to him and peeked his cheek and then walked over to the fridge to get the OJ.

Arnav sat down on a stool and looked at her. Khushi was flipping the pancakes, not showing any moods. She seemed... normal. Arnav wasn't liking it at all and just as he was about to say something, Khushi placed the pancakes down and sat down across him.

"Well," Khushi said. "aren't you going to start?"

Arnav nodded and started eating and Khushi ate as well. No one said a word and Arnav kept looking at her. She didn't have any expression, focusing on her pancakes. Soon she finished, and she got up to wash her plate. Arnav looked at his barely-eaten plate, all because he kept focusing on Khushi.

Ignoring his plate, he got up and went over to Khushi. Khushi was about to start washing her plate, when Arnav turned her around to face him.

"Arnav-"

"Not one. Word. Understood?"

Khushi looked up at him confused.

"Why are you acting like this?"

Khushi scrunched his eyebrows. "Like what?"

"Like this? Like I didn't say anything."

"Say what?"

"You know what I said! How I didn't care about the marriage! How I only did it for my company!"

Khushi looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about," she tried to say confidently.

Arnav turned her to face him. "Yes you do! Khushi-"

"Arnav please. Just forget about it," and she moved over to the counter.

Arnav followed behind her. "And see you hurt? Never!"

"Arnav-"

Arnav whipped her around and trapped her against the counter. "Khushi, stop hiding your feelings. I know you're hurt. You're just not saying anything."

"Arnav-"

"No! Don't "Arnav" me!"

Khushi gulped.

He grasped her chin. "I know you're hurt! Why are you acting like you're not?!"

"Because I'm not-"

"Don't gimme that crap!"

Khushi stilled, scared.

"I know you're fucking hurt so just admit it! I don't get why you're hiding shit for!"

Khushi looked at him in shock. She had never heard him like this before.

"The fuck Khushi?! Why can't you just say it straight? You wouldn't even let me say anything last night! Yeah, at first I didn't wanna marry you but after I saw you, I wanted you. You're beautiful! Fuck that, you're more than beautiful! I wanted you all to myself! What do you not get?"

Khushi said nothing and looked down.

"Damn it Khushi, I wanted to marry you once I saw you. Yeah, now I regret being the dick i acted like, because there could have been a chance that I never would've met you. ... And I'd regret that."

Khushi looked at him.

"Dammit Khushi," and he pulled her to him and kissed her hard.

Khushi stayed still, and Arnav wasn't liking it whatsoever. He bit her lip and Khushi moaned out, gasping, and he entered his tongue. He wanted her to understand how much she meant to him. How much she valued to him. How much he wanted her. How much he craved her.

How much he loves her.

Arnav kissed her all over her face. "I love you Khushi," he murmurs in between kisses. "I love you so much."

Khushi started to cry, hearing these touching words. The way he was showing his affection and showing his love, it just made her emotional. Arnav kissed away the tears and held her tightly against him. Khushi cried into his chest and Arnav comforted her, not wanting her to feel pained anymore.

When she calmed down, Arnav picked her up and made her sit on the counter. "You okay baby?"

She nodded. "Yeah," she said in a low voice, using the sleeve of her baby blue v-neck to wipe her nose.

"You sure?"

"Yeah," she said lowly, her lips quivering.

"Oh, baby, come here," and he hugged her, nuzzling into her hair.

Khushi held onto him and Arnav ran his hands on her back.

"Hush baby," he said soothingly. "Don't cry."

Khushi bit her lower lip to hold back her tears.

Arnav pulled away and looked at her. "Baby, I'm so sorry. Really. I am. I feel like... beating myself up wouldn't even be enough."

"Ssh.... Don't say things like that Arnav-"

"No Khushi. I deserve to be punished."

"Arnav-"

"I can't see you hurt, Khushi. I can't. It hurts me more. The fact that I thought of using you in the first place, it makes me...."

Arnav looked away and covered his face with his hands.

Khushi reached out and held his wrists. "Arnav, no. Please," she said soothingly, but Arnav felt guilty.

She pulled him to her and hugged him, making him rest his head on her breasts.

"Ssh, Arnav. Please? You're hurting me this way," she said, her voice almost cracking.

Arnav looked at her.

"Please don't tare yourself apart," she whispered.

Arnav shook his head. "Do you forgive me?"

Khushi nodded.

"I love you Khushi."

"I love you too, Arnav," she smiled.

Arnav pulled her in to a kiss and Khushi wrapped her arms around his neck. Arnav went from her lips to her face, ears, hair, and neck, murmuring "I love you" to her, nonstop. And all the while, Khushi replied "I love you too" holding him close to her heart.

Chapter Twenty

Khushi looked into his eyes. "What?"

Arnav sat up and looked away.

"Arnav?" She tried to sit up as well, but Arnav stopped her.

"Khushi what are you doing? Lie down."

She shook her head, but Arnav wouldn't allow her up.

"Khushi, you need to relax."

"Fine, but what do you want to tell me?"

Arnav sighed and leaned closer to her and held her to him, holding her tightly by her waist.

"Khushi, I haven't been very honest with you," he whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"Khushi I...." He sighed.

Khushi caressed his face and turned his face towards hers. "Go on."

"I..." He took a deep breath. "I lied."

Khushi scrunched her eyebrows.

"I've lied about certain things with you."

"Like?"

"Like AR? That's not my fathers company."

"It isn't?"

"No, it's not. It's my company."

"Your company?" Khushi felt confused.

"Yeah, my company. I started off that business with the help of my fathers money. From a just a small business, it has expanded out throughout the world."

"Wow. That's incredible."

Arnav shrugged. "I focused on my business. I didn't care about anything else, just that. I became the dominating business man, cutting off many companies and making them fall, even into bankruptcy."

"That's kinda... ruthless."

"Yeah.... Anyways, I was so focused into my business, that marriage was out of my head. My parents kept asking me too, but I wouldn't accept."

"But then you did?"

"Only because my father had taken my company."

"Meaning?"

"He seized my company, so I wasn't CEO anymore. He took over and said that in order for me to get my company back, I have to get married."

Khushi looked down.

"So I married only for my company."

So he wasn't committed for our marriage, Khushi thought in her head.

"I begged Di to get me out of it but she yelled back at me instead. She was on my parents side and she wanted me to get married." He sighed. "So I agreed, only to get my company back. I didn't care about anything else. I didn't want to get married. I didn't even want to meet you, let alone marry you."

It hurt Khushi, realizing that Arnav never cared. He didn't want any of this. He just did it for his benefit, his company - himself. He didn't want her. He didn't want to meet her.

Tears swelled in her eyes.

Arnav looked at her and saw her eyes swelling with tears. Khushi looked side to side and made her tears go away.

"Khushi, I'm sorry-"

"No. It's okay. I understand."

"But Khushi I-"

"It's okay Arnav. Really." She looked at the alarm clock. "It's getting late. You should sleep."

Khushi turned and turned off her bedside lamp and shut her eyes. Arnav just looked at her and understood that she was hurt. Approaching her now would only mean her diverting the topic. So Arnav decided not to say anything and would talk to her in the morning.

Arnav turned off his bedside lamp and lifted the duvet over him. He snuggled into Khushi and held her around her waist and nuzzled into her hair. Khushi didn't react and stayed still. Arnav knew she was hurt so it was obvious she wouldn't snuggle into him.

"I love you Khushi," he whispered, trying.

But Khushi said nothing, her asleep.

Chapter Nineteen

After some "fun time", Khushi left home and Arnav worked the rest of the day. Soon it was time for Arnav to leave and he went home. When he entered the loft, he saw Khushi lying on the sofa and she moved really quick. She tried to look innocent, but Arnav knew something was up. He walked over to her and sat beside her.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," she smiled.

Arnav looked into her eyes and Khushi tried to avoid.

"Khushi, I know you're hiding something from me," he said confidently.

Khushi looked down and then reached over to the side and pulled out a hot water pack. Arnav looked at her curiously and Khushi looked down.

"I got my period," she whispered.

Arnav got confused. "Oh. ... Okay. So why do you have a hot water pack?"

A lump formed in her throat. "I have really bad cramps."

Arnav saw the pain in her eyes and he felt bad. He moved over to her and held her, trying to comfort her. Khushi took in a sharp breath and cuddled into him.

"Aww baby, please don't cry," Arnav whispered.

Khushi nuzzled into his chest. "Arnav, it hurts."

"It's okay baby. Let me go get you some Tylenol, hmm?"


Khushi nodded and Arnav went upstairs to the medicine cabinet and got out the Tylenol. He went back down, got a glass of water, and sat down beside her and handed it over to her. Khushi took the meds and drank water.

"Come upstairs to bed," Arnav said soothingly, getting up.

"I would, but it hurts to move," she said in a low voice. "I'll just sleep here tonight-"

Arnav bent down and picked her up and Khushi gaped at him. He walked over to the stairs as Khushi gazed at him. He looked at her and didn't break their eye lock as he went up the stairs. Walking over to the bed, he placed her down and tucked her in. He turned and Khushi grabbed his hand, not wanting him to go yet. Arnav reassured her that he'd be back in a second and went to the barroom with a change of clothes.


He came out and went over to her, lying beside her, and he ran his fingers through her hair. "You feeling any better baby?"

Khushi nuzzled into his chest. "Somewhat."

"Around what time did you get your period?"

"About two hours ago."

"Did it hurt then?"

Khushi nodded. "That's how I figured out I got my thing."

Arnav scrunched his eyebrows. "Then why didn't you call me then? I would've came home-"

"That's why I didn't call. I didn't want to bother you."

"Bother," he asked, taken back. He cupped her face and made her look at him. "Khushi, how could you say that? It would never be a bother."

Khushi shrugged and Arnav turned away. She made him face her and she snuggled into him. "I thought... I just didn't want to disturb you." She looked up at him. "Honest."

Arnav looked at her and her eyes said it was true. He rested his cheek on her hair and held her tightly. Khushi felt weird about it, like he wanted to tell her something.

"Khushi?"

"Hmm Arnav?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

She looked up. "What?"

"Well... speaking of being honest here..." Arnav looked at her, "there's something I need to tell you."