Chapter Sixteen

Smash!

It was unknown how many things Dhruv had now drunkenly broken - not that he cared. The only thing he cared about was his loss at a chance of a hundred crores.

A hundred crores! One hundred fucking crores! And it's all fucking his!

Dhruv took hold of a vase and tossed it to the floor, the glass object shattering to pieces. He took a swig of his whisky, not caring of the burn it left behind.

He did it on purpose! He had to have done it on purpose! What other motive does he have in life other than to torture me? Make me suffer? Nothing!

Dhruv tossed the bottle at the wall and it shattered to pieces. He panted heavily as he went to get another bottle of whiskey. Opening it, he took another swig and eyed the shards of the broken bottle. On the large shards were pools of whiskey, in which Dhruv saw what he had discovered earlier today. 

While the guards were changing shifts, Dhruv used this time to sneak into his brothers study to find his father's will. He was in need of money and needed the exact details of the will to find the girl who would get him his money. So he picked the lock to his drawer and carefully went through the files, and tried to leave everything as it was, but the guards were starting to come back, leaving the locked drawer unlocked and the door to the study open in its suspicious way as he sneaked out.

You cost me a hundred crores Bhai. I will not spare you.

*~*

Arnav Singh Raizada sat in his study, trying hard to focus on his work. Though hard as he tried, his mind kept wandering off to his crying wife upstairs.

Stop it! Stop thinking about her!

But his mind refused. So with a sigh, Arnav leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes. His mind displayed his hurt Khushi and the expressions she made as he told her the whole truth.

Well, almost.

"So the bottom line is that... you married me simply to stop Dhruv from getting money."

"A large sum, yes."

"And that's what its always been?"

"Yes."

"And that's still why?"

"Yes."

Arnav opened his eyes with a groan and stared up at the ceiling.

Why do you have to be such an ass Raizada? She has no fault in any of it. She just found out everything today. She just learned of her dead sister. For fuck's sake, she just found out her father is dead! What is wrong with you?

Arnav picked up his pen from his desk and began to tap it.

You just always have to be a sarcastic ass, don't you? And you couldn't just help the poor girl's heart, you couldn't give her the one thing she needed to prevent her from crumbling entirely. Good job Raizada, good job!

Looking at his laptop, which displayed grainy, black and white security footage, Arnav watched as his step-brother broke into his drawer. Arnav looked at that very drawer and opened it, which was still unlocked. He went through the paperwork, things his father had once touched. For a moment, he felt his father's hands instead of the paper.

With a sigh, Arnav placed the files back and locked the drawer. He made a mental note of changing the lock and key to the drawer. Even if Khushi and his idiotic step-brother knew of everything, it was still a good drawer to keep things locked up in, which he didn't need his step-brother to put his nose in.

Since he couldn't focus on work, Arnav shut his laptop and exited his study. He found Meghla right outside, dusting.

"Oh, hello dear," she smiled.

Arnav gave her a nod with a small smile. She was one person Arnav very much appreciated - she was like a mother to him.

"Hungry? I can-"

"It's okay, I'm not hungry. But if you could send something up for Khushi, that would be okay."

Meghla nodded and she left to the kitchen. Arnav took out his phone from his pocket and texted Aman. Within seconds, Aman appeared.

"Sir," he greeted.

"Any idea where that idiotic step-brother of mine is?"

"After his childish rampage? No sir."

Arnav could see that Aman was struggling to prevent his smirk, but Arnav didn't care. "Well if you find out, let me know. I might care to say a few words to him."

"Yes Sir."

Arnav nodded, dismissing him. With another glance at his phone and noting the number of emails he had, Arnav headed upstairs. It had been a few hours since he had left Khushi in their room. He could only wonder what condition she was in.

When he entered the room, he found Khushi in same position, sitting on the bed, having hardly moved at all. She had her arms wrapped around her legs, her forehead leaning against her knees. Seeing her made his heart ache and he wanted to soothe her. But being the man he was, he didn't.

"Are you going to cry all day?"

Khushi looked up with a gasp and seeing her tear-stained face made his heart pang, making him regret his words.

But its not like Khushi could tell; he was a master at his poker face.

Khushi wiped her tears away and rubbed her sleeve over her nose. Arnav took a good look at her sleeve, noting the dark damp spots on it - clearly she had been wiping her face clean numerous times with it. So without another word, Arnav went over to her and picked her up in his arms.

"What are you-?"

Arnav gave her the eyes, which he didn't know was what she called it, and took her into the bathroom. He placed her down in front of the counter and bent down to take off her kameez. Khushi had tried to stop him, holding his hand, but Arnav gave her the eyes once more and brushed them away. He removed her clothes, Khushi looking away. He could see the pain in them, understanding that there would be no pleasure in this for her at all.

With every article of clothing removed, Arnav picked her up and seated her on the counter, somewhat surprising her. He picked up a washcloth and ran it under some water before wiping her face clean. Khushi watched him with surprise but he avoided her gaze, focusing on her.

Way to go Raizada! You can take care of the girl, show her such loving gestures - be loving to her somehow - yet you can't even tell her that you love her. Way to go man, way to go!

Setting the wash cloth aside, he picked her up again, Khushi wrapping her legs around his waist as a reflex. He walked them right into the shower and placed her down, Khushi watching him with confusion. He simply turned her around and took his clothes off, placing them outside with his phone on top. Returning to Khushi, he reached around her and punched the buttons on the pad, turning the shower on. The second the water hit her, Khushi gasped and stepped back into him, and he held her waist. The water streamed down on both, but neither said a word, Arnav's eyes staying on her.

I wonder what she's thinking about. But what should it matter to me? I'm just going to end up being a sarcastic ass to her, regardless. Geez Raizada, she isn't that idiot nor any of your workers. Why do you have to act the same way towards her?

Arnav simply watched her, her body slightly rising up and down as she breathed. 

You know her story, you know what she's been through. She's no whore, no slut - none of it. Except her few fun times with the other girls there, or lessons as they're called, she's never been with anyone. All she's ever known is her drunken father, the brothel, and the sorrow of her life. ...and I'm only adding to it.

Khushi wrapped her arms around her, snapping Arnav from his thoughts. She shivered and shuddered, so he wrapped his arms around her, surprising Khushi. He buried his face in her hair, causing her to slightly turn to glance at him.

I am who I am because of my past. What's done is done, that can't be helped. But at least open your heart to her, Raizada. She's probably the only person you could ever trust in this lifetime. You may have been deceived before....

Arnav couldn't help but to remember the first day his father had brought home his stepmother. His father had told him that she would be a nice person, just like his mother, but the woman was everything else but that, nothing but a wretched and vile person. Every time he had tried to do nice deeds for her, hoping to earn her love, it did nothing but backfire on him. 

Khushi isn't that woman, not even close. So then why? Why can't I let her in? Why do I continue to be such an ass?

Arnav let out a sigh, causing Khushi to shudder from the heat of his breath. She looked back up at him and Arnav looked at her. While Khushi tried to figure out what was going through his head. Arnav was suffering from trying to display it. He cursed himself for having perfected his poker face, trying hard to tear it down, but it wouldn't. Khushi looked away, her look of dismay clear on her face.

Dammit Raizada!

Annoyed with himself, Arnav reached over for the shampoo and washed Khushi's hair. Khushi didn't say a word and let him do his handiwork, letting him clean her up. Usually she would enjoy it and Arnav would always know when she would let out her little hums. But this time, she was absolutely silent.

Fuck!

Cleaning himself up quickly and having them both rinsed properly, Arnav wrapped them both up in towels. He blow dried her hair for her, Khushi watching him with confusion and hurt marring her face. And as much as Arnav wanted to tell her of his true feelings, it just wouldn't make past his throat. So instead he took care of her, putting on her pajamas for her before putting on his own. When they went back into the bedroom, they found a tray with soup and bread waiting. So without a word, Arnav sat her down on the bed to feed her.

"I'm not hungry," Khushi whispered.

Arnav arched his eyebrow at her, giving her the eyes, even though he tried hard to not behave that way. "Eat."

Dammit, don't be mean to her!

Arnav held the spoon in front of her again. "Eat," he said briskly.

Job well done! You ass!

"I-"

But he cut her off, placing the spoon into her mouth. Khushi squealed around it and looked at him wide-eyed. But Arnav ignored her and held another spoonful of soup to her mouth.

"Ar-"

And he cut her off, placing the spoon into her mouth. This time she glared at him but Arnav simply smirked.

"You're eating all of this. Deal with it," he said.

I won't have you fainting on me or falling ill.

"I don't want to."

"Well that's too bad for you, isn't it?"

Again! Stop being such a sarcastic ass!

Khushi rolled her eyes and looked away.

"Eat," he gritted, holding the spoon out to her.

How nice are you? That's right, use that sarcasm on yourself! ...ass!

Khushi took the spoonful with a huff and it continued this way until every drop of soup and bite of bread was finished. He tucked her under the covers and stood up with the tray, and without saying another word, he walked out of the room.

She has to hate you at this point. She must, thanks to your asshole self.

A worker came walking his way, so Arnav gave the tray for him to take away. Arnav headed the other way, walking through the halls until he arrived to a door. It was locked, restricted from access to everyone but him. Taking the key out, Arnav unlocked the door, entered, and shut the door behind him, locking it.

The room wasn't much, just an old bedroom - the room his parents had shared once upon a time. After his father had married his stepmother, he never stayed in this room again, the two staying in another room. Everything in the room had been covered up in sheets and the room had been forgotten by everyone but Arnav. Coming to this room brought him closure, brought a feeling of his mother.

Arnav went over to the vanity table and removed the cloth that covered it. He opened the single drawer it had, and retrieved a silver hair brush. Memories flashed in his mind, of old videos which had been recorded while his mother was still alive. He couldn't remember her much, since he was very young when she had passed away. Those videos were the only memories he had of her. In one of those videos, his father had been playfully teasing his mother while she was brushing her hair.

With a shuddering sigh, Arnav put the brush away. He walked over to the other side, where a large portrait leaned against the wall. Removing the cloth that covered it, Arnav sat down on the floor, gazing at the portrait of his mother. 

You just had to leave me at a young age, didn't you? And then my stupid father had to marry her, didn't he?

Arnav sighed, glancing down at the ground before looking back at the portrait.

We were both stupid though. He believed her through her charades and I thought I could finally have a mother, we both did. But that woman was nothing but a bitch. I really was stupid for thinking a stepmother could ever be a mother, really, I was. That woman be my mother? Arnav scoffed. As if. ...but that was what I really wanted.

Ever since then, trust has always been... I've never been able to let anyone close to me. Not ever again. She broke my heart, that woman. And now with Khushi in my life....

Khushi and her are absolutely different. That woman married Dad just for his money, never truly loving him and never accepting me as her son. Khushi had no idea she had so much money over her head. She loves me and I can see it in her eyes but.... I don't know what to do Ammu. I really don't.

With a sigh, Arnav laid back on the floor.

How do I tell her Ammu, that I love her?