56

"How dare you!" ASR Screamed at Lavanya. Aman and Aakash were standing ready to hold Arnav back if he gets physical. Arnav was erupting with rage. He was screaming at the top of his voice.

"How dare you Lavanya, talk about our relationship, like that to Khushi!" he came on to her. She paced back in fright.

"So... Sorry ASR... I..!" She wanted to justify...
"Shut up!" he yelled at her. 

"ASR.. please listen to me!" she said looking at Aman and Aakash wanting them to go out of the sound proof meeting room. They stood there rooted to the ground folding their hands on their chests, loathing her.

"When did we spend the nights together, Lavanya? ANSWER ME!" he yelled. He was stripping her off her exaggerations. He was bringing her to the ground reality. 

"But.. I... thought... I mean I was just ..!" she stammered. She had not expected this outburst from ASR. Sham had told her how to explain her statements to ASR and calm him down. Sham had assured her that this was the final strike on his marriage. Her ASR would come back to her, after listening to her justification. She had done exactly what Sham had told her to, hoping she would get back her ASR. But here everything had turned upside down. ASR had erupted with anger and loathing. She could see loathing in his eyes. She was scared, frightened. This was not what sham had told her, how ASR would react. ASR was all set to kill her. She was confused and frightened. This was not she expected. She hit her back on the wall going backwards. She was scared to death. 

"ASR..Pl...Please..!" she was trying her best to explain. To explain how she thought of freeing her ASR from the clutches of Chamakili, how she wanted ASR to end the relationship, how chamakili herself wanted to be free from ASR.. how badly she wanted her ASR to be hers again...!

"ASR.. i.. I ... did it for you!" she finally gained some voice to be heard. ASR erupted again..
"What the hell are you talking about Lavanya?" he demanded in a deadly voice. She looked around at the duo waiting for a strike.

"ASR.. Please... can we talk in private? I want to tell you about Chamakili!" she mustered up all her courage and said. Arnav looked at the two and said "No! Lavanya, talk to me here!" 

"ASR.. Please...!" she pleaded with tears in her eyes. Aakash felt the need.

"Bhai, we will wait outside!" he gestured at Aman and they both left.

"Lavanya you have only five minutes...!" barked Arnav.

******** ******

Aakash and Aman came out. Aakash wiped off sweat from his forehead. He looked tensed and so did Aman. They were afraid that Arnav night kill Lavanya and that would be a disaster. Aakash's phone rang. 

"Hello!" he answered the call descending the stairs and getting into his cabin. Aman stood there like a guard. He could see but couldn't hear anything. Lavanya had gone down on her knees and Arnav still very stiff, seemed to have calmed down a bit. Aman shook his head in relief and went up to his cabin. 

Lavanya, was crying her heart out in repentance to have done what she had done.
"Oh! ASR... I know I ruined her entire case..!" she felt sorry for Chamakili.

"Oh! Don't give so much of importance to yourself, lavanya, nothing will change the judgment! Your statement will have no effect on the case" he reprimanded her disdainfully. He loathed her, he pitied her brain power, he just wanted to throw her out.

She got up. She saw her last chance approaching... and leapt forward sobbing hard and before Arnav could dodge, she hugged him tightly.

"ASR.. I am sorry! Please.. please forgive me if you can... I know what I did. I cannot bear your wrath..!" she was sobbing and crying hard holding him tightly.

Arnav removed her hands from him and pushed her aside.

"Stop acting Lavanya, and leave the office!" he ordered her in a deadly voice.
She saw at the door, there was no one! She trying to grab him again leapt forward but was stopped by him.

"Leave my office before I kick you out unceremoniously!" he said pressing on the call bell.
"ASR, I am sorry!" she had nothing to say. Arnav dragged her out of the room. 

"OUT!" he yelled at the top of his voice. He saw Lavanya descending and going out of the entrance. 

"Aman!" he called. Aman came out of his cabin. 

"I don't want her in my office again!" Aman nodded.

Aakash came out of his cabin! "Bhai!" he tried to cool Arnav down. 

"Khushi...!" Arnav blurted taking out the phone.
"Bhai, she has an appointment with Dasgupta!" said Aakash.
"Oh! Yeah! I think I should go there with her!" Arnav turned to leave.

"Bhai, she said she will manage!" said Aakash. Even he had offered her to accompany her.
"No! I am going... I want to be with her!" he said desperately and moved out of the office.

********* ********** *********

He reached Deep hotel. Dasgupta had not come down from his room. He waited in the lounge waiting for both Khushi and Dasgupta. 

Exactly at Six, Dasgupta came down. Arnav greeted him rising from his seat.
"Where is Khooki?" Asked Dasgupta looking around.

"um... She is coming... I came directly from the office!" Arnav said guiltily trying her number. "She must be driving!" he murmured.

"Ok!" Dasgupta looked at his wrist watch. He started flipping the papers in his hand and glanced at Arnav.

"Ok! Till then, let me abreast you about the new developments!...." Dasgupta started off. Arnav listened to him half heartedly waiting nervously for Khushi.

It was 6:15 pm and Khushi did not arrive. Dasgupta looked stern.
"I think, she is busy with more important work! Tell her to call me when she has time!" said Dasgupta sarcastically and asked Arnav to leave.

Arnav dialed Khushi's number. "Where the hell is she? How could she be so irresponsible?" Arnav's rage mounted. She did not pick up the phone. He waited at the entrance of the hotel for her. She did not turn up.

He dialed Aakash's number. Aakash had reached home. "Aakash, where is Khushi?" Arnav asked enraged.

"Bhai, she must be with Dasgupta!" Aakash was oblivious.
"I am here with Dasgupta, Damn it!" Arnav shouted. 

"Wait bhai, I will ask Di!" said Aakash moving towards Di's room.
"Bhai, she doesn't know anything!" said Aakash gravely. Arnav did not know what to do. He tried her number again in vain.

It was 7.00 in the evening.. still no trace of Khushi.

"I know, this girl must be up to something. She doesn't care about other's time!" he blurted angrily driving away from the hotel. There was no point now waiting at the hotel. 

Dasgupta, looked at his watch. It was 7 in the evening. He did not see Khushi. "She never does this!.. did she forget my appointment? No ... not possible, cause Raizada was here!" Dasgupta started deducing the possibilities systematically. He dialed Khushi's number. She did not pick up. He grew worried. He knew she was weird but considering the present circumstances she should have been careful. 

"Balwindar, Khooki, did not turn up!" he dialed papaji's number.
"What?" papaji was surprised.

"We had to meet at six and she has not turned up yet. Her husband had come here but she did not!" Dasgupta was little annoyed. "She couldn't do this!" 

Papaji dialed Arnav's number in panic...
Arnav was frantically trying khushi's number. He was worried. Everyone in the family was panic. Someone picked up.

"Hello...!" the person called out.
"Who the hell are you? And where is Khushi?" Arnav yelled at the person.
"I don't know. I found this mobile at our main gate, sir! I am security guard of AR designs!!" said the person from other end. Arnav froze...

"Khushi was missing!"

They had no clue where Khushi was. Papaji and his family in Kolkata were panic too! Arnav's phone rang finally to papaji's relief. 

"Arnav puttar, where is Khushi?" asked Papaji immediately when Arnav picked up the phone. Arnav had no answer.

"Papaji...!" he sounded panic. "I don't know yet. We found her mobile at our office gate!..."Arnav froze again.... It dawned upon him .... He could imagine himself with Lavanya...! All his energy was drained out... 

"She must have seen Lavanya hugging me!" he thought thunderstruck. He sat on the sofa his cell dropping down. Aakash picked up the cell and told papaji that he would call him later.
"Bhai...!" Aakash placed his hand on Arnav's shoulder.

"Oh! Wait a minute!" Nani spoke loudly.

"Khushi's Amma, Babuji and Buwaji arrived this afternoon!" She declared looking relieved.
Arnav took a sigh of relief. "Khushi... you stupid girl... you will definitely drive me crazy one day!" he shook his head hopelessly and drank water picking up the glass from the table.
"Payal has already gone to meet her parents!: said Naniji to everybody's relief. 

"I will not spare you Khushi, for this. You will have to pay me heavily tonight!" smirk appeared on Arnav's face thinking about the sweet punishment he was to give to her. He took the phone and dialed Payal's number. 

"This silly girl must have dropped her mobile in excitement and instead of meeting me must have gone to meet her parents!" he thought in relief.

Aakash called up papaji to tell him not to worry!

All was well!