MCH Chapter 3

My Cindered Heart Chapter 3

Khushi opened the door to her silver coloured Audi R8, and sat on the black leather soft seats which were heated as the sun light bathed it, and felt warm against her body. She was fuming from the earlier encounter with the snobbish brat, and she started to calm herself by thinking of work related issues. “Why am I thinking about that snob? I taught him the lesson he needed!” She said to herself. “Oh Kate, just forget about it, its not like you have never taught anyone good lessons before! I am a tigress in the court! Then…ugh just forget it! Its not important AT ALL!” She nearly shouted, but thankfully her car’s high quality sound proof doors blocked it from people outside. “Oh yeah! I came here to grab my phone!” She hastily fetched her clutch and phone from the glove box on the passenger’s side, and checked for any e-mails on her brand new Blackberry 10. She started going through some e-mails, and noticed that it was the time to head back to her office. “I should say my good-byes to the couple, and go back to office, I don’t wanna be late!” She decided and stepped out of the car, pressing the lock button on her key, which made her car give a quick beep, telling that it was locked and grabbing people’s attention towards her hot and sexy car. People walked by, ogling the beauty of her and her car. She ignored those looks, as she was very well used to that. People would usually compliment the car. She heard someone say “That’s one heck of a sexy car!” She smirked. “You have to work hard to buy it” She mentally thought.

She took quick steps towards the restaurant, lest she gets late for office. She pulled the door open and saw a man standing near the table where Payal-Akash were seated. The man’s back was facing her, but she could sense that he was stiff, and his shoulders squared, fists clenched. Those cloths seemed somewhat familiar, actually, that body seemed familiar. And then, it dawns upon her. She knew it was the same snob from earlier that hour. Yes, it was him, that was his hairs, his black jacket, and black pants. “But what the hell does he want from Payal-Akash? Oh.My.God. Is it the way I think it is? That is Arnav Singh Raizada? Oh my! That’s why I thought I’d seen his eyes somewhere! Duh, probably in business magazines! Damn, Akash is brother of this snobhead?! And Payal works for him—HIM?” She thought to herself annoyingly. “I wonder whats going on there? What are they talking about? Did Payal invite him as well for lunch as well? But he’s late! Oh, I am getting late, I should say my good-byes and leave.” With that thought, she took determined steps towards the table, passing people having their lunches, now almost finishing up while she saw Payal standing up beside Akash, who had also stood up. “Seems like they are leaving too” She thought unaware of the conversation that was going on.

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“What the hell you are doing here Akash?” He said through clenched teeth, which made him sound angry as ever.

“Bhai, uh, vo” Akash gulped. “I was having lunch Bhai” He completed, and stood up.

“Lunch? Or shall I put it this way—Lunch Date?” He said fumingly.

“Bhai…”

“And what happened to the damn work you had to do at office?!” He said cutting Akash off.

“Look Bhai, it isn’t what you think!”

“Yeah right! I can see, its never been as I thought. I thought you’d never hide anything from me, or lie to me—to me?” He stressed more at the word me.

“Bhai I did not mean to deceive you! Bhai, we could talk this out, but not here, not now. Maybe once we are back at home this evening? Please Bhai, I don’t want to create any scene here.” He said almost pleadingly, but holding his grounds for first ever time.

“Like I want to create a scene here right? And yes, we would definitely have to talk about this. Now, you better get back to office Ms. Gupta. I don’t pay my employees for having lunch dates while they are supposed to be working!” He said authoritively.

“Bhai, its lunch time! Payal was not at fault for this!” He said hurt, and dared to answer a mad Arnav. “That was a first” He thought to himself. “I guess thats what love does to people” He thought.

Sensing the tension growing between the brothers, and the fact that they were arguing because of her, she got up grabbing her belongings.

“Y..ye.s Yes sir” Payal stuttered. “I should get back to work now, the lunch time is almost over.”

Aranv nodded, his lips set in a thin line.

“Akash, you also better get to work” Arnav said.

“See you in the evening Bhai” He said.

“Hey Payal, Akash!” Khushi said captivatingly as ever. When both responded with meek smiles and a barely audible “hey”, she sensed the tension in the air, but she was running late to get deep into the matter, so decided she’d ask later.

Arnav heard that sound again. That tinkling voice of the beautiful woman who seemed eerily familiar to him and that someone who dared to talk morals to him.

“Oh Kate!” Payal said somewhat relieved. “Um, this is my boss, Mr. Raizada and Akash’s brother. And sir, this is Kate, a very good friend of mine.”

Arnav turned towards her, and was greeted by her charming smile, and yet again he could not take his eyes off of her perfectly sculpted face.

“Oh, great to see you Mr. Raizada—again!” Khushi said and brought her hand up to shake.

“Oh Ms. Kate, hmmm, the lawyer?” Arnav said disbelievingly, and brought his hand into a brief shake with her inviting hand.

“Yes, Mr. Raizada, the lawyer” She said with a smirk forming on her adorable lips.

“Oh, so that in a way justifies your behaviour earlier this afternoon. You are not to blame, it seems its what you like to do, giving the most non-necessary lessons to people. Perhaps, you should be a social worker, not someone thriving fame through their profession?” He said coolly.

“Well Mr. Raizada, your behaviour is still not justified, though mine needs none because that was the most humane thing a person could do to an obnoxious person. For instance—you. My belief that you need to correct your morals have increased. Maybe its you who need to do some social work, I am sure that’ll help your troubled behaviour.  But if you are forgetting, I do a lot of social work, my profession is to fight for the truth and justice.” She said confidently to which Arnav was seething in anger.

“Oh Ms. Kate, you seriously don’t know how to hold your tongue do you? One day, its gonna take you down! Mark my words for that! And believe me, I see that day coming.” He said with a smirk that replaced his anger from few seconds ago. “This girl is feisty, and got a spicy mouth. Its gonna be fun taming her” He thought to himself.

“Oh yeah Mr. Raizada? And what are you? An astrologer?” She chucked. “Well, we’ll see about your challenge to my fate!” She said mockingly.

“Oh no, I am not an astrologer Ms. Kate, but an entrepreneur, who can predict the results of an action taken very well. After all that’s what all business is about—profit or loss.”

“Then, take your mind out of business for a while, because real life is not business that you can control, and anyways, I am running late for my office, I should get going. I can’t bear to waste my time on a person like you.” She said.

Akash and payal were shell-shocked listening to their conversation, and their endless giving-it-back session. They were at loss of words. Never did they saw ASR having a conversation this coolly with someone who was being utterly sarcastic to him. That was a first too.

“Yes, Ms. Kate, you should get going, no one has time to listen to your mindless talk, and anyways, I don’t respect people who are late.”

“I’ll keep that in mind Mr. Raizada. Bye Payal, bye akash, I have to run now!”

“Yeah Kate, bye, I am going too” Payal said followed by Akash.

Khushi walked her way out of the restaurant. Payal also left, leaving the duo behind.

“Uh, Bhai, did you have your lunch?” Akash asked not sure what to talk about.

“No” Arnav replied curtly still lost in his thoughts about Khushi.

“Then do Bhai, you know di is going to be upset. I should leave now, it’s late”

“Okay, will do have my lunch. Bye” Arnav said.

“Okay, take care Bhai” Akash said and left the place leaving a befuddled Arnav to himself.

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