A Heart That Loves... (Arshi FF)

Chapter 18

'I can't wait to be back... With you...' he wanted to add, but the words seemed to be stuck in his throat. He placed a soft kiss on the corner of her lips, just like she had, before forcing himself to turn away and walk out.

Khushi had a silly smile on her face for the next few hours as she got to work...

Around 5 o' clock she felt her phone ringing.

Seeing that it was Arnav, her smile widened as she picked it up.

"Meeting finished. I'll be there in 10 minutes to pick you up," he said.

"Okay, ho–" Before she could finish her sentence he'd hung up.

"Laad governor," she muttered, the silly smile still not leaving her face. Some things never changed.

Just as she put the phone back on the table, it started ringing again.

She took it into her hands thinking it would be Arnav again.

But her smile was wiped away when she saw the caller ID...

Amma Calling...

***

Trying to gulp down her trepidation, shakily, Khushi answered the call.

"A-Amma?"

"Khushi? Kesi ho bitiya? Khushi? How are you? Did you and your boss reach Delhi fine last night?" her mum asked.

Hearing of last night, Khushi clutched her mangalsutra tightly as she replied, "Haan Amma, we got here fine."

"Did you both finish your urgent work?"

At her words, Khushi remembered what 'urgent work' had been completed last night...

Their marriage...

Just as she was about to answer, Arnav strode through her cabin door.

Seeing her on the phone, his steps faltered slightly, his gaze questioning.

She got up from her seat and took a step towards him as she continued to speak. "Haan Amma, Arnavji and I completed the work successfully," she replied, her voice quivering.

Arnav's gaze softened as realisation set in.

He knew how hard it must be for her to speak to her mum, knowing that she'd married him without her parents' permission. Forget that, she got married to him without them even knowing! Knowing how traditional she was, he knew how upset Khushi was about all this. Although she seemed to have accepted their marriage now, he knew that the aspect of hiding it from her parents was still gnawing at her.

So he didn't hesitate to walk up to Khushi and wrap his arm around her, urging her to lay her head on his chest, giving her support in the only way he could in the moment.

And Khushi took his support more than willingly, needing it more than he could imagine.

"That's good to hear bitiya. Listen, I know you said no yesterday, but did you have another think about Shyam's proposal?" her mother asked.

Khushi felt Arnav's chest stiffen beneath her cheek, his arms tightening. Clearly, he'd heard what her Amma just asked.

She lifted her head up and gazed into his eyes as she replied, "Amma, it's not right for me to get married before Jiji," Khushi tried to show Arnav her lack of interest, hoping that would soothe him. Plus, she was sure he'd heard the fact that she'd anyways said no for the proposal yesterday.