Not What Meet The Eyes

PART 8

Sheethal started working in AR as Arnav had offered her a job. She went to AR, daily, with Arnav and Anjali and he also dropped Aarav to his school.
*At the breakfast table
Anjali: "Chote I'll be late to office."
Arnav: "I already told you, Di. It is your office. You don't have to tell me." Anjali smiled at that.
Anjali: "Chote can you drop Me and Khushiji to the temple, on your way? "
Arnav: "Sure the. But come fast."
Khushi went to her room to get her purse.

She ran to the car and was about to open the front passenger seat door when she saw that it was already occupied. Sheethal turned to look at her with a smug smirk. Khushi was taken aback. She looked at Arnav.
Arnav: "What are you waiting for? Get in, already!"
She went to the back seat and sat along with Anjali and Aarav. Anjali was talking animatedly to Aarav, while the boy was simply smiling and giving brief answers. 'Just like Arnav' She mentally scoffed.

*Few days later.
Sheethal: "Arnav, can I have a half day leave today?"
Arnav: "Half day? But why?"
Sheethal: "Woh.... I have to pick Aarav from school."
Arnav: "But he has school till evening, right?"
Aarav: "It's father's Day function at school. Everyone have to bring their father." He said in a sad tone. Khushi clenched her fist at the hopefulness lacing it.
Anjali looked at Aarav's sad face, thought for a second and turned to Arnav.
Anjali: "Chote... You attend the function with Aarav."
Khushi: "Di?"
Anjali: "Don't worry Khushiji. Everyone will believe that he is Aarav's father. After all Aarav is really similar to Chote."
Arnav: "Sure Di."
Khushi looked at Aarav to see a full blown smile and the rest of the family were chatting away, as if what just happened was perfectly normal.

Khushi went to Aarav's school after work. She walked into the auditorium to see her husband rocking the stage with his son. And soon she heard the announcement. "And the winner of the competition are...... Aarav Singh Raizada and his father. Arnav Singh Raizada." The Raizadas cheered loudly, not even minding the fact that Aarav was called Aarav Singh Raizada.
Aarav hugged Arnav: "Thanks Dad."

Khushi open the courier to see a hospital report. She stared at it shocked. Arnav walked into the room right then and took the paper from her, seeing her expression. It was the results of the DNA test that 'Khushi Singh Raizada' had asked for, stating that Aarav is Arnav's son. His anger flared seeing the reports. He tore the paper in anger before crushing it and throwing it into the waste bin.
Arnav: "This is the limits..."
Khushi: "Arnav..."
Arnav: "Not a word Khushi!"
Khushi: "Pls... Listen to me..."
Arnav turned around to walk out of the room.
But she ran to the door and closed it.
Khushi again had to wear long sleeved, high necked clothes the next day. The whole day Khushi had been absent minded. And NK, even, questioned her about the same. No one except for NK and Sheethal, really noticed that the distance between the couple had increased, more than usual. Well they didn't have time to notice being busy with Aarav and Sheethal.

AR was holding a party that evening, celebrating a huge deal. The party was held, at their usual venue - in one of the biggest hotels in the city. Arnav had given a half day leave to his employees to get ready for the party which was a rare incidence.
Sheethal went into Arnav's cabin.
Sheethal: "Arnav... I'm going to the beauty parlour. I was thinking about taking Khushi with me."
Arnav looked at Sheethal for a second before replying: "Ya sure"

Sheethal: "Arnav asked me to take you to the beauty parlour. He can't take you to the party like this, can he?" Sheethal said in a mocking tone. She had come into the kitchen, where Khushi was alone, preparing something, before taking an apple to eat. "No wonder he never introduced you to the world, before. I don't even understand how he agreed to marry you. His family might have forced him. Otherwise, why would The ASR marry a middle class halwai's daughter?"
She insulted Khushi.
This has become a common practice for Sheethal whenever they were alone. Not that it would have mattered, even if the family was present. They were the ones who compared her husband's ex-girlfriend's son to him, right in front of her. They were the ones who stayed quite while the boy insulted her, ordered her around. Told her to not mind when he and his mother took her place in the family and beside her husband. She felt that she had become a furniture for the family, remembered only when they have a need for it.