PEHLI MOHABBAT

# 23

A/N - I almost thought that I would miss this week's update. I just didn't wanted to write this chapter, particularly, in a hurry. Cause this chapter brings the story of Inaya and I wanted to give full justice to it. I had to rewrite and edit again again just to make sure that it brings out the same meaning and depth as I wanted it to be. Happy reading!

{ T W E N T Y  T H R E E }
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The stairs were slapped against the chipboard wallpaper as if they were an afterthought. They fell too close to the entrance and were uncommonly narrow. Armaan took steady steps holding the rail which was was simply a plank of wood supported by three mean spindles. As he reached the last step of the staircase, Armaan saw Vatsalya walking out of a room situated at the end the narrow corridor. He stopped near the railing only to place the vape pen on his lips and then resumed walking towards the staircase. Armaan quickly pulled his hoodie over his head and started moving towards the room.

Inaya looked up , horrified , as she saw Armaan walking in the room. Even if she was scared, she didn't let it show on her face. Placing her left hand on her hip she watched him close the door .

" I didn't knew this club had a library as well." She chuckled in a failed attempt to wave off the awkwardness around.
" Anyways so why did yo- "
Inaya couldn't complete her sentence as Armaan inched closure to her.
Unexpectedly, his hand drifted to her hip. It settled there and pulled her closer , his arms encircled her. He drew her to him to which Inaya gasped. She let out a sharp breath as Armaan held her right hand with the distance between them getting shorter every second. But then realisation hit her and Inaya froze. She jerked back but it was too late. She looked at her right hand. It was gone. The envelope she had been hiding all this while was now in Armaan's hand.

"Give it back." She said in a stern warning.

" After I see it. "
In a snap of second Armaan tore the envelope along with whatever it contained.

" ARMAAN!" Inaya shouted. Her eyes welled up.

" Why did you do this Inaya? "
Words left Inaya. She stared into those bright brown eyes burning with anger.
" ANSWER ME!" he roared.

" BECAUSE I'M WORTH OWNING MY DAD'S BUSINESS ! " Inaya shouted back. There was something in that shout, a pain behind it. Armaan watched. He watched Inaya's eyes. Then he knew. The anger was nothing but a shield for pain.
" I just wanted to prove that I'm worth it." She whispered before breaking down completely.

Armaan didn't knew how to react. He just stood their grounded to the floor. He hadn't seen Inaya like this before. He always imagined and even saw her as a women who was strong enough to handle everything and anything. But here she stood sobbing, broken down by a pain she held maybe for years. Armaan wanted to help her but before that he wanted to know the reason.

" Armaan whenever you go somewhere outside , log tumhe kis naam se bulate hai ? "
Armaan looked up at Inaya who was staring the white tiled floor. He wasn't sure what she was taking about or where the conversation was heading to but he kept quite.

When he didn't answer,Inaya chuckled softly and said,
" Half of the population of India knows me as the heir of Malhotra estates. Any article related to me is published with the headlines always starting from ' the daughter of Mihir Malhotra' . " She paused.
Then looked up straight into Armaan's eyes. " Is this all I'm? Don't I have any Identity? Haan main ek ameer baap ki beti hoon. But just because I have everything I need, doesn't mean that I don't have any struggles. " Armaan noticed that Inaya was almost complaining.