I have turned this One Shot into a "Short Story" of 5 parts give or take.

So here a the few points I want to clear regarding it.

1. There is no evil Shyam in it. Where there is an ASR, why do we need another villian? ROFL.

2. Anjali is married to the love of her life Sameer and she has a daughter namedSanjana.Other than that all the characters are same like they were in the show.

Enjoy!

The whole of the office stood stock still on their place and so did Lavanya as they witnessed the scene unfold before them. No one had the courage to say anything let alone breathe because right there in the middle of the office a defiant Khushi was standing before the ASR whose eyes weren't shining with challenge like it always did ever since Khushi joined AR but something akin to defeat was visible not only in chocolate brown pools but also in his stance.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME? WHAT WRONG DID I EVER DO TO YOU THAT YOU STOOPED SO LOW TO MAKE ME SURRENDER?" Her voice boomed around in the office. Not only her voice but also a whimper that left her involuntarily.

They all saw how ASR flinched not at her shout but at her sob as if it was cutting him deep. They have never seen Arnav Singh Raizada this way before. Ever.

Unknown to them AR front door opened and some people walked in and soon their condition was the same as any of the AR employees witnessing it.

"Fine. FINE. Haar maani humne. Aap jeete hum haare!(I accept defeat. You won. I lost)" She screeched.

"Aur kya chahte hain aap? Girgirayen hum aap k saamne? Ghutno par baith k aap se maafi maange? Theek hai. Humein manzoor hai. Lekin aap pehle humein hamara qasoor toh btaiye? (What else do you want? For me to beg before you? Go to my knees and ask your forgiveness? Fine. I agree I will. But before that at least tell me what is my fault exactly?)" She shrieked at the top of her lungs.

He looked away whilst his Adam's apple bobbed.

"Aise kya kiya humne k aap ko humein neecha dikhane k liye jhoot ka sahara lena pada? (What did I ever do to you that you have to use lies as a bait to lower me in front of everyone's eyes?)" Her shoulders were shaking with sobs racking through her but her stance remained confident.

Tears were falling down her cheeks but her eyes were flashing with never ending spirit as she stood facing him heads on.

Clearly he did win in breaking her tough exterior but he didn't fully succeed in breaking her completely.

"Wo bhi aisa jhoot k jisne humein seedha jail hi poncha diya? (That too such a lie which made me end up in jail?)" She choked for the first time faltering in delivering strong words.

He closed his eyes in pain.

"Aap jaante bhi hain k pichle aik mahine mai humein aur hamare pariwar ko kya kya sehna pada sirf aur sirf aap k aik jhoote ilzaam ki wajah se? (Do you have any idea how much me and my family suffered in the last one month just because of your false accusation??)" She cried out.

"Pehle khud hi humein jail bhejte hain aur phir aik din Arnav Singh Raizada apne bade pan ka saboot dene k liye aa k humein bacha k dunya ki nazron mai mahaan ban jate hain ye keh k apne humein maaf kiya? Maafi kis baat ki jab humne kuch galat kiya hi nahi? (Firstly you yourself sent me to jail and then one day Arnav Singh Raizada just to show his generosity and to show off his greatness you 'forgave' me? Forgiveness for what when I didn't even do anything?)" She hollered.

"Galat kiya hai tumne! (You did do wrong!)" He snapped as if some of her words touched his throbbing nerve.

"Humein bhi toh pata chale k aisa kya galat kiya hai humne jis ka humein khud bhi pata nahi hai? (Shouldn't I know about it too that what did I do wrong of which I myself have no idea?)" She gritted out and gave him a strong push back that gasps reverberated in the air because never has anyone dared to behave this way with ASR no matter what.

Here not only the girl was practically shouting but also insulting him in front of his employees.

"Maira fashion show spoil kiya. (You spoiled my fashion show!)" He accused.

"Woh sab aik galt fehmi se hua! (That's because of a misunderstanding!)" She countered.

"Mairi baat manane ki bajaye ulta mujhe jawab diya! (Instead of agreeing to me you back answered me!)" He gritted.

"Galat baat sunein gay toh jawab dein gay hi. Hum aap k gulam nahi hain inn sab employees ki tarah k aap jo kahen gay aankh band kr k maan lein gay! (If I'd hear anything wrong I'd retaliate. I am not your slave like all of your employees that I agree to everything you say with my eyes closed!)" She retorted.

"Maire peeche dilhi tak aa gayi! (You followed me to Delhi)" He pointed a finger at her.

"Huh? Humein delhi aana pada wo bhi aap ki wajah se aur kyun ye bhi aap achi tarah se jaante hain! (I HAD to come to Delhi that too because of you and why, you know that very well yourself)" She showed him the mirror putting him at his place.

"Maire office tak chali ayi! (You had the audacity to come till my office)" He said just above a whisper.

"Bola na. Agar pata hota k aap yahan hain yahan se guzarte bhi nahi! (I told you. If I had known I wouldn't have step foot even a mile near it)" She growled.

"Phir bhi zid kar k job li tumne! (Still obstinately you got the job from me)" He growled back trying to gain some of his sanity.

"Kyun k aap ne majboor kiya humein bina kisi galti k job se nikal k aur toh aur apne cabin se beizzati kar k sab k saamne neeche phenka! (Because you forced me to act that way by firing me without any fault of mine. If that wasn't enough you threw me off your cabin insulting me in the worst possible way in front of everyone!)" She had an answer to his every accusation.

"Mairi itni koshisho k bawajood tumne job khud se nahi chodi! (Despite all my efforts you didn't leave the job yourself)" He glared.

"Kyun k humne haar manana seekha nahi hai! (Because I haven't learnt to accept defeat without a fight)" She declared sternly.

"Jeetna toh mairi bhi fitrat mai hai Khushi Kumari Gupta! (Winning is also in my nature Khushi Kumari Gupta)" He announced proudly.

By now they were standing facing each other with just a step away from each other breathing hard in both anger as well as sheer defiance. All heads were turning in between them like a tennis ball. Lavanya crossed her arms over her chest looking at the people at the front door with a raised eyebrow telling them through her eyes that 'this was what I was referring at'

"Chote?"

"Arnav?"

Arnav came back to his senses hearing two familiar voices and immediately took a step back. Turning his head his eyes caught the sight of his Di and Nani standing at the front door along with Manorama Mami.

Seeing them the fire in his eyes dimmed a bit and he moved a step back from Khushi trying to gather his wits while Khushi, her anger only rose because he still hasn't told her, her fault for which he sent her to jail that too on a false claim?

Sensing the gravity of the situation Devyani stepped forward along with Anjali. Manorama followed.

"Chote," Devyani said upon reaching them looking at Arnav. "Khushi bitiya," She turned her head to Khushi then who was barely hanging on the edge but then so was he.

"Lets go to Shantivan. You both can talk there." She said softly hoping it would make them see sense and not argue in front of the AR employees and who knows when this all go out. It would not turn out well for neither Arnav nor Khushi.

"No thanks, Nani ji." Khushi stated before turning to leave. Anjali stepped in her way. Khushi frowned.

Arnav rubbed his fingers on his forehead in sheer agitation. But due to this intervention both has calmed down a bit.

"Please Khushi ji?" Anjali said kindly. Khushi clenched her jaws looking away blinking back the tears.

"I am done, Anjali ji." Khushi gritted looking on the verge of breaking down. Her nose and cheeks were red both due to crying as well as self-restraint.

"I am really done with AR, with Lavanya ji, with everyone here and.. with him, too. I. Am. Done!" She gestured through her trembling hands whilst the last words came out as a sob cutting someone standing behind her.

"I don't want to talk anymore about any of it. Your brother won," She pointed to her. "And I lost." She pointed to herself with both her hands. "That's all there is to it." She finished with a finality in her tone even with bleary eyes.

Before she could protest Khushi cut her.

"So excuse me and spare me!" She folded her hands firmly before walking around her marched out with her head held high leaving deadly silence behind.

Arnav's red-rimmed eyes followed her retreating back until she didn't step out of the door.

Devyani and Anjali turned to Arnav for answers and so did Manorama but he seemed to have gone to some other world as he continued to stand frozen on his place with his eyes still locked at the door from where she walked out. Not only from AR but also from his life.

And he was afraid this time it might not be temporary!

Not just afraid, he was terrified which for the first time he didn't negate but accepted with all his being and it, it settled every restlessness within him which he was feeling ever since he met her.

That's it?

All he had to do was accept that she affected him and all would have sorted out? Not only in his heart but also in his mind?

Just for this single realization he made her go through hell right here on earth?

Just a SINGLE freaking thing was keeping him on his toes all day and all night whenever he saw her, talked to her, fought her, tortured her?

And it took Arnav Singh Raizada fucking two months to come to terms with this simple thing that Khushi Kumari Gupta didn't remain just an ordinary woman the minute he laid his eyes on her.

She became his ONLY solace!

Even though he snatched every bit of it from her.

It wasn't her he was angry at. Rather it was he. Himself. For, for being affected by a chit of a middle class girl to this extent that he couldn't stand even a drop of tear in her eyes. Yet he has made her cry the most.

When was the last time he has felt emotions this strong that he felt like going to any length just to stop the tears from falling from her eyes?

With his Di it was different and so was with Maa. Agreed he could do anything for them when Maa was alive and even now for his Di. He built a whole empire for Di to serve the purpose. But that was more on the obligation he felt towards his sister who lost not only their parents but also her fiance due to the tragedy happened with them 14 years ago.

But, with Khushi he does things as if certain instincts in him force him to do so. Even his sharp mind seems to shut off whenever she is around. In fact he looses his cool every time he even look at her.

And why.. why he feels like he won't be able to breathe if a day passed without any glimpse of her?

"Why?" He whispered with his head buzzing with too many questions with no answer.

"Huh?" Anjali asked sitting stiffly besides him in the car. Devyani turned her head from the passenger seat front looking at him in question. Manorama sitting on his left too turned her attention to him looking quiet serious than the usual.

They had to literally drag him out of AR because he refused to come out of the oblivion he went in after Khushi left.

"Why is this happening to me?" He hissed out frustrated turning his head to Anjali.

"Happening to you?" Anjali frowned. "For heaven's sake Chote all that has happened it did because of you WITH KHUSHI!" Anjali lost her cool.

"No you don't understand, Di." He exclaimed.

"Make me!" She challenged. Devyani turned her head back to the front but her ears were still at the back waiting for him to open up. Manorama too silently awaited.

"It shouldn't be happening with me, right?" He asked looking lost at Anjali.

"What?" Anjali whispered feeling scared now. Did he do something more drastic than sending Khushi to jail? She hoped not. The girl has suffered enough in his manipulative and egoistic games!

"I shouldn't have done that." He said looking ahead with his eyes flickering with emotions that never has anyone seen in them ever.

"For god's sake tell me what else did you do? You'd give me a heart attack now!" Anjali exclaimed losing it.

"If she has had fallen in my arms in Lucknow I should have let her go without doing anything."

"What did you do to her, Chote?" Anjali panicked dreading the worst. The person sitting at the driving seat stiffened and so did the other two occupants in the car.

"I thought some rival sent her so I kept her locked in a room all night. It was the same night when Payal was supposed to marry." He trailed off. Anjali couldn't breath.

"Chote, tell me you didn't cross your line. Tell me you didn't." Anjali shook him turning him to her grabbing his arm.

"No, Di." He shook his head with his eyes widening. Anjali sighed in relief and so the other three in the car.

"I didn't cross the line but I treated her so badly. She had Payal's dowry papers with her which she needed to take with her to the wedding. She told me she came there by mistake and she had to leave urgently but I didn't let her and Payal's marriage broke. If that wasn't enough I released the video of her falling in my arms and declared her a gold digger in the society. Her life became miserable there in Lucknow that her parents had to sent her and Payal to Delhi to save their dignity."

Manorama gulped while Anjali fell back on the seat. Devyani felt her hands shaking. Not getting any word out of any of them he continued himself. The car was now stopped at the side of the road because she couldn't drive listening to it all while driving.

"Don't even ask about how I made a mess in her already disturbed life in Delhi as well. Unfortunately for her Lavanya hired her as her own PA and there Khushi's real test begun. I promised her I'd make her life hell. I DID." He explained each and every event that transpired in the month she worked in AR and later when she left how and what he did.

When he finished there was a deafening silence in the car.

"But why?" Anjali croaked. "Why were you so cruel to her? What did she ever do to you?"

He twisted and untwisted his fingers.

"Just because she back answered you, you ruined her life?" Anjali probed when he refused to speak.

"Not just that." There was certain kind of defeat not only in his tone but also in his demeanor.

"What else?" Anjali really wanted to know so did they all. Several moments of silence passed until he opened his mouth.

"I wanted to punish her."

"But why?" Anjali couldn't help but shout. And it triggered his rage so much that he burst out.

"BECAUSE I COULDN'T GET HER OUT OF MY MIND!" He bellowed. "That even when I am with Lavanya all I could think about is her. Just.. her." He said helplessly at the end.

Someone gasped from the driving seat causing Arnav to close his eyes in pain feeling more than guilty now. He raised his eyes and it clashed with Lavanya's in the rear view mirror whose eyes were full of unshed tears. He averted his eyes feeling like an idiot for hurting too many people in his spree to just make one girl surrender before him.

Anjali's shoulders sagged. Devyani released a long sigh while Manorama's jaws dropped as each one of them understood what is happening to him except for him, of course.

But still neither of them answered when he asked silently,

"How do I get her out of my mind? Just.. how?"

Devyani quietly reached over and placed a comforting hand on Lavanya's who looked at her blinking back the moisture. They were not just ordinary tears but tears of heartbreak. Agreed Devyani didn't like the type of relationship her grandson has made with Lavanya but that doesn't mean that she didn't like her at all. The girl was modern no doubt and understood little of tradition or religious customs but she was a gem at heart. Of that she was sure.

Lavanya nodded at her passing her a wounded smile. This exchange didn't go unnoticed by Anjali and Manorama while Arnav was busy piercing his glare at his joined fingers as if they held all the answers. As if it would bring him out of this turmoil. Despite the realization that Khushi Kumari Gupta affected him now the restlessness has bounced back with double the force as another question swam in his mind with piercing noise.

Why can't he throw her out of his life just like the way he threw her down his cabin in the blink of an eye?

"It's disappointing Chote that you are still thinking about yourself only when you should be thinking how to apologize to Khushi and her family!" Devyani spoke while Lavanya silently started the car and put it back on the road.

At that Arnav's head whipped to her.

"I will make it up to her. To her family." He announced with steely determination making way back to his stance. Devyani and Anjali sighed in relief but that was short lived as he added,

"But I am not apologizing to anyone!" He told the verdict.

"Hello hi bye bye." Manorama muttered to herself while the other three ladies shook their heads at his arrogance.

Rassi jal gayi par bal nahi gaya!

(Habits take long to depart)

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Cheers!

(Pics/Quotes from Google)