Trusting heart - ArShi - show based

3- Mutual feelings

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"The Malik family? You mean to tell that Sheesh Mahal is your ancestral home?"

Of course she had heard of some tragic events that happened in the great Malik family who had lived in Sheesh Mahal before it became a hotel, but never had she imagined that something as tragic as that would befall the man in front of her. Her brain reminded her of the words that she had said to him on their very first encounter, at the same place that held such horrible memories for him, and she felt guilty for her heartless words to him.

"So that's why you were that angry on the day I crashed your fashion show, you were even more angry when I told you about my sister's wedding, I had opened old wounds for you and you retaliated by becoming a beast and when I asked you what you would have done if your sister's marriage was being called off... I had inadvertently rubbed salt into your wounds making you lose your infamous temper."

They both chuckled lightly at the irony of the situation. Since their first meeting, destiny had been tactfully playing them, entangling their lives in such a sizzling knot that they had no choice but to bow down to fate and accept the limitless love that they were feeling for each other. The man who had always believed that he could write his own destiny, now, had no choice but to accept that the greatest miracle of his life, his Khushi, had been brought into his life by the clever play of destiny.

"Yes, you were just at the wrong place at the wrong moment, and you had to say the exact words that made me think it was a plan to humiliate me. I'm so sorry for my behaviour that day, and the months that followed. I was messed up since our very first encounter, and added to that, the fact that I was desperately attracted to you made me feel like I was betraying myself."

Khushi gasped at that, not believing what he just said. She had a doubt about his feelings because of his behaviour towards her during the wedding preparations, but she had never imagined that he would accept that he was "attracted" towards her, especially from their first meeting. She almost forgot the gravity of their current situation and was now waiting eagerly for him to confess his feelings with bated breath. Desperately hoping that there was more between them than just "attraction". Her thoughts soon got interrupted by his husky voice,

"Now don't look at me like that, I think it's obvious that we both are attracted to each other. After all, we are both are mature adults and physical attraction is natural. And, not to brag, but we both are quite appealing to the eyes too."

He finished with a wink and a smirk to lighten the atmosphere.

He also wanted to let her know of his feelings. He couldn't back out this time. They still had time before the wedding and the family being so engrossed in the preparation, they could finish this much needed conversation without being unnecessarily disturbed. They needed to completely open up about what was in their hearts before deciding on the course of action to be followed. So he resumed his monologue, but not before chuckling at the amazed expression on Khushi's face,

"Khushi, I know it must be hard for you to believe, but yeah, I was attracted to you since the day you landed in my arms, your hazel eyes elicited some new emotions in me I have never felt before. And after that, the more you challenged me and stood up to me, the more my feelings for you grew. I didn't want to admit it, but I liked your fierceness, I admired the fact that you were not afraid of me; it felt so refreshing to have you around me. Your presence was like a breath of fresh air for me, and I wanted you to be always around me. I started craving for your presence. But I was too blinded in my arrogance to accept my growing feelings for you.

Because of the circumstances behind my mother's death, I could never have a genuine relationship, be it love or friendship. I was too afraid of betrayal to even think of love. Seeing my mother's end, I had always believed that love would only end in betrayal. I have dated some girls in Harvard, mostly because they were pestering me. But it never went further than 2 or 3 dates. And to see myself getting attached to you, missing you, needing you... it was too hard for me to accept.