Arnav struggled to concentrate on his emails, his mind a chaotic swirl of unfinished thoughts and unspoken emotions. Lavanya's sudden entrance only heightened his irritation. She was holding a vibrant tomato-red saree, the delicate stone work glinting in the light. Her face was lit with joy, the prospect of becoming Mrs. ASR seemingly giving her wings.
Arnav, however, was desperate for a moment of peace to focus on his work. He gritted his teeth but remained silent.
"Arnavji, I'm torn! Should I go for a bright color or peach for the engagement?" Lavanya's voice was filled with excitement, but Arnav barely heard her.
"What?" he barked, his tone harsher than intended. Lavanya flinched slightly, confused by his anger.
"Arnavji? What's gotten into you? Has Khushi influenced you so much Lavanya ,that you've forgotten your own existence.We're getting engaged because we don't believe in love and its complications. It's not like we love each other, right? Why this pretense?" His words were cutting and mocking.
Lavanya felt a stab of pain but managed to smile through it, though it didn't reach her eyes. She shared Arnav's skepticism about love, yet she secretly hoped he might grow to care for her.
"Calm down, ASR. I just wanted your opinion on how this would look for the engagement," she said softly, draping the saree over her shoulders with a grace she had learned from Khushi. Arnav's mind drifted, imagining Khushi enveloped in the red fabric, her beauty magnified.
"Perfect," he muttered, still lost in his daydream.
"Thank you, ASR. I was considering a peach colored one but Khushi suggested this," Lavanya said, snapping him back to reality.
"Enough, Lavanya!This is too much.You're not a child. Make your own decisions instead of being swayed by others," he snapped.
Lavanya was left puzzled by his erratic behavior. One moment he seemed himself, and the next, he was distant and harsh. She couldn't fathom what had changed, or why his moods swung so wildly.
---
Lavanya left silently, but her feeble and unsteady walk spoke volumes about her inner turmoil. Arnav felt a pang of guilt watching her retreat and resolved to make it up to her later.
Meanwhile ,Khushi noticed Lavanya’s distraught expression. Lavanya was holding a blush brush, drawing overlapping lines on her cheeks repeatedly. Khushi hesitated but then decided to approach her.
"Lavanya ji, I want to learn makeup from you. You always do it so perfectly, with such a beautiful and subtle finish," Khushi said, her voice filled with admiration. Lavanya couldn't help but smile at Khushi's cute antics, momentarily forgetting her misery.
"I would love to, Chamkili. But first, I want to work my makeup magic on you. You won't recognize yourself," Lavanya replied with a genuine smile. Khushi, eager to lift Lavanya’s spirits, agreed.
Lavanya carefully applied the makeup, her hands steady and skilled. She created a look that was both elegant and subtle, enhancing Khushi’s natural beauty. When she finished, Khushi looked at her reflection and gasped.
"Wow, Lavanya ji! I can’t believe this is me," Khushi exclaimed, genuinely impressed.
"See? I told you," Lavanya said with a wink, feeling a bit lighter after focusing on something she loved.
---
Later that evening, Khushi was busy setting up the fairy lights around the poolside as per her sister's wish. The lights spelled out "Akash and Payal" in a delicate, enchanting script, their reflections dancing on the water's surface and adding an ethereal charm to the setting.
YOU ARE READING
Tum Se Door
أدب الهواةDonon Jaante hein ke Ishq me doobe huwe hein, ek ko abhi uski shiddat ka ehsaas nahi,Doosra shaqs na chahte huwe bhi,uske lab par khamoshi hai. Dekhna ye hai k yeh zanjeeren Tod paate hein ya nahi!!!!!
