Our Arranged Love Story

Part 3

Khushi's gaze was fixed on the untouched cup of tea and snacks on the table... She was twisting the edge of her dupatta, as she didn't know how to meet her eyes with Arnav... Her hands itched with nervousness, and she was unsure what to do or say... Sensing her discomfort, Arnav cleared his throat to break the silence between them.. Taking a sip of his coffee, he said, 'I didn't know we were coming to see you, and I guess it's the same for you.. You didn't expect me here..'

Khushi nodded and looked at him from the corner of her eyes... Arnav noticed how nervously she was playing with her dupatta and avoided looking at him. He understood how uncomfortable this situation must be for her... He leaned back, taking another sip of his coffee, and gently said, 'Relax. You don't have to be so tense..'

Khushi looked up at him for a moment, still unsure of how to respond... She took a deep breath and said, 'I'm really sorry for what happened in the office... I didn't mean to cause any trouble.. I just didn't know how things worked there...'

Arnav looked the other way avoiding her gaze and said, 'I get it...  To be honest, I also kind of overreacted...This branch is new and dad gave me the responsibility of it, It was my first client there, my very first solo project, and, well, you kind of ruined it with the fire alarm and all...'

Khushi felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She looked down at her hands, twisting her dupatta again.. She sighed, recalling the chaotic day, 'When I lit that diya,  I didn't know the fire alarm would go off! Suddenly, everything was drenched in water, and I just felt so foolish...'

Arnav looked at her with little guilt, 'Yeah... I screamed at everyone pretty badly, didn't I? The client left, and I was so mad... I didn't want to mess up, not on my first project..'

Khushi nodded, 'I understand...  I would've been mad too.. I had no idea the fire alarm would go off like that...'

Arnav ran a hand through his hair, feeling a bit awkward now... Khushi hesitated as she continued, 'I... I never knew something like that could happen. I've never been in an office with a system like that. I just thought lighting the diya in front of Devi Mainya would be nice, like how we do at home... I didn't think it would trigger the fire alarm and... cause all that mess...'

Arnav frowned, ' I understand it wasn't all your fault, but you should've asked someone first before lighting a diya in an office...'

Khushi bit her lip and nodded quickly, 'I should've... I really should've... In my over excitement I messed up, I'm sorry..'

Arnav looked at Khushi, there was an innocence about her that caught him off guard, something  very pure.. Though he saw her once before but today is the first time he was seeing her like this, so close..She was different—genuine in a way that felt rare, especially in the world he was used to.. There was a softness in her beauty, a naivety that made her seem sweet and divine, little fragile yet strong. ..

Arnav carefully studied her features—her delicate face, the way she nervously twisted her dupatta, and the sincerity mixed with fear in her eyes. It struck him that she wasn't like the women he usually met, who often tried to impress him or sought his attention. Why was he suddenly drawn to her? Was it because he knew she had lost her parents and how her father had helped his own? Or was it the way her family treated him with so much love and respect? They seemed to view him as someone special, almost like a future son-in-law. That thought made him feel uneasy..

 He sighed thinking, probably he judged her too quickly that day?In his mind, he had already made up a clear picture of her—an incompetent, naive girl from a small town, who, despite her academic achievements, didn't seem fit for the fast-paced environment at AR..When he found out she had been hired as an intern, he had been skeptical from the start.. He remembered how irritated he felt when she ruined his first project with that diya fiasco. It was a big moment for him—a new branch, his first solo project, and the client was important.