Making Her Mine- An IPKKND story.

Chapter 41 - Charmed!

Arnav forced himself to not go to Khushi when she arrived. They had just finished telling Dubey about the investigation and what they had learned about Shyam.

She looked flushed and anxious and was making straight for him.

"Mrs. Raizada," ACP Dubey said, stopping her. "We need to talk to you alone."

"No!" Arnav said, standing up. "She doesn't—"

"I insist."

Khushi looked confused and afraid.

"Khushi, you don't have to talk to him if you don't want to."

"It's okay, Arnav Ji," she replied. "I've spoken to him before."

"No, I'm not leaving you alone with him. Aman, call Mr. Roy. She can have a lawyer present when you're questioning her—"

"Arnav Ji, it's okay," Khushi said. She turned to ACP Dubey. "I want my husband to be there with me."

Dubey looked reluctant but nodded.

There were sighs of relief from Aman and Akash. They filed out, leaving Arnav and Khushi alone with the policemen.

Khushi came over to sit next to him.

"Mrs. Raizada. Did your husband force you to get married to him?" Dubey asked her as soon as they had settled.

Khushi stiffened and shot a bewildered glance at Arnav. Arnav kept his jaw clenched.

"That is — that is not — I mean, what does that have to do with anything?"

"I have a lot of information that suggests you were coerced into this marriage, and that you have not been treated well—before your marriage and after. It has implications on this case."

"You think I tried to hurt Arnav Ji?" Khushi asked.

"Khushi—" Arnav began, but Dubey interrupted him. "Please let her answer, Mr. Raizada. That's why I wanted to speak to her alone, so she could speak without intimidation."

"Look, Dubey Ji," Khushi said, getting over her shock with amazing speed. "I understand what you're hinting at. You think Arnav Ji is a horrible man and that he has tortured me so much I want to get revenge."

Well, if she put it like that.

"But that's only what he seems like. He's not really like that," she clasped Arnav's hand as she said this. "He's a good person. He donates to hospitals without telling anyone. Once he bought all the pigeons they sell near the mandir for a little girl to set free. So that she could have all the wishes for her sick father. And he did this without showing anyone—"

"What?" Arnav asked, bewildered. How did she know about the pigeons?

She ignored him. "And he takes care of everyone around him. He just likes to pretend that he's mean. We have had our clashes, but I know him. And I love him!"

Dubey looked startled at this outpouring.

"Besides, if I wanted to hurt him—he's diabetic, you know? I could have just fed him some sugar, and—"

"Khushi, stop talking!" Arnav exclaimed. What was she doing saying things like that to the police?

But Dubey was smiling. "So you're saying it's just online gossip? You're just having some husband-and-wife fights?"

Khushi frowned. "What is online?"

"Gossip, speculations. People like to know what's going on in ASR's life. I'd not pay any attention —"

"People gossip about Arnav Ji online?" Khushi sounded thrilled.

"They do," Dubey said. He was grinning widely now. "I would recommend not searching for them. You won't like what they have said." Arnav groaned inwardly. Exactly the thing to say to make her look.

"Are you from Lucknow, Dubey Ji?" Khushi asked.

"Kanpur," Dubey replied, vastly more friendly with Khushi than he had been with Arnav. "But I love Lucknow – the food is divine."

"Isn't it?" Khushi said brightly. "If you ever want to eat —"

"Khushi, we are getting off topic, no?" Arnav interrupted. What on earth, really? Why was this infuriating officer acting like NK all of a sudden?

"Er — yes. Khushi Ji, do you think Shyam Jha is behind this attack, too?" Dubey asked, looking a bit sheepish. He had dropped 'Mrs. Raizada', Arnav noticed. It was 'Khushi Ji' now.

Aman and Akash joined them once the questioning was over. It had stopped being combative somewhere between Khushi confessing that she could easily get rid of Arnav with a little sugar and offering to cook Lucknow food for this man. Dubey and she had become pals, and he was taking her statements about Shyam much more seriously than Arnav's, much to his annoyance.

"I like him," Khushi declared when Dubey and his man had left. Aman grinned at Khushi. Akash looked around in surprise. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Arnav said. "Khushi happened, I guess. It's fine – we told him everything. And whether you like him or not," directing this irritably at Khushi, "he better be helpful after making us tell him all that."

"But we have to help the police, Arnav Ji. He looks very competent. I wonder if he's married."

"Excuse me?"

"They're looking for a boy for Aradhna. You met her at Preeto's wedding. She was the one who —"

"Khushi, please don't."