Foundation of Marriage

Part 24 - Refinement

Another month had passed, and life had settled into a new, comforting routine for Khushi and Arnav. Khushi and Payal spent their time at home often in the company of Anjali, sharing laughter, stories, and the occasional gossip. But amidst all this, Khushi's tiffin service had become a flourishing success. Arnav was proud of Khushi, seeing her pour her heart into her work. It gave him immense satisfaction to see her doing something she loved and excelling at it. With his help, Khushi had registered her business now as a catering service, and she also employed several women to help with the cooking. She was on the verge of launching her very own app and website, marking her entry into the digital world. To handle the growing demands of her business, she had hired an assistant and put together a small team to venture into the catering industry. Throughout this journey, Arnav had been her rock, guiding her through the complexities of running a business. Their nightly classes, where he taught her business tricks and helped improve her English skills, had become a cherished routine. Khushi, in turn, took the initiative to join coaching classes and started watching more English movies, eager to better her language skills. She even began grooming herself more, changing her dressing style, eating style, talking style as her business grew and she met new people, but despite all the changes, she remained the same humble, quirky Khushi.

On the home front, their marriage was blossoming in ways Khushi hadn't expected. Every day, she found herself falling more deeply in love with her laad governor. But none of them spoke about what happened on the holi night thinking that it would just be a drunken mistake to the other. She just cherished the intimate moments she spent with her husband in her heart. Arnav, who had always been so reserved, now looked forward to the small, intimate moments they shared. He was still the Arnav Singh Raizada, but there was a softness to him now, a vulnerability that only Khushi could bring out, especially after their holi night. Although he didn't ever mention about it, trying to make it a distant memory but he kept dreaming about it almost everyday. Their playful banter, or "nok-jhok," continued as usual. But now, it was interspersed with moments of genuine affection. The kiss on the cheek, which Arnav had initially given her as a ruse when Shyam was watching, had now become a daily ritual. Every morning before heading to the office, Arnav would kiss Khushi goodbye, a gesture that had become as natural as breathing. And every evening, no matter how late he returned, Khushi would wait for him, and they would always have dinner together. Khushi, too, had become more comfortable in their shared space. She no longer hesitated to claim her half of the bed, often sprawling in her sleep and unwittingly disturbing Arnav. But Arnav didn't mind; in fact, he found it endearing. He had grown accustomed to waking up with her close, in his arms or on his legs, her presence was effortlessly filling the once-empty spaces in his life. At the office too the changes in Arnav hadn't gone unnoticed. Rumour had it that Mrs. ASR had tamed the lion, bringing a sense of calm and happiness into his life that few had ever witnessed. Marriage, something Arnav had once vehemently avoided, was now making him happier than he had ever imagined. And with Khushi's endearing cuteness, he knew he wouldn't be able to stay angry with her for long, even if he tried.

One early morning, as the first light crept through the curtains, Arnav's phone rang. He picked it up groggily, rubbing his eyes, but the moment he heard the voice on the other end, his expression turned serious. Khushi, who was still half-asleep beside him, noticed the sudden change and immediately sat up, worried.

Khushi: "What happened, Arnavji?"

Arnav didn't respond immediately. Instead, he finished the call with his jaws clenched. He looked at Khushi, his eyes were dark with worry and anger.

Arnav (serious tone): "Khushi, someone had indeed tampered with the brakes of my car that day."

Khushi: "Which day?"

Arnav: "During the pre-wedding functions, when we got stuck while coming back from the temple, remember?"

Khushi's eyes widened in shock.