BEYOND DESIRE- (Completed)

PART- VII (A)

Apologize for the delayed update (& a small one too) ... hence I will be compensating with back to back updates... Yipee, the next one is up too...

PRESENT TIMELINE

Back to the Present (15 months after Arnav met Khushi) at Raizada Mansion, New Delhi:
((Timeline-wise this is right after Part-5))

"Khushi and her husband Rajesh were travelling from Nainital to Rampur when there was a landslide that hit them"

"Khushi had multiple fractures and was in a critical condition for more than a month"

"She was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder"

"Even after she healed physically, she had panic attacks for a long time"

"Khushi is not in touch with her family in Nainital"

"Khushi recently, precisely a week back, took up a job with Tech Designs, a small company in Bombay"

"How did this happen?" Arnav kept thinking after Sameeer left, "How did things go this bad?" "How could Khushi do this to me?"


His head was reeling with all the information that Sameer just gave him.

Arnav's heart was burning with rage, pain and betrayal. He clumsily poured himself some scotch and gulped it down. Nothing could assuage his torment today. Only she could...

"Khushi", he screamed as he wiped the bar desk with a clean sweep of his hand throwing the bottles down.


Tina came running down to the living area at the glass-shattering sound.



"ASR", she said, "ASR, what's wrong?", "ASR please talk to me", she begged.
"Get out", he bellowed, "Leave me alone". He walked away to his bedroom.


Tina was scared to the core. His normal cold anger was very different from today's fury. Tina picked up the phone to call Anjali but then quickly decided against it. "No, I will only be worrying her more, besides Di lives in Banglore. There is not much she can do from there". She then remembered the only person that could talk sense into him.

"Aman, this is Tina"

"Yes Mam"

"Aman, please come to RM right away. ASR is..."

"What happened to ASR?" Aman panicked

"He is furious about something", Tina voice was filled with anxiety, "He looks like a mad man. I am scared he will hurt himself"

"I will be there in 15 minutes", Aman promised

A while later, and after a lot of placation, Aman was let into Arnav's bedroom. Tina, though, was not allowed.

"ASR, what happened?"


Arnav stayed silent. He kept searching for the medicines. It had been a long time, almost an year, since he used them but he needed them today... to calm himself... to get out of his manic rage...


"Did you hurt yourself?" Aman enquired of his boss, "What are you searching for?"


Aman checked for any cuts or bruises on his employer. Arnav still stayed silent.


"Sir, please talk", Aman spoke impatiently, "What the hell happened?"


Arnav was silent again. Aman was fraught with worry. Arnav found the medicines he was looking for and swallowed one.


Aman's eyes grew big looking at the medication that his boss took. He knew why...


"Sir, whatever it is, I want you to calm down. You are the ASR. You always analyze and dissect things and find a solution to any problem. Think coolly and tell me what exactly happened and what you plan to do. Please..."


Arnav was pacified to a small extent with this talk. The elapsed time and the medicines had partially cleared his mind. Closing his eyes, Arnav took a long deep breath. Aman waited for him to speak. After what seemed an eternity, Arnav started speaking.


"Aman, I want you to do something"

"Anything, sir", Aman's response was prompt


The loyal Aman was ecstatic that his boss was back. "The cold calculative ASR is the best", Aman chuckled to himself. He couldn't see his boss broken down.


"I want you to orchestrate a meeting with a company called 'Tech Designs' in Bombay", Arnav spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, "Create a situation in such a way that they request our help. You will gladly provide help as a manager not of AR but as a manager of ARB. I will speak to Akash about this"


Arnav continued, "Let them not know that ARB is a sister company of AR. Make it look like ARB functions independently. I want ARB to be the major shareholder in 'Tech Designs'. Get them to sign the contract with us on our terms. Specify that a few of their employees of our choice will be absorbed into ARB. Set the stipulations in such a way that they are watertight. Leave them no choice"


Aman was stupefied. He had surely heard wrong. "Probably his lack of breakfast was messing with his head, like it did with his boss. Or may be the medicines the boss just took", Aman was damn confused.


"Sir", Aman was suddenly cautious, "um... Why do we have to care about a small company like Tech Designs?", "I mean...", he worded carefully, "Why should we invest in it with no profit to us?"


Arnav gave a tight faint smile, "There is profit Aman", he was quiet for a few minutes,  "Khushi works there"

That was all was needed for Aman to understand, "You found her?", he squealed. Now everything fell in place for Aman.

"It will be done sir", Aman said in a business-like tone straightening his spine, "to the T"

..............................