Be Mine, Khushi...

Back home

"Sir."  Aman huffed as he stormed into Arnav's cabin. From his unsettled expression and panting, he evidently ran up the corridor bearing some bad news .

Arnav, startled, dropped the file he was reviewing . In all his years as Aman's boss, he had never seen him so uneasy. Aman was the kind of man who kept cool when share markets took a dip in   the deepest trench  - if he was freaking out it didn't bode well for him.

"Aman! What happened? Is Khushi okay?"  Arnav blurted out in one breath , his heart almost stopping.

"What??!"

Aman panted for a few seconds , his face incredulous. Although he shouldn't have been surprised, for it was evident from the picture in his hand that Arnav had a soft corner for Khushi.  He forwarded it to Arnav, still trying to catch his breath. 

Arnav's face grew ashen , his hands trembling as he saw what was inside the envelope . A picture.

Of him . Leaning over and kissing Khushi. 

Arnav grappled around for his chair and sat down shakily. "What the...What is the meaning of this?"

"Sir, this came in just now from one of our undercover employees in News Daily. He found this in an anonymous envelope addressed to their office, and it came with a suggested headline."

"What headline?"

Aman paused, hesitating.

"WHAT HEADLINE , AMAN ??"

"Some thing like this  - Playboy businessman , or opportunistic seductive secretary?...."

In a fit of blinding rage, Arnav threw a glass vase across the room. It hit a shelf and shattered to a million pieces.He didn't care what people thought of him  - but Khushi ? His Khushi ?

"Who the fuck  sent these?"

"Anonymous, sir." 

"CCTV footage?"

"Nada. "

Arnav clutched the photo tighter, crumpling its sides as he tried to suppress his maddening anger and think like the shrewd businessman he was. 

Who could have had taken the picture? 

...Shauna? 

Would she dare? And wasn't she sleeping ?

Arnav gritted his teeth in frustration. The lack of evidence was annoying  - he couldn't just confront Shauna based on his doubts. She might deny it outright , and he would have no proof to apprehend her  - moreover if she indeed took the picture she'll come to know he knew about it. 

"Are there any more copies?" 

"I don't quite know sir. I've instructed Dheeraj to sneak into the main office and steal any more such letters if he found, but other than that there is pretty much nothing we can do."

" No Aman this shit is IMPORTANT.  YOU CAN'T SAY WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING DAMMIT !!"

"But sir.."

"No buts. I want  a private team on this right now. And send  Tanya inside."

Aman nodded as he backed out , his face concerned. 

Arnav crumpled up the picture completely as he thew it inside the dustbin, taking care to shred it before doing so. 

"May I come in sir?"

Arnav looked up and instructed Tanya to sit opposite him. 

"Take the phone and call Miss Dixit. "