In A Heartbeat | ✓

Chapter 22 : Trouble In Paradise

Gauravi hummed walking into the mansion. Work was hectic but she was liking it. She had a lot of fun with Chiraag and Tushaar. At times those two idiots teamed up against her, playing pranks and making fun of her small height but she always got back at them single-handedly.

She was surprised to see her grandmother seated beside Kalyani Daadi. Her steps faltered as her eyes fell on Himanshu Rathore, her father. Almost instantaneously, her father looked up.

Gauravi's heart thudded in anticipation of something wrong. Something was wrong!

"Papa," she called for his attention walking towards the sofa he sat on. It was then she noticed her Mama Ji sitting there too. Her gut twisted, something wasn't right! The look he gave her, said it all.

"Gauravi," he sighed looking up at her, worry etched on his face.

"Here she is!" She heard her Daadi's sharp voice.

She turned to meet her eyes. "Daadi?" Gauravi muttered noticing the glaring eyes of her grandmother. She knew trouble had knocked her door.

"Ask her, Himanshu. Where was she until now? It's seven."

"Daadi.." Gauravi tried getting a quick lie out of her mouth. She hated the taunting tone her grandmother used.

She looked around and noticed the grim faces of the Oberoi family members.

A minute of tension-filled silence passed which was broken by the voice of the two Oberoi brothers Nishaant and Shiv. They were chuckling having a light conversation walking in. But once they observed the faces of everybody in the room their faces lost the mirth. The two greeted the unexpected guests with bafflement written all over their faces.

"It's good to see you uncle, Daadi. Is everything okay?" Shiv asked, glancing at his grandma and the his mother. The two simply lowered their gazes.

"Everything is okay, except Gauravi." Her grandmother's icy stare was back on her. Nishaant quickly turned to see Gauravi. He gave her a full look. She seemed okay, just shocked. What was even happening?

"What, what happened?" He asked baffled, tearing his gaze away from her to look at her grandmother.

"She's been lying to us, deceiving us." Revealed Jaya Devi looking at her granddaughter with expression that could be best described as disgust.

"Daadi.." Gauravi mumbled, looking at her grandmother, with the little courage she could gather.

"Not a word, Gauravi!" Her grandmother scolded, her voice was laced with anger. Nishaant looked on as Gauravi lowered her gaze.

"There must have been some misunderstanding.." Shiv spoke although he knew the difficult situation, whatever it was, may turn out ugly.

"Where do you go in the name of college?"

Gauravi stared at her grandmother shocked. Crap, she knew!

"Who is that guy you roam around with, without any shame?" Her grandmother asked further.

Gauravi's jaw dropped. "I don't.."

"Don't you lie. Your Mama Ji saw you riding a scooter with that guy sitting behind you. It seemed that you two were really close. That's what you give us in return of..."

"It was just a friend, not like what Mama Ji thought it was." Gauravi spoke up for herself. Nishaant swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He was happy that for once she was speaking for herself.

"Stop lying, Gauravi." Her grandmother seethed. "Whose bike was it? You have the nerve to lie. Do you even go to college? Or is this how you spend your time, with this guy, fooling around the city?"