Contract Commitment ▪︎ARSHI▪︎

•Nine•

Every morning began with a cup of coffee in his dominant hand, today's paper on his thighs and the sun on his back, for the past few years nothing had changed.

Until it had.

Monday the 8th of June had been different for many reasons; one, his wife was in bed beside him giggling at a video of cats, two, loneliness had lost its position as his bedmate and three, Khushi's ex's restaurant was being sued.

Peering over the fogged up lenses of his glasses, Arnav ran a dreary hand over his face. "Some people don’t realize what they have until it’s gone, but that does not always mean they are supposed to get it back" his eyes zoned in on hers, flecks of green swirling in a haze of need that pleaded her to understand the words he hadn't said.

Turning her head toward him, her brows joined "Any particular reason why you're quoting Labossierie?" Her best friend/husband wasn't exactly the most philosophical of men, but on occasion, he'd quote something that always had her thinking, which of course she adored, but when he was thought-provoking he was always thinking too much about something and that concerned her, simply because one day he may think a little too hard about what they had and decide their future was better apart.

"Nav's restaurant is being sued for health code violations" the smile almost appearing on his lips was perhaps the hardest thing he'd ever had to hide, yet he did so well.

Sitting up more, she flung the blanket off of her legs and jumped up. "Why do you always do this?"

Ripping his glasses off, his arms crossed in a pathetic manner to shield his heart from the one and only person who could break it. "Do what?"

Sighing, she looked up sadly "It doesn't matter how far we go, does it?" Laughing almost painfully, her right hand scratched a harsh graze on her arm. "We will never move far enough away from this".

Turning his torso and hip, Arnav knelt on his knees "What's that meant to mean?" Swallowing thickly, he wet his lips to prevent the drip of words that would for sure turn into a prayer for the woman he wanted to want him back. He craved for her to know, to see, to feel that he was already on his knees, he'd go to her feet if he had to as long as she didn't walk out of that damn door.

"It's meant to mean that I can't do this anymore" she threw her hands up. Smacking her forehead, Khushi blinked away tears "I need to just be Khushi to you, not Nav's ex, but all I have ever been is an object of your ego, you continuously try and destroy Nav because you want to prove you won, but" her voice cracked, "I am a person, not a prize".

"Khushi" his voice was sad, body flushed with torment from the ice her heart had become so quickly. "I know that, of course, I know that" and he did, he never wanted to make her feel less human and more of a trophy on the shelf, perhaps his ego was too big, but who could blame him when he had a woman as beautiful and kind as her on his side? "I guess I can't get over the fact that he had a part of you I never will".

Stumbling back, her hand scrunched around the neckline of her top "What? Is this all it's ever been about to you?" A panicked breath tightened her chest the second her heels hit the wall, waving her hand, Khushi's head shook fast. She'd begged him, grabbed his hands, placed them on her head and made him swear, fell to the ground and implored him to never, ever rip her heart into two. But he had. Just like she'd expected, just like she'd known. Arnav was no different, he just acted it.

His brows contorted "Khushi?" His voice was low, partly broken and partly strong to act as if she couldn't hurt him. But she had. Just like he'd expected, just like he'd known.

"Never did I think that you of all people would be jealous that he had sex with me and you haven't" shaking her head once more, she scowled up at him.

Reaching out for her, he flinched when she stepped away. "Khushi" he frowned, "It's not your body it's your-".

"NO" she screamed, "No, you don't get to do this anymore, you don't get to touch me to take it all away" she couldn't be this weak, couldn't be this reactive to him anymore. Sniffling, her head dropped like a ton weight. "You lost that right when touching my body became more important only when you realised someone else had done it first" then she ran from the room.

Arnav's body sagged, hands smacking atop the mattress as his eyes shut tightly. "It's your heart" he whispered, knowing she'd be oblivious to his actions that spoke so much louder than his words.

•••

Throwing herself into work wasn't a new habit, it was old and grey, wrinkly and almost dead until today, of course. Today had changed it all, because for the first time in a very long time had Khushi required work to distract herself from someone who used to take on the title of her living, breathing distraction from heartache and pain.

Between constantly tracing her wet rimmed eyes over the messages he'd sent to get her attention and aggressively typing out lawsuits, she'd somehow filled the empty holes with red hot anger that would only soothe if his cool hands melted the warmth she wished he'd burn in.

But, God if he touched her, she was sure she'd scream.

Throwing her head back, she growled out then shoved her hands against the desk so the chair smashed against the wall. "DANNY".

Skidding into the room, his eyes remained wide "Yes, Your Majesty?" His boss had always been more of a big sister, especially since she'd found happiness with the hottie he often wished he'd met first, but that was beside the point. The point was that right now, this was not the Khushi he knew, this wasn't the Khushi that brought the sun on a rainy day, this was the woman Nav had broken, the woman who preferred to hurt others so she wouldn't hurt herself.

At his response, she coiled inwards "Am I being a bitch?"

"If I say yes will I get fired?" Chuckling as he dropped into a chair, he kicked his legs onto the desk and offered her a sympathetic smile.

"Urgh" her eyes rolled. "I'll take that as a hard yes then" smacking her face into her palms, she ran her hands roughly over her face.

"Tell Uncle Dan-Dan about it" he grinned, a gleaming smile.

"That name didn't stick before, it won't stick now" she groaned. "It's Arnav".

"The male model, yes, I know him" he nodded eagerly.

"Danny" she hissed, her nose scrunched in distaste, "Not now".

"Oh" he nodded, "OH, this is serious?" Sitting up straight, Danny slid forward a box of tissues "Okay, I'm listening".

•••

After about an hour of conversation where Danny had balled, broken down and begged Khushi not to end her relationship with the hottest man he'd ever seen, he'd finally found the strength to pull himself together and return to his desk. With puffy eyes, tear-streaked cheeks and a cracked voice, he looked up "May I help you?"

The man held the back of his neck uncomfortably, his ocean blue eyes wandering around the room to seek out the lost "I'm looking for Khushi" he coughed.

"Sure, can I ask what this is about?"

He smirked, "My name is Nav, I need a lawyer, but most importantly, I want my Khushi back".