Chapter 1
31st December, New Year's Eve
White lilies embellished the alley of Raizada Mansion.. Every year thousands were bought to adorn the premises of the raizada.. They were the favorites of Mr Raizada.. So what if it cost him half a million! He does it the grandiose style.. It was his identity after all! New Year's Eve.. The end of a rich, successful year and the start of new enriching challenges.. While AR Designs remained the number one fashion house, Raizada's new year's bash had always been the talk of the town. A trend he began since the third year of AR Designs and year after year it grew bigger and bigger..
"The Mighty Arnav Singh Raizada, the big daddy of fashion houses.. Who throws the most happening parties of all time". - reported
The lawn illuminated.. Lilies spread into the pool.. Champagne unlimited... And guests into their best outfits, ready to celebrate new year. From richest industrialists to entertainment stars, a throng of celebrities gathered into the green exterior of ASR's residence. And of course.. Where fame, the press follows. The guys already took over the bar while the ladies gossiped with each other. "Definitely not a party to miss!", the wife of a businessman said.. "Where is ASR?",another wife asked excitedly.. "Girl, he is the Arnav Singh Raizada.. His entry has to be epic.. As always!", a young businesswoman replied while sipping champagne.. "Hey, isn't this ASR's grandmother?", the first wife pointed towards the old lady descending the stairs in a simple beige saree. "Yes.. Mrs Shobha Mallik", the businesswoman acknowledged.
Mrs Shobha Mallik... Maternal grandmother of Arnav.. His nani, a mother figure to the cold hearted businessman.. A 70 year woman with her traditional values which stayed strong as rock though she shifted into a new society.. She firmly disagreed with the new lifestyles of her grandchildren and she refused to lose hope on bringing them onto the right path. As she reached the last steps, a lonesome guy in his late twenties standing against the open bar, waved his hands towards her. He placed his glass of juice and hurried to the stairs. He pushed his specs on his nose and bowed to touch the old woman's feet. "Namaste Nani", he greeted.
"Jeethe Raho Aman bitwa", Nani blessed him. "Arre wa.. Bahut ache lag rahe ho.. Bhagwan kare ke tum jal se jal koi achi ladki se shaadi karlo", she added. Aman's eyes popped out. He cleared his throat and lowered his eyes in embarrassment. Nani chuckled.. "Acha, zaara dekhkar Lavanya aur Anjali kahan hain", she ordered.
"hmm.. I'll.. Go.. Check on ASR", Aman stammered.
"No.. No.. Mein Chote se milke aayi hoon.. Tum lavanya aur anjali ko dekhar.. Tikein", Nani said and walked towards the guests leaving the poor Aman in great dilemma.
Aman stepped into the mansion. His gaze scanned the whole living area like the first time he visited the house. He stepped forward and climbed the stairs worriedly.. As he reached the corridors of the first floor, his steps halted...He began pacing the hallway horizontally.. "What should I do? I can't go to Miss Lavanya.. Not after what happened? What will she think of me?", he said to himself, almost ready to cry.. "But? I didn't do anything... In fact she's the one who did everything.. Why am I so anxious?... But I have to be.. She's the sister of my boss!", he added sulking. An idea popped into his genius brain and his smart grin curved onto his lips. "Anjali Di!.. I can check on her and she'll check on Miss Lavanya!.. Better!", he uttered... Lifting his gaze towards the ceiling, he said .."Please god.. I never asked for Christmas gift.. For once please give me new year's gift.. Only once.. I'll never ask for anything again.. Please god.. Just erase the last 6 hours of my life... Pleassseee... I want my virginity back.. YES I know I'm 27 but still I want it back". And he walked down the corridor towards Anjali's room.
"I'd really like to see you again."
"You would ?"
"Yes."
"Yes, I would, so I've arranged for you to have an apartment, to have a car, a wide variety of stores guaranteed to suck up to you anytime you want to go shopping. Everything's done."
[ Exhales ]
"What else ? You gonna leave some money by the bed when you pass through town ?"
"Vivian, it really wouldn't be like that."
"How would it be ?"
"Well, for one thing, it would get you off the streets. That's just geography."
[ Sighs ]
"Vivian, what is it you want ? What do you see happening between us ?"
"I don't know...When I was a little girl, my mama used to lock me in the attic when I was bad, which was pretty often. And I would-- I would pretend I was a princess... trapped in a tower by a wicked queen. And then suddenly this knight...on a white horse with these colors flying would come charging up and draw his sword. And I would wave. And he would climb up the tower and rescue me. But never in all the time... that I had this dream did the knight say to me,
Come on, baby, I'll put you up
in a great condo."
Gushing and gushing and more gushing.. Anjali Singh Raizada was a lover of romantic movies.. She would spent hours watching films from, when harry met sally to the notebook. Alongside her cute little dog, Tuffy, she laid on the bed weeping once again while re-watching her favorites julia roberts series. She was the greatest fan of Julia's role as Vivian in Pretty woman. a princess... trapped in a tower by a wicked queen. And then suddenly this knight...on a white horse with these colors flying would come charging up and draw his sword. And I would wave. And he would climb up the tower and rescue me. Somehow she felt connected to her.. After all, like in her dreams, she was a princess as well but the knight on the white horse was not worth it. "How can Edward do this? Can't he feel Vivian's love?", she complained pouting and hugging Tuffy. A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts as she called out, "Come in".
Aman walked into the room smiling at Anjali. "Hi Di", he said as he approached her and his eyes fell on the parting ways scene of Pretty Woman... He exhaled, shaking his head.. "Oh no Di.. Not again!... Do you know that everyone is waiting for you downstairs and you are busy watching that crying movie for what...? 100th times?"
"Wrong... 106th times!", Anjali stood and smiled innocently. She then grabbed Aman's cheeks.
"Awww.. Di", Aman winced...
"And next week, I'm going to watch it for the 107th time!", she declared proudly.
"Ok fine... But right now.. If you don't reach the party.. Your nani and brother will crush me.. So please!", Aman said sweetly.
Anjali left his cheeks.. "Acha chalo!.. Mein kabse tayar hoon", she said flaunting her nice attire. She held Aman's arms and was about to walk when Aman stopped her.
"euuuhh.. Di, you should call Miss Lavanya also?", Aman said.
"Miss Lavanya? Tu pagal hain kya... Tum usse sirf Lavanya nahin bhoola sakta?", Anjali asked curiously...
"Come on Di, you're elder... Like a sister to me... But Lavanyaji... She's... She's.. Like ASR! She's the boss and I'm just the employee..", Aman said sadly.
"Jo bhi ho.. Mere liye tum chote ki tara hain..", Anjali kissed his cheeks.. "mera chota bhai!", she smiled. She rolled her eyes as a grin formed on her face.. "Waise.. Are you sure that Lavanya is just the boss? The way you look at her definitely says something else", she raised her eyebrows mischievously and walked away leaving Aman dumbstruck.
Entering through the back door, hidden under her green hood, she rushed through the kitchen and the hall. She ran up the stairs, mentally jumping at her victory in sneaking out of the house and coming back without being exposed.. "Too cool", she thought... When suddenly, "awww", she cried out as she bumped into Anjali in the corridors while running to her room. Anjali crossed her arms to her chest and stared at her younger sister, Lavanya, from top to toes while the latter closed her eyes muttering under her breath, "shit". And of course she ended up with her usual fake smile.. "Di, what's up? Wow... You looking fab!", she declared gazing at Anjali's dress.
Anjali smiled.. "Really?", she asked... "But you look like shit, Lavanya!... What is this Lavanya? Tujhe pata aaj party hain.. Then where did you go? And what is this nonsense get up? Apne hi ghar mein tum chor ki tara andar arahi thi! Aghar chote ko pata chala...", she added angrily.
Lavanya jumped at her neck instantly, giving her a side hug... "Par wo kaise pata chalega Di, if you don't tell him", Lavanya made her sheep's eyes.
Anjali shook her head.. "you are not even dressed!", she complained...
"You are the best Di in the whole universe.. Take care of the guests.. I'm coming soon!", Lavanya declared while running away from her Di. She reached her room, closed the door and exhaled. "Finally".
Lavanya paced the room anxiously, checking her watch again and again. The wait killing her each second as she threw herself onto her bed in the middle of scattered party dresses. "why does this take so much time, grrr!", she uttered staring at the ceiling. "These are the worst five minutes of my life", she thought. The stopwatch on her smartphone beeped and she jumped off the bed instantly. She ran to the bathroom and came out immediately. Her face blank of expression as she studied closely the white stick in between her fingers. She cleared her throat and lifted her gaze towards her best friend standing against the door while munching her nails nervously. "it's. ... it's...", she stammered.. clearing her throat once again, and she finally stated "positive". She gasped. " it's positive Khushi!", she signed staring at Khushi's frozen face.
She knew it was positive when she missed her periods.. She knew it when she threw up 2 times a day since the last few days... She also knew it when Lavanya sneaked out to buy the pregnancy test... She knew it all the time. Yet while doing the test, she did not give up the hope that all of it was just a misunderstanding.. that she was so not pregnant. Khushi stood idle. The tears that were fighting to fall all this time, finally rolled down her cheeks. Lavanya hurried to her and took her into an embrace immediately. "Hey.. Khushi it's ok baby.. it's ok", she said sincerely, trying her best to comfort her bestie. She pulled back and wiped off Khushi's tears. She cupped her cheeks.. "take it as a great news K. I'm going to become aunty... naaa.. She gonna call me La.. I'm too sexy to be called aunty", she said and chuckled happily. "I'm sure bhai will be happy.. you don't worry!", she added.
Khushi shook her head and shrugged lavanya's hands. She opened the door and ran out. All she needed was to get out of the house.. to stay away from the raizada... and to think.. to understand what was happening and accepting what cannot be undone.. SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH ARNAV'S CHILD. She pushed open the main door and descended the stairs blindly, two steps at a time unaware of the reporters approaching. The cameras began flashing blurring her view and she stumbled violently.. She closed her eyes, ready to crash into the floor. The next time she would have open her eyes would certainly be in hospital if the father of her child had not reached by her side on time to grab her. As she opened her eyelids, a tear rolled down her cheeks while she fixed into his eyes.. The man of her life.. The father of her baby.. Her boyfriend.. Her employer! ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA
