A week passed by after the haunted diwali night

Arnav Singh Raizada never found the peace he hoped he would find once a certain Kushi Kumari Gupta disappeared from his life.

He only grew more restless.

His waking hours were spend wondering what she is doing. Or how she is?

His sleeping hours were taken over by the dreams of the same girl.

He hated it.

He absolutely hated it.

The whole mess is a nightmare

A beautiful nightmare, his heart whispered.

Arnav shook his head to get rid of the wayward thoughts

He still remembers the day after Diwali night.

He had been waiting for Kushi to come after all those words he hurled at her.

But what happened was anti climactic

He still remember what happened that day.

They all were having breakfast when Lavanya asked the question that he was dying to ask

"Di? Kushi is late today? Did she tell you anything?" Lavanya asked

Arnav's ears perked up listening to the name Kushi and he have been waiting for his sister's response

"No Lavanya ji. She didn't call me yet. Let me call and check"

He heard only half side of the conversation, but it was clear as day that Kushi wasn't coming back.

"What happened di?" He couldn't stop himself from asking.

"She said her job is over. That she won't be coming here anymore" Anjali said in disappointment

Arnav waited for the peace to come. For the happiness to rush in.

But it never happened

He only grew more restless.

"Job is over? How can she say that? We are the one paying her salary. So it is upto us to decide whether her job is over or not" the ASR lashed out.

"She was here as per the contract chotte. When nani accepted Lavanya ji, her work here got over." Anjali said

"Contract? What contract?" Arnav asked

Anjali squirmed in her seat uncomfortable at the deed she committed

"What is it di?" Arnav asked narrowing his eyes at his sister's behaviour

"She was here because she didn't have any other choice. I gave her an ultimatum. Either train Lavanya ji or pay the one lakh she owes you for resigning from AR before the contract period was over" Anjali confessed

"You did what? How could you di? You knew I would never have asked for that money. How could you use that against her?" Arnav lashed out at his sister surprising everyone

Arnav Singh Raizada fighting with his beloved sister. That too for the woman he claims to hate.

"ASR. What happened to you?" Lavanya asked confused.

"Never mind. I'm leaving" With that said, he had walked out of the house leaving his whole family in confusion.

And now, a week later ,nothing really changed.

His sister and grandmother has been pestering him to confirm the engagement date.

An engagement he announced for the sole purpose of pushing Kushi out of his life.

And now he has no idea how to get out of this mess.

How can he spend a lifetime with Lavanya when he feels nothing for her.

"ASR?" Arnav looked up to see Lavanya

"Yes Lavanya?"

"Nani asked me to talk to you. We have announced our engagement. Now we have a decide a date." Lavanya said as she sat next to Arnav

"Lavanya. I don't think we should hurry. I'm not ready for this" Arnav said

He is still confused.

He doesn't understand why he can't simply marry Lavanya.

He doesn't understand why the thought of any woman in his life makes him nauseous.

What the hell is happening to him?

He had removed the Malik name from his. Could he really remove the Malik blood from him?

Because if he marries Lavanya, he will surely cheat her.

Maybe not physically.

But thinking of Kushi everytime Lavanya is near also feels like cheating.

Is he being another Arvind Malik?

He wanted to scream. He wanted to stop feeling like this.

Why?

Why the hell does she have so much power over him?

No. He is a Raizada. He is not a Malik to let lust rule his life.

So what if he was attracted to the chit of a girl.

Attraction is healthy. It doesn't mean a thing.

And he will soon get over this attraction as she is out of sight now.

"But ASR.."

"I told you I'm not ready for this. Can't you understand simple words Lavanya?" Arnav screamed at her

Lavanya's eyes filled with tear and she hurriedly left the room wondering why she is tolerating this kind of behaviour.

Arnav paced back and forth trying and failing to erase the nightmare from his heart and mind.

"Arnav bhaiyya" Arnav looked up to see Hariprakash standing in the doorway, scared out of his wits.

"What is it?"

"Someone came and dropped this here. He told it is from Kushi didi, for you" Hariprakash said

Arnav smirked

So, Kushi Kumari Gupta has not left his life completely. She is still trying to get in touch with him, Arnav thought smugly

Suddenly his mood became a hundred times better

"Give it to me" Arnav asked.

Hariprakash nodded in daze. He had expected Arnav to shout at him at the mere mention of Kushi. That too when he appeared to be already annoyed with something.

But to his surprise, Arnav Singh Raizada suddenly appeared to relax in front of him

Hariprakash decided not to ponder more over things and made his escape when he still could.

It was a small envelope

A letter? Arnav thought in amusement

He opened the envelope only to find a small key.

He looked into the envelope to see if there was a note.

But there was nothing in it.

Only the key.

He stared at the key

His mannat ki chaabi.

It was symbolic.

Kushi breaking all the connections with him

He realized it.

By returning his mannat ki chaabhi, she was trying to remove everything related to him from her life.

Arnav's nostrils flared in anger.

How dare she?

If she thinks she could get rid off him so easily, then she is highly mistaken.

And just like that he forgot his sole purpose was to get rid off her from his life.