"Shukriya" Kushi said taking the bangle from his palm, leaving him shocked.

"Kuch poochna hei?" He asked gruffly

(Don't you have anything to ask?)

Kushi stared at him for a moment and then shook her her in denial.

"Ji nahi. Thank you for returning my bangle" Kushi said

"And you are taking it back just like that? No talks about returning the money? No talks about self respect?" Arnav asked mockingly

Kushi sucked in a sharp breath.

This man and his sharp tongue.

Why does he have to come in front of her again and again just to hurt her.

Why couldn't he just leave her alone.

"No Mr Raizada. As it is, expensive plants worth this money is with you. I think that would tally the expenses. Why should I throw away money simply for a relationship that you didn't want to keep" Kushi asked looking straight into his eyes.

Arnav was left speechless.

This was not what he expected.

What he expected was her to question him why he kept her jewel safe with him.

And he wanted to throw it back at her face and say 'faraq nahi padta'

"If you think that just because I had your bangle with me..." Arnav was cut off mid sentence when Kushi raised a hand indicating him to stop.

"I'm not thinking anything Mr Raizada. I have better things to do that worry about your whims and tantrums" Kushi said

"How dare you talk to me like that? Me? Arnav Singh Raizada?" Arnav growled furiously

"You are a mere human being like me Mr Raizada. Maybe you treat people according to their financial status. But not everyone are like that. I don't treat humans as gods just because they have money. So if you are quiet done with whatever you had in mind, I will get on with my life" Kushi said and turned on her heels and climbed up the stairs leading to the temple.

Arnav Singh Raizada fumed watching her walk away from him.

How dare she?

Who does she think she is?

****

"Kushi. What happened? Why are you late?" Payal asked as soon as she spotted her younger sister.

"Nothing jiji. Just got caught up with some things" Kushi said

"Oh. Isn't that your Amma's bangle. You had stopped wearing that all of a sudden. I always wondered why" Payal said

Kushi talked about some other things and diverted her sister’s attention from the bangle.

Kushi closed her eyes in front of her devi maiyya and prayed for her family's betterment.

She refused to think about a particular angry young man.

He doesn't deserves to be even in her thoughts.

****

Arnav Singh Raizada furiously shredded his way through his beloved plants, not really knowing what he is doing.

His thoughts were far away.

Somewhere in Laxmi Nagar!

"Chotte. What are you doing?" Anjali let out a horrified gasp seeing what his brother was doing.

Arnav was startled when he heard his sister's voice and he looked down at the shredded plants in horror.

"Oh" was all he could say.

"Chotte. What happened?"

"Uh nothing" Arnav said. But Anjali knew it was not nothing.

It has everything to do with Kushi.

"Come sit here" Anjali took hold of her brother's hand and dragged him to the chairs at the pool side.

They remained silent for a while and then Anjali decided to strike again.

"You gave Kushi ji's bangles back?" Anjali asked softly

Arnav tensed as soon as he heard her name

"Did you chotte?" Anjali asked

"Yes" Arnav gritted out.

"I'm sorry I made you do this, chotte. I know you don't like to see her. But don't worry. This might probably be the last time you meet her" Anjali said in a fake cheerful tone.

Arnav looked at his sister in shock

"Last? What do you mean by last?" Arnav asked

"You know she is engaged to that man Advaith, right? He is from America. Kushiji's buaji said, he will take her to America after marriage. So, everything will be alright. She will be far far away from you. You can be happy"

"No" Arnav said too vehemently startling Anjali

"What chotte?"

Arnav stood up from the chair and paced to and fro

"How dare she? If she thinks she can happily move to US after ruining my peace, then she is highly mistaken" Arnav Singh Raizada said furiously

"What are you saying chotte? Once she gets married, she will have to move away" Anjali said, as if talking to a little boy

"She is not getting married to him. Not when I'm alive" Arnav declared and Anjali felt the goosebumps seeing the emotions in her brother's eyes.

How had she missed this all the while.

Now that she think about all that has conspired between her brother and Kushi, it was very clear that Arnav had been fighting himself, not Kushi.

"You are not making any sense chotte. They are engaged and they will be getting married soon. Why are you bothering about that. Just be happy that she is going away from you" Anjali said

"She is mine damn it" Arnav Singh Raizada, finally admitted it to himself.

He froze a second later when the words he said finally sunk in.

Anjali looked closely as emotions one after other flickered across her brother's face.

"She is mine" Arnav, this time, whispered softly making Anjali smile.