"What new game are you planning Arnav Singh Raizada?"

Arnav stiffened when he heard the accusation in his voice.

His brothers words last night came into his mind immediately

if I were in her place, my first doubt would be what new game you are playing

And that's exactly what she thought

"Kushi..." he whispered huskily. He saw her gulping visible and straightening her shoulders, as if preparing herself to face whatever is going to assault her next

"I asked you a question Mr Raizada?" She asked again

"This is no game Kushi" He said softly, yet sternly

"Really? Then what is the agenda behind that proposal you sent to my home yesterday?" She asked angrily

"Kushi. Take a seat. We will talk calmly" Arnav tried to placate her, which infuriated her more

"Calmly? You gotta be kidding me. You are pulling my family into your hate game and you want me to be calm? So far, I have tolerated all your evil games, because I was your only target. Now that you realised you couldn't break me by simply hurting me, you are bringing my family into this? Now way Mr Raizada. You are not going to win this as long as Kushi Kumari Gupta is alive" She said, spitting fire through her eyes

"This is not a game damn it." He snapped, as he stood up from his chair and walked around the desk to stand right in front of her

Kushi unknowingly took a step back, when he moved forward

"What happened yesterday was genuine. I meant it" Arnav said, taking another step forward

With a couple of steps, Kushi was backed up against the door of his cabin, and he was standing right in front of her, a breath apart.

Kushi was momentarily stunned by the swirling emotions she saw in his eyes.

He raised a hand and placed it gently on her cheeks. Kushi closed her eyes savoring his touch for a moment.

"Kushii..." he whispered huskily

Flashes of the initamcy that happened between them on the diwali night appeared in her mind.

Along with that came the hurtful words he hurled at her after announcing his engagement to Lavanya.

Moments after trying to kiss her.

Ye mat sochna ki ek amir aadmi tumhari payal apne seene pe lagakar baitaa tha

Mujhe iss sabse koi faraq nahi padta

It doesn't mean a thing.

Koi matlab nahi hei?

Shayad tumhare liye hoga.Tumhe tho laga hoga tumhari zindagi ban gayi. Mere liye uss baat ki ya tumhari koi ehmiyat nahi hei'

Koi maini nahi rakthi tum aur tumse judi koi bhi cheez

With a force she didn't even know she possessed, Kushi pushed him making him stumble back

"Kushi?" He looked at her in shock

"Ek baar. Ek baar galti hogayi humse. But Kushi Kumari Gupta is smart enough to learn from her mistakes. Stay away from my family, Mr Raizada" she warned him

(Once. I did a mistake once)

"I can't Kushi. Not now that I have realised what I feel for you" Arnav said and Kushi stiffened

Feelings? This stone hearted man is talking about feelings?

"I don't wish to talk to you anymore, Mr Raizada" Kushi said and turned around to open the door.

Arnav placed a palm over the door and shut it with a bang, startling Kushi

"I have told you many times, not to walk away when I am talking, Kushi Kumari Gupta." Arnav said through clenched teeth.

He might be in love with this woman. But he is still The Arnav Singh Raizada, whose ego is his greatest weakness.

"Tum jo kehne aayi thi, wo keh diya. Ab meri baari hei Ms Gupta. And you will have to listen" ASR spoke with authority, which didn't bode well with fireband standing in front of him

(You spoke whatever you came here to say. Now it is my turn)

"Who do you think you are, to order me around? I am not working for you anymore, Mr Raizada. I didn't take orders from you, when I was actually working for you. What makes you think that I will let you boss me around, when I am not" Kushi didn't hold back on attitude stakes

A smirk appeared on Arnav's face listening to her.

"This fighting spirit, Kushi. That is what is pulling me towards you more and more. I am like a moth around the flame, when you are around. How much ever I try, I couldn't stay away" he whispered huskily, leaning forwards

Kushi's eyes widened listening to him talking so openly about things like that.

Okay! She had an idea that he had felt some attraction towards her! But never in her dreams did she imagine, he would say it openly to her.

"Kyun? Bolti band hogayi bak bak queen?" Arnav asked with a smirk, seeing her going speechless

(Why? Cat got your tongue?)

"Aap ye kya bakwas baatein kar raha hei? Mujhe ye sab nahi sunna hei. Aap jaise ameer ladkon ko acchi tarah jaanti hu mein" Kushi said, pushing him again

(What rubbish are you talking? I don't want to hear all this. I know how rich people like you are. What your intentions are)

"Kya?"

"Even in yesterday's newspaper, there was a news about a rich spoiled brat, trying to molest a girl who works in his company. Ameer logon ko lagta hei agar paise hei tho sab log unki pair ke neeche mei hei" Kushi said with disgust

(Rich people think that if you have money, then the whole world is beneath their feet)

"Why are you generalising all rich people? Haa hoga spoiled rich people. Lekin meine har ek paise mehnet se kamaaya hei. All rich people aren't bad" Arnav spoke

(Maybe there are spoiled people around. But I have earned every single dime with hardwork)

"Achaa. So you can generalise all middle class girls as fortune hunters, but I cannot generalise rich people as spoiled? Is that it, Mr Raizada?" Kushi asked, laughing mirthlessly

Arnav gulped remembering all the times when he accused her of being a gold digger

"Kushi.."

She raised a hand, asking him to stop his talks.

"Just stay away from me and my family. We have enough problems in our life already, thanks to you. We don't need more" Kushi said and walked out of his cabin

"Damn it"