Their story started with Shashi Gupta and Alok Singh Raizada. They met during college and hit it off immediately. When they got out of college, they started the AS groups, with the money they saved during college, working part-time. They didn't want to depend on their parents for money. The company they started in a very small scale, reached heights within a few years. Business was in their blood.

They were forced to take charge of their family businesses. They merged the two companies with their own, forming the GR groups.

Alok first saw Ratna in the temple. It was love at first sight for him.

He saw her again at his office. He was at first shocked to see her there. Both were walking towards the stairs.

Alok: "hey."

Ratna: "ha? Oh, hi...."

He saw her fidgeting.

Alok: "you new here?"

Ratna: "ji... Joined today as Mr. Gupta's PA... You working here?"

Alok: "err.... Ya..." He turned back to face the stairs. "Nervous?"

Ratna: "A lot..."

He chuckled at that. Shashi was the calm and friendly boss, while he was the strict angry young man.

Alok: "it's ok... He is not that bad."

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Shashi: "you mean... Miss. Malik is your temple girl?"

Alok smiled

Alok: "but she doesn't know that I'm a Raizada."

Shashi: "oh!"

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Alok: "hey..... Coffee?"

Ratna: "sure..."

They were walking out of the building. They became good friends in the two months, they had known each other. She still didn't know that he was one of the owners of the company.

They had their coffee, talking, joking around.

Alok: "hmm... Ratna... Can I take the proposal to your parents?"

Ratna: "what?"

Alok: "you do know that I like you, don't you?"

Ratna: "Alok..."

Alok: "I saw you in the temple, the first time... I have been searching for you since then, and you landed right in GR. Ratna... I really like you a lot.."

Rathna: "Alok... I don't know... It's not that I don't like you... But my family..."

"Ratna?" She immediately looked up, to see her brother coming towards them. She started panicking. She was their family's princess. The only girl among the six siblings. It was after a lot of fight that she was allowed to work. They asked her what the need was, to work outside. She could simply handle one of their offices. But she wanted to train herself under someone who was not partial towards her.

Alok turned around to see a familiar face.

Alok: "Raj?" And he turned back towards Ratna as realisation struck him. "God... You really are a Malik... I thought that you just had the same surname."

Raj: "Alok?" His gaze shifted between the two.

Alok: "Raj... Let me just come clear, ok.... I like her a lot... I just told her today and asked her whether I can forward the proposal.... Now that you are here... Will you give your sister's hand in marriage to me?"

Raj: "whoa... Whoa... Just relax, ok.... Come talk to our parents... I don't think they would have a problem..."

Ratna sat there confused as Raj took a seat.

Raj: "so, she is your PA, ha?"

Alok: "actually she is Shashi's PA"

Ratna: "your PA? Why would I be your PA? And... Why are you calling boss by his name?"

Raj: "Ratna, what..."

Alok: "I'm sorry Ratna, I should have told you earlier... I'm Alok Raizada."

Ratna was shocked by the revelation and was mad at him for a few days, for hiding it. Meanwhile the Raizadas took the proposal to the Maliks and the marriage was fixed.

And it was during the rituals that Shashi met Garima, Ratna's best friend. A soft spoken, middle class girl, with hazel eyes.

Alok had noticed his best friend's gaze shifting often to his fiance's best friend, who had started to become a sister to him. And right after his marriage, he took initiatives to get his best friend married. Garima's parents were a bit reluctant, stating the obvious class difference. And Alok stepped up saying that he will get his sister, that is Garima, married to Shashi.

And the marriage took place about 4 months after the Raizada wedding.

Soon both friends shifted to Delhi, starting the head office there, living in adjacent mansions.

Shyam came as the first gift to the family. Pampered by the four of them. He was Ratna's pet. And then after 2yrs Ratna got pregnant with Arnav and then Anjali after another 3 yrs. 5yr old Shyam was fascinated by the little girl. When she was named Anjali and called as Anjie by everyone, he said that, she was his Anu, the name only he would use. (Poor guy never thought that he would get a stubborn younger sister 2yrs later).

And then when Khushi was born one and a half yrs later, Shyam was already too close to Anjali. But Arnav, he adored the little bundle of joy, wrapped in pink. He would sit for hours, beside her, holding her little hand. She was his doll.

The biggest trouble was when Arnav had to go to school. On the first day of his school, it was a difficult task for the four parents. Arnav didn't want his papa or mama, but wanted his doll with him.

Ratna: "chotte(because he was younger than Shyam)... You'll be back home in a few hours. She'll still be here...."

Each day, after coming back, he'll run straight to his doll, dropping everything in the way.

Then she started going to school. Both had a lot of friends, but nothing ever came between the two. They used to share everything with each other.

Arnav was in 8th and Khushi in 3rd standard. There was an excursion from school. A 2 day trip, camping over the night. And Khushi was not ready to let him go. Well, neither was Arnav ready to go, leaving his doll.

Garima: "bachi... Don't cry.... He'll be back tomorrow evening...."

Arnav: "I don't want to go!!!"

Ratna: "chotte... It's compulsory..."

Arnav: "then I'll take her with me, too..."

Garima: "chotte... You know, you can't do that..."

Arnav: "then I won't go!!"

Ratna: "Arnav... You can't be with her always.... She is a girl.. and a girl always had to leave her house and family behind..."

Arnav: "why?"

Garima: "what, why? She will have to go to her in law's house after marriage right.... What will you do then?"

Arnav: "she won't go, leaving me... I won't let her go...."

Garima: "beta, she has to..." She was interrupted by Arnav.

Arnav: "I'll marry her. Then she wouldn't have to go."

Alok chocked on the coffee he was drinking. But Shashi remained unaffected.

Shashi: "ok Arnav, we'll think about it. But you know, you'll have to take care of her, if you marry her. You'll have to protect her. And for that you need to go out, see the world, know how it works.."

Arnav thought about it for a moment before nodding.

Arnav: "doll... Don't worry... I'll be back before you know it.... I'll tell you everything about the trip after coming back.. I'll bring you gifts..."

Khushi: "you (sob) won't (forget me( right?"

Arnav: "what?! Doll..."

Khushi: "you won't () make another (sob) best friend (sob) right?"

He pulled her into his arms hugging her.

Arnav: "you are my best friend, Khushi, and will always be..."

He wiped her tear. "Now smile"

Khushi smiled a little. She knew that her Arnav was serious. He called her Khushi only when he was serious.

And then came NK's entry into their lives, 2yrs later. And with him came the green eyed monster...

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