PART 25

ASR saw her with another man,his mind was a perfect tangle of chaos.As far as he had heard about khushi from Akash when he had drilled their family about her,she had no brother even as cousin for that matter.Then who was this guy with her?Were they just friends or was he....was he her boyfriend?

ASR flinched away from the word even in his thoughts.It was unbearable.He was apoplectic with rage,blinded so much by his fury that he was unable to see the displeasure behind khushi's forced smile.

He saw the car roll out of the parking lot,digging daggers.

''Ms.Gupta!''he snarled,making khushi and Akash jump a foot in air.

Akash had seen the murderous expression on his brother's face,but unlike him,he had also noticed khushi's displeasure.He was sure that this was that guy Shyam,Payal was talking about,who irked khushi to no ends.But before he could intervene and save khushi from ASR's wrath,his impatient,possessive brother was already into action.

''Bhai...''

''You stay out of this Akash!I need to talk to Ms.Gupta!''ASR turned to her.

''Ms.Gupta what kind of nonsense did you hand me over yesterday?''he asked through gritted teeth,clenching and unclenching his fists to control his fury.

''Sir,what did I do?''Khushi asked bewildered.

''There's no need to act so innocent.You also know what you did.I asked you to give me a complete profile of all the suspects of Sindhya Vihar case and what I got was pure crap!Can't you do a single work with efficiency?But of course how will you do if you are busy fooling around and gallivanting with men!''he jeered at her.

The reports submitted by khushi were astute,but in the spur of the moment ASR could think of nothing else to admonish her.He needed to take frustration out of his system.He was very put off!

ASR glowered at the quivering,indignant figure in front of him and stalked off,ignoring  tears brimming in her eyes.

''Khushi,calm down.You're very well acquainted with bhai's anger.He didn't mean that.''Akash was soothing a very belligerent and hurt khushi.

They were sitting in a secluded corner of the canteen,away from the bedlam. Khushi was in a very bad mood since the morning encounter.

''What do you mean by he didn't mean that Akash?He insinuated on my character!''Khushi choked,a lump in her throat.

Akash sighed.He very well knew that his brother's harsh rebuke in the morening had been a testimony of his brother's love and possessiveness for khushi.His hideous past still had brunts on his life,making him very protective for his loved ones even if he didn't show and somehow miraculously he had fallen for khushi! But of course he couldn't tell khushi that!

So,he decided to channelise her thoughts to a different avenue altogether.

''Umm khushi was that guy Shyam?The one who seems to have a crush on you?''he asked hoping to distract her.

Khushi immediately scowled.

''Yeah he was the one.I don't know what's his problem!Why can't he leave me alone?And as if it weren't enough,buwaji keeps on hinting that he's the perfect match for me!I'm fed up of all this!''Khushi wailed.

Unaware as they were,they didn't know that there was another audience to khushi's outburst who now stood in the corner,burning in repentence.