Chapter 2: Arnav
Arnav sighed and leaned back against the plush seat, hoping that Khushi would be able to sleep tonight. Her anxiety for him broke his heart, and he wished he could take her in his arms and reassure her.
He understood. The last time he'd left for London, he'd never gotten to the plane. His kidnappers had intercepted him, telling him they had Khushi and that she would only be safe if he followed them quietly. Terrified for his wife, he'd followed all their instructions, sitting in their van and allowing them to blindfold him.
He'd realised they'd lied about having Khushi when no one came looking for him; when the police hadn't broken down the doors to the dirty warehouse in the first 48 hours. The kidnappers used his phone to tell his family he was in London, but let him speak to them when Di and Aakash almost called the police. Khushi had only realised something wasn't right when he'd confessed his love for her on the phone.
He'd avoided overseas trips for as long as possible, but with Mama and Aakash in the US, the responsibility of the London office had fallen primarily on him. The offices were finally ready, and he'd left to help establish the new teams. He'd wanted to cancel the trip but couldn't set aside his responsibilities for the empire he'd built from the ground up.
Although he knew she wanted to, Khushi hadn't asked him to stay.
Khushi had been uncharacteristically silent in the days leading up to his departure. It felt like she'd shut down, and he hadn't known what to do. The night before he left was the worst. She'd quietly placed the itinerary he offered on her bedside table before turning back to embrace him. She'd refused to let go of him, and when he finally coaxed her to bed, insisted on making love until they were exhausted. She'd been quiet during that too, shedding tears when she thought he wouldn't notice.
