Aryan anxiously looked at Chandni, who sat, almost still, with her eyes closed. He called her a couple of times but there was no response.
"Chandu, look at me. Please!! If you are feeling sleepy, why don't you lie down? I will get you some water. Maybe you will feel better afterwards! Just say something first!" Aryan knew he was rambling, but he didn't know how to make her come out of the current state.
A slow smile developed on Chandni's face again and she snapped her eyes open, but they no longer looked playful or sad.
"Seriously Aryan!! Does drinking water make me feel better?" She asked sarcastically, rolling her eyes and cupping her face with both her hands. Aryan noticed that she had reverted to calling him Aryan again.
"And why do you think I need to feel be
Slowly, with much difficulty, Aryan tore his gaze away from her, as he noticed the beads of perspiration on her forehead. "Chandu DON'T!!! Please. Don't say anything that you will regret forever and don't tempt me to do something, which will then give you more reason to hate me than you already do. You are not in your control at the moment. I don't even know whether to believe you or not!!" Aryan clenched his hands tightly and pleaded with Chandni. "You still think that I hate you? Even after all that I said just now?" Chandni's eyes welled with tears again. Aryan's heart suffused with desperate love and longing for the woman standing in front of him, the only woman he ever loved, but so cruelly out of his life now. He felt compelled to answer her question with his own.
Maybe she got deceived by his manners and is now trapped in this loveless marriage! Well he had no doubt that it was loveless, otherwise nothing would explain this separate bedroom scenario. What the hell was Vikram doing right now, drinking with Raj Kaka when he knew that his wife was sick and just had an attack. What sort of a loving husband does that? Perhaps he was too quick to judge Vikram as a kind savior, who rescued Chandni from her disastrous marriage with Rahul. He didn't know what happened exactly. And what is it that Chandni said about everyone forcing her to confront her about her past, about him. Is that why Vikram... As he walked out of her room with his head bent down, deep in his thoughts, Aryan almost collided with Vikram and Raj Singh who were approaching from the other end of the hallway. "How
Aryan came close to Vikram and stood just a few inches away from him, his eyes spitting fire. "Do you know how it feels to see your parents chased by killers and to hear from strangers that they are dead?? Do you know how it feels to become an orphan and see yourself separated from the only family member you were left with, your tiny younger brother? Do you know how it feels to survive in the fields, your body and heart burning with revenge, but feeling helpless? Stealing food, working at roadsides, scraping just enough so you can make a phone call? You don't.... so stop lecturing me on what my priorities should be. When you go through all that, just after being mercilessly plucked out of your normal everyday life, surrounded by a loving family, then your heart and mind are filled with just one thought! To catch the criminal who did that to your family and make sure their deaths are avenged. This fire has
"Don't ... Don't say that!" She pleaded with him. "It is the bitter truth. I know I shouldn't harbour any feelings for you and I promise you, I will always respect you and your marriage, but it is what it is, and we both must accept it." Aryan said solemnly. "What good is that for either of us Dev? Do you see why I never opened up, why it was so hard to say anything to anyone? I never thought that I would ever see you in my life again. I trust VikramJi didn't take my therapist's words literally and forced this situation on us. He is my last hope now, my only salvation and I cannot doubt or question his motives." Tears were still freely flowing from her eyes as she spoke. "First stop crying, Chandu. I am so happy talking to you like this and you got nothing better to do
Inside the boardroom, Vikram Mathur and Raj Singh looked at each other. "Do you think she will create further trouble? " Raj Singh asked worriedly, even though he knew the answer. "RajJi, I don't think so. In a way I blame Aryan for this. He is too soft and lenient with the girls, which gives them high hopes." Vikram fumed. "Oh!! It's Aryan's fault now is it? Why am I not surprised to hear this from you VikramJi?" Raj Singh rolled his eyes. Vikram chuckled heartily and sat back in his chair. "We will go and meet Avinash today. I want to make sure everything goes smoothly and that contract comes to us. The profits from that deal will ensure that Synergy and Aryan can concentrate on other prototypes you are developing."
The girl called Mahi sat next to Aryan and introduced herself. "Wow Aryan! What a great name... suits you perfectly!! Don't mind Micky huh!! He is the drama queen in our group. By the way this is Kunal, Monty, Sanju and this is my dear friend Mimi" Mahi introduced the rest of the gang. Aryan could see that Nirmal was indeed an experienced driver as he overtook their minivan and manoeuvred the car effortlessly through the busy highway traffic. Sanju, who was driving the minivan wasn't bad either, and made sure they were right behind Nirmal's car all the way. Their cars slowed down at the Market junction and Aryan's eyes busily scanned for Rana or his gang, but it was too crowded with too many cars to notice much. As they went past the area and picked up speed towards
It was quite late in the night by the time Aryan returned to his small outhouse, which was located in a remote area, on the banks of River Ganga. The outhouse was part of a century old traditional house with spacious tree laden grounds which belonged to a well-wisher of his parents, who was currently abroad with his kids, but let Aryan use the outhouse whenever he was in town. As Aryan changed into pyjamas, he reminisced about all the fond memories he had with this place. In their childhood, their family used to come here for a picnic along with Chandni, and take a dip in the holy Ganga River, away from the crowds. And then Chandni and he met again afterwards here... Aryan closed his eyes painfully. Don't go there, he reminded himself, as he prepared his bed to catch some much needed sleep, before waking up for the early morning ritual the next day. **** Ther
But he looked very different. Not just because he was bare chested and clad in a dhoti and half wet, busy in the rituals. But something about his body language looked totally different to Mahi...His face looked quite hardened, his shoulders sagged, as if he was carrying a huge burden, in grief, and he looked suddenly older than his normal age. He was still following the rituals the junior priest told him, automatically, as if out of practice, but his gaze was fixated elsewhere.Mahi, who was about to call him, hesitated to even open her mouth. She felt as if she would be prying into his private moment if she talked or disturbed him right now. Perhaps Aryan had lost his parents or dear ones recently and still hadn't got over the tragic loss. It would be better to leave him on his own, till he was ready to mingle with them, she decided.