Unsuitable Proposal

Chapter 42: Lost Love

I turned around and glared at him. "You know what Antarang? Why don't you get off your high horse and get your and Mona's coffee yourself!" I hissed, my nostrils flaring. "And while you're at it, hire yourself a gofer and let me do what I was actually hired here to do!"

Antarang sat up straight, his eyes digging into me. "Watch your tongue Kashvi before it gets you in trouble," he warned. 

"Oh believe me boss, I've been watching it for days." I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Now I'm done. Throw me out of your little company, I don't care."

He stood up and sauntered toward me, his movement like that of a predator about to pounce on his prey. I could see the storm brewing in his brown eyes as he stood near me and sized me up. "Princess, I can't only throw you out of my little company, I can also cast you out of your precious job at HotWired within minutes. Better yet, put you on the blacklist to never be hired again. I can take away everything you hold so precious. So, like I said 'Watch your fucking mouth'." 

I didn't doubt him in the slightest. He held the power to do all that if he wanted. Though the anger inside me didn't allow me to back down.

"Then why haven't you done that yet?" I challenged, jutting my chin. "Why this cat-mouse chase, huh? You came here to ruin me, then just do it. Take your revenge. Kick me out of my job, make me homeless, toss me out of the city too. It's not like I can stop you." 

"Now, that's not right. My princess belongs in a castle, not on some dusty road," he teased with a taunting smirk. 

"I'm not your princess!" I said, "not anymore."

A dangerous glint took over his eyes and he grabbed my arms pulling me closer. Our faces were inches apart. "You have no idea how much I want to hurt you, make you pay for all the suffering you caused me." His smirk dropped. "You're already riled up and I haven't even done anything. I didn't break you, hurt you beyond repair, or abandoned you like you were nothing." His words felt like a punch to my chest.

"But you broke the only promise I asked of you."

"What do you mean?"

"That night before our wedding I wanted to surprise you," I began, my eyes tearing up. "I came to visit you in your room. Your mother was already there and I heard some of the conversation between you two." I looked at him with defiance even though my vision was blurry with incoming tears. 

"She didn't want me to have a job after marriage," I continued. "She said she wanted me as a housewife to take care of you as if you were some child. I expected you to outright refuse her, but... but you said 'Whatever you say Mom' like you didn't care about the words you gave to me. You told me you'd fight for me! But that night you didn't utter a word." 

Antarang stood there silently, his grip on me loosening.

I was a sobbing mess. "You didn't say a word. How could you expect me to leave everything behind for a man who couldn't take a stand for me?

"Then that night I took a stand for myself. First my father and now you and your mother, I was done kowtowing to others. I was tired of strangling my ambitions to please others." 

"So you ran away," he gritted, his fingers once again digging into the flesh of my arm, "you ran away without a word over a simple misunderstanding."

"Don't say it was misunderstanding. I heard it clear-"

"It was!" He barked. "Did you have that little faith in me? I don't even remember what my mother was talking about. She says random shit half of the time. The trick is to just nod along and let her get it out of her system."

"Then maybe you should've heard her because I knew I'd be hearing a lot of it once I get married to you," I retaliated. "I told you before Antarang, you can ignore her because you're her son. I can't. When you would've been off gallivanting the world, it'd be me who'd face her jabs and taunts for not being a good little housewife. It'd be me who had to give account of every minute I spend on the job and not at home. I've been facing the same things by Maa and Papa. I couldn't keep doing this all my life. I'm tired." 

Fury flashed in those brown eyes before hurt took over. "You never trusted me, did you? I promised you countless times I wasn't going to let anyone come between you and your career, but you never trusted me. It took just a little misreading of the situation for you to turn tail and run."

Uncertainty set in. Did I really misunderstood him? Should I have given him a chance before leaving?

"Tell me one thing princess, did you even love me?" Antarang asked, a slight tremor in his voice. He was hurting. I hurt him.

I took in shaky breaths. My heart ached at the raw pain and anger in his eyes. "I did." I still do. I love you.

Antarang shook his head. "Well, I find it hard to believe." He let go of me and stepped away, leaving me cold and empty. He turned around, giving me his back. "Go home. You can do the file work tomorrow."

When I reached home, I cried myself to sleep. I cried for the pain and heartbreak I caused. I cried for the love we lost.

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I'm fine... guests happened. Thank you all for caring 🥰

How was it? This chapter is supposed to be climax or something. I hope it lived up to that.