Leap of Faith

The Most Believable Untruth

My brain temporarily stopped working. What should I say to Aayan?

"I was expecting that you would never find out about that?" I replied with a great hope that it would be enough explanation.

"Don't try my patience, Trish! Why didn't you tell me?" he snapped rather annoyingly.

"Because nothing significant happened during the flight. I ate my dinner and slept off for the rest of the journey!" All I wanted was to calm him down. He coming here was definitely not good for my plan!

"You had lunch with my cousin, Trisha! That is enough for me to be stressed. Don't you realize how it would affect me?" he fumed, on the other side of the line.

"How did you find out about the dinner?" I asked in a small voice. I was caught red handed. Should I lie to him? Or should I tell him the truth?

"Don't underestimate my reach and my capabilities Trisha. And that is not what I want to talk about! Why did you feel the need to keep it from me?" he demanded forcefully. I shut my eyes, sighing.

"I thought you would worry unnecessarily!" I retorted.

"I don't know what to believe anymore! What is happening with you? Don't you love me anymore?" His voice was tired and gloomy. My heart sank. I wanted to reassure him, it was difficult with all the secrets.

"I am very much in love with you as always, as always will be. It's just that I didn't think of it as a big deal."

"Vikram is more than a big deal. What did he say to you?" he asked impatiently.

"Nothing interesting in particular!" I lied unconvincingly.

"If you are going to keep me in the dark, fine! I am coming there abandoning all my appointments." He replied.

"Aayan, don't be so melodramatic. I will tell you what he said," I sighed and raked my brain for convincing lies. "He said that he is interested in showing him his office and house. He was being inquisitive. And you know," Maintaining my voice cool as I formed my next sentence. "He was particularly interested in your land deal and about your appointments."

"What!"

"Well, Yes. He asked for your plans in the company future more than three instances. I clearly told him that you never share your business plans with me. But he was rather insistent." I lied.

Silence.

I might steer the matter in the right direction I thought. One thing was clear all along that he had his interest in SpeedEx. So the nail was hit right in the head.

"But I think he knows a great deal from me, he is there at every board meeting! Are you sure that was all he was interested in? I have a feeling that you are recently hiding a lot of things from me."

"That was all. Why are you so bothered about him? I think you are hiding something from me!" I shot back. "For instance, what's with the strong reaction when he texted me on my birthday?"

"That's no concern of yours. Better, stay away from him. His flirting for one, I loathe. I want to kill him, even when I imagine him coming near you!" his reaction was very harsh. Never had I seen him so dark and dangerous. When he said he might kill him, I actually believed it. He had that raw and intense feeling in him, which was his inherent nature. I would have to be cautious even more. However, I noted that he did not answer my question!

"Please tell me, what made you suspect him? I know that is why you have asked your very able bodyguard to protect me. Are you afraid that he might hurt me?" I asked, knowing fully well that he would not yield.