"It's good to see that you don't crave for attention like everyone",said Shubham.
Lights went off.
"What happened?",asked Meera.
Shubham opened the window of their room.
Dim moon light was coming from the window.
Shubham called a staff.
"What happened? Why lights went off?",asked Shubham.
"Sir, I am checking, it will take some time",said the staff.
"Find the problem and fix it fast",said Shubham and hung up.
"Staffs are checking it. It will take some time to be fixed", said Shubham.
"What's the time?",asked Meera.
"It's 11:40 PM",said Shubham looking at his phone.
"You continue what were you saying as it's enough light in the room, at least to see each other",said Shubham.
"I don't need your favour. I think we should stay abide by our contract marriage. You don't need to bound yourself in any kind of bondages. You can do whatever you used to do before our marriage",said Meera.
"Are you asking me to meet those girls again?",asked Shubham laughingly.
"Yes, because I don't want you to put any kind of effort for me",said Meera.
"I think you have understood everything so wrong but not your fault, I am bad at explaining and especially to girls",said Shubham.
"What? What did you just say? How much will you lie? For how long you will keep changing your statements? From "I don't have any experience in talking to girls, I like silence, I am a quite person, I don't like talking" to "I used to meet a lot of girls", you changed your every statement. It's okay! You don't owe any explanation to me",said Meera.
"I am surprised to see your level of understanding someone. I mean that you understood my behaviour so nicely in only these 3 days",said Shubham.
"Yes and I understood your lies too",said Meera.
"Mrs. Malhotra, why are you stuck on this point? Did you feel hurt because I lie to you?",asked Shubham.
"I am not hurt. Why will I expect you to be always honest infront of me?",said Meera.
"You are saying something else but your behaviour is showing something else. Listen, I didn't lie. I am still on my previous statement and that is, I don't have experience in talking to girls. And I barely talk to anyone. All I was saying in reception is that I used to call them just to be present with me whenever I felt sad and lonely. I don't used to talk to them but i used to listen them so that I don't feel lonely. They used to speak with me to divert my attention and that's all",said Shubham.
Meera stays silent for a moment and then speaks.
"Both are the same thing",said Meera.
"It's your wish to perceive it however you want. But now I don't need to ask those girls for their accompany. Because now you are here. So I will not feel lonely anymore",said Shubham.
"You will share your feelings with me?",asked Meera.
"When did I say that? I don't share my feelings with anyone. I just asked for your accompany in my hard times. But yes, don't give me accompany when I am angry because that's risky. I know that ours is a contract marriage but still it's real and it's my responsibility to protect you. You left your everything and started living with me and became my wife for the world. How can I talk to anyone else when you are in my life?! Not possible, Shubham Malhotra never cheats!",said Shubham.
"It's all true. I definitely need your protection and support. But your responsibility is to take care of me but not my family",said Meera.
"Why? Wife's family is not her husband's family?",asked Shubham.
"It is but things are different for us. I don't want people to talk that my family is living on their daughter's husband expenses. My family has faced enough insults because of me and I don't want them to hurt anymore. I had came to Mumbai to earn and take care of my family but things took strange turn..",said Meera.
"So you want to work and be financially independent?",asked Shubham.
"Yes..!",said Meera.
Shubham smiles proudly.
"That's the most important thing for girls at least in today's time",said Shubham.
Meera smiles.
"But it will be difficult or probably not safe for you to do a job after tomorrow's party. Everyone knows that you are my wife. Probably with my name, my fate has also got connected with yours. I have many rivalries in the market who can make things difficult for you and trust me, it's not safe for you to work outside",said Shubham.
"Then what?",asked Meera worryingly.
"You can work as a freelancer from home",said Shubham.
"But I don't have any skills to work as a freelancer and it will take time to learn new skills",said Meera.
"You had came to my office for a job interview, right?",asked Shubham.
"Yes..",said Meera.
"Then join from tomorrow",said Shubham.
"What?.. i mean as a receptionist?",asked Meera.
"Yes! That's receptionist place is still vacant and I am finalizing you for that post",said Shubham.
"But..",said Meera.
"Don't worry, that's receptionist post is for my personal cabin area. You won't be meeting strangers who will talk to you rudely. You will only give permissions for who can meet me and will maintain record for that. Work in my office till you don't learn any skill to work as a freelancer",said Shubham.
"Okay! Thank you so much",said Meera smiling.
"But don't expect from me to treat you there as my wife. I don't like carelessness in work. I will treat you as a employee only. I will be your boss there, not your husband",said Shubham.
"Okay! No problem. But what will you tell everyone?",asked Meera.
"I will handle everyone. You start your preparations for tomorrow, your first day on job",said Shubham.
"But Mr. Malhotra, what will be my salary?",asked Meera teasingly.
Shubham smiled.
"Mrs. Malhotra, it will depend on the quality of work done by you. But still you will be getting INR 25,000 as your starting salary",said Shubham.
"Okay Mr. Boss",said Meera laughing.
Light came back.
Shubham looked at the clock on the wall.
"Someone said it right, marriage is powerful",said looking at the clock on the wall.
Meera looked at the clock. It was 12:30 AM.
"I barely talk to anyone. Talking with anyone for more than 5 minutes starts irritating me. But look it's almost an hour and i am still talking with you",said Shubham.
"It's okay, sometimes you can break your own rule",said Meera.
"Yes or maybe because I have made this relation with you, even if it is based on a contract. I have myself made it with my choice. That's why I was able to hold a conversation with you for so long. I know, my choice is good. I wish i had the right to choose all my relations myself then I wouldn't have to go through so much pain..",said Shubham.
YOU ARE READING
Destined
RomanceMeera, a middle class small town girl with big dreams in her eyes. she has come to Mumbai in hope for a job as she is the only bread winner of her family. But destiny has some other plans for her. She ended up marrying The Shubham Malhotra, founder...
