To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 25

Varun had been watching Abhay with a lot of interest for the past two days. In all the functions. The way he behaved, talked and acted. Everything. He had been livid with Simrit for not informing him about Amrit's alliance and then the quick marriage. But she had insisted that she hadn't known anything about it. And he had let it go. There was an interesting bit of information she had given him this morning about Abhay. So all was not perfect with the latest addition to the Vij family. His main interest had always been the business Simrit's father had. It was doing well. And they were a moneyed family with three daughters and no sons. Of course the only son in the entire Vij clan was Nihal's son Kuldeep but he was busy with his father's factory. So far Varun hadn't had any competition and the amount of respect and adoration he commanded he had always got more than that. Only Amrit and beeji were smart enough to see through his act but both his in laws were wrapped around his finger. His plan had been to deeply imbed himself in their business so later he already had a hold over it. Amrit was not going to get married considering how she was and Preeti still had a few years. But with Abhay coming in the picture it had become important to test the water and see where each of them stood. He was an army man with his own amount of riches. But who knew what interested a guy? Maybe if he had Abhay on his side since the beginning things wouldn't be so difficult in the future. Besides poor thing might not have any idea about who he had married. Out of all three sisters Amrit was the worst probably because she could see him for who he really was. So here he was, trying to make an acquaintance with the new son in law and give him an advice or two.

"Hi," Varun said with a smile on his face.

"Hi," Abhay replied politely as he looked at Varun keenly.

There was something about the man he didn't like. Not that he knew him or he had said something that he wasn't supposed to but just the man himself. There was something shifty about his personality and Abhay had a great dislike about such men. The smile he was giving did not even reach his eyes. Instead there was a calculative glint there as if this conversation was going to bring some kind of calculated result for Varun.

"Did you have dinner?" Abhay asked politely again.

"Yes," Varun said with a certain arrogance but it sounded hollow to Abhay's ears but he refrained from saying anything. "The party was great. It is good to see how you arranged everything in such a short time. You see we just got our invitations last weekend so we did not have much time to prepare for all the ceremonies but you will see in Kulraj's wedding we will surely rock," he said and Abhay found it quite irritating.

His manner of speaking wasn't correct. It sounded as if what he was saying was different from what he meant or even what he was thinking. Abhay rarely judged people this fast but people like Varun were so transparent there was just so much you could do.

"I am sure you will," Abhay said, "we wanted a small wedding," he said and shrugged.

"Of course you did," Varun said in an understanding tone and Abhay had his doubts if he did, "considering it was Amrit you got married to," he said deliberately.

Abhay narrowed his eyes. He didn't like the way he took Amrit's name. It sounded offensive and Abhay didn't like men disrespecting women and everyone who knew him knew that and so they stayed away from such topics in his presence at least. But Varun didn't know him. He sounded educated but it seemed he wasn't.

"I don't understand," Abhay said tightly.

It seemed the warning was lost on Varun. Because he cheerfully continued.

"What with her age and all and you know that reputation she carries around with her and a broken engagement," Varun said and Abhay all but punched him.

How could he talk about his own sister in law like that? Forget about her being related to him she was his wife now but he put his arms across his chest or give in to the impulse. It wouldn't look nice if he was to punch Varun publicly. Not when they were both part of the same family now.

"You probably didn't get much chance to get to know her," Varun carried on shamelessly missing the glint in Abhay's eyes completely, "did her family hurry you into this marriage? They could do that you know," he said, "they are like that. But now you are part of the family you would soon find out how they are. I was duped too into believing they were decent folks but in five years of my marriage I have seen how they are. Beeji is the shrewdest of them all," he said, "don't fall into the trap of trusting them," he advised.

Abhay didn't know what to make of this man. He was stupid, just plain stupid. Who in their right minds said something like that? Apparently he did. He sounded like the old aunts who liked to gossip about everything they knew and didn't. Simrit was a pretty girl what did she ever see in a man like him. Maybe she was just the same. Varun was a tall man easily about six feet. But there was no depth to his character. He sounded so hollow, seemed so shallow it was appalling.

"I just thought I should warn you," Varun said with a shrug, "you know friendly advices after all we both are now related and are the son in laws of this family. If ever you need advice on how to tackle them let me know. I have been married longer and I know how they all work. It would be easy you know," he said.

Abhay wanted to laugh out loud but he didn't. Varun didn't even deserve that.

"What do you do?" Abhay asked curious to know what a man like him could make a career of.

"I have my own travel agency in Solan," he said with pride, "we handle all kinds of tourism domestic, international. And my family has lots of acres of land where we have our own orchards and recently we have opened our own small construction company in Himachal," he said with undiluted arrogance, "you should visit us to see how big we are."

Abhay could only hear boasting. He was a typical male with typical attitude problem. 'I am so and so' with 'so much wealth' when in actuality he would probably be nothing. Abhay just nodded he wanted to get away from this stupid conversation.

"Great," Abhay said, "we will definitely drop down someday," he said politely.

"Sure," Varun said as if he had been successful in whatever he had set out to accomplish, "and remember if you ever need advice on how to handle Amrit let me know," he said with a smirk and wink.

Before Abhay could tell him to get lost someone else replied for him.

"First you learn how to handle that hellion you call a wife."

They both turned alarmed to find Amrit standing behind them with her arms across her bosom. Varun didn't know where to look. His face blanched. Here he had been thinking he was having a man to man conversation with Abhay where he had swayed the other man to his side and here she was putting dent into his carefully laid plans.

Abhay was surprised to see Amrit there and with so much anger he was positive she would scratch Varun's eyes out right here and then juggle them around. She looked furious. Abhay was suddenly worried. Sure thing she knew how Varun was but she didn't know him much. What if she took this the wrong way? What if she thought he was as much a part of this stupid conversation? He wasn't sure what she thought. She didn't even glance at him as she walked up to stand between the two.

Abhay just hoped he hadn't messed up on his wedding day.

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