Always Is Not Forever (Breaking Myself - Part II)

56. The One Where I End It For Once

(*This song suits Alina in this chapter*)

"When will you be back?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest, peering at him as he closed the buttons of his vest. How much time had gone by since I had seen him wearing anything casual apart from the nightwear.

He was always dressed up to his best, to make me see he controlled something beyond my recognition.

"In a week," He replied, and I handed him his dark blue coat, always plain suits, no lines or anything. "You can come?"

And face Nisha? No thanks. I had no idea from which face I would face her, had no explanation I would why couldn't I leave her brother, had no desire to show the tension between us to Kabir.

"I have work," I told the half-truth. "Writing and NGO. Doesn't have free time."

"And yet you're standing here," He smirked as I buttoned his coat. "Am I that important?"

"Talking to dad brought your ego out," I deadpanned.

I had no idea what he and dad talked about, had no idea what dad guided him to be but the next morning, I had seen Kabir early in his study, looking over at his files and papers and when I had gone to remind him of breakfast, he had smiled rather than shouting at me.

Snorting, he checked through the papers. "Anjali is going with me."

"Okay."

He arched his brow with a sexy smile. "No jealousy? I may meet Sanya too there in the conference."

"First." I sat down, next to him on the bed. "Anjali is your assistant and she adores you like her boss. Second, I think Sanya got a right message from those." I pointed my finger to the magazines and newspapers, adorned by the pictures of our gateway.

He smirked. "You only wanted for everyone to know who you are to me."

But I didn't know someone was capturing our pictures or he hired someone to capture our pictures and leak it in the media.

I didn't know at all until Sanchi and Kriti had called mornings before, gushing at the pictures.

"But they didn't capture me the way you do," I said nonchalantly, picked one of the magazines to peer at the picture of both of us laughing in the garden.

"Because they don't see what I do." Standing up, he looked for his bag and I pointed at the corner of the room. "I don't like using public transports."

"You're going in a business class. Don't whine. Your jet needed some maintenance. If that is your problem, I can call dad-"

"I'm fine." Leaning down, he pecked my forehead. "Take care of yourself. I will be back soon."

"Bring her back, okay?"

I clutched the edges of the magazines tightly in my grasp. I didn't want her and Kabir to break themselves because of me. I knew the importance family held and how shattering it was to not be with them, especially your siblings. Years had passed since I had talked properly with Misha.

"I will. That's why I am going. I need to apologise. What I did was wrong. Are you sure you don't want to tell her about our marriage?"

Immediately, I shook my head. Not now, not ever. This secret would remain buried for the rest of our lives. We would get married and that would be the truth for her, a truth to protect her heart from the stupidness committed by both I and Kabir.