Fated

chapter 12

Kabir : (with menancing look on his face) pooja what are you doing here? Didn't I say my lawyer will call you? You don't have any business coming here in my factory.
Kabir was informed by the receptionist that pooja was in the office. When she did not come to his cabin he went in search for her. He watched and listened dhruv and pooja talk. He did not like it one bit. Usually he was able to handle his insecurities well but right now he was too stressed to bother about it. He knew dhruv still loved pooja but he had not expected such boldness from him. Dhruv had so easily expressed his feelings for her and he even after all this while couldnt tell her how much he loved her and pooja ...well he didn't know whether she had soft corner for dhruv or not..she had not pressed any charges against dhruv when he had kidnapped her and was even sorry for using him. Was this undying love? Growing up he knew dhruv was more liked by girls than him because of his easy going, uncomplicated nature. Dhruv was the soothing calm and he was the raging fire of the house. Dhruv would have surely made a place for himself in pooja's heart had he not made a mistake of marrying rani. And Here he had a child with pooja and still he was nowhere in her heart. He mentally told pooja, I am not that bad pooja, I deserved a chance. When he heard dhruv say it out aloud about hoping pooja falling in love with him he had lost it. Out of sheer jealousy he had interrupted them. Pooja was his wife, mother of his child, how could he watch any guy talking about love with her. It had taken every shred in his body to control the rage and not punch dhruv in face.
Dhruv : kabir, I wanted to talk to pooja hence I brought her here. If you have any problem we will leave. Chalo pooja, I will drop you home.
Pooja realised dhruv had inadvertently made matters worst.
Kabir was infuriated at dhruv's behaviour. She couldnt say anything to kabir infront of Dhruv and felt forced to leave. As she was walking through the factory, every corner of it reminded her of the memories she had with kabir. Kabir having her back despite Their baseless fights, their long working nights, their stupid arguments, nothing had changed. It seemed kabir that somehow preserved that time, brought it to a standstill to when they were together in this factory. She could easily teleport back to old times when in this factory. It was this factory that had turned them into lovers from bitter enemies. She saw kabir coming to her in that aweful blue overall, the uniform she had made him wear as a worker. He came to her with that swag in his walk, challenging gaze, his zipper pulled enough to give a teasing look at his bear chest. Any female would want to run her hands over it. Kabir could wear rugs and still send female hormones to overdrive.
Kabir : aase kya dekh rahi ho?
Pooja : pulling his zipper up to his neck said Dhyan rakha karo, I won't have any girl getting a peek at your bare chest. Kabir coming closer said accha? He bend low to whisper in her ears, deliberately brushing his lips on her cheeks said yeh meri biwi ka hukum hai yaa meri boss ka? She was too lost in his eyes to respond. Kabir had the most expressive eyes in the world.
Dhruv: pooja..pooja you alright? Pooja looked around kabir wasnt there..it was her figment of imagination...she wanted to add some good memories with kabir in this factory but it was too much to ask for it seemed. As dhruv and pooja left, kabir called the peon and asked him to puncture dhruv's car. He will be damned if he let pooja and dhruv drive alone. Pooja was thinking of an excuse to avoid Dhruv; she wasnt going anywhere with Dhruv. As dhruv reached the car, he was shocked to see his car punctured. Just than kabir came in his car and asked them to join as he too was going home and lawyer was waiting for them at the house. Pooja (feeling relief) quickly said dhruv you sit in front, I shall sit behind we shouldn't keep lawyer waiting. Ride back home was awkward to put it mildly. She could feel anger emitting from kabir in waves. He was on the verge of exploding. They reached home, amma had told the lawyer exactly what papers were to be made. Immediately as the lawyer left, rani entered the room as a result kabir and pooja couldn't talk, even for a minute in private. This time even pooja was frustrated. She knew kabir was edgy and she needed to talk to him asap.
Pooja : dont worry rani, lawyer has assured by tomorrow papers will be ready, i will sign the deal and will leave by afternoon.
Pooja left the room. As she was on the stairs while going to her room, aarush ran past her, pushing her, pooja lost her balance and was about to fall but just than dhruv caught her.
Dhruv : (concerned) jhanvi!!! tum thik ho! Tumhe lagi toh nahi!
Dhruv had instinctively called pooja as jhanvi. Dhruv helped pooja stand and shouted on aarush for running around house like a headless chicken and hurting pooja.
Pooja : it's ok dhruv, he is just a child.
Everyone saw dhruv's concern and all of them noticed that dhruv still saw janhvi in pooja.
Kabir and rani both saw the scene unfold.
Kabir : mujhpe dhyaan dene se pehle apne pati ko sambhalo varna jis shaadi ke dum pe tum iss gharwalo ko control karti hona woh shaadi he nahi bachegi.
Kabir left rani fuming.
Kabir stormed into his bedroom. The moment of dhruv and pooja repeating in his mind. He went to the washroom, splashed some water in his eyes. Threw a shampoo bottle at the mirror in rage. He screamed... She is not janhvi...she is pooja...my pooja...did you hear me...she is mine!!!!!....he couldn't help tears rolling down his eyes. He was hurting. He collapsed on the floor weeping. He had loved her with all he had. He didn't know what else he could do to make a place for himself in pooja's heart. He knew he was too weak to let Pooja go. He would have to forever survive on the crumbs of affection shown by her. This was his fate.
Pooja knew kabir was hurting badly. She felt helpless, she couldn't go to him and pacify him. Everyone's eyes were on them. Noboby could know about them. She had to protect ved at any cost. She called kabir but he did not answer her calls. She sent him a message to give her a chance to explain but he did not reply to any of her texts.
Kabir saw pooja's call, he was feeling too raw. He couldn't talk to her at the moment. He just wanted to be alone and lick his wounds. He thought it should have gotten easier by now as he was used to getting heartache from pooja. But every single time it hurt more.
Pooja mentally willed kabir to talk to her, this time she didn't want to hurt him. She was here to protect him. She didn't know how she would repair the damage this time. She knew she would have to take the final risk. Even if it breaks her, this time she will not let kabir get hurt.