Unedited.
Target: 220 votes
Dhruv's POV:
I released a tired sigh while closing a document after signing it as Ravi entered my office after knocking on the door and getting my permission.
"Sir, I just received a call from the CEO's secretary of Shine Corps. She informed me about the visit of the head designer of the project that we have recently signed with them. So I came to inform you about it as I have yet to reply to her."
I nodded at his information and replied."Notify me once that person has arrived. Also, ask our designer to meet me along with that person."
After assigning some more tasks, I dismissed him and got engaged in reading the details of the upcoming project.
When I was so engrossed in looking into the details, my intercom buzzed and Ravi informed me about their arrival. I mumbled an okay as I asked him to show them to my office.
Standing up, I stretched out my limbs and walked near to the glass wall of my office to get a view of the bustling city. When I heard the knock and clicking sound of the door. I turned around to get back to my place but stood rooted on the spot once I caught the sight of the person in front of me.
Masking the surprise, I gestured her to sit along with the designer of my company. After having nearly an hour of discussion about the terms, details, and every other thing, I asked my company's designer to leave.
Once she left, I glanced at the person who was sitting in front of me with her head down. I knocked on the table with my fingers to make her look at me.
"How come you are here?" I asked her the question that I had been itching to ask since the moment I saw her in my office.
"I am sorry. I recently started working for Shine Corps. Believe me, I wasn't aware of the fact that it was with your company which my company had a collaboration. I was just informed to meet the CEO. I didn't get time to look into the details as it was pretty much rushed up. I only came to know, it was indeed your company once I was in front of it." She completed her lengthy explanation in a guilty tone as I placed a water glass in front of her.
She gulped the water hurriedly and dabbed her mouth with the back of the sleeve as I shook my head at her tensed behavior.
"I didn't ask you to explain the whole thing. Anyways, I am quite happy to know that you started doing what you have truly loved. How is your health? No problems..right?" I asked her in a casual tone once she eased up a little and smiled at me.
"Now my life has been going really well. My whole focus is on my baby now. I have to work hard and live well for my baby and I will." She answered me with a tinge of determination in her tone and I nodded at her in satisfaction.
"You should. Don't hesitate to seek my help when it's needed. I will be glad to offer you my help." I said as she shook her head at me in denial.
"Things are so awkward between us, to begin with. Don't make it worse. No one will believe even if we say nothing is going between us because once upon a time we both were in a RELATIONSHIP. Can't blame them though because the friendship between the Ex'es is too uncommon. Moreover, you are married. I don't want to be a cause of even the slightest misunderstanding in your relationship. I don't know whether your wife is aware of our past relationship or not but I don't want her to get hurt because of my presence as I knew what a painful experience it was." She said while looking at the other side blankly.
I kept my silence as I knew what she had said was reasonable.
"I really wanted to help you but I understand where you are coming from though."
"Good to know but seriously, are you pitying me, Dhruv?" She asked me in a blank tone as I shook my head in denial.
"Why will I pity you, Ankitha? For what reason should I have to show pity? For being strong even after what you have faced or for putting up with a toxic relationship all these years with hope? Exactly for what? I can't pity you and if I do, I have to pity myself for being sick at mind." I took a deep breath as I intended to tell her the reason.
"Ankitha, did you remember once you asked me a question when we were in a relationship? You asked me 'would you help me as a friend even when we both wouldn't be in a relationship in the future?' Did you remember what I had said? I told you that irrespective of the circumstances and our relationship, I would always be there for you and protect you. I told you that because firstly you were my best friend and my secret keeper with whom I used to confide every little thing."
"I still remembered the promise I gave you and I am guilty because I couldn't keep my word of protecting you. When you told me about your married life, I regretted not keeping in contact with you. I regretted not saying anything when you initiated the break-up. I am sorry, Ankitha. You were my best friend before we started dating. I promised to be your best friend even if our relationship didn't work out. I am so sorry for being a bad friend."
"When you said that you were breaking up with me and we both shouldn't stay in touch anymore, I was heartbroken at the loss of our precious friendship even when I thought I was madly in love with you. I cried for our broken friendship more than our broken relationship. I haven't confessed all these things to anyone because everything sounds absurd and no one knows the pact we had between us."
"It's because of my promise, I asked you to seek my help. It's because of my promise I was guilty but anymore though. Seeing you like this in front of me, I am assured that you can and will live well." I told her everything that I had bottled up in my heart.
I had indeed courted her in the past but this girl in front of me agreed to be in a relationship with me only if I could promise her that we would still be friends even if had a break-up or if things wouldn't go well between us. As I thought I was in love with her, I agreed to her every condition. As the days passed by, we became more close just like the best friends and I even shared every little thing that I hadn't even shared with my friends because I was comfortable with her and I mistook that comfort as love and it took someone's presence to make me realize that fact.
"I know. I was so cruel to you back then. I was being selfish and took our relationship for granted. To be honest, you don't have to feel guilty because you aren't the cause of my situation. It was my doing and I should have to bear the consequences of my own decisions. You know, so many times, I had an urge to call you and tell you everything. I wanted to cry out my heart and wanted you to seek justice for me but did I have that right? I was the one who broke even the last string of our relationship i.e., our friendship. I thought it was my karma for breaking your heart." She wiped her tears as she was speaking and even my eyes got tore a little.
"Amidst of all these things, I was happy to realize that I broke up with you because if not at that time, at some point of time or other, we both would have realized the fact that we both weren't in love but would have struggled to say it out loud because of the fear of hurting each other's feelings. I am sure that I wasn't in love with you. It's just that we always want to do the thing we are so restricted from doing..right. The same goes for me too. My dad prohibited me from being into the relationships. So I was being a curious kid, wanted to have the taste of it. See what I got in return for my childishness."
"Enough of these talks now. At last what I wanted to say is, don't feel guilty for the things which you aren't responsible for. In fact, I am thankful to you for not holding a grudge against me. I am taking my leave. It's almost noon. I have a presentation to do." I just nodded at her slowly in response, not knowing what to say as she stood up to take her to leave.
Once she left, I closed my eyes tiredly and raked the fingers through my eyes, while resting my head on the back of my chair. Just then my phone pinged, indicating that I had received a message.
Seeing the contact's name, my fingers automatically worked on their own as I opened the message, and after seeing the content, I smile lit on my weary face. Aaru had sent me a selfie of hers with her tongue stuck out. In front of her was a big pizza.
Along with her pic, there followed was a text.
[You Scrooge! This is how you
should make your wife happy😏
-Rakshasi.]
I chuckled and typed a reply to her.
[I am sorry for lacking knowledge
in that department but I am a fast
learner. So I am sure, under your
guidance, I will ace it. So don't
hesitate in spreading your knowledge.]
[Don't worry kid. I will you teach
everything that makes you to
behave like a normal
human being.]
I thought to reply to her back but again someone knocked on my door and I got busied with my work.
After a week.
A week had passed normally with our regular banter and me, being busy with the latest projects. Though I hardly got any time in this week, I tried my best to give my all-time to Aaru. Today was also a busy day for me as I had to assess the project development. Adi and Ankitha too are going to join me in a while.
I was busy in my thoughts when someone barged into my office without my permission. I lifted my head angrily to give that person some mind but soon it turned into a bright smile when I noticed who it.
"Surprise!" She exclaimed while showing me the lunch box in her hand.
"Indeed a surprise," I said while making away towards her and placed that lunch box on the table after taking it from her.
"I took an off today and came to visit you. You have been so busy recently. So I came here to have a look at my handsome dude and Mamayya showed me the way to your office. hehehe." she said in a delighted tone while opening the boxes that she had brought with her.
After doing so, she gestured me to take a seat on the couch and I obeyed her. She placed a box in front of me and settled herself beside me before taking her phone out and started scrolling through it.
"Did you have your lunch?" I asked her while placing a morsel in my mouth and she shook her head in denial.
"No. I will have it once I go home." She said still busy with her phone.
"Then why did you bring two lunch boxes? Seeing the other box, I thought someone wants to have lunch with me." I told her like a disappointed child while looking at the other side.
"Awww. I actually brought it for Ravi but if you insist me on eating with you then..ahh?" She spoke as she leaned forward while opening her mouth, asking me to feed her.
I smiled at her and brought forward the spoon to feed her. Just like that, we both had our lunch. After having it, she placed her head on my lap and started telling me about her day while I was busy admiring her as I ran my hand through her hair.
She suddenly sprang up and slapped her forehead as if she had remembered an important thing, putting a halt to my admiring session.
"I actually forgot the purpose of my visit. You do know today is Swaru's b'day...right? Dad has arranged a family dinner. We have to attend it. So come home early."
"Yeah. Actually, Mamayya personally gave me a visit yesterday and informed me about the dinner thing. So don't worry about it. I will try to be at home early." I informed her while tucking a strand behind her ear.
"You have to be...Okay? I won't disturb your work anymore. I will take my leave. See you at home." Saying this she took the lunch box that she had brought for Ravi and started heading to the door while I was walking behind her to see her out.
She halted in her tracks when she was passing Ravi's desk and looked at me to confirm whether she was right or not. When I nodded at her in the confirmation, she placed that lunch box on his desk with a thud, startling him as he was so engrossed in his work that he didn't even notice our presence in front of his desk.
"Geez... Just a friendly suggestion. Stop spending time with him otherwise, I can't guarantee that you will have a blissful love life. " she suggested to him immediately when he recovered from his shock as I shook my head at her.
"Woah. Who are you? And no one asks your suggestion. If you are so worried about my marriage, why don't you get your sister to marry me if you have one? In fact, why don't you marry me ...hmph." He stood up and pointed his finger at her in an aggrieved manner as I moved forward to smack him but she held my hand and smiled at him sweetly.
"Sorry. I do have a sister but I don't want to spoil her life. Moreover, I don't want to address you as my brother-in-law. About marrying me, I know I am pretty and cute but sadly I am already married. Better luck in the next life. " She haughtily told him as my head snapped in her direction at her words. Ignoring me, she walked ahead by fiddling her keys around her finger.
"Ohh. About my identity, I am his Rakshasi." She told him without looking back while giving me a pointed look. I avoided looking at her and glared at him, who was standing there with a dumbfounded look after processing the information.
I hurriedly ran behind her as she was heading to dad's office. She just waved her handoff and smiled at me.
"Don't worry. I actually find it quite cute and I am not at all angry for being addressed as Rakshasi by you. Hehehe." She smiled at me, making me relieve and I nodded at her. I saw Adi and Ankitha coming in our way. So I passed them a smile and looked at Aarna.
She was still walking ahead when she turned her head to look back at me and said, "Don't bother about seeing me out. You go and do your work. Don't forget to be on time. Bye." She waved at me and I smiled at her while waving back but that smile turned into a panic when she accidentally bumped into Ankitha who was walking right beside her.
Ankitha was about to fall but thankfully Adi held her on time as she was still in a panic mode. I rushed to them and saw Adi glaring at Aaru angrily.
"Aarna!! Do you have your eyes on your head? She is pregnant for god's sake." He shouted at her and it was my first time seeing him so angry.
"Preg..pregnant? She is pre..gnant?" She mumbled to herself.
"I am so..sorry. I didn't do it. I didn't do it intentionally." Hearing the word pregnant, Aaru's whole body started trembling as she was looking at nothing in particular, still mumbling the words. I didn't do it intentionally while trying to dab her tears.
I frowned in confusion, seeing her panic as if she was reliving a memory. I immediately attempted to bring her to my embrace but she avoided my touch and moved back. I was hurt a little but more than that I was confused at her behavior.
She took a deep breath and looked at Ankitha. First, she seemed to be surprised a little but she masked it immediately and apologetically folded her hands in front of Ankitha.
"Ankitha Akka. I am truly sorry. It was purely an accident. I am sorry." She said to her in a guilty tone and looked at Adi apologetically.
"Did they already know each other?" A question raised in my head as I saw her familiarly talking with Ankitha but that wasn't my main concern now. I wanted to know the reason behind her panic.
Finally, she glanced at me and said, "I am fine. Don't worry about me." Saying this, she walked hurriedly from there without looking back as I could still see the tremors of her body, making me worry.
I was about to follow her but Adi held me back and gestured me not to do so. "Let her be. She just needs some time to get back to normal. I shouldn't have shouted at her like that. *sigh* it must have triggered her some bitter memories." He said in a low voice.
I frowned at his words and looked at him for an explanation. He just shook his head and said that it wasn't his place to say it. He turned towards Ankitha and asked her whether she is okay.
Ignoring both of them, I started walking back to my office. I wanted to go after her even after what Adi had said but after thinking that she might really need some space, I resisted myself but still, her trembling body wasn't leaving my mind.
"Whatever your fears are, Aaru. It's my turn to heal you." I vowed to myself.
Sorry for the little delay. Hope you guys liked the chapter.
Aaru's past is gonna be revealed soon.
Thanks for reading.
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