Was I stunned by his presence?
Yes, I was.
I didn't expect him here at all. And never in my life, I thought he would say sorry for firing me.
All in all, his behavior at the apartment was different than his at the office and maybe that's why the last part came from my mouth.
Because I was so angry at him, I just said him selfish.
But I never thought he would give such a drastic reaction. When I said about destroying, his face was showing so many emotions like hurt and anger, he was damn angry, he was there in the room but still was not there.
Like I have opened some wounds of the past.
'God, Aarna, why you had to say that? Will he be fine?'
As much as I say I don't want to see him, I can't ignore the desire to be with him.
I wanted to experience the hot, perfect moments and kisses we shared rather than fighting with him all the time.
His care, his concern, and the moments that I shared with him can't give justification for his behavior in the morning or all the other times he made me feel like trash.
"Why you didn't come to the office today, and you didn't even inform HR? Are you alright?" Marshal sir said.
Before that there were only two reasons for my absence from work, health issues or me being out of the city.
"Are you there? Aarna. Don't tell me you resigned."
He said with a laugh.
That means Rathod didn't tell him about me not being part of the company anymore
"Jokes apart. I called you for our new project. This time we are making our own mall and then we will sell it, isn't that exciting? I want you to lead this project. I will talk about this to Rathod and I don't think he will disagree with this decision."
We constructed malls before too but as constructors only and not as owners.
This was new and It was easy to guess the mind behind this idea.
"Sir, I don't think--"
"Aarna, I am getting late for a dinner meeting, I will talk to you Tomorrow at the office."
So like Marshal sir, this is his way of talking on phones. He would cut the call before letting others complete it.
I was confused, why didn't he know?
HR must have informed Marshal sir,
I opened my mail and saw that they sent the termination letter from Rathod's email and not from the company's email, and there was only Mr. Rathod's signature and not from HR.
It was a rule that nobody can fire any employee without HR's permission but usually, HR gave their consent because they also work for the owners.
HR can not go against them.
So I still am part of MR till the HR department signs my termination letter.
Half part, I mean.
I laughed at my misery.
I was in no mood to cook and Ria was going to come late, so I opened my phone to order something and I was looking at the menu from my favorite restaurant, a Gujarati restaurant. Whenever I eat food from this restaurant, I always felt like I am at home.
The ringing of a doorbell startled me.
'Who could be at home at this time.'
I murmured.
I opened the door, and there was this delivery guy, holding a big parcel.
"Aarna Patel?" He asked looking at the receipt.
"Yes."
I looked at him skeptically.
"Ma'am, food delivery."
"I ordered nothing."
"Yes mam, you didn't but someone else did and I was strictly ordered to give you this."
He gave me the heavy parcel.
I closed the door once he left.
'How can food for one person be this heavy.'
I opened the box, and there was a note,
This is compensation for leaving suddenly and Hope you will consider joining back the MR.
--Rathod.
The food box had logos of Swad, my favorite restaurant from whom I was going to order, a few minutes ago.
I took out all the boxes and opened them.
Kadhi - khichdi, sev-tameta ki sabzi, baingan bharta, rotlo, Patra dhokla, mohanthal and rotala's churmu in sweet, dal dhokli, masala chas, normal chas, papad.
My tastebuds became ten times stronger seeing all the dishes.
I was looking like the way Jethalal looks on Sunday at his Fafda Jalebi.
And there was again a new note at the bottom,
I didn't know what you like the most so I ordered few dishes that I thought you will like. Hope this food brings a smile to your face.
The food was too much, the notes and quantity-wise too. but I am not complaining about his gesture.
After eating all that amazing dishes, my mood was better.
I packed all the food that I didn't even touch and gave it to the guard uncle of our building.
It's better to give someone than waste it.
After talking with my parents via video call, I went to sleep.
Do I have to message him and say thank you?
'I think, you should.'
Umm no, I don't think so. He sent food with his purpose.
He wanted me to join back but Do I want to go back?
I can not deny my love for the company but what about my self-respect?
Do you mean ego?
'This sounds like your ego and not self-respect. Humans do make mistakes but he realized his misstep and tried to revert it, he also said sorry too.'
Shut up, go away, and let me sleep.
My phone rang as I was looking for vacancies, I was not ready to talk but I answered the phone,
anyway.
I can't resist hearing his voice.
"Hello?"
"Aarna, did you get the food?" He asked through the phone, and I shivered after hearing his voice.
"Yes, It was amazing, thank you but there was no need. You and I we are done."
"I have arranged a lunch meeting at my office for us, my driver will pick you up."
After a long pause, he said.
"Why do you think I will come?" I asked.
"Well, It's in your hands to come or not. But my driver will wait outside your building, in case you want to come after one day, two days, three days or whenever. You will find him outside."
I closed my eyes, understanding his meaning.
"I don't think lunch will be a good option. We don't need any of this. I will find a new job and you do your work, we will be happy that way."
I still tried.
"I don't know about you but I will not be happy that way. I know I have fu*ked up but give me a chance to make it right." His tone was softer this time.
"I don't the--"
"Please, come, I will wait for you."
He cut the call saying that.
Now there was a battle going on inside me to go or not go and eventually after pointing down the pros and cons, I decided to meet him.
I decided what I need to say to him.
I was ready to go in a slit kurta and a pair of jeans, without makeup. I took my bag and opened the door but I got a surprise.
Rathod was standing there in all his glory, the sight of him was enough to make me speechless.
"Mr. Rathod, you told your driver would pick me up."
"Well, I changed my mind. I thought we can have lunch at your place so."
He pointed at the pizza boxes in his hand.
"Come..."
I opened the door fully and went to the side to let him in,
How can I close the door on his face when he came with Pizza boxes wearing a hopeful look and a tailored suit?
"You look good in this." He stated calmly.
"Oh, the clothes?"
"Yes, Indian clothes suit you."
Well, my plan backfired. I thought seeing me in such clothes he would not find me his type.
"And western doesn't? Don't tell me you are part of the 'moral police' who believe Indian women should not wear western clothes."
I narrowed my eyes at him and showed fake anger.
I know I was picking up on his words.
Maybe we will fight and he will go away.
But instead of replying to my remarks, he said,
"Pizza will get cold. Come let's eat."
went towards the kitchen.
Well, plan number 2 backfired too.
He set on the dining table with two dishes, forks, and knives.
'Is he going to eat pizza with a fork and knife?'
I thought.
I went and set on a chair beside him. He served me a slice of Pizza to me and cut a piece from his slice with the help of a fork.
I couldn't control my laugh and he looked questionably at me,
"Oh, the king of etiquette, that's not a way to eat pizza."
I took a slice in my hand and took a bite.
And moaned.
"Eat like this." He sent me a wry look.
He took a slice in his hand and took a bite uncomfortably and cleaned his hand with a paper napkin immediately.
I shook my head at him and took another bite while moaning.
His gaze turned hot.
"Tell me when was the last time you ate Pizza?"
I asked to make the mood lighter.
"Never." He replied.
"Not even when you were a child?" I asked.
"No." He said coldly like it was the end of the topic.
I was trying to understand him.
'did something happen to him when he was a child? That's why he is like this?' I thought.
'Aarna, don't think like this.'
I blocked those thoughts out of my mind, for now.
"What do you want?"
I asked after a few minutes of eating in silence.
I can't stand silence.
"I want you and I want you to join back MR construction."
He said whipping his hands with a napkin.
"Your actions spoke a different story. and I don't want to join back."
"Stop lying, you and I, we both know what you want." He said a matter of factly.
"It doesn't matter, we were mistakes, and that matters to me."
"No, we weren't and we aren't. Just one selfish act of mine was a mistake and I said sorry and I think you need to move on from that."
"Ya, that's why I am moving on, moving on from you."
"You don't mean it."
"I do,"
I replied.
"My life before you was not exciting, but I loved it the way it was. And you brought a storm to my well-organized simple life and now I want that life back." I said.
"I know it's scary and risky but all the good things have their own risk. And I think we are worth that risk."
I stared at him.
"I know you are pissed and I understand the reasons, but this is me, I did screw up and I might in the future but you can't cut me off like this." He said with frustration.
"Let's say, I agreed to join back the office, but I disagreed to be with you. Then? Will you still want me there in the company?" I asked warily.
"I will not let that happen and If, If It does happen, then you still will be part of the company."
"How can I trust you?"
"I will tell my lawyer to make a contract that no matter what our relationship will be, I can't fire you with my reasons or on personal grounds."
He said.
"Okay, fine. I will join back and not because of this lunch or dinner yesterday but because I love to work there."
I said.
"And what about us?"
He asked with hope in his eyes.