Check if you've read the previous update.
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"Hi Sidharth", He heard a familiar female voice while he was busy reading the newspaper in the morning.
He buckled the cap of the highlighting pen and forced a smile on his face before lifting up his head.
"Hi Kaamini. Kaisi ho?", He asked.
"I am fine. Tum kaise ho?", She asked.
"I am fine as well.", He looked around awkwardly not knowing what else to speak to her.
"How is Shehnaaz?", Asked Kaamini.
"Hmmm.. Yeah!! She is fine.", He nodded his head followed by another brief period of silence.
"Shaadi kab hai?", She asked.
"Huh? Kiski?", He asked puzzled.
"Tumhaari aur Shehnaaz ki?", She asked.
He realised that she broke up with him so that he marries Shehnaaz. He thought to himself that if he told her that Shehnaaz rejected his proposal, she might return into his life. He gulped in fear and decides to divert the topic rather than tell the truth.
"Tumhaara ghaav, heal ho gaya kya?", He asked holding her wrist and inspecting it.
"Woh.. haan.. Family ko darrane aur tumhe manaane ke liye kaata tha.. sachmein marne ke liye thode hi kaata tha joh itna gehra kaat leti.. ", she giggles loudly.
He fake laughs along with her while cursing her inwardly. The laughing expression on his face turns into nervousness when he finds Shehnaaz walking in. His hand shivered and left Kaamini's wrist at once when he found Shehnaaz glance at it.
Her face had the same usual cold expression but she immediately slipped her sunglasses over her nose to hide her expressive eyes after watching him holding her hand.
Sidharth faltered trying to stand up when she neared his desk. His entire structure trembled when he saw a slight smirk on her face before she walked past him.
"Good morning Shehnaaz", wished Kaamini.
Shehnaaz was a no nonsense person. She wasn't a person who would do things forcefully without her heart into it. She ignored her morning wish and walked past her.
"Huh!! Rassi jal gayi phir bhi bal nahi gaya. Itni badi bimaari hone ke baavajood uski akkad waise ki waise hi hai. Marne ka kauf bhi nahi hai.", Kaamini muttered in annoyance.
"Kaamini..", Sidharth said sternly.
"Sidharth bye, main chalti hoon. Bahut kaam hai.", Said Kaamini.
Sidharth ignored her bye and looked at Shehnaaz's cabin door which closed behind her back.
He picked up the newspaper and the coffee cup for Shehnaaz and went to her cabin.
He knocked on the door and entered when he heard her say yes.
"Good morning ma'am", he said to check her temper. She quietly stared at the screen without responding. He proceeded to place the cup of coffee and the newspaper on her table.
"Where is my secretary, Rihaan? This is his job.", She asked strictly without moving her eyeballs off her screen.
"Woh lawyer's office gaya hai. He messaged me saying that you asked him to go there.", He said standing afar. She didn't respond.
"Coffee garam hai. Sambhal ke", he said to her. He waited for her to reply for some time but when he didn't get one, he turned around to leave. He looked back at her, she lifted the cup and took a sip. He then took a step ahead to leave.
"Bakwaas!! This coffee is cold.", She yelled complaining and pushed the cup away.
"Huh? How can it be?", He asked.
"So, you think I am lying?", She asks.
"I.. I didn't say that. I trust you.", He said dipping his fingers into the cup.
"Sidhaaarth.. woh garam hai.." she screamed grabbing his hand and pulling it out of the cup immediately.
"Shehnaaaaz?", He looked at her in shock as she poured cold water over the burn.
"Sorry, maine jhoot bola", she cried with tear filled eyes and blew air over his wet hand.
"Tumne bhi toh yahi coffee piya tha na? Tumhara bhi toh muh jal gaya hoga na?", He asked cupping her cheek with the other hand. She lifted her welled up eyes to meet with his eyes. She lowered her lashes when she found him gazing at her lips while his thumb caressed her it delicately. A slight blush which had appeared, disappeared when she remembered him holding Kaamini's hand.
"I am okay.", She said pulling away his hand from her cheek.
"No, you are not. Why would you cry if you were alright?", He asked.
She smirked helplessly.
"Why would you care?", She asked.
"I do!!", He said.
She clears her throat which felt choking.
"Tum nahi samjhoge, Sidharth", she said.
"Toh samjhaao Shehnaaz.", He said, his eyes not leaving her face. She chuckled.
"4 saal pehle samjhaaneki koshish toh ki thi Sidharth. Tum samjhe nahi. Ab samjhaake koi fayda nahi.", She said.
He kept looking at her while she called on the intercom and asked the office boy to get the first aid box.
The peon got the first aid box immediately. After he left, she applied the Burnol antiseptic cream over his burn.
"Sidharth, today will be your last day at office. I am releasing you from service by paying you the notice salary early so that you join J&J Constructions Company. You would get a better job there with a better package.", She said in a composed tone. Hearing those words, he pulled his hand away from her hand and gave her a probing stare. She pressed her lips thin, her hand still in the same position except that it missed his hand. His heart experienced a sharp and tormenting pain due to her silence.
"Nahi chahiye mujhe woh naukri Shehnaaz. Waqt aane par main khudh doond lunga apne liye naukri. Mujhe nahi chahiye tumhaari sympathy wali naukri. Bahut le li tumse sympathy.", He said.
"Sympathy? Sympathy nahi mera pyaar tha woh tumhaare liye..", She screamed narrowing her eyebrows.
"Haan.. woh toh tab tha na? Ab toh nahi hai? Ab toh bas sympathy hi hai..", he said.
"Aaa.. ab bhi maa ke liye concern hai. Tumhaari taraf koi sympathy nahi.. yaha rehke, office boy ki naukri karna chahte ho, woh salary puri hogi tumhe?", she covered up.
"Achcha tumhaara concern, concern aur mera concern, sympathy? Sirf tumhaare pass feelings hai. Meri koi feeling nahi? Tuada kutta Tommy, sadda kutta kutta?", He asked.
"What?..", She tried speaking but he interrupted.
"Tum Kaamini ka gussa mujh pe nikaal rahi ho na?", He asked.
"Who is she? Kya lagti hai woh meri jo main uske baare mein sochu? She doesn't exist for me.", She said.
"Aur main? Mujhe kyu apne se durr kar rahi ho?", He asked.
"Main? Main dur kar rahi hoon? Agar tumhara iss office mein hone ko paas hona samajhte ho na toh tumhe paas hone ke ehsaas ka matlab hi nahi pata. Dur toh tum ussi din chale gaye the jab tumne sou logon ke saamne mera proposal tukkhra kar kisi aur ko chunaa.. Tumhara kisi aur ko pyaar karna fault nahi tha Sidharth, par tumne jiss tarah mujhe uss pyaar ke liye akela chodd diya aur mujhe sou logon ke saamne zalil kar diya uske liye main tumhe kabhi maaf nahi karungi. You've hurt me. Tumhaari best friend thi main, damn it!!", She said.
He put his head down and listened to all her complaints silently. There was a knock on the door. She glanced at the door and wiped off her tears and walked to her seat.
"Come in", she said occupying her chair.
"Good morning Shehnaaz.", Entered Rihaan with a smiling face. His smile faded when he saw Sidharth standing infront of her table. He observed the coffee cup with drops of coffee on her table and the water spill on the floor.
"Good morning Rihaan. Kaam ho gaya?", She asked.
"Haan Shehnaaz. Main papers le aaya hoon. Do you want me to read it out to you?", He asked.
"No, I'll check it myself. Office boy se kehke isse clean karaao.", She said pointing her finger at the water on the floor and coffee stains on the table.
"Hmmm.. abhi karata hoon.", Nodded Rihaan.
"Aur Mr. Sidharth Malhotra ka relieving letter ready karke mere signatures ke liye le aao. HR se baat karke inka final settlement bhi karo.", She said.
Rihaan was shocked while Sidharth lifted his head and stared at her.
"Par iska toh notice period pura nahi hua..", Rihaan spoke.
"Tumhe koi problem hai?", She glared at him and he nodded his head feeling mortified.
"Good! Toh jitna kaha jaya utna hi kaam karo. Also, make sure he is paid the salary for the remaining notice period.", She said.
"Okay Shehnaaz.", He said.
"Hmm.. and I prefer to be called as Ma'am.", She said. Sidharth had a tint of surprise on his face hearing her words.
"Okay Ma'am", nodded Rihaan with his head down.
"You may leave now! I have an important call to attend so I want my cabin to be empty now.", She said.
Rihaan nodded and looked at Sidharth, who was still staring at Shehnaaz while she had her eyes on her screen.
"Sidharth..", called Rihaan.
Sidharth moved his eyeballs and looked at Rihaan who signalled to come along with him out of the cabin.
He looked back at Shehnaaz who picked up the wireless earbuds and pushed it into her ears. He then nodded at Rihaan and went out with him.
She looked at the door once it closed and pulled her earbuds and threw it on the table. She held her head in her hand and a painful sob left her lips. She wiped her tears and dragged the file kept by Rihaan on the table and started reading it.
.
.
.
Rihaan knocked on her cabin door after 2 hours.
"Come in..", she said.
"Ma'am, Sidharth's relieving letter is ready for your signature.", said Rihaan.
"Hmmm..", she said looking at the letter and read line by line while taking enough time to gather all the courage to scribble her signature on it.
"Ma'am.. what are you thinking?", Asked Rihaan when he found her lost in her thought.
Coming back from her trance, she looked at Rihaan.
"Signature..", he said.
"Hmmm.. Aaa.. Rihaan, aren't y'all arranging a farewell party for him?", She asked.
"Haan, woh humare corporate floor ke logon ne milke uske liye chota sa tea party karne ka plan banaya hai. I was wondering if you could write something for him on the farewell card?", Said Rihaan.
"He had been working here even before I joined. Mere papa uski taarif karte nahi thakte the. Main chahti hoon usko ek achcha sa send off party mile. Purey corporate floor ko invite karo aaj shyam. Chai party ke instead dinner party rakho. Venue book karo aur saare arrangements karo. You can take help from others as well. I will get him a gift myself.", She instructed.
"Okay Ma'am.", Nods Rihaan and goes out.
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To be continued.. ❤️❤️