"So this is the site you find perfect for the resort." Mr. Rathod asked removing the Ray Bans as he surveyed the area.
"Yeah the greenery around is a perfect view and spending your family time amidst nature is the best therapy in this busy world. And you see those meadows, we can have the entrance from there. It will look spectacular. What do you think?"
I just loved this view so I couldn't help but explain him everything nicely with a certain kind of excitement I never felt before, around him. But deep down I liked when he praised me. Maybe he'll approve this land too.
I looked back at him hopefully while he was simply staring at me. ‘You've to see the meadows, not me.’ Though I wished to remind him but kept mum and tucked my disturbing strands behind my ear which were swaying due to the cool wind.
"Hmm...yeah I mean the idea of entrance from there is nice and this land too. Have you checked over other lands?" He cleared his throat and again put on his Ray Bans. Why does he have to hide his eyes? They are beautiful.
"I'd personally visited the sites having good locations but this place is perfect, according to me. If you want we can go and see them again." He simply nodded and walked towards his car while I followed him. I was grateful for his slow pace. My foot still hurts and I swear not to wear those heels anytime soon.
"It's your project, take the lead." His answer snapped me out from 'cursing-my-heels' session.
"Mr. Rathod, it's our project. Your opinion is as much important as mine." Then I don't want to be blamed later on.
"Ms. Maheshwari I know where I've to give my opinion. I'm not good in designing and this map view. Making sure that other things like investment and profits run as smoothly as the construction is my job. So you're free to do things here, as per your will. Just mail the basic structure once it's ready because I know what will give us more profits." There was trace of arrogance in his voice but I didn't mind it this time. I got to work on this project on my own and he surely knows about the market better than me, so I can let it slide.
"Thank you Mr. Rathod for trusting me enough for this project. If not your encouragement then my indecisiveness and cowardice would've cost me a big time yesterday." I felt the need to atleast thank him once for what he's done for me, for us, unknowingly.
"Cowardice is not the correct word here Ms. Maheshwari. You are surely not a coward but courageous enough to stand and give the presentation even being injured. That says a lot about you. And that's the only reason you're standing here. Indecisiveness, yes for sure and inexperienced too. Don't worry, you will learn with time and exposure. If you really want to do something valuable in future I would suggest only one thing. Do what you feel is correct, not what others want you to do. Set your priorities rightly. That's all I can say. Congratulations and all the best for your first project.”
He sat in his car after his monologue, the longest I've heard him say, leaving me dumbstruck but not before glancing at my feet.
There are no heels. I guess he hates them as much as I do.
______
"Wow cake!!" Ani exclaimed in delight and snatched the plate from my hand making me giggle at his cuteness. I kept aside her art book while he simply gobbled the whole slice. I enjoy baking whenever I’m happy and today I’m thrilled.
"It's so yummy and moist. You've made it after so long. Do you have more?" He asked me cutely looking around as he is never done with a single slice.
"You want more?" I asked raising my brow and he pouted stating the obvious.
"Gimme a kiss and I let you...have a ...slice." He pecked both my cheeks before I could even say and snatched the other plate too. It had two slices.
"Ohoo...so desperate for this cake ha?" I said poking his cheek while he shifted a little far so that I cannot disturb his eating session.
"You make the most scrumptious chocolate cake in this world. Btw you look really happy. Is my brother-in-law taking you out on a date?" He asked with a mischievous grin and laughed loudly as I swatted his arm.
"Shut up naughty boy. I'm not going on any date and I'm happy because I got my first project and I've the full freedom to design it on my own choice." I shared the reason enthusiastically and he showed me his white- okay, a little brown teeth smudged with the chocolate.
"That's really good. So that bogeyman step-dad of ours will not poke his long dirty nose?" He wiggled his eyebrows and I laughed at his choice of adjectives. It reminded me of Mr. Rathod. Compulsive, neurotic sycophant, scumbag and the list goes on! I couldn't help but chuckle.
"No, he won't. Wow you completed this sketch. Did you understand the angles now?" I asked as the sketches he was working on from so long were finally done. Arts and paintings is his passion and peace. He aspires to be an artist. We have enrolled him in an art school 'Colors outside the lines' but he takes his session from home for now.
"Oh yes, jiju taught me. I was having a video call with him just few minutes back." He said excitedly. Video call??
"Mr. Rathod and sketching? He explained you? You are not joking right?" I was sure my eyes became bigger than they already are. What more revelations are left Krishna ji?
"No. Infact he gave me many other tips too. See this another sketch and he even suggested me to now try oil painting. He says I can step up the work and I was about to ask you about upgrading my course."
"When all this happened? And why you never told me?"
Okay so now I really feel jealous. Mr. Rathod knows about Ani's artwork more than me and they discuss it over video calls where I just receive the information from him via mails. He hadn't even texted me ever. Does he even has my number? Oh yeah he called me once and that incident was better to be forgotten. Why this partiality Krishna ji? Is Aniket not Sagar's step son and my brother? He judged me for everything but he's so sweet towards my brother? What is his reality? What had I done to be subjected to his harshness?
"The night we went for dinner at their house. We talked mostly about that and when he suggested few things, I got to know about his interest in paintings since childhood, sketching, oil painting and even charcoal painting so I asked for his help and he readily agreed. Since you were already busy with the project and many other things, we didn't get much time to talk." He shrugged with an apologetic look but I wasn't convinced.
"So he still do all this sketching and stuff? When did he learn?" I asked him, actually wanting to know about that mysterious man who's going to be my husband from my brother. The irony has still not lost on me.
"No, now he doesn't. And he started learning when he was six. He mainly focussed on oil and charcoal painting then."
I was mystified to say the least. My heart warms as I picture a six year old boy with those mystic ocean blue eyes, sitting and painting his bright colourful ideas on the white canvas. And now he doesn't, why?
"Adira, Aniket come down fast. Aparna madam has called you." One of our house help knocked the door and informed us with a full blown smile.
We both exchanged looks and went down. Our steps halted as we saw mom crying and hugging an old lady.
"Dadi ma!!"
_________
Writer's Pov
"Shit, shit, shit. This was not what I'd planned. I thought I will be have my way with Aditya but he is also whipped by my so called daughter. Beauty can definitely cloud any man's judgement and that girl has managed to entice him. I had actually assumed that he was a tough nut to crack and their (Adira and Aditya) indifference was clearly visible, until now. " Sagar kicked the visitors chairs and threw all the stuff kept on the table on the floor, added by the show if sudden, strong support from Aditya towards Adira. He was going mad after forcefully signing the paper of transferring his illicitly and deceptively earned shares.
He was gradually realising that involving media was Aditya's plan where he openly declared Adira as the owner and his fiance, a clear display of protection and claim. She was family to Rathod's and he wasn't a fool to lay his hand on her. She was off limits and so was Aniket. That boy was Adira's biggest weakness he'd played at but he was no longer sure. Aditya seemed to have more interest in that seventeen year old boy than his fiance. He was supposed to be the devil he was counting on, not the angel.
Aparna was useless once she married him just for the sake of her children. She was too loyal towards her dead husband, untouchable and as much as it bruised his ego, he couldn't force his will on her. She wasn't the only beautiful woman he'd known in his life and he'd better things to focus on, like his endangered position in the company. Adira's entry has impacted his hold on the board of directors. He cannot afford that. He needed to rebuild his image and strengthen his position back and for that, only one person can help him- his son-in-law. He was not gulping insults for nothing. He had to get his hold on him.
His mobile blared ending his rumination.
"Are you sure Jordan, he's here? A rave party is going on here." Sagar questioned his trustworthy scout standing in front of the Red Moon Bar.
"Sir I'm hundred percent sure. I have checked it twice before informing you. I saw him inside and he wasn't alone." Jordan's eyes were down when he muttered the last line.
Taking the pass from Jordan, Sagar went inside the hall, packed with humans with raging hormones. The stench of alcohol and smoke flooded his lungs. He shook his head to wade off the nauseating feeling because of the sweat disseminating from the youth with riotous hormones high on alcohol.
He darted his eyes around, his pupils dilated to see through the colourful flashes of lights blinding him and locate the person his scout traced for him. His forehead creased when he saw the familiar face he was looking for, but a couple from nowhere bumped into him, too oblivious to apologize while they continued making out.
He lost the vision and the face was nowhere to be seen. He raked his fingers in his hair and cursed frustratedly. Sliding on to the chosen name he dialled the number and turned around hearing the ringing of the mobile. Walking towards that particular direction, he reached the corner of the bar, staggering off the crowd and found a man almost groping a woman while the latter moaned in pleasure. His face was hidden into the woman's neck who was standing against the wall surrendered and enjoying the assault done to her.
The ringing of his mobile continued and finally ceased when Sagar disconnected the call but the man was least bothered. Having enough of the redundant adult show Sagar tapped his shoulder followed by a vigorous shake to snap him out of his erotic bubble.
"What the fuck do you want?" The man gutturalized and stared at him with hooded eyes, irritated with the disturbance. Sagar immediately took his hand back confounded and mumbled,
"Aditya!"
________
Adira's Pov.
"Dadi ma!!" I screamed in delight and embraced her tightly. It's been after two years she is here. I missed her so much.
"How are you, Adira? Aniket, how lean you've become? Don't worry now I'm here. I'll feed you both all the nutritious food and you will become like your father, strong and healthy. " My grandmother, Krishna Maheshwari and her love to feed us every healthy food in the list is still the same. Even Sarah isn't spared from this.
"Yes dadi ma please make kheer for me." And my brother's demands started.
"You'll get everything, first let her sit." Mom reminded us as we had encircled her not letting her sit.
We pulled her into my room and sat there for hours talking and sharing our lives, our missed moments with each other. How she missed all of us in her daily routine of teaching singing. Initially she used to teach classical dancing too but now due to her age, her body doesn't comply to such enervating activity anymore.
"So when is the wedding, Adi?" She asked with a small smile and her eyes displayed hurt. We haven't informed her about it neither about Ani's health.
"Dadi ma how..." I fumbled staring down clueless what to answer.
"I never knew media and newspaper will be the only way left to know about my grandchild's life. My students showed me your picture along with your fiancé in a newspaper."
"Maa, it's not her fault. It was so sudden that we couldn't inform you anything. We have fixed the marriage by next week." Mom intervened and then explained her everything how it was all fixed on a deal.
"Aparna marriage is not a deal. They all must be like Sagar. How can you do this with your own daughter ?" Dadi ma sounded furious but it's not her fault. She just cares for me, for us, too much.
"No dadi ma that family is very nice. Infact Mr. Rathod's grandparents are so warm and lovely. I love spending time with them. You need not worry about me." I lied down on her lap assuring her and she finally had a smile on her face.
"Yes maa they are not like Sagar in any way. Dad already knew them and they were old friends. I wonder why didn't we meet them before." Mom shared with a relieved smile.
"And Aditya? How's he with you?" She again asked me my opinion and to be honest not even mom had asked me about it. She had been my first friend with whom I could shared my deepest secrets. I never had to lie to her. Destiny separated us and now I cannot tell her the truth of our relationship.
Do we have any relation with each other except a relation of hatred? But now I don't think I hate him either.
"He's amazing dadi ma. You know now he's my friend also." Ani uttered with a wide grin and I mentally rolled my eyes at his excitement.
'Why doesn't he only marry him? I would be saved from this ordeal.' I huffed in annoyance. Dadi ma nudged me and stared at me for an answer. She won't let me go without an answer.
"Dadi ma, he is good. A little reserved but he respects everyone. We haven't spend much time together but I know we will be happy." I answered with a fake smile and she sighed with content. Well everything isn't a lie. He is definitely a reserved person and maybe we can have a future too.
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