6 months later...
"Sharon... let's not be impulsive." Rey said.
"The tour begins in one week Rey! We have one week. Let's just say maybe it wasn't meant to be..." Sharon said and exhaled heavily.
"Swayam loves you..."
"Yes.. but it is never enough is it?.. so it's all over Rey.. And promise me you won't bring his name in our conversation."
"Sharon.. whatever you say, this can't happen! I mean... you and me! YOU AND ME?? God! Mujhse yeh socha bhi nahi ja sakta! Dude! I love Kria!" Rey shouted.
"Rey, agar tum na kahoge toh meri shaadi kisi aur ke saath ho jaayegi.. and do you want me to get married to a stranger?" Sharon asked coldly.
"Huh?! I mean why a marriage at all? Agar business mein help chahiye toh friendship ke khatir kar sakte hein na?"
"It is the written bond everyone believes Rey.. I think some board members of RPH wants to do business with your dad and what is more better than throwing me in the roulette?" She sadly huffed.
"Sharon.."
"Rey please let's go! Mujhe yahaan nahi rehna!! Please just go!"
"Huh-huh-huh!" Rey woke up in his bed out of breath. He felt his heart pounding in his chest. Out of all of them he knew what real nightmares meant. It was replaying the real events one never wanted to happen.
He checked his phone to see 11 missed calls and 3 messages.
'Where are you Rey? Uncle is worried to hell! At least call him!' -Sharon
'Are you okay? Call me asap Rey!' -Sharon
'We need to talk. 372 King street, 5pm.' -Visakha
"King street?.. when did she arrive in London?" He wondered. Stretching his body and gulping an aspirin he walked into the bathroom to wear off his hangover. He had been in London for the past 4 months working his ass off on the behalf of RPH in the day and heavily drinking in the nights.
Freshening himself he walked into his living room with grey walls and a painting he made of a girl with no face. Grabbing his formal clothes he stood in front of the painting and adjusted his tie.
"I still don't get what was the idea behind that painting..." Rey was startled by the voice from the kitchen.
"Sharon..." he sighed staring at the girl in dark blue sweater and black pants moving in about the kitchen making tea for both of them.
"I mean is it me or Kria or just somebody else with long hair?" She said while adding tea powder in the boiling milk.
"Tum kab aayi?" He asked ignoring her question.
"How is the hangover? Beer kuch zyaada ho gaya tha kal?" She asked returning the favour ignoring his question.
"Sharon stop trying to be my..." he started saying but got interrupted by her.
"Fiance? ...Girlfriend? ..Best friend? ... Friend? Kya hoon main?" She threw the options to his face.
"Shut up!" He said. "..headache already hein! Badhaao mat!" He said in a low voice.
"What the hell Rey? Kya tum explain kar sakte ho ki tum sabko jhodke yahaan aake kar kya rahe ho? Do you know my father is hospitalized? Aur tumhaare dad kitna worried hein tumhe leke?"
"Listen.. I am doing what I'm supposed to alright!! RPH abhi pehle jaise karz mein nahi hein! And by today's deal closure tumhaari company 100% independent ban jaayega! So let me do my work!"
"What is it with you Rey? Tum aisa businessman kab bane?"
"Are you kidding me? Jabse meri zindagi ki sauda lagaya gaya tha! Jabse tumhaari dil ki sauda hua tha! Aur humaari shaadi ka sauda kar diya gaya tha! Yaad hein?"
"Haan! Par shaadi hua nahi na?! I exactly know engagement ke theek baad tum New York kyun chala gaya! Aur phir 2 mahine ke baad yahaan aa gaya! Mein toh wahaan akeli thi! Sabko sambhaalte aur uss bekar ki show mein judge banke kya mila? You were supposed to be there with me... public mein tamaasha banke reh gayi mein!" She came out of the kitchen and kept a teacup on the teapoy. "Where is your fiance? Wedding kab hein? Breakup kasie hua? RPH kisko bech rahe ho? Sway.. um.. uh.. sawaal pe sawaal pe sawaal!! Kabhi kabhi mere lawyers ko bhi jawaab doondna mushkil bane!" She said while collecting a magazine from her bag.
"Huh? independent huh?! Dekho.." she said throwing the magazine on his lap. He took and froze seeing the cover page. "..Business world ka naya prince! Rumour hein ki ab Shekhawat Industries ka hone waala maalik tumhaare dad ki company khareedne waala hein! You know 'Singhania enterprises'.. So you see!" She said filled with hate. Rey remained shocked seeing the coverage and further reading about the article.
"Do you think iske baad RPH independent rahega? Woh hum sabse badla le raha hein!"
"This is not good. Shoot! Hell! Mujhe us se baat karna hoga!"
"Seriously Rey? Haven't you had enough with all this? Achcha chalo, kya tumhe yeh bhi pata hein ki woh kahaan hein? Nobody had seen him since IDL went down in flames!"
"Listen aaj shaam ko mein Visakha se mil raha hoon.. and I'm sure she know something!"
"Ofcourse.. Visakha ko pata hein! Because you know what? She is a traitor!"
"Sharon is not like that!"
"You know I feel ki college mein jitna ragging humein karna chahiye tha, I didn't! Weaklings banke jab humaare muthi mein woh sab the.. tabhi marod dena chahiye tha!! Instead I told them the way to my heart. I'm such a fool na?! Kabhi kabhi apne aap pe itna gussa aa jaata hein.."
"Calm down Shar.. it's... ugh jo bhi hua wo past mein hein.. just forget it! Tum bas yahaan baitho relax karo! Mein office jaa raha hun. Shaam ko saath mein Visakha se milne jaayenge! Okay?"
"Okay.." she said closing her eyes and relaxing her head in the sofa. Rey glanced at her sympathetically and left the apartment taking a heavy breath.
Her body relaxed after the tiresome travelling but her mind still tensed with the memories that came flooding by.
It was on her father's stubborn demand that they conducted the engagement ceremony in New York Blue Diamond hotelof the Diamond group that was then owned by Shekhawats. He wanted the Shekhawats to know they lost. His intention of hurting Swayam who was the only left Shekhawat in business went successfully tearing him apart. First the demise of his parents and then losing his love and best friend altogether messed his peace of mind. Swayam left it all. He had disappeared.
The empire of Shekhawat Industries now was falling into the hands of the next in the kin. Sanam Singh managed for all the past 6 months but now the prince to throne was devised.
Rudra Sanam Singh Shekhawat was in play to become the king.
Swayam Shekhawat was defeated.