16/12/2020 - Monday , At Hari & Shwetha wedding Hall, Chennai.
Aparna's P. O. V :
The makeup artist completed her work thirty minutes before the wedding. We rushed Shwetha to click some good pics and then she was dragged into the wedding Hall by her family.
Karthik was accompanying Hari for the past two days. Shiva had disappeared all of a sudden. And I had no energy to ask Hari about anyone else.
The wedding finally happened with lots of happy tears from both bride and groom family. The entire groom's gang seemed dull without Shiva.
I met with my Chennai friends after a long time and we were walking in the lawn outside the wedding Hall.
Suddenly Karthik came rushing towards me.
" Aparna, can I talk to you for a minute ? " Karthik asked nervously. He was visibly shaking.
I walked to him and he dragged me inside the wedding Hall.
" Look there! " He said pointing to the right corner of the Hall.
I took a sharp breath on seeing the image in front of me.
It was Shiva sitting with Anjali. They both were laughing and talking animatedly.
They both walked towards the stage for a group pic. I was stupified and couldn't move from my spot.
Karthik was pulling his hair out beside me.
I shook my head and looked at Karthik confused.
" I really wish I could kill him! " Karthik muttered under his breadth.
" Did Shiva tell you about this? " I asked him.
" No, He didn't even answer my call today morning. I didn't know he would show up with Anjali! " Karthik said gritting his teeth.
" I was expecting this anyway " I said sharply and walked out of the Hall. Suddenly the huge Hall felt small and claustrophobic. I shakily ran out to the lawn area.
Thankfully Karthik didn't follow me. I went back to my room and took rest. I restrained myself from thinking about Shiva. I was already filled with my own problems. I didn't have the energy to think about anything else.
We sent off the couple on their honeymoon and finally the wedding Hall was becoming quieter.
I walked out for a breath of fresh air. It was almost evening.
I drank a glass of water, in vain attempt to calm myself down.
When I turned around, I was face to face with Anjali and Shiva.
Too bad that I wasn't fast enough to run away. I was caught back by Anjali.
" Hello! You work with Shiva right? " Anjali asked with a fake smile.
" Yes " I said with blank expression.
" Well, I heard that there was someone in your office who doesn't know their place. People tend to forget on whose shares this office is running. The one who paid the loan, that person should be the head. how can people be so disloyal! " Anjali said.
I smiled in shear disbelief. I looked at Shiva and he wasn't looking me in the eye. I laughed back and shook my head.
So this was the reason behind all those stupid words! I was the reason behind his anger!
I turned to Shiva.
" Are you really that much insecure? " I asked him folding my arms.
" What do you mean? " He asked taking a step closer to me.
" That someone who came into your office just a month ago can take your position that you worked for four years? What are you thinking? " I nearly shouted at Shiva.
Shiva gulped hard as he wasn't able to answer me.
Anjali pulled me aside by dragging my hand. I yeeted away her hold.
" Look at you, look at you! How dare you question the head of the office? Isn't your work to just listen to him? Why are you trying to sit on his head? " Anjali said with an evil smile.
And the truth dawned on me. Anjali has completely manipulated Shiva. And this fucking idiot has no clue!
I took a step towards Shiva and Anjali pulled me back again. It was as if she was scared to let me speak to him.
" Can you fucking not touch me? " I said to Anjali.
" Wow, nice respect. When I point out your fault, you can't accept it. " She said.
This time someone else moved Anjali away from me and it was Karthik.
" Another disloyal idiot! " Anjali said gritting her teeth.
" Say that one more time and I will forget who you are and break your face! " Karthik said.
Shiva came in front of Anjali and caught Karthik's shirt.
Within seconds, the conversation was about to turn into a fist fight.
I intervened and tried to pull back Karthik. But they both were unmoving.
" This is not right Shiva! " Karthik said gritting his teeth.
" Who are you to say if I am right or wrong? , in one project, you jumped from my side to Aparna's side, do you have any right to judge me? " Shiva said pushing karthik towards the wall.
I placed my hand over my head and sat down. I looked around if I could find any of Karthik's friend to help me stop them both.
" You and Aparna are on the same side! What the hell is wrong with you? Did you forget everything that she did for us? " Karthik said.
Shiva punched Karthik on his face.
" Trying to gain sympathy? I was nearly going mad! And you still support her! , right, what would a fuck boy like you know about commitment? " Shiva said.
" I am giving you a last chance to stop talking . " Karthik said holding tight against Shiva's hold.
" Who was that, yeah, Menaka! , three year true relationship wasn't it? , I saw all your truth when you openly flirted with Aparna whenever you got the chance! You aren't worthy to judge my choices! " Shiva said and received a strong punch from Karthik.
" Don't you dare step into my office again! " Shiva said with bleeding nose.
" You and your fucking office! I don't need them both! " Karthik said.
" Wow, Aparna! " Shiva said looking at me, as Karthik released his hold.
I looked at Shiva shocked.
" Congratulations! You have finally taken my best friend too! " Shiva said laughing.
" Shut up Shiva! She did everything for your sake! How can you do this to her? " Karthik shouted.
" She did for me? Did I ask her to do anything for me? " Shiva said laughing as he rubbed away the blood from his mouth.
" You don't know the meaning of anything she did! " Karthik said.
" By the way, I promised her nothing. She knew everything about me. I didn't give her any false hope like you did with your girlfriend. You can never blame me! " Shiva said and Karthik was about to throw another punch on Shiva.
I dragged Karthik away with much difficulty and he stopped after seeing my tears.
" Please stop! " I shouted.
The remaining people in the wedding Hall were looking at the mini circus entertained for the evening.
I was dragging Karthik out of the open lawn area.
As we reached the back yard, Karthik sat down and started crying. I sat beside him and I couldn't control my tears too.
" Aparna, He doesn't deserve you. " Karthik said looking at me.
I just nodded my head and wasn't able to reply anything else.
" It was never my intention to flirt with you. I did it only to tick off Shiva! I thought at least by doing this Shiva would know your value and will start doing something to protect the relationship! " Karthik said.
" When someone doesn't see my value, do you really think I would feel comfortable forcing them into it? " I asked him.
" Really Aparna, girls don't have the courage to sometimes cross the seas. I don't blame them, but still, they can't do many things. My ex girlfriend, she was one such girl. I did love her, a lot. She did too. Somehow, we got separated. I don't blame her. But I know that our relationship is not something to be made fun of! " Karthik said and rubbed off his tears.
" Not all love stories have happy ending, but that does mean they weren't beautiful " I said.
" Seriously, You really crossed the seas, oceans for Shiva. I knew what you were going through to agree to come here! You knew he was engaged, but still the love you had for him was before your own ego. You uplifted that bloody office. " Karthik said.
" I was selfish Karthik. I shouldn't have done any of this. I really did it for my sake " I said.
" But still, you can't take the blame! " Karthik said.
" Shiva is not himself! He is being manipulated! " I said.
" Whatever the witch Anjali might, how can he throw hands at his own best friend! " Karthik said and broke down.
I hugged him and patted the back of his shoulder.
" It's okay, he will wake up one day and realize the shit he got trapped in by himself. Shiva is not stupid enough to still follow Anjali! " I said and my eyes started pouring out.
I was wheezing and crying my heart out on Karthik's hold.