Chapter 12
999 Words
Veena cleared her throat awkwardly to find the same gentleman on her doorstep, whom she had found arguing with her mistress a few nights ago in this house over some...letter, supposedly her ex-husband!
"please come inside..." She nervously stepped aside. It isn't going to be good, but it isn't that she's given a choice either.
"This way sir.....she's sitting under the sun." Aditya followed the woman as she led him down the main hall and corridors to the pool. The sun was strong, and he felt his blood surging at a furious rate by simply watching her. She was lounging on one of those balencia chaise lounges by the water with a fashion magazine over her face.
looking as exotic as ever. Filling his lungs with lots of air, he strode in trying to get back the confidence that has suddenly left him.
"Ali..."
She looked up from the magazine to find Aditya standing by her side and her heart skipped a beat right then watching him holding a bunch of hydrangeas towards her.
"Thank you. " she could not help the smile that brightened her face right then and the same smile that that brightened his soul.
She took the flowers from him telling him to sit down beside her before putting those white beauties on the side table when her eyes incidentally fell on the platinum band that glistened under the sun. On his fingers.
How ironic that.....what a bunch of hydrangeas could make her forget, a simple ring around his fingers could bring them all back with a vigor.
Perhaps because the ring wasn't simple as any other, it was on his ring finger after all!
"So I take it that it's something really important that bought you here?" She took the flowers back in her hand.
Aditya noticed her sudden change in voice, the subtle smile disappeared from his face. He knew this meeting wasn't going to be a all happy-happy reunion for them but it was a starting and he have to try.
"Nothing serious....just wanted to know if you got a buyer for the old mansion where your family used to live? "
"Nah...but you could have asked me about it on the phone as well! There was no need to come here. " Her face was blank, her heart was filled with venom and her fingers worked mechanically tearing one after another petal from the flowers that he has presented...... throwing them down beside her feet until the stem became bare and she moved on to the next flower.
"Yes well I could have done that...... but... I was just passing by from here...so...thought of having the conversation face to face. " Hurt flashed within him as he saw the way she handled the flowers. But kept his expressions in check, one wrong step and it would all blow up on him.
"So nice of....you. " She spoke, her face as empty as ever.
Pulling her feet a little back, she crushed the soft of the petals beneath the feet. Cruelly. Although none of it showed on her face.
"I-I actually know someone who is searching for a house. " It was hard, very hard to keep the pain buried when the fire was still burning your vitals....slowly...one after other. And it was a surprise that he achieved this feat.
"That's good but I just remembered that there's a family....I had met last week, who are interested in the property. But anyway thanks for your concerns Mr. Singhania. I am sure I could find a buyer for that house by myself. " She smiled sweetly at him.
"I-I shu...I should leave now. " He stood up not able to take the burning in his chest anymore.
"Oh! Why? I thought you would like to have your lunch here. With me!" She smirked, watching him struggling under the pressure. A little more and then he would break.
Exactly what he deserves! How dare he? Already engaged to someone out there and gifting her flowers here!
"No thanks, actually I am in a little hurry right now. "
"Ow! Okay then, some other time I guess. " she spoke although a little surprised herself that, he was still within his limits. No harsh words? No threats? No anger? Even after what she did....trying to awoken the beast inside him!
Slightly that made her feel guilty. 'Perhaps he was just trying to be nice and I crushed the flowers so cruelly. '
***
He wasn't still out of the pool area when he saw his dear cousin walking towards them.
'What the hell is he doing here?!' He could not help but turn around to look at her expression, not missing the smile that crossed her face watching Dhruv coming towards their way. 'Is something brewing here?'
The fear which was lurking at his mind's periphery until then, suddenly unveiled itself and pranced up in the front of eyes.
"Good morning!" Dhruv stopped to glance at the man standing beside her. 'What was he doing here?'
"Good morning, Dhruv!" Aditya smirked. He would make sure nothing illicit brews underneath.
"We were done here anyway, I was just leaving!" He said aloud with a smug smile directed at his cousin as though they were doing much more than just talking. "Say my hello to Aunt and Uncle. Dhruv......I must leave now, and by the way thanks Alisha for the offer of lunch but sorry I have an meeting in half an hour.....Just as you suggested, I could take up the offer any other day." Alisha without having a clue about how shrewdly he played the game, did not say anything in return but smile. Telling Dhruv clear enough who owns the upper hand here, letting the fact known that Alisha had had asked him to have lunch with her.
While he had so tactfully used her own words to make a loud crack in the bridge between Dhruv and Alisha, if there was one at all.
- Writer
