Love that lasts

Chapter 4

Sometime later in the night, once she had put Atharv to bed after reading his favourite story, Chandni finally managed to sit with Vikram and explain what happened at Synergy Inc. that morning.

She tried very hard not to sound accusatory but she couldn't stop herself from asking.

"Did you...Did you know that Aryan was part of this company before? " Her face was full of anguish.

Vikram looked at her sharply.

Chandni became flustered. “How stupid of me? I know you would have never sent me there if you knew.... It's just that..."

Vikram cut her short.

"Chandni, thanks for your confidence in me, But I am really sorry for all the hurt and anguish you had to go through today. Was he rude to you or misbehaved with you?" There was a hint of anger in Vikram's eyes. His keen gaze was locked on her face, as if he wanted to observe every subtle reaction on it.

"He tried to be rude initially, but I gave it back to him fair and square." Chandni hissed.

Vikram's face relaxed and he laughed gently.

"That's my girl. I am so proud of you."

Chandni smiled back at him.

"I bombarded him with every question I could think of about their products, but he answered them all faithfully." She paused, and looked down at her hands, as she played with her wedding ring, out of habit.

"But then I caught him crying in the car." Chandni blurted out, as if talking to herself.

Vikram's sharp intake of breath brought her back to her senses.

"It... It was an accident." She gulped nervously.

"He has got exactly same car as mine, I never expected him to still remember our stupid...... Anyway, I was in a rush, and I mistakenly went and sat inside his car and there he was... crying. I was stunned, didn't know what to do. But then he began to blame me and my family for torturing or punishing him. As if..." Chandni's face slowly turned red with suppressed anger and hurt.

Vikram could understand that meeting Aryan after so long, invoked some bitter sweet memories in Chandni, but he wasn't keen to know about any of those. Much as his heart went out to her, he decided that it was better to make her see the bigger picture, instead of just offering his sympathy and support.

"Chandni, I have been asking you to take more active part in looking after the family business for a long time now, but you kept putting it off, as you said you were not ready. And I understood your point of view, because Atharv was still very young and he needed mother's care more than anything. I completely respected your decision. When you were finally ready, I gave you a choice between the two companies we bought around the same time, Synergy and Mohit Enterprises. And you chose Synergy because you were more interested in the kind of niche products they were making."

Chandni nodded her head slowly, as she tried to compose herself.

"I can easily arrange for you to go to Mohit enterprises, but there's already an existing CEO there, who was chosen after an extensive talent hunt. But that's the least part of the problem. If you run away from your job, wouldn't Aryan think you are the guilty party here, and take it as a moral victory for him?" Vikram's baritone voice echoed in that silent room.

Chandni looked away, unable to face his piercing gaze. She knew that every word Vikram spoke was nothing but simple truth, but still...

"I would be insulting you by asking questions like, do you still have any tender feelings towards Aryan etc. because I know you don't. And how do I know this? You assured me long time ago that he had no place in your heart and I completely trust you.  I don't understand what is the problem here? He is just another employee for you, to take care of in the company. Actually, I am wrong. He is not just an employee there but he is also kind of a Protégé of the previous owner and is a shareholder in the company. So, we can't sack him either. I can totally understand that, initially there will be a lot of awkwardness and the whole scenario probably be even painful. But even if you are not working there, there might be times you might meet him. Like when I invite them over to our home for any meetings or I take you along for any major events there.

As you know, I am planning to invite employees of both the new companies for the upcoming housewarming party. I know it would be less torturous than seeing him daily at work, but it is entirely up to you how you want to deal with this. And whatever your decision is, I will support you completely." Vikram assured her.

Chandni couldn't help but thank her husband inwardly, as his complete trust in her and the respect he had for her decisions soothed her nervous heart, and even emboldened her self-belief.

"Let me sleep on it and I will tell you my decision tomorrow." She finally declared after a long pause.

"Great! Take as much time as you need." He sighed in relief. He knew that once Chandni gets over the initial indecisiveness, she can be as tough as necessary.

"By the way, you still haven't told me what such an urgent business was, that you had to go away so suddenly?" She asked him accusingly.

"Now it is your turn to take leap of faith and trust me whenever I go away on these trips. I don't have a hidden wife or girlfriend." He mocked at her.

"Ha-ha!! very funny!!" She rolled her eyes at him.

"That's why I always say. We husbands can never win. You don't trust us whether we tell the truth or lies. I give up." He raised his hands in mock surrender and started making himself a drink.

"Listen! Please don't drink too much. Have you taken your medicines?" She asked him, her eyes full of concern.

"Yes Chandni, I got so used to your punctual reminders that I take them the first thing, right after dinner. But why don't you go and sleep now? You must have had a hectic day, travelling all the way to the office in the heavy traffic. I am afraid, this is something you have to get used to. I still have some files to sign that Pramod gave me." He pointed at the bundle of documents on his desk with a sad face.

"Yes, I am feeling rather tired. But please don't stay up too late. You too have travelled a lot today, remember? Good night." She turned to look at him one last time, before retiring to bed.

Vikram sat down and drew the bundle of files towards him with a heavy sigh. He pulled out the drawer, took some capsules and gulped them down as he began to read the first file.

*****

Around the same time, Aryan was deeply immersed in his task, with his tongue stuck between his lips, as he kept searching through some boxes at his home.

The moment he reached home, he hurried to his bedroom and pulled out a stack of boxes stowed away under his bed, where he kept all the information he stored over many years.

For the next half an hour or so, he impatiently went through the contents.

He finally found what he was looking for.... Chandni's wedding card.

He was grateful he didn't burn it or chuck it in the bin back then, considering how traumatised he was, when he found out that she was getting married. He eagerly opened it and checked the groom's name. It said Rahul Singh Ahluwalia. He chucked the card back into the box, and started pacing around the room restlessly... wondering what happened to Chandni's arranged wedding, and how did she end up being married to the business magnate Vikram Mathur.

He was still unable to process all the frustration and anger he had felt ever since he saw her in the morning. And in that presentation room, she was so spiteful in the beginning, but as he began to explain more and more, he could notice that she genuinely began to show more interest in their products. He was quite impressed as to how much research she had done about Sigma and their products too. Arrgh!! Why can't he just shut his b****y mind and heart from her thoughts!! He began to curse himself as soon as the presentation ended.

And he ran, literally, from the office.

Just when he thought he had finally escaped from her tormenting eyes, and sought his refuge in the car, she was there again, catching him at his worst moment. He promised himself that he would NEVER EVER let her watch him cry again. She was not worthy of any more tears; he had shed them enough.

As he sat listlessly among the opened boxes, his mind raced back to the time when he proposed to Chandni, on the sandy beaches of Goa.