My Destined One

Advices and Invitations

Aarsh's POV

  Never in my life have I ever thought that I would meet the person I hate from the bottom of my heart, that too in a situation where I would be vulnerable. Yes the deal is important in many ways. It was my uncle's last dream to see Sharma Industries entering in the world of beauty products. He could not see that, but when ever I got the chance, I took all the steps to make that dream possible. A-star beauty products were the only products our company can invest into. To make this project work, I created a small team on my own. Everything was going good, until that bastard came into the picture. I always hated to hear about him, may be that is why I ended up meeting him in such a state. I knew he studied cosmetology, but never in my worst nightmare I thought his family owns the A-star beauty lines. Gosh! I made such a fool of myself. 

  Meera must have realized it just before the lunch, maybe that is why she didn't want me to take the contract. I should have confronted Meera to say it, but alas, I didn't give her any chance to explain. Gosh I really need to listen to her, she is my PA, I should take her advice from now on, she knows exactly my relation with Deepak. That sick person was the sole reason for the pain at some point in all of our lives. Sana suffered the most, next comes Shagun, well she herself dug her grave, but still I should be thankful for her that she made a move on Deepak and hence, as a result, I got Sana. But are you happy with her? My sub-conscious mind asked myself. Meera also suffered some pain, he made her life hell. I on the other hand always kept blaming her for siding with Shagun. Why? I don't know that. Somewhere I was angry that she believed that scoundrel more than me. She never did any thing like that. My sub-conscious mind barked again. Meera always said that she was against Shagun when she first started dating Deepak, but later on supported her in her second innings because she believed the love in her friend. I don't know why every time she supported either of them, I used to get angry at a different level.

  All of my inner battles and thoughts came to a halt when I heard a light knock at my office door. "Come in" I said. And after that Meera entered my office. "Good morning Aarsh. Um... I want to talk to you about something." "Ok speak up" "Aarsh, I know the A-star project is important to you and am not asking you to drop the project. Am just saying to give the project to someone else, whatever work that you would be doing in this project, pass on to some one else." "And will you please tell me why would I do that?" I asked hearing her words. What was she thinking? I know that she knows that the project is important, but I hardly believed that she knew the reason behind it. 

"Listen Aarsh, please calm down and listen to this. Whatever I have heard from Deepak's secretary he will involve himself in the manufacturing process of the products, he is a cosmetologist and moreover its his company. Its the same thing what you are doing in this company. What all he has studied, he is putting all his knowledge in the betterment of the company, just like you, or any other CEO in that matter. So all am saying is your job can be done by anyone, including me. But all the decisions will be taken after consulting with you. All am saying is just don't go and face Deepak, it won't be good in any way. Please consider what am saying." She said in one go. What does she think about me?  I can't deal with him? The Aarsh she knew back in college days may not had the courage to fight him, but now am a changed person. And I will face him no matter what. I also want to see how low he can stoop. 

  "Meera, what do you think of me huh?" I asked calmly with a forced smile. She frowned a bit in confusion so I decided to make her understand, in my way. "Meera you actually thought I will step back because its him? You think so low of me? I know am not the most violent or most cunning person in your views but at least consider me as a man. I know you know him and all, but can't you keep a little bit of trust in me? You really think that am nothing in compared to him, right? He keeps on insulting me in front of you, in front of Sana and still you think I will back out of this project just because he is a part of it? You know what Meera, I was ready to see what he will do against me, but I am hurt to see that you think so lowly of me. Am genuinely hurt Meera, genuinely hurt." I said and left the office to vent out my anger. 

  After calming down a bit, I realized what I did. When I left my office, I saw her teary eyes. Gosh, I again vent out my anger on Meera that too because of Deepak! I need to control myself if I have to keep this project. Somewhere I understood she didn't want me to face him because of all the things we faced because of Deepak. Meera, Sana and Shagun all of them faced him personally, so its obvious of Meera she wanted to protect me. But she needs to understand that not letting me face Deepak is actually letting Deepak get more and more confident on his cruel acts. And certainly I don't want that to happen, no matter what.

  After 1-2 hours of complete isolation, I entered my office, and as soon as I entered Meera barged in. "What is it now Meera? I clearly told you am not going to give th-" "We are invited to a pool side party next weekend after we do the press conference, Miss Meenal said that Mr. Rana specially invited us there. If you say I will confirm our visit and if we are going there ask Sana not to watch the news that day. The last part was a request from a friend to the other." She said, the last part softly, unlike the rest of the portion.

  What the f**k? Why the hell he invited us to a pool side party now? What the heck are you planning Deepak?

Meera's POV

  I never thought Aarsh would misunderstand me like this. I asked him not to meet Deepak to avoid any kind of problems from Deepak's side. I just don't trust the person at all. What ever he did back in the past, the way he was with Sana, the way he played with Sana and Shagun side by side, the way he broke our friendship, the way he tried to cause problems between Aarsh and Sana's relationship and between Sana and Shagun's friendship, the way he hurt Shagun, I just can't let Aarsh face him like this. All I wanted was Aarsh to live peacefully with Sana and nothing else. But he thought that I don't trust him, I don't think he is able to face Deepak. Aarsh never understood me, not in the past not now. He needs to trust me or at least try to trust me. I will never do anything to hurt him, that will be the very last thing I would like to do, he needs to understand that. 

  After Aarsh left his office angrily, I stayed back there for a while, I wasn't able to move by his out burst, rather hurt the way he misunderstood me. After I came out of the shock, I went out of his office and rushed to the washroom to cry out for bit. After crying a bit, I composed myself, washed my face and got out from there to engage myself in work. I was still hurt, but right now only work can make me forget his hurtful words, his harsh behavior. I was engrossed in work, then all of a sudden my phone started ringing. I picked it up, looked at the name and saw it was Miss Meenal, Deepak's PA. Letting out  sigh, I pressed the receive option, and put the phone to my ears. 

 "Good morning Miss Meera, this is Meenal from Deepak Rana's office." "Good morning miss Meenal, this is Meera, so how can I help you?" I asked trying to match her excitement, but failed miserably. "Well Miss Meera you remember nah that next Saturday we are going to have a press conference about our project. So Deepak sir is throwing a party to celebrate this collaboration after the conference. So he asked me to inform you and invite Aarsh sir and his whole team to the party. Oh and if Aarsh sir wants then he can also bring someone to this party, Deepak sir asked me to specially look into this matter." "Ok, well definitely I will say to Aarsh... sir about this party and also ask him to bring his team, but about the someone, well I don't think she will come, she never attends this kind of functions or parties, but I will still bring this matter in to light." I said calmly. Well what's the point to tell all the problems to someone outside. This matter is already a chaos, I don't think none of us wants to increase the persons involved in it.

  "So that will be it, lets meet on next Saturday then, have a good day Miss Meenal" I said and was about to cut the call when I heard her, "Miss Meera, Miss Meera, I forgot to mention it, the party is pool side party." "A pool side? Isn't it a bit too... uh... informal?" "I don't know. The hotel where we are going to have the press conference, its actually Deepak sir's friend's, so when Deepak sir wanted to throw a party his friend suggested to throw the party near the pool area which is just outside the banquet. So when we will enjoy the party, the banquet will be prepared for the dinner purpose. So even though a pool side party is an informal one, Deepak sir decided to go with it. So...." "Well I understand. I will definitely ask Aarsh... sir about it. I will inform you soon, so till then have a good day." And with that I finally cut the call.

  A pool side part, that too for something so professional? And he asked Aarsh to bring Sana with him? What kind of a sick person he is! He is still obsessed with Sana. Well in that case, he is unlucky cause Sana never attends these kinds of parties. What I have heard from Aarsh was, in the beginning when Aarsh used to invite Sana to these kind of parties, Sana always declined it saying some thing or other. At first, Aarsh used to get hurt, but then he became unbothered. After I joined the company, Aarsh always took me to these parties. Well, not like a date or something, only as a PA, but still most of the time we spend with each other, he hardly lets me go off in these kind of parties. We always stick with each other. At the beginning, when we started to show up together, people thought that I was the mysterious girlfriend of Aarsh Sharma, but soon the misunderstanding was cleared up, somehow. So this time I think Aarsh won't mention about this party to Sana, obviously because of Deepak. But I still need to inform him about it, and have to tell him to ask Sana not to watch the press conference. I don't know how he will do it, but he has to somehow do it.

  Sighing, I started preparing myself to say this to Aarsh. Clearly I was still hurt and little bit mad on Aarsh because of his earlier behavior. I was preparing myself, and heard Aarsh entering his office from the back door, and I soon straightened myself and barged in full force. Looking at me he started saying, "What is it now Meera? I clearly told you am not going to give th-", but I cut him, saying, "We are invited to a pool side party next weekend after we do the press conference, Miss Meenal said that Mr. Rana specially invited us there. If you say I will confirm our visit and if we are going there ask Sana not to watch the news that day. The last part was a request from a friend to the other." I said the end part in a low tone, unlike my rest of the speech.

  He looked at me for some time and asked, "Do we have to go there?" Oh so now you are asking about my opinion! Is he anyhow bipolar? I can't decide. "If you personally want to handle this project then I don't think you should let the past experiences to come between your work, so I think you should attend the party too. If you don't attend then I think people will make it an issue and it will clearly show how disinterested you are to your work. I will suggest you to be there for a little while, at least." I said in a straight face. I was clearly hurt by him. "Ok I got what you are saying. Prepare our team, inform them about the party, inform his secretary that we will attend it." After this I decided to leave when all of a sudden he asked, "Are you angry Meera?" Wow, so now he cares! "Why will I be?" I said in a hoarse voice, clearly giving out I was. Great! "You know I didn't want to shout at you, but when ever I hear you taking his side, or making me look small infront of him, I get angry. Don't know why, but I do get angry. It hurts Meera, it really hurts. And specially when its from you."

  "It also hurt me Aarsh, when every time you blame me on taking his side rather than anyone else's. It really hurts. Maybe its true that I don't understand you, but its also true that you also don't understand me, or at least even try to do so. Aarsh before also I told you I never supported Deepak, I even screamed saying this to you. But you never believed. Why Aarsh, why? Why can't you believe me? I never did anything to break your trust. I was not the one to snatch Deepak from Sana, I was not the one who went into a relationship with him, I was not the one to throw insults at you. Then why the hell can't you believe me?" I said in one go crying and shouting . I clearly needed this outburst. I just couldn't bear it any more. By the end, I was a complete crying mess.

  I don't know when Aarsh came to me, but soon he engulfed me in a tight hug. Getting the warmth of his huge body, in his cold air-conditioned office, I also snuggled to him. "Hey hey hey, I know, I know, you were not the one to do all those things, but I never understood why don't you wanna let me face him. Don't you trust me?" he asked looking at me. "I trust you. I trust you more than anything else, and everyone else. I just don't trust him, I don't know what will he do this time. Aarsh you know how hard it was for Sana and Shagun to mend their friendship, you know how hard it was for me and Shagun to be a part of your group, and after such a long time, everything is falling into place. I don't want to lose anything Aarsh, I don't want to lose anything because of him again. I know the pain Sana and Shagun felt was too much and different, but after them the one who got hurt was me. You were there for Sana, everyone was there for her, I was there for Shagun, but who was there for me? No one, just no one. People couldn't say any thing to Shagun, but their out burst were vented out on me. I can't bear that Aarsh, I can't bear that all again." I was crying so hard by the time I finished.

  "Am so sorry Meera, am so sorry, I promise you I won't let you or anyone suffer again. What he has done, is done, if he does anything again, he has to face me this time. I will not let him hurt you or anyone else. Its true I never knew you were also the one to get hurt. But I know about it now. And trust me I won't let that happen, clear?" He said rubbing my back, and gently stroking my hair. He never broke the hug, and I was so thankful to him for that. I stopped crying soon, I understood we were still in the same hugging position, so I stirred a bit, and finally both of us broke the hug at the same time. We both straightened ourselves, I rubbed my eyes, and heard him say, "Umm... please go and wash your face, otherwise the people will think something else looking at your tear stained face." I nodded and was about to walk out when all of a sudden I remembered about Sana. "Oh by the way, Miss Meenal also said that Deepak asked you to bring someone else if you want. Clearly he wants to see Sana, but don't worry, I said out clearly, she doesn't go to these types of functions or parties. But still make sure she doesn't watch the press conference." I said and he simply nodded.

  I don't know how this part will go, but one thing I was sure, this time no one will get hurt. This time Aarsh will be there with me, with us. This time we all know who he is and how he is. This time we won't let him hurt anyone. We will face him no matter what. We are not afraid of you Deepak, we are not.