It is Maaneet's wedding day. Both are very very happy. This is the day that they had been waiting for their entire lives. In both bosoms a certain contentment towards life was unfolding. After all that they had suffered and undergone, their life had finally reached a point where they could take a deep breath of relief. They had found their haven, each other, and now once they're tied in this unbreakable bond, nothing would be able to thwart their happiness. Life for once would be normal and steady, something that they had both longed for but never got. But it'd be their today, forever.
Everything was set. Maan was waiting for his bride at the Mandap. Suddenly there was murmur amongst the guests sitting there. It was in the praise of the beauty of Maan Singh Khurana's bride to be. Maan looked up to see his Geet gliding towards him. Dressed ina beautiful red lehenga with intricate jaipuri work and heavy gold Rajasthani jewellery studded with blood red rubies to compliment her dress. Her hands were died with henna up to her elbows, which had a very very deep red hue to it that it almost appeared to be black, signifying the depth of Maan's love for her.
She was a breathtaking site and Maan very proudly gazed at her delicate form , as she came and sat beside him.
Var malas were done and they proceeded to sit at the mandap to conclude the ceremony that they had so graciously begun.
Tring...tring...tring... suddenly Maan's phone rang. Those around gave him an angry look as to what was his phone doing there while he was in the process of getting married. Maan saw that it was Anwesha's and noticed that she was not amongst those present to witness the wedding. He wondered what it could be that she was not there and was calling him at such a time. He got worried,and thinking that it must be something very very important and that she may be in some deep trouble, decided to take the call. After listening to what she had to say he whispered an apology in Geet's ear, and saying that he won't be long, jogged into the house. (the marriage is being held in the grounds of the Khurana mansion) Dadi got very angry at Maan's behaviour but Geet pacified her and told her to be patient, he'll be back.
Anwesha had sounded troubled on the phone and had begged him to come to her room immediately. So, for the love of his sister he decided to make sure that she was fine and left the mandap for a few minutes. He felt guilty, but had to make sure that his little sister was okay.
Maan reached Anwesha's room and entered it. He saw Anwesha and Arjun there sitting on two chairs. Everything seemed fine except for Anwesha's worried face. Seeing all this he said in a very angry tone:
"What is the meaning of this Anwesha. I was getting married when you called me. First of all you were not present their , then you called me out in the middle of my own wedding. Have you lost all your sense."
Seeing Maan's angry face Annie said :
"Bhai I know that you must be very upset but this is very important for you to know. It's for your own good. There's a truth that you must know before you go through with this marriage, whether or not you'll go through with it once you know the whole truth is a different question all together" she finished to a slightly shocked MSK.
Maan looked at his sister, now very sure that she had lost all her sense and asked:
"Are you sure you're all right Annie, you haven't banged your head against a wall or something, have you? 'cause if you have, then we must consult a doctor immediately, and if not, then it'd be best that I return to my wedding ceremony which can obviously not continue without me, and don't even dare to detain me
'cause I'm already very mad at you and have no time to indulge in your stupidity right now", and saying this he turned to go, only to be stopped by the person he saw standing at the entrance. It was Brij, Geet's lathait bhai as he called him.
Maan was very shocked to see him there. And suddenly a fear hit him. Fear for his love's safety. Was she all right? He'd kill Brif if he laid a finger on her!
"What are you doing here?", Maan asked in an angry, stern tone.
"Don't worry. I come in peace.", replied Brij. "There's something you need to know, please sit down", he said, motioning to a chair next to Arjun.
Maan wasn't willing, but on every body's incessant requests decided to quickly get it over with. They were all sitting round a table, and the door was locked, lest somebody disturbed them.
"What's all this?" Maan said in an irritated tone. "I am getting late!!"
"Just hear us out", said Arjun and began with his tale.
"Our story begins in Hoshiarpur, when my sister Naintara got your brother Dev and Geet married.
Everybody thinks that Dev and NT cheated Geet and her family, when the truth is something absolutely different."
Brij continued "this entire thing was a plan between our family and NT. Dev thought that he was cheating Geet when it was actually the other way round. It was a plan to ultimately cheat YOU!!
The night of Dev and Geet's marriage Dev did not intend to even touch Geet since he knew that he'd leave her the next day, but since there was a deeper plan involved, Geet and NT gave him a very heavy dose of a drug that made him lose all control and sense. He had no idea of what he was doing and Geet seduced him to sleep with her. The pregnancy was part of the plan, and the whole thing was crafted such that Geet would wind up getting pregnant with Dev's child. Then Dev and NT left for Canada the next day, as per the plan.
Since you were the final target, your presence in Hoshiarpur was known. Your saving Geet, meeting her over and over again and helping her every time were all part of the plan. Then her coming to Delhi, working in your office were also all planned. Her living at your house, making you fall in love with her everything. This was all a plan between our family and NT to get your money."
"That's right." continued Arjun."My sister knew that only love could blind your intellect. Somewhere where you'd not think from your mind but your heart is the only place she could defeat you. Geet and NT have been in on this together since the beginning.Dev was not happy with my sister and had been having second thoughts about their marriage for a long time. Since they had signed a prenuptials before getting married NT knew that she'd not get a penny out of Dev's fortune from the Khurana family. Since she could also not conceive the hopes of having her child get the inheritance were also lost. So when Dev came under a lot of debt and did not want to use his family fortune to pay it off as it would tarnish its image NT crafted this plan to get all the Khurana fortune. Since Geet is carrying Dev's child, she'd also get all of his share in the Khurana fortune and once she's your wife she'd also have a right over your part of it. Their plan was very well crafted. There'd be no custody issues regarding the child since Dev has been portrayed as the bad guy and once you two are married Geet will divorce you on grounds of betrayal. She'd bring up the issue of Sammeera", saying all of this, Arjun paused for a breath.
Maan looked bewildered and said,"what nonsense is all of this!! Geet doesn't even know about Sammeera!!"
"Oh! But my sister does!" answered Arjun. "You're forgetting that Geet and my sister are in on this together. They have everything sorted out with the lawyer, and have such a good case ready that you'd be forced to give up at least 80% of all your money to Geet, and maybe more."
Maan was flabbergasted. All this could not be true. His Geet was not capable of any kind of deception. She embodied innocence. "This is the biggest falsehood I've ever heard", thundered Maan.
"We knew that you'd not believe us. That's why we've got proof." and saying this Annie produced a document that showed that NT was present in Hoshiarpur while Maan was there."See she was there all the time. Helping Geet with the plan."
"The day you took her to Amritsar, she had met up with NT", said Brij and showed him pictures of Geet with NT. Maan recognised the white anarkali suit that Geet was wearing that day.
"Geet told you that she had me imprisoned as you that asked her to didn't she." asked Brij. Maan slowly nodded in an affirmative. "Then why do you think she refused it when you suggested it? Precisely because you were only supposed to be convinced that she had done that. If she had really had me imprisoned, how do you think I'm here, talking to you." finished Brij.
Maan's head was spinning. Everything that they had said could not be true. Geet could not do all of this. "Even if I were to believe you. Why would you tell me all this? Aren't you supposed to be in on the plan too."
"I only recently got to know about it from NT. I may be her brother but I'm not her. I was ashamed of her doings and decided to tell you the truth." "I too have been ashamed of it lately and have been mustering courage to come clean with the truth", added Brij.
"Bhai, they first told me everything and I decided that it was best that you heard it before you made the biggest mistake of your life", said Anwesha.
Maan was feeling numb. He was not ready to believe all of this. But they had facts and proof.
The only way to clear all of this was to ask the truth from Geet herself. He knew that it could not be true but her one word would settle everything.
And thinking this, he exited the room to find the woman who held his life.
Maan had been gone for over 15 minutes now. Dadi was getting restless. Geet was getting worried. Hence, she decided to go and check on him. "I'd be back", and saying this, she went in to find Maan.
She was in the living room of the Khurana mansion when she saw NT sitting on the sofa. She felt a sudden volcano of anger erupt inside her and thought,"the nerve of this woman, coming here after all that has happened! I'll make sure that she goes in for long this time. After all, I still have those restrain orders against her." She marched towards her, and before she could say anything, NT herself got up and hugged her. "Congratulations Geet!" She exclaimed. "You've finally trapped Maan veerji. Just the way we had planned! Now once you marry him you'll be entitled to all his money, and then we can take over the entire Khurana empire", she said gleefully.
"Have you finally lost it NT. What are you talking about?", said Geet in shock, not able to apprehend what NT was saying. "Oh! Come on Geet! Stop pretending like you know nothing. After all, this was our plan, remember?"
Geet was now absolutely convinced that NT had suffered a severe mental breakdown. She was mad at how she had dared to come to her wedding.But she did not have time to fight with NT. Maan would take care of her. But first she needed to find him. So, she thought it best to humour her and get her off her back as quickly as possible. This'd give her a good shock, she thought. "OH! Absolutely NT my dearest friend", Geet replied hugging NT back. We did plan all this. To get all of Maan's money. And see how amazingly our plan has borne its fruit! I'm getting married to him today! And very soon I'd have the entire Khurana empire wrapped around my little finger", Geet said sarcastically. But if you'd please excuse me, I've to go find the key to our plan's success, Maan. And saying this, Geet turned and headed towards his room, shaking her head at NT's recent outbursts.
Geet looked everywhere, but could not find him. She finally decided to return to the grounds, he's probably back there, waiting for her. She reached the place where the mandap had been set, but to her surprise, all the guests had left. Geet was very confused. Had something gone wrong. She could only see Maan, dadi, Annie and Arjun at the mandap. She made her way to the mandap and giving Maan a questioning look said, "Is everything all right Maan? Where's everybody?"
That was when she noticed that Maan looked very different. Not happy the way he was when he had left her. His face held an expression that she could not decipher.
"Where did we falter Geet? Tell us, where?", said Dadi looking at Geet with angry questioning eyes. Geet could not understand what she was saying."Is something wrong?", she again asked looking from one to another. Annie was giving her a haughty look, Dadi a disappointed look and Arjun had a strange look of triumph diffused over his face.
She then looked at Maan again. Confused."what is it?"
"What is it! You tell us Geet. You tell us what is it!!!", thundered Annie.
"What's up with you guys?", said Geet, bewildered at everybody's remarks, unable to understand why Maan wouldn't say anything. "You..." Annie was about to say something more when she was silenced by Maan's raised hand. He walked towards Geet and spoke, "How much money do you want Geet, just tell me, How much?", and saying this he produced a blank check that he shoved into Geet's hands. Fill in your lust and get out of here!! I'll ask my lawyers to pacify all your demands and satisfy your avarice, your hunger for money and property, your insatiable craving for easy money, that you didn't have to work for but feel compelled to obtain by which ever means possible. Take whatever you want but never ever show me your face again.", and saying this he turned around and walked into the house.
Geet was completely taken aback by Maan's strange behaviour. She could just not understand what he had just said. Couldn't link together the several phrases he had just uttered. They hung around her, unconnected, not penetrating her mind. Half an hour ago Maan was squeezing her hand when she had settled herself beside him at the mandap, and now he was saying something completely insane.
Was this some sort of a joke,
'cause if it was then it was a very bad one.
She had probably hallucinated all of this. The pregnancy hormones were as it is playing havoc with her mind. She should go and ask Maan what it was all about. She was sure he'd be able to explain. He always had all the answers. Hence decided, she marched after Maan into his room.
Maan had been climbing down the stairs when he saw Geet hugging NT. And then gleefully telling her how their plan had been successful. How they had managed to fool Maan. He could still not believe it. He did not want to believe it. But every word out of her mouth was a confirmation of it. Whether you want to believe something or not did not matter. What mattered was the truth. And it was scattered all around him. Only he was not ready to look it in the eyes. But he had to. He had to do what was to be done.
He heard someone come in. He was standing beside his bed. He turned around, and found the seductress herself there, "Drop this facade of innocence Geet", he said, venom dripping from his every word. How could he have been thus blinded. Blinded to such an extent. He had fallen so deeply in love with her that he could not punish her even if he wanted to. He just wanted her to leave. Leave him alone at peace. Take whatever, but just leave.
"The cat is out of the bag Geet, I have seen the truth behind that mask of yours. So no need to pretend. I'm sure you too must be tired of all this pretence by now, or is it soo deeply rooted into you that it comes forth effortlessly?", "I have no idea what you're talking about Maan?"
"Really..." and Maan narrated everything that he had heard in Annie's room. "But of course that's not true!!!", Geet exclaimed. "How could you believe it" said Geet in a hurt voice.
"I did not believe it Geet, But you yourself admitted it. You know what, I don't have the time for this. You'll get what you want, so just leave. I'm sure you don't have the time to waste in such baseless discussions either. You must have many more men to catch, to engulf them in your trap of petite innocence. You should get going. And since I'm ready to give up all the money you want without any hassles, you don't need that baby anymore. So you can go and have it aborted. That way, you'd be free to get impregnated by another billionaire so that you can win over his money too."
Geet was feeling numb. What was Maan sayning? How could he say such things?What was happening?Every word out of his mouth was hitting her like a thorn. But he didn't seem to stop.
" It's a very time consuming business Geet. I mean not for you, cuz as long as the guy has a good bank balance you won't even look at him before you sleep with him, but the guy's falling in love with YOU will be gradual, right? I mean, he's under the impression that it's all real! Do one thing, come to my office tomorrow, I'll ask my secretary to pay you and give you a list of billionaires you can target. I'm sure that sleeping with me was also a part of your services, but I'm not all that fond of escorts, women who've already been touched by other men do not attract me. So please leave before I have you thrown out of my house 'cause I only entertain people with reputation here, NOT people like you."
Geet did not cry. She did not. Something broke inside her. Something had shattered. It was her heart, her soul had collapsed into tiny fragments, and its echo drowned everything around her. She quietly turned away and walked out of the house. She could still not completely apprehend what had happened, she was in shock, she did not see where she was going, she just kept wlaking, on and on aimlessly...
He suddenly stopped his car. He had been looking for her for over a week now and here she was, right in front of him, walking aimlessly in her bridal trousseau.
"What's she doing here?", he whispered to himself, "isn't she supposed to be getting married right now?", "Geet!", he called after her, to no reply. "geet!!", he again called, this time higher, he rushed out of his car towards her, "Geet! It's me, Rahul", he said, but to his surprise, she still did not react.
Geet was strolling clueless on the roads of Delhi. She had no idea about where she was going or what has happening around her. All her senses had left her. She could not hear or feel anything. Suddenly her surroundings started to spin. Everything had turned black as she felt her legs give away under her weight, and after that, felt nothing at all.
To his horror, Rahul saw Geet sway, and collapse, as he caught her in his arms. He gently lifted his friend and placed her in his car. He immediately took her to a hospital in Gurgaon, close to the place he was staying. He knew that Geet was pregnant, he had got that intelligence from her sister back in Hoshiarpur.
The doctor notified him that Geet's blood pressure had suddenly dropped and she was in a very critical condition."Had you been even a minute late we would have certainly lost the child, and your friend would have slipped into a coma. You were just in time Mr. Garewal." "Do whatever it takes doctor, she is all I have left now in this world. Nothing should happen to her.", he said, very very worried.
Geet had been unconscious for two days now. The doctor said that everything was under control and that both the mother and the baby were fine, but they had to wait for her to regain consciousness.
Rahul hadn't left her side for even a minute. He had seen her after one and a half year, and that too in this state!
Geet slowly opened her eyes. She did not recognise her surroundings. Everything was white. Was she in heaven? She felt at peace, so for all she knew, she could be. But then she saw someone move beside her and press a bell. She could not see his face, and then the door opened and a kind looking middle aged woman wearing a white coat and a stethoscope round her neck came into view.
"Everything looks normal. She just needs to rest", said the lady with the kind face.
So she was in a hospital. Then the peace must be the tranquilisers at work. Geet went back to sleep.
She again opened her eyes. She saw that Someone sitting beside her. As she was feeling much stronger now, she decided to sit up. That Someone helped her "Careful Geet!", he said.
She knew that voice, she'd know it from a mile afar. She looked up, and her suspicions were confirmed, why, if it wasn't Rahul, her childhood friend.
But Geet was still very numb, her mind was not reacting to what she was seeing. She could see Rahul, but could not react to his presence. Maan's words were still echoing in her ears and she had no mental strength to spend on anything else around her.
Geet had been in the hospital for a week now. Though the doctors said that she could be taken home, Rahul did not want to take any risk with his friend's well being. She had not uttered a single word since she had regained consciousness. The doctor said that she was in shock. Rahul had read in the paper that Maan Singh Khurana's marriage had not concluded, for a reason unknown to all.
No one knew where Geet was, and Rahul decided to keep it that way. He did not want nagging reporters to add to her woes. What ever had happened at the wedding was the reason behind Geet's current state. They had to wait for her to snap out of this trance before they could say anything.
A psychiatrist examined Geet, and said "She's obviously in shock. She hasn't expressed herself. She hasn't even cried about whatever misfortune has struck her. We need her to react. And the reaction may come for something very close to her heart, something that is more important to her than whatever or whoever is the cause of her state."
"Her baby!!", yelped Rahul "She's pregnant doc, if she feels her child, she'll probably be pulled back to reality!"
"That's a good idea.", and saying this, the doctor connected Geet to a sonogram machine.
A strange yet beautiful sound fell on her ears, she felt a weird sensation. She looked up, only to see an image that touched her heart. There, right in front of her, on a black screen, she could see the life growing inside her. Could hear its heartbeat. It was echoing in the room, the most melodious sound her ears had ever heard, the most soothing image her eyes had ever seen. It was her baby, her baby, her baby.
Geet's eyes welled up with tears at this. And after seven days' incessant trials of all the doctors and her friend, she cried, cried like she had never cried before. All that had been bottled up inside her came to the front, and she let it out, sobbing very hard. The man she had trusted the most, given herself completely to, had broken her in the worst way possible. He was her life, her soul, her everything, but he had severed all the threads tieing them that day, that day when he had hurled those baseless accusations at her one after the other. He had destroyed everything, their relationship, and hence ,her. How could he be so heartless, how could he do something like that?
Why, she was such an abominable fool! Crying over someone who neither cared about her nor respected her. Who had absolutely no faith in her, someone whose trust could be shaken by mere proofs and words was not worth her tears.
But what right did she have to blame Maan for her grievances, or anybody else for that matter. It was her own fault. Everything wrong that had happened to her was her own fault. She had been weak all her life. All her life she had sought external protection and comfort. Putting her trust and herself in the hands of her benefactors. First her family, then her husband Dev, and then Maan. Hadn't she promised herself to be independent after she had left Hoshiarpur! But no, she had then come under Maan's care. Why had she never taken her own responsibility, been her own strength, supported herself on her own? Why? Even now, it was her friend supporting her, she was still not taking care of herself. She gently looked up at her baby. She was not alone now, she had a responsibility. Did she want this same life for her child? A life of dependence, helplessness, an inferior life, a cursed life. What right did she have to bring her child into existence if she could not support it. Could she afford to repeat her mistakes now? She had made the same mistakes over and over again all her life and had suffered their consequences. But now her baby will also have to suffer, And she could not let that happen! She could not put the welfare of her child in someone else's hands. She had to take it in her own hands. She had to become the pillar of strength that her child could rely upon. She had no right to inflict pain upon an innocent who had still not come into this world.
Geet lifted her hands, wiped her tears off her face, and placed them gently on her womb, "I'll protect you", she whispered to her bump. "I'll shield you from all that goes around in this unfair world, I'll be the haven that you can seek in distress, one that I looked for, but never found. But I cannot look for it now, 'cause I myself have to be someones haven, yours." And saying this she planted a kiss on her stomach.
She looked up to see a relieved Rahul. "I'm fine. How have you been?", and saying this she got up and hugged him. She had put everything behind her, and for now was just very glad at seeing her old friend back.
They reached Rahul's guest house, the one he had rented a studio apartment in while he was still in India. Geet had refused to accompany him, "I've to stop seeking help", she had said. But Rahul would not take no for an answer. She had even insisted on paying her hospital bill herself. She had some money saved up from her job and would on no account let Rahul pay her bill. Her account was almost empty now, but she did not care, as long as she took her own responsibility. She was tired of having others help her out, tired of owing her existence to others. 'Cause accepting help always came with a price, and that was indebtedness and low self esteem. It was a cost that she was not ready to pay any more. Though Rahul was her friend, and would think nothing of it, she would still not have it. So only when Rahul agreed to even share the rent of the studio with her did she acquiesce to come with him.
Rahul had asked Geet about what had happened at Khurana mansion and why did she not go through with the wedding. Though the memory brought back fresh pain. Though it killed her to even think about it, she told him everything that had happened. She wanted to be strong, and facing the truth would do that for her. She had to accept what had happened. only then could she move on. Her refusal to talk about it would symbolise weakness, and she didn't want to be weak. She wanted to roughen up. Be bold and strong.
Since they had talked about the past on their way home, neither of them brought it up once they reached the guest house. They were having dinner that Rahul had ordered. It was healthy and tasty home cooked food that the kind lady who ran the guest house had sent them. Geet still looked very sad. So to divert her mind from her woes he started telling her about himself.
"Won't you ask me what I'm doing here?", he said, raising his eyebrows at her.
"Oh yeah!", She had been so caught up in her own problems that she completely forgot to ask him about himself. "I'm so sorry! What are you doing in India? I mean, last time I heard you were in US, Boston, doing you engineering."
"I'm just here for a few days, actually, there was an accident, my family was going to a wedding when their bus fell off a cliff. No one survived", Rahul replied solemnly. "Oh my god!", Geet exclaimed. Uncle and Aunty were no more! Why, they were such sweet people. Her poor friend! Why was life so unfair? "I am so sorry! I had absolutely no idea! My life has been such a mess lately that I had no clue about what has been happening in Hoshiarpur. Are you allright?", she asked, looking worriedly at her friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It's been over four months now. There were some passport problems so I couldn't come away immediately. I came here a month back. I've sold all the property that belonged to my family and am taking all the money back to US. I've no one left here now, and this country just reminds me of my loss, so what's the point of staying here. I'll permanently shift back."
"You're right. What's the point of staying here", Geet murmured. Her friend looked sad. So she decided to change the topic. "So how's engineering been going. I mean MIT! That's like one of the best universities of the world. But then you were always so smart".
"So were you. Only if your backward family would let you apply. You would've gotten in hands down!", replied Rahul.
"So what are you going to do now? I mean, what next?", he asked her.
"Well, I've to look for a job as a start. I have a baby to support and not much money.", replied Geet
"But aren't you going to first complete your studies. I mean, you've only been through school. You need to go to college Geet!", argued Rahul.
"But I don't have the means for that Rahul. I mean, I'm pregnant, I need to earn money to support myself, if I study, how am I going to pay for my college fees and also provide for my sustenance?", Geet answered.
"Geet. I think you're forgetting something. You're not alone now. I'm here. And I have a lot of money now, I mean, my family property was worth over 10 crores. I'm sure that's enough to sustain us through our education, before we can start earning!"
"No Rahul. I mean it's very sweet of you to offer to help, but I'm not going to accept help from anyone now. Not even you"
Rahul had foreseen this. And before he could argue back there was a knock on the door. "This discussion's not over. And you're going to have to comply. I am not going to leave for US without taking you along", he said, as he got up to open the door.
"Yes?", he asked. There was a girl and a guy at the door. "May I help you?", he did not recognise either one of them. "We are here to see Geet. Is she here?" the girl asked.
"yes she is. Plz come in.", and he let them in.
Geet looked up to see Meera and Dev enter the room. "What are you doing here.", she asked, looking pointedly at Dev. Meera was her friend, and was welcome, but Dev, how dare he come before her eyes!. What did these Khuranas think of themselves. That they could do whatever they wanted, barge into where ever they wanted. She was sick of them!
"I know Geet that I'm the last person you want to see right now, but trust me, I had no hand in whatever happened at your wedding. I don't even know what happened! But I'm sure that NT had something to do with it." he said.
"Geet. Dev is truly sorry for whatever he has done. Just plz listen to him once. Then he'll leave." begged Meera.
Were it not for Meera's pleading eyes, Geet would have never succumbed. But for the sake of her friend, she decided to give him one chance."Sit down." she said.
"I know that I can never undo what I've done. But I think it's only right that I return to you what is rightfully yours." and saying this he produced a cheque of 15 crores.
"This is the money that I had cheated you for. Please don't refuse. It's your money. And it belongs to you."
"But where did you get so much money from? I mean, if you had it, you'd have never done what you did.?" Geet queried.
"Geet, Dev sold the shares he owned in Khurana Constructions to pay you back", Meera answered.
"Plz. Forgive me if you can. I'm going back to Canada. I cannot stay here any more since NT has destroyed everything for me here. I'll take your leave now. I've to be at the airport in half an hour to catch my flight. "
Since Geet didn't what to say to him, she just nodded.
Meera watched him go. She still loved him, but couldn't forgive him for what he had done. She did not go with him. She stayed back to talk to Geet.
"You guys catch up. I'll go and get you something to eat." And saying this Rahul left, giving the girls some privacy.
Geet knew that Meera would want to know what had happened, so she herself told her everything. Meera was shocked at Maan. But since she did not want to hurt Geet anymore, she decided not to pursue the subject. Geet's face reflected a finality. That she'd never ever forgive Maan for this. She'd never forget what he had done. So it was best that this topic was allowed to bury itself in its own grave. The way she had decided to end all her love for Dev, so had Geet for Maan. How long could they forgive and forget each thorn of pain that the men they loved cast at them. They had to take a strong decision, and this was it.
"So what do you plan to do now?", she asked Geet.
"I'm going to go to US with Rahul", she replied. And both women gave each other encouraging smiles, that held their hopes for a better future.
Meera also decided to go back to US with Geet and Rahul. The contract with the company that she had been working for as an interior designer had been terminated, and since she had no family either, she thought it best to go back to US with her friend. There was no point in staying in India.
She had become really good friends with Geet and was not ready to part from her, and since Geet was pregnant, she knew she'd need a woman's help.
Since Meera was still in touch with Yash, they contacted him to seek help regarding Geet's visa for US. Meera had a Green card, and Rahul had a student's visa, Geet was the only one with the problem. But this too was soon sorted as Meera and Yash's green cards quickened Geet's passport and visa procedures, and within a month they found themselves at the IGI (Indira Gandhi International) Airport, waiting for their flight.
They bought a house in Boston. Since that was where Rahul's college was and where Yash too lived. Geet, Rahul and Meera were all living in the same house, next door to Yash's. It made life easy. Not that Yash and his nephew and niece were easy to handle, but still, it was good to have friends close by. It was actually very strange, that how several lonely people could come together and make a family for themselves. That's what they were, a family. They would everyday eat at Geet, Meera and Rahul's, cuz that's where the girls lived (you know how girls can cook better, well in this case atleast). They would hang out at each other's houses, sometimes at Yash's and sometimes at their's.
Both the houses were almost connected, and the very high frequency of visits made it seem like it was the same house!
Both the kids had grown very fond of their uncle's new friends, and would leave no opportunity to play their formidable pranks on Rahul and Yash, while Geet and Meera would laugh.
Yash would not stop flirting with Meera, and this became a daily routine for them.
Geet got into MIT for Bachelors in Architecture, and since she had already lost a year, she was working at double the normal pace regarding her studies. She was doing two years worth of studying in one year, while also working at a very reputed construction firm in Boston that had been established 50 years ago, its founder who was still alive, and whose children were running it now. Geet had a very low post there cuz she had no qualification, but she did not mind it. She was doing it merely for the experience. She chose this line
'cause she had had a lot of exposure to it while working with Maan and had really liked what it was all about.
Meera mean while was working in the same company as a designer and was side by side pursuing an M.Tech in Civil Engineering from MIT. She had also managed to get admission there.
Yash too worked at the same place in the Managing department while pusuing his MBA from MIT too. Rahul was the only one not working. He wanted to complete his studies in peace and was in his 3rd year of Mechanical Engeneering.
So, as an overview of their small so called "Family", they lived at the same house, worked at the same office, and went to the same college.
Geet's pregnancy was progressing at an alarming rate, and before they knew it, another member, a very tiny one at that, was added to their family as Geet gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. 'Roshni', they named her.
Everybody was very very happy at the arrival of this new cute Little child. Geet initially took a month off from work and college, but eventually, everybody else took turns looking after little Roshni. Geet however stayed home as much as she could. The arrival for her daughter had wiped all the remnants of her grievances from her heart. She finally felt at peace. Her large eyes and her small cute little hands and feet were all she needed to be happy. And it wasn't just her. Everybody was very happy. They had all become more responsible and efficient. They all finished their work as quickly as possible so that they could come home and play with their little niece. Geet had not a moment to herself now, cuz everybody would hang around her room only. But she was very grateful to them for all the love they showered upon her daughter.
Life for now was going very well!!
Geet had completely disappeared after that day. She was not seen, and no one heard from her.
No one, in either the Khurana Mansion, or Khurana Constructions had the nerve to utter her name.
Maan did not not get out of his room for an entire month, and then wasn't seen for another six months. No one, not even Dadi knew where he had gone. He had just taken his jeep and driven away to a forest in Madhya Pradesh, where he had camped for the entire six months, trying to wipe Geet's memories from his mind, though failing miserably.
He had hardened even more in the process, and was much worse than he was when he had met Geet. Sammeera's betrayal had not come an inch close to what Geet's betrayal had done to him.
He had been abominably and irrevocably in love with Geet, and still was, though now he denied it. He hated her to the core. Her breach of trust had annihilated whatever humane element was left in him, and he had become a hard lifeless shell.
Maan returned home after six months, and immediately went back to work. He would not speak to anybody about anything. He would stay at the office, working 24X7, and would seldom return home.
Business did thrive cuz of his extra hours, but that did not affect him. Nothing affected him anymore, and he continued living his life like that, bereft of his Geet.
So that's what Maan's been up to.
Here's something about Brij:On seeing how much Maan mattered to Geet, he decided that the best punishment for what she had done would be To separate her from him and ruin her happiness. And on doing this, he had happily returned to Hoshiarpur.
Arjun:
He still had no idea about the truth of his sister, and had blindly followed her lead into ruining Maan and Geet's lives.
No one, in either the Khurana Mansion, or Khurana Constructions had the nerve to utter her name.
Maan did not not get out of his room for an entire month, and then wasn't seen for another six months. No one, not even Dadi knew where he had gone. He had just taken his jeep and driven away to a forest in Madhya Pradesh, where he had camped for the entire six months, trying to wipe Geet's memories from his mind, though failing miserably.
He had hardened even more in the process, and was much worse than he was when he had met Geet. Sammeera's betrayal had not come an inch close to what Geet's betrayal had done to him.
He had been abominably and irrevocably in love with Geet, and still was, though now he denied it. He hated her to the core. Her breach of trust had annihilated whatever humane element was left in him, and he had become a hard lifeless shell.
Maan returned home after six months, and immediately went back to work. He would not speak to anybody about anything. He would stay at the office, working 24X7, and would seldom return home.
Business did thrive cuz of his extra hours, but that did not affect him. Nothing affected him anymore, and he continued living his life like that, bereft of his Geet.
So that's what Maan's been up to.
Here's something about Brij:On seeing how much Maan mattered to Geet, he decided that the best punishment for what she had done would be To separate her from him and ruin her happiness. And on doing this, he had happily returned to Hoshiarpur.
Arjun:
He still had no idea about the truth of his sister, and had blindly followed her lead into ruining Maan and Geet's lives.
Geet had finished her Bachelor's in Architecture, and was now pursuing a Masters in the same field along with an MBA. And she was doing this with a job, where she had been promoted to the post of Head Architect (even though she only had a bachelors yet, her talent and sincerity towards her work had earned her this post) while taking care of her one and a half year old daughter.She worked round the clock, it kept her mind off Maan.
That's how she managed to get through the day, but then there were nights, filled with his dreams, and she'd almost every day wake up in the middle of the night, sobbing, and calling out for Maan. But it wouldn't be him comforting her, it'd be Meera. Geet couldn't sleep properly for the first several months, and stayed on sleeping pills for a very long time. But gradually as time progressed, sleep came to her, but at times when she'd become nostalgic, the same thing would happen all over again. Roshni's arrival had calmed her down to A great extent, and her friends tried their best to keep her happy.
Rahul, who was now doing his M. Tech. in Civil constructions from MIT had now also started working in the same company as Yash, Meera and Geet.
One day, at home when they were having their dinner Yash said,"We're all going to have to start looking for new jobs very soon."
"Why, what's wrong with Imperial Constructions?", asked Meera, confused at Yash's remark.
"The company's going bankrupt. It's not known to anyone but the owners and myself." Yash was in charge of the company's entire financial management, accounts and shares related information. "But Imperial's shares are touching a very very high mark right now!" spoke a shocked Geet. "That's just a facade that the owners are maintaining, they don't want their share holders to panic and sell their shares, 'cause that would completely crash the company. Our MD is himself paying to keep the value of our shares high. They have not been able to pay back bank's loan and the company's been facing heavy losses for the past five years. They are trying their best to make it out of this mess but I know that nothing can be done.", he finished.
"So that means that the company will be finished soon!", exclaimed Rahul.
"It won't be finished. Somebody will buy it when its share value falls and everybody wants to sell off their shares and get out of the mess, and then will run it as their own.", replied Yash. "What do you think it's value would be when everything comes out of the bag", queried Geet. "Some, 3,000,000 dollars, that is some 15 crore in Indian currency. Pity, what used to be a multi billion dollar company, will be sold in 3 million dollars.", said Yash as he left the dining table.
All night Geet kept musing over the exchange that had commenced at dinner. She had an idea, but didn't know how practical it was.
Next day was a Sunday, and while everyone was having their breakfast while discussing the morning newspaper, Geet blurted out what she had been contemplating all night.
"I want to buy Imperial Constructions."
That's how she managed to get through the day, but then there were nights, filled with his dreams, and she'd almost every day wake up in the middle of the night, sobbing, and calling out for Maan. But it wouldn't be him comforting her, it'd be Meera. Geet couldn't sleep properly for the first several months, and stayed on sleeping pills for a very long time. But gradually as time progressed, sleep came to her, but at times when she'd become nostalgic, the same thing would happen all over again. Roshni's arrival had calmed her down to A great extent, and her friends tried their best to keep her happy.
Rahul, who was now doing his M. Tech. in Civil constructions from MIT had now also started working in the same company as Yash, Meera and Geet.
One day, at home when they were having their dinner Yash said,"We're all going to have to start looking for new jobs very soon."
"Why, what's wrong with Imperial Constructions?", asked Meera, confused at Yash's remark.
"The company's going bankrupt. It's not known to anyone but the owners and myself." Yash was in charge of the company's entire financial management, accounts and shares related information. "But Imperial's shares are touching a very very high mark right now!" spoke a shocked Geet. "That's just a facade that the owners are maintaining, they don't want their share holders to panic and sell their shares, 'cause that would completely crash the company. Our MD is himself paying to keep the value of our shares high. They have not been able to pay back bank's loan and the company's been facing heavy losses for the past five years. They are trying their best to make it out of this mess but I know that nothing can be done.", he finished.
"So that means that the company will be finished soon!", exclaimed Rahul.
"It won't be finished. Somebody will buy it when its share value falls and everybody wants to sell off their shares and get out of the mess, and then will run it as their own.", replied Yash. "What do you think it's value would be when everything comes out of the bag", queried Geet. "Some, 3,000,000 dollars, that is some 15 crore in Indian currency. Pity, what used to be a multi billion dollar company, will be sold in 3 million dollars.", said Yash as he left the dining table.
All night Geet kept musing over the exchange that had commenced at dinner. She had an idea, but didn't know how practical it was.
Next day was a Sunday, and while everyone was having their breakfast while discussing the morning newspaper, Geet blurted out what she had been contemplating all night.
"I want to buy Imperial Constructions."
Yash choked on his own coffee, Meera dropped the plate of toasts she was carrying, and Rahul just gaped at Geet as his food fell out of his open mouth.
There was silence at the table while they all stared at Geet, not sure that she had said what they had heard.
"I know it's sudden and risky, but, why not?", Geet added, looking from one to another in apprehension.
"I'm sorry?", Rahul blurted out.
"You want to buy Imperial Constructions?", exclaimed Meera.
"You know what kind of money that would require!", spoke Yash, recovering a little from his shock.
"Yes, about 15 crore, you told us last night", replied Geet.
"And do you have that kind of money?", Yash continued, but this time it wasn't Geet who answered.
"Yeah we do!", spoke Rahul, as he saw the practicality in Geet's idea."It's our family money."
"I know it'd mean putting everything at risk, but why not, I mean, we're all qualified, we all know how that company is run since we've been working there for quite some time, why can't we buy it and run it as our own. What's so impossible about it? I mean, the people who are running it presently are humans too, just like us. If they can do it, why can't we."
It took some time for Geet's idea to sink in, and a lot of convincing. Yash and Rahul were ready, but Meera was afraid of letting her friend take such a big step. Geet had already suffered so much, she did not want her to face a financial crisis now. But when Geet had again and again, completely assured her that that was what she wanted to do, Meera too agreed.
They talked it over with Yash and he in turn went and talked to Imperial Construction's owners about it. Though they did not want to give up their company that easily, Yash finally made them see that nothing could save it. And that they should sell it before their lie about their share prices came out. The money that Geet was offering them covered the personal loans that they had taken for the company, and after a few legal formalities, Geet had 70% of the companies shares in her name.
Three days after this transfer of power, as the facade of high share value was lifted, the company's share value dropped, and all other minor share holders got busy selling their shares.
These were bought by Rahul, and Imperial Constructions was renamed as H&G, Handa and Garewal Constructions.
Since they were new owners, bank extended the deadline for the repayment of the loans that the former owners had taken in the company's name. They had two years to pay it all back.
They changed all the staff. Since majority of the former staff was incompetent, they only kept a few good employees, and filled the remaining posts with fresh recruitments.
Geet was the MD, Rahul the CEO, Yash in charge of the Management and accounts departments, and Meera head of the creative department.
And with this new challenge of making their business venture a success, they plunged into the the work they they had undertaken, now only to rise out of it in triumph.
There was silence at the table while they all stared at Geet, not sure that she had said what they had heard.
"I know it's sudden and risky, but, why not?", Geet added, looking from one to another in apprehension.
"I'm sorry?", Rahul blurted out.
"You want to buy Imperial Constructions?", exclaimed Meera.
"You know what kind of money that would require!", spoke Yash, recovering a little from his shock.
"Yes, about 15 crore, you told us last night", replied Geet.
"And do you have that kind of money?", Yash continued, but this time it wasn't Geet who answered.
"Yeah we do!", spoke Rahul, as he saw the practicality in Geet's idea."It's our family money."
"I know it'd mean putting everything at risk, but why not, I mean, we're all qualified, we all know how that company is run since we've been working there for quite some time, why can't we buy it and run it as our own. What's so impossible about it? I mean, the people who are running it presently are humans too, just like us. If they can do it, why can't we."
It took some time for Geet's idea to sink in, and a lot of convincing. Yash and Rahul were ready, but Meera was afraid of letting her friend take such a big step. Geet had already suffered so much, she did not want her to face a financial crisis now. But when Geet had again and again, completely assured her that that was what she wanted to do, Meera too agreed.
They talked it over with Yash and he in turn went and talked to Imperial Construction's owners about it. Though they did not want to give up their company that easily, Yash finally made them see that nothing could save it. And that they should sell it before their lie about their share prices came out. The money that Geet was offering them covered the personal loans that they had taken for the company, and after a few legal formalities, Geet had 70% of the companies shares in her name.
Three days after this transfer of power, as the facade of high share value was lifted, the company's share value dropped, and all other minor share holders got busy selling their shares.
These were bought by Rahul, and Imperial Constructions was renamed as H&G, Handa and Garewal Constructions.
Since they were new owners, bank extended the deadline for the repayment of the loans that the former owners had taken in the company's name. They had two years to pay it all back.
They changed all the staff. Since majority of the former staff was incompetent, they only kept a few good employees, and filled the remaining posts with fresh recruitments.
Geet was the MD, Rahul the CEO, Yash in charge of the Management and accounts departments, and Meera head of the creative department.
And with this new challenge of making their business venture a success, they plunged into the the work they they had undertaken, now only to rise out of it in triumph.
It had been two years since Geet and Rahul had overtaken the company, and what had been a firm upto its ears in debt was today one of the most reputed construction firms in US.
It hadn't been easy. They worked round the clock. The four of them had literally started living at the H&G office, working non stop. And even if someone went home, Geet at least would be found only at her office, working her head off. And this she managed with her studies and child. So at the end of these two years, Geet had managed to pay off all her debts, obtained an MBA and Masters degree in Architecture, and become the proud mother of a very smart three and a half year old kid, for who the office had become a second home since she'd stay with her mother all the time.
Amid these professional achievements, their personal life had also progressed. Her work had helped her get over the misfortunes of her life, and though she still loved Maan, she was now much happier than her former self. All her success had brought about a sense of security to her, the assurance of independence and self reliance had boosted her self respect, and now she could fearlessly and confidently live in this male dominated world.
As for the rest of them, Meera had finally accepted her feelings for Yash, who had been courting her ever since he could remember and had professed his feelings for her in the most genuine and sincere of manners almost a year ago. They were now together, and planning to get married.
The US Business Association had decided to award Geet Business Woman of the year award, and they were all getting ready for the award function.
Geet and Rahul were ready and were sitting in the living room, discussing the details of a new project their company had undertaken. "Since you're the best architect we have, just go through the designs that the technical team has worked on, and let me know of any changes you may need", Rahul said to Geet. "And call in the risk management department for a meeting first thing tomorrow, we have to evaluate the strength of the structure", Geet replied.
"Don't you guys have to leave, come on Geet, ek din kaam nahi karogi to company band nahi ho jaegi." Said Meera. Yash and Meera were staying home cuz Roshni was not well and someone had to stay back home with her. Geet couldn't avoid the function and Yash wouldn't let Meera stay home alone. So, only Geet and Rahul were going. Ever since Yash and Meera got engaged they had been seeking such opportunities to get some time to themselves. Geet and Rahul understood this very well and made the most of it. It was a lot of fun, as they'd tease them about it. Love was in the air of the house those days. Flowers could be found around them even earlier as Rahul would get Geet flowers every other day, knowing her profound love for them, but now with this pair of cupid struck love birds, chocolates, cards and everything that spelled or smelled of love could be found lying all over the place. Even at the office, Meera's cabin had started to look like a gift shop as Yash got her every possible thing. "Don't worry, we're just leaving, humay bhi kabab mein haddi banne ka koi shock nahi hai." Geet teased a slightly reddening Meera.
They grinned at each other and quickly left before Meera could react to their comment.
All his hatred towards Geet had fuelled his work. He was currently in the US, on business, and had also been invited by the US Business Association to attend the award function of the year where he was supposed to present an award with an American business tycoon.
The award function was being held at the biggest hotel in New York and was supposed to be followed by a week long series of conferences. All the guests were to be housed at the hotel itself for the entire week.
Maan reached the hotel where he was greeted by his client Mr. Wilson, and was immediately shown to his room. He got ready, since the award function was to start in an hour.
...
Geet and Rahul reached New York and were greeted by their client Mr. Wilson's secretary. She took them to the hotel where Mr. Wilson himself showed them to their rooms. "The function's to start in an hour, and if I may, congratulations on the soon to be yours award." he said smiling at Geet. She thanked him, and went into her room to get ready.
Though Geet had started wearing western clothes since coming to America she still preferred her Indian clothes and donned a beautiful beige sari for the function. She matched it with light yet elegant diamond in platinum jewellery, and wore heels to go with her over all.
She was ready when she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to a very handsome Rahul in a tuxedo. He was rendered speechless by her beauty. Though he had always considered his friend as one of the most beautiful women he had ever known, tonight she totally took his breath away as he stood at her door lost in her charm. "I'm gonna very soon fall in love with you if you're going to look like this around me", he teased, at which Geet made a face. She was accustomed to his jokes about falling in love with her, something which never materialised.
"so, shall we?", he said, offering her his arm. Geet gently put her arm through his as he led her to the hall where the award function was to be held. They took their seats as the function proceeded.
...
Maan had been sitting in his seat for over an hour now when Mr. Wilson tucked at his sleeve "Mr. Khurana, plz come backstage, we are soon to present the award for the Business Woman of the year." at this Maan got up and followed his lead. He didn't know who the awardee was, neither did he care. He had stopped caring about things some three and a half years ago.
They went on stage, Maan held the award in his hands as Mr Wilson announced " It is my great honour to present the Business Woman of the year award this year. Not only because she is a very dear friend of mine, but also because I immensely admire what she is. What she has achieved in three and a half years at the mere age of 22 is something that no woman of lesser substance could have. She has today become a role model for all those women who yearn to be independent, and make a place for themselves in this world. May I please have Ms. Geet Handa on stage", this was followed by a thunder of applause, as everybody turned around to congratulate this young woman.
Maan was not sure what he had heard was right, Geet Handa, he had said. Could it, no, of course not, she couldn't be it. He had no idea what was happening and also looked up, waiting for the woman to approach, so that he could pacify his suspicions.
Geet could not feel her surroundings. Everything was fine, just as it was supposed to be, a few minutes ago. But suddenly her entire world had come crashing down when she saw him, for the first time in the past 3 and a half years. All her senses had left her, and she forgot where she was and what was happening around her.
Suddenly she felt a pull, and an arm wrapped around her, as it made her get up and walked her to the stage. While walking on the aisle to the stage Geet looked to her left into the warm brown eyes of her friend. She was still numb, and unable to process her surroundings. She quietly followed Rahul's lead, as she trusted him, and knew that whatever it was that he was doing must be right.
...
Rahul saw Maan on the stage with Mr. Wilson, announcing the award Geet was supposed to accept. He knew that it was too late for them to leave, and they couldn't make a scene in front of everybody by Geet's not going to take her award. Plus he did not want anything to tarnish his friend's image, she had struggled so much, and he specially did not want her weak side to come in front of Maan. Something had to be done, and fast. He knew Geet'd be too shocked and overwhelmed to go onstage, so he decided to take her himself. He put a comforting arm around her, making her get up, and walked her to the stage. Once there, he extended Geet's hands to accept the award, and when offered the mike to speak, he took it from Mr.Wilson's hands and addressed the audience thus, "My friend is too overwhelmed to speak. So I'd like to say a few words. I've known Geet all my life, and all I can say is that she is the most wonderful, beautiful and strong woman I've ever come across. She possesses the ability to not just rise, but take others too along with herself to new heights.", at this there was applause, as Rahul led Geet off the stage and back to their seats.
...
Maan could not believe what he saw. It was Geet, the Geet he had known and loved, The Geet walking towards him to accept the award he held. How could this be. Geet was hardly qualified, and here she was being awarded the greatest honour a woman could wish for.
And she was in another man's arms! He felt his blood boil at the sight. He had been so busy hating Geet for these past years, not once had it crossed his mind that she could be with somebody else. He did not know what was going on and who was this other man, but he definitely did not like his closeness with Geet. How dare he touch her! How dare she be with another man! Yes they were not together, but all sense had been lost to Maan these past three and a half years, and he had no room for reason. It was something that had left him a long while ago. He was too shocked to react to the situation at hand, and just stood stunned as Geet took the award and walked off the stage back to her seat.
They entered Geet's room, a VIP suite on the 7th floor of the hotel, right next to Rahul's.
He was still dragging her, his arm wrapped around her, supporting her.
He had waited for the award function to get over before he took Geet back to her room.
She was still in shock. He seated her on the sofa as turning her face to face his he gently whispered, "Geet" On hearing her name being called out so tenderly, Geet felt the walls around her heart collapse and as she overcame her shock, her feelings found a vent in the form of tears that now began to flow incessantly through her eyes.
And she collapsed in her friends arms, buried her face in his chest, and cried uncontrollably.
Rahul held her as if it was his own life that he was holding onto. He was very scared. It had taken her so long to get over Maan, and now seeing him again, so close to her, he feared that she'd again retreat into the darkness that he had so painstakingly pulled her out from.
Geet cried for several hours before she fell asleep against Rahul on the sofa.
Once she was asleep Rahul gently picked her up and lay her down on her bed. He covered her with a duvet and himself settled on the sofa for the night. He couldn't risk leaving her alone, lest she needed him.
As dawn broke, Rahul opened his eyes. Geet was still asleep. Rahul decided to go to his room and freshen up. He knew Geet would wake up late after last night.
He opened the door, and as he stepped outside, saw Maan looking at him from the door opposite Geet's. He was obviously staying right next to them. Rahul gave him a cold look and went to his room.
Rahul freshened up, and made a few calls. He ordered Meera and Yash to immediately fly to NY to take care of the one week long conferences on behalf of their company. He told them why, and they immediately agreed. He knew that running away was not a good choice, but after Geet's reaction from last night he knew that she was not ready to face Maan. He booked tickets for them to return to Boston.
Geet was stil not sure of how to react, and did everything Rahul asked her to. She just did not have it in herself to think about anything. They returned home to a very happy Roshni whose mommy had returned in just two days when she was to be away for a week. Yash and Meera left for the conference.
...
It had been a week since they had returned. Geet had not gone back to the office and was sitting in her room stroking a sleeping Roshni when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in" she replied, and was met by a smiling Rahul carrying two mugs of hot Darjeeling tea, just as Geet liked it."Here", he said handing her the cup, seating himself besides her.
"There's something I wanted to talk to you about", he said.
Geet looked up. She knew where this conversation was headed.
"I don't think you're doing the right thing Geet." he said. "I know Maan has left an unfathomable scar on your soul. I know he has hurt you. But you have to be strong. Where's that Geet who vowed to never ever be weak on the hands of a man again. Who swore to be strong and unbreakable. Who wanted to become a pillar of strength for her daughter." He started stroking Roshni at this. "Look at her. Is it her fault that her mother has had a troubled past. Are you not punishing her by turning weak. How can she rely on you if you yourself are not strong enough to face the world. You saw him once and you shut yourself in this house for a week. What king of cowardly behaviour is this Geet? This is a very small world. You were bound to cross paths with him at some point of time or the other. And you may still. You can't hide from him forever Geet. And what is there to hide from? A heartless, insufferable man who has no sense of judging people's character. You know that you are right and truthful, then what are you afraid of? He is no one Geet. You have to get past him and learn to face him. I know it hurts, but you have to bear it, for Roshni. You have to protect this child. Its your duty towards her as a mother." and saying this, he left.
Each word from Rahul fell on Geet's ears like a thunder. How stupid had she been. She had once again let that monster of a man affect her. She had responsibilities, and it was time that she did them justice. She had no tears in her eyes that day, and she never will. Maan Singh Khurana was no one now, and she'd make sure that things remained that way.
...
She left for office early next morning, unaware of what awaited her there.
Geet stepped out of her car and entered the lift to her office as four body gaurds accompanied her. She was busy on the phone, tending to the work she had ignored for the past one week. Rahul was still home as Geet had left early to see to her pending work. Never had Geet Handa's work been pending these past three and a half years, and it never will.
As she entered her office there was a sudden hustle bustle as everyone moved to their workplace to bring order in the office that had been breathing too much this past one week due to the absence of their a little short of a dictator boss. She was called a walking nightmare by her employees. One who could not take incompetence, carelessness and laziness in her office. Everything from a coffee mug to their final presentation was scrubbed to perfection in H&G, and anything short of that was immediately thrown out.
Geet had almost reached her cabin when an out of place tie caught her eye, she walked up to her accountant and glared at him, "If you can't dress up for a professional space then please do not enter it." She said, pointing to his tie.
"Pari, in my cabin right now!" and saying this to a girl scared witless by her pitch, she walked into her cabin.
The witch was back, all set on her broom, to rein in her office, back to order. The staff had relaxed a little too much. And now everyone was running around like their behinds were on fire to complete their work,
'cause they knew that Geet ma'am would definitely demand a complete record and update of the last seven days' work.
Pari very slowly entered Geet's office. She was an Indian girl who Geet had hired as her secretary. She was very clumsy, and was very frequently shouted at by her very very intimidating boss.
"I want all the files on last week's happenings. Call a senior staff meeting in one hour. I want everybody there. From the CEO to the head accountant. And make sure that everybody's there." and with this she got back to her work. This spelled dismissal for Pari, who immediately went out to get Geet's tea and the files that she had asked for. Though Yash, Rahul and Meera were Geet's friends, when at work she treated them like her employees, so if a meeting was to be called, they'd be contacted by her secretary, not her. Even if Geet would be cooking them dinner at the end of the day.
Geet had her tea and files on her desk within five minutes. "Excuse me ma'am", spoke a scared Pari. "But, aren't Yash sir and Meera ma'am in NY?"
"No, they were supposed to join office today. Make sure they are here for the meeting."
Pari went out to arrange the meeting. She had informed everyone at the office. Rahul had still not arrived. So she decided to call him. She did not want to be reprimanded for his absence.
She dialled his number "Yes?", answered a sleepy Rahul. Pari's heart skipped a beat, she secretly liked him. But she snapped out of her reverie and spoke confidently into the phone "Hello, Rahul sir, this is Pari, Geet ma'am's secretary, she has called a senior staff meeting which is supposed to start in 40 min. Please rush to the office right now." and saying this she quickly disconnected the call. "She did not want to hear excuses from him,
'cause that will only further her own anxiety about the meeting. "She next called Meera and Yash who were catching a cab from the airport. They had just reached Boston. It was not like Geet was a horrenduous boss who excessively overworked her employees. No, she was not. And Yash and Meera were supposed to be back a day before from NY. But they had decided to stay a day longer for romance filled sight seeing, which was not Geet's problem. And they knew very well that they could not give her such an excuse.So they straight away came to the office from the airport.
Such was the terror of Geet Handa in H&G, and sharp at 10 AM all the desired staff was assembled in the conference hall, waiting for the DREAD herself to arrive.
Geet had gone through all the files and records pertaining to last one week and made her way to her conference hall.
Everyone rose to greet her as she entered, and were immediately seated as she raised her hand.
"I have seen the work you've done in the last one week, and am impressed by the fact that my absence has not affected your quality of work. I received your congratulatory messages and am very thankful. But now getting back to work, I'd like to see the presentation on our preparation of the Wilson industry project. Mr. Wilson is to arrive at 12, and I want to make sure that everything is in place for his arrival. He'd be bringing another business man from India who we are supposed to do this project in collaboration with for Mr. Wilson's company. He'd bring a small team of his staff with himself, and they are to work with us in our office on the project."
"Ms. Handa, do you know which company would be assisting us?", questioned Rahul who had somehow managed to reach the office in time.
"No. Last time I spoke to Mr. Wilson he had not finalised the other company, and I've not been able to talk to him since. He'd however bring the other company's MD and his staff with himself today." Geet answered.
At this Geet settled into her chair at the head of the table as Rahul proceeded with the presentation.
Geet thought that the presentation was just fine, and nodded at her CEO to mark her approval.
"I want this exact thing to be presented forth the clients. Now please make arrangements to welcome them". And saying this she returned to her cabin, to continue her work.
...
Maan entered H&G, led by Mr. Wilson and followed by his team of staff members that had accompanied him from India to assist on this project. Adi, Pinki, Sasha, Tasha and a few others from KC were there. Unlike Maan, they were not aware of what awaited them. Maan however very well knew who owned H&G, and had an agenda of his own to come to that place. It had been burning in his breast ever since he had seen Geet walk away with another man. And then seen the same man hold her in his hands and take her to her room. And then step out of her room in the morning. Maan's insides had burnt to ashes at this, and he had death in his eyes ever since. He hadn't been this angry ever in his life. And had decided to make Geet pay heavily for this.
He had just let her go after discovering her truth. But that night at the award function he realised his mistake. How could he let her go this easily? She had cheated him, Maan Singh Khurana. Now he'd take his revenge. He'd make her life a living hell.
The client had arrived with the business man from India. He looked just as intimidating as their own boss, followed by a variety of staff. A nervous plump girl, a seemingly nice but hesitant man with specs, and two weird girls with their heads held higher than required. There were a few others too.
They were all acquainted with Mr. Wilson as he was a very old client of H&G and was known as a nice, warm man.
Their CEO went up to greet them and froze on spot when Mr. Wilson introduced him to the other MD. He however couldn't say or do much right then and after recieving a cold look from Maan escorted them to the conference hall. There Pari served them with their desired refreshments, something she had previously enquired about from Mr. Wilson's secretary. Mr. Wilson himself liked ice tea, the other MD bitter black coffee, the nice plump girl rich chocolate milk shake and the spectacles clad guy simple tea.
Rahul could not leave their side as Mr. Wilson was busy chatting with him. All the important H&G staff was there. Yash and Meera also entered and froze at who they saw. They had seen Maan at the conference but had not acknowledged him, they both despised him to the core.
"Where's Ms.Geet", enquired Mr. Wilson.
All three of Geet's friends held their breaths, afraid of what was to follow.
"I'm right here Mr. Wilson.", came a reply, as everyone turned around to see a smiling Geet enter the conference hall and march to Mr. Wilson. She held out her hand to him, which he very graciously took and kissed, as he always did on seeing her. He was a thorough gentleman, and all his actions spoke about it out loud.
Maan winced at this exchange and glared at Mr. Wilson, something everyone missed.
"So good to see you!!!", exclaimed the very warm client. "I was very dissapointed at not being able to enjoy your company at the conference. But I gathered from Mr. Rahul that you had some unavoidable work here in Boston." He said.
Geet simply smiled at this. Completely ignoring Maan. May I introduce to you Mr. Maan Singh Khurana, the owner of KC, who'd be working with you on this project."
"Welcome to H&G Mr. Khurana. I hope you find our office environment pleasant to work in. We've arranged cabins for all of your staff. My secretary Ms. Pari will show you around after the meeting." This Geet spoke with such indifferrence as would make it impossible for anyone to believe that Geet and Maan had known each other.
All three of her friends were shocked out of their wits at her response. Maan just got angrier. Sasha and Tasha couldn't believe at who they had just seen walk in as the owner of H&G and Pinky and Adi were equally confused.
"So shall we begin", Geet said, glancing at Rahul who gave her a curt nod, something that Maan just did not like.
They settled at the massive table that had been decorated with white flowers, and a file on the presentation lay forth each person.
Rahul began the presentation, and was joined in by Meera and Geet when their roles came in. Since they were from the creative and technical departments.
"So what do you think Mr. Wilson?", queried Geet, flashing him one of her most dazzling smiles. "Oh! Absolutely brilliant! You know how much I love your work Ms. Geet! This is just perfect!", he replied, smiling back.
Maan was getting angrier by the minute. Mr. Wilson was paying Geet too many compliments, and that too more enthusiastically than he thought was needed, and Geet was smiling way too much at him. "I don't think it's perfect.", he broke in."Perhaps Ms. Geet forgot something that I'm sure Sasha can correct."
"It's Ms. Handa to you Mr. Khurana", Geet snapped at Maan. Everyone was a little shocked at this, but no one dared open their mouths in front of their very scary boss.
Maan could have exploded then and there, but knowing his situation, capped his fury for later.
The meeting concluded with a very happy Mr. Wilson, "I shall take your leave now madam. Hope you and Mr. Khurana can coordinate well to make this project a huge success." and saying this he again kissed Geet's hand to a red and green MSK and left giving everybody around a very charming smile.
"Pari, show Mr. Khurana and his staff their cabins and make sure that they are comfortable and all their needs and demands are met." And saying this she exited the conference room, heading to her cabin, where there'd be no one to hide her weakness from.
As Geet closed the door to her cabin behind her, she felt her facade fail her, and her false strength slip away, as her body started to tremble and she felt like she was about to fall due to the sudden exhaustion that overcame her. It was then that she felt two pairs of arms support her from either side.
After Geet had left, Yash, Rahul and Meera were left to deal with the litter of weirdos that was their so called guest staff from KC, and their very very scary looking head. They however could only think about the one who had just left them in a hurry.
All three of them exchanged looks of understanding and Rahul and Yash left Meera and Pari to deal with the devil.
As they entered Geet's cabin after her, they saw her sway, as if ready to collapse as they quickly caught her from either side. They steadied her and looked at her in concern. But Geet simply shrugged them off, and walking to her seat behind her desk spoke angrily to Yash,"What is the meaning of this Yash? I understand that you're getting married very soon and are very busy, but that does not mean that you start avoiding your work. I've still not recieved the final accounts' report on our last project with the Wilhelm &co. It's submission has been due five days now! Can I not get any work done without stressing my vocal chords! And what is the meaning of arriving at the office half an hour late! I am appalled at you! I want that report by the end of today, close the door on your way out and send Meera in, she was late too." Saying this Geet settled in her chair and got back to work.
Yash and Rahul looked at Geet in relief. She was very obviously disturbed, but it was a good sign that such a proximity with Maan had not been able break her apart as it had on previous occasions. They could see that she did not want to talk about Maan and just wanted to completely ignore his presence.So they decided to act like everything was normal.
"Yes Ma'am", Yash said winking at Geet as he rushed out before she could glare at him for his liberty. Geet rolled her eyes after Yash. He was such a flirt! Even now when he was engaged, he could just not help this habit of his. He was completely sincere with strangers, but when it came to his female friends, he just had to go about his very annoying trait. But Geet had got used to it. Yash was the major comic relief in their group, and his flirting was very widely laughed at by both Meera and Geet. They would very often flirt back to derive the most of the fun, and would at times leave Yash very very red with embarrassnment.
Rahul looked at Geet, happy that she was finally facing reality instead of running away. "Rahul, could you plz send Pari in. And while you're at it just make sure that everybody from KC is well settled." Geet said this with such little emotion that Rahul was convinced that all was well. He simply nodded and left.
Geet watched her friends leave. She knew they were concerned. But she was fine, she was just fine. H&G, and her family were all that mattered to her now and Maan Singh Khurana had ceased to exist a long time back. He was no one, and she'd show him that. She did not have time to waste over someone so wholly unconnected with her.
...
Maan was pacing in his cabin up and down. His entire face was red, and he could have throttled anyone who dared come before him at that moment.
Who the hell did she think she was! She had completely ignored him. Acted completely oblivious to his presence, hadn't given him as much as a look, and been so totally indifferent to him as if he had not existed!
Geet Handa had gotten a very big head, that she dared ignore Maan Singh Khurana! But she'd pay.Oh! she most definitely would!
That was when Maan's chain of thoughts was broken by a knock, and he saw Geet's secretary enter.
"Hello sir", she said smiling at him. What was there to smile about, he could not understand! The way people aimlessly smiled! So he simply glared at her and wiped that smile off her face. He did not like this girl. Not only because she was Geet's secretary, but also because she was a secretary. Maan had come to hate the word and everything about it. The post it referred to, the people who occupied that post, and the work they did. So ever since Geet had left he had not had a single secretary around himself. According to him they were conniving witches with hidden agendas.
"What is it!", he screamed at her.
Pari was very very shocked at this sudden outburst from him, and overcome with fear was unable to say anything, and rushed out of the room. She ran back to her cabin, and started crying.
Geet looked up from her work and was shocked at what she saw. Pari was bawling her eyes out. Her cabin was right next to hers, separated by a glass wall, so she could see right into it.
Concerned, she immediately left all her work and rushed to Pari's cabin.
"What is it, what's wrong?", Geet exclaimed.
Pari saw her boss come in and immediately hugged her tight.
Yes, Geet was a very very strict boss and believed in maintaining a strictly professional relationship with all her employees, but her good heart always got the better of her. Every single employee of H&G had witnessed this goodness that she worked so hard to hide.
Pari was very afraid of Geet, but she immensely respected her. She was her benefactress. Not only did she give her a job, but was also paying for her college, and Pari was currently living in the outhouse near Geet's house as she had no where else to go. Geet was her saviour, and she looked up to her as a godess who could take care of everything.
"What is it Pari? Tell me! Are you allright?", Geet was getting very very worried. Pari was just not replying and was continously sobbing. She took her to the sofa and sat her down. Cradling her face in her embrace, she stroked her head as she said in a very gentle tone, "Tell me Pari. What is it?".
Pari told her. She said that it wasn't a very big deal. She had just gotten foolishly scared. The new guest MD had screamed at her. But she was sure that it was her own fault.
Geet's blood was now boiling and she could have erupted then and there. She had taken care of Pari, nurtured her like a child ever since she had come under her care. She had sworn to protect her, and not only her, but her entire staff of H&G. They were under her care, and no misery could befall any of them while she was alive. Ever since Geet had become a mother she had taken to mothering everyone around her, and a mother could kill if as much as a scratch came to adorn her child. Maan Singh Khurana had crossed all his limits today!
And as her motherly instincts took over, she marched to the so called NEW GUEST MD's office. Now she didn't care who stood before her. Be it Obama, or Maan Singh Khurana, it did not matter.
"HOW DARE YOU!", she screamed at him.
Maan had been standing with his back to the door and on hearing someone scream turned around in surprise to a very red Geet.
"HOW DARE YOU TALK TO MY STAFF IN SUCH A TONE!"
"Mr. MAAN SINGH KHURANA! YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT TO YOUR OWN STAFF, BUT IF YOU EVER DARE SPEAK TO MY EMPLOYEES IN SUCH A FASHION AGAIN YOU'LL HAVE TO ANSWER DIRECTLY TO ME!
IF YOU HAVE COMPLAINS REGARDING ANYTHING IN THIS OFFICE YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THEM, BUT IF SUCH BEHAVIOUR IS REPEATED, YOU CAN KISS THIS CONTRACT GOODBYE. I HAVE WORKED ON DOZENS OF PROJECTS WITH Mr. WILSON WHILE THIS IS YOUR FIRST. TRUST ME, HE WOULDN'T THINK TWICE BEFORE FIRING YOU.
THIS IS NOT KC Mr. KHURANA, THIS IS H&G, MY OFFICE, THINGS HERE HAPPEN ACCORDING TO ME, NOT YOU!"
and saying this Geet stormed out of his office, leaving a very very very shocked Maan behind.
Geet had screamed at Maan very very loudly. She had been so loud that her voice had been audible to not only their entire floor, but also to a floor above and a floor below. Not before very long, the entire building of H&G was buzzing with the news that their very scary boss had shown the new sour looking MD also her jalwa, and had very clearly told him who the boss was.People did not know what exactly had happened to trigger this reaction from her,
'cause though generally angry, they had very rarely witnessed mood swings of such intensity from her. But they were sure that the new MD must have crossed a line somewhere and tried to throw attitude at their boss, in reply to which she had set him in his place very well. Well, after all, it was Geet Handa! Who did not tolerate any kind of nonsense. People laughed at the poor new MD's fate and went about their respective work.
Geet banged her door to a close behind her as she entered her cabin. She was still shaking with fury. Then she felt someone grab her arm.
...
Maan stood rooted to the spot, too stunned for words or actions. He could not absorb what had just happened.
He was so shocked that for the next two minutes, all he could do was blink. Then when realisation dawned upon him, he felt a new gush of anger take control of his being.
Geet had just screamed at him at the top of her voice, threatened to have him fired from the project, and stormed out of his cabin.
How dare she!!!! How dare she use such a tone with Maan Singh Khurana. The Maan Singh Khurana in front of whom people couldn't utter a string of words with coherence, whose eyes no one dared to look into! She, a chit of a girl, who had managed to put a a little firm together thought she was big enough to tell him off!
Geet had certainly gotten a very big head! Who the hell did she think she was? He'd show her her true place. He'd show her what level she occupied when it came to Maan Singh Khurana. That he could trample her with his little finger if he wanted to. She'd most deeply regret this behaviour!
And thinking this, he marched after Geet to teach her a lesson.
He entered her cabin, and found her standing in front of her desk, facing away from him. He grabbed her arm, and pulled her towards himself harshly.
Geet crashed into a hard chest of a stout and sturdy body, and on looking up, looked into the angry eyes of its owner. Then Maan very roughly pushed her against the wall and pinned both her hands on either side of her head.
Geet struggled to get out of his grasp, but all her efforts were futile. He was too strong for her.
Maan twisted both her hands behind her back, and holding them with one hand, squeezed her waist very tightly with the other.
Geet winced in pain.
"Ah!", Geet cried out in pain.
"Yes. This is what comes off speaking without thinking in front of Maan Singh Khurana"
Just then Maan felt a hard tug at his arm. Someone pulled him with so much force that he had to let go of Geet while turning around.
Then Maan felt someone punch him very hard across the face as he stumbled onto Geet's desk close by.
"Try and lay a finger on her after today, and I swear I'll rip your arms right off your body", Thundered a voice at Maan in fury. And as Maan looked up he saw that it belonged to the same guy he had seen at the award function with Geet.
Rahul had heard what had happened in Maan's cabin, and then later on seen Maan march after Geet into her cabin in anger. He had foreseen an unpleasant reaction from Maan, but never had he imagined that he'd try to hurt Geet like that! His blood down right boiled when he saw Maan manhandle Geet and force himself on her, and immediately turned him around and punched him across the face.
Maan landed on Geet's desk, and on seeing Geet trembling, Rahul immediately wrapped his arms around her to prevent her from collapsing. "Are you all right?", he questioned her with concern.
Geet was holding on to Rahul for support. She had gotten very scared by Maan's outburst, and was in shock. She hugged Rahul, closing her eyes, and burying her face in the comforting safe arms of her friend.
Maan saw this. Not only had this so called Rahul punched him, but he now also had his arms around Geet.
Rahul helped Geet into a chair, and was holding her hands in his, trying to calm her down.
Maan felt a fresh surge of fury engulf him. He pulled Rahul around and punched him across the face. Rahul's head hit the corner of Geet's desk, and started to bleed.
"Rahul! ", Geet cried, as she rushed to him and looked at his wound in horror.
Geet saw Rahul's blood and got very agitated. First he manhandled her, and then he punched her best friend ! That too in her office.
"SECURITY!!", Geet yelled "SECURITY!!"
Two of Geet's bodygaurds rushed in.
"Throw this man out of my office! RIGHT NOW!!" Geet yelled at her bodyguards.
Maan was shocked at Geet's response. He had never thought her capable of such a reaction. She was throwing him, Maan singh Khurana out!! The nerve of her!!
"Sir, plz, you have to leave immediately", said one of the gaurds to Maan.
Maan glared at him in response, but no use, the security ushered him out of H&G, as directed by their boss.
"Are you all right", Geet asked Rahul, looking at him in concern.
"Yes, I'm fine."
Geet sat him down and started nursing his wound. She had already asked Pari to call a doctor.
"I'm so sorry. You got hurt
'cause of me", Geet said apologetically.
"Are you kidding me? I wouldn't have missed this for the world. That was a fabulous performance on your part Ms. Handa! You just threw Maan Singh Khurana out of your office! God! That's got to get his goat!" , Rahul replied with a smirk.
"But are you all right? Did he hurt you before I came in?"
"I'm absolutely fine. Jab tak tumhare jaisa dost ho tab tak mujhe kya ho sakta hai? huh?", Geet replied, smiling at him.
...
Maan was back at the place he was staying in Boston.
He was pacing up and down in his room.
He could just not digest it.
The humiliation that Geet Handa had subjected to him today was such that he had never faced before. She had thrown him out of her office! HIM ! MAAN SINGH KHURANA!!! THE MAAN SINGH KHURANA!!!!
Maan could clearly see that force was no way to get back at Geet. She was powerful hear in Boston, and he could not touch her. He had to use some other way...
...
THE NEXT DAY
Geet arrived at her office, and noticed something stir in the conference room. She entered it and was shocked to find Maan back.
"Tumhare jaisa besharam aadmi maine aaj tak nahi dekha. Kal yahan se nikalwa jaane ke baad bhi aaj tum wapas aa gaye!! Get out right now!!"
Rahul entered after Geet "What's wrong?", he asked, and then saw that Maan was back.
"What are you doing here?"
"Before you start with another string of your profanities, let me remind you something." and saying this he handed Geet a file.
Geet opened it and saw that it was her contract with Mr. Wilson.
"According to this contract I'm supposed to work on this project with you, in the premises of H&G, and since you've yourself signed these papers, I'm sorry, but you cannot barre me from your office until the completion of this project."
Geet was furious. She could just not believe she had made such a big mistake. She had let Maan Singh Khurana back into her life.
Geet could see that there was no way out of this mess.
"Fine. If you want to stay, stay. But let one thing be very clearly understood. I am the MD of this company and Rahul is the CEO, we own this company Mr. Khurana. And you're supposed to respect that and know your boundaries in this professional sphere. If yesterday's behaviour is repeated, or if you ever try to cross your limits after today, trust me, the consequences will be severe." and saying this Geet marched back to her cabin.
Maan turned to leave too when he was retained by Rahul
"One second Maan", he said.
"There's something I want to talk to you about. I know why you're hear. You're hear to hurt Geet. But let me make one thing very clear. If you hurt her you'll have to answer directly to me. I'll not be forgiving when it comes to Geet. You've already hurt her enough. But now she has moved on with her life. Whatever has happened was in the past, so it'd be best if you too forgot about it and did not complicate things further. If, however, you choose to do things your way, remember, that Geet is not alone. Stay away from her." and saying this, Rahul exited the conference room and went back to his cabin.
It had been over a week now that Maan had been working in Geet's office, and everything had assumed a set pattern.
Maan and Geet would totally ignore each other, pretending that the other didn't exist. Sasha and Tasha would heavily criticize her behind her back, but after witnessing her present demeanor, never had the nerve to say anything to her face. Adi and Pinki were very happy at having met Geet once again, and would hang around her cabin and her house as much as possible.
Rahul and Meera had to leave for France to see to the proceedings of one of their projects there. Though Rahul was not comfortable leaving Geet alone with Maan, Yash assured him that he'd look after her. "Or rather she'd look after you!", whispered Rahul, shaking his head at what a disaster was about to come around.
"So, for the next few days, Yash Malhotra is in charge of Geet and the three kids", announced a very proud and beaming Yash.
"Oh my god!! What is to happen now!!", remarked a worried Meera.
"Only god can save our house and H&G now!"
"Don't worry Meera, I'll take care of everything", Yash continued to assure her. At this Meera, Rahul and Geet exchanged uncertain glances, and burst into peels of laughter.
"Yeah, we know you'll take care of everything", Geet remarked.
"Uda lo jitna mazaak udana hai, baadme to main hi kaam aaoonga", Yash had gotten cross now.
"Okay, okay. Please, we're getting late for the airport, and you guys should also leave for office. And the kids need to get to school. I think we should all leave together."
And at this, they all left the house together. Rahul and Meera went to the airport, and Geet and Yash after dropping the kids to school went to their office.
...
IN THE CONFERENCE HALL
Everybody was sitting around the big table. Sasha had just finished the presentation on the structure of the left quarter of the building they were to design."That's alright Sasha, but I don't think the excessive American designing is a very good idea. Mr. Wilson has a taste for Roman Architecture, and all his buildings have been designed keeping that in mind. The three hotels we designed for him were based on the Basilica, the Insulae, and the Tower of Hercules. I think this time also we should focus on what he'd prefer", said Geet.
Sasha did not like Geet slighting her work and immediately taunted back, " I've been working as an architect for way longer than you have Ms. Hoshiarpur, and most undoubtedly know better than you!"
Geet did not want to waste her precious time by replying back to Sasha and get into a childish feud, so she turned to Maan and said, "Mr. Khurana, I hope you realize that we need to keep the client's taste in mind before we begin settle on a design. We've prepared a rough design, but the details should only be added as per the client's specifications. Since this is your first project with Mr. Wilson, your team is not acquainted with their league of work. I'd ask my secretary to fix your team an appointment with Mr. Wilson's team, so that they can understand the desired result better."
Maan simply nodded at this. He knew that Geet was right.
Sasha was fuming at the way everybody had simply ignored her.
"I think we should get back to the rough design of the project", Geet remarked. So, they got back to discussing the blueprints of the building's outline. After two hours of discussion they broke up for a coffee break.
Geet, Pari, Maan and Sasha were still in the conference room.
Then suddenly Yash came in. Geet simply glared at him. He had been missing for the entire meeting, and Geet was very cross.
"I'm so so so sorry!", Yash began with his series of apologies, and I say series 'cause it's gonna take him very long to have Geet convinced.
Everybody looked up from their work at this.
Geet simply ignored Yash.
"Geet please, at least look at me", Yash pleaded.
Maan was not liking this exchange at all. What was about Geet that all men were driven to her with their tongues hanging out!
"Yash plz, I'm in no mood to talk to you right now. Apologizing is no solution. Why were you not here for the meeting? You do know how I hate such carelessness!", and at this Geet got up from her seat and walked to the other side of the room, Yash trailing right behind her. He could see how cross she was, and saw only one way out. He started flirting. Geet was always very amused when he flirted, so he knew that would do the trick.
"Oh come on Geet! You know how much I love you, I was away preparing for our date tonight!"
Maan's ears stood up at this.
Geet simply glared at Yash. She came back to her seat, still standing and flipping through a file.
"Come on sweetheart, don't frown thus and strain your facial muscles, you'll develop wrinkles, and that too at the mere age of 22!", at this Yash made a very shocked face.
Geet was getting amused now, but she was still mad at him and kept a straight face lest he knew that her anger had already melted away. She gave him another angry look.
Maan had also started glaring at Yash by now. Though unnoticed by all, Maan's anger was more real than Geet's. What was up in this office. Every man was after Geet! First Mr. Wilson, then that Rahul, and now this Yash!
Yash observed Geet's lips twitching. He knew that now she was simply faking her anger. Seizing this opportunity, he immediately produced a cauliflower that had been hidden in his jacket. Everybody was shocked at this sudden revelation and were staring at the cauliflower in his hand in amazement.
"Gobhi! Tum office mein gobhi kis liye lekar aye ho!", Geet exclaimed.
"Tumhare liye! Ab tum mujh se itni gussa ho to maine socha ki tum mujhse flowers to logi nahi, par yeh to vegetable hai, aur saath hi saath phool ka bhi kaam karti hai, tabhi to ise PHOOL GOBHI kehte hain!", Yash replied. "Ab bande se phool nahi lene the, sabhzi se kya khafa? Yaad hai, jab hum hospital mein mile the, tab bhi maine tumhe kuch aise hi manaya tha."
This was it! Geet could not keep a straight face anymore. A very broad smile appeared on her face as she started grinning silently. She looked at Yash lovingly. How could anyone stay cross with him? She took the cauliflower from him, and turning it around in her hands said, "par ab main iska kya karun?"
"Kyon, raat ko aloo-gobhi banake khila na, humari date par", Yash replied, winking at Geet. Now they were both laughing very hard. "Main kyun? Tum banana. Akhir galti tumne ki hai, to sazaa te taur pe aaj ka dinner tum banaoge, aur woh bhi aloo-gobhi, humari date par!", Geet winked back.
Maan's face was turning very very red, and if you concentrated hard enough, you could've seen dhuan coming out. SO THEY LIVED TOGETHER! he thought. Since he didn't know what to do he simply continued to be angry and stare at Yash with contempt. He knew Yash had ulterior motives about Geet when he had offered her the post of CEO in his office, Indian Paints. And now look, he was cooking her aloo-gobhi! "Aloo-gobhi my foot!!!", he murmured, taking out all his anger on the file in his hands.
Maan and Geet would totally ignore each other, pretending that the other didn't exist. Sasha and Tasha would heavily criticize her behind her back, but after witnessing her present demeanor, never had the nerve to say anything to her face. Adi and Pinki were very happy at having met Geet once again, and would hang around her cabin and her house as much as possible.
Rahul and Meera had to leave for France to see to the proceedings of one of their projects there. Though Rahul was not comfortable leaving Geet alone with Maan, Yash assured him that he'd look after her. "Or rather she'd look after you!", whispered Rahul, shaking his head at what a disaster was about to come around.
"So, for the next few days, Yash Malhotra is in charge of Geet and the three kids", announced a very proud and beaming Yash.
"Oh my god!! What is to happen now!!", remarked a worried Meera.
"Only god can save our house and H&G now!"
"Don't worry Meera, I'll take care of everything", Yash continued to assure her. At this Meera, Rahul and Geet exchanged uncertain glances, and burst into peels of laughter.
"Yeah, we know you'll take care of everything", Geet remarked.
"Uda lo jitna mazaak udana hai, baadme to main hi kaam aaoonga", Yash had gotten cross now.
"Okay, okay. Please, we're getting late for the airport, and you guys should also leave for office. And the kids need to get to school. I think we should all leave together."
And at this, they all left the house together. Rahul and Meera went to the airport, and Geet and Yash after dropping the kids to school went to their office.
...
IN THE CONFERENCE HALL
Everybody was sitting around the big table. Sasha had just finished the presentation on the structure of the left quarter of the building they were to design."That's alright Sasha, but I don't think the excessive American designing is a very good idea. Mr. Wilson has a taste for Roman Architecture, and all his buildings have been designed keeping that in mind. The three hotels we designed for him were based on the Basilica, the Insulae, and the Tower of Hercules. I think this time also we should focus on what he'd prefer", said Geet.
Sasha did not like Geet slighting her work and immediately taunted back, " I've been working as an architect for way longer than you have Ms. Hoshiarpur, and most undoubtedly know better than you!"
Geet did not want to waste her precious time by replying back to Sasha and get into a childish feud, so she turned to Maan and said, "Mr. Khurana, I hope you realize that we need to keep the client's taste in mind before we begin settle on a design. We've prepared a rough design, but the details should only be added as per the client's specifications. Since this is your first project with Mr. Wilson, your team is not acquainted with their league of work. I'd ask my secretary to fix your team an appointment with Mr. Wilson's team, so that they can understand the desired result better."
Maan simply nodded at this. He knew that Geet was right.
Sasha was fuming at the way everybody had simply ignored her.
"I think we should get back to the rough design of the project", Geet remarked. So, they got back to discussing the blueprints of the building's outline. After two hours of discussion they broke up for a coffee break.
Geet, Pari, Maan and Sasha were still in the conference room.
Then suddenly Yash came in. Geet simply glared at him. He had been missing for the entire meeting, and Geet was very cross.
"I'm so so so sorry!", Yash began with his series of apologies, and I say series 'cause it's gonna take him very long to have Geet convinced.
Everybody looked up from their work at this.
Geet simply ignored Yash.
"Geet please, at least look at me", Yash pleaded.
Maan was not liking this exchange at all. What was about Geet that all men were driven to her with their tongues hanging out!
"Yash plz, I'm in no mood to talk to you right now. Apologizing is no solution. Why were you not here for the meeting? You do know how I hate such carelessness!", and at this Geet got up from her seat and walked to the other side of the room, Yash trailing right behind her. He could see how cross she was, and saw only one way out. He started flirting. Geet was always very amused when he flirted, so he knew that would do the trick.
"Oh come on Geet! You know how much I love you, I was away preparing for our date tonight!"
Maan's ears stood up at this.
Geet simply glared at Yash. She came back to her seat, still standing and flipping through a file.
"Come on sweetheart, don't frown thus and strain your facial muscles, you'll develop wrinkles, and that too at the mere age of 22!", at this Yash made a very shocked face.
Geet was getting amused now, but she was still mad at him and kept a straight face lest he knew that her anger had already melted away. She gave him another angry look.
Maan had also started glaring at Yash by now. Though unnoticed by all, Maan's anger was more real than Geet's. What was up in this office. Every man was after Geet! First Mr. Wilson, then that Rahul, and now this Yash!
Yash observed Geet's lips twitching. He knew that now she was simply faking her anger. Seizing this opportunity, he immediately produced a cauliflower that had been hidden in his jacket. Everybody was shocked at this sudden revelation and were staring at the cauliflower in his hand in amazement.
"Gobhi! Tum office mein gobhi kis liye lekar aye ho!", Geet exclaimed.
"Tumhare liye! Ab tum mujh se itni gussa ho to maine socha ki tum mujhse flowers to logi nahi, par yeh to vegetable hai, aur saath hi saath phool ka bhi kaam karti hai, tabhi to ise PHOOL GOBHI kehte hain!", Yash replied. "Ab bande se phool nahi lene the, sabhzi se kya khafa? Yaad hai, jab hum hospital mein mile the, tab bhi maine tumhe kuch aise hi manaya tha."
This was it! Geet could not keep a straight face anymore. A very broad smile appeared on her face as she started grinning silently. She looked at Yash lovingly. How could anyone stay cross with him? She took the cauliflower from him, and turning it around in her hands said, "par ab main iska kya karun?"
"Kyon, raat ko aloo-gobhi banake khila na, humari date par", Yash replied, winking at Geet. Now they were both laughing very hard. "Main kyun? Tum banana. Akhir galti tumne ki hai, to sazaa te taur pe aaj ka dinner tum banaoge, aur woh bhi aloo-gobhi, humari date par!", Geet winked back.
Maan's face was turning very very red, and if you concentrated hard enough, you could've seen dhuan coming out. SO THEY LIVED TOGETHER! he thought. Since he didn't know what to do he simply continued to be angry and stare at Yash with contempt. He knew Yash had ulterior motives about Geet when he had offered her the post of CEO in his office, Indian Paints. And now look, he was cooking her aloo-gobhi! "Aloo-gobhi my foot!!!", he murmured, taking out all his anger on the file in his hands.
As expected, Yash had very well managed to burn the Aloo-gobhi he had attempted to cook for Geet.
The kids were away for a sleepover birthday party. And since the aloo-gobhi plan had turned out exactly as Geet had predicted, they decided to dine out.
Maan had gotten very restless after learning about Geet's date with Yash at the conference hall. So he had managed to retrieve her address from the office and was now standing outside her living room window, peeping in, trying to see what was happening inside. He couldn't let their date be successful.
The moron lover had burnt the aloo-gobhi that he had declared to cook so proudly. Maan groped to see more. They kept going in and out of his view so much that it was very difficult to make out what was happening. His back was aching like hell and his muscles burned. But he'd not leave before making sure that their date was a complete disaster, which wouldn't take long since the food had already gotten burnt.
But what was this!!!, they were going out!!!
Maan now hid behind the bushes, as he saw their car run past him. He quickly got into his car and raced after them. They went to an Italian restaurant, and Maan did not like what he saw there. He did not like it at all!!!
...
They went to Le' Italia, the best Italian restaurant in Boston. Though Geet preferred Indian food over any other cuisine, Yash simply loved Italian. Plus they had Indian every day at home so Geet didn't mind the change.
Since they were frequent customers there, they were showed to their special table. But to Geet's amazement the table was set up for a romantic date! With exquisite aroma candles, roses, red wine and violinists!
"What is all this Yash?", Geet asked him, shocked at the romantic arrangements when they were there for a simple dinner.
"I don't know!", Yash replied, equally bewildered, when the manager of the hotel walked up to them.
"Hello Mr. Yash!", he greeted them. "Hello ma'am!"
"I hope you liked our arrangements. Though this time we did it ourselves without your demands. You're such a special customer, and you always have it decorated thus when you dine here with your fiancee, that we thought we'd give you a surprise tonight!", and saying this he walked away.
Yash and Geet looked at each other and burst into peels of laughter. The manager had mistaken Geet for Yash's fiancee.
"So Ms. Handa, I had promised you a date at the office today, so, shall we?"
"Well,... why not!", Geet replied.
Yash pulled out a chair for Geet, and then got into his own.
Yash continued to crack his silly jokes and Geet continued to laugh.
...
Maan was standing behind a very tall plant near Yash and Geet's table, crushing the life out of the leaves in his hands. He had followed them in, and what had he seen!!!! exquisite aroma candles, roses, red wine and violinists!!! They were on a date!!!!! And if that wasn't shock enough for a day, the manager had called Geet his FIANCEE!!!!!!!!! FIANCEE!!!!!!!! GEET WAS GETTING MARRIED AND THAT TOO TO THIS MORON YASH!!!!! THIS IRRESPONSIBLE MAN, WHO HAD NEXT TO NO SENSE AND WHO MAAN VERY EXPLICITLY WISHED TO THROTTLE RIGHT NOW!!!!
But why was Maan so concerned? She had deceived him for his money! Why was he bothered about what she did! Why, he loathed her to the core!! It wasn't becuz he still cared for her... no no!! That wasn't it!! He was simply curious.
But why was Geet marrying him anyway??
It couldn't be for his money, since she was obviously richer than him, GOD! THE WOMAN OWNED A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY NOW!!!!!! So why marry a mere employ? Was it because she loved him???
This thought drilled holes through Maan's chest. The fact that Geet could so easily be happy with someone else while his happiness had been ruined forever did not agree with him!!
He would not let her be happy with Yash!! Never ever!!! He would forever ruin her happiness!! Even if it meant going against his own rules, what respect did she deserve from him anyway!!!! She was the one who had wronged him. She had to pay!!!! He was ready to cross all limits now!!!
Maan had death in his eyes when he watched Yash dance with Geet to the music from the violins. His anger was increasing exponentially. He could no more take what he saw, and hence left.
But he'd make her pay!! He had been sober these past few days, but now vengeance was all that was on his mind now!!
The kids were away for a sleepover birthday party. And since the aloo-gobhi plan had turned out exactly as Geet had predicted, they decided to dine out.
Maan had gotten very restless after learning about Geet's date with Yash at the conference hall. So he had managed to retrieve her address from the office and was now standing outside her living room window, peeping in, trying to see what was happening inside. He couldn't let their date be successful.
The moron lover had burnt the aloo-gobhi that he had declared to cook so proudly. Maan groped to see more. They kept going in and out of his view so much that it was very difficult to make out what was happening. His back was aching like hell and his muscles burned. But he'd not leave before making sure that their date was a complete disaster, which wouldn't take long since the food had already gotten burnt.
But what was this!!!, they were going out!!!
Maan now hid behind the bushes, as he saw their car run past him. He quickly got into his car and raced after them. They went to an Italian restaurant, and Maan did not like what he saw there. He did not like it at all!!!
...
They went to Le' Italia, the best Italian restaurant in Boston. Though Geet preferred Indian food over any other cuisine, Yash simply loved Italian. Plus they had Indian every day at home so Geet didn't mind the change.
Since they were frequent customers there, they were showed to their special table. But to Geet's amazement the table was set up for a romantic date! With exquisite aroma candles, roses, red wine and violinists!
"What is all this Yash?", Geet asked him, shocked at the romantic arrangements when they were there for a simple dinner.
"I don't know!", Yash replied, equally bewildered, when the manager of the hotel walked up to them.
"Hello Mr. Yash!", he greeted them. "Hello ma'am!"
"I hope you liked our arrangements. Though this time we did it ourselves without your demands. You're such a special customer, and you always have it decorated thus when you dine here with your fiancee, that we thought we'd give you a surprise tonight!", and saying this he walked away.
Yash and Geet looked at each other and burst into peels of laughter. The manager had mistaken Geet for Yash's fiancee.
"So Ms. Handa, I had promised you a date at the office today, so, shall we?"
"Well,... why not!", Geet replied.
Yash pulled out a chair for Geet, and then got into his own.
Yash continued to crack his silly jokes and Geet continued to laugh.
...
Maan was standing behind a very tall plant near Yash and Geet's table, crushing the life out of the leaves in his hands. He had followed them in, and what had he seen!!!! exquisite aroma candles, roses, red wine and violinists!!! They were on a date!!!!! And if that wasn't shock enough for a day, the manager had called Geet his FIANCEE!!!!!!!!! FIANCEE!!!!!!!! GEET WAS GETTING MARRIED AND THAT TOO TO THIS MORON YASH!!!!! THIS IRRESPONSIBLE MAN, WHO HAD NEXT TO NO SENSE AND WHO MAAN VERY EXPLICITLY WISHED TO THROTTLE RIGHT NOW!!!!
But why was Maan so concerned? She had deceived him for his money! Why was he bothered about what she did! Why, he loathed her to the core!! It wasn't becuz he still cared for her... no no!! That wasn't it!! He was simply curious.
But why was Geet marrying him anyway??
It couldn't be for his money, since she was obviously richer than him, GOD! THE WOMAN OWNED A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR COMPANY NOW!!!!!! So why marry a mere employ? Was it because she loved him???
This thought drilled holes through Maan's chest. The fact that Geet could so easily be happy with someone else while his happiness had been ruined forever did not agree with him!!
He would not let her be happy with Yash!! Never ever!!! He would forever ruin her happiness!! Even if it meant going against his own rules, what respect did she deserve from him anyway!!!! She was the one who had wronged him. She had to pay!!!! He was ready to cross all limits now!!!
Maan had death in his eyes when he watched Yash dance with Geet to the music from the violins. His anger was increasing exponentially. He could no more take what he saw, and hence left.
But he'd make her pay!! He had been sober these past few days, but now vengeance was all that was on his mind now!!
Maan's back was aching like hell from all the crouching and snooping he had been about the night before outside Geet's house. But he still reached office the next day, all set to make Geet's life hell.
However, all his plans were cast aside. Maan was there, his evil intentions were there, however the one on who the implications were to be inflicted was not. Geet had not come in that day, and Maan was not at all happy about it. He learned that she had taken an off that day.
So now the only way to get his plans into action was to get Geet to the office. So Maan went about causing as much trouble as he could. He reprimanded her staff, yelled at the technical and creative teams of H&G, accused them all of incompetence and unprofessionalism, and rejected all their designs and ideas.
Yash was having a very hard time controlling the situation at the office. Maan was causing total havoc. Being from the finance department, Yash could not challenge whatever Maan was hurling at their technical department. Had Meera or Rahul been there they could've handled the situation, but now alone, Yash was at a loss of what he was to do.
...
Geet had not come in that day 'cause Roshni was very sick. She had gotten ill at the sleepover party the night before and Geet could not leave her and come.
...
It was afternoon now, Yash had somehow gotten through half of the day, but it was getting impossible to control the typhoon called Maan Singh Khurana. Even Sasha was troubling Geet's staff now. What ever may happen, Yash was not going to trouble Geet with office worries right now when Roshni was unwell. He himself wanted to be home with her, but couldn't because of Maan. The guy was such a pain!!!!
The staff was missing their boss. Though a terror herself, she still had a soft corner for all of them and while she was around no outsider could trouble them. She shielded them like a mother. Everybody knew how motherly their boss was. So they all decided to call her for help. They did not know why she was away, otherwise they wouldn't have disturbed her.
...
Geet was sitting by Roshni's side, caressing her forehead. The doctor had just been there. She was much better. Just a little fever and weakness remained. Suddenly her phone rang.
"Hello", she answered it. It was her staff. They were very upset and troubled. Maan and Sasha had been causing havoc at the office since morning, and were literally torturing them.
"Don't worry, I'm coming"
Geet packed all the things she'd require for her unwell daughter, gently lifted her in her arms, resting her head all her left shoulder, and left for office. Yes her daughter was unwell, but she had to look after her staff too. She had always known that Maan was going to be difficult, and she couldn't leave her office and her staff to his mercy. And Roshni had been to the office with her tonnes of times before. When Geet worked non-stop for days at a stretch, coming home only as mere formality, Roshni came to office with her. And she rather enjoyed it. All her staff loved her a lot, and there were a lot many people to indulge her there than at home.
However, all his plans were cast aside. Maan was there, his evil intentions were there, however the one on who the implications were to be inflicted was not. Geet had not come in that day, and Maan was not at all happy about it. He learned that she had taken an off that day.
So now the only way to get his plans into action was to get Geet to the office. So Maan went about causing as much trouble as he could. He reprimanded her staff, yelled at the technical and creative teams of H&G, accused them all of incompetence and unprofessionalism, and rejected all their designs and ideas.
Yash was having a very hard time controlling the situation at the office. Maan was causing total havoc. Being from the finance department, Yash could not challenge whatever Maan was hurling at their technical department. Had Meera or Rahul been there they could've handled the situation, but now alone, Yash was at a loss of what he was to do.
...
Geet had not come in that day 'cause Roshni was very sick. She had gotten ill at the sleepover party the night before and Geet could not leave her and come.
...
It was afternoon now, Yash had somehow gotten through half of the day, but it was getting impossible to control the typhoon called Maan Singh Khurana. Even Sasha was troubling Geet's staff now. What ever may happen, Yash was not going to trouble Geet with office worries right now when Roshni was unwell. He himself wanted to be home with her, but couldn't because of Maan. The guy was such a pain!!!!
The staff was missing their boss. Though a terror herself, she still had a soft corner for all of them and while she was around no outsider could trouble them. She shielded them like a mother. Everybody knew how motherly their boss was. So they all decided to call her for help. They did not know why she was away, otherwise they wouldn't have disturbed her.
...
Geet was sitting by Roshni's side, caressing her forehead. The doctor had just been there. She was much better. Just a little fever and weakness remained. Suddenly her phone rang.
"Hello", she answered it. It was her staff. They were very upset and troubled. Maan and Sasha had been causing havoc at the office since morning, and were literally torturing them.
"Don't worry, I'm coming"
Geet packed all the things she'd require for her unwell daughter, gently lifted her in her arms, resting her head all her left shoulder, and left for office. Yes her daughter was unwell, but she had to look after her staff too. She had always known that Maan was going to be difficult, and she couldn't leave her office and her staff to his mercy. And Roshni had been to the office with her tonnes of times before. When Geet worked non-stop for days at a stretch, coming home only as mere formality, Roshni came to office with her. And she rather enjoyed it. All her staff loved her a lot, and there were a lot many people to indulge her there than at home.
Maan was standing in the lobby of the office, right outside Geet's cabin, screaming his head off at her employees. Yash was trying to calm him down, but to no avail.
Then suddenly a ting sounded as the elevator door opened, and Geet stepped outside, to her staff's relief. Phew!! Their boss was back. Now she'd show Mr. I-am-khadooos-Maan-Singh-Khurana who the boss was! They all smiled very broadly on seeing her, and Pari rushed forward to take the bag from Geet's hands. Their boss had brought her daughter too along with her. The day was getting better by the minute!!!
"Ma'am! Thank god you're hear." Pari exclaimed.
Geet handed her the bag, nodded at her staff's courtesies, gave Maan a cold stern look, and marched into her cabin.
Maan knew that all his attempts would eventually bear fruit, and that Geet would come, but he was still shocked at what he saw. Geet had come in with a very small kid in her arms. Who was she? He wondered. Was she her daughter? He was not sure.
...
Roshni was still asleep. Pari came in after her.
"Ma'am, thank you so much for coming. Mr. Khurana has had us all in an upheaval since morning.", she whispered, lest Roshni woke up.
Geet placed the bag besides the couch, covered the couch with a small mattress, laid Roshni on it, covered her with a small quilt, and then placed a child alarm besides her. It was to detect any movement from her. And if she woke up, Geet would immediately know from its counterpart that was with her.
Pari went back outside to tell Mr. Khurana that their boss would like to speak with them in the conference hall. But before she could get to Maan, Sasha came in the way and stopped her. The were all still in the lobby and everybody was gathered around them. Maan was standing behind Sasha when Sasha started abusing Pari.
"You lowly bi***. How dare you address MK thus! Don't you know the difference between him and the girls your kind. Who work as secretaries just to get into a high class zone so that you can get a chance with a rich man like MK! You and your boss, M. Geet Handa are just the same!"
"Ma'am please! There's no need to get personal! I'm merely doing my job. And I'll tolerate absolutely nothing against Geet ma'am. She's the kindest soul ever to have lived, and the likes of you can never appreciate a woman like her."Pari replied in a hurt but determined tone.
"HOW DARE YOU USE SUCH A TONE WITH ME!!!!!!!", Sasha screamed, as she gave Pari a hard push.
Pari lost her balance and tumbled back, when someone caught her and saved her from falling.
Geet was shocked at what had just happened. Not only had Sasha abused Pari, but had also physically assaulted her. She recalled those torturous moments in KC when Sasha had insulted her in front of everybody. Just because she was poor, young, simple and alone. Now she was trying to do that to Pari. A fury erupted inside Geet, and she went forward and slapped Sasha hard on her right cheek.
"How dare you", she spoke in a bone chilling hissed tone.
"You come in my office and assault my staff!!!! Doosron ko unki aukad batane se pehle apni khudki aukad dekh liya karo Sasha!"
"I'm not going to spare you today Sasha!!!!!!!! You are now officially off this project! Get out of my office before I have you thrown out! And as for that contract, It did not specify your team Mr. Khurana! I'd like to speak with you in the conference room right now!!"
Maan was in an upheaval and could not relate the several things that had just happened. First that child, then Sasha's preposterous behaviour, and then Geet's giving Sasha a very well deserved slap.
So he without any questions marched after Geet, dumbfounded.
Then suddenly a ting sounded as the elevator door opened, and Geet stepped outside, to her staff's relief. Phew!! Their boss was back. Now she'd show Mr. I-am-khadooos-Maan-Singh-Khurana who the boss was! They all smiled very broadly on seeing her, and Pari rushed forward to take the bag from Geet's hands. Their boss had brought her daughter too along with her. The day was getting better by the minute!!!
"Ma'am! Thank god you're hear." Pari exclaimed.
Geet handed her the bag, nodded at her staff's courtesies, gave Maan a cold stern look, and marched into her cabin.
Maan knew that all his attempts would eventually bear fruit, and that Geet would come, but he was still shocked at what he saw. Geet had come in with a very small kid in her arms. Who was she? He wondered. Was she her daughter? He was not sure.
...
Roshni was still asleep. Pari came in after her.
"Ma'am, thank you so much for coming. Mr. Khurana has had us all in an upheaval since morning.", she whispered, lest Roshni woke up.
Geet placed the bag besides the couch, covered the couch with a small mattress, laid Roshni on it, covered her with a small quilt, and then placed a child alarm besides her. It was to detect any movement from her. And if she woke up, Geet would immediately know from its counterpart that was with her.
Pari went back outside to tell Mr. Khurana that their boss would like to speak with them in the conference hall. But before she could get to Maan, Sasha came in the way and stopped her. The were all still in the lobby and everybody was gathered around them. Maan was standing behind Sasha when Sasha started abusing Pari.
"You lowly bi***. How dare you address MK thus! Don't you know the difference between him and the girls your kind. Who work as secretaries just to get into a high class zone so that you can get a chance with a rich man like MK! You and your boss, M. Geet Handa are just the same!"
"Ma'am please! There's no need to get personal! I'm merely doing my job. And I'll tolerate absolutely nothing against Geet ma'am. She's the kindest soul ever to have lived, and the likes of you can never appreciate a woman like her."Pari replied in a hurt but determined tone.
"HOW DARE YOU USE SUCH A TONE WITH ME!!!!!!!", Sasha screamed, as she gave Pari a hard push.
Pari lost her balance and tumbled back, when someone caught her and saved her from falling.
Geet was shocked at what had just happened. Not only had Sasha abused Pari, but had also physically assaulted her. She recalled those torturous moments in KC when Sasha had insulted her in front of everybody. Just because she was poor, young, simple and alone. Now she was trying to do that to Pari. A fury erupted inside Geet, and she went forward and slapped Sasha hard on her right cheek.
"How dare you", she spoke in a bone chilling hissed tone.
"You come in my office and assault my staff!!!! Doosron ko unki aukad batane se pehle apni khudki aukad dekh liya karo Sasha!"
"I'm not going to spare you today Sasha!!!!!!!! You are now officially off this project! Get out of my office before I have you thrown out! And as for that contract, It did not specify your team Mr. Khurana! I'd like to speak with you in the conference room right now!!"
Maan was in an upheaval and could not relate the several things that had just happened. First that child, then Sasha's preposterous behaviour, and then Geet's giving Sasha a very well deserved slap.
So he without any questions marched after Geet, dumbfounded.
Yash rushed after Maan and Geet into the conference room.
"Geet ! What are you doing here!! Roshni is unwell, you should be at home!!", he exclaimed.
Maan looked at him with hatred. The way he followed Geet around!!
"Yash plz. I need to talk to Maan alone", Geet said to him, gesturing him to give her a minute.
Yash understood that Geet wanted to speak with Maan, and decided to leave them to it. He simply nodded and left.
"Maan I think we talked about this. I know you don't like me. But that should have no effect on our work. This is a professional place, and I expect you to behave with sense here. You've been working for way longer than I have and understand the importance of professionalism more than I do. I expect you to be mature about things. We do not share a personal relationship anymore, there's only a professional connection between us now. Hence I expect you to respect that and work accordingly. If you still hold any grudges against me then that's your problem Maan. As business partners we have not had any issues. This project is very important for both of us. So it'd be best if we both see to its conclusion with peace and then go our separate ways. Until then, I do not want any more problems. Sasha will not enter my office anymore, If however you need her assistance, she may work from outside the domains of my office. Any further assault on my staff will not be well received from my end. I hope you can understand this and work with cordiality here on. I'll schedule a meeting and further our work on the project in a few minutes", and saying this Geet exited the room to call her technical teams in for a meeting.
Maan could not say anything. She was right. He had to behave sensibly and professionally here. Whatever he held against her was personal, and should not interfere with their work. This project was very important for him and he could not afford to screw it up becuz of Geet. He would deal with Geet on a personal level, outside the office...
Geet entered her office, and on finding Yash there asked him to get the technical and creative teams together within fifteen minutes in the conference hall.
...
The meeting had been going on for over five hours now, and they still had work left for the day. It was quarter past eight. Suddenly Geet's child alarm rang. She jerked up from her work to every body's attention and spoke in a worried voice.
"I think we should break up for a coffee break. I want everyone here within twenty minutes", Geet said. And as soon as most of the staff had left for the mess Pari brought in a tearful and scared Roshni.
"Mamaaa!! ", Roshni wailed.
Geet rushed to her and took her in her arms. "It's okay baby, mama is here", she tried soothing her tearful child.
Maan simply stared at the sight before him. So it was Geet's daughter!! He thought, shocked at what he saw. Geet had a beautiful baby girl. Maan felt softness creep into his heart as he took in the gentle picture before him. Geet had her daughter in her arms and was trying to calm her down. She was stroking her head and her back gently. All this could have been his had things worked out...
Maan snapped out of his reverie. He had gotten soft for a moment. But the hardness was back now. He couldn't let himself think about such things.
Roshni had stopped crying now but still held on to Geet very tightly.
"Mama, please don't leave me alone. Mujhe dal lagta hai", she spoke very cutely in her baby drawl.
"Nahi beta. Mamma apko chol kal kahin nahi jaegi", Geet replied, mimicking her daughter's manner of talking.
Maan was mesmerized. It was such a heavenly sight.
Neither of them realized that they were the only ones left in the room. Everyone else had gone to the mess. Then suddenly the lights went off. Roshni shrieked in fear. She was afraid of the dark.
Geet's heart suddenly contracted with fear. She felt suffocated in the dark. But so did her daughter.
"Mammaa!!! I am scared", Roshni wailed.
Maan heard the two girls. Geet's daughter was just as scared of the dark as her mother.
"Don't worry baby. Mama has candles in her purse. Mama will light them and the light will come back. Don't worry. Mama hai na", Geet tried assuring her daughter.
"Yeah right!" Maan thought at this.
Trembling from head to foot, Geet got up and made her way to the table where her purse was kept. However, her foot got caught in a chair and she lost her balance. Holding onto Roshni to shield her from the impending fall Geet fearfully closed her eyes.
Then suddenly a pair of strong arms caught her by the waist and she opened her eyes to look back into two warm concerned eyes gazing at her with intensity in the dim light of a lighter.
Maan caught Geet and Roshni just in time, and as he raised his lighter to her face, saw her closed eyes. Geet slowly opened her eyes, and Maan saw her terror clearly in them. He felt his old feelings grip him as her terrified eyes tore at his unshielded heart and he pulled both mother and daughter into his strong protective arms.
Geet trembled against his strong warm body. All thought left her, and she held onto him for dear life. After a very long time she had felt safe.
Maan felt Geet's petite form tremble against him and he hugged her tighter to make her fear go away, to give her all the comfort he could muster.
They both stayed in each other's tight embrace, feeling each other's touch, and felt the euphoria push in after a long torturous period of three and a half years.
"Geet ! What are you doing here!! Roshni is unwell, you should be at home!!", he exclaimed.
Maan looked at him with hatred. The way he followed Geet around!!
"Yash plz. I need to talk to Maan alone", Geet said to him, gesturing him to give her a minute.
Yash understood that Geet wanted to speak with Maan, and decided to leave them to it. He simply nodded and left.
"Maan I think we talked about this. I know you don't like me. But that should have no effect on our work. This is a professional place, and I expect you to behave with sense here. You've been working for way longer than I have and understand the importance of professionalism more than I do. I expect you to be mature about things. We do not share a personal relationship anymore, there's only a professional connection between us now. Hence I expect you to respect that and work accordingly. If you still hold any grudges against me then that's your problem Maan. As business partners we have not had any issues. This project is very important for both of us. So it'd be best if we both see to its conclusion with peace and then go our separate ways. Until then, I do not want any more problems. Sasha will not enter my office anymore, If however you need her assistance, she may work from outside the domains of my office. Any further assault on my staff will not be well received from my end. I hope you can understand this and work with cordiality here on. I'll schedule a meeting and further our work on the project in a few minutes", and saying this Geet exited the room to call her technical teams in for a meeting.
Maan could not say anything. She was right. He had to behave sensibly and professionally here. Whatever he held against her was personal, and should not interfere with their work. This project was very important for him and he could not afford to screw it up becuz of Geet. He would deal with Geet on a personal level, outside the office...
Geet entered her office, and on finding Yash there asked him to get the technical and creative teams together within fifteen minutes in the conference hall.
...
The meeting had been going on for over five hours now, and they still had work left for the day. It was quarter past eight. Suddenly Geet's child alarm rang. She jerked up from her work to every body's attention and spoke in a worried voice.
"I think we should break up for a coffee break. I want everyone here within twenty minutes", Geet said. And as soon as most of the staff had left for the mess Pari brought in a tearful and scared Roshni.
"Mamaaa!! ", Roshni wailed.
Geet rushed to her and took her in her arms. "It's okay baby, mama is here", she tried soothing her tearful child.
Maan simply stared at the sight before him. So it was Geet's daughter!! He thought, shocked at what he saw. Geet had a beautiful baby girl. Maan felt softness creep into his heart as he took in the gentle picture before him. Geet had her daughter in her arms and was trying to calm her down. She was stroking her head and her back gently. All this could have been his had things worked out...
Maan snapped out of his reverie. He had gotten soft for a moment. But the hardness was back now. He couldn't let himself think about such things.
Roshni had stopped crying now but still held on to Geet very tightly.
"Mama, please don't leave me alone. Mujhe dal lagta hai", she spoke very cutely in her baby drawl.
"Nahi beta. Mamma apko chol kal kahin nahi jaegi", Geet replied, mimicking her daughter's manner of talking.
Maan was mesmerized. It was such a heavenly sight.
Neither of them realized that they were the only ones left in the room. Everyone else had gone to the mess. Then suddenly the lights went off. Roshni shrieked in fear. She was afraid of the dark.
Geet's heart suddenly contracted with fear. She felt suffocated in the dark. But so did her daughter.
"Mammaa!!! I am scared", Roshni wailed.
Maan heard the two girls. Geet's daughter was just as scared of the dark as her mother.
"Don't worry baby. Mama has candles in her purse. Mama will light them and the light will come back. Don't worry. Mama hai na", Geet tried assuring her daughter.
"Yeah right!" Maan thought at this.
Trembling from head to foot, Geet got up and made her way to the table where her purse was kept. However, her foot got caught in a chair and she lost her balance. Holding onto Roshni to shield her from the impending fall Geet fearfully closed her eyes.
Then suddenly a pair of strong arms caught her by the waist and she opened her eyes to look back into two warm concerned eyes gazing at her with intensity in the dim light of a lighter.
Maan caught Geet and Roshni just in time, and as he raised his lighter to her face, saw her closed eyes. Geet slowly opened her eyes, and Maan saw her terror clearly in them. He felt his old feelings grip him as her terrified eyes tore at his unshielded heart and he pulled both mother and daughter into his strong protective arms.
Geet trembled against his strong warm body. All thought left her, and she held onto him for dear life. After a very long time she had felt safe.
Maan felt Geet's petite form tremble against him and he hugged her tighter to make her fear go away, to give her all the comfort he could muster.
They both stayed in each other's tight embrace, feeling each other's touch, and felt the euphoria push in after a long torturous period of three and a half years.
Geet and Maan broke out of their hug, shocked at what had just happened. Roshni was simply relieved that the lights were back on.
Then suddenly Yash came in.
"Geet! Are you two alright!!", he exclaimed.
Geet nodded at him He was unaware of what had just happened.
"Yash uncle!", Roshni shrieked with delight and ran up to him. Yash swept her off the floor lovingly.
"I want ice-cream", she pouted at him, making a baby face. And Yash could just not resist.
"I'm taking her to the mess with me", he said to Geet and left.
Geet was still flustered at what had just happened. She just looked around uncomfortably and rushed to her cabin.
Maan could still feel Geet's touch. He was losing all control. He had touched her after three and a half years and he wanted more. All sense had left him at that touch. He could not think clearly. He desperately needed her. And as the painful three and a half years he had spent bereft of her came crashing down on him he lost the last strand of control and rushed after Geet.
Geet was in her office, still trembling from what had just happened. Maan's touch burned her skin. She was getting weak. Then she felt a pull on her arm.
Geet struggled against Maan's strong hold on her. He pushed her and pinned against the wall. Kissing her ferociously. There was desire on both sides. Both were losing control. But Geet tried to fight Maan against it while Maan just took her in. All Geet's attempts at fighting him were futile. He was too strong for her and her retaliation simply urged his desire. She beat him with her fists, but to no avail. Maan held both her hands behind her back with his one hand and clutched her hair with his other. Geet cried out in pain. He continued to kiss her. A beast had been unleashed inside him now, one that could not be stopped.
He bit her lips, and forced his tongue into her mouth. He pulled hers into his mouth and completely explored her taste. Their tongues intertwined.
Geet's struggles had become weak now but were still persistent, seducing Maan even more.
He explored her curves with both his hands explicitly while still kissing her. His arms traveled from her shoulders to her chest, to her waist, her back and then her behind. He massaged each part of her body, hating the clothes between them. He pulled her dupatta off her and threw it aside. Geet was sobbing now, tears trailed her face. Maan hugged her tightly by her waist now. He felt her tears and kissed them away, sucking and licking them off her face.
His lips travelled down her neck, her collar bone and then the uncovered part of her chest. Then he started licking whatever he had kissed, and soon started biting her, first softly and then harshly.
Geet moaned. But Maan could not get enough of her. He started pulling at the back of her suit when the realisation of what he was doing dawned upon him.
Geet felt Maan's hold on her slacken and with all the strength she could muster pushed him away. She looked at Maan's shocked face and slapped him hard across the face.
Maan stood there, stunned. He realised what he had just done in his sudden lapse of control. He felt her trembling hand slap him. He could hear her sobs. But he could not look up into her eyes.
Out of the corner of his eyes he saw her cover her exposed chest with her hands and run out of the room. And as her sobs grew distant, knew that she had left.
Maan reached home, full of conflicting emotions regarding what had happened at the office that day.
There was so much flowing through him that he did not know what to think. There was Geet's daughter, the fact that he had just forced himself on her, she had responded to some extent, his guilt of the assault, his feelings, her betrayal! And then the desire that she had evoked in him that kept increasing by the minute.
He opened the door to his penthouse when he was met with Arjun, his brother-in-law.
"Maan, there's something that I need to speak to you about", he said, with a look of guilt on his face that Maan could just not understand...
...
"Would you like some more champagne madam?", asked the French air hostess.
Geet nodded as she looked up to her. The champagne made her feel warm and comfortable. Ever since Maan had touched her, her nerves had been out of her control. Meera and Rahul had returned that night and Geet had left for France to see to the project. Project was an excuse, it was mainly to get away from Maan. She had been taking shots at a comfortable interval that didn't get her dangerously drunk to forget what had happened in the office that day.
Roshni was home with Meera.
...
Maan had hit Arjun very hard across the face and had thrown him out of his house. Then he had smashed all the things in his house. His hands bled as he sat amongst the ruins of his home and his heart. He was a shattered man, and it had all been his own doing. They say happiness is like a glass house, and he had with his own two hands hurled the biggest stone he could find at his . He had himself shredded the beautiful life that Geet could have given him, himself ruined all his chances at happiness. What right did he have to blame anyone else. It was all his own doing.
Maan sobbed as he realised what pain he had inflicted on his love, his life, his Geet. He had not trusted her. Insulted her, and left her when she had needed him the most. When she was pregnant! Now she had a beautiful baby daughter, that could have been his.
Maan had been a cold unpleasant being all his life. But Geet was the angel that radiated happiness into whatever she touched, the way she had radiated it into him. And now she was happy with Yash, or Rahul, he was not sure. But she'd never forgive him for what he had done. He'd never forgive himself.
She may not take him back, but he had to apologize to her, tell her that he felt what he had done and was sorry. Not that his sorry would make any difference, but he had to apologise, he will...
There was so much flowing through him that he did not know what to think. There was Geet's daughter, the fact that he had just forced himself on her, she had responded to some extent, his guilt of the assault, his feelings, her betrayal! And then the desire that she had evoked in him that kept increasing by the minute.
He opened the door to his penthouse when he was met with Arjun, his brother-in-law.
"Maan, there's something that I need to speak to you about", he said, with a look of guilt on his face that Maan could just not understand...
...
"Would you like some more champagne madam?", asked the French air hostess.
Geet nodded as she looked up to her. The champagne made her feel warm and comfortable. Ever since Maan had touched her, her nerves had been out of her control. Meera and Rahul had returned that night and Geet had left for France to see to the project. Project was an excuse, it was mainly to get away from Maan. She had been taking shots at a comfortable interval that didn't get her dangerously drunk to forget what had happened in the office that day.
Roshni was home with Meera.
...
Maan had hit Arjun very hard across the face and had thrown him out of his house. Then he had smashed all the things in his house. His hands bled as he sat amongst the ruins of his home and his heart. He was a shattered man, and it had all been his own doing. They say happiness is like a glass house, and he had with his own two hands hurled the biggest stone he could find at his . He had himself shredded the beautiful life that Geet could have given him, himself ruined all his chances at happiness. What right did he have to blame anyone else. It was all his own doing.
Maan sobbed as he realised what pain he had inflicted on his love, his life, his Geet. He had not trusted her. Insulted her, and left her when she had needed him the most. When she was pregnant! Now she had a beautiful baby daughter, that could have been his.
Maan had been a cold unpleasant being all his life. But Geet was the angel that radiated happiness into whatever she touched, the way she had radiated it into him. And now she was happy with Yash, or Rahul, he was not sure. But she'd never forgive him for what he had done. He'd never forgive himself.
She may not take him back, but he had to apologize to her, tell her that he felt what he had done and was sorry. Not that his sorry would make any difference, but he had to apologise, he will...
Maan reached the hotel where Geet was staying in France.
He was desperate to apologise to her and he wanted to do that right then. He knew that Yash, Rahul or Meera would never tell him where Geet was. So he had gotten the information from Pari.
Maan spotted Geet sitting in a lonely corner of the hotel restaurant, She was wearing a beautiful white sari with silver work, looking like moonlight, with a strappy backless blouse. As he approached her, she looked up to see him. Anger flashed across her face as she got up and marched out. Maan rushed after her, and stopped her in the deserted lobby.
"Geet suno, Geet mujhe sab pata chal gaya hai. Main janta hun ki main maafi ke kabil nahi hun, par main bas yeh kahne chahta hun, ki agar aaj tumne mujhe maaf nahi kiya, to main apni jaan de dunga."
"To de dijiye!! Mujhe koi farak nahi padta.", Geet had been continuously drinking since the flight, and was very drunk by now. Maan did not realize that.
"Geet main jaanta hun ki tum mujhse abhi bhi pyar karti ho, otherwise you'd have never kissed me back at the office. I know I'm the worst person alive. But I'm ready to repent for my mistakes. Tum jo sazaa dogi mujhe manzoor hai Geet."
"To ek kaam kijiye, meri zindagi se hamesha hamesha ke liye chale jaaiye. Waise bhi ab main aapse pyar nahi karti, main ab Yash se pyar karti hun, aur usse shadi bhi kar rahi hun", Geet stabbed at him.
"Maan felt like his entire world was about to collapse. He did not know how to respond.
"Aisa nahi ho sakta!",
"Aisa hi hai Maan", and saying this she ran away, crying.
Maan stumbled Back.
...
Geet entered the hotel bar, trying to find her way to her room, and saw Maan drinking. He had been drinking for over three hours now, ever since Geet had left him.
Maan looked up and saw Geet. He gave her a faint sad smile. And then very loudly announced, "All drinks on me tonight, 'cause my friend here is getting married."
There was a very loud applause at this. "Maan struggled to get up, but couldn't support himself and fell down. Geet rushed forward to support him.
"Maan! What are you doing!!!"
"Why, I'm celebrating, your marriage, and my ruin." He said, downing another shot.
"Maan stop it. You shouldn't drink so much"
"Why, why do you care?" he replied bitterly.
"It's not like you love me anymore! Go away! Go away to your Yash!"
Both Maan and Geet were crying. Geet pushed Maan away and ran upstairs to her room.
Maan realised that after all that he had done, he was still hurting her. Feeling ashamed, he ran after her. Geet stumbled into her room and tried to close it, but couldn't. Maan held it open. He forced himself in and closed the door behind him.
"Say you love me!!", he shouted at her as he caught her by the shoulders.
"Say you love me Geet!!!"
"I don't!! I hate you!!", Geeet screamed back through her tears. She was sobbing very loudly now.
Maan held her very strongly.
"Say that you love me!"
"I hate you!", Geet was trying to struggle out of Maan's stong hold, but to no avail. Then Maan pull her closer, his arms around her waist.
"I KNOW YOU LOVE ME"
Geet started hitting Maan's chest with her fists to get out of his hold.
"Aap bahaut, bahaut, bahaut bure hain", Geet sobbed as she continued to hit Maan's chest with her fists. "Jaanta hun Geet. Jaanta hun. Please mujhe maaf kardo. Plz Geet. ", Maan was also crying.
Geet continued to hit Maan, though her intensity was decreasing and soon she stopped and hugged him tight. They were both in each others tight embrace, crying very hard.
After a few minutes, Geet retreated her head from his chest and looked up at him. Maan sidelined the hair that covered her face and looked into her deep, sad eyes. Her tears tore at his soul.
Though heavily drunk himself, he lifted her up and and carried her to the bed. He very gently laid her down, and himself lay beside her. Turning he came to face the front part of her body. He hated her tears, and the fact that he was the root cause of them, made him hate himself. So he started kissing her tears. Geet hugged Maan, so that he was now almost on top of her.
Maan continued to kiss geet's face, her forehead, her ayes, her cheeks, her nose and then halted before her lips. Then he very slowly bent down and kissed them. Geet responded with equal love, the alcohol had wiped the anger from her memory, and she could not stay away from him any longer. These past years bereft of him had been worse than death for her. Now when his arms were finally around her, holding and loving her, she did not want to push them away.
They kissed for what seemed like an eternity. It was a very passionate kiss. Both were hungry for each other. When suddenly Geet realized what she was doing and jerked Maan away.
She sat up, shocked at what she had been doing, how could she have forgotten everything that had happened, no, this was wrong. The jerk with which she got up pushed the pallu of her sari to the side.She was about to get up when Maan, who was lying on his back now held her back by holding her hand.
"Mujhe chod ke mat jao Geet, main mar jaoonga", he whispered. Geet turned around and immediately covered Maan's lips with her fingers.
"Shhh...", she whispered back. "Don't ever dare say anything like that!", was it not good enough that they had been separate for all these years that now he was talking about dying. How would she survive if something happened to him. This thought brought a fresh surge of tears to her eyes as she bent down and kissed Maan.
Maan held her face in both his hands as Geet continued to kiss him, she now lay on top of him.
Maan very gently slid his hands down Geet's body, from her face, to her neck, to her chest, and continued to caress her upper body, while still kissing her. This caressing sent shivers down Geet's spine as she broke free from his lips and looked into his eyes, burning with need.
Geet bent down and kissed his unexposed chest. Then she slid her fingers down his upper body, unbuttoning his shirt and kissing the skin she was baring.
As Geet came to finally sit on Maan's thighs, Maan sat up and pulled her towards himself. He looked at her exposed upper body, covered by a flimsy strappy blouse. He slid one strap down her shoulder and started sucking her skin from her neck to her bare shoulder, then he did the same with her other strap. Then he unhooked her buttons from the back and slid her blouse off her. Feeling shy, Geet hid her face in Maan's bare chest. Maan started feeling Geet's back. It was bare except for the thin string of her chemise. Geet slid off Maan's shirt.
Maan tore the chemise off of her, and now their bare chests were together, heaving against each other.
Maan could not take it anymore, so he laid her down and took off her sari. He took off his own trousers. and lay on top of her. There were no more barriers left between them now.
Geet trembled below him, as she felt his manhood right above her femininity. Maan started sucking on her honeydew skin. He left no part of her untouched. He treated every part of her body with utmost care, love and respect. He kissed her breasts, and then gnawed at them. Geet moaned. Maan was very intense.Then he slid down to her stomach, and then between her thighs.
He dipped his head and kissed her there. Geet started sobbing harder. Maan kept kissing her there, and then licked her. Geet held onto the bed sheet for dear life as Maan continued to undo her.
He similarly caressed her legs, and her toes.
Then he went back to kissing her lips. Geet was still crying from the revelation of her body's secrets to Maan.
"Shh...", he whispered. "I love you"
"I love you too", she whispered back.
Maan then very gently opened Geets legs with his hands and penetrated her.
Geet cried out in pain and pleasure. They continued to kiss.
Then he finally came out of her and took her trembling form in his arms.
He was desperate to apologise to her and he wanted to do that right then. He knew that Yash, Rahul or Meera would never tell him where Geet was. So he had gotten the information from Pari.
Maan spotted Geet sitting in a lonely corner of the hotel restaurant, She was wearing a beautiful white sari with silver work, looking like moonlight, with a strappy backless blouse. As he approached her, she looked up to see him. Anger flashed across her face as she got up and marched out. Maan rushed after her, and stopped her in the deserted lobby.
"Geet suno, Geet mujhe sab pata chal gaya hai. Main janta hun ki main maafi ke kabil nahi hun, par main bas yeh kahne chahta hun, ki agar aaj tumne mujhe maaf nahi kiya, to main apni jaan de dunga."
"To de dijiye!! Mujhe koi farak nahi padta.", Geet had been continuously drinking since the flight, and was very drunk by now. Maan did not realize that.
"Geet main jaanta hun ki tum mujhse abhi bhi pyar karti ho, otherwise you'd have never kissed me back at the office. I know I'm the worst person alive. But I'm ready to repent for my mistakes. Tum jo sazaa dogi mujhe manzoor hai Geet."
"To ek kaam kijiye, meri zindagi se hamesha hamesha ke liye chale jaaiye. Waise bhi ab main aapse pyar nahi karti, main ab Yash se pyar karti hun, aur usse shadi bhi kar rahi hun", Geet stabbed at him.
"Maan felt like his entire world was about to collapse. He did not know how to respond.
"Aisa nahi ho sakta!",
"Aisa hi hai Maan", and saying this she ran away, crying.
Maan stumbled Back.
...
Geet entered the hotel bar, trying to find her way to her room, and saw Maan drinking. He had been drinking for over three hours now, ever since Geet had left him.
Maan looked up and saw Geet. He gave her a faint sad smile. And then very loudly announced, "All drinks on me tonight, 'cause my friend here is getting married."
There was a very loud applause at this. "Maan struggled to get up, but couldn't support himself and fell down. Geet rushed forward to support him.
"Maan! What are you doing!!!"
"Why, I'm celebrating, your marriage, and my ruin." He said, downing another shot.
"Maan stop it. You shouldn't drink so much"
"Why, why do you care?" he replied bitterly.
"It's not like you love me anymore! Go away! Go away to your Yash!"
Both Maan and Geet were crying. Geet pushed Maan away and ran upstairs to her room.
Maan realised that after all that he had done, he was still hurting her. Feeling ashamed, he ran after her. Geet stumbled into her room and tried to close it, but couldn't. Maan held it open. He forced himself in and closed the door behind him.
"Say you love me!!", he shouted at her as he caught her by the shoulders.
"Say you love me Geet!!!"
"I don't!! I hate you!!", Geeet screamed back through her tears. She was sobbing very loudly now.
Maan held her very strongly.
"Say that you love me!"
"I hate you!", Geet was trying to struggle out of Maan's stong hold, but to no avail. Then Maan pull her closer, his arms around her waist.
"I KNOW YOU LOVE ME"
Geet started hitting Maan's chest with her fists to get out of his hold.
"Aap bahaut, bahaut, bahaut bure hain", Geet sobbed as she continued to hit Maan's chest with her fists. "Jaanta hun Geet. Jaanta hun. Please mujhe maaf kardo. Plz Geet. ", Maan was also crying.
Geet continued to hit Maan, though her intensity was decreasing and soon she stopped and hugged him tight. They were both in each others tight embrace, crying very hard.
After a few minutes, Geet retreated her head from his chest and looked up at him. Maan sidelined the hair that covered her face and looked into her deep, sad eyes. Her tears tore at his soul.
Though heavily drunk himself, he lifted her up and and carried her to the bed. He very gently laid her down, and himself lay beside her. Turning he came to face the front part of her body. He hated her tears, and the fact that he was the root cause of them, made him hate himself. So he started kissing her tears. Geet hugged Maan, so that he was now almost on top of her.
Maan continued to kiss geet's face, her forehead, her ayes, her cheeks, her nose and then halted before her lips. Then he very slowly bent down and kissed them. Geet responded with equal love, the alcohol had wiped the anger from her memory, and she could not stay away from him any longer. These past years bereft of him had been worse than death for her. Now when his arms were finally around her, holding and loving her, she did not want to push them away.
They kissed for what seemed like an eternity. It was a very passionate kiss. Both were hungry for each other. When suddenly Geet realized what she was doing and jerked Maan away.
She sat up, shocked at what she had been doing, how could she have forgotten everything that had happened, no, this was wrong. The jerk with which she got up pushed the pallu of her sari to the side.She was about to get up when Maan, who was lying on his back now held her back by holding her hand.
"Mujhe chod ke mat jao Geet, main mar jaoonga", he whispered. Geet turned around and immediately covered Maan's lips with her fingers.
"Shhh...", she whispered back. "Don't ever dare say anything like that!", was it not good enough that they had been separate for all these years that now he was talking about dying. How would she survive if something happened to him. This thought brought a fresh surge of tears to her eyes as she bent down and kissed Maan.
Maan held her face in both his hands as Geet continued to kiss him, she now lay on top of him.
Maan very gently slid his hands down Geet's body, from her face, to her neck, to her chest, and continued to caress her upper body, while still kissing her. This caressing sent shivers down Geet's spine as she broke free from his lips and looked into his eyes, burning with need.
Geet bent down and kissed his unexposed chest. Then she slid her fingers down his upper body, unbuttoning his shirt and kissing the skin she was baring.
As Geet came to finally sit on Maan's thighs, Maan sat up and pulled her towards himself. He looked at her exposed upper body, covered by a flimsy strappy blouse. He slid one strap down her shoulder and started sucking her skin from her neck to her bare shoulder, then he did the same with her other strap. Then he unhooked her buttons from the back and slid her blouse off her. Feeling shy, Geet hid her face in Maan's bare chest. Maan started feeling Geet's back. It was bare except for the thin string of her chemise. Geet slid off Maan's shirt.
Maan tore the chemise off of her, and now their bare chests were together, heaving against each other.
Maan could not take it anymore, so he laid her down and took off her sari. He took off his own trousers. and lay on top of her. There were no more barriers left between them now.
Geet trembled below him, as she felt his manhood right above her femininity. Maan started sucking on her honeydew skin. He left no part of her untouched. He treated every part of her body with utmost care, love and respect. He kissed her breasts, and then gnawed at them. Geet moaned. Maan was very intense.Then he slid down to her stomach, and then between her thighs.
He dipped his head and kissed her there. Geet started sobbing harder. Maan kept kissing her there, and then licked her. Geet held onto the bed sheet for dear life as Maan continued to undo her.
He similarly caressed her legs, and her toes.
Then he went back to kissing her lips. Geet was still crying from the revelation of her body's secrets to Maan.
"Shh...", he whispered. "I love you"
"I love you too", she whispered back.
Maan then very gently opened Geets legs with his hands and penetrated her.
Geet cried out in pain and pleasure. They continued to kiss.
Then he finally came out of her and took her trembling form in his arms.
And concluding their union, they slept in each others embrace.
Maan slowly opened his eyes to sunlight streaming in gently through the window. Though his head was very heavy due to the hangover he was carrying after the heavy drinking from the night before, his entire body felt calm and soothed of the pain he had been bearing these past three years bereft of his love, his Geet.
He smiled as he tried to remember the previous night.
His head was fuzzy and his thoughts confused, but he felt a faint memory of intense passion and love come back to him.
They had made love.
Maan was now sure that Geet still loved him,
'cause otherwise she'd have never succumbed to his advancements and given into his physical demands.
It'd take her a while to forgive him, but she'd eventually do it, he was sure of it.
And as for those Yash and Rahul, the two moths after his Geet, he'd take care of them!
No one can separate Maan from his Geet, and that is no one at all.
Maan Singh Khurana always had what he wanted, and this was his life he was talking about.
Maan looked around to find the bed empty. She must be in the washroom.He thought.
He got up and checked, but the washroom was empty.
He looked around in the entire suite, but Geet was no where to be found.
That's odd. He thought.
He looked at himself, and found himself completely dressed.
But if we made love last night, how come I'm still dressed.
And I can't see any of Geet's belongings here at all.
He freshened up, and went down to the reception.
There he found out that Geet had checked out last night around midnight.
But how's that possible if she was with me all night.
"There must be some mistake. Can you check again please"
"No Sir, Ms. Geet Handa checked out of the hotel and left for the airport last night at 12:45. I've it here in our records."
Maan was now very confused.
Though his mind was all muddled up, he clearly remembered making love to Geet last night. Her confession, everything.
There was only one person who could solve this problem and that was
"Geet"
...
Geet was on a plane of French airways, flying back home.
Ever since she had boarded the plane, she had locked herself inside the first class toilet, and had been crying her eyes out.
She made a mistake last night, a horrible mistake.
The alcohol had weakened her resolution, the feelings she had been holding in these last three years had burst forth, and she had given Maan her everything.
Her soul he already possessed, her body too she had lost to him this time.
Geet had collapsed onto the floor.
She felt very weak.
Not only was it the hangover, but Maan had been very very intense.
Her entire body was sore, and Maan's marks of love covered every part of her.
He had made love to her for four hours, continuously.
Not ceasing at all.
The first time he was gentle, but with every passing second he had grown more fierce.
It was all the desire he had been harbouring in not only for the past three years, but ever since they had gotten together.
And it had all erupted last night.
And overflowing with her own storm of emotions, she had been unable to refuse.
But when she had woken up, the gravity of what had transpired between them had come crashing down on her.
She could not place her life and her emotions in his hands again.
She had done it once before and it had left her completely shattered.
Was it not for her Roshni and her dear friends, she would not have survived.
And this time she had her child to protect.
No.
There was no way she would let him destroy her this time.
At first she could not get up.
When she had somehow managed it, she had fallen onto the floor.
The pain made it impossible for her to even move.
But when she closed her eyes, her little angel's face appeared before her, and she knew she had to do this.
She collected everything she had and got up.
Got dressed.
Dressed Maan up, and removed every sign from the room that spoke of her presence in the room the night before.
Thankfully there were not many marks suggesting there love making on Maan's body. How could there be, Geet did not get the chance to do anything, it was only Maan devouring her body.
And she left.
She had bribed the hotel staff to tell Maan that she had left last night itself so that he'd be convinced that nothing had really happened.
And if he still thought that something had, she'd blame his drunken state for imagining it.
She would never let him find out about it.
...
But nevertheless, it was Maan Singh Khurana she was dealing with.
"How could you let him do this to you Geet?", spoke an agitated Meera.
She had been dabbing Geet's burning body with a cold cloth for the past 8 hours now.
She had very high fever.
The doctor had been, and had told Geet to take complete bed rest for at least four days and not go to work for the entire week, until she was alright.
The doctor had said that since Geet's body was not used to physical intimacy it was very tender and delicate, and shouldn't be subjected to such intense love making right in the beginning.
To add to it, the alcohol had worsened her condition.
"Do you want to go back to him Geet?", asked Meera in as gentle a tone as possible.
Her heart bled for her friend, who had suffered so much at such a young age.
"No. I can never go back to him. He blocked all those paths ages ago. Things can never be the same again, and I can't let him play with my life again. Last night, was a mistake, we can never be together", said Geet in her feeble voice, and turned her face away from Meera and pretended to sleep.
Though Meera knew that sleep wouldn't come to her so soon.
She left her with Roshni in her embrace, and went out to pacify the worried boys.
Geet needed some time alone.
...
"I can't believe that Khurana!", Rahul spoke in anger, running his hand through his hair helplessly.
"We should've never let her go away on her own, specially when Maan is also here!", said Yash in frustration.
"She said she does not want to go back to him, but we all know that she still loves him", spoke Meera worriedly.
"Yes, she does, but some wounds can never be healed, and some rifts can never be bridged. Maan can never make up for what he has done to Geet, and he doesn't deserve her after that. Things would've been different if she wanted to go back, but she doesn't, and I won't let him force her into it! She is my friend, I love her a lot, and won't let that man hurt her anymore.
He mistrusted her once, what's the guarantee that he will not do it again."
"Yes, but Maan is very stubborn. He won't let her go that easily, he will do everything in his power to get her back. I still remember how he had trapped Geet to come back to him when he had bought Indian Paints from me. He is a very sharp and intelligent man."
"Well of course he is, he owns the fifth largest construction company in the world, you know what they call him in the corporate circle, "a business shark", a ruthless business shark who gobbles multi-nationals whole, he has an average of five takeovers a year. And he does it on almost 20% profit basis, bankrupts the company and makes them plead to get incorporated. Do you think we can prevent him from getting the woman he loves."
"The woman he loves and the woman he has lost. All I know is that I am going to protect Geet with my life if that's what it takes. Maan Singh Khurana can do whatever he wants, but he'll never get her back."
...
Maan paced his penthouse in frustration.
He had come back to US by the morning flight.
He couldn't make out what was happening around him.
Did last night really happen?
He had often dreamt about Geet to fill her absence, was this too a figment of his imagination. But it had seemed so real.
And then her friends!!!!!!!!!!!
They had not let him meet her when he had gone to her house, and had called the cops to throw him out when he had tried to forcefully enter.
Damn those people!!!!!!!!!
But they couldn't whatsoever barre him from her office, they sure as hell couldn't!!!!
They didn't completely understand who they were dealing with, but they would soon know what Maan Singh Khurana was made of!!!
She had been dabbing Geet's burning body with a cold cloth for the past 8 hours now.
She had very high fever.
The doctor had been, and had told Geet to take complete bed rest for at least four days and not go to work for the entire week, until she was alright.
The doctor had said that since Geet's body was not used to physical intimacy it was very tender and delicate, and shouldn't be subjected to such intense love making right in the beginning.
To add to it, the alcohol had worsened her condition.
"Do you want to go back to him Geet?", asked Meera in as gentle a tone as possible.
Her heart bled for her friend, who had suffered so much at such a young age.
"No. I can never go back to him. He blocked all those paths ages ago. Things can never be the same again, and I can't let him play with my life again. Last night, was a mistake, we can never be together", said Geet in her feeble voice, and turned her face away from Meera and pretended to sleep.
Though Meera knew that sleep wouldn't come to her so soon.
She left her with Roshni in her embrace, and went out to pacify the worried boys.
Geet needed some time alone.
...
"I can't believe that Khurana!", Rahul spoke in anger, running his hand through his hair helplessly.
"We should've never let her go away on her own, specially when Maan is also here!", said Yash in frustration.
"She said she does not want to go back to him, but we all know that she still loves him", spoke Meera worriedly.
"Yes, she does, but some wounds can never be healed, and some rifts can never be bridged. Maan can never make up for what he has done to Geet, and he doesn't deserve her after that. Things would've been different if she wanted to go back, but she doesn't, and I won't let him force her into it! She is my friend, I love her a lot, and won't let that man hurt her anymore.
He mistrusted her once, what's the guarantee that he will not do it again."
"Yes, but Maan is very stubborn. He won't let her go that easily, he will do everything in his power to get her back. I still remember how he had trapped Geet to come back to him when he had bought Indian Paints from me. He is a very sharp and intelligent man."
"Well of course he is, he owns the fifth largest construction company in the world, you know what they call him in the corporate circle, "a business shark", a ruthless business shark who gobbles multi-nationals whole, he has an average of five takeovers a year. And he does it on almost 20% profit basis, bankrupts the company and makes them plead to get incorporated. Do you think we can prevent him from getting the woman he loves."
"The woman he loves and the woman he has lost. All I know is that I am going to protect Geet with my life if that's what it takes. Maan Singh Khurana can do whatever he wants, but he'll never get her back."
...
Maan paced his penthouse in frustration.
He had come back to US by the morning flight.
He couldn't make out what was happening around him.
Did last night really happen?
He had often dreamt about Geet to fill her absence, was this too a figment of his imagination. But it had seemed so real.
And then her friends!!!!!!!!!!!
They had not let him meet her when he had gone to her house, and had called the cops to throw him out when he had tried to forcefully enter.
Damn those people!!!!!!!!!
But they couldn't whatsoever barre him from her office, they sure as hell couldn't!!!!
They didn't completely understand who they were dealing with, but they would soon know what Maan Singh Khurana was made of!!!
"I'm sure you were dreaming Mr.Khurana", Maan shot Geet daggers as she said this.
Geet glared back at Maan.
She had come to office after four days, though the doctor still recommended rest, she had refused to stay home.
Maan had been creating a ruckus in the office of Handa & Garewal Constructions, and it had been getting impossible to handle him, even for Rahul who was the co-owner.
And Geet very well knew why he was doing this.
Office was the only place he could meet her, hence, he was doing everything in his power to get her there.
He had been throwing tantrums, making life miserable for her staff, and accusing their company of unprofessionalism, creating a huge fuss over Geet's absence.
And Geet could not let him just torture her babies like that.
Yes, that's what the company and all her employees were to her, her babies.
"And please Mr.Khurana, there's absolutely no need to act so difficult with my employees."
"Don't change the topic Geet, I know what happened that night in France, and don't you dare deny it"
"You were drunk out of your wits, and could have easily conjured such an event in your head, and what exactly makes you think that I would have slept with you! I'd rather die than do that!"
and saying this she turned away from him and marched out of his cabin and into hers, collapsing in her chair.
It had taken every last bit of her strength to face Maan today after what happened that night.
She had been mustering courage these past few days, and had finally done what she had planned to do.
She had taken two shots of vodka before going to talk to him, to calm down her fraying nerves.
And it had miraculously minimised her trembling, and subdued the body ache she had been carrying around since that night.
Her body still bore the marks of their passionate love making, forcing her to wear full sleeves kurti with a high neck, so that none of her skin was revealed and gave her facade away.
She felt a little dizzy, but passed it off as an effect of the alcohol.
...
Maan paced his cabin up and down, now he had only one choice left.
...
A few weeks later...
"So Geet, which one is better?", asked a very very confused Meera, pondering over the ten bridal trousseau that she had shortlisted of all those that Eliza Fernandes, the head of the Bridal Collections department at Versace had shown her.
"I don't know Meera, you look so pretty in all of them!", said Geet, who had come shopping for Meera's upcoming wedding.
They did this almost every day.
Took half day off, and went crazy in the malls of the United States of America, they even sometimes flew to other states and European fashion destinations to check out some special collections.
And all this really helped Geet forget about her troubles with Maan.
Though she still met him at the office, but he had ceased to be a nuisance ever since that day when Geet had told him off. And other than the pain of seeing him every day, no other problem had cropped up since then.
And it had all been Yash's brilliant idea.
He knew women , and what he knew about them told him that no matter how big the problem was, when a woman was out shopping, nothing occurred to her except for credit cards and shopping bags, rates and sales, shoes and dresses, not to miss out the very expensive accessories.
So Rahul and Yash would take care of all the extra work while Meera and Geet went to the malls and burned their money.
"Aren't you guys done yet?", spoke an exhasperrated Rahul.
"Yash is really losing his patience!"
Yash and Rahul had also accompanied them today.
"Well that's his problem then!", screamed Meera at a slightly terrified Rahul.
"What am I supposed to do! Take care of his tantrums or pick out my wedding dress!", Spoke Meera, shooting daggers at Rahul, who now hid behind a very amused Geet.
Meera was getting more cross by the minute, as she couldn't decide which dress to choose of the ten she had short listed while Yash was bent upon acting like a brat.
"At least let him come in"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!
HOW HARD IS IT FOR YOU BOTH TO UNDERSTAND THAT!! WHICH LANGUAGE SHOULUD I EXPLAIN IT TO YOU IN!!
HE CAN'T SEE THE DRESS BEFORE THE WEDDING, IT IS UNLUCKY, TELL HIM TO WAIT, OR ELSE TAKE BACK HIS ENGAGEMENT RING!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Rahul scurried away to Yash, to tell him that his fiancee had completely lost it.
...
They were sitting in the Chinese Cavern, a Chinese restaurant, waiting for the girls to finish their trousseau shopping.
Both were making faces.
"What is it with women before their weddings, it seems to bring out the worst in them!
I mean, do you see me going crazy over what I'm going to wear, no, but then how can I, I'm not even allowed to decide what I'm going to wear, that too is Meera's call! Aur agar kuch kahoonga, to engagement ring wapas karne ki baat karegi! Uff! What have I gootten myself into!!"
"Jab shadi se pehle hi yeh haal hai, to shaadi ke baad to woh pata nahi tera kya haal karegi. Teri to koi aukad hi nahi rahegi.
Yash bete, tu to gaya!! ", spoke a very empathising Rahul.
"Kya kaha tumne??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", came Meera's deadly tone.
Yash and Rahul turned around, and came face to face with a seething Meera.
And she looked mad
very
very
very mad!!
"HERE I'VE BEEN GOING CRAZY SHOPPING FOR OUR WEDDING, AND YOU'RE BUSY PITYING YOURSELF!!!
AGAR KHUD PE ITNA HI TARAS AA RAHA HAI, TO MUJH SE SHADI KYUN KAR RAHE HO!!
YEH LO, KISI AUR LADKI KO PEHNA DENA YEH ANGOOTHI!!!!!"
and saying this, she slammed the engagement ring that Yash had bought her from Tiffany's on the American chopsuey that they had been having, and walked out of the restaurant.
Yash stood transfixed, so she had really done what she had been threatening to do all along.
Fishing the engagement ring that he had payed $50,000/- for, out of the gravy of the American chopsuey that he had been enjoying, he looked at it with a sorrowful face.
"Yaar, ek chauthai bank balance is ring pe khali kar diya tha. Agar use patakni hi thi, to table pe, ya mere haath mein de deti, ab in diamonds ke beech mein se yeh tomato gravy kaun nikalega!! Aur uske upar se meri chopsuey bhi kharab kar di!!", he whined.
that was when he noticed Rahul making weird gestures.
"Ab tujhe kya hua?? Mujhe laga tha ki sirf Meera ka hi dimaag kharaab hai, par tujhe dekh ke lagta hai ki tujh par bhi meri fiancee ka bura asar ho raha hai.
Main samajh sakta hun. Tujhe meri dosti mein kya kya jhelna pad raha hai."
"Yash shut up!!!", Rahul finally blurted out.
"Ab tu bhi Meera ki tarah shuru mat hoja!"
"You're SO DEAD MATE!!"
Confused at what Rahul had been looking at behind him, he turned around, and got the confirmation of his wedding being called off, written all over Meera's furious face.
"Oh SHOOT!!", he whispered to himself.
And without saying a word, Meera turned back the way she had returned, and marched out.
"Go after her, YOU IDIOT!!!!", Rahul yelled at him.
"Meera sweetheart, I was just kidding!!", and saying this he rushed after the category 5 hurricane that his pumpkin-pie had become, all thanks to him of course.
"Should we go after them?", Geet, who had been watching all this silently asked Rahul.
"No need! Let them sort it out.
Waise bhi un ke beech mein padne se humme hi chittar padne waale hain", rahul smirked.
Geet giggled and sat down to enjoy the American chopsuey that Yash had left behind.
"Hey look, he left behind his $50,000/- worth engagement ring from Tiffany's", they both threw back their heads and laughed.
Rahul cleaned the ring with his napkin and said
"May I?", as he held out his hand to Geet.
Confused, Geet nevertheless placed her hand in his.
Rahul winked at her and got down to his knee.
"O my dear!!
How shall I ever express the depth of my love for thee
Marry me , marry me and make me the happiest of men"
Shocked at Rahul's cheek, Geet composed herself and winked back as she faked wiping away tears of happiness and replied with equal dramatic effect
"Oh Rahul!! I thought you'd never ask!"
...
From a distance Maan watched Geet laughing and having lunch with that Rahul.
And if that wasn't enough fuel for the fire burning in his chest, he saw him get down on his knee and propose to Geet in front of everybody, and she accepted!
Maan formed a fist as he saw Rahul slip the ring onto her finger, and his eyes burning red as he saw them get up and hug.
The last thread of forbearance snapped, the fire in his chest burnt to a supernova, and Maan got up with murder in his heart.
"Alright Ms.Handa, you can take them both home.
Since you've payed the bail amount, and are vouching for them, you too will be held responsible for whatever they do in the next two weeks. We'll keep them under watch, and if they do anything illegal in the next 15 days, we'll lock them up again, and this time they'll go to trial. And you'll have to pay a fine of $10,000/-
Is that understood?"
"Yes officer"
Geet replied to the Interpol officer sitting across her, as she signed Rahul and Maan's bail papers.
She sighed as she finally finished all the formalities and stood up to glare at the 'no more one piece' Rahul and Maan who had been just released from their cell and brought out on the Chief's orders.
They both were badly bruised.
Rahul had a broken rib, two black eyes, one arm in a sling, both ankles in crepe bandage, and two months worth of medicines.
Maan on the other hand had only one black eye, bandaged forehead (where Rahul had smashed his head into a nearby table at the restaurant), and a sprained wrist and ankle.
Over all, both were limping, and had patches of black and blue on many other parts of their body.
And despite their shaky condition, they continued to glare at each other. Were their hands not tied by the law, one would have definitely died that day.
A gruesome fight had ensued at the Chinese Cavern after Geet had left for the ladies' room post her little-friendly-fake engagement with Rahul.
Maan had marched upto their table, pulled Rahul up by his collar, and had smacked him hard across his face. Following which Rahul had struck back by kicking him in the abdomen and smashing his head against the nearby table.
And so the legendary fight had gone on between the two till the interiors of the Chinese Cavern no more resembled that of a restaurant, but more of a crap yard.
And when Geet had returned from the ladies' room she had been informed that two lunatics who had torn the pretty restaurant apart had been rushed by the police to the hospital, only to be locked up later.
Rahul had to even be operated on due to his broken rib.
Geet had been unable to give them both a piece of her mind since she could not shout in a hospital, that too with police officers around, not to mention all the media that was covering the whole mishap.
"Ms.Handa, since you are vouching for these two, they'll both have to live with you for the next two weeks, until we are sure that we can clear them of all charges"
"That's not a problem officer, Rahul and I live in the same house", Geet clarified.
Maan's head shot up at this.
He was clearly not pleased with what he had just heard.
"But Mr.Khurana will also be staying with you"
"Absolutely not!!
I'll not tolerate this man in my house, and specially around Geet!!", spoke a raging Rahul.
"Mr.Garewal, you do realise what you're dealing with here. You have almost a dozen charges lined up against you , which includes Damage to Public Property, causing public unrest, uncivil behaviour, assault..."
and before the officer could go on he was interrupted by Rahul
"What assault, this Khurana punched me first!!"
"I'm not refering to the fight you two had!
I'm talking about all the civilians you two bumped into during your little adventure, not to mention the restaurant manager Mr. Khurana punched who tried to stop you from demolishing his premises."
Replied the officer impatiently.
"Please Mr. Garewal, let me handle this!
It's alright officer, we'll do as you say", spoke Geet's attorney.
Dodging the swarm of media that had enveloped them since they had been at the restaurant, they headed home.
"What sort of madness was that!!!
I'm am asking you both something!!!", screamed Geet at the two men standing forth her with haughty expressions on their faces, and looked more like angry teenagers.
I'm am asking you both something!!!", screamed Geet at the two men standing forth her with haughty expressions on their faces, and looked more like angry teenagers.
"Am I not audible to you!!"
They still did not answer and kept their haughty expressions.
"He started it, neanderthal!"
"And I don't mind continuing it still, you bas***d!!", snapped back Maan, now turning to face Rahul.
"Fine! Bring it on! You asswhole!", they were chest to chest to each other now.
"Duel to death if you dare you swine", Maan grabbed his collar.
"I'd be delighted to read the obituary at your funeral you.."
"ENOUGH!!!"
And they snapped apart.
"Stop behaving like school bullies both of you!!
Do you even realize the gravity of the situation you've created!!
You are not school kids!!
YOu are grownups!!
Famous grownups!!",
Do you even realize the gravity of the situation you've created!!
You are not school kids!!
YOu are grownups!!
Famous grownups!!",
and saying this she marched up to the TV and switched it on.
All the news channels were flashing the same thing over and over again.
The video of Rahul and Maan fighting was being played with the whole story regarding their clash at the restaurant, followed by the news of their arrest.
All the news channels were flashing the same thing over and over again.
The video of Rahul and Maan fighting was being played with the whole story regarding their clash at the restaurant, followed by the news of their arrest.
Geet switched off the TV.
"Do you have any idea of what tomorrow's headlines are going to be!!
Mr. Maan Singh Khurana, the heir of the Khurana empire, owner of the fifth largest construction company in the world, and Mr. Rahul Garewal, partner in Handa & Garewal Constructions, co-owner of a multi million dollar company that is expected to reach the top ten construction companies in the world in the next decade, fighting like dogs in a restaurant, publicly defaming themselves, with absolutely no sense of their surroundings!!
Mr. Maan Singh Khurana, the heir of the Khurana empire, owner of the fifth largest construction company in the world, and Mr. Rahul Garewal, partner in Handa & Garewal Constructions, co-owner of a multi million dollar company that is expected to reach the top ten construction companies in the world in the next decade, fighting like dogs in a restaurant, publicly defaming themselves, with absolutely no sense of their surroundings!!
Do you have any idea how many law suites we are going to face!
Not to mention the effect this public display of lunacy is going to have on our share prices!! How it'll affect our market value!! Seriously Rahul, that was the height of irresponsibility!! How could you've made such a huge mistake!!"
"I told you!
He started it!!"
He started it!!"
"So who asked you to strike back!!
You could've avoided the confrontation!!"
You could've avoided the confrontation!!"
"I know I could have.
But I didn't want to.
I actually thought that it was a very good chance to kill him!", Rahul bit back.
But I didn't want to.
I actually thought that it was a very good chance to kill him!", Rahul bit back.
"Don't you use that tone with me Rahul!!
I'm not your friend right now, I'm your MD talking to you!!
Do you have any idea what's going to happen in the next board meeting!
How many questions I'm going to have to answer!
Not to mention the fact that this public defaming of yours could even risk the takeover we've been working towards this past one year!
Its verdict is due next week Rahul!!"
I'm not your friend right now, I'm your MD talking to you!!
Do you have any idea what's going to happen in the next board meeting!
How many questions I'm going to have to answer!
Not to mention the fact that this public defaming of yours could even risk the takeover we've been working towards this past one year!
Its verdict is due next week Rahul!!"
Rahul's expression softened and he looked down in shame when he realized what a fix he had gooten his friend into. She had worked on this company day and night, spent blood not sweat on it, and his one lapse of sense had put it all at stake.
"Yes, yes Geet. I know.
I'm sorry.
I just lost it!
The moment I saw his spiteful face I just couldn't help it!
I love you so much Geet! I..", and before he could say anything else Geet engulfed him in a rib cracking hug.
I'm sorry.
I just lost it!
The moment I saw his spiteful face I just couldn't help it!
I love you so much Geet! I..", and before he could say anything else Geet engulfed him in a rib cracking hug.
"I know Rahul.
I know.
But look at you! Look what has happened!
Look how much you're hurt!
I...", Geet said with tears in her eyes.
How blessed was she to have such friends!
I know.
But look at you! Look what has happened!
Look how much you're hurt!
I...", Geet said with tears in her eyes.
How blessed was she to have such friends!
"Oww.. Geet!"
"I'm sorry, are you alright?!!", breaking apart, Geet asked, her voice laced with concern.
"I'm fine, just remind me to have that rib checked again the next time we go to see the doctor"
"Shut up.
Now go to your room like a good boy!"
Now go to your room like a good boy!"
Rahul looked at Maan and refused to budge, he didn't want to leave Geet there with him alone.
"Rahul I said go!", and he left reluctantly, giving Maan a warning look, who glared back with equal poison in his gaze.
"And YOU!!!!...",
but before Geet could begin reprimanding Maan there was the noise of a closing door and running footsteps as Meera and Yash rushed into the living room where Maan and Geet had been standing.
They had been missing ever since Yash had rushed after Meera to pacify her, and things had gotten so messy and busy for everybody after that that there had been no time or chance to contact.
"Geet what is this??!!", we just saw this crazy thing on the news about Rahul and Maan fighting, and their going to prison!
What happened!!??!!"
"Oh! So now you two found the time to come and enquire after us!
Well isn't this just too much attention from you two!!
Plz don't spoil us!", Came Rahul's sarcastic reply.
"Rahul!", spoke Geet in a warning tone.
Yash and Meera looked down in embarrasement as they realized that they should've been there to help their friends, but they had no idea about what had transpired at the restaurant after they had left.
Then they remembered what had happenend between them...
Yash rushed after an angry Meera.
"Meera honey plz, listen to me!!"
But she was no where near stopping.
She reached the parking lot to get into her car when Yash pulled her and turned her around.
"I am not going to marry you!!
Do you understand that Yash!!
Get lost!!"
At this Yash lost his gentlemanly demeanor and grabbed Meera harshly, shaking her in anger.
"Enough Meera!!
Enough with this drama!!
There's nothing to get so upset about!
Quit overreacting!
I've been observing you these past few weeks. You've been screaming almost all the time, and totally create a molehill out of every petty issue!
You know what! I can't take this drama any more!
You don't wanna get married! FINE! Don't!
Cuz I'm frankly tired of running behind you all the time!"
and saying this he pushed her away against her car and turned around, running his hand through his hair in frustration.
That is when he heard soft sobs from behind that kept growing exponentially in their intensity.
he turned to find Meera's back to him, crouching in front of her car hiding her face in her hands and sobbing very hard now.
He felt guilty at having burst at her thus, it wasn't him to talk to someone like that.
He pulled her around and tried to take her in his arms.
It wasn't very hard, though she resisted at first, she eventually gave in.
He held her in his arms as she buried her face in his chest and cried her heart out.
He opened the car and they both sat in the back seat, with Meera now on his lap, crying in his chest. He patted her back and gently stroked her hair.
After a while when she seemed to have calmed down a little he said
"I'm sorry.
I know I shouldn't have talked to you like that."
And saying this he pushed her face back and kissed her on the lips.
As the intensity of the kiss grew, Yash slipped his hand under Meera's shirt and trailed it up her bare back.
Meera shivered as Yash's hand reached her bra strap and unhooked it.
Pushing him away she said, "Yash! What are you doing! You know you're not allowed all this before we get married!"
"I know, and you've kept me at an arm's length all this while, but you're clearly upset about something bigger than our fight, and though you won't tell me, I have to still soothe you in my own way"
"Yash no", Meera whispered, but she had no energy left in her to resist him.
She was exhausted with all the emotional turmoil that she had been going through lately.
Yash pulled the blinds over all the windows of the car.
After caressing her back, he moved to undo her shirt that had one long zip running through the front.
He started unzipping it slowly from the top and pulled the zipper down to the end.
Her eyes now closed and breathing heavily, Meera shivered as Yash's hand touched her bare stomach and then her waist.
He slipped off her shirt as Meera crouched in his embrace trying to shield herself from his eyes.
He pushed the hair that blocked the view of her beautiful face behind her ears and kissed her forehead.
He took off hs own shirt and started gently nuzzling her neck, kissing and nipping it here and there.
He pulled out a throw and coverd themselves with it, Meera's warm body wrapped in his embrace protectively.
"Though I'd love to, I'd still not go further, as I want to explore you in detail the first time on our wedding night, and if I take off your bra and take your breasts in my hands right now, I won't be able to stop myself from taking off a lot more, and taking in my hands a lot more", he said as he slid his hand up her inner thighs beneath her skirt and slid it right upto where her undergarment rested, pointing at what he was refering to.
Meera trembled uncontrollably at the choice of his words and the liberty he was taking with her.
She had never seen this side of Yash.
He had always been the getlemanllike, soft, sensitive, and sweet lover who never crossed his boundaries. Though Yash was naughty, and did take her breath away by at times getting too intimate, it was always done in a teasing manner. Meera was a modern girl, but had conservative thoughts regarding such matters, that Yash had always respected. Having no family, she was extra careful, and extra strict with herself.
But today, he was not teasing her, he was damn serious, and the intensity with which he was touching her and was explicitly talking to her scared her.
She was always the one in control in their relationship, the one who screamed,and scolded, but today she saw how Yash had just let it be like that, when he was very well capable of screaming and controlling himself.
Not able to control himself any more, he slipped his fingers through the soft fabric gaurding her femininty and held it in his hand.
Meera moaned at this completely new touch in the yet unexplored asset of her virginity, and held Yash tightly as she again started silently sobbing in his tight embrace.
Yash knew he was evoking new feelings in her.
They had never gotten this close before, and he had never breached the norms of modesty thus with her.
But he will take the liberties he never had prior to this day because she was hurting, and he'd do anything to take that pain away.
"Tell me what's bothering you"
Concious of the way he was touching, she was unable to meet his eyes.
Yash pushed her down on the seat and lay beside her, still not removing his hands.
"Tell me before I'm compelled to take other liberties"
At this her eyes shot up to meet his as she blushed a deep hue of cimson.
"I..", but she could not go on, as her breath was still caught up in her throat.
Seeing his effect on her he felt the urge to carry on what he wanted to do, but decided against it. Meera was not used to this, and he had already done enough for one day, plus the girl looked so scared she might just faint out of terror.
He knew she was really vulnerable underneath, and put up this scolding, terrorizing facade to shield herself, that's why he was always so soft with her. She was a delicate flower that he'd never let shrivel.
"Fine!
I'll do you a favour", and saying this he removed his hand to let her speak.
Meera left the breath she had been holding and again started stammering.
And before she could go on she was silenced by Yash's mouth on hers.
He kissed her passionately and said "You know you don't have to be afraid of me, I love you, you trust me right?"
She nodded silently.
"Then tell me what's wrong"
Meera took a deep breath and said in her tearful voice.
"I am just so afraid Yash.
Ever since we got engaged, the memories of my childhood keep coming back to me.
You know my parents didn't have a succesful marriage.
They hated each other!
That's why they broke up and left me with a nanny when I was 11.
They hated me too! Becuz I reminded them of their failed marriage. Of all the torturous years they had spent together.
I am very scared, what if I've inherited it from them!
What if we too have a failed marriage!
What if we start hating each other afterwards!
You know how I am. I shout at you so much.
What if one day you've had enough of putting up with me and leave me!
I won't be able to survive without you!
I'll die without you Yash! I swear I'll die!"
and saying this she broke into another bout of sobs and turned away from him.
So this was the problem!
He pulled her to face him, and wiping away her tears and kissing her on her forehead, he cupped her face and looked deep into her eyes.
"Number one, I don't mind your scolding me, and I never will. I actually rather enjoy it.
Number two, no matter what happens, I'm never going to leave you, nor will I let you leave me.
Once we're married, it's a contract for the next seven janams, as the pandit says, and if you try to breach this contract, I'd be more than willing to even tie you to chair and gag you to keep you with me if need be.
Number three, failure of marriage is not a hereditary problem that you can just inherit from your parents. They had their own problems that we are unaware of, hence you can't really say what triggered their decision.
I'm not saying that we won't have issues. I'm sure we will. But we will work through them, and fight to protect our realationship.
Cuz frankly Meera, I'd rather spend the rest of my life fighting with you and being scolded by you than spend it without you. Cuz with you, life is life, it has meaning, but bereft of you, life is worse than death.
I wake up every morning in the hope of seeing your beautiful face during the day, and I go to sleep every night in the hope of meeting you in my dreams.
Loosing you will mean loosing all hope, and being away from you would mean taking the meaning away from my days and my dreams.
So drop this fear of yours, cuz EK BAAR JO MAINE COMMITMENT KAR DI, TO MAIN APNE AAP KI BHI NAHI SUNTA"
At this Meera began to laugh, with tears of happiness still glinting like diamonds in her eyes and Yash beamed at seeing her face all lit up with her beautiful smile.
Meera hugged him tight and the tears escaped her eyes.
She really was blessed to have fallen in love with such an amazing man.
"HELLO!!
kahan kho gaye??!!??", Rahul screamed at them.
"Ab... ...wo...um...", they were both stammering in embarrassment, thank god their friends didn't know what they were thinking.
Meera shifted on her feet uncomfortably.
And Yash was all flustered.
"Ab.. am...wo...actually...", but before he could stammer on his eyes fell on the fifth presence in the room
"What is he doing here??!!??"
"I'll be living here with you lot for the next 15 days, and don't worry, I too am not thrilled at the prospect!!
I have no other choice!!", Maan bit at Yash.
"Hey!!
Don't use that tone with him!!
This is our house!!
And keep your attitude for your employees and your family members, cuz we're not tolerating any of it!!", Rahul snapped at Maan.
"I'll use whatever tone I want to.
And you're not doing me a favour by letting me stay here. Your neck's on the line too, dumb ass!!"
"You rascal!!"
"ENOUGH!!!"
"ONE MORE WORD, AND BOTH OF YOU WILL BE OUT OF THIS HOUSE!!!
Mr. MAAN SINGH KHURANA, YOU DO NOT USE THAT TONE IN MY HOUSE!!!
AND YOU DO NOT SPEAK TO MY FRIENDS LIKE THAT!!!
You live here peacefully for the next 15 days and you leave.
I will not tolerate an unhealthy atmosphere in this house.
Yash, Meera..", and she narrated to them the whole incident.
"I want everybody to behave maturely.
We have kids in this house, and a wedding is going to take place very soon.
I don't think we should reduce the joy of it by being unpleasant.
So let's just plz go to sleep, we'll talk tomorrow."
And saying this Geet left for her room.
Rahul too left after glaring at Maan, and Yash and Meera left after stealing nervous galnces at each other. Maan on the other hand left in a fit of rage.
...
Maan was pacing in his room.
Anger boiling through his veins.
A wedding..., but whose??
Who exactly was Geet engeged to.
That day at the Italian restaurant he had heard the manager address Geet as Yash's fiancee, and today he had witnessed a live proposal from Rahul to Geet.
What exactly was going on here??
Who was Geet going to marry??
Rahul, or Yash??
And the ring that the despicable man had slipped on her finger looked really expensive, they were definitely serious!!
Or was Geet engaged to them both?!!!
"OH MY GOD!!!"
Was she cheating on them??
Something here was definitely amiss!!
But he'd find out who was getting married to whom.
Oh he most definitely will!!!
A few days had passed since Maan had come to live with Geet and co.
He kept a sharp eye on her, not letting it waiver for even a moment.
He had found out that Meera was getting married to Yash, so that ruled out one problem, but the other problem was still extant, Rahul.
He did not like the intimacy they shared, Rahul was with Geet almost all the time.
It was after the Mehendi ceremony when Maan finally got the chance to catch Geet alone.
She had headed to the terrace to check on the flowers that had been delivered for the wedding the next day.
She was standing over the the huge container that held the orchids when she felt a tug on her elbow, and found herself pulled into Maan's embrace.
"We need to talk"
"There's nothing to talk about"
There's a lot to talk about, and you know that.
So quit running away from me cuz running away won't solve the problem, we need to find a solution to it."
"Let me go Maan!!!"
Maan now held her even tighter.
His arms locked around her tiny waist, his chest pressing against hers, his nose almost touching hers.
Geet definitely did not like this closeness. And to make matters worse, she was feeling light headed.
She hadn't been feeling too well lately.
And then to Maan's horror Geet suddenly went limp in his arms.
...
"There's a good news.
You're pregnant!!", said the doctor.
Geet froze in horror as the words fell on her incomprehending ears.
Maan simply gaped at the doctor.
The others had not been informed since they had gone to bed much before Geet had fainted.
After sounding certain instructions regarding diets, check ups and excersice, the doctor left.
Maan continued to stare at Geet in confusion.
Then he saw a tear drop down her left cheek, as she slowly raised her eyes to look into his.
And it was this moment that Maan knew!!
He knew that what he had thought had happened in France really had happened, and that this baby was going to be the balm on the wounds that they had both suffered, that he had inflicted on Geet, and would finally bring them together.
Geet couldn't believe that this had actually happened.
The more she tried to forget her past the tighter it grabbed onto her.
And now she was eternally connected to the man she both loved and hated the most in this world through another human being, a soul, that right at this moment lay inside her peacefully.
She looked up to meet his eyes, and saw realization and understanding reflecting like a glass sheen there.
There was no way out.
This man could read her like an open book, and he had read the truth reflected through her eyes.
Only if he had read her right then...
But there was no point in lying anymore, he knew!
Maan was about to say something when Geet said
"We'll talk about this after the wedding!
And no one's to know before that!"
And with that said, she pulled up her bed covers and slid into pretend sleep.
Maan knew that this was his dissmissal, and left without another word, switching the lights off after giving Geet an affectionate look.
...
The wedding was over, and Meera was currently seated in Yash's room, in the middle of his bed.
The entire room was lit with exquisite aroma candles, and poutpourri and fresh flowers had submerged it in a nerve tickling scent.
The bed was covered with rose petals, and a curtain of orchids surrounded it.
Yash on the other hand was trying to get into his room, but Rahul and Geet wouldn't have any of it.
"$5000/-, or else, no Meera tonight!!", Rahul smirked.
"Come on man!!!
I've already spent so much on this wedding!!
And your job doesn't pay all that well!!
And quit acting like cheapos you two!! What do you want money for?? You're already parteners in such a successful firm!!"
"This whining is not gonna get you anywhere!
And we don't mind gaurding this door for the rest of the night!!
Plus, a litte extra cash never hurt any one! Right Rahul", Geet winked at him.
"Absolutely!!"
"Cash!!
How am I supposed to pay that kind of amount in cash??"
"Well that's your problem, cuz we are not going to trust you with a cheque!!
Who knows when you might call the bank and stall the payment!!"
"WHAT THE HELL!!"
screamed Meera as she opened the door angrily.
She was wearing a robe.
"You're such a makhi-choos Yash!!"
and saying this she shoved a roll of money into Rahul's hands and pulled Yash into the room by his collar, shutting the door with a bang on their faces and then locking it.
Then she pushed Yash on the bed, and came to sat on top of him.
With that done, she slowly pulled at the knot holding her robe and let the robe fell onto the sides.
Yash's mouth dropped open at the sight before him.
Meera was wearing a red net teddy with a very deep neck, and reaching her upper thighs.
Below this transparent piece of red cloth she wore black lace bare essentials, and her legs were covered with red net stockings.
Yash gulped down the saliva in his throat, as he knew that this woman was going to be the death of him tonight...
...
"I know it's my baby Geet!
So don't you dare deny it!!"
Geet simply ignored Maan as she continued to clean the kitchen.
Maan pulled Geet and seated her on the counter top.
She still refused to look at him.
"We're getting married!"
Geet's head shot up at this.
"You'd have to be completely insane to think that I'd let you into my life after what you did!
Whatever we had Maan..."
"We still have it!
And you'd have to be completely insane to think that I'd let you take my children away from me!"
"Roshni is not..."
"Don't you dare Geet!
She is mine! So don't you dare say anything against that!"
"That's why you told me to go and get her aborted on the day of our wedding!!"
Maan looked down in shame.
He had said that.
He knew it'd take a lot to make amends and heal the wounds he had given her, but he'd do it!
"I know I've made mistakes.
But I'm not going to make any more!!
And letting you go again this time would be bigger than the one I made 3 yrs ago!"
...
Rahul, Yash and Meera had learnt the truth.
And though they all hated Maan to the core, they knew he was repenting, and Geet was hurting.
Whatever may have happened, the truth was that they could be happy only with each other.
"Carrying venom in your heart for the rest of your life will only destroy you Geet!
You both need each other.
And you still love him!
You always did and you always will!!"
"Do it for the sake of your children.
They need a father!
What are you going to do? Raise two children on your own?"
At this Rahul marched upto Geet, and holding her hands in his bent down on one knee.
He couldn't see her hurting thus!!
"Will you marry me Geet?"
Everyone looked at him in shock.
"I know we're just friends. But I'd love to spend the rest of my life with you, if you'd agree.
You don't have to marry Maan if you don't want to.
Roshni is very very close to my heart, so will this child be!
Roshni is very very close to my heart, so will this child be!
I'll try my best to make a good father, and the children will never feel deprived under my care.
I promise!!
I'll take care of you, in sickness and in health, and will shower on you all the love of a good friend"
Geet couldn't believe this!
This was her best buddy ready to make the world's biggest sacrifice for her!
She knew he loved Pari, but had never followed it through cuz he was always looking after her and Roshni!
And here he was, ready to spend the rest of his life on grounds of friendship.
Father children who weren't his own!
Knowing well that he could never get anything from her!
She smiled at him through her tears.
She pulled him to his feet, and hugged him tight.
She knew if she refused to get married and decide to take care of both the children on her own her friends would continue to be plagued by their worry for her.
Rahul would never be able to focus on his life, and Meera and Yash too would never be free from her tensions.
She's always be a burden to them, and they wouldn't even let her be on her own.
She had to do this!
Breaking out of the hug she looked up into his face tenderly, and kissed him on the forehead.
"I'm blessed!
Blessed to have you in my life!
All of you!!
But this won't be necessary!
I'm marrying Maan."
Geet sat in Maan's room in KM.
It was the night of their wedding.
Geet had shifted the base of H&G to Delhi, along with most of the staff.
Yash and Meera had bought a house near KM, and so had Rahul, who had finally come clean with his feelings for Pari and moved in with her.
They were all very happy to have moved back to their motherland.
H&G was now giving KC a very very tough competition, and Geet was working very hard to surpass KC's reputation, cuz though she had married Maan, she still loathed him.
Roshni meanwhile had grown really close to Maan, and developed a very good comraderie with Dadi, and Annie.
Dadi and Annie had apologised to Geet for not trusting her.
But however much they apologised, things were not what they used to be.
The only reason Geet was living under the same roof with them was for her children's sake, she otherwise hardly exchanged a word with them.
All day she'd spend at her office, and the evenings with Roshni.
Sometimes her friends would come to visit, or she'd go over.
It was hard living like this, after having lived like a family for more than 3 years.
However, they still spent all day together at the office.
Maan entered his room.
The wedding was kept very simple.
Only a few family friends were invited.
It was all as per Geet's strict orders.
She was not the same simple, weak and push over Geet anymore.
She had become a ruthless business woman, she was a successful independent woman now, and everyone in the family had noticed the change.
They were all in awe of her.
She now possessed an authority that no one could question. Not even Maan.
"You'll sleep on the couch and I'll sleep on the bed!"
and saying this she settled into the blanket besides Roshni, while Maan was left to wonder how to fit onto the uncomfortable couch...
...
"Yes Mr. Singhania, I'll be there at 11 with my associates", Geet spoke into her BB.
Hearing sharp footsteps descending the staircase, the occupants of the dining table looked up to see Geet dressed in her office attire, ready to go.
"Geet bete aaj aapki shaadi ki pehli subah hai, kuch rasmen puri karni thi"
"I'm sorry dadi, par mere paas in sab ke liye time nahi hai.
I've a very important meeting at 11.
Roshni ko school drop karke main seedhe office chali jaoongi"
Dadi pursed her lips, she knew she could not pursue this topic anymore.
"Roshni ko school main drop kar doonga!", Maan offered.
"Fine"
"Mumma aap office jaa laye ho", Roshni squeaked from her chair between Dadi and Maan.
"Yes baby!
Mumma aapse sham ko milengi, OK.
Aaj ka test acche se karna, and be a good girl."
and with that said she planted a kiss on her forehead and left for office.
Everyone gazed at her retreating figure in dismay.
Roshni was the only one not subjected to Geet's cold attitude.
Two months had passed living like this.
Every member of the Khurana household was trying to make amends.
But Geet had no ear to lend to what they said.
Annie would try to be friends, but the people Geet called friends had set the bar so high, that there was no way that Annie could meet the standards after what she had done.
Dadi would try to be motherly, but Geet had surpassed that stage where she needed a mother.
All the struggle in life had made her so independent that she mothered others. There was no way that she needed someone to mother her.
And Maan would try shower her with his love, but there was no more room for love in her heart.
The slot that had been dedicated to a man's love had died long ago.
All she expected of them was to be a good bua, par-dadi, and father to her children, which they were.
Geet could feel them trying to reach out to her, but she couldn't forget what had happened.
She was afraid of trusting them again, lest the history repeated itself.
...
"Annie plz, plz just listen to me!
Annie you can't do this to me!
Plz..."
"Listen Mr. Arjun Singh Rathore!
There is absolutely nothing between us any more.
Sign the divorce papers I sent you!
We're over!!"
"Annie plz, for the sake of our child, plz!"
"What child Arjun?
If you're referring to the one in my womb, then you'd better forget about it!
Cuz I'm aborting this child!
There's no way that I'm going to carry the child of a man like you!!
Tumhari wajah se bhai aur Geet alag ho gaye!
Tumhari wajah se Geet ko itna kuch sehna padha!!
Tumhari wajah se hum sab ne Geet ko itni delicate condition mein ghar se nikaal diya, jab woh maa banne waali thi, aur woh bhi uski shaadi ke din!!
Kitna dard sehna padha hoga use, socha hai tumne!!
Aur is sab ki zimmedaar main bhi hoon!!
Tumhari baaton mein aake maine us bholi-bhali ladki par shak kiya, jiske saath pehle hi itna bura ho chuka tha!!
Hum sab chaahe bhi, to zindagi bhar pachta kar bhi apne gunaahon ka prayashchit nahin kar sakte!!
We can never make upto her!!
Humari wajah se Maan bhai aur Geet 3 saal tak ek doosre se juda rahe, aur ab milkar bhi nahin mil paaye!!
Geet hum sab se nafrat karti hai, aur kyun na kare, hum hain hi is layak!!
Yeh to uski mahaanta hai ki woh apne bacchon ke liye waapas aayi hai!
Warna woh chahti to akele bhi reh sakti thi!!
Usne hum sab ko ek mauka diya hai, apni galti sudhaarne ka.
Aur kya hak hai mera is bacche par!
Kya hak hai mera iski khushi par!!
Yahi humaari saza hai Arjun, ki hum saari zindagi dukhi rahen!!
Naa hume ek doosre ka saath naseeb ho, naahi is bacche ki khushi!!
Khaaskar tab, jub humne ek maa ko uske bache ke saath marne ke liye chod diya tha!!"
and with that said, Annie pushed Arjun aside and got into her car.
She was going to the hospital.
Arjun fell on his knees, crying.
This was the punishment for his sin.
Justice was done.
...
Geet stood behind a tree in the porch of the Khurana mansion, and saw Arjun falling on his knees, crying.
All this drama had commenced in front of the main door of the house, and Geet had arrived when Arjun had been pleading Annie for forgiveness.
Arjun looked up, and saw Geet emerge from the trees lining the rose garden besides the porch.
He scrambled to his feet and rushed to Geet, falling on her feet.
"Plz Geet!!
Plz forgive me!!
This is all my fault!
Isme aur kisi ki galti nahin hai!", he said holding her feet.
"I blindly trusted my sister!
NT ne kaha tha ki Khuranas ne uski zindagi barbaad kari, isliye main uska badla lene yahan aa gaya!!
Usne jo kaha maine kiya!
Main usse bahaut pyar karta tha, isliye jab NT ne mujhse kaha ki usne Maan se badla lene ke liye tumhe hire kiya tha, aur iska saboot tumhare bhai Brij ne bhi mujhe diya to maine un dono par blindly yakeen kar liya!!
Aur phir Maan ko todne ke liye hum sab ne yeh sab kuch, jise main sach maan raha tha, Annie ko bataya, aur phir Maan ko!!
Plz Geet, mujhe pata hai ki tum bahaut acchi ho, plz mere bacche ko bacha lo!
Annie aur us bacche ka saath to shayd mujhe is janam mein bhi na naseeb ho, par is sab main us maasoom ka kya dosh!!.."
and with that Arjun kept crying and blabbering.
Geet stood their numb, so much was happening around her.
So much had been revealed!!
She could not make sense of it all right now.
There was something very important that she had to do before that...
Annie sat in the OT, ready for her abortion, tears streaming down her face at the loss that she was going to bear, and the ache she'll have to carry in her heart forever.
But this was her and Arjun's punishment.
Everything was set, the operation was about to begin when a loud voice sounded...
"STOP!"
Annie looked up to see Geet rush into the OT.
"No abortion is going to take place here!!
Put that despicable equipment away!
Aur TUM!
Mere saath chalo!"
and with this said, she dragged Annie out of the OT, and pushing her into a private room in the hospital screamed at her.
"Tumhara dimaag to kharaab nahi ho gaya hai!
Yeh kya karne jaa rahi thi tum!
Akhir is maasoom ki kya galti hai jo duniya mein aane se pehle hi tum iske jaan lena chaahti ho!"
"Par Geet..."
"Chup!
Bilkul chup!
Tumhe kya lagta hai, ki itni aasaan saza honi chahiye tumhaari!
Ki bas itna hi karke tum apni galti sudhaar logi!
Nahi!
Tum meri gunyagaar ho! To sazaa bhi tumko main hi dungi!
Aur tumhari sazaa yeh hai, ki tumhe KM chod kar jaana hoga!
Main tumhe KM se nikaal rahi hoon!"
Annie looked at Geet with tearful eyes.
She knew she deserved this.
"Jaisa tum chahti ho, waisa hi hoga..."
"MERI BAAT ABHI PURI NAHIN HUI HAI!!!
Tumhe wapas apne ghar jaana hoga!
Tumhe Arjun ko maaf karna hoga!!
Yahi tumhari sazaa hai!
Tumhe is bacche ko bhi janam dena hoga, taaki tumhe bhi to pata chale ki baccha sambhalna kitna mushkil kaam hai!!
Aur tumhe ek acchi bua hone ke saare farz nibhaane honge, jiska matlab hai ki tumhe mere bacchon ko khoob bigaad na hoga, unhe khoob ice-creams aur chocolates khilaani hongi, khoob shopping karwani hogi, aur jab woh bade ho jaayen aur girlfriends ya boyfriends banaaye, to tumhe unka saath dena hoga aur unhe mujhse aur tumhaare bhai se bhi bachana hoga!
Samjhi tum!!
Aur agar tum yeh sab nahin kar sakti, to main tumhe maaf nahin karoongi!!"
and with this said Geet turned her face away in mock anger.
She then felt two arms around her, clutching her tight, and found Annie crying into her bitterly.
...
Arjun reached KM.
He had recieved a call from Geet.
She had asked him to come over.
And he had no idea why.
His heart was already sore with whatever had been happening lately.
Swallowing the lump in his throat he entered the house...
...
Maan was descending the stairs when he saw Arjun walk in through the front door.
His blood boiled on seeing him.
He had still not forgiven Annie, but had let her stay since she had left Arjun after she had learnt the truth.
But how dare this man walk in here!!
"ARJUN!!
How dare you set foot in my house!!
I..."
"I've called him here!", came Geet's stern voice from behind him.
Both men looked at Geet in awe, as she descended the stairs and came to stand before Arjun.
"Sit!"
...
Everyone was sitting around the dining table, completely mum.
Apparently Geet had invited Arjun over for dinner, and no one, absolutely no one had the courage to ask her why.
They were all eating in silence.
No one had spoken to anybody else.
That was when Roshni spoke up and broke the silence.
"Mumma, who is this uncle?"
All the five pairs of hands stopped in mid air as they turned to gaze at the little Roshni perched besides dadi.
"Baby this is your phoofa, Annie bua's phoofa."
"OOO...!!"
exclaimed Roshni, excited at the new relative she had just discovered. She was discovering lots of them lately.
"And you know what's the better news baby?"
"What mommy?"
"You're soon going to have a very cute little baby brother or sister to play with!"
"I know!
You're going to give it to me!!"
"No baby!
That's not the one I'm talking about!
I'm talking about the one Annie bua's going to give you!"
I'm talking about the one Annie bua's going to give you!"
All heads shot up at this.
Dadi and Maan did not know that Annie was pregnant, and Arjun did not know that she hadn't gone through with the abortion.
While the first two were shocked, the third had tears in his eyes.
And that was when he got up and pulled Annie into his embrace, holding her by her belly protectively, sobbing into her hair while she sobbed back...
...
Annie and Arjun had left for their house after thanking Geet over and over again, and sobbing all the while.
Geet had very graciously forgiven them and assured them that all was well, she wanted everything to be normal between them again.
She had even pacified dadi, who had fainted due to all the emotional turmoil, and assured her that she too longed for a mother and grandmother, not just a great-grandmother for her kids.
Dadi had cried so much after this that it had taken Geet two hours to calm her down and put her to sleep.
And though Maan did not approve of Annie going back to Arjun and his inclusion in the family again, he had no say in the matter.
This was entirely Geet's decision, and there wasn't a thing in hell that anybody could do about it.
Maan though, was still not forgiven, and things were the same between them...
Geet sat in her study and remembered how Annie and Arjun had fallen to her feet and thanked her after she had told Arjun to take his wife back home and threatened to pull his ears if he didn't take good care of his wife.
They had been so sorry!
She just had to forgive them!!
She just had to forgive them!!
She couldn't just leave them burning in remorse!
And then dadi had fainted!
Geet was so afraid that she might have a heart attack, hence she had assured her of having forgiven her too.
She couldn't torment the old lady anymore!
And it wasn't completely her fault either!
She had been manipulated and poisoned by NT and her own brother!
She had been manipulated and poisoned by NT and her own brother!
But she could still not forgive Maan!
She had trusted him more than anything in this world!
Worshipped him as god!!
He should've believed in her!
He should've believed in her!
No matter what anybody said...
Annie and Arjun had been visiting her frequently since then.
And they had grown really close.
That was when the door creaked open and Geet snapped out of her notalgia.
She looked up to see Maan standing in the doorway.
"I know no one is allowed to disturb you here, but it's already 12 in the night!
You should get some sleep!
It's not good for your health to stay up so late."
"I have work to do!"
"Geet plz!
You as it is have to go to the office tomorrow, plz sleep, for our child's sake atleast!"
"I have to check these designs before tomorrow's presentation to the client, I'm sorry but I can't sleep for another 3 hours!
Excuse me!"
"I'll do it"
Geet looked up at him in confusion.
"I'll check the designs.
I too am an architect, I'm sure I can rectify any mistakes that might be there."
"Why would I let you do that?
You own my rival company, plus you too are competing for this project!"
"I'm helping you as your husband, not the owner of KC.
Plus our designs are already ready, and there's no way we are changing them now.
So plz, go and sleep, I'll finish whatever work you have left.
And I'll do it with utmost sincerety", he said crossing his heart.
Geet gazed at him for a couple of minutes and then got up to leave.
"Don't even dare go through any of the drawers, my computer or other files!
All the designs are on the table, that's all you're to be concerned with."
and saying that she left.
Maan sighed in relief and got to work.
This was going to be a long night...
...
Geet finished the presentation and as the lights came back on, looked at the client for his answer.
The client, Mr. Karan Singhania, was a handsome young man in his late twenties, and owner of a chain of hotels across India.
He was now expanding into Europe, and hence had contacted the top most construction companies in the world.
The five that he had shortlisted were currently present in the conference hall of the Trident hotel where the presentations were being held.
He was impressed by this latest presentation by Ms. Geet Handa, the owner of H&G.
Not only was the ideas she presented great, he was also blown away by her flawless beauty.
Her creamy skin looked so soft, and her hazel eyes shimmered like the light from the Sun.
He was totally in love.
...
Maan was not happy with the way the client was praising Geet!
And he was specially not happy with the way he kept stealing glances at his wife.
And if this was not enough, there were almost a dozen girls in the room droolong over him(Maan), and passing him signals.
Maan rolled his eyes at their antics.
The problem was that due to their silent wedding no one knew that he was married, and that Geet was his wife.
They all thought that he was still a bachelor.
Hence all the silent flirting.
That was when Geet suddenly clutched her stomach and cried out in pain
"Aaah...!!
MAAAN...!!!!!!
MAAAM...!!!!!!!!!"
Horrified at her sudden outburst Maan jumped off his feet and rushed to her.
"GEET!!!
GEET WHAT"S WRONG!!
ARE YOU ALRIGHT!!!"
ARE YOU ALRIGHT!!!"
"Dard ho raha hai!"
Rahul too stood rooted at the spot in horror.
"RAHUL!
Fast!
Call the ambulane!
We have to rush her to the hospital!!"
And saying this Maan broke almost a score of hearts beating in the conference hall at that moment, and scooped Geet up in his arms, rushing out towards his car...
They were back home.
It had been nothing really.
Geet had just had an abdominal pain, which was completely normal, and was nothing to worry about.
All was well with her and the baby.
But the damage was done.
Maan was in such an upheaval of panic that he had completely barred Geet from attending office.
He had made it clear that she was not to work until her complete recovery post her delivery.
And no matter how much she screamed and whined, he was having none of it.
In other words, Maan was putting his foot down.
The project for the Singhania chain of hotels was given to KC and H&G in collaboration.
But Geet was not to work on it.
Maan had assured her that he'd take care of everything.
He'd keep visiting her office and make sure everything was going well, not only the hotel project, but all the others that were simultaneously going on.
Yash, Meera and Rahul had assured her that they'd take care of everything.
Maan had given her strict orders to only gossip with friends and family over the phone, watch soaps and films, go crazy shopping, and eat and enjoy life for the remainder of her pregnancy and recovery period atleast.
This was all she was allowed to do.
He'd consult her regarding the project, but other than some advice, she wasn't to even sniff plans and pens.
Hence, Geet was now completely cut off from work and for the first time in the past four years was sitting home ideal, with no work and not a care in the world.
Another five months passed like this...
Then one day Geet recieved a call that left her shuddering in fear...
Maan had met with an accident.
A more than 8 months pregnant Geet sat in the mandir of the hospital, praying her babaji to save her husband.
Yes she was mad at him, but there was a lot more punishment still in store for him, babaji couldn't just take him away from her and her children!
"Plz babaji, plz mere suhaag ko bachalo!
Plz... main unse kitni bhi nafrat ka dikhava kyun na kar loon, main unke bina nahi jee paaoongi!
3 saal jab main unse door rahi thi, tab kamse kam is baat ki tasalli to thi ki woh ek dum theek hain!
Aap mera saath itna bada annyay nahin kar sakte!
Mere bacchon ki khatir babaji!
Aap chahen, to meri jaan le li jiye, par unhe theek kar dijiye!
Unhone mere saath jo galti ki, woh jaane anjaane mein ki, is sab mein unki itni galti nahin thi jitni unhe sazaa mili hai!
Main bhi toh ab tak unse rookha bartaav kar rahi thi!
Kya itni sazaa kaafi nahin hai!
Kya ab bhi aur sazaa ki gunjaaish hai!
Woh bahaut acche hain babaji!
Unhe ek mauka to dijiye!
Unhe aaj tak mauka hi nahi mila apni acchai sabit karne ka, ek acchi zindagi jeene ka. Har baar kuch na kuch bura ho jaata hai unke saath!
Meher karo babaji, meher karo..."
that was when the doctor came and told her that Maan was out of danger...
...
"Yeh kya haal bana liya hai aapne apna!
Dekhiye kya haalat ho gayi hai!
Agar gaadi dekh ke nahin chala sakte to driver rakh lijiye na!
Aap ko pata hai main kitna ghabra gayi thi!
Aap ko is haalat mein dekh kar maano jaan nikal gayi thi meri.
Jaanti hoon ki itne dinon se rookha bartaav kar rahi hoon aapke saath, par iska matlab yeh to nahin hai ki aap is tarah mujhse uska badla lenge!
Daant diya hotha, ki Geet, bas karo apna naatak!
Daant diya hotha, ki Geet, bas karo apna naatak!
Pehle bhi to daant diya karte the!
Yeh sab karne ki kya zroorat thi
Aap..."
"Chup!
Bilkul chup!"
Bilkul chup!"
Maan said to his bitterly crying wife, perched besides him on the bed.
Geet's face was completely red from crying, and her eyes swollen.
She had been crying ever since she got the news of his accident, and the pregnancy hormones were just making it worse.
"Kitna bolti ho tum", Maan whispered in a feeble voice.
"Baby bhi pet mein apne kaan band kar leta hoga!
Pareshaan ho jata hoga apni mummy ki bak-bak se!"
and with this said he made Geet lie down besides him on the bed, and took her weeping form in his arms.
He protectively circled her bump with his one arm.
No more words were required to be said.
They both knew that all was going to be well.
...
Maan had come home, and now he too was cut off from work.
Geet had also put her foot down.
He was not to move from the bed while she fussed over him.
Though the doctor had said that he was fine, and a few days' rest would complete the healing process, Geet would have none of it.
Maan on the other hand was thoroughly enjoying all this attention from his lovely wife.
She would feed him, bathe him, and put him to sleep.
Yes, they were now both sleeping on the same bed.
Not to mention that they'd talk all day long.
Geet had become her chatter box self again, and would talk Maan to insanity.'
Everyone was very happy at this change.
And though an accident is not to be celebrated, everyone except Geet was thankful to it.
It was just the push needed to get her to cenfess her feelings for him.
And as Maan was recovering, he was getting naughtier.
When no one was around he'd kiss her senseless.
Misbehave with his hands that always wound up under her clothes, and at times would even tease her in front of Roshni.
Roshni was very happy at the budding love between her parents, and her mommy's huge belly amused her to no extent.
Bua's was smaller than this, as she had noticed.
In a few days' time Maan was completely fine.
But he had been enjoying this sick leave so much that he refused to go back to the office.
As a result Yash, Meera, Rahul and Adi were now working over time and holidays too.
Though he'd occasionally call and reprimand the staff of negligence, which kept them on their toes.
Then one day Geet cried out in pain, and soon after delivered a beautiful baby brother for Roshni.
They were now proud parents of two very naughty kids.
THE END
EPILOGUE
"Maan chodiye mujhe, Maan maine kaha chodiye mujhe"
"Aur maine sun liya"
"Sirf sunne se kuch nahi hota hai, baat par amal bhi karna padta hai.
Samjhe aap!"
Geet gave her husband an annoyed look.
It was Rahul's wedding going on.
The var mala rasam was to start in another half hour, but the var mala and the jay mala were no where to be found.
Geet was sure that she had kept it with all the flowers ordered to decorate the suhaag raat bedroom, but the room had been decorated, and the malaas gone missing in the process.
And there was no way that she'd be able to find them in time, cuz Maan wouldn't let her go!
"Mujhe pata hai ki jo tum dhoond rahi ho woh kahan rakhi hain"
Geet's head shot up at this.
"Aapko pata hai!
To aapne mujhe pehle kyun nahi bataya!
Chaliye, mujhe woh jaldi se dijiye!"
"Sawaal hi paida nahin hota."
"Maan!"
"Geet!"
"Maan tang mat kijiye!"
"Theek hai de doonga, par ek shart par"
"Kaisi shart?"
Maan whispered something in Geet's ear that made her turn beetroot red.
She looked away in embarrasement, refusing to meet his eyes, and shook her head for a no.
"Soch lo.
Tumhare best friend ki shaadi hai.
Tab tak puri nahin hogi jab tak tum meri shart puri karne ke liye maan nahin jaati."
Geet thought that she'll commit right now, and then refuse later.
So she nodded in a yes.
But little did she know that her husband could read her like an open book.
...
The wedding rituals were done.
Rahul and Pari were now happily married.
Maan and Geet returned to their room.
Geet was sitting in front of the dressing table, taking off her jewellery when Maan walked upto her.
He started caressing and kissing her bare back.
"You really love to torture me don't you"
"Ab maine kya kiya?"
"Tumhe pata hai jab tum yeh backless blouse mein aur logon ke saamne nikalti ho to mujhe kaisa lagta hai!"
"Kaisa Lagta hai?", Geet asked, teasing him.
She knew he was over possesive about her.
That's why she deliberately wore backless blouses only.
She loved that jealous look on her dusht danav.
"Yeh jo aaj ki shart thi na, yeh isi baat ka badla lene ke liye thi!
Mujhe pata hai ki tum yeh sab jaan mooj ke karti ho!
Aur kyunki main tumhe kuch keh bhi nahi sagta, to tum uska fayada uthati ho!"
"Accha?", Geet said controlling her laughter.
That was when Maan swooped her up in his arms, and threw her on the bed.
All her jewellery was already off, and the sight of Geet in her beautiful red sari with open hair were putting very very naughty thoughts into his head.
He pounced on her, ripping off her clothes, and taking his off as well in the process, and made very very violent love with her that night.
...
Geet was standing in the conference room of H&G, addressing all the architects.
They were discussing a highway project.
They had been commissioned to construct highways in the eastern states, and connect them better with the rest of the nation.
She was just adressing the problems regarding the topography when the door opened and Maan walked in.
"Aap?
Aap yahan kai..."
but before she could finish her statement she had been engulfed into Maan's arms, and was being kissed violently in front of her senior staff.
People in the room gasped, and giggled.
But Maan wasn't ready to let go.
And then he lifted her in his arms, and carried her out and into her cabin.
He then threw her on the couch and then locked the door.
"Maan!
What was that!", said a breathless Geet.
"I'm just fulfilling the promise you made me"
OH GOD!!
So that's what this is about!!
On the day of Rahul's wedding Maan had made Geet promise that she'll let him kiss her anywhere in public, where ever he liked, and then carry her off in front of everyone to make love .
But she hadn't thought that he'd really do it!
She had thought that she'd wriggle out of it.
She had thought that she'd wriggle out of it.
But alas, she could see that that wasn't going to happen.
And then Maan again pounced on her, for another passionate love making session.
...
Geet was now beyond annoyed.
It had been two weeks now to that silly promise, and Maan was holding his side of the bargain very well.
He'd just start kissing her anywhere!
In front of dadi maa, Annie-Arjun, Rahul-Pari, Yash-Meera, guests, staff, strangers!!
And he wouldn't stop there!
NO!
He'd then carry her to either their bedroom, or a hotel room, or his or her cabin at the office and make love.
And there wasn't a thing in the world she could do to stop him.
He was Maan Singh Khurana after all!
Her staff had started laughing at her behind her back.
People would giggle whenever they'd see her, and all her friends and family members would openly pull her leg, all the time!
Even Nakul had started cracking jokes on the matter!
Roshni-Abhay, their kids, Shyla, Annie's daughter, and Manav-Maansi, Yash and Meera's twins, were all very confused at why everybody would laugh at Maan and Geet.
Maan would obviously not take such liberties in front of the kids, but the kids' questioning everybody about the reason of their laughter just cracked them up even more.
It had become the talk of KM, their neighbours, KC and H&G.
Frustrated, Geet marched into Maan's study one evening.
"This has got to stop!"
"What?"
"Don't you act all innocent with me!
You know exactly what I'm talking about!
I've become the laughing stock of the town!
Everybody!
Everybody is laughing at us, all the time!
I know you don't care, but I do!
It's very embarrassing Maan!"
Maan looked at his wife's plight and decided to end it.
Though he had been having a lot of fun lately, he had something else on his mind.
"Fine!
We can end this!
If you give me another baby."
"Another baby!
But we have two already!"
"Yes, but Roshni is now eight and Abhay is four.
It's time to have another one"
Geet sighed, this was the only way out!
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