Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Mishty had no option but to head for the final presentation. As she was moving towards the huge presentation room in the grand hotel the client themselves had booked. Of course, everything for Khurana Enterprise is exquisite. 

How can she not know the class and taste that he always mentioned. All his comments on her dressings were so crude in those days but they have helped her indirectly to form her new individual identity. She has been very picky in styling herself, very cautious as if it was up to standard or not. Always keeping his standards in mind, she has developed a new taste to present not only herself but everything related to her, her home, office, car etc. On top being, Adhvay. She cannot leave a chance of complaint for Adhvay.

Anyways, for now she was just praying that he not be present there. The two presentations of the other two final listed vendors were done and it was their time.

The client took the coffee break while ‘Ad with Us’ did their setup. They were done with the setup, when members from the client team entered. Misty was there sitting with her breath held tight as each member from khurana Enterprise settled.

‘He was not there’ she sighed in big relief. There were four male members and two women. Two were senior male, two young and dynamic and out of two females, one was elderly and the other was very young and dynamic. But this young dynamic young woman, even younger to her, was looking keenly at her, Why? Misty wondered.

Meera could not believe her luck. Can it be so good? Was this woman in front of her, Veerji’s beloved wife? Of course she was. The huge poster on the wall was scripted in  Meera’s heart and she was sure she had no confusion.

Chetan and Merul introduced themself and then came Misty's turn. Mishty was in relief and she wanted to get this done with no complications

“Hi I am Mishy. Creative head in ‘Ad with Us’ ”

“Misty Khurana” added, excited Chetan, which led to frustration in Misty and excitement in Meera. Mishty was very cautious to get away without her surname but Chetan had his ways to make things harder for her

“Misty Khurana” repeated Meera

“Yes Meera. Did we not tell you we are going to meet the Creative head of ‘Ad with Us’ for the first time. It’s Misty  Khurana” said an elderly senior man.

Meera nodded, a smile not leaving her face. But she could feel the uncomfort on Mishty’s face with the highlighting of Khuarna in her name. She knew how she has to introduce herself

“Hi I am Sitaram Reddy, head of Marketing of KE”

“Hi I am Aditya Kapadia, head of finance” Mishty did not know Aditya but she could see Aditya was smiling too much as well

Rest two men, Samuel Martin, head of their Marketing in Europe Region and Jeet Mishra, Operation Head Europe Region and other women Sheeta Bose, head, vendor management introduced themself.

“Hi, I am Meera Kapoor. Not as big a profile as everyone else but just a Marketing head for this project.” She signaled them to not introduce her otherwise and they abided. Meera made sure Misty has no doubt when she talks to her.

The presentation was done by Misty and it was a great presentation. Everyone was impressed but two people were over elated, though they kept it to themself.

“We are very impressed with the great presentation,” said Meera.

“Can we have a talk among ourselves and we will declare the Vendor today itself, followed by our next meeting with our finalized vendor today itself” Stated Sitaram Reddy.

It was two hour break “Can I leave for home now” asked Misty to Chetan

“No Misty, you are my partner here. You cannot leave. It will be a wrong image. We can lose the winning project”

Misty has to inform Jenny for a late stay with her son.

After two hours of discussion among them, the selected vendor was declared and of course it had to be ‘Ad with Us’ First they were best and after getting the view of Misty Khurana two people, Aditya and Meera, were anyway adamant on ‘Ad with Us’

“So we have made our decision . Now Mr.Puri and Mrs Khurana, can we have a small meeting to finalize everything” Said Meera, intentionally stating Mrs Khurana. Misty’s heart cramped a bit, hearing Mrs. Khurana. She does not remember, even if ‘he’ had anytime introduced her to anyone as Mrs.Khurana. She was just an unwanted piece of furniture in his grand mansion to be only used by him in the darkness of night.

“You can just call me Misty,” she said at last. Meera could feel the chock in her voice. None could hear that choke but Meera, as she knew some background. How big was her pain? She knew Veerji has big regrets from years for his deeds but she also knew the penance that he has gone through.

“Okay, let’s have some talk”

Aditya, Meera, Chetan and Misty settled in a room.

“We are very impressed by the presentation that you know as you have been selected as our Vendor but we want to bring a new offer here”

Misty and Chetan looked confused

“Okay, it’s going to be in your favor as well, don’t worry”

 They hummed. 

‘So, as this is a very aggressive launch for us, your campaign will be one key factor for the success. This is just not the Ad making but to work with us in promoting it through out in Europe and globally”

“Hmmm…” nodded Misty and Chetan again

“So we want the best from you. We have enough budget for this Campaign but we want the best. We have revised to raise budget with a condition”

“What?????”

“We raise the cost from a hundred million to hundred and fifty million”

“Wow… what’s the condition?” asked Chetan with super excitement. This was unimaginable to him. They have, as if, won a jackpot.

“We want the best from you. So we want Misty Khurana to be the main creative head of this project and work in this project most actively and from the front. Misty we want your full participation”

Before Misty could say anything “Done. Misty is in” announced Chetan. Misty kept looking at him but he ignored. It was their company that mattered here to him. 

“Mrs. Misty Khurana, are you in?” confirmed Meera. She looked at Chetan. It was their lifetime biggest deal. For her personal fear she cannot ditch him. Chetan has been standing with her like pillar and they have given their  sweat and hard work for this company, she cannot let him or her company down

“I am in” the relief ran within Meera,Aditya and Chetan”

“So I will be the one to mostly work with you. And I am so excited to work with talent like you” said Meera. Misty was also relieved. She does not have to work with any of Khurana’s which could open her door to something she badly wanted to avoid.

Chetan was on cloud nine. Even Misty would have been, had the company not been Khurana Enterprise.

************

Misty reached home and freed jenny thanking her “Thanks for being with him on such short notice”

“That is my way to earn extra and secure my job” Jenny rubbed off her thanks and left.

Advay hugged her tight. She placed several kisses on his face. She spent time with her son by story reading and then Advay drifted to sleep.

Misty left for her room, which was filled with loneliness. What else could she do, she had no one to attend to. 

Misty settled on her bed and took out his photo. She kept looking at his face, so handsome, he was the best. She sighed, only if he too thought the same. She caressed his face with her fingers 

“You know, as he is growing he is turning more like you. Mera toh kuch hai hee nahi usme, aapka hee beta hai. Same dark brown deep eyes, his features are still taking form but as it's taking form, he is becoming more like you. There is just one difference. He thinks I am the best, exactly opposite of…..” Her eyes filled with tears which she wiped on her own.

“I miss you. Your anger, your shouting on me, your touch on me” Misty closed her eyes and let her tears flow. His harsh way of taking her in bed, always in anger, with tons of taunts.

“For me all was love. You are my synonym of love. Like always you will again say I have no self respect, that after such mistreatment, I still love you. Per kya karoon iss dil ka. So deep that you are imprinted on it.”

“But I am so scared now. I had to agree to the contract. Trust me, I never wanted to come anywhere near your vicinity but life is just pulling me there. I just hope you don’t have to come in front of me. Waise mere hone na hone se, aapko kya hee fark prega, hain na. Still I will make sure I do not come in front of you”

************

It was a full moon night, and his window, which opened to vast land, gave a clear view of the moon. 

What has happened to him, he does not know. After four years of struggling to find her everywhere in India, he has at last left India to find some peace to his restless heart. But it has all reversed. Since he has landed here, the restlessness has taken a complete new form. Why does he feel she is somewhere near but unreachable to him? Is there a chance that she can be in london? So unlikely, almost impossible. It must only be his hopeful heart which is taking his mind in that direction.

He turned to look at her huge smiling portrait on the wall. All thanks to Dadima, Dev and Annie, who kept taking her pictures on occasions, hiding from him. 

He had seen her happily being clicked by Dev and Dadima was participating in posing her. He had come there and Dev had hid the camera and how she had straightened seeing him in front of her.

Without caring of anyone’s presence there, how he had held her arm and pulled her to Dadima, almost throwing her to stumble and straightened herself

“Ohh.. how much you love to be clicked, right”. 

She nodded for no, scared of him. He was always angry with her, reason was not needed.

“Do you think only this beautiful face matters? See this rustic dressing of yours, this colorful bright suit, this long rustic Jhumka and these golden laces from top to bottom. No class to even stand in this family. But see your wonderful luck. You are here, getting clicked by my brother”

He then turned to Dev and Dadima

 “Do you all think I will ever let this villager’s pic in our family picture? No, never.” he had taken the camera from Dev and broke it and left from there.

It was one of those beautiful pictures of hers that Dev had clicked on the occasion of Holi. How he had started aching to see her after she left. Six months and he had craved to see her everywhere in his room.

Dev had outrightly rejected giving him any picture of his Sister In law. Dadima, though angry at him, had pitied his state and handed him a few pictures of Geet.

He stood in front of her portrait, 

“I know you are there, somewhere hiding from me, your Maan. How can you stay so far away for so long? Aisee bhi kya narazgi. Narazgi - that I deserve, completely. Punish me my whole life, don’t talk to me, don’t forgive me but just come in front of my eyes. This is all I want. I will not even touch you without your wish”

He gave a small satiric laugh to himself “You, in front of my eyes and I holding on to not touch you, will be my biggest punishment, you know, right”

“Kitna bhi bura bhala keh doon, I was always incapable of holding myself from filing you in my arms. And that made me even more mad at you. You made me do things beyond my control.”

He took a sip from his drink and sighed, settled on the bed, his eyes on her portrait 

“You took all my torture without complaint still had confidence that you will turn my hatred to love. Then what caused you to lose confidence in the power of your love that you left. What happened Geet that broke the string of your faith on your love”

“That night, I went with Sameera. I agree, I spent the whole night with her and any wife will not tolerate this. But you knew I would have not even placed my hand on her. You knew you had that power on me, which I tried to deny and tried proving you wrong. But you had faith. It was not the first time that I left that way with her, I had been doing that stupidity in anger and you knew it. Phir kya baat ho gayee uss din, that you left me to not come back”

“Sazaa jaroori thi meri, per Aise? You left me to survive without my breath”

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- Anu