Chapter 8

Part 7

"I  should read it" He said as he stopped pacing in his room and open the diary a bit. "No" a strong call of his inner self stopped  him and he again closed it. His heart was affirm that this diary could help him  ease off the pain, he saw on her face when she said that she couldn't tell  something big about her fianc to her mother. WHAT COULD THAT BE??? His mind  screamed. Is he cheating on her? Or something wrong with him?? He loves someone else.  "But why it's bothering you this much?" His mind said. He throws the diary on  his bed and holds his head, running his fingers through his hairs as he went  to the window. Putting his hands on its rail in a tight grasp, he looked ahead.  He so badly wanted to know her miseries and help her solve that, but  his professional and self-respect attitude didn't allow him. He looked  up above. The dark black sky was truly representing his dusky and gloomy life. He has  nothing that colorful in his life before but just like this moonlight, today he  got this color in his life too. The color of peace, calmness and who else could  comfort the chaos of his life rather than his own daughter. A small smile lifts  up his face. He was too ignorant to see that light that was somewhere hiding  behind those clouds of sorrow and hurt. But from now on, he promised, he is not  gonna miss it for anything in the world. "I promise Riya, Ananya will get all  the love that I ever shower on you. Inside her, I will keep you alive my baby'..Daddy loves you" But that's not the only thing. He is not gonna  compare Riya with Ananya. Riya was special in her own way and Ananya was  extremely special in her own way. When Riya taught her how to love, Ananya told  her how to live and from now on, He is just gonna love and live his life.

Next day, they all were back in the office. Where all were happy with the return of their friends with a signed deal, they were all more delighted to Armaan's changed behavior. He was no more looking haughty and stern but the glow on his face was saying another story altogether. "Good morning" He wished everyone with a sweet smile that completely showing the depth of his dimples. Without waiting for other's reply, he was inside his cabin. "What happened to him now?" Aryan asked as he opened Nitin's cabin door slightly. His eyes were still up on that close door of Armaan's room. "I don't know" even Nitin was surprised. "Till yesterday, he was just the way, we are seeing him from the last two years" He replied as was standing with Aryan now. "Whatever happened between yesterday and today, I am just too happy that actually now he is smiling without any particular reason" Shaina said, crossing her hands. They all smile and was back to their work.

Riddhima entered his room with today's schedule. What he first notice  was those dark circles around her eyes. HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY ARE...He  shrugged as the thought enter his mind. He barely noticed her eyes  before. Damn!! He never noticed any girls eyes before so why the hell  today. He mentally kicked himself at the thought as she keep on  reviewing his schedule in her today's dull voice. "It seems like she  didn't get to sleep last night" And then he remembered. SHE HAS TO  ANSWER HER MOTHER ABOUT THE PROPOSAL. "What she must have said??? She  said yes or she made an excuse..." He was in deep thought as his elbow  was on the desk and his index finger was caressing his lips. "Sir" her  voice for the third time bring him back to the scene. "Yeah, Ms.Riddhima, I  got that" He said turning his attention back to her. Again, his rule of  not getting into the personal issues in office timings stopped his  curious mind and heart to ask that question out loud. "Anything else  Sir?" She was too involved in her ownself to read his questioning eyes.  "I don't know if you have noticed or not, but our bags got exchanged on  the airport yesterday. Your bag is at my place" He wanted to raise a  topic to divert her attention. She seemed too consumed over an issue.  "Oh..I barely noticed that" She said with a sorry expression. "I didn't  get the time to open the bag...I will drop your bag at your place Sir"  She said now just in the tone, she always had. Armaan smiled seeing her  back. Riddhima left the room while Armaan kept looking the way, she exited,  tapping his pen on the desk. "Something is mysterious about this girl"  He said in a lower voice "and its a lifetime, i solved a mystery" His  last words even shocked his-self as he rolled his tongue in his cheeks  and went back to work.

In the evening, Aditi and Shaina was  sitting in Armaan's room. The working hour's just ended "Armaan, we need a  party for this contract" Shaina said as she aditi and Armaan were having  tea. Aryan and Nitin were to join soon. "For sure...Anywhere you guys  want?" Armaan said in a voice, full of love for his amazing friends. Why  not, its all is due to them. This office, his life, his success. He owe  them too much that he wonder her could ever even payback them. "Tomorrow  night..." But Aditi was cut in between when Riddhima entered after getting  a permission from Armaan. "Sir, Some Mr. Mishra called and asked me to  tell you that its urgent for him to talk to you right now...He is trying  to reach you, but your number is unresponsive" Some bad bells ring in  Armaan mind. Mr.Mishra was his manager in Geschmack and it's rare for him  to call Armaan unless its too important. "Ok" The worried expression on  his face was telling them all that it's something serious up there. He  looked at his mobile that was out of battery. He quickly grabbed his  codeless and dialed the number. The three girls just listen to the one  sided conversation and noticed that deep frown that was increasing with  time. His face become stern as he said. "I am on my way, Bye Mr. Mishra"  He cut the call and stand up immediately. "Sorry, but i need to go..."  He said quickly grabbing his wallet and mobile, putting them in his back  pocket. "You guys decide the place and i will be there. Invite whoever  you want but right now, I need to solve a problem" He said as he moved  away but stopped infront of Riddhima. "Riddhima, why don't you come with  me...My driver will drop you at your home after you get your back from  my place and will collect mine from yours...I just need to stop at  Geschmuck for 10 minutes" Riddhima nodded after a minute. She already told  Shaina and Aditi about her bag exchanged during the lunch time and  today, She was not at all in the mood to go to the bus stop to get her  bus or even hire a cab. After biding bye, they both left for the place.  Armaan was driving by himself. Silence was there between them.

After 20  minutes, Armaan stopped the car infront of a huge restaurant. This was the  first time, Riddhima was ever been here to this posh part of this city.  "You just stay in...I will be back" Armaan said looking at him and get  out. Riddhima keep sitting in the darkness and coldness of this car. She  keep playing with her fingers, looking around, examining the view around  when after a few minutes, her eyes went wide seeing the drunk state  man, who was walking out of the restaurant with the help of a girl. Her  mind could easily point out this man, even if she is blind-folded. She  get out biting her lips, fighting with herself if she should go forward  or not. I AM NOT. She told herself but the girl don't seem to handle his  gigantic body all alone so Riddhima quickly move forward before he was  about to fell down after tripping over his shoes. "Hold yourself" She  said in a straight voice as now she was standing face to face with this  nightmare of her life. Samar. Samar gave her a teasy smile. "Oh Ridd..dhim..ma"  He slumbered. "You ar...are ..and...youuu should...always therrre to  hold mee" He said as the other girl gave them a confuse expression.  "Samar lets get you in your car" The girl told Riddhima about her car and  Riddhima helped her get samar get into it while in between he do flirt many  of the passing by girls, throwing fancy lines there way. "Thank you"  The girl said sighing after closing the door. Riddhima sympathies with the  girl. "No problem..." "You seem a nice girl so i would really like to  warn you...stay away from him...He will destroy your life" She put her  hand on the girl's shoulder who shrugged it after a minute and giving  her ARE YOU CRAZY look, left. Riddhima keep looking as the car disappeared  into the shadows. She don't want anyone to suffer just like her.

Riddhima  jerked feeling a hand on her shoulder. She turn around, take a deep  breath on seeing Armaan. "Who was he?" He asked directly. He was hell  worried when on his return he didn't found Riddhima at her spot. He looked  around and then spot her at the far edge, giving her shoulder to a guy  with the help of another girl who was wearing a very exposed wrap-around  dress. He was suspicious. He so damn wanna go there and put the guy's  hands away from her. BUT WHY I AM GETTING SO POSSESSIVE ABOUT HER. He  was surprised on his own reactions. AND ITS HER LIFE, SHE WILL DO  WHATEVER SHE WANTS. He argued further but his heart was not at rest till  that guy left and she was standing there alone. After a moment, keep  aside the thoughts and feelings, he just get to experience in a while,  he went to her. "Samar" she plainly said with a sad emotion. "My fiance"  she later almost like whisper word explained all his questions. "We  should get going" She quickly took steps towards the car and get inside.  Armaan followed her and again silence took place as he drive to his  house but his mind was constantly answering the questions, he had  before. "THAT DRUNK, WOMANIZER DOESN'T DESERVE Riddhima" His mind made that  decision and he will look upto it. She was his employee and just like  he help any of his other employee, he will help her too. And above that,  she is also now friend with his friends and he will never let them  down. He sooth his heart with the fake reasons, whatever he could make  it at the time but somehow in the back of the mind, he knew, that  whatever he will do is just not for his friends...

PM's in the morning tomorrow

NEXT: Riddhima ananya's interaction and a surprise on its way for Riddhima.