Chapter 8

Chapter 8

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[NOCOPY]

Everyone was lost in Screening of Ad when Misty felt a burning feel of slender fingers in her waist, sending ten thousand voltage current through her.

“Great work” his husky voice overtook her whole identity. She was not in condition to even say “Thank you”.

Maan himself was not in his sense.. she, near him after ages, after losing all hope. His sense was not working, only that he could not let her go, no way this time

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The lights brightened and Maan slipped off his hand from her waist. Mentally scolding himself for once again, like always losing himself in her proximity. No, It’s not about him, it's only about her, he reminded himself.

Everyone clapped

“How did you like the screening Mr Khurana” appeared Chetan from nowhere

Maan looked at Misty “Brilliant..” He then looked at Chetan

“I would like to talk to brain behind it”

“Then she is right next to you..” Chetan turned to Mishty and extended his arms to her and with all excitement

“Mistttyyyyy Khuranaaaa”

Chetan had smile and pride for Misty as he directed her to Mr. Khurana.

Misty, completely confused, did not have the guts to look at Maan. She looked at Chetan in shock which Chetan ignored in his excitement taking it as her usual act

“Misty, here is Mr. Khurana, all yours” excited Chetan said and left

“All yours Mrs. Khurana” Maan repeated to her as Chetan left. He was submitting himself completely to her, ‘in real’. Though it sounded like a tease to Geet

Misty’s voice as if disappeared and her body went numb. It was beyond her imagination that this deep calm voice of his was talking to her

Misty’s lowered eyes and could not see the excitement on Maan’s face. She was there, right in front of him. Of course in an entirely different avatar, he could not even one percent imagine her in this avatar. But that was all secondary, she was right in front of him, was the thing that mattered.

“Bahar chalen? It’s too crowded here.” He asked ever so politely. Misty was confused, if it was him talking to her. First, he is asking her. No he only orders her and then this politeness. She had imagined meeting him in so many ways but every imagination led to his burning angry eyes. This was beyond her imagination. Then it hit her. They were at a business party. He had his class and he would never make a scene at a party. His extreme mannerless acts were reserved for her in private or in front of family. In public she was no one to him.

Misty kept looking on the floor, while Maan’s eyes could not leave her face. She looked even more beautiful. Elegant touch of makeup enhanced her raw beauty. She was wearing a black shimmery gown, with slit till knee on one side. The small opening on both sides on the waist, gave view of her beautiful petite waist. The gown was held with a strap on one shoulder and the other shoulder was bare. It was way beyond his imagination, his Geet could ever dress this modern. She owns a company in London and she is brilliant in her work. He never knew this side of her could ever exist. Miles away from his imagination of her.

Well he never tried knowing her. He had made his assumptions and did all to prove his assumptions true.

Maan’s hand slightly went on her waist to lead her out. Misty’s heartbeat stopped, sensing the sudden feeling of his burning fingers on the bare part of her waist and she jumped in reaction. Maan immediately withdrew his hand

“Let’s go out” he started walking and she followed him. For a long time, he kept walking and she, by his side. Misty’s brian has freezed and heartbeat moving at jet speed, sensing him beside her. They were now on the far end on the decorated lawn

“Take a seat” he signaled towards the bench. Misty without a word followed his instruction and settled there. He sat beside her

“Kaisee ho Geet?” he asked in an extremely soft tone. Misty closed her eyes. Hearing Geet for herself after so many years. No one in her contact now knew she had any other name or identity than Misty.

She had killed Geet to become Misty.

“Kuch toh bolo” Misty was trying to speak but words were as if stuck inside her throat “J… ji.. Ji I am fine” She felt she will faint with his closeness

“Kitna dhoondha maine tumhe.. Everywhere with all possible identity”

She said nothing. Didn’t know how to react. He had been looking for her, but why? He never wanted her in his life then why had he been looking for her? Did he have the idea that she ran away with his baby in her belly? No.. no… no one knew about it.

Maan looked up in the sky, absorbing her silence. Her not welcoming this meeting was so obvious. What has he ever done to expect excitement in her eyes? But he looked up to thank his almighty for at last giving him the glimpse of her.

It was getting hard for Maan to keep distance. He moved his hand and took her palm in his. Misty felt a jolt with her hand in his capture. Was it fear or the feel of his touch after so many years?

“I know you found your peace after leaving me.” He admitted

What could she say? How can she be in peace staying away from him, keeping him away from his child, for her own fear. He would have snatched her baby from her, so she snatched his baby from him. How was she any better? How is she not sinful? How can she be at peace by separating father and son. Making her own child leading his life not knowing his own father. How can she say, she have been mechanically leaving just to provide best for their son and only be human to give him her motherly love

But as the thought of Advay came, fear engulfed her

He looked at her to realize she was at last near him

“I have just been breathing to find you” She narrowed her eyes.

“Kyun” came from her. Why did he need to find her? Her ‘kyun’ pained him. ohh, he deserved it. She has thrown him out of her heart.

“To tell you that you and your trust in your love, won. I had lost the battle long back” Misty did not understand what he was talking about. Why was he even talking normally to her?

Relief ran through Misty as she saw Merul and Chetan coming towards them. Maan turned to the direction of her eyes.

“Mr. Khurana, please come for dinner. Our chef has prepared delicacies as per your taste”

Maan got up “hmmm… let’s go in” he turned to Misty who had not once looked at him after the first eyelock which had shocked her

Misty still did not have the guts to look at him. Her heart was dying to see him, absorb his handsome face but the fear installed was even bigger, not letting her make eye contact with him

“Chetan, I am getting late. If you can excuse me I will take leave”

Chetan looked at his watch “Ohh yes” he turned to Maan

“Mr. Khurana, Merul will lead you to dinner. Misty has family commitments, she will need to leave”

Misty closed her eyes in frustration. Why have Chetan to speak about family commitments

“Family commitments?” The immediate question was obvious from Maan. He looked at Misty

“No, I just do not stay late to parties” Misty gave a stern look to Chetan, which did not go unnoticed by Maan.

“If you don’t mind, Mr. Khurana, I will drop Misty.”

“No Chetan, you stay here. Our clients are here. I will drive back home”

“I will drop her. You are not driving alone in this dark night” both Misty and Chetan looked surprised by Mr. Khurana’s authoritative declaration.

“I mean Mr. Puri, I delayed her, so I take responsibility to drop” he managed

“No Mr. khurana. You blessed this party by your presence is a matter of pride for us. You took interest in talking with our creative head. All these are matters of pride for us. Right, Misty?”

Misty gave faint smile and nodded to Chetan “I will drive back”

“I am dropping you,” Maan declared. Both could not deny him for their own reasons. Misty did not have courage, Chetan could not argue with Mr. khurana.

“Your dinner sir?” asked Chetan wanting to impress the head of his biggest client in all ways. Maan laughed. “Thanks for the wonderful arrangements Mr. Puri. I will, sometimes in future, arrange to have dinner with you”

Chetan thanked him for his generosity and left Misty with him

“Your car keys” he forwarded his hand. She took out the key from her purse and handed it to him. Denying him was an out of the question act for her.

Maan called his driver, Jatin “Meet me in parking lot with my bodyguards”

“I.. I will drive back” she said in a low voice, trying in vain to convince him once again. Maan heard but ignored. No way he is going to let her do things alone, not anymore. This is one chance and he will dedicate it to her service.

In the parking lot, Maan gave her key to his bodyguard “Take her car and follow me”

“Sir!!” They took the order

Geet could not imagine his behavior. The next surprise was - him opening the car door for her. She looked at him. No, this cannot even be her dream. Did he really open the car door for her? He is not angry about her disappearing without informing. Why is he being so good to her?

Maan signaled her to the passenger seat. Misty kept looking at him and then settled in. Maan went around the car and took the driver’s seat. Again a new thing - She had never seen him driving this way. He always took the back seat with the driver in front except when he had to go camping and he took his robust Jeep with him.

Maan asked her to feed her address on the map. Misty’s hand shook as she took his phone from his hand. She was actually giving him her house address.

But did she not know? If she ever meets him and he wishes to know about her whereabouts she could not just run away. The only doubt she had was will he even want to know her whereabouts unless he knows about his son. But here, he was giving her the lift and he is driving her to her home.

The drive was filled with uneasy silence. Both had been lost in their thoughts and absorbing the change, how and why. At last Maan broke the silence

“I was endlessly looking for you Geet but I had never expected to be this surprised”

“Surprised?” she questioned in her mind. Ohh yes, he definitely did not like her new getup, style and independently coming up in public like this. Her making her career, she was not sure if he even approved of that. Well, she never aimed to be an independent, career oriented professional. But the need to provide the best facilities and luxury as much as she could to Advay, had landed her into what she was today. Advay deserved luxury and utmost facilities by his birth but she had snatched it from her baby in her selfish fear, so she took it on herself to provide as much she could to Advay.

Maan waited patiently for her to speak but Misty was lost in her own thoughts. So he continued

“First thing, I never expected to find you in London” She looked at him with no expression on her face as she was still lost on why was he talking this normally to her. But he took it as his chance to pass a soft smile to her.

He kept on driving and the silence again lingered. Maan tried again

“You are so talented, I never knew you could be this capable, by the way you kept so down to earth behavior. I mean yes, it was stupid to have judged you without knowing you”

He surprised her by mouthing himself as stupid. No, he cannot be this to her and why would he be? He was never happy with her and then she disappeared without his permission. Knowing him she knows his ego must have hit hard. Is this his way to get things out of her and then show her the real place.

But in all this, his warm way of talking, his killer smile on his extremely handsome face were creating waves on her shameless heart which had no self respect when he was the person of concern.

Sitting beside him, Misty did not even have the guts to type something on her phone. What if he feels immediately offended and shows his held up anger. Back then she was used to it as a daily activity but now even the thought of facing the same sends shivers through her body.

Maan didn’t mind her staying quiet. Again after a while he continued

“And see how this universe works. You are the creative head of the first Ad campaign of KE in Europe and the project that I created keeping only you in mind - Geetanjali Dream” Misty’s surprise was not stopping. His each set of words were confusing and surprising her.

Maan knew the first thing he needed to do was say sorry. But Sorry would be extremely light weight for his sins and will devalue the amount of wrong that he has done to her. He may sound shameless and he was okay for her to think low of him. Anyways, what else was he, a very low human being. But he will ask forgiveness by his acts and give her confidence to announce any punishment for him.

The map led them to her house. Maan stopped the car looking at her decent house. It was not anywhere to their Mansion in India or Manor here but was a decent size in the suburb of London - Brixton. The house was in the middle of the plot which gave it some backyard and front lawn.

“Thank-You” Misty said, getting down.

“Can I invite myself to your house? Ek coffee bas” he asked shamelessly, knowing very well she is not at all interested in him or his visit. But Maan wanted to give her closure from him if she had not completely moved on. He does not need to be included anyways in her life. But he can return her happiness if she is not happy in any way. If she is lonely and struggling, get it resolved. Do anything to make her life wonderful. If she is happy, very happy, he will silently move out of her life. No, it was not about him, not at all.

Misty, looked at him for a while and then nodded, inviting him. What else could she do? The danger lay ahead but she did not have in her to say no to him.

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While I am typing Dheere Dheere Se, I am posting this one along with Intezaar. Please give likes and comments on both. Once I get good amount of likes on both, I will post Dheere Dheere Se.

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