Chapter 29

Chapter 25-Jaspal

Jaspal stared at her mutely.He hadn't expected her to find out the truth and confront him.They were in a conundrum ,so as to speak.

"Jaspal ji,do you wish to tell me something?"

She asked him again.He wondered if he was imagining the desperation in her eyes.He suddenly felt very weary as his mind and heart went to war against each other.On one hand,as her fiance ,he owed her the truth whether he loved her or not.And clearly,she was idealistic enough to expect that courtesy;no doubt she'd do the same for him.On the other hand,he couldn't trust her yet.They barely knew each other;he was unwilling to take a leap of faith.

His Daarji's carefully laid plans would come to a standstill.He realised with a pang of sorrow that no matter how much he professed his dislike his father's methods and desire to be a different person ,at the end of the day,he didn't have the guts to cross the line.He felt his heart break into shards as he watched her fall apart in front of him,the cold countenance giving away ,a blubbering mess inside.

"I didn't expect love in this marriage.All I wanted was mutual respect and trust.But I was a fool to trust you and my family.

I actually admired and respected you but you turned out to be the biggest ....."

She choked up.

She suddenly steeled herself and to his sadness,her eyes hardened.When she smiled her eyes would dance,yet now all he saw was a never ending pit of darkness which promised horror and suffering.

"Gurleen ji, you're a business person and if I'm not mistaken the chairperson of the Babbar group of companies if the newspapers have it right."

His daarji had been very pleased.The property was almost within their grasp .

"You of all people should know the follies of trusting someone, especially when that person is a Brar."

"Is that a threat Jaspal ji?"

"No, it's a friendly warning."

"Then I should probably thank you."

"I apologise for the emotional upheaval but what must be done is done.I have no regrets as I acted in the best interests of the company and the family."

Do you really not have any regrets?,his treacherous mind whispered.He clamped down the feelings and watched her compose herself.

"I will be meeting you and your father in his office tomorrow.The sooner the transfer takes place,the better. "

"Wait ... ",she was home even before he opened his mouth.

Her final request kept playing in his mind on a loop as he walked back to the dias in a daze.He hadn't expected her to agree to the proposal so easily.His daarji no doubt would be delighted at their success but he still had a niggling doubt.Gurleen kaur Babbar was vicious when it came to business;he had silently observed her interactions with their peers .There was no way she'd take her lack of autonomy lying down.His daarji was underestimating her.He prayed their actions wouldn't come and bite them back.

He heard his bebe tease him about their rendezvous as his eyes searched the crowd for her.She was talking to her family ,who all had identically grim expressions on their face.Her veerji even glared at him.Wincing,he turned around to see Jassi di with a satisfied smirk.He recollected her pulling his fiance aside before the roka.No doubt she had been the one to inform her about his involvement in the mess .

Everyone seemed happy as they danced and sang.It was not everyday that a Brar and Babbar got engaged.

Waheguru ,mehar kare,he prayed in earnest as his family danced around.

I hope I don't end up regretting my actions , he thought as his eyes met her tear filled ones.

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THUNK!!!

His cheeks were ringing from the slap.He had never seen his Bebe so angry .

"How could you do this Jaspal?Are you mad?Was Gurleen the only girl you could find to rope into your hair brained schemes?"

He rubbed his stinging cheek.

"Bebe........."

"Don't you dare bebe me.Inder told me everything.I thought you were a better person than this but I was wrong.Inder is a depressed drunkard,Jassi will become a divorcee at the rate at which she's going and Prabhjyot..... she's happy in her own world,ignored by her father and mother.

But I hoped at least you'd be happy,married to a person you love and someone who'd love you back the same but here we are,the great Brars who have managed to trap a girl in marriage."

I know your daarji was the one who came up with this idea but I don't blame him,he must have had his reasons.I'm disappointed that you didn't speak up."

Jaspal felt dead to his bones.He sank to the floor of his room long after his bebe left and remained.Not once had his bebe considered his daarji at fault,it was all on him.No matter what others did,his Daarji being daarji,his veerji drinking and quarrelling with Parjaai,Jassi di scheming or Prabhjyot acting out,he had to be the responsible one.He was their go to for solving problems but no one really wanted to listen to him cry even once .

No matter how hard he tried or loved someone,he still ended up with his heart on a platter, available for everyone to pelt stones at.

And Gurleen........he didn't want to think about her.

He badly wanted a shoulder to cry on but he was all alone.Collapsing on the floor,he lay there for the rest of the night, motionless except for the occasional sob wracking his body.

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The next morning.....

Acting as if nothing had happened,he went down for breakfast,oddly excited.He'd be seeing her again.Even if she hated his guts,it was worth seeing her face again.