M&G FF: My Loss,His Gain *NEW!: Chp.6, Pg.39*Jul12 - Page 12

Chp. 2 Love heals all wounds?

She was back.

The hall below was beautifully decorated with shimmer and shine. Streamers of lights and crystal tinklers adorned the ceilings and hung low. Curtains of silk and brocade hung from the windows. A soft aromatic fragrance filled the air wafting from the scented candles. Orchids and lilies framed the entryway and lined the staircase. A sea of familiar faces welcomed them but it was one face that captured his attention and held it.

"Dev?"

"She's back, Myra."

"Who?"

She followed his line of sight and her eyes came to rest on that female who'd caught Dev's eye.

"Nayantara."

As though she'd heard her name being called, she turned instinctively and met Dev's gaze. A cool look that spoke of arrogance and challenge. Dev met her look with an icy glare. Her lips tilted a fraction and her eyes moved to take in Myra standing beside him, his hand clasped in hers. Myra was rewarded with a searing glare. She rolled her eyes and released Dev's hand but Dev caught her hand posessively, his fingers braiding into hers and meeting Nayantara's eyes with a cool look, began the descent. She met them at the foot of the stairs and Dev asked, "Why are you here?"

Ignoring his question, she hugged him and said, "Dev, jaan, how have you been?"

He pushed her back and said, "Save me the theatrics and give me the truth, Nayantara."

"Dev, I'm your wife and so a part of this family. I'm here to share Maan veerji's happiness and celebrate with you."

"Wife?" He gave a low, harsh laugh. "If my memory doesn't fail me, we had our relationship status settled and it was decided, for our own good, that we'd be happy without each other."

"But that was..."

"That was when you decided that our marriage vows were unimportant," he reminded her bluntly.

"Dev, if you're talking about supporting you in whatever you do, then let me remind you, there was also a vow which says that I'm to prevent you from doing anything insane," Nayantara said seriously.

"You amaze me, Nayantara. Did you take this vow just recently? Because I don't remember you thinking about this one when you came up with that notorious plan of yours. Or was it conviniently forgotten?"

"Dev," she warned coldly.

He smirked, "Leave."

The cold look was wiped away instantly and a sober one now took its place. "Dev, I'm not leaving because in the eyes of law, I'm still your wife and you, my husband and so technically, I'm still a member of this family. We're not divorced."

"If that's your heart's desire, I'll have it fulfilled, soon. Meanwhile, you can stay here but-," he stressed the word forcing Nayantara to look at him. Anger blazed in his eyes as he said, "Create troubles or get back to your machiavellian tactics and I swear you'll rue the day you were born."

"You, my dear husband, are the biggest fool to walk this earth," Nayantara muttered with a malicious smile as Dev stalked away with Myra leaving her alone.

All her life she'd lived with the feeling of being unwanted. Every daybreak and every nightfall told her that her birth had been a wrong decision. Mohinder and Parminder had been a happy couple when they'd learnt of their soon-to-arrive babe. Nothing anyone said or did could do anything to deflate their happiness. Mohinder loved his wife and ensured her happiness and good health. With the babe's arrival, they'd soon be one complete happy family. They couldn't have traded Paradise for it. However, fate still had to play it cards. And then, everything changed. Severe complications during pregnancy had demanded a crucial decision -- mother or child. The decision was not to be taken by Mohinder, but by his father, the head of the family. Being the mysogynist that he was, Darji's decision had been simple. He didn't care about his daughter-in-law, the grandchild was who mattered - expectantly, a grandson. However, expectation evaporated and decision was regretted when the child was born.

It was a girl.

During childbirth Parminder had wilfully succumbed to the bitter embrace of death thus ensuring that her babe could open its eyes to this new world. But little did she know that the babe for whom she was accepting death sweetly, leaving her to the mercy and care of her family was as unwelcome by them as a crow amongst pigeons. Darji regretted his decision. Not because he pitied the newborn, not because his paternal streak had suddenly come to the fore but simply because if the babe had died and Parminder had survived then maybe, the next time it would have been a boy.

She'd learnt about the bitter truths, that hovered around her birth, early on in life. She wished it hadn't been so. Life had little comfort to offer. Her father who'd loved and cherished her until her birth was suddenly torn between his loyalty to his wife and love for his daughter. He didn't know how to treat his little girl -- love her for what she was or hate her for what she'd taken away from him? Darji, however, had little concern for the girl. She was brought up by nannies and babysitters, with her family having little interest in her upbringing. As she grew, she learnt she had a cousin brother, Brij, who was a replica of Darji in every aspect and a cousin sister, Rajji, whose life was a tad better as compared to hers because she had a living mother -who Rajji was lucky enough to not have killed, unlike her- and a caring father.

Sweet sixteen brought along ample proposals which were considered eagerly but none could be acted upon unless she turned eighteen. Her eighteenth birthday saw her engaged to a handsome NRI based in Canada -more so, to get rid of her than to really think of her well-being- and hope for the lost love suddenly blossomed within her at this new relationship of her life. He was an amicable man with an endearing nature. A man who knew how to weave his charms. At 24, he was six years elder to her and one who she thought she could rely upon to make her forget the bitterness of the past 18 years of her life -- 18 years of hell, 18 years of loneliness, 18 years of being unwanted, 18 years of lost love...

One week of courtship was all that they had before the wedding to know each other. He'd made the best of it. He'd weaved his charms so intricately that there was no escape. She found herself falling for him - or so she'd thought back then. A week was up with lightening speed and the wedding day arrived. The day that she saw as her escape from her past and into a bright, new future, not knowing that it was all going to be over before it began. The day that she'd regret for the rest of her life. The ceremonies were performed and rites and rituals conducted that saw her bound to him. That now made her his - to do with as he wished...

With a heavy heart she bid adieu to the family that'd been her world all her life. The family that'd she'd come to love but who cared little for her. They drove to the outskirts of her little town, Hoshiayarpur. This was going to be her last night in Hoshiayarpur. Her wedding night. And then the crack of dawn would see her leaving her little world to welcome the rising sun in another country across the globe, Canada. It had been a memorable night. He'd made sure it was one she'd never ever forget in life because the rising sun didn't see her in a new country but in her own with nothing that she could call her own. He'd left. Leaving her stranded at the airport, taking with him everything that their wedding had to offer. Everything in every sense of the word. Everything...

When she turned to her family with her bitter fate, she was grudgingly taken back. She soon learnt that her wedding had been a deception, a game of trickery only to usurp her money and wealth for fulfillment of his dreams. She sought comfort from her family. However, they weren't to offer comfort for long for soon she learnt that she was pregnant. The rascal in reckless pursuit of his dreams had moved on leaving a budding life in his wake. And that was one thing which was totally unacceptable to her family. It was a taint to the honor of the family. A decision was expected of her -- Kill or be killed.

That day she'd learnt that Geet Handa was truly unwanted in this world...

She'd fled. For her safety and for the safety of her unborn, the little one that was now a part of her, she'd fled. Clinging on to dear life, she'd run as fast as her weak limbs could carry her, not knowing where she was going until she'd met...Maan.

Maan was the most beautiful thing to ever have happened in her life. His presence in her life had been as solid and unmoving as a rock and yet, comforting. In the short span of time that she'd known him, she'd developed an attachment to him stonger than any she'd ever developed for anyone in her life. He'd thought her the way of life. He rebuked her about her weaknesses, provoked her to bring out the best in her and instigated her to accomplish what she thought unaccomplishable but most importantly, despite knowing everything about her dark past, he loved her and cared for her. He wanted her.

She looked at her henna painted hands. Soon, she'd be taking her first step towards being united with him. She was going to be engaged to him this day. It was too beautiful a dream to be true. Was it really true? Was her life truly to take such a beautiful turn? She prayed that it was true because she could not comprehend a life without Maan. If this dream shattered, she doubted she'd survive. A lone tear trickled down her cheek and soon another followed.

"Geet? Do you doubt my word?"

She turned around and saw Maan leaning in the doorway, arms folded across his chest and a frown puckering his brow. His dark gaze held hers and she was forced to look away. He had this ability to smoothly read her thoughts. He walked up to her and sat beside her on the bed.

"Geet," He tipped up her chin and turned her to face him, "What upsets you?"

"This dream is too beautiful to be true. I'm afraid, I'm soon going to wake up from a deep slumber and find myself back in Hoshiayarpur, all alone, where people will be chasing me for my life and the life of my little babe," she said placing a protective hand on her stomach.

He took her hand and held it in both of his, "Geet, don't let the ghostly shadows of the past lurk around you and turn your happiness into a hazy mist. What's gone, let it be. While I'm around, I will never let your past intrude our present, this I assure you."

But why would a man so rich and powerful as you care for a no one like me, Maan Sir?

Maan smoothly swiped a long, slender finger across her cheek and wiped away her tears. A ghost of a smile flickered on his face as his tone took a teasing note and he said, "Geet, I'm still the cold, arrogant, calculative boss of yours. The one who follows his heart and does things not for the benefit of others but for his own good."

He raised her hand to his lips and placed a lingering kiss there. "Geet, I wish to marry you not because you need me but because you've become an indispensable part of my life. Before, having you around was only a part of routine. Now," he leaned his head against hers as he kissed the tip of each finger tenderly, lovingly. "You've become a necessity, an addiction," he whispered in a husky voice. "Life without you doesn't seem appealing any more."

Geet was speechless as she stood there, her head leaning against his. He'd answered her unvoiced thoughts once again. She felt a slight shiver of sensation as his hands went around her waist and he pulled her close to him. "Geet, we're expected in the hall. The ceremony's about to begin," he whispered in her ear.

She blushed and pulled back from the near embrace. She moved a couple of steps and looked at herself in the mirror.

"You're looking ethereal," Maan's voice whispered in her ear. He was right behind her. She spun around and said, "Maan Sir-."

"Shh...," he placed a finger on her lips and silenced her. "It's Maan, love. Not Maan Sir."

She nodded. He tucked a stray strand behind her ear and they moved towards the door together. Geet froze in the corridor as she saw the crowd of guests below. She could hear their demanding questions and see their accusing looks. Maan was by her side already. He placed a possessive hand around her waist and pulled her against his side. "Always remember, Geet, come what may, Maan Singh Khurana will always be with you, by your side through every thick and thin of life," he whispered.

He kissed her temple and said, "Smile now, love or our guests will think that you're being forced into this engagement with a heartless man against your wishes and that would do little good to my reputation."

At that she did smile and said, "May be I am."

"Are you? Geet, you break my heart," he teased as he adjusted her dupatta as a veil over her face, just as Dadi had instructed, and they went down together, hand in hand.

They were separated at the foot of the stairs. Geet was taken away by Dadi to meet her friends while Maan was dragged away by his colleagues and staff.

"Aha bro, you're indeed looking like a lady's Prince Charming today," Maan's brother, Dev said. "Where is my bhabhi jaan?"

Maan raised his brows, "You haven't even met her yet and she's already your bhabhi jaan?"

Dev grinned, "Ah bro, the girl who can weave the magic of love around my brother, the great Maan Singh Khurana, has to be special."

"Special she is, Dev," Maan replied as his eyes sought Geet and met her gaze in the far end of the hall.

"Ah, I'm desperate to meet the enchanting lady," Dev said with a smile.

Guests and friends kept Maan and Geet busy and away from each other until it was time to exchange rings. Dadi brought Geet in the centre and Maan was accompanied by Dev. After a li'l speech of gratitude and thanksgiving by Dadi, the rings were called for.

Dadi offered Geet the ring and she reached for it with wavering hands. Despite knowing that this was her best day and nothing wrong was happening, she couldn't stop the shiver of foreboding that passed through her. She quickly slipped the ring on his finger amidst appalause and cheers from the guests and offered her hand to him. Maan held her hand in his and was surprised to find it stone cold. He gave it a gentle

squeeze of reassurance and slipped the ring on her finger. The cheers and appalause once again rocked the hall. Dadi was the first one to congratulate them.

"May the Lord bless you with a lifetime of togetherness," she said.

Maan and Geet bent and touched her feet, seeking her blessings.

"Dadi, isn't it time to finally lift the veil and see the face of my dear bhabhi?" Dev asked impatiently.

"Indeed Dadi," added Nayantara who'd turned up beside Dev out of the blue.

Dev fixed her a cold look but Myra who was standing silently beside Dev, held his hand in a firm grip as a warning to not over react and spoil his brother's special day. Dev threw Nayantara a look of deep loathing and looked away.

Dadi was surprised to see Nayantara back and her mind was abuzz with the many questions that she had for her but she decided that those'd have to wait.

"Maan," she said, "Lift the veil and let everyone see the pretty woman who finally succeeded in stealing the great Maan Singh Khurana's heart."

Everyone laughed and Maan gently lifted the veil to reveal a blushing Geet.

"Everyone, meet Geet, my bride-to-be," said Maan to Dev, Myra, Nayantara and all their office staff that had gathered around them.

Everyone appalauded except Dev and Nayantara who'd both frozen with shock.

"Geet, meet my brother, Dev."

Geet lifted her eyes and came face to face with Dev and in that one moment, everything froze. All the people melted around her. The sounds around her meshed into a gurgle until it all went silent. A crystal goblet crashed somewhere and Geet could hear her dream crashing into a million shards just like her hopes and expectations had crashed three months back on that foggy morning. Due to this man.

Her hand that was clasped in Maan's hand, tightened its grip on him until it was impossible to tighten it any longer.

"Geet?"

She heard Maan's anxious voice somewhere in the distance but she couldn't place it. Her nails dug into the flesh above his knuckles and a trickle of blood oozed out but Geet was oblivious to it.

"Geet, are you alright?"

Flashes of Hoshiyarpur played in her mind. The day he'd come to see her for the first time. The week of courtship and false promises. The wedding. The wedding night. The day she'd seen him for the last time at the airport. The taunts and accusing glares of people that she'd had to face due to him. The day she'd learnt of her pregnancy. The day she'd fled. The man who'd wreaked havoc in her life and ruined it was back. And he was Maan's brother.

Her head felt dizzy and light. She turned to Maan and he saw raw fear in her eyes. She clutched his sherwani as she found herself blacking out.

"Say... Say, it isn't so," were her last words before she collapsed in Maan's arms.