Chapter Six
He's A Jerk
"I would like my sons to come up."
Angad couldn't move or more like, didn't want to. Kripa nudged him when everyone turned to look at him, waiting for him. Angad walked forward robotically and stopped in front of his step father and brother. His father first handed over the documents to Kartik who signed them proudly. He then handed them over to Angad who just held them in his hands for a long long time. And then he threw them at Dilip Kapoor's face and took three steps back earning gasps from everyone in the crowd.
"I don't want anything of yours Dilip Kapoor." Angad stated turning away. Cameras flashed, video cameras were turned on. The media was in a frenzy. This was obviously going to be headlines for weeks.
Dilip laughed uncomfortably trying to cover up the anger and embarrassment his step son had just caused him.
"Um. I guess Angad has been taken by surprise. I think we need some family time. Thank you all for coming." Dilip mumbled with a big fake smile on his face.
One by one, everyone was out the door mumbling and throwing looks at Angad and Dilip. The media of course had to be escorted out by the security. Kripa slowly watched and looked up at Dilip exactly the same time he turned to look at her. He gave her look that was quite clearly a plea for her to stay and help. She nodded in assurance and he gave her a tiny smile of gratitude. Naina stared at her son who looked anywhere but at them.
Moments later, as he started towards the stairs, Dilip spoke up.
"Today, you've embarrassed me in front of everyone! Do you have any idea of who was present at the party Angad? All my business associates! All our business partners! This one mistake of yours could be a nightmare for the company! Do you realize that?" Dilip yelled. Kripa flinched at the loud tone that she's always hated hearing yet is so used to as well.
Angad laughed bitterly before turning around to face Dilip.
"Do you realize that i don't give two shits?" Angad shot back. Dilip clenched his hands into fists and turned to look at Naina who looked nothing but helpless. She slowly walked to her son and placed a hand on his shoulder but he only looked away.
"Angad, please. Why do you have to do this?" She pleaded quietly with tears in her eyes. Angad's eyes flashed and he pushed her hand off and took a step back almost crashing into Kripa.
"Look Mrs Kapoor, i don't care what you have to say and please, this fake love you show for me-"
"Angad, she really loves you. You can't talk to your mother like that." Kripa interrupted. Angad's jaw clenched and he spun around to look at her.
"Kripa, stay out of this." He growled.
"Why should she? Listen to me Angad, i am frustrated with this attitude of yours! I have had it! You don't want anything of mine right? Guess what? You're living in MY house! So, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE." Dilip shouted.
All anger that was visible on Angad's face was immediately wiped off. There was only coldness now. "Fine" was all he said before storming to his room and coming back down with a suitcase. Naina gasped. She attempted to stop but he would not relent. Before anyone knew it, he was out the door, slamming the door behind him.
While Kartik and Dilip comforted Naina, Kripa ran out behind him.
She found him at his car, putting his suitcase in the trunk.
"Angad." She called out. He paused and looked over at her. She walked over to him and stopped right in front of him.
"Angad, why don't you just listen to what your mom has to say? Maybe that'll make a big difference." Kripa said. Angad scoffed and shut the trunk violently.
"I know exactly what she has to say. She has to rant about how terrible my father was and how Dilip gave her a new life. She wants to defend Dilip Kapoor. She wants me to accept him as my father and trust me Dr. Sharma, that's not going to happen. At least not in this life time." Angad spat out viciously.
"Why do you have such a problem with others and their opinions? All you want Angad Khanna, is for people to bow down to you and your wishes! But you don't understand the fact that not everyone is going to do that. And another thing you don't understand? Not everyone is out to get you Khanna! There are people that are trying to help you! But even then, don't remain in the misunderstanding that the world revolves around you." Kripa replied with just as much as venom. Angad stared at her dumbfounded for a minute. But only for a minute. After that, he was back to being the angry, arrogant, confident Advocate Angad Khanna.
"You give good speeches Dr Sharma. You should've been a politician." Angad told her putting on his sunglasses and getting into his car. He turned to look at her through his window and smiled at her and gave her a salute before driving off. Kripa shook her head but something in her changed. She didn't want to admit it but she felt something for this rude, stupid man. Another thing that bothered her was the fact that, the rude, stupid man got the last word with her.
*****
The next day, Kiran stormed into Kripa's office despite her secretary's multiple calls to stop.
"Kiran, you can't just walk in like this. What if i was with a patient?" Kripa snapped turning her laptop off.
"Then you could've told your patient that your grandma died and i was your sister, here to get you." Kiran replied cheekily. Kripa laughed shaking her head and waited for the bomb that Kiran had to drop on her.
"So, i was watching the news and what happened at the Khanna house last night is everywhere." Kiran stated. Kripa nodded sadly.
"I'm aware." She sighed. "Yeah, well, are you aware how big of a jerk your patient Angad Khanna is?" Kiran snapped. Kripa looked at her surprised.
"Aw, feeling bad for Kartik?" Kripa teased. Kiran shook her head.
"That's not it Kripa. It's the fact that his family is worried sick about him and the company and he's out there being the Casanova he is! One girl after the other. He doesn't even care!"
Something broke and fell in Kripa. It couldn't have been her heart. Just couldn't. How much did she know the guy? She'd always known that he was a player. Then, why did it bother her so much? It didn't before! Why now?
"How do you know he's going around with girls?" Kripa asked her pretending it was a casual question as she flipped through random papers on her desk avoiding looking at Kiran directly.
"Maybe because i just saw him? You don't believe me? Come, let's go to Starbucks. He's there. Right across the street." She demanded standing up pulling Kripa up as well.
***
As they arrived at Starbucks, Kripa ordered refusing to look around. She didn't want to see Angad with another girl at all. She wanted Kiran to be wrong and even if she was right, she wanted Angad to be gone by now.
Once their drinks arrived, Kiran walked off to the bathroom and Kripa found herself a window table. As she stared at her coffee, she heard a laugh that she knew quite well by now. As she looked up across from her, she saw Angad Khanna sitting there with a girl's hand in his. He slowly raised it to his lips and winked at her. She watched sickened as she fed him a peanut butter cupcake. She stared her own peanut butter cupcake and almost instantly picked it up and squished it. She took a sip of her coffee tearing her eyes away from Angad Khanna and his latest victim. That was until she felt some intense eyes on her. She felt them more towards her forehead or maybe even her eyes. She looked up and found Angad Khanna staring at her. As soon as their eyes met, he gave her that same dazzling smile that he had yesterday. She grit her teeth together in anger as she spotted that girl's hand still in his hand. How dare he smile at her like that while he's with another girl? Kripa looked away and continued to drink her coffee like she didn't even know him. Suddenly, she felt someone sit down across from her and who could it be? Angad Khanna himself! He smirked as she turned to look out the window again.
"What did you do with this poor cupcake?" Angad asked in an amused tone as he pointed towards the squished cupcake.
"They gave me the wrong one. I hate peanut butter cupcakes." Kripa replied sarcastically. Angad rose one eyebrow.
"Is that why you have two?" Angad asked pointing towards the other one beside the squished one. Kripa gave him a look and just as she was about to squish that one too, he grabbed her hand.
"What the hell?" She snapped trying to pull her hand out of his strong grip. He smirked once again. "I love peanut butter cupcakes." He said before letting her hand go and biting into the cupcake.
Kripa glared at him as she looked towards the bathroom and found Kiran standing there smiling. Kripa gave her a look, demanding for her to come but Kiran just shook her head and walked back into the bathroom. Kripa gasped. Angad followed her gaze and rolled his eyes.
"Now you like staring at bathroom doors? Dr. Sharma, i think you need help." Angad teased.
Kripa turned to look at him.
"Oh shut up." She snapped. "Why would you abandon your date?" She continued.
Something glittered in Angad eyes- mischief. Of course.
"Well, if you'd like, you can be my date." Angad mumbled in a seductive tone leaning towards her.
Kripa nervously leaned backwards, away from him.
"Tonight? My high school friend is throwing a party. Will you go with me?" Angad asked with a playful smile playing across his lips.
"Khanna, i'm not one of those girls that you can just play around with." Kripa warned, anger visible clearly on her face but that didn't faze Angad.
"I know you're not. Will you come with me?" Angad asked again.
Before Kripa could open her mouth to say no, Kiran was running over and out of breath she replied "Yes! Yes Angad! She will go with you! Of course she will! Why not?" Kripa's mouth dropped open in shock at Kiran's change of heart towards Angad Khanna. Angad just smirked and smiled appreciatively at Kiran. "For the first time in life, Kartik has done something right." Angad said smiling at her. She laughed and shrugged.
Kripa gave Kiran a glare before storming out of Starbucks with her running behind laughing.
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CHAPTER 7 BELOW.
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