||Laal Ishq#2|| Taarey FF *Updated-Pg 71 on 4/11* - Page 51

"Rosie!!! Bring that damn file immediately!" Taani shouts over the phone making Rosie jump over her seat. She grab the file and quickly leave for her office, once again ready to face the worst of Taani Shekhawat.

"JPR project ke tendor ke quotations ready ho gaye?" Taani asks while concentrating hard on the file, her redpuffed eyes swelling.

"Mam vo..." Rosie finds herself losing her voice. Taani's glare shifts from the file to her worn out face.

"They are not ready yet??" Rosie nodded. Taani closes the file rather harshly taking her head in between her palms as she took sharp breaths and rechanted the relaxation mantra. Alas!! It stopped working months ago.

Closing her eyes, she tried her best to regain the equilibrium. "In half an hour...either get me the quotations done or...get me your resignation letter." Taani threw her serious look which confirms that she was dead serious. Rosie nodded and left immediately ready for a marathon to save her job.

"So...how are you?" Swayam breaks the silence finally bringing something in the cold and sophistocated aura of the restaurant. Everything speaks of class and lavishing money.

"Good." Sharon answers feeling quite uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Its been a long time..."

"Two months to be precise..."

"I realise that very often." Silence prevails once again leaving them with a void in between. In the background, Cristina Perri sings 'Arms'.

"So...you called me??" Sharon breaks the silence feeling utterly confused about his sudden gesture of communication after not even seeing each other for long two months.

"Ya?! Ya...ya, i called you. Actually, there's something we need to talk about."

"And what is it??"

"Us."

"Dad, iss sab ki kya zaroorat hai??" Taani protests only to get it failed in front of her dad. He dutifully signed the papers giving them to the nearby lawyer.

"Zaroorat hai taani. Ab sara empire tum handle karti ho. Pichle 2 mahino mein tumhi ne shekhawat empire ko loss se bahar nikala hai. Infact ab finally, humari companies profit mein ja rahi hai. Just because of your dedication and hardwork. Mera kaam to bas papers pe signature karna reh gaya tha. To ab mein uss job ko bhi chodna chahta hu. Isliye, aaj se tum officially is empire ki head ho. The major authority." Rishi says with proud eyes though Taani looks more lost than happy.

"Uss tendor ka kya hua??" Rey asks his secretory while looking over at his headquarters from the magnificient mirror in his office.

"Sir vo...Rosie ka call abhi tak nahi aaya."

"Call her...and remember jo meine kaha hai vahi hona chahiye!!"

"But sir!!"

"No arguments. I just want it done. Anyhow." He doesn't even steal a glance at the girl as his puffed eyes looked straight at the point at the reception where Taani has waited to meet him for the first time officially.

"Us?? What about us? I don't think there has been anything between us neither their will be." Sharon says sternly though doubting her own words.

"Oh really!! You think you can actually fool me with this act of yours. We both know what the hell am I talking about!!" Swayam's eyes burns with aggresion and sincerity. Sharon looks a little taken aback. He takes a sharp breath calming down his emotions. "All I want to say is sorry. I am really sorry Sharon for blaming you for everything when you had nothing in your hand. I know, you were just helping taani and now when I have given this thing so much of time, I know what you were talking about since then."

Sharon's shoulders drop as she relaxes against the wave of tension. It must be a surprise to her brain but she never felt that he owed her a sorry. How can she forgive him if she was never upset from him. " Its ok. I understand." She says with a small smile.

"Really?!! I mean..you are ok?!"

"Yes, I don't find you at mistake anywhere. Infact it was me who lied. So technically it should be me who has to say sorry."

"No!! I think we should drop it here and start afresh...Fresh start?!" Swayam forwards his hand enthusiastically.

"Fresh start." Sharon confirms with a smile.

"Um..there's one more thing we need to talk about..." Swayam interrupts the relaxed environment sounding odd again.

"What?"

"Taani and Rey."

" Sir, information aa gayi hai. Shekhawats quotations mein bahot hi low price rakh rahe hai." Rey smirks after listening to the latest information. I just knew it. So like my girl!!

" Mujhe fark nahi padta ki unke quotations kya hai. Just make sure ki humare quotations unse zyada ho. Ye project sirf aur sirf...Shekhawats ko hi milna chahiye!!" He orders and keeps the phone down, feeling a temporary relaxation which is going to be wash away soon. "That's my gift to you, taani. I love the winning smile you give after making me lose."

" Rey aur taani ka chapter close ho chuka hai." Sharon says authoritively pleading to close the topic. " Bahot mushkil se Taani ne khudko sambhala hai. Usko jo dhoka mila tha uske baad to vo toot hi gayi thi. Phir bhi kisi tarah usne sab kuch handle kiya aur aaj pure Shekhawat Empire ko sambhal rahi hai. Mein ab uski life mein aur problems nahi chahti. Isliye better hoga ki Rey taani se door rahe." Swayam laughs rather suggestively.

" Really?!! I don't think tum itni blind ho Sharon. Pichle 2 mahino se humari family business frequently ek dusre se takra rahe hai. Har baar destiny rey aur taani ko saamne le aati hai. Dono ek word tak exchange nahi karte but unki aankho mein saaf saaf dikhta hai..." Swayam pauses taking a glance at Sharon who looks completely lost in his words. " Taani ki aankho mein badla dekha hai meine. Vo har baar Rey ko hara jati hai aur uske chehre pe ek winning smile hamesha hoti hai but aankhe...hamesha udaas. Vo aaj bhi khush nahi hai. Aur rey...vo to pagal hai. Haarne ke baad bhi uske chehre pe jo hassi aati hai vo unbelievable hoti hai. Uski aankho ki chamak sirf badti hi rehti hai. Jaise...haar ke bhi kuch bada jeet liya ho usne."

" Tum kehna kya chahte ho??" Sharon looks deep in the thought of his words.

"Their actions are not matching their words. Vo dono duniya ko bewakoof bana sakte hai par khudko nahi. Rey and taani...they are in love"

Seeing the sun coming down, Taani sits by her window getting lost in the mirage of colorful sky. Her eyes moist and head heavy, once again the void overpowered her mind. The void that can never be filled by any success, neither by any person. The void that is created by her biggest mistake and can only be filled by the same. Her poison is her only cure and the biggest fact remains the same. She can never be healed.

"I hate you Rey. I hate you more than anything in this universe. But damn my heart! I love you more."

"Swayam, this is not possible!! Taani ki engagement ho chuki hai, Rajveer ke saath. Though abhi tak koi official annoucement nahi hua hai but within a month shaadi bhi ho jayegi. Rey khud ye baat jaanta hai. Vo dono ab kabhi bhi ek nahi ho sakte."

"What?! Rajveer is a con. Vo taani ki life destroy kar dega. Believe me Sharon, mein ye isliye nahi keh raha hu because Rey is my brother. You really need to talk to taani about this."

" Fine!! Rajeev is a con. Soch lo ki meine taani se baat ki and even Taani ne shaadi ke liye mana bhi kar diya. Par aage kya?! Rey ne bhi taani ki life mein kuch achha nahi kiya hai. At the end suffer taani hi karegi...hamesha ki tarah."

"Mein tumhe kaise yakeen dilau ki Rey sach mein taani se pyaar karta hai??!" Swayam says quite in a pleading tone that was enough to make her believe his words.

"Ek raasta hai." Sharon suggests.

"Kya??"

"JPR project!!"

" Rey, tumhe yaad hai na, kal tumhe Banglore ke liye nikalna hai. JPR project ke liye!! Ye tendor hamare haath se nahi nikalna chahiye." Ranvijay said over the dining table.

"Hmmm.." Rey remains quite eating his dinner with least interest.

"Tumne quotations kya rakhi hai?"

"I am full." He says getting up. His food remain almost untouched as he wipes his mouth and starts to leave the table.

"Rey!! Stop!! I asked you something!!" Ranvijay's voice echoed in his empty mansion.

"I'll see you tomorrow dad. Good night." He marches outwards before his father could speak more hence giving him no chance of further query.

"Packing ho gai?" Sharon asks startling engaged taani as she entered in her room.

"Ya. Just a little bit left." She gives a small smile while folding another piece of cloth and keeping it inside.

"Flight kitne baje ki hai?"

"7 am sharp."

"Are you ready?" Sharon asks quietly.

"I just told you. I am almost done with the packing."

"You know I am not talking about being ready for this business trip..."

Taani exhales leaving a piece of cloth in the mid of its way to the suitcase as she let herself fall on the bed. After a momentary pause, she finally looked at her, " Yes, I think I am."

"I think you should take more time to think over it. Bade papa told me. You are the legal owner of the entire empire. Its too much."

"I know.." Taani stood again trying to avoid the topic as she restarted on her packing job.

"And you think you'll able to face everything alone when you already have so much??"

"I guess.."

"Taani, you don't need to do this 'lie and give a good bye' thing with me. I am your Best Friend. Remember?" Sharon catches her shoulder making her turn towards her. Her body relaxes in response.

"I don't know anything, yaar." She turns away getting out of her hold. "Mujhe abhi kuch bhi samajh nahi aa raha! I assure you Sharon, jab bhi mujhe baat karni hogi, I'll come to you but right now, I know nothing." She turns again, her red puffy eyes now quite clear as she stands in light in her dimly bright room.

"Sure, I understand." She gives a small smile. "Vaise, bade papa chahte hai ki mein bhi tumhare saath aau! Vaha pe tum akeli na pado, that's why."

"Hmm.."

"Okk then! Good night, taani."

"Good night." She murmurs getting lost in thoughts as Sharon quietly leaves the room.