Part 1 - Scroll down
Look Into My Heart
Part 1
He hated attending the meetings after the deal was signed... they were just the most boring things to get through... there was no thrill as the deal was already signed... just the idiotic details about how the things work now and what could be done to bring it up to RI standards. The worst part about these meetings were they never ended... one topic would conclude and another would start... sometimes in these meetings he felt like gauging his own eyes out... he hated them... he just hated them... he looked in the direction of his brother... he seemed to be so involved in the meeting that his eyes were so scrunched up and his head was bent in thought that you could easily mistake him for being asleep in his chair... but that was close to impossible because we are talking about Akash Singh Raizada who was nothing if he was not perfect.
Then he turned his attention to his other brother in the room... who was sitting there all awake nodding his head to everything that was being said and eyes totally looking at the person who was talking... he looked like he could walk out of this room and single handedly deal with all the issues discussed in this meeting... but that was highly impossible because we are talking about NandaKishore Singh Raizada... he was "looking" at the person who was talking but he was not actually seeing the person... his eyes were not in focus... and the nodding of the head was probably set to match the song that was currently playing in his head... NK Singh Raizada was nothing if not imperfect.
An involuntary grin formed on his face looking at NK but he immediately looked down and adjusted his face to be impassive, he could not be caught grinning in a meeting, he had a reputation to uphold, he was Arnav Singh Raizada, the founder and CEO and 45% shareholder of Raizada Industries, famously known as the ASR of RI.
By some miracle the meeting came to an end and everybody looked to him for direction, he spoke to no one in particular and said "You will be communicate about the final decisions made. Akash... NK stay here, everyone may leave."
Akash sat back and relaxed but NK looked like a deer caught in the headlights... "Bhai do you need me?" NK asked very very softly... "Yes NK, I need to clarify a few things they presented to us you seemed to catch everything so I thought you could clear what I missed my mind was somewhere else for a minute."
NK sat down at the edge of his seat and started wringing his hands together, as if he was asked to bungee jump of the top floor of the RI building. He caught Akash's expression which had a twinkle in it, Akash always understood him. He gave a curt nod to Akash confirming his brother's suspicions and Akash relaxed even more into his seat, he had already got the hang that they were not here for a business issue.
He cleared his throat and said "So NK what was Mr.Shashtri saying about the new building expansion plans?"
NK looked up stumped and said "building!!... hmm... ohh yaa... he said we should build a new wing..." NK threw a stone and he raised his eyebrows at the answer so he rolled back "... I mean a small wing... not a big one... just teeny one... NK threw another stone... he narrowed his eyes at NK and now NK jumped off his seat and said "Bhai I am sorry... I didn't listen... it won't happen again. I am sorry..."
"We never talked about any building plans at all NK, it's not about just not listening in the meeting, you should pay attention to at least the highlighted topics. When will you..." he stopped sighed and said "pay attention NK, I might not be around forever to take care of..." he was cut short by both his brothers now "Bhai please stop... " said Akash who was also standing now... "Never say such things Bhai... please... I will be more attentive but please don't say such things" said NK now even more agitated.
He sighed they might be just cousins but their bond was stronger than any true brothers bond, he knew their loyalty to him which they knew he returned with a bonus. "Ok forget it... I just needed to tell you I am leaving by the 4:00 pm flight to Rajasthan with Aman to figure out which piece of the two finalized land we should build the power plant on. I will be gone for a few days and I might not be reachable by phone all the time, Aman said the signals are poor as the areas are very rural. So you know the drill... if there is an emergency in business and I am not reachable contact Mr.Singhania. If there is a family emergency contact the Kashyaps."
He paused so that they could assimilate the information that he had just thrown at them. "Di is not letting go this time, she is adamant to come with me to check on the women's welfare place they built near those villages. So I decided to take her with me, so I can keep an eye on her and ofcourse all her body-guards are coming too."
"So it's upon you two to take care of everyone at home and at work... I am depending on you so don't let me down." He finished. He looked at Akash first who solemnly nodded at him and then he looked at NK who shook his head in all directions, he gave up... this boy was going to party hard starting 4:00pm today till the day he steps back in town. How was he going to make this boy serious in life? He just closed his eyes and shook his head to clear thoughts about NK and stood up and said I will leave straight from here to the airport and Di will join me there. Our jet will be prepared and fueled up and ready to leave by 4:00 I don't want to be late, so if you want to go and hug your Di and do all that non-sense now would be the time..." before he finished NK was already at the door and he stopped as he opened the door and said "ok Bhai take care... I am going to see Di." A split second later he had vanished from the room. He and Akash were left staring at the door.
He shook his head and then turned to Akash who was also checking his watch and also standing up to leave. He looked up and said "Anything else Bhai..." Arnav nodded and said "Keep an eye on NK..." Akash nodded and smiled and "Take care Bhai... I am off to see Di..." Arnav shook his head both his brothers were his sister's chamchas, they both looked up to him but took orders from her. "Akash we will be barely gone for 3 days..." Akash nodded and said "I know Bhai... but its Di Bhai... I can't let her go without saying bye to her..." Arnav gave up on trying to convince Akash and just nodded, he had many more things to take care off before they left. "Akash send Aman in..." Akash left nodding his head and Aman entered barely a few seconds later with a list of things that needed his attention.
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The village sarpanch opened the car door and as soon as he stepped out, there was a small band playing in his welcome and the sarpanch put a garland around his neck... He wanted to roll his eyes at the over enthusiastic village people... he knew why they were doing this, they were doing this in hopes that he would choose the land on the out skirts of their village to be the place to build his power plant... but what they didn't know was he was first and foremost a businessman and he will not make a decision based on people involved... that would be the first step to downfall in a business and he hadn't worked this hard to fail now... but he didn't show any of these thoughts on his face and smiled at the sarpanch and followed him into the small govt. guest house that was prepared for him to stay.
His body guards stayed close to him as this was a new area... it was not needed in this remote place... but he let them do their job. The sarpanch and few of the nearby villages were introduced to him in the veranda of the guest house where a few chairs were placed. Aman was with him, they had landed at 5:30 in rajasthan very close to the second site they were considering for building... so they checked out that site and then at 6:45 they headed to this village on the way about 20 minutes away from this village they dropped of his sister along with her cars and her body guards and made her promise to be at the guest house not later than 9:30 pm, they had headed to this village and just reached... it was 8:15pm and he was tired.
He listened as patiently as he could to all the important people gathered there from the nearby villages to talk to him, they were very enthusiastic about convincing him about choosing this spot to build. He hated such discussions it was a complete waste of time, he was never going to make a decision based on who talked to him and how hospitable they were, it was business and business is best done keeping the emotions at bay.
He gave them 15 minutes and then got up from where he was sitting and said "I am tired and I need to visit the site early in the morning and then go back to Rajkot to talk to the people in the Govt. Office. Thank you for coming, we will know in a week about what has been decided." He tried to made it clear that nothing like this will affect his decision.
The elders of the villages nodded and started inviting him to breakfast at their homes, he declined and said the arrangements have already been made... though he had no idea if Aman had made any arrangements at all... but he trusted Aman. Then he took his leave and was ready to enter the guest house when the sarpanch stopped him and said "Saab we have dinner arranged for you and one gift too... hope it will help you in making the decision." He opened his mouth to say that he was not going to accept any gifts but the old man moved away from him quickly and made his way out saying "don't say no saab... we will talk if you don't like the gift... but don't say no now..." and quickly disappeared from his sight.
Arnav shook his head, these people thinking bribery will help them. He was too tired to think too much on it whatever it was he was going to return the gift tomorrow morning as soon as he saw the Sarpanch again, no point running after the old man now in the dark. Decision made he turned to go inside the bunglow, but he caught site of a few young boys hanging around the fence, he turned to look at his bodyguards and they were keeping an eye on the youth so he didn't give it much thought and went inside.
Aman was right beside him and as soon as he entered, "Aman tell me you have made arrangements for breakfast... Di will be mad that I refused their offer and we are left hungry..." Aman nodded, I have breakfast being delivered from the best hotel in RajKot early in the morning sir." He nodded in reply to what Aman said and said "I will wait for Di to have dinner... which room for me?" Aman pointed towards a room whose doors were closed. "Aman get some rest and all of you have dinner no need to wait for me and Di." He said as he headed towards the room meant for him.
He entered the room and it was pitch dark, he felt around the closet wall to see if there were light switches anywhere near. As he felt around in the dark he sensed moment in the room and as a reflex he said "Who is there?" no one replied but now he was sure he heard someone breathing so he said again "I said who is there? Speak up now..."
Then he heard the sweetest voice that had ever touched his ears and she said "Hum Khushi hai...", it took a while for him assimilate the information, he remembered people in these remote places talk about themselves in the third person, so she meant her name was Khushi, he confirmed by asking "Your name is Khushi?" he heard her sweet soft simple reply "ji...".
He gave up looking for the light switch on the wall and activated his mobile to use the light to see her, he had this wild urge to do so. Big, beautiful, innocent, scared eyes looked back at him and he held his breath at the impact of her beauty on his senses in the dark room in the subtle mobile screen illumination.
Then he heard her speak "Saabji please can you not put on the light?" her eyes filled with moisture as she asked that question... his brain was totally confused why does she want to stay in the dark... his instincts told him something was not right here... he moved his eyes that were glued to her face away and looked at the rest of her... slender arms were covering her torso, she seemed to be wearing just a saree nothing new there... but something was off about her way of dressing then he realized she had no choli on... his senses went in to high alert... he also realized her saree was a very flimsy one and that was the reason she was covering herself with her hands.
Pieces of the puzzle slowly came into place in his brain and shock at the realization brought his eyes sharply back to her face, whose eyes were lowered but now he noticed her tear streaked cheeks and quivering terrified lips. She spoke again "Please saabji no light" and like she wished it, he followed her command and switched off his mobile screen and dropped it in his pocket.
His blood boiled at the realization he had come to but he needed to confirm, so he asked "Who are you?"... she answered as softly as ever her voice quivering "I am your gift... saabji."
Anupamaa
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