Love at the rivalry
"Taani are you sure ki ye quotations thk hai? I mean are they not a little bit low." Sharon said with a bit concern looking at the papers.
"They are perfect Sharon. I am sure himself low quotation Kisi ki ni hogi and moreover ek baar ye project humare paas aa jaye then hum raw material market rate se aadhi cost pe lekar loss compensate kar lenge." Taani was busy looking at the buildings passing by as their car drove on the roads of Bangalore. All the time in flight and their journey to the Hotel, she was getting a restless feeling as if something is going to happen. She knew she will see him soon and once again she'll have to pretend to hate him. She knew he'll be as usual found with a glass of wine and a feeling of loss around him. She knew it all but once again something urged inside her as if nothing is in her control. She closed her eyes in hope of clearing her mind before the bidding. As her head rested on the window and eyes closed, a sheer memory from back flashed in her mind.
"Mam! Here is all the info regarding singhania and Kapoor. Jaisa apne manga tha."
"Anything specific?!" Taani asked looking in the files.
"Not anything you don't know, mam. Sab Kuch vahi hai except.."
"Except what?!" Her eyes moved to her as if piercing her down.
" Except that swayam and Rey are not real brothers."
"What?!" Taani stood from her chair utterly shocked.
" Yes mam! Ranvijay singhania had an extra marital affair when his wife was alive. Swayam is his illegitimate child. Pata chala hai ki swayam ke birth ke Baad uski mother ki on the spot death ho gyi and as soon as Mrs. Singhania found out about the child, she took him as her own son."
"Kya Rey ye baat janta hai?"
"Most probably mam! But shayad swayam ye baat ni janta."
"Fine. You can go." Taani said dismissing her.
"Taani..taani..hotel aa gya."Taani wake up with a jerk from her dream as Sharon's voice falls on her ears.
She looked at the huge skyscraper beneath which there car is parked.
"Let's go." Sharon said. They left their luggage in the hands of bellboy and entered the hotel.
"Welcome to Hotel Le Bua mam! How may I help you? " The receptionist flashed his best dmile towards the two ladies.
"Umm..we have got two rooms. One on the name of Ms. Taani Shekhawat and other on the name of Ms. Sharon Rai Prakash." Sharon said.
"Certainly mam. I'll just check." The guy started looking for the rooms on the computer. "Yes mam! Room no 708 and 709. Here are the keys. The bellboy will help you with the luggage and finding the rooms." He said politely showing them the way.
"Wait a minute!" A familiar voice called from behind. They turned to see the smirking face of rajveer Kapoor. "Taani baby! Welcome to Bangalore. " Before she could react he took her in a forceful hug. His hands cluched hers tightly as she flinched in pain. As he moved away, taani could see the list in his eyes. "Excuse me, Mr.." he looked at the receptionist standing nearby.
"Its rana sir." He said with a smile.
" Can you just rename the room no. 708 to Mr and Mrs. Kapoor." He said looking at taani.
"Surely sir.." "No need." The two voices of rana and taani mixed with authority and politeness silenced the atmosphere. Rajveer looked at taani intently.
" I mean..I just want to have some time alone." Taani said cautiously.
" As you wish darling! Vaise bhi SHAADI ke Baad to hume saath hi rehna hai. Right?! " He grinned at her. She just nodded and moved with Sharon. Oblivious to them, in another corner was standing swayam looking at the whole scene with whole interest.
"Why don't you say something taani?" Sharon looked in disgust and pain.
"I don't think there is anything that's need to say. He is just being the jerk he is." Taani said avoiding her gaze.
" If you know he is a jerk, then why are you getting married to that jerk?" Taani remained mum.
"Rey! What are you doing here?" Swayam snatched the glass away from rey. "Do you have any clue how many drinks you've had.
"I don't know. 20 maybe." Rey laughed as if it was a very bad joke.
" Sir, 25. " The bartender corrected.
"25 ho gyi? Pata hi ni chala yrr. " Rey grinned at the bartender and gave him a high five.
" Rey! You are drunk. Lets go. Shaam ko bidding tak tumhe sober hona hai."
" I am not going anywhere." He shrugged him off. " Bidding tum handle kar lo."
" Taani is here rey." Rey suddenly looked attentive. "vo aa chuki hai. Ussi ke liye chal lo. Please!! Stop this."
"Taani ke liye.." he looked at his drink. "Theek hai..chod diya." As he tried to stand on his own, his body refused to corporate. He stumbled on his foot until swayam got a hold of him.
"The cold water hit her skin like sharp nails and soon her skin was wet and awake. She stared at the wall in front of her for numerous seconds clueless about what is happening. She had a strong belief that something is about to happen. Her heart beats faster as she tried to calm down and look at everything that could possibly happen. Alas! She had no idea.
Rey woke up with a hangover. He hold his head as he felt it might burst anytime.
"Good evening, sir." With struggle he opened his eyes to find a servant standing on the other side of the bed smiling at him. Was he looking funny?
"Swayam sir ready hone apne room mai gye hai. Unhone kaha hai ki aap disprin aur lemonade pee le. You'll feel fresh. Aur uske baad taiyar hoke neeche bidding ke liye aa jaye." Rey nodded as his lips refused to move and his throat felt completely sore.
" Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Sunil Mehta the senior advisor of JPR industries and your host for tonight. Under the supervision of Mr. and Mrs. Agarwal the owner of JPR groups, we will start with the bidding of Asia's largest project- JPR project of Airlines." The man on the podium announced.
Standing in the audience were the who's and whose of India's biggest business tycoons. Taani moved her head in all directions until she found a table almost aligned with hers where swayam was sitting with some of his men. The face she expected to be sitting there was nowhere to be found. She sighed and continued to listen to the speech of Mr. Agarwal.
" Is it looking nice?" Rey asked putting on his best suit.
" Yes sir, very nice." The guy from the room service smiled seeing his anticipation.
"Nice enough to grab my girl's attention?"
"Absolutely sir." Rey smiled in the mirror, hoping for the best.
"We request all of you to put your quotation file here on the front desk and enjoy the party till we look over them." The guy announced.
"Taani, mai ye kaam handle karti hu. Tum party enjoy karo." Sharon said and took her leave.
"Shekhawats aur kapoors mai se ye project Kisi ko bhi mile, kya fark padta hai? Hai na taani?" Rajveer came from behind and taani looked him eye to eye not at all surprised by his tactics.
"I don't want to listen to your bullshit rajveer. Yaha koi ni hai. Stop acting." She glared at him.
"Why baby?! Shaadi hone Vali hai humari..pyaar Karta hu Mai tumse..AUR TUM MUJHSE. Tum jeeto ya mai kya fark padta hai. Project to humare hi Ghar aaega."
"Listen Rajveer! And you better listen it carefully! Meri aur tumhari shaadi Sirf ek contract hai and all for a very good reason. But iska matlab bilkul ni hai ki tumhare aur humare empires ka merger hoga ya tum mere business pe Haq jama sakte ho. This business is the blood and sweat of my father aur mai tum jaise insaan ke haath mai isse bilkul ni Jane dungi. And mind it! Just because noone knows about the contract mere zyada paas aane ka try bhi mat karna. Varna taani shekhawat ko haath todna bhi aata hai." With that taani left the table leaving him smirking.
"Vo to dekha jaega taani shekhawat." He sipped from his glass of wine and left as well. Oblivious to them, standing a few distance away, someone caught their entire conversation. The glass fell out of his hand as he felt immensely broken and numb not knowing how to register what he just saw.
"Rey! Tu yaha kya kar raha hai?" Swayam called him out of daze.
" Swayam..vo taani.."
"Haa..haa..taani vaha hai..please rey aaj zyada mat peena..I really want you to talk to taani. Maine Sharon se bhi baat kar li hai..bas tu aaj kaam mat bigadna."
"Swayam..taani...taani ki shaadi hone Vali hai..rajveer ke saath." Rey looked completely disastrous and reluctant to believe the information. Swayam stood there dumbfounded himself not knowing how to handle his brother. He knew this would come. He'll get to know somehow but what now? He could see how shattered he was and before he could say anything, a lone tear escaped rey's eyes followed by a surge of anger. He completely ignored swayam as he walked to the bar.
"One cold beer." He asked sternly. It vanished as soon as it came and as swayam expected there was nothing stopping him. Taani who was busy talking to some delegates suddenly saw the scene and felt a pang in her heart. Its all for him, she reminded herself. Little did she knew, that this will lead to something nobody has expected.
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
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