The Quill Part 3 - Page 35

There is too much left unsaid between them. He as always has been very tight lipped about everything. She has hinted a few times but he never responded with anything substantial. What is she to think?

He is the one with the power here. She is at the losing end no matter how you look at it. If she claims to love him, she will be accused by Pia for being a gold digger. He has the power to say it without any repercussions but he never has. He never even let her know that he had decided the store did not matter. Yes she ran out on him, but he could have still said it. Did he ever try to help with the store in any way? no, He knows what it means to her.

He has not given her a reason to stay.

Pradyut might not have done wrong but never tried to do right by Taaruni either.

Just not harming someone, coercing someone, imposing someone doesn’t suffice to feel secure in relationship.

He has never even let Taaruni know that she meant more than business deal.
I still am old school person. The guy has to accept his love if he is in dominant position. Here he is in dominant position. Taaruni if ever confessed love before him, he himself wouldn’t back off to doubt her coz she was digging for evidence against him.
Taaruni’s mistake: she impulsively accepted his business proposal which included marriage and then feel in love with him.

I wish the guy tries to woo her.

It's not just their personal relationship! Even professionally, Pradyut has this holier than thou attitude towards Taroo and the store..

He was repeatedly told that bit of land was sold to Rajesh Bhushan, knew about the loan installments she paid, that they can't find the deed because they lost him so suddenly.. it is a tragedy for them!

He may be legally above board, but the way he was forcing them to sell was unethical and immoral. Just because he thinks a building is ugly and he happens to have a lot of money doesn't mean he is entitled to others property.

He might have been willing to pay the Bhushans even without a deed, but it takes nothing away from the fact that he's using their troubles to force a sale..

If her father was alive, they could've smacked his smug face with the conveyance deed and the company would've had to move on.

But then he uses her desperation and vulnerability and his power to marry her!

Even after their marriage, there were so many ways he could've been kind or empathetic to her..

She doesn't work in the construction industry, she'd no idea of the implications of what she'd agreed to.

But the Munjals would've known how their work would affect the store. Prad or Gopal could've shared their plans, tried to find a solution for her concerns.. like that Anuj guy did!

If he continues to treat her like an enemy and not as family, why does he expect any different in return?

Safely stored

She desperately looked forward to seeing him at the next month’s appointment. That was her only bright spot, besides the baby of course, she felt stirring in her under belly towards the completion of another 3 weeks.

The new place wasn’t all that great, but it was a place…..

Sunil and Deepak were wonderful, they worked tirelessly through 3 days, and arranged every bit of every supply on the shelves. Internet was choppy, so was electricity

How ever scammy Ajit Singh of Satnam Builders was, Zenith Astro was way way better.

This was a new reality she would have to deal with, besides being in a regular “pados ki maarkit”

It didn’t exude the aura of a browse and sip high end book shop

There was not much room for the customer to walk around, neither was there a place to put her coffee nook

The boxes and boxes of rare books glared at her in her brothers’ room each night

Another mess…. For another day

Pallavi dropped food off every evening, and checked on her

Nidhi texted her hourly at first and now once or twice a day

“Call me”

She never did

She complained to Pallavi and Pallavi brought the news to her

“Tell her I am fine

“Like that’s going to satisfy her”

“What does she want?”

“Tum dono bas baat to karo”

“Bhai ne bawaal kiya kya?”

“We don’t know, last I heard he blew through what he took from ur FIL”

“Nice”

“Harold ko ghar pe chhod na” Pallavi cuddled him

“I have nobody”

“You have us, u idiot”

“I mean…. Someone furry”

They both laughed like teenagers

“Tushar was saying shop is just “OK”

“Itne kiraye mein I cant rent at Taj Chandigarh”

“When are they paying you”

“Ive met Purohit twice, to go over terms”

“Its ur money yaar”

“I know, he cant part with it till Towers Partners agrees, cross the ts and dot the is”

“Lawyers are the worst”

“No construction people are”

“Gopal ji is nice”

Taaruni lowered her gaze

“Don’t hate yaar, bas be calm” she reached and gave Taaruni a hug

“I’ll try”

“You did… you did try to stop work” “You tried to find stuff against them”

“Sab to waste hi tha”

“Sleep well” she muttered and hugged Taaruni

“Stand guard for me will you, all night at the gate” Taaruni giggled

“Mera pati mujhe maar daalega” Pallavi made a face

“I see how it is…. U want to lay with him and abandon me”

“I made a deal, no 3rd baby in exchange for …. Every night… ahem!”

“That’s a DEAL?” taaruni rolled her eyes

“For Gareeb me it IS” Pallavi smiled innocently

“You guys are adorable” Taaruni sighed sadly

“You are too” Pallavi got up handing her Harold

“Lock kar mujhe dekhna hai” she muttered

Taaruni locked all the doors and gates and shutters, as Pallavi pulled away from them

“Is this a real place?” Pradyut texted Purohit

“Yes Pradyut, we have an address and the store is operational

“Did she bring a rental agreement?”

“She did”

“Can u text the image”

“You want to see it?” “Its not part of the pre marriage contract, we have nothing in there about it, just that in order to keep the store she needs the conveyance deed, where she moves is not part of the contract”

“I want to validate it” he was cold and blunt

“I will have to ask her”

“So u don’t have it”

“She mentioned an address”

“Oh so u took that as real”

“Umm”

“I need it tomorrow Purohit”

He got it tomorrow, after harassing Taaruni a bit more

A few days later, Pradyut was in town to check on Zenith Astro, after spending the day looking at remodel plans and interior ideas

The guy that sold him the bike was letting him use a motorcycle for his use while he was in Chandigarh

Today’s was a vintage military green Royal Enfield classic from the 1970s, he was told it was from a Dharmendra movie

Pradyut was stoked

He decided to drive by the store on his way to the hotel, around 11, and was shocked to see the lights still on. The Quill sign was too artistic to fit this market’s ambience he thought

The store was in a side street with around 10 or 15 stores, one was selling stainless steel bartan to a cotton mattress and pillow store, all in the process of closing for the night

He spotted Taaruni winding up behind the waist high glass shelf in the front of the store

He hated this store!

He kept his helmet on, turned his engine off and glided quietly towards the store

And parked sideways in front of the now closing drycleaner next door

A car pulled up…. A guy lowered the blaring music as Taaruni turned from a side shelf to see who it was on the dark steet

“Pregnant lagti hai” one guy said out loud the car window was down

“To hame kaun si shaadi karni karni hai” the guy behind the wheel scoffed

“Ja tu pehle” the passenger urged

Nisha mam if you are free

Can you update one more

Please

Nisha, please don’t stop here.

It'd be great if we could get another update..

I'm not really worried about her, though. He's immensely protective of her, in that sense. Always..

And he's right there. So now, more than a bad incident, this might just turn out to be a good thing! ❣