Posted:
hey everyone....my first attempt at an FF....i hope its atleast close to being an entertaining one....no character sketches...coz i dont hav a fixed plan running yet...just a faint picture which um materializing in print...so they jus show themselves as the story rolls on....wont make it too long though....um alwaz impatient to see the happy endings so il giv u all one as well!!!😊 hope u all will like it....
well here it goes....
*edit*
ps: this was, like i said, my first... returning to it occasionally, or even lesser times i find it embarrassingly amateurish... if any of my current readers venture upon this fic, after having read later, and in my opinion better fics of mine, this is warning you to not be severely disappointed in whatever expectations you may hold! :)
thats said, enjoy, if you still will!
~INTRODUCTION~
She looked around, waiting to see who it was gona be this time, her face reflected her dim enthusiasm for the afternoon ahead....everytime she resolved to have an end put to this her family came up with a new deal....DEAL...perfect word for these blind dates set up by her dad....deals they were indeed... deals in the making... same story everytime, "ridz beta you must understand so and so is a really nice boy.." (he meant his father is another one of those potbellied rich millionaires striking a collaboration with whom will take the family heritage to even greater heights if thats even a possibilty), "he's just perfect for you and our family, rich mature well educated...wat more can u ask for???"
right dad...i couldn't ask for anymore...the thing is...can i ask for less???like a usual boy next door who would love me to bits just for being me RIDHIMA n not RIDHIMA GUPTA, the heir to the huge empire called Gupta Legal Offices??? but i guess thats what life is like when you are born in that perfect home where you name it and you have it...that's how i grew up, getting everything much before i asked for it or even knew what it was about...and mind you i got only the very best...the best clothes toys books music mansions cars...n now...the best eligible bachelors in town...for heavens sake....someone save me from this perfection...can i ever be allowed the lifestyle of a mere mortal living on the face of this planet????why can it not ever be about me, why is it alwayz about that young gupta girl whose life iv been leading for over two decades now...please get me out of this mess someone....
"hey...ridhima is it???"....i turned around with a slight frown...who's it now? doesnt he know its rude to interupt a lady's thoughts...."yeh that's me i said...do i know you???"looking at him however i wished i did...OMG....wat was this guy a live walking talking greek god incarnation????help me someone....um gona faint..can somebody actually look that good????OMG he's just perfect....dam u ridz....no no no plzzzz....remember nothing more perfect....you cant possibly survive another perfection in ur life...get a grip girl....who is he anyway..."well no you dont know me...not essentially atleast... but you were supposed to meet up with someone here so i'd expect you know the name...rahul grewal..." he paused looking at my dazed look...."r u alright????" he continued....dude bad question...can u expect a normal girl to be alright after a mere glance t you....oh hang on rahul grewal???thast the guy dad arranged me to meet up with this time???OMG dad i have to give it to you for knowing how to allure me ....wat a hunk...good taste my old man has u gotta agree...and what class....he was still looking at me ....and suddenly duno how i zapped out my dreamworld..."oh rahul...oh yeh...dad told me to see you here....ummm....nice to meet you"..."the pleasures all mine lady, " he smiled...OMG um really gona faint...were those dimples????OMG OMG...."but the name is armaan...armaan malik...."...armaan...perfect....desire...wow...whoever named him must have been a big brain....perfect match....shit that P word again....ridzi...ur losing it....hang on...armaan he said???but rahul....o man....wats happening....i shot him a questioning look....he smiled again (dont do that dude...u should be locked behind bars....how many girls in london did u kill with that smile of yours????ridz....NOW THIS IS THE LIMIT....WHERE THE HECK DID YOU PICK THAT CHEESY LINE FROM???...interupting my thoughts for the umpteenth time he continued "yeh um armaan...rahul's friend...i know he was supposed to meet you..but he has sent me...because," he paused trying to find the best words ...all i could think of is rahul where are you man...i need to so thank you for making me meet this guy....is he for real????like from this world itself?????....he resumed " well u know y u both were supposed to meet up...n well rahul couldnt talk his dad into not setting up this meeting, cause he loves someone dearly....and he wanted no issues for himself or you by having this whole thing happen...but u know these big shot dads....who can ever explain to them that there's world beyond name and fame...u know wat i mean???" he looked at me....fumbling with expressions not quite certain if he had made his point....thats when i took over...smiled at him reassuringly...now he was talking "of course i know what that means....thats exactly how i grew up remember????anyways...u must thank your friend on my behalf....i wanted nothing differnt" ...n well i just have to thank him to have sent you...i thought..."so you love someone else too??"...i jerked up at his question....was that a jealous look on his face...yipee!!!hang on...nah not really...guess its more like i wanted to see the jealous look...he seemed to be genuine ....like just curious....so i said(i bit disappointed....well ok....more than a bit....)..."no i m not....theres other reasons...chuck it....coffee????"well how could i explain in words how i wanted a real home and a real loving family not a deal sealing relation....even though i was all smitten by this guy...n would love to hook him into a conversation no mater what...i was still so myself....just never able to express this innermost desire of mine....stil living behind that young gupta girl mask....but wait hey...did i ask him for coffee???omg....ridzi wat the heck...did u hav to sound so...."yeh sure" he said...interupting yet again...dude will u leme think out my thoughts completely for once????newaz....chuck thinking....ur having coffee with him ....WITH HIM....OMG!!!
~Part 1~
"Yeh dude i fixed it all for u...yeh no trouble....infact she was quite easy to manage...dint even have to mention muskaan's name...she seemed to have come with the plan to dump u as well!!!but just to save ur ego, not for another guy...just some reasons she dint prefer to mention n i wasnt dying to know them...i mean who cares anyways right....WAT???o c'mon...yeh well ok if u insist on knowing...yeh she was pretty i guess and had a certain different kind of charm...not the stylish chick look u expect from the usual ladies in our class though!!...anyways chum...peace for now...i'll catch up with you later!"
well well well....so wat was that all about armaan????i mean c'mon man...what lines...just perfect....rich dads...name n fame...importance of love....gosh rahul and muskaan i am gona get you both to save my neck from some deep soup like this too when the time comes...i mean what statements...n those coming out of me???armaan malik....wow!!!the guy who believes in No love is the only way to success, was preaching the hypocrisy involved in the lives of the rich and famous...ur too good man....u should so try making it in politics!!!well...that would be a good career i guess...i am good at it n it would bring me the name n fame i look upto....silly girl...what was her name...oh yeh ridhima...hmmm...cant believe she grew up in a house like that n thinks this way!!!...ring ring....oopz...who's that....omg dad..."yeh dad, i am on my way...yes i remember that well...dad please...u know me...um not even a graduate yet and i already have offers from the best law firms in the country...if you ever dreamt of expansions to the malik law officess its coming along, cause this top of the class law graduate,2008, armaan malik will join you so soon!!!!..." ..."i know son! thats the way u were groomed n you r doing the family proud! i am so happy both you and muskaan have have grown up like perfect malik children...no silly emotions to hamper your ways to success!..so what was the important thing you want to talk to me about???"
"patience dad...i will be with you in 10minutes...its important i talk to you in person..."..."right son, il see you"...
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Get a grip ridz...it was just a guy...infact....he can never be your guy you could see that right...i mean he is way too perfect...Macho looks, Malik empire, Cambridge law school.... father would love him....well thats reason enough to believe that he isnt the one for me i guess...but hang on...i mean he thinks like me too remember...maybe he is also one of my class just trapped in the perfect maliks trying to get breathing space...he sure spoke like that....but did he mean it all???well i guess i did not really get time to analyse him much, just couldnt get out of that 'Struck by armaan daze'....wow wat was that guy....could he be the one for me god?????..."Ms gupta we are home," said steve her personal chauffeur...o in the name of heavens! another scene now....another lame explaination...another period of being practically grounded in those socialite parties until dad finds another suitable groom...."thanx steve!"..."hello father! i am back...."she said in a meek voice, so not looking forward to the scene that was gona take place next in the gupta mansion....
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"greetings dad!...how was your trip to france???did you strike the deal in the robinson case??i was following up through news...but would love to hear first hand...all my peers and professors have been asking me for the inside details....of course i know just who all i should really confide in...."he finished all that in a breath..sure was excited to see dad he thought...such prestige such position....well armaan ur going higher than that remember...."greetings to you to son...its so refreshing to be back home and see you...where is muskaan? i havent seen her?"...well finally we are coming to the topic....muskaan....thats what we have to talk about dad...n i am noticing you are not asking about mum as usual...well guess you know she must be deep in to her social work somewhere, some orphanage, some old age home....he had grown accustomed to these ways in his house over the past years of his life...
~flashback~
"cheers son! finally you are at the threshold of making my dream come true!" said Samrat malik raising toast to his son's acceptance to cambridge for his legal studies..."thanks dad!...where is mum???"..."o u know her must be somewhere involved in her social work," replied his father it seemed with a sarcastic yet disinterested tone....he had to clear out all his doubts today..."dad can i ask you for something today?"he quiped not expecting a no from his father atleast today..."sure armaan...anything for you son....is it the new mercedes model u want????"...armaan smiled...thats his dad...never thinks anything less than the very best...perfect...but he went on with his question..."dad... i think i have reached that age now...i need to know about u n mum...from the start"....armaan had seen his mother not much....she stayed to herself...or maybe armaan stayed with his father all the time....he knew she loved him and muskaan n their father alot but also knew that she was not a fit in them...she was way too emotional...thought about everything with her heart...love was her world....interupting his thoughts samrat said "yeh i gues its time...well here it goes....your mother and i met at oxford law school"...wat????she was a law student and i never knew????i mean she never mentioned....samrat continued observing armaan's silent rusing..."she was beautiful intelligent smart...perfect for an aspiring man like me who wanted to touch heights in life...she would be the perfect support i need in a life partner i realised...so i asked her out...and well considering i was not one of those rich oxford students her yes to me came as a suprise to many young suitors in our batch who would be perfect for her family"...samrat let the information sink in....he knew armaan had hungered for this story for years now...well samrat was gona give it to him today.... the truh...the truth retold samrat's way though....he continued "we kept seeing each other after our first date...we liked being together...your mother was unlike people from her class of the society...she liked to live in style but at the same time she was humble and that was her charm....she did not look for that perfect bloodline in the man of her dreams and so we fit well...her father , a leading barrister, and the owner of the extremely successful Mittal law firm, however had the usual opinions of fathers from such families...and did not approve of us much....her mother had been long dead....when we finally got married against his wishes he gave in to the choice of the only child and heir to his huge empire...and i proved to be a worthy son in law, he realized with time, so he tranfered the rights to the property from Radhika's name to our joint control before he died of sudden heart stroke"...samrat thought within...yeh that sounds perfect....their is no need for armaan to know the cause of heart stroke was Mittal's discovery of the fact that i had married radhika with the intentions to rule over his empire...o well whereever u are sasurji u must be proud of how well iv done the job much better than u much more practical no silly donations...well radhika does some i dont let her do much of that wastage anymore....not from my shares atleast...coming back to armaan he spoke again "your mother was shattered by her father's sad demise and gave up on legal profession for good...we argued about it alot...i wanted her to stay she was the perfect partner with me...but no...her emotions....she never understood the word ambition...since then we have just been growing adrift...she transfered all rights of the firm to me keeping some personal property in her name...since she wanted to quit and said i could manage well the work" samrat said this dramatically with moist eyes...."armaan i was broken by her act....but i realised how much faith the old man had displayed in me and so continued to work and have done that all these years single handedly ...while your mother lives with her emotinal loss and such excuses in her own world...i miss the sparkling beauty with brains i married who had the world at her feet n wanted it so...she just abandoned it all...and me along with it...."samrat now had tears....armaan stopped him from speaking and said "thats it father...i dont want any more details i am sorry to have brought up old memories which hurt you so much....we will never discuss her again i promise, and you will not be alone much longer i will join you as a successful law graduate, and together we will scale new heights!"...samrat smiled...it had all worked...never will he have to explain the past again...of how radhika after her fathers death n samrats taking over had started to see a change in him...and slowly she just resorted to relinquishing her rights and give up all of this for she lost faith in life...the man she had loved married and borne 2 kids with wasnt there anymore....she couldnt live with it...but for her kids she decided to stay in the same house and do for them all she could from a bit of distance...well samrat ensured they dint become too attched to her....and so it had been for all these years...samrat sighed with satisfaction as he saw armaans resolve to succeed his father...thats what he had wanted....n now all he needed was muskaan to be married of to the grewal's only son rahul...perfect collaboration....armaan meanwile thought...mum u broke my dad and his support....he loved u and u did this....well armaan theres 2 things for u now....never fall in love....n reach where ur destined to be the top of the legal world!....
~falshback ends~
coming back to reality again armaan thought well dad um gona give u great news!!!...aloud he said "dad muskaan fell in love!!"...seeing him frown he further spoke..."with rahul grewal my chum from cambridge????hes a wonderful guy dad n they both tohgether will do great!!!"...samrat could not believe his ears...was this all really happening....but wait his arch rival shashank gupta had told him just a couple of days ago that the cards were in for rahul and his daughter...what was her name....ridhima ...yeh thats wat..."armaan r u sure....u know about the gupta firm...well shashank told me his daughter and rahul wr going to be tying the knot soon????"...armaan smiled..."dad...that WAS going to happen....but isnt anymore..." and he explained the whole story to his father....samrat smiled...his son was going to manage the mailk empire perfectly...he could handle everything!!!!
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~Part 2~
Shashank frowned deep in thought. ridhima had retired to her bedroom after their short talk...she told him rahul liked someone else. she never mentioned who, and it had seemed she was hiding something...he wondered what until he got a call...from none other than Anshuman grewal, rahul's father. could u believe that man's audacity he did not mention ridhima even once...no, he had called to invite the gupta's to his son's wedding with muskaan...THE MUSKAAN MALIK....shashank couldn't take it anymore he felt like he had been beaten down three ends...ridz his own daughter, the less said about her the better she dint deserve to be a gupta heiress, grewals...how could they have done this to him????and that Anshuman, dint think it befitting to even offer an explaination, no he talked like they had never discussed a prospective wedding between their kids...and lastly that bloke...Samrat...he ought to be sent back to the gutters he came from...he was a big shot today that slug, but shashank n he had been together at oxford and he knew where this so called malik empire headed from. it had started back then when radhika turned him down, him, shashank, for that 'hailing from the slums' samrat malik...well she had received her punishments...samrat had shown his true colors way too soon, shashank smirked thinking of the way Mittal empire converted to Malik empire!!!but then he remembered the current events and frowned again, draining his vodka in a single go...they all let him down...n how could he face that samrat now with this second snatch he had made from shashank....he could just see that sneering face looming large before him....and he would just have to attend the wedding too...obligations cant be overlooked at statures like his...slowly...he gave in to his disturbed sleep taking over his active thoughts and slumped on the bar table itself...
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~rahul-muskaan wedding~
ridhima loked around with that fake smile fixed o her face...the one she was forced to carry on at all these socialite events. she had been there just 10mins so far n it felt like eternity...she just wanted to get back home to her room where she could be herself again....*splash*...omg my saree..."oh no "she started and looked up to see....HIM???AGAIN???was she dreaming again???it had been happening to her lately all this hallucinating about his presence and stuff...but wait he was real this time...really????...her heart skipped a beat as he took a couple of tissues and started wiping the stains off her dress, while grinning and saying "i am so sorry...its just the excitement...my sister and best friend getting married...dream come true...i just did not see where i was...hey hang on...we have met right????"...god here i was unable to sleep with his images flashing in my dreams n this guy is not even sure if he even knows me...aloud she said "yes...ridhima gupta....n u r are armaan malik????....wait did u say ur sister????"....armaan quickly realised who she was...OMG she of all the people....and now i hav to explain who the girl is...the one rahul loved...o man...this is so not gonna be pleasant..."yes my sister muskaan....she is the girl i told u about...rahul and she are madly in love with each other..."he said all of this with a happiness he couldnt hide, but with certain caution in his tone not sure of her reaction, not like it mattered but still...he had been the intermediary for the whole issue...and the one thing armaan did not like was anybody in the world not thinking well of him...."oh so its your sister...heavens....u must be happy...its awsome they are getting together if they love each other so much...i hope they live happily" she said...wow armaan thought...she does the obligation quite neatly...hang on...is it me...or is she genuine about what she just said....no kidding...she looks like she really means it n is happy about it....wow girl gotta give it to u what world are u from???? "thanx i hope so too....they are perfect for each other...er ridhima....so ummm...well yeh have fun at the wedding....i'll see you around!...o n sorry about the saree....u need a change????i can get my cousin sisters to help u out they are helping muskaan get ready..."..."no thats fine i have to leave soon anyways, my father has clashing commitments so we will have to go soon...but i am happy to know the couple is such a lovely one....wish for their happy married life..."she smiled a warm smile....wow she thought um not jittery anymore with him....see ridzi...it was just a first time seeing the hunk effect....now ur fine....wont be hllucinating no more...and she walked off....he turned to watch her walk by....shaking his head still finding it wierd he was sure now....her reaction had been not only unexpected but trully meant...just dont see how she is a GUPTA HEIRESS...way too soft a target man...well i hope miss ridhima gupta u get a guy who can stand up for u....u dont seem close to be doing that for urself in life....but...well....something about her...innocence perhaps....was making him smile slightly as he thought all this....o no no that's not why i am smiling....i am smiling cause its the happiest day in my life...muskaan n rahul....he smiled again....his endearing smile.. flashing those dimples....
The scene did not escape 2 sharp pairs of eyes....n both had the same thought in their fast scheming minds....samraat and shashank.... from different spots had seen the short conversation between armaan and ridhima, though both could not hear the words exchanged, but they felt a connection...a piece falling in place in the jigsaw....a perfect chance for vengence....well not just that....a bonus lucrative collaboration as well!!!!
*********
ridhima had observed armaan at work for muskaans wedding for that short period she was there....but she left with her father right after the garlands were exchanged...she was feeling relaxed after days of restlessness...relaxed yet excited....somewhere inside was a contentment of having seen him for real...and today she had seen as she figured out the real armaan...a loving brother....and a dear friend....an ideal son....his happiness and enthusiasm had been dripping in each action....and as she watched him move all over the place for errands she loved the idea of how emotional he was....so unlike the rich brats she had been seeing over the past 2 years....she felt happy that she had not read him wrong he was indeed what she had thought....someone who cared about feelings and emotions very deeply....an essential trait she had hoped for in the guy she would share her life with....she felt in that one short evening god had answered her question....he was perhaps gona indeed be her man....but then she frowned slightly....why would he think about her the same way????both their meetings had shown him to be courteously nice to her....but nothing more nothing less...just the way you would be with someone who's a mere aquaintance....she sighed...well she thought...god um leaving it to you to decide...i am not too good at that anyways.....i can just wish thats all i ever do....can never take real actions....have my father's ideals and reputation to consider...the whole gupta girl thing u know.....please god....think like me and fix us up!!!
*********
Shashank had observed ridhima's serene happy look during the one hour drive back home....he had never spent much time with her as a father...but his shrewd brain had enabled him to know his daughter quite a bit...well enough to figure out that the armaan ridhima link he had felt at the party wasnt a figment of his imagination...there was something...n even if it was trivial, shashank knew how to make things big if needed....n anyways for the first time he felt like he was gona ask ridhima for something she wouldnt want to deny to him...that makes life easy he thought smirking to himself....finally retiring for the night, he decided to talk to ridhima the following morning itself....the party hadnt been the worst thing to happen to him afterall....
**********
Armaan sat on the stairs....staring at the life size portrait of muskaan and him from their first rakhi...she was a tiny baby....and he was a little boy...someone(not visible in the picture) was holding her fragile hand and helping her tie the rakhi on armaan's wrist. he smiled through tears....miss u kid he thought....but rahul will keep u happy...he remembered what ridhima had said...lovely couple...happy married life...he smiled....n then frowned almost instantaneously....no what the heck made me think of her????its ok dude...ur just tired....he was brought back from his thoughts as he turned around to see who had gripped his shoulder from behind...."dad!" he hugged samrat...."i am so happy for muski dad....rahul n she are perfect...."...samrat chose his words carefully..."i would wish to see you settled just as happily son..."...armaan broke away from the hug slightly and looked at his father with a face which had too many expressions at the same time....too many to be read simultaneously anyways....samrat continued..."do u have someone in mind????"...armaan now gave his father a complete dumbstruck look..."dad???" he started..."what brings you to this topic????"..."well you know how my married life has been armaan...i have everything except happiness..."he said with a solemn look..."and i know what that feels like....seeing muskaan so happy today gave me immense pleasure and my only remaining wish is to see you the same way...afterall you both are all there is too my life...all this work and business is gona keep getting better in your hands i know that and i am not worried....but its time for you to settle in life as well....which brings me back to my question....do u have someone in mind????"....armaan replied instantaneously, "no dad u know i dont believe in all this matrimony stuff....i mean with rahul n kid its different....they are an exception to the word called love....i just want to focus on malik empire n nothing more....."even as he rattled off these words armaan felt a tug in the back of his head....but he could not pin down what was feeling out of place in the words he had just uttered....samrat meanwile tried another way...."armaan....i actually....well....have someone in mind....its all your wish son....i would never want to force anything upon you its your life n happiness and ur the best judge....but its just that after i saw u both together today at the wedding it made me think...."...he paused to see armaans reaction...getting none he continued..."i am talking about ridhima gupta..."...there....he hit bull's eye he was sure....armaans expression reaffirmed the connection samrat had felt click during the wedding...even if it is trivial he thought i know how to make it big if needed....armaan meanwile taken completely off guard stammered "r r r ridhima????"getting back his nerves..."dad???i dont even know her....just from that cafe meet where we sorted out things so she would move out of rahul and muskaans way....thats all...there is nothing more to the story...i mean...dad...wat even made u think of her"....samrat knowing this wasnt gona be easy....but certainly not impossible....spoke "well there's quite a few reasons...my essential reason...the girl herself...the way u described her talk from your first meet, and the way i saw u both today for that very short conversation, which i dint overhear dont worry,...i figure she is ideally the girl to be in the malik household....cultured, well educated, rich and....beautiful" he added the last word in the softest voice but with great emphasis, the effect was obvious....for the first time he saw his son blush....just slightly...but blush....determined to hit the home run samrat went on..."armaan like i said its ur life....and i know you will not agree with the reason i just gave....so here's some fodder for ur practical head....her last name GUPTA....does that do the trick???...u are of course well aware of the implication of that name...n the joint implication of the names GUPTA and MALIK right????" giving him a slight pause to put 2 and 2 together, samrat went on, in a softer tone this time, "but son that fact is only to make u reason with sense....essentially...i love the girl...i wish for a daughter in law just like her....she would be the support every man needs in a wife....the support i was deprived of....i dont want u to miss on that....well anyways its getting late....just think about it....there is no force u know i have always let muskaan and u take your own decisions...." ....with that he walked towards his bedroom....leaving a baffled armaan behind....
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~Part 3~
There....perfectly finished....good job samrat....armaan definitely has something with that girl...of course it isnt love....but even if it is a flicker of attraction....my point about guptas and malik should be enough to hit the sensitive spot in his business oriented mind...and at the same time...he will never think thats all i was interested in anyways....i still play the good daddy role for him....well he doesnt know about that loser shashank n me at oxford together and never will....so he can never come to conclusions other than my concern for him....and if i have groomed him right, his professional ambition will make him see how lucrative this idea is....and since that girl is so obviously unlike her father...she will be easy to handle just like radhika once she is here...its the second most perfect deal after my marriage....and like the previous time...there is nothing to lose....afterall...if she is any trouble...its armaans life...he will handle it...and i will get to see the biggest collaboration in the history of london...GUPTA-GREWAL-MALIK tie....n i am the link....simply perfect...shashank...here i come with my third n biggest hit!
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~breakfast: gupta mansion~
"ridhima beta, i dont think thats enough breakfast to last u the whole day...have some more toast..." ridz gasped though not visibly hearing those words....oh no! she thought....am i at the threshold of another meeting with a suitor eligible to marry me????heavens save me... so soon this time????...she took another toast anyways and waited for the new story...."beta i want to discuss something that may interest you greatly, you do have 20 minutes to discuss i am assuming..." here goes....well dad if i told you i am getting late for my literature and dramatics class at univ would you let me go???no way....do i ever have the 'NO' option????...shashank knew that ridz wasnt happy with where this discussion was heading, but he knew equally well how the discussion was likely to end on a complete reversal of her mood....he continued..."u do know a certain young lad who goes by the name armaan malik....????"..she gasped a second time and this time it was a visible reaction...dam she thought....dont tell me now father can penetrate my mind as well, along with every other aspect of my life....gosh...does the word privacy apply to anything connected with this tortured soul ridhima gupta...how did father know what i have been undergoing for the last few weeks...ok deep breathing ridzi....listen him out first....seeing her silent but obvious reaction , shashank repeated " u do know him dont u beta????"..."iv had the chance to make his pleasant aquaintence father..." she replied with a strained prudence...."pleasant u say????indeed....he is an agreeable fellow....befitting all parameters of perfection...his father and i graduated together from oxford...so did his mother in fact...."...his mother...that seemed to ring an alarm in ridzi's head somewhere... she couldnt quite pin down what it was right then however....this conversation was preoccupying all the capable thinking grey cells in her head....interupting her chain of thoughts shashank said..."well i have been thinking....and i wondered if you think well enough of the boy to perhaps go out with him for coffee sometime???"....since when did father start asking me about my opinions????reading her thoughts shashank added swiftly "i figured after the rahul fiasco beta, that i really must start taking your consent for decisions in your life. you are grown up and mature enough to know what suits you best...."...there that puts the ball in the net shashank silently smirked....c'mon girl....answer me with the obvious yes you have been wanting to say...."yes father, i do think a conversation with him is worth a chance, but...." shashank looked at her....BUT????now what...."but what beta....is something bothering you????" "well i hope you do not mind me asking, but when did you talk to his family about this???cause i met him yesterday and did not get the impression of his being aware of any such set up..." ...wow this girl can actually think????with what????o well i guess i should owe this to the charms of that slugs son....she must be smitten by him totally....to actually have been able to think out this question..."well that's right beta i have not talked to samrat yet...that's armaans dad...but i wanted to ask you about your thoughts before i made a move this time....its your life after all...." OMG now this really cant be happening....father actually waited to ask me before talking to malik uncle...ummm...future sasur ji...and she blushed....aloud she said "well father now that you have my answer you can handle your way....please excuse me, i have to reach my class in the next half an hour"...with that she made a hasty exit before the conversation rolled into any other unwanted direction.....smiling shying blushing all at the same time....
**********
~malik mansion~
"wake up son...dont u have morning class today???" armaan smiled slightly in his sleepy stupor hearing the voice of his idol, his father early morning...that was rare he thought with his half dazed mind....then it all came back his conversation with dad last night.....he opened his eyes...."good morning dad....i took a day off cause of muskaan's wedding...but looks like you took the day off too????" samrat smiled seeing how smartly armaan had asked him the reason which has eventuated this early morning father son conversation...."yes i have, i figured we should spend time together today since you and i are both likely to miss muskaan on this first day the home will not see or hear that chirpy girl... the life of malik mansion...." hearing this armaan completely forgot why his dad was here and his thoughts went to his sister....n then he thought....how considerate of his father to think this way....n here he was thinking dad had come for his answer.....armaan felt a wee bit guilty for the quick judgement...while samrat who could read his son like an open book knew exactly what he was thinking....its so easy to deal with u armaan...ur way too smart for the whole world, but i still remain your father....bowled you over with my consideration and love dint i????n he smiled....armaan hugged him n said "you are right dad, gime 15minutes to freshen up and join you for breakfast...."i will be waiting for u son "he smiled that same endearing smile...armaan had definitely got his dad's looks...and the charms which failed on no one any age....they had been samrat's single secret weapon in captivating a rich girl years ago....radhika had loved samrat for the man he was no doubt but the looks definitely help turning the tables to ur preferred direction....
Armaan came down...his hair still wet from the shower, looking casually handsome in his black and blue jumper suit, he had never had to put efforts into stealing the show as far as charm was concerned, mused samrat looking at his son....u have to agree with this deal armaan he thought, that girl should be as easy target....already looked like she was falling for you, and i know the way u handle the ladies in your life, it wont be hard in the least for you of all the people to play your charms on her, only if you are willing to play this game....you will.... i know you....aloud he said...."juice????" armaan smiled..perfect diet food for the morning....his dad was fit and active at this age because of how conscious he was about his health, and armaan himself has inherited all of those genes...the charm..the looks...the addiction to being fit to work best...."yeh dad...orange please...so did muskaan confirm where she and rahul plan to go for their honeymoon...i believe they were deciding between the caribean zone or the west american coast...." "yeh she said they decided upon the caribbean the oceans and beaches and beauty is sure to turn on any couple!!!" samrat said with just the calculated amount of mischief the father of a new bride could be permitted.... "i am so happy for her armaan...she has found all the happiness in the love of her life...god bless the angel...." armaan smiled again....and then he thought it was time he answered his dad's question from last night....he remembered having dozed off thinking and re thinking all what his dad had said last night....he knew his dad would never mention it again unless he felt armaan wanted the topic reopened...but he had seen the night before a different facet of samrat... how deeply his father felt about the issue for armaan's happiness and he felt the least his dad deserved was an answer....samrat meanwile could see the topic was coming up soon...he just relaxed waiting for armaan to make his first move....somehow he felt knew he shouldn't expect a straight yes....but he had worked all night on thinking of all possible answers that could come his way and how he could counter them in the most subtle ways....he would get into action depending on armaans reply...till then it was just the 'wait and watch armaam start the topic' phase....
************
~Part 4~
"Dad iv been thinking about what u said last night "started armaan...about time samrat thought....just giving him that 'I am listening ' look....."n well, cant say i have come to a concrete yes or no decision....i mean, i just feel it would be great if i could get some more time to think over the situation....i will be honest it came as a total suprise proposal to me last night when u mentioned it and all iv had time for is to think with great confusion and then sleep over it....its about my life...well i dont really care about the personal aspect since i dont care about all this matrimony stuff....but i do want to consider the issue professionally....ummmm....well yeh....thats what....." he ended...waiting for samrat's reaction....to himself he thought...i did not really think of what i was gona say to you father before i started speaking but here's your reply for now...i hope u wont be disappointed....i dont quite understand where exactly my confusion is....cause like u said its the perfect deal sealing relation i could dream of....the perfect start to my new life after i graduate in a month from now...but somewhere....i just seem to be getting a nagging doubt..... whether or not this is a justified way to attain what i want in life....duno what makes me think like that....samrat who had interrupted neither armaans spoken nor unspoken chain of thoughts so far now quipped in..."i am proud of u armaan....."...seeing his raised eyebrows, he continued "you know armaan thats what i appreciate best about you....you think logically about stuff and dont get swept by emotions even if it was a statement from your own dad...but son there's something i want to add...i know ur looking at this proposal only professionally....however if you decide in positive for it i will be the happiest father in the world...muskaan is happy....and i love that girl ridhima...i know she will make your life a living heaven....cant wait to see both my kids happily settled...of course that doesnt mean you have to hurry....take your thinking time" finished off samrat....now wasnt that what u call shooting the Dunk in basketball son....good work samrat....take ur time son....i know ways of not letting that be a long one!!!...but the answer i just gave you should essentially let you figure out that i expect nothing but yes....n without any visible force!!!alright shashank...time i call you now....we have a deal here old fellow....a deal you cant refuse....n armaan may be confused right now....though why he's confused isnt quite a clear picture to me....but i know how to wipe out all his ambiguities....son....i dont think u know the famous gupta heiress is a student at cambridge too....its time for your 'Coincidental meet'....he had an evil grin pasted inside his head....visibly he just gave his son a look which was a blend of happiness involved in the dream he was seeing for his happy future and a pride having fathered a son like him....
***********
~At Fabric club~
"We will have two large vodka, umm yeh add a plate of onion rings to go with that...." shashank said to the waitress, then looked back at samrat giving him that 'i assume we still have the same taste' look....samrat's call in the morning had been short, unexpected and not quite self explainatory. but in the time between the call and this scheduled meeting, shashank had figured that they were both on the same track once again in life, except that they were not rivals this time....well atleast not for now....samrat on the other hand had given shashank a gap between the call and the actual meet to let his creativity flow....somewhere he too could sense that they were both upto the same thing....n that made him smile inside....what better than to agree on a plan like this forgetting past records...that meant half work done....with shashank and his agreement over this wedding stamped n that emotional girl being an easy target, armaan was the only move he had to make for check and mate.....which he anticipated could not be exceedingly hard....seeing that they were all set to get down to business he spoke up "well old friend, hows it been going all these years....growing empire and a beautiful young talented daughter.....you dont seem too bad...." "yeh not bad at all....so when did you take the oppertunity to notice my daughter " shashank patted himelf for the question ur turn now samrat...."well close to the time u were busy approving my son for her....i would say we had certain synchronism without actually planning it out....muskaan's wedding was one happening evening wouldnt u agree mate?" that's a six on ur spin ball shanx, wats next....."i see you were occupied observing not just your future daughter in law but her father as well....but i agree...synchronism it is indeed....n lets skip these subtleties....what terms did you plan for the collaboration????" shashank asked, not wanting to waste too much time putting each other down....there would be chances for that in due course of time....samrat on the other hand had won over shashank everytime cause he made his moves with complete calculation....he answered "so i safely presume u approve of this marriage...."getting an impatient nod from shanshank "and does ridhima?" "samrat, do you have to ask the obvious???i wouldnt be sitting here with you without a confirmed backup...now can you stop digressing from the point...." "in that case, i figured we 3 could set an unprecedented record..."seeing a confused expression n thinking within himself, ur alwayz such a slow coach mate, he resumed "u me n grewal of course....u dint forget rahul married my daughter did u????" now that pun should touch a sensitive spot shashank i know n it was intended as u will figure out i assume....but i need u to know explicitly who will be the boss post collaboration....among the four future heirs 2 are mine and thats a fact i wont let u or grewal overlook....letting his comment drive the nail well inside he resumed "so i guessed it should be equal shares for all four kids....." shashank looked at him with a bowled over look n thought...oh god why did i not think he would do this....such an obvious move for him....he spoke up "well that does give u a tremendous edge....what makes you think grewal n i will comply????" samrat had been ready for this....such an obvious question shanx n put forth so directly....ah well, that's why u always lose to me mate..."well theres more reasons than u can count off on ur fingers but lets begin with the main ones....if i am not wrongly informed you have been trying but in vain to hook up ridhima with suitable heirs from all over london....but this time without effort things really did fall into place....she likes armaan, n so u know there would be no issues for once in her life....grewal doesnt interfere much with rahul's decisions he isnt like u and me u very well know that....n rahul n armaan will never work without a collaboration of equal divides between them they are heartfelt best friends....lets sum this down to the fact that the trump card here is ARMAAN MALIK....and since he does what i say everybody does what i say....does that seem reason enough for now shanshank????" i leave the ball now in your court mate, thought samrat....but i know u still have to play the game my way!!!!shashank was disgruntled by this upper hand samrat would reign with, but the whole set up was so tempting...to be associated with the biggest ever collaboration in the history of this queen's city....he just could not let it go....and he knew samrat had this figured out....well i'll beat u in your home court the moment i get the chance dude....but for now...."deal it is then....where do u propose to begin???is armaan on the game???" "well he is almost....but not quite....so now we need to join hands to get him on to the deal....they r both studying at cambridge...here's my bait....."....n so he revealed his masterplan covering all minute details n by the end of it shashank had to agree this man knew exactly what the word 'foolproof' implied...."done...ur on" he said n they both went their own way after sealing the deal with a handshake...
***********
~next day cambridge univ scene 1~
inside the girls green rooms "ridzi are you all set its your scene next, n u know well this show is selling houseful thanx to ur name heading the list of artists....we want no mistakes" ridz smiled hearing her instructor's commanding yet encouraging tone. ms. emily winick was her drama literature class instructor, it was thanks to her skill as a teacher that ridz had found the true first love in her work....enacting rich literature based plays....well she smiled to herself...her first loves....armaan might be a name on that list soon....or was he alreday there....she blushed deeply...."perfect " she heard emily again...."thats the perfect look for the proposal scene....i am so poud of you ridz...this is the final rehersal before the play will start its one week long shows tomorrow....we are all counting on you....you know this isnt just about us making big as a team....its about the charity the tickets will amount to....our sponsor has funded us all through with this play only because we promised to donate the earnings to charity...and she really really cares about how well this will turn out....we dont want to let her down....not just for her financial back up but for the wonderful intentions she has...right???" ridzi smiled in agreement...and then something struck her and she asked "hey emily, who is this sponsor anyways i still did not get to meet her...." well she doesnt want to be revealed not even to the cast....." slightly disappointed ridzi said "but i really wanted to meet her....atleast once...."...."well maybe i can show her to you from a distance....she will be in the audience today for the final rehersal...she does not want to attned the main shows as someone might spot or recognize her....how about i point her out to you today....thereafter its your way of how you talk to her alright???" emily knew ridz could be trusted with confidential information....and she knew the only motive ridz could have in meeting this generous donator was to thank her....so she conceeded.....ridz gave her a thank a ton smile n got prepared to her scene.....
*************
"yes sir i will call you as soon as i see Ms gupta finishes her performance without her getting suspicious..... i will do exactly as you have instructed me to...absolutely sir...yes i know the consequences of failing to carry out your orders sir "steve finished off the last sentence quietly...he had served the guptas for over 25 years....from before ridhimas baby's birth.....n was deeply attached to the girl as an elder of the family would be....he felt bad about being involved in a plot....he dint even know the motive only the part that involved his action...well he just had no options but to do as was told....
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~meanwile...~
i'm sitting at the wheel
i got a green light
not afraid of nothin' cuz heart and soul
i'm built for life
so let the engine roar
push the pedal down
i want the white lines on the highway
to lead me out of town
i'm rolling on and on and on
who knows where i'm goin'?
life is an open road - it's the best story never told
it's an endless sky ' it's the deepest sea
life is an open road to me
life is an open road to me......armaan lowered the volume of one his favorite bryan adams' number as he heard his cell ringing....dad???? "hello dad!..." "where are you right now armaan?i need to meet you..." huh????but i just left home an hour ago armaan thought "right now dad????well i was heading towards univ basket ball court for the practice session...but i can drive back home if its urgent...." "no i will meet you there in half an hour...at Baristo....be there for sure....it is important indeed..." with that he cut the call as abrubtly as he had dialled the number, not giving armaan a chance to cross question....armaan meanwile was baffled....wat could it be....i hope everything is fine....half an hour before i know whats the issue....hmmmmm....thinking he parked his benz into its usual spot outside the basketball court....stepping in he smiled....court...this word was the first and only love of his life....be it the basket ball court or the law court!!!!he loved them both with complete passion....at the back of his head however he still wondered what it was his father wanted to talk about..so much so that it couldnt wait the duration of his game even.....frowning slightly he started his warm up laps...i will just have to wait i guess.....
**************
"shashank its the basketball court close to the southern side of the campus.....there is a wonderful small but chic cafe in the vicinity....Baristo de cafe.....perfect spot for the plan"....."consider the job done samrat"..."well ur on mate!!!cheers to the part one accomplished!!!" both men put the phones down with smug smiles......
***************
well here it goes....
*edit*
ps: this was, like i said, my first... returning to it occasionally, or even lesser times i find it embarrassingly amateurish... if any of my current readers venture upon this fic, after having read later, and in my opinion better fics of mine, this is warning you to not be severely disappointed in whatever expectations you may hold! :)
thats said, enjoy, if you still will!
~INTRODUCTION~
She looked around, waiting to see who it was gona be this time, her face reflected her dim enthusiasm for the afternoon ahead....everytime she resolved to have an end put to this her family came up with a new deal....DEAL...perfect word for these blind dates set up by her dad....deals they were indeed... deals in the making... same story everytime, "ridz beta you must understand so and so is a really nice boy.." (he meant his father is another one of those potbellied rich millionaires striking a collaboration with whom will take the family heritage to even greater heights if thats even a possibilty), "he's just perfect for you and our family, rich mature well educated...wat more can u ask for???"
right dad...i couldn't ask for anymore...the thing is...can i ask for less???like a usual boy next door who would love me to bits just for being me RIDHIMA n not RIDHIMA GUPTA, the heir to the huge empire called Gupta Legal Offices??? but i guess thats what life is like when you are born in that perfect home where you name it and you have it...that's how i grew up, getting everything much before i asked for it or even knew what it was about...and mind you i got only the very best...the best clothes toys books music mansions cars...n now...the best eligible bachelors in town...for heavens sake....someone save me from this perfection...can i ever be allowed the lifestyle of a mere mortal living on the face of this planet????why can it not ever be about me, why is it alwayz about that young gupta girl whose life iv been leading for over two decades now...please get me out of this mess someone....
"hey...ridhima is it???"....i turned around with a slight frown...who's it now? doesnt he know its rude to interupt a lady's thoughts...."yeh that's me i said...do i know you???"looking at him however i wished i did...OMG....wat was this guy a live walking talking greek god incarnation????help me someone....um gona faint..can somebody actually look that good????OMG he's just perfect....dam u ridz....no no no plzzzz....remember nothing more perfect....you cant possibly survive another perfection in ur life...get a grip girl....who is he anyway..."well no you dont know me...not essentially atleast... but you were supposed to meet up with someone here so i'd expect you know the name...rahul grewal..." he paused looking at my dazed look...."r u alright????" he continued....dude bad question...can u expect a normal girl to be alright after a mere glance t you....oh hang on rahul grewal???thast the guy dad arranged me to meet up with this time???OMG dad i have to give it to you for knowing how to allure me ....wat a hunk...good taste my old man has u gotta agree...and what class....he was still looking at me ....and suddenly duno how i zapped out my dreamworld..."oh rahul...oh yeh...dad told me to see you here....ummm....nice to meet you"..."the pleasures all mine lady, " he smiled...OMG um really gona faint...were those dimples????OMG OMG...."but the name is armaan...armaan malik...."...armaan...perfect....desire...wow...whoever named him must have been a big brain....perfect match....shit that P word again....ridzi...ur losing it....hang on...armaan he said???but rahul....o man....wats happening....i shot him a questioning look....he smiled again (dont do that dude...u should be locked behind bars....how many girls in london did u kill with that smile of yours????ridz....NOW THIS IS THE LIMIT....WHERE THE HECK DID YOU PICK THAT CHEESY LINE FROM???...interupting my thoughts for the umpteenth time he continued "yeh um armaan...rahul's friend...i know he was supposed to meet you..but he has sent me...because," he paused trying to find the best words ...all i could think of is rahul where are you man...i need to so thank you for making me meet this guy....is he for real????like from this world itself?????....he resumed " well u know y u both were supposed to meet up...n well rahul couldnt talk his dad into not setting up this meeting, cause he loves someone dearly....and he wanted no issues for himself or you by having this whole thing happen...but u know these big shot dads....who can ever explain to them that there's world beyond name and fame...u know wat i mean???" he looked at me....fumbling with expressions not quite certain if he had made his point....thats when i took over...smiled at him reassuringly...now he was talking "of course i know what that means....thats exactly how i grew up remember????anyways...u must thank your friend on my behalf....i wanted nothing differnt" ...n well i just have to thank him to have sent you...i thought..."so you love someone else too??"...i jerked up at his question....was that a jealous look on his face...yipee!!!hang on...nah not really...guess its more like i wanted to see the jealous look...he seemed to be genuine ....like just curious....so i said(i bit disappointed....well ok....more than a bit....)..."no i m not....theres other reasons...chuck it....coffee????"well how could i explain in words how i wanted a real home and a real loving family not a deal sealing relation....even though i was all smitten by this guy...n would love to hook him into a conversation no mater what...i was still so myself....just never able to express this innermost desire of mine....stil living behind that young gupta girl mask....but wait hey...did i ask him for coffee???omg....ridzi wat the heck...did u hav to sound so...."yeh sure" he said...interupting yet again...dude will u leme think out my thoughts completely for once????newaz....chuck thinking....ur having coffee with him ....WITH HIM....OMG!!!
~Part 1~
"Yeh dude i fixed it all for u...yeh no trouble....infact she was quite easy to manage...dint even have to mention muskaan's name...she seemed to have come with the plan to dump u as well!!!but just to save ur ego, not for another guy...just some reasons she dint prefer to mention n i wasnt dying to know them...i mean who cares anyways right....WAT???o c'mon...yeh well ok if u insist on knowing...yeh she was pretty i guess and had a certain different kind of charm...not the stylish chick look u expect from the usual ladies in our class though!!...anyways chum...peace for now...i'll catch up with you later!"
well well well....so wat was that all about armaan????i mean c'mon man...what lines...just perfect....rich dads...name n fame...importance of love....gosh rahul and muskaan i am gona get you both to save my neck from some deep soup like this too when the time comes...i mean what statements...n those coming out of me???armaan malik....wow!!!the guy who believes in No love is the only way to success, was preaching the hypocrisy involved in the lives of the rich and famous...ur too good man....u should so try making it in politics!!!well...that would be a good career i guess...i am good at it n it would bring me the name n fame i look upto....silly girl...what was her name...oh yeh ridhima...hmmm...cant believe she grew up in a house like that n thinks this way!!!...ring ring....oopz...who's that....omg dad..."yeh dad, i am on my way...yes i remember that well...dad please...u know me...um not even a graduate yet and i already have offers from the best law firms in the country...if you ever dreamt of expansions to the malik law officess its coming along, cause this top of the class law graduate,2008, armaan malik will join you so soon!!!!..." ..."i know son! thats the way u were groomed n you r doing the family proud! i am so happy both you and muskaan have have grown up like perfect malik children...no silly emotions to hamper your ways to success!..so what was the important thing you want to talk to me about???"
"patience dad...i will be with you in 10minutes...its important i talk to you in person..."..."right son, il see you"...
********
Get a grip ridz...it was just a guy...infact....he can never be your guy you could see that right...i mean he is way too perfect...Macho looks, Malik empire, Cambridge law school.... father would love him....well thats reason enough to believe that he isnt the one for me i guess...but hang on...i mean he thinks like me too remember...maybe he is also one of my class just trapped in the perfect maliks trying to get breathing space...he sure spoke like that....but did he mean it all???well i guess i did not really get time to analyse him much, just couldnt get out of that 'Struck by armaan daze'....wow wat was that guy....could he be the one for me god?????..."Ms gupta we are home," said steve her personal chauffeur...o in the name of heavens! another scene now....another lame explaination...another period of being practically grounded in those socialite parties until dad finds another suitable groom...."thanx steve!"..."hello father! i am back...."she said in a meek voice, so not looking forward to the scene that was gona take place next in the gupta mansion....
*********
"greetings dad!...how was your trip to france???did you strike the deal in the robinson case??i was following up through news...but would love to hear first hand...all my peers and professors have been asking me for the inside details....of course i know just who all i should really confide in...."he finished all that in a breath..sure was excited to see dad he thought...such prestige such position....well armaan ur going higher than that remember...."greetings to you to son...its so refreshing to be back home and see you...where is muskaan? i havent seen her?"...well finally we are coming to the topic....muskaan....thats what we have to talk about dad...n i am noticing you are not asking about mum as usual...well guess you know she must be deep in to her social work somewhere, some orphanage, some old age home....he had grown accustomed to these ways in his house over the past years of his life...
~flashback~
"cheers son! finally you are at the threshold of making my dream come true!" said Samrat malik raising toast to his son's acceptance to cambridge for his legal studies..."thanks dad!...where is mum???"..."o u know her must be somewhere involved in her social work," replied his father it seemed with a sarcastic yet disinterested tone....he had to clear out all his doubts today..."dad can i ask you for something today?"he quiped not expecting a no from his father atleast today..."sure armaan...anything for you son....is it the new mercedes model u want????"...armaan smiled...thats his dad...never thinks anything less than the very best...perfect...but he went on with his question..."dad... i think i have reached that age now...i need to know about u n mum...from the start"....armaan had seen his mother not much....she stayed to herself...or maybe armaan stayed with his father all the time....he knew she loved him and muskaan n their father alot but also knew that she was not a fit in them...she was way too emotional...thought about everything with her heart...love was her world....interupting his thoughts samrat said "yeh i gues its time...well here it goes....your mother and i met at oxford law school"...wat????she was a law student and i never knew????i mean she never mentioned....samrat continued observing armaan's silent rusing..."she was beautiful intelligent smart...perfect for an aspiring man like me who wanted to touch heights in life...she would be the perfect support i need in a life partner i realised...so i asked her out...and well considering i was not one of those rich oxford students her yes to me came as a suprise to many young suitors in our batch who would be perfect for her family"...samrat let the information sink in....he knew armaan had hungered for this story for years now...well samrat was gona give it to him today.... the truh...the truth retold samrat's way though....he continued "we kept seeing each other after our first date...we liked being together...your mother was unlike people from her class of the society...she liked to live in style but at the same time she was humble and that was her charm....she did not look for that perfect bloodline in the man of her dreams and so we fit well...her father , a leading barrister, and the owner of the extremely successful Mittal law firm, however had the usual opinions of fathers from such families...and did not approve of us much....her mother had been long dead....when we finally got married against his wishes he gave in to the choice of the only child and heir to his huge empire...and i proved to be a worthy son in law, he realized with time, so he tranfered the rights to the property from Radhika's name to our joint control before he died of sudden heart stroke"...samrat thought within...yeh that sounds perfect....their is no need for armaan to know the cause of heart stroke was Mittal's discovery of the fact that i had married radhika with the intentions to rule over his empire...o well whereever u are sasurji u must be proud of how well iv done the job much better than u much more practical no silly donations...well radhika does some i dont let her do much of that wastage anymore....not from my shares atleast...coming back to armaan he spoke again "your mother was shattered by her father's sad demise and gave up on legal profession for good...we argued about it alot...i wanted her to stay she was the perfect partner with me...but no...her emotions....she never understood the word ambition...since then we have just been growing adrift...she transfered all rights of the firm to me keeping some personal property in her name...since she wanted to quit and said i could manage well the work" samrat said this dramatically with moist eyes...."armaan i was broken by her act....but i realised how much faith the old man had displayed in me and so continued to work and have done that all these years single handedly ...while your mother lives with her emotinal loss and such excuses in her own world...i miss the sparkling beauty with brains i married who had the world at her feet n wanted it so...she just abandoned it all...and me along with it...."samrat now had tears....armaan stopped him from speaking and said "thats it father...i dont want any more details i am sorry to have brought up old memories which hurt you so much....we will never discuss her again i promise, and you will not be alone much longer i will join you as a successful law graduate, and together we will scale new heights!"...samrat smiled...it had all worked...never will he have to explain the past again...of how radhika after her fathers death n samrats taking over had started to see a change in him...and slowly she just resorted to relinquishing her rights and give up all of this for she lost faith in life...the man she had loved married and borne 2 kids with wasnt there anymore....she couldnt live with it...but for her kids she decided to stay in the same house and do for them all she could from a bit of distance...well samrat ensured they dint become too attched to her....and so it had been for all these years...samrat sighed with satisfaction as he saw armaans resolve to succeed his father...thats what he had wanted....n now all he needed was muskaan to be married of to the grewal's only son rahul...perfect collaboration....armaan meanwile thought...mum u broke my dad and his support....he loved u and u did this....well armaan theres 2 things for u now....never fall in love....n reach where ur destined to be the top of the legal world!....
~falshback ends~
coming back to reality again armaan thought well dad um gona give u great news!!!...aloud he said "dad muskaan fell in love!!"...seeing him frown he further spoke..."with rahul grewal my chum from cambridge????hes a wonderful guy dad n they both tohgether will do great!!!"...samrat could not believe his ears...was this all really happening....but wait his arch rival shashank gupta had told him just a couple of days ago that the cards were in for rahul and his daughter...what was her name....ridhima ...yeh thats wat..."armaan r u sure....u know about the gupta firm...well shashank told me his daughter and rahul wr going to be tying the knot soon????"...armaan smiled..."dad...that WAS going to happen....but isnt anymore..." and he explained the whole story to his father....samrat smiled...his son was going to manage the mailk empire perfectly...he could handle everything!!!!
*********
~Part 2~
Shashank frowned deep in thought. ridhima had retired to her bedroom after their short talk...she told him rahul liked someone else. she never mentioned who, and it had seemed she was hiding something...he wondered what until he got a call...from none other than Anshuman grewal, rahul's father. could u believe that man's audacity he did not mention ridhima even once...no, he had called to invite the gupta's to his son's wedding with muskaan...THE MUSKAAN MALIK....shashank couldn't take it anymore he felt like he had been beaten down three ends...ridz his own daughter, the less said about her the better she dint deserve to be a gupta heiress, grewals...how could they have done this to him????and that Anshuman, dint think it befitting to even offer an explaination, no he talked like they had never discussed a prospective wedding between their kids...and lastly that bloke...Samrat...he ought to be sent back to the gutters he came from...he was a big shot today that slug, but shashank n he had been together at oxford and he knew where this so called malik empire headed from. it had started back then when radhika turned him down, him, shashank, for that 'hailing from the slums' samrat malik...well she had received her punishments...samrat had shown his true colors way too soon, shashank smirked thinking of the way Mittal empire converted to Malik empire!!!but then he remembered the current events and frowned again, draining his vodka in a single go...they all let him down...n how could he face that samrat now with this second snatch he had made from shashank....he could just see that sneering face looming large before him....and he would just have to attend the wedding too...obligations cant be overlooked at statures like his...slowly...he gave in to his disturbed sleep taking over his active thoughts and slumped on the bar table itself...
**********
~rahul-muskaan wedding~
ridhima loked around with that fake smile fixed o her face...the one she was forced to carry on at all these socialite events. she had been there just 10mins so far n it felt like eternity...she just wanted to get back home to her room where she could be herself again....*splash*...omg my saree..."oh no "she started and looked up to see....HIM???AGAIN???was she dreaming again???it had been happening to her lately all this hallucinating about his presence and stuff...but wait he was real this time...really????...her heart skipped a beat as he took a couple of tissues and started wiping the stains off her dress, while grinning and saying "i am so sorry...its just the excitement...my sister and best friend getting married...dream come true...i just did not see where i was...hey hang on...we have met right????"...god here i was unable to sleep with his images flashing in my dreams n this guy is not even sure if he even knows me...aloud she said "yes...ridhima gupta....n u r are armaan malik????....wait did u say ur sister????"....armaan quickly realised who she was...OMG she of all the people....and now i hav to explain who the girl is...the one rahul loved...o man...this is so not gonna be pleasant..."yes my sister muskaan....she is the girl i told u about...rahul and she are madly in love with each other..."he said all of this with a happiness he couldnt hide, but with certain caution in his tone not sure of her reaction, not like it mattered but still...he had been the intermediary for the whole issue...and the one thing armaan did not like was anybody in the world not thinking well of him...."oh so its your sister...heavens....u must be happy...its awsome they are getting together if they love each other so much...i hope they live happily" she said...wow armaan thought...she does the obligation quite neatly...hang on...is it me...or is she genuine about what she just said....no kidding...she looks like she really means it n is happy about it....wow girl gotta give it to u what world are u from???? "thanx i hope so too....they are perfect for each other...er ridhima....so ummm...well yeh have fun at the wedding....i'll see you around!...o n sorry about the saree....u need a change????i can get my cousin sisters to help u out they are helping muskaan get ready..."..."no thats fine i have to leave soon anyways, my father has clashing commitments so we will have to go soon...but i am happy to know the couple is such a lovely one....wish for their happy married life..."she smiled a warm smile....wow she thought um not jittery anymore with him....see ridzi...it was just a first time seeing the hunk effect....now ur fine....wont be hllucinating no more...and she walked off....he turned to watch her walk by....shaking his head still finding it wierd he was sure now....her reaction had been not only unexpected but trully meant...just dont see how she is a GUPTA HEIRESS...way too soft a target man...well i hope miss ridhima gupta u get a guy who can stand up for u....u dont seem close to be doing that for urself in life....but...well....something about her...innocence perhaps....was making him smile slightly as he thought all this....o no no that's not why i am smiling....i am smiling cause its the happiest day in my life...muskaan n rahul....he smiled again....his endearing smile.. flashing those dimples....
The scene did not escape 2 sharp pairs of eyes....n both had the same thought in their fast scheming minds....samraat and shashank.... from different spots had seen the short conversation between armaan and ridhima, though both could not hear the words exchanged, but they felt a connection...a piece falling in place in the jigsaw....a perfect chance for vengence....well not just that....a bonus lucrative collaboration as well!!!!
*********
ridhima had observed armaan at work for muskaans wedding for that short period she was there....but she left with her father right after the garlands were exchanged...she was feeling relaxed after days of restlessness...relaxed yet excited....somewhere inside was a contentment of having seen him for real...and today she had seen as she figured out the real armaan...a loving brother....and a dear friend....an ideal son....his happiness and enthusiasm had been dripping in each action....and as she watched him move all over the place for errands she loved the idea of how emotional he was....so unlike the rich brats she had been seeing over the past 2 years....she felt happy that she had not read him wrong he was indeed what she had thought....someone who cared about feelings and emotions very deeply....an essential trait she had hoped for in the guy she would share her life with....she felt in that one short evening god had answered her question....he was perhaps gona indeed be her man....but then she frowned slightly....why would he think about her the same way????both their meetings had shown him to be courteously nice to her....but nothing more nothing less...just the way you would be with someone who's a mere aquaintance....she sighed...well she thought...god um leaving it to you to decide...i am not too good at that anyways.....i can just wish thats all i ever do....can never take real actions....have my father's ideals and reputation to consider...the whole gupta girl thing u know.....please god....think like me and fix us up!!!
*********
Shashank had observed ridhima's serene happy look during the one hour drive back home....he had never spent much time with her as a father...but his shrewd brain had enabled him to know his daughter quite a bit...well enough to figure out that the armaan ridhima link he had felt at the party wasnt a figment of his imagination...there was something...n even if it was trivial, shashank knew how to make things big if needed....n anyways for the first time he felt like he was gona ask ridhima for something she wouldnt want to deny to him...that makes life easy he thought smirking to himself....finally retiring for the night, he decided to talk to ridhima the following morning itself....the party hadnt been the worst thing to happen to him afterall....
**********
Armaan sat on the stairs....staring at the life size portrait of muskaan and him from their first rakhi...she was a tiny baby....and he was a little boy...someone(not visible in the picture) was holding her fragile hand and helping her tie the rakhi on armaan's wrist. he smiled through tears....miss u kid he thought....but rahul will keep u happy...he remembered what ridhima had said...lovely couple...happy married life...he smiled....n then frowned almost instantaneously....no what the heck made me think of her????its ok dude...ur just tired....he was brought back from his thoughts as he turned around to see who had gripped his shoulder from behind...."dad!" he hugged samrat...."i am so happy for muski dad....rahul n she are perfect...."...samrat chose his words carefully..."i would wish to see you settled just as happily son..."...armaan broke away from the hug slightly and looked at his father with a face which had too many expressions at the same time....too many to be read simultaneously anyways....samrat continued..."do u have someone in mind????"...armaan now gave his father a complete dumbstruck look..."dad???" he started..."what brings you to this topic????"..."well you know how my married life has been armaan...i have everything except happiness..."he said with a solemn look..."and i know what that feels like....seeing muskaan so happy today gave me immense pleasure and my only remaining wish is to see you the same way...afterall you both are all there is too my life...all this work and business is gona keep getting better in your hands i know that and i am not worried....but its time for you to settle in life as well....which brings me back to my question....do u have someone in mind????"....armaan replied instantaneously, "no dad u know i dont believe in all this matrimony stuff....i mean with rahul n kid its different....they are an exception to the word called love....i just want to focus on malik empire n nothing more....."even as he rattled off these words armaan felt a tug in the back of his head....but he could not pin down what was feeling out of place in the words he had just uttered....samrat meanwile tried another way...."armaan....i actually....well....have someone in mind....its all your wish son....i would never want to force anything upon you its your life n happiness and ur the best judge....but its just that after i saw u both together today at the wedding it made me think...."...he paused to see armaans reaction...getting none he continued..."i am talking about ridhima gupta..."...there....he hit bull's eye he was sure....armaans expression reaffirmed the connection samrat had felt click during the wedding...even if it is trivial he thought i know how to make it big if needed....armaan meanwile taken completely off guard stammered "r r r ridhima????"getting back his nerves..."dad???i dont even know her....just from that cafe meet where we sorted out things so she would move out of rahul and muskaans way....thats all...there is nothing more to the story...i mean...dad...wat even made u think of her"....samrat knowing this wasnt gona be easy....but certainly not impossible....spoke "well there's quite a few reasons...my essential reason...the girl herself...the way u described her talk from your first meet, and the way i saw u both today for that very short conversation, which i dint overhear dont worry,...i figure she is ideally the girl to be in the malik household....cultured, well educated, rich and....beautiful" he added the last word in the softest voice but with great emphasis, the effect was obvious....for the first time he saw his son blush....just slightly...but blush....determined to hit the home run samrat went on..."armaan like i said its ur life....and i know you will not agree with the reason i just gave....so here's some fodder for ur practical head....her last name GUPTA....does that do the trick???...u are of course well aware of the implication of that name...n the joint implication of the names GUPTA and MALIK right????" giving him a slight pause to put 2 and 2 together, samrat went on, in a softer tone this time, "but son that fact is only to make u reason with sense....essentially...i love the girl...i wish for a daughter in law just like her....she would be the support every man needs in a wife....the support i was deprived of....i dont want u to miss on that....well anyways its getting late....just think about it....there is no force u know i have always let muskaan and u take your own decisions...." ....with that he walked towards his bedroom....leaving a baffled armaan behind....
**********
~Part 3~
There....perfectly finished....good job samrat....armaan definitely has something with that girl...of course it isnt love....but even if it is a flicker of attraction....my point about guptas and malik should be enough to hit the sensitive spot in his business oriented mind...and at the same time...he will never think thats all i was interested in anyways....i still play the good daddy role for him....well he doesnt know about that loser shashank n me at oxford together and never will....so he can never come to conclusions other than my concern for him....and if i have groomed him right, his professional ambition will make him see how lucrative this idea is....and since that girl is so obviously unlike her father...she will be easy to handle just like radhika once she is here...its the second most perfect deal after my marriage....and like the previous time...there is nothing to lose....afterall...if she is any trouble...its armaans life...he will handle it...and i will get to see the biggest collaboration in the history of london...GUPTA-GREWAL-MALIK tie....n i am the link....simply perfect...shashank...here i come with my third n biggest hit!
*********
~breakfast: gupta mansion~
"ridhima beta, i dont think thats enough breakfast to last u the whole day...have some more toast..." ridz gasped though not visibly hearing those words....oh no! she thought....am i at the threshold of another meeting with a suitor eligible to marry me????heavens save me... so soon this time????...she took another toast anyways and waited for the new story...."beta i want to discuss something that may interest you greatly, you do have 20 minutes to discuss i am assuming..." here goes....well dad if i told you i am getting late for my literature and dramatics class at univ would you let me go???no way....do i ever have the 'NO' option????...shashank knew that ridz wasnt happy with where this discussion was heading, but he knew equally well how the discussion was likely to end on a complete reversal of her mood....he continued..."u do know a certain young lad who goes by the name armaan malik....????"..she gasped a second time and this time it was a visible reaction...dam she thought....dont tell me now father can penetrate my mind as well, along with every other aspect of my life....gosh...does the word privacy apply to anything connected with this tortured soul ridhima gupta...how did father know what i have been undergoing for the last few weeks...ok deep breathing ridzi....listen him out first....seeing her silent but obvious reaction , shashank repeated " u do know him dont u beta????"..."iv had the chance to make his pleasant aquaintence father..." she replied with a strained prudence...."pleasant u say????indeed....he is an agreeable fellow....befitting all parameters of perfection...his father and i graduated together from oxford...so did his mother in fact...."...his mother...that seemed to ring an alarm in ridzi's head somewhere... she couldnt quite pin down what it was right then however....this conversation was preoccupying all the capable thinking grey cells in her head....interupting her chain of thoughts shashank said..."well i have been thinking....and i wondered if you think well enough of the boy to perhaps go out with him for coffee sometime???"....since when did father start asking me about my opinions????reading her thoughts shashank added swiftly "i figured after the rahul fiasco beta, that i really must start taking your consent for decisions in your life. you are grown up and mature enough to know what suits you best...."...there that puts the ball in the net shashank silently smirked....c'mon girl....answer me with the obvious yes you have been wanting to say...."yes father, i do think a conversation with him is worth a chance, but...." shashank looked at her....BUT????now what...."but what beta....is something bothering you????" "well i hope you do not mind me asking, but when did you talk to his family about this???cause i met him yesterday and did not get the impression of his being aware of any such set up..." ...wow this girl can actually think????with what????o well i guess i should owe this to the charms of that slugs son....she must be smitten by him totally....to actually have been able to think out this question..."well that's right beta i have not talked to samrat yet...that's armaans dad...but i wanted to ask you about your thoughts before i made a move this time....its your life after all...." OMG now this really cant be happening....father actually waited to ask me before talking to malik uncle...ummm...future sasur ji...and she blushed....aloud she said "well father now that you have my answer you can handle your way....please excuse me, i have to reach my class in the next half an hour"...with that she made a hasty exit before the conversation rolled into any other unwanted direction.....smiling shying blushing all at the same time....
**********
~malik mansion~
"wake up son...dont u have morning class today???" armaan smiled slightly in his sleepy stupor hearing the voice of his idol, his father early morning...that was rare he thought with his half dazed mind....then it all came back his conversation with dad last night.....he opened his eyes...."good morning dad....i took a day off cause of muskaan's wedding...but looks like you took the day off too????" samrat smiled seeing how smartly armaan had asked him the reason which has eventuated this early morning father son conversation...."yes i have, i figured we should spend time together today since you and i are both likely to miss muskaan on this first day the home will not see or hear that chirpy girl... the life of malik mansion...." hearing this armaan completely forgot why his dad was here and his thoughts went to his sister....n then he thought....how considerate of his father to think this way....n here he was thinking dad had come for his answer.....armaan felt a wee bit guilty for the quick judgement...while samrat who could read his son like an open book knew exactly what he was thinking....its so easy to deal with u armaan...ur way too smart for the whole world, but i still remain your father....bowled you over with my consideration and love dint i????n he smiled....armaan hugged him n said "you are right dad, gime 15minutes to freshen up and join you for breakfast...."i will be waiting for u son "he smiled that same endearing smile...armaan had definitely got his dad's looks...and the charms which failed on no one any age....they had been samrat's single secret weapon in captivating a rich girl years ago....radhika had loved samrat for the man he was no doubt but the looks definitely help turning the tables to ur preferred direction....
Armaan came down...his hair still wet from the shower, looking casually handsome in his black and blue jumper suit, he had never had to put efforts into stealing the show as far as charm was concerned, mused samrat looking at his son....u have to agree with this deal armaan he thought, that girl should be as easy target....already looked like she was falling for you, and i know the way u handle the ladies in your life, it wont be hard in the least for you of all the people to play your charms on her, only if you are willing to play this game....you will.... i know you....aloud he said...."juice????" armaan smiled..perfect diet food for the morning....his dad was fit and active at this age because of how conscious he was about his health, and armaan himself has inherited all of those genes...the charm..the looks...the addiction to being fit to work best...."yeh dad...orange please...so did muskaan confirm where she and rahul plan to go for their honeymoon...i believe they were deciding between the caribean zone or the west american coast...." "yeh she said they decided upon the caribbean the oceans and beaches and beauty is sure to turn on any couple!!!" samrat said with just the calculated amount of mischief the father of a new bride could be permitted.... "i am so happy for her armaan...she has found all the happiness in the love of her life...god bless the angel...." armaan smiled again....and then he thought it was time he answered his dad's question from last night....he remembered having dozed off thinking and re thinking all what his dad had said last night....he knew his dad would never mention it again unless he felt armaan wanted the topic reopened...but he had seen the night before a different facet of samrat... how deeply his father felt about the issue for armaan's happiness and he felt the least his dad deserved was an answer....samrat meanwile could see the topic was coming up soon...he just relaxed waiting for armaan to make his first move....somehow he felt knew he shouldn't expect a straight yes....but he had worked all night on thinking of all possible answers that could come his way and how he could counter them in the most subtle ways....he would get into action depending on armaans reply...till then it was just the 'wait and watch armaam start the topic' phase....
************
~Part 4~
"Dad iv been thinking about what u said last night "started armaan...about time samrat thought....just giving him that 'I am listening ' look....."n well, cant say i have come to a concrete yes or no decision....i mean, i just feel it would be great if i could get some more time to think over the situation....i will be honest it came as a total suprise proposal to me last night when u mentioned it and all iv had time for is to think with great confusion and then sleep over it....its about my life...well i dont really care about the personal aspect since i dont care about all this matrimony stuff....but i do want to consider the issue professionally....ummmm....well yeh....thats what....." he ended...waiting for samrat's reaction....to himself he thought...i did not really think of what i was gona say to you father before i started speaking but here's your reply for now...i hope u wont be disappointed....i dont quite understand where exactly my confusion is....cause like u said its the perfect deal sealing relation i could dream of....the perfect start to my new life after i graduate in a month from now...but somewhere....i just seem to be getting a nagging doubt..... whether or not this is a justified way to attain what i want in life....duno what makes me think like that....samrat who had interrupted neither armaans spoken nor unspoken chain of thoughts so far now quipped in..."i am proud of u armaan....."...seeing his raised eyebrows, he continued "you know armaan thats what i appreciate best about you....you think logically about stuff and dont get swept by emotions even if it was a statement from your own dad...but son there's something i want to add...i know ur looking at this proposal only professionally....however if you decide in positive for it i will be the happiest father in the world...muskaan is happy....and i love that girl ridhima...i know she will make your life a living heaven....cant wait to see both my kids happily settled...of course that doesnt mean you have to hurry....take your thinking time" finished off samrat....now wasnt that what u call shooting the Dunk in basketball son....good work samrat....take ur time son....i know ways of not letting that be a long one!!!...but the answer i just gave you should essentially let you figure out that i expect nothing but yes....n without any visible force!!!alright shashank...time i call you now....we have a deal here old fellow....a deal you cant refuse....n armaan may be confused right now....though why he's confused isnt quite a clear picture to me....but i know how to wipe out all his ambiguities....son....i dont think u know the famous gupta heiress is a student at cambridge too....its time for your 'Coincidental meet'....he had an evil grin pasted inside his head....visibly he just gave his son a look which was a blend of happiness involved in the dream he was seeing for his happy future and a pride having fathered a son like him....
***********
~At Fabric club~
"We will have two large vodka, umm yeh add a plate of onion rings to go with that...." shashank said to the waitress, then looked back at samrat giving him that 'i assume we still have the same taste' look....samrat's call in the morning had been short, unexpected and not quite self explainatory. but in the time between the call and this scheduled meeting, shashank had figured that they were both on the same track once again in life, except that they were not rivals this time....well atleast not for now....samrat on the other hand had given shashank a gap between the call and the actual meet to let his creativity flow....somewhere he too could sense that they were both upto the same thing....n that made him smile inside....what better than to agree on a plan like this forgetting past records...that meant half work done....with shashank and his agreement over this wedding stamped n that emotional girl being an easy target, armaan was the only move he had to make for check and mate.....which he anticipated could not be exceedingly hard....seeing that they were all set to get down to business he spoke up "well old friend, hows it been going all these years....growing empire and a beautiful young talented daughter.....you dont seem too bad...." "yeh not bad at all....so when did you take the oppertunity to notice my daughter " shashank patted himelf for the question ur turn now samrat...."well close to the time u were busy approving my son for her....i would say we had certain synchronism without actually planning it out....muskaan's wedding was one happening evening wouldnt u agree mate?" that's a six on ur spin ball shanx, wats next....."i see you were occupied observing not just your future daughter in law but her father as well....but i agree...synchronism it is indeed....n lets skip these subtleties....what terms did you plan for the collaboration????" shashank asked, not wanting to waste too much time putting each other down....there would be chances for that in due course of time....samrat on the other hand had won over shashank everytime cause he made his moves with complete calculation....he answered "so i safely presume u approve of this marriage...."getting an impatient nod from shanshank "and does ridhima?" "samrat, do you have to ask the obvious???i wouldnt be sitting here with you without a confirmed backup...now can you stop digressing from the point...." "in that case, i figured we 3 could set an unprecedented record..."seeing a confused expression n thinking within himself, ur alwayz such a slow coach mate, he resumed "u me n grewal of course....u dint forget rahul married my daughter did u????" now that pun should touch a sensitive spot shashank i know n it was intended as u will figure out i assume....but i need u to know explicitly who will be the boss post collaboration....among the four future heirs 2 are mine and thats a fact i wont let u or grewal overlook....letting his comment drive the nail well inside he resumed "so i guessed it should be equal shares for all four kids....." shashank looked at him with a bowled over look n thought...oh god why did i not think he would do this....such an obvious move for him....he spoke up "well that does give u a tremendous edge....what makes you think grewal n i will comply????" samrat had been ready for this....such an obvious question shanx n put forth so directly....ah well, that's why u always lose to me mate..."well theres more reasons than u can count off on ur fingers but lets begin with the main ones....if i am not wrongly informed you have been trying but in vain to hook up ridhima with suitable heirs from all over london....but this time without effort things really did fall into place....she likes armaan, n so u know there would be no issues for once in her life....grewal doesnt interfere much with rahul's decisions he isnt like u and me u very well know that....n rahul n armaan will never work without a collaboration of equal divides between them they are heartfelt best friends....lets sum this down to the fact that the trump card here is ARMAAN MALIK....and since he does what i say everybody does what i say....does that seem reason enough for now shanshank????" i leave the ball now in your court mate, thought samrat....but i know u still have to play the game my way!!!!shashank was disgruntled by this upper hand samrat would reign with, but the whole set up was so tempting...to be associated with the biggest ever collaboration in the history of this queen's city....he just could not let it go....and he knew samrat had this figured out....well i'll beat u in your home court the moment i get the chance dude....but for now...."deal it is then....where do u propose to begin???is armaan on the game???" "well he is almost....but not quite....so now we need to join hands to get him on to the deal....they r both studying at cambridge...here's my bait....."....n so he revealed his masterplan covering all minute details n by the end of it shashank had to agree this man knew exactly what the word 'foolproof' implied...."done...ur on" he said n they both went their own way after sealing the deal with a handshake...
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~next day cambridge univ scene 1~
inside the girls green rooms "ridzi are you all set its your scene next, n u know well this show is selling houseful thanx to ur name heading the list of artists....we want no mistakes" ridz smiled hearing her instructor's commanding yet encouraging tone. ms. emily winick was her drama literature class instructor, it was thanks to her skill as a teacher that ridz had found the true first love in her work....enacting rich literature based plays....well she smiled to herself...her first loves....armaan might be a name on that list soon....or was he alreday there....she blushed deeply...."perfect " she heard emily again...."thats the perfect look for the proposal scene....i am so poud of you ridz...this is the final rehersal before the play will start its one week long shows tomorrow....we are all counting on you....you know this isnt just about us making big as a team....its about the charity the tickets will amount to....our sponsor has funded us all through with this play only because we promised to donate the earnings to charity...and she really really cares about how well this will turn out....we dont want to let her down....not just for her financial back up but for the wonderful intentions she has...right???" ridzi smiled in agreement...and then something struck her and she asked "hey emily, who is this sponsor anyways i still did not get to meet her...." well she doesnt want to be revealed not even to the cast....." slightly disappointed ridzi said "but i really wanted to meet her....atleast once...."...."well maybe i can show her to you from a distance....she will be in the audience today for the final rehersal...she does not want to attned the main shows as someone might spot or recognize her....how about i point her out to you today....thereafter its your way of how you talk to her alright???" emily knew ridz could be trusted with confidential information....and she knew the only motive ridz could have in meeting this generous donator was to thank her....so she conceeded.....ridz gave her a thank a ton smile n got prepared to her scene.....
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"yes sir i will call you as soon as i see Ms gupta finishes her performance without her getting suspicious..... i will do exactly as you have instructed me to...absolutely sir...yes i know the consequences of failing to carry out your orders sir "steve finished off the last sentence quietly...he had served the guptas for over 25 years....from before ridhimas baby's birth.....n was deeply attached to the girl as an elder of the family would be....he felt bad about being involved in a plot....he dint even know the motive only the part that involved his action...well he just had no options but to do as was told....
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~meanwile...~
i'm sitting at the wheel
i got a green light
not afraid of nothin' cuz heart and soul
i'm built for life
so let the engine roar
push the pedal down
i want the white lines on the highway
to lead me out of town
i'm rolling on and on and on
who knows where i'm goin'?
life is an open road - it's the best story never told
it's an endless sky ' it's the deepest sea
life is an open road to me
life is an open road to me......armaan lowered the volume of one his favorite bryan adams' number as he heard his cell ringing....dad???? "hello dad!..." "where are you right now armaan?i need to meet you..." huh????but i just left home an hour ago armaan thought "right now dad????well i was heading towards univ basket ball court for the practice session...but i can drive back home if its urgent...." "no i will meet you there in half an hour...at Baristo....be there for sure....it is important indeed..." with that he cut the call as abrubtly as he had dialled the number, not giving armaan a chance to cross question....armaan meanwile was baffled....wat could it be....i hope everything is fine....half an hour before i know whats the issue....hmmmmm....thinking he parked his benz into its usual spot outside the basketball court....stepping in he smiled....court...this word was the first and only love of his life....be it the basket ball court or the law court!!!!he loved them both with complete passion....at the back of his head however he still wondered what it was his father wanted to talk about..so much so that it couldnt wait the duration of his game even.....frowning slightly he started his warm up laps...i will just have to wait i guess.....
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"shashank its the basketball court close to the southern side of the campus.....there is a wonderful small but chic cafe in the vicinity....Baristo de cafe.....perfect spot for the plan"....."consider the job done samrat"..."well ur on mate!!!cheers to the part one accomplished!!!" both men put the phones down with smug smiles......
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Anupamaa
