FF||Deceptive Obsessions - Chapter 26 & 27 page 26 [31/05] - Page 25

chapter 22

Despite the distance between them, he is the one she can still turn to when anything goes wrong.

chapter 23

Geet did make an effort to be there for Anya. Maan can appreciate that. Her fight is only with him.

chapter 24

Poor Arjun had no chance with the web laid out by Maan. He lost everything, hit freedom, his integrity, his pride.

24

maan is playing very well

geet wants to meet arjun last time but her phot with maan force arjun to refuse meeting her

Maan played really well by making Arjun believe that Geet is moving ahead in her life with him while Geet was just trying to gain that friendship warmth from him.

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Chapter 25: Incoming storm

[Present]

“Geet… wait”.

“What, now?”

“Have you decided yet? About the trip…” he asked. He tried to mask his hopefulness as much as possible as he waited for her response.

“I still need some more time” she answered.

Maan sat in his chair nursing a drink in his hand as he pondered silently over Geet’s response. She still needed more time, but how long? He wanted to do something to fix this mess he had created. An ache formed in his chest. He wished he could turn the clock back where she didn’t find out about him. No matter the pain he had today, he couldn’t regret his actions of deceiving Geet and marrying her. He lifted his glass finishing off his drink and stood deciding to head to their bedroom. He entered and was surprised to see Geet still awake and curled up with her kindle. She didn’t spare him a glance and he averted his eyes away.

He grabbed his change of clothes and went about his nightly routine of changing and brushing his teeth before bed. He returned to their bedroom and walked over.

Geet had now turned onto her other side giving him her back continuing to read on her kindle as he climbed into bed. Maan stared at her back for a moment before he shifted onto his other side. He stared ahead listening to her soft breathing and wish he had something to say to break this silence between them. Only no words will fix the cracks in their marriage.

He shifted restlessly and closed his eyes for a moment before Geet’s phone cut the tense silence between them. He tensed instinctively as he felt her shift into a sitting position to pick up her phone. Anger and hatred coursed through him like an electric charge.

“Arjun?” Geet answered in surprise.

Maan’s fingers curled into a fist. He f*cking hated the guy. Just hearing Arjun’s name set his blood alight with fury and he wanted to destroy something, anything. He clenched his jaw hearing the way Geet’s voice softened slightly and heard her chuckle. A sound he missed terribly. When was the last time she laughed with him?

She was silent for a moment as she listened before she responded with a response that Maan dreaded. “Alright, I’ll meet you tomorrow”.

That was all he needed to hear feeling his heart clench tightly.

She cut the call.

“Don’t go” he said almost as if pleading to her.

Geet did not respond immediately, she placed her phone back down, switched off her kindle and lied back down with her back towards him. Maan glanced over his shoulder and stared at her back.

“You’ve stopped me enough times from meeting him, don’t you think?” she countered.

He turned and slipped his arm around her abdomen pulling her flush against his body firmly. “What do you expect to gain from meeting him now then?” he rasped into her ear. “Do you expect me to rekindle what you had?” he asked, even though he knew her. She wouldn’t. “That’s not going to happen, Geet. I wouldn’t let it”.

“You’re talking as if you have a say in my life anymore” she responded with a humourless chuckle. “You don’t”.

“I’m your husband” he replied as if plucking at straws to make her change her decision.

“You’re my mistake, Maan” she turned her body facing him and locked her eyes with his. She watched his expression darken and a sliver of satisfaction coursed through her noting that her words had cut through him. He was wounded. His possessiveness was his greatest weakness.

She smirked. “Do you know why this is so satisfying?” she asked as she leaned closer. He waited and swallowed as she continued. “The fact that you will be thinking of me with Arjun tomorrow. That image will replay over and over again, you’ll be wondering and… that thought will torture your soul” she whispered.

Maan’s body was rigid, and his eyes flared with unspoken anger and pain. His body was taught with something more dangerous than his fury, his love – desperation.

Geet smirked, she didn’t bother waiting for a response and shifted to turn away.

His eyes burned as he watched Geet, who only smirked before turning her back to him, dismissing him as though he were nothing.

No.

Without a warning, his lips crashed onto hers. He kissed her with a bruising passion that spoke volumes of his torment. Geet stiffened beneath him and instinctively clasped his shoulder for a moment. He wanted to remind Geet of their love, their passion, he would etch everything he felt on her soul. She would remember him tomorrow. Arjun is going to be long lost thought, and she wouldn’t remember anything. He would make sure of it.

Geet steeled herself against the emotions that he stirred, and just as quickly as she had clung onto him, she released him. Her hands fell to her side limply, her body softened but not in surrender. She lay still in resignation masking all her emotions.

Maan froze as he waited for her to move, react or even feel something. She remained still though, her breathing was calm.

“Respond to me, Geet” he whispered into her ear, almost as if he was pleading to her and dropped a kiss to her jaw. “It’s me. Your Maan” he dropped another kiss to her collarbone.

Nothing. Not even any recognition in her eyes.

He narrowed his eyes at her clenching his fists by either side of her. He was frustrated and helpless. His chest rose and fell in uneven breaths consumed by anger, consumed by the one truth he couldn’t escape.

Geet was slipping away from him.

He wouldn’t… No, he couldn’t let that happen.

Morning arrived with a quiet stillness, but the air between Geet and Maan was anything but calm. Geet stood in front of the mirror slipping on her earrings. She was composed, poised and unreadable. However, behind her Maan sat on the edge of the bed watching her intently.

“You’re still going to meet him?”

“I think I made that clear yesterday that I would. You have no say”.

“Nothing I say will stop you?” he inquired with clenched teeth.

Geet smirked and crossed her arms. “No, Maan. Not now, not ever”.

Maan exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He was teetering on the edge of an outburst when his phone vibrated loudly on the bedside table. With a frustrated sigh, he grabbed it.

“What?” he snapped, standing up and pacing away from her as he listened.

Geet arched a brow. She recognised that tone, controlled rage masking something deeper.

Maan’s entire posture stiffened as he listened to his colleague rattle off the headings. “Where did these reports come from?” he demanded. “What sources? Verify them, now!”

He turned, his furious eyes meeting hers, but before he could question her or say something to stop her, she picked up her handbag and walked towards the door. “I’ll see you later”.

“Geet…”

She didn’t wait for his response. She left, leaving Maan seething in a storm of his own making.

Geet arrived at the café earlier than expected. Over the past few weeks, she had become a favourite target of the media, their eyes watching her every move, their cameras capturing fleeting moments and turning them into fabricated affairs.

As she settled into her seat near the window, she observed the people around her. A man stood across the street seemingly loitering with an air of casual interest still in view of the window of the café where she sat at her table. His gaze flickered towards her table more than once, and she felt her stomach clench with unease.

Then, Arjun appeared.

She watched as he paused by the loitering man and exchanged a few words. A familiar sort of ease passed between them, and in that instant, realisation struck her.

It’s him.

Arjun had been the one behind the relentless articles, the carefully staged rumours. He had to be. Otherwise, who else could this man with a camera be?

Arjun crossed the street with a light jog and entered the café glancing around for her. She masked her expression and waited for him to sit down.

As he sat down, she finally spoke. “You’re the one who’s been organising the reporters, aren’t you?”

Arjun’s expression didn’t falter, but she caught the briefest hesitation in his eyes. “Geet, I…”.

“Don’t lie to me” she cut in, her voice calm but firm. “The articles. The pictures. The rumours of an alleged affair. It’s all you, isn’t it?”

For a moment, he looked as though he might deny it. But then, something in him shifted. His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he exhaled through his nose before leaning forward.

“Yes” he admitted nodding his head. “It’s me”.

Geet stared at him, allowing the confirmation to settle between them. “Why?”

“Do you really need to ask that? After everything Maan did to me? To us?”

She didn’t, she should’ve known. She remained silent allowing him to continue.

“He destroyed my business, my reputation, and to rub salt to my wounds… He took you from me” he responded sharply. “I… I am simply returning the favour”.

“Are you the one behind the issues he’s facing with his business?” she asked putting the pieces together.

He locked his eyes with her. He considered lying but he couldn’t. He wouldn’t lie and be like Maan Singh Khurana. “I am. You could say I played a role in his unfortunate luck”.

“Do you think revenge will help you?” she asked calmly.

“It’s justice, Geet. Not revenge”.

Silence descended between them, and they watched each other almost as if trying to read other and wondering what the other was thinking.

“Don’t tell Maan. This is between me and him” he said first breaking the silence.

Geet considered his words and nodded. “You lost everything because of him. You have every right to do what you think is fair” she stated and paused for a moment. Her eyes narrowed sharply. “But don’t use me as your weapon. I will not be dragged into this war”.

Arjun’s smile faltered.

“You’re going to stop with the rumours of an alleged affair to hurt him. Do whatever else you must but I will not and refuse to be another pawn in someone else’s game”.

He studied for a moment. “Fair enough” he said with a nod.

Geet inhaled deeply. The past still haunted them, their wounds were far from healed. And she knew one thing. This was going to be the beginning of the storm.

Hope you enjoy this chapter

Geet know about Arjun being behind all this now and she agreed not to tell Maan about it. This shows how much hurt Geet is that she is hiding this from Maan and Maan is unable to do anything right now.

Liked geet's stand on not letting arjun to use her a s a pawn in his revenge game. At the same time she realizes that he has been wronged and has every right to take revenge. Kudos to arjun for answering her truly.

25

geet enjoying maan's restlessness for her meeting with arjun n she confess it to maan

geet find out that arjun is behind rumours n problem in maan's business

she is ok with what arjun doing with maan but ask him to spare her

hope geet dint join her hands with arjun to destroy maan