People have asked me to provide English translations for the dialogues. Hence the bracketed sentences after the dialogues. I will be updating the previous 2 chapters to reflect this as well and all chapters will be written like this going forward.
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Imlie threw her bag to the side as she plopped down onto the bed, burying her head in her pillow.
Rupi, her roommate at the girls hostel, looked up from the book she was reading.
"I'm assuming the meeting didn't go well?"
Looking up at her, Imlie slowly shook her head.
"Woh hadh se zyada too much hi khadoos tha. Bohot hi akkad thi usmein. Ajeeb insaan"
(He's too uptight. Has way too much of an attitude. He's a weird human being)
"Waise meeting kiske saath thi tumhari?" Rupi put her book down as she got up to come sit beside her on the bed.
(Who was your meeting even with?)
"Koi Aryan Singh Rathore, Bhaskar Times ka-"
(Some Aryan Singh Rathore from Bhaskar Times-)
"WHAT?!? You met THE Aryan Singh Rathore?" Rupi shook Imlie as she tried to push her off.
"KAISA THA WOH? OH MY GOD IMLIE YOU MET ARYAN??! Woh banda toh Delhi ka, nahi nahi nahi, India ka sabse eligibile bachelor hai! Do you know how many girls are after him?! Aur tumhe usse milne ka maukha mila?"
(HOW WAS HE?! OH MY GOD IMLIE YOU MET ARYAN??! That man is Delhi's, no no no, India's most eligible bachelor. Do you know how many girls are after him? And you had a chance to meet him?)
Rolling her eyes, Imlie grabbed a pillow and threw it at Rupi. "Kuch khaas nahi tha, matlab teekh hi tha"
(He wasn't anything special. He was okay)
Imlie looked away as she recalled his chiselled jaw, those eyes and that scar. The scar on his eyebrow. Imlie felt a strange sort of pull towards that scar.
She avoided looking at him during their meeting because she just wanted to reach out and run her finger along his eyebrow.
Rupi was still rambling on in the background. "....and Imlie tumhe pata bhi hai ke he's won Mr. India?"
(And Imlie do you know he's won Mr. India?)
Imlie sighed, "Agar koi Mr. khadoos ka competition hota na, toh sach ma wohi jeet ta."
(If there was a competition for being the most uptight, he would've surely won)
Imlie tried getting up off the bed but Rupi pulled her back and was showing her something on her phone.
"Yeh dekho, Forbes named him #1 in Billionaires under 30!" Rupi had now shoved her phone in Imlie's face.
(Look at this, Forbes named him #1 in Billionaires under 30)
It was Aryan dressed in a navy blue suit, holding an award, he wasn't exactly sad but he wasn't smiling either.
He was just sort of there. However there was something about his look that made Imlie feel sad and empty.
Pushing the phone away, Imlie got up off the bed.
"Haan teekh hai, lekin woh Mr. Khadoos ke liye hum ka kaam waise bhi nahi karna hai. Kal hum phir se Mrs. Agarwal se baat karenge. Is shehar mein koi toh naukri hogi."
(Yeah okay, but I don't want to work for someone like him anyways. I'll talk to Mrs. Agarwal again tomorrow. I'm sure there's a job for me out there in this city)
Imlie wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself or Rupi.
"Haaye!!! Lekin socho agar tumhe naukri milti toh?" Rupi was smiling off in the distance. "Sach mein Imlie, itna acha maukha mujhe milta toh main kabhi nahi jane deti. Pagalon ki tarah unke peeche padh jaati naukri ke"
(Just imagine if you had gotten the job? Honestly, if I were you Imlie I would never let an opportunity like this go. I would annoy them until they gave me the job)
Shoving her, Imlie laughed. "Waise bhi tum poori pagal ho Rupi."
(Yeah you're already crazy enough Rupi)
Just as Rupi was about to say something, Imlie's phone rang, it was the agency.
Picking up, Imlie heard Mrs. Agarwal's voice on the other side "Imlie...Mr. Rathore has given you the job. Tum kal Bhaskar Times ke office chale jana. 9 o'clock sharp."
(Imlie, Mr. Rathore has given you the job. You can go to the Bhaskar Times office tomorrow. 9 o'clock sharp)
Imlie was stunned, after their little interaction, she was sure he would never consider her. "Sach-sach mein?"
(Real-really?)
"Mr. Rathore called me after your interview, he said the job is yours. Oh and Imlie? Goodluck."
Nervously hanging up, Imlie looked at Rupi who was waiting to hear what she had to say.
"Hum ka naukri milgayi." Imlie looked at Rupi, who had started jumping up and down screaming.
(I got the job.)
"OH MY GOD IMLIE YOU GET TO WORK WITH ARYAN SINGH RATHORE! THE ARYAN SINGH RATHORE!" Rupi was screaming in her ear as Imlie tried to calm her down.
Holding her arms out to stop Rupi, Imlie gave her a look.
"Rupi, sach mein tumhe pagal khane ki zaroorat hai. It's just a job. Aur waise bhi, yeh experience ke liye hai. Us khadoos ko toh zabardasti bardaasht karna padega."
(Rupi, you seriously need to be admitted to the madhouse. It's just a job. And anyways I'm doing this for the experience. Unfortunately I'll have to tolerate Mr. Uptight)
Sighing Imlie looked off into the distance, wondering how she would handle Aryan. She already had one unpleasant experience with him that barely lasted 5 minutes.
How was she supposed to work with him 24/7 as his assistant?
She didn't exactly intend to be rude but he was just so...attract- khadoos. He was khadoos. And hot. Imlie had no idea he would be THAT good looking.
But he really irked something inside of her when he cut her off without even giving her a proper interview.
And now she had gotten the job?
Aryan Singh Rathore was definitely a different type of breed.
Sita Maiyan ab aap hi sambhalo, Imlie thought to herself as Rupi was still jumping up and down at the thought of Aryan Singh Rathore.
(Sita Maiyan, please take care of things)
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At the Rathore house, Aryan walked in taking off his jacket and handing it to Gopal, the house help.
"Khane ke time par bula dena mujhe. I have some work to do."
(When it's time for dinner, call me. I have some work to do)
Nodding his head, Gopal walked away as Aryan continued walking down the hallway to the study.
Opening the doors he made his way towards the desk.
The study had been left exactly as his mother had designed it when they first moved into the house.
The big bay windows at the back had cream curtains that let in just the right amount of light.
There was a large monstera plant to the left of the windows. It had grown significantly since his mother first bought it.
An entire bookcase was covering the left wall, filled with all sorts of classics that Aryan and his sister, Arpita had grown up reading.
The wooden desk, made of solid oak, took up the majority of the right side. Behind the desk was a wall filled with all sorts of family pictures.
Walking along the wall, Aryan stared at the pictures one by one, recalling each event.
Aryan and Arpita, at her graduation.
She had gotten a masters degree in Communications but was now successfully running an event planning business in Delhi.
Aryan was proud of his sister for going after her dreams. Arvind jiju was also incredibly supportive of her and Arpita was damn talented at event planning.
Arpita when she went to Italy with her friends.
Aryan was so pissed off at her for going without him. He was stuck studying in university at the time and had exams.
Aryan and Arvind jiju posing infront of the Empire State Building.
Aryan slightly smiled before stopping himself. Arpita was angry at both of them, she had gotten a stomach bug and couldn't fly out to New York. Instead of cancelling it, they had turned it into a boys trip.
Aryan's mother and father on their wedding day.
That was over 30 years ago. His mother was sitting on the sofa beside his father. On her feet, a pair of silver payals.
He ran his fingers along the bottom of the frame. It was slightly dusty. Pulling his hand back, he continued looking at the other pictures.
A picture of Aryan when he won the award for being Forbes #1 Billionaire under 30.
That picture was taken a week after his mother had passed away.
Aryan had no intention of attending the event but everyone had told him to go. It's what his mother would've wanted.
He was surrounded by so many people that day yet, had never felt more alone in his life.
Aryan wore a navy blue suit his mother had picked out for him when he first got news of his victory. Out of everyone in the family, she was the most excited about attending the event with Aryan.
Aryan hated the picture. It reminded him of how his mother couldn't see him win. He wasn't even sure when the picture had been framed and put up.
Fighting the urge to not recall anything further, he pulled the chair out from the desk and took a seat looking at the small sofa underneath the windows.
His mother loved sitting there, staring out into the garden. That was where she spent majority of her time near the end.
Doctors refused to hospitalize her further. The cancer had spread too much in her body and treatment wasn't working. Even in those last days, he had never seen his mother ever get upset or lose hope. She was a fighter til the end.
Tons of memories. Ones that Aryan had buried so deep inside his heart. Ones that would never resurface.
He hardly came into the study except to sit by the window once in a while. The same exact spot his mother sat in.
He had especially avoided the wall of photos for so long.
Except today, after meeting Imlie, something inside of him came to the surface that made him want to come back and take a look.
Something that reminded him of his mother. That same fierceness.
Sighing, he unlocked the top drawer of the desk and pulled out a red velvet bag.
Inside were two silver payals. His mothers. They were given to her by his father on their wedding day.
As a young boy he loved when his mother wore the payals because he always knew where she would be.
He could find her anywhere in the house just by closing his eyes and listening to the soft chan chan.
Turning them around in his hands, he examined the tiny bells hanging off of them.
They resembled the same ones he had seen on Imlie's jhumkas.
Holding them closer to him, he recalled the time his mother had talked about the payals.
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"Ma yeh payals toh mujhe hi milegi na?" Arpita asked her mother.
(Ma, I'm going to get these anklets right?)
Aryan smacked the back of Arpita's head with a pillow.
"Chudailein payal nahin pehnti."
(Witches don't wear anklets)
"Aru." His mother gave him a stern look.
"Arpi, teri jab shaadi hogi, tab teri saas degi tujhe. Yeh payelin toh Rathore khandaan ki bahu ko jayegi. Matlab Aryan ki patni ko."
(Arpita, when you get married your mother in law with give you something. These anklets are for the Rathore family daughter in law. Whoever Aryan's wife will be)
Arpita rolled her eyes and looked at Aryan. "As if, koi iss gadhe se shaadi karega."
(As if, anyone wants to marry this idiot)
Aryan laughed, "Waise toh main shaadi nahi karne wala. Lekin agar karta toh zaroor tujhse pehle karta, chudail kahin ki"
(I don't want to get married but, if I were to, it would definitely happen before you, witch)
Their mother shook her head as Arpita slapped Aryan's knee.
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Aryan's thoughts were broken by a knock at the door. It was Gopal.
"Sir, khana tayaar hai. Arpita ma'am aur Arvind sir bhi aagaye."
(Sir, dinner is ready. Arpita ma'am and Arvind sir have also come)
Nodding, Aryan watched as Gopal closed the door and left.
He placed the payals in the bag and put them back in the drawer, locking it.
Tomorrow would be Imlie's first day if she chose to take the job.
He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to see her again.
She had massively surprised him and was probably the only person who ever had the guts to say anything directly to his face other than his own family members.
Aryan wanted to see exactly how well she'd be able to handle the challenges she was about to face.
The girl seemed like a fighter for sure.
Getting up, he switched the lights off in the study and left, closing the doors behind him.
Tomorrow would be a new day.
For the both of them.
Edited by zooptyloops - 3 years ago
Jhanak
