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Recap - UD meets the owner of Crescent Group. It's Mukti.
Part Four
Except, it wasn't Basanti. Sure, it was the same person, but…she was…she looked…different. Dressed simply in a flowing black skirt, blood-red floaty top and red high heels, she looked, well, almost regal, and he found that he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Her hair had grown longer, and framing her face, suited her. The steely gaze in her eyes did not hide the faint tone of amusement in them, but the neutral expression on her face was cold, unrecognisable. If looks could kill, thought UD. He found himself, once again, at a loss for words in her presence. He opened his mouth to speak, and had trouble finding his voice.
Mukti walked towards him and extended her hand for him to shake. "I'm sorry; I don't know what they call you these days…I'll stick with UD". He picked up a tone of resentment in those words, but decided to ignore it.
"I'm one of the owners of Crescent Group of Companies. I assume you are aware why I am here?"
Still mute, UD simply nodded. She was being ridiculously formal, but he supposed he deserved that.
"Well, now that the introductions have been made, shall we get on with it?"
Finally finding his voice, UD did what he did best – schmooze the clients. "Sure, let's get down to business".
- * -
After Mukti had left, UD went back to his cabin and sank into his leather chair. It must have all been a dream – he must still be sleeping….how could this be possible? He had never believed in destiny and fate before, but if anything was destined, it must have been this meeting. For a part of his past to come back in front of him in such a way was nothing short of extraordinary. He wondered if Mukti had known before the meeting that he was the owner of K.P Industries.
The meeting had, in itself, been uneventful. Mukti had studiously maintained a polite barrier in their conversation, never referring to their mutual, complex history or, even, giving any indication that they had once had a history. She behaved as if this was their very first meeting.
On his part, UD had not dared to ask her the questions that had haunted him for so long: where had she gone and why had she left so suddenly? Most importantly, how had she ended up as co-owner of Crescent Group of Companies? The unanswered questions floating around in his head until he could think no more and, frustrated, UD slammed the desk and stood up violently. Why? Why did she always do this to him?
Every time he thought he had finally moved on with his life, back she came to disrupt it, to make him question his actions. Mukti had not said anything, but he knew that her silence was pointed – she was berating him for conning his parents out of their business and home; she was despairing at his lack of emotion for his mother, and she was telling him that she had not expected anything more from him. She was silently judging him, and he hated it. UD wondered, So? Why do I care so much about what she thinks? Why has seeing her again unsettled me so much?
Debo stuck her head around the door and raised an enquiring eyebrow, "Well? How did it go?"
UD sighed and said without enthusiasm, "Good, I guess. We have another meeting soon, to sign the contract".
"So, which partner was it?"
"It was….M…" UD stopped. For some reason, he did not want to tell Debo about Mukti's re-appearance, "It was…the woman….Miss Something-or-other".
Debo looked surprised, "You can't remember her name?"
"I was too busy trying to sort out the contract, wasn't I?" snapped UD, "I didn't really have time for pleasantries".
Debo placated him, "Ok, forget I asked. Never mind, I'm sure to meet her one of these days".
UD jerked his head up in surprise. Debo was right – sooner or later she would discover that Mukti was the woman he had met, and UD didn't like that at all. Whether he was trying to protect himself or Mukti, he didn't know, but UD resolved to make sure that Debo never got a chance to meet the woman she had driven away so many years ago.
Part Four
Except, it wasn't Basanti. Sure, it was the same person, but…she was…she looked…different. Dressed simply in a flowing black skirt, blood-red floaty top and red high heels, she looked, well, almost regal, and he found that he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Her hair had grown longer, and framing her face, suited her. The steely gaze in her eyes did not hide the faint tone of amusement in them, but the neutral expression on her face was cold, unrecognisable. If looks could kill, thought UD. He found himself, once again, at a loss for words in her presence. He opened his mouth to speak, and had trouble finding his voice.
Mukti walked towards him and extended her hand for him to shake. "I'm sorry; I don't know what they call you these days…I'll stick with UD". He picked up a tone of resentment in those words, but decided to ignore it.
"I'm one of the owners of Crescent Group of Companies. I assume you are aware why I am here?"
Still mute, UD simply nodded. She was being ridiculously formal, but he supposed he deserved that.
"Well, now that the introductions have been made, shall we get on with it?"
Finally finding his voice, UD did what he did best – schmooze the clients. "Sure, let's get down to business".
- * -
After Mukti had left, UD went back to his cabin and sank into his leather chair. It must have all been a dream – he must still be sleeping….how could this be possible? He had never believed in destiny and fate before, but if anything was destined, it must have been this meeting. For a part of his past to come back in front of him in such a way was nothing short of extraordinary. He wondered if Mukti had known before the meeting that he was the owner of K.P Industries.
The meeting had, in itself, been uneventful. Mukti had studiously maintained a polite barrier in their conversation, never referring to their mutual, complex history or, even, giving any indication that they had once had a history. She behaved as if this was their very first meeting.
On his part, UD had not dared to ask her the questions that had haunted him for so long: where had she gone and why had she left so suddenly? Most importantly, how had she ended up as co-owner of Crescent Group of Companies? The unanswered questions floating around in his head until he could think no more and, frustrated, UD slammed the desk and stood up violently. Why? Why did she always do this to him?
Every time he thought he had finally moved on with his life, back she came to disrupt it, to make him question his actions. Mukti had not said anything, but he knew that her silence was pointed – she was berating him for conning his parents out of their business and home; she was despairing at his lack of emotion for his mother, and she was telling him that she had not expected anything more from him. She was silently judging him, and he hated it. UD wondered, So? Why do I care so much about what she thinks? Why has seeing her again unsettled me so much?
Debo stuck her head around the door and raised an enquiring eyebrow, "Well? How did it go?"
UD sighed and said without enthusiasm, "Good, I guess. We have another meeting soon, to sign the contract".
"So, which partner was it?"
"It was….M…" UD stopped. For some reason, he did not want to tell Debo about Mukti's re-appearance, "It was…the woman….Miss Something-or-other".
Debo looked surprised, "You can't remember her name?"
"I was too busy trying to sort out the contract, wasn't I?" snapped UD, "I didn't really have time for pleasantries".
Debo placated him, "Ok, forget I asked. Never mind, I'm sure to meet her one of these days".
UD jerked his head up in surprise. Debo was right – sooner or later she would discover that Mukti was the woman he had met, and UD didn't like that at all. Whether he was trying to protect himself or Mukti, he didn't know, but UD resolved to make sure that Debo never got a chance to meet the woman she had driven away so many years ago.
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