Enjoy the brand new chapter of GEM, the one which turns this Three Shot into a Short Story! Wohoo! What an intelligent decision by me! Time hai nahin likhne ka par isko SS announce kar dia ek minute mein 😎😭 Padho padho!
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Chapter 3
"Aap pyaar mein dobara andhi ho rahi hain Ms Sharma." Rishabh Bajaj chuckled as soon as he registered Prerna's words.
"Huh?" She mumbled, not knowing why she said what she said.
As he remained quiet, the reality of her words sank in.
What did she just say? Did she just propose her ex-husband to marry her again while she had her and Anurag's wedding mehendi on?
Her brain reeled but her heart was still beating normally, as if she had just talked about getting a mere glass of water. Her mind was out of control at her words but her heart, it remained calm, as if not shocked at all by her statement.
"I meant, last time aapne Mr Basu ke pyaar mein mujhse shaadi karne ki galti ki thi." His words hurt. "And iss baar aap Kuki ke pyaar mein mujhse dubara shaadi karne ki-
"Mr Bajaj." She stopped him, before he claimed their marriage had been a mistake again. "Please-
"Nahin, I won't let you do this. I won't let you go mad with so much worry that you start spewing non sense like this." He stood up and she saw him. THE Rishabh Bajaj, the businessman, the lion and a soft smile grazed her lips. She had missed this side of him too. The ruthless, hardcore one.
She shook her head. This was not the time to reminiscence about the past, it was the time to think about the future. She could not even imagine a future without Sneha around her. She could not even imagine a future with a Rishabh without his Kuki. For the life of her, she would not let that Menka do anything to Kuki or Rishabh.
"Mr Bajaj." She said with confidence. "I may have said that in a spur of the moment but it was not nonsense, I meant it. I still mean it."
"Prerna, I think mehendi ki mehak aapke dimaag mein chad gayi hai-
"Stop it Mr Bajaj!" She shouted. "Please, main keh rahi hoon, this is the only way-
"What? Shaadi is the way? Fine. Agar shaadi karke hi I can stay with my daughter, then I will marry...someone." He said and something sank in her chest.
Her heart maybe?
Someone? What did he mean by someone? Was he ready to give a random woman her place as his wife? As Kuki's mother? Was he mad?
"Seriously, aap kisi se bhi shaadi kar lenge?" She chuckled and he shrugged.
"Mujhse shaadi karne ke liye koi bhi raazi ho jayegi. Aapko apne pyaar ko phir se sacrifice karna pade, aisa main nahi hone dunga." He said as a matter-of-fact but she did not hear what he said after the first line.
Who is ready to marry him on a drop of a hat? Let those witches come, she'll give each of them a celebration to remember! The green monster had started growing again as weird visions filled her eyes.
A random woman. In Bajaj Mansion, in her house, strutting along the balcony.
A random woman. In Sneha's room, on her daughter's bed, reading her stories.
A random woman. In their bedroom, on his bed, in his arms, in his life.
"Nahi!" She shook her head and whispered to herself, shocked at the nightmare she just saw with her eyes open, the green monster growling inside her. "Main aisa nahin hone dungi!"
"That's what I just said." He said and was glad she came back to her senses as soon as she had lost them.
"Mr Bajaj. What I meant was that I won't let anyone become your wif...Kuki's mother." She said with her head held high and he looked frustrated.
"Aap pagal ho gayi hain? Do you even know what you're saying? Main keh raha hoon na, no one is going to snatch Kuki-
"You don't know that!" She suddenly, almost cried, tears brimming in her eyes. "Main usey nahin khona chahti-
"Mrs Bajaj. Let me give you a reality check. Aapko bura lagega lekin jo sach hai wo sach hai. Aapko Sneha se itna attached hone ki koi zarurat nahin, ye aap dono ke liye accha nahin hoga. Mujhe khushi hai ki aap Sneha ko abhi bhi apni life ka part samajhti hain par...aap usey kho chuki hain, she is not going to be a part of your life after your wedding." He said and she stood like a statue. "Ab aap humari aur hum aapki life ka part nahin hain. Isilye, behtar yahi hoga ki aap ghar jaayein, apni shaadi ke functions enjoy karein aur iss sab ke baare mein bhul jaayein. I will find a way to keep Sneha with me and jab sab theek ho jaayega, I will drop you a text."
He said and left, while she still stood there. For five minutes, she remained silent and as each of his words etched itself in her memory, she scoffed loudly to herself.
"Text!" She chuckled. "Humari beti humare paas hamesha ke liye rahegi ya nahin, ye baat aap mujhe text kar ke batayenge? Aapne mujhe bahut galat samajh lia hai Mr Bajaj! Acha hua aaj main yahan aa gayi, warna...bahut der ho jaati! Mere mann mein kya hai main samajh hi nahin paati! Par ab, main sab sahi karungi. Naa toh main Menka ko humari beti ko humse door karne dungi, naa main aapko kisi aur ko Sneha ki Maa banakar yahan laane dungi aur naa main kisi aur ko aapki zindagi mein apni jagah lene dungi!"
The green monster purred in agreement.
TBC
CID
