Chapter 35: Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye
There was one commandment which was inbred into every Virani-by-birth. Never give your word easily and if you do, never break it. Keeping the Virani tradition alive was what Manthan Virani was doing right now. Ira had just regained enough of her composure to confront Manthan with the issue when her fiancee walked in the Panvel farmhouse. The look pure umbrage on Chaitanya Pandit's normally placid face told Ira that the alliance was over. For Good. "If only you'd be honest with me I...." he told a nonplussed Ira. "I'm calling off this wedding..." placing the golden engagement band on the table. He walked towards the door, turned back and with an injured look said, "Thanks Manthan....."
"Let me see.....the dissolution of this association is going to be devastating for Vardhan Suppliers - That's where the benevolent Viranis' come in and acquire it at dirt price......Vardhan Suppliers is finished Ira...and so are you after tomorrow's papers carry the news about the 'supposed' reason why Chaitanya called off his wedding with you. You counter it in any way and I'll make sure this CD here is played on national television. Prime time. I feel very sorry for Pratap uncle and Urvashi auntie, being parents of Jai and you is punishment enough without them having to go through all this..." For a minute Manthan sounded almost repentant. "But this it's paradoxical right?..parents having to bear the consequences of their children's actions......Bye Ira.....See you not to soon."
Ira counted ten, bent down and picked up the ring which was lying on the table. Her first impulse was to box Manthan's nose but she reigned in her temper with considerable effort. Still, an amused Manthan could distinctly sense it in her voice when she said seriously ."Nahi Manthan.....You don't get to walk away so easily.....from my life atleast..." she said clasping the ring purposefully. "If I am to be miserable for the rest of my life Manthan.............So will you...." And walked off.
Nakul Virani had also made sure he lived up to the Virani ethics about the whole 'Never-break-a-promise'. He read the newspaper article about Om Doshi, Barkha's paternal grandfather revoking his will and lambasting his granddaughter's husband, with a chuckle. He had often felt that he could never encounter a person as snobbish as Manthan in his lifetime. Om Doshi made Manthan look like an angel with a halo. Snooty, upstart with a picture of an enlarged family tree delineating the blue blood passed on through generations gracing his grandoise living room, Om Doshi was the grandfather Barkha never alluded to and disliked being reminded of. Nakul found out why.
He had met the senior Mr.Doshi a week after his return from New York. "Come in come in Nakul...." the patriarch welcomed him. " Though I wouldn't say she had brains, associating herself with the Viranis' is the smartest thing the chit did." "I beg your pardon Sir....Whom are you refering to?" "Oh....that girl of course.....The offspring of the woman who ensnared my son...He didn't even relent when I disowned him....Bloody....."
"Sir..?" Nakul asked, trying to maintain a polite facade. " Hmmm yes.....No family name ....nothing at all....Parents died when she was young....Brought up in an orphanage....No culture...No sophistication....Scandalous.....". "Sir...If you don't mind....I'd like to conclude the meeting as soon as I can coz I need to get back to Virani Restaurants." "Aha...yes yes....I just wanted to let you know that I'm happy that you'd be in charge of Doshi Inns...You have the majority shares of course...." Nakul looked flabbergasted as the elder Doshi drew a stack of papers from the drawer. "Just as well she's not inheriting outright, she'd bring it to ruins tarnishing the prestigious Doshi name.....". And that's when Nakul promised himself that Om Doshi would eat his words. "Bhumi......" he called out to his sister who had just entered the Virani study for a couple of books on property laws. "Mission Accomplished."
Music Corner
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
