PART 7
Sameer came in to the conference room to find his brother pacing angrily and he goes near Prithvi and puts a calming hand on his shoulder.
"Bhaiyya….what happened? I just saw Inder and a lady walk out and they looked upset" Sameer asks trying to look at his brother's face for the reaction when suddenly Prithvi turns and the fury on his face stops Sameer in his tracks.
"They had the gall to come in here and propose to buy our company" Prithvi bit out each word as if it gave him immense pain and his tone was laced with venom.
"Buy our company?" Sameer repeated his words, taken aback.
"Yeah……and you know who exactly the buyer is?" Prithvi asked and when Sameer shakes his head, Prithvi's eyes glint with anger as he reveals the name, "The Gujrals" and Sameer takes a step back in shock.
"Who?" Varun's voice asks and both the brothers turn to see their youngest brother had joined them too.
"Damini Gujral…..MD of that company….to be precise" Prithvi answers and he sees a small smile spread on Varun's face.
"What is so funny?" Prithvi's eyes narrow at the youngest Saxena's smile.
"This is perfect……the time I have been waiting for" he replies. Prithvi and Sameer gape at Varun as if he had lost his mind.
"Perfect?" both ask him in unison.
"Yes…..perfect timing……so finally our company has been noticed …..Where is the proposal bhaiyya?" Varun asks and Prithvi points to the file lying on the desk. Varun goes ahead and takes the file and turns to leave when both the brothers stop him.
"What are you doing Chotte?" Sameer asks incredulous at the fact that instead of shock Varun was actually happy with the news that the Gujrals were eyeing their company.
"Studying what they have in store for us bhaiyya……I will see you both at home at 5 today…..we need to talk" saying that Varun walks away leaving both the brothers perplexed.
"What is he doing?" Sameer turns to Prithvi who is still staring at the door.
"Something which I have a feeling will work in our favor…..let's get work done….as I can't wait for it to be 5" Prithvi replies, trusting Varun to come up with a smart move out of the mess he had created and leaves to his office followed by Sameer.
"This was ridiculous" Damini fumes as Inder is trying to explain the reason behind Prithvi's sudden explosion.
"No Damini……he must have been shocked at our proposal and the thought to sell his firm must not have entered his mind …..so he lost his cool" Inder sighs.
How was he supposed to know the reason for Prithvi's outburst? Damini was testing his patience too…..and this was the girl his father wanted him to marry……he was sure that the universe was trying to punish him for some evil misdeed he must have done in some birth.
"Oh no……that man doesn't get shocked easily…..he is more prone to giving shocks" she mutters, remembering how he had shut her up in the barn and how today, without any qualms he had invaded her space and threatened her. She had never liked him from the first time she had laid eyes on him that night on the road.
"Well it is shocking if you walk in with a proposal to buy them out…..Look Damini….am sure that once he reads through it, he will call you and apologize…..no one….just no one is going to give them a deal like the one we are offering" Inder keeps up his attempt to pacify Damini.
"True…..but somehow…..I don't trust this man" she muses. She knew he was no fool as he had built his business from scratch in such a competitive industry. Inder excuses himself when his phone buzzes and Damini gets back to work, hating Prithvi for upsetting her and spoiling her day.
At 5 both Sameer and Prithvi are pacing the office of their house, waiting for Varun to come back and tell them what was so exciting about the proposal that the Gujral's had put forward. Within five minutes Varun makes an entry and without further preamble he sits them down and starts explaining.
"You think this will work?" Prithvi asks softly once Varun is done explaining their new plan and Varun nods confidently.
"It will need a little bit of patience but yes it can be done" Varun says and Prithvi stands up slowly, "I have waited this long Varun…..I can wait a little more too but anything to defeat Ila Gujral in her own game" he says bitterly.
"Do you think we can wing it bhaiya?" Sameer asks a little skeptically.
"Yes……I think we can" he nods and the three brothers agree to change their track a little to get their revenge.
Days pass and the Saxena brothers slowly start purchasing more shares of Gujral industries and working harder in building a reputation for their company. Weeks pass when suddenly Inder comes to visit Prithvi who meets him cordially but coldly.
"Mr. Saxena…..I don't know what you didn't like about the deal but am here to just invite you to my party" Inder sets the invite on his desk and smiles.
Prithvi looks at him a little confused. "Why are you inviting me to your party?" he asks without preamble.
"It's a business meet and greet…..thought it would be nice to know an entrepreneur like you too……also it is a personal party too…..just like that" he shrugged his shoulders and looked at Prithvi and smiled.
"Thanks a lot….but I don't think I would have the time" Prithvi declined his sudden invitation politely.
"Sure….if you change your mind…..you have the card" Inder smiled and left.
Inder knew that Prithvi Saxena was Balraj Saxena's son …..a secret he intended to keep to himself for a while.Also, he had to keep pushing Damini not to give up on the deal. Smiling to himself, he walked out.
Convinced by his brothers that he should at least try to make the pretence of friendship, Prithvi decides to attend Inder's party. Dressed all in black with a sports jacket casually draped, Prithvi walks into the party to see it in full swing with people enjoying and dancing to the core. Prithvi meets a few familiar faces but the loner he was, he finally grabs a drink and sits in the corner, his feet tapping to the music but his mind on Varun's new idea to get inside the Gujral empire and defeat them from within. That meant that he had to talk business with the Gujrals and this Inder Malhotra.
Prithvi watches with a slight smile on his face as people talk loudly, laugh happily and dance with each other. He was a small town boy but a single event had wholly changed the way his life was going. Never had he imagined or wanted to be a part of the glitterati but here he was sitting in the midst of them, pretending to enjoy the drink in his hand. He shook his head, laughing at his life when suddenly a lithe body draped in a white saree catches his attention.
He looks up to see the beautiful Damini looking heart stopping beautiful in a white saree which was draped sensuously around her curves and the intricate bead work sparkled like diamonds as it caught the light with her movements. Prithvi's mouth went dry at the picture she made and his heart beat as if he had just run a marathon.
"Stop it Prithvi" he chided himself and tried to take his eyes off the beautiful girl who for some reason had caught his interest but he failed miserably. So he sat there watching Damini.
He saw her meet colleagues and new acquaintances with a smile and a handshake. He observed that she had a beautiful smile which made her face light up and her eyes dance. He saw her laugh at something one of the men had said and heard the tinkle of her laughter. That made her glow even more. That man must have paid a compliment to her and that mere thought made him clench his jaw and tighten his hold on his glass.
She then moved forward to greet another person but her saree pallu got caught on a flower arrangement and she stopped midstride and a frown marred her perfect features. She turned around and saw that it was caught on a little thorn and she smiled to herself. The same smile lit Prithvi's face too. Her hair fell across her face and a frown creased prithvi's face. He wanted to push the errant locks back which were hiding the face from his unblinking eyes. Damini pushed her hair back and Prithvi sighed softly.
Damini felt someone's eyes on her and she looked up to meet the chocolate eyes which the last time had been dark drown in anger. The smile disappeared from her face and she hastily salvaged her pallu and turned to leave.
Inder who had been watching Prithvi admire Damini, stepped in Damini's way.
"Oh" she gasped as she bumped into Inder and he caught her in his arms. Prithvi's eyes narrowed dangerously at his actions but then he snapped out of his reverie.
"Damini……watch where you go" Inder smiled and she returned his smile, knowing fully well that those chocolate eyes were still reverted on her.
"Let's go and say hello to a few other people Inder" Damini said and started walking with her hand in Inder's . He pulled her to a stop and nodded towards Prithvi.
"What?" Damini deliberately refused to understand.
"Let's go and greet him" he tells Damini .
"No way….why did you invite that party pooper anyways?" she glares at Inder who recollects all his strength not to laugh.
"It's a business thing Damini" Inder lies.
"Liar….all of the people here are our friends Inder…..except him" she says and Inder smiles.
"He will be too soon….lets go" he drags her a little forcibly.
Prithvi had been watching the exchange between Damini and Inder and it felt like they were lovers. Why a pang of jealousy hit him in the gut….he refused to acknowledge.
"Prithvi" Inder greeted him and Prithvi smiled back. He saw that Damini was trying her level best to ignore him so he decided to irk her.
"Hi Inder….thank you for inviting me….hello Miss Gujral….we meet again" he extended his hand towards Damini who looks at it surprised. She looks at Inder who nods his head. Mustering up all her good manners, she puts her hand in his and a current shoots through both of them and they look into each others' eyes, trying to decipher what just happened.
"Well would you Prithvi take her on the dance floor……I have to meet the other guests" Inder pats Prithvi and before either can react he disappears, laughing to himself that finally the great Damini Gujral, his childhood friend, had met her match. He was going to stoke the fire as much as possible.
Damini snatched her hand from his and took a step back. Prithvi too looked around awkwardly.
"Dance" he muttered as if punished to do a hateful deed.
"Don't bother Mr. Saxena" Damini looked at him without a smile, "I wouldn't expect anything nice from you and also am sure you have two left feet" she couldn't resist the barb and she saw his eyes darken but she knew it wasn't anger. She turned to leave when his arm snaked around her waist and he came closer from behind. Her heart lurched to her mouth. It was as if she was powerless against his touch.
Prithvi moved her hair on her shoulder with his other hand and whispered in his ear, "Good you don't expect……makes it easy to be surprised" and turns her to face him. Her arm goes around his neck, while the other struggles to push him away.
"Dance with me" he hears himself say and watches her eyes widen in surprise.
"N…no….let me go" she refuses but Prithvi couldn't let go.
He escorts her to the floor and twirls her to the music and back into his arms. She comes in contact with his hard body and gasps. She tries her best to escape his arms but a masterful dancer that Prithvi is; he turns every route of her escape, a route back into his arms. Their eyes war with each other but their bodies move in rhythm to the music. Damini finally gives in to his masterful moves and starts dancing with him, matching his fervor. They forget everything around them and move to the music.
The fact that she was a Gujral, the fact that he had threatened her and kissed her without even knowing her, everything melts into oblivion. Watching them dance, Inder smiles to himself. He was right. These two were going to get along like a house on fire….till they didn't burn each other.
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
