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Chapter 1
Nobody wins when everyone's losing
Life was back to normal now. Devoid of excitement, happiness, insecurity, anger and hate. Hate... That was only directed towards him. Abeer. The name around which her life revolved once and it still dies. Though she wouldn't accept it, not in this lifetime, atleast. Her life was boring and colourless without him. They couldn't be together now, she knew it but at least he was around her. Near her. In her life but still not a part of her life.
"Groove" channel was the only bridge between them. Office time wasn't boring for them, in fact it became the most favourite part of theirs. And the reason was each other's presence. That mere feeling of being together soothed them and somehow started healing their wounds.
Meher was typing an important report when she heard some commotion outside. In curiosity, she called rati. Rati told her that abeer's father, Kuber Malhotra, had come to meet abeer. Meher wondered what must have compelled Kuber Malhotra, "the very busy business tycoon," to personally visit the channel just to meet abeer. It must be really important and they do live in the same house, don't they... Meher brushed that thought away and got back to her report. Minutes later, she got up from her black leather chair and stands outside abeer's music studio. She knew she wasnt doing the right thing, but she had to know it.
"Why don't you understand...??? You fool...!!! She is again playing with you... Your emotions... Your heart..."
She heard what kuber just told abeer. 'She' she was sure he was talking about her. She regretted overhearing the conversation.
"She is not playing with me... And I'm not a teenager now... I'm a grown up man..." came the reply.
"She really played well with this grown up man... We all know it abeer... She already took so much from us... Why...?? Because she gave you some time of hers. She dated you, married you, as you insisted... She must have pleased you in every way possible... But let's not forget, she very efficiently charged price of those priceless moments... Rs. 2.5 crore and that was it... The value you and your so called love had in her life... The estimated worth..."
By the time, kuber finished meher was in tears and she looked around; hoping no one hears this else her image would be tarnished for ever. She sighed when there was no one around and thanked god. Glad no one could see how humiliated and disgusted she felt.
"Stop it Mr. Malhotra... Just don't say a word after that... How can you talk like that...?? And that too about her... Meher biwi thi meri... Aapki bahu... You stooped so low today that i m ashamed of you... Whatever she did or not, its my personal matter... Its between me and my ex- wife..." abeer replied.
Somehow his reply saved a bit of her dignity, that was left. At least he doesn't agree with his father.
"Yeah I can see that... You are again getting defensive and rebellious... For her... And she.. She doesn't even cares about you. Even if you die for her, she wouldnt acknowledge the fact that you cared her or for that matter loved her. It wouldn't even affect her son. You are a puppet for her. And she knows how to make you dance on the slight movement of her finger..."
"She cares about me... She might not say it... But I am sure, I mean something to her... If not her everything... Like old times..."
Her heart broke on hearing to his voice, which cracked by the end. She could feel how painful it was for him. She could feel his heart being stabbed again and again by the sharp pointed dagger and it was bleeding. His pain making her way into her eyes and rolling down her cheeks.
"I don't want to discuss this any further... Just tell me why did you sell your shares at a huge loss... Shares of 80 lakh worth and you sold them in just 60 lakhs. What was the emergency...??"
"They were my shares... Its my choice when to retain them and when to sell them..."
"I'm not buying that bull shit abeer..."
"Its personal... "
"Personal... Ohh this is again about that dearest ex- wife of yours... Right...??"
"Yes... Now can you leave..."
Meher was shocked and returned to her cabin. She couldn't understand what was happening. It was too much for her and feeling sick, she decided to call it off for the day and go home. She just couldn't forget what happened and it was nothing she could ignore, like she does every time. She sat in her room and replayed the whole conversation in her mind. Once, twice, thrice... But of no use. She got no clue... All she got was another sleepless night with tears rolling down her eyes, pain of heartbreak, million questions and no answers. Somehow she got some sleep. Two hours of sleep rejuvenated her, to kick start another day.
Meher was about to leave for work when suman stopped her saying she has got some important news for her. Suman told meher that last night she found tarun talking to abeer and thanking him. Later on when she asked tarun to swear on her, he told her everything. How tarun got into gambling, won initially, then got meher's signature on the stamp paper and took loan against it, keeping the house as a guarantee. How he lost the money and got cheated by tillu. Then abeer saved him and promised him that he will take care of everything. Followed by when she gave abeer a cheque and all of her jewellery to pay off the loan. How abeer sold his shares, paid the mortgage and saved their home. Making sure the jewellery was untouched and safe. They could have been homeless, if it wasn't him who came forward to help them.
Now all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle fell together and she solved it. Abeer gave away his everything to save whatever she had earned through her vigorous hard work, sincerity and dedication. But why would he do it, she wondered.
"He did it only to make me feel inferior... To show that he still has more money and power than I have... He did it to hurt me and my self esteem. He thinks I'm too proud and that's why he insulted me lije this... What does he think that I'm not capable of taking care of my family... That I'm useless and still not... Why abeer...?? Why...??" Meher broke down and fell on the floor lifelessly.
Suman tried explaining the whole situation to meher but in vain. Meher was too absorbed in her own feelings that she failed to understand anything. The inner turmoil was making her go crazy. Her emotions were ruling over her brain and heart. Her brain which wanted to analyse the situation first. Her heart which wanted to appreciate abeer and his thoughtful step at the right time. Her emotions making her believe that abeer took advantage of the circumstances and hurted her where it would hurt her the most. Her weak spot. Her family.
Meher gathered herself again, picking up every single broken piece of her and putting them together. It was so hard this time, even harder than what it was last time; when her heart broke and her marriage ended. She cried as much as she could and decided she would never ever cry about this thing in her life. When she was done crying over it, for once and for all; she wiped her tears with the back of her hand. She didn't realise it was night, until she looked around and found darkness surrounding her. Just like her life, dull and dark.
The constant ringing of her mobile phone broke her trance. It was Abeer. She picked it up with new found confidence and determination.
"Where have you been boss...??? It was so boring without you..." He said and chuckled.
It iritated meher and she clutched the phone more tightly.
"Boss are you there...?? Hello...?? Meher... Meher Sab theek hai na... Meher..."
Abeer was hell worried now. Today when he didn't see her whole day, it made him feel incomplete. He felt lonely and sad. He called her to know if everything was alright. He wanted to tease and irritate her, to get over with his daily quota. A day without teasing her was a day wasted. Getting any sort of reaction from her gave him the satisfaction that he still is able to affect her. It helps him to sleep peacefully every night. Otherwise he had to drown himself in alcohol and drink until he passes out.
"Can we meet...??" She asked.
"Yes... I will be there in 10 minutes..." he replied immediately.
"No... Somewhere where we can talk in private..."
"Hmm..."
"Hotel room... Like really...??"
Meher ignored abeer and kept standing quietly, with her back facing him.
"Haayeee... Tumhare iraade mujhe nek nahi lag rahe meher... Not that I would mind it..."
Abeer said and jumped on the bed. He settled himself down on the bed and looked at meher with a smile on his face.
"Why did you do it...??"
Abeer had no clue what was going on in meher's mind.
"I know everything... About your heroic act as well..."
"Excuse me..."
Abeer got up from the bed and looked into her eyes. Hoping their eyes would do the talking. Hoping that without saying, unsaid words will be understood.
"Now that you have proved yourself superior than me... I will make sure I return your money as soon as possible... Thank you for your generosity..!!"
Meher turned to leave but abeer stopped her and pinned her to the door. She misunderstood him again. History is repeating itself, he thought.
"So I did this to make you feel inferior... To insult you... To hurt you... Or I did it out of sympathy...?? What do you think...??" Abeer asked.
Meher gulped down the lump formed at the back of her throat.
"You think I did this to hurt you... Right...??"
When she didn't reply, he knew he was right.
"Are you really that high headed and egoistic meher...?? Are you that blind in pride that you are unable to see why I did all this...??? I did this for you... For your family... For our family... I really love them... Just like you do... Tunnu... He is like a younger brother to me.. I feel responsible for him... And the most important fact - I did it out of love... My love for you.. I still love you meher... I really do baby..."
Abeer was deeply hurt by the opinion meher had of him. He couldn't help but admit it now. He just needed to confess his undying love for her and he did... He loved her, still dies and he did it for her. He would even die if that gives her even a single ounce of happiness.
Meher pushed abeer away the minute his body relaxed and he looked vulnerable.
"So you love me...?? And when you couldn't get me after 8 long years, you use my family... Using them to get me back...?? I would have accepted you in a heartbeat, if this was some another time. You buy my house and give it to me in charity. Then you confess your love for me... Isn't it too disgusting..?? A cheque was thrown on my face demanding me to divorce you, alimony... Compensation... Whatever you like to call it. And then after 8 years, some more money is thrown at me, in a hope that I come back to you... What am I...?? A commodity..?? A commodity that you want to own again and you come up to me with all your wealth... You cannot buy me Abeer Malhotra because I'm not for sale..."
"I want to buy you..?? Own you..?? Ohh I see... But you missed one thing baby... Why would I want you back..?? Ever thought about it..?? No...?? Lemme tell you... I would suddenly want you back because may be I want to sleep with you... Again... You know may be only you could satisfy me... May be its just about sex..."
It broke his heart to say such stuff but falling in love was the mistake of that red blood pumping organ in his body. Now it has to feel pain, unbearable pain; that was an inescapable part of the illusion called love.
Meher realised what she said and she was regretting it already. She wanted to undo it but words said once can never be taken back.
"Abeer..."
"So...?? Done with the calculations...?? How many nights will I get with you, in those 60 lakhs...??"
Meher looked down feeling ashamed. How could she think so low of him. Of the man she married and loved.
"Abeer... Please... I..."
"I'm officially done with you Ms. Purohit. For once and for all. Nothing left now. No loose ties... No hidden feelings... No unsaid words... No misunderstandings... No pain... It will be easier to move on now... We got a closure... Thank you... You can go..."
"I'm sorry... Abe-"
"Don't say my name please... I might start hating it... Like I'm hating the woman in front of me..." He took a deep breath and yelled "I said get out...".
Meher shivered when abeer yelled at her. Never did he talk to her like that. Never did she utter those dreadful and ridiculous words to him. Fair enough. This was it...!!! She saw it in his eyes. She crossed every limit today and it was like the last nail in the coffin. The last nail being her blaming and misinterpretating him and the coffin being their broken marriage and unsuccessful love. They were over. For real this time. Because of her.
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Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter7 Chapter 8 Precap Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Epiloguewarning : the updates will be weekly or sometimes twice a week. 😊
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