#1 ~FF : Untold Stories~ - Page 84

Originally posted by: Bloomfield

Ranveer's wife dead and Ishani is divorced...Can't get any darker😳😳 Beautiful! Simply Beautiful...I'm now loving the suspense!😉😉 So possibly by another three more interludes, I'll be getting them!😳😳 LM, you're one such suspense-creator in this forum!Lovely, Man!⭐️⭐️

And this chapter is certainly dark and I loved it! The scars, her dream and the end everything was simply outta the world!😳😳 And the name was I.H.P⭐️⭐️⭐️ Great!😳😳 My guess was right then!😆😆

Sorry for a short one, pretty messed up with my days... Life is getting harder and the leap is giving me a🥱🥱

Love you!

#Yours3Fan
Aarushi

Ps. Hoping for you to win ;)

Thank you so much, darling! 🤗🤗 I'm so happy that you liked it! And goodness, are you alright now? 😲😲 The floods have really given all a scare. 😕😕 I just hope that you and your family are doing well and that your hardships get eased off soon enough. 😊😊

Yes, it was dark, but this was supposed to go way darker. 🤔🤔 I'm still trying to figure out why I didn't go for it. As to the scars and dreams, well I've been worried about the former a LOT, but the latter was a cake walk given that it was so out of the blue. And yes, you were right. 😆😆

Originally posted by: MM123456

LM trophy ghar lekar aana🤗

All the best my senorita🤗🤗

Originally posted by: LadyMeringue

.

Thank you so much, darling! 🤗🤗 I'm so happy that you liked it! ⭐️⭐️ And goodness, are you alright now? 😲😲 The floods have really given all a scare. 😕😕 I just hope that you and your family are doing well and that your hardships get eased off soon enough. 😊😊

And honestly, you're the only one who looks positively happy with the whole divorce/widower thing. 🤣🤣 Although I'm not even going to rely upon that for too long now. 😉😉 And yes, you'll be getting most of the plot idea, but then again, don't forget that you have the epistles on the way again. 😃😃

Yes, it was dark, but this was supposed to go way darker. 🤔🤔 I'm still trying to figure out why I didn't go for it. As to the scars and dreams, well I've been worried about the former a LOT, but the latter was a cake walk given that it was so out of the blue. 😳😳 And yes, you were right. 😆😆

Thank you so much once again, love! ☺️☺️ Do please take great care of yourself! ❤️❤️

Ps. It's going to take a lot more votes for that. Please do share the link with your friends as well when things get better. 😛😛

Originally posted by: LadyMeringue

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Thank you so much, Cherie! 🤗🤗 And I'm going to need loads and loads of votes for that. 😆😆 Do please share the link with all of your friends and ask them to vote as well. 😛😛

Originally posted by: Bloomfield

Don't ask me about those floods...they are horrid! Pretty better but...Shucks, anyways🥱🥱

I guess, it is...😆😆 And you should have made it even more darker...Sigh,😕😕 I have got some idea of the plot but let's see.😉😉

I'll take care, beautiful...Take care...Be happy...Cursing myself for transferring here!🥱🥱

Ps. I'll do them...😛😛

Oh well, it will take for you to come out from the shock of it all. And don't curse your luck, it isn't something that you can blame yourself for, really.

As to making it darker, no, I didn't want to make it darker because it didn't fit here. Darkness and angst has a black beauty of it's own when it fits the right place with the right intensity. Without it, it's just there, but there isn't an impact at all. It's just like a useless piece of charcoal, really. Hope I did make sense with it. 😆😆

Originally posted by: MM123456

Thank you so much, Cherie! 🤗🤗 And I'm going to need loads and loads of votes for that. 😆😆 Do please share the link with all of your friends and ask them to vote as well. 😛😛

Originally posted by: LadyMeringue

Phir thank u 🥺

Aww ofc dearie , could u please send me the link once again😊

Originally posted by: Ishveerian

Fantastic update LM😛

A/N: Hey there everyone! :D :D Here is the next update! :D :D

Happy Reading! :D :D

Finch made his way up a gravel driveway, a file in his hand.

Gregory Finch could be best described as a man who had seen life at its exquisite best. He had the air of a man well educated at the Oxford along with an accent that could pass for both British and Australian. Born into a family with a rich lineage of ancestors belonging to the world of law, Greg was the first child to Elka and Adam Finch, along with the oldest brother to three sisters and two brothers.

Educated at the North Sydney Boys High School, Greg moved to England for his higher studies, completing his BA in Law with a first class at the Magdalen College, and pursuing his LLB from the same. It was there that he met his future wife Monica Bradley (now Finch), who was pursuing a career in Human Psychology. The two of them were as different as poles apart, and yet the similarities in their natures and wavelengths were where they connected. Monica Bradley was the only daughter to James Bradley (an entrepreneur in the tanning business) and Katherine Bradley (also a professor at the Magdalen College with majors in English Literature and Philosophy).

Striking up a courtship of two years, Greg had barely proposed to Monica when he received news of his mother suffering from a stroke that rendered her partially paralyzed. Refusing a teaching job at the esteemed privilege on the request of his ailing mother (who eventually regained her health and is currently doing very well), he took up the job as a professor for Business Law at the University of Sydney, where he also co-incidentally became friends with Ranveer Vaghela.

However, exception to the circumstances, Greg and Ranveer met each other for the first time not inside a classroom, but instead at a bar. The two of them had gotten into a beer challenge where Ranveer had beaten him hands down and from there till the next morning, Greg and Ranveer practically knew everything about each other save for a thing or two. But it was only when Ranveer had a lecture of Business Law the next afternoon did he realize that Professor Finch was a part of the faculty.

This was amongst the only things that they did not know about each other.

Beginning from a healthy teacher-student rapport to an ever stronger friendship, Finch was the man Ranveer could confide everything to in his times of need, even though Finch's scales were tipped heavier in case of confessions. Finch wasn't remotely amused when he came to know about the mentality of the Indian people when it came to social castes and remained at a loss to understand how people could undermine each other so much. And with this came to topics of their love lives.

Both heading to India and England respectively to their loved ones in the year 2009, Finch returned back victorious after finally having convinced Monica's father for their marriage, while from Indian came back a heart-broken Ranveer. Finch lent him the perfect shoulder of a friend where Ranveer spent several nights with several bottles of Budweiser until he pulled himself up and decided to be a part of his frined's happiness.

After having convinced his father about his and Monica's marriage, Finch finally said his vows at the altar on 3rd June, 2009, with Ranveer as his best man. Two months later, Ranveer followed suit in a private ceremony with only his parents and his late wife, Finch and Monica a part of it as well. If there was anyone who knew Ranveer as well as his late wife, it was Finch.

A year and eight months later, Finch began work at his father's law firm at a six-figure monthly salary (after working for a year as an attorney at Freehills), where he also officially became Ranveer's legal counsel for his newly-founded diamond company. Another year later, Ranveer invited him to invest into the new chain of resorts that he had recently acquired. And upon more consideration, Ranveer had decided to make him an investing partner into it as well. Finch now lived with Monica and the kids at a penthouse in the Business District and remained overly fond of the lifestyle he'd managed to put up for his family, never once biting more than what he could chew.

His friend, however, was who he worried about the most. He had seen his friend scale the highest mountain and fall into the deepest trenches in those eight years, and he had always seen him emerge strong. But somewhere along the line, he knew that his friend had always been lonely. Happiness was something he derived from little things, but at the end of the day he remained singularly forlorn. And as he walked across the drive way of the Salmona Villa that afternoon, he knew that it was about time that his friend found his more than overdue and well-deserved happiness in life.

And he finally had the key to it.

Ringing the doorbell to the magnificently stunning place, Finch waited patiently. Salmona Villa was a condominium on a five-acre land at the Point Piper suburb. It had a beautiful garden, tennis court and golf course behind the villa that connected to the magnificently azure line of the Rose Bay with a stunning beach. He would come over to Ranveer's place several times either for a game of golf or tennis, and on the week-ends, the entire family would come along enjoy at the beach-side. Those outings were usually accompanied by intoxicating meals.

The villa in itself was a simple structure that Finch admired wholly, a terrace and garage attached alongside while very room was gloriously designed with the perfect set of furniture to go along. The villa had ten rooms - a living room, dining room, study room, three bedrooms, a guest room, a kitchen, a library and a basement. A perfectly maintained garden remained on either side of the gravel drive-way that he had just walked across, courtesy of the several helpers in and around the place.

The door opened to reveal Ranveer standing before him in a sky-blue polo t-shirt and white shorts, matching blue tennis bands on both of his wrists. Greg himself was dressed in a black polo T-short and similar white shorts, identical black bands on his wrists as well. Between the two men, there was no Greg and Ranveer. It was always Finch and Vaghela. And so it was, when Ranveer spoke rather smartly.

"Ah, Finch! Ready for a game of tennis?"

"David told me that the tickets are with you. Have you brought mine?"

"Yes, I did and I've kept it on the table in your study room."

"Game to Mr. Vaghela. Mr. Vaghela leads by three sets to two in the second set and by love to one set."

The two men were involved in a vigorous set after the previously laxed one, enjoying the light, cool winds from pleasant autumn noon One of the house helpers remained seated upon the high chair as judge to the match. The number of games in the first set had gone up to twelve before Finch emerged victorious with a 5-7, a huge smile upon his face. He was relieved that Ranveer was in just as relaxed a mood as he was, knowing that the time had come to bring out the topic of the day.

The two of them played silently for some time, both lost into their own thoughts. After forty minutes, the second set was in Ranveer's favour, immediately taking an early lead in the next one. Getting his head back into the task, Finch managed to pinch three games in a row before finally deciding upon the most suitable option of attack.

"Um, Vaghela? I need to talk to you about something."

"Fire away, Finch," said Ranveer, slightly breathless as he fired away the shot in a seamless backhand.

"Um..."

"What did you do?" asked Ranveer, suddenly on guard as Finch missed the shot.

"Game to Mr. Vaghela. Mr. Vaghela leads by four sets to three in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"Um, there's an appointment that I've got you fixed when we get to Mumbai," began Finch as Ranveer served once again, this time making sure to hit back the ball with a swift side arm.

"Appointment? What kind of appointment?" asked Ranveer after some time, during which the scores tipped slightly in Ranveer's favour.

"Game to Mr. Vaghela. Mr. Vaghela leads by five sets to three in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"Okay, but I must warn you. Don't go cuckoo upon me, but I think I may have found you a prospect for the diamond project you were talking about."

"What the-"

"I told you to calm down!" roared Finch as Ranveer aimed a dangerous shot, the latter jumping out from the way in time. It was a double fault that won Finch the game at forty-love.

"Game to Mr. Finch. Mr. Vaghela leads by five sets to four in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"Finch, please tell me you didn't do anything stupid," said Ranveer, almost breathless as he fired away another shot at Finch.

"Ugh! I should have known that this would take longer than necessary," grumbled Finch darkly as he hit the shot back. Ranveer scowled at him but nodded nonetheless. Two minutes later, Finch was secured the game.

"Game to Mr. Finch. Mr. Vaghela ties with Mr. Finch with five games each in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"Fine, now tell me," said Ranveer as he bent double, waiting to regain back his breath.

"Okay. This morning during the time of your lecture, I received a call from a certain Mr. Puneet from Mumbai," narrated Finch as Ranveer took back the racquet in his hand. He nodded his head at Finch just as the latter served a fault.

"He spoke on behalf of the Parekh Diamond Trading Co. and said that they would like to strike a deal with our company on behalf of the owner," completed Finch as his second serve hit the mark with an ace.

He did not fail to notice the look at that appeared upon Ranveer's face, who now gripped his racquet stronger as he smashed away at the shots with a new-found vigour. Playing in silence for a few minutes, Finch smirked at Ranveer as the umpire boomed out.

"Game to Mr. Finch. Mr. Finch leads by six sets to five in the third set and is tied with Mr. Vaghela at one set each."

"It seems like the owner was specifically interested in striking a deal with your company," added Finch cleverly and saw a strange look cross Ranveer's eye.

"What did you tell him?" asked Ranveer finally, now slightly pale.

"I asked him to contact David, ofcourse! I told him that I had nothing to do with the diamond company, but he insisted that he's been trying to contact David for months now with no results. Time was slipping and unless they didn't have a suitable prospect, they couldn't go forth with the deal."

"What did you do next?"

"Game to Mr. Vaghela. Mr. Vaghela ties with Mr. Finch with six games each in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"I gave him a go for an appointment on the 8th," said Finch finally, eyeing his companion nervously. "Our appointment with the Singhania's is on the 7th anyway, so I thought that it may work."

"Thought?" asked Ranveer in a dangerous hiss as the tie-breaker round commenced.

"Look, you've been finding for a suitable prospect for more than a month now across five continents. Post our conversation, I did an in-depth research about the Parekh Empire and its credibility. It's a positive," said Finch abashedly as he saw a demented look in Ranveer's eyes. He could no longer serve the shots with justice.

"Game to Mr. Vaghela. Mr. Vaghela leads by two points to love in the tie-breaker, while is at a tie with Mr. Finch at six games each in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"The company has been in the market since the past 45 years and its rock steady," said Finch calculatively even though he didn't need to give an explanation Ranveer was already well-versed with.

"There was an incident where the company went bankrupt nearly six years ago, but its back in its element again. Trust me, it's a great deal. Besides, it's not like I signed a deal or anything. I've just fixed up an appointment, that's all."

"Game to Mr. Vaghela. Mr. Vaghela leads by four points to one in the tie-breaker, while is at a tie with Mr. Finch at six games each in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"What makes you think it's a good deal?" asked Ranveer, his breath in check this time as he served the shot once again. Finch hit the shot back before Ranveer could even tail his movement.

"Game to Mr. Finch. Mr. Vaghela leads by four points to two in the tie-breaker, while is at a tie with Mr. Finch at six games each in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"One, because the company has got excellent market credibility. Two, because I've been in contact with some of the investors as well and this company is a pool of gold investments. Three, because this is a win-win situation."

Finch made another breakthrough with an ace. Ranveer glared at him.

"Game to Mr. Finch. Mr. Vaghela leads by four points to three in the tie-breaker, while is at a tie with Mr. Finch at six games each in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"How so?" asked Ranveer, slightly irritated at being caught so off-guard. He put his head back into the game and won back one more point.

"You've got the capital investment, she's got the diamonds. You're armed, she's dangerous. It fits," wailed Finch as the ball went right under his racquet that he managed to fling away towards the opposite court in what was a near-impossible shot. Ranveer growled.

"Game to Mr. Finch. Mr. Vaghela leads by five points to four in the tie-breaker, while is at a tie with Mr. Finch at six games each in the third set and is tied with Mr. Finch at one set each."

"Well, say something!" asked Finch, petrified at the obscure look that had appeared upon Ranveer's face. For a moment, Finch though that Ranveer was going to throw the racquet at him before the former hit an ace that went flying faster than a bullet at an approximate 148k/h. Finch flung himself out of the way while Ranveer spoke triumphantly.

"You are one lucky bas***d, Finch. You've got me on the right day, or else you'd be dead meat by now."

Finch cursed aloud openly in words to colourful to describe while Ranveer smiled at him succulently. Finally getting himself up from the ground with his face devoid of colour, Finch became coherent again as he waggled his finger at Ranveer.

"Yeah right, thanks for scaring the shit out of me, mate!"

"Whatever," said Ranveer, waving his arm dismissively with a lopsided grin on his face.

"Game, set and match to Mr. Vaghela: 5-7 6-4 7-6 (5-7)."

"Damn, you did it again, Vaghela!" barked Finch as he grudgingly shook hands with Ranveer and thanked the helper, even though he tried to wring the former's hand.

"Well, if you'd have had your eyes on the ball rather than upon my racquet, you'd have had more success," remarked Ranveer coolly, while Finch fumed.

"I hate it when you're right."

"Alright, alright, whatever," said Finch calmly, the two of them giving each other a side hug. He could not have been more relaxed that Ranveer had taken things well so far as he now stared at his watch, gasping in surprise.

"Good Lord, is that the time already?! I better get going or Monica's going to go ballistic."

"Give her my regards, and Michael and Claire my love," said Ranveer jovially and Finch smiled.

"You got that."

Finch packed up his tennis bag and had barely left the court when Ranveer called him back.

"Hey, Finch?"

"Yeah?"

"Just out of curiosity, who is the current owner of the Parekh Empire?" asked Ranveer, unable to keep the desperate note out from his voice. Finch smiled at him notoriously.

"It's a woman - some Ishaani Parekh. Funnily enough, she's much more popularly reputed as the Queen of Dalal Street," replied Finch dramatically and saw a small smile upon Ranveer's features.

"I swear, the two of you could be a match in heaven," added Finch boldly.

A death glare was what sent him packing to the car.

That night, Ranveer sat at his desk once again, going through several diaries at once. He'd read most of them save for four particular diaries that he would be carrying to India as well. He smiled at the diary that he had just closed, containing the memories of a thirteen-year old version of himself along with a twelve year old Ishaani. The last entry of the page had been about the two of them celebrating New Year's Eve together.

The diaries he'd read so far until the age of twenty-one were all that managed to evoke a strange spark of happiness within him. Most of them contained happy stories about the younger versions of himself and Ishaani, while the sob stories came from the behavior of Baa and the narrow-minded, power-hungry people of the society. But Ishaani had always been there for him. Until one day, she wasn't.

He wondered why fate had to be so cruel and tear them apart the way it did. But everything did happen for a reason, he strongly believed. None of the major events in his life justified where the "better" lay, but he had learnt to take everything in his stride. Sighing as he got up from the study table, he packed the four diaries in the carry bag that sat beside a meticulously packed suitcase.

He looked at the time. 2AM. He knew that their fight was at 6AM and that he had to report to the airport three hours prior. Sighing, he went for a shower and decided to spend some time away from his mundane and monotonous thoughts that never seemed to have any logical solution to it. However, this night, he had a new topic to ponder over apart from Ishaani and his dead wife - the contract.

She had sought him specifically to sign a contract - but why? Was it a co-incidence that she sought to sign a deal with his company or did she really know who he was? Was this her way of saying that she was ready to accept him back? And whatever was he doing complying with her request like a puppet? Had he no self-respect and dignity left?

Leaving the shower dejectedly after fifteen minutes without any solution to the intense round of questions he asked himself, he quickly changed into a plain white T-shirt and blue jeans, sporting a brown jacket upon it. Settling his wet hair back to place, he quickly called up his chauffeur to take his baggage outside into the car while he held on to his passport and tickets.

He handed out several instruction to all of his helpers and made important phone calls to some of his employees, particularly David and Jameson, to keep him updated with everything that was going on. Finally sitting into his Audi comfortably, Ranveer shut his eyes for a few moments before he heard the car rev up and make its way upon the smooth roads.

Constructive criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for any typos. :D :D

Next chapter:
Interlude 5