IshVeer FF : La Douleur Exquise| Important Announcement (Page 51) - Page 23

Hey, all! I know I'm very late. :( I'm hoping the chapter was worth it (yes, I'm terribly afraid!). Took time due to the writer's block.

And, there's the flashback part, which is taken from the Teaser written by Niki. So credits to her. :)

Chapter 18: The First Step

Heavy torrential rain outside the window snapped RV out of his thoughts, his mind giddy with the images of what had awaited them the moment they crossed the threshold of the Parekh Mansion. If death meant one's inability to live again despite keep breathing, he had somewhere died in that moment. And the rest was a feast organized to celebrate the tragedy he was the protagonist of. Irony at its best!

What better fate could one-sided love have in the first place?

It was meant to happen, sooner or later. But expectation of the inevitable hardly made it easier to endure the ghastly blow which effortlessly battered his already fragile heart. It only made it more obvious that this dry, cold death awaited him in the most generous ways at the end of the day.

"Ishani is a grownup now and we need to find a better match for her." His Mota Babuji's words came back to him, brutal and hard. Only if he knew it wasn't a joke fate had decided to play all of a sudden, providing him with no opportunity to protect himself. The harshest blow came to him, catching him off guard, and unprepared like a monster assaulting its prey in the most unexpected hour.

RV shuffled out of the room towards the window and felt the filtered drizzle stroke his face. Surprisingly, it didn't bother him today, and he couldn't help but wonder what Ishani would say if she knew he had no problem with the rain anymore. How could he? The rain always symbolized the sky was weeping on the behalf of a broken heart, today the broken heart being his own. The cold air blew gently, receding the humidity in the atmosphere a great deal since afternoon. The memories once again managed to disembowel the little sanity out of him as he let himself get lost in the nothingness of the midnight. The noise outside still made it harder to have him fall asleep, but it didn't matter. RV hardly slept.

Slowly, his hand reached to the left side of his chest, rubbing the skin where his heart supposedly beat, quietly as though afraid of any force with the power of destroying it again. But on the other hand, it was an overwhelming pain that tingled his chest, making it hard to breath for him. RV couldn't tell what it was that hurt: the heart that beat underneath the skin or the strain of the muscles on the place causing his flesh to ache because an imaginary object throbbing inside could not take anymore.

In either way, the pain did not subside, instead with each breath he took the darkness like four thick walls closed around, engulfing him until his body refused to put up a fight with the invisible demons.

The rain plopped down, fluctuating in intensity with the night wearing on. Ishani's attempts to get some sleep had been in vain, and so had been her attempts to protect the Empire her father had created with the hard work of years. The hours ticked by, remaining in minutes which prepared themselves to be pulverized to the seconds when the final moment of the auction decided to arrive. Hopelessness prevailed and just like all the nights, her mind only made ways to protect her father's legacy, which took no time in shattering in her mind like a house made of the cards. Her eyes felt heavy, and if she saw herself in the mirror, Ishani was sure to find a disarrayed, unrecognizable creature staring back at her. And just like all the times before when she could not sleep, she rose to her feet, making sure not to make any sound to wake Disha up and hobbled to the balcony. The dawn was yet far away, stretching the waning hopes of a miracle that might just arrive at the right time. The incident today proved miracles were not the otherworldly thoughts meant not to exist for her.

Someone was out there in the wild world to whom she mattered more than just an unworthy woman fighting a losing battle. She mattered enough that he was willing to do so much for her and her father without being asked to. Ishani sighed, welcoming a smile her lips had forgotten to feel in last few years as a flutter of heart stirred her senses to life. Ishani wrapped her arms around herself in a hug, trying to fill the gaps left empty for years and years, longing for a crevice to show up so that the light pierced through the impossible darkness and shone into reality.

She closed her eyes, slowly inhaling the scent of the rain that it had forgotten to harbor for many years. It surely couldn't be a coincidence. Maybe the things were falling right in the place?

"Ishani?" A low voice startled Ishani out of her thoughts and she stirred, allowing herself to turn back enough to take a look.

"Maa!" At the sight of her mother she turned back, finding her standing on the door, her face wrinkled in worry.

"You aren't supposed to stay awake, Ishani." She entered the room and advanced towards Ishani. "You know you're working too hard these days?"

"The same goes for you, Maa," Ishani said gently. "It's long enough for you to stay awake as well."

And the room fell silent, silence occasionally being disturbed by the snores of the sleeping Disha. It was too obvious why could neither of them fall asleep when there was hardly a time left for the auction. Two days from now on.

"It'll be alright." Ishani heard her mother say and she sighed. She couldn't fall prey to the thing called hope. But at the moment, it was something else that tortured Ishani's thoughts.

"Maa," she said, capturing her mother's attention, but no further words escaped her mouth. Falguni stared at her, waiting for Ishani to confess, but smiled ruefully when she remained silent.  

"Ishani, sharing things with your mother was never you, right? You were Papa's girl. I know I never gave you enough space to make your own decisions or live a life like you wanted to. And..."

"No, Maa," Ishani quickly interrupted. "It isn't so." She took a deep breath, mustering the courage to speak up further. "Do you know how miraculously all of Papa's bills were paid in the hospital today?"

Ishani waited, watching her mother observe her face closely, before she settled for the most obvious. "Sharman and your savings helped, right? That's what you both said earlier."

"No, Maa." Ishani shook her head. "It wasn't either of us! It was... I don't know... someone just anonymously happened to pay all the bills so far as well as for the upcoming few weeks. The doctor said he'll be giving the full account of the payment tomorrow." She didn't look back to see her mother glaring hard or ready to rebuke at the moment. The rain now lashed harder than before, much to Ishani's dismay.

"Ishani." Falguni's voice gently sprung her out. "Look at me."

Ishani turned back, her head low. "Maa, I don't know who he is. I don't know why someone would give away so much of their property for us. All I know is that someone does care about Papa. It isn't for me, Maa. It's for Papa. He's done so much for others and right now, he needs one single person to fight for him."

"I know." Ishani heard her mother sigh. "But it isn't right to be taking money from someone we don't know!"

"But maybe we do know him but we're just unaware of this fact?" Ishani said, while a faded image of a familiar face flashed through her eyes. "It's for Papa, Maa!" Her voice lowered in resignation. "Let it be. Once we win the case, we'll return them everything. I promise!"

"What does Sharman say?" Falguni asked.

"He's reluctant but knows there's no other way to help Papa right now." Ishani looked at her mother, hoping for the approval which still did not sparkle in her grey eyes.

"Do you know how Baa will react to this?"

"What do you want, Maa?" Ishani said, the patience finally battering. "That we should let Papa come home, not give him proper treatment he deserves and let him die, and years after when we're sitting somewhere, still mourning over his loss, we call can freely regret the fact that maybe this little effort from a stranger could have saved Papa, but since we were too worried about Baa's opinions, we let him go? And instead of us weeping over his loss, could have been enjoying a life together. Does Baa's negative opinion really matter, Maa, when we're going through this?"

"Ishani, I didn't--"

"Maa, please! I know somewhere what I've done doesn't seem right. But it doesn't feel wrong here either." Ishani pointed towards her heart. It didn't feel wrong. "It doesn't. Please understand!" Life was too complex to be put into the vessels of right and wrong. Good people did wrong when the time came, and bad defeated the evil when it was their time. And, today, neither of them were hurting anyone. So why was this wrong?

Falguni gathered Ishani in her arms, and kissed her forehead lovingly. "Ishani, I'm sorry! I'm sorry you have to go through this and I'm helpless. I'm sorry I can't do anything for you," she murmured, stroking Ishani's head. Ishani felt her gaze falter and eyes closing as the caress of her mother conveyed her into another world of oblivion where slumber was so not hard after all.

"RV Sir?"

A gentle voice stirred RV's thoughts as he blinked his eyes, deep down hoping to find himself in the same hospital years ago the visit of which he could never forget. Ishani was right there and slight movement from his side had captured her attention and she had rushed to him like a morning bird on a mission. But as things came back to their proper places, RV realized he was in his own hotel room, not at all different from what it looked like until the last night. A soft sigh left his lips and his attention was drawn towards the same voice once again.

"How are you feeling now?"

RV tilted his head up; a glaring Puneet met his sight, his voice a perfect deception compared to the look on his face. RV managed to compose himself up, leaning his back on the bedrest as he looked at Puneet, unsure to say anything at the moment.

"Better." The safest reply left his lips and he looked sideways, realizing the rain had stopped and a glaring sun peeked from behind the buildings. His chest still ached, but RV realized it wasn't a new sensation come to life by a sudden event, but an emotion which he never before attended to, but it was always there. Slowly, he ran his gaze towards Puneet who still eyed him suspiciously, scrutinizing every change on his face. "What happened to me?" he asked, unable to recall anything from the last night.

"Panic attack." Puneet still continued to look at him the same way.

"What?" RV asked, wearing back the cloak of pretense as he ridded his face of any crease to give away the pain, willing to make his insides scream effortlessly.

"You know, sir," Puneet began, still watching the show with utmost interest as he crossed his arms together to his chest. He paused a little as though contemplating on the statement, before he decided to let it out anyway. "Why do you drink so much when you can't handle it?"

RV winced. "My choice," he said, shifting uncomfortably in his place.

"I know, but do you know how horrible is it to find you half-conscious every bloody time? The moment you're left alone, you are bound to make a mischief!"

RV let out an exasperated sigh. "Look, Puneet," he said, raising his hand, but was cut off immediately.

"No, you look! I called the doctor and he has strictly asked you not to take alcohol anymore. It might even kill you if you're not careful enough!"

RV laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "What about Gupta? Is the appointment on time?" he said, suddenly changing the subject.

"Nope. Given your health issues, we can't let you handle so much on your own."

"Are you mad!" RV stood up, scowling, as he reached out for his slippers. "Go get the papers ready and call back all those you've chased away with your wit!"

"Gupta one is postponed, sir," Puneet answered. "The rest will be handled by us."

RV raised an eyebrow. "Do what I've said."

Mr. Pradeep Gupta, the chief guest of the meeting arrived the office of the RV Brokers and Solution at the destined time of straight 9 O' clock in the morning. He was a man in his mid fifties, sharp and agile. His deadpan eyes cast themselves from one place to another, as if in search of something his mind could not decide on. The smooth features of his face guarding his old age, however, seemed to crumble as he saw Puneet enter the conference room.

"Are you alright, sir?" Puneet asked, settling the files on the table. "My apologies to make you wait."

"I am. I am," Mr. Gupta replied, easing himself back on the chair. "RV?"

"No, no. He'll be here in a while." Puneet glanced at his watch, waiting for his boss to turn up any moment now.

And there he was, quick and sharp like a jolt of the lightning flashing through the clouds. Both the men present in the cabin stood up, alarmed, the moment RV glided his feet towards the chair, and placed the files on the desk before him. He hardly looked like someone having had panic attack a few hours ago from the current moment as he stiffly moved ahead. RV's untidy look visibly changed since morning, eyes gradually darkening as he watched Mr. Gupta deeply, rarely letting the man breathe who seemed to have developed a horror for an unknown reason, not known to Puneet. What could be the cause he was perspiring so much?

But then, it was RV, his awful boss, never known for the good things apart from wanting to earn benefits from anywhere he could find. For that it didn't matter what he had to do. The task was to be completed by any means; by hook or by crook. And what fortune brought Mr. Gupta here, on the doorstep of RV only time could tell. Until then the rest of the questions were futile to ask for.

"Why did you want to see me? Did I not make everything clear?" Mr. Gupta said, arresting RV's attention back to him, who seemed engaged in the papers lying in front of him.

"Well?" RV said, straightening himself up, paying full attention to the guest as he placed the objects of the distraction aside. "When RV wants something, he finds a way to fetch it. By this means or that. He does."

Mr. Gupta wrinkled his face, clasping his fingers together on the table as he let breathing remain normal. "We live in a democratic India, Mr. RV. You don't have the right to snatch away my company from me. I've made it from my blood and sweat!"

"So did I." RV answered, eyeing the man closely. "I'm sure you're aware of the theory that powerful and strong survives whereas the weakened ones are lost into oblivion."

"I'm not weak!"

"Power, so addictively delicious. Isn't it, Mr. Pradeep Gupta?" RV said, leaning forward and resting his chin on his crossed fingers. "We all know what you want. The stories doing the rounds are real, aren't they?" RV smirked as he saw his opponent lower his eyes, contemplating in his mind as he unconsciously kept fidgeting his hands together.

"There are no rumours, Mr. RV. You must've been misinformed."

"My sources are never wrong," RV answered casually. "Having said that, there is more going on than you can just realize." RV saw the man shrink his shoulders, his firm posture crumbling into shreds with each word RV spoke. However, not enough to take this man under control who needed little more prodding. "You might not believe but half the market may come to know the split in your company within a matter of few minutes. It doesn't take more than ten minutes to destroy the reputation of years, does it?" Bitterness crept in his voice as RV continued, his words dripping acid. "It started 3 years ago, when you decided to join hands with some of your other colleagues and old friend. More because you weren't doing too good. And since you believe it's genius to destroy the weakest in the process to your own success, you didn't mind doing that. Did you?"

RV watched into the man's eyes, leaning back in his chair as confusion and old memories flickered through them.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I don't believe you need the entire narrative. After all, you were amongst the prime plotters."

"Against what?" Mr. Gupta almost shrieked and RV laughed. This was what people did when you drove them crazy.

"Correction. Against whom."

The man's face paled. His eyes lost their last flicker of confidence as they settled back into their right place.

. "What do you want from me?" Mr. Gupta spoke, defeated.

Finally, a gleam sparkled in RV's eyes. "Your partnership."

"I'm not allowed to at the moment!" Mr. Gupta pleaded, facade of his strength falling apart. "It's the Mehtas that want your alliances! And they'll kill me if they ever find out I've had dealings with you!"

"What do you think you'll get if you reject RV's offer in this room?" RV leaned ahead, watching the man writhe painfully in his place. "There are worse things than being dumped by the Mehtas, don't you think? Besides that, you can't deny that you deserve them strictly for just existing in the business in the first place."

"Why don't you join your damn hands with them anyway?" Mr. Gupta shrieked. "They'll be much pleased with your offers!"

"Pleasing those bas***ds is rarely my intention, Mr. Gupta." RV sighed. "It's the opposite that RV wants."

"Chirag Mehta had come to see you. You could've finalized the deals with him! Let me go, boy! Just let me go!"

"Let you go?" RV almost laughed, immediately masking it with another leer. "This game isn't being played with the options of quitting. I promise. Prove your worth. Help me. And find your way."

"Why me?"

"You brought this on yourself, Mr. Gupta! The destruction began long back when you were a kid in the market," RV said as he now rose to his feet, the casualty and sweetness from his tone suddenly vanishing. "3 years ago, someone in the same circumstances as you wanted a second chance. Wanted a small hope that the people he had so generously fed under his wings stay by his side when the world was falling apart! And all you did was crushing the remains of any hope left for him."

"Who?"

"Your memory is extraordinary. Impressed! Not your fault, I suppose. Old age does this to the people."

"I don't know who you're talking about, RV!" Mr. Gupta said, jumping to his own feet. "You can't threaten me into anything against my will!"

"The same way you weren't supposed to snatch away anything from him against his will?" RV turned to look at the man who now appeared like a prey deliberately placed in front of his hunter with no chance of escape. "Taste of your own medicine isn't sweet, right? Maybe you want some water?" RV handed him the glass that Mr. Gupta took in his shaking hands. "Don't worry. RV can be anything but a cheater. There's no poison in this glass."

The man placed the glass back on the desk. "No, thank you. I'm fine. Why do you want me to do all this? You want my partnership... not for any backing from my side, but for the Mehtas?"

"Absolutely."

"What am I getting out of this? How do I trust you?"

"You don't have to," RV answered. "Beggars can't be choosers. It's either do or die."

RV let him contemplate for a while, while Puneet seemed lost in his own world. The moment he thought he was close to understanding his boss, the mystery around him deepened like a thick grove of the trees that refused to lessen in intensity. It wasn't the same business-like meeting he had hoped for and studied the whole night since yesterday. It was different. But what, he had absolutely no idea. What was the entire matter all about? And what did Chirag Mehta have to do with anything related to Mr. Gupta? There on RV's face danced victory, slowly coming to life like the first star burning with the beginning of the evening in the sky.

"You don't have the whole day, Mr. Gupta," RV said, still calm as before, but Puneet caught a glimpse of impatience in his eyes. Gupta better had decided quickly.

"I'll help you!" he said. "What do I need to do first?"

RV placed a file in front of him. "Sign these papers."

"Ishani, are you ready?" Falguni called. "Sharman is waiting for you!"

Ishani grabbed a piece of sandwich from the dining table and taking the bag in one hand, sprinted out of the door, meeting Sharman right on the front gate waiting for her.

"Ishani," he said, sighing, weariness visible on his features. "Did you receive any important news yesterday?"

Ishani halted in her tracks, startling Sharman as he followed her suit, and watched him closely. "News?"

"Mr. Amit Badoni wanted to meet you."

"Meet me?"

"He called yesterday, asking me to inform you of the matter."

"He could've called me!" Ishani said as she and Sharman began to walk again, making their way towards the highway. Amit was the CEO of her father's company, Kuber Finance Limited, and one of the most trustworthy people who had been chosen for the members of the Board before the fall. However, Ishani saw him differently than the rest of the world for which he was the perfect man running the company that had taken years to build, grow and thrive.

And her suspicions were not wrong. After all, in their last meeting the man showed his true colours. Wasn't he the same person who had been hired just because he was competent enough instead of the qualifications he owned? Her father never gave values to the marks one got in school, but what a man could prove without them. And Amit Badoni had proved himself to be worthy of a post majority of his seniors could only dream about. But there's always the right time when people peel off from their facades.

"You don't understand," she burst out, pulling herself free from the hands trying to steer her out of the office. She took a step forward, staggering on her feet, eyes red and swollen, hairs in disarray.

"Madam, plea-"

"Enough is enough! Don't bother spitting those slimy laws and annexure. I don't care." She took a gulp of air, trying and failing to keep her tears at bay. She looked around at the people in front of her. The very people who had promised to stand by her father from the very start to the end.

Promises they had made, more fake never existed.

"Today, when he is unable to act to protect himself, to defend his rights, you all are trying to shift all the blame to my father and are trying to get out scot free. Liars, that's what you all are. COWARDS! CHEATS!"

A man in the very back sighed. "It is only with due respect to your father, that we are tolerating your silly tantrums. But I do believe the patience limit has been breached. Whatever you want to prove, go do it in the court. But till then...SECURITY! Take her away!"

Immediately hard hands clasped her upper arms and dragged her out to the exit of the office. She stumbled out and fell to the ground as she was pushed out none too gently.

The gravel met her mouth as she stayed there lying limply.

"I told him the same," Sharman said, and Ishani looked up, slightly surprised that she wasn't alone. The road was full of puddles formed, leaving only small shapes to walk over. The memory of the last visit to her father's office was still carved in her mind like a burned mark, unable to efface itself from the sight. It was grueling experience she wished not upon even the worst of her enemies. Her brother knew nothing of her visit, and Ishani hoped to conceal the fact from him as long as possible. He always denied going to plead in front of the people having no honour of their own, hell bent on destroying everyone else they could find. And yet, she knew the company was almost gone, merged with the several of the others that overpowered her father within months of his accident. However, the legal process was what made it take so long, deliberately delayed by Sharman's continuous efforts.

"What does he want now?"

Sharman shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "He responded nothing to me on the matters. God knows what he needs now."

The despair in his voice was far too evident, and Ishani flinched, groaning inwardly at the circumstances which managed to render her utterly helpless at the hands of fate. In a moment, Sharman waved his hand to the passing auto which stopped by quickly, letting Ishani and Sharman on.

"Do you want me to accompany to Mr. Shah?" Sharman asked, breaking Ishani's string of thoughts.

She shook her head. "It won't be needed, Bhaiya. I'll check on him and in the evening go to see Papa."

"Call Chirag. I'm sure he'll help you."

"No, no, it's alright, Bhaiya! I'll manage it on my own. He must be busy with work."

"Busy?" Sharman laughed, turning to look at Ishani. "Ishani, he was in jail since last night!"

"What?" Ishani gasped. "Why... how? I mean what happened?"

Sharman took a deep breath. "Entered RV's office without permission and appointment, and landed himself in jail."

Ishani could see Sharman making his best attempts to hide the amusement in his voice as he watched away. "And?"

"He called me last night, but I was stuck in my office until the midnight. So received his call today morning. And I've just returned from the police station after his bail."

"Thank you, Bhaiya!" Ishani said. "And what does this RV think of himself? How can he get anyone arrested just like that?"

"Everyone has their own policies, Ishani. And who knows what Chirag did there that they were forced to get him arrested?"

"Why do you keep taking that RV's side? Is he your relative?" Ishani asked. "You know Chirag, Bhaiya! You know he can never do anything wrong like that!"

"I know Chirag that's why I'm sure it's all his fault. And anyway, your stop."

The auto halted, as Ishani stepped out of it quickly. The incomplete conversation left midway, tingling Ishani's senses. It took her five minutes to reach Mr. Shah's office, the defense lawyer in their case.

"May I come in, Uncle?" Ishani asked as she stood on the door.

"Come, Ishani. Come." He gestured Ishani to take a seat, burying himself again in the stack of the files. Few moments later he looked up. "Ishani," he said with a sigh. "You must know our case is pretty hopeless."

She winced, the dying flames of the hope from all corners smothering her painfully. This man wasn't supposed to lose hope when he was probably the only one.

"Can't we do anything, Uncle?"

"There is small hope, but I will not ask you to count on it, Ishani, especially when Mr. RV has his eyes on your Mansion. No one is willing to go against him."

"Uncle, he's no God! Stop thinking of him as one. He's just another human being on his quest to destroy someone else using the only power he has."

"And that's what works, Ishani! Harshad Bhai had done a lot of favors to us when we needed him, and for that I'm ready to do anything for him. But you know even we have limited power here. A lawyer isn't everything when money can buy the courts. And there's more..." he added, voice hesitant, "there was a small amount remaining from your side, Ishani. Twenty five thousand rupees to be submitted."

"But I don't have that right now!" Ishani said, placing her hands on the table. "Maybe after the next week?"

"The auction is tomorrow," he said immediately. "And we need to have the final amount submitted before it begins."

A wave of pain rushed through her chest. The hopes dying. What was she supposed to tell her father when he got better, if at all? And the biggest problem was, from where was she going to arrange the money within a day?

The hustle-bustle of the court was nothing new to Puneet, but the task he was provided with needed more care and cautiousness from his own side, just in case the news leaked. It wasn't supposed to happen as per his boss' orders. It was almost evening, the entire afternoon being spent in finding the right people to carry out their parts of the plans. But now, when the task was done, it was easier to heave a sigh of relief.

Puneet walked out of the court and towards the driveway where he had parked his car, when he felt a soft pat on his shoulder.

"Who...?" He turned around, only to find Sharman grinning at him. "Oh you!" He shook his head. "You just happened to scare the hell out of me!"

Sharman laughed. "Apologies."

"So, you work here," Puneet said, looking around. "I was expecting you but wasn't sure where to find you and when I asked some people they had no idea where you were."

Sharman's face fell and he shrugged. "There's a lot going on! You free for now?"

Puneet nodded as they walked towards an unknown destination that Puneet did not know. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Just nearby there's a small restaurant. I think it's better we talk there."

Puneet followed him quietly, in a while arriving at a local restaurant, hardly packed with people. They ordered coffee, stating neither of them felt hungry at the moment to shove anything down their throats.

"So," Puneet began. "I hope you found some solution for your problems? And I apologize for not being able to find your sister back that day. I hope you did and she's fine."

"Yeah, I was looking for you. Where did you leave?"

"Found my boss who still needs some lessons on how to look after yourself.'"

"Meaning?"

"Saved a random girl from the fire who was unconscious and got himself burned with no regrets. I think he finds it cool to play a masochist like that. Anyway, what happened to your sister?"

"Her fianc reached there and when she woke up, she was in his arms."

"Wow!"

"What?"

"He's a cheat, right?"

Sharman nodded. "When I found her, she was lying unconscious on a bench outside her office. As soon as I approached her, out of nowhere her fianc turned up. Said, he'd gone to find water for her, but I'm sure he wasn't there to save her. He's lying! That son of a..."

"Easy, boy, easy!" Puneet said, chuckling. "Seems like he spotted you two and decided to play the knight in shining armour for her?"

"Yep! If he truly saved her, he was supposed to be sweating, burned and tiny bit hurt. But that bas***d looked as fresh as a morning flower in that chaos. How the hell could he have saved her?"

Puneet agreed. "Sounds another level of cheating. I truly hope you find a way to get your sister out of his clutches."

"I hope so, too." Soon their coffees arrived and they thanked the waiter.

"Well," Puneet said, rubbing his hands together. "Now comes the time for my secret."

Sharman raised an eyebrow. "Seems serious?" It wasn't meant to be a question, but there was no way Puneet could have interpreted it wrong.

"My life depends on it, if I'm to tell you the truth," Puneet said, sighing deeply. And suddenly, his voice lost all the colour of sarcasm, leaving only a seriousness which caused Sharman's brows to crease in concern. There was a moment of silence as Puneet stared at his coffee, no word coming out of his mouth.

"Are you going to say anything?"

Puneet looked up, and nodded. "Well, I'm in love," he said in a single breath.

"Wow! And that is your secret?"

Puneet nodded his head twice like a child agreeing to going to a party.

"And?"

"And what?" He looked confused.

"If it was that simple, this wouldn't be a secret on which your life depends. What's the problem?"

Puneet took a deep breath, and placed his cup of coffee down. "She is my boss' sister. Actually, cousin sister."

"Oops!"

"And the kind of man he truly is, seems like we'll only meet in the heavens," Puneet said miserably.

Sharman couldn't suppress his laugher as he made his best attempts to keep his voice steady.

"It's not even funny!" Puneet spat, scowling.

"I know. I know. First finish your coffee. It's getting cold. Now, tell me why do you think so? You're good looking. Earn well. Your boss trusts you completely- or so it seems. What's the problem?"  

"My boss. He isn't your regular guy who'd hand over his sister's hand to anyone like that. He seems to have some serious problem with marriage or even with the concept of love. I've never seen him with anyone else and I doubt he's been in any relationship either. Well, going by the kind of person he is, I'm not sure if any girl would really want to put up with him in the first place."

"Her parents? You met them?"

"Not yet. Parul, my girl, and I met in our college days and liked each other. Though it occurred to me last year that she's the cousin of my boss and he's going to roast me alive for ever doing that!"

"Hey, wait!" Sharman said. "You don't look that stupid or nave, you know?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The simplest thing you can do is talk to her parents and her brother. Just in case he says a yes?"

"What if he says no? I won't just lose my girl but my job too! And you know, I don't have it in me to become Devadas..."

"Devdas," Sharman corrected with a chuckle.

"Yep, that one."

"But still, as long as you don't ask, the answer is going to be no, don't you think?"

Puneet contemplated for a moment.

"Look, you don't have to directly ask for it. Just play around a little and then shoot."

Puneet bit his lip. "Ow, that's..."

"Hard but not impossible, alright? Now, go and ask. All the best!"

"But..."

"Your coffee is done and mine too. They won't let us argue the whole night here. Come on!"

Reluctantly, Puneet stood up, and nodded his head. "But just in case I happen to die today, don't forget to attend my funeral!"

"Shut up!" Sharman almost shouted, drawing the attention of the half of the restaurant to them. "Now, before we're kicked out, let's go."

"Want me to drop you home?" Puneet asked and Sharman gave him a suspicious look.

"Is this because you want to help me or because you want to delay your journey?"

"Both actually," Puneet replied.

The office was quiet and Puneet could not tell if that was the cause of his discomfort. Logically, this had to be the best time for any conversation he would have with RV, but something didn't feel right. Puneet cursed Sharman, regretting his decision to reveal his secret to him now. They had been together for years but the romance was still a secret to their families. Puneet could not deny the inward twirl of his heart which only spoke of guilt. Sharman was right. Parul's brother needed to know when they were so close.  

Puneet gently knocked at the door, and a small come in' from inside was the answer for him to enter, and reveal the deepest secrets and fears to the man who he was sure would thrash them mercilessly. And now as Puneet stood there on the entrance of the cabin, he couldn't help but imagine the worst outcomes his one statement would follow. Two years of trust and faith would be battered into nothingness, for the man known as RV refused to involve himself in anything that everyone knew as love.

"You may come in," RV said again and Puneet shuffled in, his lips bent in what he could think a nervous smile. RV's face was buried behind the files while his eyes traced the pages of the papers in his hands. Slowly, he looked up. "Do you need something? Wasn't it your time off for today?"

"Sir..." Puneet began. "I want to talk something... it's pretty urgent. If you could spare a few minutes, it'd be great."

"Very important?" RV asked and Puneet nodded. Much to his surprise, RV closed the file and placed it on the table.

"Sir," he said, as RV came to stand in front of him, his hands thrust in the pockets of his pant. "I want to ask about..."

RV waited.

"Sir," Puneet said again, not daring to look at his boss who might have been glaring daggers at him for wasting the precious time. "Actually... do you believe in love?" He turned away, as though afraid of a punch RV would inflict on him for asking a question like this. And when no response came for the next few minutes, Puneet turned back, and heaved a sigh of relief as he saw RV stand by the window now. He appeared deep in thought, as if remembering the things locked in a corner since long, for his eyes were closed and his shoulders dropped mildly low.

"Why, yes, I do." He turned back and Puneet couldn't help but notice a spark in his eyes. Similar to what he had seen in the hospital a few days ago or even in the temple the day they had arrived.

"Do you think it's good to be in love? Or it's just stupid...?"

RV laughed slowly, but there was no happiness in it. It was the same laugher Puneet had heard most often whenever RV came the closest to expressing his amusement, however devoid of the emotions it remained. "Love isn't stupid," he said, his eyes dreamy. "It's the first ray of the sunrise that gives hope to a person who slept with no strength yesterday. Love is what makes him go on after the night had snatched away that the will to go on from him. If not for love, maybe he would have given up on life long ago. It's his wish to see her once again and tell her that he would keep loving her even till his last breath. It's the hope that by a one last miracle he would have her back. Because she needed to know that someone loves her. That someone is there who is willing to give anything for a simple smile on her lips even if she doesn't realize it. It's the same feeling that keeps him alive after his heart has been shattered into more pieces than he can count. Love is what shows him the way. That as long as his heart beats, all is not over. Life is too short to waste on anything that doesn't make you happy, but love can make it worth everything in the end, even if it's unreturned, unrequited love giving you nothing but pain."

Puneet watched RV, his mouth slightly open and his eyes wide. Did his boss really say these words or were they taken from somewhere he had read years ago? What a joke! RV did not read romance.

"How can one-sided love give one that hope, sir?" he asked, the question leaving his lips involuntarily.

RV smiled and a soft sigh left his lips. He turned away again, the darkness outside of them making it easy for him to keep his voice steady. "That's the beauty of one-sided love, my friend."

"But that must be hard, right? Unbearably hard." How it felt being in a one-sided affair, Puneet never knew, but the thought was somehow fascinating. How could one love someone without being loved in return?

"When you love someone, you want them to be happy," RV said, not looking back. "It's crazy, you know, but it's also a universal fact when you talk about love. How you can take all the weapons inflicting wounds on you and yet you keep going on!"

"But it's easy to give up and end the suffering. Why wouldn't people do that, sir?"

"Because loving someone does not guaranty your feelings will be returned. Not everyone has to fight it. Not everyone has to go on with the love in their heart- but still they do. Not because they're obliged to, but because love leaves a mark on people; it changes them in the most unimaginable ways. And even after long years have passed since they parted, one word from their beloved takes them back to the days filled with the memories being fed by a wonderful nostalgia, of which they know there is no end. This is a torture everyone is willing to go through. Because this is what keeps them alive enough to wake up the next day."

Puneet could have clapped hard in awe had the silence of the night not been so piercing. "Wow!" was the only word that left his mouth. RV gave a constricted smile, much like him as he slowly shivered. It wasn't cold, but Puneet felt his boss heaving a sigh of relief. And suddenly his heart crushed with the guilt of his own words he had said to Sharman early in the evening, causing other words escape his lips immediately.

Puneet hesitated a little but since he had already crossed one line today, going further didn't hurt. "RV sir?"

RV looked at Puneet.

"Have you too loved someone?"

And that, Puneet realized, was where he had crossed his limit for today.