Part 15
Mini returned home from Neil’s office. Though Neil has assured her but still she felt insecure and she felt as if many things still left unanswered. Whatever Neil told her was so less. She felt there was more to it but how will she find it out. May be Neil had told her if she hasnt lose control and gave in to insecurities and fears. Neil already speaks less and now after her break down in front of him, Mini doubted he will ever bring up this topic. She was feeling restless. She didn’t even realize when she arrived home. “Madam, we have arrived home” said driver bringing Mini out of her thoughts. Mini went inside the house and Naeem bi welcomed her, “Mini, have you completed your shopping?” asked Naeem bi. While Mini looked at her as she got the answer of her problem. “Naeem bi what do you know about Isha?” Mini asked directly without any pretext. Naeem bi was shocked for few seconds then she tried to avoid the topic, “Who Isha? Mr.Mehra’s daughter? I don’t know much about her.” said Naeem bi as she tried to avoid eye contact. “Naeem bi, don’t lie. Please tell me. I want to know all about her.” Mini requested. “Mini, you should ask this from Neil. Who am I to tell you?” said Naeem bi. “Naeem bi, I am coming from Neil’s office. I saw her there with him. She created a huge scene there. Neil already told me about her.You know how he is….he…wont tell me much….its difficult for him to find right words. That’s why I want you to tell me everything.” Replied Mini. “What do you want to know?” asked Naeem bi finally making up her mind about it. “Everything….about Isha..related to Isha…about…about Neil’s other relationships…why he decided to get married….everything.” said Mini.
“Neil was quite young when his life turned upside down. Whatever he experienced in his early life made him insecure about relationships. He didn’t have any trust on longterm relationship and he started hating the concept of love as he thought that true love doesn’t exist. All relationships are based on mutual give and take. I saw him going through that phase. I knew this attitude is not going to help him and will definitely leave an impact on his life but I tried many times to talk with him but he didn’t change. He was so passionate about making his own identity that in initial days there was no place for anyone else in his life. Once he became financially independent he started to see different colors of life and he was already so lonely so he started interacting with girls. I was happy for him that he will finally understand the value of love and relationships but I was wrong. He dated some girls but every time the story was same. He liked a girl, hang out with her then when the girl started to show feelings towards him and demanded emotional bonding he would back out and broke up with them saying he didn’t see any future with them. But the truth was he was scared of commitment. He was scared of permanent relationship. He thought that by doing so he would give them a right to hurt him. He didn’t want to get hurt and betrayed in his life again. I tried to make him understand that every girl is not like her mom but he didn’t budge.” Said Naeem bi. Mini looked at her as she remembered Neil’s emotional outburst in his drunk state. Now she could relate to it more and understand what happened to him all of a sudden when she went to Patiala without informing him.
Naeem bi continued further, “Then Isha came into his life. He was just 24-25 years old that time.His startup was already successful and he already created a buzz with his success in the market at such young age. But still he had a long way to go and for it he needed finance. Whatever money he got by mortgaging this house was already spent in the launching of his startup and it was running good and earning nice revenue but he said that he has big plans of expansion and for that he needed someone to invest funds on large scale. Mr. Mehra was a big name then in the market. Neil approached him and convinced him to finance his project. Mr. Mehra also saw a good business deal in it so he agreed. That’s how he came in contact of Mr. Mehra and Isha. Neil and Isha got an instant liking towards each other and soon started dating. Everything was going smooth. All the other relationships of Neil didn’t even last for a month but with Isha when it continued longer I thought that may be she is the one for him and he finally came out of his fears. But no, again the same story repeated. Isha fell head over heel in love with him and wanted to settle down with him but Neil as usual stepped back. I asked him if Isha was not the special one then why he continued dating her for so long. He said that Isha was a very practical girl. He made everything clear to her from the beginning that he dont want any serious relationship and Isha was ok with it. so everything was going fine between them so he didn’t breakup with her earlier but then like other girls Isha also started having expectations from him. She not only started demanding commitment but even wanted to settle down with him. So he broke up with her also.”
“But it was very long ago. Why she keeps troubling him till now?” asked Mini. “Because she believes that her life is ruined because of him” said Naeem bi. “What? How?”asked Mini shocked. “Isha was a daughter of really rich and influential person. She had huge ego and her father’s ego was even bigger than her’s. Isha couldn’t take it that Neil refused her love. She threw all sorts of tantrums before her father and asked him to pressurize Neil to marry her. As Mr. Mehra was financing Neil’s project he tried to coax him into marrying Isha but Neil said no. So Mr. Mehra threatened him that he will not finance his project and will see to it that no one else in the market helps him. They had a dispute and Neil refused to bow down. As I said Mr. Mehra was a big name in the market that time. Nobody was in the position to refuse him. He used his power to create pressure on Neil and threatened to destroy him if he didn’t agree to marry his daughter. Neil was worried. He was feeling as if his whole hard work went in vain. To be honest, I myself advised him that he should marry Isha because I thought one day he has to settle down in life so why not with her especially when all of his hard work is at stake. But he didn’t agree. He said that he would have gave it a thought if Mr. Mehra had asked him to marry Isha out of concern fo rhis daughter but he hated the way Mr. Mehra was blackmailing him. He took it as a challenge. He spent day and night meeting and convincing people to get finance. But everyone said no. Then a miracle happened. A foreign based MNC contacted him and said that on the basis of success of his startup they will like to invest funds for the project expansion. Of course they had very strict contract and initially it didn’t benefited Neil as he expected but he was finally successful in making it big in the market and after that he never looked back.” Said Naeem bi. “But then if so much happened between Mr. Mehra and Neil then how come Mr. Mehra is still in contact with Neil and is doing business with him.” Mini asked out of curiosity. “This is cruel business world my child. There is no permanent rivalry or friendship here. Where Mr. Mehra used to be at once now Neil holds that place. Mr. Mehra cant afford to offend him now.” Replied Naeem bi.
“Still, I didn’t get why Isha blames Neil?” asked Mini. “When Neil become successful without Mr.Mehra’s support he took it as his defeat. People already started laughing at him in the market that he was defeated by a youngster. And the news that Neil refused to marry Isha also started doing rounds in society. Mr. Mehra took it as double insult and vowed to marry Isha off as soon as possible. Within next one month he married her to some rich NRI settled in London.” Said Naeem bi. “What? Isha is married?” asked Mini as she couldn’t believe it. “Was married.” Said Naeem bi as she continued her story. “I heard gossips in the society that Isha didn’t want to get married but Mr. Mehra didn’t listen to her and married her against her wishes so that he can save his reputation to some extent. Then everything was fine for some time but then I started hearing stories that Isha was not happy in her marriage. She used to come back to India every now and then to her parents house. There were rumors that her husband was abusive. After some time the news was all across the page three tabloid that Isha filed a police complaint against her husband for domestic violence. Then last year their divorced was finalized and Isha came back to India permanently. Gossips were there that she has developed a drinking habit and was also arrested for substance abuse few times. She thinks that its because of Neil that her life is ruined. Had he agreed to marry her she would have been happy in her life. Since then whenever she gets the chance she blame Neil and troubles him by creating scene. When she came to know that Neil is getting married she went mad and she also came here at the day of your engagement.” Said Naeem bi as she looked at Mini to see her reaction. Mini was stunned by this news.
“When the function was over and you guys left Isha came here at night. She was heavily drunk. She created a ruckus here. She accused Neil of having double standards. She couldn’t believe that he was getting married. She said that Neil refused to marry her because he didn’t believe in commitment and emotional bonding. Because of it he ruined her life and now all of a sudden how can he decide to get married. And if he wants to get married now then why not with her why with some random girl.” Said Naeem bi. “I also want to know the same thing. What changed suddenly that Neil decided to get married?” asked Mini as she couldn’ t control it anymore. Naeem bi sighed, “I think he got tired living a lonely life. After Isha’s chapter somewhere Neil realized that it is not good at his part that he enters into a relationship and then keep breaking up because no matter how practical a girl sounds when she enters into a romantic relationship she tends to get involve into emotions sooner or later with which he was not comfortable with. So after that he didn’t have any official girlfriend-boyfriend kinda relation apart from some random flings I guess. He lived a lonely life for a long time. He drowned himself in work. But we human are social animal by nature. We all need someone in our life and the day when someone realizes that he is all alone in this wide world he cant take it. Same thing happened with Neil also.” Said Naeem bi as she took Mini with her to the living area where in one corner all the awards and trophies of Neil which he won since childhood was showcased. Every award or trophy was accompanied by a photo of him holding it and family members surrounding and cheering him. As Mini closely looked at them she noticed how people in the photographs were less and less as Neil started growing old. Then last photo was of his school where he won some sports tournament and his mom and dad were there with him. After that there were only trophies but no photograph.
“You can see his life through these photos. The last one was just few days before his dad’s accident. After that he had no one to share his happiness or pain and after the Isha fiasco he became aloof to new relationship also. I knew he was shattering inside piece by piece that’s why I started pestering him to get married but he kept avoiding it until….” Said Naeem bi. “Untill???” asked Mini already perturbed by the whole past story. “He got businessman of the year award few months back. He was very happy for it. He went to attend the function. I was waiting for him eagerly to see him with the award in his hands but he came home drunk.” Said Naeem bi as she remembered that scene-
Flashback-
“Neil, what happened to you? You were happy today right then what happened?” asked Naeem bi as she supported Neil. “Ya I was happy but you know what….I went there alone….everyone….every single person has come there with friends or family or wife but I was alone. Whoever got an award gave a wonderful speech…about…how they are thankful to their loved ones who supported them..blah…blah…blah…..how they dedicate their awards to someone…blah..blah..blah…but when my turn came I just said thank you…just thank you…you know why…because I don’t have anyone in my life…who supported me or who is there to share my happiness …I am so lonely Naeem bi…even I want to belong somewhere…I want someone to wait for me at home…to take care of me…and I also want to take care of someone…who is mine…just mine..my family…but nobody understands me.” Neil explained his state of mind in slurry voice.
Flashback ends
“Usually, he doesn’t remember anything in the morning after drunk night but I was surprised that next morning he not only remembered everything he said at night but he himself came to me to talk about it. May be the pain was so much that he couldn’t forget it.” Naeem bi told Mini. “What did he say?” asked Mini who was having tears in her eyes now. Naaem bi remembered their conversation-
Flashback-
“Naeem bi, I thought a lot and I think you are right. Its high time I should settle down. I need some stability now. I am tired of living a wanderer’s life.” Said Neil as he ate his breakfast. “I know I am right but are you sure of your decision? You do realize your decision will affect a girl’s life also…right? And what about your tantrums….i don’t like emotional bonding…I don’t like commitments….i don’t like romantic expectations..etc etc. ” asked Naeem bi as she rolled her eyes at him. “If I am thinking about marriage then I have to take a plunge…I understand that I cant stay aloof from emotional bonding and commitment and for the first time I am ready to take the risk.” Said Neil as he took a deep breath. “Neil, that such a big step…I am happy for you..I know its must have been very difficult for you to come out of your comfort zone …so whos the girl?” said Naeembi as she hoped that there must be some girl for whom Neil has taken such a big decision. “There is no one. In fact, I want you to search a suitable girl for me. I want to do arrange marriage.” Said Neil as he looked at the shocked expression of Naeem bi. “What? I thought you had someone in mind.” Asked Naeem bi. “I have no one. And I don’t want to get indulge in any romantic relationship. I just don’t want to go through that phase again of dating someone…..wasting your time over them expecting them to be different and understanding but then they turn out to be foolishy romantic and over dramatic …they tend to burden you with their expectations but don’t even try to understand your point of view. ”Explained Neil. “But tell me one thing how will you make this understand to a girl you meet for arrange marriage?” asked Naeem bi. “Simple, I will tell them my preferences in the first meeting itself. If they are ok with it then its good if not then move on to next option.” Said Neil as if it was that simple.
Flashback ends
“I knew that day itself that he is very casual about it. he didn’t understand it completely…relationships don’t work like this whether love or arrange but I kept quiet as I don’t want to confuse him. I don’t want him to change his decision. I was happy for him that finally he took a little step towards his happiness letting go of his fears. But soon I realized that it is not going to be easy to find a girl for him. Whomever he met for marriage proposal rejected him once he shared his twisted and strange views about love and life. I had started wondering which girl would say yes to him but then you came into his life.” Said Naeem bi as she held Mini’s hands and smiled at her. Mini also gave a little smile amidst her tears as she remembered their first first meeting. How she thought Neil was a weird man. Now it all fits. His views, his insecurities, his arrogance and rudeness, his business like tone….it all made sense now. “I don’t know what made you say yes to him but I was very happy that he finally found someone.”Naeem bi said as she laughed. Mini also laughed with her remembering that her reason was not less stupid than Neil’s to say yes. “May be this kundli thing is not that wrong. Afterall it was the main reason her parents approached Neil. May be under normal circumstances she would have also said no to Neil. But because of that kundli she didn’t have much option. Is there really something called destiny? Were they destined to meet?” wondered Mini. She closed her eyes as she once again played all the conversation she had with Naeem bi in her mind and realized that finally she got some insights about the labyrinth called Neil Oberoi. But she felt she still has a long way to go to decipher this beautifully f**ked up man.
to be continued....
precap- Mini- Isha face off.
P.S. As this chapter became long I couldnt write mini- crappy meeting. Will cover it in next update.
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