Something Called Love
Twelve
With the golden rays of sun focused on her eyes, she stretched her arms little and felt more pain. She got up and about to get ready for office and she saw message. It was from her 'M' Monster Singh Khurana. She read it smilingly.
You can take a day off. And take care of yourself.
She smiled again, but she did not want to stay at home. Rather she wanted to go office, the same office and the same place which was no more uninteresting for her. She put the cell aside and headed for kitchen to have breakfast and her cell rang again. She smiled thinking about his call. Her heartbeat increased as she ran from kitchen to the room. And her excitement level came to point zero from point hundred when she read the name flashing on the screen. It was from monster but some other one. It was from Maya - Maya, The Monster Gujral. She with a heavy and disappointed heart picked it up.
'Yes ma'am.'
'Meet me at 11. At my place. No waitā¦not officeā¦come to caf on the rocks.'
'Okay.'
She put it down and decided to take a day off. Of course, it was not the same reason anymore. She hated herself for doing that but it was her weak point. She typed a message and sent it to him.
Of course. As you wish. I'll come tomorrow. Have a nice day.
He saw it. It was rational and reasonable from her part as he himself asked her for leave but he was already missing her. He stopped his thoughts and started working again - of course without her.
***
As she entered the place, she saw the lady sitting on the reserved table with white dress and wearing her standard red lipstick, as usual.
'Welcome geet. So long I have seen youā¦'
'Yeahā¦so, why did you call me here?'
'Because it's time for some work honey, you know the tender I was talking about. It's opened and now your work starts. You will handle it and give me all the details. As far as I know Mr. Khurana, he will try very hard for this, but this time I know I will get that contract.'
'Why is it so importantā¦?'
'ā¦stick to the business handa. I want it means I want it.'
'Okayā¦so what should I do exactlyā¦'
'ā¦told you, just focus on your work. I will call you to update you more. By the way, anyone has doubt on you there?'
'No.'
'Good. See, I told you. You are a good employee to work with. Just one advise handa, focus on your work and not the parties and men anymore.'
And she left. Geet sat there in shock, of course it was for a moment as she knew that she was working for her and she could not hide anything from her. She once again realized that she was just a tool. A mere tool between two people - one was extremely dangerous and another was even more dangerous. She was scared for the first time after she agreed to work for her. She thought about maan. He trusted her, he gave her the position she deserved, he simply was appreciating her and she was betraying him. The mere thought it, shivered her. She shook from the core, thinking about him. She was not worried for her state and consequences if she will be caught. But the trust they put on her - Maan, dadima, adi and pinkey. She would be the sole reason for their pain. The breach of trust, the betrayal she was doing with them - especially maan. She decided to back off for a moment but then she knew maya gujral would never allow this. She was in dilemma, what to do and what not to do. She was surrendered by her weakness more of course the case would be different if she would have met maan before few years. She would never need to do this unethical act. With a great confusion in her mind she left from there and went back to office. But the reason was not the same anymore; she had to go office for some other work.
As she reached office, he saw and called her in cabin, though he was happy to her back but he worried for her, too.
'Why you came?'
'I think I'm employee here, you just forgot me, and I'm geet handaā¦your very ownā¦'
'ā¦I'm not in mood for joke, Miss Handa. Why did you come?'
'Okay. Mr. Khurana, I felt better and I thought I should work for my boss. So I came. And, I'm fine.' She assured him.
'Are you sure?'
'Yes boss.' She smiled and left.
Soon after the lunch she got informed about the same tender mentioned by maya gujral. But what surprised her most was that he allowed only two people to work on that project and they were adi and she - herself. She was shocked by his increasing trust on her. He called a meeting and gave detailed about all the facts and warned them for next few weeks as they would have to work hard. She agreed to work for him as hard as she could.
Few weeks passed with same project, they worked together for day and night. With limited person assigned for the same, they had to bear almost all the work. She did help Maya Gujral. It was late in the night when she was called by her to provide more information. She reached there with necessary workings and handed her one pen drive which contained all the details, which she successfully managed to make facsimile from his office. For which, he sacrificed his sleep and just everything, she remembered the particular data she gave her, it was made by maan himself. He worked entire night without break and she, in five minutes took it from his laptop and gave it to her. Her heart was burning with fire of guilt.
'Perfect.' She said triumphantly while working on her laptop.
'Good work, handa. I will call you later' and she left.
She stood there for a moment and left for home, in her dark, silent, lonely home. She entered, took a quick cold bath and went to the terrace. Under the limitless sky - blue sky, and gloomy night, she sat on the floor with tears flowing from here eyes, making her vision blur. With guilt rising in her chest, mind, heart and soul, she screamed loud in frustration. In the name of weakness and need, she jumped in this vicious circle; she was trapped, confused and locked. What she did today was unbelievable, she hated herself; she could not even meet her eyes in the mirror. She sat there for what it seemed like ages, crying her heart out. The regret of breaching his trust and more than that, in her own eyes, she was shamed and disgraced. But as she heard people saying about time healing wounds, she tried it. But it was not wound, it was disgrace. She just lost her very own soul and meaning. Still, she was able to wear mask of fake happiness and that was it what made her move ahead.
As it was one final week left, they worked hard. In between, there were times when they had fight, fun and more fights and more fun. She gave numerous facts, figures and information to Maya Gujral as she called her time to time; she gave it to her with confused mind and puzzled state. They came closer as eventually they started sharing their day and night in the same workplace only. He was amazed at her hard work and dedication. Everyday with same dedication and smile she used to work with him. Though, he never knew the real reason, nor did he doubt her. After all, she won his trust, he was satisfied with her.
It was late that night. They were working in his cabin. He was working on his laptop and he heard her yelling out something, just something in frustration.
'That is itā¦now! You see Mr. Khurana, this will shock you but please allow me as I'm sick and tired of these stupid figures.'
'What?'
'Nothing.'
And she started removing her shoes and jacket in frustration.
'What the hell are you doingā¦?' he glared at her.
She did not answer but tied up her long hair and adjusted her specs which she used to wear when she was working much in computer. And she sat on the table with covering both of her legs. He was shocked behaving her like this. She was actually on table ā literally sitting on table with chewing pencil in mouth.
'What is she doing? I think this is effect of overload of working' he thought and forbid a smile.
'May I ask you something?' he demanded.
'Go on.' She answered. It looked like she was on some 'I-am-the-boss' trip.
'What exactly are you trying to do?'
'Ohā¦it's my style of distressed mantra. It will help me. I will take time but after that I will work with full force, but one element is just missing waitā¦'
And she took her cell and played her favorite song on high volume and started singing it in loud voice.
He was amused, and looked at her adoringly. He thanked god as it was late at night and nobody was there except them. She could have been named 'insane' for this. And he controlled her grin.
After a while, she came back to her sane 'avtar' and started working again.
'So that was stress buster?'
'Yes. You should try it. I last did it when you gave me those piles of files for budget.'
'What? Where?'
'In the old cabin which looked like a store room to me, I went there for to find more files and I locked the door from inside and just did it.' She proudly said that.
'Okay. Is anything more that you have done? Without even mentioned it to god?' he amused.
'Okayā¦okayā¦now make sure that you will not say anything about this to anyone.'
'Again? I doubt on you for that.' He teased.
'Thank me...'
'What?'
'Thank me, I just made you laugh.'
'Oh! Sure. Thank you so much. What would I do without you?' he said it dramatically.
She worked for some time and then she slept on her chair. He saw her sleeping with open hair flowing in cool wind. He came closer to her and removed the strand of her from her forehead. As soon as he did that, she got up with a start and shocked. He was embarrassed but before he could say anything, she started.
'Ohā¦I'm so sorry, I slept. Sorryā¦'
'ā¦its okay. You can go home now. It's late and you need sleep, you sleepyhead.' He smiled.
'Okay. What about you?' she asked causally.
'I will leave in half an hourā¦'
'Okayā¦bye and good night.'
He saw her faded away in the dark night. He called the security to look for her until she reaches home safely. And then, he started his work again.
***
When she entered the office next morning, she was shocked to see him in the cabin working. He was in same cloths, that meant he did not go home, she thought.
She stood near his cabin, looking through the glass window, adoring his hard work and enthusiasm. She never saw him working like this, she felt like he was functioning like a machine. She was looking at him and she felt someone's presence there. It was adi, he came and wished her morning.
'Does he always work like machine?' she asked not removing her gaze.
'Well, yes. But this is important for him.'
'Is it that much important that he would not even sleep?'
'Well, this is Maan. He will do anything to get the thing he wants.'
'But why? This is just one ordinary project, he would get similar projects, millions time. Why this is so special?'
'It is because gujrals are involved in this.'
'So?'
'Geet, I think you don't know about this and it is very much obvious. But I think I should tell you. Only I, maan and pinkey know this fact in the company.'
'What?'
'That Maya Gujral is his mother.'
And she stood still there - shocked and disturbed. She did not say anything. And he continued.
'I don't know why he is doing this? He never told me the reason but I know that it matters to him a lot. Why he competes with her is his matter, but I know one thing that he would give his life for this project. I really don't know what he wants to prove every time, every year.'
And he left as he had to attend some clients, leaving her shell shocked with a feeling of betrayed.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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