FF: Almost Lovers (5) - Page 43

Chapter Thirty Four

Checkmate

Love so destructive,

I want to hurt you

And destroy you

Love so potent

That I can't breath near you

Or without you

Love so binding,

No matter the distance,

The scars remain

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PAST:

It was awkward to say the least. They were standing in front of each other in Maan's room, staring at one another.

Or I should say my room, Geet thought with a nervous humour. It really hadn't hit her that she was going to have to live here from now on. She had always been independent and hadn't thought about the fact that she would move out once married, or at least she had assumed that she would move to a brand new house belonging to both.

But she couldn't deny that like the rest of the house, his room was magnificent and made more beautiful by the wedding decorations. Every corner was filled with candles and flowers, creating a soft and soothing environment.

Or it would be if this moment wasn't as awkward, Geet thought with some nervous humour.

Maan gave a discrete cough, jerking her back from her fleeting thoughts. "Look Geet'I know this is awkward but it doesn't have to be" Maan looked quite uncomfortable, which made Geet smile internally, pleased that she wasn't the only one feeling out of place. "I just want to say that there is no rush"

"No rush?" Geet tilted her head in confusion, What on earth is he talking about?

"But we are married'so how can we not be together?" Geet was starting to understand what he meant but she wanted to see how he would explain this.

"I mean, together physically" Maan finally blurted out, causing Geet to give a small chuckle.

"And why is that?" Geet asked, "Why do you want to wait? Do you need to protect your innocence or virtue? Need I remind you, we have already done the deed. That's what got us into this mess in the first place."

Geet knew she was being irreverent but for some reason she wanted to annoy Maan a bit more. There was a devilish side in her that wanted to fluster his usual composure, shake that confidence.

Maan just raised an eyebrow at her comment, "So you have no issue with all this?"

Finally Geet got serious, understanding that absolute honesty was essential to the start of their relationship. "Maan, I don't put value on the constraints society puts on us. For me sleeping with someone isn't as important as getting married to a person"

She looked away for a moment, in her own personal world for that moment, "It's the emotions behind our actions that determine their importance. I could have technically walked away, instead of marrying you and you could have done the same"

Again she turned to face him, "But neither of us did. That was because we respected and cared for each other enough to take such a drastic step."

Looking right into his eyes, the next few words did take a lot of courage but her inner sense of responsibility and self-worth demanded it, "If we can take such big step, then sleeping with each is nothing. How can we make a physical act sound so much bigger than a vow to spend the rest of eternity with each other?"

Maan just stared at her with his penetrating gaze and silent contemplation. He could see that she was laying open her feelings.

"I trust you enough to connect myself with you emotionally, then connecting physically is of no big issue" She raised an eyebrow, even as her fingers clenched together. "So, if we are to be married lets be married in earnest. I told you that I probably won't be in love with you'..but I will care for you." Looking away, she bit her lip, "Maybe it will keep things less complicated."

Liar, her mind told her, you know that you are starting to fall for him.

Finally Maan cracked the tiniest of smiles. Inching closer and closer to her, he felt the need to touch her but restrained himself. Instead he let his words do what he wasn't willing to do at the moment.

"Well, maybe I am not ready" At her quizzical look he continued, "See when you are in love with someone, physical gratification can be meaningless without responding care. So I'll wait for the day when you'might care for me just a bit more than you do now and when you will come to me yourself. Only then we can go back to what happened that night."

With that he leaned forward and kissed the edge of her lips. When she would have leaned forward to deepen the kiss, he went back, murmuring "I am not a monk darling, so that's all I can handle now"

"Not my problem" Geet cackled, bursting into laughter at the look on Maan's face. "Anyways, I am sleepy, so let me sleep!" She gave a surprised Maan a tap on the head before heading off to change.

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Present:

Maan watched as his wife walked ahead of him. There was no hesitation or falter in her steps, she was filled with confidence. It showed to him that she had planned this thing early on.

What is her aim? He thought, resigned to his inability to truly fight against her, because the truth was that there was no way he could win. There is more to this than that meets the eye.

Both walked into the boardroom at the same time, effectively grabbing everyone's attention. There was definite anticipation as well as curiosity in the faces of the board members.

"So have we come to an agreement?" one man asked hesitantly, not wanting to create anymore trouble than what was already there.

Maan stepped up and was about to announce the decision, when Geet put a hand on his arm. "Let me tell everyone"

Turning to the rest of the people, she answered the question with a decisive "Yes, we have come to an agreement. Maan will continue to be the CEO"

Maan just turned to her in surprise and narrowed his eyes, wondering what had changed her mind in the last few moments.

But little did he understand her plan, it was only as she answered another question that the truth came out.

"But, how will that help the company?"

"Because Handa Construction will officially merge with Khurana Enterprise" There was the slightest catch her in voice, that none could pick up. "With the added value and the goodwill that Handa Construction has. With our new 100 million dollar project, it will create positive exposure as well as added net worth."

Everyone sat in stunned silence, trying to process the information but no one was more astounded than Maan. He knew that value of the company and how much Geet treasured it. There wasn't anything she wasn't willing to do for her company, yet she was giving it up.

"I just have some stipulations will merging Handa construction with the enterprise" She continued on, ignoring the silence, "No employees will be sacked as a consequence of the transfer of power and you cannot change the name of the company"

"But why did you mention being the CEO of the organisation?" Another person mustered enough energy to ask.

"Well, it was a test to see if you all loved this company enough to accept an outsider becoming the boss" She smirked, "And it seem you all were accepting. So it showed me that you all value the company more than individuals. You were willing to give up Maan Singh Khurana in order to protect his company. That shows passion and drive"

Maan understood the hidden burb in the words. She made him understand that even he was replaceable to the company he owned.

Saying that she got out a folder from her briefcase and handed it to Maan.

"These are the documents confirming the merger as well as the power of attorney" She gave a rueful smile as she handed it over.

And with that she started to walk out of the room without a single glance at anyone, including Maan. But Maan wasn't one to put up with that.

He strode after her, not wanting to let her walk out without an explanation. So he quickly grabbed her hand and basically dragged her to his office, wanting a private moment between themselves.

He slammed the office door shut and grabbed her shoulders, "What was that! How could you give up Handa Constructions like that?"

Geet shook her head and gave a dry laugh. "I just saved you and that's what you ask?"

Maan clenched his jaw in frustration. "Fine! Why did you help me? I thought you were out to destroy me"

Geet raised an eyebrow, "Is that what you thought? Well the truth is that I wanted you to taste desperation and to feel impotent against everything. But in the end you weren't even worthy of destruction."

She gave a smirk as she stepped forward, "I could have taken everything away but I realised that would make me exactly like you, which would be a big shame. I didn't want to become another Maan Singh Khurana and lose Geet Handa as a result of all your manipulations. So instead the best revenge was to actually save you. So that you know that all this has been saved by my mercy and that I decided your fate. The very company that you had nearly destroyed once will help you."

With that she again started to walk away and again he stopped her. "Now I can cut you off without even looking back"

"Where are you off to now?" Maan asked her, feeling that there was again more to what she was saying.

"None of your business" Geet said happily, "See I can go anywhere I want to now, because I don't even have to worry about my company. You'll have to look after it if you want your own company to thrive and you can't even come after me because you are going to have to fix the mess here. Leaving me free to go wherever I want"

Maan just stared for a moment before whispering, "You'll never forgive me, will you? You might have left me financially intact but you want to destroy me emotionally" He clenched his fingers and finally said the words, "If it sets you free than leave"

Geet raised an eyebrow, "You still don't get it, do you? I was never waiting for your permission to leave because I could have gone anytime I wanted. I just wanted to make you understand how powerless you truly are" With a harsh laugh she ended the conversation, "And now that I've had enough, I'll walk away, not because you say so."

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AUTHOR's NOTE:

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Nothing motivates me as much as reading your comments!😃

-SanjanA

welcome back dear

that was tit for tat by geet to maan

instead of destroying him financially she wants to destroy him emotionally just the way he had done with her..

brilliant update

Originally posted by: maan-ki-sanjana

Interesting Aditi😊
LOL so you see Maan as a true lover...well he wasn't always that way, was he?😆