The mere thought that RK might still love Tanya brought a lump to her throat, and to make it worse an invisible hand was squeezing her heart. RK looked too dazed to notice Madhu's hurt expression and she was very thankful for that. She swallowed hard and quickly composed herself.
She took a deep breath and asked "How did you meet her?"
RK's serene smile was still in place and he slowly looked towards her. "You want to hear the whole story?"
"Yes." Madhu replied bravely.
"It was ten years back. I joined university straight after high school. I got straight A's and my dream was to go to Yale for a Bachelor of Engineering. Ma didn't object because she knew I was unhappy being under Kuku Bhatia. My dad had left more than enough money for my university education. So money was never an issue." RK paused.
'University of Yale for a BEng? He must have been a smartass.' Madhu thought to herself. "Why BEng? Strange coming from a super star turned business tycoon."
RK smirked. "I'm more of a math person. Acting is just one of my hobbies and the business is what papa left in my name. Anyway, I enjoy it, or else I wouldn't be doing it myself."
Madhu was surprised about this revelation. "Ok. So continue."
"Going to US made me feel like a free bird. That is when I first met Tanya. She was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. I had so many girls throwing themselves at me, but I only wanted Tanya. Can you believe she didn't notice me?"
Madhu smiled lightly.
"As expected, there were so many guys trying to impress her, but she noticed no one. She was a Bcom student. I knew a guy who changed his degree just so he gets see her during lectures." RK rolled his eyes.
"So how did you manage to win her?" Madhu asked curiously.
"First I befriended her friends. That was easy. Hah!" He smirked. "Then I found everything about her. Likes, Dislikes, Interests. Unlike others, I acted normal around her. Her friends loved me, so whenever I'm around they came my way. That way I got introduced to her."
"You are smart."
"That I am, sweetheart." RK smirked.
"Should I be worried?" Madhu asked smiling.
"Very." RK smiled.
"Ok. So what happened next?" Madhu asked impatiently.
"After I got to know her better, my charm worked like magic on her. Yet I had to play hard. I have never worked that hard to win a girl's heart. Anyhow, she became mine. I think I'm irresistible to anyone." RK winked.
Madhu shook her head. "You are so full of yourself."
RK snorted.
"So then?" Madhu's asked.
RK sighed deeply, increasing Madhu's curiosity. "After we started going out, she opened up to me more. I got to know what kind of terrible past she had and why she had distanced herself from men. Her father had died when she was a baby. Her mother had remarried and moved to US and without her mother's knowledge her stepfather had been abusing her." RK continued his fists clenching. "When her mother found out she had moved out taking Tanya with her, filing for divorce. Her mother hadn't lived long though, and she had been sent to a foster home. From there she had been adopted by a white couple who had loved her like her own parents. Still her childhood bad experiences made her lose trust in men. She had a very painful past Madhu." RK sighed, his face written in pain.
Madhu swallowed.
"When we started dating, there was a drastic change in her. Even her adoptive parents noticed how happy she was. They thought I'm good influence." RK's eyes welled up in tears. "But then I f***ed up things."
Madhu swallowed. "Why? What happened?"
"I can't Madhu. It hurts so much." He was breathing heavily.
"It's ok." Madhu whispered, but curiosity killing her. She couldn't dare ask him to continue seeing the obvious pain in his eyes. Madhu gently took his hand in hers and stroked soothingly. "Just know that if you need to talk, I'm here."
RK looked her way, hurt still written on his face. "I- I need to go out." RK moved out of bed.
"RK, wait." Madhu panicked, pulling his hand. "It's too late now. There's a storm outside."
RK was not listening. He grabbed his jacket and moved towards the door. Madhu felt so helpless.
"RK, please don't leave me." She said her voice breaking. She knew he wouldn't listen to her.
He paused, his hand still clutching the door knob. He looked back to see her helpless tear welled eyes.
"Rishabh, please don't leave me. RISHABH!"
The screams echoed in his mind. He swallowed looking into Madhu's eyes. "I-" His eyes welled up in tears, memories of Tanya fallen on the ground, crying and screaming for him to not to leave her, flashed his mind. "I can't Madhu- I- I need to go somewhere."
Madhu got up from the bed and came towards him. He looked wistful. She gently took his hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. He looked into her eyes. Her expression was something he couldn't read. She took the jacket away from him and grabbed his hand leading him to bed. He sat on the bed, his eyes never leaving her. He was watching every move of her very closely. She hanged the jacket in the wardrobe and sat next to him.
"Madhu, let me at least go have a drink. You go to sleep."
"Why?"
RK sighed. "I can't sleep now."
Madhu looked at him intently and touched his arm. "Let me help you."
"Huh? How?"
Madhu got up from where she's sitting and removed RK's pillow and sat herself there. RK looked at her quizzically.
"Lie down." Madhu indicated her lap. "My mother did this when I was small, when I had trouble sleeping." Madhu smiled softly.
RK looked at her uncertainly for a while and proceeded as she requested.
She gently started stroking his head with her fingertips. His eyes closed immediately and a tender smile graced his face. He loved how her soft hands worked on him. She had the softest most beautiful hands he had ever seen on a girl and they worked like magic on him.
"What kind of black magic are you doing on me, biwi?" he groaned.
"Shhh. Sleep" She instructed.
RK smiled. He realised how easily she can distract him.
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"
Madhu silently stroked his head, not bothering to answer.
"I think I have." RK sighed. "You are still not late, Madhu."
"For what?" Madhu asked out of curiosity.
"To run away from me."
Madhu stopped her ministrations abruptly.
"RK, I'm not running anywhere." She said crisply. "Unless you want me to leave."
RK swallowed. He turned the other side and buried his face on her lap and Madhu's fingers brushed through his soft hair soothingly.
'I don't know what to do with you Madhubala.' RK thought to himself. 'I don't like this effect you have on me. RK's the puppeteer, never the puppet.'
After some time, he went back to sleep. She moved placing his pillow back, covering him with the blanket. She glanced one last time at his peaceful face and switched off the lights.
*****
It was nine in the morning. Madhu jumped out of bed cursing herself for over sleeping. RK was nowhere in sight. 'Has he left for work without even calling her?' Usually she woke before him, but today she was three hours late. She had a quick shower and went downstairs.
Nishtha and Anurag were in the sitting room. Nishtha was reading some novel and Anu was doing something on his iPad.
"Good morning!" Madhu greeted them.
"Ohhh Madhu. You are still here. Good morning!" Nishtha greeted excited.
"Good morning Madhu. We thought you have left with RK." Anurag added.
"Oh. Didn't you guys see RK in the morning?" Madhu asked worried.
"No. Is everything ok?" Anu questioned, seeing Madhu's worried face.
"Huh? Yes. I'll have breakfast and be back."
"You still didn't have breakfast? Looks like someone has overslept and to think we thought we overslept." Nishtha nudged Anu giggling.
"I wonder how RK does that." Madhu thought loudly. "Going to sleep at 2 and waking up at 6.30."
"Trust me there are some things even I don't understand how he does, and I have known him since we were kids." Anu said shaking his head.
"Oh." Madhu smiled. 'So does Anu know about Tanya?' thought Madhu. That name brought a miserable feeling within Madhu.
"Girls! I should get going. I have shooting at 10. Nish you have in the afternoon, right? I'll see you later bubs."
Nishtha gave him a long hug and a quick smooch. Madhu watched the happy couple, thinking how carefree they were. Not the complicated life RK and she had. That was pure love and that was what she longed for, and that was what she doubted she would ever have.
*****
Trishna and Thiasha were at Roxanne's party. They were hanging out with their usual group of friends when some unwanted company joined the girls. It was Neha and Lexi whose presence everybody hated. Everyone was expecting some drama to occur any minute and wondered who was going to be the victim of the day.
"Hi girls!" Neha and Lexi greeted them in their high pitched, irritating voices.
Everyone said hi back in a bored tone.
"What's happening, babes?" Neha asked twirling a lock of hair
"Not much." One of the girls replied.
"Aw come on! We're here for the hot gossip." Lexi replied winking.
Everyone tried their best not to roll their eyes.
"No, guy news?" Neha asked excited. "Did you hear Rahul's back from New York and he's throwing a grand party." She said grinning like Cheshire cat.
Everyone was like "Ohhh yes, we heard." and started giggling.
"You know he's one of the most eligible bachelors." Neha continued excited. "Oh, speaking of eligible bachelors, how's things with Trish's sister and RK? We heard some exciting news sometime back."
That was enough for everybody to know that the victim of the day was Trishna and some even sighed in relief that they were safe. On the other hand, they genuinely felt sorry for Trishna's fate.
Trishna frowned in disgust. "Well then you heard wrong. My sister is not involved with RK."
"Oh, come on babe." Lexi jumped in. "Don't tell me you are jealous of your own sister."
"Why would I be jealous of my sister? If something good happens to her, I'll be the happiest. Likewise, I don't want people talking crap about her." Trishna said crisply her eyes furrowed dangerously. "She never had anything to do with RK. She was only brave enough to stand out against his misdeeds and this is what she gets?" Trishna shook her head in disgust.
"Oh please Trish! We get it! You love her, but you can't cover up for her all the time." Neha smirked. "She's acting like a saint, huh? But we all know how she was sleeping with RK."
"Yes. You can't deny Trishna. RK said it himself in that interview." Lexi added. "What was he saying again? Oh yes, that she is his Laila." Both girls laughed.
Trishna was shivering with anger. One of her friends quickly added. "You two just cut it. You know RK was lying coz Madhu sent him to jail."
"Come on! You guys actually believe that? You know how these super stars are. It's just an act for publicity. And who would help him with it better than his lover?"
Everybody looked at each other except Trishna who was looking at Neha and Lexi with murderous eyes.
"Anyway Trishna just introduce her to contraception. You never know when RK would leave her. Poor thing would be left with an unwanted child." Lexi said in a sympathetic mocking tone.
"SHUT UP!" Trishna shouted enraged. "You bloody shut up! You crossed your limits this time. My sister is not a lowly, bimbo like you both. She has good morals. The word is too big for you, huh? You might have brains of a house-fly, but I suggest you find a dictionary and find the meaning anyway."
Trishna's friends snickered at Neha and Lexi who were boiling with anger.
Trishna who was still glaring at them with dangerous eyes continued. "Oh just one last thing. Please stop spreading cheap rumours about other people and do something better with your lives. It would do this world so much good."
The two girls glared back and stomped their feet and left the sight, having no come back. Trishna took a deep breath, calming herself. "Girls, I'm sorry about that. I'm going home."
"Trish, please stay. Just don't let those two shameless bimbos ruin your mood. Plus, what would Roxanne think if you leave too early." Thiasha pleaded.
Trishna sighed. "I'll talk to her later. She'll understand. I'll see you girls later."
She bid them goodbye and was halfway out of the big mansion when she heard someone shouting her name through the loud music. She stopped abruptly and looked back.
"YOU?"
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A Heart's Obsession - Chapter 14
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