A/N: Hey there everyone! :D :D Here is the next update! :D :D
Also, this chapter is dedicated to my dearest MM Cherie since it's her birthday tomorrow! Cherie, this is your small birthday gift from my end! <3 <3
Happy Reading! :D :D
The clouds collided against each other with a resounding crash, forcing Ranveer and Ishaani out from the prison of their past.
Past.
The past was gone and so were their old selves. The memories were all that remained now, splattered against the broken pieces of their hearts just like the rains now splattered across the window panes dully as the torrential storm broke out. Both of them looked at the window and sighed slowly, suddenly lost. Was this even happening? Or was this moment some kind of wishful thinking on their behalf?
But then why was God crying today?
RV retracted his gaze from the window and dared looked at Miss Parekh, his face devoid of any expression. Oh, the calm deception of his face that his eyes were submissive to. He forwarded his hand slowly in greeting, and she did the same. Cold. Ice cold. And yet in the second that their skin made contact against each other's, a warmth spread through them. Their hands still fit just like it would in old times. Unconsciously, RV's fingers brushed against the back of Miss Parekh's hand, just like it did the first time they shook hands.
Gone were those days.
Miss Parekh looked at RV, her fingers tingling with the mellowness of his grip as she mustered the courage to meet eyes with him in bravado. Oh, what had she left to lose, anyway? And yet, the turmoil in her weakened heart betrayed the cold fear through her palm as it snuggled tighter into his now-steadily warming grip. It reminded her of the times when she'd snuggle up to him when she was cold. It reminded her of the first time she'd snuggled up to him when she was cold in the valleys of Beas Kund that oversaw the range of mountains in Manali.
He'd been just as warm that night, the cold of the darkness having no impact upon him. Hadn't it been over there that he'd prayed to scale the highest peak? It must be exhilarating... yet lonely, he'd concluded all those years back. Oh, how afraid he was of being all alone! And today, he was at the peak, but all alone. But she'd promised to be by his side at all times, no matter what. And she'd broken that promise too, just like every single one she'd made him.
They were now staring at each other from the peak of two different mountains. Who was going to bridge the gap in between them?
But hadn't she confessed to him the same night about what she truly was afraid of? Cold disappointment from Papa or you, came the words back to her. And the heavens and the earth were both staring at her in cold disappointment in that moment. What wouldn't she have given to go back in time and forget that this ever happened; that those eight years of her life had ever happened?
She'd have happily retained the memory of her professional accomplishments because this was what she always wanted to do in life. Succeed. But the cost she had to pay for it wasn't worth it. The cost of losing Ranveer wasn't. The cost of losing herself wasn't. And the cost of losing the sanctity and security of the ones she loved the most was the least of it all. The regrets and bitterness could go on and on every time she reminisced about those glorious days of her past.
But gone were those days.
Miss Parekh retracted her hand away from the greeting absentmindedly as RV did the same, both of them buried underneath the compunction of the past. A third ramble in the sky snapped them back into their senses, both of them giving each other an identical smile. A dead one that barely made their lips twitch. The facades were back on, and at their strongest. If they were going to do this, then they'd make sure to let their facades keep them alive, because their maimed selves only begged for mercy against their cruel minds. Only the sudden gush of fear-induced adrenaline was going to help them now.
A fourth thunder fell against the other's armour as their eyes met, again.
This was it. The egos had clashed against each others' as the game of wait began. Two masters of the art of manipulation now stared at each other like two lions circling around the other, waiting for the first sign of an attack. Waiting for the first sign of a move. One was a master by nature, another was a master by experience. Oh, they were old players of this game... A game they'd played once in innocence for four whole months when a prank had gone wrong. This was now their life that had gone wrong.
There was no Ranveer and Ishaani in the room - only RV and Miss Parekh who now stared at each other intensely.
Until the latter broke contact and now shook hands with the other two gentlemen swiftly. RV and Miss Parekh conducted a quick round of introductions before the latter redirected the trio towards the conference room without any further word. Puneet and Rishi led the new-comers towards the room in silence, wondering whether anything of what they'd planned was even going to happen today.
All the four gentlemen could feel the cold tension in the air capable enough to break loose at the lightest strike of a blade. And yet they made their way to the conference room without another word, waiting for fate to play its hand.
RV however, didn't need to know a route that he'd known for years, yet he followed in silence as his eyes darted about the whole office in silent observation. Nostalgia overtook his senses during the journey to a room where he'd spent nearly six years of his life standing in silence as he heard opinions being thrown around. He only offered his opinions in his mentor's cabin. Otherwise, he was only a silent spectator who understood all but spoke none. Today, he was going to be sitting across the table for the first time, like an equal.
Oh, the gush of pride in doing the impossible!
RV looked around the place and noticed that the premise had been revamped to suit the new owner's taste, and yet everything felt the same. Especially the employees with their eyes darting all around the place for gossip. Office politics always amused him. It was as though he'd walked back into time, and any moment now the door to the conference room would open and he'd find his mentor sitting at the head of the table, his head buried into the files as though in prayer.
But all that hit his face was the cold blast of the air conditioned room, effectively ending his line of thoughts. Miss Parekh walked up in silence and took her seat at the head of the table, Puneet and Rishi sitting on either side of her. The long table was now replaced by a smaller one with seven chairs that were soon occupied excluding one, with RV seated at the tail of the table.
RV and Miss Parekh stared at each other in silence for five whole minutes, the atmosphere of the room turning much colder than what the air-conditioner could achieve. Three out of four people knew the dynamics, and the tension in the air was impenetrably thick.
The door to the conference room suddenly opened as a saving grace to postpone the moment in hand, everyone regaining command upon their nerves.
"Oh, Mr. Sanghvi's here! Gentlemen, this is Mr. Piyush Sanghvi, my legal counsel," introduced Miss Parekh, as all heads turned towards the door.
There stood Piyush Sanghvi in his usual dapper suit, the essence of his somber profession nowhere to be seen in light of the joyous aura he had around himself, his face always carrying a smile upon it. The smile faltered, however, when his eyes fell upon RV.
He looked dumbstruck as his mouth fell upon in a big, wide O.
"Oh my God! You! Wait... but I thought- you're RV?" exclaimed Piyush, looking astounded at the sight of the man who was once his biggest competitor in school. He'd always known that Ranveer had great ambitions in life; ambitions that were restricted by the bonds of his social status. And today... all he could do was gawk at his classmate stupidly.
There was a time when he teased his fellow classmate with the title of being Mr. Prefect Perfect because the woman in the same room had leaked the name out to everyone at school because he was perfect at everything. And yet here he was today among one of the most influential personalities of the world. He'd topped the charts for Australia's 50 Richest in Forbes 2015, along with the RV Group of Companies being ranked No. 18 on the list for the Global 2000 Trending Companies.
"This is astronomical! And this makes complete sense too!" exclaimed Piyush further as his eyes landed upon Miss Parekh, who looked amused by his reaction. And suddenly, everything began piecing itself on its own - her enthusiasm for the project, her obsession with striking the deal with only RV Group of Companies and her special interest in the background of the company, and by extension, Mr. RV himself.
It all fit.
"And Finch! What are you doing here?" he exclaimed weakly for the third time as his eyes now landed upon Finch, who was now staring at him with an identical look of surprise. The two of them were friends at Oxford, even though Piyush was three years his junior.
"I can ask you the same, Sanghvi," replied Finch, who now stood up and shook hands warmly with the newest arrival of the hour.
"I had to reschedule our meeting because of this meeting," explained Piyush, still looking surprised at all the revelations that had hit him in less than five minutes.
"So did I!" shot back Finch, sounding just as stupefied as his friend did. He'd visited India just to meet Piyush Sanghvi and he didn't even know that his friend in question worked in association with the Parekh Empire. The strange mysteries of life, Finch wondered.
"Wow, what a small world," commented RV and Miss Parekh together, the sarcasm in their tone bringing the outbreak of all the parallel conversations to an end.
The room fell silent as five pairs of eyes fell upon the two of them, the partners in crime now flushing dully. The fact that they'd thrown a jibe in the air was not as awkward as the fact that their timing and sync was just the same as it would be back when they were kids.
Some things never really changed, afterall.
But who were they kidding? Nothing was the same anymore.
"Miss Parekh," spoke Piyush, and that managed to snap her out of her thoughts. "-if you have anyone to thank for the Mehta and Sons take over, it's Greg- I mean, Mr. Finch here. He's the one who gave the idea to me when I asked him for council on this."
The room fell silent as all eyes turned towards Finch. He flushed.
"Err... thanks there, mate. But well, if we are being honest, then you need to thank RV here. He's the one who proposed the idea to me when I asked his opinion on the problem. So really, the credit does go to him," confessed Finch, and all eyes fell upon the youngest billionaire of the decade now. His gaze remained undeterred upon the woman across him.
RV and Miss Parekh stared at each other as a current passed between them. And suddenly, it was as though they were standing on the tenterhooks of their past where Ranveer would help Ishaani out of all her difficulties and would give her the solution to all of her problems. He'd always stand beside her like an invisible shield even back then, and he was always going to be her invisible benefactor at the end of the day, intentionally or not.
Had anything changed, really?
Everything had.
"Curious. It really is a small world, I guess," exclaimed Miss Parekh at long last, not knowing what else to say. The room lapsed into an uncomfortable silence once again, the five men looking at either side of the table from time to time, waiting for either of the tycoons to speak. Both of them began mentally framing their thoughts into words with order and method for the next ten minutes until the clock chimed to announce the passing of another thirty minutes.
RV cleared his throat softly.
"So tell me, Miss Parekh. To what do I owe the pleasure of this invitation?" he asked finally, tipping his fingers against each other. Miss Parekh smiled ruefully as the address of her name hit her like a whip. Strictly professional, the emphasis on her name not going amiss by anyone. So this is how he wanted to play it. She'd been banking on the cold shoulder, knowing that he was going to make this as difficult for her as he could.
Miss Parekh smiled at him in polite courtesy. The game of manipulation began.
"To complete an incomplete legacy, Mr. RV" came back the reply, her eyes meeting his own in a soft defiance. The cruel delight of taking his name the way she did had its desired effect upon the man seated opposite her as his features stiffened ever so slightly. They were on par so far, and so was their gaze upon the other.
Two sets of eyes of fire.
Two souls on fire.
Puneet, Rishi, Piyush, Finch and David observed the scene in tense silence as RV opened the file in front of him and scrutinized the documents for the next thirty minutes without another word, Finch and David doing the same. Puneet and Rishi, in turn, went through their own set of documents that contained all the data for the presentation they were supposed to give once the deal was finalized.
If it was finalized.
But Miss Parekh had eyes for only the man right in front of her. The stiff posture, the straight shoulders, the head bowed slightly into the files as though in prayer. The sign of humility when it came to work. She noticed how his eyes never once left the papers, yet his eyes glimpsed through the paper with ease. The sign of a man who knew his job. She noticed how his hands were upon the table, interlocked. He only undid them when he wanted to turn the page, but otherwise let them be stationary. His hands were relaxed. He was confident; he was here on a purpose.
But when he finally raised his head up, his eyes met hers with a ferocity that made her heart flutter. Passion. He knew what she had in mind, even though the idea of the duopoly wasn't mentioned anywhere on paper. And yet she could see the same flame set his eyes ablaze like hers was when she was at the AGM. She knew that look all-the-too well from years of experience.
The years from another lifetime.
"From what the file says, you need someone to fund the capital expenditure that'll be going into the dispatch of the consignment. You want my company to be a sort of risk bearer," he concluded finally with a poker-face.
How he always loved the thrill of a gamble!
If he wanted a gamble, then she was ready to play the bluff too. She nodded her head in agreement and RV smiled slowly. But Miss Parekh didn't consider it a smile. It was more of a grimace.
"What's my advantage, Miss Parekh?" he asked in a facsimile innocence, his voice now resonating around the room in a powerful echo even though he hadn't crossed his normal decibel. There was something about his voice that captivated everyone's attention.
"A foothold in the London market that you've been unable to get since the past five years," she replied back, her voice refracting around the room in a tone of silent confidence. The five men turned their heads towards the two pillars of power like the slow swing of a pendulum.
"I don't accept charity, Miss Parekh. I didn't even when I was less fortunate," he remarked suddenly, his eyes burning a little more at her response. She arched her eyebrow at him impressively, the scoff in her lop-sided twitch of her lips for all to see.
"There's a difference between an opportunity and a charity, Mr. RV. You seem to be unable to differentiate between the two. Or maybe you never could."
"Maybe I was never given the chance to," he shot back, and both of them looked at each other, shutting the windows of their eyes before either of them could penetrate the other's gaze. These facades weren't meant to be looked through. No one was allowed to look through them in a moment as critical as this, not even themselves.
"The consignment gives you a stable introduction into the London markets by power of association," spoke Miss Parekh finally, deciding that it was about time they got down to business. Jibes could wait.
"And I'm supposed to bear the risks of approximately 50 million pounds just for a foothold when I can very well do that in one-tenth the amount," remarked RV, scrutinizing her closely. She smirked in return.
"But who will give you the chance in the compact markets of London, really?" she asked, and the silk taunt in her tone didn't go amiss by anyone in the room.
She had a remarkable control upon her tongue, knowing exactly how to inflict damage. Especially upon egos. The momentarily flicker didn't go amiss by anyone, and neither did his low hiss of silent outrage as his eyes flared at her. She always knew the right buttons to push. And that was the only sore spot of his career, as badly as he wanted that foothold in London.
"The advantage ratio is a 10:1. So let me get this straight - for this foothold, I have to bear a humongous financial risk, be an insurance policy and give you an additional security with the power of association since my own company has a goodwill valuation of twice as much as yours internationally," assessed RV, now eyeing her with the keen interest that one showed while observing a curio.
"Well, you have the analytic mind. Sit and go through the odds," she remarked, and RV let himself fall back gracefully upon the back of his chair.
"What's your proposition?"
"70-30 in my favour," she replied cautiously. RV chuckled.
"Not going to happen."
"We're offering you a 25.5% joint duopoly in the markets," she added after a minute, her eyebrows arching even deeper into her forehead. She knew that he wouldn't settle for it, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't try.
"If you want a 70% profit on turnover, then you have to pay the proportionate cost and not make me chip in half of it. But you can't do that now, can you?" remarked RV and Ishaani gasped.
He was a sharp man. He must have done his homework when it came to researching about the company's financial standing before coming to meet her. And research was always his strongest suit, even when he was a student.
"60-40 and I go no lower," agreed Miss Parekh hesitantly and RV chose to remain silent even though the smile on his face only grew wider in amusement.
She was always about the theatre. And what she was orchestrating now was an example of it. She already knew what ratio was this going to get settled upon eventually. This was just a weave-and-leave tactic. His own tactic upon himself. How original.
"Alright, then we route through Sydney," stated RV, wondering what was going to come next. Miss Parekh looked resolute.
"No, the relationships have been tense this past year, especially after the recent controversy with the black marketing. We route through Beijing," she argued, meeting his eyes with yet another wave of scorching fire. Fire couldn't melt through stone; it could only blacken it more.
"I won't route through Beijing because I have the advantage of location. I have contacts in Sydney who can make the passageway easy," countered RV, his tone inflexible.
"My contacts give me a guarantee of six days," boasted Ishaani, like a child showing off her toys.
"Mine gives me the guarantee of five," he added, smiling in what was supposed to be triumph. But it didn't appear so to her. It was a remote ghost of a smile, as though his lips were learning how to twitch into a curve after a long time.
"Alright, your prospect is better. Sydney it is," caved in Miss Parekh, the alternate of Beijing still at the back of her mind as a Plan B. RV nodded his head and continued.
"If you want to route through Sydney, it'll have to be a 50-50. Why should I give out my contacts and influences for free, really?" he added cheekily, and Ishaani looked at him, unamused.
"You get a 25% foothold, extra perks, and want to enjoy 50% profits? Are you sure you're not pushing your luck too far?"
"You've set the odds, Miss Parekh. We both know who's walking away at the end of the day with the advantages," he remarked shrewdly and she fell silent. As much as he was right, she didn't like his attitude. Maybe because she was so used to him being loving to her that this cold, unfeeling version of him felt strange. Wrong.
But she knew how to put that extra cheek in check.
"Mr. RV, I don't know about you but this consignment is important to me. This was my father's incomplete legacy and he sought me and my best friend to do it. I don't know where that friend is, but all I know is that I'm going to do this for my father and complete his final legacy. Come, what, so, may," she ended, punctuating every single word with a force that finally evoked a reaction out from RV that remotely resembled the possessiveness of his past self on this topic.
It might have very well been the loyal disciple speaking.
"Let's not settle old scores in that respect, Miss Parekh. You'll have to turn the profits into a 30-70 in my favour," he boasted and she grit her teeth in chagrin. His behaviour was getting on her nerves now and even he knew it. But gone were the days when she caved. She wouldn't.
"I'll give you a 50-50 if and only if the consignment comes under the banner of the Parekh Empire. This is, as I said, my father's legacy," she emphasized once again. She noticed the split second softening of his features at the mention of her father, but the next second, it was back to the way it was - unfathomable.
RV gave the proposition a deep thought for another fifteen minutes before he sighed.
"You have a deal."
The legacy was my right too, his mind roared in defense. But he wasn't going to let go of it after knowing how much his mentor hoped that he'd fulfill it on his behalf, no matter what. And at the end of the day, it was Harshad Parekh's legacy. It went without saying under whose banner it would come. Besides, banners did not matter to him. The fact that his mentor's legacy was getting fulfilled was all that mattered, along the fact that he was partly responsible in the execution of the same.
"Here," spoke Miss Parekh after two minutes, giving everyone sufficient time to grasp what was happening, or rather what she'd made happen.
She passed over the file containing the contract agreement towards RV, who in turn accepted it and read through them with utmost care. After ten whole minutes, the papers found their way back to her, the only addition being RV and Finch's signatures on the paper, the latter's signature taken as an acceptance by the legal counsel of his company.
"So is that all then?" asked RV as he capped the head of his Mont Blanc gracefully. Ishaani couldn't help but notice the mother-of-pearl dial that stuck out from the cuff of his shirt along with the slight glimpse of the dark-brown strap. He'd still treasured the souvenir from his mentor.
Snapping out from her thoughts swiftly, she shook her head.
"Not really. We need to get cracking. The deadline is on the 29th of this month, but we need to get the sample consignment en-route by next week. De Beers is not going to let go that easily," she added, a look of anxiety crossing upon her face suddenly.
"I have a flight tomorrow afternoon back to Sydney."
"Then I suggest you extend your stay till the end of this month," she shot back, feeing exasperated at his lessthan co-operative attitude now. He was just making things difficult for the heck of it.
"You don't really need me here since my assistant will be handling everything."
Miss Parekh shot him the dirtiest look she could, the fuse of her temper suddenly blown away. She inched herself closer upon the table, now staring at RV coldly. Her tone even made him shiver.
"Mr. RV, I know that run an empire of your own, but I don't know how you run it and I don't care. I need you here at every stage of the consignment because there can be absolutely nothing that goes wrong with the deal. So I think it's about time you left your godly attitude that you may use with the rest of the world and get back to the ground with the deal because I will not entertain any of this. This is the deal of a lifetime not just for myself, but for you as well."
RV gulped, Ranveer suddenly squirming in his conscience. She was always like this - a strike of thunder and lightning. And he was afraid of even a little rain. But not anymore. If she was the thunder and lightning, then he was now the storm. If she wanted business, then she would get business. If she wanted RV, then she would get only RV. He had nothing more to give or even take, for that matter.
"Who's going to be on the team force?" he asked finally as Miss Parekh's face relaxed, her head falling back upon the chair gracefully.
"Mr. Rishi has shortlisted fifteen people for the task. But for the sake of containment of confidentiality and security, we'll only have ten on board for it."
"Alright, David and he can conduct the interviews and finalize the last ten. Have you made an outline sketch for the schedule of the consignment?" asked RV, now back to business.
"Yes. Mr. Rishi will run you through it while Mr. Puneet here will run you through the financials," replied Miss Parekh as the CEO of the Parekh Diamond Company now stood up, ready to deliver his presentation.
Rishi shut his eyes and took a deep breath before categorizing his thoughts and clearing his throat nervously. Snapping them upon, he noticed five pair of eyes upon him in anticipation, the awkwardness of the sharp limelight fading away slowly as he began speaking, explaining the entire scenario out to RV and his associates the same way just like he'd spoken in the agenda. And for the next forty minutes, Rishi ran them all through the in-depth analysis and detailing of the blueprint that he's precariously prepared for the consignment in question, ranging right from the suppliers to be chosen, the insurance policies to be taken at hand, the cargo, transportation and delivery stopovers and the commissions at hand for the middle men and the contacts that would be involved in the export.
Taking his seat again once the questions aroused were answered tactfully, Rishi felt like his legs had turned into a mess of jelly. Puneet flashed him an impressed look before he stood up, talking the rest of the members through the financial prospects of the project for the next thirty-five minutes without a single interruption, beginning right from the payments of the suppliers and the resource funding that was to be allocated for the commissions and freights and the paraphernalia expenditure that was to accompany the consignment till its final stopover at the London Diamond Bourse from where the royal family would finally be doing the sample test checking before arriving upon a final decision.
More questions were asked this time, along with RV giving several of his inputs on where the resource allocation could be expanded or modified that Puneet duly agreed to and noted down. Finally taking his seat, Puneet flashed a nervous smile at Rishi, who in turn gave him a thumbs up. Both of them knew that this was one the finest moments of their careers so far.
RV finally addressed the whole gathering as a whole.
"This is impressive, Mr. Oberoi. Very impressive," he commended, while Rishi both look flustered and pleased with himself.
"Thank you, sir. My pleasure," replied Rishi.
RV didn't bother hiding his satisfaction with the way things were going so far. It was much, much better than he had ever expected the day to go. And the amount of intricacies that the two men had explained in detail about the blueprint of the consignment showed the amount of effort that had already gone into its planning and execution.
"And even you, Mr. Bakshi. That's some smart allocation of resources that you've done. How long have you been planning this out for?" asked RV, now genuinely curious.
"Two months," replied Puneet, and RV nodded his head.
"We'll take your leave now. It was pleasure doing business with you," he added as an afterthought, now looking at Miss Parekh quietly.
"I'm sure the pleasure is all mine," replied Miss Parekh, nodding her head as she stood up too and shook hands with everyone in the room, finding her way up to RV last. Both of them shook hands once again, making sure to retract it away quickly for both of their hands remained as cold as it were two hours ago. If only they didn't crave to hold on to each other's hands for a little longer...
Miss Parekh led the guests out of the conference room after fixing up the timings for the next meeting that was to happen at ten in the morning on the day after tomorrow. Rishi and David were to complete the shortlisting process by the next day and were supposed to bring the task force members up to date about the project.
The little party had just reached the lift outside the entrance of the purchase department when Miss Parekh's stiletto buckled and she lost her balance, RV catching hold of her arm by instinct since he was walking beside her.
"Aah!"
"Are you okay?" asked RV, looking puzzled as she winced in pain.
Her reaction was much louder than expected and what he saw in the split-second flicker of pain that crossed her eyes alerted the dormant senses of his mind. He eyed her suspiciously as she withdrew her hand from his grip, giving him a hasty nod. But the damage was already done. The split-second fall of her facade had given him the view of what she was hiding away.
"Yeah- yeah, I'm alright," she replied slowly and RV nodded his head.
He walked into the lift without another word as the metal doors shut, breaking their eye contact finally. She'd thrown him out even before he could penetrate deeper into her eyes to catch hold of what had just glimpsed through. The mystery of her gaze and what was hidden behind them didn't leave his mind at peace even long after he was seated in his car again. His heart knew what that look was, but his brain refused to let the maimed side of him take over.
No! You cannot be weak! You cannot choose vulnerability over power!
So all RV did was look at the sky in question. There was only one power who had the answer to his question. But he got no answer in return. Only more foreboding. It had now stopped raining at long last, even though the sky was as gloomy as it could be. It was too easy. It was too calm.
Why did he still feel that doom was pending?
-x-
Ishaani sighed tiredly the moment the party left, Puneet and Rishi standing behind her in silence. She turned around and beckoned them both to her cabin. Occupying her chair quickly as she felt the rush of adrenaline drain away that had kept her on her feet and in her senses for the past two hours, she addressed her two most trusted employees kindly.
"You two were exceptional today. Kudos to both of you," she praised tiredly, and the appreciation in her tone didn't go amiss by either. Their boss was a very difficult and frustrating woman to work with, but there was another side to her that kept coming into light from time to time, making their pains worth it.
"Thank you, ma'am. You were brilliant too!" remarked Rishi, looking exhausted yet jubilant.
"I know I was," she joked lightly and both the men chuckled in agreement the moment the shock of her statement abated. Since when did Miss Parekh indulge in light humour?
"Have you shortlisted the last ten?" asked Miss Parekh, her tone suddenly serious as she looked at her employees apprehensively.
"Yes ma'am and they'll be a part of tomorrow's briefing."
"Are the two of you ready?" she questioned further and Puneet nodded his head.
"Yes, ready to the dot."
"Good, you can call it a day then."
Rishi and Puneet flashed her a smile and left her cabin, until only silence remained her companion. She let her head fall into her palms as she relived the last two hours of her life, unable to believe what had just happened. She'd done it. She'd convinced him to enter into a contract with her company. She'd convinced him to complete her father's legacy together.
They hadn't spoken a word of acquaintance to each other, but for now it would do. Her one moment of vulnerability was enough to tell her that. She'd been so close to perfection... So close to being in command of herself and the situation when she'd made the mistake. The scar that was supposed to keep her in control was the one that had betrayed her in the end. And in that one moment of weakness, his eyes had found her own, scrounging her like a lover devouring his loved one with an unrestrained passion.
But who was it that sought her through those pools of the most lifeless-looking eyes?
RV or Ranveer?
She'd shut him out before he could see any further but it was too late. He'd seen the flicker of pain that had shot through her eyes. And the next moment his eyes had narrowed in suspicion as though he'd caught on to her secret. As though he knew what lay beneath the sleeve of her dress. But he didn't know. And yet his eyes did, windows to his soul as they were.
And even after all those years, she did not like being judged by them.
-x-
"Well, that girl of yours is quite a one to remember. No wonder you fell for her the way you did. Anyone would," remarked Finch, who was impressed with Ishaani after everything he'd heard about her, both from Ranveer's perspective of the girl he loved as well as the world's perspective of Miss Parekh.
She was every bit the woman of element he'd imagined her to be. She had to be, if she'd managed to make Ranveer Vaghela fall for her so terribly. He wasn't RV back then, but he was always a difficult man to impress nonetheless.
RV and Finch were now seated in the dining area of the reputed Taj Hotel, enjoying the remnants of their wine after their sumptuous main course and an even more heart-warming round of desserts. David had already retired to his room after their little celebration upon the take-over of the Singhania Finance Solutions and the JV with the Parekh Empire came to an end. He had to still prepare heaps of notes upon the employees shortlisted for the project on hand.
"The girl I fell for back then was a simple and sweet girl who was unaware of what lay outside in store for her. I don't know who the woman I met today was," remarked RV in an aloof tone while Finch scrutinized him carefully.
"What's that supposed to mean now?"
"She's... changed. Different," admitted RV, now looking slightly perturbed.
Change was truly a mysterious thing. There was a time when she'd stutter on and on when giving an elocution speech to him during her practice rounds. And then there was today when she spoke through so much without even the slightest amount of hesitance. Confidence exuded from her posture. Humility exuded from the way she revered her work. Passion exuded from her eyes to achieve what she wanted.
And yet there was something about what flickered in her eyes that left him disturbed. He felt no emotion for they were now ruthlessly suppressed underneath the facade of RV. And even though his heart and soul may have had no say in what he felt anymore, his mind was as sharp as ever.
"So are you. It'd be unfair if you judged her."
"I don't know, really..." trailed off RV, unsure of what to say next.
Finch eyes him curiously, knowing that now was the time to hit the nail if he was ever going to have a chance to make his friend see sense about the opportunity of a lifetime that he was presented with to make amends with the woman who was once his world. It was no hidden fact to Finch that since the night of their separation, Ranveer had no world left anymore.
"I told you that today wouldn't be as bad as you were making it out to be," began Finch gently and RV rolled his eyes at him. "And it's good to see that you're taken an interest in her again. She still does mean the same to you that she's always meant to you," added Finch swiftly, curious to see what came next.
"She doesn't," came the acid reply too quickly. As expected. Finch smirked.
"Keep saying that to yourself."
"She sought RV; she got RV," he argued but in vain.
"Really? I think you were an obnoxious prick today. The thing with the Singhania chap got to your head," commented Finch, eyeing his friend in disapproval now. He may have not known the content discussed in the cabin but the purpose of the takeover wasn't unknown to him.
He wasn't even so modest to call himself RV's acquaintance, but he wasn't even that arrogant to call himself Ranveer's best friend. That position was only ever reserved for one person. But that didn't change the fact that Finch was the closest friend Ranveer had in six years, or the fact that if he could trust his life with anyone, it was Finch. And so he knew that it was time to give Ranveer back his only best friend, no matter what it took. He'd done a lot for him in those eight years; it was about time that he repaid back some of it.
"I was being practical. Houses of bubbles are good for dreams, not reality. I had to make sure that she'd seen it through and through," confessed RV, his eyes now staring at Finch with determination.
A determination to not let hope seep into his heart. He couldn't let his heart come alive again with hope. He wouldn't be able to take another heartbreak the next time, because there would be no next time. He was safeguarding his heart from itself. He was safeguarding his heart from the treacherous, unrequited love that still existed in some remote part of his heart that threatened to break loose at her sight today. Oh, how he hated her for affecting him like this...
That's love...
Shut up!
"And she did. What's bothering you now?" asked Finch, noticing the sudden dip in his expression.
"There's something wrong with her. I don't know what," said RV blankly, the unavailability of an answer getting the better of him. Finch decided to use this to his advantage.
"Why does that matter? She means nothing to you, right? Why do you give a damn then?"
"Did you happen to notice any ring on her fingers?" asked RV suddenly, disregarding Finch's quip.
"I was busy listening to what the woman had to speak," replied Finch pointedly, but sobered down when he looked at RV's troubled face. He'd not seen this kind of concern in his eyes for anyone in a long, long time.
"Why do you think that they call her Miss Parekh? Her employees, I mean?" asked Ranveer after some time, now playing with his glass of wine restlessly.
Something was off about the whole thing. Something didn't feel right to him at all. She was too perfect. She was too in command of things. This was uncharacteristic of her, even though this was what she always strove to become. But this wasn't her, and that he was certain of.
You love her... that's why you're worried for her...
Stop it! Stop going there!
"It's pretty common to be addressed by your maiden name in a corporate office. What's new about that?" shot back Finch, now confused.
"It's not in India. Surnames change and are accommodated immediately once you are married," explained RV, the discomfort in his voice evident.
RV did not like not knowing things.
Finch knew that if he was ever going to have the chance to make his friend see sense, it would be now. So he decided to play the offensive.
"Either accept that you care for her and just go talk to her, or else shut up. Stop asking me questions that I have no answer to," stated Finch in a convincing tone of anger. RV shot him the dirtiest look he could, now letting his temper get the better of him.
"Why are you so f**king hell-bent on getting her back into my life?" hissed RV angrily and Finch mentally smiled to himself in triumph. Ishaani Parekh wasn't the only one who knew how to press the right buttons; he got lucky too at times.
Both friends stared at each other angrily, RV shutting the blinds of his eyes to Finch. The one moment he let down his facade and he was certain that Finch had managed to catch a glimpse of the turmoil within. The turmoil of hope struggling to revive the broken fragments of his heart that his brain was trying to stomp out. No, he wasn't going to let Finch get the better of him. He wasn't going to admit that Finch was right. Because he wasn't.
Stop lying to yourself!
Listen to the idiot only if you want to die for real the next time she breaks that fragile heart of yours!
"Why are you f**king hell-bent on proving you don't want her back in her life?" retorted Finch in the same tone as RV, now eyeing his friend in defiance.
"Because I don't," replied RV at long last, not willing to say anything more now that the damage was done. Finch drained the last remnants of his wine, looking at RV seriously.
"Then drink your wine and go off to sleep. You need you get your ass back working from tomorrow."
Constructive criticism will be more than welcome and sorry for any typos. :D :D
Next chapter:
Interlude 18
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