They were finally out the elevator. Kukki came in and hugged Prerna.
Kukki: Are you ok!? I was so worried!!! Papa would kill me if anything happened to you.
Anurag: Papa?
Kukki: Yes, my dad, Mr. Rrr...Prerna!
Prerna rushed Kukki to the car, ignoring him: Don't get familiar with strangers, Kukki. How many times did I tell you that?
Kukki: But I know him.
Prerna's heart stopped for a beat: You remember?
Kukki pointed: He's that boy's uncle. That annoying one down there, he goes to school with me.
Prerna sighed: Ok, ok, get in the car. I have to call your Papa.
Prerna tried Mr. Bajaj and he picked up on the first try.
Rishab: Are you happy?
Prerna smiled, despite how agitated she was feeling since the elevator incident: Yes, thank you, Mr. Bajaj.
Rishab: You need only ask. How is Kukki?
Prerna: She's here with me, here, Papa wants to talk to you.
Kukki got on the phone with her dad as Prerna took out her laptop to finalize the paperwork.
Prerna: Kukki mujhe phone dena tumhare hone ke baad.
Kukki eventually handed the call over: Mr. Bajaj, we need to do something innovative that pushes the Basus' out of this space. Then buy them out at a cheap rate once they have suffered serious losses.
Rishab: Spoken like a true protege.
Prerna smiled, proudly: I have learned from the best. Are you done in New York? Isn't the conference over in a day or so?
Rishab: Yes, yes, quite done. I will see you soon. How was you meeting with Mr. Basu?
Prerna: Nothing remarkable. I just told him I am here to destroy him and he told me to go back where I came from.
Kukki interrupted, only having heard one side of the call: Who did!? Who spoke to you like that!? I will wring their neck!
Prerna heard Rishab chuckle: You heard that? Your daughter has turned just as overprotective of me as you are, I am supposed to be the mom here and she's out here protecting me!
Rishab, proudly: That's my girl. Rest up, Prerna. I will talk to you soon.
Prerna: Thank you again, Mr. Bajaj, I couldn't have done it without you.
Rishab hung up the phone: Anything for you, my love.
Two days later, Rishab was finally at the Bajaj mansion.
Rishab took his beautiful wife and daughter in his arms: How are you both? Kukki, how do you like India?
Kukki: It's okay. Students at school say I talk like a colonizer, but that's about it.
Rishab: Don't mind them. Prerna?
Prerna: Kukki, will you ask them to set up Papa's dinner?
Kukki left, noticing they need alone-time.
Prerna: You are worrying about my mood, I can see it, but I really am fine. That Anurag Basu is not going to have any effect on me. He won't fool me this time.
Rishab: I don't doubt you, but I worry about your well-being.
Prerna pulled out his cravat and said playfully: Stop worrying! We have dinner setup to enjoy as a family, come. It has been too long.
Rishab: I was thinking of checking out our new land deal tomorrow, how about it, Prerna?
Kukki: I want to go too! I want to see what Prerna won!
Rishab: You, missy, will be in school. Mom and I are going, you can go next time.
Kukki: Please, Prerna, please!?
Prerna smiled: I have to agree with your Papa here, Kukki. You can't miss class, you have just joined the school.
Kukki sat there pouting, but they did not budge.
Next morning at the site.
Rishab had his arm around Prerna's waist as they overlooked the site together. They did not hear Anurag until he came up right behind them.
Anurag spoke barely above a whisper, in a mocking tone: Well, this explains everything. Prerna's pretend success is just your given gift, Mr. Bajaj. She's nothing on her own, cheap as she is, all that arrogance and fake show of ambition was just you. I should have known. Prerna, turned into a trophy wife, did you?
Rishab glared at him as Prerna grabbed his arm: Mind your tongue, Mr. Basu.
Anurag: What did I say that was so wrong? I was wondering where a lower middle class girl like her would get 60 crores, now it makes sense. She married you for money again and you fell for it again!? You are even more of a simpleton than I was!!! (He laughed).
Prerna tried to whisper in Rishab's ear to not stoop to this fight but Rishab was already swinging at Anurag and before she knew it, Anurag was flat on the ground.
Rishab: I told you to never hurt her. I told you that if you cannot protect her, I will. You broke your vow! What she is today is the product of her hard work, not mine. She is a more successful businesswoman than you are here.
Anurag stared, dumbfounded for a second: Doesn't matter, we all know how she earned it.
Rishab lunged for Anurag, but this time Prerna dragged him back.
Prerna: This is my fight, you will not take that from me!
Rishab stopped and backed off.
Prerna: Whether it be me or Rishab, you are done for Anurag Basu. Start counting.
She dragged Rishab away.
Hope bloomed in Rishab's heart, did she just call him Rishab to show that she was closer to him. 8 years later and yet the slightest hint of love from her still made his heart flutter. What was denied to him came to easily to that Basu, yet he could not appreciate it. And here he stood, still hoping to make a place on her heart.
Prerna: A juvenile fist fight, really Mr. Bajaj!? What? Why are you looking like that?
Rishab sighed at her formal name calling again: It's nothing.
She called the chauffeur for the first aid kit and started applying ointment on his knuckles.
Rishab spoke after a long time: Did you call me Rishab to make him jealous?
Prerna stopped, still looking down at his hands: I am not trying to make him jealous.
Rishab's heart chilled to admit it: Yes, you are.
Prerna looked vulnerable as their eyes met.
Rishab: You cannot take your revenge if his regard still matters to you. That's just a fact. But which way you go is a path you have to chose for yourself.
Prerna bandaged him up and let the cool silence between them stay for a while before speaking again.
Prerna: I have already chosen my side. It's beside you.
comment:
p_commentcount