Chapter 26: Chapter 26

*Shrishti Pov*

“Shrishti!” I got startled while breaking away from the thoughts roaming in my head.

“What?” I asked staring at the four people who are staring right at me with questioning looks.

“Is something wrong?” Prathap asked frowning and I shook my head smiling.

“You should have brought Nitish with you. We didn’t talk to him properly that day and didn’t get a chance to meet him properly and have a talk.” He added leaning back.

“What talk?” I asked to which he glanced at Anny.

“Nothing! Just to know him a bit…” he cut his words from which Vikranth continued saying, “Also to let him know us a bit.”

“He already knows you all as I talked to him too much about our friendship. Also, he is busy right now with work and even we are unable to meet properly these days.” Again is what I would I to add at the end of it but I stopped myself.

After deciding to not try to do anything for his Mom’s acceptance, everything went well except that he became busy again, and at least this time it is not because of spending time with his friends.

He is trying to get new investors and this time he is rushing towards that more than before but I don’t know why he is in such a rush but then he must be anxious to get the company back on track.

“Right! After everything, his company must be in a bad condition. Did he at least fired the people who made that mess?” Prathap asked but I shrugged not knowing how to answer it.

Like Prathap even I want Nitish to somehow punish his friend who caused so much trouble just because of the business rivalry but I don’t know how deep is their friendship for him to forgive him just like that.

“I hope they got punished. How can they attack anyone just for the success of the business? But did you guys caught the one who spread the rumors about Anny? That person need to be punished too as it all started from that rumor otherwise Nitish’s company people wouldn’t have anything to attack Anny.” I asked glancing at Vikranth which made him glance at Anny while the others too followed his sight.

“Don’t worry about it now.” She mumbled nodding at me before glancing at Kanika making me frown in confusion.

“Do you want GH to help him?” Vikranth asked and I immediately glanced at Kanika to see her reaction but she is talking to Anny in whispers and didn’t seem to even concentrate on what he is saying.

“Didn’t you already? I know you stopped the case to an extent after realizing I got engaged to him.” I pointed out but he didn’t acknowledge that or rejected it.

“You shouldn’t have done it. I mean I am glad that his worries got reduced but still I don’t want anyone to do something that they don’t do generally because of me again.” I added staring at Vikranth with a serious look and he slowly nodded but still gave a worried look.

“Don’t worry! Even he wouldn’t like to take help like this and he can manage.” I assured them and glanced at Kanika once again.

“What is it?” Anny asked after catching me with my stares at Kanika and her continuously.

“How is your work?” I asked Kanika and she calmly explained that it is fine and still working with her mentor.

“Who is your mentor? Is it a famous designer? I know a few because of my work as I recommend them to my clients for their attires.” I continued smiling.

“Used to be famous but not right now. I am sorry that I can’t say the name as my mentor wishes to keep it secret at least until everything gets established.” She explained and I nodded still smiling before glancing at Anny.

“I heard Aunty and you are going shopping these days. How does it feel?” I asked and she gave a tired look.

“Aunty shops a lot but she looks happy to do it with me and so I am trying to enjoy it.” She smiled at the end which is completely a genuine one.

“I am happy for you that you are getting close to Aunty.” She frowned hearing those words and mumbled, “Aunty misses you every time we go somewhere.”

“I am sorry!” I immediately apologized and she gave a confused look hearing that.

“Why are you apologizing? Are you okay? I am saying that because I hope you come and keep her company whenever you can. You are important for her.” She explained but continued to stare at me.

I cleared my throat and turned to find even Kanika staring at me with a frown. I gave an awkward smile not knowing how to explain and kept quiet.

“Shrishti! Ask your fiancé to hold onto that Lucky tightly and not let him leave the agency.” Prathap suddenly stated and I gave him a weird look.

“Huh?” everyone gave the same look.

“He got asked whether he wants to transfer to GH in the recent interview and he just smiled. I don’t want him in GH.” He explained and I tightened my lips to stop myself from bursting out.

“He is an asset and will help my business to grow. You don’t want that? I am thinking of approaching him soon.” Vikranth commented.

“No! I mean to say…” Anny cut him off and shocked him with her next words.

“I will add a word for you, Vikranth.” Anny continued and the look on Prathap broke my hold making me burst out laughing.

Everyone followed while he just glared at us. It is really the best time for me whenever I spend with them. I miss them and don’t want to meet them with such a long interval but… I shook my head and continued to talk to them.

But Prathap’s words are still roaming in my head. Even Lucky is wishing to transfer? But he is the only top artist left in NK and this will trouble Nitish a lot.

Is that why he got busier recently? I sighed wishing he would communicate about his problems like in the past.

When we were friends, he never got into details but he would have expressed the things which would help me to grasp the situation a bit but recently… I shook my head thinking maybe because GH is his competition, he is hesitating a bit.

“Next week I am opening the new restaurant. You will come, right?” Prathap asked after getting over his jealousy.

“Sure! How could I miss it?” I replied with my usual words but immediately glanced at Anny while hoping that she didn’t get hurt.

However, she is smiling at him before checking the time. I heard she too got busier recently and not spending much time with others but she made time for my sake.

“I will be leaving then. I need to go to the shooting spot.” Saying that she stood up and I waved at her smiling.

“And I will make sure to ask Lucky about his opinion regarding GH.” Adding that she walked away while a glare followed her all the way.

“Come on! She is teasing you.” I mumbled looking at Prathap.

“I know! But after that press conference of hers regarding us breaking the engagement, everyone is thinking we broke up. And those mutual fans of Lucky and Anitha are raising.” He sighed and I shook my head laughing.

“Okay! I need to go and get the dinner preparations to start. Order anything else you three want to.” Saying that he too walked away from the table towards the kitchen.

“Is everything set?” Vikranth asked looking at Kanika and she nodded while showing her phone.

“Good! Continue with the same flow and it will help you.” He nodded while leaned back with my arms folded.

I gave an awkward look to the ex-married couple who seems more comfortable than the time when they are married.

“I need to go now.” She added smiling at me while he too nodded offering to drive her.

“No! Spend some time with her and talk to her.” She said getting her bag to get up while I frowned hearing her words.

“I will also leave. I need to meet Nitish as I will be leaving tomorrow.” I mumbled getting up but still feeling weird about her previous words.

“I will drop both of you.” He uttered those words but just stared at Kanika and walked away without waiting for her response.

“Is everything okay?” I asked reaching her side while messaging Prathap that we are leaving.

“Yeah! What about you? You seem to have too many things in your head.” She commented staring at me with a frown.

“What? No!” even with that response she didn’t seem like she believes those words at all.

“I know that I am younger than you and don’t know as much as you do about life but it feels like you are distancing yourself from them more than before. If it is because of what happened in the past, then you need to stop it immediately. You are not just hurting yourself but you are also taking a friend away from both of them.” I got stunned hearing those words and I glanced away to stop her from seeing the tears in my eyes.

“I know! I need some time.” I whispered and she sighed but didn’t say anything after that.

Even though she waited for me to take the passenger seat, I opened the back seat to get in and she paused for a second before sitting beside him.

“I will drop her first.” Vikranth mumbled and we three stayed silent throughout the journey and he dropped me at Nitish’s company.

“Let me know if he needs any help. He is also family now.” Vikranth added before I get down and I nodded with a smile.

After they left, I walked inside to find the empty office and reached his cabin by taking the elevator.

However, I didn’t find him there but his friends when I opened the door without knocking.

“Oh! It’s you! I thought who opened the door without the manners of knocking.” I glanced at Lisa who gave that bitchy comment.

“You should have known it would be either Nitish or his fiancé.” I retorted and didn’t pay any attention to their reaction before calling his number but he didn’t pick it up.

“He got a conference call and went to the conference hall to attend it.” Arjun explained and I thanked him smiling.

I walked towards his chair and sat down like in the past while concentrating on my phone and ignoring those three people.

“Will it work?” I heard Arjun’s voice and glanced up thinking he asked me but they are talking among themselves.

“Of course! I contacted the investor already and he is close to me. He will definitely help Nitish or can give some other contacts that could help him. You know that I will do everything to help him.” Lisa commented.

“He is going to get investment?” I asked feeling happy however two of them have stupid looks hearing my question.

“Why? Want to ruin it by passing the information to your friend?” Rohan asked with an angry tone and I didn’t respond to such words.

“Must be amazing to have a friend who uses his Dad’s power to sabotage his rivals and harm the companies on the way while hurting the livelihoods of the people belonging in those companies. Is that how a businessman behaves? Where are his ethics? Just because he has the brand GH behind him, he doesn’t care about anyone else.” He added shaking his head.

“My friend never sabotages other people. Let alone friends, he will not do it to his business rivals. Unlike some people.” I gave it back without stopping myself.

I can hold myself if it is about me but my friends… you can forget it. He stood up hearing those words while Arjun stopped him.

“Stop it! You crossed the line.” He mumbled but Rohan shrugged him off to reach near the table.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked fisting his hands.

“Am I wrong? With your actions and not just one but many, you caused all these troubles for Nitish. How can you attack a woman without knowing anything? Do you even know Anny or do you work for entertainment news to do anything without a limit? You should try to improve the company by working hard and not by harming other’s reputations. Did you see the result of all that? So many people left the company and now Nitish is having a hard time getting the company to float. Look at your own actions before talking about others. And Vikranth is the best businessman with ethics in the business world better than anyone you can find.” I shouted not able to stop myself.

“Don’t ever talk about Vikranth again in that way.” I added the last sentence holding the phone tightly in my hand wishing to slam it to show my anger more than the present way.

“What is happening here?” I paused hearing his voice and turned to find him standing at the door entrance with it half-opened.

“Did you hear what she just said?” Lisa asked in a worried tone while he just stared at me in silence for a few seconds before turning to glance at Lisa.

“Thank you for helping me with the investor. It will be a successful one as far as I can tell.” He thanked her and she nodded smiling while I frowned at him.

“You all are going out, right? It will be late and it is better for you all to leave now.” He added checking the time.

“Right! Let’s go, Rohan!” Lisa mumbled with a comforting tone and reached the table before pulling him away while he is still staring at me but I ignored all that and just focused on Nitish.

Arjun reached his side and opened his mouth saying, “Rohan actually said…” but Lisa cut him off saying, “Let them talk between themselves.”

Arjun glanced at me and I nodded at him with assuring look before everyone finally walked out. I don’t mind that he heard what I just said as I will just explain what happened when he asks me.

We are always good at communicating and that’s how we became good friends in the first place and so it will not be a problem and also if Arjun says anything then he will end up estranged from his friends.

“Nitish!” I started getting up but he shook his head before sitting on the couch while rubbing his head.

“I said all that because…” he cut me off saying, “I know! You said that for my sake and I am thankful for that but…”

I frowned while not feeling good about his reaction and I turned out to be right with his next words.

“It’s in the past and I already lashed at him. I know you are close to Anny but still, he is my friend and you are my fiancé. This situation will just disturb any peace among us and you will be even more distant from them. I have been wishing for you to be closer to them soon but this just increased the distance.” He mumbled shaking his head.

“But he started it by talking about Vikranth…” he again cut me off saying, “I know that Vikranth is important for you from the beginning but… do you really think he is best in your heart as a businessman? What do you think of me?”

“Of course! I think you are best too but that is biased with the feeling of my heart towards you. And I saw Vikranth as a businessman and his decisions all these years and so I understand him more regarding business matters. I don’t know much about yours but because of my personal feeling, I automatically believe you to be amazing. I don’t know what am I even saying and I don’t know why are we discussing this. I wouldn’t have said anything if he hadn’t said anything about Vikranth.” I sighed sitting beside him.

“I know he says stupid things but he is just like that but doesn’t have a bad heart. He is my friend, Shrishti. I want everything to be good between my best friends and my fiancé and I don’t think it is too much to wish for. Forget it!” he said those words but it doesn’t feel like everything is settled just like that.

“I know you are troubled recently but Vikranth wouldn’t go beyond the limit.” I whispered but he just shook his head.

“Leave it! I don’t want to talk about anything involving Vikranth right now even though he is important to you. Is it fine?” he asked staring at me.

“But…” he cut me off saying, “Please! I was in a meeting for two hours and I am tired.”

How could I say anything after hearing those words? I sighed nodding but shifted my hand to hold his and he returned the hold but an uneasy feeling started in my heart after this incident.

“How did the meeting go?” I shifted the topic and he talked about how they are interested but want a few more meetings with him.

“They are not from India. I am not getting any investors from here and so Lisa suggested to try from the place where she worked. She even got a few contacts for me. So, if everything goes well, then I need to leave to meet them personally.” He explained and I nodded feeling pinched as it is Lisa’s help but still more happy that his problems will get solved.

“I am glad! And let me know if you need anything and also inform me ahead if you are going to travel.” I mumbled and he nodded but still didn’t relaxed his face.

“I will try not to say anything to hurt your friends.” I added and he glanced at me before giving a smile.

“Thank you!” I nodded while trying to push down the feeling about his friends.

“I will come next weekend for Prathap. He is going to conduct the opening ceremony next weekend. Will you come with me?” I asked and he nodded without saying anything.

“And my offer is still there to invest in your company if you don’t mind.” I added but he shook his head.

I don’t know what else to say right now. I came here to surprise him but everything went down. I don’t regret saying those words to Rohan but I regret that Nitish heard them. Just like how I get hurt to listen to anyone bashing my friends, he must feel the same.

It is better to keep my mouth in control from next time but if they again attack my friends then I know I can’t stop myself. Why are the troubles in my mind just increasing every day instead of reducing? I groaned but kept a calm face on the outside.