Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Ehan’s P.O.V.

Getting back home from airport, I found Dad in the living room. Seeing me, he spoke up, “Ehan, when did you get back? Why didn’t.. Wait...what happened to your face, son?”

He must have seen some bruises. But I spoke up calmly, “It's nothing, Dad. Don't you worry."

After keeping silence for few moments, he again spoke up, “Is everything alright now?”

“It’s not the end Dad. Everything is going to be fine at the end.” I got uttering confidently.

He just nodded at that and spoke up, “Go, freshen up first.”

Nodding at him, I left for my room. I took a long shower to calm myself and then got thinking what to do actually. There was no way I was going to give up on Naira. Even if she had already given up her feelings for me, it didn't matter to me.

She was going to be mine again and either by hook or by crook I was going to be made sure of that.

If not this way then it’s alright. There is always an another way.

My chain of thought got interrupted as my phone got ringing. Letting out a sigh, I received the call and spoke up all cheerfully, “Hey, Akash. Hope you are all good. Anyways Congratulations buddy on your wedding”

As expected he must have gotten shocked hearing me as he got asking what happened and all.

Right then a message came to my phone and I got uttering, "Akash, I will call you back.” and cut off the line.

The message was from my PA Ryan. My absence was getting things hard for him in office I knew. So after reading the text, I called him immediately getting the urgency.

After talking to him, I asked for the files that needed my scrutiny and got working for a while.In between I got downstairs and took dinner with Dad.

When I was finally done with my work, it was already late. I made my way to the bed while thinking what to do next and at some point fell asleep.

The next morning Akash called me when I was getting ready for office. I answered the call and he spoke up directly, “Can we meet? Need to talk.”

I was also thinking of meeting him, so I spoke up, “Sure.”

Fixing a time to meet, I cut off the line. I reached office earlier than usual and found Ryan waiting for me already. After discussing some important issues, I got preparing for a meeting.

☘

By the time I was done with my meeting, it was almost noon. I forwarded towards the cafe where I was supposed to meet Akash.

Arriving there, I found Akash was already there but he wasn’t alone. But a girl was with him. When Akash spotted me, he got uttering, “Hey, Ehan. Here.”

Smiling a little bit at him, I reached there and sat in front of them. The girl forwarded her hand as she got uttering, “Hi, I am Alina. His fiancee.” as she pointed at Akash.

I shook hand with her, “Ehan”

Akash got uttering then, “What are you up to?”  I gave him a questioning look only to get him completing his word, “Have you given up on Naira or what?”

Getting somewhat shocked, I got uttering, “You think so?”

Before he could say something, Alina got uttering all seriously, “Ehan, you want to hear it directly from you before going on with this plan.”

“Plan? I am not actually getting you. What are you two trying to say?”

They spilled out their plan and hearing that I couldn’t help uttering, “Look, I am not going to turn back to my words but I won't play along with this plan. Naira will get hurt this way when she already has taken me wrong about it.”

Alina got uttering then,“What do you mean? What did you do again?”

I could feel her concern for Naira. Akash was also giving me questioning look.

​​​​​​

Letting out a sigh, I spoke up, “I did nothing, Akash. Stella, one of Naira's friend, do you know her? She got between but Naira was behaving like she doesn’t care about it at all."

They were still giving me questioning looks which made me giving them all the details whatever happened earlier.

Alina nodded at that and spoke up, “Stella, right? Okay then let's see.”

I gave her a questioning look this time, “What?”

She seemed to think for a moment and then spoke up, “Would you like to go for shopping?”

I uttered giving her a disbelieving look, “Shopping? Are you even serious?”

I was totally clueless. What’s going on actually?

But she nodded all smilingly getting me more confused..

Naira’s P.O.V.

Before shifting to the resort for Akash’s wedding, some work at office was needed to get finished. Without bothering other things, I fully concentrated on this.The project with Sinha groups was also at final stage. For the finalization of plans, I would need to go to Ehan.

After getting back from New York, I didn’t get to meet him not even for once. I was somewhat happy that he would also move on. Either way ours was an ill-fated encounter.

It was better to leave everything behind and start afresh. Hesitating for a moment, finally I decided to go to his office to meet him.

Being all professional, he talked to me which made me relieved but sad at the same time. I got back to office thoughtlessly.

I was working on some file when suddenly my phone rang off which got me interrupted and out of my trance.

It was Alina. I answered the call smilingly and got uttering while trying utmost to sound normal, “Hey, what’s up?”

Alina got uttering, “All good. Are you free now?”

“Yeah. Why?” Hearing me, Alina got uttering all excitedly,“Then accompany me in shopping.”

“Okay. I am coming.” uttering this, I closed the file and left my cabin. I thought of informing Akash like as usual but he wasn’t in his cabin. Might be in some meetings. Thinking like this, I sent him a text and forwarded towards the entrance of the office building.

☘

For the last few couple of hours Alina and me were going from one shop to another of the mall while buying all sort of things. Suddenly I heard someone calling me from behind, “Hey, Naira. You here?”

It was Stella. I got uttering smilingly, “Yeah, I am accompanying..” but the later words dried down in my throat as Ehan appeared behind Stella smilingly as he asked her pointing towards something, “What about this?”

Seeing me, his smile also faded away but bringing back it no moment, he uttered, “Hi.”

I just managed to give him a nod. Alina got near us and uttered happily seeing Stella, “Hi. Long time no see. How are you, Stella?”

“I am fantastic. Anyways congratulations on your wedding.” Stella uttered happily. Alina spoke up narrowing her eyes, “Thank you but not like this. Aren’t you going to come to my wedding? Make sure you do come, get that?”

Ehan just stood there like a stranger. What was he doing here? That too with Stella? I knew I wanted him to move on but seeing him doing that wasn’t making me feel good at all.

I got out of my thought at Alina’s question, “Who is he by the way? Boy friend?”

I turned to Ehan who should have been gotten shocked at that question. At least I thought he would be but no he was all calm but Stella got uttering while smiling shyly, “No, we are just friends."

Ehan smiled a little bit at Alina as he uttered, “Hi. I am Ehan. Ehan Sinha.”

Alina got uttering confusingly, “Ehan Sinha? Are you that Ehan Sinha who”

I didn’t let her complete and got uttering in between, “Akash’s friend.” getting Alina turned to me with somewhat confused and shocked expression.

I gestured her to stop it and spoke up, “You guys continue. We have many things to shop now.”

Before Stella could say something, I dragged Alina with me.

Pointing at them, she got asking me, “Why are they doing together? What’s happening?”

She kept asking me the same question again and again but I just kept avoiding her and focusing on our shopping. At some point getting frustrated, I blurted out, “Why are you bothering about it when I am all okay with it? As I have moved on, he also has the right to do that, right?

Alina spoke up narrowing her eyes, “You moved on! Like really, Naira? Give it a break. Who are you kidding?”

I got silent for a moment and then spoke up, “Leave it. Let's go. We still have things, we need.”

“You know very well you never moved on. Then why are you pushing yourself, Naira? Give him a chance. Forgive him."

Before I got nyself to utter something, Akash got near us as he got uttering, “Are you guys, done with your shopping?"

I didn’t want to spoil their moment so I spoke up forcing a smile on my face, “No. Not yet.”

He took the bags from our hands and spoke up sarcastically, “You girls and your shopping, seriously!”

I rolled my eyes at him and then got laughing. I turned to Alina and got uttering then, “As Akash is here now, no need to worry about carrying bags. Now let’s go. Let's finish our shopping.”

Without giving any chance to Alina, I forced herself to walk towards the jewellery. After some Alina also got back to her normal self and we three enjoyed our time after shopping. Taking dinner outside, we dropped Alina at her home and we forwarded towards ours.

On the way Akash spoke up, “Tomorrow, we are shifting to resort.”

I spoke up all smilingly, “Yeah I know. It’s just two days now. I am so excited you know.”

Turning to me, he spoke up strangely, “Yeah, it’s all over your face.”

I got silent hearing him. Did he saw my inner feelings that I was disturbed with the thought of Ehan and Stella together.

A turmoil was going inside me. I wanted to move on but somewhere deep down I knew I would never be able to do that as still for me he was the only one.

My mind and heart were in conflict from the time I saw him getting vulnerable in front of me. From the time he uttered, "I love you, Ira.” I longed to hear this from him. But I was scared given our past.

What if he would leave me again! Then what would I do? Was I strong enough to handle another heartbreak! I wondered.

“It’s good to see Ehan moved on” I didn’t know I got uttering it loudly. As Akash spoke up, “Are you okay now?”, I got confused.

“About Ehan's moving on, are you okay with it?” He asked me looking at me straight.

“Of..of course I am okay. Why won’t be I!" Though I tried to sound it like I was all confident but I felt like I was convincing myself.

Nodding at me, Akash got uttering, “That’s good then.” and looked forward towards the road.

We got all silent after that. Arriving home, when I was about to get down, Akash stopped me, “Are you sure? You know Ehan.."

Without letting him complete, I got uttering, “I am sure of Ehan." and forwarded towards the entrance as I didn’t want to talk all this now when I was at the edge of breaking down. I couldn’t show my insecurities to Akash...

☘

After gossiping for a while with Mom and Dad, I got back to my room later at night. I was packing my things when Mom entered the room. I just smiled at her and continued my packing.

Mom also got forward and while helping me in packing, she got uttering, “Naira, do you have someone you like?”

I  gave her a questioning look and she continued, “Like you love or something?”

She was looking at me all keenly. Without bothering to think, I asked her, “What made you think like that, Mom? There is none.”

She spoke up all excitedly then, “Actually a proposal came for you. So before doing anything, I thought of asking you. So you have no problem to meet someone of our choice, right? And anyways the final decision will be yours only.”

I was not getting what to say being so out of it.  Mom got uttering again, “You also know him. May be you didn’t think him this way but give it a thought. I think you will be happy with him.”

I got uttering at this point, “Who is the guy you are talking about, Mom?”

She answered me only to get me all shocked and uttering, “What?"