Chapter 27

Tvfanatic85

@Tvfanatic85

Chapter 27

Prerna took the time to open the small box and saw an engagement ring, a building brochure, some small post it notes and a photo of him with Nitya. He seemed so happy. Prerna didn’t realise that Mr Bajaj was now staring at her. 

“Maybe this was the wrong idea” and he tried to get up but Prerna held his hand. 

“Nitya ke saath kya hua tha Rishab” Prerna

Rishab took the box and looked at the stuff. “Nitya was a dream prerna. Pehle baar kisi ne mere plans ke bare main sun kar hasa nahin, kisine meri care ki mujhe kisi aur ki care karne ka mauka mila. She was smart, full of life, wanted to conquer everything, have everything not a care about the world aur mere kandho par mano itna bada burden tha mere mother ka revenge ka that I completely leaned into her. I wanted to grab onto that happiness.” Suddenly he got up and went to the cabinet and poured himself a drink. 

“Rishab?” Prerna

“Just one.” He took the drink and went and sat on the chair and finished it in one shot. “I used to think did I really get that lucky and maybe just maybe I was getting all the happiness after so many years.” And he chuckled. “KVB channel aap jante hain Bajaj industries ki biggest achievements” Prerna nodded “I was trying to take over. I knew they were Nitya’s clients but that is not why I got involved with her but yes I was young and I was selfish and I was completely driven by revenge also. At that time I wanted to win at any cost. Itna kuch achieve karna tha for my mother for destroying Basus.I was tempted, I was…” and he hid his face in her hands.

“Rishab?” Prerna

“I was tempted to take information from her thinking it will help us settle it for my revenge and she will understand. I was going to talk to her myself and ask her for help. But I didn't want to lose her. Somehow meri himmat hi nahin hui. I just couldn’t. But kahi in sab ke beech hamare rishte aur meri success ke beech main success become higher and ek point aisa aa gaya ki I wanted to just get that information at any cost. Nitya office main late kaam kar rahin thi and I was sitting on her table working and in a moment was about to open the imp one but then I saw a picture of mine and Nitya at that desk and I just without thinking anything I just left I left from there.” and looked straight into her eyes.

“maa ne yeh to nahin sikhaya tha unhone bure se bure waqt main yeh nahi kiya maine kabhi nahin kiya. It didn't matter whether it was Nitya or someone else to do this wrong it was stealing” and his voice started to crack.

Prerna got up and went near Rishab and turned his face to look at her. 

“It's ok you didn’t do it you didn’t and we all make mistakes we all do” and Rishab just couldn’t look at her anymore and went near the window and opened the window of the office as if trying to breathe.

“Around 1-week tha merger ko jab hume ek anonymous mail mila regarding their internal information and also some fake sting operation that they did and I was able to crack the deal. I wanted to tell Nitya but I thought why complicate matters. I am not doing anything wrong, not cheating so.”He went to where he and Prerna were sitting and took the ring from the box “I bought this ring from my first profits and was about to propose, maine ghar tak ke liye baat kar li thi. Uski family conservative thi so they wanted a so called proper well settled boy and I wanted to be prepared.” He held the brochure in his hands and caressed it for a second. “since then the ring and everything has been in this box only.”

“She thought that you cheated on her for the takeover. To get information and all. Use bataye kyun nahin aapne Rishab aap use ek baar batate to” Prerna and she suddenly stopped looking at Rishab

“She accused you straight away” Prerna and it hit her what must have happened.

“Agar woh mujhe sirf yeh kehti ki you stole this information from me I would have understood in fact I would have accepted it infront of her even if I didn't actually did it I did try but to say that it was all because of the merger. She thought that I actually used her to get that information”

“but Rishab yeh sirf aapki baat nahin thi. Rishab she was” Prerna

“I didn’t know she never told me” and Prerna was shocked and Rishab angry shut the box and put it on the ground with a thud startling prerna.

“Rishab?” Prerna

“I found out from you only and then I went and talked to her. You know what she told me that she had no other option, no other option, no other option.” and laughed bitterly. “Uski family badi muskil se they had allowed her to come here and work. Uske liye to maine use dhokha diya tha to usne she. I  didn’t know and I found out only” Rishab

“That night when in the study” Prerna and she went and cupped his face and Rishab held on to her hands.

“Koi mujh par vishwaas kyun nahin karta mujhe duniya ki fikar nahin hain par jo mujhe jaante hain woh bhi nahin kyun main sabke liye galat hoon. Ek baar ek baar mujhse baat kar leti ek baar. I would have given her any explanation but meri galti ki sajah use kyun di kyun di use” grabbing Prerna by her arms and asking for an answer, but prerna just turned her head away. “I loved her. I loved her. I loved our life together. But maybe maybe it was better I mean dekho na main jiski bhi life main aata hoon sabki life barbaad ho jati hain aapki Kukki Sneha”

“Nahin Rishab. Aisa aisa kuch nahi hain.” Prerna and kept her head to his and hugged him sideways.

“This was a wrong idea this was a very wrong idea” and he grabbed the boxes and went and put it in the cabinet and closed it with a thud. 

“Rishab Rishab aisa kuch nahin hain. Rishab meri baat suniye” but they were interrupted by a phone ringing. Prerna didn't pay any heed to it but it kept on ringing

“Utha lijiye please. Ghar se hoga” Rishab and Prerna unwantedly picked it up. It was her mother on the other side informing her that Kukki and Sneha had slept and asking about them. All the time during the call Rishab kept looking at Prerna trying to understand what was going through her mind if she was ok. What if he loses her respect and for what, why had he done this? She cut the call and suddenly looked at him and Rishab turned his face away and started making sure if it was all locked properly. 

“Kukki and Sneha theek hain and they are asleep. Aap Theek hain? Chaliye aap khana kha lijiye subah se kuch nahin khaya hain aapne.” Prerna and she went to open that food she had Chandu delivered at the office. She was serving the plates when Rishab went near him and said 

“Prerna?” Rishab was all concerned and Prerna was confused as to what happened and suddenly realised what he must be thinking. 

“Main jaanti hoon I know you don't need to say this. You are still the Rishab bajaj who gave up his revenge for his daughter's happiness, who accepted Sneha, who never attacked Basus for one promise made to me, who respected me and my feelings even when it was not needed and it ends there. We all make mistakes and we all learn.'' Prerna and held his face in her hands. Rishab felt like he could breathe again and relax and held both her hands and kissed them and then her forehead as if trying to let believe that it was not a dream and it was all true.

 “So now eat. Please. Aap bilkul apni health ka dhyan nahin rakhte” Prerna

“Haan jaise aap bada rakhti hain” Rishab

“of Course” Prerna

“Isliye aapne bhi shubh se kuch nahin khaya while taking care of everything. ” Rishab and Prerna, realizing that she was caught, just smiled, turned him around and pushed him towards the couch.

“Fine ok let me just go and freshen up a bit” Mr bajaj and dropped his jacket and tie and went towards the washroom

Rishab came out of the washroom after sometime to find Prerna asleep on the couch. Rishab covered her with his jacket and was about to go when she caught his hands and moved to the side as if asking him to lie down with him. The couch was not big enough for both of them and they laughed while adjusting each other on the couch. But just the warmth of being next to one another made it all worthed for them.

“I missed you”  Prerna and Rishab said at the same time and started laughing.

“I am sorry for not telling you about Nitya I just couldn't” Rishab

“I know and even I am sorry for not trusting you” Prerna and kissed him. They went on to eat and while Prerna was clearing everything some Papers fell and Rishab went to pick them up and found that it belonged to Mahindra pharmaceuticals. He could see the question in Prerna’s eyes so he said “Prerna this company was doomed if not me it would have been someone else.”

“But Rishab she was asking for help and she said ki there were investors.”

“Woh har baar kisi investor ko late he then they don't listen to them and they make the same mistakes and lose again. He has done this 3 times before. 3 times. Who will trust them.”  Rishab said and Prerna didn't know what to say.

“They have no one, no investors, nothing. They know that real well and what they have lost? I have kept the company name they have shares, house and other properties which they could have lost if there would have been no takeover. I would like him to be with the company.”

“To apne yeh Aditi se kyun nahin kaha? Kyun nahin samjhaya unhe?”

“Kyun and why am I answerable to her. Most importantly I did try and talk to them but they were not ready to listen. I tried to be more than fair to them as they were friends but Woh apne terms chodne ko taiyaar nahin hain. Agar main manta the result would have been the same as before. Acha chailye aAgar unhe koi bhi investor manzoor hai if they have a new plan and they have sorted everything then they should have discussed them with me mujhe upfront kyun nahin kiya kyun yeh situation aayi ki Aditi ko mere paas aana pada. Plan mere saath bhi discuss kar lete who doesn't like profits. We could have found a middle way but did they no.”

“To chod dete un logo ko unke haal par. They are saying rubbish in the media about you about this. How could they do this?“

“Prerna this is business cutthroat competition to sirf kisi ko khush karne ke liye ya isliye ki kuch log mujhe bura na samjhe main kyun piche hato. Waise bhi Aditi aur uske husband ke liye yeh accept karna easier hey that the big bad Mr Bajaj stole their company from them instead of accepting that it was all them.”

“Gussa nahin aata jab log aapko yeh sab bolte hain jab who aap pe ilzaam lagate hain mujhe nahin acha lagta logo ki yeh baatein aapke bare main mujhe nahin pasand hain. “

“Aap mujhe jaanti hain kal agar zaroorat padegi main Kukki Sneha ko bataonga but not to anybody else. Never. Prerna aaj tak Basus ke alawa maine kisi aur ko deliberately harm karne ki koshish nahin ki. But buisness is buisness and I play to win. It's ok jab tak aap khud kabhi aise situation main nahin aayengi aap nahin samjhengi.”

“Nahi main samajh rahin hoon. I saw ki aaj sab kitne khush the company opening workers investors even the old investors were happy with it. I am sorry” Prerna 

“Don't be. You have every right to know the answers. Waise bhi aapki ek baat theek thi I went a little overboard with WeFit so I have arranged its take-over with another company and they have promised to keep 75% workforce. That is the best I could do as the other company also needed profits.”

“th…” and Rishab kissed her just like she had done when he was speaking. “Dont ok. I was correcting my mistake”  and he turned her around like she had done and pushed him towards the couch “ Now let's get some rest.”

“Main aapko accuse nahin kar rahin thi bas us din Mr Bose then Nitya then take over it just as you say three strikes and out and I just lost it.” Prerna 

“Aap galat nahin hain, galti mr Bose ki thi. Aapke liye who party important thi, aapko sab kuch perfect chahti thi. Aapke liye who dress aur heels li because suddenly aapko mr bose ko khsuh karna tha so I helped. Main ye parties is liye karta tha kyunki wajah nahin thi mere paas ghar aane ki koi wajah nahin thi bhaag nahin sakta tha because Menaka had to be there until Kukki. You know I don’t understand Mr Bose mujhpe yeh ilzaam lagate hain ki main Kukki aur Menaka ke saath aisa kyun nahin tha jaisa main aapke saath hoon aura ap mujhpe yeh ilzaam lagati hain ki main aapke saamne waise kyun nahin hoon jaisa main us party main tha. Sabko yeh dekhta hain ki maine kya nahin kiya yeh nahin ki maine kya kiya hain.”

“Dekhta hain Rishab sab kuch dekhta hain par pata nahin kaise I just”

“Aap nahin jaanti aap nahin jaanti in kuch saalon main mujhe kya mila hain us ghar main. The thought of losing you and this family main nahin kho sakta”

“Nahin khoenge aap kabhi nahin khoenge aap kabhi nahin.” and she hugged him and Rishab hugged her and started to kiss her and she was lost. 

They were both lost leaning on the couch when it suddenly opened making it a bit comfortable and Prerna realising what rishab had done deliberately and went to start hitting him with the cushions and their stupid fight turned into a serious one making them forget everything. Later in the night when they were lying next to each other Prerna finally gained to courage to ask him

“Rishab” Prerna

“Hmm” Rishab

“Did you? Do you still love Nitya?” Prerna

“Do you still love Anurag?” Rishab shocking Prerna

“He was my first so he will always be somewhere but mere sab kuch aap hain sirf aap.” Prerna

“Aur Agar mujhe apni puri life phir se jeene ko boli jaye aur yeh kaha jaye that I will have to go through all this to come to” Rishab

“You then I will” Rishab and prerna said together and they slept in oblivion in each other's arms.

Chapter 28 - https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/153655637