Part 76
M (voice rising)- Reckless? You’re calling *her* reckless? The woman who *single-handedly* kept this family from financial ruin when I wasn’t here? Where were any of you when things started falling apart?
The room goes still. His words hang in the air like a blade.
Maan stands up with fury in his voice- You’re fine giving shares to distant relatives who haven’t done a thing for this family. But Geet—*my wife*—someone who has proved her loyalty and her strength? You question her character?”
Cousin trying to maintain control says.
Cousin-It’s not the same, Maan. She doesn’t come from—”
Maan cuts him off.
M-Doesn’t come from what? Your idea of ‘proper’ family? Is that it? You think your bloodline is so pure? I’ve seen some of you squander your shares, blow through money, contribute nothing, and still sit here with a sense of entitlement.”
Maan’s Father (sternly)- This isn’t about you, Maan. It’s about the family. You can’t force us to accept her.
Maan’s entire demeanor changes. The anger fades, replaced by something colder, more distant. His eyes harden as he looks around the room, scanning the faces of the people he’s known his whole life—his family.
Maan (quietly, almost to himself)- Maybe I’m the one who’s been a fool.
He looked around the room, his gaze filled with a mixture of disappointment and disgust.
M- I’ve given everything to this family. But maybe it’s time I stop.
Without waiting for a response, Maan turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.
+++++
Geet had been anxiously waiting in their room, knowing something had gone wrong downstairs.
When she heard the slam of the door from across the hall, she didn’t waste a moment.
She knew exactly where Maan would go when he was this upset. The balcony—his place of solitude whenever he needed to clear his mind or, in this case, brood.
Quietly, she made her way out of the room and onto the terrace below the balcony. The night air was cool, and the estate grounds were eerily quiet. The moonlight cast long shadows across the garden as she looked up, spotting Maan leaning against the railing, a cigarette in hand—a rare sight.
She hated seeing him like this—angry, vulnerable, and hurt.
+++
Maan stood on his balcony, the cool night air brushing against his face.
His thoughts were miles away entangled in the arguments of the day, his family’s harsh words still echoing in his head.
He took a drag from his cigarette, the ember glowing briefly in the dark as he exhaled slowly, watching the smoke spiral into the cold night.
His suite was eerily quiet behind him.
Geet’s room, just on the other side of the wall, had been silent for hours.
After the chaos at the family meeting, she’d gone straight to her room, leaving him to deal with the fallout on his own.
He had assumed she was asleep. He wasn’t in the mood to talk, not about his family, not about anything.
Another drag. Another swirl of smoke.
He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing there when he heard it—a soft rustling sound, just on the edge of his awareness.
Frowning, Maan turned his head slightly, scanning the darkness of the adjacent balcony.
At first, he saw nothing. But then his eyes widened as a figure appeared, climbing over the ledge.
It was Geet.
For a second, Maan froze, disbelief and confusion colliding in his mind.
Was she really… climbing?
It took him a moment to process what he was seeing.
Geet—climbing the trellis to his balcony.
For a brief second, his mind went blank.
What was she doing?
Why was she here?
And more importantly, why on earth was she climbing?
M- Geet.
He called out, his voice low but laced with concern, eyes widening as she ascended with surprising agility.
M- What are you doing? You’ll fall.
Her face appeared over the railing, flushed with the effort of pulling herself up.
G- What does it look like I’m doing?
Maan’s jaw tightened, torn between annoyance and awe.
He hurried toward the railing, dropping the cigarette and stomping it out in frustration, ready to catch her if she slipped.
As Geet swung one leg over the balcony, Maan instinctively reached out, grabbing her hand to help her up.
His grip was firm, protective, but his face was a mix of bewilderment and something deeper—something he couldn’t quite name.
M- Why the hell would you do something like this!
G- You weren’t answering your door! I was….I was…worried
She confesses quietly.
But her answer was not good enough for his mind-numbing fear.
Maan’s annoyance flared at her nonchalant attitude towards her own safety.
M- So, you decided climbing across balconies was the logical solution?
Geet huffed, dusting her hands off as she stood up straight.
G- I knocked, Maan. You didn’t answer. And I wasn’t going to just leave you brooding here all night.
He opened his mouth to argue, but the words died in his throat.
This woman—there was no predicting her.
He had locked himself away to avoid exactly this, the whirlwind of emotions, the mess of trying to explain why he was so angry and frustrated, and here she was, standing before him, as stubborn and bold as ever.
M- I’m fine, Geet.
He muttered, running a hand through his hair, irritation barely masking the deeper feelings that simmered beneath.
M- You didn’t have to do this.
Geet crossed her arms, not buying it for a second.
G- Clearly, you’re not fine. I could see you from my balcony—standing here, brooding, smoking.
Her nose wrinkled in mild disapproval.
G-Since when do you smoke?
Maan glanced at the cigarette he had dropped, his jaw tightening.
She stared at him, the soft light from inside casting shadows on her face.
G- You’re upset….
She said quietly, her voice losing its playful edge.
G- About what they said today, about me.
His eyes flicked away, his grip tightening on the balcony railing.
M- It’s not just about that…
He said after a pause, his voice low, restrained.
M- It’s about how they think they can treat you. How they think I’ve… made a mistake.
Geet took a step closer, her expression softening.
G- Maan, you don’t have to fight this alone.
Maan’s gaze hardened, a mixture of frustration and confusion crossing his face. He turned to face her fully, his voice tense.
M- I don’t need you to fix this, Geet. This is my family. My responsibility.
She sighed, her hand brushing her hair back from her face as she stared at him.
G- I’m not trying to fix anything. I’m just trying to be here for you. You’ve done everything for them, and now they treat you like this?
M- It’s not about me!
Maan snapped, a rare flash of anger showing.
M- It’s about you. They think you’re here for—
He stopped, struggling with the words, the hurt he didn’t want to admit.
M- They think you’re only in this for the money. That you don’t belong with me.
Geet’s eyes softened, the tension between them deepening.
G- And do you believe them?
Maan stiffened, the question hitting closer to home than he expected. He hadn’t thought about it, not in those terms.
He knew she wasn’t in this for the money, but the doubt—his family’s doubts—had somehow seeped into his mind, casting shadows on what he thought he knew.
Geet stepped closer; her voice gentle but firm.
G- Maan, I’ve never cared about their shares or their money. You know that.
M- I do.
He said quickly, but his voice faltered slightly.
M- It’s just... they don’t know you the way I do. They don’t see how much you’ve done for me, for this family. They think they can judge you based on—
She interrupted him, placing a hand on his arm.
M- And you care about what they think?
Maan’s eyes snapped to hers, something raw and unguarded in his gaze.
M- No.
He said finally, but the way his voice cracked made it clear—he wasn’t sure what he believed anymore. His family’s accusations had left wounds, deeper than he was ready to admit.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, the night air thick with unspoken tension. Geet’s hand lingered on his arm, her warmth grounding him, but there was something more. A pull between them, something that had been growing for weeks now, but neither of them had the courage to name it yet.
G- I didn’t climb up here to talk about them.
Geet said softly, breaking the silence.
G- I came because you shut yourself off. You always do this. You push everyone away when things get hard.
Maan looked down at her, his defenses slowly crumbling.
M- I didn’t mean to.
G-But you did.
She replied, her voice unwavering.
G- And I’m not going to let you keep doing that.
He opened his mouth to argue, but the words wouldn’t come. She was right. He had locked himself away, again, trying to shoulder everything alone, and she had climbed, literally, into his space, refusing to let him.
Geet stepped back slightly, her arms crossing again, her familiar smirk returning.
G- Besides, if you’re going to have a brooding moment on a balcony, you should at least have company. It’s a bit dramatic, even for you.
Maan blinked, taken aback by her sudden shift in tone.
M- Dramatic?
Geet grinned, her eyes twinkling with that mischievous spark.
G- Yeah. All you need is a long, flowing cape and a tragic backstory, and you’d be perfect.
He stared at her for a moment, and then, despite himself, he let out a quiet laugh.
M- You’re impossible.
G- Maybe your trash humor is brushing onto me.
He grinned and glanced at her.
His smile faded, the humor slipping away as his gaze lingered on her. There was truth in her words, more truth than either of them had been ready to admit.
For a moment, they stood there, the night air cool around them, their closeness palpable but undefined.
They hadn’t crossed that line yet, hadn’t acknowledged the depth of what was between them. And yet, it was there, hanging in the space between their breaths.
G- I’m serious, Maan,
Geet said softly, her voice barely above a whisper now.
G- You don’t have to do this alone. Not anymore.
Maan swallowed, the words getting caught in his throat. He wanted to believe her, wanted to let her in, but something held him back.
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