How much is too much
“I am not going to apologize” Pradyut was mad at his father
“You married her, you gave her the store back and yet she constantly lives in fear” Gopal growled
“She imagines it”
“Aaj she has been feeling really low, Ma ne kaha she didn’t want to do lunch, or go out”
“Why?”
“She is young, she probably expected a normal spouse”
“I am abnormal now?” Pradyut picked up the basketball and flung it into the net
It didn’t go in, it hit the board and bounced off, he gently kicked the 4 other balls on the floor
“It was her Dad’s birthday I think, she was filled with grief, the first birthday after passing, Veer asked u to get off work at Noon and go be with her, its 9 PM”
“I am not taking a nap here or playing beer pong with friends”
“I am not saying any of it” Gopal got up, not willing to argue anymore
“She was asleep when I left in the morning”
“Imagine, being assaulted by your brother, sick things happen at a pub, BTW did u follow up, can we do something?”
“Ive spoken to the area MCD Councillor at Mehrauli, he says everyone knows what goes on and cops are in on it so there is very little that can be done”
“Who did she go with? That day?”
“Lavanya, my friend’s wife is her best friend”
“Ogh yes I know who” Gopal nodded
“U didn’t know she had returned from Chandigarh that day?”
“Nope, she wouldn’t tell me, because the agreement says she can be gone only for two days”
Gopal looked at him incredulously
“Are u seriously doing these things?”
Pradyut’s expression was mischievous, “She goaded me the night I asked her to marry me in exchange for the store I had some really punishing clauses thrown in”
“I am ashamed, its not funny”
“U can be, I think we both will figure it out” he was very cool about it
“I am going to help her find the conveyance deed” Gopal muttered
“Good luck to both of u”
“Are u in love with her?” Gopal demanded
“Its for me to know and her to discover” he dunked a ball viciously
And turned to his monitor someone was pinging him on Teams
“I am leaving” Gopal warned
The elevator doors opened and Sumedha and Taaruni appeared
It was the day after Christmas, Pradyut had been scouting a resort site in Kerala and had just returned early that morning
Taaruni appeared totally reluctant to go into his office
She was wearing a sand colored turtleneck full sleeve knit dress, cinched in the waist with a black belt, and sand color pumps transparent black tights. She fidgeted by Ria Sharma’s desk
He drank in her gorgeous beauty from afar, did not go out to greet her, though his insides ached for her
The kohl in her eyes looked terrific, and the large gold hoops in her ears bobbed as she nodded and whispered grimly to Sumedha
He knew she hated his office, it reminded her of her crushing defeat
When she was here a few days ago she had circled her store and written the name down
He got up and wiped it off on the large erasable Google map to goad her, and went back to his desk
Of course it was the first thing she noticed, when Sumedha pulled her in
She met his gaze coldly
“So u guys are going to stop by every evening” he mocked
“I am here for Dad, I am not sure why you would have ur beep in a knot” Sumedha mocked not so gently
Taaruni turned red, self consciously
She loved her MIL more now
“Ah… that’s the reason?”
“Dad wanted a ride, he said there was no use asking u”
“Metro runs until 11?”
“Keh doongi” Sumedha smiled patiently
There was a flurry of activity outside the office Gopal called out to her she left Taaruni alone and stepped out
He got up from his chair and waltzed over to her
Grey pants, navy cashmere sweater white shirt peeking out under and and the collar and sleeve
She stepped back and hit the glass wall on the side
“Couldn’t wait to come back?” he mocked
“No actually” “I hate it as much as I hate u” she said
Being close to him, made her heart rate soar
He was wicked and intoxicating
The worst human she had ever met
“I am sorry about ur Dad”
“U are not” she accused him with big brown eyes, her tears just falling out in big drops
She quickly looked away
“I just heard from Dad”
“U thinking of him makes it worse for me” she said hurtfully
Being close to him was making her yearn for him, being mean to him made her feel powerful
“Of course” he taunted gently
He loved to push her buttons, he used all ten fingers constantly
“U can remove the label from my Dad’s store, but it is still his” she accused pointing to the glossy giant map
“Well… not really, I bought the land” he muttered,
He was thinking about kissing her
She was thinking how to kill him to put herself out of her own misery
She looked outside and the large group was gone and so were her in-laws
She panicked
Ria Sharma was gone already
His phone rang, he answered it standing an inch from her
“Sure” “Ya “see u”
“I am going” she said turning away, her shoulder rubbing his chest
“They are downstairs in the parking garage”
“I am not 5, I can go” she explained coldly and went out
Took the elevator down to the basement, and got off and went toward the double doors leading to the lot
The lights were out, she had no idea which level basement.. she fished for her phone in her purse, she walked up and down a row in the dark
A car switched on its lights at the far corner
She turned to go back started to run towards the building doors and crashed into him
In fear…
“I AM RIGHT HERE” he hissed
He had followed her down
“there are no lights” she whispered in fear
“they are motion sensor” he said calmly
“I WALKED” she screamed
“Not far enough to where the lights are” he explained
“Where is ur Mom” she demanded like a child
“Come with me”
“I don’t trust u”
“U shudnt” he said grabbing her hand firmly
He brought her to a well lit upper level garage and her in laws were still chatting with a few men
Introductions happened
“U left me with him” Taaruni complained in a whisper to Sumedha as Pradyut continued to hold her hand
“I am so sorry beta, we came down to see Mr. Sanwal’s new car” she smiled apologetically
“Can we go home now?” Taaruni begged
“Umm…”
“I have to go with him?” she panicked when she realized the Munjals had gotten themselves a dinner date with the Sanwals
“It’s a sports car and Dad, u know Pradyut’s Dad I mean sorry is more excited than I am in riding it” she smiled
“There are four seats no?” Taaruni was distressed
“He has his gym bag beta on one seat, the car has no trunk” Sumedha looked worried
“I can take an Uber” she nodded
Balmukundji had been sent home since they were going to go with Sanwals
“I am taking an Uber” she told Pradyut as soon as the senior couple zipped off
“No u are not” he said firmly, looking on his phone for where his car was.
“Did u plan this?” she demanded pausing, hands on her hips
He turned around walked over to her and peered down “Now why would I do that?”
“Mom knows just how much I hate u, so she couldn’t have planned this”
“How much?” he asked softly