For those who missed the first part, here is the link.
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/4010733
Happy Reading😳
As soon as they reached the party held by Raman's business associate Mr Tandon, an excited Mrs Tandon joined them exclaiming:
- Oh wow Ishita you look stunning in this dress. What a makeover!! Raman, careful han!
Ishita smiled embarrassingly. Tandon's wife always managed to put them in a tight spot but Raman...
- Don't worry bhabhi I am not leaving my wife alone tonight.
What did he have for breakfast or lunch today! This man was one of a kind. Ishita's heart started flip flopping again as his arm snaked around her waist. She looked at him with a smile plastered on her face trying to behave as normal as possible but her ears and cheeks were scarlet red.
He smiled back at her with a look suggesting he was having a field day at her expense!!
- But Raman I am robbing your wife from you. Don't worry I'll take care of her. I want to present her to my friends.
Ishita left with relief. At least she would get some time to get her composure back and later fight against his "advances"...or whatever he has been doing. But she had more surprises waiting for her.
Raman made sure that all his business associates meet his "beautiful and loving wife" as per his words. He had his hands over her shoulders and waist all the time and was always staring and smiling at her whenever she was away with the other ladies.
Shagun was also there. She was green and had her pair of eyes on Ishita and Raman only during the party but neither Ishita nor Raman paid any attention to her.
He looked happy and...smitten.
She felt...special and for the first time...more than Ruhi's mom.
She was tonight Raman Bhalla's wife.
Some point in time she started feeling claustrophobic in the hall. May be due to the sudden rush of adrenalin she was experiencing, she thought to herself and blushed more profusely. As Raman was attending a call, she moved to the terrace for some fresh air but came face to face with Shagun. There was no escape now thought Ishita.
- Hi Ishita
- Hello.
- Raman was right. You really look nice in dresses.
Ishita looked at her with a confused look. And Shagun smiled cattily and replied:
- I mean I thought he was just showing off when he was praising you the other day in Mumbai. We were in the same room when he called you. You know how he is. So immature. Always trying to settle score with me but I must say you are indeed looking good.
Shagun gave Ishita her brightest artificial smile while realization struck her. Raman was with Shagun when he called her that night! Was it why he sounded so "unRaman" on that day?
Was it why he has been behaving like a smitten husband tonight?
To show it off to Shagun again??
Last time during the Holi celebrations, he danced cozily with her to show it off to Shagun.
He called her from Mumbai to show it off to Shagun.
He was going around in the party flaunting her as his wife to show it off to Shagun?
Suddenly she felt angry. Why was she letting her feelings and heart overpowering her common sense? Yes Raman was being good and decent to her. He has come to respect her as Ruhi's mother but...
Raman was right! She was indeed very "bewakoof". Raman has not moved on. Right or wrong way, fact was Shagun has imprinted his life and heart for life and... Ishita knew it. SHE needed to be blame in this whole thing. SHE was letting Raman use her for the showing off!!
She was angry with herself and...hurt despite herself.
She had vowed that she would never be anything more than Ruhi's mother, not to Raman not to his family but she had ended up taking his family as hers and him as her husband. Her heart has been taken without notice and it was too late now to do anything about it. Lesson of the day - "Never Say Never", she muttered sadly under her breath.
She left the terrace, her vision blurred with tears, only to barge into Raman who was looking for her.
- I am tired. Can we go home?
In the car she was very silent.
Was she really tired, wondered Raman? He had a nice time for a change. He was relaxed and...happy. Ishita made her feel so proud by both her beauty and the positive aura she seems to carry around her all the time. When he passed near an ice cream stall, he asked with a glint of mischief in his voice:
- Blackberry ice cream?
- No thank you.
- Why? Are you afraid that you will need to go for a larger size next time?
She looked at him with sad eyes and then looked away. Raman was taken aback. Hell!! She was upset not tired. Something might have happened in the party, on the terrace... His next question shocked her.
- You met Shagun on the terrace?
- Why? Does it make any difference?
He was now angry. It was Shagun! He knew Ishita would never say anything if not coerced so he decided to go for his intimidation tactics. He stopped the car, got down and urged her to do the same.
- I am not having ice cream Raman.
- Fine! You should not really. You need to diet instead. But I need to talk to you and you are coming out.
- No. I want to go home. It is late and Ruhi...
- Ruhi must be sleeping. And if not, I don't want you to start your sulking drama at home and have my daughter questioning me if I made her Ishima sad in the party.
Ishita had no choice. This man never loses battle of words and he is expert in whiplashing. Better talk to him before he starts blowing a fuse in the middle of the road, she muttered to herself.
He was indeed the best CEO for sure!
C for Callous,
E for
Egoistic
O for Oppressive
It was late and the place was literally deserted. They moved further away from the ice cream stall to walk some more till he broke the silence.
- Are you calm now Miss Spit fire? Will you bother to tell me what Shagun did?
- You should tell me what you were doing in the party?
- What do you mean?
- Come on Raman, I know why you were being so nice and sweet to me? To show off to Shagun right? That's what you did on Holi. That's what you did in Mumbai! You called me to make her feel jealous, to make her believe that you are a happily married man!
His eyes not leaving hers, Raman replied to her:
- I don't need to make Shagun jealous. She is nothing to me. But yes... I am a happily married man.
She looked away to taunt back:
- Stop it Raman. There is neither Ruhi nor Shagun here so you can cut off the drama.
She felt him grab her arm from behind and whip her body around to face him, tightening his grip on her arms with his breath fanning her face as he said in a deep voice:
- Yes you are right. I can be myself today with you. There is nobody around.
There was a strange connotation to his words and his proximity was disturbing. He was playing with her. She was really getting angry now and she would not tolerate his nonsense.
- Behave yourself Raman. And leave me.
- I am behaving properly with a woman who is not in her senses and creating unnecessary scene with me. You behave yourself woman! You are not only stupid but crazy too.
She glared at him, furious by his rudeness and she struggled to free herself as he continued grabbing her shoulders fiercely. Exasperated she bit out:
- You are such a brute! Leave me. I am only Ruhi's mother not your wife. There is nothing between us for you to exert your right on me like this.
Raman did not know what happened to him right there. He had so much going on in his mind and heart for such a long time with this chaotic woman in his life. Nothing had been the same ever since she came in his life. Amidst the chaos, his cold world had started warming up and now he was having problem imagining life without her.
Without her?
Kabhi nahin!
Without thinking twice, his hand reached to her waist, he pulled her towards him and without giving her time to react, took her lips in a soul searing kiss.
He felt her hands moving on his chest...to resist him and push him away but they never did and he pressed her closer to him. Moments later when they finally opened their eyes and their eyes met, they realized what had happened.
Their first kiss and they were yet to have a proper conversation without fighting!
Acutely embarrassed, Ishita detangled herself from him and looked away. Raman tried to fish for something to say but in vain.
Fortunately his phone rang! It was Ruhi asking for her papa and her Ishima.
-
It is
late papa. How much fun will you and Ishima have at the party? Come home fast. You know i cannot sleep without you both.
Raman and Ishita walked to their car with a smile of realization and acceptance playing on their face. They now knew why their hearts had been doing somersault these days around each other. There was no confusion now. They only need to voice it out for a new beginning in their life!
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