(Part 1 - page 1
Part 3 - page 6
Part 4 - page 8
Part 5 - page 10)
Kintsugi - NeiVika SS PART 2 :-
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It had been 3 months since she had left the Mahajan Mansion.
As much as she wanted to, Yuvika had not gone back to Rishikesh.
She had been sure that the Mahajans would be searching for her, and Rishikesh was the most obvious place they could think of.
Besides, her father had told her once that 'Yuvika, the safest place to hide is always closest to the people you want to hide from.'
So here she was, living in a rented room at Mathura, just 145 Kilometres away from the Mahajans.
That way, they'd keep searching far and wide (if they even cared), oblivious to the fact that she was hiding right under their noses.
She had never lived alone so it was obviously hard to adjust at first : homesickness hitting her so hard on some days that she cried - but she slowly got used to it.
(Besides, she was not completely alone.
The day she reached here, she had unexpectedly discovered that Neil was her new neighbour. Despite him claiming that the Auroras had given him a new project here regarding the renovation of an old hotel, she believed that he had followed her that day, explaining his relieved expression when he found her.)
And once she got used to her surroundings and she wasn't homesick anymore, Yuvika had just one goal in mind - to understand how businesses work.
Because to impulsively enter into the world of Mahajan Empire, to foolishly limit herself to just an employee would not help anymore.
The AV fiasco had made her realize that in order to catch the bigger fish, she would need at bigger bait.
Sure, she could not work with Mahajans as an employee anymore, but they couldn't stop her from becoming the head of an entire unit after she proved herself, could they?
If she wanted to find the truth behind what had happened 20 years ago as well as the mastermind behind the tampering of her AV, Yuvika would have to reach the top hierarchy of the organisation.
(When she told about her plan to Neil, he had looked at her in mild surprise before muttering a proud 'You finally understood.' to her.)
Books on busìness law and ethics, fiñance joúrnals, case studies, búsiness articles, plànning strategies, public relationships, scientific anàlysis, invëstment èconomics and mãnagement expertise - you name it- she had started reading them all.
To a normal person, it might sound insane and borderline impossible ; but when you are motive driven and completely focused on one goal, you always find a way to fulfill them.
(Besides, now that there were no constant phone rings of 'Yuvi! Yuvi!' anymore, things were easier naturally.)
On some days she was herself surprised at her nonchalance over their break up. Was it really that easy to move on over 3 years of a relationship? It made her wonder if she really loved Karthik or not.
Infact she felt more free, more light and more at peace now that he was not around.
Compared to Karthik, her acquaintance with Neil was very different.
He was not in her mind 24/7, he did not give her sudden bursts of anxiety and she certainly never heard from him when she was studying, which was most of the time. But once he was in her vision, a tiny smile naturally seemed to creep up her face.
("We came across each other like this in Rishikesh too, completely spontaneous and unplanned. And now here in Mathura, on top of it we are neighbours as well. How strange, isn't it?" Yuvika asked conversationally when they were returning from the market.
Neil stopped and took a step towards her, and another. And another. Eventually when he was so close that she could count his eyelashes, he replied,
"When it comes to us, co-incidences are not that uncommon, Miss Yuvika."
He looked in her eyes so intensely with an emotion she couldn't understand at that time. Seeing him slowly lift his hand towards her hair, she closed her eyes as he-
"Did you not wash your hair properly? Look, this leaf was in your hair." He threw the leaf away and took the grocery bag from her hands, flashing her a smirk before walking away as if nothing had happened.
It was only when she took a deep exhale and kept a hand on her chest, she realized that her heart was beating erratically.)
Their conversations mainly consisted of deep philosophies and random tales to heartfelt talks. With Neil, Yuvika was comfortable. She always felt a sense of contentment, solace and peace.
Slowly but surely, they got closer to each other. With unspoken words, heartfelt laughs and comfortable silences, they were going smoothly.
Unfortunately, that was just the calm before the storm.
"Answer me Neil, what the hell is this?!!" Yuvika shouted at the man in front of her, holding the source of all her misery.
Rain was pouring over them with all ruthlessness, and there they were, standing against each other in a park.
"This- this pen drive with Mahajan logo... why do you have it - And most importantly, WHY does this have the tampered video in it?!!"
Neil stood still like a statue and kept his eyes on the pen drive, not looking at her once.
"Look at me and Answer! T-tell me Neil, did...did you tamper with my AV? Did you bring my father's scandal in public again and.. tarnish my...?" Did you tarnish my Dada Babu's image and throw mud on all the goodwill and reverence he had earned over the years?
Please say no.
Please say no.
Please say-
"Yes." His gaze finally shifted to her pleading eyes, looking at her without any expression.
After hearing that word come out from his mouth, Yuvika figured that she should be angry, sad, despaired even ; but she was not. At that particular moment, she felt numb. She felt nothing.
"...What?" She whispered, as if she still couldn't believe it.
"You are lying." Please tell me you are lying. I will believe you.
He took a deep breath before replying,
".... I have told you this before, the Mahajans have-"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT THE MAHAJANS HAVE DONE!!"
Even Neil seemed to be taken aback at her anguished scream, as his icy facade seemed to fade for a moment, before coming back to neutral again.
(If it was a facade, that is.)
"Are you seriously telling me that in order to get revenge against them, you used me?!" Yuvika took a sharp breath to stop the tears brimming in her eyes.
"......"
"I TRUSTED YOU, NEIL!! I considered you my best friend, my companion, my partner!" My everything.
She couldn't stop the angry tears from falling now, making her cold cheeks warm.
"I poured my heart out to you! Shared my deepest secrets, my darkest fears, the private moments I shared with my dad-" she grit her teeth tightly,
"-Isha and Arjun's childhood antics, my likes, my dislikes, my insecurities, my past, the investigation process, the Sengupta deal, committee's decision- EVERYTHING!"
The worst thing was that even now, she was still confiding in him, she was still venting out her complaints like a child and there he was, looking at her with the best poker face in history.
"And you... You betrayed me." She was full on sobbing now, trying her hardest to stop.
How Pathetic of her.
It was quiet for a few seconds before Neil spoke,
"Tell me Miss Mahajan, did I ask you to tell me those details? Did I ask you about the scandal? Did I ask about how your investigation is going? Try to remember, Miss Mahajan, it was you who had shared such useful details about the Mahajans to me, when you know how much I-"
Yuvika suddenly grabbed his collar and brought him close, so close that their noses were touching.
"You think this is a game, YOU F**KING B*ST*RD?!!" She snarled at him, anger making her hands quiver.
First the raised voice, then cursing and now this.... She would have never dared to do this to Karthik.
Neil really knew how to bring out the worst in her, didn't he?
He let out a sarcastic chuckle, before looking at her like she was nothing more than an annoyance to him.
"Oh Miss Yuvika Mahajan, you are so naive," Neil coolly shoved both hands in his pockets. Had she cared to look properly, she would have noticed how badly his body was shaking, how the wetness in his cheeks were not actually rain-
"Don't you know that you shouldn't confide in strangers? They will break your trust eventually."
-how behind his nonchalant voice and expressionless facade, a storm of emotions were flickering through his eyes.
But she didn't.
Time seemed to freeze as her brain only registered four words ; Mahajan, naive, trust and stranger.
It felt like she was stabbed repeatedly with an iced spike, creating an uncomfortable shiver down her spine.
It hurts.
Her grip loosened almost immediately.
It hurts.
Yuvika subconsciously took at step back.
It hurts.
Something terrible must show in her expression because Neil's facade broke completely and he looked at her in apprehension.
IthurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsITHURTS-
"Yuvika-"
"You are right. I am sorry." The sobs were quietened by now, only leaving irritating hiccups behind.
"It was my fault for confiding in you. It was my fault for approaching you with hundreds of incidents to tell, millions of tales to share. It was my fault for trusting you, my fault for finding solace in you, my fault for...." She took a sharp breath,
My fault for loving you.
"What....?" Their roles were reversed, as he was the one looking at her in absolute shock and horror now.
She bit her lips tightly before smiling at him with extreme pain in her eyes.
"I am sorry for falling in love with you, Neil Bharadwaj."
"......!"
This was not how she had planned to confess. But looking at his reaction, it was good that she hadn't tried to before.
Suddenly, everything was too much at once.
"Wait-"
She turned her back and started walking out of the park in swift strides, not wanting to even look at his face anymore.
Why Why Why? What did I do to deserve this, Krishna?
Was this why he had never told a single word about his past, about the reason why he hates Mahajans? Because she trusted him with her whole heart, because she considered him her companion, and he didn't? Did she really misread things between them that badly?
The more she thought about it, the more her chest hurt. She tried wiping her tears away but they just kept flowing.
Whatever, it was not like she needed him anyways. She had moved on from Karthik, she would move on from this b*st*rd as well.
Maybe because it was raining heavily or because she was too caught up with her own head, she didn't see the truck speeding towards her.
She knew that it was a lie, but there was no harm in lying to yourself a little-
By the time she looked at the blinding source of light and blazing horns, it was too late.
.
.
.
.
"-v-ika.... -ke up!"
Muffled screams echoed in the background with a sonorous sound ringing in her ears. She wasn't feeling any pain, which was definitely..... a bad sign.
She was feeling so drowsy, so sleepy but someone kept rubbing her hands and patting her cheeks, trying very hard to ensure that she stayed awake.
"-ook - a - me-"
Wincing lightly, she opened her eyes with great difficulty to glance at the person disturbing her.
"-ay - scious - kay? - ca-"
The figure above her looked completely hazy and her head hurt horribly. She couldn't even remember how she ended up in this state.
She tried looking around again. Everything was disoriented except.... the figure on her periphery.
"- ou - he -r me -"
It was her father, smiling at her with the most serene smile she had ever seen.
"Yuvika, come here, my child." Even his voice was so sweet, so clear. Her papa had his arms stretched out, as if calling her towards him.
"- rry! p - ase wa - up-"
"P-papa..." She whispered with a strain in her throat.
The hands patting her cheek froze before they became more frantic as the person started rubbing her hands and feet with increased desperation.
"NO - d-n't - eave-!!"
(Warm droplets splashed on her cheeks, making her wonder since when did it start raining hot water.)
Yuvika Nagar wanted to do nothing more than to give in and run towards her father, embrace him tightly, listen to his stories and lullabies while hiding in his chest forever.
"-ie - for - ive - me - ying -!"
But Yuvika Mahajan knew that if she gave up right now, she would lose her family, her goal, her hard work, her relationships, her purpose of life forever.
"- AN'T - LEA - ME - PLEA-!"
She shook her head at her father. This was not acceptable. She didn't want to die so early.
Yuvika Mahajan wanted to live. To seek justice. To reign.
"- hing - lease - ANG - ON-!"
Besides, this pesky person was also hell bent on keeping her alive.
"I - OVE - OU!!"
She was not alone.
"-ulance - is - ere - no - YUVIKA!"
With that last thought in her mind, she fell into the dark void completely, embracing the sweet lullaby of unconsciousness.
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