Meant To Be!

As Past Comes Knocking Again

Her relationdhip with Pete had also been changing since the last few days. Pete's been more courteous and polite towards her. One night, he even offered her a ride to her home and on their way, Avee got to know pete more closely.

"Rico is my step brother. He hates me so much that he never misses an oppurtunity to beat me up when he finds me alone." Pete started the conversation.

Avee had no idea that Pete would be discussing his personal life with her. Moved, she asked, "But why?"

"Oh. He thinks I have taken what's rightfully his. This property, and everything you know."

"Why do you let him beat you?" Enquired Avee.

"I think he finds peace while he does so. And I can endure a bit of thrashing from my younger brother." Pete laughed. His charming smile melted Avee's heart.

"Lee told me about your house, Kevinsky Estates where you don't live. But why?"

"Old Memories arent always that great. The house has so many memories that I dont feel like going back there." Pete lost his smile as he said it.

Making sure that her conversation with Pete doesnot comes to an end, Avee said, "My father left us nearly twelve years back. My mom has been working real hard to make sure that I get to complete my education."

"Do you know where he is? Do you want to find him?" Asked Pete.

"Yes. Sometimes I feel like finding him and sometimes I dont because I dont know what I will say if I see him." Avee said.

Avee and pete grew more closer, each of them finding peace in other. Soon pete stopped his car before avee's house but avee didnt want to let go of this moment. She leaned towards pete, holding his face, turning it towards her and kissing him passionately.

She opened the door of the car, smiled at him and left.

Pete knew that he had fallen in love. But before he could confess his feelings to her, it was important that he settles down all the family disputes,all those work that still remained pending.

Pete returned home and called back his advocate to work up a method.

"I will arrange everything Sir", he said.

Two days later, jenny informed avee that lee had left his job.

"Why?" She asked.

"I don't know."

Jenny hadn't been happy since the day she broke up with Rico. Inspite of all his problems, she loved Rico because she knew he was a good man. Avee also never told her about the relationship that rico and pete had. Jenny wanted to be back with him but she didn't know whether Rico would even talk to her or not.

All the memebers of Wonder company received an invitation for a party arranged by lee.

"Did you know anything about the party jenny?" avee asked.

"No. I dnt really know", she answered.

In the evening, lee sent a message to pete telling him that today he will confess his feelings for avee. The message read

"I have won the property dispute case. The Jordan industries will be opening again and I want to begin this celebration with a confession. I want to tell her how I feel. I am thinking of doing it tonight itself."

Pete knew lee liked her but he could never tell him that he loved her too.

He got ready and decided to attend the party and tell him tonight because he didn't want to tell him now and ruin his mood. He was about to leave when the door bell rang.

"You? Here? Why?" Pete asked.

"I have come to settle all the disputes, I want a share of what should be mine." rico said.

"I am settling all the property issues. Give me some time. I will give you all that is rightfully yours." Pete assured him.

"Really? You want me to trust you. After all that you did to me, my mom?" As Rico said this words, he landed a punch on Pete's face, leaving Pete on the floor, gasping for breath.

"I did nothing to your mom. You left her all alone. Not taking care of her, providing for her, helping her financially." Protested Pete. Pete knew that although he hated Rico and his mother initially as he held them responsible for his parents marriage to come to an end, but he slowly realised that Rico and his step mom were also victims. They were promised of a future but all those were hollow promises.

"You don't need to tell me" shouted Rico.

"Listen rico. I really have somewhere to go tonght. I am already late. Give me a week. I promise I will settle everything."

Pete drove his car, but it seemed he was late. The party was half way over but there was no sign of Avee or lee.

"Have you seen avee?" Pete asked jenny.

"Yes. Avee and lee left together." Jenny answered.

After her break up with Rico, Jenny hated Avee, though she never clearly stated it. She was jealous of her. She held her responsible for her relationship to come to an end.

Pete drove to lee's home. From a distance, he saw avee walking lee into his house. He waited for an hour, thinking avee would need a ride on her way home. She is afraid to travel all alone at night and also he didn't want to be anymore late in confessing his feelings for her. But avee didn't come out of Lee's house that night.

Pete left a message the following morning:

"I didn't know you loved lee. I thought the kiss meant something but now I know it doesn't"

Avee didn't respond. She sent an email the following day tendering her resignation.

Pete rejected it, citing that one needs to work a few days before the resignation is accepted. Avee didnt know how she would pass those 7 days. 7 days seemed like an eternity to her. She cried herself to sleep every night, thinking that how could Pete reach to conclusions without even giving her an oppurtunity to speak.

Burdening her with all kind of menial work, humiliating her, Pete made sure the 7 days would be the worst days of her life. Evertime he saw her, he thought about the night, the love she and Lee made. It was jealousy, betrayal, angst that crowded his mind.

Lee knew well from before, that Pete had developed feelings for Avee, he knew that Pete watched them from a distance that night and he acted in a way to raise suspicion in Pete's mind. Lee was determined that this time he will not lose before Pete. 3 years back, he gave up his first love Retya. He gave her up because Retya loved Pete. But this time Lee was sure to fight for Avee. He knew that Pete could never hold on to his love, he always ends up hurting them and Lee was so deeply in love with Avee that even a slight thought of losing her would make him lose his mind.