Smirk Of A Jerk

31. Ektees part I

My body was frozen. Out of my control. My mind hazy, everything felt surreal...

Before I knew it, I had already turned around, trying to figure out if he was really there or had it been my mind playing tricks.

The familiar ruly dark curls were showing signs of hand being run through them frequently. Something he only did when he was stressed. The business suit he was wearing was wrinkled, not it's neat self that he had always made sure to keep it that way. The always sparkling brown eyes of his looked rather dull this time. His thin lips were cracked and dry. He looked exhausted. His ever-zealous self nowhere to be found, making him look ten more years older. Though he was the Tanay I had always known, but somewhere along the line, he had lost his charm.

"What are you doing here?" My voice came out icier than I had intended as I watched him flinch. Never had I ever seen him look like that. Vulnerable, exposed, hopeless...

"I came here and been waiting for five hours as soon as I learnt the news," he said meekly, pleading me through his eyes.

"What do you mean? What news?"

"T-the news of your marriage to Raivardhan," he replied and immediately I felt my glare drop a degree or two in temperature making him flinch again. He didn't give a damn about me back then. He married another while I was still his girlfriend and now he was here because I was getting married to another man? Had he thought that I wouldn't move over him? Forget him? Even after all he had done to me? My pain fueled a rage inside of me.

"I know that you are angry at me and I deserve it but I plead to you to give me a chance to explain," he requested continuing, "let me tell you what led me to those circumstances..."

"Why should I?" My hostility appeared in my tone. For the first time I had not masked my emotions before another man apart from a certain asshole. For the first time I let them run wild, "I believe it is neither my business to listen to your sob story nor your business to justify your actions to a bride of another man."

He flinched at my words. Good for him. With this rage that was burning inside me, flinch-worthy words were the only mercy I could give him.

I turned around to leave. I neither wanted to hear his excuses nor did I want to feel this pain and anger with the sense of betrayal.

"I never meant to marry her... My plan was to break that nuptial after the first month," his words made me halt but I didn't turn around and let him continue, "it had been forced by my parents on me, it was never my intention to marry her... It all happened so suddenly that I didn't know what to do. I wanted to tell you but then I was afraid of losing you!"

"Like not telling me saved our joke of a relation," I couldn't help but snort with a sarcastic smile while disappointment and anger filled inside of me.

"Natasha, trust me when I say this, I love you, I still do but I couldn't stop my family from forcing me into this," he tried to grab my hand but I snatched it away.

"Isn't it a bit too common of an excuse to use now? Can't do anything, forced my family? I believe the statistics show eighty percent of breakups happening with that reason," I shook my head in disappointment before adding, "at least I expected you to have used a better reason than this pathetic one."

"I'm not lying Natz, I swear. Please believe me this once, please trust me on this and don't marry that guys. I love you, Natz, my divorce is in process, I was hoping to meet and tell you about it once it was complete. I'm ready to accept any punishment you give me but just not this. Please don't Marry him... I beg you," he implored holding me by my arms as he continued desperately with tears almost forming in his eyes, "this time I left everything behind, I left my important meeting in Sicily and came all the way here and waited for a long time in hopes of meeting you once more, and the heavens have answered my prayers. Natasha, see we were the fated ones, don't you too feel it?"