Gehraiyaan.

Chapter 11

I rushed to the office, tossing everything away.

The Mumbai traffic was immovable that morning. The Rickshaw barely moved and don't get me started about the scorching sun; I felt as though I was being roasted alive.

After an hour and a half, I end up in the twenty-second floor of the building, drenched in sweat and evidently exhausted. That's what Mumbai does to you on most days, if you're not privileged enough to take a cab.

Thankfully, everyone's busy. It makes it easy for me to squeeze through the crowd, without having to answer anyone's questions about my whereabouts or give them updates about my life that has only been falling apart.

Some people are just so concerned; not because they genuinely care, but because it gives them something to gossip about for the rest of the mundane week at work.

Before knocking on Darshan's cabin door, I take a deep breath in, attempting to brush aside the jitters of uninvited anxiety. I hope he has calmed down, after whatever happened at home.

AI should've simply kept my mouth shut. Why did I choose to defend someone who wronged me? That's my problem. No matter what Advik does, my eyes cannot find the flaws in him. I simply find a way to justify everything he does and I honestly want to unlearn that. Even the people you love can make mistakes and it's okay to call out on them. But things as such are easy to utter, and it takes a lot to bring it to action.

I knock on the door and slowly, push it open, popping my head through the gap. Darshan is on his table, looking through a file, but he takes a pause to look up. Once he notices me standing at the doorstep, he shifts his focus back on the file. Okay, his anger hasn't boiled down, yet.

"May I come in, Sir?", I question and he nods his head, with his eyes still fixed on the file. I walk inside and stand steps away from his table, clenching onto the strap of my handbag.

"It's 10:45", he keeps the file aside. "You were supposed to be here at 10:30", he keeps his hands on the table - clasped - and looks up at me, expecting for an answer. "The traffic didn't move today", I answer, nervously. This just doesn't feel right.

"You should've left home early", he shrugs. "I know, I'm sorry", I whisper, looking down and purse my lips together.

"Anyways. Sit down if you want to. We'll start discussing about the project once Sanya from the HR department comes. She'll be your new replacement, once you walk out of my team", he informs. Wow, that was a quick find.

"Also, my dad told me to give this application to you. The application to start the process for your transfer to Canada", he slides a paper across the table and I stand to my ground, still and silent.

"...and, this is from my side", he pushes another paper down the table. "It states that you have chosen to walk out of my team", he pauses. "Sign one of them, or both. Or nothing at all, if you're still sulking over your past. I mean, I get it - if your Prince Charming returns, you'll have to be there for him", he taunts.

"Darshan listen, I'm sorr---", I try to talk and he cuts me off. "Don't call me that. I don't give that authority to anyone at work", he tells me, calmly.

"And you don't have to apologize, Navya. Chill. Your life, your choice. Thinking back, I honestly shouldn't have said anything. I have no rights to and you're nobody to me", he utters. "It's not like that---", my voice cracks and tears cling onto my eyes. "You said what you said and I respect that. We're cool. Leave it now. It's not my business and this is not the place to talk about your personal life", he says, when we're obviously the opposite of cool.

"And can you stop crying for everything? I---", he gets interrupted by someone. Perhaps, Sanya. While my back faces her, I slowly wipe off the tears from my eyes and purse my lips together. "Come in, Sanya", he calls her in, once he takes a glance at me.