Ishq Deewangi (Book 2)

15. Their Insecurities

"What are you doing tonight?" She asked him as they placed their credit cards on the bill for payment.

"Nothing much. Go through some documents and make things ready to hand over the CEO position" Aryaman said casually as they waited for the waiter to return with their credit cards. A pang of guilty hit Maitri.

"Can I say something?" She asked him with her eyes on the table. The waiter returned with the cards and handed them back. They stood up and started walking out of the cafe.

"Say" He said placing the card in his wallet and keeping it in the pocket.

"I don't want to be mumma but I also don't want want to be like dad. I'll feel guilty for making you give up on something you've loved and worked hard for" She said keeping her eyes on the ground.

"You suggest that we should walk away before anything begins?" He took a deep breath and asked.

"I don't know. I want you but not on the cost of your dreams. This isn't supposed to be like this. None of us were supposed to compromise anything" She said feeling annoyed at herself and her fate.

"Before we come on a conclusion of why this shouldn't work let's come out clear with each other, what say? Probably we will find something more solid for us to break apart" He suggested, tucking his hands in his pants pockets.

"Hmm" She nodded her head and looked other side of him.

"Why do you have so much hatred for your father? Raj, me and Manav trained under him and he seemed strict but nice" He asked what was bugging him from within.

"Haha" She laughed sarcastically and turned towards him.

"That's because you all are related to Rishav sir and Kaira ma'am and duh, he wants to look good infront of them. He's a different person with his family and with the world. If you don't believe me, go ahead and ask for his help and then I'll do the same. You'll see the change in reactions" She said wrapping her arms around herself feeling cold not just on the outer layer but from within too as she spoke about her father.

"That's not your reason to hate him, there's more" Aryaman was slowly looking at a person from another person's perspective and it shocked him that the man he looked up to and the man Maitri was describing were two different people.

"Mumma...As you already know, mum is way more educated than dad but she decided to become a housewife after marriage saying she wanted to take care of her house and her family just to be reduced into a housemaid. It all started with my birth. Sometimes I wonder what if I wasn't born at all would mum still have to face what she had to?" Maitri looked disconnected from world and was lost in her thoughts. Aryaman noticed her hands hugged her arms and wrapped his blazer over her bringing her out of her trance.

"I think if you'd ask your mum that question she'd say that she's proud to have you and would never wish otherwise" He rubbed her arm over the blazer.

"Easier said than done but let's focus on positive." She said wanting to change the topic.

"Will it make you feel better if I told you that me, Avi and Aaru are adopted? Mum and dad aren't our biological parents" He said as if it meant something to him but also didn't mean anything serious.

"But you love them and from outside it looks like they'd give their lives to keep you 3 safe and sound and you'd do the same" Her eyes widened at his statement but she overcame the shock.

"Yupp. I haven't told Avi or Aaru about it. Some things ar better kept hidden" He said with a smile that said he'd never let his siblings know this secret and neither his parents would know about it.