His Forced Wife [On Hold]

55 | The Intruder

Malvika :

My heart skipped a beat.

Akshay Bhai stood before us, looking skeptical. His gaze fixed beyond me, at Vanraj.

Both of us walked out of the elevator.

"How dare you?", Bhai asked in a cold whisper.
"She is my wife. You cannot marry her to random guys, you know.", Vanraj snapped.

"Mukku, you must leave.", Akshay Bhai said, giving Vanraj a death glare.
"Malvika is not a five year old, Akshay. She is a mother, a wife and most importantly she is an adult who deserves to know the truth.", Vanraj replied taking a step towards Bhai.

I could see that Bhai was intimidated.
I had always wondered why he had kept the secret, why he refused to tell me who my husband had been. Despite his constant claims of Hitesh Kulkarni being the one, I vividly remembered the trauma the man had caused. And that I had left him with much more bravery than I had ever known I had.

"You had blamed my sister.. you are the reason—"

"You left Meera. And you are the reason she was on the edge of suicide. Any explanations for that?", Vanraj said sharply.

Akshay fell silent.
Meera.
The name is had heard several times.
She was his wife, but she didn't live with him.
The reason had been yet another secret.

"Bhai.. Vanraj has told me. Yes, I don't remember any of it.. but I know he's not lying.", I said finally.
Akshay looked at me, clearly disappointed.

"I am trying to protect you.", He whispered.
"You cannot protect me from the man I loved.. Bhai.", I replied.
He looked at Vanraj.
"Your Raj didn't leave one opportunity to blame you, Mukku.. his anger issues.. he-he is the reason you were going to kill yourself ", Akshay said walking past him, to me.

"Bhai.. Please.", I whispered.
I knew deep down he was simply concerned, he was being over caring. When he had to protect, he didn't and now, by doing this, he thought he'd save me.

"Mukku—"

We heard the elevator bell ding and it opened.

Akshay Bhai looked past me and froze.
I saw him pale two tones.

"Hello Meera. Thanks for coming.", Vanraj said turning. I turned to find the woman. And I recognised her pretty instantaneously.
She had been Bhai's crush from college, before she got married.

"You're welcome, Vanraj.", She said simply, her gaze fixed on Bhai.
And then she looked at me.

She walked down to me and hugged me tightly.
"I missed you Mukku..", She whispered.
"Umm.. you are also Vanraj's ex wife.. right?", I asked awkwardly.

Wait.. was I in good terms with my husband's ex wife?

She released me, smiling, amused.
"So Mister Rathore only reminded you about himself.", She said.
This woman was really enigmatic. Simple but beautiful.
"As self centered as ever, you know.", Vanraj replied, grinning.
"I am Meera, used to be his ex wife, but now I am his best friend and business partner. We co parent our kids—"

"Samar and Pakhi.. I guess.", I mumbled.
"Absolutely.", She said lovingly. She had a warmth of almost a mother.
"Pakhi misses you a lot.. you both had her custody, you know.", She added.
I nodded awkwardly.

"Enough of intros.. Malvika needs to go ahead with her business deal.", Vanraj said.
Meera nodded and took a step back.
I smiled at her, as warmly as possible, and turned towards Vanraj.

Akshay stood frozen, like he had seen a lost dream.

I walked past him to Vanraj. He led me towards the room.
He pushed the door open and I walked in.

A strange feeling of nostalgia set in.
Right before me was a symbol.

V and M overlapped over each other, and Vanika Teamworks written right below it. Before it, stood a desk. And right beside it was another desk, at a ninety degree angle from its one end.

"This was our lover's point.", Vanraj whispered as the door shut behind us.
And I somehow recognised the feeling of nostalgia.

I looked up at him. He smiled, beaming.

Maybe I didn't remember.. but yet, the more I saw him, I saw a man deeply in love. Whose love transcends time and affections of other beautiful women around him.

"Umm.. so.. why was it our lover's point?", I asked with a soft smile.
He edged closer, and then paused abruptly.
I knew he wanted to hold me close, wanted to kiss my forehead the way he used to I believe.. but he knew his boundaries too.
He moved away, straightening up.
"Mainly because this was our workplace and we were deeply involved in workplace romance.", He said, doing very little to hide that warm smile.

"Workplace romance?", I asked amused.
"That CCTV was rarely turned on to be very honest.", He said grinning like a mischievous teenager.

I smiled back at him.
Just then I remembered.

"Umm.. we need to get work done, you know.", I said walking down the desk beside the main desk.
He stared at me, taken aback as I sat back on the seat.

"What?", I asked, looking at him.
He snapped out.
"No.. it's just that.. when we were here together you always took that seat only.. this centre one was mine—"

"STOP! YOU KID!"

I stood up.
It was probably one of the guards.

Vanraj immediately turned and opened the door. I followed him out.

The guards had caught hold of what seemed like a child.
"What happened?!", Vanraj shouted looking at the way they held the boy harshly.

"Sir.. he was running with files!", The guard said.
I walked down to them.

"Let me go! Let me go!", The boy shouted.
He looked not more than ten. Clutching onto two files of my company, he was struggling against the guard's grip.

I bent before him, looking at him keenly. He wore a blue shirt and cargo pants. He was definitely not in dire need of money, I could say.
"Leave him.", I said softly.
The boy looked at me and then at the guards who reluctantly left his arm.

"Who sent you?!", Vanraj asked rather sharply.
"None of your business!", The boy snapped back.
"How dare—"

I raised my hand.
Vanraj paused mid sentence.

The boy looked at me with a raised brow, he hasn't expected anyone to defend him here.

"Your name?", I asked softly.
He straightened up, as if that was something he was very proud of.

"Viraj. Viraj Kulkarni."

•×•

- do you take the hint? :D