Rekindled Hearts: The Journey Of Transformation[ONC2024]

#2. Forgotten Promises

Ruhana believes that one needs to chase both money and love. She also believes that if you do not fight for your rights, people will go to any extent, even if it means hurting you. Vineet holds different views. He feels that the things meant to be yours will come to you at the right time. The two have a trifle over this, and he tries to convince her that she's walking down the wrong path.

"It's not the same every time, Ruu," he says, addressing her by her nickname.

"It is the same, Vineet. And stop calling me by that name. My name is Ruhana! Do you get it?" she shouts at him, leaving him baffled.

He glances at her, bewildered by her changed behavior. She has always loved it when he called her by her nickname, but now she's irritated. Moreover, she has become short-tempered and easily irked by small things. He sighs deeply, knowing he can't interrupt, so he lets her continue.

"Things were easy for you, Vineet, but not for me. I've lost everything to people who were my dad's juniors. His own brother ditched him, Vineet, just for some money," she exclaims.

"Then why be honest? The people who cheat get good marks, and those who bribe get good jobs. Then what's the use of staying honest and speaking the truth? You do none of this, Vineet. Stop judging me," she shouts at him, and he's stunned by the sudden outburst.

"But not everyone is the same. Why are you punishing every other person when you don't even know them? You're punishing them for something they didn't do," he says, trying to convince her.

"You never know how people change! They change in the blink of an eye, and you never realize it until they hurt you with their changed demeanor."

"And yes, I have built this company, 'TechCouture Innovations,' with my hard work. I don't want any loss. It's inevitable, I know. Sometimes there are gains, and sometimes losses. But I don't want to take any chances. So let me do my business my way," she affirms in a loud voice.

"Ruhana, you're doing it the wrong way. You're mistaken," he says softly.

"Vineet, please, I know what I am doing and what's better for my business," Ruhana says, annoyed.

Vineet stands still in disbelief, watching Ruhana as she walks away to her room. He sighs deeply. Ruhana has grown into a passionate and ambitious soul—completely opposite of her babyish essence. She's grown up to be money-minded, harsh, and outspoken. Today, she has asked him not to interfere in her matters. His heart aches at her words, but it is reality. He trails down memory lane, recalling when she was a sweet, loving soul who always wanted his opinion in everything she did.

A girl and a boy are in a room, playing together. These are Ruhana and Vineet; she is 6 years old, and he is 8 years old. They've done their homework, and now they're playing. Ruhana looks at Vineet and chuckles. She wants him to see the drawing she's made.

Ruhana is an artist. She loves to sketch and color. She has learned this art by herself. She loves to copy designs, and her mom helps her. Today, Ruhana has made a sketch, and she wants Vineet to look at it, but he's indifferent.

"Ruu, I will look at it later. Let's play ludo," he chuckles.

"Vinu, please. You know I want you to look at my art first. Mom and Dad always praise me, but you tell me where I go wrong. Please see!" she insists, looking at him.

"I know you have done it right. Just submit it," Vineet says.

"Hey, why are you denying? Please tell me what's wrong?" she insists.

"And if I say that it is not good, will you make another picture?" he asks, amused by her innocence.

"Yes, Vinu! I will make another picture. I want it to be the best," she says, showing him the drawing pad.

Vineet is awestruck by the drawing. Ruhana has sketched two friends, a girl and a boy, approximately their ages. They're holding hands and laughing. She has written their names below the figures; of course, it's their picture. He smiles.

"Beautiful! But why have you written our names? Ma'am will scold us," he asks, his tone filled with concern.

"Soniya ma'am asked us to give names. And everyone knows that you're my best friend. So it's fine. But if you don't like it, I will change the names," she says innocently.

"It's okay, you can write the names. But will you discuss everything with me like this?" he asks.

"Yes, Vineet. You've promised me that we will be together, so I will show everything to you. You'll need to help me, always," she says.

"Are you sure it will happen?" he asks, looking at her.

"Yes, Mumma says that whatever we think, it happens at some time or the other," Ruhana says innocently.

"I wish for the same," he says as they share a hug.

Vineet comes out of the trance. The soft smile on his face turns into a painful one. Yeah, her words came true. They're working together, but Ruhana has started hiding things from him. They only talk about the projects they are working on together; apart from that, Ruhana doesn't discuss anything with him. She hasn't kept her promise.

He sighs deeply, thinking of ways to bring Ruhana back on track. She has to stop chasing fame and money and focus on doing her best. He's lost in his thoughts when Ruhana rushes out of her room, holding her bag. She informs him that she has to leave for a meeting and leaves without waiting for his reply. He watches her leave helplessly.

*****

Vineet is a well-known businessman in the tech world and owns a company called "CodeCraft Solutions." He's an engineer who wanted to start his own business, and so he did exactly that. Now, he has partnered with Ruhana's company, and they are working on some projects together.

They've met again after a long span of twenty years, and he feels there's a significant reason for the change in her personality. She's not the same girl from their childhood. It has been a good six months since they met again, and now he's determined to find out the reason for the change in her demeanor.