Rajas : Passion Unveiled

Chapter 22

Ishani's POV

I spot Laksh with his family and go to him. I am so upset with him for not saying anything.

He gulps as he sees me coming. I go and stand in front of him. He sighs.

Aradhana aunty looks at me worried and asks " What has happened?".

"Why don't you ask your son aunty" I reply and turn back to him. "What is wrong with you?" I say and he looks at me. Right now his expression and his body language look like that of a scared child.

"Kya maunvrat hain aaj tumhara? Or do you have no sense of self preservation?" I say sharply. Mr.Ranawat glares at me but I ignore him. My head is bursting with rage now.

"Vo ladki jo marzi bol rahi thi and you were just standing there looking at her. What is this behavior Laksh?" I ask desperately. "Why didn't you say anything?" he still doesn't reply and just looks at his feet. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I look at him.

"Was it true?" I ask and he looks at me "Was it true what you said at the convention? About what you think of me?".

"Yes" he whispers.

" Then does my opinion hold no value for you? Your parents' opinions? You family's opinions? Your brother's opinions?" I say pointing at Mr.Ranawat with my uninjured hand. "Of course it does" he says with utmost honesty. " Doesn't look like it " I reply and his expression turns hurt.

" Chalo main toh bahar wali hoon. I am not related to you. But you said that you admire my work and my efforts. Then when I said that I think that you deserve your position, your job and everything that you have earned, does my word hold no value to you?" I ask calmly.

"Tumhare dadaji aur tumhare papa unh dono ne company sambhali hain. You know how good they were at their jobs and how strict they were. Your uncle is a distinguished lawyer and so is your aunt. Jab unhone aaj tak kabhi tumhari kabiliyat par doubt nahi kiya aur tumhe support kiya then how can you doubt yourself? Is their confidence in you worth nothing?" he looks down ashamed.

"You think they will let your brother give you such a high position if they didn't think you were capable for it? Worthy of it? Hell do you think that you brother will just give it to you without making sure that you deserve it? I don't know your family Laksh but I know professionalism when I see it and your family is full of it. I don't for one minute think that your brother or your family will ever lie to you just to make you feel better. If people around you , who know you, are saying that they believe in you does that hold no value? Does your brother's confidence in you hold no worth? Is your sister's trust in you worth nothing?" I say my voice laced with desperation. Tears roll down his cheeks. I inhale heavily.

" I don't know why people say things about you" he stiffens at that and Avyaan and Yuvika look at each other and so do their parents. " And frankly I don't want to. Because I know you. I know the man in front of me. I know Laksh Ranawat and what he is capable of. But none of it, none of us " I say pointing at his sibling and parents "matter if you can't see the man that we do. If you don't believe in yourself." I say

"Don't let people walk over you Laksh. Please" I say desperately as I hold his shoulders with my hands.

Aradhana aunty gasps on seeing the blood on my hand. I quickly remove my hand. "Shit. Sorry about the stain" I say looking at Laksh's clothes. Aunty looks at me horrified.

I check the time and tell them that it's late and I have to leave. I quickly go out of the hall. I walk outside the gate and remove my hand from my pocket and examine it. I close my eyes and feel the cold breeze and the pain. I can feel the blood running down my fingers. But it's fine. I am used to it. The pain. It makes me feel alive.