A Business Deal [MxM]

Chapter 19: Vansh

Eavesdropping was not on the cards, but it just happened. Having heard everything that Dhruv had to say about us has shattered me from my core. I can have a face-off with him at this very moment, but with Yashika conveniently intruding us, I find myself unable to utter a word. Before talking to Dhruv however, I need to talk to Yashika. I have been an insensitive and indifferent person to her, and I find it necessary to make amends. My new life with Dhruv can begin only after I find a closure with Yashika. I can no longer continue avoiding people. It is doing me and those around me more harm than good.

"I'll leave. You two can talk it out." Dhruv gets up and heads back inside. He could go anywhere for that matter, but I cannot escape this torment.

I take the seat that Dhruv occupied earlier. When I finally look into Yashika's eyes, they have a sense of calm in them, and not anger, as I had assumed. "I am sorry." Sorry. Sorry. That's all I have been saying. I doubt if I even mean it now. An apology as a conversation starter is not the best deal, but I must do something.

"What should I do with your sorry?" she asks me.

I shrug. "I don't know. I have nothing else to say."

"You should have a lot to say. An explanation would do the deal."

"I don't know why I owe an explanation to anyone."

"Your actions are not limited to you. They affect a lot many people out there. Even if we keep our businesses aside, the families would need an explanation."

"Mine wouldn't."

"They knew?"

"Yes. They found out about it very recently."

"And they concealed the fact?"

"They pushed for the engagement to take place earlier then planned."

"In the hopes that you might go on the 'correct' path?"

"More so like a mandated one. One that is normalized. Naturalized to the extent that all others feel like distractions. Diversions."

"When did you fall for him?"

"I don't know. Sometime when we were working together. I could be myself around him."

"And you could not be yourself around me?"

"Getting into a business marriage does not allow one to be themselves. Looking at Jagat and Tara is witnessing a circus. Those two are very different. The only thing they agree upon is that I and Dhruv are shitty. They'll have to pretend to be made for each other. That's what I tried to do as well- pretend to be the correct one for you. I took upon my role as the ideal son of my family who'd never go astray too seriously."

"You are far from ideal. Don't you know?"

"I have always known that. I might have put up a better pretense than you think."

"I agree. You pretended to be interested in me..."

"I never pretended that. I was never interested in you."

Yashika's eyes get teary. She looks away and blinks away her tears. "You bastard.", she mutters under her breath. "How could you say that out loud?"

"I could never bring myself to like you. I might say anything and it would sound like an excuse. So I'd rather say the truth."

"Truth. You should have said that much earlier. Breaking off this engagement is difficult now."

"I know. We can either be in an unhappy marriage together, or lead separate lives happily."

"Marrying you? After all of that running away? Please, Vansh. I loathe the sight of you. I detest the way you dealt with things."

"I am not the best person to deal with people."