𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞 | A Collection Of Short Stories

6.

You didn't completed the target but I still uploaded but for next complete the target - 45 comments and 800 votes on the book-
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"Arghhhh!" Frustration was building up inside him.

"What happened? Why are you yelling since morning?" Nidhi came in with a tray of food for him.

"Nothing, Mom. Just office work keeps troubling me. It's so messed up," he said and sat on the bed with his hand on his forehead.

He had never seemed so stressed, even if it was because of the office. Never in the last four years had she seen him so worked up. It was clear that the issue was something else.

"Hmm, so tell me the truth," she said and placed his forehead on her shoulder, keeping the tray on the table.(Well, now tell me the truth.)

"Just office work, Mom."

"Only the truth." In her stern tone, he looked at her and made faces.

"Kya hua, Ivaan?" she asked, being tense.(What happened, Ivaan?)

"Mom, I'm telling the truth," he said and stood up from his place, making her sigh.

She began to leave the room when she stopped and, slapping her forehead lightly, said, "See, I forgot to tell you the thing I came for. Today, all of us are going to Stelline Hotel to meet the Thapars."

She left him frozen in his place with a half-eaten sandwich in his hand and mouth stuffed with the other half, such an ugly creature!

He wanted to say something, but because his mouth was full, he couldn't.

"Ek tension khatam hoti nahi, dusri ajati hai," he murmured and left the food, not wanting to eat anymore. (One problem doesn't end, and the other one awaits.)

Hearing the word "Thapar" always made him lose his appetite or made his day worse. Even now, when he hears this particular name, his hands start shaking. He can never bring himself to forgive this person because his whole college life was ruined because of her. He doesn't care if she's changed or not; everyone else can believe her, but not him. After all these years, he learned how to love once again, and maybe this was the real love he wanted.

He could do anything to have Adira by his side and anything to not have Kavya by his side.

He moved downstairs to go to the office as he took a half-day off. Ivaan Malhotra didn't need anyone's permission to take leave except the head, Mr. Anik Malhotra, to whom he had to answer every question. God knows how much he had to lie when asked why he wanted a half-day off, when in reality he didn't want to make Adira feel awkward by crashing into her in the morning.

Still, he wasn't going to let his day go by without seeing her face.

_____________

His phone rang, and when he saw the caller ID, he badly wanted to throw his phone away, but he couldn't, not when it was the head.

"Yes, Dad?" he answered rolling his eyes, hearing a deep, loud voice as he was getting scolded.

"Don't argue with me. Just come like a good boy to the Stelline Hotel. Why didn't you answer when your mother asked you? Don't you know how much she overthinks? Whatever was wrong with you, don't make me say it twice. I don't like it when your mother is sad, okay? Got that?" Anik just ordered him, and he had no other choice but to follow it.

"Kabhi bete se bhi pyar karlia hota?" (Could you ever love your son too?)

Yes, he wanted to ask that question for so long. Of course, he loved how much his father adored his mother, but sometimes he felt as if he was adopted.