Strangers and Imlie

Rathore's Arrival

Next Day the Oberoi Mansion inhabitant's saw the elder Oberoi ladies sharing very secretive smiles with each other and then staring at Imlie with those same smiles.

You may be wondering what that smile means.

You see, Tej had shared to Jhanvi about the looks Aryan had sent towards Imlie during their dinner with the Rathore's, Jhanvi had told Pinky. 

Now over these last six months they had seen a very cheerful Imlie, they usually sat with Imlie to talk with Narmada and Arpita during video calls and they had the fortune to see Aryan Singh Rathore reading a file upside down. If the other's noticed they did not comment on it. The only reason they saw him was because Arpita had "accidently" rotated the camera and he had "happened" to be sitting right across from them conveniently during their call. Imlie had greeted the man out of politeness calling him Aryan, shocking the daylights out of the two Rathore ladies, they were clearly flustered at this new development judging by their disbelief looks they were sending through the screen at Imlie. 

They was a very brief interaction they saw between the two but the two Oberoi ladies knew that the arrival of the Rathore's was not spontaneous, it was pre planned, and they had an idea why the Rathore's were moving back to Mumbai. 

 Imlie on the other hand, was confused, she and Aryan actually called truce and Imlie understood that he held an important place in her life it was him that had been there when she was going through her milestones. Whether it was driving, learning to eat with chopsticks or his support after her breakdown after Aditya gave her divorce papers.

Imlie knew that the man was actually broken she confirmed this when the news about his jiju's murder came out and Aditya's public apology was also published she immediately made connections, she remembered the morning of the day she was handed divorce papers. The things he said about pain, she understood that the reason why he helped her so much was because she was in pain because of someone who had caused him pain too, he had empathized with her. He might not have been able to put himself in her exact situation but he definitely knew about pain and he had been nothing but a great mentor to her in her brief time working with him.  Imlie wanted to be friends with the man after finally understanding what he was going through but she didn't know how. He was all the way in Delhi and she in Mumbai but she did give him a call when she had found out about his jiju. She remembered what they talked about. 

I(in her room, holding her phone to her ears): Hello, Aryan? 

Ary (clearing his throat): Hello, Imlie.

I (softly): I heard about your jiju. I wanted to make sure how you are taking it.

Ary (softly): Imlie, I am fine. 

I (small smile): Aryan, if there is one thing I have learnt while working with you is that you hold everything in, if you don't let it out how are you going to move on. Look I know I am not the right person to share this with ,but please consider sharing your feelings with someone. Remember sharing your pain will only make you feel lighter, I can say this from experience. Aryan, all I want to say is that I am here if you need me, you were with me during my most difficult time, it's the least I can do, be with you during your difficult time.

Ary (voice cracking): What if...What if I want to share it with you.

I (softly): I am ready to heat you then, I told you I am here if you need me, go on.

Ary (emotional): Imlie, my jiju was a father figure to me, after my father left I was still young to look after the company, my jiju stepped up to the responsibilities so that I get a normal life. He was a father, brother and a friend to me, he was very special. When I saw him burn in that car, I wanted to go save him, you know I felt so helpless, so weak when I realized that I couldn't save him. I wanted to give him justice, then I found out that the workers went on a rage due to an article, I found out that Aditya Kumar Tripathi had written it, I wanted revenge, actually I was out for revenge but I couldn't do that straight away, my jiju's death had left a lot of work in the company I had to step up, become a shield for my mother and didi, I always blamed myself, if I had just gone for the work I was supposed to, this wouldn't have happened, I had never hated myself more than I had thinking about this. Then finally after four years I had the chance to take revenge, I had come to Delhi burning for revenge, but found so much more. (voice choking). All I want to do now is move forward, jiju got the justice he deserved and I got the closure I needed.