The Mismatch

50. (Vows to protect)

Chapter 50

In the quiet solitude of the CEO suite, Uday leaned back in his chair, his eyes glazed over the untouched paperwork scattered across his desk. The glow from his phone cast a cold light upon his face, highlighting the furrowed brow and the bags under his eyes.

A week had passed since he sent the message.It was a simple demonstration of the storming emotions swirling inside him.Yet, the response remained elusive, the blue double tick "seen" taunting him for being a little expressive. The silence from the other end was deafening, echoing the void that had grown inside the girl he has hurt much.

Uday can't feel the unshakeable bothering thought of being ignored forever.He knows the way he has tormented her in these past months ,he doesn't deserve forgiveness ,but that dark side of him also resurfs time and again to let him know what he has done.. needed to be done. And Manyata always learns the harder way.

"The slides are ready, sir," Akaash announced, his voice broke through Uday's introspection, his words hitting him like a splash of cold water. Uday looked up from his mobile, his eyes weary from the glow of display screen.

"Alright." he said, his voice strained. "Send them to the conference room. Make sure everything's set up."

The young man nodded and disappeared back into the hallway, his footsteps echoing down the marble corridor. Uday took a deep breath and stood up, stretching his legs. He had been in this city for a week, and the air still felt thick with a familiar mix of spices and dust. He walked over to the large window that overlooked the bustling streets of Jaipur, the pink city sprawling out before him like a living painting.

The reflection in the glass showed a man with sharp features slightly etched with lines that spoke of  countless late nights and tough decisions.

Udayveer was determined to built his empire on the foundation of his skepticism.The business world was no place for love ,and same goes for his own life.
He had learned that the hard way. Betrayals by former partners and the bitterness of failed romances had left him with a jaded heart. He had promised himself that he would never again be blinded by the siren's call of affection. For him, love was a luxury that could only lead to distraction and pain.

But then she came into his life, a gentle breeze of innocence amidst the chaos of his world.

He had threatened her, he would ruin her life and now that he looks back on it,Udayveer had made good on his promise.He had reveled in her fear, feeding on it like a monster in the night. Her vibrant soul had become a shadow of her former self, her spirit crushed under the weight of his tyranny.

But every time he looked into her eyes,he saw a flicker of the girl he had met in that college cafe. The girl who had been helping her mother, whose simple appearance had momentarily caught his breath.

He had never expected to feel anything for her, had convinced himself that this was merely a strategic alliance set up by his cunning Mom.Yet here he was, haunted by the ghost of her innocence.

He missed the way she used to light up when she talked about her dreams, her voice filled with passion and determination. Now, her voice was a whisper, her eyes downcast,her shoulders heavy with the burden of his expectations.

Guilt began to gnaw at him,a relentless beast that grew stronger with each passing day. He tried to push it away, to focus on his work, but it was always there, lurking in the corners of his mind.He finds himself seeking her out, looking for the girl he had lost in the woman who now trembled before him.

Is it too late? He wanted that old self of her again.

"Sir".

Akaash's voice broke through his  thoughts again.