yun hi tu mere saath rehna

Chapter Twenty Nine

He would leave the firm, Armaan resolved. Maybe this was the push he finally needed to accept the job at Asha Kiran. He'd been dragging his feet for the past couple weeks, despite knowing he wanted that job. He didn't know what he was waiting for… Perhaps a sign, perhaps a miracle. What had happened at the dining table was the farthest thing from a miracle, but Armaan would take it as a sign. A sign to move on, to forge a different path and find his identity other than the one he'd been bestowed by this family. 

If he wasn't at the firm anymore, there would be no more debate about the position. His resignation would force them to appoint someone new, whether it be Rohit or someone else, and frankly… That wasn't his problem at all. They would figure it out amongst themselves. After all, when he would no longer be an employee of Poddar & Associates, the affairs of the firm would have nothing to do with him.

And then, the wedding… He would talk to his parents about it. Maybe they would be able to knock some sense into their son. Maybe Rohit had good intentions for doing what he did, but Armaan didn't want a conditional acceptance like this. He knew Abhira wouldn't want it either. If they had to resort to blackmail to be heard, Armaan would have done it long ago. But, both him & Abhira wanted Kaveri to accept them of her own volition, not because someone was forcing her hand.

He knew that Kaveri would do anything to please Rohit, but he doubted she would do this. Her hatred for Abhira seemed to trump every other emotion she had. Plus, she was in it for the long haul. He knew that she would convince Rohit some way or the other. Giving in to his demands was the quickest way to get him to agree, but it wasn't the only way. He was sure that his grandmother was busy strategizing at the moment, trying to think of other ways to get her favourite grandson to do her bidding. 

Determined, Armaan made his way to Madhav & Vidya's room, wanting to tell them about his decision to quit the firm, and also request them to help him with Rohit. As he neared, he overheard voices coming from the room and stopped short.

“Tune aisa kyun kiya, Rohit?” Vidya was asking. “Yeh sab karne ki kya zaroorat thi?”

“Vidya, yeh kaisa sawaal hai?” Madhav questioned. “Rohit apne bade bhai ki help karna chaahta hai toh usme bura kya hai? Hum sabko pata hai ki Maa Sa ko Abhira pasand nahi hai aur woh shaadi ke liye kabhi nahi maanengi. Lekin, agar Rohit ki yeh shart rakhne se humaare bete ka ghar bas jaata hai toh yeh achchi baat haina?”

“Lekin, agar Maa Sa nahi maani, aur Rohit ko firm mein position nahi di toh?” Vidya questioned. “Phir na Armaan ka ghar basega aur na hi Rohit ki career aage badhega. Sab tabaah ho jaayega. Isse achcha toh kamse kam ek bete ka faayda toh ho raha tha na!”

“Vidya!” Madhav reprimanded. “Yeh mat bhulo ki Rohit ko uss kursi pe bithaane ke liye Maa Sa kisse hata rahi hain. Woh position Armaan ne bohot mehnat se kamayi thi. Ab bina kuch soche-samjhe, Maa Sa Armaan ka haq cheen ke Rohit ko de rahi hai. Kya aisi tarakki chaahti ho tum Rohit ke liye?”

“Woh unka haq nahi hai!” Rohit exclaimed. “Aapne suna na Dadi Sa ne kya kaha? Woh hamesha se mera haq tha. Aur kisi ka nahi. Toh maine unse kuch nahi cheena hai.”

“Rohit, kaisi behki-behki baatein kar raha hai?” Madhav burst. “Hum sabko pata nahi hai kya Maa Sa ne aisa kyun kaha? Woh bina kahe yeh kehna chaahti thi ki Armaan iss ghar ka bada beta hote hue bhi waaris nahi hai. 

Hamesha se jab bhi kisine iss ghar mein Armaan ko sautela kehne ki koshish ki, tu unn sabse lada hai. Ab tujhe kya ho gaya? Kyun aisa kar raha hai uske saath? Uski ek galti ki itni bada saza dega tu? Bachpan se pata nahi Armaan ne teri kitni galtiyon ko maaf kiya hai. Kya tu ek baar bhi nahi kar sakta?