Nishant Naik, billionaire MD of Naik Builders gets engaged but without love. Disillusioned, he gives up when a chance encounter leaves him intrigued and confused. For him, loving someone is giving your soul to her. Will he ever find someone to love...
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Sid was sitting in the club patiently waiting for his friends to arrive. As he flicked his gaze from his watch upwards, he saw Dhruv walking towards him but couldn't see Nishant with him.
As Dhruv came and sat down in front of him, he looked at him and asked, "Where is Nishant?"
"No clue. He had gone for a meeting. Don't know where he is now," Dhruv replied shrugging.
Sid sighed and fetched his phone to call Nishant but stopped as he saw him making his way through the crowd.
"Hi! Sorry, I am late," Nishant said as he sat down across Sid.
Sid just smiled noticing a sense of uneasiness in Nishant.
"So, what's it?" he asked looking from Dhruv to Nishant.
Nishant gulped down and said clearing his throat, "I need a favour."
Sid straightened and clasped his hands together wondering why his friend of so many years was suddenly all formal.
"I don't know how to start this. But, I believe you know she has returned the clearance cheque Naik Builders sent her. And, she will not find anything in Darjeeling in her field. And, to be frank, she won't be satisfied anything less of her profile," said Nishant stopping and looking expectantly at Sid.
"Go on."
"See, we cannot approach her. But you can, I mean Rajput Constructions can. You have seen her work. So, can you?"
"Employ her?"
Nishant just nodded, his eyes shining with expectation.
"I'll have to check with Bhai."
"So, do it please."
"Nishant, I can't right now. Bhai is in Ahmedabad with the clients. He should be back by tomorrow. Once he is, I will."
Nishant rested his back against the chair and sighed hard. He didn't have any other choice but to wait.
"Okay, please do and let me know."
Saying this he got up and started to leave.
"Wait! Aren't you staying for drinks?" Sid asked summoning the waiter.
"Nope! I have a lot of work to do. See you guys!"
Nishant turned and left, and Sid kept on looking at him. Then, he slanted his gaze at Dhruv who just shook his head not knowing what to say.
It was almost 9:30 at night when Nishant left Naina's office. He closed his eyes as the terrible ache in his head throbbed with greater intensity. But the moment he did he saw her silhouette in his mind's eye. For a minute he gave in to the feeling of desperateness and started towards her but then he stopped.
No, not again.
You have promised her, don't forget that.
The moment he remembered his promises, he retreated. But before he completely turned away, he looked at her and pleaded.
Say yes to this, please.
A week later
Aparna stared at the email she has just received. Madhu had eaten her brain up completely at night trying to make her agree. Now as she looked at the mail, she was again in two minds.
Suddenly, Prakriti ran up to her and planted her muddy hands on her jeans. Horrified, she stepped back, her face twisted in shock.
"Sorry Mama," she said as she kept staring at her mother.
Aparna just smiled and pulled her daughter towards her. Kissing her nose, she grabbed her around the midriff and picked her up, and instantly Prakriti squealed with joy knowing well her mother was about to dump her in the shower.
After almost an hour, Prakriti was jumping on the bed as Aparna tried hard to dry her.
"Stand still, sweetheart, please."
"Mama, I am going to wear that strawberry t-shirt today," Prakriti said squirming out of her mother's grip.
Losing the battle finally, Aparna threw the towel at Prakriti.
"Dry up!"
Saying this, she went to the cupboard and pulled out the strawberry t-shirt.
Prakriti bounded off to the other room as her mother finished dressing her up.
Sighing, Aparna was about to follow her when her gaze fell on something which had slipped out of the cupboard when she had pulled the t-shirt.
It was a grey coloured t-shirt.
She stared at it with horror not knowing how it had managed to slip in her things. And, even it had how come she hadn't noticed it till now?
As if in a trance, she slowly moved towards it and picked it up. The moment she did, she noticed the stain of lipstick on the shoulder. A familiar musky and manly scent engulfed her senses and every memory she had pretended to have forgotten flooded in her mind.
And, this time rather than brushing them off, she gave into them as she pressed the t-shirt to her face.
"I am here," she heard him say and tears fell from her eyes as she sobbed silently into his chest.
It was 11 night and Aparna was sitting with her laptop out in the balcony. Her tears had dried off but she was crying inside. Not because she was regretting what had happened but because it hadn't been his fault.
As she flicked her gaze at Kanchenjunga, she felt as if it was telling her to choose the path her heart was pressing her to walk on.
She moved her fingers on the touchpad and clicked on the send button.
***************
Nishant glared at the screen of his laptop and tried hard to concentrate on the design but somehow his brain kept on going haywire. Finally giving up, he closed his eyes and rested his head against the chair.
It had been almost a week since he had spoken to Sid but till now he hadn't got any news from him or Siddha Bhaiya. The rampant tensions in his head had actually driven away his sleep completely. The more he had tried to sleep the more he thought about these things.
Nishant got up from the chair and went inside the washroom. He did not remember when was the last time he had slept; maybe the day before yesterday or even before that. As he splashed water on his face, he winced as it stung hard against the throbbing in his temples.
Wiping his face, he sat down and opened the drawer. Then, he pulled out the medicine strip and tore off two tablets and gulped them down. He was about to go back to the design when his phone rang. Shaking his head, he looked at the caller ID.
