Happily ever after....

Part 1: When the truth is stranger than fiction.....

The award announcements were drawing to a close and the guests were all beginning to gravitate towards the buffet . Sona was still being congratulated by the people there, some of whom she knew, most she did not. But it was doubtful if she would have noticed even if her best friend came up to her at the moment and spoke to her, for her attention was fixed on one man, the one man who had turned her life upside down.

When she had found out that Dev Dixit would be attending the function, it had come as a shock. Did she want to see him? No, not at all. She would have loved to avoid him at all costs but she could not ditch the function either. For a growing business like hers, bad publicity could be fatal and what could be worse publicity than the owner- founder- CEO not attending a big awards night, not turning up to take her award.

Setting out from her house in the evening, Sonakshi had repeatedly told herself that she would NOT let Dev rattle her. She knew how emotional and intense Dev could get; oh, she knew very well indeed. After all, even he used to say that she knew him better than himself. And when she had found out that Dev Dixit NEVER, EVER attended these functions these days and this was the first one in years that he had decided to come to, she knew for certain that it was her presence that drew him there. He had always been like that. She recalled the time when she had nearly gotten engaged to Ritvik- Dev had stalked her for days, unable to let her out of his sight, unable to move on, unable to get on with his life. He had nearly destroyed himself in the process, trying desperately to find some way to ensure that she would not go away from him, wheeling around in circles until it all climaxed that awful evening when he had managed to drink himself into oblivion at her engagement ceremony.

'No, he wouldn't have gotten over me', thought Sona, with a sad sigh. She did not want to reopen old wounds, neither hers nor his. And knowing Dev, she also realized that this unwanted meeting at the award function might just send him spiralling back to his stalking days, when he literally lurked around dark corners near her home for just a glimpse of her. Sona sighed again, rubbing her temples, hoping that Dev would understand she had moved on in life, that she did not feel for him the same way that she used to anymore and the same way that he probably still did for her. She was well aware that it would be difficult to make him see that, but she would succeed, for there was no option now. Sona could not go back to Dev, that much she was sure. She had her own life now.

That had been Sona's thought process when she arrived at the function. As soon as she entered, several pairs of eyes, interested male eyes, followed her. Sona was well aware of them, it was not new. She was after all, a stunning woman. Her simple elegance and single status attracted men to her like magnets and she had grown used to it over the past 4 years, right from the time she had become fairly active in business circles thanks to her thriving start up. She had fielded quite a few proposals for dates and even marriage. And today, she knew that she looked exceptionally attractive because she had taken more care than usual with her clothing, her hair and her make- up. The simple black saree, misleadingly demure, was paired with a deep necked blouse that added just amount of glamour and bare skin to confidently assert that she knew she looked great- minimalism at its best. She usually never wore sarees to functions, preferring the much more practical, comfortable business suits. Today was an exception. Sona had actually gone last minute shopping today for the outfit and for long, dangly ear rings that would match, another departure from norm for her, for she no longer preferred them. They were a thing of the past for her and so was her love for sarees and even at that distant time in the past she had mainly loved them just because Dev had loved seeing her in them..... Sona stopped short, freezing for a minute as that last thought hit her. Carefully thinking back, analyzing her own actions over the previous few hours, she found a tiny nagging question in her mind. Why had she chosen to wear the cumbersome saree to this function of all functions where she needed to be completely in control to deal with Dev?? And why the ear rings, the long dangly ones that Dev loved?? The next question popped into her brain before she could shove it away. What was she doing dressing the way Dev loved to see her when they had been so in love with each other?? And then her inner voice spoke again. It was just a smart business move- to ensure that you looked your best, right? There was nothing more to it, NOTHING!