Why Did You?

8. Reminiscing The Past

Five Years Ago

"It was good doing business with you Mr Kapoor," said Aryan to a sixty year old man. The man smirked and said, "The deal is not finalized yet, Mr Sinha." Aryan raised an eyebrow and looked at Mr. Rakesh Kapoor. The man who was known for his shrewdness. Mr Kapoor continued, "I have a condition. You will have to marry my daughter. These are her details. I will give you two days time. If you accept the proposal, then the deal is your wedding gift. Otherwise....." He smiled cunningly and left the room after handing over a file to Aryan.

Aryan opened the file. There was a photograph of a girl. She was smiling, not that fake smile which Aryan was used to. It was a real one. Her dark brown eyes expressed happiness. Below the photograph was the name, Meera Kapoor. 

Aryan summoned Dhruv in his cabin. "I want you to cross-check this information." Dhruv took the file from him and opened it. Looking at the photograph, he inquired, "Are you planning to hire her? But I don't think we have any vacancy." "I am planning to marry her," said Aryan nonchalantly. And he told Dhruv about Mr Kapoor's condition. 

After listening to everything, Dhruv spoke furiously, "Aryan Sinha. Marriage is not as business deal. You cannot destroy a girl's life for a deal." "Her father wants to do it, Dhruv, not me." Dhruv sighed and said, "Just look at her smile. Will you be able to keep it the same?" Aryan did not reply and Dhruv left with the file.

Present

Aryan looked at the door of Meera's room. After she had finished the lunch, she had locked herself in her room. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked around the house. It was a second hand furniture. The walls were bare, painted in dull colours. The daughter of a billionaire and wife of another was living in such a pitiful place.

He could hear sounds from her room. She was dancing. He focused harder and recognized the tone. "Tandava, Rudra Tandava," his lips muttered. How could he not recognize it? After all, he had heard it for nearly ten years. After all, she was also a dancer.

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As Meera was dancing furiously, she couldn't help but remember the incident which had changed her life. Aryan's presence had awoken a lot of memories and now all she could do was to reminisce them.

Flashback

"Meera. Meera, where are you?" called her father. She hurried to him in the living room. Everyone was already there - her parents, her brother Rajat and Sapna. "What happened Dad?" she asked cheerfully. Rakesh gestured her to sit and handed her a photograph. "You are going to marry her within a month,"  announced her father. "What?" Meera screamed. She looked at everyone else. Her father continued, "It is necessary for business. These are some details about him." He handed her few papers. Sapna tried to speak something but Rajat held her hand. Meera spoke angrily, "My life is not a business deal." 

"Try to understand, Meera," said Rajat. Meera looked at all of them, "Am I a burden on you people that you want to throw me away?"  This time her mother, Rashmi Kapoor, spoke, "Our decision is final, Meera. Aryan is a rich man. He will keep you happy." 

Flashback ends 

Meera sat down, tired of all the dancing and muttered under her breath, "Yes Mom. He is a rich man. But what about being a good man? Wasn't that important? Was I really a burden?"

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So, how is it? 

Who is the 'she', Aryan was thinking about?

What do you think about Aryan? And what about Meera's parents?

~Purnima