Loving The Liar

Chapter 30

Aadhya's POV

"Good morning, baby." Veer greeted lazily, as his head emerged out of the sheets wound around him. I placed his coffee on the nightstand.

"Good morning, Mr sleepyhead. Do you know what time it is?" Reminding him that he's late, was one of the rarest thing happening, as he happens to be an early riser.

He glanced at the clock before his jaws dropped. He sprinted out of the sheets and dashed into the bathroom not before muttering 'oh no'.

I laughed and headed out to see if the kids have finished their breakfast. To my utter shock, the dining room was empty. Di came in only to inform me that Zoya took the kids to bus stop. She kissed my cheek and left, not before asking to call her if I need her.

"Aadhya, you know na that the previous warden we had passed away a month back and the two helper sisters also left to their home town. I managed for a month, but its tough job to handle everything. Now you're here, so I'm relieved a bit. "

I knew that it was a tough job, but it was her dream too. So she'd find out a way somehow.

"I'll do what all I can." I said, not believing my own words in reality. Neither did she.

"But I need people to help, so I'm gonna interview few people my friends recommended after college, so I'll be late. Wanna join me?"

I nodded in no and saying okay, she left. I might be good with kids here but it I was or will never be good with running this place. It was not my thing. My sister knew this very well, so she didn't force me to go with her.

After she left, I rushed into the kitchen and cleaned it up. Veer was getting ready, so I decided to prepare breakfast for us.

Running this place alone was not an easy job. Money was the second necessity, keeping kids happy and healthy was her primary focus. For that, she needed people to maintain this place and help them in handy works.

Monthly twice, she took the kids to nearby old age home so that they could get some elderly love too. The things Grandma and Grandpa teach them, the values they instill, we could never. That's why people say its necessary to have elders in our home.

'The enlightened faces of all, kids and elders are worth watching, you know.' My sister used to tell me whenever we met.

"Aadhya, hurry up. I need to leave." Veer called out as I hurriedly dumped the poha in two plates and headed out to the dining room. He was already settled on the chair, adjusting his tie and typing something furiously on his laptop. I kept the plate besides him.

"No work at food time Mr. Sleepyhead." I shut his laptop off just as he pulled his hands back. He saw me with wide eyes, but I dismissed him and sat in the chair opposite.

"So mean." He muttered before stuffing his mouth with the poha. I chuckled and started eating.

"Not bad." He stated while I just nodded. Finishing my breakfast, I waited for him to finish too.

"I'm getting that housewife type feeling." I whispered to myself, registering the present situation around me. Jobless, getting up early, giving husband (would be) coffee, dressing, feeding and sending kids to school, serving breakfast to (would-be) husband, cleaning and tiding up everything, waiting for him to come back on the doorsteps and dining together.

My life has taken a complete one eighty degree turn.

This is not you!

I know this is not me but I'm changing, to become this, due to the demanding situation.

Situations never has any control on ourselves as much as our choices have. Believe or not, we always have choices for any situation and those choices control the situation and its never the other way around.

Veer's phone went off. He excused himself, pushing the plate a bit and left. I dumped my dish in the sink and turned around leaning over the counter.

My sister chose the same moment to call and inform me that Zoya will not be coming back till afternoon. She had to meet someone so she left directly. Di further requested me to clean up the kids room which I agreed.

Without wasting time, I started my work of cleaning that included laundry and dusting. I tied my hair into a bun and started working.

Veer came to me between my work after finishing his call. He said that he won't leave till two at afternoon. His British delegates rescheduled the meeting at last moment and he had to conduct an important video conference.

After finishing half of my work, I stopped in front of the mirror, shocker to see my look, messy.

What are you doing?

I don't know. I was so workless till yesterday, but now, see. I really do t understand what's going on.

Why are you doing this?

Because it seems only I'm free and rest are working.

From every other excuse, you come up with this one?

Yes, I do because I can. Now leave me alone.

Ridiculous.

I know. Leave.

I started my work again.

I don't do this homey things. During my whole life, I've been learning to shoot, run and archery. Then work and study. Then only work work work for money. Then put myself in dangers for information. Then kill people and at last, what am I doing?

I furiously scrubbed the floor of kid's room as tears prickled out if my eyes. No, I don't think these works as too low for me or that I can't do it. Because I know that these works need hard work too and I can do them. But its just these are not for me.

After twenty months of life including running, shooting and stabbing, now I'm craving for my normal life back. But then, what was my normal life, the life I wanted?

I've really never done anything in my life that I dreamt. My dreams are yet unfulfilled.

It took me three hours to finish the laundry and cleaning work of kids room along with kitchen and dining room.

I sat on the kitchen floor with a huff. It was twelve at afternoon and my stomach already growled. But my body couldn't support more exhaustion as my head started spinning. I took deep breathes since they always helped.

'You need more rest, Anu' Ishika's words reminded me that I should've never done this.

"Veer." I called him out, but no voice came out of my mouth. Gripping the kitchen island tightly I got up and took slow steps as the spinning stopped.

I stepped inside my bedroom and slumped on the bed, lying on my back. When was sure that I had all of his attention, I turned to one side to face him. "Veer, I'm hungry." I declared, with a loud voice, so that he doesn't misses the sigh in my voice.

"Is lunch ready? I'm coming." He said, now, again back to work. His eyeballs were so attached to the laptop screen, leaning towards it that I'd bet he'd go inside the laptop in sometime.

Did he really took it seriously that I was going to clean, scrub and cook for the whole day?

"What?" I screeched, more loudly than intended. Is this for real, I mean, the situation.

Tables turned in one night!

Shut up!

Veer gave me a dismissing look, as if I just made a mistake and he forgave me. Really? Hell. As always, when I'm hungry and have no food, I get angry. Food is my weakness and I was pissed right now.

Still, I mouthed few words in a voice calmer than reality.

"Veer, I didn't cook. I couldn't. Can you cook for us?" Spinning had stopped, but exhaustion surely took a toll on me. Veer was a good cook even if his brother was the best.

"Aadhya, I'm really doing something important here, unlike you." He said, nonchalantly. Did he thought I was playing hide and seek with a ghost for the whole time he was doing his something important work.

I was offended. In my whole twenty eight years life, I've never faced such a day.

Told you, don't do it.

Then do what? Sit idly? That's what I'm accused of.

"Veer." I called him out again, because I didn't want us to be upset with each other over a petty thing. I don't know about him, but I'm sure that if we don't talk now, I'm going to be upset with him.

You can't blame him too.

On who's side are you?

I'm siding with sanity. He can't give you all of his time, he's a man with huge business. So on venting your anger on him. Maybe he's tensed too.

I don't know why I let you convince me always.

Because you know I'm right.

Hell right!

"Aadhya, can't you see I'm trying to work here." Veer snapped, surprising me. It happened sometimes when he was facing some tough time "You don't have anything to do and you don't want do to anything. But I have work and responsibilities. Leave me alone."

It felt more sharply than a hard slap across my face. What was important that I and my subconscious mind went quiet. My hunger instantly died and I didn't at all blamed him. Wrong timing, maybe?

I got up and walked out, giving him his space. Hearing the buzz of my phone, I retrieved it from the kitchen counter. Ishika had texted me to remind about my medical tests schedule.

Kabir thankfully made sure that no one questioned about me being treated and tested in a research laboratory. So I just had to go to their hospital.

I went in back to my room and made my way to the closet, without sparing a glance at working man present there. Rummaging through the closet, I picked up a purple full sleeved shirt and black jeans, since wearing a long skirt while riding a bike wasn't a good idea.

For the whole time, kept his eyes on me, curiously glancing at my phone flooding in with notification. It was Ishika, sending options for wedding themes.

He looked more hot when he was angry and focused. Don't go there, I warned myself. His complete focus on me was very distractive. I had to keep telling myself not to look into those, captivating eyes or else I won't make it on time.

Still, he didn't dare to inquire,at be because I was going through my stuff harshly to find my bike keys. I didn't remember where I dumped them yesterday. At last, I spotted them on the nightstand. Giving one last look at him and checking myself in mirror, o advanced towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Veer

At last!

"To hell." I closed the door with a band and marched out to the garage when Zoya came from front.

"Didi, your going out?" She asked and I nodded. Later, my request to her for cooking something for herself and Veer made her give me a look I couldn't understand. But she mumbled okay as I pulled my bullet out of the garage and rode off.

*_*_*

I completed the thirty minutes ride I'm eighteen minutes. Once, someone told me that riding off on a bike to an unknown spot usually cooled down our temper. Trust me, it does.

I parked my bike besides Kabir's black Audi A3. No wonder, he was a successful heart surgeon at very young age of twenty eight. I read a couple of articles on him including his interviews. It was easy to point out that both Kabir are Ishika were prodigy kids at their young age.

I made my way to the reception. Its good that this is not a normal hospital. I could've never survived through the sick feeling due to the smell of medicines. Suddenly, a guard blocked my path.

"Bhaiya, excuse me. I need to go in." I said, politely.

"No normal patients allowed in. Yeh research centre hai." He stated in strict tone. Oh! Disciplined one. 'Should call Ishika' I thought.

"Mam please leave." He said but I was busy dialling Ishika's number. It was very unusual to know that in today's social media world, there were only seven contacts in my new phone.

Abruptly, the guard held me by my elbow and pulled me out of the hospital. Shocked took over my body and I unconscious let him pulled me. Instantly, I jerked his hands off me when I came back to my senses.

I was about to yell at him when I realized that he was just doing his work.

"Jaiye (Go)." He barked.

"Bhaiya, ek min meri baat toh suniye. I'm Veer Singh Mehrotra's fiancée and I'm here for my medical tests." God knows that there is no more patience left in me. He eyed me from top to bottom before laughing out loud.

"You are his fiancée? Then I'm this states chief minister. Okay? Ab Jaiye." He said, mocking me.

What the hell?

"I don't care if you are a chief minister or prime minister, call Ishika and you'll know who I'm." I challenged, only wanting to go in before my headache kicks in again. But he didn't budged.

"Mam. Don't force me to complain to the chief." He professed and I got an idea.

"Sorry bhaiya." I yelled as I pushed him playfully hard and rushed in knowing he'd catch me and he did, taking me to the chief.

You really have a unique way of entering in.

I know.

He knocked the door of a cabin. 'Dr. Kabir Singh Mehrotra'' written over a name plate was stuck on the door. I heard my brother-in-law's voice asking to enter in.

As the guard opened the door, I stepped in before him and directly marched towards the empty seat and collapsed on it. Kabir had an amused look plastered on his face while the guard didn't even tried to hide his shock.

"Chief, this lady was forcibly entering the building and I asked her to leave, she pushed me and ran inside." It was like he was a teacher complaining yo the principal about a student's undisciplined act.

"Its okay. Next time, let her in directly. You can leave." Kabir's declaration stunned him. His laws dropped and I cracked up into fits of laughter. I turned back and stuck my tongue out and repeated Kabir last sentence, teasing him.

He blushed and left. Turning back to Kabir, I found him smiling at me amusingly. I raised my eyebrows while he nodded in no, brushing me off.

"You really have a unique way of entering in." He added as we we left his cabin to find Ishika.

She was waiting for me on her cabin. When I entered, she lectured me on being late while I blamed the guard. She told me to check my phone since she called me back, twice. When I did, I found that there were twelve missed calls from Veer.

Aadhya, its still wrong to make him worry for no reason.

I know.

I asked Kabir to call his brother and inform about my location.

"Why would I?" He asked as I and Ishika walked out to the another..um.. lab I guess? He was following us out, questioning me.

I turned back, yet walking in right direction only to wink at him and say.

"Because I won't."

* 2 hours later *

"I'm hungry." I announced as we headed out of the lab to her cabin. She chuckled and decided to go to the same place we went last time. I pursued her to go out on my bike.

Kabir refused to join us. She pecked hid cheeks saying that she hopes that she'd make it back.

"Why?" He asked, giving her peculiar attention.

"Because, I'm going with Aadhya and most importantly, on her bike." Kabir laughed while smacked the back of her head.

"I'd bet that this time, Aadhya would handle easily." He said, teasingly and I wasn't at all offended. He left for his cabin

Good, one step in front.

"Come, we need to talk." I pulled her out.

*_*_*

"Are you nuts? I told you to rest and you couldn't do a simple thing I asked you to? Instead you turned into a Jhansi ki rani and did everything alone. Moreover, you fought with Veer. This might build stress in you're system whenever you'll think Anu."

Ishika, for the second time today, lectured me. It was like we were too old best friends, have a normal conversation after a long time.

"I know that okay? Now think about what I said." I advised her, so that she could stop her lectures.

"So, you're getting a housewife type feeling from this morning? She asked and I nodded.

We were already settled inside the restaurant, with out lunch plated in front if us. I told her about everything that happened today morning, along with a lot if things I never told anyone.

She stayed silent the whole time I was ranting to her about today morning. At some moments, I thought she'd be bored with my and my sob story, but she wasn't. She genuinely wanted to help me and be friends with me.

I don't know how come we never tried to meet each other in last years. Because it was clear that we could have been best friends then. Papa would've loved to see us together. Even if we were never close in the past, with those misunderstandings related to jealousy, now, we were good friends. Really good friends.

I noticed her playing with a piece of paneer instead if eating.

"Eat, Ishika." I ordered. She made a disagreeing face, but put the piece in her mouth and munched it making some noise to irritate me. She stopped doing it after sometime when she noticed that it had no desired effect in me.

Few seconds later, she started the interrogation.

"So, teaching is not your dream?" I was waiting for this question to come up.

"No Ishika, teaching is neither my dream, nor my passion. It my talent which paid me to help my sister. My father was professor too. I gave up on my dream to fulfill my sister's dream and teaching is her hobby that pays her very well." I admitted.

I never told anyone about this. That I had a dream to do something I loved with great passion.

"You can't try now?" She asked to encourage me. "If you think Veer won't allow you to work after wedding than that's not at all a problem. He loved freedom..." I cut her off.

"Who told you I'd wait for him to allow me to work. Its my life, my choices. Not matter the result, choices should be made by me only."

I pointed out to her that she would never give up on working as a neurologist even if Kabir requested or ordered. I knew this very well, her love for her job.

"I'm sorry for putting it like that." She apologized while I said that there was nothing for her to apologize. Further, she asked me that what did I do in my whole life, if not running behind my dream.

"I fulfilled others dream, Ishika. For the first time, I gave up my savings for my dream to fulfill my sister's dream. To buy the plot. Then, again to build the place. Then I got a stable job, as a math professor, so that I could feed the kids. Then papa turned up on my doorsteps, on my twenty fourth birthday. Again, gave up on the time I had to plan for my dream. At last, I gave up on my identity to fulfill his dream of reducing the criminals."

I'd never in my whole life, told anyone about my dream job, my passion. My sister mistook my job due to helplessness as my dream job. Someone people, like Veer, mistook  assassinating criminals as my dream job.

"You have time now Anu, think about it. Talk to Veer. Money is no problem here." She said my I nodded my head in denial.

More than money, there was one thing, that was a problem for me.

"I know that Veer can and somehow will help with you the capital, but that won't give me what I want, Ishika. If I take his help it would make me only Veer Singh Mehrotra's fiancée or my professor job might make me only Maya's sister. But I want to be Aadhya, just Aadhya. I want to create my own identity, Ishika."

I poured my heart out, in front of her. Yes, I didn't want to be anyone's someone. I wanted to be Aadhya, just Aadhya.

My subconscious mind was right. My identity wasn't something printed on the adhaar card or voting card, but it was something that I had to create and the time's here. Now I just had to find a way.

"You're with me na?" I asked Ishika, as she paid the bill, even when I tried to stop her.

"Always." She interlink our hands and we walked out together as some old bffs. I glanced at her, smiling and remembered papa's words about her.

'Anu, you two might not be able to meet any soon, but whenever you do, yoilk realize that she, indeed that a golden heart and bright smile, just like yours. I hope, once in my life, I'd see you two together, smiling, laughing and walking together.'

"Papa will be so happy today." I said absent mindedly. She stopped for a bit, taken aback, before continuing. She smiled and me and nodded.

"So, you are going to run behind your dream, right?" She asked, unsurely.

I squeezed her hand and nodded in yes. We reached to my bike and I swung my leg over it and Ishika did the same, holding my shoulders for support.

"So, which place do you have in your mind to open your brand new boutique, fashion designer Just Aadhya?" She teased as I keyed my bike.

"First, let me show you my designs, Ishika." I said, kick starting the bike and rode off.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

3740 words.

New journey of dreams begin, bringing her life back to normal.

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Aruvi❤