Accidentally Ever After

by Mariyam Hasnain

  “What do you want?” Vikram blurts.

  “Try to please Sakshi and you can please me and maybe we can consider renewing the deal. She’s really upset with you.” A huge wrinkled hand rests on the top of the Mahogany table as a pair of beady eyes looks at him.

  Silence ensues as Vikram studies the bleakness of the situation. He twirls the pen in his fingers as he studies Mr. Purohit’s demeanor.

  “That’s not going to happen. I’m already in a committed relationship.”

  “I can understand. A man in his prime forms relationships. There’s no big deal about them. I hope you’re getting me.” Purohit smirks and continues, “Leave the deal behind, if you make Sakshi happy, you’ll become the holder of half of the shares of Purohit’s Developers, apart from what Sakshi already owns.” Purohit gives a twist to the glass paperweight and it spins on the table, scuttling. He then cups the glass body in his huge palm and silences it before setting it back on the stack of papers. “Did you get what I said?”

  “Your proposition is lucrative but nothing that can have me change my mind. A man forms relationship and feels committed toward them while a reptile uses them for their selfish gains.”

  “Have you gone mad, Jaysingh? You’re calling me a reptile.”

  “No, but if you think like that, I can’t help it. Sorry.”

  “How dare you, Jaysingh? Had your father been alive, he would have regretted siring an unworthy son like you.” Purohit pushes his chair with a bang that it would have almost fallen.

  Vikram somehow controls his anger keeping himself as calm as possible when he feels a storm raging inside of him. A mere mention of his dad brings a hurricane of tarnished memories. Memories of his parents' failed relationship, memories of his ugly and neglected childhood. He feels like pushing Purohit in the chest and push him out of his office.

  Vikram drops his gaze to the table only waiting for Purohit to leave. Next, he hears footfalls thumping hard on the tiled floor. The door is slammed open and then closed with a hefty bang.

  A minute later, Vikram hears someone enter the room.

  “So you took the bull by the horns?” Keshav speaks pulling a chair and sliding into it.

  “Did you manage to find investors?”

  “Some have shown interest but not willing to invest more than a million. Some are even trying to escape the situation by throwing a couple hundred grand.”

  “And all these fuckers have always been the trusted ones of Jaysingh Senior.”

  “It’s because of your dad’s good karma that they’ve at least shown some empathy. Else, if we go in the open market, not a single investor would even bother to look at us, let alone letting us explain about the huge project we’ve already soiled our hands with.”

  “Good karma! Huh! Not enough to save his collapsing company.” Vikram rises from the chair and trudges to the window.

  Traffic mulls on the concrete roads, blistering sun sprawling across the city.

  “Now, the company is yours, Vikram. You must handle things. You can't blame a departed soul. And why are you so bitter about your dad?”

  “As if you don’t know.”

  “Couples have differences. They go their separate ways. It happens all the time. What’s the big deal about it?”

  “No big deal except that they leave their kids behind to endure the tremors of a failed relationship.”

  “But you chose to stay with your mom, Vicky. Don’t you think both parents are equally responsible for bringing such a tragedy to the kid.”

  “I’ve seen Mom coping with life. She did everything to save her crumbling marriage. But as we say, it takes two to tango. Life doesn’t move if one of the partners excuses himself from the familial responsibilities.”

  “It takes time and courage to build such a massive empire. Rome wasn't built in a day. He might have been busy with expanding his business that he didn’t get time for his family. After all, he did all this for you guys.” Vikram feels a warm comforting land landing on his shoulder back.

  “He became addicted to success, intoxicated on what he has achieved that he ignored his family. And what did he get? A miserable death with not a single friend or family around him.”

  “He never married. Isn’t it enough that he missed you guys?”

  “Whatever. Still not enough for me to forgive him for my devastated childhood. Forgive him for the pain and tears he’d given to my mom.”

  “You’re way too bitter, Vicky. You need someone in your life. You need a healing touch of a woman’s love. Else, your bitterness will destroy you. Get your lady, man.” Keshav strokes his back. Vikram turns around and notices a comforting smile flashing on his friend’s thick lips.

  He smiles too, a bitter and faint smile.

  ***

  Vikram parks the Mercedes in the parking lot and treads to the elevator. A thought of seeing Natasha and the baby after a hectic day at work brings a smile on his face. He feels all his worries dissolving in the fragrant air of the corridor as he reaches her floor.

  He knocks anticipating a charming lady welcoming him at the door. When his first knock doesn’t elicit any response, he knocks again, growing impatient.

  Hope everything is well. He purposely didn’t call her before dropping in coz he wanted to devour on that surprise-laced sexy smile. Smile that always brightens up her face like a star.

  Vikram brushes his hair in place as he waits at the door. The deadbolt clicks and then the door is flung open.

  “Yes.” A man dressed in a pair of rugged denim jeans and a V-neck polo tee stands at the doorway. His deep-set eyes scan Vikram from head to toe and then he speaks again, “Mister Jaysingh, Natasha’s boss. Right?”

  “Yeah.” Vikram swallows a knot formed at the base of his throat.

  “Natz… Look who’s here.” The man twists his neck and yells.

  Next Vikram notices Natasha walking into the living room with the baby in her arms.

  “Hey! You here.” A nervous stare studies him for a while. She flinches as her eyes dart between Vikram and the man standing at the doorway.

  “Give me the baby. You treat your guest. After all, he’s your boss.” A smug decorates the man’s face as he secures the baby in his arms. Next moment, he disappears inside the house.

  “Come.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Why did you never call?”

  “Forget that. Who the hell is he?”

  Natasha is quiet and her silence is deafening to Vikram’s hear.

  “Do you want to have some coffee?” Natasha strides to the open kitchen, ignoring Vikram’s question.

  Vikram follows her to the kitchen and grabs her by her elbow. He spins her around and grabs her other arm with his opposite hand, holding her in place. He fixes his eyes on hers. “Don’t tell me you’ve patched up with your ex. Is he your…”?

  “You’re hurting me.” Natasha squirms in his arms and Vikram loosens his grip. In rage, he forgets he’s hurting the woman he loves from all his heart and body and soul.

  Natasha frees herself. “Yes, I’ve patched up with Rishabh.” She rubs her right arm. Vikram feels sorry but he’s not yet ready to apologize. He wants to settle the ex-thing first.

  “What the hell, Natz? You said you loved me and then you patched up with the bastard. How the hell you can do this?” Vikram feels his heart clench with anger, pain, and disappointment.

  “I’ve done what I think is best for us.”

  “For us?

  “Yes.”

  “What the fuck?” Vikram turns back and wipes his sweaty forehead. He pinches the bridge of his nose before turning around, facing Natasha. “Look. Enough of the shit. Tell me you’re done with your ex and ready to move in with me. I’m ready to adopt Kabeer. We would be a happy family. You can’t have your ex back in your life, Natz when you've spent…”

  “Nights with you, Vikram?”

  “Those weren’t only nights, Natz. We trusted each other with everything. How can you break t
hat trust, those promises you made? Shit. I can’t believe you’re the same woman I wanted to spend my life with.”

  “You’re right, Vikram. I’m not the one you wanted to spend your life with. Go and find a better woman.”

  “Natz, please. Tell me this is a joke. Please.” Vikram again reaches her out and grabs her arms.

  “This isn’t a joke, Vicky. I and Rishabh have patched up.”

  “Stop it. Stop calling me Vicky.” At once, his grip loosens, and his hands drop from her arms. At once, he turns around and marches to the door.

  “We’re done, Natasha Malik. Once and for all.” At the door, he speaks and storms out of the house.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Vikram wakes up to a ringing phone. He gropes for the mobile on the side table, an excruciating headache rising from the base of his neck. Vikram glances the screen and immediately puts the phone close to his ear. All sleep is gone, and the rising headache is now threatening a debilitating hangover.

  “Mom, you okay?” Vikram gasps, his heart pounding hard against his chest.

  “I’m fine, darling.”

  “It must be night for you.”

  “Do I need to bother about the time if I have to call my son?”

  “Of course not, Mom. It’s morning here but it must be your sleeping time. Tell me you’re all well.”

  “I’m as healthy as a horse, dear son.”

  Vikram heaves a sigh of relief. “You sound good.”

  “How are things at Jaysingh’s?”

  “Ah... I’m just hoping to get the company back on track. Investors' talks and meets are going on. Hopefully soon I’d reach to a point where I can say things are getting better. But nothing to worry about. I can handle that.”

  “I’m sure you can handle that. So what’s up on the personal front.”

  “Nothing new, Mom.” Vikram lets out a ragged breath. Silence follows as Vikram’s mind wander back into the past, to Natasha.

  “You all right, son?”

  Vikram feels a lump forming at the back of his throat. He swallows hard and clears his throat, gulping back emotions. “I’m heartbroken, Mom.”

  “Are you crying?”

  Vikram couldn’t utter a single word except letting out a painful grunt.

  “Who’s the woman?”

  “I knew her from high school, but we’d never talked back then. Couple months ago, I met her at a pub…” Vikram tells his mother the entire tale of confessing his love to Natasha.

  “Does she love you?”

  “I don’t know. She said she loved me and wanted to be with me. But then she broke all the promises and patched up with her ex. I don’t know if it's because of the baby she sorted out differences with her ex or...”

  “Why don’t you talk to her once again.”

  “There’s nothing left to talk. They are a happy family and I’m an outsider.”

  “Often things are not as they appear. There’s a difference between perception and reality.”

  “I haven’t noticed anything wrong. They looked very happy, together.”

  “The way you’ve described your relationship with her, I'm sure there’s certainly some reason behind her changed behavior. Find out, Vikram.”

  “I don’t know if I want to see her ever again.”

  “Have you fired her?”

  “No. She will work as long as she wants.”

  “With you working in the same office as her boss, there are high chances you’ll never be able to forget her.”

  “I can’t fire her, Mom.”

  “You still want her back, do you?”

  Vikram feels his heart shattering into pieces the moment he thinks about firing Natasha from the job. This way, he would lose all hopes of getting her back. Is he still hoping of getting her back in his life?

  “Yes. I want her back.”

  “Then do yourself a favor. Ask her to meet you in person and find out the truth about her strange behavior.”

  “This isn’t going to be easy. She behaved as if we never knew each other when a few days ago she and I both vowed to be together.”

  “Talk to her. Communication is very important between two people.”

  “I will.” Vikram notices the morning sun spreading across the room, sprinkling its warm glow all over. “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Take care.”

  “You too, Mom.”

  ***

  “Come to my room,” Vikram speaks on the phone.

  Next moment, the door creaks open and Keshav makes an appearance.

  He reaches the table and slides into one of the front chairs. “Yup, boss.”

  “Have you checked these?” Vikram slides the laptop to Keshav.

  “Shit!” Keshav groans, his eyes widening. “What the hell is this?”

  “Lakhs are missing. Someone is misusing the company’s funds.”

  “Who?” Keshav speaks.

  Vikram is silent as his eyes lock with Keshav’s curious ones.

  “When did Natasha join office?” Vikram feels his throat constricting. A jumble of panic, apprehension, and anxiety washes over him as he glances at Keshav.

  “You mean after maternity?"

  Vikram nods.

  "A week ago.”

  “Did you tally the dates?” Vikram asks.

  Keshav again focuses his eyes to the screen. “You mean she’s…” His words trail.

  Vikram pushes his chair and stands upright. Marching to the window, he pulls out a cigarette pack from his coat's pocket. He picks a fag and secures it between his lips. Lighting the cancer stick, he pulls in ruthlessly, holds it longer than usual and exhales, glancing out. The traffic swarms on the road.

  “Stop the audit. Make some excuse,” Vikram speaks, cigarette dangling at the corner of his mouth. He shoves his hands in his pants’ pockets and pivots on his heels.

  “And what should I tell them?”

  Vikram turns around. “Tell them, we would like to have an internal audit first before going for an external one. Manipulate the figures before the internal audit begins. Save her.”

  “Okay. I will do the needful and let you know.” Keshav pushes the chair and stands upright. He reaches out to Vikram and places a hand on his shoulder. “Take care of yourself, Vicky.”

  Next moment, Keshav is gone.

  Vikram slides into his chair and picks up the extension.

  “Send Natasha Malik to my room.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Natasha feels her feet tremble the moment she’s summoned to Vikram Jaysingh’s room. What the hell is going to happen? Either the sky will fall on her head or the ground will shift beneath her feet. She’s not ready to face Vikram Jaysingh, not now, not ever. The way she’s broken his heart she’s not even worthy of his hatred.

  What is he going to do now? Kill her. Better. At least, she would be able to escape from the life-and-death situation she’s in right now. The moment Natasha thinks about her death, Kabeer’s cute face flashes in her mind’s eye.

  Damn. She can’t even embrace death.

  Natasha trudges to Vikram’s room and knocks the door.

  “Come in.” The timbre of his voice assaults Natasha’s senses. Gathering herself together, she pushes the door.

  Natasha enters the room and notices him standing near the window. He has his back to her. With slow shaky steps, she reaches the table and waits for his next order.

  “Sit.” He turns around and his charcoal gaze lands on her. Natasha quickly averts his gaze away from his charming face. She buries her stare to the table as she pulls the chair and slides into it. The sexy assaulter then occupies the front chair.

  “I’m giving you a fifty percent hike. Let me know if it’s enough for you or not.”

  “What?” At once, Natasha lifts her head and gazes at the specimen of manly perfection and ruthless dominance.

  He pins her from his intense dark gaze, swiveling in his chair, twirling the pen with his coarse fingers. Yes, they are coarse and rough. She
knows them. She has felt them on her cheeks, her lips, her breasts and at places that are private. He has explored her body with harsh roughness. He has marked her. He has left impressions on her heart.

  “I don’t need any hike. I'm already getting what I deserve."

  “Then why the hell did you… Shit.” Vikram rises from his chair and turns around. Facing the window, he shoves his hands in his pants’ pockets.

  Damn! He knows everything. God please! Split open the ground and let me bury myself beneath it before he accuses me of stealing money from his company. Natasha burrows her stare to the table. The chair in front of her is pulled again, its feet scratching against the tiled floor.

  “Look at me.” His commanding voice enters her ears and Natasha feels all blood freezing in her veins. She does as she is asked to. The moment her eyes meet with the dark penetrating ones, her heart hammers hard against her chest. Should I tell him everything?

  Yes, You should. Her inner voice echoes in her head.

  “If you had said it once, I would have given you the password to my personal bank account.” He stops for a while, clears his throat and then speaks again, “Do you know that we’re having external auditors coming to the company? Good that I checked the data and stopped the audit.”

  Natasha notices, Vikram massaging his forehead. He then leans on the table and rests his palms against the wooden top.

  “You saved me. Thank you.” Voice chokes in Natasha’s throat. She somehow manages to speak. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  “Would you please tell me why the hell did you need so much money?”

  “I can’t.”

  Vikram stands upright. He smirks, flaunting perfect rows of sparkling teeth. His eyes still fixed on Natasha while she fidgets, squirms in her chair, pushes imaginary strands of hair behind her ear, bites her bottom lip.

  “So typical of you, Natasha Malik. Always hiding the real thing. But I’m not going to let you leave without knowing the truth. Tell me. Speak up the real thing, dammit."

  Natasha must come up with something genuine. His unwavering gestures make Natasha’s feet wobble with anxiety. Her hands tremble and her whole-body shivers. Cold sweat runs down her spine as she lifts her gaze and her eyes meet with the obsidian pools of sheer brutality. She notices curiosity, anger, hatred, love all dancing in the depth of those dark as night eyes.