Mumbai,

Sky High Restaurant,

Maahi's Pov-

I sighed for the nth time when the guy sitting across from me didn't shut up. The only thing which has kept me going since this guy has opened his mouth is the bottle of red wine which I have finished almost half.

I took another sip and tried to ignore the nonsense he has been spewing since we have sat down for this forced dinner.

Well at least from my side this was a forced dinner, actually it was a fraud dinner because my family didn't disclose the actual reason for this dinner. I had thought this was a business dinner and that's why I had agreed to come here in the first place, but looks like my family is serious about finding a groom for me this time.

"Tell me something about yourself? "The guy finally noticed I haven't spoken since our initial introduction.

" I....I don't like to talk much, but you please continue" I said and the guy was like a dumbo,who didn't understand my disinterest in having dinner with him and kept talking about himself.

I sighed and tried to listen to him but I couldn't focus,my mind was busy these days.

"Ha,toh jab mein London mein tha na,tabhi se I used to give business advice to my friends and trust me they used to be amazed hearing all that,but for people like us this is in our blood right?"He said, I just nodded my head at that,not sure what I was nodding at though.

"And uske baad I did my MBA from Stanford,my father was so proud that day,I was the topper of my batch and that day he was sure that I am more than capable of handling his multimillionaire business " He continued the tale he was telling me but my mind was stuck somewhere else.

Who needs an MBA to be sure of running a multimillionaire business??

"And right from that day, there was no looking back, I turned my dad's multimillionaire business into a multi billionaire business. Sounds like a smooth trip but trust me only I know what it takes to build something like that " He said and I kept staring at his face.

What does it take to build a multi billionaire business right from scratch  with no generational wealth? Did he know that?

" And all of that was only possible because I understood this little game of words, you give your word and stand by it, it works in the world like that to build position and reputation to be successful" He ranted his story.

Little did he know what it takes to stand and build a position, a reputation when God snatches away the only thing man can have-

A word.

In a world like that,building a position, a name, a status when you can't even give a word to someone,because you are mute and you still fucking build an empire from scratch is what you call success.

The guy kept blabbering about himself,I didn't hear a single word because my mind was stuck on another person who was sitting miles away from me.

God knows what he was doing now?

Was he even fine?

I know I have hurt him beyond repair,but that wasn't what I had intended on doing.

It happened but it wasn't a mistake, I was being selfish, I panicked, I freaked out. But I had my reasons.

I can never make him understand my reasons. But that doesn't spare me from the consequences of my actions.

I felt my throat getting dry and tears trying to form in my eyes. Yet this hell of a man didn't wish to even look at me whether the other person on the table is even fine leave alone interested in having any conversation with him.

He would have taken me in his arms by now had he seen me this quiet and disinterested.

I sighed and stared at the waiter who was about to serve me dinner.

I got up and that got me both the men's attention .

"Ritik,it was a really nice meeting with you but I have some very urgent work which needs assistance right now!I hope you enjoy your dinner though!"I said, picked up my phone and walked away without listening to what he had to say.

I walked out of the restaurant and sighed in relief,finally feeling free from that torturous dinner which I didn't want to go to in the first place.

Khanna uncle walked towards me and I sighed as I stared at him.

"Gaadi ready krwa du ma'am?"He asked.

"Yes please Khanna uncle" I said as I wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

The car was brought and I settled inside it, finally sighing in relief as I went away. But the turmoil of emotions, the guilt, the regret of uttering those words was not going to stop. It was becoming worse and I didn't want to cry right here in the car where Khanna uncle and the driver were present, they obviously would tell this to my family which is the last thing I want right now.

I sighed,my gaze stuck on the road which passed by, suddenly I spotted a small chaat stall.

"Stop the car!"I said immediately making the driver hit the brake suddenly which jerked me forward but that was the least of my concern right now.

I got down the car before my security could open the door for me.

"Kya hua Maahi ma'am??"Khanna Uncle asked me.

"I will just be back"I simply said and started walking across the street,towards the chaat stall.

The security did try to follow me but I gestured them to stay.

"Kya chahiye madam?"The chaat vendor asked me once he saw me approach his stall but not order anything.

"Yaha khana h tumhe?? it's not good,bht unhygienic hota h yaha Kabir"I said but the stupid guy standing infront of me had already ordered a bhelpuri.

I just stared at him in disbelief when he had the first bite of that bhelpuri and he closed his eyes as if he was eating the most delicious delicacy of this world.

"Ek bhelpuri....ekdam teekhi"I said when I remembered what he would have ordered.

"Teekha bht teekha ho jayega madam "The vendor said and I just gestured him with my hand to go ahead with it.

A few mins later he handed me the bhelpuri,wrapped in a newspaper with a plastic spoon.

I walked back to my car and received shocked looks from my security team but I ignored them and settled in the car.

I had a bite of the bhelpuri and surely the vendor wasn't kidding when he said it was too spicy.

My mouth was on fire and my eyes started watering on it's own.

"Yeh mat khaiye ma'am,yeh acha nhi hoga"Khanna uncle said once he too sat in the car and saw me having the bhelpuri from the rear view mirror.

I just shook my head at him and continued having the spicy bhelpuri which had made me shed tears by now.

Atleast this way I won't have to hide my tears or the reason behind them.

"Ma'am aa ro rahi h?"Khanna uncle's voice laced with concern reached me.

"Yeh thoda..theekha h na isliye"I managed to say between my tears.

This pain was nothing compared to what I had inflicted on him.

"Tum sach bolti ho na isliye logo ko kadwa lagta h,pr sach bolna galat toh nhi h,toh tum galat jese hui?"I remembered one of his texts which I always remember whenever someone says I am being rude.

He would always defend me,even from myself.

I don't know how he saw goodness in me when everyone around me mocked me for being arrogant and rude.

Another bite in,more tears out.

"Pr tum roo kyu rahi ho??this isn't something we can't solve Maahi!!!rona kisi problem ka solution nhi hota h"He had said to me when I had almost accepted my defeat regarding the most important thing of my life.

I couldn't help but cry even more remembering this.

I couldn't do anything except cry if he wasn't here to wipe my tears.

"Don't worry mein tumhe jhel lunga zindagi bhar, chodke jana toh koi option hi nhi hai "He texted me when I had thrown a tantrum about something.

But what happened now??

When he had promised me that they will never be over each other, then why did it all stop?

Why did he not call me?

Why was he not talking to me now?

I stuffed my mouth with another spoonful of bhelpuri,my eyes shedding more tears which made me feel vulnerable.

"Tum sirf dikhti sakt ho!ander se ekdam mulayam ho,like a coconut,hard from the outside,soft and sweet from the inside"He texted me that and he was the first person to say something like that to me.

And now he wasn't saying anything, not talking to me not answering my calls,my texts!

I shed tears after tears as I kept recalling the time we had spent with each other.

He hadn't argued with me that day, hadn't signed a word to me when I had said we were over.

But I knew he was deeply hurt by my statement,completely shattered yet wouldn't show his broken self to me or anybody else.

Khanna uncle stared at me from the rear view mirror with worried eyes.

What was I doing ??

He must be thinking I was a fool to eat this if it was making me cry so much.

"Mat khaiye aap yeh"He told me but I shook my head at that and stuffed another spoonful of it into my mouth.

"Aapko takleef hogi ma'am,chod dijiye usse"Khanna said but I shook my head in denial at that.

This trouble and pain was nothing compared to what he had suffered that day.

He was already broken and I broke him more!

He was happy being alone.

I chose him,I chose this relationship and he just stood by my choice.

Like he stood by my side in every problem of my life.

I know he was either going to go in a shell or live with a fake smile so that his family doesn't get worried about him.

"Khanna uncle,office chaliye" I said and Khanna frowned hearing my odd request.

We were supposed to go to Sehgal House but right now I wasn't in a condition to go home, that was only going to make everyone worried. And I know once everyone starts asking me, I won't be able to hide this, I will breakdown in front of them. That would be the worst thing.

"Ma'am,ghar nhi jaana h?"Khanna uncle asked as he stared at me through the rear view mirror.

I wiped my tears which kept flowing,the spicy bhelpuri was finished and yet my tears weren't.

"Kuch....kuch important kaam h office mein" I  said as I tried to speak in my normal tone which wasn't possible due to the tears.

"Abhi bht raat ho gayi h ma'am,ghar pr sab pareshan honge aapke liye"Khanna uncle said but I shook my head at that.

If I go home now in this condition they would be even more worried.

"Mein inform kr dungi ghar pr,aap office chaliye" I said and Khanna couldn't help but agree with me then.

I never disrespect Khanna uncle,not only because he was older than me but also because he was  chote papa's right hand and so  I have grown up watching him and so automatically I had respect for him without him demanding it.

The driver drove us towards the office and I got down the car as soon as we reached the office which was closed and the watchman stood up immediately seeing her.

"Ma'am aap,iss waqt?"The watchman couldn't help but say

They weren't expecting their boss to show up late at night.

I ignored him and walked inside and the other guard was quick to open the main door which had a digital lock.

The other guards who stood guarding the huge building saw their boss at this time and were a bit surprised but didn't dare to voice it out.

I was the boss, I had the authority to enter and leave as I pleased.

I quickly made my way towards the lift,Khanna uncle tried to follow me but I denied him from doing so.

"Aap neeche hi rahiye Khanna uncle,mera kaam ho jayega toh mein aa jaungi" I said and the lift doors closed letting me finally leave the tears I had been holding.

My sobs were filling the empty lift, nobody there to hear them or see my vulnerability.

Maahi Sehgal doesn't have the privilege to cry in front of the world after all.

The lift stopped and I got out of it and walked towards my cabin, shedding tears.

It was me who hurt him with my words, with that rage inside me.

I must live with it now!

But right in this moment these thoughts were just making me cry more.

I was crying because I had lost something very precious to me

Why did it all have to happen?

With each tear I shed I was punishing myself for hurting him so much,the heartbroken look he had when I saw him for the last time on that video call wasn't leaving my mind.

Why did I have to hurt him so much?

We could have discussed and sorted things out like two mature individuals.

But unfortunately I didn't have the mindfulness to do so, because if we had sat and discussed things he would have never left me. We would have been happy in our little peace in our long distance relationship.

But I was that selfish person.

I wanted more from him.

But in that want,I wasn't ready to sacrifice and I also didn't want him to sacrifice anything when he had very little to hold onto.

So,I did the only thing I could do now.

Cry.

I kept my face in between my palms and let my tears flow down along with the pain I felt right now in my heart.

Maybe, crying now would make me strong enough to not cry again especially not in front of my family.

I wish he was here.

He would have wrapped me in his arms,rocked me like a baby,caressed my back and pressed warm kisses on my head to soothe me,to stop my tears.

After a long time when there were no more tears left to shed,no more strength in me to cry,I stopped.

I stopped it all,the thoughts,the self-loathing,the pain, everything.

I went to the washroom to wash my face and my sorrow away too.

I can't sit and cry,I had a lot of responsibilities.

I can drown in my own pain.

So I did what Maahi was supposed to.

I controlled my emotions,let my heart take a back seat and started using my brain again.

I sat on my chair,turned my PC on and did the only thing which could distract me.

Work.

After sometime,

The door of my cabin opened and I turned to look at who dared to enter without my permission.

"Chote papa"I said when I saw him enter my cabin.

That's when it hit me that I had been working since night and it was morning now.

Shit!

How can I lose track of the time?

"Good morning"I wished him and he just nodded in response.

Something was off about him.

He didn't seemed to be in a good mood today.

"Tum kal raat se yaha ho?"He finally spoke something and I nodded my head at that.

I am sure the guards and Khanna Uncle would have told him everything already.

"You should go and rest then"He simply said and that didn't surprise me.

I was sure he would have noticed my not so good appearance.The tears and crying,plus the lack of sleep must have turned me into a zombie.

"Mein Ghar hi jaa rahi thi abhi wese bhi"I said as I picked up my phone and got up and he nodded at that.

"Chote papa meine aapko woh Agarwal's wali PPT forward kr di h,12 baje meeting h unke saath aap dekh lijiye ek baar,I will be back before that"I said as I turned to leave.

"Go and rest,I will handle the meeting"He said but I shook my head at that.

"Mein aa jaungi chote papa"I said and left before he would deny me or lecture me on taking care of my health.

I sat in the car and the driver drove me towards Sehgal House.

The clink of my heels against the floor made everyone look at me as I entered the house.

Everyone has left for their respective work places and schools so it was only dadu-dadi,chote dadu-choti-dadi and bhai in the house.

"Ab aa rahi h tu ghar?!"I heard my Mumma's voice and sighed.

"Good morning all of you"I said as I tried to sneak away towards my room

"Aisa konsa kaam tha ki tum raat bhar office mein thi?"Mumma asked staring at me.

"Woh ek important meeting h aaj ussi ki presentation pr kaam kr rahi thi"I lied smoothly.

But it was partly true.

"Aur kal raat aisi bhi kya emergency thi ki tumhe dinner chodkr jaana pada?" Dadu asked and I sighed hearing that.

So the little rat had rattled about me  leaving the dinner mid way to my family,such a snitch!

"Tu dinner chodkr chali gayi?woh bhi beech mein?"my dadi asked as she was surprised to hear that.

The whole family was aware about my dinner meeting with the guy who could be my prospective groom.

"I don't think Ritik and I are compatible,it was too boring and I couldn't sit there any longer plus aap logo ko mujhe pehle hi bata dena tha ki yeh ek date set up tha na ki ek business meeting"I said and they all gave me a confused look hearing that.

"It's Rishabh" Chote dadu cleared out and I groaned hearing that.

How can I get the person's name wrong with whom I was going for dinner?

"Tujhe uss ladke ka naam tak yaad nhi h!" My mother said in surprise.

"Exactly,If I can't remember his name,he is not worth it" I said and turned to leave but dadu stopped me.

"Baat puri krke jao Maahi,I don't expect such behaviour from you" He said because I usually don't act like this.

"Maahi,even if you don't find that man as the one,you can't just leave him suddenly, that's disrespectful" Dadi said and I just nodded my head at that.

"Pr aap sabko mujhe bata dena tha aise dinner pr bhejne se pehle,I thought it was a business dinner" I said and nobody said anything to that.

I was having a terrible headache now because of all the tears I had  shedd the whole night.

And I didn't want to enter into an argument with my family now,they were right after all,yet I wasn't guilty of what I did.

"Ladka toh acha hi h pr puttar aur kya ho gaya agar tu uske saath date pr gayi thi toh?" My choti dadi asked.

"Mujhe uske saath date pr jaane mein koi interest nhi tha dadi,plus usne shayad aapke saamne muh nhi khola hoga isliye aapko acha laga hoga woh"I  said and Nirvair bhai chuckled hearing that.

"Jaa tu freshen up ho ja jaakr,baadmein baat krte h iss sab ke baare mein"Nirvair said and I was grateful he said that.

I came down after a much needed shower.

"Ab bata kya hua?"Nirvair bhai asked as he continued sitting on the dining table while mumma served me breakfast.

"Usse khaane de shanti se,baadmein puch lena tu" Mumma chided him and Nirvair bhai rolled his eyes hearing that.

"Come on mumma,khate khate bhi bata sakti h,bata kya hua?kuch ulta sulta bol diya kya uss ladke ne?"Nirvair bhai asked and I rolled my eyes but shook my head in denial at that.

"Phir?" dadi too asked and I sighed.

"Mujhe nhi lagta Ritik and I are compatible,bas!" I said trying to end the conversation.

"Rishabh!"Nirvair bhai again cleared out and I sighed hearing that.

"I don't care whatever his name is" I said and got up but mumma was quick to stop me.

"Naashta khatam kr pehele" She said and I sighed hearing that.

"Office mein kr lungi,I am running late anyways and I am not really in a mood to recall yesterday's boring dinner" I said knowing well that they all would keep asking about it if I sit here.

"Nobody is going to bother you,have your breakfast Maahi" dadu said but I shook my head at that and gulped the glass of juice in a hurry.

I was indeed running late for work.

The tears and cries have ended now and so is the time to be vulnerable,I need to act like myself  again.

"I am really getting late dadu"I said and picked up the mobile phone and turned to leave but mumma was quick to wrap the paratha in a foil and hand it over to me.

"Raaste mein khaate huye chali jana bas!" Mumma said and I sighed with the paratha in my hand.

" Kam ka zyada stress toh nhi hai na?? Pichle hafte se dekh rahi hu khana bhi nhi kha rahi hai dhang se, itna kam mat kiya kar itne employees kis kam ke hai fir agar tujhe itna stress lena hai toh " Mumma said and I just nodded.

How do I tell them that the week was so hectic for me. Not because of the work but because of myself, because he wasn't talking to me.

"Ek aur ladka cancel" Dadi said and Nirvair bhai rolled his eyes hearing that.

"Thik h na dadi jab uska mann hoga aur usse koi pasand aa jayega tab kr legi shadi, what's the hurry?"Nirvair bhai asked.

"Koi jaldi nhi h,pr usse abhi tak kisi ko atleast dhund toh lena chahiye tha na?" Mumma said as she wanted her daughter to have someone in her life apart from the family as well.

My life has always revolved around my family, never letting people who aren't family get close to my heart and this thought was bothersome for both my parents.

They wanted me to have a partner whom I could lean on because the stoic and stern Maahi Sehgal hardly shows her vulnerability to anyone.

I didnt even show it to my parents thinking they might get worried.

"Maahi aur pyaar?iss janam mein toh shayad impossible h"Nirvair bhai said and mumma smacked his shoulder.

"Faltu baat mat kr!tere jese ladke ko pyaar ho sakta h na,phir meri Maahi toh bht emotional h,sirf dikhati nhi h" Mumma said.

She believes her daughter had a very soft side which she rarely shows to people because of her strong headedness people think of her as an insensitive,rude and arrogant person,which she is not.

" Main ja rahi hu aap log continue kariye yeh sab " I said and left.

I sat in the car and stared at the paratha role in my hand.

This was the first thing I made him taste and he loved it. I still couldn't forget the amaze in his eyes as he tasted mumma's famous aloo paratha.

With that I lost my appetite.

I rolled the window down and gave it to the child asking for money. He happily took it and left.

I reached office and started towards the conference Hall. As I took steps towards the Hall my vision started blurring. The voice of my PA telling me the schedule and conference details faded to my ears. Last I know khanna uncle patting my cheeks and then my eyes closed down.