CHAPTER 12
FLASHBACK 1 ⅕ YEARS AGO
After AvNeil and PoojAm left to Bangalore, Ishana just concentrate on her job in a MNC company. Her boss impressed with her job and called her to his cabin one day.
Boss: Ms Ishana, you have been working here for almost a year. I must say you are really talented.
Ishu: Thank you, sir.
Boss: You know that our company is still new and we only receive small projects. If we want to reach the height quickly, we should get a big contract. There is one big contract where most of the companies are competing to get it. If we get the contract, it will be very useful for our company.
Ishu: (looks at him confusingly) You are right, sir. But why are you saying this to me??
Boss: Because you are the one going to do the presentation for that new project. (She looks at him in shock) And you are the one going to present it to them.
Ishu: (surprised) Me??
Boss: Yes, you. I have confidence in you, Ms Ishana. You can do it. (Ishana smiles happily) But, you need to go to Mumbai for presentation.
Ishu: No problem, sir. I will go.
Boss: Good. I will do all the arrangements for you to stay there. You will be leaving in another two days. (Gives a file) This file is having all the details about the project. You can start to prepare the presentation by referring this file.
Ishu: (takes the file) Sure, sir. Thank you. (Leaves from the cabin)
Ishana makes a video call to NeilGau and share the news with them. They feel very happy for her and congratulate her.
Neil: This is a great opportunity for you to prove yourself, Ishu. (Ishana grins happily)
Ishu: I should thank four of you for supporting me always. This won’t have happened if you all are not with me.
Gau: No, Ishu. It’s not because of us. Your effort and hardwork are the reason.
AvJa: Congrats, Ishu!!!
Ishu: (smiles) Thank you!! By the way, how is your honeymoon??
Avni: (blushes) Ishu, you…. We are not here for honeymoon.
Ishu: (teasingly) Really??
Pooja: (blushes) Enough of teasing us. You tell us which place are you going??
Ishu: (shakes her head) I won’t tell you now. I will tell after I come back.
Avni: Ok, fine. Who knows you might find your prince charming there.
Ishu: Prince charming!!?? My foot. That will happen in dreams and stories only. Not in real life.
Neil: Ishu, you are too bad. I am Avni’s prince charming ok?? (Hugs Avni’s arm)
Gau: And I’m Pooja’s prince charming. (Hugs Pooja’s arm)
Ishu: You both are not their prince charming!!! (NeilGau pretend to sulk) But, you both are their king charming. Prince is a very small word for you both. You both are the kings of their hearts. (AvNeil and PoojAm smile at her)
Pooja: One day you will find the king of your heart too. (Winks at her)
Ishu: You will continue to talk like this only. I have many works to do. I’ll talk to you later. Bye… (Ends the call)
Neil: (after ending the call) It’s very hard to change her mind. Don’t know what we have to do to change her opinion about love and marriage.
Avni: Don’t worry, Neil. She will definitely change her mind after she meets the one for her.
Gau: Who?? Prince charming??
Pooja: No. King charming. Our Ishu is a queen. She also will get her king that going to rule her heart with love. (Dreamily.)
Neil: If that happen, we are the first who will be the most happiest people in this world. (They smile hugging each other and look at Ishana’s smiling picture. Least they know, their dearest queen will not going to meet her king that going to rule her heart with love but she is going to meet a heartless devil who will rule her heart with hatred. Ishana smiles thinking of going to Mumbai. She doesn’t know her smile won’t be for long time. She is going to lose her beautiful smile soon.)
Ishana went to Mumbai after few days and get ready with the presentation. The client is impressed with her presentation and agreed to sign the business deal with her company. Ishana is very much happy as well as her boss who came to Mumbai as well.
Boss: Thank you so much, Ms Ishana. This contract is very important for us. I know you will definitely succeed in getting this contract.
Ishu: Thanks to you, sir for trusting me. If you didn’t give this opportunity, I must not realise my capability. I’m very happy that I was able to do something for our company.
Boss: But I’m not going to leave you like this. I have arranged a small party for you and all of our staffs in a five star hotel here.
Ishu: (surprised) What?? Our staffs are here??
Boss: Yes. I already told them that we got the contract and invited them here. They must have arrived now. So, get ready for the party tonight.
Ishu: Thank you so much, sir. See you tonight. (Leaves from there)
As her boss said, he has arranged a party at a five star hotel. All the staffs are there enjoying themselves. Ishana too joins them. Everyone are eating, drinking, chatting, dancing there.
FLASHBACK ENDS
AvJa are listening to her curiously. Rudra too listens to her holding Mishti in his arms.
Pooja: Then, what happened??
Ishu: (holds her head) I only remember till the party. After that, I don’t remember anything. The next day, I opened my eyes and saw that I’m in a hospital. They are saying that I did an accident and a girl died because of me.
Avni: What?? You did an accident?? I can’t believe it.
Ishu: In fact, I too can’t believe it. But, that is what I have been told. But, I can’t remember anything.
Pooja: Ok. Relax. Tell us what happened after that.
Ishu: The girl’s fiance shouted at me for causing her death. I felt so guilty and cursed myself for being careless that night. I supposed to come back to Delhi the next day but I postponed it. The thought of causing a girl’s death pierced my heart. I can’t even sleep peacefully thinking about her and how her family must feel losing her. I wanted to apologize to her family but I don’t know anything about them. So, I went to the hospital and asked about that girl’s family. They don’t know about her family but they told about her fiance. I decided to meet him and apologise to him. So, I went to his working place after few days.
Avni: Did you meet him??
Rudra: That is the biggest mistake she did.
AvJa: (confused) What??
FLASHBACK
Art Gallery
Ishana enters the art gallery and mesmerized seeing the paintings there. One of the female staff noticed her and goes towards her.
Girl: Excuse me, mam. Can I help you??
Ishu: (turns towards her) Woh… I want to meet Mr Omkara Singh Oberoi.
Girl: Sorry, mam. Sir doesn’t want to meet anyone now. You can meet him another day.
Ishu: I have to meet him today. It’s very important. Please go and tell him.
Girl: Sorry mam. He will shout at me if I go and disturb him.
Ishu: Please, sis…. It’s very important. (The girl melts looking at her pleading eyes)
Girl: Ok. I’ll go and tell him.
Ishu: (smiles) Thank you. (The girl leaves)
Omkara is sitting in his cabin thinking of Gauri. He recalls all the moments he spent together with her. His thought is broken by knock on his door. He opens the door and sees his staff there.
Staff: Sir, one girl is here to meet you.
Om: (sternly) I told you that I don’t want to meet anyone. Then, why are you disturbing me??
Staff: I know, sir but she said it’s very important and she is very adamant to meet you.
Om: (shouts) I said that I don’t want to meet anyone!! Ask her to leave!!
Ishana who is waiting at the reception is shocked to hear him shouting. The girl comes towards her.
Girl: I already told you that he won’t meet anyone. See how he is shouting.
Ishu: I’m sorry. But, I have to meet him.
Girl: Please mam, leave from here. Or sir will shout again.
Ishana sighs and turns to leave but her mobile rings that time. She sees Neil’s name and realised that she didn’t tell them anything about the accident. She doesn’t want them to worry her, so she decided to not to tell them now. She answers the call.
Ishu: Hi, Neil.
Neil: Hey… Have you back to Delhi??
Ishu: No, yaar. I’m still in Mu….. (realised she didn’t tell them where she went) I mean I will go back tomorrow. By the way, how are you all?? Where are Avni and PoojAm??
Gau: We are here only, dear. You are on loud speaker now. (Ishana chuckles)
Avni: Don’t worry about us. We all are fine here.
Ishu: (smiles) So, how long you all will be there??
Neil: We called you regarding that only. Ishu, tomorrow all of us are going to a forestry area regarding a case. We will be staying there till the case ends. The network connection will be very low and I don’t think we can contact with each other.
Ishu: What?? (sadly) How I’m going to live without talking to you all??
Avni: Aww my baby…. We too can’t live without talking to you. What we can do if the area is like that??
Gau: Ishu, why are you worrying?? You are staying with your bhaiya and bhabhi only.
Ishu: I know that, Gautham. But, you all know right bhaiya doesn’t like me at all. If I felt hurt, I will share it with you all. After this, I can’t talk with you. With whom I will share??
Pooja: We can understand, Ishu. But, just for some days. We will make these two to finish their works quickly and will return back to you as soon as possible. Ok??
Ishu: (smiles a little) Hmm… It’s ok. I think this is the time for me to live on my own without depending on anyone.
Neil: Ishu, you already living on your own.
Ishu: No, Neil. I’m still living under your shadows. You both didn’t let me to face any difficulties since small. You always there for me. Now, this is the time for me to face the struggles myself without depending on you.
Gau: Woww!! Our Ishu is going to become an independent girl. Good, Ishu.
Neil: That’s good, Ishu. Take care of yourself. Eat well. Ok??
Ishu: Ok. You all also take care of yourselves. Don’t concentrate on your job only. Remember you both are having your wives with you as well. Spend some time with them.
NeilGau: (salutes) Yes, madam!!
Ishu: (chuckles) AvJa, you both too be careful when they went out for their work. You are telling it’s a forestry area. It can be dangerous. So, be careful.
AvJa: (salutes too) Yes, madam!! (Ishana laughs)
Avni: We hope you already found your prince charming when we come back.
Ishu: No chance. That sort of person is not going to exist in my life.
Pooja: You can’t decide that, honey. Your destiny will decide it. Who knows he might be near you but you don’t realise it. (Ishana slaps her head.)
Avni: I agree with Pooja. Maybe he is near you now. (Teasingly)
Ishu: You both are just impossible. (Sighs) But guys, I will miss you very much.
AvNeil & PoojAm: We will miss you too!!
Ishu: I lo..ve you. I love you very much. Mmuuaahh. (Kisses her mobile)
AvNeil & PoojAm: We love you too!!! Mmuuaahh…. (Ends the call)
Ishana ends the call and kisses their picture which in her mobile screen saver. She feels someone’s presence behind her and turns. She sees a guy is staring at her with anger filled eyes. She felt like she has seen him before and tried to recall.
Ishu: (remembered him) Mr Omkara Singh Oberoi??
To be continue….