Chapter 37: chapter 37

Adhiraj struggled to push Imara's thoughts away as he dealt with the chaos at the car showroom all night. But once he returned home, her presence flooded his mind with an overwhelming intensity. Even in his sleep, he couldn't escape her image, her emotions, her vulnerability, and her defiance. It was as if she carried a pain so deep that words could never fully express it. Deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that the disagreement between their families and the breakup were not the only reasons for her to leave her home. There was something more that drove Imara to take that decision.Now, as he saw her walk away, leaving her breakfast behind and without a packed lunch, he couldn't help but wonder what would she eat at noon. Feeling concerned, he swiftly grabbed his phone and sent a text to Sanchit.“Raj...what exactly happened?” Jaidev's question snapped him out of his thoughts."It wasn't a short-circuit, Dad. Someone used an employee's access card to enter the server room where all the wiring is," Adhiraj explained, his tone filled with worry.“Who was the employee?” Samrat asked.Adhiraj let out a heavy sigh and enjoyed another mouthful of the divine halwa before responding, "He had an accident yesterday on his way back home. He's in the hospital and his ID card wasn't in his bag.”Everyone else shared worried glances as Virender delved deeper, "Did you try to get the footage from the surveillance cameras in that area?”Adhiraj confirmed, "I did. The authorities handed it over. But there was no useful information.”Samrat began, "This implies..."That the suspect was already inside the showroom when it was closed for the day," Adhiraj interrupted. "I have instructed Sanchit to retrieve the CCTV footage for the entire day.""I will take care of it, Bhaiya!" Atharv responded, "You should take rest. It has been a long night for you!"Adhiraj shook his head, stating, "It's fine! I have got it.”“Alright,” Vandana interrupted. "Enough business talk over breakfast!" causing everyone to fall silent and mutter apologies."I'm taking Imara, Anika, and Tarushi to visit our Kuldevi Temple on Sunday!" Vandana announced, receiving acknowledgement from Anika and Tarushi but a puzzled look from Jaidev."By yourself?" He asked.“Yes,” Vandana affirmed with a nod. “Daughters-in-law go alone with their mother-in-law. Husbands are not allowed, and we must spend a night there.”That earned her a collective eye roll from Atharv and Samrat, but Adhiraj remained unfazed. He wasn't the least bit concerned about Imara's plans to win Mission Dadu because he knew she would obediently follow Vandana. Imara held a deep respect for his mother, and he could feel it in his bones. Otherwise, she wouldn't have willingly participated in this traditional ritual and prepared such a delectable halwa today.As for him, the moment he discovered that it was Imara who had cooked it, an overwhelming desire surged within him, urging him to gently caress her face and tenderly taste her lips in a kiss that would leave her weak in the knees."I'll take care of the arrangements..." he declared, casting a glance at Vandana before rising from his seat and sauntering off to take yet another nap.----------Imara inquired eagerly upon entering her office, "Ish, any update on the meeting?”"They've requested an online meeting. The person in charge of school operations is currently on leave, and the substitute is working remotely," Isha clarified.Imara quickly powered up her laptop and inquired, "Great! When is it scheduled for?”Isha glanced at Imara with concern before responding, "Just an hour."Imara's curiosity piqued as she asked, "What happened?"Isha pulled a chair closer to her and sat down, leaning in to speak softly, "Imara..."Imara furrowed her brows, signalling for Isha to continue, but she hesitated before expressing, "Are you absolutely sure about this? I mean...the Shekhawats? I understand the circumstances surrounding the wedding, but...""Ish," Imara interrupted, her voice resolute, "You know me well enough to not finish that statement."With a nod, Isha left her office, silently wishing that Imara would come to her senses about the path she was on. She had already suffered too much for something that wasn't her fault.An hour passed, and Imara found herself seated in front of her laptop. She began the meeting by saying, "Good morning, Mrs. Arora! I'm Imara, one of the owners of Little Tyke, and this is Isha!" as she gestured towards Isha."Good morning, Imara and Isha! Feel free to call me Nikita!""Absolutely!" Imara responded, a soft smile adorning her face.Nikita returned her smiled as she spoke, "We have seen your catalogue. It is truly impressive. We are interested in personalised learning toys for our primary students, featuring our logo. I have the specifications and learning objectives prepared. When can we expect the samples?""We can have the samples and prototypes ready for you in approximately a week," Imara responded, glancing at Isha for approval, who nodded in agreement.Nikita nodded in agreement, "Sounds fantastic! Shall we meet in our office next week?”"Absolutely!" Imara responded while Isha nodded in approval before concluding the meeting.Afterwards, Imara couldn't contain her excitement and squealed with joy, while Isha smiled at her happy expression and remarked, "I found it too easy!”"Ish, it doesn't matter to me. We need those orders to keep going. And this one will serve a dual purpose," Imara replied, engrossed in reviewing the requirements sent by Nikita via email.Isha left Imara by herself then. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on her mind, causing her to consider whether she should confide in someone, anyone, to ensure that the message reached Adhiraj, but ultimately decided against it. Imara was not to blame; she was forced into the marriage, even threatened. And she would be betraying her friend if she went for a second option, i.e., informing her family. Isha's unwavering loyalty lay with Imara, and so she resolved to remain by her side, offering support and protection, ensuring that no harm befell her.It wasn’t until three hours later that Isha waltzed into Imara’s office, announcing, “Time for lunch!”Imara's stomach immediately protested at the mention of food, prompting her to close her laptop, push it away, and get up from her chair to wash her hands."You must also pay a visit to the production floor. Otherwise the staff will stop recognising you," Isha exclaimed while arranging the lunch."I intend to! This week! Once the sample design is finished, I will personally join the production floor to manufacture these toys," Imara responded as she returned and took a seat to have her lunch.At that moment, there was a knock on the door and Imara called out, "Come in!”She raised an eyebrow as the office boy, Mahesh, strolled in, carrying a mysterious package."Madam, it has your name on it,” he said, extending it towards Imara.She cautiously accepted the package, while Isha's curious gaze followed its every move. There was no indication of the sender's name, but a note on it simply read, 'Lunch - Imara!'She glanced at Isha, who looked just as confused. "You sure you didn’t order it?” Isha asked.She gave her head a vigorous shake, as if trying to dislodge any lingering doubts, before tearing open the package to reveal its contents. Inside, she found a note that she quickly extracted. The message on it said, 'To win the challenge, you must stay in shape. Remember to eat on time. Adhiraj!’“Ughhh,” Imara let out an audible groan, and Isha snatched the note from her. And then she burst into a fit of laughter, driving Imara up the wall. In a fit of rage, Imara shoved aside the lunch that Adhiraj had sent and shamelessly dove into Isha's meal. Meanwhile, Isha pulled back the package and sneakily peeked at its contents.The aroma wafted through Imara's office, instantly transporting her back in time, and she couldn't help but stop eating before she snatched the box from Isha's grasp, unveiling its contents with eager anticipation. Her eyes grew wider than the moon upon seeing her beloved Kathal Biryani from a renowned Delhi cafe. The aroma alone was enough to transport her taste buds to cloud nine. “How does the man know your choices?” Isha questioned, reclaiming the box and taking in the divine aroma.Imara was torn between indulging in the delicious Kathal Biryani or following the angel on her shoulder, telling her not to touch it. Just then, Isha chimed in with her two cents, "I know you won't touch it. I'll take care of that. You can have what I brought.”She then stuffed a spoonful into her mouth and let out a loud moan of pleasure. Imara's mouth instantly started watering, and without thinking twice, she snatched it away from Isha, declaring, "I may hate him, but I definitely love this Kathal Biryani!" She proceeded to devour it with pure satisfaction, causing Isha to beam with amusement.'Looks like the way to a woman's heart is through stomach too!' Isha mused.