Imara tightly gripped the armrest of her chair, her fingers trembling. Summoning every ounce of courage, she willed herself to rise, but her legs betrayed her, causing her to stumble. Just in the nick of time, she grasped the edge of the table, its smooth surface providing a much-needed anchor. As she steadied herself, her heart raced, and her palms grew clammy with sweat.She couldnât meet his eyes, feeling overwhelmed by his physical presence around her after such a long time. A lump formed in her throat, making it hard to speak. Her eyes brimmed with tears, blurring her vision. In a weak, barely audible whisper, she managed to croak out, âMahesh! Bring some snacks and tea for the guest!âThe sound of the door clicking shut caught her attention, and she finally managed to look up, only to be met with the shock mirrored on Dheerajâs face. Their eyes briefly met, a silent acknowledgment of the complicated emotions that hung heavily in the air. Unable to maintain eye contact, she quickly looked away. A heavy silence hung in the room, broken only by her laboured breaths.Dheeraj, somehow, maintained his gaze on hers, carefully observing the transformation in her appearanceâthe absence of her natural smile, the emptiness in her eyes that once sparkled with joy. And who was to blame for this change? Him, only him! A weak and spineless man who couldnât fight for their love. The same love he had promised would never fade away.But had it faded now? He asked himself, and the answer was a resounding no. However, his emotions had undergone a shift because he was now married, and happily so, for he loved his wife dearly. She had accepted him despite his inability to fulfil the role of a husband, as he was still in love with someone else when he married her. The innocent girl she was, she had embraced this reality. And he couldnât help but fall deeper for her. Furthermore, the relentless pressure from his mother to have a child had compelled him and his wife to live as husband and wife.âPlease have a seat,â Imaraâs strained voice snapped him out of his daze.All he could do was nod and take a seat across from her. How was it possible that the file didnât have the name of the toy factoryâs owner? He wondered. If he had known it was Imara, he would have assigned the task to someone else.âImara,â Isha exclaimed as soon as she opened the door. With Dheerajâs back turned to her, she couldnât find out it was him, so she cheerfully asked, âHi! Are you from the Saraswati Group of Schools?âDheeraj nodded, and Imara looked away, struggling to catch her breath. Isha noticed the change in Imaraâs demeanour and couldnât help but take a step forward. Now she felt a strange sense of familiarity, and her jaw tensed as she looked at his side profile.Ishaâs voice trembled as she whispered, âDheeraj,â her shock evident in her tone.In response, he rose from his seat, slowly turning to face Isha. His voice, surprisingly calm, filled the room as he asked, âIsha! How are you?â His face maintained the same smile as before, masking any hint of the turmoil within.Isha stood frozen, unable to comprehend the absurdity of the situation. Ignoring his greeting, she spoke firmly, âI hope you donât mind giving us a moment alone. After that, Iâll show you around the factory.â Her words carried a professional edge.With an understanding nod, Dheeraj walked out of the office, for he, too, needed a moment to collect himself.âImu,â Isha whispered, rushing towards her friend and embracing her tightly. Imara buried herself in Ishaâs chest. She wrapped her arms around Isha as tears streamed down her face. She longed to scream, to unleash her anger, to show just how hurt she was by the memories, both good and bad, that she had lived with and without him. She longed to confess to Isha that her friend had been right all along, that Imara should never have agreed to this contract. But who could have predicted that destiny would play such a cruel joke on her?Isha comforted her, whispering softly, âCalm down, Imu. Iâll find a way to make him leave, or we can ask for a different representative.âImaraâs body convulsed with sobs, and Isha held her even tighter, whispering, âYou should go home and rest, alright?âImara immediately shook her head. The last thing she wanted was Adhiraj breathing down her neck as he demanded why was she upset? Though she had decided to leave him because she loved someone else, she couldnât escape her anxiety over how Adhiraj would react. That man was dead serious about their marriage. She knew that if he found out that she was upset because of the person she had once been in a relationship with, his anger would unleash like a raging storm.Sensing Imaraâs need for space, Isha backed away and tenderly cradled Imaraâs face, urging, âIf not, then confront him, Imu. It wasnât your fault. You were true to your relationship. You stood for your love, he didnât.âWith her words still lingering in the air, Isha left. Imara covered her face with trembling hands, her sobs echoing in the room, her head throbbing with pain.âââââIsha finished guiding Dheeraj around the factory, pointing out the process involved in making a toy. âAnd here,â she said, âis where we pack the toys,â as the workers busily assembled boxes.He couldnât help but notice how rude Isha sounded when explaining things to him. Simultaneously, he couldnât ignore his own keen interest in learning about Imaraâs factory. This was the same girl who had once declared her aversion to business, stating her preference for a regular 9 to 5 job. She believed that people in business rarely had time for their families, with no fixed days off and endless work. Yet here she was, treading the path she had despised. Dheeraj couldnât help but wonder if it was all because of him. Was she punishing herself because of him? This thought irked him and his heart ached for her.âIf you have no more questions, you may leave, Mr. Pandit,â Isha stated, her voice carrying authority as she walked out of the packing floor.âIsha, hold on,â Dheerajâs voice echoed as he rushed to catch up with her. âImara...ââDonât,â Isha interjected firmly, shaking her head. âDonât you dare mention her name! She has got nothing to do with you, and the same goes for you. I will request your management to assign a different representative. I donât want to see you anywhere near my friend.âIsha turned away, determined to put Dheeraj in his place. However, he couldnât bear to let her go without a final plea. âIsha, please!ââWhat âpleaseâ are you talking about, Mr. Pandit?â Isha snapped, her eyes filled with fury. âDidnât she say âpleaseâ when you asked her to leave your life?â Her voice trembled with emotion as she continued, âI lost my friend because of your spineless attitude. You punished her for the actions of her family. That day, when she left your home in tears, you didnât even spare her a second glance. And ever since, she hasnât stopped crying,â Ishaâs voice cracked, tears welling up in her own eyes as she spoke.Dheeraj flinched, his voice strained as he whispered, âI had no choice, Isha...ââWe always have choices, Mr. Pandit. These were your words when you were our team lead,â Isha snapped.Dheeraj shook his head, but Isha, without giving him a chance to speak, went on, âYou gave her hope, a dream of a future which you didnât fulfil. Her father did the same. She was betrayed by both you and her father, the two people she trusted and loved with her life. You broke her to an end where she cannot even accept love back in her life. She is even unable to accept the love her husband showers upon her.â Isha yelled, pointing an accusing finger at him, âAll because of you!âDheeraj winced. He was aware that Imara was now married. The news of Namita Thakur running away and Imara marrying Adhiraj had shocked him. It was all over the news and made him feel uneasy, knowing that she was now someone elseâs wife. However, he couldnât deny that he was in a similar situation. He, too, had married someone else under immense pressure and threats from his mother. At one point, his mother had even left the house and disappeared, making it impossible for Dheeraj to find her. Eventually, he located her, and she agreed to return under the condition that he cut off all ties with Imara and marry the person chosen by his parents. He felt trapped. He had no choice.With her lips trembling, Isha whispered, âPlease leave and never show your face again,â her mind replaying the image of a broken Imara.Suddenly, Dheerajâs heart was stirred by an indescribable sensation, as if a missing piece of his life had fallen into place, revealing that what he had been seeking for the past year was right here, in this exact moment and place. He was seeking peace and it would come only when he had apologised to Imara. He had been a coward to not do this sooner. He left her; she didnât.And so, he shook her head, declaring, âI need to talk to her.âBefore Isha could refuse, Dheeraj had hurried up the stairs and marched into Imaraâs office.
Chapter 60: chapter 60
The Fated Knot•Words: 9243