A/N: I hope you liked the last chapter. Thank you for the votes.

****

"How dare you put such a romantic gesture in front of me?" 

Her jaws tightened and with such a hyper look, Rudra could see his job flying away. He knew how arrogant she was even though he would deny it sometimes. He now knew, what other's laugh and a few people's advice meant to him. Her anger reached his eyes and a reply from a throaty and raspy voice came up.

"Mein. (I..) ." Rudra wasn't allowed to complete as Maya reaffirmed her grip on his collars and spoke in a louder tone," All these might have worked years back and even many times with different people but it won't sell here."

"Maya.." He just called out to stop her while she just removed her grip from his collars and moved a few meters apart. She had her index finger held out as a warning sign as she proclaimed,

" I hate romance in real life and I hate everything about it! Just get that in your head and tell me why did you do this? Just because of the liberty of being my fan or to get media attention? "

"I want an interview of Maya Jaisingh!"  He spoke firmly

He didn't miss the smirk on Maya Jaisingh's face alomg with a smug smile.

"Really?" She asked and chuckled a bit before she warned him," Small standards and big dreams will always cause bloodshed! And look at you! What standard or manner do you have to interview me?" She questioned his worth and insulted him in her attitude inching a few steps closer to him.

"Miss Maya, with all due respect, you don't have any right to insult me or backlash me! I haven't done any...." He was stopped by her shouted which accused him,

"Yes, you did a mistake! You committed a grave mistake today by recreating the same scene in front of me. Make sure that we do not meet under the same topic, Mr Rudra." Maya warned him and walked towards the door. She gave a final glare towards Rudra who had curled his fingers to form a fist.

***

As Maya bang opened the door, she was surrounded by media. She heard many questions as she emerged out.

'What is going on between them? '
'Are they similar to Arjun and Maya?'
'What is the relation between Maya and Rudra? '

She was so frustrated with their statements and their mention of 'Arjun'. She pushed a media person while trying to get out of the crowd who were attacking her like a swarm of bees. She just made her way out of the crowd and increased her pace trying to maintain her demeanour.

Inside, Rudra was just dumbfounded at the conversation. What was going on? He was sure not to get an interview and even he didn't want one now! He just walked out of the room after a big up-heave of his chest.

As Rudra went outside, he was attacked by the reporters and he knew everything was a mess. He was shot a lot of questions but one instantly caught his mind.  He started going through the crowd and announced," Neither I nor Maya should be questioned on this topic. "

He increased his pace and walked out. He just waved his premium card to the security and the man stopped the reporters at the gate. Wearing his helmet, he rode his bike before people could catch him. As he rode through the bike, he was angry and crestfallen. He knew that he had a tough decision to make as he either had to get it somehow or resign from his job or choose Kriti Sanon. 

***

With Maya entering the workout room in the same dress she wore during the ceremony, she was frustrated when the ping of her phone increased her irritation to the next level. The time was so great as she threw her phone breaking it into smithereens after taking a look. It looked as after reading it, she got agitated further. Her eyes which were getting clouded brought a few flashes of the past.

Closing her ears, she let her tears fall as her head kept on stumbling up and down. As she stood in front of the mirror table, she clutched her hands on the chair in front of the mirror. As she kept on perspiring, she just closed her eyes only to get the images of Rudra spreading the rose petals.

Soon enough, a bullet of memories started hunting her. She just screamed," Stop!" She got very angry and started swiping things through the table. Everything fell and she let out a  scream out of frustration. With her nose flaring and teeth-gritting, she slumped next to the chair on the floor.

She felt succumbed to the injuries she had received on her mind. She felt frustrated as she could control herself. Neither her mind nor  her eyes could be controlled in bringing unwanted visuals and sounds. She tried to remember her words which she had heard in the morning. She tried to close her ears and started rewinding but it went futile.

She had listened to what the normal Maya had to say but the frustrated Maya wouldn't hear or listen to such a topic when she was being hunted down slowly.

She felt sweat running through her body and she felt discomfort. She didn't know how to describe it but her mind bounced back to the same incident. She couldn't control anything! She just rubbed her whole body with her palms...

With her whole body vibrating, she tried to get good visuals when her eyes closed automatically but nothing of that sort appeared. It was enough for her! As she got up, she limped a little as she had sat on the floor for a long time.

Going to the small cabinets which were at her neck level, she opened them and found her collection of accolades and other things but she didn't get what she wanted. Checking every cabinet, she just got fed up and rubbed her fist against her scalp in irritation.

Kneeling, she searched the cabinets down and just pulled the things out in frustration. Finally, her eyes fell on something and a smile bloomed.

****

As Rudra reached the office, he knew it was quite late. All the lights around his cabin were switched off and he sighed in relief. He knew that everyone would pounce him with questions.

As he walked into his small open cubicle, he saw that Ritwik was sitting there with a small smile. He just stood up and widened his arms to take him into a hug. He smiled before hugging him. Rudra needed a hug and Ritwik was a perfect mind-reader. Ritwik broke the hug and they sat down next to each other after Rudra pulled the chair next to Ritwik.

They don't know how much time they had spent in silence but it was needed for Rudra to just process everything and calm down.

"I might have to resign since I told Sir that I will resign if I don't get the interview of Maya. Otherwise, there should be a compromise." Rudra proclaimed.

"When the first step is already taken, it's unfair to take 2 steps back. Think about it! You are passionate but you shouldn't let one try to make you step back." Ritwik asked after a few moments of silence,"  When are you going home? You need rest after the exhausting day!" Ritwik advised after a few minutes and he said," I will be leaving soon! I need to get everything done. "

As Rudra said that, he just got up and turned towards his table. He started arranging his things while he heard Ritwik asking him, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Saturday always coincides with Beer. Let's go? " Rudra asked with a smile and it totally changed Ritwik's narrowed eyes.

*****

Picking the white translucent box out with shivering hands, the smile never left her. She positioned herself as she sat on the ground. With a thin layer of tears glistening, she just kissed the box before she opened it.

Tearing a packet, she took a syringe and kept it on the floor. Picking an ampule from a collection of many, she just broke the head of the ampule with her fingers. Tearing a packet of the needle, she picked the needle and fixed it to the syringe. Plunging the syringe into the liquid, she felt contradictory emotions invading her simultaneously.

Pulling the piston against the internal pressure, the white liquid gushed into the syringe. Placing the syringe on her lap, she tied the blue and white hospital band around her upper arm and tightened it using her teeth. Holding the end of the band with her teeth, she just arched her head back before the final move.

Taking the syringe, she plunged the medicine down the most visible vein. Arching her head backwards, her head was now against the foot of the couch. A smile erupted on her face as the medicine travelled down. The medicine made her smile wider.

After the piston reached the end of the tube, she was smiling and she closed her eyes in ecstasy. The medicine indeed had a big effect on her. She let her fall her back against the wooden carpeted wall and let her close her eyes in peace.

****

As Ritwik and Rudra sat on one of the stools of the pub, a large music party was going on and all of them were enjoying it. Rudra was lost and Ritwik noticed it. Ritwik nudged the absent-minded Rudra by his shoulder and told Rudra after taking a sip of beer," Don't be a low-spirited man!"

"She just shouted at me for spreading petals. You know, I had to steal an entry pass to get inside after your message. She just scolded me." Rudra whined as his unsober self spoke. Would original Rudra whine like a child? Ritwik had never seen such a Rudra. He was upset and his voice depicted the same.

"Woah! That's something new. Anyway, I still haven't called Arjun Mittal for the interview who is your Maya's ex-boyfriend!"  Ritwik said to lighten the situation.

"Best Friends got ex-girlfriend and ex-boyfriend. I hope your case is contradictory to what happened with mine! Maya is seriously an arrogant actress. I justified her like hell but she just proved me wrong!" He said with an upset face. Perks of being one of her biggest fans!

"I will be with you for whatever decision you make," Ritwik assured him and Rudra just nodded before gulping the whole liquid.

***

As Rudra entered his house, he was intoxicated with beer. Closing the door, he retired to his bedroom to see Rishi sleeping on his bed... Changing his shirt to a t-shirt, he sat on the chair of the computer table.

He was intoxicated and his body was acting to alcohol but he didn't want to sleep. Picking his phone, he reduced the screen brightness in the darkroom. Taking the list of recently used apps, he clicked every app to check if there was anything important to be rechecked. His eyes finally fell on the recorder app and he narrowed his eyes on why he had opened it.

Allowing his body to slump on the black couch, he just dragged his whole self along with a book and pen to the couch. Toxicity was something grave and he clicked on the latest recording after attaching the headphone.

Picking the pen up, he was about to write when it caught his consciousness. It was the recording of Maya's and his fight. He just rubbed his face with his right hand and listened to the conversation.

His eyes were drooping but he tried to remain conscious. He wrote whatever she had said and taken a look at his notification which pinged. He just muttered a curse on who was even staying awake at 1:07 am except him.

But the notification was from his e-mail and that e-mail was from Maya's website. It had the title 'Maya Jaisingh has posted a new writing'. It had a link attached to it but he didn't want to open it as his mind was still on the sentences written in the book.

As he closed it, he had to re-open it to notice something in the link. The link caught his eyes and he opened the link. He scrolled down through his phone as he read it. He did not think twice before taking a screenshot of the same after he finished.

"I am coming for you, Maya." He said with a devilish grin.

****

A/N: The next part is updated. Do take a look and let me know how it was. Negative criticisms are accepted.