*Not edited
*past in italics
*thoughts are also in italics
*dedicated to AshAangiStan your support means a lot sis ❤️

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Raghav sighed when he saw Ajay waiting for him in his cabin as soon as he entered.

"What now Mr. Ajay" Raghav's tone just meant 'ipo enna panna kathirukan nu theriyaliyae'

"Not much just a little help" Ajay smiled and Raghav gave an annoyed expression.

"Do you remember what your Little help history is? You asked me to hire your under qualified best friend in this top company, then you asked to increase her salary, then you asked me to give her some important post and it turned out to he Mr. Ashwin's assistant for which you even held my collar, then you asked, my top employee, most talented Karthika to assist them, even I did that. now What should I do?" Raghav's words just made Ajay laugh.

Raghav being good to Ajay and Aparna doesn't mean he is a saint, he touchered other employees and Ajay did that with him.

" only one more help, just Hire one more person. Don't worry he is over qualified for that post, but just hire him okay. I will mail you his resume" said Ajay and Raghav nodded his head like a scapegoat.

"That's nice" Ajay said and went out of that cabin, he can't risk getting caught to Aprana now, there is a lot of things he has to accomplish now.

That morning was beautiful for Ashwin as he woke up with a smile. The morning breeze which entered through the open window and caressed his face making his lips curve more.

It has been years, when he felt sane like this before and then there was she in this same room, As his wife.

Even though he was afraid to her broken again, he decided to take risk, if anything went wrong, he can then easily convince his heart which blame him for lack of effort every other day.

Ignoring his thoughts he got freshen up and stood before the mirror setting his hairs.

'don't act like a teenager you ere 32 for God's sake act like one' his mind chided as usual and he frowned. That's there to bother if he is not a teenager anymore, he never did all those impressing things back In those days and if needed he will do that now.

Taking a deep sigh and boosting his confidence, he was determined to face her bravely today, though he might end up in getting a slap form her.

Aparna as usual reached her cabin and felt weird for some reason. The feeling of someone starring at her made her uncomfortable.

She looked up towards Ashwin's cabin and found him working in his laptop. Ignoring her thoughts, she opened her laptop to find the list of work Mr. Ashwin might have assigned to her.

She blinked her eyed snc took a closer look when she found her to-do list empty. '8th wonder of the world that I'm finding my to do list empty' she thought. But the happiness went to drain when her intercom ringed.

'here it comes,' she murmured before walking towards Ashwin's cabin.

Her legs froze when she saw him with a big smile on his face. "Hello Ms. Aparna. Good morning. Have a seat" and she looked at him as if he is some Alien escaped form Andromeda Galaxy.

"What?" he asked when she looked at him with shocked expression.

"I know that I'm hot and irresistible at times, but that doesn't mean that you can gape at me in work Ms. Aparna" he said with a smirk and Aprna's heart skipped a beat.

'is he drunk? His face doesn't look like that though.. "Aparna's mind cackled.

" Hey" he waved his hands before her face and she got back to her trance.

"Mr. Ashwin.... Why did you Called me here?" she asked not really sure about what gotten into him.

"oh That! I called you just to admire your flawless face" he spoke and she stood up form the chair and he suddenly composed his expressions.

"I-mean, why - why should I call you then? To give you work only. Do I look like I'm joking around by calling you? " he started with a stumber and yelled at the end.

"Sorry Mr. Ashwin, tell me what should I do now?" she asked with a stern face, even though she is confused.

'just be mine' he wanted say but he don't wanted to die then.

"There is a borad meeting in the morning which you have to attend with me and prepare the report, and there will he a party tonight, As my assistant you have to attend it" the smirk didn't left his face as he fixed his eyes on her.

"Sorry Mr. Ashwin I'm not your permenent assistant, and I can't attend any party" she declared and Ashwin felt a deep pain in his heart as he saw some annoyance in her face. 

"Then you can glady resign this job" he said and regretted next second as a fear gripped his heart.

'What if she really have resignation?' His conscious feared.

'Then you'll die in Ajay's hands that guy have you a chance that itself is a world wonder, now go and mess up everything then became a Devdas' as usual his mind chided.

You are my mind, you are supposed to support me in between the inner turmoil, Ashwin did forgot about the girl who is starting at him with a confused face.

"okay Mr. Ashwin, I will be there at the party, just because I don't want to satisfy your arrogant ego" came her reply and Ashwin nodded with small smile.

"see you there then" he said and she walked away cursing him in her mind.

Ashwin left a sigh. Now he has to organize a non scheduled borad meeting and a party to make all the things blabbered a minute before into reality.

'think before you lie idiot' he yelled at his own self as he started sending invitations to the guests regarding the party he planned few minutes before.

He dailed his Secretary and asked him to make all arrangements. Ashwin had no idea abouts the consequences of the plan he formulated. But he know one thing, he can spend quantity of time with her though this.

Ashwin trusted that the best way to make one speak is to trigger their emotions, but less that he knows then that anyone can use the same technique with him.

Aparna was leisurely completing her pending works when her intercom ringed.

"What now Mr. Ashwin?" she asked expressing her annoyence. If someone else was there in his position she would have hidden her annoyence and when It's there is no need for that.

"The board meeting was canceled so I'm giving you another work now" he said and frowned.

"we have intercoms in our office, you could have used that to tell this information Mr. Ashwin" she said in a mocking tone.

"intercoms don't show faces, does it?" he muttered.

"okay that's a nonsense talk, leave now and continue your work" Ashwin forced her to walk back before she could think of his words.

Aprana reached her cabin and thought about the happenings of the whole day. He was surely behaving weird but there is no proper reason to justify his actions.

This time Aparna really felt worried. Till yesterday he didn't bothered about her presence so did he, but now if he kept behaving like this She will surely have a hard time controlling her emotions.

And top of that why in the hell he has to smile at her like that. Aparna had no idea how to control her racing heart which is betraying her everyone when it's him.

She saw something different in his eyes today, something she saw very rarely in his eyes, a kind of emotion that has the potential to destroy her. She saw passion in his eyes, unexpianable passion and yearning she saw in his penetrative eyes send s shiver through her spine.

Last time she saw this emotion, he killed her soul alive, and once again the same emotion made her fear, fear the worst.

"my emotions and feelings are not for you Aparna, they were never for you" his words echoed in her mind.

What if she the glow in his eyes was for someone else? Aparna's heart pained. But she can't expect him to have anything for her, she don't want them too.

As long as he stays away form her as a stranger, her sanity will be safe. Aparna knows one thing, the closer he gets the mote pain of past is going to hunt her.

But the resons she decided to attend that party was different, if that was a party for board members, she can meet her Mother their. Among all the pain and sufferings the one which hunted her the most is the distance and hate of her mother.

She never saw her once in these five years, and if there is a chance to meet her Aparna don't want to miss that. Not now, when she has no idea weather she will she get such a chance again or not.

Aprana took a half day off that day and reached her apartment. She has to. Prepare herself for the party, mentally and emotionally.

There is high chance for her to meet the people of her past, who may taunt her, talk ill of her, even bring her pain, but she has to maintain her strong self.

When opened her wardrobe after freshing up and searched for a good saree to wear. There is nothing much new and elegant. She don't remember when she last went to an expensive shop in this five years, and she don't want to look low infront of anyone in that.

Making herself strong enough she opened that bag she kept closed years except for the times she cried over it.

She took out one designer saree and caressed it slowly. It looked good as new even after years, one of the very few assets she bought with her when she left everything behind.

That silver sarre glowed under the rooms lights. The last time she wore this saree, she was still Mrs. Ashwin Rajagopalan. Those memories are gonna to hunt her this night, but she knows that Aparna was strong enough to face it.

She opened another box from that bag and took out some diamond ornaments form them to adore herself. She haven't done this in a long time, yet she decided to do that. She wanted to prove one thing to the people she is going to face, that she is still the Same lady they know form past and her decision didnt caused her any damage

She took the makeup box Ajay gifted him weeks ago. She was such lover of makeups once.... Though everything changed now, she atleast wanted pretend as if nothing changed.

She informed Ajay and then decided to get an taxi to reach the venue.

Ashwin made sure that no one from their past was there in that party. He don't want her to get broken because of his selfish deals. Only his new clients and the borad members of that new company, attended that party.

The party vibe stirred Ashwin's memeoires. They attended hundreds of parties as couple and now all those memeoires hunted him.

"Ashiwn, all ready?" Chitra who came there asked and Ashwin nodded his head in positive. He called Chitra specially so that Aprana feel a bit comfortable with her.

When he informed this to Ajay he did shouted at him as usual, but then got convinced somehow.

Ashwin was not sure how this party thing is going to but he know one thing, they shared thousands of memories in parties and atleast one will reach her mind again and make her express herself in anyway and even if it gives Ashwin gives a glint of her emotions he will be more than happy.

There was once a time, when he can read her mind effortlessly and now lacking the ability to guess her emotions made him feel week and vulnerable.

Ashwin's thoughts left his mind and pain crepted it when he saw her at the entrence.

She glowed like that silver moon in that Designer saree, not just any designer saree, but their reception saree.

Flashes of that day stirred his emotions as he felt his plan backfiring at him.  He can never forgot that 20 year old Aparna, who stood beside him as his bride after sacrificing her whole carear.

He can never forgive himself for marrying her that day but they had no other way that day to escape the maze fate casted upon them.

With his whole mind blacked out he walked towards her, with uncertain emotions occupying his heart and soul.

Ajay sat in the resrurent opposite to that party hall, waiting for his associate.

After what felt like an entirity she showed up with her ever lasting smile.

"Do you even know the spelling of the word  punctuality? Leave it I know that you don't know, so tell me what is the plan?" Ajay asked.

He had no other way than asking the support of Sara, who studied with him in US and also a good friend.

"Man! I travelled form Dehli to here, just to help me and you are annoyed just because I'm late. No doubt why you are still single" Ajay frowned at her comment and she laughed at him.

"leave that cutie, let's go to our plan, I arranged a person to bring both of them together, hope he will do the best, let is wait here to know what happens" she said in a cool tone.

"if something went wrong then you are going to face my wrath Sara" Ajay said in a cold tone.

"Don't given me that look Ajay, you look too irresistible like that and I may end up in flirting with you which I won't do during work hours" she said and  Ajay folded his lips to control saying anything back.

"stop talking nonsense Sara. I'm already worried about something which may go wrong" Ajay held his head.

"Trust me Ajay. You should consider yourself lucky to get me to work as your friend's cupid. You are not even paying me. Atleast get me a ice-cream so that I can promise on that, that nothing will go wrong" Sara said and Ajay sighed.

'her mouth deserves a duct tape for sure' he thought but smiled at her. Ajay knows that no one other than Sara has the influence to do the things he wants to do. So he has to keep calm in her case.

Aparna saw Ashwin who is starring at her without blinking. His intense eyes had something else in them which she wanted to read for sure.

His cold face turned into a sweet expression all of sudden as he waved at her with a thousand volt smile.

"Hey beautiful" he said nearing her and Aparna looked at him like is he possessed form some ghost or what?

But she felt a stab in her heart when she found him walking past her to hug someone else who is behind her..

With an unknown pain in her heart she turned the other side only to find the person she never wanted to meet standing there with a smirk in his face..

This night is not going to go well and she can sense that at that instant.

So guys here is the next part and hope you liked this chapter too.

This is the longest chapter till now.. I'm happy to cross that 2600+ words.

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Take care everyone.

Love you all.