Hola everyone!

Thank you so much for your patience. I am feeling much better now. Finally, your writer is back with an update and as promised, its a long one.

I hope you like it. Also, your inline comments are always welcomed.

Happy reading ;)
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Waking up at his usual time, Sameer took a shower and begun to get dressed up for work. He opted for a light blue shirt and grey pants, pairing them with a dark grey tie and coat. Setting his silky hair in place, he made his way downstairs where Naina might already be waiting for him for the breakfast.

4 months back Sameer Maheshwari would have laughed out loud if he would have been told that he will be marrying someone. He has had his fair share of relationships in the past but none made him take them to a serious level. Neither those girls could change his perception, nor did he let them.

With Naina, he couldn't say anything. It's not like they were dating. They were still on the same page of friendship. Well, he was, but she had begun to experience something unusual. She had begun to smile and laugh more often in his presence.

Sitting at the dinner table, she saw him coming downstairs, his hands busy fixing the knot of his tie. Their deal was still on. Five days had already passed and she hadn't seen a single cigarette in his hand. She felt pleased to see that Sameer had been considerate enough to keep the value of their friendship. But sometimes, a thought used to pop in her mind, Will they always remain friends only?

It wasn't like she was striving for something more. She was more than okay with them being the same since she wasn't ready. But it seemed her heart had developed a mind of its own. It would flutter every time he would be in proximity to her and skip a beat whenever she would catch him smiling. It was all happening involuntarily. She didn't want to go with her heart for she had seen the consequences the last time she had listened to it. Yet, the question mark on their future would often leave her in deep thought.

"Good morning Naina." He greeted while taking his seat.

"Good morning." She smiled.

Ramdhari came with a casserole in his hands, "Namaste bhaiya."

"Namaste..." Sameer replied and continued before he could return to kitchen, "Sun, Tune aajkal kapde dhone ke liye koi naya detergent wagarah use karna start kar diya hai kya? Kafi soft rehte hain aur ab toh pehle ki tarah color fade bhi nahi hota..."

"Bhaiya, humein na Bhabhi ne samajhaya ki alag alag tarah ke kapde ke liye alag tareeka hota hai. Toh humne ab usi hisaab se unhe dhona shuru kar diya hai." Ramdhari told him and returned to the kitchen.

Sameer passed an appreciative smile towards Naina who just looked down in shyness and proceeded to pick the serving spoon. Her hand moved in its direction. At the same moment, his hand too reached for it, making their hands touch. The contact sent an electric current ran through their skins. She retreated her hand, him following the same pursing his lips. Leaving the spoon, he reached to lift the lid of the casserole. This time, she copied his actions making their hands collided again. Her fingers rested leisurely on his. They both instantly pulled them back.

Their gazes met and he began to chuckle at their absurdities.

"Tum serve kardo." He said gently to her.

She nodded and proceeded to serve the freshly cooked Poha on his plate after asking him to tell the desired quantity. The breakfast went on a good note with Ramdhari as their spectator. Moments like this would always make him thank Nanaji for his thoughtful decision. He had witnessed his Sameer baba's dreary phase when he had been going through his worsts and just prayed to erase all of the anguish buried inside him.

At the office, the whole staff had begun to witness a change in their boss's way of working and handling things. Ever since Sameer had begun to live with Nanu, he never turned to look back. All thanks to Nanu's principles, he became the person he is now. His integrity and allegiance towards his work had always earned him acclaim from everyone, even when he was just assisting Nanu. He never boasted about his intelligence in this field.

The news to make him the CEO of the company hadn't been less than a surprise for him. He had been apprehensive to take such a big responsibility but Nanu and Munna-Pandit had been his pillars to support him constantly.

After that night at Marine drive, when Naina had asked him to go with his intuition, he had begun to comply with her advice. The company was doing good by gaining profits from the orders they were receiving. Sameer had begun to visit the factory once a week to make sure everything was getting on properly. It was going all well, for now.

He entered his cabin and occupied his seat. It hadn't been even ten minutes when Aarav came in with a file that required his signatures.

"Sir, would you like to have anything? Tea, coffee?" He asked in a gentle tone.

Sameer shook his head while signing the papers and said, "Nahi rehne do abhi..."

Aarav nodded in understanding, "Waise sir, aaj Malik Enterprises ke Managing Director aapse milna chahte hain. In fact, unhone ek emergency meeting aaj hi ke liye schedule karne ko bola hai..."

"Emergency Meeting? Kyun, kya hua?" Sameer frowned.

"No idea sir but he seemed unhappy. Aap mujhe time bata dijiye, main usi ke according inform kar dunga." Aarav said.

"Tum dekhlo. Aaj ke schedule mein jo bhi time free ho usme rakh lete hain." He instructed Aarav.

"Ok sir." He said and left with the file. Sameer turned his attention back to his PC but the next second, the ringing bell of his phone grabbed his attention. It was an unknown number. With a frown on his face, he picked it and put it on his ear. As soon as the voice from the other side fell in his ear, he froze. In a minuscule of a second, his expression turned stone cold, fingers curled tightly into a fist, jaw clenched.

* * * * *

At lunchtime, Naina closed the file she was working on and put it aside, it was time to leave for his cabin. But before she could get up, the peon entered with the lunchbox and informed about Sameer sir being busy, so he had asked her to have the lunch without him.

She frowned thinking what might be so important, 'Kya Naina, tu kyun dukhi ho rahi hai, hoga kuch important kaam, koi baat nahi.' Her mind pacified. She politely thanked the peon and sat back on her chair after he left. Opening the box, she served herself with only a little amount of curry and a chapatti, suddenly feeling a loss of appetite.

The whole day she didn't catch his visual even for a single moment. Not knowing the reason, she was concerned. However, her distress heightened when the peon again conveyed his sir's message asking her to leave without him since it would be late.

She felt a bit dejected but was convinced that something was definitely wrong, so she decided to ask herself. She made her way towards his cabin and was about to knock when Aarav came beside her.

"I am sorry ma'am but sir ne mana kara hai kisiko bhi andar jaane se..." His face held a tinge of distress.

"Sab theek hai na? Lunch bhi nahi kara tha aaj unhone." She asked him.

His expression turned hesitant seeing her concern but then composed himself, "Yes ma'am, sab theek hai. Bas thoda order ko leke issue hai, isiliye Sir late ho jaayenge. Aap aaram se ghar jaaiye. Main driver ko phone kar dunga." She had heard from Smriti about the issue in order but she still was unaware of the whole thing.

"Umm...okay." She said in a slightly low voice.

He was struggling whether to tell her the truth or not, but the necessity of obeying his boss's order deterred him. But Naina was his wife, she needed to know so he called her before she could go, "Ma'am, listen." She turned. "Actually...sir thode gusse mein hai aaj...toh aap...I mean...aap dhyan rakhiyega..."

Although his words confused her, she nodded in understanding and left from there.

* * * * *

It was near to 11 but there was no sign of Sameer. Naina was in the living room sitting on the sofa. Waiting for him had gotten her to have the dinner alone and now she was working on some accounts to pass her time. The file laid open with some papers scattered on the table without being attended to. Her mind kept going back to him. This was the first time she was witnessing something like this. The clicking sound of the doorknob caught her attention.

Sameer entered inside loosening his tie furiously. His whole body reflected anger which was enough to wipe her doubts. He looked clearly discontented.

"Kafi late ho gaye aap?...Dinner serve kar dun aapke liye?" She asked testing the waters.

"Nahi." Came his prompt reply without looking at her.

"Kya baat hai Sameer?...Office mein sab thik hai na?" She asked hesitantly as she saw him going towards the stairs.

He halted in his place and took a few deep breaths to calm himself a little, "Naina...mujhe abhi koi baat nahi karni...just leave me alone..." He said in a strained voice clenching his jaw and started walking upstairs.

She was more concerned now. He had never acted like this. Everything was going good then what happened?

"Sameer...Sameer...Kya hua hai? Aap itna pareshan kis baat ko leke hain?" She asked walking on his heels.

He had just opened the door to enter his room to clear his mind but hearing her question made him lose his control. He slammed the door shut with so much force that she flinched. Swiveling around, he faced her. Seeing his bloodshot eyes, her feet took a few steps back instinctively.

"Tumse keh diya na maine...akela chhod do mujhe...samajh mein nahi aati tumhare?!" He yelled out.

She began to tug at her fingers not having seen him so furious.

"Nahi...main...wo-"

"Kya main...help karna chahti thi meri...sympathy dikhane aayi ho?! Haan haan duniya mein sabse samajhdar toh tum hi ho na. Main hi gadha hun na jo bina kisi ki help ke kuch nahi kar sakta." He was too angry to discern what he was saying.

"S-sameer...a-aap aisa...kyun bol rahe hain..." She stuttered knowing he was again blaming himself for everything.

"Huh! Kya galat keh raha hun main?! Tumhe kya fark padd raha hai...Tum toh har chiz mein perfect ho na...business mein, padhne mein, sincerity mein, har chiz mein... Isiliye Nanu tumse humesha khush rehte the...taarif karte the tumhari. Tumhe toh khushi hogi na bohot toh fir mujhe tasalli dene kyun aayi ho? Please, apna yeh jo achhe banne ka naatak hai na, band karo isey and stay out of my business. Koi zarurat nahi hai meri life mein interfere karne ki!" Hearing his accusations, her eyes widened in horror, tears brimming at the edges but he was so blinded by anger that he didn't see them and went inside. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. This wasn't the man she had seen in the morning. He was gentle and civil.

Her heart clenched and a teardrop trickled down her cheek as she repeated his words in her mind. It was like history was repeating itself but this time, she felt extremely hurt than the last time and she didn't even know why. She had promised herself not to be affected. The sound of another door being slammed shut inside his room fell in her ears.

His words had surely pricked her heart. 'Isiliye Nanu tumse humesha khush rehte the...taarif karte the tumhari...' Where did that come from? But then, a thought struck her mind, she still remembered how he had been apprehensive about fulfilling Nanu's dream. 'Kahi Sameer inn sab ke liye khud ko blame toh nahi kar rahe hain?' Her psyche supervised her to first dig out the reason he was behaving like that. She would have to look upon the situation more circumspectively.

Taking a few deep breaths, she blinked her eyes hard to get rid of the remaining tears and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. Taking a last glance at his door, she returned to her room.

On the other side, Sameer banged his fist on the wall in front of him. Standing under the shower, his chest heaved up and down. The ice-cold water cascaded down his naked torso. He couldn't think of any other way to calm the raging demon inside him but it seemed as if the coolness of the water wasn't enough to soothe the heat of anger radiating off his body.

The conversation between his mother and him still fresh in his mind. Yes, it was his mother who had chosen the perfect day to call him. The shipment issue was significant and he was tensed about it but his outrage arose because of her. Each and every word of hers were like jabs, sharp and bitter. He remembered it, all of it.

A few hours ago,

As soon as the voice from the other side fell in his ear, he froze. In a minuscule of a second, his expression turned stone cold, fingers curled tightly into a fist, jaw clenched.

"Sameer...sunn rahe ho na tum...Sameer..." Mrs. Somani said with a formal tinge in her tone.

"Kya kaam hai aapko...?!" He said through gritted teeth.

"Yeh kya tareeka hai apni mom se baat karne ka?!" She scolded.

"Nahi hai aap meri maa! Samajh mein aaya aapko? Mera koi relation nahi hai aapke saath!" His voice raised with each word.

"Sameer...please, maine tumse jhagda karne ke liye phone nahi kiya hai-"

"Fir toh baat hi khatam ho gayi na, kyuki iske alawa humari beech koi baat ho bhi nahi sakti. Better hoga aap mera time waste na karo..." Before he could press the red button, Mrs. Somani's next words stopped him.

"Sameer, maine tumhare bhale ke liye hi phone kiya hai..."

"Oh really?! Aapko meri fikar kabse hone lagi. Jahan tak mujhe yaad hai aapko sirf apni family ki chinta hai jisme main toh hu hi nahi." His face carried an expression of disgust as he spoke.

He heard her sigh and geared up for another fake emotional dramatic speech, "Sameer dekho...mujhe tumhari fikar hai. I know Papa ke jaane ke baad tumhari kya haalat ho rahi hogi...Jaanti hu tum naraaz ho kyuki main baad mein tumse milne nahi aa paai, but you have to understand, Vivek ke firm mein bohot zyada problems hui thi. Itna sab sambhalne ke chakkar mein time hi nahi mila..."

He chuckled humorlessly, "Really? Aap mushkil se pura din ruke the yahan Nanu ke time pe...aur ab aap ko yeh regret hai ki aap mujhse milne nahi aayi kyuki aapke husband ke business mein problems the...unbelievable. Waise main bhi kisse keh raha hun...jab aap apne bete ke upar unhe choose kar sakte ho toh kuch kehna hi bekar hai."

"Enough Sameer! Don't cross your limits! Chup chaap pehle puri baat suno meri!" Mrs. Somani yelled.

His face contorted in contempt.

"Dekho Sameer, mujhe pata hai tumhare liye sab kuch kitna mushkil ho raha hoga sab. Papa se bohot lagaav tha tumhe...aur unki har chiz se bhi. Aise mein sab kuch akele sambhalna aasan nahi hai. Tumne humesha se unke under kaam kiya hai. Tum akele nahi sambhal paaoge beta...Vivek ko bhi tumhari kaafi chinta ho rahi thi. He knows about the business world. Unhone samjhaya mujhe ki tumhari company market mein utna acha nahi kar paa rahi hai. Isiliye Vivek tumhari help karna chahte hain...agar tum inn ki company ke saath collaborate karloge toh acha rahega. It would be a very profitable deal. Tumhare liye bhi kaam aasan ho jaayega aur ho sakta hai humare indifferences bhi dur ho jaaye. Tum woh kya naam hai tumhari wife ka...mujhe yaad nahi hai...usko leke yahan aa jana. Vivek aur tum dono milke yahi se sab kuch sambhal lena."

She tried to keep her voice enthusiastic. Only if she knew about the fire she had blazed inside him. His grip on the phone tightened and the other hand clenched hard in a fist.

"Ab aayi na aap asli baat pe...mujhe pehle hi pata tha ki aapko kabhi meri fikar ho hi nahi sakti. Main itna bewakoof nahi hun jo aapke iraade na samjhu. I know very well, aap yeh sirf apne husband ki company ki reputation ke liye kar rahi ho. Aapko kya lagta hai mujhe nahi pata uss scandal ke bare mein jo abhi kuch din pehle hi hua tha. Sahi kehte hain log, kutte ki poonch humesha tedi ki tedi hi rehti hai. Aur isse kya matlab hai ki main akele kuch nahi sambhal sakta?! Akela nahi hu main, Nanu ka support aur Ashirwaad hai mere saath, aur jin logo ko meri parwah hai woh sab mere saath hai." He retorted.

He heard her chuckling sarcastically, "Sameer, be practical. Business world mein sentiments koi maayne nahi rakhte. Instead of being thankful to Vivek, tum ulta seedha bole jaa rahe ho. Ek toh unhone tumhare baare mein socha par tum ho ki- I am sure uss ladki ne hi tumhare dimaag mein yeh sab anaap shanaap bhar diya hai. Shayad Papa ne jaldi jaldi mein galat decision le liya. Ek toh tumhe akele ko company sambhalne ke liye de di hai aur upar se tumhari shaadi uss ladki se shaadi karwa di. Mujhe toh yeh samajh nahi aa rha kya dekh liya unhone usme. You deserved better Sameer."

Her venomous words made him bang his hand on the table, "Bas! Bohot sunli maine aapki bakwas! Samajhti kya ho aap apne aap ko...yahi lagta hai na aapko ki main kuch nahi kar sakta, aakhir bachpan se yahi toh bolte aa rahe the aap. But aap ek baat kaan khol ke sunn lijiye meri, iss company ko top pe lana Nanu ka sapna tha aur main iss sapne ko pura karke rahunga, and iske liye mujhe aapki ya aapke unn husband ki koi zarurat nahi hai." He said in cold yet firm tone.

"Yeh sab toh baad mein hi pata chalega. Jab baad mein help ke liye humaare paas ana padega na, dekhungi main tumhe. You are gonna regret it." She spat and before she could say further, he ended the call. He hadn't expected any sugar-coated words coming from her mouth yet she had managed to fume him.

After that, he had tried hard to keep his temper in check but the work pressure only kept it on the edge. Moreover, he had snapped on Naina without any fault of hers. It wasn't her concern but the look of pity in her eyes had pinched him. He loathed it. For now, what mattered to him was that he had challenged his mother and for that, he needed to take care of the already unsettling dispute.

Running a hand through his slick wet hair, he pinched the bridge of his nose. He was frustrated and just wanted to vent it out. Rotating the knob of the shower, he turned it off and pulled out a towel from the cabin to dry himself off. For a minute, he pondered over having a few drags of the cigarette but his heart refused.

That night, he kept turning and tossing on the bed. Sleep was far away from his eyes. He couldn't believe his mother would stoop so low when she should be supporting him. It's not like he was expecting any affection from her side but she was his mother for god's sake and he was her own blood. The loneliness was eating him inside making his heart clench with pain. He felt desolate.

Nanu wouldn't have let him go through all this. Only if he was there with him. He was missing him badly. All those bitter fragments of his past came back rushing. And when the jar of misery filled completely, he shut his eyes tightly and a tear slipped out from the corner of his eyes. Only the silence lingering around him was the witness of his anguish. He sniffed and turned to his side, eyes still closed. He didn't know when he went into a deep slumber.

* * * * *

Even the next day, Sameer was acting cold and distant with Naina. Through an employee, she had come to know that their recent order of fabric had undergone a shading variation defect due to which 10% of the shipped fabric had been returned. The receiver of the consignment was a company named 'Malik Enterprises' and apparently, the CEO had been a bit disappointed.

The fault had been for sure from the Quality Control Department side and they had already been reprimanded in the morning for this. After learning about the whole situation, her doubts were cleared. Sameer must be blaming himself for all this. But, as far as she had checked the stats, it wasn't much of a big concern to be angry as he was being.

She had been observing him since the morning. He was compromising his sleep and diet. This morning too, he had left early without having breakfast as told by Ramdhari. Sighing, she just hoped for him to be okay.

On the other side, the managing director left Sameer's cabin with a dull face resulting from his wrath. With a need to calm himself down, he exited his cabin to take a walk. While walking through the hallway, he heard two people talking, about him. On glimpsing, he found a middle-aged man and a woman. They stood unaware of his presence behind the sidewall.

"Waise ek baat hai, agar aaj Jaiprakash Sir hote toh yeh sab hota hi nahi, hai na?" The man said.

The lady nodded, "Yeh toh hai. Main bhi sochti hun ki pehle toh kabhi dikkat nahi hui kuch."

"Arey tab toh Sameer sir bhi kitne ache se karte the sab. Saath mein kaam karne mein aur akele karne mein fark hota hi hai. Agar aisa hi chalta raha toh iss company ka toh bhagwan hi maalik hai." The man remarked.

The comment was enough to trigger the emotions Sameer had been trying to get trapped in. He left immediately not even waiting for the lady's reply.

The blue blazer now seemed to be suffocating him. Discarding it, he threw it carelessly on the couch. Frustration was overtaking his sanity. He couldn't take it anymore and with a thud, sat down on his brown office chair. The last string of the strength he had gathered broke and so him. He clutched his hair tight, his breaths coming out labored. The wicked words of his so-called mother resonated around the room, filling up his mind with negativity. He felt utterly defeated. Out of nowhere, a voice in his head became to taunt him,

"Tujhse nahi hoga Sameer..."

"Tu nahi sambhal sakta kuch!"

The voice kept on amplifying until his mind screamed to get out of the place. Without caring about anything, he rushed to leave.

Naina on the other hand was oblivious to the whole scene. She was going through the tallies of their recent order. A few minutes later, Aarav barged in with worry written all over his face. He informed her about Sameer's abrupt exit.

Her eyebrows furrowed, "Sameer achanak se ghar chale gaye?" Seeing him tensed, she stood up and asked, "Kya hua unhe? Woh thik hai na?"

For a few seconds, he kept looking at her as he saw the concern etched over her face. He was aware of what relationship they both shared yet she was so worried about him, "Ma'am, sir bohot pareshan lag rahe the. I don't know kya hua par maine pehle Sir ko aise kabhi nahi dekha hai...I guess...I guess aapko ghar jaana chahiye..."

She nodded vehemently and began to gather her things. A certain kind of restlessness proceeded to envelop her. On the way home, she called him several times but he didn't pick. By the time she reached, the perturbation had gotten worse. Handing the fare to the Auto-driver, she hurried to go inside. The moment she shut the door, she was met by a dead silence that was enough to give her jitters.

"Sameer..." She called out his name, but no answer.

She checked the study, Nanu's room, the porch, and everywhere on the ground floor. Moving upstairs, she again called out for him thinking he might be in his room but in vain. She knocked on his door. No reply.

"Sameer...aap andar hain kya?" Still no reply.

She rotated the doorknob and to her luck, the door unlocked. The moment she took in the sight of the room, she gasped in horror. It seemed as if everything which had come in his hand was tossed on the floor. The vase laid crumbled into pieces on the floor. The pillows, one on the bed, another near the couch, and the bedsheet were lying recklessly. Papers and files were scrambled on the table. The white translucent curtains flapped as the cool breeze glided in through the window. The entire place was messed up with no sign of him. Where was he?

Just then, her gaze fell on the open door that led to the balcony. She hurried out but stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted him sitting on the sofa, gulping down a golden-yellow liquid from the glass. As she moved her gaze down, a curvy bottle with a long neck came into her vision. Even in the darkness of the night, she could figure out what it was. Although she was standing a few feet away, she could still notice the dark clouds of negativity lingering around him. He looked frustrated. Putting the glass back in the table with a thud, he poured himself another drink. Her feet carried her forwards on their own accord.

"Sameer..." His name disappeared in thin air as she whispered in disbelief.

She now stood behind him. He rotated in his place slowly to look at her. In a fraction of seconds, her eyes widened, and her heartbeat began to race. His disheveled appearance scared her out of her wits. Eyes bloodshot, tears smearing his cheeks, hair ruffled, the crumpled shirt, half in half out, his tie loosened up. Her heart twitched at the sight. A million thoughts were rushing in her mind, but she was too shocked to pay heed to them. He turned back. It's then when she noticed the glass he was holding.

"Mujhe akela chhod do Naina, jaao tum yahan se..." He took a sip and mumbled without looking at her.

"A-a-aapne yeh kya haalat bana rakhi hai apni..." She said when she felt her lost voice come back.

He didn't answer and continued sipping the drink. "Sameer...sab thik ho jaayega...aap please glass rakh dijiye..." She tried to convince him in a feeble voice.

Much to her concern, he began to chuckle, "Kya kaha tumne...sab thik ho jayega...mere saath kuch thik hua hai kabhi...never..." He lifted his face to look at her, "Funny na? Na mere saath kabhi kuch thik hota hai, na main kuch thik se karta hun...pata nahi Nanu ne bhi itni badi galti kaise kardi...mujhe business sambhalne ko de diya..." Pointing his index finger towards himself, he continued, his face still holding amusement, "Can you believe it?...mujhe...jisse ek chhota order bhi nahi sambhala gaya..." His voice slurred slightly in the end, the alcohol was beginning to show its effect.

She stepped forward and said, "Aap yeh kya bol rahe hain...aisa kuch nahi hai...aap sab kuch kar sakte hain-"

"Bullshit!" He exclaimed and stood up abruptly, making her stagger back. "Tum samajhti kyun nahi ho?! Main kuch nahi kar sakta! I am nothing but a failure!...kuch nahi kar sakta main...kuch nahi..." His voice dropped down. The last words came out nothing but as a whisper.

Naina didn't know how to handle his breakdown. Her own eyes watered as she watched him struggle in this ugly situation. He slumped on the sofa with a thud with his hands clasping his head. In not more than two seconds, he began to shake. A sob escaped out from his mouth which sufficed to jerk her whole system.

"Main kuch nahi kar sakta. Nanu ne life mein pehli baar mujhse kuch maanga tha, woh bhi nahi de paa raha hun, thik se kuch bhi sambhal nahi paa raha hun. Sahi keh rahi thi woh, unhone ne galti ki mujhe sab kuch handle karne ke liye dene ki. Sharm aa rahi hai mujhe khud par..." He ranted without taking his hands off his face.

Without thinking much, she took a seat beside him and kept her hand on his arm, "Yeh kya bole jaa rahe hain aap...aisa kuch nahi hai...jo bhi office mein hua usme aapki koi galti nahi thi Sameer. Please khud ko blame karna band kijiye..." Her voice quivered.

Hearing her, he removed her hand and stared at her, "Yeh jhoothi tasalli mat do mujhe. Main jaanta hun tum bhi mere baare mein yahi soch rahi hogi...Tumhaare saath bhi kitna galat kiya maine...Tumpe bina wajah chillaya...gussa kiya...tab bhi tum yahan bethke mujhe samjha rahi ho...I am sorry Naina...bohot bura hun main..." She shook her head in denial but couldn't say anything. Tears were streaming down his face non-stop. Her heart clenched with pain. He didn't deserve this.

"Aaj mom ka phone aya tha...unhone bina kuch puche ki main kaisa hu, kis haal mein hun, mujhse sidha business ki baat karni shuru kardi...tumhe pata hai unhone kabhi mujhe appreciate nahi kara...humesha mujhe demotivate kiya hai...aur aaj bhi...aaj bhi yeh bol diya ki main nahi kar paaunga...nahi sambhal paaunga kuch...main unko prove karna chahta tha ki woh galat hain...par...par shayad woh thik thi Naina..." He said it in a single, his voice breaking at the end.

"Mujhse nahi ho paayega yeh sab...mere bas ki hi nahi hai...Mom was right...Nanu bhi yahi soch rahe honge...Munna-Pandit bhi mujhse door ho jaayenge...koi nahi rahega mere saath...sab kuch khatam ho jaayega...I have failed, Naina...I have failed...Mujhse kuch thik nahi ho sakta..." He was blabbering continuously, not aware of his own words. He kept on crying keeping his hands on his face, his elbows resting on his knees.

She knew something has triggered him and right now she needed to make him understand but didn't know how to stop him. Negativity and self-hatred had entirely overpowered his mind plus the alcohol was surfacing the emotions he had been hiding from god knows how long. Her eyes began to shed tears at his miserable state. But she knew she required to be strong, for him.

"Sameer..." She tried to keep her trembling voice in check and removed his hands from his eyes. He stared at her like a lost kid. Steered by her heart, she found herself leaning forward. Looping her arms around his neck without thinking about the consequences, she placed her chin on his shoulder, shutting her eyes tightly. He sat frozen in his place but relaxed hearing her soothing voice, "Please, shaant ho jaaiye...please, yeh sab mat boliye...sambhaliye khud ko..."

The warmth radiating from her words worked like a balm on his wounds. It lent the much-needed comfort he was missing. It was like he was pulled out from a cave of darkness before he could go deep inside. His arms came around her. Placing his palms on her back lightly, he rested his cheek on her shoulder and closed his eyes seeking the tenderness of care.

As for Naina, she didn't know which force had driven her to this extent. She just knew that she needed to do something for the man in front of him, the man she cared about, her husband. They didn't know up till when they remained in the same position. She kept patting his shoulder lightly until she felt his sobs subsiding.

He sniffed, "Kya main sach mein itna unlucky hun ki mere saath kuch acha nahi hota? Kyun meri life se sab dur chale jaate hain? Meri apni mom ne mujhe apne se dur kar diya...Nanu chale gaye...Munna-Pandit bhi dur ho gaye...Ab aur nahi ho paa raha mujhse...Main kitni bhi koshish kar lun...kabhi khud ko deserving prove nahi kar paaunga..." His ragged voice reflected how much broken he was. She can't believe he had been enduring so much pain that he had mastered hiding it from others. The shrewd and astute disposition had flipped sides with vulnerability and weakness.

She didn't reply but tightened her hold for a sec before pulling back. He too withdrew his hands and just sniffed before rubbing his nose with the back of his free hand. All this was too much to take. At this moment, he regretted drinking so much. His mind was buzzing. He just wanted to go somewhere far away from all this. The ache in his head intensified and he rubbed his temples with his fingers.

Seeing the exhaustion on his face, she left his hand. Wiping her own cheeks, she said, "Aapko rest ki zarurat hai. Chaliye so jaaiye ab. Aap apni health ko nuksan nahi pohocha sakte."

He nodded faintly and began to stand up but she halted him, "Abhi aap yahin baithiye. Main paani laati hun aapke liye." She was mindful about the state of his bed. Scurrying to his room, she quickly arranged the bedspread and the pillows. Pouring some water in the glass from the jug, she went back to him. When she reached, he was on the verge of dozing off. Giving his shoulder a shake, she said, "Sameer...uthiye..." He woke up with a jerk and squinted his eyes.

She forwarded the glass, urging him to take a sip. He emptied the whole glass and got up. He wasn't able to even stand properly which she noticed as she immediately stood beside him. Just as he took a step, his feet faltered causing him to stumble forward. Instinctively, his hands grabbed the arms of the nearby sofa chair preventing him from falling off. Naina instantly rushed by his side, "Sambhal ke..."

Her one arm winded around his waist while the other one grasped his arm tight enough to make him stand on his feet. After a laborious task of almost dragging his muscular body, she finally made it to his room. She sat him on the bed and loosened her hold. He lied down the very next second and dozed off. His face held so much innocence that she couldn't help but sit on the edge near his stomach and watch him. A few locks of his hair fell carelessly on his forehead. Her fingers reached for them as if having a life of their own. Brushing them lightly, she whispered, "Kitna dard chhupake rakha hai apne andar aapne...ab samajh aya, Nanaji kyun aapki itni fikar karte the...Chahe kuch bhi ho, main humesha aapka saath dungi..."

It was at this moment when she realized something. Throughout all this time, she had been performing her duty in the name of the promise she had given to Nanaji. But now, she admitted, it was no more about the promise. It was about him now. The feelings surging inside were too deep and intense to be comprehended and she wasn't even willing to attend to them. All that mattered to her was that she isn't going to back out, ever.

She sighed deeply and glanced at his feet. He hadn't taken off his shoes. Getting up, she carefully took them off along with the socks. Pulling the duvet over him, she turned off the lamp and made her way towards the door. Right at the threshold, her feet paused. Something was obstructing her to cross it. It didn't feel right to leave him in this state. In the constant battle between her heart and mind, the heart earned the victory much to her restrain.

She made a quick trip to her room to change her clothes and bring the comforter. Settling on his couch, she laid down and pulled the comforter over herself. The whole day had been full of sensitivities and distress for both of them. Before closing her eyes, she just prayed for one thing, to make everything in their life to fall into place.

* * * * *

The next morning, Sameer attempted to open his eyes, but the morning rays felt too sharp. His head was pounding as if someone had hit it hard. Sitting up slowly, he clutched his head tightly and pressed his temple to ease the throbbing nerves. He blinked his eyes hard until he was able to open them. He wasn't able to recall what exactly had happened last night. He could only visualize himself sitting on the sofa in the balcony grieving over his bitter life. The familiar ache that he had felt yesterday gushed back.

Just then the door of his room opened revealing Naina with a tray in her hands. She was still in her nightclothes. All the memories came rushing back to him. He could remember how she had sat beside him, comforted him, how he had broken down in front of her. He felt like a complete idiot when realizing how he had ranted about his suffering in front of her and let himself become weak in front of her. A wave of embarrassment collided with him. He couldn't believe he had told her everything including what his mother had said to him. Thinking about her, his face paled.

Naina could decipher he was still upset. Shutting the door, she walked up to his side and placed the tray on the side table. Picking the glass of water and white tablet, she offered them to him and said when she found him staring at it questioningly, "Aapke headache ko relief milega..." He accepted them and gulped it down. By what he had done last night, she might be judging him right now.

"Kaisa feel kar rahe hain aap?" She asked gently.

"Umm...Naina woh...kal woh...jo bhi maine kaha...I mean tumne mujhe aisa dekha..." He mumbled incoherent words and was trying to justify himself, and she very well understood that.

He shifted his gaze down at his lap where his fingers rested fidgeting with each other. "Idhar dekhiye meri taraf...," she said softly but he still didn't comply.

She took his right hand between her palms. The mere contact made him look up at her after which he couldn't avert his gaze.

"Aap aisa kyun sochte hain ki aap kuch nahi kar sakte? Boliye..." He didn't reply.

"Uss din aapne hi mujhse ek baat kahi thi na, jab tak hum apne past ko apne present mein interfere karne dete rahenge woh hume utni hi takleef dega. Main nahi jaanti ki aapki mummy ne aapse kya kaha par agar woh yeh sochti hain ki aap kuch achieve nahi kar sakte toh shayad woh aapko jaanti hi nahi hain..." She said softly and took a deep breath before continuing, "Aapko apne woh trophies aur certificates yaad hain jo Nanaji ne abhi tak sambhal ke rakhe hain?" He gave a faint nod.

"Aapko kya lagta hai Nanaji ne woh ab tak kyun rakhe huye hain jabki aapne toh kab ke fek diye the...kyuki unhe aapki sab hi achievements pe proud tha chahe woh kitni hi chhoti kyun na ho. Fir aap yeh kaise soch sakte hain ki unhone galti kardi aapko yeh business deke. Unhe aap pe sabse zyada vishwas tha. Mujhe yaad hai, woh jab bhi aapki baat karte the, unki aankhon mein sirf garv hota tha. Bohot khush rehte the woh..." He sat listening to her each word.

"Aap yeh soch rahe hain na ki jo bhi loss hua order mein woh aapki wajah se hua." Sameer looked down.

"Dekhiye...Pehle toh aapki koi galti nahi hai. Nanaji ne bhale hi aapko zimmedari di hai par aap sab kuch toh ek saath nahi dekh sakte na. Itna pressure mat lijiye. Agar aap aise haar maan lenge toh kaise hoga. Maana loss hua par iska matlab yeh toh nahi na ki aap iss chhoti nakamyabi ko kisi ki baaton mein aakar apne sapne ke beech mein aane denge? Rahi baat aapke doston ki, toh kya aapko sach mein lagta hai ki sirf itni si baat ke liye woh aapko chhod denge? Woh aapko apne bhai se bhi badkar maante hain..." Everything she said began to swirl in his mind. She wasn't wrong. What was he thinking before he had said that? How can he lend his mother the power of dispiriting him so easily? Why was he being so fragile? Her words were somehow succeeding to erase the doubts and negativity he had over his capabilities. The conversation between those two employees came into his mind.

"Par Naina...agar har baar aisi galtiyan hongi toh kaise chalega...Humein market mein apni position maintain karni hai..." He paused to look down, "Office mein bhi kuch log keh rahe the ki agar Nanu hote toh yeh sab hone hi nahi dete..." He said in a low tone.

She sighed, "Sameer...iss duniya ka kaam hi hai logon ko kuch na kuch bolna, par aapko inn sab se affect nahi hona hai. You cannot stop them, par aap negative ko positive mein change toh kar sakte hain na...Agar ek bada mukam haasil karna ho toh inhi galtiyon se sikhke aage badna hoga. Itna toh main aapko jaanti hun...iske baad aap kuch galat hone hi nahi denge." She passed an encouraging smile to him. He kept looking at her for a long time.

Once more, her utmost belief in his potential made all the other thoughts knelt before it in defeat. The way she had patiently handled his situation was commendable because he was aware of his temper. Yet, she didn't back off and stood beside him to support him. She even went beyond her confines when she hugged him last night. It was a whole lot of a big deal. The respect he had for her increased ten folds.

Finally, his lips curled up in a small smile. She began to stand but was tugged back on the bed. Their gaze landed on their hands which were still in a tight grip with no one intending to leave. They fitted perfectly with each other like missing pieces of a puzzle. He couldn't deny that her presence had a purpose in his life.

She withdrew her hand nervously, "Aap fresh ho jaaiye...breakfast ready hai..."

He nodded absentmindedly and saw her going towards the door. Before she could cross the threshold, he called her out, "Naina..." She turned and saw him pushing the duvet and walking towards her. Before she could discern what was happening, his arms engulfed her in a hug. Her breath hitched. His tight and broad muscles pressed over her front. Bending down to her height, he kept his chin on her shoulder and closed his eyes, "Thank you...for everything..."

A shiver ran down her spine as she felt the warmth radiating off his body. It was she who had dared to initiate it last night but that was different. All that courage got melted by the coziness of this moment. It was not intimate, but the things she felt were otherwordly. It was enough to make her feel propitiated by the fact that he okay now. It felt right. Lifting her arms slowly, she awkwardly placed her hands on his upper back and felt him sigh. His warm breath tingled the strands of her hair.

The moment was tranquil but his thoughts had taken a different track. He hadn't known that he would feel this much content just by hugging her. The feel of her soft frame under his embrace and her sweet scent emanated an unusual excitement making the blood gushing through his veins. He felt her pulling away and he let her. Distancing himself he watched her tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, "Uh...main breakfast ka dekh leti hun..." Saying this she immediately turned around and left as quickly as she can to hide her cheeks that were glowing with a tinge of crimson.

He too ran a hand through his hair and let out a whiff of air. Intending to deviate his mind, he glanced around his room. He hadn't noticed it till now, his room was all clean. No doubt, she had cleaned all the mess he had created. Then, he noticed something on his couch, a familiar cream-colored comforter. He had seen it last time in her room. What was it doing in his room? On his couch? His eyes widened. Did she sleep here last night?

He picked it, "Kis mitti ki bani ho tum, Naina..." How can someone be so selfless? This was the first time someone other than Nanu had understood his dilemmas and pain so deeply. He didn't feel an ounce of regret for sharing it all with her. Instead, he felt a heavy weight being lifted off his chest. A smile shaped his lips. He shifted his gaze towards the wooden photo frame kept on his bedside table. It was his picture with Nanu. All this time, he had been trying to search for an answer to the question, Why Nanu had chosen only Naina for him?

Looks like he had finally gotten his answer.

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This was the most difficult one to write till now. I can't even recall how many times I have edited this chapter. It was like think...type...backspace..repeat. I hope it was worth your wait.

Do tell me your opinions.

Lots of love, Sim❣