Sometimes Hate is Enough

Chapter 32

Arnav

"Chote, when will you be back?" Di asked from where she stood by the door.

"Tomorrow." I answered as I put on my watch. "Or maybe by midnight today. Why, Di?"

She casually shrugged before saying, "Nothing, just like that." I heard her pause for a moment before she hesitantly added, "Are you... going alone?"

I stopped as I raised an eyebrow before looking up at her and asking, "Why?"

"Just don't forget to take your medicines on time." She said this as Avni ran inside the room, with NK and Akash following right behind.

"You ready, Bhai?" Akash asked as he placed his laptop bag on a table by the recliner, but without waiting for an answer, he went to Avni, who was now playing something with NK on my bed. I never thought I would ever let any kid enter my room, let alone play on the bed.

I scratched the side of my jaw before crossing my arms over my chest and staring at the three of them on my bed.

"You should take Neha Ji with you." I turned to my right and found Di standing next to me.

"Di... I can understand what you're trying to do here. But let me tell you that it's not going to happen... Ever." I quietly spoke while looking at her as I grabbed my coat from the hanger.

Her eyes softened as she took a small step forward and gazed into my eyes before speaking, "I know you loved Khushi Ji bu..."

"No, I want a Mami!" Avni's loud whining interrupted her from behind, and we both looked over our shoulders at them.

"Avni, darling, you can't buy a Mami. It's not for sale, you know!" Then NK proudly added, with a big smile, "But if you want one, then you'd have to request your Mamas. Because we are the only ones who can give that to you."

I turned my head away from them, and Di also followed suit while shaking her head as I put on my coat.

"If you know, then why are you asking?" I asked as I looked at the pool ahead, and Khushi's face flashed before my eyes from the day I left Lucknow.

"You can't wait for her your whole life, Chote." Di's hand touched my forearm as I clenched my jaws and closed my eyes to breathe calmly. "You.."

"Akash!" I felt Di flinch a little as I called him a little more loudly than necessary, then I turned over my shoulder. "Let's go!" I grabbed my necessary things, and after a quick bye to Avni, I left with Akash from Mumbai.

*

We stopped in front of the store after an almost 3-hour flight and a 1-hour drive from the airport.

"Are you sure that you want to sign with SK Jewelleries?" Akash asked before our car doors opened, and we got off.

I walked around the car and looked at him through my sunglasses before asking, "Why? You found something against them?"

"No, it's just that you never collaborate with this size of company. You always go for the ones that have a legacy, and SK is still new in the market." He explained that, as a girl dressed in pale blue, she checked our invitations that Aman handed over, and then another girl standing right behind her motioned for us to follow inside.

"I liked their designs." I took off my glasses as we walked inside through a pair of embossed glass doors with SK written in an elegant form on them. "Although it's very different and traditional from what we do, it also matches what I have envisioned for the summer collection next season."

The girl walked us into a big showroom that was decorated and designed with white and wood. And within a few seconds, we were offered drinks and canapes.

"I'll inform the hosts of your arrival, sir." The girl, who walked us inside, informed us and left with a formal smile and nod.

I sipped from my champagne flute as I looked around me and started talking to Akash about SK's designs and decor, AR's upcoming showcase, and the collaboration at hand.

"Mr. Raizada?"

I turned and found Mr. and Mrs. Desai standing with smiles on their faces.

"Hello, Mr. Desai. Mrs. Desai." I shook hands with both of them soon after Akash did.

"I didn't expect to see the Raizada's here." Mr. Desai remarked.

"Well, you cannot decline a humble request, now can you?" I heard someone saying, but before I could turn, Suraj Agarwal walked up to us with one hand stuffed inside his pockets and a smile on his face. "I'm sorry to interrupt like this." He looked apologetically at us before putting his right hand out for a handshake.

"No apologies are needed." Akash smiled as they both shook hands with me, following suit. Then Suraj turned to Mr. and Mrs. Desai before saying, "I hope the party is to your liking, Mr. and Mrs. Desai."

"Of course it is, Mr. Agarwal. It's.." Mr. Desai started to answer, but soon his wife interrupted him.

"Leave the party, Suraj." She said it with a wave of her hand. "I heard you're getting married. Tell me about her!"

I felt my eyebrows rise at her statement while Suraj opened his mouth to answer, but Mrs. Desai clearly wasn't done.

"Does she work for your company?" Her brows shot high. "The CFO?" Then she gasped. "Your partner?"

"I cannot confirm anything about my business partner, but about the CFO, she's definitely like my sister and recently engaged." Suraj answered with a smile.

"Then what about..."

"I'll introduce you myself if I ever get married to her." He quietly said this to her with a look. "So, let's drop it. We only mean business today, Masi." Masi?..

Suraj turned to us and gave us a close-lipped smile before saying, "I'm sorry you had to witness matchmak..."

"Beta Ji, are you married?" Mrs. Desai again cut in as she turned to Akash, who shared a glance with Suraj and me before again looking at her and shaking his head.

"Then, Suraj, introduce them to all the potential girls in your company." Mrs. Desai said then something behind us caught her eyes, and she waved her hand to someone or... something.

And before Suraj or Mr. Desai could stop her, she spoke up again: "Come here, beta!" And a girl in a saree walked in be...

"Payal?" Akash interrupted.

My brows tugged as I looked at the girl who now stood between Suraj and Mrs. Desai, then turned at the two of us with a smile before speaking very professionally, "Hello, Mr. Raizada and... Mr. Raizada."

"Payal.. you.." Akash stammered as I looked around. Does that mean she's also h...

"You know each other?" Suraj asked as he looked at us with questioning eyes.

"We used to." She answered with a smile as she looked at Akash before turning to Suraj, whispering something in his ears, then left with the Desai's without even looking at us.

"Shall we sign the contract now?" I said, breaking the silence as Akash stood, looking completely shocked.

"Oh, yes." Suraj nodded unsurely as he glanced at the two of us. "This way, please!"

Suraj walked us through a quiet corridor, then turned left at a door, opened it, and walked inside, leaving it open for us. I looked at Akash before asking, "Are you alright?"

He just nodded distractedly for a moment with unsure eyes, then walked inside the open door.

The room inside was also decorated like the rest of the showroom, but only the jewelry showcases were missing, and instead of them, a conference table sat at the center of the room with chairs around it. And standing by it... was her.