The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 46

“Resignation? What the hell, Nishant?” Naresh Naik asked looking at the paper on the table with a shocked expression.

Nishant closed his laptop and packed it. Once done, he started to walk towards the door when he was stopped by his brother.

“What is all this? You can’t resign. Come on, Nishant, try and understand the situation,” Vikrant said trying to make his brother understand.

“I can, bhaiya, I can. There is no way you or dad can stop me from doing this.”

Nishant was about to open the door of his cabin when his dad called out to him in a sharp tone.

“You are giving all this up for that woman? Woman like her come and go. When will you be a little responsible in your life?”

The suppressed aggression inside Nishant erupted the moment he heard his father. He slowly turned towards him and looked with a steely gaze.

“For the last time, her name is Aparna. And, I am getting married to her. Not for one day or a month but forever. Accept that if you can.”

“I’ll chuck you out of Naik Builders,” his father shouted.

His face muscles clenched hard as he heard his father. Closing his eyes, Nishant tried hard to calm his raging nerves. Somehow he knew that his dad won’t let go so easily.

“As far as I know, Dad, you cannot do that.”

“Nishant, that is no way to talk to dad,” his brother retorted.

Breathing hard, he shook his head trying hard to control the rising resentment inside.

“Please, I don’t want to discuss all this anymore.”

Saying this, he turned towards the door and was about to step out when his heard his father say:

“She has put all these ideas in your head, I know that. I should have known. She wants your money, can’t you see that?”

Suddenly, the withheld indignation inside him exploded.

“Enough!” he bellowed, his voice reverberating in the room.

Nishant turned towards his father and looked into his eyes. In all these years, he had always respected his father, he still did, but right now all he felt was a burning bitterness.

“You will not say another word against Aparna. Don’t make me forget that you are my father.”

When his father did not say anything, he came and stood in front of him and said in a low voice with gritted teeth, “If you don’t remember then let me remind you. I hold 53% share in the company. If I go then Naik Builders also goes. Can you afford that, Dad?”

“How dare you?” his brother shouted in a piqued tone.

Nishant looked at him and stared him down. As his steely gaze slowly turned hostile, his brother backed away a little.

“I can dare whatever I want. And right now, I want to you all to listen to me. I will take the company reins if this continues, and Dad, you know well I can do that. After all, I have your blood.”

Naresh Naik looked at his son and realised that Nishant meant what he said. Incapable of saying anything, he backed away and sat down on the chair.

Nishant took his resignation from his father’s hand and tore it in shreds. Next he turned to Dhruv and said, “Call Kalpana and tell her to cancel Aparna’s and Madhu’s termination.”

As Dhruv went to his desk to make the call, he looked at his brother and father who were staring at him intimidated. He closed his eyes and breathed hard. He had never wanted to do all this. Slowly he went and sat on the table in front of his father.

Taking his hands in his, Nishant said in a low and soothing voice, “Dad, I am sorry, but seriously if you keep on going against Aparna then, I will have no other choice but to do all this. I don’t like going against you guys. After all you are my family. But, Dad, she is family too. Please understand.”

Naresh Naik looked at him and withdrew his hand. Then, he got up and walked out of the cabin followed by Vikrant.

Nishant shook his head and heaved a sigh of relief. His father’s silence meant a half-hearted or rather forced approval and frankly he was okay with that. Once his family got to know her then, they will agree to this amiably. He pressed his temples to ease the mild throbbing.

“Amaan bhaiya, could you please take care of everything else?”

When Amaan nodded, he told Siraj to get the car. Before his headache took to a full-blown migraine, it’s better to head home: to Aparna.

He sat down in the car and looked on as he saw his dad and brother getting inside the other car. Both of them looked tensed and angry. He frowned as he thought about the way he had behaved with them.

Sorry, grandpa, I shouldn’t have done that.

******************

Aparna was pacing up and down the room when Nishant entered the bedroom. The moment she saw him, she rushed to him. But the look on his face stopped her midway.

“Is everything okay?” she asked with concern.

Without answering, he sat down on the bed and nodded. But still she knew something was wrong. She sat down next to him and took his hand in hers.

“What’s wrong?” she asked in a low voice.

As he felt her fingers caressing his palm soothingly, every little detail poured out. Finally when he was finished, he took a deep breath sighing hard.

“I shouldn’t have behaved the way I did,” he said shaking his head.

He didn’t notice her letting go of his hand as she got up from the bed.

Aparna went and stood next to the window and looked outside. All this was because of her.

“You don’t have to do this,” she said with a heavy heart.

Nishant was so lost in his thoughts that her words did not register. As his temples started to throb again, he shook his head trying to shake off the feeling of guilt. Just as he stood up from the bed, he saw Aparna standing next to window staring outside. He looked at her face and frowned. Then suddenly her defensive posture made sense.

He went and stood next to her. Placing an arm around her shoulders he pulled her to him.

“Everything is going to be okay. Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything. Trust me,” he said looking into those wonderful eyes.

But Aparna knew nothing would ever be okay with her around. She straightened and moved away from him.

“You don’t have to do this. They are your family. You should be with them and not me. Nishant, don’t let them go because of me, please.”

When he did not say anything, she said in a dejected tone, “Let’s call this off.”

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.