Scarred Love - Chapter 17

“Ms Raijdas? Are you there?” she heard Viman ask.

“Ya, Ya, I am here,” she replied shaking her head in confusion.

Why is he calling her?

“Well, I was just wondering if you are free for a meeting today in the afternoon, say between 3 and 4. We would like to discuss the terms of investment with you.”

“Investment?” Ishani asked more baffled than ever.

“Yes! SGH is investing in your NGO.”

She was so stunned that she couldn’t say anything. She just stared at the wall, her mouth gaping with shock.

“Wait a minute! Didn’t Rudra tell you?” Viman asked confusion evident from his tone.

“No, he did not.”

“Oh! Well, no worries. So are you okay for the meeting at 3:30?”

She gave her consent and disconnected the call.

The nerve of that man!

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

Viman looked at the clock and his pulse suddenly started to race. It was 3:15, which meant only 15 minutes were left. He started to pace in his cabin as his agitation increased.

Why did he even agree to Rudra’s plan?

Did he even have a choice?

Yesterday when Rudra had walked in his cabin, Viman had clearly not thought it would for casual chit-chat. From the look of it, it had to be something damn important for the lion to walk out of his den.

Yeah, he did call Rudra a lion sometimes behind his back.

Once he had heard his brother’s plan, Viman had actually stared at him in confusion and shock.

“You want me to do WHAT?”

Rudra had reiterated himself again and it sounded as unethical as before.

“No ways, Rudra. I am not going to do this,” Viman had said clearly indicating with his stern tone that his refusal was final.

“Well, I am not asking you. I am telling you. And, you will do it; otherwise, I will ask Kakasa to do it,” Rudra had said autocratically as he had left his office.

Viman shook his head in disapproval as he thought about it now.

Dammit!

Kabir walked in as he was still thinking of a way of getting out of this.

“What’s the matter?” Kabir asked putting the papers on his brother’s desk.

“Is she here?”

“Yep! She is waiting in the lobby.”

“Damn!”

“Bhai, what’s the matter?”

Viman shook his head and looked up at him, and then told him about Rudra's plan.

Kabir stared at him dumbfounded not knowing what to say.

Viman sighed heavily and pressed the intercom button. It’s now or never.

Ishani walked in the conference room and saw two men talking in hushed tones. One of them looked a little younger than the other but their features were almost identical. The older one turned and walked towards her, limping a little.

“Hi! I am Viman Sangawat. I head the legal department for SGH,” he said with a smile extending his hand.

Ishani shook the hand amiably and instantly felt a warm and friendly feeling inside.

Did she know him?

“And, this is my brother, Kabir Sangawat. He takes care of PR and marketing.”

The younger man shook her hand and ushered her to the nearest chair.

Even though she couldn’t actually figure out but there was definitely something familiar about these two especially the older one.

Unable to hold her curiosity, she looked at Viman directly and asked, “Do I know you?”

Viman felt uncomfortable the moment he heard the question and had almost shown his nervousness if Kabir hadn’t nudged his thigh below the table.

“It should be more like whether you remember me or not,” he said clearing his throat.

Ishani’s eyes narrowed as she tried but failed. She shook her head and looked up at him expectantly.

Gritting his teeth, Viman closed his eyes for a second and composed himself.

It’s time the cat was out of the bag.

“Do you remember Veera?”

She stared at him for a minute and then her whole body started to shake as the name slowly registered in her mind.

The name she had tried to forget all these years.

But hadn’t.

The name, that had been a part of her every nightmare.

Clutching the armrest tightly, she tried to breathe but everything started to whirl around her.

Viman stared in shock as he saw her face going all white in a matter of seconds. He could see the sweat trickling down her temples and he regretted taking that name, the name that they had tried to forget in all these years.

He got up from his seat and offered her the glass of water. Placing his hand on hers, he squeezed it gently trying to tell her that she was not alone in her anguish.

Somehow the warmth from his hand penetrated through her and Ishani calmed down a bit but still, her hand shook terribly as she picked up the glass.

As the cold water went down her throat, she closed her eyes and let its coolness soothe the turmoil raging inside.

“You are his brother,” she said in a low shaky voice.

Sighing hard, Viman nodded closing his eyes.

For the next couple of minutes, there was complete silence in the room. Neither of them could say anything, for their throats were too constricted with the rising emotions.

Kabir flicked his gaze from his brother to the woman. She was clearly upset; there were no two ways about it. And, the way she was looking down at her feet biting her lower lip, it was evident that she was trying to control something, which probably a matter of angst for her. 

“Let’s continue this meeting in my office,” said Viman as he looked at her, his lips curving in a forced smile.

Ishani followed them to his office and quickly sat down on the sofa before her legs gave away. She was still a little shaky from the shock. As she wrung her hands together, she saw Viman sit down on the chair next to her. At a loss for words, she closed her eyes and willed her brain to think about something else.

“Can I call you Ishani?” she heard Viman ask.

Smiling weakly, she nodded her eyes still avoiding him.

“Ishani, I am sorry,” Viman said placing his hand on hers.

She gulped down the lump in her throat and asked, “Where is he?”

“Who?”

“Your brother?”

“Veera?”

Ishani winced but still nodded.

“I thought you knew.”

She shook her head looking at him with dread.

“He is dead.”

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