Author's POV

"I learnt something more." Priya played with her fingers as she talked over the phone. "Looks like Rajiv sir knows something that once revealed will damage the image of Alisha ma'am."

"Really?" Maya bit her nails with her teeth as she thought about it. "Anything else?"

"Yeah... I heard she is everything today because of her husband. Does Ishaan know something about it?"

"I don't know." She sat up, leaning against her bedside.

"Okay... I will try finding more things. But you better delete those pictures." On hearing that, she hung up the call. Not so soon.

She thought hard if she could recall anything that he might have said but nothing came to her mind. It was blank like her future.

Just then, a message popped up on her phone screen.

Ishaan

Be ready to go out today. Remember the plan.

Looking at the screen, Maya took a deep breath in and replied to him with a yes. It's about time that they start on with their plan. She may even get the time to know about the matter of his mother. She can swear she was too curious but she never dared to ask him about that.

As she kept thinking hard, the delicious aroma hit her nose. She rushed over to the dining area. Let me just eat first.

★★★

Maya

After having breakfast with Ajay, I got ready for the day out with Ishaan. According to the plan, Ajay would come down and I would avoid him, playing my role. Priya would guide the guards to capture this whole thing and after some time of following me and Ishaan, she would call them and tell them to get back so that we can then stop the act.

I turned around to see the guards still hovering around the place. Wearing the most unnoticeable kind of dress, I stood by, waiting for Ishaan. Soon enough, his green car parked in front of me. He rolled down the windows and said, "Hey, come inside."

I smiled and was about to go inside when I noticed Ajay coming down the stairs. As planned, I avoided meeting eyes with him, quickly getting inside Ishaan's car.

As the car started, I looked at his figure in the mirror and waved at him in a way that no one noticed. I noticed him making a weird kind of face. Right then, I looked at my phone to see his message.

Don't roam about with him for long.

I giggled at his message and turned to the mirror to still see his little figure till it disappeared out of my sight.

I replied to him. Are you jealous?

Soon enough, his reply came. He had typed a 'Yes' with a sticker of a bear standing with his arms crossed. I couldn't stop giggling at his cuteness.

"Will you call Priya for me?" Ishaan asked, breaking my trance.

"I called her earlier. She told me she will tell them to stop following after a while." Ishaan checked the mirror to see them following.

"Okay, then let's go to the movies," Ishaan said, putting up the music in the car. He kept an eye on the guards who were following them. It was terribly sickening.

"No... too many people. Let's go to the orphanage. I wanted to go there." Ishaan looked at me at the mention of the orphanage. A smile formed over his face as if he wanted to go there as well. "Let's do that." Saying that, he switched the lanes and pulled on the accelerator, speeding up the car.

★★★

Ajay

"I heard about it. I am so sad. I don't know what he is doing. Don't worry too much, Ajay." Alisha ma'am gave me a sympathetic face, passing on the glass to me.

I sniffed hard, gulping down the water from the glass. The tears muffled my voice as I said, "I didn't know she would turn out to be like that. It didn't even take her any time to forget me." I will make sure you fall for it.

Alisha ma'am turned around, picking up a document file. I still kept my pretend show on. Coming to such situations, being an actor actually helps.

She looked up from the documents and came nearer to the table. "I am very sorry for this but you know, work comes first. I heard you came to answer my offer." Her ears waited eagerly for the answer she wanted to hear.

And I gave her the exact answer she wanted. "Yes, I will do it. Where do I need to sign?"

She shook her head vigorously. "There's no need to hurry. We are a family now. You can do that later." I have to agree again she was no doubt a fabulous actor. She never showed her excitement behind that sad look on his face.

"Ah... You are really amazing. Thank you for being understanding." I wiped off my tears. "Then what about the dates? Should I ask my manager about it?" I sniffed and acted all serious with the film when I actually didn't care.

"That's okay. We can always discuss those things. But are you okay?"

"Yeah." I smiled at her with my tear-stained face.

I stood up and left the room after greeting her. The guards escorted me out when I turned around at her mansion. A feeling of satisfaction gathered up in me. Right then, my phone buzzed.

"Did it go well?" Maya asked, nervously to which I responded, "Too well. She looked like she is trying too much to get my trust."

"As expected."

"Priya will be able to do it well, right?" I asked. Though I pretended to be very relaxed, I was nervous. What if things don't go the way we planned?

"Let's go with our plan, okay?"

I sighed and nodded, agreeing to her. We really didn't have any other option.

★★★

Maya

The call ended.

Though I was acting tough, my heart still trembles and my legs still shake thinking about that night. My lungs heave against my chest every time I see the camera, every time I act in front of those who follow me. It scares me with that single thought- what if we lose this game?

As I kept struggling with my thoughts, I saw Ishaan waving at me from a distance. I sat up straight when he took the seat beside me. "Something bothering you?"

I shook my head at first and inhaled the pleasant air. The evening sky looked gorgeous with the flamboyant orange-pink fading into the blue sky. But soon enough, I sighed and said, "There is something. I... don't know. I am feeling very... uneasy."

I didn't turn to Ishaan but I could feel his gaze. "What's wrong, Future Wife? Everything is going according to our plan."

My heartbeat stopped. I hastily looked at him, startled at his calm voice. When I kept looking at him in shock as if he realized what he said. He covered his mouth immediately. "Did I startle you? Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

An awkward silence took over the place as we didn't know what to say. I could never realize when we became so uncomfortable with each other. I always worried about it and then, I would just tell myself- He always joked with me by calling me 'Future Wife', what else could it mean?

"Maya, what were you saying that time? That you are worried... Are you perhaps worried about the plan?" He conveniently changed the topic. At least this was better than the uneasy silence.

"Ah... that's nothing." All day long I tried to talk to him about his mother but I couldn't. It was too hard for me to even utter about it. This time as well I tried but failed as nothing came out of my mouth.

"I always feel so heavy whenever I come here. I tried to escape but still, I come around. After years, I came back here with you on my birthday. I felt confident." His face spoke of his hurtful past. He looked as if something was hurting him too much.

I never knew that this place was so painful for him. I felt bad for bringing him here, perhaps making him go through his past painful days. "I am sorry." I looked down.

"Why? It was you who helped me face it. I needed to forget the past. Even if it brings back memories, I hope only the good memories stay." He smiled charmingly making me wonder what was his past like.

"You should let your heart out. If it pains shouldn't you tell others? Why stay quiet? But if it's too hard, you don't have to say." I looked at him before turning down at my fingers.

He remained silent for a while before asking, "Then... should I say it?" I nodded and listened to him intently.

His life was not always like this. He had a good relationship with his parents. That was until that particular day. His mother was still acting and also got into directing movies. She was at the peak of success and her professional career flourished even after marriage and that of course, with the help of her husband who was a pretty renowned businessman.

She slowly and slowly got up the ladder of success and as she won more and more fame, she only wished to be number one. Her ambition led her to win over her in-laws and soon she became the business partner of his father.

Still, everything was going right for them. They had a beautiful life just like a normal family. But then, he started noticing the family quarrels getting frequent. His mother could hardly give time to the family and slowly they all grew apart. Then one day, he heard the news of his father's death from the news channel.

He never got to see his father again. Crying, when he went to his mother, he saw her talking over the phone about how grateful she was for the news. She took over the family business of Kapoor and turned it into a production house.

Her wishes prospered. With time, she started ruling the industry and we grew more and more apart to the extent that the bond can never be fixed again.

"...This place just reminds me that we too had beautiful memories like a family." His steady gaze fell upon me. My eyes were moist hearing his painful childhood memory yet I kept my calm. "While I am at it... Can I say something more?"

I bobbed my head in a 'yes'.

He gazed at me for a while too long and said, "I might never be able to tell this again. Thank you, Maya, for being my listener and for being the one I loved."

At that moment, I felt numb. I always thought that he was someone who will remain my one-sided love and presently a close friend but learning that he loved me caught me unguarded.

"Don't worry. Don't answer that. I am just telling you because I was worried to have it in my heart for a long time." He casually shrugged it off when I took a deep breath in. More than love, he was like an angel, always by my side.

I responded. "Thank you, Ishaan."

We both smiled calmly before he pursed his lips and then rather jokingly asked, "Let's go back or are you planning to stay for the night?"

I chuckled and replied, "Let's go."

~•~

How are you guys doing?

Hope you all are fine!

Please do vote, comment and share.