Chapter 6: Deal or No Deal

Stunned, Pooja just stared back at Kabir, not sure she heard him correctly.

Had he just proposed to her?

"If this is your idea of some sick joke I am not finding it very funny," she then said bitingly

"It is not a joke I assure you, I am deadly serious" Kabir replied

"But you can't be.. it's ridiculous. Why would you want me to marry you? We are practically strangers, and you hardly know me. I mean we are not even on first name terms!" she reminded him,

"Well that can be easily remedied... Pooja," he finished in soft deliberation

It had the affect of bringing the colour to her cheeks. His tone and manner of using her first name suddenly, seemed strange to her ears, and little too intimate for comfort, under the circumstances

"I don't know what sort of game this is, but I am not playing any more," she walked past him, intending to leave.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Kabir called after her, "Remember what is at stake," he then reminded her pointedly

Pooja stopped and turned to look round at his unsmiling face, his expression was tense

"You really are serious?" she then realised

"Yes, I am."

"But why?.. I don't understand" she frowned in confusion

"Because, I am in a bit of a dilemma myself, and this is the only way out"

"By asking me to marrying you and have your children?" Pooja challenged incredulously

"Yes," Kabir stated firmly

Pooja just shook her head, refusing to accept it.

He let out a small sigh, "Perhaps I had better explain the whole story then you will understand"

"Yes I think you had better," she replied tritely

Kabir put his hands in his trouser pockets, staring at the floor in front of him.

"The pressing business I had to take care of, the one that prevented you from getting in direct contact with me lately. You know, when you thought I was deliberately ignoring you. It was of a personal nature," he started to explain, his tone remaining carefully neutral, devoid of emotion, and more matter of fact

"I was in the south of France bringing home the bodies of my younger brother Jay and his family, who had been all killed out right in a terrible car crash whilst on holiday, there was my brother and his wife, as their two young sons in the car at the time"

Pooja looked suitably shocked by this information taking her mind momentarily of his proposition, "Oh, how horrible, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed in dismay.

"Yes it has been a terrible tragic blow for the family, something I am still trying to deal with," Kabir replied with a small frown. "And unfortunately their deaths has caused other upheavals that I am also trying to deal with"

"Oh?" Pooja stared at him questioningly.

He looked over at her now, his expression still grave, a small humourless smile on his lips

"I am afraid I have the problem of the proverbial 'wicked step mother'" he then said dryly.

Pooja just continued to eye him questioningly, so he continued

"My mother died of cancer when I was sixteen. A few years later my father met Suman , an ambitious woman who already had a son, although never a husband as far as I know. You could say she was a bit of a gold digger with very little scruples With my father being a Hotelier and a wealthy man, she set out to become his wife, and succeeded," Kabir explained, "She was a lot younger than my father, and he was flattered by the attention she lavished in him, plus the fact she was an attractive woman, I am sure you get the picture?"

"Yes, I think I do," Pooja replied knowing such women did exist.

"Anyway, she manages to twist my father around her little finger, making sure he is very generous to her and her son Vyom, and they have been living comfortably of him right up until now." Kabir then said, "I have tolerated it because I had to. My father will not hear a bad word said against his second wife. She is very good at what she does, manipulation, and setting herself up as a social climbing hostess, with all the airs and graces, whilst trying to get her hands firmly on my fathers fortune, which is all she really cares about"

Kabir looked grim, "She and her son will stoop to any lengths to get their own way. My brother as I were aware of what they are up to. So they took great pleasure in causing friction between us and my father, causing all sorts of mischief. Her son Vyom even got a great kick out of managing to seduce my wife, to the point she ended up divorcing me to marry him, and he loves reminding me of his triumph, so it has not been easy." he stated

"They sound like lovely people," Pooja retorted

"I am glad you understand," Kabir managed a small smile, "It was a little easier when my brother Jay was around. We were able to unite together as one against them, but now with Jay's death, my stepmother and her precious son have wasted no time in trying to take advantage of it." he sighed

"In what way?" Pooja enquired with a puzzled frown.

"The one thing my father did hold back from my step mother and her son Vyom, was owning any shares in our company. They solely belonged to him as well as my brother and I", Kabir explained, "Thankfully even my father realised my step brother was not such a great business man, although he helped Vyom put money into a few of his own business ventures it usually ended up failing miserably.

But now with Jay dead, I have discovered my stepmother is insisting the shares that belonged to him and his family, should now go to my stepbrother and her. She wants a piece of our company and is going in for the kill, using my fathers already grief stricken state over losing my brother to do it, and I am afraid it night just work" he looked even more grim,

"After speaking with my father, I told him he could not thinking of giving Jay's shares of the company into Vyom and my stepmothers hands. It would be a disaster. They would destroy all we had built up. But he pointed out it wasn't like there was any other family to pass the business onto if he died. Also that I had not produced any heirs, and perhaps if I had children of my own, then my brother's shares would have automatically passed onto them, as they would been of the same bloodline"

"I see," Pooja said quietly.

"So that's where you come in." Kabir finished

"But why me Mr. Mittal?" Pooja then demanded in bewilderment, "You hardly know me. Surely there are other women you are better acquainted with , who would happily agree to marry you and have your children?" she pointed out

"Oh I am sure they would, but none of them are suitable," he replied dismissively, "And as for hardly knowing you; in the short space of time I have I realise you have certain integrity as well as loyalty. You are not afraid to stand up for yourself when the need dictate it... I need someone like you, whom my precious stepmother can't get at, or manipulate. Someone I know will be on my side, that I can trust"

For a moment Pooja didn't know what to say. She realised in his own strange way, he had just complemented her attributes as something he desired and needed. But she wasn't sure she wanted to be needed by him.

"I guess I should be flattered you think so highly of me, but still I am not sure I am the right person you are looking for... I mean you know the kind background I came from, I told you all about it. And it's hardly one to boast about to your friends and family.. Do you really want to be married to me?" she asked in disbelief

"The fact that you came through such a hard time only convinces me you are suitable," Kabir stated, "If you could come through all that, then my step mother will be no trouble for you to handle"

Despite the enormity of the situation, Pooja found herself laughing, "I am sorry but this is all too bizarre... I am sure this some sort of weird dream, and if I pinch myself I will wake up"

"Understandable I suppose," Kabir relented with a small smile, "This is not my ideal way to get into a marriage either. But I have been forced into this situation, and I don't have the luxury or time to date and romance a lot of women. So when you came along, all ready to do battle, you piqued my interest. Then when I realised you were in need of my help, I thought that perhaps you could help me with my problem at the same time"

"Coercing would be more apt," Pooja pointed out acidly

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Kabir shrugged, "Besides which, I think my offer is more than generous, and you will gain the most out of it"

"And if I say no?" Pooja demanded

"Then we go back to option one. You having to find a new place pretty fast," Kabir replied, reverting to his business like tone again with a hint of regret

Pooja stared at him, realising he was indeed serious.

This was not some sort of weird dream, or nightmare, depending how she looked upon it.

He had put her on the spot.

If she refused, Haven would be in trouble, and if she agreed, she would be marrying a man she hardly knew, who then expected her to have his babies: just so he could keep his father's precious company out of his greedy stepfamily's hands

Kabir watched her as her expression kept changing, and she juggled with the dilemma he had put her in, then he decided to speak up.

"Just think about it carefully what you will be gaining.. What the Refuge will gain if they move here, their troubles will be over. As my wife you will never be short of funds to help them, and I won't stop you helping them out still, if that is how you want to spend your time, you are free to do so. There will be more opportunities open to you in many different ways, surely that must appeal to you?" he pointed out persuasively

"You really can't expect me to give you an answer right now," Pooja replied in dismay, "It isn't very fair Mr, Mittal. This is my life we are talking about.... Now you have put the burden of other peoples lives on my shoulders as well. So I am not seeing you in a very good light at the moment, and I am hardly in the right frame of mind to want to say yes to your damned proposal!"

Kabir had the grace to look a little apologetic, "Of course, I understand."

But then he moved closer, leaning towards her he added quietly, "Just don't take too long my dear, because time is running out... for the both of us"