02

1. Portrait

Radhe Radhe readers💙🦚✨,

Author
3 years ago

Light slowly spread through the darkness of the room as the door opened with light footsteps following it. The room was dim with only candles lighting a particular area that contained a huge frame with the portrait of a lady.

The footsteps halted as Meher stood in front of the portrait with her eyes burning with rage as her face was sprawled with fresh tear marks, marking her face. The raw pain in her eyes was unveiled as she stood in front of the only person who had ever loved her. Yet to her luck, she had no memories of it.

She glanced down at her suitcase once before she closed her eyes to take a long deep breath. This will be the last time. Her hold on her suitcase tightened before she abandoned it near the open gate as she stepped forward. Ironically this was the first and the last time Meher was even allowed to be so close to her mother.

"Kyu akela chhodh diya aapne mujhe isss bheed me?" Meher's voice shivered in a whisper as she gulped the forming lump in her throat. Why was everything so difficult for her?- She questioned herself internally, her eyes looking at her mother's photo with a deep sense of longing.

The tense darkness of the room thickened as the events of a few minutes ago flashed themselves in Meher's mind. Her gaze blurred with tears, threatening to leave her eyelids. The only family she was left with, had never even considered her as their family even once.

More was that the world never knew about Meher Singhania's existence. Her lower lip wobbled as the 18-year-old Meher, sniffled by the end of her sentence," Kyu chhodh ke chli gyi aap mujhe?" Her voice held a sense of accusation for the lady she had known as her mother.

"Zara sa bhi khayal nhi aaya na aapko mera?" Meher yelled, stomping her foot on the marble floor as she held the furniture in front of her for support nearing an emotional breakdown. Why can't she be loved?- Her heart wondered as it weighed heavier with unsaid emotions.

Meher took in a harsh breath as she placed a hand on her mouth in order to control her sobs. In her 18 years of life span she had cried a lot yet this time she knew that it would be last because after today, everything will be changed. Nothing will remain the same nor her nor the people around her.

"Aaj tak aapko kabhi dekh nhi payi aur jab dekh paayi uski koi yaadein nhi h mere paas" She said as a sad smile played itself upon her lips while she glanced upon her mother's smiling face. Her heart drowned as she strained it hard to remember even a single memory of her mother. Oh, how she wished! She could.

As a child, she had always prayed to the invisible God to return her mother to her yet he never heard her. She wished that at least she could remember at least a mere glimpse of her mother so that her heart could cherish that single moment for the remainder of her lifetime.

Her childhood wasn't the most pleasant, yet she always wondered what it would have been like if her mother had been here. Her nanny had told her that her mother loved her immensely until she was alive but how could she convince her heart to believe something she hadn't witnessed?

"But trust me, more than them I hate you the most.", Meher scoffed as she caressed a hand upon her mother's picture, with her view blurred with tears. Her words shivered yet the unwavering hate in her eyes did not. Till now Meher had hated everyone except the only person she had ever loved, her mother.

Meher's hand trembled as she withdrew it from her mother's portrait. She smiled to herself, this was the same portrait that was prepared by her 4th eldest brother. Even though he remembered her, her heart ached at the thought. The portrait was close to his heart yet she was restricted to be anywhere near it.

"Aapko pta tha mere saath kya hoga phir bhi aapne mujhe janam diya. You knew everything and yet you left me." She yelled at the top of her lungs as her voice echoed through the walls of the empty house. The accusation in her voice was clear with the sentiments of heart pouring themselves out as the tears from their eyes.

Meher sniffled her cries yet her gaze remained fixed upon her mother's portrait, capturing every glimpse of it as if she could treasure it for life. Yet her cries stopped immediately as she heard the cars parking, she instantly wiped her tears as she grabbed her suitcase from the distance.

Meher's eyes blazed with an unknown emotion as she gazed at the ground, clasping her suitcase in a tight grip, "Ye pehli aur aakhiri baar hoga ki mai aapki isss tasveer ke saamne khadi hoon, kyunki Aaj ke baad mera aur aapka koi rishta nhi hoga." Her heart bleed as she reminded herself that this must be the last time she saw the woman in front of her.

"Jis tarah mujhe aaj bhi pta nhi h ki Mera baap kon h waise hi aaj ke baad mujhe ye bhi nhi pta hoga ki meri maa kon h." She worded stoically, concealing the array of emotions that her words conveyed behind them.

"Goodbye Mrs.Singhania"

-×-

Present time

"I need the new report by tomorrow." A man, seeming to be in his early fifties, sat at the head chair of the table as his employees nodded to him in acknowledgement. His voice held a blazing coldness, that didn't waver to make shivers run down each one's spine.

He threw away the old file to the corner of the room with the content of the file scattering itself all over the furnished floor. His pointed look was enough for anyone to realise the intensity of tension the situation held. Everyone gulped giving each other a look, yet did not dare to utter a word in its protest.

"And next time dare you all submit me such rubbish and I'll ruin all your-" The man was interrupted by the sudden opening of the door. His PA entered hastily, "Sir-", halting himself as he saw the atmosphere of the meeting room.
He immediately bowed his head, as he stood near the door when the man turned his sharp glare towards him.

Yet the hurry in the PA's eyes said a whole different eyes that the man couldn't neglect. He knew that the guy in front of him knew what interrupting his meetings meant. He was well aware of the consequences he would face for interrupting Manish Singhania's meeting.

The urgency in the boy's tone was something that made Manish turn back his gaze to the people in the meeting as he said, "You all are dismissed". His voice held an authority that made people comply with him. Authority is a trait that wasn't beyond Manish Singhania's existence. The room was vacant almost immediately, with people literally sprinting out of the suffocating environment.

"Hope you know what you did Rajeev" Manish said coldly, gaining the young boy's attention who was still standing near the doorway in a stance. Manish's jaw twitched as he looked at the young boy who nodded in reply," So speak! What so important came up that you had to interrupt me in such an important meeting?"

Rajeev instinctively flinched upon hearing the raised pitch of his boss's voice, gulping down his saliva audibly.
He had been working for Manish for the last 5 years and was witty enough to know what riled up his boss."Sir...Sir, I guess we have found her" The young boy stuttered initially yet completed his sentence at last.

Manish's head snapped towards Rajeev as he registered the latter's words. "What?" The shock was clear in his voice as Rajeev again nodded his head in response. Manish still in a state of daze couldn't believe what had his ears just heard.

"Sir according to the information we have got, The award function that is being held tonight has announced the owner of M.A.Y Enterprises as the businesswoman of the year." Rajeev stopped as he waited for his boss to say something, the morphed seriousness not missed by him yet he sighed upon not receiving any response, he continued,

"She has just set up her business in India, two months ago when they moved back from Australia. Isiliye unke baare me zyada info nhi h but" He took another pause before dropping the final bomb," Apparently uski owner ka naam bhi Meher h and the rumours say that she was once related to the Singhanias"

Manish eyes widened as his trance of seriousness broke upon hearing the last line. His expressions conveyed, how stunned he was by the news he had just recieved. He had heard about the the company once, yet he never paid much attention to it.

Meher, in far years, this name had just brought guilt to his mind. Giving rise to some insecurities which he had buried deep in his heart after his wife's death. The sudden death of his wife had left a major impact on him.

The pain he recieved years ago by both her betrayal and her death had blinded his senses then. Stealing away his ability to know what was right and wrong. In this fit of both unsaid pain and unexpressed anger, he had ruined many lives.

Yet the mere thought of Meher's disappearance, had been pestering him the most since years. He has regretted every bit of his previous decisions. Since the last 2 years he had made it a point to bring the girl back home and correct his mistake.

The mistake that had effected him and his family immensely.

"What's her surname?" Manish asked as his mind dwelled upon the most obvious question. Rajeev took a second before he replied with certainty,"She doesn't have any surname sir" Manish's features relaxed a bit as his assumption was confirmed.

The girl has always been a mystery to him as he had never even bothered to spent some time with her. After Samriddhi's death he had burdened himself with the work load of the Singhania empire to get rid off his personal dilemmas back then. The old workaholic self of his was always busy to even pay attention to what his family did.

He believed, If this was Meher then she was clever enough to do what she was doing. Something he hadn't expected her to do yet she did and she'll be answerable to him once he finds her. The girl wasn't far from his reach and this time she'll not be able to leave them even if she wanted.

"Any other information about her?" Manish asked as he got up from his chair, brushing off any possible folds from his expensive coat. "No sir, but She'll be attending the attending the award function tonight. According to the media she had some special announcements to make"

Rajeev informed decently, not leaving out any piece of information he had received. Manish hummed in nodding as he ordered while moving out of the meeting room," Get everything ready and inform my sons as well. We'll also be attending the function tonight."

Manish was about to move out of the room when halted in his steps as Rajeev asked him hurriedly," Sir, Kya mujhe Ms.Singhania...I mean Ms.Meher ke baare mein baaki sabko btana h?" Rajeev immediately corrected himself not wanting to get himself into trouble.

"No" Manish said sternly as he moved out of the room. His sons hated their stepsister with passion and that wasn't hidden from Manish. No matter how much busy he stayed back then. The difference in attitude amongst the siblings could be felt whenever the girl was around them.

He wasn't sure about his sons reactions for now, but he was sure that they wouldn't appreciate it. Neither the news nor his decision. He just couldn't bear anything going wrong tonight, and for that he would hide things gladly.

Only if he knew the storm that was awaiting for them

-×-

Write a comment ...

The_knowledgeable_soul

Show your support

Radhe Radhe Guys💙🦚✨, if you like my writing and want to support me in my career do send your help. Thanks💙

Write a comment ...

The_knowledgeable_soul

Radhe Radhe💙🦚✨