Chapter 8
“You know,” Naina began hesitantly, “from everything I’ve heard about you in the last few years, I never thought you could talk so sensibly to a kid. It seems... opposite to your playboy nature.”
Ruhaan took another swig of his drink, breaking eye contact with her. “Then you too don’t know me at all,” he said, with hurt in his voice.
Naina fell silent. Ruhaan set his drink down, his shoulders sagging as he turned back to her, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion she had never seen before.
Naina nodded, recalling the news of his father’s heart stroke. She remained quiet, sensing that Ruhaan needed to let this out.
“Dad was like an anchor in my life,” Ruhaan continued, his gaze distant. “Even though I was always a mama’s boy, losing him... it shook me to my core. I had plans, you know? I was going to travel abroad, start a business. But I couldn’t leave Mom alone, not after that.”
He paused, running a hand through his hair.
“So I took over Dad’s business, and that’s when I discovered the truth.
We were drowning in debt. The company was barely functioning; clients were leaving in droves.
Dad had kept it all from us, probably to protect us.
But in the end, that stress... it’s what killed him. ”
Naina reached out, hesitating for a moment before placing her hand on Ruhaan’s arm. He looked at her.
“I couldn’t let my father’s legacy crumble,” he said, his voice gaining strength.
“But in the end, I had to wind it all up and start fresh. It took years, Naina. Three years of non-stop work, of sleepless nights and endless stress. There was no time for anything else, no space in my life for relationships.”
He let out a bitter laugh. “So yeah, short flings and hookups became the norm. It was all I could manage; all I had energy for. I didn’t want any real attachments, any distractions from my goal of making the business succeed.”
His eyes met Naina’s again. “Of course, society didn’t approve. The ‘playboy’ tag stuck, and after a while, I just... accepted it. It didn’t matter to me what people thought. I was at peace with who I had become.”
Naina listened, understanding more about him than she had in years.
She saw him now in a new light, realizing the struggles he had faced, the choices he had been forced to make.
He wasn’t just a playboy. He was a man who had been thrust into a challenging situation and had done his best to navigate it.
“My mother still wants me to get married,” he continued. “But I don’t think I have those husbandly qualities anymore. What didn’t work for me in the last seven years was committing to one woman, trying to make it work. I think I’d fail miserably if I tried now.”
She stiffened at his words, feeling a pang of disappointment, she hadn’t expected. She couldn’t deny that she was drawn to Ruhaan, but his words confirmed her fears. He wasn’t ready for the kind of commitment she needed. Ruhaan noticed and shook his head slightly.
“These short-term flings, they work for me, Naina. I’m happy with them. And it’s not like I’m deceiving anyone,” he added quickly. “I’m always upfront about my intentions. If a woman agrees, knowing it’s temporary, then we proceed. If not, we part ways.”
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I can’t change that image of mine. And honestly, I’m fine with it. But being a playboy doesn’t mean I’m inhuman. I respect people’s feelings, just like I understand yours.”
His eyes locked with Naina’s, intensity burning in their depths. “I get it, Naina. You don’t want to give any air to whatever attraction we still have for each other, despite the seven years between us. And I respect that.”
A heavy silence fell between them. The man before her was complex, wounded, and far more vulnerable than she had ever imagined.
“Ruhaan...” Naina began, then faltered, unsure of what to say. “Why are you telling me all this?”
He gave her a sad smile. “I just wanted you to understand. To know the real me, not the image everyone else sees.”
The attraction between them, which she had been fighting so hard to ignore, suddenly seemed more complicated, more real.
It wasn’t just about physical desire or nostalgia for what they once had.
It was about two people who had been through their own personal hells and come out the other side, changed and maybe even broken.
“Forget about me,” he said, breaking the silence that had settled after his revelation. “What about you? Since when did Neil start demanding a father? Who even put that thought in his head?”
She sighed, reaching for the beer bottle and taking a long swig before answering. Her voice was soft, tinged with a sadness that made Ruhaan’s heart clench.
“Ever since his playschool days,” she began, her gaze distant as if reliving those moments. “He saw his other friends having fathers come to drop them off, pick them up from school. For him, it was always just me. Only me.”
Ruhaan too felt hurt listening to her. He could imagine the struggle she must have faced, being both mother and father to Neil, while also grappling with her own emotions and desires.
Naina continued, her voice growing stronger as she spoke. “Since then, he’s always asked where his father was, why he didn’t have a dad like his other friends. It’s been... challenging, to say the least.”
He leaned forward, his brow furrowed in thought.
“If he’s been making that demand for so long, why haven’t you done anything about it?
Why are you still single?” His voice was gentle, but the questions were pointed.
“You’ve always believed in commitment, Naina.
What are you waiting for after all these years? ”
Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock. “I can’t believe you of all people, are asking me that,” she said. “Ever since we’ve met again, up until this morning, you’ve been flirting with me. And now you’re asking me to look out for some man and get settled down for Neil’s sake?”
He reached out, pulling Naina’s chair closer to his. The sudden movement caught her off guard, and she almost stumbled, instinctively grabbing onto him for support. Their faces were now inches apart.
“I’m glad you’ve at least accepted that something is brewing between us since we’ve met again,” he said. Her breath caught in her throat, unable to form a response.
“Whatever is between us, Naina, it’s very genuine from my end,” he continued. “I’m glad you’re still single, and right now, so am I. My feelings for you are real, although that doesn’t mean I can commit to something more when I’m not ready for it yet, nor can I ever be.”
He paused, his eyes searching hers. “If you still gave me a chance, I promise I would never cheat on you. The respect and loyalty will always be there if we go ahead with processing these feelings we have for each other. I would really love to. If you agree, you would get all of me.”
She sat stunned. To her own surprise, she didn’t feel frustrated or angry at his suggestion. Instead, she found herself considering it.
“And until when would this arrangement of ours go on?” she asked.
His response was immediate. “Until one of us wants to end it. And I don’t think I will ever want to end anything between us, Naina.”
She bit her lip, unaware that her contemplative expression was giving Ruhaan hope. He swallowed hard, then leaned in, placing a soft, chaste kiss on her cheek. The gentle touch sent a shiver down Naina’s spine.
He pulled back slightly, his eyes meeting hers once more. “That kiss was to help you think better,” he said, a hint of his old playfulness returning to his voice. “I’ll wait for your reply until…” he checked his phone, “tomorrow morning 11:00?”
With that, he stood up and walked towards the villa, leaving Naina alone by the pool. She touched her cheek where his lips had been, wondering what she was going to decide.
She remained seated, completely bewildered by the turn of events.
Why was she even considering Ruhaan’s proposal for a temporary fling?
She had always been a woman who valued commitment, who believed in the sanctity of a lasting relationship.
Yet here she was, seriously contemplating an arrangement that went against everything she had stood for.
But as she sat there, watching the play of light on the pool’s surface, she realized that perhaps she had changed more than she had thought over the past seven years.
The woman she was now had faced countless challenges, had raised a child on her own, had built a life that was uniquely hers.
Maybe that woman was ready for something different, something that didn’t fit into the neat boxes of her previous expectations.
Ruhaan’s honesty, his vulnerability in sharing his story, had touched something deep within her. He wasn’t offering her a fairy tale ending, but he was offering her something real, something passionate and respectful. And wasn’t that, in its own way, a form of commitment?
After a few minutes of thinking, she finally stood up, her legs slightly unsteady from the long night and the emotional rollercoaster she had been on.
She knew she had a decision to make, one that could change the course of her life and potentially Neil’s as well.
But for now, she needed sleep, needed time to process everything that had transpired.
She walked back to her room, feeling a small thrill of excitement though. Whatever she decided, she knew that her relationship with Ruhaan had irrevocably changed. The future, which had seemed so set in stone just yesterday, now held possibilities she had never dared to imagine.
This one night had changed everything. The masks had fallen away, leaving them bare and vulnerable, but also open to possibilities they had never before considered.
**************
The next morning, the garden was alive with the chatter and laughter of guests as the breakfast buffet was set up under the soft morning sun. The Kundras’ villa was bustling with relatives and friends. A grand 30-seater table stood as the centerpiece, laden with a sumptuous breakfast buffet.
As Ruhaan emerged from the villa, his eyes immediately scanning the garden and spotted Naina at the table, busy arranging plates. Their gazes locked for a moment. He could read the subtle shift in her expression, sensing that she might be considering his fling proposal. Hope ignited in his chest.
But his reverie was interrupted by his mother, Kaushalya, who approached him with a warm smile. “Good morning, beta.”
“Morning, Mom,” he replied, trying to keep his attention from drifting back to Naina.
“You look like you haven’t slept a wink,” Kaushalya observed. “Is something stressing you out?”
He grinned, glancing briefly at Naina, who was busy arranging plates on the table. “It’s true, I couldn’t sleep. But it’s a beautiful stress.”
His mother raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “Since when did stress become beautiful?” she asked, perplexed by her son’s cryptic response.
He laughing, skillfully changing the subject, ensuring he raised his voice so that Naina too could hear. “Mom, what time is it now?”
Kaushalya glanced at her watch. “It’s 9:30, beta.”
His grin widened, knowing Naina had caught his subtle reminder of the 11:00 AM deadline he had given her to decide on his proposal. From the corner of his eye, he saw her hiding a smile as she continued her work at the table.
Suman joined Naina too at the very instant and the two of them got busy arranging breakfast. As guests began to take their seats, Ruhaan strategically positioned himself and pulled out the chair next to him, hoping Naina would join him.
However, his plan backfired when Poonam approached, thanking him for saving her a seat.
His face fell as he realized Naina had been grinning at his dilemma.
Naina meanwhile settled herself opposite Ruhaan, between her uncle and Suman. As breakfast began, Ruhaan was sandwiched between his mother and Poonam as his mother kept elbowing him to talk to Poonam.
Poonam chatted animatedly beside him, but he barely registered her words, his attention was entirely on Naina, who seemed to be relishing his situation while enjoying her breakfast.
Naina sipped her orange juice, placing the glass back on the table.
Ruhaan looked around to ensure no one was watching, and then casually picked up her glass and took a sip.
His boldness left her wide-eyed, and stunned at his audacity.
He winked at her, savoring the juice as if it were the most exquisite drink in the world.
Just to remind her again, he turned to his mother once more. “Mom, what’s the time now?”
Kaushalya checked her watch again. “It’s 10:10 AM, beta. Why are you so concerned about the time today?”
“Deadline, Mom,” Ruhaan replied cryptically. “I have a deadline for the most important project of my life. I can’t wait for it to succeed.”
Kaushalya smiled, oblivious to the true nature of his ‘project.’ “It will succeed, beta. My son never fails. You have my blessing,” she said, affectionately patting his head.
Ruhaan chuckled, realizing his mother’s misunderstanding. He turned to Naina, speaking loudly enough for those around him to hear, “Now that I have my mother’s blessings, I’m confident my project will succeed.”
Naina rolled her eyes and continued eating, trying to maintain her composure despite the growing tension between them.
“Ruhaan, are you excited about the Mehndi function tonight?” Poonam asked, trying to engage him in conversation.
“Hmm? Oh, yes, of course,” Ruhaan replied absently, his eyes darting to Naina once more.
Rohit who had noticed Ruhaan and Naina’s silent exchange of gazes interrupted this time, “Ruhaan, why don’t you and Poonam help with the decorations for tonight’s function?”
Kaushalya loved the idea. She immediately intervened. “Yes, beta. It would be a good opportunity for you two to spend some time together.”
Ruhaan suppressed a groan.
“Actually, Rohit, I was thinking of asking Naina for help. She has a great eye for design,” he said, loud enough for Naina to hear.
Naina’s head snapped up at the mention of her name. She met Ruhaan’s challenging gaze and was surprised that despite knowing his mother didn’t like her much he wasn’t bothered openly wanting to spend time with her. So, she too decided to play along.
“I’d be happy to help,” she said sweetly. “After all, we wouldn’t want the decorations to be a... disappointment.”
She tried hard not to look at Poonam who was fuming. The double meaning in Naina’s words wasn’t lost on Ruhaan. He leaned forward, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I’m sure with your help, it will exceed all expectations.”
Kaushalya was unhappy but at the moment she decided to stay quiet and continued her breakfast.