Chapter 35
Shreya inhaled deeply and entered the Advait's room she didn't even bother to knock as the door was already half opened.
She stood at the door and looked at his trembling form.
He was sitting on the bed with his head between his hands, he was still shaking from the rage.
The room was eerily silent and only the sound of his heavy breathing could be heard.
She was about to step forward before he snapped, "Go away!" He shouted without looking up, he thought that maybe one of his brothers had come.
She flinched at his voice her leg stumbled a little and her foot got twisted slightly earning a painful hiss escape of her lips.
Advait instantly looked up, his expression was one of surprise seeing her in his room but immediately his surprise turned into a concern when he noticed her painful expression and a twisted foot.
He stood up and steadied her by holding her arm. He carefully made her sit on the bed and crouched down in front of her to examine the injury.
"Ye kya kar rahe hain aap?" She gasped when he placed her feet on his lap.
"Examining the injury." He replied still looking at her feet for any injury.
She pulled her leg back, "Mai theek hoon." She said feeling hesitated in the situation.
"You sure?" He looked at her skeptical, his eyes were showing pure concern for her.
She nodded and he was reluctant but stood up fixing his shirt, "Kuch chahiye tha aapko?" He asked, the reason for coming to his room. His voice was soft contrary to his previous outburst.
"Aap." She replied lost in her own world.
Advait raised his brow and at that when she realised what just she had said. She quickly corrected, "I-I mean aap theek hain?" She stuttered in embarrassment.
He exhaled sharply and gave her a subtle nod.
"You sure?" She copied his words.
He stared at her when she added, "I-I mean you can share with me if you're comfortable." She said hesitatingly.
"Umm I didn't want to invade in your personal matter. I'm sorry if it offended you. I was only concern about you actually..." She stood up blabbering out in nervousness when he didn't reply anything.
But he cut her off in between saying, "Relax. I don't mind." He said normally.
"Please sit." He sat down and motioning her to sat down also.
She sitted beside him and he exhaled tiredly but before he could say anything her eyes landed on his hand which had dried blood on it. Her concerned instincts peeked and she gasped, "Aapka haath..."
Advait followed her gaze and looked at his hand, he just waved it off without expression, "It's nothing."
"It is bleeding. How could you be so careless?" She scolded but the concern was etched in her voice.
He looked at her without blinking at her concerned voice. "Don't worry, it's just a small cut." He said softly.
"Shut up! Chup rahiye aap aapko ye chota sa cut lag raha hai." She snapped at him making him looked at her with amused eyes.
"Where's the First-aid?" She asked.
"In the drawer right next to you." He pointed through his eyes.
She opened the drawer and took out the box, she gently held his big rough hand in her soft one and started cleaning the dried blood.
She was blowing on his wound careful of not to hurt him in the process. Then she applied the antiseptic cream and looked at him for any reaction due to the burning sensation of the cream but his face was neutral as always.
"Jyada jal to nahi raha?" She asked, her own face was twisted in pain as if she was the one bearing the pain.
He just shook his head and continued staring at her beautiful eyes. She carefully wrapped the bandage around the wound but didn't let go of his hand.
"Kal bandage change kar lijiyega." She instructed.
"Aap mera haath wapas dengi to jarur kar lunga." He said with an innocent smile.
"Huh?" She furrowed her brows.
He pointed towards his hand which was resting on her lap. She followed his gaze and instantly her cheeks got red in embarrassment.
She quickly left his hand making him chuckle a bit. She looked down hiding her embarrassment.
"Uh I-i'm sorry." She said in a barely audible voice.
"It's fine and besides...I like that." He said, his lips twitched up slightly.
She raised her brows in an asking manner.
"Your soft little hands wrapped around mine ones. I like that." He said bluntly making her flustered.
She stared at him unsure of what to answer on this comment. The heat creeped up to her neck making her turn red immediately.
So she changed the topic, "Your room... looks like a battle field." She said sweeping her gaze through all the mess he had made earlier.
He glanced at the scattered pieces of the broken glasses, thrown damaged things and furniture on the floor and he agreed it was really looking like a battle field after the war.
He was looking over at the mess when she suddenly remembered the Kalyani's words. She had listened when Kalyani was calling the kids as orphan. She wanted to know the truth but at the same time didn't have the courage to ask him this much fragile question.
"Can I ask you something?" She asked before she could control herself.
He nodded after staring at her for the moment.
"Abhishek, Aditya, Arush i-i mean your brothers mm... Are they not your real brothers?" She asked gathering up all her courage.
His softened eyes got instantly hardened at her question, his jaw clenched slightly and he replied in as calm as possible voice, "They are much more to me than my real brothers." He said, his tone was controlled.
She noticed the change in his demeanor and immediately regretted her words, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it like that." She apologized.
He took a deep breath to calm himself, a long silence followed. "We don't share the same mother." He said his voice was heavy.
She lifted her gaze in shock as it was really unexpected for her.
"Mr. Angad Malhotra, My loser father. he had cheated on my mom with her best friend." He gritted in pain, his eyes were blazing with anger.
She could feel the anger radiating from him. He tilted his head at her smiling slightly but his eyes were filled with something else... pain.
"When my mother got to know about his betrayal she couldn't take it and committed suicide." He said and his eyes got instantly filled with tears.
The tears were threatening to spill outside so he turned his face to the other side. She could feel his pain through his eyes, she reassuringly put her hand on his squeezing it lightly just enough to keep him grounded.
He blinked away his tears and looked at her gratefully for the reassurance.
"Where is your dad now?" She asked carefully.
"He ran away." He replied flatly, "He was guilty of his actions and thought of running away from his responsibilities would be a better way of getting rid of the guilt."
She looked in disbelief that how could a father did something like that to his own kids. He noticed her searching eyes and answered, "He is dead for me." He said in a final tone.
"I don't have anyone except for my brothers. They are everything to me. My kids." He completed, his voice got softened talking about them.
Her eyes filled with sympathy and pain for him, she didn't even think that behind the mask of the stone hearted person lived a vulnerable man.
He never showed his emotions to anyone and pretended like that nothing could hurt him.
But the reality was different he was already enough wounded to feel the more pain.
"Did they know about this all?" She asked, rubbing her thumb on the back of his hand.
He nodded, "Only Abhishek and Aditya knows, Arush was merely a toddler at that time."
Her face flashed with the understanding, "You're very strong." She said giving a tight squeeze to his hands.
He chuckled at her words, In his life he always got compliments of being strong but in reality he was not. He really wanted to be weak, he really wanted to be vulnerable he was tired of pretending being strong.
"But you're also a human. You also have the right to be vulnerable at some points of the life. Stop pretending to be always strong. We all are humans and we all need each other to rely on." She added and made him understand softly.
He was overwhelmed by her words as she was the first one who could see through his strong exterior facade.
"You have me. I will always be there for you just call me and I'll be by your side." She said in a promising tone.
"Ab apne dost ke liye itna to kar hi sakti hoon mai." She teased to lighten his mood and it worked, he slightly chuckled at her words.
~________________________________________~
It had been over a month since the heart to heart conversation of Advait and Shreya.
Their feelings had escalated more for each other with the every passing day, now they talked like friends but Advait's flirty remarks and Shreya's blushing were always constant.
Her misunderstanding about him and Tia being together had also cleared.
Advait and Tia laughed out loud when they got to know about this and she was very embarrassed at her stupid dumb self.
On the other side, Tia didn't even looked at Reyansh's face from that day. She started ignoring him as she didn't want to develop any more feelings towards him and when she got to know about her kissing him in her intoxication, she was flustered.
When Advait asked her about her feelings towards Reyansh then she clearly denied it and said 'if there would have been anyone else other than Reyansh she would have kissed him also as she was not in her senses.
" Reyansh had listened to her words and it hurt him deeply now he also started making distance with her.
Advait was sitting on his head chair in his cabin.
He was working focusly on his laptop ignoring the faint headache he was having from last one week.
He was working restlessly for his upcoming project, he has been very busy for the past few days and didn't even able to manage the time for his kids.
His fingers were moving precisely and speedily over the key buttons.
A knock came on the glass door and Tia entered the cabin with a cup of coffee and a file in her hands.
"Your black coffee." She said placing it on the desk in front of him.
"And here is the file you've asked for." She forwarded the file in front of him and he took it without even looking up.
He flipped through the pages and nodded his head, "This project is very important for us and I need this deal to confirm at any cost." He said, his eyes were gleaming with determination.
He was always wicked and dangerous when it comes to business and if he wanted something he managed to get it by hook or by crook.
Tia passed him a knowing smile, "Don't worry, the project will be yours." She said with a confident tone.
~________________________________________~
Abhishek was in his room painting on a canvas.
The paint brush was waving over the canvas like a flying carpet.
It was soothing to watch and peaceful to eyes.
His entire focus was on the painting. His each stroke was filled with precision and gentleness.
His movements were soft and calm, his face was showing calmness but behind him there was only the chaos.
Aditya and Arush were glaring at each other behind him, they both were standing on the bed with a pillows in their hands. Aditya looked at him with a challenging expression and Arush passed him the smirk.
"Fight!" Aditya said and lunged forward but Arush dodged it easily as he rolled down on the bed.
Aditya smacked the pillow on his face which was covered with his hands.
Arush hit the pillow on his leg making him stumbled and he fell down on the bed.
They started bouncing over each other, they were practically watching wrestling on the television a few minutes before and now they were mirroring wrestler's moves and fighting with each other.
But that was all in fun until Arush shouted in pain.
Abhishek turned his head back to look at the noise.
His eyes widened in terror as soon as he saw them. Arush was on his stomach on the bed and his one hand was behind his back as Aditya was twisting it harshly while sitting on his back. He didn't realize the power he was implying on his hand.
"Adi, leave him." Abhishek yelled in horror.
"No bhai, I don't want to lose." He replied tightening his grip on him.
"He's hurting, Adi." Abhishek made him left his hand.
"He was pretending." Aditya retorted.
Arush started crying rubbing his wrist in pain, "Bhaiyaa!" He cried in pain.
"Shh, Aru shaant ho jaa dikha mujhe kaha lagi." Abhishek said gently.
Aditya gulped in fear, he tried to hushed him down, "Aru chup ho jaa please." He pleaded but Arush was not listening.
Abhishek took him in a hug and gently rubbed his wrist to sooth the pain.
"Please chup ho jaa yaar agar dekh tu chup ho jayega na to mai tujhe chocolate khilaunga pakka." He tried to bribe him earning a glare from Abhishek.
"Mai bhaiya ko bataunga." He sobbed.
Abhishek wiped off his tears and Aditya's face turned pale.
"Tere mere beech ki baat hai na bhaiya ko kyun beech me laana tu mujhe bata apna muh band karne ka kya lega." Aditya said controlling his irritation.
Arush glared at his words but said, "Video game." Abhishek raised his brows, his brother had best quality to become a politician.
Aditya relieved, "Okay pakka mai bhaiya se bolunga wo tujhe video game laa kar denge hm ab chup ho jaa."
"Mujhe aapki video game chahiye, new wali jo bhaiya ne thode din pehle di thi." He demanded.
Aditya gritted his teeth, "Mai apni video game kyu doon?" He said angrily.
Arush instantly made a teary face and looked up at Abhishek, "Bhai, bohot dard ho raha hai bhaiya ko phone kar do." He said innocently making Abhishek chuckled at his dramatic threat.
"Ma-Mazak mazak kar raha tha mai tu bhi na serious ho jata hai." He gritted his teeth smiling forcefully and pulled his cheeks with more than necessary force.
Arush winced and jerked away his hands but happy at the thought of getting a new video game.
~________________________________________~