Page 44 of Only With You

“Yes,” I say in my curt tone.

“Sir, Mr Thakur is here. Do you want me to send him in?” Joey, my assistant, asks over the line.

“Yes, please,” I reply before hanging up the call.

Mr Thakur is a well-known businessman in Mumbai who bought Alisha’s boutique. Last night, Joey sent me all the details of the buying offer. Through my sources, I learnt that he picked the property with the sole purpose of investment. Also, so far, it’s still lying untouched. I read the entire document during the night, but I couldn’t concentrate on it, as my mind was on Alisha. My chest ached not having her next to me on our bed.

As the door of my office opens, I try to push away all thoughts of Alisha. Hard as this is, I need to focus. I want to buy the boutique for her and gift it to her as a surprise. I know she will fight me on it. But it doesn’t matter. I will work something out. One way or the other, I will make sure she accepts my gift. I am the reason she had to give up on her boutique. Now I want to be the one to give back what she lost. It’s Alisha’s boutique. No one can take that away from her.

“Hello, Mr Ranveer Seth, it’s a pleasure meeting you,” Mr Thakur greets me and then holds out his hand to me when he reaches my desk.

I rise to my feet and take his hand. “Same here, Mr Thakur. Why don’t you take a seat so that we can get started?” I smile, gesturing to the chair opposite me.

“Of course, I am eager to know what you have to offer. I hope you went through the documents.” His tone clearly conveys that he will not settle for the market price and is definitely hoping for a price more than what the going rate is.

“Yes, I did.” I give a sharp nod while my gaze lingers on his face. “Don’t worry, I will not disappoint you. When I want something, I don’t waste any time to make sure I get it.”

“Well, the price…” Mr Thakur begins, but I hold up one hand and he falls silent.

“I know how much the property is worth. Be rest assured, I can afford any exorbitant price you wish to quote. So, just tell me the final price you are looking at and stop playing with words. It will make this much quicker.”

“I know you can afford it. That’s the reason I am here and have considered the offer. But let me tell you that I have not made my decision yet. I am still double-minded if I want to let go of the property or not. It’s in the prime location, after all,” he explains.

“Are you trying to say that you will not sell the property to me?” I ask in a measured tone.

He doesn’t reply, which is answer enough.

“I suggest you reconsider. Especially when the offer is too good to let go,” I say as I lean back in my chair. “I am sure being a wise businessman, you will understand the importance of not letting go of a good opportunity when it knocks on your door,” I say dryly.

“Mr Seth, as I mentioned earlier, that property is sitting in the prime location. Imagine what wonders my business will do if I open there.”

“I have a few of my prime properties that sit in the heart of the city. I can trade that with you along with the price I am offering you. You could move your endeavours there. Think about what you could do with the extra capital.”

“Are you serious?”

“If not, I wouldn’t have called you here for this meeting, and for sure, I wouldn’t have offered you this deal. You know me by my reputation; I am a man of my word.” The pounding in my temple becomes more pronounced, and the fact that I’d only slept a few hours last night is taking its toll. I am prone to making rash decisions and lashing out at people when I am tired.

“But I don’t get what you are getting out of this deal,” he asks as his brows draw together, giving me a look, which clearly states that I am insane.

“It’s not business, it’s personal,” I say as calmly as I can muster.

He goes silent and his eyes study me for a couple of minutes before he lets me know the figure. I knew he would quote something like that and take advantage. I also suggest a commercial property he would get besides the money. His mouth hangs open in disbelief, while I know he considers I have lost it. But never mind. He can have it all. It’s nothing in comparison to the happiness Alisha will get to have her boutique back.

He clears his throat and speaks again, “All right, Mr Seth, you have the deal.”

“I’ll have the papers drawn. Once the papers are ready, I’ll let you know and we can meet and sign the deal.”

Exhausted and livid, I leave my office. My headache doesn’t subside on the drive home, but I am sure it will once I see my wife.

Chapter 22

Alisha

The moment I put Mili into bed, her sleepy little eyes drift close. I bend to kiss her forehead. Since the time Mili has been here, she has slept with me every night. My heart melts thinking how this little girl has captured my heart. And for the first time in my life, I know what true unconditional love feels like. I may have not given her birth but I love her no less than the way my mother loves me. I am in awe of this little angel, who has stolen my heart with her innocence and mischievousness. Smiling, I slip out of the bed. I turn on the pink princess night lamp before turning off the bedroom light and pausing one more time to watch her. This has become my norm, and many times, I find myself admiring her in her sleep. Sometimes, it is the only thing that helps me calm the storm in my mind. And the instinct to protect her is strong. I want to be the one who shields her from the outside world. I want to be her safe harbour when storms roll in. The thought of her being in any sort of danger is enough to send me into a panic attack.

I don’t know for how long I stand near her bed, gazing at her adorable face. Only once I am sure Mili is out like a light, I silently slip out of the door and pull the door, leaving it slightly ajar, and then head to Grandpa’s room. I quietly open the door of his room to find him sleeping in the exact same position he was in earlier. With a smile, I close the door behind me and make my way to the kitchen.

It’s past ten in the night. Ranveer must be on his way back home. My heart starts racing at the thought of yesterday’s happenings. I can’t seem to get those moments out of my head. His black eyes, like always, were so full of love, that I almost broke down into tears. My heart and mind scream in unison that it’s time we let go of all the pain and give ourselves a chance, which we truly deserve. I don’t know why, but this time, I want to give our marriage another shot. I’ve thought about our relationship on and off all day long. I’m a little more at peace, even though I still worry about how Mili will react when she learns that Ranveer and I are together. Yet, that doesn’t justify why can’t I give my relationship a second try; a relationship, which has so much depth, a relationship if given a chance, can fill our lives with happiness.

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