Chapter 97 - Personal work!?

"Saaransh proposed to you!" hearing the excitement in Riya's voice over the phone meanwhile roaming in her room, Shanaya closed her eyes.

"He did not propose me, Riya! He only confessed his feelings" telling Riya for the nth times, Shanyaa had lost every hope of making her understand.

All she could hear was the excitement in her voice.

No wonder, Riya liked Saaransh for her from a very long time, just like Shanaya had guessed.

Riya was asking or, to be more precise, she was advising her to think of Saaransh as her future from such a long time.

Shanaya had no idea since when Riya had started thinking of Saaransh as the future of Shanya.

Shanaya guessed it could be since Riya had met Saaransh while helping Shanaya for the case or maybe it was much before then that?

And, the happiness in her voice was proof. .

"Come on it's almost same. But why did not you say something? He deserves it, Shana."

Shanaya was more heartbroken than she could express. She could practically feel Saaransh's pain. All she wanted was to take away his pain, for, she was the cause of it.

She had never wanted it, but, all of it was unexpected.

Yes, she had liked Saaransh, but not as the woman, but as a person.

"He asked me not to answer." feeling the wetness on her cheeks, Shanaya knew she was crying, but she did not want to stop.

She wanted to cry, for she too was hurt. She had never wanted to be the reason for someone's misery, and she had never thought there would come a day when she would hurt him.

She had never thought she would hurt the person who had been with her at the time she needed someone, other than her friends.

"Riya, I do not want this. I want to be with someone who could love me and, I know he is the perfect person but, I do not know why I can't do it!"

"Hey, stop crying. I know you would never want to hurt someone on purpose" Shanaya hear Riya's concerned voice over the phone and, it made her weep more.

God, she hated herself!

A haunted past and there she was, a changed person with no capacity to love someone decent or someone who can love her more than anyone else.

Vihaan was a rough, cold-hearted man, ready to hurt anyone for his sake, just like her, her new self.

She had heard opposites attract, but that was not the case anymore.

Shanaya stood from the bed, the phone still on her ear listening to Riya calming her. Moving inside the bathroom, she placed the phone on the slab while putting it on the speaker and, splashes the water on her face.

Riya remained on the phone, throughout the time.

Once she was sure she had no more to cry, she patted her face dry and picking up the phone, spoke: " I will talk to you later, I have a meeting with a client."

A minute later, she was outside her apartment, opening the door of her car.

Going inside her car, she was on the way to her meeting with Rohit Khanna, son of Anil Khanna who was their new client.

Along with Vihaan and Erina, Shanaya was to meet him at the Paradise Hotel, one of the five-star hotel of Delhi.

Anil Khanna was a wealthy man having chains of hotels and mall, all named after "Paradise."

Her mind was wandering in the past, that was, the previous night.

She could not stop thinking how Vihaan's hands had traced her back and, her heart started thumping, rather than beating.

A mere thought of Vihaan and she was all excited and nervous.

"Stop giving attention to yourself, Ms moving on. He was toying with you like he always does with you! I can't believe my owner is such a fool!" and there it was, her "Anti-vihaan" mind screaming at her.

Before she could think more, her brain already had a plan, the plan of traumatising her.

"Take your time." was all she could hear in Saaransh's voice.

And one part of her wondered if she would ever think about him.

.....................................................

"I am sorry, Mr Rohit. I am late." passing a smile to the seated Rohit, Shanaya took a seat opposite to him and Erina who was seated adjacent to him.

Looking at both of them, Shanaya knew something was cooking between them. The blush on Erina's face while looking at him, the curiosity in Rohit's gesture to peek at her was enough.

But, she was not the type of person who would give their nose in other's business.

"It's okay, Shanaya and please call me Rohit." passing a sweet smile at her, Rohit looked at his watch and turning toward Erina, enquired" Where is Mr Vihaan?"

The mention of Vihaan brought Shanaya to the real world and, she looked at Erina expecting, an answer.

"Ms Shanaya," looking at Shanaya instead of Rohit, Erina spoke " Mr Vihaan messaged me informing he can't make to this meeting. He has some personal work."

"Personal Work!?" furrowing her brows while arching her brows and suċkɨnġ her lower lip at the same time, Shanaya wanted to ask, but she kept it inside her.

It was weird. Vihaan had never done it before.

Like never.

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Half an hour later, Shanaya was shaking hand with Rohit while saying " We will mail you the presentation within two days."

"Sure, take your time." glancing at Erina in between, Rohit spoke.

Shanaya tried hard not to comment or compliment them, but the way they were trying to ignore the attraction between them was so adorable.

Shanaya wanted to say something, but she better thought not to.

She did not want to ruin whatever was happening between them.

"See you soon, Shanaya" smiling at her, Rohit finally looked properly at Erina and spoke while shaking his hands with her, taking time with her, much longer than required " See you soon, Ms Erina."

Erina was affected, no doubt.

Withdrawing her eyes from him, Erina spoke or rather, murmured" See you, Mr Rohit" and walked away with Shanaya.

"Do not say anything, please" stopping in the middle of the vestibule of the hotel, Erina looked at Shanaya with pleading eyes" Nothing is going between us."

Controlling her laugh, Shanaya spoke all innocently" I have not said a word."

"Yes you have not, but I can feel like you want to say it, Ms Shanaya" blushing like hell, Erina had no idea how to cope with the situation.

"Please call me Shanaya" mimicking Rohit, Shanaya laughed when Erina blushed hard.

Patting her right shoulder with her left hand, Shanaya closed the distance between them and spoke sweetly" I would vote for 'yes'."

Erina blushed hard but, not like she was going to accept it soon." Ms Shanaya, I told you."

"Yes, Erina, I heard you." still smiling at her attempts to convince, Shanaya could not stop her smile.

Erina was looking cute!!

But the jolly environment vanished the moment Erina exclaimed:" Mr Vihaan is here!"

.. .......................

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