Chapter 123 - Date and marriage

"Mom just because I am single does not mean I would be wasting my singlehood going on dates with strangers." speaking in a calm voice over the phone which was on speaker mode, kept on the desk, Shanaya was busy checking the design on the monitor.

Going on dates with strangers to check their compatibility and to know if she could love any one of them in future, was not an option for Shanaya.

That was not what she had in mind when she had decided to be a free bird in the morning after a countless night of deprived sleep.

Filling various colours in her designed dress, Shanaya heard her mom " I am not asking you to meet any of the matched boys in your busy time. But, just like you said you are single, it means you have free time which mingles people do not have! Stop making excuses, Shana."

Shanya closed her eyes when she heard her mother's next line" Do you love someone? Is this the reason you are not meeting anyone?"

"Yes" whispered her heart.

"Mom, No!" spoke her mouth and, before her voice could give any hint of lies, Shanaya continued" Mom, I have not thought about marrying anyone as of now." .

"Liar! You thought marrying Vihaan every day" shouted her mind and, she clenched her teeth.

She so fuċkɨnġ hates her mind! She did not need an enemy when her own mind was her enemy.

"Shana, I am not asking you to marry without knowing them. I want to see you getting married, want to see my grandchildren."

"And, here she starts motherly lectures." thought Shanaya.

She often wondered if her mother was the only one to do all this, but, after talking to her friends, she had come to know it was all mother's problem.

"Mom, I would marry once I would love someone. And, trust me, I won't delay a single moment if I come to meet him." speaking her heart, Shanaya lifts her gaze to see across her office and saw Ms kriti in conversation with Erina, Vihaan's secretary.

Since her arrival back to India, Shanaya had been busy completing her stacked projects and, Erina was there for that purpose only.

But, that was not the only relation they shared.

Shanaya and Erina had formed a friendly bond over time and, Shanyaa was glad to have a friend like her in her life.

Erina was not only a beautiful, intelligent girl, but she was also a caring person who would value a person's inner beauty rather than outer beauty and, that was one of the reasons Shanaya had liked her at first glance.

Shanaya had been at such a comfort zone with Erina she did not think twice while talking about her personal details with her mom on speaker in the presence of her, which she rarely did with anyone.

Such was her feelings and trust for Erina.

"Mom, I know you must be eager to see me walking down the aisle, but, not right now."

"We don't walk down the aisle, bcche. We do saat phere(seven rounds)."

Sitting away from Shanaya and listening to her, Erina laughed a little when she heard Shanaya answering her mom " Mom, I, can fall in love with a Christian man. I will walk down the aisle if that happens, isn't it."

"I do not care who you love. All I want is to see you getting married."

"Oh, really!" arching her brows at her mom's statement, Shanaya spoke in response" What if I marry a girl instead of a boy?" and hi-fived Erina who had started laughing after hearing her mother" Playing with me, hmm. Fine marry a girl if you want to. But, all I want is you to meet the boy for me."

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Sitting on the sofa with legs crossed, index finger on lips, wearing a dark grey three-piece suit and black shoes, Vihaan was deep in thinking. His hair was messy as if he had been roaming hands in them for a long time.

Lying in front of him on the table was his ŀȧptop and some files, but he had no attention to them.

All he could think was meeting Shanaya in the elevator and how she had been ignoring him for the last five days since her return.

God! all he wanted was to look in her eyes, hold her hands and talk to her with no thought of the time.

He smiled, thinking about how she reacted sensing his presence but, the smile did not last long when he remembered Shanaya was not only angry on him, she was determined to erase him from her life.

Yes, he knew Shanyaa more than anyone, even if he was not in her life. He was well aware of every expression of her, a thing he realised at that moment only.

Busy in his world, he came out of it when he heard his phone ringing and picked it up immediately when he saw the caller's name" Good morning, mom."

He bites his lips, a thing he had taken from Shanaya, when he heard Chaya speaking angrily " Why are you not coming to home? You did not even come to meet us!"

"Mom, I am busy, you know it very well." trying his best to make sure she bought his lie, he changed his position and sat while leaning against the back of the sofa.

"Oh, really! I never knew how busy a CEO could be. You are the only one in our family to be the one, isn't it?"

Ohkayy, it was sarcasm and, Vihaan did not take a second to know it.

"Mom, what happened? Why are you so angry? Did someone say anything to you?" standing from the sofa, Vihaan spoke while walking toward his chair and sat down on it on reaching.

"No one can say anything to me, darling. I miss you, bcche." hearing soft and full of love voice of her mother, Vihaan had no idea what to say.

He wanted to go to the mansion, wanted to sleep in his room, wanted to talk to Avni and Vansh and laugh with them, but how could he ignore their expression on knowing he had betrayed them.

How could he sleep in his room when he knew the walls of the mansion would haunt his night, would repeat the scene again and again?

He was weak to hurt his sister, brother whom he had hurt without any intention.

"Mom, I would surely come once I would be free, I promise." ignoring the sadness erupting in his heart, Vihaan tried to lift her mood by kissing her on the phone.

He had just said "Come in" on hearing a knock on the door office, when he listened to his mother "Well, do you know, I receive a marriage proposal for you."

"Moooommmmm, stop telling me about my marriage proposals. I am not interested in getting married right now."

"Really! That's why you were so interested in going on a date, isn't it?" spoke his mother, sarcastically.

Vihaan wanted to speak" that was to make Shanaya jealous" but not as if he could.

"Mom, I would talk to you later." signalling Erina to take a seat, he hunged up.

"Yes, Erina." giving her his attention, putting his elbows on the table, he spoke.

"Sir, Shanaya mam had given the file on the recent project." forwarding the file to Vihaan, Erina spoke.

Taking the files from her hand, Vihaan enquired while reading the content of it "Where is Shanaya?"

Erina did not respond immediately. Looking at Vihaan reading the files, Erina knew she should not meddle in between two of them, but she could not just do it.

She had no idea what had happened between them, but, she had seen both of them sneaking at each other thinking no one had watched them, had felt their attraction toward each other, had felt love in the air whenever they would be together.

Clearing her throat when she saw Vihaan lifting his eyes to her level, she spoke with no hint of guilt in her voice" She is getting ready to meet someone for marriage."

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