Chapter 233 - Wish me luck...

Shreya leaned over and gave Srinivas her default smooch on his cheek and bid him goodbye.

"Sweet dreams," She mumbled and stumbled out of the car slightly dazed.

Srinivas's lips twitched but he actually followed her out after locking the car behind him. After seeing the reaction of the reporters today, he knew he can't really afford to take this one particular car out by himself ever… he could probably get away with driving a top luxury car on the road without hitch but he doubted he could do the same with this one… a car that actually looked so ordinary on the first glance.

Shreya sleepily zigzagged to the elevators. It took her several tries before she could actually hit the button to summon the elevator down.

Srinivas just stood behind her amused but he did not bother to actually help her. He just snuck in behind her when she got into the elevator. Only when he saw that Shreya was napping leaning on the walls of the elevators without even closing the doors that Srinivas actually extended his hands and helped her select her floor.

When they reached Shreya's floor, he dragged her out by holding on to her arms.

"Hey, don't stomp on my legs… walk straight. You will be in your bed in no time…" Srinivas scolded her as she leaning over his shoulders and walked like a drunkard. But Shreya did not really listen to anything he said and did as she wished as always.

"You are so spoilt sometimes, you know…" Srinivas complained but did not scold her anymore and let her be.

As soon as they reached her apartment doors, Shreya stood straight and opened her doors.

She waved at Srinivas and once again wished him for the night, "Good night… drive safe…"

"Don't even think about it. I am going to stay here tonight and every night till this shit is settled…" He said with a sweet smile trying to push her out of the way.

"NOO…" Shreya panicked and stopped him on his tracks. "You… you go sleep at your own house. I will be fine. I am just going to lock right behind you and only open the doors when you knock on it tomorrow morning. I promise…" Even though she childishly extended her hands to make a pinky promise, her face had a more complicated expression without daring to meet his eyes.

Knowing Shreya, it was probably not because she did not trust him. After all, she had added his biometrics to the security system.

"What is it?" He asked confused.

Shreya let him inside the house first seeing as they were talking in the doorways before answering.

"I know it is going to be hard to believe but I can't sleep with people around…"

Srinivas did not comment but his brows arched an octave more after hearing her. After all, she was sound asleep throughout the car ride.

"I swear… I can't sleep for an extended period of time when I have people around. At least, when I am in a bad mood or anxious, it is especially worse…" Shreya explained very seriously without going into details.

Seeing as she had a very serious expression, Srinivas believed her. So, he just handed over the car keys and nagged her some more before leaving.

"Take one of the other cars…" Shreya instructed before closing the doors behind him.

After that, she went straight to her room and took a quick shower. She was off to bed without really having the energy to even dwell on the things that had happened today.

It had been like she was riding a rollercoaster ride the whole day. Her brains were fried to the maximum. And the fruit of her hard work will be seen by the whole country tomorrow morning.

"I did it, dad. It had started. Wish me luck…" Shreya mumbled before going to sleep.

Srinivas, on the other hand, took one of the cars in the lot and drove straight to his home. But then halfway through, he remembered something and changed directions and instead reached Zee's apartment.

This time around he did not really bother about the manners and actually walked into her house uninvited.

But to his surprise, Zee was actually there in the living room. He thought she would come back well past midnight as always.

"What are you doing here?" Zee demanded annoyed. But she did not try to drive him away. After all, she knew that, unless he himself wanted to leave, her words will be utterly useless.

Srinivas did not answer her but went to the fridge and got himself a can of beer.

"Why are you home so early?" He asked a question of his own while poping the can open and sipping on his drink.

Zeenath was sitting on the living room sofa and watching television with its volume muted. She looked at him peculiarly as she answered sarcastically, "Why does it matter to you? I will do whatever I want! Who are you to question that?"

Srinivas's expression darkened unconsciously as he replied in an equally sarcastic tone, "Yea.. yea… Zee. You are the Queen of your own life who likes to be left alone. And nobody has the right to question." There was a sense of mockery in his voice. But this was not the one Zee was used to… that teasing tone he would use whenever he was trying to drive her nuts. This was somehow sad… hurt even.

"If you are here to scold me or berate me, just get out…" Zee flared up as always.

But this time around, even Srinivas couldn't keep his cool. His ever so calm expression actually cracked and his eyes darkened.

"Just like how we don't have the right to question your choices, even you do not have the right to hurt the people who truly care about you, Zee… Doing that is the lowest of the low…" Srinivas said with his jaws clenched painfully.

If anything, Zeenath's anger actually increased a notch after hearing him. Zee absolutely hated it when people accused her of something. She was one of those people who did not know how to admit her wrongs in any situation.

Thus she stood up from her place and asked in a raised voice trying to prove her point of view.

"Who asked you to care about me? Did I come and beg you to care about me? Did I come and beg you to give me your attention? When I did not do any of those, then you do not have the right to whine about getting hurt either! It is your choice to care…" Zee's voice had the arrogance she always had but this time around that arrogance did not come from a healthy place but from somewhere darker.

With great effort, Srinivas actually kept his voice steady as he said, "I am not talking about myself. You can hurt me all you want since I am the one who fell into this pit knowing too well how it will proceed. But what about Shreya… what right do you have to hurt her like that? She did that because she cares about you… that is all. Don't you think you owe her an apology for the way you talked to her this morning?"

Zeenath did not like the accusation in his voice nor the way his eyes flared up as if she had committed a grave mistake against Shreya… She did not know if it was the self-preservation of her ego or was it misplaced jealousy. Whatever it was, negativity ruled her mind and made her say things she probably wouldn't have said in any rational state of mind. "Who asked her to care? Don't patronize her as if she is some saint and picture me as a villain. I did not ask anybody to care about me… so, don't force your own misplaced ideals on me. I am fine the way I am."

Srinivas froze in her place for a second dumbstruck. He then shook his head and got up from his place. He did not know what surprised him more. The fact that she told him something like that with such an uncaring expression or the fact that he did not doubt that she could say something like that.

"I thought you were cold-hearted… I thought with patience I would be able to crack them open… But now I realize how wrong I was… I can't do anything about a heartless person. If you can't empathize or sympathize with that one person who has had your back no matter the situation, I am not sure I can ever get to you in this lifetime."

He got up from his couch as he said with a sigh, "I guess Shreya was right after all. You got too comfortable in your lonely hell that you are not even ready to step out anymore. Just remember, you chose this hell for yourself. So, you can only blame yourself for it. I am outa here…"

He walked out of the doors without a second glance.