Poles Apart – Chapter 21

[Chapter 21] : Na jao choor Kar

“Your birthday Gift. Hope you accept this gift.” Geet looked at him confused “What’s this?”

“You can see later. Your acceptance will be my return gift” He gave her a side hug, joined hands to her parents, gave fist bump to Rocky and left.

*******

Handas settled in the hall as all the guests left.

“Wish Maan had stayed longer. I would have loved to have chatted with him and made him know us more. He left like other guests” said Mohinder

“Dad, I guess I know why he left”

“Why?”

“He is scared to face rejection from me. He has lost all hopes that I will accept anything from him”

“Do you trust him Geet”

“More than myself, Dad”

“That is not nice Geet. You should not trust anyone this blindly, it may hurt you” warned Rano

“Mumma, I have already connected myself to him. For me, his pain and hurt are above me. And as far as I am concerned, if he gets an inch’s idea that I am hurting, he will do all to bring a smile on my face. And you all are there so protective for me, Mumma. What about him? who will care for his hurt. If I love him, I am the one to make sure he is not hurting but unfortunately, I have lost his trust”

“Geet, don’t think this far for anyone”

“Not for anyone Mom but what about one, who is my everyone.”

“Geet  dear, if he matters so much, then get his fear out this time dear” interrupted Mohinder

“If you trust him that much, then call him this weekend for dinner. And accept his gift without seeing whatever is in it.” Mohinder advised

“How can you say that? How can she accept anything in a written document without seeing? You both are practical business person and here I have to place sense in you father and daughter”

“Mumma” Geet held Rano’s hand to comfort her

“Mumma, I need his trust more than anything. My world would be happy if he trusts me. I will do whatever helps me to win his trust. I will go with what Dad suggested.”

“Fine. But Geet you don’t know what is in it. It may hurt you.”

“I am least worried about my hurt Mom. I, anyway, have no option to deny his gift. I can’t break him further by denying.”

Rano sighed, “Okay then, Invite him for dinner this Saturday on our behalf..”

Geet hugged Rano. “Thanks Mom.”

Maan was seated in the nice, wide and long living hall of Handa Villa. Mohinder took a seat beside him, Geet and Rano opposite to him as the server lay some light snack items. Rocky was out with his friends.

Maan was not comfortable to attend  family dinners, eventually having never been invited since childhood. So his discomfort was obvious but as Geet had invited on behalf of her parents, he could not deny. It would be an insult to her parents and her. So here he was.

“Maan, feel comfortable and at home. Don’t take this as a formal invite.”

He laughed “Don’t worry. I am fine Mr. Handa”

Then they had a dinner, where everything of Maan’s taste had been laid. Geet had troubled her mom by listing the items. She had on the other side troubled Maan to know more of his taste. Though he had said that he is fine with everything that is homemade, she kept on questioning in various ways and figured out his favorites.

How she had asked Rano indirectly “Will the chef cook today as always”

Rano had looked at her craziness and sighed “How can I let chef cook when my daughter has specially invited the most important person of her life. I will cook, happy? You should know your mother. If he is important to you, he is important to all of us but my only worry is the way he is so important to you.”

After dinner, they again took seats on the long sectional sofa and were having dessert. Mohinder did most of the talking to Maan. It was all general talk related to his business and profession. He did try to initiate a little talk about family but Maan’s uncomfort led Mohinder to change the topic.

Geet then came with Maan’s envelope and placed it on the center table. Maan looked at it and then at Geet but said nothing.

“Prof. Thank-you for my Birthday Gift”

“You really need to be this formal with me.” Maan said as he assumed she had a plan to return it back to him without even looking at it. And that’s why this formal Thank-you. But he kept his assumption to his heart. 

“I just wanted to tell you that I don’t need to see it and accept it. I will accept anything from you. Anything or any gift from you is a treasure for me. So I accept this gift from you. I wanted to read this in front of you but I accepted it already.”

“This is not the practical Geet Handa that I know. Do not accept anything without seeing” commented Maan

“Well if you can gift me something special without a thought why can I not accept anything from you without a thought”

“What gift are you talking about, Geet” asked Rano

Geet went and got a packet. She sat down and opened the packet “Mom’s saree” immediately came from Maan’s lips. For a moment he forgot his hesitation. Rano did not miss the momentary excitement on Maan’s face. He soon composed himself. Though he did not remember when he presented her with it but if Geet treasured it what more could he ask for.

“Okay everyone, now I am about to open a special birthday gift from a very special man in my life.”

Maan sat patiently, holding his heart. 

Geet opened the envelope and found many papers in it. She picked the first letter which was a formal letter from CEO, Khurana Enterprise, Mr. Maan Singh Khurana.

Miss Geet Handa,

It is our pleasure to have 33 percent share from Handa Groups merged to Khurana enterprise. This share contributes to 4 percent of Net value to Khurana Enterprise. The finance and forecasting team at Khurana Enterprise, based on Handa Groups excellent performance, assessed that in future this merger is going to be beneficial to both parties.

We have various other companies merging their shares with us. Some we have acquired completely, which are now complete part of Khurana Enterprise. So excluding those, which have dissolved into Khurana Enterprise, Handa Group has trusted us most to engage 33 percent of their share with us.

As a CEO, CEE and President of Khurana Enterprise, assessing the capability of Miss Geet Handa in Business, her passion for work and her trust with us, I have voted for you, Miss Geet Handa, to the board members for the position of Managing Director of Khurana Enterprise. 

By all the points put forward by me, my vote was supported and the final decision taken by board was that you Miss Geet Handa is our first choice for Managing Director. 

Congratulations!! Miss Geet Handa, for being selected as Managing Director of Khurana Enterprise.

I am looking forward to you accepting this offer and joining Khurana Enterprise as Managing Director.

As this is also based on the merger of two companies, this offer will not stop you from performing your duties at Handa Group and prioritizing it.

Regards,

CEO, CEE and President of Khurana Enterprise,

Maan Singh Khurana

Geet Looked at Maan in horror  – Managing Director of Khurana Enterprise.

“This is big. KE is huge Prof. Beyond my capability”

“You accepted already and I trust your capabilities. Board trusts as well”

Rano and Mohinder kept looking at Maan. Was it a joke or reality? KE was not some small company, it was top listed and always ranked in the top 5. Recent years have been downfall because of Dev, but still Maan had worked in the background to keep the economy and he showed its power when he joined back.

Then, there were several legal papers where she had to sign.

Geet kept looking at it. Why was he doing so? Making her even guilty. Why did he trust her so much? In return to all the rejection that she had given him, he is offering her the job beyond her capabilities. Well, that’s what she thought. Maan knew her capabilities in Business were immense. He had been trusting her for working with him for a long time.

“How do I..”

“You can reject” Geet got up and settled beside him. Mohinder and Rano just kept looking. 

Geet ignored her surroundings and cupped Maan’s face “I will now never ever reject anything from you. And this is so special. But I am not capable…”

“You are fully capable. Don’t you trust my trust?” Geet was in fix. She had rejected his marriage proposal and now she has to accept his offer of position. At a look of it, it felt so selfish but she had no option of not accepting it. She cannot reject him one more time. It was better to look selfish than hurt him one more time.

Geet took the paper and signed the legal document attached to it. And then there was another letter. This was personal letter

“Dear Inspir..” she started and stopped seeing it really was personal

“This you read alone, I will leave” he got up but she held his hand. 

“Don’t go. I want to read it in front of you.”

She took the paper and started 

“Dear Insp..,

Now that you have accepted my offer. Thank-you. Please handle the company from the front for me. I will always be there behind your back to guide you and make things easier for you. I need you to take charge of the company from the front as I go abroad to oversee the company status overseas. 

There will be a force of people to support you and I myself will always be there to guide you. I may be physically far but a call away whenever you need me.

Hope you accept the charge of the company from the front in the country.

Only Yours,

Prof.”

Reality sink inside Geet. He was going far away from her. He had done all the setup to leave her alone here and move abroad.

“No, not this” She cannot believe he has decided to go abroad. He got up “Good Night”

Maan moved out quickly

“Maan,” Geet shouted. Maan stopped momentarily listening to his name for the first time from her lips. It sounded beautiful. He quickly walked out.

“Momm” Geet sat down on sofa. She looked at the papers and tears slid down her cheeks.

“What is this Mohi… he is giving her everything and then leaving her. What does he think that Geet is hungry of his powers”

“Mumma, he can never think that way for me”

“I know, but I am so angry. Angry on both of you” Mohinder was lost thinking. Maan was leaving, why? 

Geet was continuously crying looking at papers and his decisions “I can’t live without him. Mumma, just a week away from him and I go restless.. How can I? How can he?”

“So, your crying will solve the problem. He is running away. I did not expect this from you highly Prof.” Rano was restless and confused. She had seen the love in Maan;’s eyes for Geet. His letter, both formal and in formal, clearly showed he trusted her more than anyone could. 

“Why is he running away? It’s all because he does not trust my love and it’s hurting him”

“In return he decided to run and hurt you too” 

“No Rano, I don’t think he will do anything knowing it will hurt Geet”

“Mom, he thinks I will move on and it will be easy for him to handle his pain from far away. He wants to give me a chance to move on. I know him. My rejections went so deep inside him”

“He must have proposed once and you must have rejected. It must have been the initial state, he didn’t have to take it that deep into his heart. I think he is right. You won’t be able to handle a person taking things so deep into his heart. I am telling you Geet, his loneliness and emotions will be task for you, life long”

“Mumma, thrice”

“You rejected his proposal three times?”

“Two before knowing him and one after we were back from HP. He proposed and I was in guilt and said nothing. He obviously”

“Took that as No.” Rano completed. Mohinder was quiet thinking. Rano held her head and sat

“I have to stop all this. Geet what do you want?” “Him, only him”

“Then go, stop him. Why are you sitting here, crying and letting him go?”

“What will I say? He will ask why now?”

Rano kept thinking and analyzing everything. All she could see was the craziness of her daughter and her prof. 

“No, this madness of yours and his have to stop. Do you understand? I am taking things under my control. You must be under guilt, I am not. I will have to talk to this man, what does he actually want? One side gives you powers that people will have war to get and on other hand he is running away, hurting you.”

“Mumma.. No. I will talk to him”

“Yeah.. it’s been three months of you in guilt trying to talk to him. What happened, he is leaving you. I will talk to him and sort this matter for once and all.”

“Rano, your sorting will not stop their heart from pain.” 

“I will sort it out, Mohi. Don’t you trust me with our daughter’s happiness. Pyar kar lete hain, sambhalna ata nahi hain inhe. They need our interference Mohi. He has no one to guide or question but Geet has her parents”

“Then you become his parents, Mumma” Rano looked at Mohinder

“See, still this girl is only thinking of him” Rano shook her head. 

“I will talk to him and you are not making any calls to him before that.” Rano declared.

“He is not picking my call”

“You already tried calling him between our talks?” Rano was shocked. She decided to take things under her own hands now.

Maan reached home and was about to take his step upstairs

“Mannuu” he closed his eyes as he heard loud voice of Sanjeev.

“It is pretty late, it’s time for my bed”

“You just can’t run away from answering” Maan stopped. Of course he was running away, but from Geet and her expressive eyes. But not from Sanjeev Khurana

“What’s up? Be quick”

“How could you Mannuu. How could you make that girl Director of Khurana enterprise.”

“I find her capable of that position and the board passed my vote for her. Anything more”

“That girl is reason of Dev behind the bar”

Maan stepped down and came super close to Sanjeev “Dev is behind the bar because of his own heinous deed not because of her. At least keep some sense of soul and ethics. Don’t make me hate the blood running in my veins. It has the pure blood of my mother too, I can’t hate it.” Maan looked at Sanjeev with deep pain. 

“How could you declare her the director? Are there less member in family itself”

“That same girl, you were so eager to make your DIL.” Maan again looked at Sanjeev with deep pain. Reminding him of the day Sanjeev had said yes to Dev’s wish to marry Geet. Maan had looked at Sanjeev and ashamed Sanjeev Khurana had averted his gaze.

“Anyway, to clear your doubt, I have no family. And she means much much more than the people you are trying to fit suddenly as part of my family. Above all, she is capable of this position.”

“All media and public front for KE, she will be the face” “Yes. Not only face but major decision maker”

“How could you? this is your family..”

“Really? Suddenly after KE takeover, this is becoming my family. Hard luck, not interested.” He said and left upstairs.

Maan was already in pain after seeing the tears in Geet’s eyes and Sanjeev’s harsh unattached words took him to the next level of pain. 

He sat in front of his mother’s portrait “Apne pass he bula lo na maa. I don’t want to be this big name Maan Singh Khurana. just let me be your son. Apkee god me sona hai bas”

He closed his eyes and tears dripped down his eyes as tears in her eyes flashed in front of him. He simply wanted to run away, it was too much to handle.

Next day after a few important meetings in which Geet could not focus, she headed towards KE.

“Mom ordered not to call, she said nothing about not meeting. I am not disobeying her” Geet convinced her act. It was getting impossible for her to handle his leaving. She cannot let it happen.

Maan was in his office looking into some strategy deck on his system when his office door opened without a knock. He knew who could do this. only one person was allowed to reach him without knock or permission.

Geet stood at the door. Maan got up and turned. He did not have strength to see her tears

Geet closed the door and came closer to him and hugged him tight from back “Don’t punish me this hard, please” Maan closed his eyes to calm his heart. He turned to her and their eyes met. Her expressive eyes were looking at him with a pool of questions and expectations. His heart went erratic. Unable to hold any more, he pulled her closer in his embrace, bent down and pressed his lips hard on her. Geet desperately opened her lips, spread her hand restlessly on his back as Maan pushed his tongue inside her mouth and sucked and bit her harshly.

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