Silent Whisper -Chapter 28 – Part 1

Geet reached another wing. It was his work wing. Geet could feel he was there, somewhere in this wing. She stepped in to see a full-fledged office setup there. She kept moving in and then the door opened from the cabin and there appeared Maan.

He looked at her and stood still in his position. Geet stood still, soaking him in. Before the word could distract the moment, Geet wanted to absorb him within her. He was always handsome, but had enhanced with affluence and style.

“You? Here?” He broke her moment, a frown evident on his face

“Maa-aan,” Geet spoke, so enchanted by him that her voice barely reached his ears, yet her words resonated within him.

Maan stood there, looking at her. “How come she reached his floor, his private zone?”

Maan continued to gaze at her, realizing she had intruded upon his personal space, when Geet unexpectedly ran to him, crushing herself against him and embracing him tightly with her arms.

“Maan, the long wait is finally over,” she said as she looked up to gaze into his eyes.

When Geet gazed at his face, it was expressionless, and he was staring at her blankly. She didn’t know if he clencthed his fists to restrain himself or squeezed his eyes shut to grasp the turmoil she had caused him. All she perceived was his vacant, emotionless, and composed face.

“I love you Maan, I love you so much. How could you just walk away from my life?”

Maan distanced himself from her, saying, “Look, whatever you’re after won’t take place here. I advise you to stop wasting your time and concentrate with your own affairs.”

“Maan, I love you. I am here for you.” She closed the distance between them “I love you so much Maan”

“I have no interest in understanding why you are here or whether you love me or not. It doesn’t matter to me.” Maan stepped back to create space, but Geet moved two steps closer to close the distance. She raised her hand to stroke his cheek, but Maan swiftly grasped her hand midway.

“Looking at you from so closely, it feels like a dream”

“If you are done, will you excuse me? I am in mid of something important”

“Maan, why did you simply walk away, leaving everything hanging in the middle”

“Listen, I do not have time or interest to talk of my past. I have really major goals to work on”

“Maan, I loved you then; I love you now and will always love”

“Fine, good for you. What do I do with this piece of information? If you done conveying the information, which eventually is of no use to me, can you give me the way” he shrugged his shoulders

Geet held his arms

“Maan, baat karo na. I will do everything to win your trust”

Maan released each wrist in turn and loosened his arms. He glanced at his watch.

“See, I really have more important matters to look into”

“Okay, I will leave for now but we will talk”

“I’m sorry, but there’s really nothing to discuss, and I don’t know about you, but my time is quite valuable. Anyway, I need to go out now.”

“Okay, leaving for now”

And before he could take a relief, she quickly moved forward and placed a kiss on his cheeks, gave him a smile and left.

Maan kept standing there trying to grasp what she did. But he was quick to gather himself and shrugged off

“Trying at wrong place Miss Handa” he said to himself.

Maan was about to look into the strategic planning report but he rather went to Gym – definitely for a heavy workout.

Geet hurried to her room, her heart racing rapidly. She had mustered all her courage to speak with him, to share her feelings, and had gotten close enough to kiss him on the cheek.

She touched her lips and smiled. They had brushed against his cheeks.

“Maan, I love you. Love you so much. So much, so much so much, Maan. Anything to win you trust and heart back. I know you will not tell me how do I win you back, but I will selflessly do anything and everything to win you.”

She placed her hands on her heart to feel the moment “The fire for you that I had kept alive is now fully burning. I will burn in this fire but I will win you – no, not win you. I want to lose myself in your love, to win your trust and faith that I am not that bad after all. That I am not harmful for you. Maan, I love you, love you, love you so-so much”

Geet understood that no one would come to her; she needed to reach out, get to know them, and win them over. It was indeed her fault for never bothering to understand them or viewing them as her family. Therefore, if they feel no connection to her or show little interest in her efforts, she recognizes that it’s entirely justified. She deserves this treatment, and she acknowledges it. But now, she wants to change that. She genuinely wants to be a part of her family and be there for them.

Winning Maan’s trust will be the hardest, as she has broken all his beliefs in their relationship, especially after he has done everything for her. So, she can try to win the family’s trust.

They are kind individuals, and it’s their kindness that is preventing them from kicking her out of the house. She must view this as a significant opportunity granted to her by them. Considering her past behavior, she should be grateful for even this much. The remainder of her journey is one she must shape for herself.

She has to single-handedly write this story of her becoming a family here and get her love back

“Tough road ahead, Geet. But you must navigate it. Not only to earn Maan’s trust but to heal him, too. The humiliation he endured because of you falls on your shoulders to repay; it’s your duty to restore his respect tenfold.”

Savitri Devi, Sandhya, and Rajendra were having talks in Savitri Devi’s room.

“I’m pleased that Maan is managing his emotions well and not allowing things to get to him too much,” said Rajendra.

“Yes, so far. But Geet went to meet him. I only hope he maintains this calm and doesn’t get provoked,” Sandhya informed.

“That’s Maan’s private floor. His siblings hesitate to go there, and she actually made it there?” Savitri Devi exclaimed in fury.

“She requested my permission, Maa. I believe that if we let her stay in this house, we cannot stop her from going wherever she wants. I will leave that to Maan. She is still his wife on paper. He can ”

“Why does he not then?”

“He has told several times – he does not want to be involved and invest his energy there. The more he tries to get her out, the more she will work on convincing him. And we do not want him to be invested in her. He has his goals and career. We will have to just wait for her to leave after seeing that there is no hope,” said Sandhya.

“What if Maan still harbors some feelings for her? Let’s not forget that he fell in love with her long ago and stood by her side even after all the disrespectful things she did,” Savitri Devi suggested, hinting at possibilities.

“Maa, let’s not forget that we essentially forced him into that marriage against his will. He honored our decision by genuinely accepting the relationship that we imposed on him,” argued Sandhya.

“Fine, but what if he still feels for her?”

“Then it’s his emotions and his struggle. He is not a slave to our desires. Whatever his feelings, I know that Maan no longer wants her in his life. Now, I’ll let him decide how to handle the situation. If he’s fine with her being in a corner of this house, so be it. Just don’t let it affect you.”

“I’m not as calm-headed as you, Sandhya. Every time I see her, I can’t help but remember the way she insulted us by never visiting, by not being there for Maan’s birthday, and leaving us to face humiliation in front of everyone, not to mention how she ultimately humiliated Maan.”

“Maa, this is Maan’s personal matter. Let him handle it. Just enjoy all that your grandson is providing you. See the struggle he’s undertaking for your respect. This is a minor issue that can be addressed later. Right now, he is focused on winning your long-standing battle. That is more significant, don’t you think?”

“You’re absolutely correct, Sandhya. I truly wish you had a daughter-in-law just like mine.” she remarked with a smile.

“There still are chances – Maan can remarry later, and Vicky is in line.”

“Vicky -hmm,” Commented Savitri Devi, and they laughed

“He had a playful side, yet he truly understands the importance of family values. You remember Maa, how both Anwesha and Vikrant used to tease Maan for being so serious. But the day Maan made a serious call to them, especially to Vikrant, he stepped away from his job without a second thought. Deep down, they had unwavering trust in their brother and understood the significance of a family call.”

There was a knock on the door. “May I come in?” They turned to see Geet standing there.

“We are into some internal family talks. You can come later,” Savitri Devi did not take a second to show her how unwanted she was

“Dadima, I am also family. Your granddaughter-in-law”

“No, you are not. Did you not hear what Maan called you during lunch time – An outsider.”

“Dadima, Maan naraz hain mujhse”

“First, I am not your Dadima, and second, you are mistaken. He isn’t angry with you; you simply don’t hold any significance for him. The reason you’re not being sent off is that Maan has other priority matters to attend to, and you are not among them.” Dadima poured her words like venom.

Sandhya, for some reason, did not want to be impolite to someone she had allowed into her home. Additionally, she was concerned about Geet making negative remarks about the family’s treatment of her when she finally depart from the Mansion.

“Geet – Elders are talking, so you can come later.”

“Okay Mom.”

“Dadima, I will come later” Said Geet and left, giving them a smile.

Geet departed from there, deciding to check on the status of projects. Her father was battling on his own to secure her rights as the rightful heir. Relatives and key shareholders had countered her claim in court, raising doubts about her entitlement to the empire. She understood that all of this was being fueled by the significant influence of Dev Chadha.

Dev had proposed to her in the pretext of offering help, as her husband had abandoned her, and marrying him seemed like a way to end all her suffering. In response, Geet shoved his actions on his face, exposing how deceitful he had been. Their friendship had turned cold, and Dev swore to make her life miserable.

Court has issued a stay on the objection, and she was aware of everything because Maan had quietly submitted a statement regarding their marriage. However, Geet cannot confirm that Maan did it for her because his rivalry with Dev Chadha took precedence over her.

Her being trapped in Dev’s game plan was irrelevant to him; his primary worry was the failure of Dev’s strategy.

But indirectly, it has worked for her.

He has not sent her a divorce and even submitted his claim as her husband.

Geet got a call from her Dad.

“Geet, you must engage actively in projects and guide them to success. Merely working on files from a distance won’t suffice. The board members are observing you closely. There’s pressure coming from all directions.”

“Dad, I’m not giving up on my responsibilities. I’m establishing my office right here. My team is on the lookout for a suitable location to include Mumbai as one of our office sites.”

“Geet, refrain from opening any office center there unless you are certain; Mumbai is your long-term location.”

“This is my forever location, Dad. I am not leaving Maan’s side and going anywhere.”

“Geet, your claim to heirship of empire is highly dependent on Maan’s statement. The day he decides to back off from his statement you will lose your rights”

“Dad, you are worrying for no reason. Why would Maan ever take away that statement”

“The day he decides to move on and marry someone”

“If that day arrives, I’m not sure if I’ll want anything materialistic in my life.”

“Geet!!!”

“Dad, Grandfather’s will stated – If I remain single, I will lose my claim to the entire business, and the empire will belong to you for your lifetime. You have the option to draft a will that shares it equally among relatives and me, or you can appoint the Trust as the owner of everything. If Maan comes with the divorce and I become legally single, just make the will in favor of the Trust.”

“What rubbish are you talking?”

“Nothing is rubbish, Dad. If Maan moves on, I honestly don’t know if I’ll even be in a position to lead the company. I have no clue how I’ll react then. The only promise I can make is that I won’t sacrifice my life as I cannot punish two of you for my fate.”

“Shut up and cut out the nonsense. Your Dad won’t allow you to sulk. But for now, the day after tomorrow is the board meeting, and I expect you to be fully prepared and present here.”

“I will Dad”

After diligently preparing her reports for the board meeting, Geet went to the kitchen. As she had guessed, she found Sandhya there working with cooks and other assistants for dinner

“Good evening, Mom”

Sandhya looked at her. “Good evening”

“Can I help you?”

“Maan has already set up more than needed helpers to roam around me. I am all set”

“Your kitchen has such a cozy aroma from the fresh spices and herbs. Even the healthy recipes you prepare for Maan are absolutely delicious.”

“Thanks, I have been doing this particular thing my whole life. There isn’t really anything specialized about it.”

“No, Mom, it’s truly special. The flavor you bring into even the simplest dishes is one-of-a-kind. I’m not just flattering you; I’m being sincere. If a health-conscious person like Maan can’t resist your cooking and indulges once a week, it’s clear you have an extraordinary talent for cooking.”

“Hmmm, that’s because he’s my son and he’s used to my cooking.”

“But I truly appreciate your cooking. My mom isn’t really into the kitchen. She does it for us occasionally when I’m home, and I enjoy it too. However, your cooking skills are on a whole other level.”

Sandhya looked at her

“Can we talk later about my cooking skills? I need to get all this done before dinner.”

“Sure. I can be of some help. You can try me”

“Next time. I need to finish this all before dinner”

“Sure” Geet gave her a smile and left.

It was dinner time, and family members were arriving and finding their seats. Coincidentally, Maan and Geet walked into the dining hall together, albeit from different entrances.

A place available for Geet was diagonally opposite to where Maan was seated. He had ensured she was seated as far from him.

Geet quietly had her dinner as the family engaged in conversation. She sensed that Maan was not in the mood to listen to her, so to avoid bothering him and making him seem rude in front of everyone, she chose to eat her dinner in silence.

Sandhya noticed how Geet, for the first time, did not try to include herself in the conversations. Maan’s presence has brought some change in her.

In all this, Sandhya and perhaps Savitri Devi too, not only observed Geet but also noticed how, despite being fully engaged in conversation with his family, Maan’s gaze occasionally drifted towards Geet while he spoke to others.

****

After dinner, Rajendra strolled slowly through the garden, using his cane for support.

“Hi Dad,”

Rajendra turned to see Geet beside him.

“May I join you for a stroll?”

…………..