The Burnt – Chapter 25

“No, I don’t know. How would I? What have you done to make me believe that?”

Maan stayed silent. He knew he had a long road ahead if he wanted to win his wife back—the woman who he knew loved him madly. The irony stung: despite that love, he still had to earn her again… and it wouldn’t be easy.

“I was expecting you to come with us.”

“Why today? Anyway, I have work to finish. You can take Advay. He must be waiting impatiently. “

Maan nodded and left. He could sense that she wanted to avoid him, and he preferred to give her space, at least for the time being.

*********

A month passed, and while it may seem that there was no progress in their status outwardly, internally, the dynamics changed significantly.

Geet hadn’t been speaking to Maan, yet she continued to care for him. One advantage was that Maan never prevented her from helping him in any way.

Maan has come to realize that pushing Geet away was a mistake. Now, he has only one choice: to embrace her love and fill her life with his affection, as her happiness depends on it. However, to do this, he must set aside his guilt. While Geet may be able to forgive him, it is not easy for him to forgive himself. Nevertheless, for Geet’s happiness, Maan is determined to put his feelings of guilt behind him and focus entirely on her joy.

It took Geet a week to digest Maan’s proposal regarding Chetan. Although Chetan was unaware of what Maan had suggested, every time he appeared in front of Geet, she recalled Maan’s words about their potential relationship. However, as they engaged in their usual casual conversations and playful arguments over the number of projects to tackle, Geet gradually moved past her initial discomfort.

It’s not that she didn’t understand why Maan made such an absurd proposal. He had prioritized her happiness, yet he denied the possibility that she could be happy with him or that he deserved a life with her. This mindset ultimately led him to devise his out-of-the-box solution.

Geet could see that Maan was trying to talk to her, but she was determined not to give in so easily. She wanted to ensure that he never dared to push her away again. It wasn’t just about her desires; she wanted him to confront his feelings for her and work to win her back. She needed him to put in the effort, not only for her sake but for his feelings, as well.

If he had been scheming for her happiness, she could also scheme for his ultimate happiness.

The house has developed a new routine. Every day, when Maan returned to his room after his run, he would find Advay waiting for him, dressed in his school uniform. The father-son duo enjoyed spending some quality time together each morning before Advay left for school. The more time Maan spent with his son, the more he could sense the deep affection Advay had for him. His crave for a father in his life, melted Maan’s heart everytime.The feeling was mutual, as Maan also cherished their moments together.

Whenever he missed his time with his son, he would be grumpy all day. The entire office had to endure his sour mood, and nothing seemed to cheer him up, not even Pari’s playful efforts. As a result, his crankiness and demands pushed her to keep her distance.

Now, as he saw it from a different perspective, he can sense what a blunder it would be to even think of sending Advay somewhere away from him.

So, for both his wife and his son, he understood that embracing this beautiful relationship was the only option. It was not that he did not know it was also his greatest desire, his ultimate dream. The only thing was, he refused to do anything for himself.

So, all this was leading to the unsaid daily new rituals of the house that we were talking about.

Just after Advay left, Geet would come to his room with their coffee and a light morning snack. They would have their coffee on the open balcony of his bedroom, witnessing the morning sunrays.

Maan always wanted to initiate the conversation between them, but somehow they ended up having silence do the talking in those moments. Maan would be lost in how the sun rays did magic on her beautiful face. The amber glow of her face, her soft pink lips, and her delicate hands, pouring coffee for him – it was the same scene every day, and yet he grew lost in her, a little more with each passing day.

Five years have not aged her a bit. In fact, her professionalism and fineness has refined her style and dressing. Not that he was any less passionate about her raw, naive beauty. She, in any form, had the power to raise his heartbeat.

It’s not that Geet is not aware of him, silently checking her out. Even though he acted casually, sharing coffee time with her, she was aware of his heartbeat. How can she not? Her heartbeat had the same story. These uninterrupted moments with him, finally, without him pushing her away, how can she let talks distract their heart. She very well knew deep within the story of his heart. She has always known.

Even back then, when she would enter the room late, she could feel the restlessness of his wait. He never verbally accepted, nor did he need to. Whiskey in his hand and his one look on her told her she had been more than expected late. And then the passion that he showered on her mingled with his non-acceptance, making it more desirable for her.

She used to freeze at his gaze. As he approached her with a slow, intoxicating stride, his hands reached out, pulling her closer in a teasing motion. The electric tension coused by his mere tough, made her feel as if she were already under his spell, without having to take a single drink. His touch was enough to send her senses reeling. He often began by nuzzling into the crook of her neck while his long, slender fingers playfully tugged at the ties of her kurti. With deft movements, he slipped the fabric off her shoulders and let it fall to the ground. Eventually, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to their bed. In that intimate moment, both of them were completely undressed, and she could feel the depth of his passion for her. Their lovemaking conveyed a powerful message: she meant far more to him than just a mere object to satisfy his desires.

The way he worked on smoothing all the bites and marks always ended with soft smooches all over her, before he gave in to sleep.

Although the following morning was stormy for her, she didn’t want to dwell on that. They had moved past it; he was already feeling guilty and hesitating to move forward. She could bet that now the next morning would be completely opposite and beautiful—something she couldn’t even imagine. Maan is intense, so she just wanted to focus on his desires and passion for her.

That wish not only made her aware of his stolen glances at her, but it also gave her the chance to observe him in return. Over the past five years, he had matured in his thoughts, and that only made him more attractive to her. He is and always will be the most handsome man in her eyes. His sincerity has sharpened his already striking features: his square jaw, sharp cheekbones, deep, intense eyes, and M-shaped lips. The combination of his looks and the intensity he carries only increases her attraction to him. In the past, his intensity was fueled by a mix of anger and passion; now, it reflects genuine love and care for her. She needed him to overcome his guilt to fully experience his passion for her.

And so, between all these observations and ongoing conflict, they had their morning time together, but unspoken.

Geet took it upon herself to prepare breakfast for Maan. She kept it minimalistic to align with his diet plan. His options included sourdough bread with guacamole and poached eggs, a seasonal fruit bowl topped with chia or flax seeds, or a protein smoothie made with plant protein, almond milk, and berries. Occasionally, to cater to his Indian palate, she would whip up moong dal chilla served with mint chutney or a similar dish. No matter what she made, he enjoyed it more when it had her personal touch. Although he asked her not to get toubled and tried assuring her that the chef would handle his meals, she knew well that he savored the breakfasts she prepared.

A month passed, and Maan grew keenly aware that they needed to move beyond the silence between them. This time, he knew the responsibility was his to own it—and Geet was simply waiting for him to take that step.

He knew he had to do something—something that truly mattered, something that would make her feel special.

Maan Singh Khurana was a powerhouse of ideas, but he had been away from the realm of romance . To create something truly special for her, he knew he needed to immerse himself in the idea of romance between them. Just the thought of it sent ripples down his spine.

Romance – such a delicate and simplistic feeling, but it has the power to move the intense and raw person like him. He felt nervous to get into that zone. But to win her back, to make her really happy, he has to get into that zone. Because Maan doesn’t do anything imperfectly, and this was for Geet, it had to be more than perfect; even if he had to go out of his comfort zone, he would do it with a full heart into it.

In the office, the scenario was intense. The boss was into a new project, and he demanded no disturbance for himself and more than a hundred percent efficiency from others. Pari had been pacing, not knowing what to do. She was not allowed inside the boss’s room. How can she lighten him up with her flirt if she is not allowed there? And why can’t she even get his glimpse?

It’s all the fault of that out-of-this-world beautiful wife of his. She left him and turned this handsome man into an intense, moody person.

“Pari, are you a fool. She left him and made him available for at least your flirt. Only that he doesn’t respond to it much,” She sighed.

And then she looked at his long dictation :

“What the hell is this project actually?”

“Well, Pari, that’s not your job. You are just the PA to the boss of this company.”

She read the dictation multiple times to get the head or tail of it. After all his big endeavours, why was he interested in such a meager project? – ‘A dating app.’

But it was all business, where she is zero, and he is the unclaimed master. But she is asked to work with the creative team for these Polls.

Best romantic gesture to impress girls, and this other poll, even weird – How to impress a married woman

“hnnnn?… is he trying to promote an extra-marital affair?. Anything for business.”

“Not your area, Pari.” she reminded herself. But her mind didn’t rest. Her boss was epitome of perfection, how can she let him do wrong.

She drafted an email to the creative team, scheduled the boss’s meeting with them, and then with other teams.

“What does business make people do. This man, who still lives in the memory of his wife, who has probably left him, is promoting extramarital affairs for his app.”

Maan, in his cabin, was lost in thoughts of his wife. His love for her was like a flood. How was it to bring it out romantically? How can he bring out the deep, intense feeling in a soft, sweet gesture?

Maan closed his eyes in an effort to find out Geet. The Geet that his heart knew, the Geet that he had been searching for all these years, the Geet ……

It was an endless stretch of land, drenched in yellow mustard flowers, with nothing else in there other than those yellow field. The blooms swayed gently with the wind, their earthy fragrance filling his senses. And then she appeared—his Geet—running into the field in a brightly salwar kurti, a vivid pink dupatta fluttering behind her. Her loose braid danced in rhythm with her jhumkas as she laughed freely, and he could almost hear the soft, musical jingle of her payal echoing through the air.

The ring of the phone brought him back to reality. He looked around at his materialistic world, filled with business strategies, files, accounts, and profits. The continuous ringing of the phone finally prompted him to pick it up.

The continous ring of phone made him finally pick it up

“Sir, Pari this side…”

“Hmm, did I not ask you to not disturb me? What’s so important?”

“Boss, its important. I have to stop you from being unethical. You are a perfect man with no mistakes in life types. I cannot let you step up into unethical “

“Unethical? are you out of mind? And what do you think of the position you were hired for, my advisor or my PA?”

“PA , Boss. But….” “Stick to your job or else you can leave. Get me a coffee” and he disconnected the phone.

Nice Pari though. At least this will give her chance to talk to him personally.