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“Never walk away from me like that,” he snapped.
Maya shrugged off his hold.
“Just leave me alone for some time.”
“That’s not happening,” he scowled. She wanted to argue, push him away, and run, but she couldn't. She was tired mentally. Ranveer measured her reactions. “You knew it, Miss Bajaj. This was expected. I’d warned you in the car who you would be meeting. Then why are you overreacting?”
“Overreacting?” she screamed back. “These people are monsters. They want to exploit someone from their own family. How sick is that?”
“They are not my family,” he replied with a composed tone.
“Fine. But they still scare me, Ranveer. I'm genuinely worried that your they might try to manipulate and ruin me. I feel like I'm in a puddle, and anyone can just stamp upon me and—” she shut her eyes.
Underneath his tough exterior, Ranveer's heart ached. His fingers itched to pull Maya into his embrace. He recollected how Kunal confirmed while talking to Maya a few minutes back that she had rejected their deal before, which meant whatever she had told Ranveer was true. She was really innocent, and he didn’t believe her. She was not the manipulative, scheming woman he had painted her to be in his mind. She was a victim here too, targeted by the Maliks for their twisted desires. His anger evaporated, replaced by a swelling protectiveness and care for this woman who had suffered injustice. This one confirmation started to awaken the budding desires he felt for her ever since he first saw her on the ramp recently.
“I have to go,” she interrupted his chain of thoughts. “I know this party is important for you, but—”
“I will ask my driver to take you back home,” he replied, not letting her explain further.
Maya was surprised he didn’t argue but she was relieved too.
“I appreciate that,” she gave him another quick glance and walked to the exit.
Ranveer made a quick call to their chauffeur and told him to drop Maya Bajaj back to her apartment.
When he returned back inside, Dhruv stopped him.
“Bro, where had you been? You suddenly disappeared from the party. And where is Maya?”
“She left,” Ranveer replied.
“Left? Why? Didn't she like our party?”
“No, that's not why she left. She has a serious headache. So, I asked her to go home and rest.”
“Oh,” Dhruv pouted. “But Bro, you let her go alone?”
“I asked my driver to drop her.”
Dhruv sighed in disappointment.
“That's where you lag,” he muttered. Ranveer frowned at that statement. “Sorry Bro, but she is not any ordinary woman in your life. She means more, doesn't she? And you let her go with the driver? That's not very romantic.”
Ranveer stared at him coldly. He knew how easygoing and full of life Dhruv was, always full of ideas and suggestions. But he seriously didn't need one right now.
“How about you give me this advice later and for now let's fix a drink for us?” Ranveer interjected.
Dhruv chuckled. “Sure. It's been long since we shared a drink together.”
Ranveer and Dhruv headed to the bar.
************
Maya changed into a nightdress and sat on the kitchen slab, munching on the sandwich she had just made. She shouldn’t have walked off from that party like that. She now had a deal with Ranveer Malhotra. She does something for him, and in return, he would take care of her mother’s treatment. She had to keep her word, but she really felt uneasy and scared when Kunal put forth that same proposal again. She recalled how much she had panicked the first time he had shared this plan with her.
Dev Malik had been her show’s sponsor, and through him, she got introduced to his son, Kunal Malik. He was too sweet to be true. Whatever he addressed to the models seemed so motivational. He never failed to talk to each one of them personally, and that’s how she got bonded with him. He was extremely charming, or she was too naïve to realize he was faking it all.
Soon, their professional meets turned into personal ones. They met at coffee shops, pubs, and places like that. She wasn’t serious, and she knew he wasn’t either. But it was a phase she didn’t wish to ignore. She liked getting attention, and she was too young to understand that people can be deceptive.
