Destroy you a little∆
Prerna Rishabh Bajaj returns with a new identity of Piya Bandyopadhyay, who has been running a fashion label for ten years (as a pretense, although the company is now actually handled by Prerna with Rishabh under covers) and is signing up a partnership contract with Anurag Basu's company for her mission to find Sneha who has been lost for over an year; ever since he tried to kill her.'
Part 1
A year later, (Episode 380)
“Sneha, stop drawing on the walls. That's not where we draw, sweety.” she chided with a pretense when echoes of laughter bloomed her heart all the more. Pressing her lips to prevent the smile gliding upon and curves of frown stretched on temples.
“Snehaaa?”her palms outstretched to the little devil, asking her for the sketch pens she made a good use of certainly on the wall. A sheepish smile, twinkling eyes and a peeping tooth or two did talked of her plead for innocence. But the moment vanished before any further arguments could be made.
Her eyes flinched shut with the reality sinking in but the itch of ache arose yet again.Her hands shivered against the crisp cloth cladding her vulnerable wrinkled skin that bind around a scar; a scar that came along the blessing and eventually left another scar on her heart. Caressing her knuckles across, drifting her mind into the nostalgia of the life that once breathed in there. But now, it's gone. Gone in the hands of devil she once claimed to love and now feared the feeling. Being lost in the memorabilia of her cherished blessing evoked emotions she was unknown to, specifically the hatred she brewed in her delicate being.
The tears sprung over the corneas with least efficiency to trail down, for how well she grew to make it all stagnant. Stagnant, like her own life. A soft knock broke her reverie. With a deep breath, emotions were gone reciprocated by once an unaccustomed canny and steal front. “Come in,” she announced, well aquatinted of the person on the other side of her cabin door.
“Piya Bandyopadhyay.” Her palm stretched forward in a polite gesture of handshake while the person stood stuck with bewilderment unmasked. Momentarily unresponsive to the gesture, he pressed his lips in a grimace followed by a feigned smiled, “Anurag Basu, CEO, Stars and Kings Publications.”.
“Have a seat, Mr. Basu” saying so the duo took a seat before proceeding further. “Well, I won't beat around the bush nor I need to. I was here to negotiate a partnership with your company and did to know few facts before we got into it. You ran a shell company? And I am certain if I still want to get into a deal with a company under a loss banner and drifting shares. I think the deal's been over long back.” her European accent intimidating, shrewdness of her eyes sending his brains the images of the evil he did to a woman in front reminded him of.
Piya's eyes were frigid green, short tresses dyed in dirty platinum kissed her shoulders at the most, her nose a little buttony and jawline accentuated with a sharp end, lips little more plumpy and an stern attitude but the features underlying reminded him of her. “Prerna,” his lips muttered.
“Mr. Basu, I think we are just wasting each other's time and nothing else.” the wiggle of her eyebrows reminded him of the reason of his presence as he straighten up. “Erm... Ms. Piya, you misunderstood all the happenings. Well, what you get to know of is a bare lie. I was framed into a situation like that three months ago but the case is settled and court proved me innocent.” Anurag put forward his plead, explaining the facts and actual events.
“May be you are framed or may be your wealth helped you get off with the bill like that. But the problem with your shares still stands fair enough for me to reject this investment. Mr. Basu, you see, it's business. We don't run into deals when we already know all it would bring is loss. Our company is well flourished in France and being with Indian origin, all I wanted was to get back here and settle down. I guess I would look forward to rest of the publication house in the market than this.” The threat of dominance barefaced with her voice and words.
“But,” she pushed herself against her chair, stared at him with an angle that reflected cold in her eyes. Against his skin her eyes were cold and heart goes numb, this is what being so heartlessly in hatred felt to her for the person she once loved,“Mr. Basu, if I am not wrong you do have an upper hand in Basu Publications, as a Vice President. You managed to run the company in profit before the controversy. That talks of your potential in a good light. Something that I am looking forward to, but not with this company. I hope you don't mind signing up this deal for Basu Publications— 55% shares on Kiesne Fashion Inc. rest 45% is all up to you.”
“55% shares of Basu Publications does cost higher than what you bid for Stars and Kings Publications. It's not negotiable to sign up for the company; when as in your words—We don't run into deals when we already know all it would bring is loss. We don't sell a major portion of share to a sole banner; it could be a threat of overpower. I am sorry for wasting you precious time. I guess I should take your leave now.” his words coated with sugar and an unending smirk made it sound him carefree of his financial situation. If not known to her the deepest dark secret of his company may be she would have agreed to sign up for the deal former; her chase for her daughter rung in her head as she saw him leaving.
“Why should a man whose blood is warm within
Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster; Gratiano, Shakespeare's play—The merchant of Venice.” Anurag's talipes paused as he craned his neck to gaze her with curiousity behind her words.
“Mr. Basu, you remind of him. He was someone too impulsive, carefree and a man with warm blood in his veins. You might be potential to be businessman but not mature enough to handle it.” she shifted at her seat, standing up on her feet and walking to the ceiling-to- floor french attic of the cabin she gazed at the glistening Kolkata city. “I know the price for 55% of shares for Basu Publications, Mr. Basu. In fact, 51% is what I already own. Just demanding for the rest 4%; quite a deal considering the favor to Stars and Kings Publications?”
Her hands crossed across her chest, starkness painted her features and actions more cunning than they appear to be,“Mr. Mehta, Mr. Mukherjee, Mr. Debashish and Mr. Bhattacharya did took time to sign up but I already owned 20% of shares from past five years. I didn't know you were so ignorant of your company.”
Anurag's skin paled in dread of her authority,“This isn't the way it should be. I guess you know what you are doing. It's not by the rules.”
“I know it better than you, Mr. Basu. I know how good of a legal gamble it is when we set foot into business. And I am aquatainted to get the dominance anyway, with or without the rules. I am into it since ten years; seems like you are too innocent for business world.” Piya's vocals pinched with the sarcasm, she wasn't someone soft or delicate the way he has known women around him to be; he chuckled at his previous thoughts of comparing Prerna to her.
"Was that an underlying threat Ms. Piya?”
“Had I intended for threat you won't have been here. I am already in power enough to get things done my way. I am here for something else—profit. Profit is all I demand before I shift here in India permanently. And it would bring profit to you too. I hope you get it; rest is all your choice.” Piya ended with a flirty wink.
Eventually, with the dawned realisation his creases of worry vanished while the greed flourished through his logics and facts. “I am up for this, as long as you are in to invest in Stars and Kings Publications” he answered in finality, with a smirk.
“Nope, Mr. Basu” Piya spoke taking her seat, “I didn't mean that. I will invest in Stars and Kings Publications only if you seemed potential enough to handle to be Kiesne Fashion Incorporate's media partner under the banner of Basu Publications. If you proved yourself worthy of it, I will give your second house I big shot until then it would be just a supportive investment.”
“I must say, you are really good at negotiating.”he bite his lips in a sly smile forwarding his palm for a professional handshake, “I agree to your terms. When do we have an official seal to the deal?”
“I will get my lawyer to ready the papers by tomorrow. So Tomorrow, in the party at my place. Oh, and your family is cordially invited. I was really looking forward to meet your father for his extraordinary business skills and may be learn a few tac-tics from him too.” Piya giggled in a polite cordial and passed a sly smile before bidding him an adieu,“ It was really nice meeting you, Anurag”
“Feelings are mutual, Piya” Anurag pulled the back of her palm for a classic gentleman kiss before blessing her with solitude of walls.
The instant he was gone, she squirted half of the bottle containing sanitizer and wiped away the least residual of his touch,“Congratulations, Anurag! Congratulations for the destruction you set yourself in.”
Writer: Tranquility07
Part 2
If being broken came with a choice we all would have been just weary of worldly phenomenon, never broken. In the hubbub of sparkles, confetti, orchids and feigned smiles we lose the track of reality we have been escaping from. There's a piece of her still missing whilst she chased for peace of her mind. Amongst the faces hid in masques enthusiastic of the masquerade ball, she felt her layers slipping. Breathing in his avocado and mint cologne, her shoulders dropped in demand of a brace.
Drifting to the darkened end, his arms coiled around her stature, eyes darting into her glossy orbs and lips balantly involved in smudging her maquillaged auburn petals, knuckles in a rummy with her tresses as the moment transpired. “What's wrong in your heart stays within your heart, what's wrong in your mind reflects in your life. Being broken isn't a bad phenomenon love; that's how the light gets in—through cracks.” he hushed against her lips, drawing in the air as he stepped back.
“A rustic black mask, what's with your obsession of pretending to be someone you aren't” her dactyls rimmed his mask's outlining his edgy features in a seductive pace. “What's with your art of switching the subjects?” his voice composed with a faltering threat, curved up her lips.
“May be,” her actions paused and vocals husky,“I fear of the answers I am known to and even those I am unknown of.” His cold hands brushed against her her palm earned a gasp and eyes passionately dwelled into her brimmed of tears.“Sorry about my cold hands but warmth of you is what I have been craving for long.” he apologized with a delicate kiss to her knuckles.
“It doesn't matter how cold your hands feel against mine, even in the dread of Winters, all that I can sense is the warmth of love brewing within my being through your gaze.” her breathe burdened with the pleasures of his kisses trailing over her nape. “Rishabh, let go off me before we can't stop each other.” she pleaded undesirably.
Stepping an inch back, she scanned his frame in her subconscious before slipping away in the hubbub of celebration and jazz that played along. She plucked out her auburn lipstick and filled in the cracks. “Ms. Bandyopadhyay,” a call from her side compelled her stature stern and features glazed in atrocity, gradually melted in pudency. “Great to have you Mr. Basu” her voice ardent jinxed the authority she was once subjected to under Mohini Basu's feigned affection.
With a tilt to his side stood the clan donning high-end designer garments of her label and quite a cake faced women in layers. “Mr. Moloy seems to be missing, I was really enthusiastic to meet him” displeasure evident in her tone as she took the epergne of white lilies from Sonalika.
“Dear, he was quite down with the temperature and was equally excited to meet the young lady but he needed rest to get well” Mohini’s grating vocals and honey glazed affection resounded of bare lies she is accustomed to. Jerking forward she noticed an uncanny resemblance in her, uncertainty on her tongue “You resemble someone I know”.
“On that note, I hope it's someone you have had good memories with” shifting her weight to the left feet she took Nivedita Basu in an unannounced embrace, although in utmost elegance.
“Sweetheart, you are drop dead gorgeous. I have heard of your remarkable business skills and couldn't be more pleasured to deal with you.” benevolence essence in her words and eyes glistening with admiration. Nivedita Basu obliged with the complement in all delight.
“Nive, I hope you don't mind me calling that, I would be really honoured to have you model my designs” her overtly done enthusiasm irked her insides, but the flattery and elegance Basu's have been proud of is the strongest of weapons against them. “You don't look less darling, I mean you are thirty two but look not a day above twenty five.” intervened Sonalika Basu.
In a pretense Piya held her at an impeach gaze, “And you are?”
In yet another hyped elegance of her, she clasped her palms around Anurag's arm signifying her possession “Mrs. Sonalika Anurag Basu” while the latter passed a sly smile.
“Oh, you look beautiful too, Mrs. Basu” the word rolled out in an unsaid discomfort. Her eyes glanced across the chamber gleaming with mask cladded figures fluid to the music,“ Well, we have couple' here. Why don't you just grab your masques and shake a leg?”
“Mind having a dance with me, Ms. Piya?” Anurag's interjection baffled her for a second but gradually settled with her diluting senses. “I hope Mrs. Basu doesn't mind that” with a smirk briefly stretched she glanced at Sonalika's grim laced eyes while she externally nodded in agreement.
“Nive, please join us.” complying with Anurag's request she slipped her palm into his and gripped the masques for them to put on before entering into the ball.
To the most, they lasted for a minute as the twist of changing partners struck the floor. With due elegance she glided and caught her hitched breathe in his arms, yet another smothering grey masque with sparkling crystal outline homologous to her own. “ Jealous Mr. B?” she implored with smoky vocals. The husk grating through tongue as she rubbed her palms at his back voluptuously.“I know what's rightfully mine and well accustomed to claim that,” his wits silenced the mischief thriving in her.
“What's up with being too flattery with them?” he inquired being certain about the act involved.
“I just cracked a secret, the best way too woo Basu's is to woo Mohini Basu and to woo her is to feign some explicitly delicate flattery and elegance. She'd be all in your pockets. That's how Komolika aka Sonalika wooed her twice and the lady actually fell for that” her widened eyes reflected the vex she's been confining. “And not to forget how tamed she has become. Your plan to conquer all her assets through Ronit did wonders to her self-proclaimed power” joy of seeing one of her foe on her knees brought a bit of gratification,“But my peace is still missing until I found her.”
All the while, he stood silent to let her words of truth leave her aching mind and glided in grace to the cotillion. “I missed you,” he finally spoke, as she leaned on him decent to the prying eyes.
“I missed you and Cookie too,” tone softened with the affection as her heart slammed against her ribs when she dared her orbs into his. “Mr.B, I need to tell you something more too.”
“We need to put the curtains on quicker pace than we expected,”her breathes heavy and eyes glossy at the mention,“ they have signed the contract and the papers are submitted to the court too. Everything is like the way we have planned.”
Rishabh held her gaze with his stern orbs unknown to the base upon her plead,“ Junior B gave a positive nod this morning completing his three weeks in my womb without any prior announcement.” And the words sent shivers of gleam down his spine, freezing his actions until his brain could actually process her words.
“You do have a great timing on breaking the news” he said with gritted jaws, itching of sarcasm.
“What?” her heart pounded when he stepped out of the floor, complying to her fears she followed,“Vanishing again?”
“Naah, attempting to maintain your decency conflicting to the rough ideas my brain has set a slideshow to.” he entwined their fingers drifting to core of darkened corners she propped as a theme. “Being known to the pretense we are put to, I don't consider it happening here. Might need to jack off until you grace your presence after a wrap up.”
“I need you,” his vocal levied with fruiting needs that bloomed further at her response,“And so do I, Mr. B”
“Time to bid guests an adieu. I'll catch you in our paradise.” with a promise she dispersed through the crowd and true to her words the night was long and unending with the downpour of amour from heaven.
