Radha never liked dusk.
It brought a melancholy that she tried to avoid. It made her really sad.
The day had been abnormally quiet since the melodramatic morning episode. She was already bored so she decided to go for a walk to clear her mind.
Her thoughts were going haywards and she needed to settle down.
One thing was for sure she was jobless right now and in a span of eight days she will need at least thirty thousand rupees to meet her monthly liability.
Money to Mom, bills to pay, food to eat.... She sighed in frustration. Her previous experience with the Sens had not been too good. She had joined as an intern in one of their hotels but somebody framed her for stealing petty cash and she walked straight into the trap.
She was quite sure Basu Sen had no idea about that episode. Suraj Kumar, the floor Manager was always good to her. So he terminated her without a notice but also without a Release letter acknowledging her five month's service to the Sens. Radha suddered as she remembered the days where she had gone from temporary floor mopping to private tution, from Magazine Sales girl to per time Survey woman.
Finally she got the job at the Cafe which was now gone.
And she was again back to the mercy of the Sens. Fear was inevitable, considering her past experience.
What if someone from her past pointed the incidence to the new boss or to Madhav?
Will Madhav get her another job?
Will anyone ever believe she had never stolen a thing in her life?
How will she live through the next few months until she gets another job?
What will she tell Mom if she fails to send the usual money?
Radha had not even noticed when her brisk walking had been replaced by jogging while she floated in her world of calculations. She was a regular jogger and she always resorted to running whenever she felt unsettled.
Her habit had taken over her senses and even with the weak body she had taken a few rounds of the in-house park of the massive Society.
Only when she started losing her breath, Radha realized what she was doing.
Ashamed of her own rash actions she slowed down and started walking towards Madhav's tower when she smelled sandalwood.
Instinctively she turned around bringing herself face to face with the Man who had driven her crazy in the past 34 hours.
It was already evening and their eyes met in the street light making everything look and feel surrealistic.
"There are so many ways of committing suicide. But I never knew jogging can be one of them."
Radha blushed in embarrassment. She had blissfully passed out in his arms and he took all the trouble of carrying her back. She was still weak and jogging at such physical condition was purely unacceptable. Countering Madhav's sarcasm was impossible.
"Madhav ji, I am..... Sorry.
I didn't mean to disturb others. Just that I am confused and I wanted to clear my mind."
"Ummmmm.....
If you don't mind, tell me something Radha.
What makes you so unsettled?
You are getting a dream job and from where I see things, your life has taken quite a good turn of late.
What is this confusion all about? Ain't you happy that your life is changing for good?"
Radha was once again left flabbergasted as Madhav kept on staring intensely at her.
There was something about this man that made her believe that he is an essential part of the life she is living or she will be living. From the moment she saw him, her own behavior had been a mystery to her.
But her logic warned her not to get too much carried away. Life is often ugly and she had already been through her fair share of shit.
Finally she dropped her gaze and concentrated on her toe nails to control her own behavior better.
"Sir, I mean no disrespect. But why of all people did you recommend me to Mr. Sen? "
Finally she spoke.
"Oh that!! "
Madhav had once again moved in close and his fingers brushed against hers.
"What if I say I have my reasons to do so? "
Radha dared not meet his gaze.
She tended to lose her mind.
"Then I must not question you. But since you took the trouble of putting your words for me, I would like to tell you about something that may become a reason of discontent for Mr. Sen if revealed later."
Suddenly Madhav took her hands in his own, this time pulling her close to himself. All that separated them were their arms and Radha felt like a steam engine.
She struggled to step back but Madhav kept his grip firm.
And then she again felt the metal ring on her own fingers and her mind cleared instantenously.
"Sir, I must point out that this proximity with a stray woman doesn't suit a man who is bethowed to someone."
Madhav remained unperturbed while he tightened the grip further.
"If your indication is towards this ornament then darling this is the ring for the Estate Keeper, not an engagement ring. And who gave you the idea that I am bethowed to someone? "
Radha wanted to die in shame.
She simply gave away the fact that she was enough interested in Madhav to go behind his back to spy on him. Not that she did it on purpose, nonetheless, she absorbed and processed every tiny detail that Rajomma gave. But then again, if this man was not really engaged, what was that winter wedding all about? Wasn't it a matter of some four months now?
Radha decided not to get fooled by believing Madhav blindly.After all , he was.... What did Sahni sir called him!!!!
Ah.... A trickster.
Still not meeting his gaze Radha struggled to free her fingers while she spoke,
"Yesterday Rajomma herself told me that you are engaged and you want to wrap up your present expansion phase by Diwali to enjoy your marriage in peace. I guess I am not misinterpreting anything."
Startling her, Madhav started to laugh. He was laughing like a madman , as if he had heard the joke of the millennium.
After the initial laughter fit, he settled.
"Well I am officially not allowed to say this, but, I have been elected as the Estate Keeper for our Royal bloodline. But the twist is, the to be in Charge has to be married or bethowed when he or she takes charge.
The logic is, a married person is more settled... thats point A. And point B.... being married means ensuring an heir.
And C , married means two people in charge, two brains at work, two controllers.
All these together makes Estate running easier. In a fit of something I declared I am getting married in winter, close after getting nominated as the next heir.
Not that I don't intend to get married, but the problem is I am yet to speak to the lady I would like to have as my life partner.
But sweetheart, the walls of a royal Castle is way too thin and words are in the air even before you can detect the blowing wind."
Radha was looking wide eyed at Madhav. Was he mad? Or a first grade lier? Who declares marriage even before talking to the lady!!! Or was he a typical example of gender chauvinism!!! How could he possibly think that just because he was a Royal and some heir to some damn Estate that he had the right to get married to someone only by virtue of money and power?
Fine, he is quite a charmer but what girl in her right senses would like to spend her life with a casanova like Madhav!!! From what she had seen of him in the last thirty four hours, he did make her heart flutter and her belly go all butterflies, but, infatuation and life time committment is not the same.
Radha still hold her gaze down while she made her own comment on the situation....
"Oh. What a chauvinist pig you are!!!"
For the first time since they met, Radha found Madhav reacting. His fingers went immediately slack as his grip loosened.
He roughly pushed her away and tilted her chin up with his right hand index to look eye to eye with her.
"Quite an attitude you have there little one. And how on Earth you reached to the part of me being a chauvinist pig!!!"
Madhav looked irritated.
Radha sensed fear taking over her. But she just felt adament.
True that Madhav had been way too good to her, but she had asked for none of this. But she was tired of being treated as a charity case since childhood. Shitty luck of hers.
Always scholarships ,charity donations or educational guardians helped her complete her studies. But when time came to prove her talent, Lady luck ensured that she ended up
framed, underpaid and overworked.
People of much lesser calibur kept climbing the ladder of life while she struggled to make ends meet.
Life ensured that she was left with no life at all.All she had was work, money to earn and work again.
And then dashed in Madhav, again treating her as a charity case.
Five Crores!!!
If he had given her Ten Lakhs for Start up, she would have paid Sahni Five ( the amount as per the bond) and started her own coffee chain in a unique style. She was sure she could have broken even before two quarters.
Radha felt a wave of anger sweeping over her and even without realizing what provoked her to spill such venom, she gave Madhav the shock of his lifetime.
"Chauvinist Pig because you are one such Male who decided you can buy a woman with your heirship or you can remain a hero by offering five Crores to the gutter but you won't trust a woman with ten lakhs for a start up. You will refer a girl for a job that you don't even care whether she wants or not. You are lost in your world of being a merciful Prince and you think people will catch whatever alms you throw to them.
Mr. Madhav whatever, I am worried and confused because right now I am jobless, I have been forced to accept a job with the Sens which I don't want and I am forced to live with a Stranger just because he decided to play some stupid prank on me which resulted in a disaster . That in turn has provoked your so called HERO COMPLEX.
Stop playing me.
YOU..... CHAUVINIST PIG.
For reasons I know, for reasons I don't know, but nonetheless, you are a Chauvisnist Pig."
Radha was deeply lost for breathe as she completed her sentence.
She sank on the lawn by the side walk expecting a reaction from Madhav.
Instead, she saw the man coldly turning and walking away, without uttering a single word.
She expected the fear to return, but it didn't. Instead, her heart felt broken. She wanted Madhav to come back, fight, counter, quarrel....
"Cold chauvinist pig", she huffed.
Only if she knew what he thought.
Yes.... Yes.... I am a chauvinist pig. But it's okay when it comes from you. You are my Sakhi ( a friend who'd a gurl) and you have done unimaginable things for me. The guys will never dare to say such things. But you are something different and you speak your heart.
I wish the world was like you...
I am so sorry girl, but I will take away these piled up sadness and bitterness in you that made you spit venom like this.....
This time, I will change it all and write your story where you smile from within.
It's a promise Radha... it's a promise.