Episode 136 || Time To Part Ways
Christian was busy mingling with other guests at the party when a familiar voice interrupted him. “Christian?”
Chris turned and found Maya, “Excuse me, gentlemen,” He said to the guest and then shifted his focus on Maya.
“Congratulation!!” She extended her hand and congratulated Chris.
“Thank you so much!” He politely replied.
“I wanted to say something to you,” Maya further added and Chris knitted his brows.
“I am all ears,” He said.
“I know, you and Lia had a history together and I am certain that you have moved on, but maybe Lia is deciding to walk back in the past,” Maya said.
“What do you mean?” Chris asked.
“I feel she wants to get back to you,” Maya said in an uncertain tone.
Chris chuckled, “It’s nothing like that. She is happy with Tommy Blenth. You are thinking too much. Everything is over between us.” Chris replied, “and frankly there was nothing between us. She never loved me, I was stupid enough to follow her like a puppy.”
Maya nodded, “Are you positive that she will never cause any trouble?” She asked as she could feel something brewing inside Lia’s head.
“Even if she tries to create a ruckus, I will handle her,” Chris replied confidently, and Maya nodded.
“Okay, then,” She said and turned to leave when Chris stopped her.
“Don’t discuss this conversation with anyone,” He requested.
“I won’t meddle in your issue,” Maya assured him and left, and Christian’s eyes fell on Dylan, who was sitting at the bar.
***
Mishka touched the back of the hands that covered her eyes and tried to recognize, “Aunt Rose?”
“I knew it!! Girls change after their marriage,” The voice said.
Mishka swiftly removed the hands from her eyes and was stunned to find Riya in front of her. They immediately hugged each other.
“How are you?” Mishka asked, still unable to believe her eyes. “How did you suddenly plan to come here?” Mishka held her hands into her. “Aryan?”
“Aryan is fine, don’t worry about him,” Riya assured, “Are you okay?” She asked Mishka, cupping her cheeks, and Mishka nodded.
“So the ladies already met,” Chris said, and briefly hugged Riya. “How was the flight?”
“Very tiring!” Riya replied. "But Dadu took great care of me."
“You knew??” Mishka asked, arching her brows and Chris nodded.
“Why don’t you guys go upstairs and talk,” He suggested, and Mishka quickly agreed.
“Let’s go!” They held hands and headed upstairs.
***
“Mishka will tell him everything after this party,” Luke said in a bitter voice. Vera was listening to him while watching the colourful water fountain.
“I know you must be thinking that I am a coward and indeed I am. I can’t take it anymore. I certainly cannot reverse my actions, nor do I have any patience left in me to endure more hatred. It pierces my heart.” Luke said in a remorseful voice and held her hands in his.
“I am sorry for everything,” He said squeezing her hands. “It won’t be enough if I keep apologizing rest of my life.” He further added as tears of agony escaped his eyes.
“It’s time to part ways,” He said and stood back on his feet.
“Sir, should I take madam back to her room. It’s time for her to take medicines.” The nurse said, and Luke nodded.
“Yes, please,” Luke said and Vera looked at him for a moment before the nurse took her away while Luke turned and watched the colourful water fountain.
***
Riya and Mishka stepped out of their high heels and jumped on the bed like the old days. “Wow!!! Mish. Your bedroom is so beautiful and this picture,” Riya looked at the enormous portrait of Christian and Mishka’s wedding picture, “Why you didn’t inform me, I wanted to see you getting married!” She pouted.
“Just watch! I won’t invite you to my wedding as well.” Riya stated and Mishka rolled her eyes, hearing her non-stop ranting.
“Then who will do the wedding preparations if you won’t invite me?” Mishka arched her eyebrows. “I am your only family, remember?”
“Yeah, I remember but you forgot,” She pouted.
“Christian has promised me an Indian wedding,” Mishka said, and Riya widened her eyes in surprise.
“What?? Really!!” She said excitedly.
“Yes, but I am extending this. I want Aryan to be present with me that day.” Mishka said, her face dropped.
“Are you alright?” Riya asked. “I got to know about the baby.”
“It was all my fault. I should’ve been more careful. I was running, jumping, and doing whatnot. There was going so much around us that I hardly had a chance to think about anything. On Eric’s birthday, I did feel something different about myself, I decided to find out after the party, but then,” Mishka said, and took a sharp breath, suppressing the tears that filled in her eyes, remembering the horrific chemical factory incident.
Riya held her hands in her. “I know it’s hard but you need to move on,” She said, “It wasn’t your fault, no one’s fault.”
“I am trying, really trying! But I feel like I killed my child. I’ll never get over this loss, Riya.” Mishka cried. “I always feel like killing myself, I know Christian will leave me soon.” She covered her face with her palm. “I am going crazy, Riya.” She said, looking at her hands. “I am losing everything.”
Riya, too, felt something wrong with the way Mishka was behaving as she has herself witnessed her dealing with her parent’s demise strongly. This side of Mishka was vulnerable and scary, and Riya feared thinking about future consequences.
“Life doesn’t stop, Mishka.” Riya said and Mishka’s eye travelled back to her face, “These were your words, remember? Uncle and Aunty raised you better than this. You are disrespecting them and their upbringings, they have raised you strong.” She said and Mishka looked at her, wordlessly, “and Christian will leave you? That guy is doing everything in his power to make you happy.”
“My next words might upset you, but it’s been nine and a half months since you have last visited Aryan because you were clearly busier solving the puzzles of your new family, you were absent from Aryan’s life and likewise Christian fulfilled your duties, your responsibility when you were in a coma. Unlike, sitting beside his comatose wife, grieving, drowned in alcohol or having an extramarital affair behind your back.”
“Christian has not taken those seven vows with you around the fire, but he is actually fulfilling each vow. What else do you want in life?” Riya said and squeezed her hands. “You have got the best partner, Mish. Don’t let these insecurities create misunderstanding and heartbreaks. If that Thirteen-year-old Mishka can deal with her parent’s death strongly, I am certain that Twenty-four-year-old Mishka can do much better.”
***
“Hey!,” Chris said, slipping onto the barstool next to Dylan.
“Congratulations! You truly deserve the position,” Dylan said stiffly and took a sip of his whiskey.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you clearly,” Chris said playfully, leaning forward, but Dylan pushed him back by the shoulder and Chris chuckled.
“It’s not every day when your cutthroat business rival praises you.” He said, and Dylan rolled his eyes, focusing back on his drink.
Chris poked him in the arm. “Hey! Dylan, can we please stop fighting? Our issues are over now, then why this arrogance?”
Dylan looked at him, “I still hate you, my Diana liked you but you didn’t take her seriously because she was mute,” He sneered.
“It’s not true, Dylan. I liked Diana back in my college days, I swear. She was the sweetest girl out there but before I could approach her, everything changed in a blink of an eye.” Chris said, and Dylan listened to him wordlessly. “Diana was a pure soul and she will be always a part of my memories.” He further added and Dylan smiled.
***
It was almost one a.m.; the party ended on a pleasant note and every family member checked into their rooms after a long hectic day. Mishka, Christian, and Pasha were talking to Riya in the living room when Chris received a call from Vera’s nurse, knitting his eyebrows.
“Madame Vera is unconscious, and she is not breathing,”
“What?” Chris shrieked loudly. “I am coming,”
“Mishka, call emergency,” Chris said and rushed upstairs.
“What happened?” She shouted behind his back, but he didn’t respond and ran towards Vera’s room.
Mishka quickly called for an emergency and followed him. The scene inside Vera’s room made her halt her steps at the door. Vera’s face was pale as if no life was left. Chris checked her wrist but didn’t find a pulse. He quickly picked her up in his arms ad ran downstairs. Rony and Rose, too, came out of their room and were shocked. They all were following Chris, but Mishka stopped as she remembered Luke’s meeting with Vera and the same incident of the past where she had a panic attack after meeting Luke. She seethed in anger and turned on her heels to confront Luke this time.
The emergency arrived, and they laid her on the stretcher. “Rony, you inform dad. I am going with Vera,” Rose said, and Pasha accompanied her. While Rony headed inside. Chris turned and was about to enter in his car, but he didn’t find Mishka.
“Where is Mishka?” He asked Riya, who was standing behind him with a concerned face.
“I don’t know, Lemme check.” She said and turned, but Chris stopped her.
“No, let me check.” He jogged inside the mansion and towards their room, but he didn’t find her anywhere. He checked the balcony, but she was nowhere in sight. “Fuck.” He retrieved his mobile, and Mishka’s pendent tracker showed the location of the study room.
“What is she doing in the study room?” He wondered as he quickly left his room and started climbing the stairs of the upper floor and he found the door of the study room open widely.
“Today, you will tell me everything, or else I will reveal to Christian that you forced his mother to commit suicide,” Mishka shouted loudly and Chris felt as if the ground slipped under his feet and his expressions hardened.