fingers hovered over the attachments.
“I have to see how naïve and gullible I was before I came to know the truth.” She hadn’t yet looked at the wedding album, which lay hidden and almost forgotten in the deepest recesses of her suitcase.
That’s not me , she thought, contemplating the image of a girl dressed in bridal finery smiling brightly at the camera. Ruhi has lost her innocence; she is now an experienced woman of the world who has been there and done that thanks to her husband. She frowned, at least he turned out to be good for something.
He looked suave in red and bloody sincere as well. She spied a lot of envious looks pointed in her direction—a goodlooking, well-established groom from a well-to-do family. What else could a girl ask for? How she wished they were here looking at her right now.
“You are looking drop-dead gorgeous in those pictures.” She heard his voice utter softly from behind.
“But apparently, that didn’t work in my favor.” She swiveled around, her eyes blazing.
He didn’t wither. “There are plenty of things that do.”
She flushed. “A little too late to realize that, aren’t we?”
“Ruhi…”
She turned back, dismissing him, and started typing furiously on the keyboard. He sighed and sat on the bed, opening the manila envelope, which Sujoy had handed him yesterday. He hadn’t found the time to go through the contents in detail though most of what he had gleaned made him feel excited and nervous at the same time.
Yes, this is what I had been waiting for: a step into the big league, membership into an exclusive club, which only admits the best and the brightest. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath savoring the feeling of success. It’d be nice to share the spoils with someone else.
And that someone is you, Ruhi.
His eyes snapped open, waking up as though from a period of prolonged darkness and ignorance. Nothing seemed more real or true. She belonged here with him. She was the only one whom he could think of sharing his joys and sorrows with. Des had been someone he had latched onto at a moment of weakness, and with hope she’d give him what he hungered for. But she had used him, sucked him dry, leaving him so thoroughly disillusioned he’d committed himself to a life of loneliness.
But this girl sitting in front of him was different. He felt drawn to her despite everything, and whatever she did to irk or irritate him pulled him closer. What had wrought this change in him, he wasn’t certain, perhaps it was her pluck. Or her ‘I won’t take it lying down’ attitude, but regardless, he was sure he didn’t want her to leave in three weeks.
But making her stay would be an entirely different affair.
Maybe I can reason with Bee; she is definitely more approachable.
***
At least I have found myself and know what I want , he thought smiling while reading the letter again.
Mr. Shaan Ahuja, you have been chosen to participate in a highly ambitious and confidential mission from among a group of exceptionally deserving candidates. Due to your brilliance and hard work, you have earned yourself a place amongst the topmost tier of engineers. You have passed the first and most important preliminary step; the final decision will be made after a rigorous selection process.
What would it involve? He wondered. Whoever drafted these official letters fancied themselves to be CIA agents in training. He chuckled.
“Grey?”
“Hmm?” He looked up; she seemed flustered.
“Uh…” She wrung her hands as though in a stiff conflict. “I have a close friend who is getting married next month.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea?”
“What?” She stared at him as though he had uttered something absurd. “Yes, I think it is a good idea because she has known him for years, and Abhay is best for her.”
“Then Abhay is a lucky man.” It’d be a tough job for any guy to win her approval. I envy this Abhay.
“Because he is engaged to my
“I have to see how naïve and gullible I was before I came to know the truth.” She hadn’t yet looked at the wedding album, which lay hidden and almost forgotten in the deepest recesses of her suitcase.
That’s not me , she thought, contemplating the image of a girl dressed in bridal finery smiling brightly at the camera. Ruhi has lost her innocence; she is now an experienced woman of the world who has been there and done that thanks to her husband. She frowned, at least he turned out to be good for something.
He looked suave in red and bloody sincere as well. She spied a lot of envious looks pointed in her direction—a goodlooking, well-established groom from a well-to-do family. What else could a girl ask for? How she wished they were here looking at her right now.
“You are looking drop-dead gorgeous in those pictures.” She heard his voice utter softly from behind.
“But apparently, that didn’t work in my favor.” She swiveled around, her eyes blazing.
He didn’t wither. “There are plenty of things that do.”
She flushed. “A little too late to realize that, aren’t we?”
“Ruhi…”
She turned back, dismissing him, and started typing furiously on the keyboard. He sighed and sat on the bed, opening the manila envelope, which Sujoy had handed him yesterday. He hadn’t found the time to go through the contents in detail though most of what he had gleaned made him feel excited and nervous at the same time.
Yes, this is what I had been waiting for: a step into the big league, membership into an exclusive club, which only admits the best and the brightest. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath savoring the feeling of success. It’d be nice to share the spoils with someone else.
And that someone is you, Ruhi.
His eyes snapped open, waking up as though from a period of prolonged darkness and ignorance. Nothing seemed more real or true. She belonged here with him. She was the only one whom he could think of sharing his joys and sorrows with. Des had been someone he had latched onto at a moment of weakness, and with hope she’d give him what he hungered for. But she had used him, sucked him dry, leaving him so thoroughly disillusioned he’d committed himself to a life of loneliness.
But this girl sitting in front of him was different. He felt drawn to her despite everything, and whatever she did to irk or irritate him pulled him closer. What had wrought this change in him, he wasn’t certain, perhaps it was her pluck. Or her ‘I won’t take it lying down’ attitude, but regardless, he was sure he didn’t want her to leave in three weeks.
But making her stay would be an entirely different affair.
Maybe I can reason with Bee; she is definitely more approachable.
***
At least I have found myself and know what I want , he thought smiling while reading the letter again.
Mr. Shaan Ahuja, you have been chosen to participate in a highly ambitious and confidential mission from among a group of exceptionally deserving candidates. Due to your brilliance and hard work, you have earned yourself a place amongst the topmost tier of engineers. You have passed the first and most important preliminary step; the final decision will be made after a rigorous selection process.
What would it involve? He wondered. Whoever drafted these official letters fancied themselves to be CIA agents in training. He chuckled.
“Grey?”
“Hmm?” He looked up; she seemed flustered.
“Uh…” She wrung her hands as though in a stiff conflict. “I have a close friend who is getting married next month.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea?”
“What?” She stared at him as though he had uttered something absurd. “Yes, I think it is a good idea because she has known him for years, and Abhay is best for her.”
“Then Abhay is a lucky man.” It’d be a tough job for any guy to win her approval. I envy this Abhay.
“Because he is engaged to my
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