"Why do you have a file on my boss Vikram?"

"Ah, nothing. It's just a routine background check", Vikram replied casually.

"I am investing so much of my money in this startup so at least I should know what sort of an owner I am dealing with right? That's how you do business, it's like basic protocol", Vikram said coming closer.

"What do you mean by a background check?", Akira asked curiously.

"Generic stuff like whether he has any police case or if his personal life is two jumbled up or if he has any social issues or debts and stuff like that", he said and picked the laptop from her hands.

Out of curiosity, Akira opened the first page. She saw a picture of Raymond and Scarlett Robinson, a famous televison star, sitting intimately with each other.

"Isn't she Scarlet Robinson from the series 'Charlotte and I'?"

"Yup", replied Vikram and tried to gauge her reaction.

She was already upset seeing the picture and didn't have the courage to look further into the file, but after a few moments of hesitation, she turned page after page. She found a pregnancy report, an abortion procedure bill, a copy of Scarlett's contract with some agency, Raymond's bank statements. She didn't realize when tears started running down her cheeks. She wiped them up immediately and tried to hide away her pain which was stinging her heart.

Vikram saw her in pain and just wanted to comfort her. His heart was torn to see her so tormented but he knew that his plan had to go on. This was the only way to remove Raymond from the picture.

"Looks like they had a roll !!!", Akira said, trying to hide away her pain. She wanted to sound all peachy in front of him.

"Yeah, you are right. They studied in the same college and apparently they were the so-called 'one true love' sort of couple. They got engaged last year and I guess two months back she even conceived his child, but as she was career oriented apparently she didn't want to have a kid and that kind of lead to some differences. She took a contract for taking part in a new reality show which was outdoor based where you need to be in complete isolation from the outside world".

"You mean like 'Big Boss' reality TV?", Akira interrupted and asked.

"Yeah, something like that.

"Out of anger, they both parted ways. They couldn't get in touch as that would need breaching her contract. So looks like they have decided to take a break till she finishes her shoot but I guess after this incident your boss turned all reserved and went into some sort of shell. He never contacted her again but I feel they still like each other pretty much and will get back together when her shoot gets over", Vikram said all nonchalantly like he was discussing some everyday news.

Her heart shrank.

"Whatever, big people have big lives. Why do I care?", Akira said and kept the file back.

Vikram observed her and knew that she was on the verge of breaking. He hated himself for all of it but he was driven by his own desires which obeyed no rule from the book.

"It's late!!! Can you drop me home?", Akira requested.

He nodded and picked up his car keys.

---

She went inside her bedroom and sat silently in front of the mirror.

She had survived when her heart broke once because he was the one who glued it back. But this time her savior had become the destroyer. She had no way to survive. It was true that Raymond never had promised her anything, but he had shown her what was it to be happy, to be in love. To see him in love with someone else was just unbearable.

Her moist eyes glistened with tears. Slowly her sobs intensified as the pain started wrenching her heart. But before she could empty out her pails of pain, she saw a text,

"How was your date?" - Raymond

She tried to amass a few words to key in but could only write,

"Good" - Akira

He pursed his lips in anger seeing her reply. He waited for a while and then replied,

"Are you back home?" - Raymond

She couldn't understand what was she to him. Just a friend or just a timepass till his fiance was back.

"Why? Are you bored as Scarlette is not with you right now?" - Akira

She waited for his reply because she wanted answers. She wanted to know if she was just a friend to him. Just friends don't touch each other like that, just friends don't kiss each other like that. Her heart wanted clarification. But from his side there was none.

Dissapointment clouded her heart and the pails of tears started overflowing. One after the other.

He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw her text but he knew immediately one thing. He owed her an explanation, big time. He immediately started his car and rushed towards her home as fast as he could. He didn't care if it had affected her to know about his past or not but he wanted to clarify his stand to her.

He started pounding on her door without even bothering who else was there inside. The moment she opened the door he saw her bloodshot eyes and knew that she had been crying. He held her hand and said,

"We need to talk".

She was shocked to see him but she was equally displeased.

"There is nothing to hear and explain Raymond. I never asked for any explanation from you. Please leave me alone", she said and walked towards her room.

But she suddenly found her whole body embraced by him. He hugged her from behind. His arms encasing her entire body so tightly that she felt that she was a part of him. He rested his chin on her bare shoulder, his stubble grazing on her skin and heightening every sensation that she had. She couldn't understand how pain turned into pleasure in a split second with his touch.

He breathed into her ear and said,

"Just stay a moment and listen to me. Please !!!"

He said and softly touched her ear with his nose. Unknowingly his lips moved ahead and kissed her neck slightly. His delicate touch crumbled her resistance. She couldn't resist any further from his embrace and caved in. His warm lips brushed her ears as he landed a small peck. He relaxed his hold on her and with one hand he brushed away all the hair on her back to one side revealing her slender back. She shivered as he kissed on her tattoo at the nape of her neck and her inner flames burned her when his fingers ran through her hair. His one hand which rested on her waist started becoming all restless and needy. In the heat of the moment, she lifted her hand and turned slightly to hold him back.

Their eyes met as she turned. He paused and took a deep breath and said,

"Please don't misunderstand anything. Just hear me out once".