"I won't, I won't, I won't

Cover the scars, I'll let them bleed,

So my silence won't be mistaken for peace.

Am I wrong for wanting us to make it?

Tell me your lies,

Because I just can't face it!"

— "It's You" // Zayn Malik

ɤɤɤɤɤɤɤɤ

Being mature costs you a lot, probably you never really realise that but as you're growing up you're losing advantages of being "young, wild and free". You're expected to be the bigger one, you expect yourself to act like the bigger one. And then unknowingly bounded by rules and expectations you start losing the real you.

And both Abir and Mishti know their time to be the "young, wild and free" is gone. So what if it is snatched away? In the end it's gone and they're two individuals holding big responsibilities with no option to be free.

Their time for being irresponsible for a moment and choosing uncertainty is gone.

Gone as in it won't ever come back, lost, not to be felt again. Ever.

Well, let's take it this way. If given a chance now, they won't even allow their souls to roam around freely. They can't run to more scars now, can they?

Are they courageous enough to break the bars and set themselves free?

No, they aren't. Running wild is a dangerous choice and neither of them can afford getting lost. Hence, before the momentary freedom settles melancholy, one needs to break the silence.

"Would you mind, Abir, if I ask what is bothering you so much today?"

Mishti asks gently. Not necessarily she needs an answer, she is pretty sure Abir will say nothing. It'll be troublesome otherwise; Mishti is not good at handling emotional situations and to be honest, especially with Abir Rajvansh, it'll be quite difficult to comfort him or even to say things like "it'll be alright" or "you'll be good".

Mishti regrets her question but at least better be in confusion than a silence that screams pain!

And there Abir probably gets it, because why not? After all, he's a psychologist and he never misses a chance to prove how clever he is! And if she is giving him a chance to divert his mind, nothing's wrong in using it to the fullest.

Mishti regrets a little more!

Abir notices her expressions and he can't help smiling. No matter how strong or mature you become, can you ever completely detach yourself from the inner child? And Mishti is cute, indeed.

"Shut up, Abir. Mind your thoughts."

Abir reprimands himself. Get back to work.

"Well I don't think, Mishti, you really want an answer to that. But I've something else which you'd like to know."

Mishti glared.

"Nishant Singhaniya is arriving in India today. And you'll be happy to know that he's my business partner."

Mishti stares at him wide-eyed a little longer than necessary. Abir is still smiling.

"Do you mean to say he's the other partner of Maheshwari and Co.?"

"Oh well, it's great to see you understand things quickly. But here you should know that I've bought 51% share from Singhaniya Industries. Apparently your ex-husband is the loser here."

Mishti doesn't say anything. From the moment she stepped in Rajvanshs she has been waiting for such taunts. Not like she cares what other people say, but it's important to understand what exactly is going on in Abir's calculative mind.

Last time she checked, Singhaniyas deceitfully acquired 50% share of Maheshwaris and Co. and Vishambhar Maheshwari was 50% owner of the company. That means Vishambhar has sold his entire share to Abir leaving nothing for himself.

But...

"You're 51% shareholder of the company, aren't you, Abir? How? My father owned only 50% of the shares, so what game did you exactly play?"

"I'm afraid, Mishti, I won't disclose my business tactics to anybody just like that."

Abir smirks. Seeing Mishti confused is as satisfying as drowning himself in the thoughts of Kuhu. Bitter yet sweet.

"So in conclusion, now I'm the rightful owner of Maheshwaris and Co. and I want to delegate some responsibilities to you. As my Legal Advisor you might need to work with Mr. Singhaniya and I hope you don't have any issues."

"I do object to that, Mr. Rajvansh. You cannot expect me to follow any of your orders that concerns me without consulting me. I'm given the authority to choose my work and the power to reject you."

Mishti is loud and clear. She has no intentions of connecting with Singhaniyas or Maheshwaris even for once in her new life and if rejecting Abir's offer causes trouble in her life, let it be. Her revenge is her own, nobody has the right to interfere here, not Abir Rajvansh especially. She prepares herself to face Abir's taunts again.

But Abir smiles. Just smiles.

"It's okay Miss Agarwal, if you don't want to. Just remember what I said the other day, carrying this bitterness inside will harm none but you the most and I don't want to see you suffering anymore because of your foolishness."

"How dare you call me a fool?"

"You're not a fool, but at times your decisions were. I know you enough, Mishti. And as long as you're here, you're my responsibility."

At times your decisions were.

Were.

And Mishti doesn't need to be reminded of it. She has enough guilt already.

So when she gives him a deadly stare, Abir regrets speaking without calculating. First, he's not here to make her uncomfortable or constantly remind her of the past she has left behind. And secondly, Mishti is not supposed to know anything about Vishambhar's request. Yes, she is wise enough to connect the dots and make the conclusion someday but not now. So as of now he won't give her the moment of silence to ponder over his words.

He feels frustrated now.

Heart is running wild and the brain intervenes.

Things are meant to fall apart.

"And as far as whatever revenge you're planning, I'm sure working with the Singhaniyas is a golden opportunity for you. Yet let me make it clear, I'll make sure you don't put yourself in trouble by any faulty affairs."

"What do you mean, Abir Rajvansh?" Mishti punches hard on the table.

"You know exactly what I mean."

Abir slams the door of the cabin and leaves. He can feel a sudden bloodrush and the anger is getting into his head. Getting nearer to Mishti always has a different impact on him and he can't help it. Abir is no blind to his feelings, he cannot translate this strange emotion to just a hormonal rush. Not even he's some young, immature dumb boy who doesn't understand himself. The suppressed anger, hatred and enmity he carries for Vishambhar Maheshwari is the sole reason Mishti affected him in the first place; but now that's not the only reason, he knows it. The moment he promised Vishambhar to bring his daughter back he knew it'll be a tough ride. Seeing the girl who was indirectly the reason for his father's downfall was painful, now more painful is to know what that girl has gone through yet she's here, standing in front of him with her head held high.

And Abir envies that. He hates the fact that Mishti makes him feel so small.

After all, Abir is just a weak soul masked in a savage attitude.

Standing in the corridor Kunal sighs looking at both of them. Since the day Vishambhar Maheshwari stepped inside their office and made his request Kunal could visualize such an uncomfortable situation. Honestly his fears are worse and he dearly hopes them not to be true. After the calmness of the first week he's quite sure of the coming storm. He's been with Abir for four years now and he is fully aware of his boss's attitude towards Maheshwaris or anything related to them. Kunal knows Abir's first thoughts about Mishti and his plans for her and he has witnessed the change in Abir's attitude towards Mishti. Probably Mishti is somehow exactly opposite of what Abir thought of her at first, hence resulting in Abir's total distraction from his "perfectly planned revenge".

"May come in, Mishti ma'am?"

"What? Oh Kunal, please come in."

Mishti wipes her face and smiles. Probably she was crying, Kunal understands, yet she's not vulnerable. Tears can never wipe out her strength even from her face. Kunal can see at least a little behind people's masks, thanks to his boss, in these four years he has seen Abir crying, collapsing, destroying himself but then standing up with a big smile the next moment. And now Mishti - nearly the same to Abir.

"Kunal, do you have anything to say?"

"Oh yes, yaa.. I- I, Abir Sir asked me to come to your cabin."

"Abir? Why?"

"He said, you might have to talk to someone. I don't know what exactly he meant, but yeah."

Mishti gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"I don't remember saying this to him. God knows what's going on in Abir's mind!"

"So if there's nothing as such, I should make a move then."

Kunal smiles at Mishti and turns to the door. Mishti tries to get a glimpse of Abir in his cabin. He is nowhere to be seen but he has sent Kunal saying she might like to talk.

Why?

"Kunal, wait." Mishti almost shouts.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Come in Kunal, have a seat. Let's see what the psychologist has thought."

Mishti grins. Somewhere she can connect to what might be going on in Abir's mind.

"So Kunal, what exactly Abir said?"

"Uh, I told you already."

Kunal lowers his head.

"Look at me Kunal, I want to know what he said and you've to tell me. You don't have a choice anyways. And don't hesitate, you know I won't eat you."

Kunal nods. Mishti's tone is not authoritative, rather sweet, like a sister demanding something from her brother and that is enough for Kunal - to have someone like a sister.

"Actually sir asked me to come to you and he said you might need someone to talk. He told me not to go to you like Abir sir's secretary. I couldn't get what he exactly meant but he said sometimes it's better to confide in a complete stranger but a trustworthy person and he said he believes in me. Well, I don't know how that relates to you but yeah, precisely that's all. But ma'am? Sir didn't say anything that might offend you, are you.. Are you crying? Mishti ma'am?"

Kunal sees the tears rolling down Mishti's cheeks. Mishti doesn't say anything but smiled. Abir is no wonder unpredictable.

"Abir Rajvansh plans his every move, every step carefully and then implements it, doesn't he? He's choosy about his words, his actions so much that I fear I won't even know when he's acting and when his words are genuine and true. Maybe I'm yet to know him but he seems like a double-faced philosopher to me who talks of looking beyond pain yet finds luxury in scrounging his own pain."

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I won't tolerate anything wrong about my sir."

"You tell me, Kunal, did I say anything wrong? I may sound rude but that's the fact. And you know that better than me. I don't know what his story is but trust me on this Kunal, he needs to loosen up a bit, doesn't he? I don't know psychology but I can read beneath the layers of people's masks."

Kunal is staring at Mishti for a while. He knows every word she said was true but she has no right to point a finger at someone who she doesn't even know.

"May I know what made you say so?"

Mishti smirks. She now has her chance to strike. Taking a piece of paper from her desk she gives it to Kunal.

"Look at this. I'm sure you're aware of the background as much as I am not. But this is enough for me to know what I should know."

Kunal immediately takes the paper. It's a picture and something is written there.

"How? How did you find this? Do you know who the girl in this picture is?" Kunal is shocked.

Mishti smirks again.

"Kuhu Raichand. She was a common friend of mine. I've not seen her for ages and guess what, coming to Rajvanshs has brought back many figures from the past altogether."

Kunal is still staring at the picture of Abir and Kuhu, all smiling and happy. Some words are scribbled which he realizes are Abir's.

Curved on the hard walls that you loved me.

You just got mixed with similarities and named it love, thus, it was only curved but not buried deep...

Kunal can feel tears in his eyes. He immediately turns his back to Mishti.

"Kunal, maybe I should not have intruded in Abir's private life but when he left my room it fell from his pocket, I guess. And I won't lie that I didn't understand the whole scenario. It looks like an old picture, isn't it? Has this anything to do with Abir's upset mood today?"

Kunal looks back at Mishti as she sounds genuinely concerned; should he tell her about Abir and Kuhu? Or will she use it against Abir? Probably she may, after all, this is just a game of revenge for them. Yet deep in his heart, Kunal chooses to believe otherwise.

"I don't know why sir is upset today. But they have been together since college and as far as I know they broke up after whatever happened to Mehul sir. Abir sir never really says about it, but what I've understood is that her father was friends with Vishambhar Maheshwari and something happened and... "

Kunal stops abruptly. Abir trusts him and he is not supposed to reveal his personal life to anyone just like that, especially to Mishti.

"It's okay Kunal, you don't need to tell me. In fact, I don't want to know anything more. But you can trust me, I won't use your words against anyone."

Mishti is still smiling. So Kunal just nods.

"You said Abir wanted you to talk to me. You know what, he asked me to handle the responsibilities of Maheshwari & Co., the company he owns now and I have to work with his current partner and my ex-husband. I believe you know this."

Kunal hesitates.

"He thinks this will make me feel bad, or even suffer, I know that. Probably he's using me as a prom for his revenge or whatever he has in his mind. But he said he won't let anything wrong happen to me anymore. He in fact called me a fool."

Mishti chuckles.

"Ma'am, if he says so I'm sure he means it. Sir cares for everyone equally and many times the cases we get are rather dangerous and sir makes sure nobody is harmed except for him. He often forgets that we love him and we want him to take care of himself, at least for us."

Mishti senses the sadness in Kunal's voice. He continues without looking at her.

"I'm working with him for four year ma'am. Sir never mentions things but I know, I know he too feels pain, he was hurt, he still is. I don't know what's going on in your minds about each other. But he does care for you, he did think of revenge at one point maybe, but I know you're more than just the daughter of the man who ruined his family. By that I mean to say he'd protect you from any danger. You don't need to be his near and dear ones, Abir sir is like that only, he cares for everyone, even his enemies. In fact he..."

Kunal almost mentions Abir's promise to Vishambhar but stops.

"I think that's all I needed to hear. Abir Rajvansh might present himself to be stone-hearted or a I-won't-care-for-anyone-except-myself type of person but he is not. Probably I can relate more than anyone."

Although she says the later part quietly Kunal gets it. He looks at her eyes - those wet eyes are just like Abir's, carrying stories that no one knows except them.

"Thank you, Kunal. Thank you for coming."

Kunal nods and leaves the room. He glances at Mishti through the glass door and then at Abir. The apparent enemies with a similar story of pain and struggle, the victims of the same enemy, both of them carrying similar wounds, their stories begins from the same turn of events and such is their destiny that the end to this series is going to be the same, Kunal thought and as he thinks of the probable ending of this saga, his heart jumps in anticipation - after all there is a possibility, especially after the dramatic turn in Abir's behaviour towards Mishti, there is a greater possibility of a hopeful if not happy ending.