ek chehera laga hai, har chehere k upar

Akshay's POV 

“ Did I say, you are looking ravishing?” 

“ No. But you can say that now.” Disha answers with a mischievous glint in her eyes. 

“ Disha, my love, you are looking gorgeous and I can't wait to finally have you for myself.”

“ Oh, so you are eager for sex. Marriage was just an obligation. Wasn't it?” Disha cocks her eyes in a challenging manner. 

“ Ah!! You can say that.” Akshay laughs wholeheartedly, while Disha is half flabbergasted and half embarrassed. “ Your antics have always been an entertainment source for me.” 

“ So what now? Will we live happily ever after?” Disha was still nervous, and that peeping eye from the lashes was a given. Yes, they are married now, but her father’s last-minute play to marry her off to someone else has really rattled her to the core. Akshay can almost hear her inner thoughts and a lot of unspoken questions. 

She cannot imagine a life without Akshay, and she knows that her husband reciprocates the same feelings. 

But, but and a massive but. Maya Rajawat hates her. The only brownie point is that apart from her mother-in-law, everyone adores her. Vikram Uncle, sorry Papa always considered her second daughter, and Anaya has been the friend and support she has always needed. 

“ No. we will not. There will be disagreements and we have to navigate through them.There will be massive highs and I hope for sublime lows. But let’s promise each other that you will let me touch you even when you are angry with me cause trust me I am done using my hand and you look sexy when you are furious.” Akshay completes his monologue with a wicked glint. 

“ Your end goal will always be sex?” Disha asks him in a mocking and equally exasperated tone.

“ Yes, with you always and everyday.” Akshay says seriously while snaking his hands just above her hips, like staking a claim. The one gesture was private enough, but for innocent eyes, it may seem that newlyweds are just having conservation, which was anything but that. 

“ You are insatiable, Akshay. But I like this, when you adore and cherish me. Umm, speaking of promises, I want one thing.”

“Anything, as long as you are with me, I can do anything,” and he really meant that. Akshay can deceive his father or even his mother (more like his mother lets him do that), but he has never lied to Disha. She is the only person who has kept her sane. She knew what she was getting into when she chose Akshay. She could have relatively chosen anyone, even the person she was getting engaged to has less drama in his life. 

If she had not married him, there would have been fewer expectations for her. She could have mapped out her life the way she wanted to, and there would have been less scrutiny. He always knew she wanted to design homes, and she had even studied architecture for the sole purpose. 

He knows that she took various classes (which she didn’t have to do; she is marvelous, incredible, and beautiful the way she is) when he was absent from the public scene and was not allowed to meet anyone, including Disha. He knew everything. She always had a choice. Not to enter this madness, dark, and murky world of his, which will only become deadlier from now on. He is well aware of his mother's protectiveness towards him. He knew she had always given Disha a hard time. She has always and always made her aware of her lack of social etiquette. Also, one thing she has never control of having an absentee mother. Though the taunts have reduced, the axe forgets, but the tree remembers. Akshay knows social insecurity stems from that. 

But he cannot leave his parents either. He never had a choice. All of the wealth he garnered, the title of being the next CEO—everything was served on a silver platter for him. Eventually, all will be transferred to Bhaiya. 

            Akshay’s POV

All I have to do is manage it, nothing more, nothing less. The company is seeing heights because of Kaustav Bhai’s entrepreneurial ideas. He was the brain behind everything. All I have given is the much-needed support and veto power. He could have done everything without my help. But my big brother needs me. I have betrayed him once; I will never do it again. He was the only semblance of normalcy in my childhood, apart from Disha. 

Speaking of her, she has an inkling of the future, where there will be comfortability, yes, but the same cannot be said about luxuries. The private jet, crores of corporate bonds, or butlered services. They may or may not be there in the future, but still, she has chosen me every time. 

She still gives me the doe eyes when she wants something and hopes I will grant her. 

She doesn’t know that I will do anything for her. Mum was dead against this marriage and she connived Disha’s father into accepting the other marriage proposal. Also, she convinced me that this was best for Disha with her manipulation and taking my mental health as a weapon. But what she doesn’t know is that Bhai has always been by my side, and he knew what Mum was planning on.  

Now, let’s just say that after that, there was a whole lot of mental coercion and manipulation from my side. What do you think? Only one can play that game, mum? I am your only son. Though not as good as you, I have learned from the best. I don’t hate you, but there is love lost. From childhood, there was always coercion in being the best, and she was hardly there in my and Anaya's teenage days. 

“If Kaustav can do that, surely you can.” 

Mum's patented dialogue alone made me resent my elder brother a lot. It's a good thing Kaustav Bhaiya was always the mature one. He always took my jibes in stride. 

He guided me when there was a need, controlled my emotions when they were going astray, and literally supported me when he had the chance to backstab. You think, why would my elder cousin's brother backstab me? I haven't been the ideal cousin. 

If Mum egged on me to be the better version, then I would pour all my frustration on Bhaiya through my atrocious behavior. And it was me who gave him the news that night when he returned from England. It was me who wanted to see the reaction. The color draining off from his face seemed priceless at that time. But not now. Thinking about that night only made my heart cringe with disappointment towards myself. 

That night, the situation could have been handled differently, and I could have acted differently. But surely, with time, I have learned from my mistake. Bhai was never my competitor. He never wanted this. He could have given me everything and would have never asked anything in return. 

It was that realization that made me turn a new leaf and obviously because he adored me as the younger brother. 

“So you were asking something from me?”I ask inquisitively when coming out of my reverie.

“ Vritra has always been a sister from another mother. She has been everything to me. After the marriage, I think I am of no value for my father. Now Vritra is the only family left for me. I just want you to have the same emotion towards her, which I have. I know she is also not a very easy person to get along with. But she is working in your company. I just want you to take care of her as you would for Anaya.” Vritra was still looking at me with her hopeful doe eyes. Does she know she really looks cute when she does that? 

“ You know you don't have to say it. I will always take care of her. But why are you serious? She is a big girl and you are forgetting she was mentored by my grandfather. She can hold her own.” I know I am being a jerk, but being benevolent towards her is not in my nature. Why? Let's just say we were never on the best terms. 

“It's just this time; it feels different. I think she may land in trouble,” Disha replied with furrowed eyebrows and a worried look that didn't suit her at all. Yes, I am a sappy man after marriage; sue me. 

“ Then promise, I will be there. I will always be there for her. Just don't say that to her or she will rebuke me at every chance she will get. Now may I get that dazzling smile once again?”

           Third person's POV

“Now, now! I didn't tell you Tina, Akshay and Disha reminds me of our younger days. The childhood love which is so rare to see in our society.” Saksham was holding Tina in half hug and proceeding towards the ornate dias with Anshul in tow.

“ It would have been nice then, if you have been stuck with love aspect and never dwelled in other dubious ventures of business which was spending investor's money.” Anshul remarked casually and was inching towards Akshay and giving him the customary bro hugs. 

The casual remark was enough for Saksham to feel guilty. Yes, he had made questionable choices and decisions regarding business matters, but being reminded of them by his own son did leave a sour taste. 

“ Never mind Disha; he has a habit of spouting nonsense now and then.” Tina is the age-old pacifier between the father-son duo. 

“ Nonsense or the truth?” Anshul, now standing beside Disha asks innocently. 

“Anshul, this is not the way to talk with elders. Saksham bhaiya did what he had to. Now everyone doesn't have the finesse and business acumen like Mukesh, does it?” Maya Rajawat, the mother of Akshay and Anaya, enters the dias with her husband Mukesh in tow. 

“ Oh, we have a contender who can beat Tauji at his own game.” Anshul never backed off from a fight. He had to have the last word. 

“ The one and only Kaustav bhaiya.” Anshul leveled her Taiji, with a stare and went on to take her and Mukesh's blessings by touching their feet and making his way towards the bar counter. 

“ This boy needs some lessons. Saksham, Tina, it is not nice to give so much leeway to Anshul. It will only get nasty in the future. We don't want history to repeat itself, do we?” Mukesh reprimanded his younger brother for Anshul's insolence. 

Though Saksham was embarrassed by his son's antics, he could do little to nothing about his younger son. Kaustav heeds his father, Saksham's advice. But with Anshul, it is like talking with a wall. You cannot say anything. If you say something, he will just not heed your words. The revert may come back stronger and more lethal. 

Any amount of fatherly love can never change the fact that Anshul hated his father. It was worse with Kaustav. Though he respected his father, it was a customary obligation. With Anshul, there is a reaction. With Kaustav, there are customary words which are worse.

Saksham knew he had no fatherly rights when it came to kids. He was as good as non-existent for them. 

In his own way, he has protected the assets that could have been taken away during the downfall. But he knew the kids cared less about assets and more about his time. He was never there, simply never there. 

He could count on one hand when he was there for his sons. If he was there at all, he made sure to make them realize that they were eating up his time. It was like saying it to your kid: Sorry, but not sorry. I forgot to cover it up, and hence, you are the products. 

But his boys have resurrected and built themselves without him. Especially Kaustav.

For him, Tina was there in bits and parts when she realized that one parent had to be present in the house to keep the children grounded. Both Tina and Saksham knew that they had little to no authority over them, so they refrained from scolding them. Tina still stakes a claim in her loving manner. 

But what can a father do? Fathers are not entitled to hugs. The only physical contact one can have is a handshake or just saying, “Well done, son.” in front of executives.

Fathers can never ask for emotional stuff. Saksham has never been there to ask what they ate in their childhood, what standard they were in, or what sort of cartoon character they are interested in. With time he has lost the right in their adulthood as well.

Mothers can pierce a hole in the wall of the heart, but fathers are kept outside by obligatory side hugs. But Saksham is happy with what he is getting. It is very little, but he is okay with it.

“ You know naa bhaiya, how kids are these days. He will surely come around. Kaustav will never leave him astray.” Saksham protected his youngest son cajolingly. 

Fathers who will never say that they love their children but will have a war with anyone just to protect their kids. 

“Okay, if you say so. Actually, I had to talk about the new hydrothermal project that the government is keen on working on. I wanted to have a talk with you regarding the same.” Mukesh makes his way ahead towards the inbuilt conference room, and that is the only word needed for Saksham to follow his elder brother. 

“Tauji is all about business and business. He can rest for a while.” Anshul comments while taking a jab at Maya and making an entry on the dias with Vritra. 

“First, when the state's economy is on your shoulders, then you have to work hard. No one has achieved great heights by twiddling their thumbs. I am sure Kaustav can give you pointers on that as he has still not convinced the Nippon company to invest in your business, though he knows how to manipulate the numbers. Second, you will know the meaning of it, if you start behaving like a Rajawat” Maya throws a pointed glare at the hands of Vritra, which was tucked under the biceps of Anshul. 

“ Did I hear an appreciation for bhaiya over there? Because it sure looked like one.” Anshul really was in the mood for tomfoolery tonight, as he was still egging on Maya when he knew better. 

Akshay and Disha were shooting daggers at him through their eyes, and even Vritra was digging her nails in his biceps. But Anshul was still hell-bent on challenging Maya. To ease off the evident tension, Tina comes into foray with soothing replies. 

In that nick of time, Vritra tilts the glass of champagne towards Maya’s saree. For any bystander, it would seem like Tina’s hurried steps led to the stain in the saree. But Anshul knew that it was Vritra who tipped the glass.

“Sorry bhabhi. I was just trying to extricate Anshul.” Tina added in a sorrowful tone. Because she surely didn’t want her youngest son to be on Maya’s radar, nor did she want that for herself. 

“ The damage has been done, Tina. It’s not the first time that you have acted without thinking, nor will it be last.” Maya responds in a cool state. 

Sensing the ever-growing tension in Anshul’s body language at the jabbed insult toward his mother, Vritra said, “ Aunty, why don’t you allow me to help you? I noticed an exclusive powder room on the first floor, and there are change of clothes as well. I am sure you will rock the gowns equally well.”

Vritra helping Maya was a new experience. She had never done that before, and the helping side of Vritra will always have been tucked in Maya’s mind. Curious to know what it would lead to, Maya gives a firm nod and gives her permission to mask her bodice, as she definitely would not like other people to see her in this state. 

“ Aunty, there are a lot of options to choose from. Do you want a mermaid’s tulle, or would an empire waist also look great on you? I think the red colour of an empire waist gown will totally complement your fair skin.” Vritra dials her charm notch to the supreme level, as Maya always notices everything. It would be surprising if she didn’t notice this champagne mishap.

“ Cut the theatrics, Vritra. Tell me what you want to say. Because the Vritra I know will not go to so many lengths to protect Anshul.” Maya was curious to know what Vritra had in her cards. She never wanted Disha as daughter-in-law, meaning Vritra will be coming as a plus one. And this girl should never enter in Maya’s house, let alone her family’s life. Her internship in Maya’s  company is just her way of letting Vritra know Maya is old and she has overlooked that part. 

But the real plan is to know what she is up to. A popular saying goes: if you want to know someone's next step, keep them close. 

“Oh, it is simple. Do you think you only hold the trump card? The roles have changed. It would be nice if you could keep your secrets close to your heart.” 

Maya’s second split ashen face was the only evidence that Vritra had hit home with her statement this time.

But it was not just Maya who was visibly shaken; someone else was behind closed doors and privy to the conversation between the ladies, and he was partly impressed and partly intrigued by the unfolding scene. 

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