9 History:2

Basu Sen was profusely sweating under Madhav's intimidating presence. He took out a handkerchief, wiped his sweat and began----

" I never liked her you know",  Basu swallowed hard.

Madhav just raised an eyebrow but he remained silent.

"Ah.... I mean. I.... I liked her a lot."

Madhav suppressed his smile, "What's with the past tense Basu?"

The air-conditioned room seemed inadequate as Basu broke into a fresh pool of sweat.

"I.... I am sorry", I had been cliched.

Madhav nodded.

Now fully smirking and his playful eyes twinkling.

"What do I do now? " The confident man looked lost.

"Do you know who she is?" Madhav looked thoughtful.

"Errrrr..... Yeah.... Gaurav's miracle girl?

The one who pulled the TRP of THE CAFE up single handedly?"

Madhav wanted to bang his head.

Daft. Couldn't this man think anything that's not already public!!!

"Basu. Why did you break them up? Tell me honestly....."

Basu was taken aback. He never underestimated Madhav but he didn't expect him to know about Radharamanmati either. That episode was a guarded secret.

"Madhav, you know Dad. He would have made her life hell. And Kiriti .... He was so adament. I dunno what got into him.I believe I did the right thing."

"Oh yeah ..... Of course. The right thing." Sarcasm dripped from Madhav's voice.

"So that's all? "

"Yeah. I mean I think so." Basu kept staring at the floor as his body language gave away the truth.

"I am still all ears" .....Madhav was the last person to give up that easily...

"What do you want Madhav?

You know everything.

Why are you playing me?

Why is it so important for you to make me feel guilty for something that I did four years back?

When I proved to Kiriti the girl is only after our money and all she wants is to use him as a ladder for ascent, I didn't know you.

I was a different man.

I did what I thought was the right thing to do....

That's it.

I had a feeling that breaking his heart would be the best way to make my brother understand that he can't have a future with a village girl with no family background.

We have our legacy....

We are the last two living descents of a thousand year old dynasty.

I did as my upbringing taught me.

I am sorry ....

I..... I ....

See Madhav, I can't undo my mistake. And the girl doesn't even know that Kiriti had a thing for her. She has no idea how I sabotaged her career. She is content with what she achieved.

I will give her a new chance. But please. Please don't start your lifestyle classes here....."

"I am not here to try your patience Basu. But so far I understand, past is the key to our future.

If I say she is no village urchin, will you buy that?"

Basu was taken aback.

Madhav gotta be kidding, not a village urchin!!!!

A wave of nostalgia swept over him.

Radharamanmati was a fresher when she joined their hotel chain as a trainee. Basu himself recruited her.

How could he forget?

The moment she walked in, his heart did a samersault . She was so beautiful  yet so innocent. Sincerity and modesty was pasted all over her answers and attitude.... Oh my!

He had fallen for her. Straight.

Just that he had better senses than his brother.

She was so up scale. So perfect.

Just that she lacked the pedigree.

And now Madhav says she is no village urchin !!!

Basu could feel his world turning upside down. Both the brothers fall for her. Kiriti could have left his identity for her while Basu wiped her name to save his brother.

His action was wrong.

But his intention was pure.

Basu sighed.

Had it not been for Kiriti, he would have never put that false charges on her. She was caught red-handed with stolen money.

Nobody believed her.

Basu wanted to slap himself.

No penance could give those four years back.

No penance.

He never thought this day would come when the same woman will stand in front of him in the home of none other than Madhav, with a recommendation as a HR Manager.

He can make her his life Manager, HR Manager is too little to ask for.

But what if she comes to know the truth?

Karma is indeed a strange manipulator of life.

When he saw the falling woman in the dinning he did what his athletic reflex directed him to do. But as he saw the face, he was terrified of his own past.

That face.

Those eyes.

Same innocence.

Madhav hinted him on a certain Radha but who knew it's the same Radharamanmati !!!

Now what? Can he u do his mistake? How will Kiriti react? Will Radharamanmati forgive him if she ever knows the truth?

Basu's head was bursting in pressure....

He waited for Madhav to talk on her origin. But the arrogant man just closed his eyes and chose silence.

Basu knew Madhav won't be talking anytime soon. He knew that man well from his experience of the past three years.

Lips sealed meant end of discussion.

No more word, no more communication.

After a rough wait of some five minutes, Basu decided to call it a day.

I guess I must leave now.

We have an early start tomorrow.

Madhav nodded and dismissed him.

Eyes still closed.

He was engrossed in his own thoughts. The existence of Basu barely mattered to him right now. Radha was never meant for Kiriti.

But she was neither meant to be humiliated the way Basu projected her.

Surely Madhav was recreating an alternate history.

But at what cost?

As the clock progressed towards dinner time, Madhav made his way to the guestroom.

He needed to talk.

And this one time, he felt uneasy.