"We keep taking turns, will we ever learn?

Spaces between us keep getting deeper,

It's harder to reach you, even though I try.

Spaces between us hold all our secrets,

Leaving us speechless and I don't know why."

— "Spaces" // One Direction

ɤɤɤɤɤɤɤɤ

"Good to see you after so long, Abir Beta."

Vishambhar Maheshwari puts his hand on Abir's back from behind. Abir is startled as he turns to him; it's funny how reminiscing about Mishti in front of her father seems to be a crime. So he just tries to smile his most attractive smile and says anything. The panic rises and he silently prays Mishti will find him in no time. Because he's not sure if his facade of the smile will be up for long without her.

Mr. Maheshwari's unwanted presence is not helping either.

"Are you fine, Abir? It's a happy night."

"Yes, I am. It's a happy night, indeed."

Abir stared at Vishambhar's hopeful face. Did he talk to Mishti? And if yes, where is she?

"How's Mishti, Abir? I saw her sometimes back, I must say she looks quite cheerful. All thanks to you, Abir Beta. My daughter is finally smiling. Also it feels good to meet you openly."

"Why did you never tell me that you're her step father?" Abir snaps. He is getting frustrated and not to be rude but truthfully Vishambhar's concern or anything is the last thing he needs right now.

"Why did you not tell me her mother attempted suicide? Why would you hide such important things? Tell me, Mr. Maheshwari, why did you do that to her? You actually used her - just to satisfy your stupid ego! You played with her and her mother. I can't even imagine what she must have gone through. You are the villain in this story and she's the strong survivor. And you told me her ex in-laws used her. Let me tell you, Mr. Vishambhar Maheshwari, Mishti Agarwal deserves better than going back to her selfish father.""

"Abir, I told you that I'm guilty. I know I was wrong. That's why I came to you."

"You came to me because you knew everything was out of your control now."

"I accept that Abir. Isn't that what I told you? I want my daughter back and that's why --"

Vishambhar abruptly stopped. Abir notices a tinge of horror in his eyes.

"Abir? What's happening here?"

Abir immediately shuts his eyes tightly with a hope that he blinks and nobody is here. Alas! It's not a fairytale and it's Mishti here at the moment she shouldn't have been. And now he can't dare to turn back. He hears her footsteps coming towards them. It's really the end.

"Abir, tell me what's happening here."

Mishti holds his hand tightly, she looks tense yet she is beautiful. Amidst the rising tension, Abir doesn't forget to steal a glance at the gorgeous lady in front of him - she looks like a princess today. It is so unfortunate that Abir cannot properly stare at her face right now. Abir realizes Kunal is right behind her.

"Mishti, my love, how are you Beta?"

It is Vishambhar who speaks.

"I missed you Mishti Beta. It's been so long --"

"Speak up, Abir. What are you planning with this man?"

Mishti's gaze is constant at Abir whose head is held down. Vishambhar realizes it's not exactly the time to have a meet and greet with his daughter and the dynamics are visibly different now. Mishti's eyes are demanding answers and there's a plea in her expression.

Do not betray me.

Do not break my trust.

Whereas Abir looks guilty.

Guilty. Guilty of what?

Suddenly Vishambhar doesn't know what he should do. The only thing he knows is that Mishti should not know he is involved in this in any manner.

He can't let his daughter down anymore.

"Mishti Beta, this is not like what you might be thinking. Abir has nothing to do with me. It's just one day I came to know that you work with him so I expressed my wish to see you once. That's it."

"I want to hear this from Abir."

Finally Abir looks up. His guilt is anyways too heavy to carry any longer, one day or another he had to spill the truth and it's better if this happens right in front of her father so they can at least have the much needed conversation. More than anything, this is first and foremost the personal banter between Vishambhar and Mishti.

He takes a deep breath.

"Mishti, I'll explain everything but I want you to promise that you'll listen to me first and then react. Please, Mishti."

To Vishambhar's surprise, Mishti nods at Abir without even questioning.

"I'm sure you always knew that I didn't offer you a job just like that. I always had a motive behind that and probably you guessed it to an extent. But trust me on this, it is no way related to revenge or anything. I just wanted to help you. Okay, for a moment I did think of revenge."

Abir gasps, it's more difficult than he imagined. The pressure is on him as one wrong word may complicate the whole thing. He doesn't want to lose his chance but he has to make sure Mishti understands Vishambhar. After all, this is where the circle ends - she is ultimately a case he is asked to work in.

"Nearly six months ago Mr. Maheshwari came to my office and told me about you. He said he was guilty of everything that happened and now he wants to correct it. And I know he is genuinely regretting his deeds, Mishti, he misses you. Of course, why won't he? Maybe his ways were wrong but he always cared for you, Mishti. I know whatever happened was terrible but people do change Mishti, don't they? He wanted my help to bring you back to him. And I said yes. Not because I gained any sympathy for anyone but for I believe this hatred and anger was killing you only. Here for a moment I felt it's a great opportunity life is giving me to make your family pay for whatever happened. Acquiring shares of Mr. Maheshwari's company was a plan of mine. I'm sure you knew that."

"Yes. It was like a payment, isn't it?" Vishambhar implies.

Abir feels Mishti's hold on his hand loosen. Oh God! This can't be the end.

"No, Mishti, look. That's not it. That's something I first had in my mind. You understand me Mishti, you know sometimes I get a bit aggressive. But I never thought of using you or our friendship. It was true. It was all so true. From whatever I came to know about you I could easily realize you badly needed to come out of your shell. You locked yourself in your rented room, you came to Rajkot without informing anyone, you were all alone. You were pushing yourself towards the darkness Mishti. My God! I can't even imagine what must be going on inside your head. I know you're strong but there are times when you need someone to hold you. Maybe you were burning in the flames of your hatred but I always told you, this is harming you only. Mishti, Mishti, do you get me? I know I was wrong. It was foolish of me to think of any revenge and the moment I saw you I knew what I should be doing. Just in a few days I realized I was wrong about this whole thing. You were almost damaged, I couldn't harm you more when you were the biggest threat to yourself. I knew I had to help you out. You had to come out of it, Mishti. Just one look and I knew I can't let anything wrong happen to you. You're precious Mishti. Are you getting me?"

Abir's voice trembles. Looking at Mishti he can't make out whether she understood him or not. He is nearly crying now. Everything is going wrong so he holds Mishti's hands and keeps looking at her with a hope that she'll smile or at least say a word of comfort, like she always does. But all he hears are the voices of Vishambhar and Kunal, maybe explaining the mess to her, but she doesn't say a word.

This can't be the end!

"The company! Ah yes, you must be wondering why I bought it if I wasn't being selfish. Mishti, Nishant has already taken over 50% shares of Maheshwaris & Co., thanks to your father's deeds and I came to know he was planning to take over the other half. That's when Mr. Maheshwari told me that my Baba owned 2% shares of the company which was ultimately mine because I was his nominee. Mishti, I knew this company belongs to its rightful owners, not to some cheap plotters who deceived you. So I met other investors of the company and acquired the accumulated share. As Mr. Maheshwari was not in a position to do so, I bought the shares ultimately owning the company. This is it."

Abir looks at Mishti with hopeful eyes.

"Yes Mishti ma'am, Abir sir bought the company just for the sake of saving it. Mr. Vishambhar Maheshwari asked him to keep it but here, look at the papers, he is transferring the shares to you. This was the ultimate motive always. Abir sir planned to tell you this at the right moment but I guess this is the time."

Kunal speaks while handing over some papers to Mishti who looks astonished.

"Mishti, the greater deal is I don't want to lose you because of these stupid games. I am sorry, I accept I had a wrong intention for a moment but all along it was never a game, Mishti, our friendship, our bond, whatever I've told you till now, whatever my heart feels, it's all true. Do you believe me, Mishti?"

Now Abir is definitely crying. He falls on his knees as his forehead rests on Mishti's hands and he tightens his grip like he's holding on to dear life.

He just can't let her go.

Not like this.

Mishti looks around, Kunal probably understands the situation while Vishambhar is puzzled. Mishti looks at Kunal and he nods - as if he is saying that it is the time to make a decision. Either to let it all go or accept it all. Kunal's thin smile somehow looks hopeful.

"Mishti ma'am, I don't know whether I should speak in this matter or not but I've been there from the start and I know Abir sir values you more than himself. He can never hurt you and I'm sure you too know that. I know this thing shouldn't have come up like this but now that you know it all, it's you who will decide what the future looks like. I trust you, Mishti ma'am."

Mishti kneels down holding Abir tight. He is weeping like a baby and as Mishti lets him in, he hugs like clutching on to all of his life. Mishti hears the footsteps gone, now she is alone in this dark corner with Abir.

"Look at me Abir, you're crying like a baby." Mishti wipes his face and softly cupsd his face. Abir looks at her with teary eyes. Mishti smiles at him and he feels relieved.

"Are you not angry?"

"No. Why should I be angry?"

"Because I hid things from you."

"That way, even I hid many things from you. So would you be angry with me?"

"I don't get it."

"Abir, I always knew about you and Kuhu. Kuhu was a friend long before I met you, so I was kind of aware of your story. And somewhere I too had it in my mind that I can play a little game but --"

"But?"

"Listen to me Abir, I know you've been honest with me all along and whatever was disclosed today, I'm sure you would have said it to me anyway. But the thing is, I knew it already. I always knew that you've met my father. I kind of guessed you buying shares of Maheshwaris & Co. is a part of some deal. You let me face Nishant, you knew what you were doing. But I've always known you even when you didn't know me at all."

"What are you saying Mishti?"

"Please let me finish first, Abir, I don't know how you're going to react to this but I feel it's time you need to know. You deserve to know this. I regret it too much today but it was me who asked Kuhu to break up with you."

Mishti stops to check on Abir. As she expected he is staring at her wide-eyed. So this day turns out to be the day for revelations and it comes as a surprise to her that she cannot really speak the words comfortably.

For the first time in her entire life, Mishti Agarwal hesitates before stating the truth.

It's unfortunate how Abir Rajvansh has always been the exception in her game plays. It's wrong how he has become the only one to pull out such different emotions out of Mishti.

And it's the worst that Mishti knows Abir deserves better.

"Hey Abir, at least say a word. Don't stay shut."

Abir's silence turns out to be a bit more difficult to endure than Mishti thought. Obviously she knows what she is doing. She knows what the consequences would be. But Abir's unusual silence and the eerie atmosphere prick her.

Once again, it's wrong how his pain always gets her.

After all he's the one to show Mishti that she too has a heart.

And this itself is a mistake.

Setting your heart free is a mistake.

But then did she ever care for this silly heart?

She has never learned to.

And Abir is still silent.

"Okay. That's it. Abir, you were abroad when your father came with your marriage proposal but I was here in India. I was here when Vishambhar maheshwari rebuked Mr. Mehul, I saw the distress and then I decided to take my revenge. It was too immature of me, I was aggressive and adamant. Trust me when Nishant says I was a spoiled little kid he is never wrong, my mom always told me I was doing wrong but I didn't care. Not that she knew what I was exactly doing. But yes --"

"Cut the crap Mishti, get to the point."

Finally Abir speaks. But the harshness in his voice terrifies Mishti.

"Yes, Yes. Yeah Abir, my father was too angry and his ego was hurt and as his blind follower it was my duty to make you pay for something you knew nothing about. Kuhu was a family friend and when I came to know that she's dating you I made a plan. Actually my father wanted to degrade your and Mr. Mehul's reputation and my father convinced the investors of Mr. Mehul's company to back off. I don't know in details but somehow he managed to blackmail Kuhu's father too. He was one of the investors I guess and I convinced Kuhu that if she broke up with you her father will be saved from Vishambahr Maheshwari's wrath. She had no option but to leave you only and I won the game. Precisely this is it."

Mishti finishes and glances at Abir. His face has zero expression which is somewhat scary. It was still easy to spill the truth, she didn't really care what the consequences would be. But now that she is witnessing the lack of warmth in Abir's face and his hold, her confidence starts shaking.

The silence is screaming, making her feel numb.

The silence is finally screaming.

Louder than ever.

A/N : Thank you for your patience, dear readers, I really hope you won't give up on me and this story yet 🥺 I'm really really sorry for being so late and I promise to update every week from now onwards. The pace will be fast hopefully and I can't wait for your comments and also for the plot to unfold. Thank you for coming back and not leaving ❤️