Page 100 of One Hellish Passion

“Don’t pretend, Ranveer,” she gritted out. “Do you remember what you said last night?”

Ranveer searched her face intently.

“That depends. Are you accepting my apology?”

It meant he remembered; he was just confusing her. He was twisting situations as per his win. If she forgives him for their crooked past, he will accept he apologized, and if she doesn't want to forgive him, he will behave as if he never admitted his guilt.

Maya bristled at his manipulation. “You think it's so easy to forgive you?” she exclaimed. “Even if it was staged, it was real to me. That one incident snatched my confidence. For years, I believed—”

Ranveer silenced her by pressing his fingers to her lips, pained at being reminded of all she had suffered.

“We can't change the past,” he murmured regretfully. “But if I could, I would erase my mistake in a heartbeat.”

Before Maya could respond, a knock interrupted them. Laura stood there with the phone. “It's Aman, sir.”

As Ranveer stepped away to take the call, Maya let out a shaky breath. In just two days they would be traveling to Jaipur together. She wondered uneasily how that would go.

************

Blitz

Maya immersed herself in her office work when her phone beeped, signaling a new message. Glancing at the screen, she saw it was from her friend Kusum, who had recently returned to India after completing her higher studies abroad. Without hesitation, Maya dialed Kusum's number.

“Hi, Kusum, I saw your message,” Maya greeted.

“I hope you are coming. I am here only for the weekend, Maya.”

“Oh, and I won't be there in the weekend.”

“Really? Why? Office work?”

“No. It’s personal. I am going to Jaipur,” she pouted.

“In that case, we should meet today. At the coffee shop? Same place like before?”

Maya checked her watch. “Okay. I will see you at 06:00 p.m. then.”

She hung up and continued her work excited to meet Kusum at evening. At 05:30 p.m. she headed downstairs where Aisha was waiting at the car.

“Aisha, take me to the coffee shop first. I will give you the address.”

“But, Ma'am, Sir wants you to come home straight. Mr. Patel, the detective who is investigating your accident, is going to come to Paradise by 07:00 p.m.”

Maya sighed in disappointment. She had to see her friend because otherwise, she wouldn't get that opportunity again.

“We will make it back home by then,” she said, getting inside the car. “First, the coffee shop, please.”

“Fine, Ma'am.”

Although Aisha was skeptical about overriding Ranveer's orders, she did as told.

*******************

Coffee Shop

Maya and Kusum hugged each other.

“We are seeing each other after almost a year,” Kusum murmured. “You look so pretty.”

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