Days begin to pass by, and Vineet keeps meeting Aanya and Ruhana outside office hours. After his last meeting with the sisters, Aanya had gone back to her hostel, leaving her sister alone. He noticed that Ruhana’s demeanour was low and sad.

One day, in the office, he enters her cabin with two cups of coffee. He places one cup on the table, and Ruhana looks up at him. Her lips curve into a small smile as she gazes at the coffee mug; she chuckles nonchalantly.

“Wow! You always know what I want, huh! I needed this badly.” She sips the coffee and sighs deeply.

“I’m no one but your best friend, Ruhana. I agree, we’ve been away for a long time, but I am still the same, and I know what you like and what you don’t,” he says, walking towards the window of the cabin.

“Yeah, I know, Vineet. You’re the same person as you were when we were kids. You know, you should grow up. There are things that you can’t achieve with such innocent minds,” she says meaningfully.

He exhales a long breath, knowing that he can’t change her mind. “Ruu, as you said, you have your way of working. This is mine. I don’t run behind things. I believe if anything is meant for me, it will come to me eventually,” he says, putting forth his views.

“But you need to learn this art, Vineet — the art of getting what you want. It’s better you learn it, otherwise, the world won’t let you live,” Ruhana says as she takes another sip of coffee.

“We live for ourselves, Ruu, not for others. We live for only those people whom we love. Just like you do for Aanya, and — and I will do for you. I don’t care about the world, Ruhana. You shouldn’t either. If success is meant for you, it will eventually come to you,” he explains.

Meanwhile, his phone rings. It’s his friend, Abhay, who asks to meet, stating something confidential. He assures Abhay, and they decide to meet at The Coffee Nook, their favorite meeting spot. After disconnecting the call, he turns to Ruhana, who’s now focused on her laptop, the dim glow of the screen lighting her face.

“Ruu, I need to meet Abhay. He needs to discuss something. I’ll see you in the evening,” he says, though he doesn’t expect a reply.
“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow, Vineet. One of my friends is visiting Mumbai; I’ll be with her tonight,” she replies, her eyes fixated on her laptop.

He hums in acknowledgment and then leaves the cabin. As he walks out, Ruhana looks up from her computer, sighing deeply.

“I am grateful that you didn’t go through the hardships that I went through, Vineet. Once you do, you might understand my plight. Anyway, I hope the best for us,” she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.

And then she gets busy with her work.

*****

Ruhana looks up from her laptop when the door to her cabin opens and Barkha enters. She greets Ruhana and then hands her a file, asking her to read through it. Ruhana glances at her, and Barkha gives her a knowing smile.

“It’s important. Check it now,” Barkha insists.

“Uh, Barkha, let me just send this mail and fix a meeting with our overseas client, Mr. Jonathan,” Ruhana says, slipping the file aside.

“It’s more important. It’s something you’ve been looking for for a long time, Ruu. Please check it—for my sake,” Barkha says, sitting across from her, her tone carrying a sense of urgency.

Ruhana sighs. She can’t ignore the urgency in her friend’s voice. She opens the file and starts skimming through it. As she turns the pages, her gaze falls on a certain name, and she stares at her friend in disbelief. Barkha smiles knowingly—she expected this reaction from Ruhana.

“Yep, you’re reading it right. We must do something, Ruu. It’s high time you act and get back what you’ve lost,” Barkha says, intending to ignite a fire in Ruhana.

A fire of revenge and hate.

Ruhana, her face now a mask of anger and strength, hums in agreement. She looks at Barkha. “You’re right, Barkha. I need all the details about them. Then we can make a plan, you know,” she says, a smirk dancing on her lips.

Just then, her phone rings. She picks up the call, and the information from the caller leaves her stunned.

“What? I’m coming. Please take care of her until I get there.”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in thirty minutes. I’m coming.”

Barkha watches her, concerned. Ruhana turns to her friend. “Barkha, could you please handle our client, Mr. Aditya Sahni?” she asks.

“Of course, why not? But why are you in a hurry?” Barkha asks, her tone laced with concern.

“Aanya is unwell. She’s at her dance class—I need to go to her,” Ruhana responds. Then she adds, “If Vineet comes back, please let him know that I’m at home. If he wants, he can meet me there or call me,” she says, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Barkha nods affirmatively as Ruhana picks up her things and leaves the cabin. The former is momentarily stunned by Ruhana’s changed demeanor, but then she smiles. At least there’s someone she cares about—even if it’s just her sister.

It’s enough, maybe.

To Be Continued.