AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Did I? Or was that a figment of your imagination?”
Dev arched a brow. “Is that right?”
“I am not in love with, Tiya. I was never in love with her,” Vihaan repeated. “This whole thing was a farce for me to win her dad’s company but now that you’ve managed to convince Jatin Sood to give it to you, I don’t need her anymore.”
“You may not feel that way about her, but you do realize your deception may just hurt her.”
“I don’t care about her. I never have. I never will. She was nothing but a mere pawn to be used and discarded.”
Vihaan winced. His hateful words left a bad taste in his mouth. But he had to ensure Luthra believed he hadn’t fallen for Tiya.
Dev looked in the distance. “So, you’re going to break up with her?”
“The minute you walk away from here, I will. Tiya and I were never real and we never shall be. She means nothing to me. It was fun while it lasted, but now I don’t want her any more. She was just a fun fling that’s lived its course.”
A soft gasp followed his announcement.
Vihaan swirled around and found Tiya standing behind him, her eyes flowing with tears.
“You actually were using me as a pawn all along?” she whispered, her voice quaking. “God! I’m so stupid.”
His heart wept on seeing her tears. But he showed none of the emotion he was feeling. He had to do this. After all, she’d be better off without him. She deserved a good life and she’d definitely get that once she left him behind.
Next to him Dev whispered, “What are you going to do now, Vihaan?”
Bastard! Dev had known Tiya was there listening, and he’d deliberately goaded him.
“Tiya…” he began, but she cut him off with a shake of her head.
“Do I really mean nothing to y…you?” Her throat bobbed. “Have you never cared about me?”
She meant everything to him. But he couldn’t and wouldn’t tell her that. This was not how he’d wanted to end things with her. He’d even hoped to find a solution so he’d never have to end things with her. But after Avi’s narrow escape with Dev, all those hopes had come crashing down. Besides, Tiya would find someone better than him, someone who could give her a free and happy life. This clean break was better for her. Then she’d hate him and eventually think of him as a mistake.
“Answer me, Vihaan.”
“Everything you overheard was true. In fact, had you not claimed me as your fake boyfriend in front of your mother that day atLa Soiree, I would have found a way to date you, to woo you and make you fall for me. After all, I did want to be in your father’s good books. The whole thing was of no use though… It was just a waste of time.”
She gulped. “So, none of it was real for you?”
God! It was the most real thing he’d ever had.
He stayed silent. Tiya wiped her eyes and they filled with rage as she stared at him. Her jaw tightened. “I was so wrong about you. Don’t you ever come near me again.”
She turned and, without a second glance, walked away from him. His heart broke, splintered into countless pieces as he watched her leave him…forever.
“I really didn’t think you’d do it,” Dev said. “I actually thought you were in love with her.”
Vihaan pivoted to face him. He’d forgotten that he was there, watching the show-down between Tiya and him.
“I won,” Vihaan declared. “I want you gone now from our lives. No more trying to find us or Avi. You will leave Tiya alone. No more spies or cars trailing me or anyone else. You will also sign over our lands, our properties everything over to me.”
“I will honor my end of the deal.” Dev sighed.
Vihaan turned around and left the event. He just wanted to go home and sink in his sorrow. He pressed a hand to his hollow chest where his heart had been ripped. Tiya’s tear-stained face filled his vision. Tiya was strong. She’d survive. She’d get over him and in due time, find happiness again, with someone else…someone who deserved her more than he did. As for him, living his whole life without her wouldn’t even be enough of a punishment for the pain he’d put her through.
28
Two days had passed without seeing her face. Two whole days without hearing her voice and Vihaan was ready to hit someone or something. He walked into his office, his mood foul and bitter. Seeing his grim face, his staff of ten gave him a wide berth. A few people walked in the opposite direction, his assistant pretended to talk on the phone and several others lowered their heads refusing to meet his glare. The last two days, he’d been biting people’s heads off left, right and center. He was known to be always calm; in fact, he was the pleasant twin. But ever since he’d ended things with Tiya, he hadn’t been able to think straight. Anger had brutally clouded everything he’d done since then.
