Incoming disaster

The next day...

Meera was seen coiled up in her bed, refusing to eat or drink. Maria looked worried as she paced back and forth, trying all she could to get her friend out of that destructive mood.

“Meera, David is worried about you and he wouldn’t eat since you refused to eat. You know he has an ulcer and you don’t want him rolling around, so please eat something.”

Meera stayed silent while staring down at her toes. She wouldn’t blink nor utter a word.

Maria sighed, “Come on, don’t do this to yourself. This is exactly what they want to see. Get a hold of yourself, Meera. Do you think they’d give a fuck if you die?”

“What did I do wrong? He told me he was fine with my body’s situation after what happened six years ago, so why did he try to bring it up yesterday?” Meera lamented in a hushed voice. Her eyes were swollen and red. More tears cascaded down her cheeks as she spoke.

Maria sighed again and sat beside her on the bed, “I understand. You were not to blame for what happened six years ago, neither was today’s incident your fault. It was the fault of those degenerates and you shouldn’t be the one to shed tears for them.”

“It hurt, Maria,” Meera clawed her chest, “My heart hurt very badly... It’s suffocating me.”

Tears welled up in Maria’s eyes at her friend's pitiful state. She was meant to console her friend, but here she was, about to cry.

“I know, and that is why you should have sought vengeance on those two. Your fans will be more than willing to tear them apart for you.”

“Will it make me feel any better? I can’t bring myself to hurt him... I love him too much to see him hurting.”

“But he hurt you, Meera! He doesn’t deserve sympathy for what he did to you.”

“I know! I know, but I can’t do anything! My heart is reluctant to hurt him,” she wept bitterly. Maybe she would have felt a bit alright if her heart was willing to seek vengeance.

“It must be that you’re still holding on to good memories. Shed it, Meera. He’s gone and was not remorseful for what he did,” Maria pushed harder. She didn’t know if this method would work but had to at least try.

“His grandfather loved and showered my brother and I with care. I can’t see myself hurting the only male child in his family... I know how to be grateful, Maria,” more tears poured as she forced the incoherent sentences out of her quivering lips.

Maria felt pity for her friend and pulled her into a tight embrace while saying, “I’m so sorry, Meera... I’m deeply sorry you have to go through this,” she couldn’t hold it back as fat tears broke free like a broken tap.

Meanwhile, as the two cried their eyes out in the room, David, who was standing behind the door, bit his lip hard until it drew blood. With eyes as sharp as a knife, he uttered through gritted teeth, “Ben, Vivian, I won’t let you two off!” With that, he unlocked his phone and searched for a contact on I*******m and sent a message.

[ Hello, Mr. Greg, didn’t you tell me that if I ever needed help, I shouldn’t stand on ceremony? ]

In less than a minute, he got a response, ‘Mr. Greg is in a meeting. What do you want?’

David stared at the message with lips pressed together. This must be Mr. Greg’s Assistant. Telling her what he wanted wouldn’t be nice, so he replied.

[ I’m sorry, I can’t tell you. Do let Mr. Greg know that David Ford has an emergency. ]

Inside a gym house, an elegantly dressed lady in a suit sat by the window as she stared at the message from the contact, ‘David Ford’ with narrowed eyes.

“Is there a problem at the company?”

A deep and breathy voice cut into her thought. She looked up at the sinfully good-looking young man whose body was dripping with running sweat and shook her head, “It’s nothing, just the usual emails from media houses inviting you for an interview.”

“You know what to do,” the guy returned to his exercise after that.

“Yes, I already deleted and blocked the sender...” a smile slithered into her lips as she deleted and unfollowed David Ford.

“What is my schedule?”

The Assistant looked up at him and gave him a long list of what he would be doing before the day ends. Just then, the Assistant’s phone beeped and she walked forward with a white towel and bottle of water.

“Times up,” she threw him the towel, which he caught in mid air.

Wiping his face, he asked, “Is there no message from David Ford?”

She stayed silent for a moment before replying, “No... You don’t have time to chit chat. You have a business lunch in one hour.”

“Hmm,” Mr. Greg replied while cleaning himself.