Episode 6 || Forgotten Proposal

“I have planned something amazing for her. She’s going to love it,” Danny exclaimed with a mysterious glint in his eyes and Christian raised his brows.
“Let’s see,” He said when a boy came out of nowhere and informed them they were ready with all the arrangements.
“Bravo!” Danny said, straightening his silk white shirt, but his face soon dropped when he heard the next words.
“But we have a problem. There seems to be an issue with the camera setup. It’s not working,” The boy said and Danny clenched his jaws.
“You gotta perfect day to spoil everything.” He spat, and the guy looked down, embarrassed.
“If you allow us some time, we can fix or arrange something, but we need an hour at least,” He said, but Danny was impatient.
“We don’t have time and if anything goes wrong tonight, I’ll sue your event management company,” Danny said furiously when Christian interrupted.
“Hey! Don’t spoil your mood. I’ll record everything on my phone. Chill!!” Christian said and looked around. “I’ll be right behind that tree and record your every moment.”
“Are you sure?” Danny was uncertain.
“Of course, I am sure. Though I am not happy you’re going to propose that witch but I’ll not let anything get spoiled for you.” Christian chuckled while Danny smacked his arm. Christian walked to the blind spot and hid behind the tree, switching on the camera on his mobile.
Soon all the lights turned off and there was complete darkness everywhere in the garden. Maya was sitting with her friend in the bar gossiping about new models when the music turned off and someone shouted amidst the chaos about Danny lying unconscious in the garden.
Maya’s face lost all colour. She quickly plopped down from the barstool, turned on her heels, rushing out of the house, but it was all black. “Danny!!” She shouted for him and tried to switch on the light on her mobile with her shivering hands when the spotlight flashed on her face and she dazzled in the red dress.
Maya covered her face to block the light and blinked her eyes a few times to get used to it. She removed her hands and found her way decorated with red petals. She walked forward in her black high heels, confused at what was happening, and stopped where the rose petals ended.
Christian appeared a little stressed but managed to capture her every expression. The garden beamed with lights and as she was about to turn, a pair of hands slid around her waist and she was startled.
“It’s me, baby!” Danny whispered while kissing her exposed shoulder, and she exhaled the breath she was holding for long.
“What’s going on?” Maya asked, smiling ear to ear while Danny was pinning her close to himself.
“Close your eyes,” He whispered, biting her earlobes and Maya closed her eyes when he suddenly left her.
Maya furrowed her brows, opening her eyes, and as soon as she turned, her eyes went wide when she found Danny sitting on his knee with a red velvet box in his hand where she could see a beautiful diamond ring.
“Will you marry me?” He asked and Maya’s eye travelled back to his face as she covered her mouth in shock while Christian felt immense pain in the back of his head and holding the phone steadily seemed difficult to him.
“Mom was right, I shouldn’t have come to the party,” He thought while trying his best to capture their moments.
“Yes!!!” Maya exclaimed and as Danny slipped the ring on her finger, a helicopter appeared in the sky and showered red rose petals on them.
Christian stood there stunned, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as his eyes gazed at the helicopter above that was showering petals on them. He continued to shoot them but felt that something the same has happened before and he was imagining himself in Danny’s place from time to time.
“This all feels like a dream,” Maya said, looking at the diamond ring on her finger, and Danny kissed her.
“I can’t believe you said yes after tons of rejection,” Danny said in between the kisses, and she giggled in response.
“Who could say no in such a beautiful setup?” She said and Danny narrowed his eye while Maya laughed, “You know how girls like to be proposed to, finally!!! I am impressed!!”
Danny smirked, “This doesn’t end here,” He said and before Maya could anticipate anything, he turned her and beautiful fireworks erupted in the sky. Maya was in awe while, on the other hand, all hell broke loose for Christian.
Various colours from the firework flashed on his face, but his face was as white as a sheet of paper. He watched the fireworks in the sky with a slightly parted lip while Danny and Maya witnessed the beautiful fireworks with a shine in their eyes. They stood close to each other, and Danny put his chin on her shoulder while Maya leaned into him.
Christian tried to concentrate on capturing their special moment, but his images were getting blurred. He constantly blinked his eyes while standing against the tree for support.
“Focus, Christian!!” He scolded himself and zoomed the camera to catch their beautiful expressions, but suddenly the negative images of a woman started appearing on the mobile screen and Christian creased his forehead. He tore his eyes away from the screen and looked at Danny and Maya, and then his eyes travelled to the sky that was beautifully decorated with colourful fireworks.
The mobile was about to slip from his hand but he gripped it tightly and tried to capture Danny and Maya but this time when he looked on his mobile screen, he spotted himself hugging a woman from behind on the beach under the full moon, he was pointing towards the sky showing the beautiful fireworks to the woman.
The negative images flashing in the back of his mind were now slowly filling with colours and his heart started pounding against his chest. Soon he dropped the mobile phone to the ground and held his head in his hand because of immense pain.
The blurred images of the woman were getting clearer slowly, but Christian fell unconscious and the last thing he said before closing his eyes was, “Mishka.”
***
“CHRIS!!” Mishka shouted, waking up from her sleep and sitting on the bed, her heartbeat was racing, and she clutched her face in her hand to calm herself. She picked a glass from the side table with her shivering hand and accidentally dropped it on the floor.
Rubbing her face, Mishka looked at the shattered piece of the glass under the dim light and then picked a jug from the side table to drink some water, but the unsettling feeling didn’t go. She cautiously stepped down from the bed and walked to the balcony, barefoot. She stood against the railing and a cold breeze brushed her hair.
She stood there blankly, her eyes roaming everywhere while anxiously playing with her fingers. “Why him? Why, after so many years?” Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. “What is happening suddenly?” She groaned in frustration.
The door of her room clicked open and Riya found the bed empty, her eyes travelled to the shattered pieces of glass on the floor. “Mishka?” She called her, walking further, and found her on the balcony.
“What happened?” She asked as she dabbed her shoulder and Mishka sighed.
“I saw Chris in my dream. He was lying on the ground and groaning in pain.” She said, and Riya raised her eyebrows. “I never had any dream like this in seven years…. I just…. I don’t know.” She pursed her lips in a thin line, and Riya looked at her wordlessly.
Mishka looked at Riya. “What happened? Say something!” She said and Riya sighed before opening her mouth.
“I still feel you did wrong running away from him. You should have waited and asked him why he betrayed you!” Riya said and Mishka rolled her eyes.
“Do you think he would have confessed that he cheated on me if I had asked him? Never!! In fact, he would’ve woven another plan to trap me if I would have told him I was pregnant. What if he would’ve snatched my baby?” Mishka said.
“Riya, he mended his ways with me when Leo Knight named everything to me. Before that, he used to talk rudely, leaving no chance of insulting me. His timing of proposing to me in Brazil was the same as when Lia Smith declared her relationship with Tommy Blenth openly. This was all facade. He trapped me in his dirty game so that he could get hold of all the fortune and his company. He already had plans to kick me out on our wedding anniversary and move on with his girlfriend.” Mishka said.
“I don’t know what to say!! I have said this before and saying this again today. I had spent some time with Christian when he came to India, and trust me, I have seen love for you in his eyes. He opened your house, cleaned every corner, and placed everything back in its place. He used to sleep in your room, holding your old photographs. Can you imagine a billionaire doing all this stuff for a woman he intends to use and that too when that woman is not around to witness?” Riya said while Mishka looked away.
“If you think you can make me feel guilty for my actions, then you are wrong. I did what I felt right at that moment. He betrayed me from the beginning and I couldn’t take the risk of disclosing my pregnancy to him. I just hate him,” Mishka spat, and Riya chuckled.
“Are you sure?” She asked.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Mishka narrowed her eyes.
“Why is this infinity nuptial chain still hanging around your neck?” She said.
“It doesn’t have any relevance to me now. I just wear this because I like this design,” Mishka replied, and Riya nodded her head.
“If you say you’ve moved on, then at least make it believable. Throw it away and I’ll get a new pendent for you in the same design.” Riya said and turned to leave, stopping briefly at the door frame. “You have a mobile, you have Google, better do something you haven’t done in the seven years.”
Mishka watched her leaving and touched the infinity pendant. She suddenly decided to take it off, but couldn’t do it. “Fuck!” She slammed her hand on the railing and stood there till the dawn as the unsettling feeling didn’t let her sleep.
***
Vera looked at Luke, who was signing some papers on his desk, completely engrossed in his work. She came behind him and slowly massaged his stiff shoulder. And he relaxed, removing his eyeglasses.
He was enjoying the massage with closed eyes when he heard Vera say, “Luke?”
“Hmm,” He hummed in response.
“I know you are worried about Chris, and I truly understand how you must be feeling watching him, troubled about his past.” She said and took a long pause before continuing. “I agree Christian should move on now and I support your decision.” She said, and Luke turned to look at her with a huge grin.
“Really?” He couldn’t believe his ears, while Vera nodded, giving him a small smile.
“But I have a small request. Can you please search for Mishka one last time before we take any big decision? Just for once, Luke!” Vera said and Luke gave a complicated look to her.
“Please, for my sake. Just this last time!!” Vera exclaimed.
“We didn’t find her in seven years. What could possibly change this time? But anyway, I’ll do this one last time just for you,” Luke finally nodded in agreement and Vera sighed.