Boardroom Mein Rishta, Ghar Mein Drama

Unhone decide kiya ki they’d pretend to be seriously involved—publicly close, respectfully affectionate, and strategically unavailable. No overacting, no cringe, just enough to make both families back off. Ritu ne terms set kiye: no hand-holding in public unless absolutely necessary, no mushy nonsense, no “baby” type names. Kabir ne bhi condition rakhi: if we do this, we do it properly. Half-baked drama is for amateurs.

“Done,” Ritu said, extending her hand.

Kabir shook it. “Pleasure doing business with you, Ms. Banerjee.”

“Don’t make it sound like a hostile takeover.”

“Too late. It already is.”

Pehle kuch din plan surprisingly well chala. Ritu ki maa ko jab casually pata chala ki Ritu “someone special” se mil rahi hai, toh Ananya ka tone instantly soft ho gaya. Kabir ke ghar mein bhi when elders heard he was “not exactly free,” unhone ek aah ke saath shaanti li, jaise koi social problem temporarily solve ho gayi ho. Office mein toh bas आग लग gayi. Kisi ne canteen mein bol diya ki Ritu aur Kabir secretly dating hain. Kisi ne unhe lift mein ek hi side khade dekh liya aur usko “chemistry” declare kar diya.

Mimi ne full enjoyment mode mein kaha, “Bhai, tum dono ki body language aisi hai jaise HR ko notice dena ho.”

Ritu ne dry smile ke saath jawab diya, “Mimi, zyada bologi toh tumhari body language permanently absent ho jayegi.”

Par drama ka asli twist tab aaya jab families ne “serious” hone ke naam pe expectations ka naya menu khol diya. Ananya Banerjee ne Ritu ko emotional calls par “Kabir ke baare mein aur batao” bolna shuru kiya. Kabir ke in-laws ne usse test karna start kiya—“Acha, if family mein women elders decide karein toh tum adjust kar loge na?” “Shaadi ke baad wife ka career secondary nahi, but family ka respect pehle aana chahiye.” Matlab, pehle fake relationship ka pressure tha, ab uske through old-school patriarchy ka internship chal rahi thi.

Ritu ko lagne laga Kabir enjoy kar raha hai. Kabir ko lagne laga Ritu usko scapegoat bana rahi hai aur drama ko control mein rakhe hue hai. Ek evening office se nikalte waqt, lift ke andar silence itna heavy tha ki alarm bhi sharma jaaye.

Finally Kabir bola, “Tumhe lagta hai main yeh sab enjoy kar raha hoon?”

Ritu ne jaw set kiya. “Mujhe lagta hai tum image management mein kaafi comfortable ho.”

“Wah,” Kabir said, “aur tum? Tum toh already queen ho of looking unbothered while being completely bothered.”

Ritu ka face hard ho gaya. “At least I don’t pretend I’m above everything.”

Kabir ne thoda sa laugh kiya, but it wasn’t amused. “No, you pretend you don’t need anything. Big difference.”

Lift open hui. Ritu bina kuch bole bahar nikal gayi. Kabir ne bhi door ke opposite side walk kar li. Dono ka fake relationship ek real crack ke saath almost collapse ho gaya.

Usi raat Ritu ghar pahunchi toh Ananya ne uske liye dinner plate lagayi hui thi. “Beta, tum thaki hui lag rahi ho.”

Ritu ne kaha, “Main bas normal hoon, Maa.”

Ananya ne uske face ko dekha. “Normal log itne tired nahi lagte, Ritu.”

Bas, wahi line. Ritu ka control finally slip ho gaya. Usne chair pe baithte hi ek lambi saans li, aur jo nikalna tha nikal gaya.

“Maa, main thak gayi hoon,” usne quietly bola. “Har jagah prove karna padta hai ki I’m doing well. Office mein, ghar mein, relatives ke saamne. Main independent hoon, successful hoon, phir bhi har conversation ka end shaadi pe hi kyun hota hai? Kya meri life ka purpose sirf checklist complete karna hai?”

Ananya ki aankhen bhari ho gayin. Ritu ko lag raha tha ab lecture milega, but instead her mother sat down slowly, as if old assumptions ka weight first time mehsoos hua ho.

Idhar Kabir ke ghar mein bhi scene kuch similar tha. Uske elders ne ek “family discussion” bulaya aur shaadi, adjustment, aur ideal daughter-in-law ke standards ka sermon start kar diya. Kabir pehle chup raha, jaise hamesha karta tha. Phir usne table pe rakha glass side mein kiya aur seedha bol diya, “Main koi project nahi hoon jisko aap log finalize karoge. Aur meri future wife bhi koi trophy ya compromise package nahi hogi.”

Mrs. Sanyal shocked. Mr. Sanyal offended. Kabir calm tha, but this time not passive. “Aap logon ko jo image chahiye, woh main maintain nahi karunga. I’ll marry only if I want to, with someone I choose, at a time I choose.”

Ghar mein silence itna deep tha ki wall clock ki tik-tik bhi lecture jaisi lag rahi thi.

Next day Ritu aur Kabir office ke terrace pe mile. Neither of them was in the mood for fake anything. Ritu ne pehle bola, “I’m done pretending.”

Kabir nodded. “Me too.”

“Main shaadi se nahi bhaag rahi,” Ritu said, eyes steady, “main bas pressure se bhaag rahi hoon.”

Kabir gave a small, real smile. “Same. I’ve been acting like I don’t care, but honestly, I’m tired of performing for relatives who think adulthood comes with obedience.”

Ritu looked at him for a second, then laughed softly. “You know what’s funny? We made a fake relationship to escape pressure, and it ended up showing us how much pressure we were already carrying.”

Kabir leaned on the railing. “And how similar we are when we stop trying to win.”

That line sat between them like a truth neither had invited, but both needed. The rivalry didn’t vanish. The sarcasm didn’t vanish either. But now it had a softer edge, a kind of respect that came from seeing someone without the polished version.

A few days later, both families were invited—not for an engagement, not for a drama reveal, but for an honest conversation. Ritu sat beside her mother and said, “Maa, I love you. But meri life ka decision meri marzi se hoga. Main shaadi karun ya na karun, it should be because I want it, not because society ka clock tick kar raha hai.”