“What if you apologise to Iram?” Amaal suggested, knowing he might flip. But she was surprised when he didn’t.
“That ship has sailed. And what does apologising solve?”
“It may bring you redemption, closure…”
“Closures don’t come with words.”
“Because you are a man of action.”
“Hmm.”
“But not everybody is. Iram deserves to know that you regret it. It may also soften Atharva, to know that you have genuinely repented to Iram.”
“Atharva will think I am up to some new shady business.”
Amaal paused. Yes, that was a major possibility. There was so much miscommunication between them, and even bigger misunderstandings.
“Samar?”
“Hmm?”
“When Atharva was arrested, you said you were working to save his life.”
“Hmm.”
“But you were issuing threats to Iram.”
He looked away.
“You said you crossed parties or something like that. What did you mean?”
He grabbed the car key from between them and held it out to her. She frowned.
“In case you want to storm away, just tell me and I’ll get out.”
She slapped his hand away.
“I found out that Sayyid Butt was planning to take Atharva out of ‘my path.’ He offered me to take over KDP in that revolution and enter into an alliance with them. Alternate CMs, and some other perks. I played along, to know what he was going to do with Atharva. And also needing him to be in the loop with Sufiyaan Sheikh and Iram, because Sufiyaan was only controlled by him. When Atharva was arrested, I brought the first intel. Atharva made Iram KDP president, and Sayyid Butt’s plan was toppled. On the other hand, Sufiyaan was planning to end Atharva in jail. Iram wouldn’t listen to me and let me make some crucial decisions. I warned her that she needed to let me lead this. I had to show Sayyid Butt that I had sidelined Atharva in Jammu. She took that as a threat.”
“And in all that time, you never craved Atharva’s position?”
“I would be lying if I said that the thought never crossed my mind. But it was always a thought. I would never do that to him. Even after everything. I was always happy being his number two. Then when I wasn’t that, maybe in a moment of anger I would have thought, wouldn’t it be good to be him? Number one? The one who can control his own mind and not the other way around? The one who can control the world around him.”
“And?”
“No.” He said. “I don’t want to be Atharva, or occupy the position he has.”
“Do you want to be the CM of Himachal Pradesh one day?” She asked, point-blank.
“I want to be the Health Minister there because that’s all I know,” he said with amused disdain. “Amaal.” Samar gazed into her eyes. “I have given up on aiming. I am building now, let me build in peace.”
She nodded.
Silence engulfed the interiors of the car, only the AC humming with outside honks vibrating against their windows.
“Are you happy?” Samar’s voice broke it. She looked at him, and his mouth had softened along with his eyes.
“Of course I am.”
