My Cruel Love
Later that evening, the celebration continued with an exciting dance game that brought everyone together."
The party was in full swing. Everyone was busy enjoying themselves in their own way. The hall, decorated entirely in black, looked strange—yet strangely beautiful. Every guest had embraced the black theme, and the ambiance shimmered with fairy lights, soft music, the clinking of glasses, and the low murmur of chatter. It created an oddly magical atmosphere.
Arman took the mic and gave a short speech. He made sure to highlight Maya, crediting her intelligence for helping him close a major deal. He gave her a special thank you in front of everyone, as well as acknowledging the designers and all those involved in the project.
When Arman finished, Abir grabbed the mic with a grin.
"Hey everyone! Why does this party feel so dead? Let's spice it up with a little dance game, shall we?"
The crowd cheered in excitement.
Abir continued, "Alright! We're going to have a dance—but you don't get to pick your own partner. That's the twist. Here's how it works: All the ladies who want to participate will each leave a personal item on a designated table, along with a piece of paper bearing their name. No cheating or confusion allowed! Once that's done, the guys will come up one by one and pick an item. Whoever owns the item becomes their dance partner. Got it?"
Everyone shouted "Yes!" in unison.
A girl called out, "And Arman sir has to participate too! What do you say, everyone?"
The entire group of women screamed in agreement. Abir glanced nervously at Arman, whose expression was unreadable. But after repeated requests, Arman gave a small nod of acceptance. The girls erupted in excitement—everyone silently hoping they'd be chosen as his partner.
Maya wasn't eager to join at first. But with enough persuasion—and pressure—from Ruby, Abir, Sameera, and Tanisha, she gave in. She went with the others to place an item on the table, then quietly returned to her spot.
Meanwhile, Mr. Daniel saw Maya joining the game and decided to join as well—with twice the excitement. He hadn't managed to talk to her once that evening—though to be fair, Maya hadn't given him the chance. Daniel's assistant informed him that the dance would be to a Hindi song. Though Daniel didn't understand Hindi very well, he didn't care. All he could think was: What if I get Maya as my partner? That alone would make his night.
He slowly approached her and whispered awkwardly,
"Hey, Maya… did you put something on the table?"
Before Maya could respond, Abir called out through the mic, "That's cheating, Mr. Daniel! You can't go around asking people. Go back! All the items are already placed—just pick one!"
Everyone laughed, and the attention turned toward Maya and Daniel. Daniel stood there, embarrassed. Arman, watching from a distance, looked at Maya with narrowed, angry eyes. Noticing his expression, Maya quickly stepped away from the spotlight.
By then, Arman's family had already left. His mother had sensed that Maya was receiving a little too much attention—but she couldn't say anything because she knew Maya had played a major role in finalizing the deal. Still, frustrated, she left along with Arman's father, uncle, and aunt—deciding to let the younger crowd enjoy the evening.
Then the real game began.
Everyone urged Arman to be the first to pick an item from the table. He walked slowly toward it. All the girls held their breath, silently hoping he would pick their item.
Arman reached out and picked up a red artificial rose hair clip. Along with it came a folded piece of paper.
Many girls sighed in disappointment—it wasn't their item.
Abir snatched the paper from Arman's hand, read it, and his face lit up. He grabbed the mic.
""I'm sure everyone's eager to know who the lucky girl is—who gets to dance with Mr. Arman. Well... here she is—Maya Talukdar, our brilliant head designer!"
Cheers erupted across the room. A few girls couldn't hide their envy.
Maya froze. Her heart pounded in her chest. She hadn't even noticed what Arman had picked from the table—until now. Her eyes drifted toward his hand.
Abir continued, "Maya, please come forward. Mr. Arman is waiting. And... you'll have to place that clip he picked into your hair yourself. Only then will the dance begin."
Another wave of cheers.
Arman stood at the center of the floor, still and unreadable, holding the red clip. Maya's hands trembled. The crowd started chanting her name. With a nudge from Tanisha and Sameera, she slowly stepped forward, eyes down, nerves evident.
Arman moved behind her. Gently, he brushed her hair aside and secured the rose clip in place.
Maya closed her eyes as his fingers touched her. Her whole body trembled. Arman noticed.
Once the clip was set, he slid an arm around her waist and pulled her close. The lights dimmed, leaving just a single spotlight on them.
A soft Hindi love song filled the room—its words foreign to most, but the emotion universal.
🎵
A boy and a girl... a new story unfolds
But words alone can never explain
🎵
Their bodies moved in rhythm, Arman guiding effortlessly. Maya was barely aware of anything beyond his presence.
The final pose left the room breathless: Maya in Arman's arms, hands entwined, eyes locked.
Then—applause. Deafening, heartfelt.
For a moment, they had been the only two people in the world.
Maya quickly pulled away and ran to a nearby chair. Her heart was racing, breath short. She drank a full glass of water to calm herself.
Ruby, Tanisha, and Sameera rushed over and joined her, laughing and praising the dance.
Meanwhile, Arman returned to his designated seat, composed as ever, legs crossed, watching from a distance. He saw Maya take her phone from Sameera, glance at it—and freeze.
Then, without saying a word, she suddenly stood up and ran out of the hall.
Abir noticed too. He quickly handed the mic to Miraz and asked him to continue hosting. Without delay, he ran after Maya.
Arman wanted to follow—but just then, his phone rang. It was Virat. He stepped away to answer.
Present.
Following Virat's pointed finger, Arman stared ahead and whispered under his breath:
"Maaya… Maisha. My little Mayaboti."
To be continued.