Hello everyone! Oh look who’s back sooner than ever! I was just hoping I could make it up to you guys for disappearing for so long by this little surprise. Thank you so much for all the love the story is receiving! I’m super excited for this episode, I hope you all are, too. Happy reading!
Twinj: My Lifeline: Episode 80
A quick recap: Twinkle and Kunj make up to each other for their cold distancing each other for weeks, and she decided to finally get back to work. Right on the first day, however, Krish turns up unexpectedly, and they straight away get to a heated argument.
“That’s enough, Twinkle! This isn’t a hypothetical perfect world that we live in, we need to make tough decisions sometimes, nobody would do it if they had a better choice! I had to get my career going, and it demanded the deed of me! I know Kunj was left terribly hurt at the end, but look at him now! He doesn’t appear to have had any major downfall ever! I’m sure he’s had to make his share of sacrifices to get here too. But you wouldn’t understand! All this appears to be a game to you after all. You turn up when you want and disappear otherwise, for weeks on an end. I can’t believe Kunj still has you as his manager!” Krish uttered venomously, glaring at Twinkle. She had known Krish to be this way all along though. She knew he was extremely selfish; she knew he could stoop lower than she thought was even possible. “You, of all people, don’t get to judge me or Kunj’s decisions, Krish. You evidently have no idea how badly your betrayal affected Kunj, he was inconsolable for months! And don’t pretend it didn’t impact his career, because of course it did! You held him back!!” She argued. Her anger quickly turned to confusion when suddenly he burst out laughing.
He walked a few steps towards her and bent to lean on the table before looking back at her. “You know what, Twinkle? I don’t care! I didn’t care then, and I don’t care now. If I see some benefit for myself somewhere, anywhere, I jump at the opportunity. I’m not stupid, I don’t let my personal equations with people get in my way. Your Kunj, on the other hand, is extremely emotional. He didn’t doubt my intentions then, he doesn’t doubt them now. And I’m sure there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Why don’t you give it a try?” He cackled at his own words, stunning her. Her intuitions had been right all along, Krish hadn’t changed one bit! “Too shocked to speak, Twinkle Kunj Sarna? Let me make it simpler for you. You know what happened back in college, right? Kunj trusted me blindly, his biggest mistake ever. We were both eyeing an internship with the same music director, and we knew only one of us would make it. And probably everyone else too knew it would be Kunj. So, I did what I could! When Kunj received the call from the director’s office, I tricked them into believing he wasn’t interested. I lied to Kunj that he wasn’t selected while I gladly took the offer that was intended for him. Needless to say, my career as a director skyrocketed after that, leaving Kunj in darkness.”
Twinkle’s eyes welled up as she recalled Kunj being desolate and helpless for months post that. Krish had left him all alone, and it was only a week or so later that he had found out about all that had happened. Kunj had looked way more defeated at that, but fortunately, he had received an offer based off one of his performances in college, and after years of hard work he had finally got where he was. “Any guesses why I’m back?” She heard Krish’s voice break into her thoughts and looked up at him, her eyes burning in anger. “I’ll answer that myself too. Kunj became much more popular than I had ever believed he could, you see? And working with him will only boost my prospects. And if needed, I’ll gladly do something of that sort again.” Twinkle couldn’t believe Kunj had still chosen to trust this man. Her hands fisted of their own accord, her breathing becoming uneven. “Don’t you dare, Krish! Don’t let even your thoughts venture into anything that foul! I won’t let you succeed!” She said, feeling a sudden spurt of confidence. If it meant she could save Kunj, she would do anything.
“Aww, that’s really touching, Twinkle, the way you’re so concerned about Kunj. Tch. Who’s going to listen to you, though? That is, if you consider telling Kunj or anyone all that I just revealed to you. Honestly, I don’t see any other way you could prevent your husband from falling into my trap yet again. In any case, just remember, Kunj trusts me. He believes me. Always has. Always will. He only knows you for what, a year? You’ll never outweigh me.” He was clearly challenging her. “You’re sick, Krish! You are foul, and deserve only hatred! As for me, I might have married Kunj only a year ago, but I’ve been more loyal to him as a fan over the years than you could ever be as a friend he adored!” Her voice was steadily steeping, even though she fought herself to keep it low. “Ah, so this is the big secret behind your marriage. Kunj just ended up marrying a fangirl! Another publicity stunt.” He laughed, but paused abruptly as he pointed a finger at her. “Just remember this, Twinkle. Even now, you can’t match his standards, his way of life. But I can. So, remember to keep yourself out of my way, or else…” Krish’s voice trailed off as a firm hand was placed on his pointed finger, and before he knew it his hand was forced back to his side.
“Stay within your limits, Krish.” Kunj’s voice was dangerously low, a threat nobody could have expected Kunj Sarna to pose. Krish gulped hard, even as Twinkle watched Kunj carefully, wondering, desperately hoping he had heard all that she hoped he had. He looked angry, but she wasn’t sure yet. “Twinkle isn’t just a random fan, she’s the love of my life, so keep all those demeaning comments to yourself. And I’m sorry I have to remind you of this, but all your standards and fame that you are boasting of don’t really define a person, their heart does. On those terms, I doubt if there’s anyone who stands higher than Twinkle. I agree we’re working together, but I won’t take any more of this nonsense.” Twinkle cursed her luck, for from Kunj’s words it was evident he hadn’t heard Krish’s unapologetic intentions, he had only heard the last little bit, and that wouldn’t suffice to oust Krish for sure. “Kunj! This is unbelievable! Remember how things were back in our day, Kunj? Although you were really popular with your guitar and your singing, you never had any real friend other than me, did you? And you chose to use that tone with me for a mere girl? Me, of all people?” Krish exclaimed dramatically, making Twinkle gasp as the realization finally dawned upon her. She was now beginning to understand Kunj’s willingness to forgive Krish and give him another chance despite it all.
Twinkle’s self-realization was interrupted when her eyes caught the sudden movement in front of her. Kunj had shifted quickly to stand in between her and Krish, and she felt anger radiate off him. He had to be fighting himself to keep his cool. “It is wrong, morally, ethically and in every other possible way to be degrading a woman, any woman for that matter. And there’s no freaking way I would let anyone speak rubbish about Twinkle especially, if you didn’t know that already.” Kunj warned, now visibly seething. “Do you realize you just put our entire work together in peril for a casual comment about her? Who is she after all, a nobody! Hear me out, Kunj! You know this project is important for your career as well, besides the fact that you can always choose someone better than her! You dated Alisha once, Kunj! If you lose this project with me, it’ll hurt you in ways you can’t even begin to imagine!” Krish had got down to blackmailing now, and it frightened Twinkle to no end. Not because of all that was being said about her, or the fact that she was forcibly put up against Alisha all over again, but because she feared Kunj would crumble under the pressure. She didn’t want him to take a wrong decision yet again.
“Shut up, Krish! That’s enough! I told you I wouldn’t hear any crap about Twinkle!” Kunj thundered, his hand was now on Krish’s collar, and Twinkle rushed to bring things under control. “Stop it, Kunj! This is your workplace, and everyone’s looking!” She whispered, her eyes welling up. “This project with you stands cancelled, Kunj Sarna!” Krish stated, shoving Kunj’s hands off him and eyeing him up and down. Kunj stayed absolutely quiet, and Twinkle thought she heard his heart crack a little. Despite the cold war that had been raging between her and Kunj regarding this entire issue, she knew how much Kunj was looking forward to this project, the reason for which she had only realized moments ago. “Kunj, don’t do this to yourself. It doesn’t matter what people think of me, what’s important is that you continue to do the work that you love! Don’t risk it all for my sake, Kunj!” She pleaded, but Kunj stood firm on his stance.
“I refuse to work with such narrow-minded people, who think it’s their liberty to question my decisions in personal life, who abuse the people who matter to me like it’s no big deal. I hope I’ll never have to see you in my office again, Krish.” Kunj’s voice had an air of finality. He turned to Twinkle, not even waiting for Krish to walk out. “You were right yet again; I should have never taken this up in the first place. Also, it does matter, Twinkle! It does matter what the people I associate myself with, think of you, speak of you. You matter to me, chuck the rest of the world!” He told her; his voice was still low and bothered. Twinkle felt hurt, proud, touched all at once and the only way she figured to express her feelings was to hug him tight.
That’s it for now, guys! Whew, that was long, confusing and whatnot. I hope you all had a good read. We’ll be seeing Kunj finally open about this soon. Until next time, lots of love!