Cross-border Merger

Mutual Feelings

The morning came sooner than I would have wished for. I got ready in some comfortable linen pants and a simple top to go with it which is both casual yet presentable. True to his words, Finn  knocked at my door at dot 11 am and we are now moving to what would be my house for the next 6 months. 

I was nerving myself for everything. I have never stayed alone in my life till now. Even when I was in my college, I used to stay in hostels where you are surrounded by your batch mates; when I used to move to different cities for my internships, I was in PGs with random people but still people, you get the idea.  This is the first time when I would be completely on my own. My life has taken upon itself to take me to new levels of adulting and I'm kinda scared of this new stage but hopeful that it will all pan out well. 

To distract myself, I try to strike up a conversation with Finn.

"Hey Finn, can I ask you something?"

"Yes Yukta, sure." He sweetly replies.

"Can you tell me something about Uncle, I mean, Mr. Daniels? I know he is your boss, so, you might hesitate but he seemed like a very sweet person yesterday. I don't why but I'm still nervous to meet him and I just don't want to disappoint him somehow, you know."

He lets out a small laugh, "Yukta, you don't have to prepare yourself or anything. If there is something I've learned about him in the small time I've known him for, it's that he appreciates people who are real and honest. Don't try to impress him, that man is very smart. Just stay true to who you are" he looked at me through his rear view and continued, "and I think you'll be just fine." 

I smiled back and he continued driving. Within next 2 minutes we were in front of the gates of the house I'll be living in for next few months. As soon as we enter through the gates, the house comes into my view and holy shit!

"Finn! I can't be living here!"

Finn looks at me extremely confused. 

"This house is too big! I can't!"

"Are you scared of living alone here?" Finn asks not seeing the actual problem here. I mean of course, why would he?

"No not because of that. I just feel..." I can't tell Finn the full truth "I just feel that just because I know Uncle does not mean I take advantage of his property!"

Finn laughs at my face. I was actually telling the truth, except I left out the part of me working for him.

"Oh God Yukta! You amuse me. Mr. Daniels would not have even let you enter into his property let alone arrange your accommodation here if he wouldn't have wanted you to stay here. Seriously just stop thinking and enter through the gates of your house and I'll be back with the rest of your luggage after parking the car."

I nodded and started to walk towards the house still not comfortable with the idea. I made a note in my mind to talk to Uncle about not living here when he arrives. As soon as I opened the main door, I couldn't believe if what I was seeing was a reality! If the exterior blows you off, the interior of the house was whole another story. It was something straight out of magazines and television. 

As I stood there simply taking in the beauty of the house, I heard a cough. Breaking out of my trance, I snapped my head extremely hard towards the noise. 

"How did you get past the security?", the man who just coughed asked me.

"Who are you?" I ask him instead since no one was supposed to be at the house. 

"Oh so that's how you people talk now? Not a very polite way for a prostitute. Actually, not even attractive clothes that would make me wanna fuck you. Wonder what did you show the guards to get in." He says nonchalantly with a sarcastic chuckle and starts walking to what I assume is the kitchen.

"How dare you?" I started going off without even waiting for a second "Who the hell do you think you are? You don't even know me and instead of having the courtesy to ask how did you think it was okay to let that garbage out of your mouth. The guards let me in because they had the orders from the owner of this house but you know what, you don't even deserve an answer since there is no one that's supposed to be in this house right now except me. So go take your filthy excuse of a brain and get out of this house."

None of this seemed to faze him. He instead started to slowly take steps towards me and stopped when he was right in front of me.

"That's quite brave of you to stand in my father's house and talk shit to me. I don't care who you are. "Prostitute" seemed to hurt you right? So, what's the more acceptable noun these days..." he pretended to think, "oh yes - the escorts. So, Ms. Escort whatever you are doing here, I'm pretty sure my dad wouldn't appreciate you talking this way to me."

His dad? Then as if a lightbulb quickly turned on in my mind, I looked at his face properly for the first time. 

"You are Michael Daniels" I say as the realisation dawned on me.

Just then, Finn walked in with my luggage. What the hell took him so long?

Not sensing the tense air, Finn said, "Sir is here. I'll ask the househelp to take your luggage upstairs to your room."

Uncle walked in with a smile on his face but the smile quickly turned into a frown when he saw Michael. "Mike what are you doing here?"

"Have to stay here for some PR bullshit. The question is what is she doing here?" Michael's emphasis on "she" was as if he would puke if he would have another look at me.

"Mike if you can't show the lady some respect then I suggest you get going. And I don't appreciate you using this tone before me." Uncle looked at me and continued, "Yukta, follow me to the study." With this he started walking towards the upper floor of the house.

As soon as I started to follow him, Michael stood before me and with the most disgusted look said, "Nice to meet you, not. I hope we never cross paths again."

I wanted to tell him that how what he hopes would not be possible and how I should be the one disgusted, instead, I looked him dead in the eye and responded, "The feeling is mutual."

A/N: Kill me... I give you the right. I have no words to thank all the people who voted on this book and added it to their libraries even when I basically went on an unannounced hiatus. I was just caught up with too many things and I was at a point where I couldn't manage writing. 

But now this is what I have planned... I'll update twice a week and these days would be Saturday and Wednesday. I'll try my best to stick to this routine and this is my promise to you.

Also let me know what do you think about Michael.