𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 [𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡]

ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ 55

Before any thought process of hers started, she chose to look around the table to find any more familiar faces and she did. There were only two photo frames present, one was of her and him and the other was of him and his parents.

Which made it obvious that it was Arman's office.

And she ran.

When she ran out she met with the secretary immediately and she walked over to her quickly.

Alia knew one thing and that was she could not offend the boss especially when she was newly transferred to the branch.

This is why instead of running directly to the lift she stopped at the secretary and inform her.

"Finished already?" She commented as soon as she saw Alia coming out.

Nope, stalling till I can. She cleared her throat, "There has been an emergency and I need to go." She nudged her head a bit to the side, "I have very painful cramps and I usually have to take medicine but I wasn't expecting them today so I don't have any, so I need to rush home and take a half-day." Alia pleaded and she understood.

"Yes, yes," the secretary nodded.

"Yeah, it was unexpected." She then whispered, "I always track them in an app." She tried to explain it further.

"I do too!" The secretary, Mandeep Kaur, as her name on the card read agreed.

"Check.." Alia whispered and turned around and the secretary looked and then gave her a huge thumbs up.
"You're good!" She whispered, nodding at her butt.

"Thank you and sorry!" As she pointed to the cabin of the boss and then both did the left where the secretary waved her hand off as if it was nothing and that she would take care of it.

As the doors closed Aliya let out a sigh of relief. For now, she had managed to stall their meet for some time but only wondered how long could it be for.

Wait a minute, she gasped loudly and almost gave the man next to her a heart attack, if she had given a personal reason to the secretary and the secretary understood that, then what reason would the secretary provide to Armaan to make him understand as the boss?

The only conclusion that Aliya could come up with was that she had to tell him the truth so that he won't be offended with her walking out on him.

Arman would..be..told. OH GOD!!!
She groaned. Why didn't I think of that before? She cried and hit her forehead with her hand hard making the other person glare at her.

"Are you okay?" He snapped.

She shook her head, "No," she cried out. "I'm fine." She then said.

"Then why are you crying?"

She laughed in mockery, "Oh if anything my eyes are just bleeding." Pun intended.

**********

It was Holi. The holiday, she liked but the festival, not really. She did attend the party that was thrown by the contribution of the whole society.
She had paid her share along with the many residents of the society and it was obvious that she was getting the fill as well.

She had had a huge brunch with the others enjoying mingling with the people and then retired to her apartment when the people had started to get ready once again to play Holi.

She had washed clean or more like scrubbed the colours off of her. People were aware of her mother's death and her brother being abroad also that she was funding his education which had automatically raised her respect in their eyes, because of which they understood when she retired early. They all maintained their distance yet kept an eye out for her safety.

As she took a seat at the dining table she couldn't help but think about yesterday where she had very conveniently used the excuse of her period and taken a half-day for health.

But what was she going to do when all of them were required for the annual or six-monthly reports or even if they decided to do it monthly?

Then, she had to treat him like the boss.

Yes, it was decided. She was going to treat him like the boss and nothing else.

The doorbell rang and Alia immediately locked towards it. Usually, due to high security, no one was allowed to enter and the watchman called everyone to confirm the presence and the business, so when someone came to the door she was usually surprised especially when it was not the morning where the grocery guy came.

She opened the door and a delivery guy stood there.

"Ma'am," he said handing out the box to her.

She looked at the heavy box. She hadn't ordered anything as far as she remembered it. "But I didn't.."

"It's paid for, ma'am. I am to deliver it."

She nodded and took the box from him. Closing the door she bolted it shut thrice with all the locks given.

She carefully opened it wary of the contents that could be inside.
A gasp came from her as she remembers her choices from five years ago.

Sour candies, chocolates, spicy noodles and two big boxes of Ferrero rocher were The only things that were visible to her the rest was also buried inside with other delicacies.

Which only meant one thing, Mandeep had told Armaan the truth and he had remembered what exactly she wanted on her period five years ago.

He had made a statement.