Sweet Revenge

3. The Prelude

As Anuj saw Anupama and Kinjal disappear into the terminal, his hands ceased waving as his phone came alive with a series of successive pings.

Taking a look at his watch first, he took a look at his phone. And as his eyes scanned across the screen,he nodded. About time.

Next day

"What is this, Mr.Kapadia?!"

The door to his cabin was thrown open rather unceremoniously, but when Anuj looked up from his files, his manners only exuded leisure.

He leaned back in his chair, ghost of a smile playing on his face.

"Mrs. Dave! What a pleasant surprise!" He greeted the grey eyed woman, whose face was devoid of the arrogance he had last seen her with.

"Why must you do this to us?" Rakhi asked, her eyes simmering.

Anuj's brows furrowed questioningly in response at this, before he leaned forward and spoke, "It's imported".

"W-What?!" Rakhi asked baffled as Anuj nodded.

"The door, Mrs. Dave", Anuj pointed towards the door she had stepped in through.

While Rakhi was still perplexed, Anuj slid his seat back and stood up, "I'm rich....agreed! But unlike someone, I am not rich enough to buy silence".

Rakhi's eyes widened as Anuj said those words and she looked at him. But what made the color drain from her face was the smirk on his face as he adjusted his glasses.

"What will you gain from doing this? As far as I see, you will not profit from this in any way", Rakhi asked.

Anuj's expression changed as he gave her a confused stare, "Somehow it feels like we are not on the same page,Mrs. Dave. But I will answer you nonetheless. Some covet money, some honor and then there are some who-" Anuj had moved across his desk by then, as he stepped past Rakhi.

"-who live for amusement".

"So Mrs. Dave, what brings you here?" Anuj asked then, turning on his feet, as if he wasn't mocking her a second ago and his smile was as welcoming as a snake's.

Rakhi felt her anger burst through, as she waved the envelope in her hand across his face. "You should stop pretending, Mr Kapadia. It's disgusting!"

The lips that were smiling till now fell straight, as Anuj's face hardened, and Rakhi had to take a stepback as the man took a step forward and towered over her. Anuj looked down at Rakhi his eyes cold, as he replied to her flatly.

"And you should tone down your voice, Mrs. Dave. It's infuriating".

Anuj took a step back then,as he scoffed at her surprised look. "If someone was to walk in right now,they'd think you have the upper hand. That's clearly not the case though. As someone in the position of disadvantage, how about you rephrase your question,in a tone that appeals to my taste?"

Rakhi bit her lips as she tried to rein in her anger, while Anuj picked an apple from the fruit basket on his desk, and started to munch on it.

"What do you want, Mr.Kapadia?" She asked in a civil manner this time.

Anuj snorted as he wiped his lips, "It's funny how you think you can give me anything. I was jesting when I said I can't buy silence. I have what you don't even dream of". The derision in his voice was unparalleled.

Rakhi clenched her fist,feeling humiliated while Anuj nodded, "Now I see why you do what you do. Having fun at the expense of other's misery is an amusing sport indeed."