One Of A Kind [ slow updates ]

Chapter 5 : Shocker

I wasn't expecting a nearly palatial bungalow. I wondered if it was a government grant or something he had acquired on his own. Or perhaps the lawyer son was padding his pockets generously to afford such a splendid residence in the heart of Delhi, complete with a sprawling garden out front.

I was slightly taken aback when he led me not to the plush sofas in the living room, but to a room that resembled a home office.

"Sit," he instructed, pointing to the office chair. For a moment, it felt more like I was being summoned for an interrogation than invited to a casual tea party..

Papa trusted this man. So I could trust him too, right? But people change with time. Something about this man gave me a very weird vibe. I decided to be on alert. 

What if that stupid lawyer had told his father about me and they both thought I was actually stalking him and this was a grand scheme of getting back at me? Shit, why didn't I think of this possibility before. 

I turned and noticed a window on the side, obscured by dense bushes that would make escape impossible. Casually surveying the room, I saw a massive bookshelf stretching across one wall behind him. The only exit was the door behind me. Perhaps I could make a quick dash for it by distracting him with a book from the shelf.

"What happened Avni?" He asked.

Maybe my uncertainty was written on my face. "Nothing, it's a nice office space. I assume you work from home a lot." I glanced at the table. It was impeccably tidy, with two pens with golden metallic bodies resting in a stand—potential weapons if necessary. Beside them was a rolled-up newspaper, and a book lay nearby. I could use the book like a makeshift projectile if the need arose.

"I do," he said, settling back into the chair on the other side of the desk. He pulled open a drawer and I tensed, half-expecting him to pull out a weapon from the drawer. Instead, he produced a stack of papers, and I exhaled the breath caught in my throat.

"I want you to sign this," he said. I stared at him, puzzled. How could he be so casual about this whole strange situation?

What did the paper say? That I am admitting to the fact that I stalked his son? 

"Don't be nervous, read it up. It's a Non Disclosure Agreement. Whatever I am about to tell you can't go out of this room."

Can I?  I wanted to ask but I obviously didn't. I was curious as a cat. I pulled the paper towards myself and turned it around to read. 

If I was a cartoon character, this was the part where my eyes would be shown to pop out of their sockets on attached springs, bounce a couple of times before settling back into the sockets.

The paper, couched in dense legal jargon, stipulated that I was to keep any information shared with me strictly confidential. It warned that any breach of the extensive conditions of the NDA could result in severe legal consequences, including potential charges of treason and imprisonment for life.

"What are you going to possibly tell me? That we are having another demonetization declared at eight pm today?" I blurted looking at him.

He laughed, clearly impressed with my humor. "Sign it and I will answer your questions."

No thanks. Not interested. 

I was supposed to say that. That would have been the rational response. But curiosity, now a raging wildfire, it drove me to pick up the pen and sign the document. There was only one way to satisfy my insatiable curiosity about what could be so secretive that it required such a heavy NDA. Even at the risk of something dangerous, I signed it. Maybe Mum was right—I am a bit crazy.