Dusk till Dawn.[ON HOLD]

Chapter 20. A New day.

"Sir, if we don't inform Ma'am before the press conference, all hell will break loose."

"Also the probability of us losing our jobs by the end of the day is pretty high."

"C'mon, she won't fire us. We're just following orders."

"If you've forgotten let me remind you. She detests it the most when we follow the Chairman's orders over hers."

"In the father-daughter crossfire it will be us ending up dead."

The dozen of executives went back and forth, trying to prove their individual opinions and striking off other's views. And if the associates were added to the mix, there was a very slim chance of this verbal jousting ending anytime soon.

"We saw what happened with Sidharth, didn't we?"

"Choosing between the devil and deep blue sea is ought to yield unpleasant results."

"If I'm being honest, I'd accept the Chairman's wrath over Madam's indifference any day."

"Exactly my point! Have you all forgotten the catch phrase of our jobs? 'Loyalty isn't a choice, it is an obligation!' And especially we, the ones under her direct supervision should know better. For her loyalty is a two way street. Hence I intend to remain loyal to her."

"But Jay, Sidharth's loyalty cost him his job! Is it so difficult for you to digest?"

"You're a fool to think he will remain unemployed after she finds out everything. Once she sets a foot in Delhi she'll first reinstate him and later decapitate each one of us."

"However callous she maybe never has she treated us like messily employees, so I too think we should let her know."

"I suggest we vote. If majority of you favor disclosing the truth to Aahana, then so be it. Or subsequently if Rudra Sir's orders gets the maximum support, we'll close this matter until further notice."

"No!"

Secretary Ishwar Nair's commanding voice boomed around, quelling all the protests, suggestions and the seeming chaos. His wife Girija Nair, sitting at the other edge of the mahogany table leveled a confused stare at him. Ignoring the many shocked and few relieved faces, he stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. "Until now, we've handled the situation pretty good without Aahana. And I believe we can continue to do so even today."

"Pardon my French, but if you'd handled the situation well we wouldn't have been here on a fucking Sunday morning, trying tooth and nail to evade the goddamned press conference."

Due to the evident contempt in Girija's voice Ishwar internally did a victory dance. This was exactly what he wanted; for his wife to go berserk and eventually do the needful. Keeping a poker face and taking no offence of her outright accusation, he calmly said, "We did reach a negotiation. In fact the settlement amount was to be wired today but then Raidhan Corporation got involved and the tables turned."

"Sir, I've cross confirmed the intel. This press conference is a foul scheme so as to drag Aahana ma'am through the mud."

"Trust the Chairman, he has it all sorted. And he has promised there will be no press conference of any sort." With the corner of his eyes, Ishwar eyed his wife. She looked utterly prepared and not shocked which meant she'd made up her mind to call Aahana the moment this meeting finished. As to not hold her back from naively contributing to the success of a nicely laid out plan, he demanded for everyone's attention. "We are done here. If I'm saying everything is under control it means everything is under control."

Aahana's associates passed him a disappointed glare. The foolish young tots thought their balk meant something to him. How naive, he snickered mentally. Nodding at the legal adviser and the other senior directors, he hurriedly bolted out. Post his exit, the denizens murmured amongst themselves and walked away after leaving the matter to god's hands.