Office Affairs |Sidneet|

32

Siddharth's POV

Avni asked if she could come over after work, which was certainly very forward for her-but who was I to turn her away? She went home to change first and showed up at my apartment around eight in a baggy sweater and jeans. She looked positively mouthwatering.

I almost expected her to jump me when she walked through the doors, given her insistence on our meeting, but she strolled over to the couch with a troubled look in her eyes.

"I have to tell you something," she said.

I scowled, following her to the couch and taking the seat across from her. Whatever she had to say looked like something that would require a head-to-head approach.

"What is it?" I asked.

She chewed her bottom lip, and my eyes dipped instinctively to watch. When I looked back up to her eyes, her cheeks were flushed with desire.

"Can it wait?" I asked lowly.

Her eyes grew dark, and I watched the thoughts and desires flash through her head. Then she seemed to mentally shake herself, coming back to earth.

“No,” she said.
"I was going to tell you this morning and then we...you know."

"Fucked," I stated simply.
She shot me a glare.

“Just listen to what I have to say, Sid."

I put my hands up in mock surrender and relaxed in my seat.

"Go on then."

She bunched up the material of her sweater sleeves around her fists, wrinkling her mouth.

"I've been in contact with Anushka Sen," she said.

A streak of rage burned through me.

"What does that woman want now?" I practically snarled.

I couldn't help the fierce animosity that began to leak out of my pores. I was furious. Had Avneet been conspiring with Anushka behind my back?

Avni looked even more nervous now.

"She uh... she wanted me to get blackmail material on you."

I charged to my feet. "The nerve!"

Avni rose as well, but her whole body shook. I stepped over to comfort her, suddenly distressed by the amount of distress she seemed to be under, but she flinched away.

My gaze softened. "I'm not going to hurt you, Avni,” I said.

Her eyes welled with tears.
"I know," she sputtered.
"I just..." She descended into sobs.

I wasn't quite sure what to do. I'd never had a crying woman in my apartment. Maybe Vaish once or twice, but certainly, never a woman that I was sleeping with. I stepped over to her, and she didn't shie away this time.

"Hey," I said softly, pulling her into my arms.

"Relax. Whatever she has on you, we can fix it."

"Has on me?" came her muffled, strangled voice.

I rested the top of my chin on her head, stroking her trembling back.

"I assume she's trying to blackmail
you into blackmailing me."

Avni shook her head.

“She told me that you would get tired of me. That you would fire me and blacklist me, as you did her.”

A great rumbling laugh ripped through me. That little witch.

"Avni," I said.

"I think you should sit down."

I sat on the couch and pulled her into my lap, cradling her head against my chest.

"What is it?" she asked.
"This feels very serious."

I chuckled.

"I just wanted to hold you," I replied.

“But I'm also going to let you in on something that you have to promise not to repeat."

She nodded. "I promise."

I stroked my thumb absentmindedly across her arm, relishing the feel of her weight tucked under my chin.

"A few months ago we hired a new Communications Coordinator," I said. When she went to look up in surprise, I said,

"No, not you. Anushka only worked a few weeks before we hired you."

She settled back in.

"We hired a new Communications Coordinator," I continued.

"And she was very beautiful. She tried to use that beauty to get me into bed, but I declined." I could practically feel the smugness radiating off of Avni.

"She turned her attention to my brother. Abhi, not being the smartest tool in the shed at times, went on a cocaine-fueled bender with Anushka. When he surfaced, she was threatening to post compromising photos of him online."

"Compromising photos?"

"The usual kind of thing-sex, drugs, rock and roll. Abhi wasn't outwardly bothered by it, but I knew it would be bad for the company's image. And I don't appreciate being blackmailed."

"So you fired her?" Jane asked.

I chuckled.

"I paid her. I asked for proof that she'd deleted every last photo, and then I fired her. I never blacklisted her though. I was too afraid that she still had pictures stored somewhere."

Avni was quiet.

"God," she said after a few minutes.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't realize..."

"Of course not," I said, sliding my fingers through her hair.

"How could you? We kept it a secret. Didn't tell any of the staff. Except for Vaish, of course, but I think you know that she doesn't quite count as staff."

"So what now?"

Avni asked, tilting
her head back to look up at me. Our lips were a mere breath apart.

"Now, Avni," I said, smiling.

"We finally have what we need to take her down for good."

To be continued.......

Hey here's the chapter.

Stay tuned.

Bye, see ya.

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