He stopped and looked at her.
"Your appointment letter has been mailed to you this morning."
He gave her a disbelieving look and gritted his teeth.
"That means you couldn't have fired me if I didn't apologize?"
She shrugged typing on her laptop and said.
"Except in exceptional circumstances."
"Exactly! And this wasn't exceptional circumstances."
He spat out and she raised her eyebrow at his tone.
"I make the exceptional circumstances Mr. Jagrav. Now back to your work before I make one here."
She said and dismissed him with the snap of her fingers. He was beyond pissed and angry. She had hurt his ego.
A few months passed and the two were still at lockheads. Jagrav realised that she couldn't fire him until the contract between them is over else she would have to pay him 3X his cumulative salary of 18 months.
And he used his realisation to his benefit. To irritate her and have fun seeing her wild reactions.
He did everything to piss her in these two months.
He reported late daily. His reporting time was an hour before her but he always reported at the same time as her.
Then he always messed up her morning coffee. It wasn't his work but he purposely takes the cup from the pantry boy and adds three extra spoons of sugar to make it taste like poison. Diya hates when people mess with her morning dose of coffee.
And if this wasn't enough he had started using her elevator. No one else was allowed to use it. But he always did making her anger reach its peak.
Like right now. Diya entered her elevator and just as the doors were about to close her biggest nightmare entered with a goofy smile on his face.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to control her anger.
"Hi Diya!"
Another thing she hated. The way he took her name.
"It's either Ms. Khanna or Ma'am for you, Mr. Jagrav."
She spoke through gritted teeth. He looked at her for a minute longer and then tsked.
"Nah! I like Diya better."
Diya clenched her fists but didn't bother replying. She was too exhausted to deal with him early in the morning.
Jagrav smiled victoriously having made her speechless.
They were somewhere between 9th and 10th floor when the lift came to a stop with a sudden jerk.
Diya looked around with wide eyes. Jagrav looked on confused.
"Why did it stop?"
She asked trying her best to not let the panick show in her voice.
"I think there's another power cut. Abhi do minute chalu ho jaayegi."
Jagrav sounded normal. That means it was nothing major, right. That's what Diya explained herself. For the first time in two months she thanked mentally thanked him for using the same lift as hers and at the same time.
She would have fainted and freaked out by now if she was alone here. When the lift didn't move even 5 minutes later Diya asked again with a slight raised voice.
"You said two minutes. Ye ab tak start kyu nhi hui hai?"
Jagrav might have sensed the panick in her voice because he immediately called the help button. The authorities picked up and he said.
"Is there a power cut?"
He asked and the reply he heard had his almost curse loudly.
"Yes sir. Yaha paas mai ek truck electricity pole se takra gaya. Pure area ka power cut hua hai."
"Switch on the power backups. We are stuck in the lift."
"Lift mai kaun kaun hai sir?"
Was this man crazy? Couldn't he just switch the power backups on rather than questioning stupid stuff?
"Your CEO and his fucking PA. Just switch on the power backups dude."
Jagrav yelled and the man on the other side stuttered.
"Sir-sir wo actually. Last week jo power cut hua tha usme saara backup use ho gaya tha."
"So? Wo toh last week ki baat thi na. Ab tak toh naye units aa jaane chahiye the."
"Wo sir-hamare paas abhi backup nhi hai."
Jagrav heard a loud gasp and saw Diya look at the call button with wide panick filled eyes.
"Just get us out of the damn lift."
"Hum jald se jald backup ka intezaam krwate hai. It will take a few hours lekin hum jald se jald krwate hai sir."
"Hours!?"
Diya felt like she would faint anytime. Jagrav cursed loudly and looked at her.
"Don't worry! We'll be out soon."
He could see her form shaking and sweating profusely.
"You're sweating! Relax Diya. I'll switch on the fan."
He said and was about to press the button when she yelled.
"Nhi! Are you crazy? Power backups nhi hai hamare paas. What if the lift gives up entirely and we fall down?"
"Aisa kuch nhi hoga. You're sweating Diya-"
"Nhi! Jagrav no! Don't please!"
"Ok! Ok fine! Nhi kr rha. You first-pehle tum baitho. Yes sit down. Aaram se!"
He helped her sit and she sat cross legged.
"Nhi. Don't cross your legs. Paer khol kr baitho."
She was breathing heavily and he tried to get up only for his hand to be pulled back.
"Where are you going?"
She asked like a scared child and he cupped her face.
"Yahi hu! Kahi nhi jaa rha. Just removing my blazer. You also take off yours. You're already sweating."
He dumped both of their blazers to a corner and Diya felt better instantly. But she was still breathing heavily.
"Diya! Don't take heavy breaths. Aur suffocating lagega. Take slow, deep breaths. Follow me!"
She did as he was saying and nodded.
"Yes! Very good! Just like that."
They followed the exercise for a few minutes and when Jagrav thought she was a little calm he said.
"Let me switch on the fan."
Her eyes widened again and she shook her head.
"Nhi! The lift will fall."
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