My Mr. Artist

Chapter 2

Kiyah

Parking my bike in my usual corner, I locked my helmet to the side of it and ran at full speed, I was already running late.

After graduating with a degree in architecture and working relentlessly for five long years to complete the course, I was now employed at DESIGN, a relatively large architecture firm with three branches across different cities. I worked at the headquarters in City M. I had completed one and a half years of internship under my college professor before interviewing with DESIGN, and I had been working there for almost three years now.

My expertise lay in interior architecture. Over the years, I had handled several group assignments as well as a few individual projects of my own.

"Thank God," I huffed, placing my bag on the desk in our small shared cabin. Rashi, a few years older than me, had recently returned to work after giving birth to her adorable baby girl.

"Morning, Kiyah....always perfectly on time. Not a minute late or early," Rashi said with a small chuckle, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

"Of course. It takes a great deal of talent. Not everyone can manage it," I replied, giggling softly at the end.

"Are you going to the site with Nitesh sir? I heard there was a small mishap. That was your project, right?"

"Yes, but I had already warned Nitesh sir about it when he asked me to change and alter my layout according to Natasha's plan. It completely ruined my setup, so I backed off and kept my original design. The new blueprint, and the mishap, must be Natasha's doing," I answered calmly, checking my emails as if it had nothing to do with me at all.

Nitesh sir was a senior partner and a fine-looking gentleman who, more often than not, turned a blind eye whenever matters involved his fiancée, Natasha. She was the perfect example of a daddy's little princess, always clinging to her fiancé, even attending the same college as him. She pretended to work while actually bossing people around in his company, all the while keeping a close watch on him.

"Oh my God! Why does she always target you?" Rashi asked, now giving me her undivided attention, a deep frown settling on her face.

"Who knows? As long as I get my paycheck, I'm fine. Don't worry," I said, winking at her as I opened the email about the meeting scheduled for the new project.

The mail was from Aditya sir, my immediate boss and another senior partner at DESIGN, a relatively large architectural firm founded by four friends and architects: Mr. Aditya, Mr. Nitesh, Mr. Yash, and Mr. Saurabh. They could easily be described as wealthy second-generation entrepreneurs who had gone on to build a highly successful startup of their own.

When I joined the firm, it had already made a name for itself. I was assigned to work under Aditya sir, an admirable figure I deeply respected. Working with him taught me a lot, and even now, most of my assignments come directly from him. He was in his mid-thirties, a complete workaholic—one of the reasons, perhaps, why I ended up working more and living my life less.

And just like that, my entire day slipped away in work, no time even for lunch. Thankfully, Rashi, the little sweetheart that she was, brought me some food on her way back.

"Kiyah, are you done yet?" Rashi asked, packing up her things, ready to leave for her little haven.

"Not yet. I still have a project meeting. The boss was out all day, so it got postponed to 5:30 p.m. You should go," I replied, still surrounded by blueprints scattered across my desk.

"Okay then, be careful on your way home," she said, waving goodbye.

"Bye," I replied, hearing my cabin door click shut, leaving me alone with my work.

_

In the round-table conference room, the two senior partners, Nitesh sir and Aditya sir, sat facing each other, while the junior partners and senior architects took their seats around them. Aditya sir began briefing us on a newly signed contract: the renovation of an ancient mahal into a royal resort in City R. The property had recently been acquired by the Awasthi Group, one of India's largest and most prominent hotel chains. The Awasthis were an aristocratic family, widely known and respected across the country.

The current CEO, Mr. Saransh Awasthi, was the second grandson of the company's president, Mr. Shivkumar Awasthi. He had taken over the position three years ago and would be personally overseeing this project.

"So, Nitesh and I won't be directly involved in this project," Aditya sir continued. "It will be handled by Yash Gupta, who manages our second main branch in City R. He has selected the team members for this assignment..."

As he went on about expectations and hard work, my mind drifted—busy crafting excuses for my roommates about why I'd be ordering pizza again tonight, considering it was my turn to cook.

"...and Kiyah and Siddharth will be the chosen architects from this branch for this project and will lead the team. Congratulations."

Wait—what? Did I hear that right? chosen architect? Me?

"Sir, you said who? How can she—" Natasha exclaimed loudly. I realized I wasn't the only one who had heard it clearly.

"Yes, any problem, Miss Natasha?" Aditya sir asked coolly, his gaze shifting between her and Nitesh. "I believe you no longer have the right to interfere with my decisions after your earlier blunder at work. Isn't that right, Nitesh?"

"Yes, you're right, Adi," Nitesh sir replied through clenched teeth, casting a pointed look at his fiancée. "She'll rectify her mistakes... right, baby?" 

I ignored the nauseating couple. I had far bigger things to worry about, like the unknown project that had suddenly dropped into my life.

"Sir, but I'm already assigned to another project," I said, every pair of eyes now on me as if I'd lost my mind. "And honestly, this would be a lot to take on. I'm not very familiar with working on ancient structures."

They stared at me like I was some crazy person for denying myself a promotion that had dropped straight from the sky into my lap.

It wasn't that I was scared or anything. My expertise lay in interior architecture, and in the three years since joining the company, I had handled several major projects. PALACE, a multi-cuisine restaurant, had gained recognition for its Warli painting walls, each wall narrating a different story, a new emotion, a fragment of history. Then there was renowned fashion designer Mrs. Shasha's Fashion Boutique, a three-floor building that had been entirely my independent work.

But preserving an ancient structure while integrating modern facilities, and turning it into a tourist attraction, was a different challenge altogether. It would demand intense research, dedication, and time. On top of that, the mahal was in City R, quite far from where I lived. Even the Awasthi Group's headquarters were located there. If I took on this project, I had no idea how long I'd have to stay away.

"Shreya can take over your other project. I want you on this one," Aditya sir said, glaring at me as if saying no would get me killed on the spot. "And you'll report to that office next week."

"Yes, sir," I replied. The decision had already been made.

Maybe this will be a change of environment, I told myself. It would be the first time I'd be working on a project outside my city, and far outside my comfort zone.

"I'm giving you, Kiyah and Siddharth, one week to wrap up your pending work," he continued. "You'll then be transferred to our branch office in City R, where you'll work under your new boss, Yash Gupta. All the best."

He clapped twice, signaling the end of the meeting.

_

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