Sometimes Hate is Enough

Chapter 39

Anjali

"Di, aap?" I smiled from the doorway at Akash as he looked up at me from his computer after I knocked on his cabin door.

"Avni wanted to come!" I answered while I walked inside carefully, with my hand slightly lifting the saree plates, so I didn't trip.

Akash hurried to his feet and took a hold of my upper arm so that he could help me.

"I'm fine, Akash. Don't worry!"

"Where's Avni?" He asked as he let go of me and dropped a pen on his desk as he again looked at me.

"She went to meet Neha Ji," I answered.

"Neha?" His eyes slightly narrowed down as he tried to remember.

I shook my head as I added, "Neha, head of design!"

"Oh, yes, Neha!" He nodded but quickly added, "But working hours are finished. So, she might've already left."

"I'll check on her!" I said and turned to leave, but Akash added, "I'll come with you!"

We checked departments after departments, but she was nowhere to be found. Hai, Bhagwan, where is this girl? I told her not to go anywhere other than the design department. Why can't she just listen to me for once?

"Di!" I turned as I heard NK.

"Have you seen Avni?" I asked as he walked up to us, and I really hoped for him to say yes. "I can't find her!"

"Um, I think I saw her somewhere behind! I'll check; don't worry!" And with that, he left as soon as he came.

I sighed before I turned to Akash and said, "Let's check outside!"

As we reached the lobby, we both halted dead in our tracks. Because heading towards us was Payal. What is she doing here?

I turned to Akash to see if he was okay or not, but he was staring at her with parted lips and squinted brows. Oh, Akash... How heartbroken must he be?

"I believe she's yours!" I looked back at Payal, who was standing opposite us with her arm extended towards me. I finally looked down, and there stood my daughter, grinning from ear to ear like an idiot.

I took her small hand in mine as I sighed, "Avni, where were you? Do you know how worried Mumma was?"

"I was looking for Neha Aunty. But I didn't find her." Her face turned sad, but soon it was happy again as she looked up at Payal. "And then I found this Aunty. You know she's saved me from a doggy!"

I glanced at Akash briefly before looking at Payal and saying, "Thank you! I..."

"It's alright." She shook her head with a very brief, closed lip smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"But what are you doing here?" She glanced at Akash with slightly raised brows before again looking at me.

"Official purposes can't be discussed with just anyone!" She gave a small smile.

"Um, Di, Payal," I turned to Akash. "I mean, Ms. Gupta is here on behalf of SK Jewelleries, the company we just signed with!"

I looked at Payal with parted lips before saying, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know!"

She again smiled, brief and small, as she scratched just above her left eyebrow with her forefinger.

"If you're here for Khushi, then she's through there." Akash pointed at a hallway on his left. "In the design department!"

I glanced at the two of them as I asked, shockingly, "Khushi is also here?"

Akash opened his mouth to answer, but he looked away from me when Payal spoke, interrupting him.

"I'm here for you." My brows rose. What is happening here?

"Me?" Akash's brows rose as he looked like he couldn't believe what was happening.

"Payal, you..." A man entered through the door with his hands in pockets as he spoke, but soon stopped as he looked at us. Then he stopped next to Payal and looked at Akash before saying, with a curt nod, "Evening, Mr. Raizada." Then he looked at me with an arched brow before looking at Akash with questions in his eyes.

I also looked at him with confusion.

"This is the CEO of SK Jewelleries, Suraj Agarwal." He said, looking at me, then turned to Suraj Agarwal. "And Mr. Agarwal, this is my sister, Anjali Singh Raizada."

"Ah, the sister!" I heard Mr. Agarwal.

My forehead slightly knitted as I turned to him with a polite smile, and I found him already looking at me with an amused smile on his face as he nodded his head like he knew something.

"Do I know you?" I asked because I couldn't help.

"Of course not, but I," He placed a hand over his chest while continuing his smile. "...most certainly do!"

I stared at him and awkwardly nodded in return.

"If we're done with this," I turned to Payal, who looked very uninterested as she pointed between me, Akash, and Mr. Agarwal with a finger and looked at Akash. "I would like to get done with my work, Mr. Raizada." Why is she behaving like that?

Suddenly, Mr. Agarwal looked very concerned and worried as he saw something behind us, then said something to Payal very quietly, to which she just nodded. Then he again looked behind us.

And curiously, as I was turning to see behind me, I found Khushi walking past Akash in a hurry while only looking at Mr. Agarwal, who reached out with his hand, and she took it before they together left.

But right before they had exited, Mr. Agarwal has turned around and looked up with a very angry frown. So, I turned, looked up to where he was glaring, and found Chote standing there, looking completely devastated.