Never Before

Chapter 2

Nakul

This day could never get any worse—the sudden meeting and my shower. I didn't pay to live like this. This is the third time already. Though it has an advantage for me (no guests can enter my room with an excuse to shower), it still does not work in my favor. Imagine building a house this big without a proper shower facility. I can relate. I was already late enough. As I entered the living room, Maa was talking to Nutan. Nutan? It looks like her room was free. I was near her room when it struck me that, even though we are siblings, it wasn't in my nature to enter a girl's room without their permission. I decided to get her allowance first as I toured back. We met halfway. But she was in a kurta pajama. Earlier, she was in casuals. When were girls this fast when it came to changing?

Anyway, she permitted it. Only a quick shower can fix my already-ruined day. I took my necessities and fast-paced myself to her room. Barely 7 minutes passed, and I was in my joggers and a clean shave. It reminded me of someone.

I don't believe in magic, but she is in front of me like this. Yeah, I believe it.

What was she doing here? Hasn't changed much. Not even a bit. Except for her height. She has grown an inch or so. It doesn't make any difference between us. She is still the same tiny sprout in front of me, with a handful of anger for me. More than a handful. Only for me.

Was she the one with Maa earlier? Yes, Hoodie and sweatpants. I was freshly showered, but now I was truly awake. Watching her tremble in my proximity with those apple cheeks. I got what I wanted. The pink tint on her face.

"Trust me, I won't even try, and you'll be in my room. Even before you realize it,

Words flew like bullets in the air. I was puzzled with myself. She wasn't even 5 minutes into my life, and my words were already corrupted.

I should call the plumber and thank him for the shower. If not for my shower, I wouldn't have had this kind of good morning.

A push from Nutan brought us back into the room. She blinked. Even though she was in Nutan's arms, her eyes were on me. Enough teasing for the day, even though I was in the mood for more. Maa lectured me on "why you should not skip your breakfast?" with a kiss on her cheeks, and she was left with a smile. It works like a secret weapon. I decided to order my breakfast at my office directly, through my secretary. He knows more about me than I do.

The driver pulled up at the entrance of the tallest building, probably in nearby localities. "The Food Basket'', is set in the heart of Mumbai. The company focuses on producing packaged food that anyone can consume on the go or in their leisure time. The prime delivery is nutrition content. My grandfather founded it, and my father followed the legacy, and it's me now. I gave my eight years to this establishment, accompanied by him. The elevator took me to my designated floor. The hallway was quiet, as only one person was allowed there. Oh, he was on time today. As always. Boring.

As soon as I entered the cabin, Ansh stood up from his place. I told him many times not to do this, but he is Ansh. He listens only to himself and her. I looked at my attire and him. Where I was in my T-shirt and long coat with green trousers, he was in a crisp black coat. Custom-made as he likes.

"What's the matter?" I looked at my watch. "I am surprisingly on time today." That made me a little bit proud. Ansh rolled his eyes at me. Like, I care. "This," he said, handing me the tablet. Not surprising and not disappointing either. It was the third of this month. Some money-seeking losers tried their tricks on my products. The statement was, "The Food Basket is not a Good Basket." At least they should have hired a professional to write the article. The headline was as fake as the news.

I looked up at him in a questioning manner. Generally, he takes care of these things before they reach me. So, what's the big deal now? He sighed as if he were done with all this. "It's the fifth time, and you as a CEO are supposed to address this, which you're not doing, of course. The last four times I've handled them, but they are asking for you now, our investors and buyers; they are all ready to pull out if this matter does not submerge."