The Billionaire's Claim

5

She reached her office in a daze and entered the CEOs office without knocking.

She found him recycling in his chair and it was the anchor which she needed to assemble her haywire thoughts;to a certain extent. Without any preliminary greeting she shot him the only question which was plaguing her since she left his office.

"On a scale of one to ten, how badly do we need this project?"

Mr. Sehgal took a double take, looking at his well composed employee looking so frazzled. That she just barged in his office without the customary knock. which haven't happened even once in her entire tenure, even though he's the one who keeps on telling her that she doesn't need to knock.

"How about a twenty?" He picked the bottle of water and offered her as his way of admonishing.

She sheepishly took the water while taking a seat across him.

"I am sorry for loosing my cool and for behaving abrasively." This bought a kind smile to his face.

" Nishtha you know that you are more than an employee to me and I am more concerned about what brought this on or more precisely who has the power to rattle the so-called Ice queen of ours." Started Mr. Sehgal humorously.

"You know if you weren't so dear to me, I would have resigned on the spot for calling me by that stupid name." Hearing this name always always rattles her, it bring backs memories of sort on which she wants to put a lid and bury them ten feet underground.But now it seems futile.

" What is all this about?" Concern reflecting in his tone.

"If he made you uncomfortable in the slightest, then we will not go ahead with this project, company be damned. You are more important." His kind word brought tears to her eyes.

But she didn't loose her composure and gave  him a wobbly smile. She knew this man who has no blood relation to her but did more than a father would do for a child, she'll forever be indebted to him and his wife.

She wanted to curse herself for acting this way and raising his hackles and infusing worry within him due to her thoughtlessness.

" Just ignore me." She hugged out.

"Would you like to share?"

" I would if it was some significance. Anyways don't worry I'll take up the project and anyways it's for a good cause that's the reason why I even went for the meeting." She reassured him and to his credit he didn't push her. fir answers.

" No." He replied firmly. " You'll take this week to think throught and on Monday you'll give me the answer."

She was going to refute him but he raised his hand to silence her.

" I don't want to hear anything till Monday. Don't let your emotions to influence your answer. Take your time weigh all your options before taking a decision."  He reaffirmed.

"Ok Boss!" She gave  mock salute to him.

" Enough of the work. Just a fair warning to you,if you didn't come straight home today with me, beware that you Maa is going pack her back and shift to your house for a month, anyways it's her school holidays." She groaned out loud.

"I'll be there sharp at seven in the evening." She promised him vehemently.
She walked over to him and gave a soft peck on his cheek in a gesture of showing her love for his support and understanding.

Nishtha loved her Maa to bits but if that woman decides to shift in her tiny appartment for a month long than God save her from her smothering love and care.

Mrs. Sehgal, a fierce school principal have a well reputed name in her industry and her stories of her strictness are well known among her peers and students likewise. But when it comes to love she has even bigger heart and since the school is closed Nishtha has became her summer holidays project.

Last week she stayed for two days and changed the setting of her living room and in her defence all she said was that the room was too cramped and needed bit of space to move around easily.

More than the change Nishtha was concerned about her bones, as she loves to shift the heavy furnitures on her own in her absence, which is the biggest cause of there fight.

But no matter what the mutual love and respect for eachother can never be denied.