Silent Ties: Fusion Of Hearts

Chapter 7

Azlan's POV:

It was snowing when I woke up. Everything appeared to be blanketed in pristine white. The scenery was gorgeous. I was able to enjoy such breathtaking views throughout the year because my room was on the top floor of the building, offering a panoramic view of the surroundings. I wanted to stay in bed, but I had no choice but to get up because I was the boss, responsible for leading the company and ensuring its operations ran smoothly. People may believe that being the boss is cool because you get to select what to do and what not to do, but I know firsthand how difficult it is. You have to consider several tasks, such as upcoming meetings, deadlines, and employee schedules at the company, even before you wake up. To ensure you don't overlook anything crucial for your business, you have to create a to-do list each day. While it can be exhausting, the sense of fulfillment it brings is unparalleled.

I get up, thinking about an approaching collaboration with other companies. After freshening up, I get down and make my way towards the hall. I notice my mother deep in conversation with someone on the phone. After a while of listening, I realized it was Nazma Khala, my mother's one and only cute sister. She is the most outgoing relative that I have come across. There are moments when I genuinely wonder if she is my Nani's daughter. Her vibrant personality can brighten any space. While my mother is not a closed-off person, my khala is on a different level. That is why she is our favorite, and I am fully aware that this conversation will take a long time. I head to the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs for myself before starting the day. After that, I packed myself a lunch. It's not like my company doesn't provide lunch, but getting to the canteen takes a long time, and I find it uncomfortable to eat there. I don't go there because I worry that my staff will choke on their food. They get to gossip about everything during that time, so I'm being a good boss and not taking away their freedom to gossip.

When I get to the garage after packing, I see my younger sister, Ifra, struggling to close the car's trunk. She has a ton of documents and things in her hands. I took a couple of items out of her hands and gave her some assistance. She gives me a thank you and looks at me with a pleading expression in her wide eyes. I am aware that she is experiencing yet another issue, and she is asking for my assistance. I understand that I must ignore it because if I take pity, I will undoubtedly be stranded somewhere, so I move as quickly as possible to my car. All I can think is, before she opens her mouth, just get the hell out of here. I hear footsteps following closely behind me, moving quickly. When I open the door and prepare to sit, the hem of my shirt ends up trapped. I turned around and gave my sister a stern look. She pointed to my car, and I recognized it immediately, knowing it was part of her daily routine to ask for rides to the university when her car was unavailable. I disregard it and prepare to leave, but she speaks. I know what's coming, but I can't leave since she's grabbing my shirt tightly. "Bhai, please drop me off at the university," she asks. My car broke down, and I have a crucial assignment to turn in, so I'm running late. She is giving me the puppy eyes, a very well-thought-out weapon to soften me. I let out a big exhale and gestured to the door because I knew that refusing her wouldn't solve anything, and arguing with her to take a cab would be futile.

We enter the vehicle and fasten our seat belts. I have to drive a considerable distance now because the university is in the opposite direction from my office. I'm positive I won't be able to get there in time. My only goal was to get to the company early so I could take care of some pressing matters. I gave up my valuable sleep to accomplish that, but things were not going as planned. At nine, I arrive at my company and head for the office. As soon as I got there, I noticed my assistant browsing through some files, appearing rather concerned. I wanted to ask, but I hesitated because I realized it would be embarrassing if he didn't feel comfortable answering. I head into my cabin and get to work on the project. As I was working on something, there was a knock. I give the individual the go-ahead to enter as I notice my assistant arriving with files. He has a frown on his face. It has to be something serious; I suppose. When I inquired, he informed me, "Sir, there is a significant issue with the deal with Skape Company. They are requesting a revision in the pricing terms, which may require us to renegotiate the agreement." I knew it was time to overwork when I heard it because my head began to hurt. Oh God, why am I experiencing this? My day has gone from a little rough to utterly devastated. All of this strain causes me to grimace all day, and then my staff spreads claims about how unhappy I am every day, giving the impression that I am an awful guy. How can I still be happy even after giving this deal my all and having to put in extra hours of work?

I got to know that the marketing team messed up so I ended up scolding loudly. Here presents yet another chance for my employees to label me as the grumpiest boss. I am well familiar with all of the designations I have been given throughout this company. I hear every possible gossip from my best friend Rahil. My friend is a social butterfly so no gossip ever leaves his ear. To be honest, I'm grateful to him since he helps me understand how my coworkers see me, but occasionally it gives me the jitters when my friend talks about how some coworkers have a crush on me and would want to be my girlfriend. He playfully teases me with weird nicknames such as 'Mr. Perfectionist' which is given by my employees.