𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝

iv

•| the day after |•

Agastya

The pounding headache is what woke me up so damn early in the morning. Peeking around I see the morning light filtering through the white curtains. My laptop lies open beside me. I had spent the night in the guest room, far away from my new husband. If Papa gets a whiff of things then he will be on my case, so I get up and go to my room unnoticed except for some servants.

Kedar is still sleeping when I enter the room. I quickly freshen up and go to breakfast without making much fuss. I don't have any desire to face him or my family.

Vikram is present when I get to the office. He doesn't bother to hide his surprise much like every employee I encountered on my way here. But thankfully refrains from questioning me.

"Did Mr. Shashtri call?" Going through the files I ask him only to be met with silence.

"Spit it out, Vikram." I sigh.

He seemed reluctant to give me an answer which was uncharacteristic of him, to disobey me so openly. I stare at him intently while he shuffles like a child caught in trouble. "Mr. Chauhan said not to give you any work on your first day after marriage." After a few minutes of intimidation he spits out.

It irks me in all the wrong ways. Why should I change my routine just because I am married? And Papa doesn't have any say in when or where I should work. And I know as much as Vikram knows he is subordinate to Papa and has to listen to his orders.

"I don't care Vikram, you will call Mr. Shashtri and tell him to meet me here by 8 o'clock. Understood?" He nods and escapes from the office.

I call Papa the instant Vikram is out of the office. It rings for a minute before he picks up.

Before he could get a word out I said, "I married an unknown man on your insistence. I married the guy because you wanted to expand our business and my part in this farce ends here. You do not get to order me around on what I do with my husband."

His defeated sigh could be heard from the other side along with a shuffling noise. "Beta he is new here, as his husband you should be the one with him making himself comfortable in his new home-"

"I don't care about his comfort or him. What I care about is my work and you will let me do it without any interruptions. And one more thing Vikram is my assistant, not yours and don't involve him in your idiotic plans." I cut the call before he can reply.

How dare he think, I will sit and entertain this unknown man just because we are bound in a contract?

I throw the phone at the door when it opens. Vikram's head pops up from the gap, a frown adoring his face. He goes back closing the door before anyone could see my meltdown. He comes back with Mr. Shashtri when I am sure I could control myself.

Mr. Shashtri is a middle aged man who had worked alongside Papa as a mere accountant, but now he is one of the most important people on our advisory board.

His years and years of experience has guided and molded me in ways no one could.

"Congratulations sir. I didn't know you would come in for work today." He says.

"It was a misunderstanding. I wouldn't take time off when we are working on an important project like this." He nods.

The project at hand is about a partnership with Rajawat Industries. They will supply us with materials needed for the building of our next hotel. Our 15th one, right in the heart of Mumbai. Also with the supply comes their partnership on the hotel.