Eternal Devotion

CHAPTER 07

AUTHOR POV

Vikramaditya paced back and forth in his room, consumed by thoughts of Agnira's proposal. His family had set a deadline for his decision by the end of the upcoming weekend, leaving him restless and anxious. Despite the urgency weighing on him, a cold nervousness gripped him inexplicably.

The idea of Agnira, his secretary, potentially evolving into more than just an employee sparked a multitude of thoughts in his mind, overwhelming him with the emotional implications.

For the first time in those five years, he found himself seeing her through a different lens, one that hinted at possibilities beyond their professional relationship.

The notion of marrying her, which previously seemed distant and implausible, now felt surprisingly conceivable. This shift in perspective brought with it a mix of hope and apprehension.

However, amidst these newfound feelings, he couldn't shake the worry that his emotions might not be reciprocated or worse, that they could jeopardize the respect and admiration she held for him.

The thought of her potentially viewing his feelings as inappropriate or unwelcome gnawed at him, casting shadows over what could otherwise be a hopeful realization.

His mind wandered through scenarios where she might react with disdain or disappointment, scenarios where their comfortable rapport could be fractured irreparably.

The fear of her rejection, both of his affection and perhaps of their professional bond weighed heavily on his heart.

Yet, despite these uncertainties, he couldn't deny the depth of his emotions or the growing connection he felt with her.

The prospect of a future together beckoned tantalizingly, even as he grappled with the daunting prospect of navigating these uncharted waters without causing harm.

"What on earth am I going to do?" he wondered, contemplating his inclination to say yes to Agnira's marriage proposal as he couldn't see her getting married to someone else or would his family find a better woman than Agnira for him.

Before informing his family, he knew he must first confront Agnira and gather her feelings on him. How she viewed him or the relationship they shared was anything beyond professional for her.

TWO DAYS LATER

Vikramaditya returned to his Bangalore office after six months, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation and excitement for his presence after a long time.

His week off was over and while entering the premises, there was a palpable buzz among the employees who had eagerly awaited his return.

Some rushed to greet him with warm smiles and respectful nods, while others paused their work momentarily to catch a glimpse of their boss.

There was an air of respect and admiration as Vikramaditya made his way through the office, acknowledging his employees with a nod or a brief exchange of words.

As Vikramaditya entered his cabin, he couldn't help but notice the pristine cleanliness of his room and knew it was the efficiency of his administrative staff. However, as he settled in, he realized something crucial was absent — his daily dose of caffeine, meticulously prepared by Agnira.

Realizing Agnira wouldn't return for another week, he sighed in defeat. It was foolish of him to have granted her an extension without considering the mounting workload on his desk. He regretted letting his emotions influence his professional decisions.

He began organizing the files, methodically reviewing each one. Determined to focus and complete his tasks by the end of the day, he signed off on documents at regular intervals.

However, the increasing workload only exacerbated his headache; skipping his usual coffee break didn't help either.

Hours passed and Vikramaditya chastised himself more for messing up his schedules. Despite his memorising of the schedules his secretary sent, he had to miss a couple in the process. The consequence was a barrage of emails from the CEO and other executives, all inquiring about the delayed approval of projects and tasks.

"Sir," Vikramaditya noticed a staff member waiting by his office door and signaled for him to enter. "Come in." The man approached his desk and reminded him about the scheduled meeting with the CFO, mentioning that Mr Bharath was already waiting.

"What meeting?" Vikramaditya tried to recall any such appointment with the CFO for the day, only to realize with a sigh that he had completely forgotten about it. "I'll be there in five minutes," he responded, watching the man leave his cabin.

"If Agnira had been here", he mused to himself, he wouldn't have needed to gather details or struggle to remember the purpose of the meeting. Her absence had clearly disrupted his usual routine and oversight.

AFTERNOON (12:20 PM)

Vikramaditya was deep in concentration, sorting through a stack of reports on his desk, when he heard a knock on his door.

Assuming it was one of his staff coming to collect approved files or inquire about the missed meeting schedules, he absentmindedly signalled for them to enter and continued scanning the documents.

As the door opened, he waited for the person to convey his purpose and kept his eyes on the papers, not bothering to glance at the person standing before his desk.

"Sir," His hands stopped from marking the papers and his ears picked on the familiar voice of the woman he had been growing new emotions on. "Agnira," His eyes looked up to the woman who had exhibited a warm greeting smile at him.

"Good afternoon, Sir," a whirlpool of emotions churned within him as he beheld her. His stomach plummeted, a tumultuous mix of fear, anxiety, nervousness, and admiration flooding over him all at once.

Fear gripped him, born from the weight of his new feelings and the desire to meet expectations in her.

Anxiety flared, fueled by uncertainties and the issues that might arise upon his decision.

Nervous anticipation tingled in his veins, knowing that there is a chance she might feel uncomfortable of his turn of emotions. And admiration swelled, upon the profound beauty before him.

He realised his mind portrayed her to be something beyond than her position as his secretary. And knew he had let his thoughts messed upon his perception on Agnira.