The Billionaire's Claim

6

Nishtha firmly tucked away the meeting incident at the back of her mind, refusing to let herself dwell on it. She would lift the lid on it only in the sanctuary of her home. Until then, she would act as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. She had just met a prospective client, and that was all there was to it.

She submerged herself in paperwork, letting the hum of office activity envelop her. The evening came tumbling down sooner than she expected. Usually, she would be upbeat about leaving with Mr. Sehgal. But tonight, she dreaded it. She knew she would be taken to task by her Netu Maa aka Mrs. Sehgal.

She decided to take her own car instead of going with Mr. Sehgal. She needed that prep time for the upcoming interrogation session that she will be subjected to. Ten minutes later she reached the suburbs leaving the hustle and bustle of the city behind.

Mr. sehgal's mansion came into the view. Even the high wall boundary couldn't conceal its magestic view. But what she loved about this house more than its view was it's huge garden and more than that the warmth which the people resided in it emitted.

The gaurd didn't stop her as they all know her as a family member.
She parked her car and walked up to the entrance but surprisingly Mr.Sehgal was awaiting her at the doorstep.

He gave her a much needed warm hug. No words were needed between them. This simple gesture was a conversation in itself.

"Forget about the day and relax." She returned his tight hug and took a long breath of courage.

Pulling back she gave him a warm smile. And both proceeded to enter the house with his arm wraped around her shoulder in love and support.

" By the way little minx be prepared for what's about come at you." She groaned out loud making him chuckle.

They walked straight to the dinning room. There sat Mrs. Seghal regally, back resting against the chair hands crossed across her chest awaiting for there arrival.

Oh oh. This pose meant only one thing for her that Neetu Maa is very upset with her. Or else she would has been waiting at the entrance to greet her and take her into a bone crushing hug. How such tiny delicate creature has that much strength and energy was still a mystery to her.

Nishtha cleared her throat, placed a beaming smile on her lips and took tentative steps towards her.

Seeing no chance of her melting. Nishtha bit her lips to hold in her chuckle at the sulking cute face of her Nitu Maa. How she wanted to pull her cheeks. But she controlled the urge as it was not the right time to spark the fire.

She bend down cheekily and gave her a loud kiss on the cheek, murmuring a quiet sorry and I love you.

Mrs. Sehgal suppressed her smile and cleared her throat.

" Don't think you are off the hook young lady. Fir now have a seat I've been waiting for you lot for an hour."
Mr. Sehgal and Nishtha quickly settle down not to ire her more.

Dinner began with silence, each clink of cutlery amplified in the stillness. Mr. Sehgal tried to make small talk, but the undercurrent of tension was palpable. Nishtha felt the weight of Mrs. Sehgal's gaze on her, dissecting her every move. She knew an interrogation was imminent but she was safe till the dinner.

"How was your day, Neetu?" Mr. Sehgal asked, his voice attempting casualness but betraying an edge of curiosity.

"Same as yesterday," Mrs. Sehgal replied curtly to her husband clearly showcasing that she alis also upset with him. She turned towards Nishta chewing the cucumber with vengance. She pierced the another slice of cucumber with her fork and asked. " What about you Nishta? How was your day?"

"It was productive," she replied, forcing a smile. "I managed to get through most of the reports which were pending from last week."

Mrs. Sehgal set down her fork, the metal clinking sharply against the plate. "Productive, you say? I heard you had an important meeting today."

Nishtha's heart skipped a beat. "Yes, it was just with a prospective client," she said, keeping her tone even.

"Just a client?" Mrs. Sehgal's eyebrows arched, her tone dripping with skepticism. "It must have been quite the meeting for you to look so... frazzled."

Nishtha swallowed hard.How can she forget even though her Maa wasn't working with them she still had her loyal spies. "It went well. We discussed some potential collaborations. Nothing out of the ordinary." She replied clearing her throat.

Mrs. Sehgal leaned back in her chair, studying Nishtha with a piercing gaze. "I see. I hope you're not hiding anything from us, Nishtha. After all, we're like family, aren't we?"

Mr. Sehgal intervened, sensing the rising tension. "Let's not make a big deal out of it. Nishtha works hard, and she deserves our trust."

The tension somewhat dissipated, replaced by a veneer of normalcy. But Nishtha knew better. The questions were coming, and she needed to be prepared.

After dinner, they moved to the living room, a cozy space adorned with family photographs and soft lighting. Nishtha sat on the plush sofa, trying to relax as she sipped on her tea. Mrs. Sehgal sat opposite her, still watching her with an unwavering gaze.

"So, Nishtha," Mrs. Sehgal began, her voice deceptively sweet, "tell me more about this client. What's their business about?"

Nishtha took a deep breath. "This new client is venturing into new vertical and they have initiated it with an philanthropic angle. They had some bad publicity due, so they now want good PR."

Mrs. Sehgal's lips curved into a thin smile. "I see. Well, I hope it all works out. You know how much we value transparency in this house."

Nishtha nodded, her veiled threat was duly noted. "Of course, Netu Maa."

Mr. Sehgal glanced at his watch. "It's getting late. Nishtha, why don't you stay over tonight? It's been a long day, and you could use the rest."

Nishtha hesitated for a moment, but one look at Maa she quickly replied. "Thank you, that would be nice."

"Good," Mrs. Sehgal said, her tone softer now. "I'll have the guest room prepared for you."

As the night progressed, the atmosphere grew more relaxed. They chatted about lighter topics, and Nishtha made an effort to engage more, hoping to placate Mrs. Sehgal. Eventually, Mr. Sehgal excused himself, leaving the two women alone.

"Nishtha, Baccha," Mrs. Sehgal said, in her most affectionate tone which compel you to lay all your troubles in her feet, "I know you work very hard, and we appreciate it. But remember, we are here for you. If there's anything you need to talk about, anything at all, you can come to me."

"Thank you, Netu Maa. I will," Nishtha replied, her heart melting. She knew she had to be cautious, but she also had to play facade of being resilient as usual. She leaned forward and laid her head on her lap.

" Don't worry.If there will be something I'll come to you. Who else do I have other than you to go to." Her eyes misting.

In response to her Mrs. Sehgal bent down and placed a loving kiss on her forehead and started running her fingers in her caramel brown messy curls.

After some more pleasantries, Nishtha excused herself to the guest room. As she lay in bed, her mind raced, replaying the day's events and Mrs. Sehgal's probing questions. She knew she had to be even more careful with her emotions. The web of secrets was growing tighter, and she had to navigate it without faltering.

.........

Hope it was okay to read.....