Destiny: Time To Fall In Love

Chapter 16 - The Unspoken Melody

Aashi's POV

A month has flown by since the night of the Wilsons' party.

If someone had told me a few months ago that I'd be BFFs with the HR Head of a billion-dollar company, I would have told them to check their head. But Mahi and I are closer than ever. It's like I found a second Richa here; we share everything, from office gossip to our deepest secrets.

Even my relationship with Vikram and Veer Sir has shifted. The stiff, cold hierarchy has melted into something that feels more like a friendship. They don't just look at me as a "clumsy employee" anymore; they look at me as someone who belongs.

I was sitting in the cafeteria, enjoying my favorite cold coffee and enjoying a moment of peace, when my phone buzzed. It was Veer.

"Miss Malhotra, please come to my office as soon as possible," he said. His voice wasn't angry, but it had a certain weight to it.

I finished my coffee in a gulp and headed up.

Inside the CEO's Cabin

"You asked for me, Mr. Maheshwari?" I asked, stepping into the sleek, glass-walled office.

Veer looked up from his papers. "Yes, Aashi. Are you free this Friday? There's an important meeting of mine, and I need you to accompany me."

I blinked, confused. "Yes, Sir, I'm free... but doesn't Vikram Sir usually go with you? I'm not your secretary, and I don't really know anything about high-level business negotiations." I shrugged my shoulders, feeling a bit out of my depth.

Veer stood up and walked around his desk. He looked at me with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.

"Believe me, Aashi," he said, his voice dropping into a tone of pure urgency. "There's something only you can help with. That's why I need you there. I can't trust anyone else on this."

The word 'trust' echoed in my mind. For a man who had told me a month ago that he didn't trust anyone in the business world, this was huge. He wasn't asking for a perfume expert; he was asking for me.

"Okay then," I said, giving him a small, supportive smile. "I'll accompany you."

"Thank you, Aashi," he breathed out, sounding genuinely relieved.

I left his office with my mind racing. What kind of meeting was this? And why was I the only one who could help? I felt a mix of excitement and a tiny bit of fear. Whatever was coming on Friday, it was clear that the "Walking Hurricane" was about to be upgraded to a "Confidante."

"Manali? Wow!"

I couldn't hide the excitement in my voice. I had told Mom that I was heading out for a business trip and might not return today, though I didn't realize we were going to my favorite hill station.

"My client mostly stays abroad," Veer explained, glancing at me as he steered the car onto the highway. "So whenever he visits India, he prefers the peace of his estate in Manali. It's the only place he'll agree to meet."

I made an "O" shape with my mouth, finally understanding the mystery. The city began to fade away, replaced by greener trees and the promise of mountain air. I was staring out the window, mesmerized by the changing scenery, when my eyes caught something bright and colorful in the distance.

"Wow... an amusement park!" I whispered, almost to myself. My eyes lit up as I watched the giant ferris wheel spinning against the blue sky.

"You like amusement parks, Miss Malhotra?" Veer asked, noticing my sudden distraction.

"I love them!" I turned to him, my eyes wide. "Don't you like them, Mr. Maheshwari? The rides, the cotton candy, the adrenaline—it's the best!"

Veer was silent for a moment, a thoughtful shadow crossing his face. "I don't know. I was ten when I last went to an amusement park."