Tug, turn, thud.. a lovestory

Fallen

"Ouch" a thud on a wood and files fall off my desk. 

Did I just hear a girl's voice?

I had stormed into my office to take an important call and hadn't paid attention to anyone's presence. Who dared to come into my cabin without my permission, without my presence. WHAT THE...

Someone in a bright red thing is still hiding under my desk. This is ridiculous. "Come out", I roar, "I can see you, you know."

Such childish behavior, she is still not coming out. WHAT THE HEL... 

My words caught in my throat for second time today as I bent to look at the erring person.

 It's HER. AGAIN. Here of all the places. Does she have a death wish!

I pull her up holding her wrist and wrung her around. Oh I'm delirious.

"Are you following me? Girls like you show their true colors ultimately. You won't mend your ways right. And who the hell even let you enter my cabin?" pointing my finger I step towards her.

But I immediately fall back when she pounces forward.

"I'm following you? What do you even think of yourself Mr. Raizada. You have not purchased the entire Delhi. And what did you say, your cabin? This is ASR's cabin. My boss's boss. And you.. ", she stops mid sentence with widened eyes as she connects the dots.

A..S..R. means.. Arnav Singh Raizada, she thinks out loud.

I cross my arms and watch her with amused eyes. The way she uttered my name seems to flare something inside me. I swallow involuntarily.

She shuffles on her feet and I can sense the fear spreading in her eyes. She quickly pushes it back and thrusts a paper in my face. "Yeah so, you could be the great ASR, but Lavanyaji gave me this job. And I just need your signatures.."

How dare she speak to me in that tone. Is she kidding me? I walk towards her intimidatingly. I need to really show her her place. "I'm the boss of this company. Even a leaf doesn't dare to sway without my permission."

She steps back not so sure anymore as I move forward and suddenly she loses her balance about to fall off the balcony. I catch her hand in time. 

"And now your destiny is also in my hand.." Amusement enters my eyes as this so proves my point. "Bolo, chhod du?" [Shall I leave your hand?]

I study her as she judges my intention. She turns around to look at people watching her. She thinks I won't as I'm answerable to them and care about what they think. 

"Aapki itni himmat nhi hai", she dares me. [You wouldn't dare..]

Oh she couldn't be more wrong about this.

I am ASR. I'm answerable to no one. Anyone who challenges ASR is bound to lose.

I open my hand and down she goes.. Fresh paint splatters on her face and body. She was a picture of humiliation. That should surely teach her her place.

I don't care to admit to myself that I had known about the empty boxes kept below, and I knew she wouldn't be hurt to the bone. This was a challenge, and I had to win at all cost.

I go to my seat in triumph, smirking my half-laugh. This was a moment of celebration.

My smile is gone instantly as I hear a faint jingle of silver anklet growing loud. She's back.

She's tenacious, I'll give her that. I stand up slowly to meet her gaze. 

"Aapko kya laga, aisi ghatiya harkat karke aap jeet gaye? Nahi Mr. Raizada, asliyat me aap haar chuke hain. Aur aap haarte bhot bura hain Mr. Raizada. Aise ki aapko andaza bhi nhi." [What did you think, that using your dirty tricks you won? No Mr. Raizada, indeed you have lost. And you are such a sore loser. What's worse is you don't even know it.]

"Hume ye naukri apni kabiliyat pe mili hai. Aap to iss company k malik hai na. Hume iss naukri se nikalne k liye aapki kya wajah hai? Agar hum koi galti kare to hum khud yahan se chale jayenge, par bina kisi galti k aap hume aise bezzat karke nhi nikal sakte. [I have gotten this job due to my abilities. You own this company right? What is your reason to fire me? If I have made any mistake I will quit myself, but you can't just humiliate me and force me to leave like this ]" she puts her points.

I take a good look at her. She is covered in paint all over, a laughing stock for everyone present. This would have broken anyone's resolve. But why not her? Where is she getting this willpower to stand in front of me and ask for a job so righteously. Her visage could have been tainted but not her mind. How is she is speaking with so much bravery, so much clarity. I'm taken aback. I never expected this retort from her. I have no way to refute her points. 

But Arnav Singh Raizada is not going to back down either. This would be interesting... to test her limits, break her ego, and bring her to her knees.

"Theek hai, naukri naukri khelne ka bhot shaunk hai na tumhe. Aakhir paiso k alawa tumhe aur chahiye hi kya. Don't forget you still owe me Miss...[Okay, you want to get this job so badly right? Anyway, all you are really after is just money. Don't forget you still owe me Miss.. ]" 

"Khushi Kumari Gupta, humara poora naam [my full name]", she offers, "Theek se yad kar lijiyega. Wo kya hai na, abhi to humara offer letter bhi sign karna hai aapko [You better remember it well. Afterall, you need to sign my offer letter too]", tilting one of her eyebrows, testing my patience further. 

I call my secratary to prepare a new offer letter for her including a contract. "If I ask you leave first, I'll pay you 1 lakh, but if you leave this company before the contract is over you owe us 1 lakh. This contract is valid for 90 days".

"Those are my terms. Take it or leave it. " I walk towards her knowing full well that I am winning it either way. 

She stood her ground. This time she doesn't go back. Interesting..

She thinks for a moment and signs the papers. She pushes her hand forward to shake my hand.

She is full of surprises. I take her hand and notice her grip is not so bad.

I feel a rush of adrenaline. Oh this will be too interesting.

I tug her close and bend to whisper in her ears, "Welcome to hell Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta.."

She takes deep breathes.

*****

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