ᴇx-ʙᴏʏʀꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ɴᴇxᴛ ʜᴜꜱʙᴀɴᴅ

Chapter 8

To be shock was an understatement, for both of the people currently standing face to face after 4 years.

Nishtha had gotten to office late and was afraid of setting a bad impression on the first day. She had hurried everything up and was ready to welcome her two bosses. When she turned and found the one face that used to be her peace, her home and now the reason for her tears standing in front of her, she froze.

"Nishtha, meet Yuvaan. CEO of YUVA, the joint venture's other member." Mr Rupert said, and then he turned to him, "Yuvaan, meet Nishtha, our latest Data Engineer."

Yuvaan stared at the girl in front of his eyes. The girl whose shoulder he has cried on, the girl who has seen the best and worst of him, the girl who used to be his peace and now the reason for him to lose his sleep. He didn't know what to think.

"Ahem." Mr Rupert cleared the air.
Nishtha and Yuvaan both looked away from each other and Nishtha quickly replaced her pained face with a smile.
Yuvaan noticed that. He quickly took his hand out and greeted her, "Hi."
She looked at him and then took her hand out slowly and touched it with his quickly, "H..Hi."

They didn't realize how they he yearned for each other's touch. It had been 4 years.
She pulled away quickly.

"Nishtha, you can get started." Rupert said.
Nishtha nodded and turned to look away. She was battling her demons alone, and now she was facing her biggest fear. Him.

The man who hated her guts.
The man who she claimed to hate.

She recalled her last words to him, 4 years ago:
"Fine, if that's what your decision is, go then."

She composed herself.
Just present, and go home Nishu.

She took a deep breath and turned around to look at everyone. She noticed her phone buzz and her Aai Baba's picture on her wallpaper gave her the strength she needed. She smiled and then started presenting.

Meanwhile Yuvaan was not at all focusing on what she was saying. Deep down he knew that she would be smart and wise in her work.

He noticed her. After 4 years. In front of him.
She had matured into a beautiful lady, miles away from the 21 year old he knew and dated.

Her hair had now grown till almost her waist, with highlights of a tint of caramel and brown. She got a nose ring.
Ugh that added to her sexiness.
Her body had become way more curvy, and she wasn't doing a good job hiding those curves.

He tried to hate her. He claimed to hate her his whole life. That was his last words to her.

"I hate you Nishtha Yadav. I'll always hate you."
He had said, 4 years back, leaving her alone.

His words suddenly felt like a prick in his own heart after seeing her in front of him again. He somehow seemed to forget what she did, and what she had said to him.

His thought was burst when he heard a bunch of applauses. He looked to see her smiling and folding her hands in gratitude, looking up.
She's done.

"Well, Yuvaan, what do you think?" Rupert said.
Yuvaan didn't even listen to whatever she said. He looked at her, who didn't meet his eyes, and then looked back at Rupert, "it's good."

She was shocked. She was ready to be rejected. The minute she saw Yuvaan, she was sure she was going to be rejected. She still delivered the presentation because it was her duty to her job.

"So....?" Rupert asked.
"She can lead. I don't mind. Nothing changes." He said quickly and got up.

He saw Nishtha's muscles relaxing. He knew she was stressed. She relaxed and he didn't realize his own shoulders relaxed too. He saw her start packing her stuff into her bags.
Why won't she look here?!
Everyone started to leave the room, leaving just him, her and Rupert. He walked to them.

"Excellent...." He said, looking at her.
She felt scared seeing him this close. She wanted to leave, but here she was.
Yuvaan looked at Rupert, "We can get started whenever her contract starts. Till then, have a relaxed break Ms...." He looked at her.
She was still not looking at him.
It was annoying him.
"Nishtha." She finished his sentence.

She noticed him. He had grown at least an inch, and maybe it's his muscles which had grown too, which added a more demanding aura to him. His stubble was sharp. His suit was elegant. He screamed royalty. He had definitely grown.

"I... I'll leave now. Thank you." She said.
"Wait." Rupert said, "where do you need to go?"
"Sorry?"
"Which area?"
"Caster Colony" they said in unison.
Her eyes widened. He remembers?
"Yuvaan.... How do you know?" Rupert asked.
"I do my research for a potential employee."
"That's nice." Rupert said, "you might not find a cab right now, there's a lot of traffic and strike. Would you mind if I dropped you?"

Yuvaan felt his jaw clenching. He didn't want her to sit in a car of another man.

"I'll drop her." Yuvaan said, "I'm going there."
She looked at him in shock. His eyes met hers.
"N...No I'll... I'll go." She argued.
"Nonsense." Rupert said, "Yuvaan, don't worry, I am sure you have your work to get to. I'll take her. Nishtha, come."
Nishtha quickly nodded and hurried up. She'd rather sit in a car with Rupert than her ex-boyfriend.

She got her stuff and left the room with Rupert, leaving a furious Yuvaan behind.

"You made a mistake coming back Nishtha."

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