When Disaster Meets Perfection

Ch-20 Breaking News

Ishana's eyes widened in shock, and she choked on her water, sputtering out a series of frantic questions. "What the hell, Annika! Are you sure you're pregnant? Did you take a pregnancy test? Who's the father? Have you told him? What's he going to do? When did you meet him? Do I know him too? When did you two...you know...do the deed? I can't believe you're going to be a mother! I'll be the maasi of that child! Don't worry, I'll take care of you and the baby. I'll tell your parents too. They'll be angry at first, but they'll come around eventually. I still can't believe it...Congratulations, Annika...you're going to be a mom!"

Ishana's words tumbled out in a chaotic mix of shock, excitement, and concern, as she struggled to process the news. She reached out to Annika, offering a supportive hug, even as her mind reeled with the implications of Annika's revelation. Despite the initial shock, Ishana's maternal instincts kicked in, and she vowed to stand by Annika and her unborn child, no matter what lay ahead.

Annika broke free from the hug, her hands raised in a calming gesture. "Ishu, calm down and let me finish. I said I might be pregnant, but I don't know who the father is. I don't even know the person I slept with."

Ishana's eyes widened in shock, her voice laced with disbelief. "What? You don't know the person? Did you have a one-night stand? Oh my god, girl, you've become naughty! You always told me not to have one-night stands, and here you go doing it! Okay, tell me, when did this happen?"

Annika's face contorted in distress as she recounted the events. "Yesterday, after beating Vishal, someone carried me in their arms, and when I woke up this morning, I found myself in an unknown hotel room, wearing a man's shirt. Oh my god, Ishana, what have I done? How will I face my parents?"

Ishana's expression transformed from shock to exasperation as she listened to Annika's tale. She face-palmed herself, shaking her head. "Oh my god, Annika, I don't know what to say. How can you even think such things? I don't have words. You're not pregnant, nor did you sleep with someone. This is just a product of your wild imagination and hangover."

Annika's face twisted in confusion and anger, "What do you mean I'm imagining the scenario? I know what I experienced!"

Ishana sighed, her voice calm and soothing, "Annika, calm down first. Let me explain what happened. After beating Vishal, someone carried you and brought you to the room I had booked. You were with me the whole night, we slept in the same bed. At midnight, you woke me up asking for water. I told you it was in the small fridge, but in your hangover daze, you grabbed the wine instead and started drinking again."

Annika's eyes widened as Ishana continued, "I snatched the bottle from you and sent you to the washroom to get drenched in cold water to sober you up. You got in the shower without even removing your clothes! Then, I found a shirt in your bag and forced you to wear it, but you behaved like a child, throwing your clothes all over the place."

Annika's expression transformed from anger to relief as she listened to Ishana's account. She let out a deep sigh, feeling a mix of emotions. Suddenly, she picked up a cushion and playfully beat Ishana with it, "How could you leave me there alone without saying anything? You have no idea how I felt when I woke up!"

Ishana laughed, holding up her hands in defense, "I left a note, Annika! I wrote that I had gone home and you should come too. I didn't think you'd wake up in such a state! And you would imagine such a thing!"

Annika's curiosity persisted, "Okay, fine. But tell me, who was the person who carried me in his arms?"

Ishana was about to respond when her phone rang, interrupting their conversation. She glanced at the caller ID and apologized, "Sorry, Annika, it's urgent. I need to take this."

Ishana stepped away to answer the call, her voice hushed as she spoke to the person on the other end. After a few minutes, she returned, looking concerned. "Annika, I'm so sorry, but I have to go. There's been a mishap at the site, and I need to go figure it out. I'll be back in a few hours. You rest till then, okay?"

Annika nodded, still wondering about the mysterious person who had carried her, but Ishana's sudden departure left her with more questions than answers.

Annika watched as Ishana hastily gathered her things and rushed out the door, feeling a mix of confusion and concern. She was still trying to process the events of the previous night, and now Ishana was leaving her alone to deal with the aftermath.

As the door closed behind Ishana, Annika felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. She collapsed onto the couch, her mind racing with unanswered questions. Who was the mysterious person who carried her? Did she know him? How did he find her? Was he a witness to her argument with Vishal and the subsequent beating? What must he think of her?

The questions swirled in her mind like a vortex, refusing to let her focus. Before she knew it, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep.

Her slumber was short-lived, as the ringing of her phone jolted her awake. She rubbed her eyes, disoriented, and saw Ruhi's name flashing on the screen. She looked around for Ishana, but she was still nowhere to be found.

Annika answered the call, and Ruhi's voice filled the line, inquiring about her well-being. "Hey, Annika! How are you now?"

Annika replied, "I'm fine, Ruhi. How about you all? I'm sorry if you all faced any problems because of my drunken state yesterday."

Ruhi reassured her, "We're all good, thanks to you, Annika. And we didn't face any problems. You did a great job beating that Vishal."

Annika's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Vishal needed that beating. But how is he now? Did others know that I beat him? What did he tell the media about his condition?"

Ruhi filled her in on the latest developments. "Vishal is still hospitalized and will need a few months of bed rest. He told the media that he was in an accident. And there is one breaking news!"

Annika's interest was piqued, and she asked, "What's the breaking news, Ruhi?"

Ruhi's voice turned grave, delivering the shocking news. "In his absence, Tanya will take charge of the company."

Annika's eyes grew wide with astonishment, struggling to wrap her head around the idea of Tanya at the helm.

But Ruhi wasn't finished yet. Her voice remained somber, dropping another bombshell. "And get this - Tanya has already announced that our team will be dissolved starting Monday. We'll either be reassigned to different teams or forced to resign."

Annika's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she grappled with the magnitude of Ruhi's words. The team she had worked so hard with, the people she considered friends, would be torn apart in a matter of days. The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Ruhi's voice was laced with determination. "We've decided to hand in our resignations. With Vishal away, it's the perfect opportunity. Sneha, Virat, Siddharth, and I are all on board. Tanya has no idea about the resignation policy, so it should be a smooth process."

Annika listened intently, her mind reeling with the implications. She was still trying to process her own situation, and now her colleagues were facing a major upheaval. She couldn't help but wonder what the future held for all of them.

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