Forgotten Fires

Chapter 5

"No way," I thought, feeling my frustration building. *I will not work under him.* I could barely stand being around Reyan for more than a second, let alone take orders from him. I was about to tell my dad "no" when something in me snapped. *No,* I decided. *I’ll work for him, and I’ll show him exactly what a mistake he’s made.* 

I took a deep breath, forced a smile, and looked at my dad. "Dad, I agree, but first, you should ask Reyan if he and his girlfriend will allow me to work under him," I said sarcastically, pointing toward Reyan.

My dad raised an eyebrow, glancing between me and Reyan. "What about you, Reyan?" he asked, his voice calm but curious.

Reyan didn’t react to my jab. His face was completely neutral as he replied, "Yes, Uncle, for sure. Work is work, and personal life is personal life. I don’t mix the two."

I leaned back in my chair, smiling just a little. "See, Dad? No problem at all."

My dad nodded, clearly satisfied. "Alright then, it’s settled. You’ll start at Vijay uncle’s company next week."

Despite everything, I felt a surge of determination. This was just the beginning, and I was going to make sure Reyan knew exactly what I was capable of.

"Aarini, you should start working from today," Vijay uncle said, his voice firm yet encouraging.

He then turned to Reyan. "Reyan, keep special care of her and make sure she understands the work," Vijay uncle added, looking at him expectantly.

Reyan nodded, his face unreadable. "I respect you both, but I can’t give someone special treatment just because I know them," he said in his usual cold tone. "As I told you before, work is work, and personal life is personal. I’ll treat her just like I treat everyone else."

His words struck me like ice, and I could feel my frustration building.

My dad, clearly pleased with Reyan's response, smiled. "That’s what I like about you, Reyan. You should learn these things from him, Aarini," my dad said with a tone of approval.

I stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in. *No, Dad,* I thought to myself. *I can’t obey you on this. I can’t be like him.*

"Dad, why don't I join Aarini?" Kavya asked, turning to Ajay uncle with a knowing smile. "I’ll also get some experience before taking over your business."

Ajay uncle looked at her, nodding thoughtfully. "Yes, if you want to, you can," he said, a smile forming on his face. He was always so easygoing, and Kavya knew how to get him to agree to almost anything.

*Of course she will,* I thought to myself with a touch of bitterness. *How can she leave her boyfriend with me? Insecurity will start to creep in, and she won’t be able to resist staying close.*

I felt a sharp pang of frustration, but I quickly shoved it aside. I wasn’t going to let Kavya’s typical antics get under my skin from now on. *No problem,* I told myself, trying to calm down. *I used to be a good person—a really good person. Soft-hearted, less speaking, always sweet. But now...*

The thought lingered in my mind as I glanced at Kavya, her smile too confident for my liking. *Now, you’ll see my other side.*

After breakfast, I walked outside and noticed Kavya and Reyan standing by the driveway, clearly waiting for their car.

Kavya flashed her usual fake smile and said, "Hey Aarini, why don't you come with us to the office? We’re heading to the same place anyway." Her words were sweet, but I could feel the sarcasm lurking beneath the surface, like she was trying to pull some strings.