The billionaire deal

Part 2

The Big Showdown

Kabir Mittal was with one of his contractor's, Jim , as they wandered around the empty house he had recently purchased, inspecting it and taking notes of the things they intended to remove and save before they finally demolished the place.

Kabir had come to realize the good thing about these old Victorian houses, as dilapidated and run down as they were, that they had some nice features and fixtures still remaining that could be reused in other projects.

He liked to think it was his way doing his bit for recycling.

There were a few bits and pieces he would take from this house, including the old fire surrounds. Satisfied they had seen all he needed, he and Jim decided they had finished for the day. Kabir wanted to get away. He had a meeting to attend in a few hours time, and it would be over an hour's drive to get there.

Kabir was just closing the front door behind him, when he heard the female derisive tone,

"Well look, if it isn't the vultures moving in to pick at the bones of the carcass!"

Kabir turned and found himself staring into a pair of hostile hazel eyes, that narrowed at him. They were set in a pale oval face, which belonged to the slim young woman standing a few yards from him.

Her straight auburn hair was pulled back in a tight pony tail and she was dressed for the weather, in dark jeans and a short parka jacket in a green colour that almost matched her stormy eyes.

Her hands were shoved in the pockets of the jacket, and her stance almost challenging as she eyed him up and down.

Standing just a little bit behind her was another woman who was seemed a lot older, she had a mass of frizzy grey hair; but seemed more anxious and uneasy than her younger companion, as if she didn't really want to be there at all

Kabir found he was momentarily taken aback by their unexpected appearance, along with the fact the younger woman wasn't exactly addressing him in the most respectful tone.

Although she was probably setting out to be deliberately offensive, he realised much to his surprise, he wasn't in the least offended. Instead he was curious, and a little intrigued by the nerve she was displaying in approaching him in such a manner

So he responded by smiling at her somewhat placating, "I am sorry, I take it you are talking about us?" he then queried mildly,

It had the desired affect; she was now the one found she was thrown off guard by his easy response, she had somehow expected him to be more unpleasant to her

It made her shift out her own confronting stance, lowering her eyes from his face. She then momentarily glanced around at the older woman just standing behind her, as if now uncertain how to reply.

But now recovering swiftly, she turned back to him, her hazel eyes meeting his again.

"You are Kabir Mittal, the big property developer?" she asked, her tone still mocking, "I was beginning to think you didn't really exist except by name; you are almost impossible to reach, by phone or visits, unless you are tracked down, as we have finally manage to do now."

Kabir found himself taking a step towards her, and cocking his head to the side slightly, his brown eyes now scrutinizing the young woman with a slight surprise, as his eyebrows rose questioningly, "You have been trying to get a hold of me? Do I know you?"

"No, not exactly," she shifted uncertainly again before speaking further, "My name is Pooja Sharma, and this is my friend Mandira; she runs the women's Refuge. 'Haven,' where I also help out. You have bought the property, and intend to knock it down. We have been trying to get a meeting with you to explain the difficult situation that it has put us in"