Poles Apart

Chapter Twenty

I raise my eyes from my book to look at Karthik, who keeps throwing hesitant glances at me every few seconds.

"What is it, Karthik Anna?" I ask him when he catches my gaze and quickly looks down at his laptop.

I had asked him what he wanted when he came to work down here, instead of his room or his study, where he usually works. He gave me bullshit about wanting a change and choosing to sit in the living room, because of the weather.

He looks at me again and shakes his head quickly. "I was wondering which book you were reading," he offers a lame excuse.

"You asked me that when you first came down," I remind him.

"Oh," he realises. "I must've forgotten. Which book are you reading?" he asks again.

I roll my eyes at him. "Are you done?" I call his pretence. "You tell me what you came down here for," I demand.

He sighs and puts his laptop on his side. "Well, there is something that I need to tell you," he says like I didn't know.

"Oh?" I act surprised, putting my book down as I mirror his posture with my elbows resting on my thighs, and my hands clasped together. "And what would that be?" Are they moving the wedding date three months closer? If they were, I know they wouldn't tell me.

He frowns at me, looking between himself and me until he realises I'm imitating him. When he does, he rolls his eyes at me before falling back onto the backrest. "The company has appointed a bodyguard for you."

That, I hadn't expected. "Why would I need a bodyguard?" I ask him, puzzled at the proposition.

"The Board meeting to vote the next CEO is coming up," he says slowly, "And you still haven't given an interview after coming back. You're on the board of directors of a public company the media expects a statement from you. A bodyguard will essentially help you if and when you're caught unguarded."

"I could give an interview tomorrow. I don't need a bodyguard for that," I try to show him the ridiculousness of the situation.

"You will give an interview on Wednesday your PA will share the details with you."

What am I supposed to ask about, first? The PA that I didn't know existed or the interview that has just come to my attention?

"I don't have a PA," I say promptly. "I don't remember having appointed one for myself."

"Because you haven't appointed one," Karthik points out.

I raise my eyebrows at him, not knowing where he was going with this. "Don't speak to me in riddles, Karthik."

"I'm saying," Karthik starts with a smirk. "You better get yourself a PA before Wednesday because they'll have to tell you about your interview timings."

"I'm getting a PA?" I ask him. Why hadn't I seen this coming, either?

He shrugs, but the widening smirk on his face says it all. "Keep your morning free tomorrow you have recruitment interviews lined up. They've all already cleared the HR round, so you only focus on hiring someone that's right for you. Alright?"

"Alright," I affirm with a nod. Karthik stands up to go away when I remember the first thing he brought up.

"Karthik!" Karthik stills in his tracks, knowing he got caught. The bad news first and then the good news, deliver it and leave before they realise.

Gosh! I must be out of my mind. I'm getting tricked by Karthik now! He steered the topic from my bodyguard to an interview and a PA, and I didn't even see it.