Falling in Love - A Shivika Romance ✔

45. Seeds of Doubt

Shivaay had left by the time Dev arrived at a quarter before two. Annika did not leave the premises after Shivaay. She waited. She received Dev with a nervous smile. He, on the other hand, could not smile at all. He looked here and there. Annika mimicked his movement as she stayed confused about the same.

"What are you looking for?"

"Your husband dearest."

She sighed, "Look, I am sorry—"

Before she could continue, he stopped her by showing the front of his right palm. She did feel bad, a bit enraged as he cut her off. She stopped though, being guilty as she was for her husband's deeds.

"Where is he? I did come here at Priyanka's behest, but not to accept the job. Rather I came here out of my curiosity to know what's up about you and your husband. Your husband blindly hates people like me. You are lying to give me a job. For you, I am just a classmate. Or you can say a person who accompanied you to drink that night."

"You must know that I don't have the same principles as him."

"I know. From the time we met to the time I drove you home, you were blabbering your uber dislike about that man."

"You didn't drive me home. You drove me to a farmhouse at the outskirts of the city." For some reason, Annika felt the need to correct him. He needed not to know, but she did. She also felt the need to tell him that she did not dislike Shivaay anymore.

"I am not supposed to know if that is the address you gave me, right?"

She nodded, "Sorry. But I don't dislike him anymore. He has flaws, so do I. Then who am I to hate a person? I was wrong that night. He means no harm. And if he dislikes a certain group of people, he must have some reason. It is different that he never opened up the reasons to me. You cannot expect a boy who grew up without parents to be perfect."

He shook her head, "It's not my place to know if you like him anymore or not. And I am not even interested to know if he has a reason behind hating people like me. I don't want to work here after Mr. Oberoi's insult. I was here to know the whole matter and I sort of figured out that you lied to your husband based on Priyanka's words."

He took a few steps back before Annika spoke again, "I am giving you the job because you deserve it. If it makes you feel better, then let me say that though Shivaay is handling this business, it is under my name. I may not have the education or experience, but I have the legal age and authority to make decisions for the company," she chuckled sadly, "I never thought I would speak in such manner. It's true though. Shivaay tells me this often. I have the authority to make such small and even bigger decisions about the company. I watched your interview that day, not just Shivaay. And I want to offer you the job. Not because you are the guy Priyanka likes or you are my classmate. It's because you deserve it. Lastly, you were right. I hid your identity from Shivaay. Else there was no way he would get to know about the person you are. He wouldn't even agree to give you the job. He thinks you are Ved Arbahci, a name I coined. Once he sees your work, gets impressed by you, we shall tell him the truth. I plan to make him realize that people are known for their work, not for their parentage. You need this job. You and I can help each other."

"This isn't Loony-Toons. Once he figures out I am working as Ved, he will call the police. First, it's cheating for real. And second, he will be proven right if I take up this job by lying."

"Don't worry, there won't be any legal repercussions. In all the important documents, your name is written as-is. And about cheating, this is not cheating. Company is mine, decisions are mine. Rest is up to you."

"I need time to think," Dev said after a long moment of silence.

Annika nodded. She received a text from Shivaay that said he was waiting for her in his car outside the building. She excused herself from Dev and reached her husband.