Beautiful Infatuation

Chapter 8

"What is it?" He finally asked.

"Did you...did you..." She attempted to ask but all her confidence dissolved.

How could she ask him whether he had anything to do with her losing the job? What if he wasn't behind all this? What if he would then get offended and then...? She thought over all the what-ifs.

"I did." He answered her unasked question in his deep voice.

She looked up at him again. She had no idea what he was referring to. So, she gathered courage and finally asked her intended question.

"Did you make us... lose our jobs?" She asked hesitantly.

"Yes." He answered.

Sneha couldn't believe he simply said 'yes' without an ounce of shame or guilt.

"Why?" She asked sternly.

He only shrugged, thinking she would figure it out herself.

"I didn't even do anything to you. Then why would you do this to my family?" She asked in an accusing tone.

"I clearly warned you yesterday. Didn't I?" He asked as if she was the one to be blamed for everything.

She looked at him in disbelief.

"Is it because I said no to lunch?" She asked and really hoped that he would deny.

"Yes." It was his only reply.

Her brows narrowed and he swore he had never seen such a pretty expression.

"You can't do this!" She stressed, to which he raised his brows.

"I can. And, I already have." He said.

Sneha concluded that he was insane.

"I helped your sister! How can you throw my family into trouble instead of showing gratitude?" She tried to reason.

"As far as I remember, I was trying to show my gratitude by treating you to lunch yesterday. It was you who denied the offer." He partially raised his voice which automatically scared her.

She took a deep breath before replying.

"But...I don't want to have lunch with you! You thanked me and I told you that it is more than enough for me."

"Not for me. I want to have lunch with you." He asserted again.

Sneha huffed. This guy was impossible, she understood.

"Please return everything to normal." She almost ordered him when she realized that he wouldn't understand her point.

"Okay. What time then?" He asked immediately.

"Sorry?" She asked, unable to understand his question.

"When are you available for lunch?" He asked again. Only he knew how polite he was being by letting her choose the day instead of him imposing the schedule on her. She just didn't know her usual working style. He never asks...he only demands.

Sneha couldn't believe him.

"Viraj, I can't have lunch with you. So, please let us have our jobs back." She requested while referring to her family.

"You are wasting my time." He said. "If you want the jobs back, then have lunch with me this Sunday." He finally fixed the date as he realized that she was not going to do so anytime soon.

Sneha literally glared at him. But, she lowered her gaze when he stared at her with the same intensity. She couldn't win against him and she knew it, unfortunately.

"One more thing. Yesterday, it was the jobs. Today, it will be your house. So, choose carefully." He threatened in a playful tone.

Sneha's brows narrowed and she sighed in defeat. She didn't doubt his capability now.

"All this...for a lunch?" She asked looking at the tyre of the car in complete disbelief.

"I always get what I want. You should know this by now." He said as his gaze fell on her lips for a second when she bit them in frustration.

"Fine. I will have lunch with you. But, please give our jobs back." She requested, finally adhering to his demand. What option did she have anyway?

"Good. Be there in the Manilla restaurant at 1 pm sharp. This Sunday. If you will be a second late, your father will lose his job as well as the house. Okay?" He asked in a soft tone as if he wasn't threatening her.

She wanted to really slap him hard for his audacity to threaten her. However, she refrained. She was nothing in front of him. And, she was more aware of this fact now.

"I will be there." She whispered.

"You all can resume your jobs from tomorrow. The two days' compensation will be provided. So, don't worry about that." He assured her.

She only nodded while looking at his chest.

"Anything else." He asked when she remained silent.

She only shook her head and turned around to leave without even saying a decent 'goodbye'.

"You look horrible!" Jyoti said as she finally looked at her friend.

Sneha wanted to cry. She couldn't do anything about the entire lunch issue. She wasn't weak but he made her feel like that. How would she meet him alone on Sunday? Her father would never allow it!

"Let's go?" She asked quietly.

"Okay!" Jyoti decided to drop the topic by seeing her upset face. She could always ask her later.

.

.

Back at home, Priya and her father got phone calls from their employers. They got their jobs back and she knew that she would have got it as well. Because she didn't have a phone right now, her employer couldn't contact her. So, if she goes to the library tomorrow, everything will be back to normal.

Even though Viraj had returned everything to normal, Sneha hoped for the Sunday to never come, even if it was impossible. She only had two days to think over this.

On the other hand, Viraj waited for the Sunday with the level of excitement that he had not felt in a long time.