MaNan- Faded Scars

02 | she is audacious

"Every company has some situation wherein they may change their decisions frequently," Jatin stated as a matter-of-factly.

Manik cocked his eyebrows with a smirk,"I see you are supporting him uh? Switched sides Mr. Jatin?"

Jatin felt humiliated and clenched his fists absorbing the anger."Listen Manik, I have been working for this company since I were your age and this company is very important to me even if it is not that important to you. Control your tongue."

Manik got up from his seat and grabbed the man's collar in frustration. His eyes were reflecting pure anger. Jatin caught his hand and pushed him back. He then adjusted his collar and left Manik's room.

"That shit of a man... preaches me when I don't require a bit of it. Bloody hell," he covered his face in his hands before continuing." If it wasn't for father...I would have fired him long back."

◆

"What else can we expect from you," Navya sat grumpily beside Nandini scowling at her.

"What?," Nandini mused."I didn't have an option. He caught me everytime I brought something," she shrugged. They were sitting in the verandah of Navya's Playschool. Harry was playing with one of his playmates in the sand.

"But... Seriously, out of all the Wonderful companies in the world why does your boss wants to tie-up with the Malhotra industries and the most important aspect why does he want to send you and only you ?," Navya points. Nandini looks at her with a wry smile.

"I don't know...I seriously don't but, I think to take this as a challenge or something,"She dug her hands in her hair and sighed. Navya placed a comforting hand on her friend with a frown. Nandini has actually faced so many problems in life and instead of appreciating her spirit more problems find their way to her, she thought.

But...maybe she was wrong because his problem is going to change the dimensions of her life.

"Lahul, see my mamma came ealliel than youl mumma today," their attention was brought back by Harry who was dragging his friend towards them. This face contained a huge and happy smile which made Nandini's heart warm."You know mumma...this boy"he pointed Rahul" his mumma comes fast daily and take him but today you are filst." He turns to the boy and smiles mischievously." My mumma won the fight today."

Nandini's eyes popped out of her sockets as she heard her boy. She grabbed his hand and made him face her."What fight Harry?"

The cherubic child looked at her innocently and chimed." Mumma fight. We daily play that, whose mumma comes filst they win it."

"Oh," Nandini's lips twitched in amusement. Navya laughed gently as she saw the look on Harry's face; it was dazzling with pure glee.

"And mumma, today you win" he hugged her though his chubby hands were not able to cover her fully. He tried to make both his hands join but his hands were so small he wasn't able to."I am sooooo ploud of my mumma." He clapped his hands happily and stuck his tongue out at Rahul. That boy's lips moulded a frown and Nandini arrived as his Savior.

"Listen sweetheart, you must never mock people okay? He is your friend right?" She asked and Harry nodded his head."You should support him instead of mocking".

Harry grabbed his mumma's hand."I plomise mumma, I will not mock him"

"That's my boy,"She patted his head gently as they drove off to play again and throw sand in each other's side.

Nandini giggled at them and turned to Navya who was deep in thoughts. She snapped her fingers startling her.

"What are you thinking?," She asked her slightly alarmed by her calm demeanor.

"Those naughty munchkins," Navya grunted making Nandini furrow her brows at her."Keeping mumma fights right under my nose without my knowledge," she stomped her foot and crossed her arms suspiciously at Nandini.

"What? I swear I didn't teach them anything," she put her hands up in surrender and stared her for a few seconds before bursting into a pit of giggles. It seemed her laugh was contagious as Navya joined her soon. The kids stared at them wondering if their elders got some sort of a laughing fight.

◆

"So, you are Ms. Nandini Murthy?," Their was a hint of mockery in his tone as he surveyed her. He didn't expect such a fast reaction from his partner but he is impressed though. He thought he would a man, a pathetic excuse of a man whom he would make dance in his fingertips. But, his dream is shattered though not fully as he got to see a beautiful woman and Manik Malhotra loves woman.

But feisty woman are new to him.

"Yes, sir"

She said. He smiled at her smugly which she didn't return and it disappointed him greatly. Instead she put on a tight lipped professional smile. Arghhh. He sighed to himself. She is....not feisty but quite stubborn too.

"Hmm.. I like your professional demeanor. I appreciate that because most of the ladies are flirtious around me and it just makes me quite irritated,"He gave her a self praising arrogant smile and Nandini sucked the urge of hitting him squarely on the face.

"Mr. Malhotra? Have you used Classmate Notes?," She asked with a collective look.

Manik's lips turned into a smirk. "Yeah, ofcourse. When I was in school I had so many girls behind me that I had to write it in a book to remember," he said making a sorry face and looked at her intently for her response.

She laughed.

He gazed her confused when she spoke." I am really sorry but I couldn't help laughing because.. I feel so sorry for those girls who out if all people went behind you."

He smiled coyly quite really surprised by her wit but didn't show it outside because he had such a big hole of a ego that he couldn't accept the fact that people were more cool than him.

"That's all you can say Ms. Murthy? Gone out of wit?," He tried provoking her to which she shook her head and smiled.

"Nope, just thinking... A person like you uses classmate books to write names of girls roaming behind him but doesn't even bother to look at the cover."

"What does a bloody cover do? Show pictures about the world which I have visited many times. Nothing interests me"

"Tsk tsk Malhotra..so much ego? Ego destroys persons and that's what you are doing "

Manik clenched his fists and grunted." Listen Ms.Murthy or whoever you are you have no bloody right to poke that nosey nose of yours into my heck of a business, remember that it is my company and my rule a minor particle like you can't rule me!"

Nandini didn't take a milli second to react and retorted with same tone." Listen Malhotra..you and your ego beats the Burj Khalifa in height. You think you are cool and all but you are just making yourself more ridiculous let me tell you. As for your deal, I was never... never interested in it. But due to my company's reputation I had to speak to you, and as for that classmate joke the cover said,'Because you are one of a kind'," she growled at him and swiftly took her sunglasses from her bag and putting them on.

"So," he asked unperturbed by her revert.

"Because I am that, and not one of those filthy girls you wrote in the note," she pushed her glasses in the bridge of her nose and turned to him for a last time."Goodbye Mr. Manik egoistic Malhotra" she went.

What have you done Manik...

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Do tell me.

Pooja❤