One Step Closer (IPKKND FF | Complete)

Chapter Fourteen

Aman opened the meeting room door as quietly as possible, expecting to find ASR wrapping up the conference call with the Italians. It looked like things were still going well, judging by the boss's expression.

"Yes, Aman?" ASR hung up the phone and turned to his sharply dressed, always punctual executive assistant.

"Sir, I have a note here for you, it was left at reception. I thought best to give it to you as soon as possible."

"A note? Well, what does it say?"

"It's private, sir, not business mail. I didn't open it," Aman slid a piece of paper across the glass table. "Also, on another personal matter, Mr Patel called, said it was very important - I assured him you would call back as soon as possible."

"Thanks, Aman, er..." Arnav trailed off, noticing the name on the note.

"Sir?"

"I'll call him as soon as I'm back at my desk. Get me some lunch, and then I'll need you to send these additional documents over to Milan."

"Yes, sir. I'll have your lunch in 20 minutes, you'll eat in your office as usual?"

"Sure, sure..." ASR waved Aman away as he unfolded the note. To: ASR, from: Kushi Kumari Gupta, it stated on the outside in neat Devanagari. Of course Aman hadn't opened it.

"What's this now, Khushi..." Arnav quizzically raised an eyebrow as he deciphered the script within.

Arnav-ji, I have a surprise for you. Please meet me tonight after sunset, at your AR guesthouse. I promise, you will love it! Your Khushi.

When Aman entered ASR's glass office twenty minutes later with a pasta salad and coffee, he found his boss pacing back and forth, visibly distressed about something.

"Sir?"

"Aman! Good, you're back. I... I... DAMMIT!" Arnav shouted and smashed his fist against one of the pillars circling his office, then took a deep breath to try and compose himself.

"Aman, I called back to Mr Patel," he sighed. This day, this incredibly important day had just become even more complicated after his talk to Patel from the detective agency.

"It turns out the situation with my brother-in-law is much more serious than we ever suspected. I have to take the rest of the day off and go home to my family right now, and I need you to handle things here."

"Of course, sir," Aman remained composed as always, already making a mental to-do list of the appointments that would need to be rescheduled.

"And tell Akash I need him to come home as soon as he's back from the inspection, just tell him I'll explain when he gets there."

"Consider it done. Don't forget your lunch, sir," he accosted his boss who was about to race out the door. "Blood sugar."

"Oh, right," Arnav grabbed the box. He definitely couldn't afford any health distractions today. For a diabetic skipping meals was out of the question, even if food was the last thing on his mind right now. "Er... thanks, Aman."

"Always, sir. Good luck."

Once he was in the car, Arnav dialled his home number.

"Hari Prakash, is Payal home? Find her and tell her not to go anywhere, I'm coming home and I need to speak to her immediately."

Then he fished the note out from his suit pocket and re-read it one last time, before crushing the paper in his fist and angrily tossing it on the floor of his car.