Hey my lovely readers.
How are you all?
Hope you all are enjoying my book so far.
An emotional chapter ahead dearies.
Let's begin with the chapter now.
1st draft - 14/06/2022
Completed-16/08/2022
Published-17/08/2022
It had been a few days since my breakdown in front of Sophia and we have grown closer than before.
I agree that I felt attracted towards her in the beginning when I met her but now, I think that she is the best friend I had always needed.
She has been taking care of the business while we had cracked many important deals, all because of her efforts and inputs.
I could not help but only admire her, her intelligence, her ability to think out of the box and leading many projects when I am not in my office to supervise anything.
"Sir, the meeting with the Malhotra's is scheduled today," I heard her say.
"Not the Malhotras again," I said groaning.
She looked at me and shrugged.
"Did you get the BGV done for the new companies we are trying to collaborate with for the raw materials?" I asked.
"Yes, sir. The reports are here," she said and handed me four files, one for each of the company we were trying to collaborate with.
I just hummed and taking the files in my hands scanned them properly.
"Which company do you think we should consider?" I asked her opinion.
She seemed a little taken aback by my question but then I said, "What? Even your opinion matters isn't it?"
She smiled and said, "I think the Guptas will be a good choice."
I looked at their file and saw they had less clients as compared to the other three.
"Why?" I asked, looking at her while raising my eyebrow.
"Though they have less clients compared to the other options that we have but if you look at the customer feedback, their standards are high as compared to the other three," she said and I smiled.
When I looked at the files again, I noticed that indeed, what she said was true.
I smiled at her, which she returned, but then she averted her eyes.
I don't know why but I feel like since the day of my breakdown in front of her, she has been a little distant from me.
She laughs around everyone, plays like I wanted her to but then I feel as if the dynamics has changed between us.
Did she not want to be my friend?
"Sophia?" I said and she looked at me.
"Yes Adarsh sir," she said looking at me.
"I...is there.." I was about to ask her about her indifference towards me when the intercom rang.
"Yes," I asked on the phone as soon as I received it.
"Sir, the Malhotras have arrived," Riddhi said on the call.
"We'll be there in five minutes, please get them seated in the conference room and arrange for refreshments," I said.
"Of course sir," she said and disconnected the call.
"Sir, you were saying something," I heard Sophia ask me and I looked at her.
This was not the right time to discuss about these things.
"We will talk later, okay? The Malhotras are already here," I said and she nodded.
As soon as I said that she smiled and proceeded to the exit.
As usual I opened the door for her and she smiled at me.
Once in the conference room, I saw that douche again and I rolled my eyes at him while he smirked looking at me.
Giving him a deadly glare, I sat on the head chair while Mr. Malhotra and Sophia sat on either side of me and Shreyas was seated on the farthest corner, which I am thankful for.
"So Adarsh, have you decided which company will you be giving contract to for the raw material?" Mr. Malhotra asked.
Just when I was about to answer, the door to the cabin opened and in walked her.
Suprana Saxena, the same candidate who tried to get in my pants on the first day of the interview, Mr. Malhotra's niece.
"Sorry uncle, I am late," she said and looked at me with her flirtatious smile which I ignored.
"Oh Adarsh," she said excited and came to me.
"Long time no see," she said and I stood up from my chair.
She then hugged me and my eyes automatically went to Sophia who had her eyes downcast all the time.
I reluctantly kept my hands on her back while looking at Sophia.
As soon as she looked at me and our eyes met, she looked away and I broke the hug.
"Yes Suparna it has been a long time we met, especially after the disaster of the interview you gave for the post of my assistant," I said and looked at Mr. Malhotra to see him looking everywhere but me.
"Oh come on Adarsh, it was just a stupid interview," she said rolling her eyes.
I was about to retort when Mr. Malhotra said ," Suparna, we have an important meeting aligned. You can have your chit chat later."
"Oh, I am sorry for interrupting" she said with sarcasm and sat on the chair beside Shreyas.
As soon as she settled, I looked at Sophia to see her already looking at me with an emotionless face.
That is not how she used to be with me.
Looking in front she then said, "Mr. Malhotra, we have decided to take the contract with the Guptas."
Shen then went on to explain about it and Mr. Malhotra seemed convinced by the end of the meeting.
"I am highly impressed by your analytical skills, Sophia. I think my niece should be trained under you," he said chuckling while I looked at Suparna to see her already throwing daggers at Sophia while she seemed unaffected.
"Oh please uncle, if anything she should be trained under me on how to dress up. Adarsh I can't believe you rejected me for her to be your PA? Seriously? I mean look at her, no dress sense, no sense of style, wearing vintage clothes that probably belongs to her grandmother," she said with venom and I saw Sophia looking at her with a smile.
"At least I am wearing something that doesn't get much attention unlike you who in spite of attending business meetings doesn't even know B of business," Sophia said and I smiled.
Suparna stood up in anger while I said, "Don't you dare say anything inappropriate or you will see my wrath."
Stomping on her foot, she exited the cabin while my eyes went to Mr. Malhotra who gave me an apologetic look.
"Sophia, I am really sorry on behalf of her. I know she can be rude sometimes but.." he was saying when she said," You don't have to feel sorry Mr. Malhotra. It is not the first time someone has looked down upon me. I have been looked down a few times and I am used to it."
What she said just blew my mind away.
People have been looking down on her?
I then saw her glancing at Shreyas and I knew what she meant.
"Anyways sir, I'll send you the contract papers by tomorrow. You can get it checked by your legal team," she said, standing up from her chair and shook her hands with him.
"Of course, thank you for your time," he said and shaking hands with me exited the conference room.
The whole time Shreyas was looking at me and once everyone was out of the conference room, he came to me.
"So, Adarsh Sharma, I have a question to ask you," he said.
"What now?" I asked, ready to exit the conference room.
"How is your brother Akash Sharma?" he asked and I stilled.
Turning to him, I asked, "He is fine. Why do you ask?"
Shrugging, he said, "Nothing. I was just wondering how would it have been had he taken up the CEO position instead of you."
"He didn't because he wasn't interested," I said.
"He wasn't interested or he wanted to give you everything in charity?" he said.
"What nonsense Shreyas. Stop playing mind games with me. Akash would never do that to me," I seethed in anger and held his collar in my hands.
"It is not nonsense, Adarsh. If you really want to know, why don't you check your brother's drawer on the right hand side of his bed where the proof is kept?" he asked chuckling at me and my hold on his collar loosened.
"He..he can never do that to me," I whispered with tears pricking my eyes.
"See for yourself," he said, patting my cheek and smirking at me, left the room while I stood rooted at my place.
Coming out of my trance, I hastily made my way to the parking lot and sitting in my car, rushed to my mansion.
Once inside his room, I checked the place where he told me the proof is kept, my heart thudding in my chest wildly, hoping whatever he said to be untrue.
My bhai would never do that to me, he would never.
But all my hopes got shattered when I looked at the file.
It slipped off my hands as soon as I read it's content, I sat on the bed with a thud, tears pricking my eyes, begging to roll out of my eyes.
"Indeed he handed over everything to me, including his CEO position," I whispered and that was when the first tear rolled down my cheek.
I was still waiting for him to come back to the cabin but when he didn't come back, I became restless.
'Did he go with Suparna,' was the first thought that struck me.
'But going by how he behaved with her, it doesn't seem that he likes her,' my subconscious mind said.
'Should I check on him' my subconscious mind said again.
"Stop meddling in his business, Sophia. Stop behaving as if he is your boyfriend. He is just your friend. Give him some privacy," I mumbled to myself.
I was still engrossed in my work but my heart was still restless.
Time passed and it was finally the end of the day.
'Should I call him?' was my thought.
"Stop it Sophia. He is just your friend. He does not need tell you about his whereabouts every now and then," I mumbled to myself.
'But...what if something bad has happened?' was my next thought and even the thought made me restless.
Looking at my watch, I decided to call him.
One rings, two rings, three rings and then the phone was switched off, making my heart even more restless than it already was.
I just stared at the phone and just then a tear slipped my left eye.
Is he really that busy with Suparna that he switched off his phone?
'But may be his is not with her,' my subconscious mind said.
Calling him again, the phone went to voicemail and my heart became even more restless.
Even he is busy with her, he could have just texted me.
Wiping my tears, I decided to go back home.
Just when I was about to exit the main door, my phone started ringing and looking at the caller ID, relief washed over me.
As soon as I picked up the call and was about to say something I heard another voice on the other side.
"Hello ma'am, do you know the owner of this phone," the person said.
"Yes, it's my boss's phone," I said.
"What happened, is he alright?" I asked, rushing to get a cab.
"No ma'am. He is drunk as heck. He is passed out in front of me, right now. When I took his phone, you were the last person who called about half an hour ago. I thought to inform you..." he kept saying but my only thought right now was that he had passed out.
My heart thudding in my chest and I felt tears pricking my eyes.
"Nothing can happen to him. I won't let anything happen to him," I thought.
"Ca..can you send me the location please. I am on my way," I said in a hoarse voice.
"Yes but please make it fast. He is uncontrollable," he said and meanwhile I sat in a cab.
"I..I'll be quick. Please take care of him till then," I said.
"Yes ma'am," he said and disconnected the call.
My phone pinged with a location and giving it to the driver I asked him to drive as fast as possible.
Sending a quick message to mumma that I would be late, I kept the phone beside me and rested my head on the window.
Tears were not stopping it's way to my cheeks which I was trying so hard to wipe away.
Once in front of the bar and paying the driver the fare, I ran to the bar and once inside, frantically started searching for him when my eyes landed on him.
There he was, passed out on the booth and quickly wiping my tears, I hastily made my way to him.
"Adarsh," I said and sat beside him.
No response.
"Adarsh," I said, patting his cheek.
"Ummm," he groaned and mumbled something incoherent which I was unable to comprehend.
"Adarsh," I whispered, not able to look at his dishelved state.
The first two buttons of his shirt were open, giving a view of his toned chest, his hair a mess, eyes red, indicating that he had been crying.
Squinting his eyes at me, he said, "Soph."
"Adarsh," I whispered and kept his head on my lap while tears were making it's way to my cheeks.
"Soph," he said slurring with a big smile on his face.
After few seconds, he sat up abruptly but then clutched his head.
"Ahhh," he groaned.
"Adarsh," I said and frantically started searching for a waiter.
"Please get me some water," I said to one of the waiters and nodding his head, he scurried away.
"Adarsh," I said again and tried to grab his hand but then he jerked my hand away.
"Leave me," he said, slurring.
"Adarsh, please at least have some water," I said, taking the glass of water in my hands which the waiter just brought in front of him.
I kept the brim of the glass on his lips and he just started at me but then he did something that I had never expected of him.
He took the glass and threw it on the floor, shattering it into million pieces and I flinched.
"Don't show me your concern Soph, I don't deserve it," he said smiling sadly, all the while slurring.
"Adarsh," I said but then he stood up from his seating position and taking the coat, kept it on his shoulder.
He then made his way to the exit and I followed him.
"Ma'am, he hasn't paid the bill," the waiter said as soon as I was about to follow him outside.
"How much is the bill?" I asked, my eyes still fixated at him.
"Fifty three thousand, ma'am," he said and my eyes widened.
"I...I don't have that much money with me," I said.
"We can't let you go until the bill is paid, ma'am," the waiter said.
I didn't know what to do.
"I...I.." I was still thinking when something struck me.
Taking the gold chain around my neck that my father had gifted me on my last birthday with him, the day he met with that fateful accident, I handed it to him.
"Please keep it as of now, it's worth is more than the entire bill. I promise I'll take it back once I have enough money," I said and he nodded.
Probably even he was pitying my condition.
I then without waiting for a second, made my way to the exit and saw a bottle of alcohol in his hands which he was drinking from while he was stumbling.
Running to him, I kept my hands on his shoulder and then he turned.
"Soph," he said and kept his warm palm on my cheek, cupping them.
"Adarsh," I said and then I started sobbing, looking down.
"Shhh..." he said and kept his finger on my lips.
"You don't need to cry for a nobody like me, Soph," he said chuckling at the end while slurring and I looked at him.
"I don't deserve anything, not this CEO position, not this empire, not you, let alone you crying for a nobody like me" he said the last part in a whisper.
"Adarsh, please, listen to me," I said desperately.
"Shhh," he said and throwing the bottle away from me, attaching our foreheads, spoke, "You deserve the world, Soph. Not a nobody like me, who has been given this position out of pity."
I closed my eyes and sobbed hard when I felt a lingering kiss on my forehead.
I don't know what happened to me but I hugged him with all my might and burried my face in his chest.
"Take care," I heard him whisper and kissing my hair, he turned around, still stumbling on his steps and then I heard a loud honk, a truck approaching him.
"Adarsh," I screamed with my hands on either side of my face.
Oh my God! What happened to Adarsh?
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Tadas.