"Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in."
10 years later...
Ishita's POV:
"This is all for today gentleman...." I piled up my work leaving the conference room. I never wanted to come here but it's been 10 years and I have no intentions to go back. Occasionally I visit my mother else I have a strict professional life, my morning starts with checking emails and ends in piling up my work sighing the contracts.
But I love my work I still need to improve myself and expand the business, after completing my studies I have been supporting my father's business which includes pharmaceutical and real estate. Our family has been investors in many businesses my father's priority has been real estate but in India. I have expanded the business to different countries and I'm willing to take over the business of my father which includes other publishing houses and the fashion industry in India.
"Ma'am your coffee..." Cathy my assistant manager passed me the coffee cup. "Thanks... you got any update from Goel Industries..." she shook her head in disapproval and added, "No Ma'am... they are ignoring our calls as well.". Thinking for a while I asked, "Mr. Goel will be attending the meeting of the pharmacy board right..." she nodded. "Yes, he has been willing to invest in medical science and research centers as well." A perfect opportunity.
Goel Industries has been the biggest investor other than my father, and a very powerful family in India. I need a little support from them to get a deal signed in which I want medicines from England will be provided at the lowest cost in India as most people aren't able to afford it and hospitals also don't have high-tech medical equipment. It will be the biggest investment with lots of exposure as my father hasn't done anything like this before. But the only person between this deal is the CEO of Goel Industries as he isn't giving me the kind of attention I should get. According to him we are fooling him and trying to make ourselves rich but I have lowered the profit percentage still he isn't giving a crap.
"Ma'am... Hudson pharmacy can help in the project and give your idea the path of achievement..." Cathy conveyed. "Goel Industries have many sources in India even if I got Hudson Industries in the track they can file corruption case under medical scam on us as the elder son of Goel family has political support. It would be better to make this deal through them so it will last longer without any baseless case because if we got highlighted as a pharmacy with a medical scam history then people will not trust us and Rajkund will put the blame on me as it is my idea." she just nodded in response.
It's always tough to start something new knowing worst-case scenarios, you need a lot of strength to be different. Sipping my coffee I go through some emails when my phone buzzed it was Mom so I picked it up rapidly. "Ms. Ishita Mehra, this is an unacceptable behavior of yours not getting here to attend the Navaratri Puja." Mom complained as I picked up the call. "Mom... I will be fasting here in London is it that necessary." I argued back but I know this woman will not agree to it. "Yes, the elder daughter must attend the Puja her mother does every year only for her." with a sigh I agreed to it. "Okay fine... but no sweets, no tacky aunty gossip groups, no meeting fake relatives" she chuckled then agreed to it but deep inside me I know she will make me do it. Yes, that lady is called mother.
We chatted for a while then I had to attend the meeting in which Mr. Goel will be present. Checking myself in the mirror I removed the crease from my dress to look professional and presentable. Walking through the elevator of the building my two bodyguards followed me inside the building of Sasha Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Private Limited. Guards were stopped at the door and I entered the managing director's office, he stood up and greeted me giving me impressive looks. "I would like to attend the meeting with Mr. Goel..." he looked up and down at me the replied, "Ishita... to be frank with you. I don't think that's a good idea moreover he will be annoyed by your desperation...". Something you should know about me is I don't like to get free advice unless I asked for it, "I didn't ask about your opinion... call the head of the presentation and make me enter the meeting else I can do it myself but trying to respect your protocols." he stuttered in response then made a call.
Entering the conference room it was packed with more than ten people some familiar faces from the industries and a few I didn't know. "I hope I haven't missed the main point of this meeting..." their stares were making me feel annoyed as I don't like when people stare. The moment reminds me of when I used to get late to class and the whole class used to look at me like I'm some sort of an alien from Mars. "No Ms. Mehra please have a seat..." a blonde chunky guy pointed at the seat next to a guy wearing a light grey three-piece suit.
"Thank You..." a passed him a smile and took a seat next to the arrogant guy who didn't even pull the chair for me. Such a gentleman. The blonde guys started playing some presentations and describing chemotherapeutics which I already know. In haste, I forgot to see pictures of the new CEO of Goel Industries because the old one wasn't present at the meeting. Examine the faces of the other eight members I wasn't sure if they were Indian most of them looked Latin and Asian.
Poking the pen to the guy sitting next to me I mumbled, "Do you know which one is the CEO of Goel Industries of India?" he narrowed his eyes at me then shook his head in 'no'. "Seriously... then from which industry are you from?" he smirked. "Mental institution... want a form?" my face twisted, "Ha.. ha... very funny. Someone like you could only be from a mental institution." he sighed in annoyance I don't know what I did which made him annoyed.
Sipping water from his glass I admired his side profile, he looked... hot, definitely a charmer but his personality is of an arrogant, conceited, self-absorbed asshole. He ran his fingers through his hair and caught me looking at him, hell you should have taken that form. Avoiding his gaze I gave my attention to the guy explaining the types of equipment. The guy next to me wrote something on the piece of paper that's when I noticed the rudraksha bracelet in his right hand.
Before I could say anything the blonde guy mentioned, "Mr. Goel... thank you for your consideration we hope you will give this deal a thought." I glimpsed at him, and he just gave me an annoyed look "Thank You, everyone, we hope to get along together very soon..." the meeting ended and many people stepped out of the conference room. "Hey... can I have your two minutes?" he glimpsed at me "No..." what the fuck is wrong with this guy. He tried to walk past me when I gripped his arms, "You have to..." he looked down at my hand gripping his arm, I removed it instantly.
"Fine... it's time for my lunch you can keep talking while I enjoy my food so none of us will waste each other's time." this guy is surely on his period. "Okay fine..." I agreed to it his four guards followed him down to the restaurant on the other side of the road. He took a seat completely ignoring my presence, pulling the chair I seated myself the waiter came and placed his food in no minute. I got the idea that he doesn't like to waste time, ordering gin for myself I glanced at the man enjoying his food with all his attention dipping the bhature in the gravy of chole( an Indian dish chole bhature).
His blazer was on the chair next to him, and the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up revealing his veined hands and rudraksha bracelet and a ring on his fourth finger of the left hand, oh engaged. He looked up from his food picking a salad and stuffing it in his mouth, an unannounced smile plastered on my face because he looked so cute chewing lettuce like a cow. His face screwed up, "Why are you smiling? Did you forget why you came here? once my meal is over your time is over so better to start speaking or you won't get any chance to speak later" he looks good unless he opens his mouth. God, the world could have been a better place if this guy was mute.
"I have tried to schedule a meeting with you for God knows how long and you didn't even respond to my emails. My desperation is for the sake of the people of India who aren't able to get the medicines in affordable amounts. I have reduced my profit percentage because of it and trying so hard to convince you of this because of your brother's political support. I don't want to ruin the image of our pharmacy which my father created and the whole idea of starting this campaign is mine if it failed or caused any damage to his reputation then he will put all the blame on me so I want you to agree on it so that I can provide the help to the hospitals under our supervision." I expressed everything that was inside me.
His meal was over by now cleaning his mouth he uttered in a calm tone, "When my company mentioned that you were making yourself richer from this deal it didn't mean to lower your profit percentage it was to ask for a partnership and double the amount. And the rest about your father I know very well what kind of person he is. If you are interested to make the deal my way then send me the report tomorrow morning and stop following me like a nosy bitch that you are..." this was a lot to take in.
Forgetting the way he disrespected me I asked, "What do you mean by that? Doubling the value will make it the same as the Indian Market rate and middle-class families will not be able to afford it." He shrugged, "As I care... you're girl new to this business and trying to be Mother Teresa but when you will start earning a good amount from it you will desire for more. So what's wrong with me asking for my profit in it..." I looked at him in disbelief rage rushed into my blood.
"You know what... take it up with my butt because that's the only one that gives a crap about this deal. You self-absorbed high-end assholes roamed around the world declaring yourselves God but the only thing that you do is dirty business. If I'm trying to be Mother Teresa then it's way better than you motherfuckers at least I know where to do business and where to do charity. You just sit here and eat the fucking lettuces chewing it like some sort of a grazing cow..." picking up the lettuces I stuffed them in his mouth, standing up from my seat and leaving the place stomping my foot.
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Text copyright © Tanushree Sarkar™ 2022