Aditi
******
Muddling the vegetable stew with the spoon, at the dining table, all my mind chewed over was him. The new him was immaculate as per my observation. He had great features, deep eyes, a sharp jawline, and a hypnotic voice.
The voice was comforting yet gave me sexy chills. Would it be a crime if I confess I wanted him to speak more often, closer?
I had been intimidated by him for the entire time I was with him. The way our fingers brushed now and then had passed the jolt of electricity in my body.
Our contact wasn't intentional or was it. It wasn't obvious nor did I want my mind to saunter in that direction.
I could still feel his eyes on me and was able to feel his presence near me. His mere thought was quavering my existence. I was too underconfident when I was around him, to make eye contact but whenever our eyes met, I was held spellbound.
His dark black bright and vehement eyes had a tale to narrate. I was strikingly curious to be mindful of the same. I recalled a few rules he had set, very eccentric and unusual.
'Rule No 1, Do not dare to deceive me. I hate cheaters.' His voice was menacingly low. He mentioned how much he loathed being cheated and I had unknowingly broken the same rule, not stating the truth when he enquired if I remembered him.
'Rule No 2, I want you here, in my cabin, sharp at nine.' Stating the second rule his eyes met mine. He wasn't giving any expression. He was challenging an ex-journalist while I was trying hard to read him and his intentions.
He was immersed in flipping the pages of the contract rules, reciting them for me, as if I was a kid and I didn't know how to read.
'Rule No 3, For the starting three months I want your availability 24*7.' I dumbstruck, my eyes ready to bulge out. Although the series of shocks didn't end there. I was registering his words when he straight off added, 'You might have to stay at my place.'
'Stay? Stay with you?' The sound of the rolling pages was terminated. His sharp gaze met mine then.
'Why? Do you have any issues working with me, up all night?' I was to work with him all night. For a slight moment, all I could focus was on, we would be together, awake all night.
His stare intent, impelling me to agree to him. He had an imperceptible force on my words. I wasn't myself, with him, yet I was entirely myself.
I struggled to throw away the heap of his thoughts. To have my dinner in peace was all I wanted, but that man was coercing his way inside of me.
'The food is getting cold.' His voice reached my ears but I was at home. When I looked up I found him hovering over my form. His orbs were pulling me in to fathom his depth that seemed unmeasurable. I was scared, not because of him but my will to agree was frightening me.
'Mrs.Kohli, the food.' His voice turned feminine out of the blue.
"What?"
"Are you okay? Do you want me to call a doctor?" I closed my eyes and blinked them thrice after opening them, only to find Liza staring at me with concern.
"Um..No, I am fine." My appetite was gone.
"I am done," I announced leaving the half-empty plate. I had to take a drastic step before things went out of my control. The man was back who held the power to control my entire self. I realized working with L.I.E.R wasn't a good option. I was married and had some boundaries and constraints which another man was putting the screws on me to cross.
Without paying heed to the time, I called Eva. It was an urgent matter that needed to be handled before the ink of the page dried.
"Hello."
"Hi, Eva, it's Aditi."
"Oh, yeah, Hi Aditi. All good?"
I wished it would have been.
"Apologies for calling you this late but I needed to talk to you about something really important." I was yet to narrate that I wanted to resign when she said, "Glad you called. Now I recall I forgot to send you the soft copies of the document. How doltish of me."
"What doc?" As far as I remembered I had received every document, even the offer letter. I couldn't recall any legal papers to be left. I had even a copy of the rules Aahir had recited.
"The one-year agreement you signed with L.I.E.R." Her words bemused me. My thoughts were at sixes and sevens. My attempts to recall signing such a document were nugatory.
"One-year agreement?"
"Yeah, the one Aahir must have given to you that stated you would be working at least one year with us. If you breach the contract then you will have to pay 100 million. It's not like you're deceiving us, anyways." That's when I took a trip down memory lane, again.
"Sign it." I had heard him when he passed on a document to me. I was nonplussed whether it was a request or an order.
I had picked up the pen, ready to put my name on the documents only to be startled by him, as he came near me, bent down looking at the file.
'You need to read this document first.' He stared at me, not letting his emotions on display, making me tumultuous. I bobbed my head up and down and turned my eyes back to the paper.
'This para is important and this one too.' I couldn't focus on the words of black ink. He was extremely close. His lips near my ear, huskily telling me what part of the document I should read.
While he awaited me to read, his eyes fixated on the paper, I was trying to hardly control myself. He was affecting me the way no other man was allowed to. I was intoxicated just from his voice and the proximity. My mind was clouded.
Those emotions were outstandingly overwhelming. I needed to calm myself but didn't know of any such method.
'Are you done?' He questioned, his voice low, my heartbeats crazier.
'Huh?'
'Are you done reading?' His eyes raptly on me. Everything was so extreme that I wanted to cry.
'Fuck the reading.' I said in my mind before lying, 'Yeah, I have read everything. I didn't want him to be aware that I couldn't focus, because of him. I signed my freedom for a year just like that, all because of a man from the past.
"Aditi, you there?" Eva's voice broke my trance.
"Yeah, yeah..."
"So what were you saying?" There was nothing left to say anymore.
"Nothing, I wanted to ask about the leave plans but I don't think it's necessary now. Thanks." Abruptly I cut the call.
Holy Shit! I was doomed.
******
Aahir
******
"How did you know she would call?" Eva's question was foretold. She was flabbergasted over how I had known she would get a call from my new employee. Crossing my legs I blew the puff of a cigar, enslaved between my fingers, before I replied, "I just knew."
"You came here for this." She sat right in front of me. Her cleavage visible through her deep neck tee. Though I didn't feel anything. My mind was in haze with the thoughts of the woman, desired by many. The woman who was making me mad as a hatter for her day by day; the woman was affecting me in the way she shouldn't have.
"Hmmm..." I stared at the moon from the balcony where we both were. I wondered what was so great about it that she would see it every day, talk to it daily. Her eyes would shine whenever she would see the moon. I had been noticing her for a long time. She seemed a Selenophile. But there was one thing that was disturbing me, the hollowness behind those pretty orbs of her.
Except for the first time, our every encounter was uncanny. She was broken at the club and seemed lost in the office. We had met several times in the past but she didn't know all of it nor did I intend her to be conscious of it. The more she was not acquainted with the truth, the better it was for me and my plan.
She had become vulnerable, unlike her real self.
Ah! How much I hated that impuissant look on her.
That state of hers would always create catastrophe inside of me.
She was just a part of the plan, still, I wanted to do extremes for her. I didn't only intend to fuck her but I also wanted to peer into her soul. I wanted to read her. She lacked solace and I wanted to be the source of it.
But my vengeance was more important than every other thing, even more than her. I could climb any apex just for my revenge and she was the only pawn in my way. Wrecking her was the plan that I had to stick to.
I was desiring her more than what was required. She could be a threat to me, my plans and I was losing my shit.
"I was thinking maybe we would fuck each other like old times. I am hella frustrated these days." Eva said, lighting up a cigar for herself, hauling me out of the brooding.
"I don't fuck my employees and friends." She rolled her eyes before questioning, "Should I resign then?"
"Only if you would pay me 1000 million." She agape while I smirked.
"Damn, I hate being your friend. You are so egocentric." I cocked my brow before muttering, "Thanks."
It was a one-night affair when I had slept with Eva. She wasn't my employee then, nor my friend, just a random girl who caught my eye in a club. I had one unbreakable rule that I always keep my professional life segregated from my personal life.
When Eva interviewed for L.I.E.R, I didn't primarily plan to have her on board, but her skills forced me to. In no longer than a month she became my friend, all because of her jovial nature.
"By the way, what's in her? You going miles to have her in the company isn't conventional."
What's in her?
I entailed finding that out myself.
Why was she affecting me?
I was going miles for her, why, just for the sake of my plan or....
Ceasing my thoughts I said, "She is a great asset to the company."
'And to me.' I didn't voice out the entire truth.
******
Aditi
******
I was contemplating what I should do. Should I go to the office or call in for a sick day, that too on my first second day of work? The first day went by signing docs, rules explanation and the work was yet to start.
'Aagghh! Everything is so vexing.' I muttered throwing my legs up in the air in annoyance while I was resting on the bed.
'Should I start working in Vidyut's company?' An ephemeral thought crossed my mind.
'No, no, no, Aditi, have you lost your senses?'
I ruffled my hair like a mad woman mumbling, "Why did I have to go L.I.E.R? Just why?"
I should have given it a thought before giving an interview. It's not like the companies would have vanished. It was all my stupidity because of which I was stuck abysmally.
'Aditi, pull yourself together. He is just a man, you have handled men before.' My inner-self tried to help me but her efforts were barren.
'But not like him.' I replied to her. I did have handled men before, but he was different.
I never had felt something for other men but for Aahir....
I wind up my asinine and limitless thoughts.
I shivered even thinking about him. Aahir Arya wasn't just any man, he was way beyond that. I didn't let that thought surfacing up but Aahir was someone whom I had to steer clear of if I didn't want my life to be fucked up in every way possible.
While I was musing on how to deal with my new boss, my phone rang. A grin passed over my features when I found the name of my best friend, Dhriti, on the screen.
"Hello, Sammy...." It seemed as if God heard me I was in trouble and passed on the message to my bestie.
"Glad you picked up. You have forgotten me so I thought I should try it out."
"No, it's not like that..." I sat up, feeling guilty.
"Really?"
"I was busy with shifting and stuff."
"Shifting?" Pausing for a second I replied, "I moved to San Francisco..."
"What, when, how?" As expected trunks of questions were thrown upon me.
"We shifted because of Vidyut and his work requirements."
"Ok, great. So the lovebirds are in San Francisco now. Tell me about your recent date and not leaving out details, ok?" I would have felt shy and would have blushed to hear her if things would have been like before. The last date I could recall was on my birthday where he had stood me up. Before then we went on a date ten months back.
Dhriti knew everything about my old dates. She was hoping I would tell her something fresh but I didn't have any except Aahir.
My mind couldn't stop thinking about him even when I was conversing with Dhriti. I remember how confidently he had talked to a client over the call. Even the words of arrogance were so cogent that the client was impressed.
His words were for the client but his eyes were on me.
Those eyes of his!
"Aditi, are you there?"
"Yeah, I am...I am." I stuttered, feeling imbecile.
"I asked you something."
"Leave my date. Tell me about you and your darling husband Namit."
"Well, we both are doing great and Namit has planned a trip to Norway for us."
"Wow! That's really sweet..." It might sound evil but at that very moment, I felt jealous of my best friend. She had everything one could ask for, a loving husband, a treasured family.
I was cognizant that I shouldn't have thought that way but my conditions enforced me to collate our lives. It was egotistical and mean of me, yet I couldn't help and envy her.
"Aditi..." Out of the blue, Dhriti shouted over the call.
"What's wrong? Why are you shouting?"
"Because you didn't hear me..."
"I did hear you."
"Why do you sound as if something has happened? Is everything okay between you and Vidyut?"
I wished it would have.
"Everything is fine."
"You are lying. I know you are..."
"No, I am not.
"You know what, you should come to London, to us. Even Adya and Ishaan would be coming soon to meet us with their son Ikshit. It will be fun." She had sensed I was not doing okay, that's why was urging me to go to her. I had to somehow convince her I was fine, otherwise, I knew my best friend was capable enough to have me kidnapped from my house.
I was yet to lie again when Namit helped me.
"Sama, sweetheart, please could you come over and check the hotel details?"
"Coming..."
"Ady, my husband is a little impatient now. You know how grumpy he can be at times. I am sorry..."
"You don't have to be. I get it." I thought I was saved until I heard her, "But we aren't done talking. I will soon call you again." There was so much I had hidden from my best friends and was frightened that everything would be ruined when the truth of my miseries would come out.
It was better with all the dark secrets enshrouded inside of me.
I would have submerged myself in endless thoughts after the conversation with my best friend, so, I decided otherwise and got up to get ready to go to the office, to him.
******
Fortunately, I wasn't late. Like deceivers, he also didn't like latecomers. Rick looked at me with a blank face when saw me. I smiled but the gesture wasn't returned. He had a weird attitude.
I crossed the security check-in and went up straight to the fiftieth floor. The journey from my house to the office wasn't that tiring as compared to the one in the elevator. I pondered over why he had to choose floor fifty.
There was an ominous silence on the passageway when I reached. There was only one receptionist who nodded, smiling, while I made my way to my cabin.
I put all my stuff on the table and plopped on the chair, feeling exhausted from the journey of the lift. I was catching my breath only when the intercom in my cabin boomed with his low voice, "In my cabin, now."
I was daunted after hearing him.
Wow! Was that a way to talk to the employee? It appeared he loved scaring newbies.
He could have called my name but then it was for my betterment that he didn't. My name from his mouth used to do debarred wonders. Nevertheless, I went to his cabin and when knocked he only hummed in response.
The moment I entered, his heavenly fragrance had mantled. I was determined to not work up like an inane teenager but things seemed to be going out of control the moment I stepped into his cabin.
He was seated at his spot. His hairs nicely gelled up, his eyes covered with glasses. I was heedless to how one could look attractive with glasses as well. His coat rested on the rear of his chair while his shirt folded up to his elbows.
Walking towards his seat, I was anxious once again. His appearance got me stoked. My heartbeats were erratic.
Just a view of him was enough to make me feel conscious of myself. I stood in front of his seat like a stupid girl, even when I was aware I had to sit. I didn't move an inch until he gestured with his index finger.
How eccentric it sounds that my body was working as per him.
I started twiddling with my fingers while he was busy going through a doc and typing something on his laptop, simultaneously.
Our gaze met for a second, creeping up the heat to my cheeks. I noticed his flex veins on his exposed arm, which made things difficult for me. I was back in the cage where my mind was in haze.
His fingers were working vehemently on the keyboard of his system.
Those long fingers that had cupped my face one when I had broken down in front of him when he was just a mere stranger to me.
I shook my head and waited for him to tell me what I was called for. Ten minutes passed, fifteen and then twenty. He was still occupied.
He was the CEO but I wasn't workless. Getting bored to tears, I took out a pen and started opening and closing its cap. Hearing the consistent sound he glanced up at me.
I pondered whether I was playing with a pen because I was bored or I yearned for his attention.
I waited for him to say something, anything, but he didn't and resumed his work. I felt neglected and I didn't like it at all.
The sound produced by the contact of his fingers and his keyboards and the clang of the pen was like a rhythm. We both seemed like artists. Thinking of him as an artist I chuckled, gaining his attention.
I felt timid, shy. He had those eyes that evoked weird sensations and emotions inside of me. I bit my lip and kept the pen back. His eyes lingered for three seconds more before he was back to work.
He would in between sneak a look at me while flipping the pages and I would feel it wasn't the pages he was turning, but 'me'. Goose flesh, my new companion, was back again.
It was me lowering the lashes every time. It was difficult sitting like an indolent in front of him, doing nothing. I was acting the way I had never before.
I meandered my eyes in the cabin where everything was either grey or black. My eyes caught the series of beautiful paintings alongside the one that had captured my sight the preceding day.
Deciding to go through the beautiful, enigmatic paintings I got up from my seat. He didn't stop me and I was glad about it. I took a tour of his cabin, admiring the plants and the portraits hung on the wall. I could feel my actions weren't unnoticed but he wasn't saying anything.
On the left of Aahir were a few plain white canvases affixed on the wall. What piqued my curiosity was the one which was cloaked with a white cloth.
I took steps towards it. Aahir showed no signs of interest in what I was doing. Subsequent to unveiling the canvas that had me snoopy enough, I gobsmacked. There were a pair of eyes, the eyes from that night, the eyes withholding pain, my hazel brown eyes to be precise.
My fingers touched the fine art. It was made so intricately as if the artist lived the moment of hers.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Aahir whispered, startling me. He was standing at my right, his arms brushing over mine.
"Those eyes..." I pointed towards the canvas looking at him.
"Aren't they pretty?" His eyes fixed on the painting.
"Perfect blend of brown and hazel." He murmured.
"So much filled inside of them, staring at everyone with the wish of being read. Those eyes speak more than it seems." He had read me that night.
How?
He shouldn't have. I felt exposed beside him. Turning to me, he stared into my eyes, "I wonder why she was trying so hard to hide when it was all evident...." His right hand palmed my left cheek, my heartbeats frantic and I was hypnotized.
I attempted to take a few steps behind but my back touched the bookshelf. It was a dead-end for me. His knuckles caressed my cheeks from up to down, in a pattern. My eyes closed and my breathing ragged.
It wasn't right but I couldn't push him away.
"Aditi..." My eyes opened when he kind of summoned me. His thumb brushed over my lower lip, parting them slightly. My chest heaved up and down. My mind was anticipating his next move.
Bending down, to my lips he breathed, "You still don't remember me?"
Somehow, I gathered a tad of courage and put my hands on his chest.
"No," I said, before rushing out of his cabin hurriedly. He was an insidious menace and I had to stay away from him as far as I could.