Chapter One: Meeting with the Shark

Koeli

@Koeli

I burst into the office not bothering to reply to the securities. Ignoring all hassle that I was creating by entering BajajIndustries I walked up straight to the receptionist. “I want to meet you right now”, I punctuated the last two words gritting my teeth.

“Do you have an appointment Madam?” the young brunette in her early ’20s asked me not taking her eyes off from her computer. The moment all the securities rushed towards me the girl looked up. From her shocked eyes,I could make out that she recognized me. I wonder how.

“Miss. Sharma?” she enquired startling me as well.

“I didn’t expect you so early, Miss Sharma”, a deep voice echoed sending shivers down my spine. There was pin-drop silence and as I looked around all the eyes were glued to the owner of that raspy voice.

My heart thudded against my ribcage as I turned to see the man standing a few meters away from me, the ruthless business shark, Mr, Rishab Bajaj. He was leaning against the dark mahogany doorframe crossing his legs. He was wearing a greyish blue suit over a milky white shirt and his slat and pepper hair was gelled up and back brushed. He oozed perfection. He kept one of his hands in his pocket and the other under his chin. His lips were slightly apart and smirking and his eyes held a little amusement. What disturbed me the most is his composer. The moment I saw him I was sure that he is hard to bargain. But I, Prerna Sharma, am not going to be intimidated by this man, whoever he is. He cannot take over Basu industries. I wonder from where did he get majority shares I have to figure it out? BI belongs to Anurag and family and I won't let this man snatch away everything. I have already lost the love of my life and now I will do anything to save Basu Family.

I composed myself and turned fully towards him. It didn’t go unnoticed that he was checking me out top to bottom. For a moment my enter body burnt wherever his eyes roamed making me feel very uneasy under his scrutiny.“Can we have a word, Mr Bajaj?”

“Rishav….call me Rishav” he looked towards the middle-aged woman who stood right beside him and gestured something to her which I didna understand.

“This way madam”, she then spoke and escorted me towards the conference room.

***

He puckered his lips as he watched me like a hawk unnerving in the process. His intimidating form made me spellbound and flabbergasted for a moment but I recovered as the peon served black tea with some cookies.

“Miss Sharma, please make yourself comfortable first since this meeting is not going to end soon”, he chimed. 

“Kya dushmani hai aapka Basu family ke saath? Kyun barbaadkarna chahte hai aap unko?”

“Who are you to ask me this, Miss Sharma? What relation do you have with them?”

“Why do you think I am going to tell you anything?”

He laughed, a mocking one. “And you expect me to tell you?”

The door of the conference room suddenly opens and that middle-aged woman mumbled an apology for entering suddenly. She informed him that he has a very important meeting lined up.

“Please cancel it, Sara, I have a more important thing going on here”, he scanned my face in a very unnerving manner making me squirm. I covered myself with the pallu of my saree to hide my exposed skin if there was any.

He just leaned back not taking his eyes off me and just smiled.

“Stop looking at me like that and answer my question, MrBajaj. Why are you behind Anurag’s property”.

“Are you his kept Miss Sharma?”

“How dare you?” I stood up.

“If I am not mistaken you are carrying his child. AndKomolika Basu is Anurag Basu’s widow if I am not wrong. So that makes you the other woman and the child bustard?”

His comment managed to rub me in my most vulnerable part. God knows till when I have to pay for the biggest mistake of my life. I should have never slept with Anurag Basu. But I loved him with all my heart and all he did was to marry Komolika because he couldn’t go against his family. For him, his family came first and he ditched our child and me. No, I can’t hold him responsible for the child because he didn’t know about the baby. I, myself came to know about it after his wedding night. I didn’t want to break his marriage telling him the truth.

“Now since Basu family is bankrupt, you and your child will not get a single penny. Is that the reason you are here Miss Sharma?

I was enraged by his comments. How dare he paint that atrocious picture of mine? He doesn’t know a single thing about my connection with the Basu family and he dares to speak so low about me.

“Your father might have helped Basu family years ago but aren't they the same family who outcasted you and your child that you claim is Anurag's after the said child’s father’s death?”

I stood up unable to take his comments any further, “Moloy Kaka wouldn’t have outcasted me if he was alive Mr Basu. It is Anurag’s mother who never liked me. She still thinks that….”, he cut me off

“That you don’t belong to their class, Miss Prerna Sharma.” He crossed his legs taking his coffee mug in his hand. “You are indebted to Basu family because Moloy Basu sponsored your education and saved your father by providing money and that is the reason you what to go all the way to save Basuindustries.”

“Quite an inquisitive person you are, Mr Bajaj. I am impressed that you did your research well.”

“I am a businessman madam, and I research my products well before buying them”.

“What do you mean?”

“I want to marry you, Miss Sharma”.