Chapter 1:
Divya re-read the short poem and chuckled to herself. She knew the poem had probably been copied from somewhere but it touched her that he had at least taken out a few minutes to remember her. Making a quick hard copy of the poem, she propped the piece of paper against the computer screen and gazed at the words with a dreamy sigh. There were of course files to check, forms to fill and cheques to sign but they could wait for a few minutes.
"DivyaâŚDivya âŚ"
She jumped, almost knocking over a stack of files but managed to stop them from slipping; only to elbow a mountain of loose papers on to the floor.
"GreatâŚ"
She muttered before slapping herself on the forehead.
"Divya, I hope you're still alive; I still need my schedule"
"Y-Yes sirâŚ"
She stuttered before scrambling over to the intercom and pushing away the mess so that she could hear clearly.
"My cabin. Now."
Mumbling to herself she grabbed the appointments diary and a few files before rushing out from her mini cabin, relieved to run in to the peon who was carrying the coffee she had ordered.
"Black with two sugars right?"
The peon nodded whilst helping her to balance the tray on top of the files before adding
"But I thought he only took one spoon."
"You never know; two might sweeten his mood a little"
She yelled over her shoulder as she tottered towards her boss's cabin. After a brief knock she entered and perched everything minus the diary in the centre of the large mahogany desk.
"Good morning sir"
She turned and gave a sunny smile to the figure facing the window overlooking the busy streets of Mumbai. Though he had his back to her and was dressed in a smart black business suit; his muscles bulged under the coat as he placed his hand on the wall.
"What were you laughing at?"
Divya was caught of guard and stared blankly at her boss.
"I urh; wasn't laughing sir"
She replied nervously, not wanting to mention that she had been drooling over him instead.
"In your cabin Divya. I didn't know that last months balance sheet could be so amusing."
He turned towards her with a teasing smile and caught the colour rising to her cheeks. Divya turned inspect her shoes as she recited the poem.
"All the love that history knows,
is said to be in every rose.
Yet all that could be found in two,
is less than what I feel for you."
"You wrote that?"
He asked before taking a sip of the coffee. Divya shook her head and watched him from under her lashes.
"My fianc e-mailed me it this morning. But I'd just signed in to check my e-mail for two minutes"
She added hurriedly hoping that he wouldn't think she was slacking of work. Instead his smile widened and she avoided looking at the way his lips curved lest she started staring unashamedly.
"No doubt a love poem â I wonder where people get the time to write such things"
He shook his head before flicking through the files she had brought.
"Today's appointment?"
Divya flipped the diary open and recited the days schedule; almost finished when he distractedly waved a hand towards her
"Cancel my two o'clock."
Divya looked at him aghast,
"But Mr. Walia; Mr. Mehta is one of our most important contractors andâŚ"
"I know why he wants this meeting and I'm not interested in a partnership. Besides; I have more important things to focus on right now."
She opened her mouth to convince him otherwise though soon snapped it shut as he threw down the last of the files before taking a good luck at her.
"You look like hell. Didn't you get any sleep last night?"
She gave a wry smile at the comment and mumbled something about checking a few files; quite unprepared for the sigh he gave and the way he gently held her arm.
"Take a break and meet me at 1"
She gaped at him.
"The meetingâŚ"
He brushed her confused glance away.
"I'd rather go on my own that deal with my PA fainting in front of twenty guests."
She smiled gratefully and eyed his retreating back as he disappeared out of the cabin. A small smile sigh escaped her lips and she giggled at the way she had taken to admiring him like a love struck schoolgirl â not that she, or any other female employee working in Walia Industries could help it. For her boss Jai Walia â along with being filthy rich with a charming personality and a booming business â had the looks of a Greek God.
There was something about him â his rugged good looks; his set jaw; his chocolate coloured eyes and the way the corner of his lips twitched in to a small smile whenever he was amused.
Giggling again, she gathered any files that she would need and headed for her own cabin.
*****
Jai pushed his fingers roughly through his hair and muttered a string of curses at no one in particular. Not only had the meeting dragged on longer than he had anticipated; but a nervous Tarun had also informed him of the legal hang-ups, which would make the whole thing harder than it already was.
Cursing again, he pulled out his mobile and punched in the number of his nephew and right hand man â Ranveer who was sure to be more efficient than the whole Goa takeover team put together.
Thankfully he was able to get through on the second ring and had just started to give a few brief instructions to Ranveer when he collided in to a woman who, until that point, had been waiting patiently in the middle of the corridor.
Surprised; Jai's hand shot out to steady her by the waist (much to her shock if her gaping mouth was anything to go by) as her bag flew open and hurled out its content.
"Are you blind?"
Barked Jai distractedly before he noticed that she had wriggled out of his grasp and was fumbling hurriedly in an attempt to gather her belongings. Sighing, he stooped down and collected everything before shoving them roughly in to her hands. As he did he caught a quick glance of her dark hair falling delicately over her shoulders as her head tilted higher and her honey coloured eyes stood out â watching him vacantly.
He left after helping her up, though the image he had managed to capture in those few seconds remained with him until he forced it away and turned his attention to Ranveer's insistent voice asking him if everything was okay.
*****
Jai leaned back in his chair and drummed his fingers impatiently against the desk as his nephew glanced through the files in front of him, taking his own sweet time and it was only after a few excruciatingly long minutes that he finally looked up.
"Mamaji, wouldn't it be a better idea if one of was to actually meet them in Goa â say in a weeks time?"
Jai gave a short nod and stood to face the large window, his back to Ranveer as he added after a few seconds of silence,
"It would have to be after Raashi's wedding though â I'm not sure Ranvijay or Anu would allow me out of the house, let alone board the plane if I told them about Goa."
He had barely finished talking when there was a knock on the door followed by a tall slim man entered his cabin; clad in a grey suit and donning a warm smile that made it difficult to fathom his exact age.
"Jai!"
He exclaimed before beaming at both his brother-in law, and his son.
"Sorry to inform you Aditya; but you're a little late â the Goa meeting ended hours ago."
Snapped Jai before tracing his steps back to his desk where Ranveer had also left his seat.
"Forget that for a second,"
Replied Aditya with that annoying grin still fixed on his face,
"I want you to meet someone."
It was then that he spotted the woman (no â girl; she looked barely 18) hovering in the doorway. One look at her eyes and he recognised her as the one he had bumped in to earlier. Her eyes were just as beautiful; just as vacant; though now she was not crouching on the floor he could assess her appearance better.
She was elegantly plain, he summarised.
Her hair fell casually down her back and she was dressed in a simple off white kameez with a colourful pink stole positioned on one shoulder. She was devoid of any jewellery other than a few white bangles in one wrist and small ganesh locket dangling on a thin silver chain.
But her features stuck out. High cheekbones in soft pink, a small button nose and rose coloured lips that only accentuated her beauty.
"Jai, Ranveer, this is Nishikant Dxit's daughter â Bani."
The girl â Bani â smiled softly and put her hands together in a traditional greeting.
Ranveer greeted her shortly while he nodded back; silently comparing her to her father.
Yes; he remember Nishikant well. The polite and confident man he had met in Mt. Abu a number of years ago. After he had helped Jai in a tricky situation; they had both kept in touch regularly and Jai had grew to admire him â like the father figure his own dad never was.
Bani was nothing like him and Jai guessed that she must have taken after her mother.
Surprisingly Nishikant rarely talked about his family and Jai only knew about one daughter â Pooja; or was it Priya? He couldn't remember. She had married a few months ago though Jai had been unable to tend to the wedding due to Biji's deteriorating health. Nishikant had asked him to cancel the wedding plans and take care of Aditya's mother instead â reluctantly accepting the few gifts Jai had sent over.
He realized guiltily that they had not talked since.
"How is Nishikant?"
He asked Bani whose smile seemed to falter. He had to strain his ears to hear what she was saying as her voice was low and soft.
"He passed away a few months ago"
The news hit him like a tonne of bricks and he darted a glance towards Aditya who nodded regretfully. Another rush of guilt â stronger than last time and he lapsed into silence; rekindling memories of the old man who he had looked to for advise in the last ten years.
Aditya noted Jai's distant look and walked over to Bani who was still standing there; her head bowed.
"Bani; take a seat."
Aditya held her elbow and started guiding her to Jai's desk though she smiled and brushed him of.
"I can manage uncle."
Jai watched her silently as she took a few steps alongside Aditya before bumping into his desk. Her hand reached out to steady herself and fell on a couple of files placed on the edge; almost causing them to slip though she managed to grab them just in time.
No damage was done but Jai â already facing one of the worst days in his life â felt his anger rising to the surface.
"Damn it, can't you watch we're you're going - are you blind?"
He snapped at her heatedly; ignoring Aditya who was hovering nervously behind her and Ranveer who had reached out to help her.
"Urh, JaiâŚ"
Began Aditya, only to be cut of by Bani who smiled in his direction.
"That's the second time you've asked me that and as a matter of fact; I am."
Edited by nibbles - 18 years ago
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