SS: Maid of Honour - Completed with Epilogue - Page 7

I look handsomer in person, don't I?

Geet was taken aback by the sudden statement, what kind of telepathic or extra sensory perception did this man possess! How did he know what I was thinking? she thought.

You know... the pictures published by the paparazzi in the magazines... I look better than that, right? Maan clarified seeing the half surprised-half confused look on her face. 

He has psychic powers she concluded and was proud of herself for coming up with a reasoning and she patted herself with immense satisfaction confusing Maan even more. 

Umm... Excuse me but who are you?, he asked 

That's when realization hit her, it had been 8years since they bid their "not so friendly goodbyes and hadn't been in contact ever since. If not for Maan being the CEO of 2 of the largest industries in the country with cameras flashing anywhere he went and ending up on the front page of business magazines once a month, even she wouldn't have recognized him. 

Dadi was her only person of contact for a long time until 4years Naina had come back from her parent's home all gushy-mushy and told her how she had met Dev in one of the parties they hosted. It was not uncommon for them to meet but that meeting was a merger between The Khurana's and The Rathode's fashion houses, creating The R&K and that meant frequent business and casual meetings and Naina developed a crush on him. 

She had gone on about how he was cute, funny and comforting at the same time, "Comforting was the description that she caught on to, Naina had had her fair share of crushes but she had never described someone as comforting. A few weeks after that Dev and Naina had exchanged messages, the messages had turned into calls and Dev had proposed her after a few months. She knew why exactly Naina had fallen for him, even though Dev  wasn't at London, it felt like he was present for them, the way he spoke made them feel his presence around them even when he was half way across the world. Unbeknownst to her, she had developed a lot of respect for this man and knew that he was the perfect match for her best friend. Since then Dev had become the newest member of her tiny world. 

But she didn't have any sort of communication with the younger Khurana who was now waving his hands in front of her and was giving her a look of exasperation. It brought her back from her reverie. 

Helllooo... he was still waving at her, 

she managed to mumble a Yeah looking very fazed. 

He sighed, man this girl was a headache, for starters she's in someone's home and then she stands there like a statue lost somewhere when I'm talking to her, he thought.

After the death of his parents, he had decided that he wouldn't let Dadi and Dev bhai take all the responsibilities though he was still 19years old. It was really hard to absorb the truth, one day they were all happy and the world was painted in bright colours and then suddenly it felt like he was left alone in a city he didn't know. 

While there were people who were genuinely sad for their loss, there had been others who had offered their condolences without meaning it, to them it was just an opportunity to boost their own business and their life hadn't turned upside down unlike his. It had angered Maan, he had left the place as soon as the cremation ceremony had ended with determination, he had promised himself that he would take the Khurana Industries to even greater heights. He had studied and participated in any and every opportunity he thought would help him gain even the remotest experience. 

At 20, he had announced at home that he wanted to go to The US to pursue his studies, he had completed his Masters in Architecture and also held an MBA in Business Economics. He had returned 4years ago and took over KC and his dedication had won the trust of their long time friend/rival leading to the merger of The Rathode and The Khurana fashion houses, since then there was no turning back. 

He knew his charm and the effects it had on the ladies yet he never cared much about it. To the whole world he was a person who was strict and perfect, yet there was a carefree funny side of him which was known to Dadi and Dev and now to Naina as she was more of a friend than his would-be sister-in-law. 

And her, his brain pointed it out as he stared at this unknown girl who had walked down to the hall and was now lost in her own world, she had somehow managed to remove the mask of seriousness he had always donned without even trying. 

She looked like a Plain Jane with those jeans and T-shirt but he was sure that she could turn heads with the slightest touch of kohl to those eyes.  

Hey, he had called her once with no response from her, he slightly raised his hand and did a quick Hi to her, yet she seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Half irritated he stood in front of her and had started waving his hands, that had got her attention. She looked embarrassed and he had sighed. 

Listen to me Miss... he had said 

First of all, Who let you in? If the security here is so lax someone's getting fired today'

Second thing, if you're here to meet my Dadi, Savitri Devi, meet her tomorrow at her office DURING(he had stressed on the word) office hours' 

Thirdly, if you're here for the job interview scheduled by Dev, that post has already been filled' 

'And lastly if you're a burglar, isn't it awfully early to rob someone's house? Did you think you could get away with all these CCTV cameras around the mansion? And if you are armed with a gun or a knife, then too bad, he whispered dangerously because I'm your opponent', 

with that said he had grabbed both her wrists and held them behind her back within the blink of eyes. He wasn't fooling around now and all Geet could muster was a really squeaky No'. 

He saw her eyes and realized that they were a beautiful shade of light brown and right now they were shit scared of him. Laughter rang around the hall of the mansion, Maan thought that the whole encounter with the girl in front of him was too funny and tried controlling his laughter and failed. And at that exact moment Naina who had gotten up due to the commotion downstairs had witnessed the whole scene and she couldn't stop her laugh either. Geet stood there flabbergasted, the man who had threatened her just a minute ago was laughing holding his stomach and her bestie was laughing so hard that she had tears of laughter. 

Hey good to see you here, When did you get back? Maan asked still recovering from the fit of laughs, in response Naina hugged him and didn't say a word cos she was still laughing,

'Some friend you are' Geet thought and rolled her eyes. 

Who's she? A friend of yours?' Maan had asked, to which Geet replied Geet Handa, it hasn't exactly been a pleasure meeting you'. 

Now it was Maan's turn to be shocked, This couldn't be her' he thought.

"Curls GONE, Braces GONE, Geeky spectacles GONE' he countered. 

Who are you and what have you done to Geetika?'. 

Instead of giving a fitting reply she had just stomped back to her room whilst giving an angry glare to him. 

So ungirly, yep that's definitely her' he said out loud and Naina had rewarded him with an elbow to his ribs, 

Ouch' he had told playfully. 

Don't fire the security, they aren't in fault' she had yelled from her room which came out a bit muffled. She hadn't changed totally afterall he thought while smiling at her innocence.

A very cliched meet - The whole chapter😆😛

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Next: Chapter 4