* Quill! * - Page 103

? Why it's so quiet here? Where is everyone

She is falling hard for him but knows that this all facade. Al least she is expressing on what she feels about him not saving her. 😔

Regular & Irregular

She juggled both lives unsuccessfully starting the next day, she woke early at 3 AM ish, Pradyut didn’t insist she join him in bed, but there was a definite change in they way they interacted with each other most of the time.

In fact until any one brought up The Quill, it seemed like they were getting along great

They chuckled when they saw a funny commercial on TV, they didn’t avoid bumping into each other in the kitchen

“Taara NO u cant have it… its mine!!” he argued when she reached for the last fruit

And just watched as she proceeded to eat it

“Why is your hair wet?” he demanded if she accidentally bumped into him after she got out of the shower

“I have a method for the madness, I know what I am doing” he pointed to the mess of cords in the living room by the entertainment center

“I didn’t let the mosquitoes in… how can you Delhiites live without any clean air or fresh air?” she accused

“If you lived here you wouldn’t call Delhi air fresh or clean” he mocked

“Jo bhi hai, tumhe hamesha heat ya AC mein rehna pasand hai kya Pradyut?” she was deeply hurt asking that question it felt like to him

He smiled amused, “I don’t I like fresh air, Taara but not smoggy February air ”

She didn’t correct him when he called her Taara,

“There are zero mosquitoes early morning”

“Let me show you” he gently pulled her toward him and took her to his bathroom and hit the light

The shower smelled like him, the air was moist and steamy “Look up” he held her chin and tilted it

“That’s not mosquitoes” she squinted her eyes

He stared down at her loong neck wondering why she was so unaware of him

“Want me to swat one and show you?” he bend down on her ear

“Bilqul nahi” she staggered back flustered

“So it is a mosquito then?”

“OK Fine I will keep the screen doors closed from tomorrow” she mumbled

“I was on a inhaler when I was little, but seem to have grown out of air pollution induced troubles” he said cheerily as they want back to the kitchen

“Oh”

“thanks for the compassion” he mocked

She turned to him and rolled her eyes in full view…..

She reviewed supplier quotes for The Quill, figured out what replacement orders to book for Board Exam prep guides and books, posted two job ads after speaking with Harkeerat Uncle. He appeared less and less interested as the days went by.

She asked him if he wanted more money

“Maine aapke Papa ko kaha tha, mujhe apni business karne ka man hai”

“Books wala business?”

“Arey nahi betaji, isme there is such low margin…… pichhle 7.5 mahine mein jabse aapke Papa gaye humne sirf airf 16 rare books bechi hain….. haan school supplies copiyon text book mein thodi margin hai…. One rare book brings us Rs. 15,000- Rs.75,000 depending on kya book hai kitni puraani hai”

She took notes… she didn’t know how many had been sold, based on the receipts

Which was another problem

There was no separate code to identify rare books in the system

She had so many data and systems and billing issues, the footfall was definitely reducing in the last two weeks because of the massive scaffolding in the back of the building, Clover Leaf demolition was on full swing, the dust and debris truck noise was putting people off

Harkeerat was not happy about that

But in order to stay everything on Zenith Astro, she has to first read through the 100 page legal agreement she initialed 500 times and signed 50 times

She didn’t remember everything

She opened it gingerly on her work computer

Her head began to spin

“Isme mein kya pata ka clause likha hai Pradyut ne?”

The man is smart and slimy

It probably says “Store will be left standing” and nothing else is guaranteed

He was just a regular guy at home… she had to be a regular girl too!!

That gave her energy to ferociously get ready and head to Towers Partners Office

She had a 1:1 with Gopal this afternoon

She knew what she wanted

She wanted to find material that will help stop one of their many projects underway, or any new projects they were exploring

Any land deals, any municipality corporation land deed requirements

Something……

Just anything

Gopal was kind and generous and treated her like family, much to her shame

After a lavish lunch he coaxed her to open up and ask fearlessly

“Umm.. Mr Munjal as a business manager myself I am curious to understand how you make decisions to build new housing ventures”

He sat her down and over lunch showed her 2 hours of data and presentations, introduced her to the Head of Biz Development

Mr Sohail Virk

At the end of the evening, she walked out of the executive conference room elated

She was now officially going to intern with Business Development. That was the greatest chance for her to cause the most damage

Her conscience ridiculed her as she drove home, she parked on a side street and cried her heart out, there was no reason to con a good decent man. There was not one fake bone in Gopal’s body

Sumedha showered her with so much love!!!

Oh! Why? Why did I have to be married to a devil?

Papa would be ashamed of her for taking advantage of an old man like Gopal Munjal

She had basically betrayed his trust today by expressing believable but dishonest interest in wanting to learn about Towers Partners, just purely to take down their next project

But live camera feeds of the Quill from the last week or so showed a thin film of dust covering the glass doors and hard hat crews walking by every few minutes carrying equipment and materials

Back and forth back and forth, she fast forwarded through hours and hours

In the half hour clip she watched, she counted less than 10 customers

Though afternoons were the business usually

When she ran the store for 3 months after Papa’s passing, she made on average Rs. 2,000-5,000 between 2 PM to 8 PM

She went to the cash register app on her phone, which was connected to the store

The last week 2-8 PM sales totaled, Rs.12,000, one day it was only Rs. 431.17

A swift surge of rage swept through her body

He had kept his promise to leave the store alone

But the store was as good as demolished based on product sales

Is the guy willing to carry his relationship ahead as is? Can he be bit more compassionate?

Her conscience ridiculed her as she drove home, she parked on a side street and cried her heart out, there was no reason to con a good decent man. There was not one fake bone in Gopal’s body

Sumedha showered her with so much love!!!

Oh! Why? Why did I have to be married to a devil?

🥲🥲🥲

Waiting to see how her shop can be saved.

How kindly will Gopal take if she backstabs them? Pradyut might back with vengeance.

“I was on a inhaler when I was little, but seem to have grown out of air pollution induced troubles” he said cheerily as they want back to the kitchen

“Oh”

“thanks for the compassion” he mocked

She turned to him and rolled her eyes in full view…..

chalo banda was forthcoming with background for once.

Nisha, how are you placed ? Do we get an update ?

Basic cheez

“You don’t look good, what happened?” Nidhi Bhushan questioned her

“Ma I have been waking up at 4 AM the past 9 days”

“KYON? Dukaan yaha hai aap waha kyon jag rahe ho”

“Very funny….. I have to look at store receipts, talk to Harkeerat Uncle, interview the candidates I hoping to hire……..”

“Papa would hire based on word of mouth”

“Well ur daughter does not have the smarts not the intuition to do things like that”

Both women teared up quick

“How things have changed!” Nidhi sighed

“I know……… I feel really bizarre sometimes sitting in this guy’s house, going over the Quill”

“So many bizarre things” Nidhi sighed again

“If u are talking about my wedding…. Then yes…. Yes…. Yessss baby” Taaruni giggled

“Aur koi baat itni bizarre nahi hai”

“Gaurav Bhai ka mujhe ambush karna?”

“Hamara us se teri shaadi waali baat chhupana”

“I have lost his trust completely” Taaruni declared “I texted him yesterday, and 2 days ago, ek response nahi

“He is here” Nidhi mumbled

“WHATTTT?”

“He is here… throwing fits”

“Maaaa mujhe kehte kyon nahi aap”

“I don’t want you to fly down and break that weird legal clause you have stupidly agreed to”

“This is all such a cluster Ma”

“Abhi gandi baat mat karo”

“can I talk to him?”

“Nahi, Tushar ki chhutthi hai aaj he took him”

“Ma you don’t call me and tell me”

“We have only texted each other the last 4 days… abhi aaya hai who”

“Ive taken a job at Towers Partners”

“KYONNN?”

“Umm… I am bored so”

“Are they paying you”

“I doubt it” she mumbled

“Are u doing this because you are hiring more people at The Quill and giving a raise to Harkeerat Uncle?”

“Who is giving a raise?”

“Tushar ki baat hui unse, usne agree kiya hai”

“WHYYY? Why didn’t he tell me?”

“Abhi pata nahi……. He feels the emotional tug like you to keep it going, unki salary per month usne Rs.22,000 badhaa di”

“Whatttt?”

“Hmm”

“Oh Maaaa””What the heck”

Taaruni took an auto to Sumedha’s

It was the end of her work day

When she arrived at Munjals she was tired and confused

She was working towards, disrupting their build plan at a key site, her mother was agreeing to terms without getting her approval

She had to talk with Tushar ASAP

Building industry was h----ish….. Sohail was a sharp guy, who expected her to learn everything the second he shared with her

Sumedha pampered her, tea, snacks…. Was going to pack dinner, she refused

Sumedha signaled Balmukundji that it was goingt o be delivered anyway

Asked her to stay

When she discovered Pia and her high school friends were going to be over Taaruni was on pins and needles

“I cant stay… I am crazy to get a job in a company I have no clue about, I am neglecting Papa’s store” she mumbled

“Go to Chandigarh beta… I will box Pradyut’s ears”

“Its not a Bollywood movie… (chuckling) umm… no… M… I mean thanks”

“I wouldn’t mind a Mum occasionally” Sumedha looked at her wistfully

“I am not even the real deal… umm.. aunty”

“I don’t care beta”

“You and your husband are way too kind”

“No we are basic” she laughed

“U talk like a teen”

“I know I can” she hugged her

“I think its remarkable you overcame so much and yet choose to be happy”

“We are twins” she hugged her again

Sumedha wanted to “keep” her

Taaruni walked back toward Pradyut’s house, 3 blocks

It was around 8 PMish

A car pulled up close by her

She pulled away from the street… afraid

He got out

“Where are you going?”

“TUM yaha kya kar rahe ho?”

“Way to the house?” he was looking at her like she was insane

“Why do u have ur heels in ur hand?”

“Oh yeh?” My feet were hurting… ur Mum gave me these comfy slippers,” she giggled pointing to her fluffy padded slipons

“Where is ur car?”

“I took it back the engine made clicking sounds”

“Are u walking down from my parents?”

“Haa”

“Get in”

“Its 1.5 blocks”

“I know… get in”

“Ur sister is expecting u” she mumbled

“Get in” he said flatly

“I don’t need a ride”

“Get in… TAARA” he was scowling

guys nd girls are same all over the world🤣he told her to get in 3 times each time she had a different reason/excuse ready😆i do the same with my bf😛

Is she pregnant? 🤔😋