Dev did not get an ounce of sleep the whole night. He was angry with himself. Because of him, a woman had lost her life. He always thought of most women as selfish humans. He used Elizabeth's weakness, Riccardo, against her. While threatening her, he did not feel too much pain. But now, when he was looking at the result of his plotting, he repented his decisions. He regretted playing around with the emotions of that woman.

He got ready to go to the office. He saw his phone. There was a message from Tina.

Sir, Please be here by 10 a.m. Your first appointment is at that time.

He internally smiled. Tina was a smart personal assistant. She was a perfect secretary. Immediately, he knew when he had hired her that she was trustworthy and did not join the job to get close to him and woo him.

Dev looked at the time. It was 9 a.m.

Sonakshi would have reached the office now. He thought.

Then his phone beeped with a message. It was Arjun.

Hey Buddy. Just saw the news. We will discuss this in the office. By the way, Sonakshi has arrived. She is sitting in her cabin. Looks as though she did not sleep well.

The message worried Dev.

What would have happened to Sonakshi? Why did she not sleep well last night? I have to listen to the recording of the conversation between her and Anurag Basu.

Dev opened the file containing the voice recordings on his phone. He scrolled down to the voice recording he wanted to hear. He clicked on play.

"I am going for the deal myself tonight. I need the remaining money that I lent you tomorrow." Sonakshi said.

"Okay," Anurag said. "I will send it to Kriti tonight."

"Fine." She agreed

Dev was now confused. He had so many doubts in his head.

What deal did Sonakshi have to go to?

Kriti?

Is Sonakshi related to Kriti? That woman who got shot in the police encounter at the hotel?

And why does that Anurag Basu have to send her money to that Kriti instead of Sonakshi?

Sona!!!

"Oh, God! It is almost 10 a.m. That troublesome troublemaker will enter the office now with his perfect jawline and perfectly black clothes," Sonakshi muttered to herself irritatedly.

That man had pissed her off so much. He first forcibly kissed her. Then he caged her the next day causing her a panic attack. Then, he accompanied her to her psychologist, and last but not least he did not even spare her the freedom to have lunch with a good friend of hers.

As Devil, he had done a long list of things to anger Songbird.

The freshest wound that he had caused her was the last night's incident which had almost taken her best friend away from her.

Her elder brother Suraj was not talking to her because she had hidden the truth about her panic attack. He had very reluctantly agreed for Sona to go to the office. Sonakshi had convinced him that her mind would be on spying than thinking about the horrible instances that happened last night.

"Hello darling," A voice called her.

Sonakshi rolled her eyes and turned towards the man who called her darling.

There he was, standing wearing a proper businessman suit and sporting a tired but handsome, dazzling smile. Sonakshi froze looking at him like that. She gulped.

Get a grip on yourself, Sona. This man is your enemy. You want revenge. OMG! He looks so hot when his hair is messed up. God! You have such stupid thoughts. Do not let him affect you. Remember it is because of him that Kriti is hurt. But he does look so handsome doesn't he?

Dev smirked even more looking at Sonakshi checking him out.

"Like what you see?" Dev interrupted Sonakshi's wild thoughts.

"Umm... Sir, I do not know wh.. what you... a...are talking about?" Sonakshi tried to cover up her embarrassment.

Dev frowned at her.

"I asked you to call me Dev yesterday, didn't I?" Dev asked her. He did not like hearing 'Sir' from her. It felt foreign hearing 'sir' from her name.

Tina knocked on the door coming to Sonakshi's rescue.

"Sir, Ms Natasha is here," Tina informed him about the arrival of Natasha.

"What is Natasha doing in my office?" Dev half yelled at Tina for taking the name of another woman in front of Sonakshi.

"Umm... She has the 10 a.m. appointment," Tina said.

"OK tell her to wait," Dev said, "And ask Arjun to come to the room too. He needs to be there."

Tina nodded and walked out leaving both Dev and Sona in the room.

"Natasha... as in Natasha Gujral?" Sonakshi questioned Dev.

"Yes babe," Dev said, " She is my friend."

"Girlfriend?" Sonakshi asked, hoping she was not correct.

"Nope. Just a close friend," Dev said. 

He wanted to shake Sona and tell her that he cannot think of any other woman the way he thinks about her but he controlled his behaviour. He is a gentleman after all. Rather pretending to be gentle in front of his lady.

"Bye Dev," Sonakshi said.

"Bye Sonakshi," Dev said, smiling as he walked out of the room.

Natasha had come five minutes early. She wanted to speak privately to Dev. She wanted to apologize to Dev. She knew that by losing Chang's deal, somehow Dev had lost trust in her credibility. She wanted it back.

Arjun entered the room and saw Natasha waiting there.

"Dev baby, I am so sorry," Natasha started and turned around to see Arjun standing in the room in place of Dev.

"Tsk Tsk. Dev baby?" Arjun asked, "You call him that?"

"Umm no," Natasha said.

"Good. You shouldn't call him that," Arjun said.

"Why?" Natasha asked. Arjun had never behaved so rudely with her. Now, why was he interfering?

"Because Dev has finally found his happiness. I do not want anyone to ruin it. I have never seen such a changed Dev that I have seen yesterday," Arjun said.

Natasha froze.

Did Dev find his happiness? Who is she? Why do I not know?
How can someone else be the reason for Dev's happiness and not me?

Dev walked into the room humming a tune.

Natasha turned to look at him. Dev looked tired as he had not slept. People who knew Dev would notice that there was a really huge difference in him.

He did not look serious anymore. He did not resemble the cold, ruthless businessman that used to be featured in the Business Today magazines. He looked like a handsome man satisfied in life.

"Hi, Natasha," Dev said casually. He was still celebrating the fact that Sonakshi had finally called him Dev instead of Sir.

"Hi Dev," Natasha said.

"Tell me, Natasha. Why are you here?" Dev asked her.

"Dev. I want to apologize for losing the deal with Chang," Natasha said, expecting Dev's outburst.

"It is OK," Dev said.

Natasha's eyes popped out. Did Devil just forgive her?

"It was not your fault anyways. Now we need to focus on two things. One is the deal with Riccardo Valldari. The Second is Songbird," Dev spoke.

Arjun nodded in agreement. His eyes were fixed on Natasha. He could see that Natasha was trying hard to fathom the changes in Dev.

"Arjun did you research on Songbird?" Dev asked.

"Dev, I need time till tomorrow," Arjun asked.

"Okay. I want that file in front of me tomorrow," Dev said.

"Dev what about yesterday's incident?" Arjun asked.

"Natasha, I want you to hire a private investigator on this girl called Kriti. I want to know how she was in the room instead of Songbird and Jade." Dev said to Natasha.

"Consider it done," Natasha said.

"Good, you can leave," Dev said.

Arjun moved out of the room. It was only Natasha and Dev left in the room. Natasha gathered her courage and asked the question that she wanted to ask for quite some time.

"What is her name?" Natasha asked.

"Whose?" Dev asked confused.

"The girl who has won your heart," Natasha said.

"Mia Bella."

WORD COUNT: 1453 Words

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CHAPTER 14 IS UP!

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