Edited by @SnehaBhole 

Lila's Pov:

Power was a thing that everyone craved. Wars were started to obtain it. People and souls got crippled wanting it.

What made it so great? So worthwhile that people sold their soul for it?

Before today I never knew what power felt like, not having it might be the reason.

The whole scenario that kaka told me got circulated throughout the family, they came to know that I was the owner of the business where they or their husbands were working. Apparently our family's all other business were shut down and this was the only one which was feeding their pockets and their stomachs.

I was mistreated by them because for them, I never existed. I was ostracized by this family. I don't think many of them were keen on treating me like this but I assume it might be something related to ajji's instructions.

I was in my balcony in the company of these thoughts churning through my head when I felt a sudden movement in the house next door. It was the house which my parents had once occupied.

I saw a silhouette of a tall figure behind the curtain of the room which was adjacent to mine. It was a man for sure, a very tall man.

It must be Vedant Joshi's son, what was his name? Vikram...yes, my business partner. Did I just say that? It felt so weird as his name rolled off my tongue.

Suddenly the tall figure opened his balcony and I quickly stooped down, hiding behind the thick walled paraphet. He was talking on his phone.

"Yes, yes. I know that but I won't be able to come back for the next few weeks. You will have to handle it yourself,"he said. Somehow, his voice sounded familiar.

"No, I haven't met Miss. Lila yet." My ears perked up. "I am living right next door to her. I have to discuss with her about the contract. When is her birthday?"

Contract? What contract?

"I won't know what's in the contract until she turns 24. It's in her father's will. Only her family has access to it. September 18. That's just one week. That's good."

Then there was no sound. I think he ended the call rather abruptly. He was so rude. He didn't even say thanks or bye. But his voice, it sounded awfully similar.

I got up from my position and instantaneously a booming voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Oyeee"

Shit I forgot that Vikram must still be there.

Hesitating, I slowly turned around and faced him.

Sweet heavens! It was the handkerchief guy!

**************

There are many instances when I found myself in awkward and pathetic situations. There was one instance when I accidentally brought down an entire row of apple in a supermarket. How? Because of my clumsy superpowers.

I have embarrassed myself by wearing a batman costume in a princess themed birthday party. By dancing like a deranged person in front of 100 people because I thought there was no one in that room.

I knew how to save my face in those situations.

But this was the first time I was caught secretly hearing someone's conversation so I knew this wasn't going to go well.

"You! What are you doing here?" He sounded surprised. I am surprised too asshole.

"I live here. What the fuck are you doing in that ghost house?" I asked back.

"LANGUAGE!" growled the man, which made chills go down my spine.

Who the fuck was he? My teacher? I asked him the same.

He look frustrated.

"If I was your teacher you would have learnt to mind your language" He said as a matter of fact.

He was arrogant and an asshole, I could already see our future business partnership very rocky.

"Why were you snooping around and secretly listening to my call?" he asked. The nerve of this man!

"Hey! I wasn't snooping around. I was here before you came. I was just looking for my pen." Smooth, very smooth indeed, I smirked inwardly.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Lookie, whose pants are on fire now!"

Like a warrior, I took a step forward.

"With this attitude of yours, we are going to have many problems!"

"Oh and why is that?" he said, sounding indifferent and typing something on his cellphone.

"Because if you want my 50% then you have to be much better than that, Mr. Vikram Joshi."

He whipped up his head, completely forgetting whatever shit he was typing.

"Ms. Lila, you really are something! You knew about it? Since when, may I ask?"

He was polite as well as rude.

"I knew it all along" I said taking a step further and leaned over the balcony.

"Liar"

"No I am not"

"Yes"

He took few steps forward and leaned against his balcony and whispered, "If I was your teacher, I would have made sure that you never lied." His voice was low and husky.

I had to remind myself to breathe.

He turned back and went into his room, unspoken words trailing behind him, leaving me dumbstruck.

But something struck me. Contract? What contract.

*************

That contract thing totally messed up my head. I tried to call kaka but he was too busy working. Apparently, some Vikram Joshi came to office and asked about business finances.

In my mind I was making an imaginary situation in which I had to conduct some imaginary meeting when a ball of energy jumped on my bed.

It was Deepti.

I gave her a cold stare.

"Sorry, Your Majesty. What the heck. People outside are telling me to treat you nicely" She said untangling the knots in her hair with her fingers.

"Are you going to?" I said lifting up one eyebrow, challenging her.

"Not in a million years! What happened? I do a 36hrs duty at hospital and when I come back you are suddenly treated like a princess. What did you do? Black magic?" Her eyes had turned wide as saucers.

Of course she will be, she was the one who was treated like princess being Harish kaka's daughter. She never had to work or do a single chore in this house.

But she was my best friend, she never treated me badly, she never made me do her work. She supported me. She fought for me. I loved her to death.

I told her everything.

She started jumping on my bed. "Are you serious? Oh my God, this is so awesome! You run this house now bitch."

She was jumping and laughing and howling, I couldn't help but laugh.

"Stop jumping bitch, you are going to break my bed."

"So what? You can buy yourself a new one!" She said as she plopped down my bed once more.

"By the way tell me about that Vikram Joshi. Is he hot?" Deepti said as she brought a red nail polish from bedside drawer.

"No! He is a total asswipe, rude and arrogant. He thinks he knows everything." I said remembering our conversation.

"Sounds hot to me!"

"No, he is not. He said if he was my teacher he would teach me not to lie and stuff like that." Don't know why, but this got her excited.

"Oh, like teacher/student stories" She said her eyes going big.

"Ewwww" She was such a freak.

"Lila, tell me honestly. If Vikram Joshi asks you out on a date today, will you go out with him?" She asked with an earnest expression.

"No"