Panic started settling in her mind as Ina sat in the rickshaw and waited for it to move from this bottleneck traffic jam. Sweat beads trickled down her face and she could feel the fabric of her top slightly sticking near her neck with the increasing humidity.

Irritation rushed through her body when she felt her mobile vibrating for the third time in a row. A call that she was dreading to receive and also the one she is avoiding.

One day! One day I just forgot to set the alarm and the whole world is going crazy for me, she thought sarcastically before taking her phone in her hand and answering the call.

" Hello," Ina greeted, bored, and waited for the other person to respond.

" Ina, where the hell are you? Sir has been asking for you." Aryan hurried whispered and my face puzzled up as I wiped my face with a handkerchief.

" But Aryan, I had messaged Sharma sir about the same thing and he is not even here in Mumbai," I replied with a sigh as  the traffic jam started diffusing.

" I am not talking about Sharma sir, Ina. Viraaj sir was asking about you. Riya is also trying your phone but for some reason your phone was unreachable," Aryan whispered but nothing really entered in my mind after listening about the devil himself asking about me. Thin lines formed on my forehead as I wondered what may be the reason for this sudden expedition of his but I knew I couldn't predict anything about that unpredictable man.

" I am coming, Aryan. 10 more minutes," I sighed tiredly and disconnected the call.

First, you burden me with your behavior and work and now when because of you I am running late. You are on a hunting spree to find me. How much more drama awaits with you, Mister? At least if you tell me I would be able to prepare myself for the same, Ina mentally chided while paying fair to the rickshaw and rushing into her office premises. 

She could feel her breathing going heavy and her face turning hot, by the time she stepped inside her air-conditioned office. My goodness, Mumbai's humidity is going worse day-by-day, Ina thought to herself, marching towards her cubicle.

Her eyes started scanning everything surrounding her cubicle and found Riya frantically slapping her phone on her hand, looking extremely annoyed and exasperated. Ina's eyes were going to travel to another nook of her corner when Riya lifted her gaze and met her eyes. 

A nervous expression slipped on her face as she reached near her and started keeping her bag when Riya whispered yelled," Where the hell have you been?" Her perfectly shaped eyebrows raised and red-painted lips pressed in a thin line made me groan in frustration, feeling already tired of explaining myself again. 

" Riya, can you please tell me what's wrong? Why you and Aryan have been constantly calling me? A person can get late right? Now, will you please tell me the reason for this 'finding Ina' mission?" Ina impatiently whispered, and scorned her face clearly showing her displeasure as to why they both were going ga-ga about her absence. However, despite the exasperated tone used, it brought a smile on Riya's face who shook her head muttering something like,' this one is impossible. 

"The moment the office hours have started, Sir has been asking about you. He told us to call you and find out where were you and that's why we were calling. He told me to send you to his cabin as soon as you arrive," Riya calmly stated and Ina could feel something churning inside her stomach as the thought of meeting him entered her mind. 

A pinkish hue started covering her cheeks as his yesterday's words echoed in her mind. Recalling everything again, she closed her eyes and cleared her throat before opening her mouth to respond to Riya when her eyes caught hold of the set of captivating eyes that had captured her mind from the very beginning. Standing in a crisp white shirt and black formal pants, he looked a seven-course meal to her eyes while gazing at him. 

Seeing, Ina staring with an open mouth, Riya followed her gaze only to find out their boss looking at such intensity that would just combust them if a stare had that kind of power. " Go, madam, I guess your call has come," Riya commented very slowly while turning to Ina who just nodded in return having no other option. 

Slowly and consciously, Ina tore her eyes from that place when the same pair of dark eyes vanished from the glass door but not before leaving a burning stare on her. With a slight shake of the head, Ina took hold of a small diary and stepped towards his cabin.  

" Come in," His deep voice affirmed to her knock on the cabin door and she just held the diary more tightly as discomfort and confusion swept over her mind. 

" Yes, Sir," Ina said as soon as she stepped inside. Her eyes scanned the room in a quick attempt to divert her mind from Viraaj who was just staring at her stature.

With the way her eyeballs danced around the cabin, Viraaj enclosed his palm in a tight fist and a vein started to appear on his forehead, trying to control the temper that was building at a lightening pace.

" Where. Were. You?" Viraaj slowly enunciated each and every word with such patience that just made Ina want to run back to her desk.

" I... I... That... Yesterday... I..." Ina stammered, sweat beads covering her already sweaty forehead and her legs turning slightly jittery under his gaze.

Ina's reaction was not hidden from him. His eyes were following each and every reaction of hers. The way, her eyes danced around without her making proper eye contact was itself a very big giveaway that he had scared big time. Viraaj knew this. But somehow he couldn't just control the temper that was building inside him.

" Where is the blue file that I gave you?"  His dangerously calm voice fell on deaf ears, the moment Ina heard the words 'blue file'.

Holy shit! Yesterday, I slept while reading the file and in the morning because I was late, I forgot to carry the file back to the office. But how am I supposed to explain this to him? Ina mentally questioned herself without realizing the fact that her face had completely turned white.

" Sir, I forgot the file at home in a hurry to come to the office," Ina quietly muttered though it was loud enough for him to hear.

With his eyes rolled shut with force, Viraaj banged the table with his hand before opening his eyes and standing up making Ina jump at her place

" Do you remember the words I told you, yesterday?" He asked to which she just nodded at him, looking with her fear-filled eyes.

" Even after that, you couldn't handle the file with care? From the moment, I have entered the office premises I have been asking and trying to contact you so that we could have had a discussion before presenting the plan to the board. So now,I have a meeting with the board of directors in the next 45 mins. How am I supposed to present the thing when you forgot the goddamn file at your home? Tell me," Viraaj's voice raised a few decibels while pointing out to Ina which just made her squirm and close her eyes at the way his voice echoed in the cabin.

Seeing her eyes lowered and hands pressing her thighs, Viraaj indeed knew she was feeling guilty for forgetting the file at home but only if he could control his temper. Only if he could see that Viraaj's raised voice combined with his questions made Ina go weak and before she herself knew it- tears filled her dull eyes which had turned red because of carrying excess moisture. 

I fucked up big time and I don't know how to explain myself to him- Ina's conscious whispered making her gulp painfully while controlling her tears because she knew somewhere in her heart that he was right on his part. Tears were ready to rain down her face not because of the fact that she felt her ego getting hurt. In fact, she felt hurt because it was because of her that he was feeling helpless at the moment and this gospel seemed to bother a little more than what is regarded as normal. 

" Tell me, Ms. Ghosh? What I am supposed to do now? You were talking about professionalism right? Where is that serio-" Viraaj stopped stabbing her with his words when he saw her looking at him through her wet lashes. His mouth abruptly stopped as the tears started trickling down her face before she lowered her eyes once again while controlling the sob that was threatening to escape from her throat that was tired of controlling her emotions. 

******

Hello Guys, 

I hope you guys are safe inside your homes and making the best possible use of this quarantine. So, coming to the story- I know I am very late with the update. I know but I don't know how come this writer's block came on my head that I am finding it so difficult to write even a page. Phele thoughts the toh time nahi tha ab time hai toh thoughts nahi hai :P. 

Anyway, enough of my cribbing. Here is a  new update on the story and I hope you guys will enjoy the very same. And don't worry I won't leave the story hanging in your minds.  

So, enjoy the update and let me know your thoughts.