Aaradhya's Pov.

Riddhant's assistant and driver Sunil came out to help me when he found me weeping on the road.

He dropped me home safely.

"Thank you, Please don't mention anything about my wailing to him." I requested after getting out of the car.

"I won't ma'am. I'll take your leave and if you need the car, please call me. It's boss's order." He said and drove off.

I trudged to my flat and placed my bag on the coffee table. I knew, it was pointless to cry so I brushed my tears and calmed myself by splashing water on my face.

He had turned me into a strong woman and by wailing, I would've wasted his efforts.

Varun had granted a leave, may be out of pity but I still decided to go back to office. I quickly called Sunil for the car and reached office before lunch time

"Can I come in, Sir?" I knocked before entering his cabin.

"Yes." He answered authoritatively.

I stepped in while his eyes were fixed on his laptop. He looked flabbergasted once his eyes lifted up.

"Aaradhya, Why did you come? I granted you a leave, right?" Varun asked softly.

"Sir, I wanted to work beside it's an important meeting tomorrow." I replied professionally.

"Aaradhya, It would've been managed. You could've simply taken some rest." He spoke humbly.

"No sir. I am fine and I know how important this meeting is for you and for the company because of which you're working here instead of being with your newly married wife." I tried my best to sound tactful.

"I'm impressed with your dedication, Ms Mehra." He smiled proudly and came forward.

"Thank you." I said courteously.

"So what brings you here? As I supposed you are assigned under Mr. Shah."  He questioned.

"Mr. Shah had asked me to collect the presentation from you." I told him.

"Oh yes! Just a second". He moved to his desk and handed me the pendrive.

"Here it is, there are few errors. Go through it and prepare a final version." He instructed and I punctiliously nodded.

"Aaradhya?" He called as I was about to leave.

"I'm glad that you weren't derelict. I've greater expectations from you. Now get back and work hard as I don't want our rival firms to take this deal. We have worked hard enough to earn it." He stated.

"Thanks Varun. By the way, when are you both leaving for Amsterdam?" I asked him.

"Actually, we had planned to leave by friday but now we aren't going as we can't leave you here alone when he's not there." He explained with concern.

"Please don't postpone your plan for me. I'll be perfectly alright and I won't like if I'll be the reason behind it and don't worry, for my company, I've your irritating brother-in-law." I stated, chuckling at the last part.

"But Aaradhya..."

"Please I insist.
As for Niki, I'll convince her." I assured him and came out of his cabin.

I worked on the presentation for the next few hours.

It was six when I realized that the office hours got over while everyone had left. I quickly shut the laptop before saving the presentation in my file and transfered the other corrected copy in the pendrive. I had asked Sunil to drop the car for me as I wanted to drive myself. I drove back home safely.

I was hungry because of skipping lunch and also tired due to working continuously on the screen, so I settled for fruits because I wasn't in a mood of cooking.
Bindya had left after finishing her chores while I busied myself by watching some television before looking for umpteenth number of time at my mobile, waiting for his call.

While I was wondering about him, my phone buzzed flashing his name.

"So did you get some time?" I asked him as soon as his face appeared on screen.

"Yes blossom, Sorry I slept for few hours as the journey was tiring." He smiled sheepishly.

I was restless here and this man was sleeping peacefully.

Yeah right, How can I expect him to miss me? Because It's me, who has fallen for him.

"Okay what did you do in my absence?" He asked me breaking my chain of thoughts.

"I was busy with some important office work." I told him the truth.

His expression hardened but he smiled eventually. We talked for some more time. I told him about the meeting and he confided me with his advices.
After he hung up the call, I started missing him.

I took out the pink t-shirt which I had worn last night.

I hugged it after lying on the bed. One could smell his cologne in it which was quite soothing for me and I drifted off to a deep slumber.

Next Day.

I rushed to the office a bit early because of being left with the final detailing part but the presentation file didn't lack anything. As I was getting up, I heard the sound of the witch who had intruded my peace already.

"Clearly, you know your class." She disparaged me for the post, I worked.

"You are no one to show me my class, Ms. Shalini Sethi." I repulsed with arrogance.

"Watch out your tongue as this time, he won't be there to save you." She hissed angrily.

This means, she knows clearly about Riddhant, But how?

"I don't need anybody's protection as I am capable to guard myself." I depised her threats.

"You've wasted my time already so would you please leave from here." I spoke rudely

"I'm not done with you." she walked away angrily after spatting those words.

I rushed to the washroom to wash my face after she left calming my nerves down.

I came out and took the pendrive with me to the board room where Varun and all the committee members were already present.
The meeting started with the presentation from the rival company which belonged to Shalini. There was a round of applause when she ended it.

She was so confident when she presented her plan but so were we. Varun already had a hard copy of my presentation and he was fully prepared.

I handed Kabir the pendrive and he attached it to the laptop but the file which got projected was blank.
I gasped at the sight while the rest of committee members started murmuring in confusion.

I caught that witch smirking evilly as she was seated across the table by now. Clearly, she must have erased the file.

"What the hell is this, Aaradhya? Where is the damn presentation." Varun whispered angrily.

I closed my eyes and recalled Riddhant's advice to be confident and intact, whatever the situation is, you should be prepared to deal with it.

"I'm sorry gentlemen but there is some technical problem with it. Give me two minutes, I'll be right back." I spoke fiercely and stormed out to bring my laptop from the cubicle. Meanwhile I asked a favour from Kabir which he obliged readily.
I got back to the conference room and opened the saved file, presenting it on the projector screen.

Varun sir breathe out relieved and started the presentation.
I smirked at the witch who was dumbfounded by this time.

The presentation ended with another big round of applause by everyone as it was clear that the contract belonged to our company.
After we got the deal, I stood up.

"Excuse me everyone, May I have your attention, please?" I spoke.

Fifteen eyes were on me.

"Thank you for trusting our firm with the deal but I want to disclose something." I continued.

All were attentively listening to me this time.
I signaled Kabir and he played the footage as our building was under cctv surveillance which clearly showed that witch replacing the pendrive from my cubicle desk.
She had a horrified expression while the others started shifting their gaze from the screen to her in astonishment.

"Now I don't think, I've to explain anything to you." I sounded optimist.

"My intentions behind this was not to humiliate anyone but I didn't want my self esteem to be spoiled in front of you all when I wasn't even responsible for it nor is my company, Thank you for your precious time." I cleared my thoughts.

Few minutes later, Varun sir escorted the board members and the delegates. Few of them commended me for my dedication and spirit and eyed that woman with abhorrence who was still seated with a shocking look on her face. Her partner had left already.

"You bitch! you ruined my reputation." She roared after we both were alone in the room.

"Now that's where you are wrong, Shalini.
you ruined your own reputation with that dirty trick of yours." I back answered folding my arms.

"You'll pay for this." She raised her hand to slap me but I caught it on time.

"Don't try to underrate me, Don't force me to remind you the way I dealt with that filthy cousin of yours." I barked, jerking her hand away.
By this time, Varun stepped in.

"Ms Sethi, please leave before I call the security, you've already done a lot for today." He warned her and she stormed out glaring at both of us.

"I am so sorry Aaradhya." He turned to me and apologized in guilt.

"It's okay, sir. I should've been more careful.".l I replied.

"I am happy to find this positivity in you and now I can promote you as a senior analyst. From now on, you won't be working under Mr. Shah. You'll have a new project to work on." He declared.

"Thank you sir for providing this opportunity to me." I thanked him.

"You deserve it so don't thank me and I'm already regretting for shouting at you, Please don't tell this to Nikita. She'll slaughter me." He pleaded and I chuckled.

"Only on one condition, if you both pack your bags and leave for Amsterdam." I spoke and he smiled, blushing hard.

This is another time I caught him blushing.

When will I be able to see Riddhant like this?

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