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Aahana Agnihotri 

The next morning at exactly 8:30 AM, I stepped inside my father's office building, a knot of resentment tightening in my stomach. The click of my stilettos against the polished marble floor echoed through the lobby. I'd chosen these particular shoes not just for their height, but for the way they made me feel powerful, invincible. I needed that armor today.

"Good morning, Ma'am," a woman with wide, eager eyes rushed to greet me. She looked my age. "I'm Vaani. Your assistant. I'll be helping you... transition into your... new role," she stammered.

"Whatever," I said, shrugging. I could see the excitement drain from her face, replaced by nervousness.

"Well, just this way, Ma'am," she said as she guided me further into the building.

As we walked, I could feel the weight of blatant stares from every direction. Heads swiveled, conversations halted mid-sentence, eyes widened. I guessed my dress had done its trick. It was a sparkly crimson dress. The neckline plunged dangerously low, while the slit was too high. It showed too much skin. The dress was definitely more appropriate for making heads turn at a nightclub, not exactly the outfit the daughter of the chairwoman would wear for the first day of work. Perfect. That's exactly the reaction I was striving for.

When the elevator doors closed, I caught my reflection in the mirrored walls. For a moment, I saw myself as others must see me – entitled, brainless bimbo who was so desperate for attention. I pushed those thoughts away, instead focusing on fluffing my hair. I reached into my purse, fishing out a tube of lipstick that matched my dress perfectly. As I leaned in closer to reapply it, I could see Vaani's widened gaze in the mirror's reflection.

I raised an eyebrow, offering the lipstick to her. "Want some?" She frantically shook her head and looked away. I could sense the discomfort rolling off her body.

"So," I drawled, dropping the lipstick back into my purse, "What has my father asked I do today?" I asked, unable to keep the bitterness away from my voice.

Vaani cleared her throat. "I have been asked to set up meetings with each of the department heads. You'll be spending the entire week in each department, starting with legal. Since Mr. Mehrotra, the head of department, is away, Mr. Khanna will be taking over his duties."

"Will I be quizzed at the end of each day or week?" I asked, plastering on a fake wide smile.

"Uh... no..." Vaani said, clearly misunderstanding my sarcasm. She glanced down at her folder, probably checking her notes. "There aren't any quizzes," she murmured.

I scoffed. The elevator dinged open onto a floor of cubicles, and I stepped out, chin held high. Conversations ceased as I sashayed past, leaving a trail of shocked expressions in my wake. I could feel their eyes on me – judging, wondering, speculating.

"That is Mr. Khanna's office," Vaani said, as she pointed at one of the corner offices. "He unfortunately had an emergency meeting but he'll be here soon."

I blew a strand of hair away from my face in annoyance. "So what am I supposed to do till then?"

Vaani looked at me, flustered. "You can wait in the lounge or I can give you a tour of the building or—" She paused when she caught me glaring at her. "I'll just call him and find his ETA..." she mumbled, pulling out her phone. "You can–"

I didn't wait for her to finish her sentence, instead began walking into Adarsh's office. I wasn't going to wait in the lounge. If he thought he had any right to make me wait, he had another one coming.

On one side, a floor-to-ceiling window flooded the room with natural light, offering a stunning view of the city skyline. I made my way to the windows and stared at the view for a few moments.

A knock on the door made me look over my shoulder. Vaani entered the office, offering me a smile as she tried to assess my mood. "Mr. Khanna has finished his meeting and will be here very shortly," she informed.

I rolled my eyes, feigning indifference while my heart rate picked up slightly. The prospect of facing Adarsh was still a little unnerving. There were a few seating options, but I deliberately chose Adarsh's chair, sinking into the plush leather. Vaani's eyes widened again at my brazen behavior. I placed my purse on the polished mahogany desk, leaning back with exaggerated nonchalance.

"Is there something I can get you?" she asked, shifting in her spot nervously. "Coffee? Tea? Water?"

"Coffee," I said curtly, crossing one leg over the other. The slit of my dress rode up dangerously high.

Once the door closed behind her, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. That's when I noticed it – the faint scent of Adarsh's cologne clinging to the chair. It was warm and inviting, with notes of cedarwood and something spicier. Unbidden, an image of Adarsh on the ground, staring up at me with a lazy smile as he kissed his way up my leg filled my mind. I shook my head violently, trying to quell the unwelcome thought.

Desperate for a distraction, I picked up one of the folders on the desk and began to scan through it. All the legal jargon bored me very quickly. I moved on to the next folder, but it was more of the same. With a huff of frustration, I gave up on the paperwork and pulled a journal looking thing closer.

As I flipped through the pages, I noticed a few marks on the dates and cryptic notes. "Meeting with R.S." and "Follow up on Mehta case" were scrawled in neat, masculine handwriting. I read a few more checkboxes. "Buy a gift for mom's birthday", "Mom's eye appointment", "Tennis club w/ Dad" "Date with Amira" The last one made me shut the leather journal harshly and I shoved it back.

Restless, I swiveled the chair around the room, my gaze finally landing on the bookshelf. Most of the shelves were lined with thick law books, some of them were personal development and leadership titles. But what truly caught my attention were the picture frames nestled between the books.

I stood from the chair, wanting to get a closer look. I picked up a frame to study it – a family picture. Adarsh's arms around an older couple I assumed were his parents. Next to them was another couple with a young girl. His brother, perhaps? Or brother-in-law? None of them had coordinated outfits or had their hair and makeup done professionally, yet they all looked so... genuine and happy.

I swallowed my jealousy as I carefully placed the frame back where I'd found it. My hand moved to another picture, this one of Adarsh and the little girl from the family photo. He was kneeling beside her, both of them beaming at the camera. Even though it was just a picture, I could clearly tell that they both adored each other. Without realizing it, I found the corners of my mouth turning up in a small smile.

As I set the picture down, my eyes fell on a greeting card propped up nearby. "You are a rockstar," I read aloud, tracing my finger over the childish handwriting and colorful doodles. I opened the card and my smile widened. "To the best Chachu. From Amira." So Amira was his niece and he had a date with her?

The sound of approaching footsteps snapped me out of my reverie. Hurriedly, I placed the card back in its place and returned to Adarsh's chair. I flicked my hair back and schooled my features into a mask of boredom and indifference.

Adarsh entered his cabin without knocking, of course. He wore a crisp navy suit that seemed to have been tailored specifically to emphasize his broad shoulders and trim waist. His eyes narrowed as he noticed me lounging in his chair.

I met his stare defiantly, arching my back slightly as I leaned further into his chair.

He strode in with purposeful steps. Without a word, he dropped the files in his hand onto the desk with a sharp snap that made me flinch involuntarily. Then, to my surprise, he placed a white porcelain cup of steaming coffee in front of me. "I ran into Vaani on my way here and offered to bring our new boss the cup of coffee myself."

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't going to be anyone's boss. I had my own plans. Plans that would take me far far away from here. I just needed to find a way to make it happen.

His gaze swept over me, dark eyes lingering pointedly on the plunging neckline of my dress. "Nice dress," he said, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

I lifted the mug, blowing gently on the steaming liquid. "Thank you," I replied, nonchalantly.

"Out of curiosity," he continued, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth, "Did you mistake the office for a nightclub, or is this your idea of professional attire?"

My cheeks flushed with anger, but I forced a saccharine smile. "Oh, Adarsh," I purred, emphasizing his name mockingly. "Are you jealous that you are forced to wear these boring ass suits while I can dress however I want?"

He raised an eyebrow, moving to lean against the edge of his desk. The motion brought him uncomfortably close, and I caught another powerful whiff of that maddening cologne and I had to stop myself from trying to inhale more of his scent. My heart hammered against my chest, betraying the calm facade I was trying to maintain. The memories of his touch and the chaos he had caused in my mind and body during that one unforgettable night came rushing back.

"Ah yes, of course," he drawled. "Who in their right mind wouldn't want to dress like a disco ball?"

I uncrossed and recrossed my legs slowly, noting how his eyes flickered downward before snapping back up. "At least I'm memorable," I snapped. "Unlike some people who seem to have 'boss' lap dog' as their entire personality."

Adarsh's jaw tightened, a muscle twitching in his cheek. For a moment, I saw genuine anger flash in his eyes. But it was quickly replaced by amusement and understanding. He placed his hands on the arm of his chair and leaned in closer. "Your rebellion is cute, you know?" he said, condescending.

My fingers tightened around the mug. "Excuse me?"

"Isn't that what this is?" he asked, waving at the length of my body. "You want the entire office gossiping about you and not in a good way. You don't want them to take you seriously. You want them to know that you aren't qualified enough to lead them."

I gulped involuntarily, unnerved by how easily he had read my intentions. My mind raced to formulate an appropriate response, but the words stuck in my throat. The tension between us crackled.

Suddenly, the sharp ringtone of a phone shattered the silence. He broke eye contact, reaching into his pocket.

The moment he moved away, I could breathe a little easier.

"Good morning, Sir," he said into the phone. My stomach tightened. I instinctively knew who it was. I still hadn't answered my phone or returned his calls. I also purposely ignored his attempt to reach me through our staff members at home.

He looked at me as he spoke, his expression unreadable. "She is here." There was a pause as Adarsh listened to what my father had to say. "Sure, Sir," he replied, ending the call.

Without a word, he plugged his laptop to the TV. "Your father wants to speak to you."

I squared my shoulders, getting ready for the onslaught of his anger and frustration. "Where are you going?" I asked when Adarsh began leaving the room.

"He wants to speak to you alone," he said over his shoulder before leaving the office.

Soon my father's face filled the screen. The lines around his mouth deepened as he took in my appearance. The disapproval on his face only made me rejoice. "What in God's name are you wearing?" he barked.

"Clothes," I said, shrugging.

"Do you think this is a joke?" he demanded. "Is this how you plan to represent our family's legacy?"

"I didn't ask you to make me the brand ambassador of the Agnihotri legacy," I snapped back.

My father's face reddened. "You ungrateful child. Your mother and I have given you everything, and this is how you repay us? By making a mockery of our business?"

"I never asked for this," I said, hating the weakness that bled into my voice. "I never wanted to take over the company."

"Enough!" my father roared. "I've had it with your childish rebellion. You will change into something that is appropriate as my heir immediately. And so help me, if I hear one more report of you causing trouble..."

"I'll do no such thing," I said, stubbornly. "You wanted me at the office, I'm here. I'm not going to bend to all your whims."

Before my father could retort, another voice interrupted him. "Come on, Anirudh, give the poor girl a break."

My father sighed and massaged his forehead slightly. Before beckoning the other man to come in front of the camera. "Aahana, you remember Inder Parekh, don't you?"

Of course, I remembered him. His face still haunted my dreams, his actions were forever etched into my psyche. The mere thought of him made my skin crawl and my stomach turn. His name made my body tremble with rage and helplessness as if it was reliving the trauma and pain he had inflicted upon me.  

One doesn't just forget the man who had ruthlessly shredded her innocence and left her broken.