Suryansh's POV
I was sitting in my office after that parking lot drama with that girl.
What does she think of herself?
Why does she have so much attitude?
She should have apologised to me, but no. Instead, she was saying that I should thank her.
Thank her for what?
For almost hitting me with her car?
Wow.
And at the café, she did the exact same thing. She bumped into me and instead of accepting her mistake, she started blaming me.
Honestly, what was her problem?
I just—
A knock on my office door interrupted my thoughts.
It was Tahir.
"Yes? What happened?"
"Nothing," he replied casually. "I came to introduce you to your new Management Executive."
I frowned.
"What are you doing? We have much more important work to focus on right now and you're busy playing HR."
Tahir rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I know, Suryansh. But we have to do this too if we want to avoid suspicion. And don't worry, Tripti, Siddhi and Raghav are handling everything."
"Oh. Right."
Then I remembered something.
"And what about that man? Why isn't it done yet? We need him. Otherwise, you know what will happen."
"Jay Khanna?" Tahir asked.
"I've contacted him multiple times, but he isn't answering. Don't worry, though. I have a plan and he'll be here very soon. Trust me."
I nodded.
"You know I trust you."
Tahir studied my face for a moment before smirking.
"By the way, you look annoyed."
"I'm not annoyed."
"Really?" he asked, amused. "Because I've known you for years and this is the first time I've seen you look this frustrated."
"Nothing. I'm fine."
But I wasn't.
And there was no way I was telling him the reason. If I did, he would tell the others and they would never stop teasing me.
"So where's the new employee?" I asked, changing the topic immediately.
"Outside. I'll call her."
He walked out.
A few moments later, he returned.
And the moment I saw who entered behind him, I froze.
Her.
That same parking lot girl.
Again.
"You?"
She looked equally surprised.
"What are you doing in my office?"
But Tahir spoke before she could answer.
"She's the new Management Executive."
From the whole world, he found only her as the new employee.
Like seriously?
Why her only?
After some time...
When she went out with Nisha, she looked back at me and I was already looking at her.
She was acting like such a patient and professional girl.
Professional.
Right.
The same girl who argued with me in the café.
The same girl who almost hit me with her car and somehow still expected me to thank her.
And then she had the audacity to tell me that I couldn't fire her for personal reasons.
Fine.
No problem.
I won't fire her.
But I will definitely show her some real professionalism.
Let's see how long all that confidence lasts.
I called the peon and told him to give Miss Mehra all the records from the last two years and asked her to prepare a summary report.
Now that would be fun.
Welcome, Miss Mehra.
Let's see if you only know how to talk or if you can actually do something too.
After some time (As you already have seen next scenes in Vedika's POV)
I came back to my cabin after the meeting and sat down on my chair.
A few seconds later, I suddenly remembered something.
A file.
I immediately started looking for it.
I checked my desk.
The drawers.
The shelves.
Nothing.
Where did it go?
No.
No, no, no.
If that file reaches the wrong person...
Damn it.
I rubbed my forehead in frustration, trying to remember where I had seen it last.
Then suddenly it clicked.
Oh shit.
I walked straight towards Miss Mehra's desk.
The moment I saw the file in her hands, my heartbeat stopped for a second.
She was just about to open it.
I recognised it immediately because its cover looked completely different from the others.
"WAIT—"
She froze and looked up, startled.
Before she could open it, I quickly took the file from her hands.
She stared at me with a confused expression.
"It's a different file," I said.
"Oh... okay."
I turned to leave, but then my eyes fell on the files lying on her desk.
Only one-fourth of them had been completed.
I stopped.
What happened, Miss Mehra? Only these many files are done?
I looked at the remaining pile and then back at her.
"Is there a problem? Or was the workload too much? I thought you could handle it considering how confidently you were speaking in my cabin."
Then I added,
"Looking at this, I think I should have given you less work. You couldn't even finish it in one day?"
"Who said that?"
She immediately replied.
"I can do my work very well, sir. And honestly, no. This isn't too much work."
Then she pointed towards the pile I had been looking at.
"And I think you're mistaken because I've already completed more than seventy-five percent of my work. Only this much is left."
For a moment, I just stared at the files.
Then I looked at the other side of the desk.
The completed files.
Oh.
So I had been looking at the wrong pile.
Nice.
Impressive.
So she doesn't just talk, she can actually do something.
"Nice, Miss Mehra."
For a moment, she looked genuinely pleased with herself.
Then again, who wouldn't be?
After all, she had just proven me wrong.
"So you can do something too sometimes instead of just talking."
The look she gave me made it very clear that she wasn't impressed by my comment.
"I knew it."
She shook her head, trying to hide her smile.
"You're really bad at estimating people."
Then she looked straight at me.
"But don't try to underestimate me, sir. I can do many things very well."
The confidence in her voice was unbelievable. Most employees would've been nervous by now.
This woman looked like she was enjoying this conversation.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Don't be overconfident, Miss Mehra. This is just the beginning."
I leaned slightly against the desk.
"We have a lot of time ahead of us. Then we'll see."
"It's not overconfidence."
Her reply came instantly.
"It's self-confidence."
Of course.
She had an answer for everything.
"And yeah," she added, holding my gaze without hesitation.
"We'll see."
For a second, neither of us looked away.
Then I nodded.
"Yes."
A faint smile appeared on my face.
"We will."
Then I went back to my office.
A few minutes later, my phone rang.
Tahir.
I grabbed my car keys and immediately called Nisha.
"Cancel all my meetings for today. I'm leaving for some important work. And remember, don't let anyone enter my office."
"Yes, sir."
After ending the call, I headed straight towards the parking lot and got into my car.
For the next few minutes, I waited for Tahir.
Five minutes later, the passenger door finally opened and he got inside.
"Let's go."
I started the engine before looking at him.
"What took you so long? I called you ages ago."
Tahir gave me an offended look.
"Oh please. It takes time to sneak out without attracting attention. You can go anywhere whenever you want. What do you know? I'm just an innocent HR."
I scoffed.
"Innocent?"
"Absolutely."
He nodded seriously.
"A hardworking and innocent HR."
"Haan haan, theek hai. Bas karo ab."
(Yeah, yeah. Alright. Stop it now.)
A grin spread across his face as if he had just won some major argument.
I shook my head and started the car. Then I made my way towards the main gate and soon we were out on the road.
..............
Author's POV
At the basement of Suryansh's house, a man sat tied to a chair.
His hands and legs were bound tightly with ropes. A few bruises were visible on his face and his clothes were slightly stained with dirt and blood. Despite being questioned for hours, he still refused to say anything. Near him stood a girl who looked around twenty-six years old, while a little farther away, Siddhi stood watching him with crossed arms.
Siddhi looked at the girl and sighed.
"Tripti, yeh aise muh nahi kholne wala. Kuch aur tareeka use karna padega."
(Tripti, he's not going to talk like this. We'll have to try some other method.)
Tripti nodded.
"Right, Siddhi. Wait, iska muh toh main khulwati hoon."
(Right, Siddhi. Wait, I'll make him talk.)
She was about to move towards him when the man laughed mockingly.
"Tum log jitni bhi koshish kar lo, main kuch nahi bolne wala."
(You can try as much as you want, I'm not saying anything.)
Then his eyes shifted towards the two women.
"Aur tum ladkiyan mera kya hi bigaad sakti ho?"
(And what exactly can you girls do to me?)
Tripti stopped and slowly turned around to look at him. For a moment, she simply stared at him before her foot slammed straight into his chest.
The chair crashed onto the floor along with him and a painful groan escaped his lips.
Siddhi watched the scene proudly before raising an eyebrow.
"Aur bataye?"
(Anything else?)
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Kya bigaad sakti hain hum?"
(So? Should I tell you more about what we can do?)
Tripti walked towards him, grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled him upright again.
"Bigaad toh bohot kuch sakti hain yeh ladkiyan."
(We girls can do a lot more than you think.)
She tightened her grip slightly.
"Toh zyada mat bol. Jitna poocha hai bas utna bata."
(So don't talk too much. Just answer what you've been asked.)
The man remained silent.
Tripti let go of his hair and walked away.
A few minutes later, she returned with a few men carrying a large blue drum filled with ice-cold water and chunks of ice. They placed it in front of him before stepping back.
Siddhi frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Tripti smiled.
"Making him talk. Just wait."
Then she gestured for the men to leave.
The moment they left, the prisoner looked at the drum and then at Tripti. The confidence from earlier was gone, replaced by uncertainty and fear.
Tripti moved behind him and grabbed the back of his neck.
"What were you saying? That you won't tell us anything, right?"
She smiled slightly.
"Now let's see how long that lasts."
Before he could answer, she pushed his head into the freezing water.
A few seconds later, she pulled him back out.
"Bol. Ab bolega ya nahi?"
(Speak. Will you talk now or not?)
The man coughed violently, trying to catch his breath.
"No."
Tripti immediately pushed his head back into the water.
This time she held him there much longer.
When she finally pulled him back out, he was gasping for air, but he still refused to speak.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each time she pulled him out, she asked the same question.
Each time he gave the same answer.
By now, his breathing had become uneven and his face had turned pale, but he still refused to say anything.
Finally, Siddhi stepped forward.
"Don't worry. Aise nahi batana toh koi baat nahi."
(If you don't want to talk this way, that's fine.)
A dangerous smile appeared on her face.
"Humare paas hot water wala treatment bhi hai."
(We have a hot water treatment too.)
The man's expression changed instantly.
"Ek baar ubalte hue paani mein jab muh jayega na..."
(One time when your face goes into boiling water...)
Siddhi tilted her head.
"...toh sab bata dega."
(...you'll tell us everything.)
The man's eyes immediately shifted towards her.
Then towards Tripti.
Then towards the drum.
This time he didn't say anything.
Before anyone could speak again, another voice echoed through the basement.
"Chill mere gadha dhaari bheemo. Hume isse jaan se nahi maarna hai."
(Relax, My Gadha dhaari bheemo. We're not supposed to kill him.)
Everyone turned towards the entrance.
Raghav walked inside while casually eating a burger.
Siddhi looked at him in annoyance.
"Aur tu bas khane mein dhyaan de. Kuch kaam toh karna nahi hai tujhe."
(And you just focus on eating. It's not like you do any work anyway.)
Tripti laughed softly.
Raghav pulled a chair closer and sat down comfortably.
"Tum dono ho na, phir mujhe kya tension?"
(You two are here, why should I worry?)
He took another bite of his burger.
"Mera kaam tha isko pakadna. Woh maine kar diya. Ab tumhara kaam hai, tum karo."
(My job was to catch him. I did that. Now it's your job, you do it.)
Tripti rolled her eyes and turned back towards the prisoner.
"Bol."
(Speak.)
The man glared at them.
"Tum log mere boss ko nahi jaante. Agar unhe pata chal gaya na, toh dekhna tumhara kya haal hoga."
(You don't know my boss. If he finds out about this, you'll regret it.)
Siddhi immediately walked up to him and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her.
"Dekho, hum bohot politely pooch rahe hain."
(Look, we're asking very politely.)
"Seedhe tareeke se bata de."
(Just tell us directly.)
Then her expression hardened.
"Varna tu humare boss ko nahi jaanta."
(Otherwise, you don't know our boss.)
"Agar woh aa gaye na, toh tujhse kuch puchenge bhi nahi."
(If he comes here, he won't even ask you anything.)
"Seedha goli maar denge."
(He'll shoot you directly.)
The man's jaw tightened.
Siddhi continued,
"Kyuki dekh, tu muh toh kholega nahi. Toh phir tu humare kisi kaam ka nahi hai."
(Because look, you refuse to talk. Then you're of no use to us.)
"Aur useless cheezein unhe pasand nahi hain."
(And he doesn't like useless things.)
"Isliye chup-chaap bata de."
(So quietly tell us everything.)
For a few moments, nobody said anything.
The man lowered his eyes. His breathing was still uneven and his earlier confidence was nowhere to be seen.
"I am sorry... mujhse galti ho gayi," he said hesitantly. "Main bata raha hoon, sab bataunga. Jo bologe woh bataunga, par mujhe kuch mat karna, please."
(I am sorry... I made a mistake. I'll tell you everything. Whatever you ask, I'll tell you, but please don't do anything to me.)
A small smile appeared on Siddhi's face.
"Good."
Just then, Suryansh and Tahir entered the basement.
"Kya hua? Muh khola isne?"
(What happened? Did he finally talk?)
"Of course. Itni khatirdari jo ki hai humne iski. Phir muh toh kholna hi tha."
(Of course. After all the hospitality we've shown him, he was bound to open his mouth.)
"Right," Tahir said.
"Good job, all of you," Suryansh said.
Aur tu bas hamesha khane mein hi laga rehta hai," Tahir said, looking at Raghav, who was still eating.
(Even now you're busy eating.)
"Ek baat bata. Tujhe aur yeh Siddhi ko mujhse problem kya hai? Humesha tokte rehte ho. Khud toh khate nahi, dusron ko bhi nahi khane dete."
(Tell me one thing. What problem do you and Siddhi have with me? You're always stopping me. You don't eat yourselves and you don't let others eat either.)
Siddhi and Tahir turned their faces away in disbelief.
"Stop it, guys. Be serious."
"Yes, Boss."
Everyone replied together.
.........
𝓗𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓸 𝓖𝓾𝔂𝓼! 🩷
How was the chapter? I hope you enjoyed reading it. ✨
Well, the second half of the chapter was definitely different from the office drama. 👀
So tell me...
Which member of Suryansh's team caught your attention the most?
🌷 Tripti
🌷 Siddhi
🌷 Tahir
🌷 Raghav
And what was your favourite scene from this chapter?
Don't forget to vote and share your thoughts in the comments. 🤍✨
Also, if you'd like chapter updates, edits, aesthetics and sneak peeks, feel free to follow me on Instagram: @ishqq_writer 🌸