Reyansh's POV
She was hurt and broken. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't expect it to be something like this. My knuckles turned white when she mentioned that the guy wanted to get physical with her. I wanted to kill that bastard. How dare he think of manipulating munji ghull. This was too much for her innocent heart. No wonder she doesn't want to have friends. Why would anyone want to after such experiences? I had considered being her friend first, but not anymore. I can't make her go through the same thing again. She'll never trust me. The only way left now is to ask her directly, but what if she still loves him? I'll let her decide whatever she wants. No matter what she decides, I'll always be by her side. She will not be alone anymore. She must be crying right now. I can feel it. Only I know how I'm controlling the urge to run to her and wipe those tears from her beautiful eyes. I'll remove every reason for your tears, munji ghull (my flower). I kept the the phone down and took a quick nap.
I woke up early to attend a few meetings. After having breakfast with my princess, I left for work. I visited a few sites to finalize a plot for the restaurant. It was a hectic day, so I didn't get a chance to talk with her. It's fine. I'll call her tonight. I want to hear her honey coated voice. I'm missing it so much.
"Sir, Mr. Douglas sent an invitation for his daughter's birthday," my PA, Nicole, informed me.
"When is it?"
"It's tomorrow evening."
"Okay, add it to my calendar."
"Sure," she nodded and left. Should I text her? But I don't want to seem like those wannabe guys. Let me call that bastard first. He didn't even text me once.
"Hi Jindal ji, are you alive?"
"What's up, Rey?"
"Everything is down without you, my love."
"Can you stop with your cheesy lines for once?"
"Never. When are you coming to see me?"
"I won't be able to come today. Dad made me handle his new hotel."
"Which one, Paradise?"
"Yeah, the manager there resigned, and he wants me to take over for a while."
"Oh, so that's what he wanted to discuss with you that day."
"Yeah. Kabir is also accompanying me."
"That's nice. Well, it's okay if you can't come. My work is almost done. I can come and see you guys. Also, I'll see if I need a partnership with Paradise," I said sarcastically.
"Sure, sure. Mr. Rushabh would love to have Takhtani's branch in Paradise. I'll be done in an hour, hopefully. Come around that time."
"Okay. See you." I hung up and reviewed some files before leaving for Paradise.
I parked my Audi in the VIP section and headed towards the entrance. As I walked inside, I was immediately impressed by its sophisticated elegance. The entrance showcased sleek, minimalist furniture that highlighted vibrant Indian textiles and stunning artwork. In the center, a polished concierge desk stood ready for service, exuding efficiency and professionalism. Warm wooden accents blended seamlessly with polished glass and metal finishes, creating a chic yet inviting atmosphere. Soft, ambient lighting enhanced the luxurious feel, while the subtle fragrance of fresh flowers added a refined touch. This perfect fusion of modern style and cultural richness set the stage for a truly exceptional experience, ideal for both business and pleasure.
I approached a concierge named Chetna, who was busy with multiple guests, so I decided to go to another one who was arranging files on the other side.
"Hi, Miss."
"Hi, sir. How can I...you?" She started, and I had the same reaction. She was Aathiya's friend.
"Hey, Aarohi...what a surprise. So, you work at Paradise." I had totally forgotten her name. Luckily, she had a badge on.
"Hi, how are you? I'm so sorry, I can't remember your name."
"Haha, no worries. It's Reyansh."
"Oh yes, Reyansh. It was lingering in my head. Thank you so much for being our photographer that day. I must say you have the skills."
"Thank you so much for the compliment, Aarohi. When are you getting off today?"
"In two hours, but now I'm going for my lunch break."
"I'm here for lunch too. Why don't you join me?" I asked her. This way, I'd get to know some things about munji ghull. After all, she is her friend.
"I don't have any issues, but what about the people you're supposed to have lunch with? Wouldn't they mind?"
"Oh, absolutely not. Don't worry about that. It's not an office dinner or something."
"Oh, okay. Give me a moment, I'll get my bag. Hey, Chetna, I'm going for a break," she informed her colleague and joined me after getting her bag. "I'm sorry, I didn't give you the key for the suite. Which suite are you going to, or are you going to the amenities?"
"Oh, don't worry about the access. My friend will receive me."
"Oh, okay."
"How's everything with you?"
"Good, good. Just our manager resigned, so a lot of things are piled up."
"I see. How's the new one?" How could I miss this opportunity to get to know about my best friend's work personality? Although I know how cold he can be, it's still fun to hear.
"Well, let it be. I don't want to talk about that. Let's go to the cafeteria."
"Haha, why not. Is he that ruthless?" I said while settling at a table in the cafeteria.
"It's not like that. It's just that he's way too cold, and I don't like such mean, ignorant people."
"I see. So, he ignored staff's views?"
"No, not staff, but me. Like, I met him on Garba night and mistakenly threw food at him. I also sprained my ankle in the process. He fixed my ankle and even talked so nicely with me, but when I met him here, he just ignored me as if he'd never seen me before."
"Oh, that was rude." Interesting, so she is the one he met that day. That fucker didn't even tell me that he is working with the same girl, and here I was telling him everything. Now, you just wait, Aadi.
"Exactly right. I don't understand why some people behave like jerks."
"What are you doing here, Rey?" Aadarsh asked me, standing behind Aarohi in a way that I could see him, but she could only hear him. I bet from his voice, she recognized him. Her face flushed. Oh, why did he have to come right now? I needed to know more. I was enjoying this.
"I was just having a conversation with my friend Aarohi."
Aadarsh's POV
I didn't see her, but I could tell it was her. What is she doing with Rey? "You and Miss Khurana are friends?" I couldn't believe it. How could this be possible? He didn't answer me and instead moved to hug Kabir. Did he just ignore me?
"Come on, guys, let's have lunch," Rey suggested. We moved forward when she stood up. "I should leave, Reyansh. You guys carry on."
"Why, Aarohi? You haven't even started your lunch." I could see how embarrassed she felt, but why was she embarrassed? She was fidgeting with her fingers, her gaze fixed on the table.
"No, actually..." Rey cut her off. "Oh, come on, Aaru, your boss won't eat you... right, Aadarsh?" This bastard. Why is he making it so complicated? And why on earth is he calling her 'Aaru' as if they've known each other for ages?
"You can join us, Miss Khurana. It's not a problem." She just nodded in response, and I took a seat opposite her. Our eyes met for a mere second before she moved them to Kabir. Is she nervous, or is she ignoring me? Well, I can't blame her even if she is ignoring me. After all, I started it. I don't know why, but I was too affected by her presence at Paradise, and I didn't want to feel anything for this woman. So, I decided to maintain a distance. The best way was to focus on work and avoid any kind of personal conversation with her, and that's what I did.
"Reyansh Bhai, how do you know Aarohi?" Kabir asked.
"We met during the Garba event."
"The one sponsored by Rushabh uncle?" Kabir inquired, and Rey nodded. He met her at Garba as well? How many women did this idiot meet in one night?
"How's your ankle, Aarohi? I hope you're not in pain." Reyansh said looking at me. I almost choked on the water. Did she tell him the whole story? Oh my goodness, this woman cannot keep her mouth shut... can she? And now she's sitting there like she's mute.
"It's good, Reyansh," she responded. "Let's order something, guys." I said and we ordered some pizza and fries.
"How is your bestie doing, Aarohi?" Rey asked her. Bestie who? This is getting so confusing.
"Oh, Aathi is just super busy these days. She's looking for a new place and job." She answered Rey. Is this the girl who was with Rey that day? I was trying to connect the dots when our lunch arrived. She just had one slice. As far as I've seen her through the CCTV, she's a foodie, so why only one slice? After discussing this girl Aathi with Rey, she stood up to leave.
"Miss Khurana," I also stood up.
"Yes, Sir?"
"Meet me in my office in five minutes. I have to discuss something important."
"But we already discussed everything in the morning, sir. I don't think anything is left." Damn, this girl really tests my patience.
"No, I want some changes in a few things."
"Okay, I'll see you shortly."
"But you were supposed to go with us, Aadi," Rey reminded me.
"I'll join you later. This is urgent." Saying that, I left the two of them and went to my office. After exactly five minutes, she knocked on the door. "Come in."
"Yes, Sir, what did you want to discuss?"
"Why did you tell him that we met before?" I asked her in my calmest tone.
"I didn't..."
I took long strides towards her, and she started moving backward until her back hit the doorframe. She tried to escape through the sides, but could she escape? No.
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