Greed is not a financial issue. It's a heart issue.
~ Andy Stanley
"Running, are we, love?"
I didn't need to turn around to recognize the owner of that voice. I knew him too well. Every kiss, every touch, every smile, every pull, I remembered everything about him. Everything. In vivid color and high definition sound. And yet, he was the very last person in the world I wanted to see right now.
I close my eyes in frustration and suck in a deep breath. He must have noticed my tensed shoulders and the prep work I was doing to face him.
"Dramatic much?" his mouth quirks up in an arrogant smirk. The shadows sit comfortably across the hard planes of his face. His back was against the wall and his long legs extended to cross at ankles. Rain dripped from his mussed hair and amusement glittered in those spectacular black eyes.
Those expressions seemed to live on him.
Arrogance.
Amusement.
No other emotion showed on his face. Ever. He acted like he somehow knew what was going to happen next. Like everything was premeditated and planned by him.
"What do you want?" I meet his sparkling black eyes with my annoyed ones and arch a brow. I had not expected to see him again after the shit show.
"Well, it's nice to see you too" he replies cheerfully "I think we should talk" and turned serious the next instant. He took a step towards me.
"I don't. Buzz off." I turned back towards the door. Hurt and fury escalated inside me until I wasn't sure what I'd do. He had stolen my drafts and accusatorily questioned me during the trial.
Our history didn't affect him at all. No even one bit. Then why was I so much bothered? What history did we have anyway? It was just my mind playing tricks on me.
"How did you beat us here?" I keep my voice calm, trying to sound bored.
Why the heck was the door not opening! I yanked the doorknob in frustration.
"You want to know how I came to the lodge before you did?"
I know not my brightest moment but whatever.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do want to know." I replied in all seriousness.
"There is a short-cut through the industrial line. Takes half the time" He said in an appeasing voice. Must have picked up the undercurrents of my turmoil. Smart man.
"It was business" he whispered in my ear. His breath fanned my cheekbones, sending chills over my skin as he continued "I don't love this but you gotta do what you gotta do. I hold nothing against you and you also forgive me"
"You hold nothing against me?" I left the key in the lock and flipped around to face him.
What did he mean by that?
The man had the audacity to play the blame game after chopping down my career.
Money can be made again but a lost reputation is gone forever. I was definitely not getting any glowing letter of recommendations from Wave Designs. This accusation of insider trading would be stapled to every job application. If I lost this job, which I certainly would, it would be very difficult to get hired again.
"Zoya, let's sit and talk" He held his palms up in the universal sign of surrender.
His conciliatory tone had no effect on me and my mind whirled with anger and frustration. I didn't even know why I felt so entitled to be angry with him.
You know what ? Screw this. Do I look like a goddamn yoyo to you ? I am so done with Aditya Hooda.
I hurled my design board at him, which he caught. Easily.
"Dammit Zoya !" his voice was laced with irritation as he placed the board back on the floor.
Fire danced on my skin as I picked up the easel. "Leave. Just leave Aditya."
"Don't you dare. You throw that at me, I'm not responsible for what happens next" he warned.
"Go to screw yourself" I flung the easel at him anyway. His arms darted out catching it midair.
The next thing I knew, my feet were swept off the ground, and I was upside down. Aditya had tossed me over his shoulder, and all the air left my body as his shoulder bone dug into my stomach.
"Put me down!" The heat of anger was like a blazing fire covering my skin. I kicked my feet and punched his back, but he simply held me by the backs of my knees as he walked to his car. I knew my skirt covered nothing in this position, but we were alone out here and I didn't really care anyway, in my mood.
"Now!" I snapped.
As if following orders, Aditya swung me back up-right where I landed in a sitting position on the hood of his car. It was still warm under my thighs from when it had been driven. The heat from the hood matched my burning fury. The car was parked under a tree which shielded us from the drizzle.
Aditya leaned in slowly, probably afraid I would hit him, and placed his hands on either side of me. His legs stood between mine. I met his eyes, not looking away for a second.
"Don't try to get away" he warned.
My eyes locked with his dark ones and my toes curled at the thought of our previous encounters. It was always like this with us. Arguing for Aditya and me was akin to foreplay. It seemed to get us both charged up.
I hate him. I hate him.
He leaned in closer, his lips an inch from mine.
"Don't" I whispered and closed my eyes to stop myself from staring at his glistening lips.
"I won't. Not unless you ask" he replied slyly.
"You stole my drafts and put me on a spot in front of the whole courtroom." I accused him.
Let's cut to the chase.
"I stole your drafts but not from you. I cornered you because I knew you'd tell the truth. Moreover, the Commissioners liked and trusted you."
The sneaky bas***d. He knew about my interactions with Commissioner Shobha and Manohar.
"How did you steal my drafts?" I crossed my arms over my chest.
"You are absolutely stunning when angry." His thumb trailed my neck as if he couldn't help himself. A ghost of a smile hovered over his lips as his dark eyes raked me appraisingly.
My traitor heart gave a thud and my body flooded with heat at the idea of curling up between the sheets with him. I shook my head and cemented every muscle in my body to keep myself in check. I didn't care if it took the whole night. I was making him speak. Period.
"Not the answer I was looking for" I shoved him.
He didn't move an inch.
My eyes hardened as I held his stare. I let every inch of determination shine through my eyes.
He dropped his chin and ran a hand through his wild, messy hair. He was probably weighing his options and searching for the precise words. Ever the manipulative lawyer.
"Neel Kundra works for me" he breathed out.
"What? Neel Kundra? From Aztec Group? " my mouth dropped open.
That snobby bas***d. They were in cahoots!
"Don't be so shocked, love. Everyone has a price, the important thing is to find out what it is" he exclaimed wryly seeing my stumped expression. "I contacted Neel four months back when the news of Aztec Group building a golf course in Aloha started doing the rounds. Neel supervises the Northern Zone cases for Aztec and he was going to settle this one too."
"Why did Neel do this? Are you telling me the man is poor as a church mouse to take your bait - he wears a Rolex for heaven's sake."
"I have a new life lesson for you - Greed is not a financial issue. It's a heart issue" He scoffed at the utter disbelief in my voice. "We go a long way back."
"You are not telling me everything"
"Jesus Zoya. Give me a minute, will you?" Aditya snapped. Thoughts shifted across his face, too quickly for me to gauge. The open confession wasn't good for his soul.
"We went to the same law school. Same batch. I wasn't chummy with him but then alumni network exists for a reason" he conceded.
"How much ?"
"80 lakhs. I paid him thrice the money he would get to win the case for the Group and he supplied me with the directives and intricacies of the design. I built my whole case on it. Neel wanted the money which I gave him and also the word to keep him out of the whole blame loop that would ensue. The designer coming to Aloha was to be framed" His voice dropped at the last part.
"That's me. Arjun was right - you are the ultimate shark" reality slammed into me.
"Nothing is black and white in court, love." Apology tinged his words.
"Aztec Group will now sue Wave Designs and I will be fired. Congratulations. Plan well executed" I clapped twice.
I am an idiot. A complete idiot.
I had an oddest urge to laugh. I was surely going insane.
I pushed him hard and hopped off the car.
His muscled arm snagged me around the waist and hauled me back against his chest "Don't play dumb Zoya. You tapped my phone, I stole your drafts. But, I don't blame you. All's fair in love and war" He grazed my ear with his moist lips and breathed out "And sweetheart, I didn't spend the entire week planning to let anyone ruin your career"
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Chapter 6: Lust fades after climax, love lasts until breakfast
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