PART 3 "Just when we think we've figured things out, the universe throws us a curveball.The universe is funny that way. Sometimes, it just has a way of making sure we wind up exactly where we belong."
Trrriiinnnggg... "Mmhhh..." Sanyukta rolled over still in her sleepy state. Her eyes still closed, she banged the top of her alarm clock and put the pillow over her head and dozed off again.
"Morning!" piped in Shanaya, stanfing at the door of hre bedroom, with a mug of coffee in her hand.
"God, shanaya, your too eager to be up every morning. You were probably a rooster in your past life!" mumbled sanyukta.
"Very funny", said Shanaya in a sarcastic tone. "I think you should take a look at the clock. Then you'll realize your folly soon enough and thank me for it!"
Gingerly opening one eye, sanyukta squinted at the clock. 7.15 am. Shit! She had to reach office by 8 max!
"Holy f**k!" she said to herself. As she hurried like a speeding ticket to get under the shower.
"Damn I have to leave the house ASAP! Can't afford to make a new client wait! Remember Sanyukta the DEAL!"
Ushering out of the shower, she quickly draped the robe around her, and walked into the bedroom. Her clothes were all placed on the bed, laundered and fresh. And an middle aged lady bringing her bag and keeping it close by.
"Sanyu beta, you should probably start sleeping early! You work so much! Working late nights. Skipping meals all for your work! You don't seem to stop to take a breath! Maybe I should tell Anju-ji about this!" she said with mocked anger.
"Sorry sorry sorry Padma aunty! I promise I'll listen to everything you say. Just maybe not now, I mean this morning! I'm running late!"
Quickly getting into her corporate attire, she grabbed her essentials and headed to the car... Calling shanaya on her way out...
"Let's leave shanaya! It's me whose going to have to give the presentation... they've got to concentrate on the presentation doll, not you!"
She picked up her coffee mug and turned back to Padma aunty... "Really, what would I do without you!" she winked and waltzed out of the door!
"This girl!", said Padma shaking her head.
Sanyukta smiled to herself. Padma aunty was not related to her. She was just the house help who Mrs. Agarwal(Sanyu's mom) insisted she took along with her to Mumbai to help her out. But over the year, Padma aunty had grown to be Sanyukta's foster mom.. or more like a 'mom away from mom'!
"I'm here!" shanaya came running behind her and got into the car.
"I hope we're going to make it on time." Said sanyukta as she carefully applied the liner. "Got to love this city's roads. Don't need to worry about applying liner in a moving car!"
"That's a habit for you now isn't it? I'm wondering how your groom will handle you after marriage!" Shanaya teased her.
"Don't worry babe! The guy who'll marry this firebrand will be the God of Fire himself! Because I still haven't been able to come across a man within the humans yet!" she winked.
That very moment a voice in her head quipped, "Don't forget darling. There was a guy who added fuel to your fire. But then... 'puff' and he disappeared on you!" Great! The coffee seemed to wake up her loony conscience as well!😆😉
As the car pulled into the company's foyer, Sanyukta put up on her corporate faade. She was always considerate with her employees, but she did not let go off things so easily. She was a tough taskmaster too and that's what made her employees respect her even more.
"We have to get this deal, we have to crack it okay!" she said out herself twitching her hands.
Shanaya turned her around and said, "Ma'am you are SANYUKTA AGARWAL. You are nothing but great! We've got this!" reassuring her frnd-cum-boss and giving her a confidence boost.
In the conference room...
The team of Agarwal and Agarwal Automobiles sat around the table with restounding silence. Sanyukta seemed to be absorbed in her won thoughts. This deal was the biggest deal their company could've ever made. It meant a lot to her. It meant a lot to her father. She HAD to nail it. By hook, or by crook.
Her reverie was broken by the shrill ring of the phone in the conference room.
"They're here." Shanaya said from the desk outside.
"Thanks." Answered sanyukta.
"Okay people. We've got this. This deal is ours. No calms. No pressures. Let's just give it our best."
Just then there's a knock on the door. Sanyukta turned towards it. THEY WERE HERE...
"Hello, Mr. Sarin. Sanyukta Agarwal, MD, Agarwal and Agarwal Automobiles" said Sanyukta holding out her hand for handshake.
Sid was blown away by her confidence. To him, she seemed to embody a version of Randhir in her. Confident, good looking and over achieving. This was going to be one hell of a deal, he thought to himself.
"Very good morning Miss Agarwal. Siddharth Sarin. Junior MD. SGI." Sid said taking her hand.
"Let me introduce to you to my team... Mr. Shah...Mr. Gupta..." the members of the two companies formally greeted each other and took their seats.
"I'm sorry Mr. Sarin, we were hoping to see the new MD of your company as well..." Sanyukta trailed.
Just then, somebody entered and cut her sentence in between.
"Randhir Singh Shekhawat, MD, Sanyal Group of Industries."
Sanyukta whirled around. The shock visible in her eyes. Her breath hitched in her throat. Her feet stumped.
Was this a reality? Or a dream? "Or a nightmare" like HE had once described...
And for eons, it seemed like her wold had stilled...
Author's Note: Hope you guys liked it! Wish you would like me to continue! So hit the like button and comment dhada-dhad!😊
Kumkum Bhagya
Tum Se Tum Tak
Sampoorna
Jhanak
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