Beneath The Veil P1 PG1 08/02/202

Beneath The Veil~

Prerna Sharma is a little bit awkward, scratch that, a lot awkward. Often spending her days with her foot in her mouth and her head in the clouds. It's always been easy for her to remain blissfully oblivious to just about everything that happens in the world.

That is until she falls into the arms of a playboy billionaire- literally, and after her nickname for him uttered in annoyance and their multiple encounters reaches the tabloids she has no choice but to put on the biggest show of her life as she steps into the limelight that is adamant on portraying her as a gold digger who has more interest in his money than anything else.

Anurag Basu is business orientated, taking over the family business when he was young due to an accident that shook the foundations of everything he knew, he took the business to new heights and made a name for himself in the world. A relationship was never on the cards for him, at least not in the near future.

That is until he catches the most irritating and rudest woman he has ever met which leads to rumors galore and a blaze that will only extinguish if he is ready to do one thing to protect the family name- pretend to be in a relationship.

Caught in the midst of seedy reporters, business deals and two shaky families will Anurag and Prerna ever find love beneath the veil, or will their lies catch them in a trap that nothing can cover them from?

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Prologue~

“It’s mine”.

“No, it’s mine”.

“I had it first”.

“No, I had it first”.

Prerna had expected many things when she found out payday was falling on black Friday, cheaper clothes, a few bargains here and there and sore feet from the aimless walking around shops she would never usually buy from. It was the last pesky expectancy that had gotten her into this agonising situation and how she had found herself in DeLuccio’s- Italy’s finest fashion outlet with a faux leather jacket designed with glossy gems that were now strewn all over the floor as she played tug of war with a snobby blonde, who in her opinion could never pull off the coat like she could. Her logic was simple, she’d worked her ass off doing overtime just so she could afford to buy this jacket and no one was going to separate her from the love of her life so easily.

Everything that happened next was a bit too overdramatic for her liking, one second she was being pulled forward, then she was released as she spun through thin air and landed on a muscular chest with her head slamming into a nose that was likely broken by now. Honestly, she couldn’t catch a break! Using a railing to pull herself up, she rubbed the back of her scalp and span back around “Is your face made of steel? I think my brain is broken” her bottom lip jutted out, tears stinging her eyes at the impact.

The taller man had jumped to his feet by now, long coal coloured jacket swinging around him as he did, his biceps flexing as his fists clenched and his jaw gritted “Excuse me?” He held his nose upwards as if readying himself for the flow of blood that would eventually come. “You fell into me, the polite thing to do is apologise” he growled, stepping closer so he was now towering over her.

She gasped, mouth dropping till it practically hit the pristine floor, ooh she could see her reflection, gosh she really was a sight for sore eyes, but now was not the time to get distracted by her undeniable beauty. “It wasn’t my fault, that old woman stole from me” her voice raised an octave “SHE STOLE FROM ME and when I tried to get my property back, she pushed me over, it’s really her who should be apologising, not me” she flipped her caramel toned hair over her shoulder, crossed her arms over her chest and raised a brow up at him in challenge.

His eyes fell shut at the release of an exasperated sigh, this woman really had no idea who she had just come across, perhaps if she did, she would regret her behaviour? Truth be told, he had never met anyone who had spoken to him like that, she was so nonchalant and had an attitude that made him want to sling her over the nearest desk. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

Raising her head, her eyes narrowed making her chocolate orbs darken the second her chin pointed out a tad more “Am I meant to?”

The corner of his lips curled “Anurag, Anurag Basu” he wouldn’t explain further, likelihood was, she was already embarrassed enough after finding out his identity.

Her hand covered her mouth “Oh my gosh” she waved her hands around frantically, “Like the Anurag Basu? Wow, I’m such a big fan”. Her expression changed, returning back to a stony expression that screamed just how unbothered she really was, she pointed her index nail into his chest, ignoring the musky scent that surrounded him as she shoved him back with each step she took toward him “I’m such a big fan of arrogant pricks who think their name alone is reason enough to garner respect, I neither know who you are nor do I care enough to learn, now if you’ll excuse me, Angry Basu I have things to do”.

Anurag was shocked into silence, his mouth open as if to respond, but no words came out. “It’s Anurag Basu” he shouted out, he’d never been tolerant when it came to disrespectful people and if she hadn’t already gotten lost in the crowd, he definitely would have given her a piece of his mind. Whoever she was, this wasn’t over. No one spoke to him like that and got away with it.

Prerna huffed loudly as she reached the edge of the café “You will never guess what just happened to me” she threw her bags down beside her and fell into the nearest seat as she began to explain the mess that was her life, really this wasn’t a new occurrence, she often found herself caught up in things that only happened on those really corny dramas her mother watched. Her life had led her to the conclusion that someone up above either severely hated her or, she was living in a very realistic comedy show where her accidents made for great T.V., whichever it was she had just about had enough of being the laughing stock.

“Only you, Di” her younger sister shook her head as a fit of giggles overtook her “But really, you don’t know who Anurag Basu is?”

She shrugged “He doesn’t know who I am, so why should I know who he is?”

Shivani turned her phone and slid it across the table at her older sister “Anurag Basu practically owns this city, he owns this mall and his father did business with ours until we sold up, then he owned our family business, but now Anurag has taken over and due to his extreme popularity your little disagreement is now all over the news” she swiped a finger over the screen. “I know you like to live in daydream land, but your lack of knowledge has finally gotten you into serious trouble, I can imagine Papa turning over in his grave right now”.

She let out an uncomfortable laugh “So uh” she stared hard at the circles her finger drew over the table as she spoke, “What you’re saying is, Angry Basu owns our old family business and because I was slightly rude to him my face is going to be all over the news”.

“No”.

She sighed in relief “Oh thank- “.

“Your face already is all over the news” she interrupted, “How are you going to explain that to your boss? You sell homes for a living, Di, your reputation is half of your job profile”.

As it turned out, there was no good way to explain to your boss of five years that you had just disrespected one of the most well-known billionaires in the country. In the end, to save face she had quit before she got fired, dignity was everything and as long as she still had that, she was going to be okay.

Well…she hoped she would be.

KZK2 has had a really depressing storyline of recent, so I wanted to write something happier! Let me know your thoughts!

Also on Wattpad!

Index~

Prologue~ Page 1

Part 1~ Page 1

Part One~

Prerna let out a heavy sigh, eyes twinkling in the low lights of her favourite café. She had forgotten how tiring searching for a job was and just how much energy it took to apply for similar roles a multitude of times. Resting her chin on her hands, she pouted then stood up to stretch her back.

“Evening, Prerna” an elderly woman squeezed the bun in her hair as she tied an apron around her waist. “You’ve been here all day, anything I can get you, love?”

Huffing as she fell dramatically back into her chair, she threw her head back “A job, I’m dying of boredom here, Mags”.

“Well,” she moved closer to her, pouring the teapot into her empty mug, “You could always work here, just until you get back on your feet again, you know, to help you the bills”. The next moment she was stumbling back at the pure force of a body almost knocking her back.

“Oh my gosh, you’re an angel, Mags” she screamed while swaying with her, “You won’t forget it, I love you soooo much” her smile was wide, full of glee and her heart exhilarated with the knowledge that she’d have a way to save herself from being homeless, unfortunately, she wasn’t pretty enough to pull it off.

“Alright, love” she patted her back, pulled away and pointed to an apron, “You can get started”.

Her face dropped, the likelihood was this wasn’t going to be her favourite café for much longer, why did she have to open her big, fat mouth? She could have just kept quiet and not ranted about all the issues in her messy life, then she could be sat down drinking tea rather than serving it at ten-thirty at night! Deciding to save her complaints till later, she did as she was told and began to eye the coffee machine with an ominous glare, either she’d break it or it would break her.

“Black coffee, please?” A husky voice requested.

“Right away, Sir” she avoided the desire to roll her eyes, it was just her luck that she’d have a coffee order when she had no idea how to use the contraption and Mags was nowhere in sight. Turning to face him, she put on her best customer smile “Won’t be a second, Si-, you, what are you doing here?”

Anurag looked up from his phone, smile dropping and jaw clenching “Me? I’m a regular, you’ve never worked here before, are you stalking me?”

She scoffed “Oh, get over yourself, do you really think I have nothing better to do with my life than to waste my time following you around?”

He smirked, mouth open ready to give her a smartass reply.

“Don’t answer that” she warned, finger waggling in his face. Stupid, handsome, egotistical man that had haunted her in real life and in her daydreams, she wished him nothing but paths of lego and a life with no shoes so he’d be ouching his way to death. “Now that I think about it, this is my favourite place and I’ve never seen you here, are you stalking me?”

His jaw dropped “That’s absurd, I’m a billionaire, I don’t do my own dirty work”.

“I don’t care who wipes your ass, Basu” Prerna slammed her fists on the worktop, “You didn’t deny it, have you gotten someone to follow me?”

“Yes,” Anurag hissed, “Keep your voice down, you’ve already tarnished my reputation enough as is, my reputation is everything to me, one more accident that hits the papers and I’ll ensure you won’t be able to show your face again, do I make myself clear?”

Chewing loudly, she crossed her arms, hitched up a brow and shoved her tongue into her cheek “I’m not impressed by your money or power and rich men with more ego issues than Beyonce don’t scare me, so run along and take your fearmongering ways elsewhere, this is my town, my place of work and my favourite café and you are not welcome here, actually” she smirked, “You’re barred, for life”.

At that point Mags finally made an appearance “Oh, Sir, it’s so good to see you, this is Prerna, it’s her first shift today, Prerna, this is our boss”.

Honestly, no one’s jaw had ever hit the ground so fast, she hated how chuffed he was with himself, but as much as she wanted to continue berating him, she really had to keep herself in line or she’d never get a job again! Did he own the whole damn city or something? “Don’t suppose you know how to work this thing, do ya?”

Rolling his eyes, he moved her out of the way, pressed a few buttons and leant against the side “Self service didn’t used to be an option” he bit out.

“Well, it should be” she retorted, trying to stand as far away from him as humanly possible, she’d probably catch cooties just by breathing the same air as him.

“Oh my gosh,” a woman screeched, “It’s Prerna and Anurag, It’s Prerna and Anurag” she squealed, snapping pictures of them with her phone.

“What are we, Chandler and Monica? Calm down” Prerna huffed, the whole world had gone mad.

Ignoring her, she continued: “Tell me, Mr Basu, is she the one? Or just another one-night stand?”

“Uh, excuse me, I am not” she was shushed by his foot stamping on hers, glaring at him, she hopped around, “Ow, what was that for? Gosh, abusive much” she shoved at his arm, it was just her luck this had to happen, now she’d face the blame for his stalkerish ways, did the world hate her? Because this wasn’t normal for other women.

He cleared his throat, another one-night stand scandal would do hell for his career and the least this woman owed him was this after her behaviour. Winding an arm around her waist, he put on his best fake smile “This is Prerna, my girlfriend”.

“Your what now?” Mags and Prerna exclaimed at the same time.

“My girlfriend” he repeated, smiling down at her, holding her tighter to his side as she tried to squirm away, he bent his head down to her ear “Go along with this and I’ll make it worth your while”.

The Lift + Noir has also been updated!

Originally posted by: rp5127

This is awesome!

Aw, thanks lovely