Chapter 2 (I)
Pulling herself out of the trip down memory lane, Prachi tried to concentrate on her reports before her. Failing miserably, she got up with an exasperated sigh. She wasn't cut out to be a CEO. There were too many responsibilities, too much at stake. She had to hand the reigns over to someone more competent, but who? Her older siblings were doing their own thing, making their mark on the world. Her sister Ayesha was an up-and-coming civil lawyer, and her brother Alaap had made a name for himself as a political journalist. She was the only one in the family with a business degree, but her interests lay elsewhere. At 25, she was much too young to head a major corporation.
As she glanced out her window, her eyes fell on Milind Mishra's cabin. Though she couldn't see him, she had come to know him well enough to picture what he would be doing. Probably checking and re-checking the figures like an obsessive compulsive freak. Or giving some new employee a dressing down for not doing work that was up to his ridiculous standards. Prachi sighed. She really ought not to think ill of him, he was brilliant if you chose to ignore his uncouth behavior. He had prevented Prachi from making many a business blunders, and though his approach made Prachi want to pull her hair out, she had to admire his insight.
Shah Hotels needed someone like him to lead. Not someone like her. She was too soft, too unsure of herself. She second-guessed herself often, and it landed her in trouble. It wasn't entirely her fault. Her parents always took her life decisions for her. Her siblings' influence over her opinions never gave her opportunities to form her own likes and dislikes. And until now she'd been blissfully unaware of her dependency on others.
She really ought to ask for his help, but then he'd just give her a hard time. Resigned, she sat back in her desk. What if'? She thought. What if she could find a way to hand over the reigns to someone else, someone trustworthy, who wouldn't take advantage of their newly acquired position? Surely she could find hundreds who would be willing to lead the company, many within the corporation itself. But did she trust any of them? How would she be sure that once in power this person wouldn't turn their back on her?
Then she thought about Milind. Could he? Would he? No. The man was way too proud, way too egotistic. He would never agree to work under someone else's name. What if she made him an offer he couldn't refuse? She eventually made up her mind and picking up her office phone, dialed his extension. After two rings he picked up. 'Yes' he barked. Damn. Thought Prachi. He was in a bad mood, and what she was about to ask of him, she was sure his temper would fly through the roof'at least initially. She suddenly froze up, unsure of what to say.
'If you don't have anything to say, why are you wasting my time and yours?' he practically deafened her.
'I..ah..do you have a minute Mil'Mr. Mishra?' Prachi finally managed.
'Prachi?' he sounded positively irritated. 'Why, yes, your highness'your company does pay me to chit-chat and attend to blank calls. Tell me, what can this lesser mortal do for you.'
Take that sarcasm and shove it..Prachi was tempted to say. But she knew she wasn't exactly in the position to make smart-assed comments. Without thinking she blurted out, 'Marry me'
For the first time, in a long time, Milind Mishra was rendered speechless.
Edited by yeh_ada_143 - 16 years ago
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