A Cursed Up Love T2 - Page 12

Part 22: Official love/hate affair

'Sasha Maan sir wants you in his cabin' Nisha informed, being Maan's secretary she was required to act to his orders but calling Sasha before Adi was an intentional move to win credentials from a superior friend.

'Thanks babe' Sasha immediately got up sliding the folders to her left and waved her right hand to Tasha, her trusted assistant while passing her cubicle. Sasha was the head architect, a long term employee and partially in love with Maan. Hence, when news spread like fire of Maan walking in with a young female, she raced to the office space situated outside Maan's cabin. A silent dart passed through her heart watching Maan guide this new girl to his cabin. Tasha believed it to be Maan's alcoholic girlfriend which she immediately refuted knowing that was a much older woman, Nisha assumed it to be Vicky's interest, again she refused seeing the tension between the brothers. She stood on her toes waiting for this exact call, wanting to know who this 'IT' was and if all her chances of being with Maan has truly ended.

She knocked at the door waiting for his signal, which came with Adi. Taking in an exaggerated breath she walked in along with Adi looking to her left seeing 'IT' sitting casually on the sofa.

'Morning MK' she wished a second later than Adi, her mind being too occupied by the girl who was flipping through the magazine

'Sasha files' Maan said a bit louder stopping her staring session that had obviously annoyed her boss, yet he didn't give an explanation. Looking to her right, she realised Adi was equally unsure who shrugged at her questioning gaze.

Geet jumped up hearing Maan shout, as she was facing his rough side after a while. When all he did was glare at the girl opposite him, she went back to the magazine she was reading more precisely the article about her, correction about Maan Singh Khurrana's wedding. Hoping to catch a picture of herself or even her name. Unknowingly, she hoped to see herself attached to Maan even if it was through the means of gossip.

Adi sat down immediately without a word, head strictly glued to the file in front, Maan seemed really moody and Sasha was lost, so it left him to act. It had been half an hour in eerily silence, with his neck craned down leaving a little ache when he finally found the fault. Adi once again checked the figures, something was amiss. He rechecked before asking for Maan's attention.

'Sir see this' he showed Maan the jump in finance, it wasn't a few measly hundreds but more in thousands sparking a confusion in his employer.

'We just worked downwards to a failure, we lost more money doing this project. That can't be, we were expecting a 15% profit margin' Adi explained to a muddled Maan and Sasha.

Maan looked at the pointed figures feeling anger heat up, this was his project so there was no requirement of asking Vicky. Plus till date both the brothers worked on different projects and only came together if situations demanded it. Maan looked through the assorted file once again trying to remember but all he could recall was being with Sameera while his staff handled the project, which of course was under his orders. But still he knew somewhere the fault lied in him. He then arrested his eyes on the occupants sitting in front of him at the table for answers which should have been coming from him in reality.

'Sir me and Sasha know nothing of it, the bank statements also show the same but our sources don't match. I don't have the receipts on me now but as far as the documented data is concerned than the final expenditure should be much lower' Adi implored looking towards Maan in extradition.

'Sasha do you have any idea?' Maan asked to which she immediately shook her head in negative, this left the door open to doubt. Either it was a human error or someone decided to pay themselves a bonus without anyone's knowledge.

'Get the receipts, every single one. Adi you recount the accounts and Sasha look through all documents, anything to suggest the hike in payment' Maan ordered growing in rage while Sasha and Adi directly left his cabin to act according to his said words.

He sure wasn't going to let this issue lay low, if it was an error then whoever was responsible needed to answer. However if it was fraud then someone needed to be behind bars, Khuranna Construction wasn't going to be risked in any circumstance.

Geet looked through the final magazine in hope, she wasn't yet mentioned forget photographed. However the mention of his girlfriend was everywhere, there were even captured shots. Some with a girl pressed to Maan's side while hurrying out the club, or others with her face hidden in the crook of his neck when leaving her apartment. Each picture told her of their tale, she knew this but it still affected her raw wound.

'Arrange a meeting in the conference room in an hour, I want everybody associated with Lori's project' he ordered slamming the phone forcing Geet to look up at a visibly fuming Maan who looked her way in anger feeling a stare and she immediately looked away scared. He then walked out of his cabin speedily tugging at his tie, leaving her to breathe in relief. Now that she was alone, she let her hot tears pour; one after another. 'Why did it still hurt?' she asked herself looking down at the picture of him with this unknown woman. The smile on his face clearly told of his happiness, of his love which she ruined with her involvement.

'Sasha I think I know who she is?' Tasha whispered running to her senior's cabin

'Not now Tasha, we've got a bigger problem' Sasha shooed off once again checking the documents both printed and mailed, trying not to miss a single thing. The missing money had no explanation neither could Adi find a link. A meeting was being held for the same, and being head they were answerable for a lot. Hence Maan's mystery woman took a side step along with her beating heart.

'What's bigger than this?' Tasha confusingly answered, she knew of Sasha's love for Maan for as long as she worked with Sasha. The woman worked effortlessly to achieve a word of praise but other than disappointment nothing came her way.

'She's the wife, I think' Tasha finally revealed not being able to hold it in herself any longer, she was like a balloon which would burst any minute.

'REALLY' Sasha looked towards Tasha with a tinge of annoyance, Maan's marriage was an undisclosed topic. Neither she or her co-workers discussed the topic, as far as they were concerned he got married yet there wasn't a change in him suggesting it to be a dramatized rumour, well she was the only one to firmly believe that he wasn't married, not to his alcoholic girlfriend nor any other woman turning blind and ignorant to anything related to her MK.

'Tasha please find something else to do' Sasha commanded fetching the files before walking off to the conference hall making Tasha shrug in ignorance.

Adi walked past Maan's cabin and instinctively he looked inside to see the woman who came with Maan weep in silence. A part of his heart felt her pain, she whomever she may be was in that cabin all morning, and his boss had the curtsy to walk her in but lacked the sensibility to see to her needs.

'Are you ok Miss?' he asked popping his head through the trouble doors jumping her up

'I'm fine, thank you' she answered neatly placing the magazines in order while he turned to leave for the conference room

Immediately after the nice man closed the door, Geet crawled down the sofa so her face was hidden by it's arms. Placing her warm head in its cold leathered body, she shook in more sobs. Everything she wanted was gone, and now alone in an unknown place left her even more miserable. She drew her legs closer to her chest and placed her freezing cold hands between her thighs, hoping for the pain to lessen with the physical comfort but all it did was magnify the hurt. She closed her eyes with the hope of stopping the treacherous tears, I will be fine' she told herself letting the warm liquid flow down her face.

Sasha sat through the meeting, hearing every said word, defending her corner yet the memory of the woman and Tasha's suggestions didn't leave her mind. She looked at an agitated Maan, wanting to question him but as an employee she knew she had limited rights. Sasha was no one in Maan's world, while he was everything in hers.

'Adi pass him over to the cops' Maan instructed getting up from his chair to look at the rest of his employees who grasped in shock, it took 3 long tedious hours to find the culprit that was behind the missing money.

'Sir sorry I won't do it again, please' the man begged falling to his knees but Maan ignored all pleads and swiftly exited out the conference room with Nisha and Sasha following. Both looking incredibly astonished by his decision.

'MK with the police being involved it might cause negative publicity' Sasha suggested running behind Maan who continued to speed down to his cabin

'I don't care, he needs to pay for what he did. We trusted him and he broke that'

'But Sir' Nisha tried, being his secretary naturally her workload would increase which of course she didn't want.

'If he wanted money all he had to do was ask, but he went behind our backs and stole, and I cannot forgive him for that, Sasha ask the legal team to start the proceedings and I want you to take care of the matter' Maan was beyond understanding, somewhere blaming himself for his negligence. The man in question had stolen from three projects, all belonging to him. Hence this suggested that his employee stole because somewhere he let them and that in turn increased his frustration level.

'MK are you sure?' Sasha asked once again not wanting the media to find out but seeing his glare she shut up and nodded at Nisha to do as he says, working with Maan she realised there was only a number of times you could question him before he cracks and this was exactly the time they needed to stop before facing the firing line.

'I was thinking...' Sasha started bumping into Maan who stood rooted at his cabin door and then turned around with a gentle smile causing a bigger shock

'SHHH' Maan hummed pressing a finger to his lips and closed the door ever so slowly behind him looking at Sasha with renewed eyes.

Sasha looked alarmed by the change in his persona but didn't say a word and left to her cabin when he signalled with his hands, leaving her slightly disarrayed. While walking away she watched Maan walk in silently to his cabin, confusing her further into peeking through. Although nothing stood out, but then she noticed Maan reach the sofa and place a hand on another that was dangling down. Immediately realism dawned upon her seeing the change in him as he bent down, he must be with 'IT'. With that she thundered down to her cabin instructing Tasha to find who this 'IT' was, while she focused on the problem at hand with the legal team.

Maan stood by the door for a second seeing a sleeping Geet, but then walked forward ever so quietly not wanting to disturb her nap. He unblinkingly watched the discomfort on her face before realising the blue arm hanging out in displeasure. Acting on his feet, he quickly positioned her arm back onto the sofa, only then catching the temperature of her cold body. For a second, he had talked himself into giving her his waistcoat. It was till he got to the third button that he thought of it to be stupid, how is his thin flimsy over-jacket going to help her. But seeing the chattering of her teeth, he had no other option. Maan carefully positioned his waistcoat on her top half, while draping her scarf over her like a blanket and then tuned down the AC. 'Speaking of blanket' he thought rushing to his computer to search for a blanket and cushions.

Just when all hopes died, he found a place which would deliver his order but unfortunately it would be by tomorrow rather than today, which he hoped. But it's better than next week' he thought remembering the numerous emails rants he placed to so many companies. He looked at his watch, only then recognising the time. He spent the last two hours hunting for a blanket and 3 cushions, he Maan Singh Khuranna did that? He then looked towards Geet, who turned flat on her back in discomfort, 'maybe I needed a bigger sofa' he thought clicking onto the Google' search engine once again.