Chapter Twelve
"What are we doing here Shraddha?" Malika said.
"Kunal skipped breakfast and knowing him he probably won't even eat lunch so I want to drop this off for him before we go shopping." I said tapping the tiffin can.
Kittu smiled and Malika pouted.
"I will be back." I said.
Kittu nodded and smiled while Malika pouted some more and leaned further in the back seat.
"First you guys make me sit in the back and now this I don't think you love me." She said pouting.
I smiled and shook my head.
"It's just that you're being overemotional and you know that is not true. We are doing that for your safety. If anything happens you and your child should be protected." I said.
Kittu turned to me and she had a questioning look on her face.
Malika looked at me and the pout was replaced with a confused smile.
"I was messing around Shraddha you are really serious nowadays. Saying such ominous statements, your acting like those people from the movies that screwed up in their past and gets a second chance in correcting their mistakes." She said while laughing and shaking her head.
I froze at that and I looked at her confused and scared.
Jin didn't say anything about someone else finding out.
But she warned that she can't tell who was the one that caused the accident and Kunal's and I problems so maybe it might be bigger than I think it might actually be.
"Shraddha are you okay? Malika is just joking just ignore her as if things in movies can actually happen in real life." Kittu said.
Malika stopped laughing and quickly got up from the seat.
"But Kittu not all things in the movies are fiction. They have to come from somewhere."
"Yes from someone's imagination and nothing else." Kittu says.
"But even those imaginations have some truth in it. We cannot explain everything that goes on in this world and we don't know anything further from this so who knows what might or can happen." Malika said.
Kittu turned to her and was smiling.
"Is that true Malika? Are you going to go on your philosophical rant or will we let Shraddha go so we can go shopping." She said laughing.
Malika pouted and laughed.
"Hey, hey, hey its not a rant it's the philosophical truth from a brilliant mind such as myself." Malika said laughing.
She turned to me and snapped her fingers and I got out my thoughts.
"What is this? Kittu is teasing me and you're just too busy thinking about your husband. I understand you love him but at least think about your didi from time to time especially when she is getting backed into a corner." she said.
"Sorry Malika I wasn't paying attention." I said.
"Hey its okay Shraddha I was teasing. I know how much you love Kunal so of course you would be thinking about him. Especially since we are shopping for his present today."
"Yeah I will be back I have to go drop this off." I said distracted.
Kittu nodded and Malika smiled and waved.
I just smiled and got out the car, closing the door behind me.
I was walking to the building and I was about to walk on the steps when I noticed the woman whose been haunting me for the past few days was coming down the steps of the building.
I knew I recognized her from somewhere but I couldn't necessarily remember from where.
I wasn't as active or interested in Kunal's work or any of his business partners in the past so I wouldn't be able to draw up any actual face, but something about her made me think I seen her somewhere before.
I looked at her, at Yoona.
She got off the phone with someone while someone held the door open for her to enter her car.
She was about to until she turned around to someone who was calling her and I looked up and noticed the same bodyguard that was with her when I first met her the previous day.
He immediately whispered something to her and a smile spread on her face.
I was afraid of her noticing me but at the same time I wanted to get closer but then suddenly my cell phone went off.
I groaned and answered the call.
"Seriously? Okay that will be perfect. Thank you. Thank you. I will call later on and please make sure its confirmed. Everything have to go perfectly well on Friday. No mistakes at all. This is really, really, really important that it goes well. Okay thank you." I said while smiling.
I cut the call and tried to see if Yoona was still around along with her mystery bodyguard but they disappeared.
Why was she here?
I thought.
After a while nothing came to mind so I shrugged and entered the building.
I walked across the entry way to the front desk and nodded at the receptionist there who smiled once I entered.
I was waiting for the elevator and it seem like it was taking forever. I looked to the right and noticed a mother and a child walking in together talking to the receptionist and I slowly smiled.
Jin. What happened to her?
I hope she was okay.
Its been two days and there was no word from her...
Plus the last time I saw her she was kneeling in pain saying
"She is the one that will try to steal Kunal from you. Her intentions are to break you guys up. She is the one that caused the accident..."
Especially when she said that...I was at a lost.
Whose this her? Plus she was the one that caused the accident?
It wasn't making any sense.
Sure it's a huge relief that I wasn't responsible for the deaths but I'm at a complete lost who would want to hurt us.
But its not us, Jin kept on saying Kunal.
So who was after Kunal?
Was they...or rather she responsible for the accident?
But how? When? More importantly what was their gain?
I shook my head in annoyance in not understanding and my thoughts were interrupted once I heard the "ding" of the elevator alerting me it was on the first floor.
Once the door open someone rushed out, bumping into me.
"Hey, you can say excuse me." I said.
Thankfully I didn't lose grasp of the tiffin that I was holding and I sighed in relief.
I quickly looked up and noticed it was a guy in a red cap in a regular white shirt and jeans.
The same guy in question was already walking away and I looked at him looking back and forth as if he might be caught doing something that he wasn't suppose to do.
I was confused but I heard the doors of the elevator closing and I immediately rushed in before it closed on me.
I pressed the floor number where Kunal's office was located on and in less than a minute or two I arrived there.
I walked past the front reception area but no one was there so I continued to Kunal's office.
I looked at my watch, hoping to keep time until I heard a noise in Kunal's office.
I stopped and I steeled myself to cautiously enter and I slowly opened the door and noticed someone in his office.
A woman who was looking nervous and anxious and kept turning her head close to the door.
I hid until I saw her approach Kunal's desk.
Is she trying to steal something? Wow...even in broad daylight it doesn't stop anyone from doing anything nowadays.
She approached his desk and reached for his briefcase?
Now this was an unconventional thief? If you are going to steal why look in the bag first? The most obvious place would to find a safe?
She put her hands in a pocket and I saw something bright and so familiar being pull out her pocket.
I immediately knocked on the door and the woman in question jumped back, frightened.
She quickly turned and fear was written all over her face.
I didn't recognize her as the regular receptionist or any of the assistants that usually worked with Kunal.
I smiled at her.
"Good afternoon." I said.
She looked at me scared.
She nodded.
"G...G...G..oo..oooddd...Good" she was stuttering on the first part and her eyes were darting back and forth.
She nodded again and was about to leave until I stopped her.
"Its not nice in trying to steal people things." I said.
"Stealing? I wasn't...I'm not...I didn't..." she kept on.
I grabbed her arm and she tried to take it away and instead I grabbed her arm.
"Open your hand." I said.
She was really scared and she looked at me.
"I didn't steal anything." She said.
She wasn't budging so I balanced the tiffin in my other hand and used my hand to open her hand and was struggling as she was not relenting.
"If I call security you can forget in trying to explain yourself as you will be spending your days in jail for theft." I said.
"But I wasn't stealing." She said with a pleading look.
"But you are in someone' else office without anyone being here and you're snooping around in someone's else office."
"Please believe me I wasn't stealing." She pleaded.
"Enough open your hand."
She still relented and I grew frustrated.
"Security!" I screamed and she grew alarm.
"No please don't..."
"Security!" I screamed again.
She immediately opened her hands and what fell out had me reeling back.
It was a diamond tennis bracelet with small blue diamond's spaced in between them.
The same bracelet that girl Yoona was wearing when I first saw met her the previous week.
I've seen this before...
Of course I have...it was the same as that time...
When I first met Yoona she was wearing it but...I have seen it way before she was wearing it but for the life of me I couldn't recall where I saw it before.
"Who gave you that? How did you get this? Who are you?" I asked.
She was scared.
"I cannot say." She said.
I smiled.
"Perfect. Then you won't mind telling this all to security when I drag you there." I said grabbing her arm and was about to start dragging until she broke down in tears.
"I don't know what's happening. All I know is that he said to put in this guy's bag. He said to not say a word. He said to put the bracelet in the bag. He said if I didn't then I can forget about my father still being able to stay in the hospital." She said while crying.
"Who was he? How did he look like? Was he in a black suit? Was he with another woman that was like him in a black dress, brown hair?" I asked.
She looked up and confused.
"No this person was in jeans and a regular shirt and a cap. He told me to put this in this guy's bag. He gave me the office number and the floor he was on. I don't know anything else except that. He said if I didn't do it my father would be admitted out the hospital." She said crying.
Cap...and jeans...
I thought back to the man that collided with me in the elevator and how nervous and shifty he was acting.
It made no sense I didn't recognize him, I never seen him anywhere else before ...
But he must be tied with that woman...
Her smile...there was something behind it that I didn't understand
Something calculating about it...
I turned my attention back to the mysterious woman at hand.
I smiled.
"Did he give you a phone number for you to let him know the job was completed?" I asked.
She thought for a while and she nodded her head.
She dug in her pocket and pulled a small piece of paper and handed it to me.
It was a rumpled paper and it only had a phone number and just a "J" above it as the name.
I didn't know what I was doing but the words were coming out of my mouth before I could think.
"Call him and tell him the job is completed...better yet text him that the job is done." I said.
She looked up and was going to shaker her head.
"You don't have a choice in this." I said.
"Who are you for me to do this? Why are you threatening me?" she said with some hidden strength and cockiness.
I smiled.
"I don't want to cause any problems to you. But I find it quite hard when someone messes with..."
I stopped before I said wife.
I wasn't sure who this was and most likely it was a threat towards Kunal and I wasn't sure what they were planning.
"I'm his personal assistant. What are you? A thief ? Or someone whose about to be a convict if you don't do what I say." I said.
That seemed to knock out her cockiness.
"Okay." She said.
She texted the guy in question and in less than a second he called.
She looked at me and she answered.
"Hello? Yes. I completed the task." She said while looking up at me.
"Yeah no one was here and I completed the task. There was no problems."
"Okay." She said and the call finished.
"I did what you asked is that all?' she asked.
"Hand me your phone." I said.
She looked confused.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because I want to make sure to get in contact with you... It would be such a chore to find you." I said smiling.
"But I didn't..." she stuttered.
"You don't know if the guy won't do something to your father. Just in case I want to make sure that you're okay." I said smiling.
That eased her tension.
"Thank you. I'm so sorry. I promise I won't say a word otherwise. Please I promise." She said frightened.
I nodded and smile.
"Its okay I believe you..."
The girl nodded and she walked away and she barely looked back after she left the room.
I bent down and picked up the bracelet and there was something coming back to me about it...it was the one I saw when he cameback...
"Shraddha!" I jumped quickly back up and turned to see Kunal smiling at me while Asha and another guy was next to him.
I quickly stuffed the bracelet into my bag and I straighten myself up.
"I thought of surprising you." I said sticking out the tiffin.
His eyes lit up like a small child and he quickly crossed the room to meet me by his desk.
"My wife does cares about me. Its been so long since you made me some of your home-cooked food for lunch. I was getting fat from all of this takeout for lunch." He said while rubbing his stomach.
"It surely doesn't show." I said smiling.
His smiled turned into a smirk and his eyes lowered at half-mast.
"It would be great if you can cook for me everyday." He said.
I smiled.
"I'm not promised such time off from work so I have to refuse that offer." I said.
I smiled but it slowly died as thoughts of what happened was running through my head.
"Asha please guide Mr.Sharma out." Kunal said.
"Yes sir." She said before she left with the man in tow.
I was still lost in my thoughts until Kunal flicked my nose with his index finger.
"Huh?" I said confused.
He nodded his confused.
"What's wrong?" he said.
I smiled and shook my head.
"Sorry I got to go I left Malika and Kittu in the car and Malika is a ticking time bomb. Once she is happy and in her regular goofy self and sometimes she is a terror. Plus have been gone for a while now I have to go back." I said.
He pouted and then his eyes glowed as an idea obviously hit him.
"Too bad...thought we were going to have a special meal together like we were on a date and probably..." he said.
He lifted my hand and he stared at me as he kissed the center of my hand, his lips lingering longer than was necessary and I stared at his lips and then at his eyes that were staring at me\.
"We could have gotten some type of dessert." He said.
I lowered my eyes at the tell-tale signs of desire starting to show from his eyes.
I removed my hands from his and I smiled.
"You don't mean a normal dessert do you?" I said looking back up.
He winked at me.
"But we will both be satisfied when we are done." He said.
I blushed and I shook my head.
"I have got to go..." I said backing away from him and trying to walk to the door but he grabbed my arm.
I stopped and I tried gripping on my purse before turning back around.
I blushed even more at the pure desire and heat in his eyes.
"In less than two days you won't have an excuse." he said staring at my lips.
I blushed and instead of lowering my gaze I looked up and matched the same look he was throwing my way.
"I'm not interested in using an excuse." I said smiling.
He smiled even more and he released my arm.
I was going to walk away until he pulled his arms around me and wrapped me in his embrace.
I was pulled off guard and my hands were against his shirt
"Good that you are not interested in using an excuse. But to make sure I will double check." He said and he leaned his lips against mine and I laughed before I slide my lips against his.
He brought his lips closer, pressing it more against mine and I pressed my lips against his and we continued to just kiss each other back and forth softly until it was giving way into something more.
He slipped his tongue inside my mouth and I drew in a shaky breath as I slipped my tongue along his, trying to top his tongue and vice versa and neither of us giving in.
It was a constant back and forth and neither of us was stopping and it seemed once started it couldn't stopped. He released his lips and we both sucked in gulpful of air.
We were staring at one another and I lowered my eyes at his lips and I leaned back forward to kiss his lips and he closed his eyes until we heard someone clearing their throat.
Kunal groaned and I tried to release his hands around my wait but he seemed insistent.
"Kunal." I whispered.
He ignored me.
"What's wrong Asha?" he said instead.
Asha didn't look deterred at all but I was embarrassed and uncomfortable.
"Sir you have to finish the plans for Mr. Sharma."
He pouted.
"How come there is so much work today! Okay Asha I will get on it." He said.
Asha nodded and she walked away.
I punched him in the chest and he finally released me.
"Sheesh you keep distracting me and now Malika is going to tear into me." I said while walking close to the door and was about to leave until he called my name.
"Yes Kunal?" I said tunring to him.
"Thank you for the lunch and... for the sweets." He said.
"Sweets?" I said confused.
He smiled and he looked at my lips and I caught on to his meaning and I huffed and walked away as I could hear his laughter as I shut his office door.
***********************
I was in the kitchen trying to make tea for maa ji and the neighbors when my mind started to wander again.
I lifted the bracelet from my pocket and lifted it to my eye-level.
Where have I seen this before...
I was trying to figure it out but nothing...
I put it back in my pocket and started to pull cups for the cupboard along with a saucer and was washing it and bringing out the tea and sugar.
I was busying myself around until something crept into my mind and I froze and my heart almost dropped.
That's where I seen it before...
I pulled it out my pocket again and the scene that happened that really created all the mistrust and suspicions started to come to me.
Kunal's came home tired from spending almost all day in the office and wanted to just pull off and just take a shower.
I came in after trying to find something and I noticed his briefcase on the floor where some of his papers, envelopes, and pens fell out the bag and I was trying to pack it back inside.
"Ugh...why does he always keep his briefcase like that. I keep telling him letting it stand will have it to fall down." I said annoyed.
I bent down and was placing it back in his bag until I lifted up a piece of paper and saw something shiny.
I lifted the envelope that was hiding underneath it and I picked it up confused.
I was staring at it in confusion.
Is this a gift? Is this for Valentine's Day?
It was so beautiful there were so many diamonds and it looked so adorable and so cute. I continued to stare at the bracelet and I smiled even more but I was scared that he might catch me so I quickly tried to put in his bag and not ruin the surprise until I realized why it wasn't in a box?
Don't most gifts like this come in a box?
Plus it looks really, really, really, really, expensive.
There is no freaking way they won't put something like this in a box.
Or maybe I'm over thinking things. Maybe it's just a coincidence.
I looked at the bracelet and something struck in my mind and I quickly released the hook that was holding the bracelet together.
I placed it around my wrist and it could barely come together.
It was too small.
I looked on the inside of the bracelet and there was a small inscription saying "To my little girl"
This wasn't for me.
This was someone's else.
I was sittingon the floor in shock.
There is no way.
We are having problems but there is no way, no way, no way he would cheat on me.
But we weren't spending time together, he was working longer hours, was always busy, and there was some woman that his assistant referenced wanting to meet him for a last minute contract.
I was shocked and didn't know what to do.
Not again.
Not again.
Not again.
There is no way he is like him, he isn't like Bobby.
There is no way...no way.
I heard him coming out the shower and I didn't want to react but betrayal and suspicions was already in place and it was causing dangerous damage as my mind was wandering.
He came into the room using the towel to dry his hair and I got up and I stormed to him and I slapped him hard across the face.
He was shocked and he quickly looked at me like I was insane.
"Shraddha what the heck? What was that for?" Kunal said confused.
"What was that for? You're going to act confused now? Sure thinking that you can live it up?" I said.
He looked confused.
"What ...why...what's going on?" he said confused.
"Don't act like you don't know what's going on! What is this?!!" I said sticking the bracelet straight in his face.
He looked confused.
"Is this yours?" he said.
"Right is it mine? Is that the best excuse you have? Does this looks like this fits me? I have a question Kunal who is it? Is it a partner? Your assistant? Or is it just another "friend" like Suzanne that you have no problem kissing on the cheek even in front of your wife?" I said.
"What are you talking about Shraddha? I have never ever seen this before. That is not something I will ever get from some woman or another. I would never do what you are suggesting." He said.
"What am I suggesting?" I said.
"You would think that I would betray you in that manner?" he said.
"I don't know what to think. All I know is that different female "clients" and "partners" are popping out of nowhere and suddenly my husband has a bracelet in his briefcase that obviously isn't for me, his wife." I said.
"First of all I don't have "clients" I have clients. Plus the women and men that are popping out of nowhere are translators for my foreign partners. Some speak only their native language and to retain integrity in my business I make sure all my clients whether foreign or not understand fully what they are signing when they get in business with me. As for the bracelet, I have never seen it before." He said.
"Then how did it end up in your briefcase?" I said annoyed.
"I don't know. Maybe someone confused it as their bag and dropped in there." He said.
"So someone confused this bag as theirs? They would just drop something like this in their bag, unattended?" I said.
He was at a lost.
"Look Shraddha it..." Kunal started.
I put my hand up.
"No need Kunal. I understand perfectly." I said.
"But Shraddha I'm telling the truth." He started again.
"The truth?" I said confused.
"Yes!" he said.
I laughed and I threw the bracelet in his chest.
"You can keep that "truth" and tell that woman of yours to not to forget to leave her stuff behind next time around."
I said before walking out the room.
I was lost in my thoughts I didn't realize I poured too much water in the pan and it was starting to overflow.
"Sheesh how long does it take this girl to make...What are you doing!" I heard a voice.
I looked up and saw Kamini rushing over and looking down and my mind snapped back into gear at the present and I realized I had hot water on the fire.
"I'm sorry maa ji..." I tried gripping the base of the pan to move it out of the way but my hand must have slipped as it caused the pot to tip over causing the hot water to burn on my left hand and I immediately snatched my hand away.
My skin had a slight reddish discoloration that started to become more prominent as seconds ticked away.
"This stupid girl." Kamini said as she switched off the burner and removed the pot.
"Stand back." She said.
I stepped back and wad gripping onto the hand that was splashed and could see my hand getting redder by the second as the pain intensified.
"I'm sorry maa ji." I said.
She ignored me as she poured the water down the sink and put on the water.
She turned to me.
"Come here." She said sighing.
I looked confused.
"If you want that to stop hurting and for that to not get any worse you will come here so I can help you." She snapped.
I nodded my head and she gently took my hand and placed it under the cool tap.
I squeezed my eyes shut and she sighed.
"Stop being such a baby. This was just a minor burn. If you would pay attention and instead of wandering off in your own head this wouldn't be a problem."
She continued to press the water under the burned area until the pain was slowly becoming a dull sting.
After a while she removed my hand from the water.
"Go take care of arranging the beds upstairs...you are of no use down here." she said.
"Maa ji..." I said.
"Your hand won't be able to heal if you're going to be distracted again and burn yourself. Who will help me with dinner? Ramdeen is not here today so its best if you just go rest. Make sure to apply some ointment on it." She said.
"Sorry maa ji." I said.
"Never mind all this sorry, sorry, sorry. If you stay here like this Kunal is going to blame me again for your lack of concentration. Just go." She said turning back around.
I nodded and walked away.
I walked upstairs still in a daze of confusion and gripping on the base of the staircase to maintain my balance.
This wasn't making any sense.
There was no proof it was her order but it was her freaking bracelet.
There is no way you will lose an expensive bracelet like that unless...
"Hello, my name is Yoona Hwang I have been working with your husband for the past seven months." She said smiling.
That is when I saw her at that party that was hosted for Kunal for his success in expanding in South Korea.
The way she was glued to him throughout the entire night, the way she was looking at him, and the way she was touching him.
It would make sense that she had ulterior motives.
I couldn't link her but her bracelet was evidence enough.
"We have to be careful...we don't know what she can do and what she has plan." Jin Yeon said.
I almost slipped from on the staircase and I was able to catch my balance.
What the heck am I suppose to do now?
What the heck was she and was she the one that caused the accident?
But what's her motive?
I don't know what her purpose is but if she is the one then why is she willing to go so far?
*************************
Edited by najialuv88 - 11 years ago
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