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This story is getting more and more interesting can't wait for the next update
This story is getting more and more interesting can't wait for the next update
It's beauty. Every part is wonderful.words r neatly knitted with no loose ends and very powerful.update soon dear.thanks.
Hi, guys. I can't tell you how quickly I finished writing this update. Urgh. I hope it has turned out okay. Please do let me know if you like it. And a big shout out to those consistent readers who've been so great at encouraging me to write. Here goes:
PART VII
“Ms. Sharma,” the King said as swiveled to face her. Prerna nearly stumbled back at the sight of him. Tall and fitted in a hand-made navy-blue suit and dove grey shirt, Mr. Bajaj looked at home in his natural hunting ground. She had scheduled an appointment with him this time. She didn’t think showing up unannounced at his house would have worked again. She had been waiting in his office building for nearly two hours, watching the sun’s downward descent from glass panes of the 15th floor when finally his secretary, a short man with a gentle smile, had signaled her to enter his cabin. She had expected grandeur and much like his house, his office space was understated luxury. But here he felt even more dangerous. This is the jaguar’s natural habitat, she thought. Facing him, she felt that familiar chill shoot up her spine.
“I was surprised to see you penciled into my day’s meetings. How can I be of help?” He drawled.
Prerna straightened. “You’re suing Anurag for trespass.” It was supposed to sound like an accusation, but it came out like a plea.
His mouth quirked upwards “And here you are, to champion his cause once again. Have you learnt nothing from the last battle, Ms. Sharma?”
“You gave your word that you would help getting all charges against dropped. You promised!” Prerna said through gritted teeth.
“And I delivered. I did ensure all criminal charges were dropped against Mr. Basu. Called on a few favors too, might I add. This is a civil suit, Ms. Sharma. I’m suing for damages for the tort of trespass. There remains a difference.”
“I’m aware of the difference, Mr. Bajaj. The damages you’re asking for are exorbitant and punitive in nature. Anurag had no malicious intention when he entered your property---”
“It’s a civil suit, my dear. His intentions don’t matter at all. After all, I’m a business man, I have to protect my assets, especially when your fiancee' so blatantly disregards the boundaries of my home as well.”
“The court will not sanction the requested compensation. It's almost extortion. You’ll lose.”
“We’ll just have to wait and watch now, won’t we?” Mr. Bajaj smirked, leaning against his desk.
Prerna wanted to slap that arrogant sneer off his face but she couldn’t afford to antagonize him further. It had been nearly two months since that party. Mr. Bajaj had laid low for about ten days before attacking with a vengeance. He had bought up additional shares in the subsidiaries, the retail stores under Basu holdings were teetering because of his predatory pricing tactics. The property papers were still firmly in his hands. Anurag simply didn’t have enough liquidated assets to be able pay off damages if the case didn’t swing in their favor.
“I want to ensure the result.” She held her ground, anger simmering under the surface.
That smirk turns into a rueful smile “So Ms. Sharma wants to make another deal?” he said, crossing his arms. “I didn’t manage to dissuade you enough the first time?”
Prerna glanced over his perfectly combed back hair, his sculpted arms, the hard angles of his face. Yeah, he had dissuaded her alright. For all his elan, there was something about him that felt a little feral. Feral and daunting. But desperate times called for desperate measures.
She nodded.
“Are you sure you want to be beholden to me, I would advise against it, my dear.” His mouth curved up ever so slightly, his hooded eyes sparking.
Prerna remained undeterred.
“Hm. Let’s make a deal then. And what would you be willing to give me?” he crooned, prowling towards her.
“What do you want from me?” Prerna said, reigning in her rage.
He stayed silent for a beat before dropping a bomb on her.
“What if I asked you to turn over the charter documents for Basu Publications.” He murmured, rubbing his thumb against his mouth.
Prerna looked at him stunned, her hatred exploding. “No! Absolutely not. That’s not a bargain, that’s stealing and I would never betray Kaka Babu like that. Ever. We’ll take our chances with the case but I will NOT betray my family!
He held her gaze steadily, watching her breathing hard and asked “what if I were to sweeten the deal? I’ll return one of the Basu property papers I currently possess as well as drop the law suit.”
“No deal. I won’t sell out, Mr. Bajaj. I will not barter those papers. Thank you for your time.”
“Excellent.” Mr. Bajaj looked as if he was pleased with her answer. “Why don’t you sit down, Ms. Sharma? Now that the question of your loyalty has been put to rest, let’s negotiate, shall we?
Prerna stared at the man in confusion. He was smiling at her genially, a dimple in each cheek.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“I don’t understand. I already told you, I will not steal those papers for you. I can’t.”
“And I don’t want you to. It was a hypothetical question I posed to you. There is no fun in being handed victory, Ms. Sharma. Not when winning it tastes so much sweeter. No, I never wanted those papers. I have something else in mind.
“Then why ask the hypothetical?”
He looked at her for a long time, twirling his ring between his fingers. Prerna felt like squirming under his attention. It wasn’t lecherous in the least but rather felt like she was being clinically observed.
“Curiosity, I suppose.” He shrugged indifferently.
“So what do you want?” Prerna asked hesitatingly.
“Do you cook, Ms. Sharma?”
“Wha-?
“Cook. Prepare food items for consumption.” He deadpanned.
This man’s line of questioning was going to give her a whiplash.
“I know what cooking is. Yes, I do cook reasonably well.” She ground out.
“Excellent. I would like you to come over to my home tomorrow morning and cook some items of my choosing. preferably without poisoning me. All groceries and any other assistance you may require will be made available to you. For my safety, you will be monitored but once you’ve made lunch, you’re free to leave.”
Prerna wondered, not for the first time, if this man was insane. He had to be.
“Let me get this straight, you want me to cook you lunch at your home and if I do this, you will drop the suit against Anurag? And institute no other parallel proceedings?”
“Yes. I’ll drop the suit and as long as Mr. Basu refrains from trespassing on my properties, I will not institute any additional suits in that regard.”
“Wait. Do I have to have lunch with you as well? Prerna felt it imperative to clarify every detail of this bizarre deal.
Mr. Bajaj’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he responded “I’m afraid not this time, Ms. Sharma. Just preparing the lunch will suffice. I wouldn’t want to force you to suffer my company as well.”
“All I have to do is cook you lunch. That’s it?” She asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“That’s it.”
“Okay. It’s a deal.”
“Indeed. Now that’s done, I’m confident you’ll find your way out, Ms. Sharma. Have a good evening.” Mr. Bajaj said, already turning around to reach for his laptop, dismissing her.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
She had arrived at his house at the expected time and had been directed straight to the kitchen to begin the job. She had told her mother that she was stepping out look at a few courses at the university, fending off any possible suspicion. Mr. Bajaj was still very much persona non grata in the Sharma and Basu household and Anurag and her were still mending the fallout in their relationship from the last Bajaj encounter. She wasn’t fond of lying but sometimes it couldn’t be helped.
As she began giving the final touches to her dishes, she once again glanced at the menu that had been handed to her. She had been expecting some gourmet demands involving truffle oil and fancy cheeses and French sounding mishaps as a set up to make her fail. But the menu had contained a variety of everyday dishes like daal mash, aloo poshto, daliya, khichuri and some finger foods like mini burgers, popsicles etc. It had been a straightforward task. Where was the humiliation she had been expecting?
Cleaning herself off, she signed a note and left it on the dining table amidst the dishes.
“Your turn.” It said.
Walking out of his backgate, Prerna hoped that this would be the absolutely last time she would have to deal with Mr. Rishabh Bajaj.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Okay. That's it.
Cheers,
Sohaa
I'm just so intrigued by this Bajaj! (And by Bajaj, I mean you😆) what is going on in his head!
Simply superb yaar! You update so quickly yet I feel like I won't be able to wait any longer!!
Your updates render me speechless. This part had a brilliant and unexpected twist. RB wanted her to cook dishes? 😆
Please update soon. 😊
Whoa whoa I'm loving the speed!
OMG wow! It's been quite sometime since I've read something puzzling and needless to say, it's exceptionally amazing! I'm loving the twists and all the subtle and soft dooms orchestrated by Mr. Bajaj.
I suppose he'll pretend Prerna tried to poison him by deliberately falling ill or something lol. Something that attracts media attention. Or maybe he's just trying her skills so that he gets a talented wife later 🤣
Okay, I shouldn't guess.
I love the typical Bajaj punches in between 🤣
I can't wait till Bajaj totally destroys A&P by slowly poisoning their relationship.
Please update soon. Please please!
This is so interesting... Wonder what the next task is going to be.. maybe taking care of a child😉 I feel like this Prerna will realize soon that Anurag doesn't deserve her efforts with his stupid deeds.
Please update soon.
ohmygod now we have two people writing about Bajaj using animal imagery absolutely love it!❤️(the other is amigos incase you haven't come across her work who loves to compare him to vipers and storks ahah) basically our man here, RB he's just lethal!!!! oh boy oh boy I absolutely love the fact that you haven't started by marrying them off makes their interactions all the more interesting to read! little by little prerna is digging her own grave by giving into his eccentricities ! but what intrigues me here most , is the trap being laid for prerna or anurag? can't wait to read more and get into the head of the RB you're creating ! thanks for updating so quick its such an ultimate pleasure to read your SS!!
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