Story of Our Life

Chapter 11

"But Mr Grover...achanak se ye sab...aapne vaada kiya tha ki ye deal aap humaare saath hi karenge?" Moloy Basu tried to clear the air with the young businessman.

"Mr Basu, business doesn't work on promises. Mujhe kahin aur se, isse bhi better deal mil gayi, so I went for it. Ye deal kal raat ko finalise hui and I am telling you today morning." Raj Grover shrugged. 

"Grover sahab, main request karta hoon, please aap ek baar aur soch lijiye. Isse humein bahut loss hoga-

"Aur agar maine ye deal le li, toh mujhe bahut loss hoga." Raj said and got up. "Hope we sign another deal in the future, thank you."

Saying so, the young businessman left, leaving Moloy Basu and Nivedita Basu in a mess.

"Ye...ye loss hum kaise bharenge?" Moloy shook his head and sat down. "Anurag ka dost tha na ye...wohi laaya tha na isey?"

"Baba, Anu ko kya pata ki ye aisa karega...don't blame him-

"Yahi nateeja hota hai dil se sochne ka! Dimaag kahan hai uska?" Moloy angrily got up and left fuming, with Nivedita running behind him. 

---

"I swear Baba, I had no idea Raj would do this! Usne promise kiya tha mujhse-

"Shaadi chal rahi hai yahan? Jo wo tumse kiye huye vaade poore karega?" Moloy thundered, as Anurag lowered his eyes with a gulp. "I have told you so many times Anurag, business does not work on verbal promises! It works on signed and stamped documents!"

"Baba please relax." Nivedita said softly while standing between her brother and father like a shield. "Galti ho-

"Nivi, ab tum log bacche nahin rahe, ki galti ho gayi, sorry bol diya aur maafi maang li! Inn galtiyon ke nateeje hote hain, iss deal se humaari company ko bahut faayda hota, sab employees ko benefits milte aur ab-

"Baba, employees ko pata bhi nahin tha iss deal aur uske saath ke benefits ka!" Anurag scoffed. "Toh jab unhein pata hi nahin tha, so how does it matter?"

"Anurag, it's not about what they know, it's about what they deserve!" Moloy said as a matter of fact. "Anyways, iss attitude ke saath tum nahin samjhoge ki ek successful business kaise chalaya jaata hai. Go home!"

Anurag scoffed again, rolled his eyes and left the cabin in a huff as Moloy sat down on his chair with a sigh. Nivedita sat beside him as her father shook his head.

"Where did I go wrong? Kitna try kiya maine ki usey business mein interest ho, par nahin. Sirf problems create kiye jaa raha hai ye ladka-

"Dad, ho sakta hai na usey business mein interest na ho? Maybe he wants to pursue something else-

"Like what Nivi? Agar aisa hai toh mujhse aakar kahe na. Bole, ki baba, I don't want to work in the family business, I want to follow my passion!" Moloy stood up. "Lekin wo bhi nahin karna. I have told him so many times, Switzerland bhej raha tha na main usey, usne khud mana kar diya. Bola mujhe yahi business karna hai. Lekin he doesn't want to learn, he wants everything set up and served to him on a plate!"

Nivedita gulped, shaking her head. 

---

Prerna had almost laughed to herself when her father was telling his family all about the Grover and Co. deal blunder. It took all her strength and not tell everyone that it was her Mr. Bajaj who had wreck a havoc in the lives of the Basus.

Prerna's heart almost stopped at her own thoughts when she realised the words her mind had conjured up.

Her Mr. Bajaj

Choking on the biscuit she was munching on, she had to cough thrice to throw up the tiny piece of the cookie and scold her heart to start beating again.

In the last few days (once she had accepted that she had a MASSIVE crush on Mr. Bajaj), Prerna had found herself thinking about him a lot. She didn't know much about the man except that he was a very sharp businessman, a very good boss and a nice person (at least he was nice to her and all his employees). 

But what she knew very well was that he was a very fine specimen of the male species and she had never been this attracted to a man before. She really didn't know what exactly made her crave him, maybe it was his charisma, or the power he reeked as soon as he entered a room. Or maybe it was one of his heart stopping smirks which hinted at a dimple and made her almost buckle her knees. Or maybe it was the way his steel-blue eyes would follow her unknowingly and the way his adam's apple would bob softly as they locked eyes for half a second. Or maybe it was all of these things combined.

But did he feel the same way? Did his heart perform the same somersaults in his stomach whenever she was around? Did his breathing hitch in his throat whenever she stood near him? Did his hands go slightly clammy when she stared at him?

All in all, she could tell that this man made her quite horny. But did she have the same effect on him?

Little did Prerna know, she did. 

A lot more than Rishabh Bajaj would like.