Twist in Time

The moment they had waited for

Akshara glanced at her tabletop mirror, running her fingers over the locket that hung on her favourite bracelet. She didn't have many prized possessions. She was used to living out of a suitcase and never considered herself a hoarder.

Materialistic possessions didn't matter much to Akshara. She understood honest and true meaning could not come out of items.

She had spent the last 12 years, hanging on to the memories of her childhood. They were her most prized possessions.

And this bracelet.

This old, battered bracelet with her locket.

She had protected it like her heart lived in it. Closing her eyes tightly letting memories flash over her, she knew that part of her heart did and always would.

Sighing, she opened her eyes.

Today was an important day and she wanted to protect her dear bracelet from anything it may bring.

So she took it off, placing it in the glass shell plate Rosie had placed on her vanity.

Time was ticking.

Tick

Tick

Birla Enterprises awaited.

***

Abhimanyu Birla was incredibly frustrated. He had maybe interviewed 20 candidates this morning that had somewhat made it to the final stage and he was appalled by what he had seen. He was intimidating and powerful but contradictory to the world's understanding, he was a nice humble man. He did not have it in him to be shrewd and diminish anyone's confidence and so he had generously given people his time.

But that did not mean he was not going to be relentless with his selection.

No.

When it came to his work, it had to be perfect.

And so far, people had not even been 'good' let alone 'perfect'.

He shook his head rubbing his temples as he meditated on taking a little break before moving on to the next set of interviews.

"I'm going to get a coffee.. we can resume the interviews in one moment" he ordered to his secretary, not noticing that the next candidate had already walked in.

"And here I thought Abhimanyu Birla was never late" a female voice teased smirking at him, her eyes glinting with excitement.

He stopped taking in the figure in front of him as his secretary gasped.

Dressed in high-waisted white pants and a french linen puff sleeve blouse, her signature pencil heel Jimmy Choo shoes, Akshara looked like she was ready to kill. Just looking at her alone was enough to send any man begging on his knees.

Abhimanyu smirked, this was interesting. Unexpected, sure. But interesting. Leaning back in his chair, he relaxed his shoulders as he gazed at the woman in front of him. She was a goddess, no less. He felt his nether region react immediately to her appeal and he pushed it all out of his head.

Did she know who she was messing with?

Akshara raised her eyebrow at him, as if to say, let's find out.

"It's not your turn yet" his secretary frantically whispered to her, overwhelmed and overhauled that someone had dared step into his office without approval and even more so that she was displaying such attitude and confidence to Abhimanyu Birla. It was Abhimanyu Birla for god's sake!

"Please leave immediately" the secretary ordered her tone sharper this time.

"Don't worry - I'll see to this candidate now" Abhimanyu interrupted as he ushered his secretary out of the room. The secretary looked at him shocked and then nodded immediately, leaving the room as her boss had instructed.