Two Sides Of A Coin

Side Two - Heads

A Few Months Later – Sawai Amritpur

As he sat working on his Mac Pro, his assistant peered from the half open-door of his chamber. Dhanvin Sangawat looked up, his eyebrows raised. "Your guests have arrived Sir," said Ravi his assistant, cum chauffer cum agony aunt. "Where are we putting them up?" asked Dhanvin. "At the palace Sir," replied Ravi prompty. Dhanvin smiled in satisfaction. "Thanks Ravi. I was not sure I told you," he said, going back to the laptop.

 Ravi walked in and stood before him, all the while observing his boss. "Any luck?" asked Dhanvin. He shook his head, "No," he replied. "I want that night back. I just want to relive that night once again, feel everything I felt that night again. Is that too much to ask for?" he asked . 

"No, it isn't. IF, it was any other girl, even if she was from a poor family, from another religion, we could have fought for your love. But she's a prostitute. And you know this will never be accepted. I am glad the girl had the good sense to leave quietly. But if YOU say you want to relive that night again, she must really have been something," concluded Ravi, pacing in the huge office.

Dhanvin sat deep in thought. His step-mother's words echoed in his ears. "This time will not last forever and when you look back at life all you will see are lost opportunities and regrets." Was her curse about to come true,  Dhanvin wondered. "Let's not keep my guests waiting. Let's go," he said, as he got up from his throne. As the MD of Snagawat Steel, he was the man in charge after his father had retired from work. His father preferred to travel around the world with his second wife these days and all business and property related matters fell to Dhanvin.

He walked out of his chamber into a an equally wide office with two cubicles on both sides. One was allocated to Ravi and the other was vacant right now. Beyond this lay the the meeting rooms, 2 each on both sides and beyond the meeting rooms were cubicles for staff. The reception was beyond the door that separated workspace from the lobby.

The lobby was minimally furnished with modern, low seating. As Dhanvin entered the lobby, he could make out his professor sitting in the comfortable leather sofa. Prof Soundarajan stood up as he saw Dhanvin walk up to him. Dhanvin could make out that there was a lady with the professor, although her face was still not his line of vision.

"Sir, how are you," said Dhanvin smiling broadly. "It's so good to see you," he said, hugging the man in his late fifties close. "I am very well, should I call you Mr Sangawat?" he asked, pulling Dhanvin's leg. "Please Sir, you are embarassing me," said Dhanvin, disengaging from his favourite teacher's embrace.

"Well Dhanvin, I know it was not spoken about, but I have got my student with me. Meet Mythili Gora. She is pursuing her research in Compilation of Complex Data. I thought it would help me, to bring her along," introduced Prof Rajan. "Sure sir, no problem," said Dhanvin and looked towards the girl beside the professor.

Dhanvin's face fell immediately. He felt the earth give in below his feet, felt the sensation of being punched hard in his gut. Dhanvin looked from Mythili towards Ravi, who was watching  Dhanvin with a puzzled expression. He did not know what to think of this girl, standing like a picture post card come alive, in front of them.

Mythili had been mentally preparing for this moment, since the day Prof Rajan had chosen her for the assignment. She had tried every trick to avoid going there. But Prof Rajan, would just not take NO for an answer. He insisted that if she wanted her research endorsed, then she would have to make this trip. Rhea was not happy about her going to Sawai Amritpur. She agreed to let Mythili go with great difficulty. It was this exact moment when she would have to come face to face with him that Mythili had been dreading. She assumed that he would be someone from the senior management, but not in her wildest dreams, did she imagine that she was serving the man himself – Dhanvin Sangawat- Prince of Sawai Amritpur and the heir to the Sangawat Family fortune. She looked at him, her face unsure, her voice holding it's nerve. "Hello sir," she said raising her hands in a namaste. She looked away as hastily as she greeted him.