YEH TERI GALIYAN (Avinash Mishra and Marlene Favela)

Chapter seventeen

Running around the company yesterday wasn't so hard for Shaan. He's the best business man there is and becoming better every time. Specializing in trade and production in foreign exchange, the textile industry and natural resources.

He got familiar with how things run in Mumbai, they're very similar to how they run in the United States. Excited for a new day he wakes up early to go for his usual swim in the pond behind the stables. Remaining in his shorts he walks calmly into the water, absorbing it's chilled feel. There's something special about this water. Something he really likes. Whenever he was at the mansion, he'd wake up to swim in it. Neil never got rid of it to build a new building as he had planned before Shaan came, simply because of Shaan's love for it.

His eyes close as he takes in the fresh air and silence. But upon opening his eyes they meet Paula's. His brows pull together in frustration. She's inside the water too, staring right into his angry eyes.
'What are you doing?' He hisses.
'What do you think?'
'Paula, I really don't get what's going on with you. I don't know what's running through your mind. So, for the last time, what are you doing here?'
'I already told you before. So, for the last time, this house equally belongs to me, Shantanu,' she says. That name triggers something in him. Only Ragani used to call him that.
'What do you want?' He asks her with clenched jaws.
'I want you,' she says. He stares at her in confusion for a while.
'You do remember that I'm your brother, right? Not only that, this is immoral in every way. Don't be foolish.' She ignores his words and draws closer. 
'Stay away from me,' he says, staring her straight in the eye.
'Okay, fine. I'll leave you to take your swim,' she says, slowly lifting herself from the water. Before the body below her shoulders can get out of the water, Shaan quickly grabs her arm, unwillingly bringing her face too close to his. Their eyes stick together but the only difference is that they're not seeing the same things. Paula, for some strange reason gets lost in his eyes. While he is wondering at which wall she hit her head at.
'I'll get out first,' he says, getting her out of her trance. As Shaan walks out of the water and his figure slowly fades away, Paula remains dumbfounded. When she stared into his eyes there was something that disturbed her breathing, something she couldn't explain. The exact thing that happens again when she's getting a glass of water from the kitchen and sees Shaan taking a stroll with Putchki.
'Those two make a cute couple don't they?' Ranveer's voice startles her.
'Who?' She asks.
'Shaan and Putchki,' he says. Paula doesn't say anything, instead she walks back quietly to her room. She stops right at her door and looks back at Shaan's. An idea pops up. She walks into his room and messes everything up. She turns everything upside down under the pretext of getting his attention. But doesn't understand why there's anger coursing through her.
'That should do it,' she breaths satisfaction before going back to her room. A little while later she hears some noises. She slowly opens her room and walks towards Shaan's room, leaning her ear in so she can get an idea of where the noise is coming from. Just as she's leaning in the door opens and she lands on Shaan, who luckily for her caught her just in time. He gently pushes her backwards so that she can return to her two feet. She stares at him eagerly. Looking behind him she sees that he rearranged everything that she messed up. He looks into her eyes with sourness, letting her know that he is aware that she's the one who ruined his room, but he isn't as childish as she is to comfront her for such petty matters, she assumes. He moves forward, making her take a few steps back, he shuts his door and walks past her.
'Shaan, you...' she starts. Without turning around to face her he speaks.
'One should learn to respect him or herself. Only then can others respect back,' he says, then walks away.
'He's such an arrogant jerk!' Paula slams the door behind her. Madhu then comes into her room at slower speed.
'What did you do, Paula?' She asks her.
'Why?'
'I was there when Shaan was asking a maid to please prepare him the room near uncle Neil's,' Madhu announces.

Paula quickly gets up and walks up to a maid, telling him to prepare her the room near Mr. Mazumdar's.
'Mr Shaan asked me for that room, Mam,' he says.
'I don't care what who asked you to do. Move my things to this room. Is that clear?' She asks him in authority.
'But...'
'Do you value your job or not?'