Mumbai
On the 34th floor of a corporate building in Mumbai, Agastya stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass window of his office, gazing at the sprawling city below. A knock on the door interrupted his reverie.
"Come in," he called out.
The HR manager, Nancy, entered, "Sir, the candidate we talked about has been finalized for your assistant role. She just sent me all her documents. My team is reviewing it."
Agastya's expression darkened momentarily, but he quickly composed himself. A smile returned to his face as he turned and replied, "Okay, she is starting from next Monday, right?" Nancy nodded.
"Perfect. And, thanks for your help, Nancy." Relieved, Nancy nodded and exited.
Once alone, Agastya sat in his office chair and opened the file of his newly hired assistant in his laptop. There, at the top left corner, was her photo, and on the right, her name: Lavanya Dixit. A sly smile crossed his lips as he murmured, "Welcome back to Mumbai.... Lavanya." His eyes gleamed with a mixture of excitement and something more ominous; like he was facing someone he considered an enemy.
..........
On Sunday evening, Lavanya sat in her new, modest apartment, sipping tea. She glanced around, feeling a mixture of exhaustion and accomplishment after three hectic days of moving. She messaged her friend Deepti, thanking her for the apartment and help with the transition. Tomorrow marked the beginning of her new job as the assistant to Agastya Mehra, CEO of MB Group of Industries... a position she had never imagined she would hold. The mere thought of his name sent shivers down her spine.
She tried to reassure herself; Agastya likely wouldn't recognize her after all these years. She had changed her appearance significantly...new hairstyle, different dressing style....but the nerves lingered. Would he remember her?
Lost in her thoughts, Lavanya's phone rang, jolting her back to reality. It was Deepti, who promptly scolded her for not keeping in touch. Lavanya answered all her questions, and after confirming she was settling in well, Deepti handed the phone to her brother, Arnav.
As Arnav's voice came through, Lavanya felt a familiar tension rise within her. "Hi! Everything fine there? If you need anything, just let me know, okay?"
She forced a smile. "I'm fine, really. You both treat me like a child, but I'm 28 and can take care of myself."
Arnav chuckled. After few seconds of silence and hesitation, he asked, "Hmmn. So... what about my proposal? Did you...." Arnav stopped in mid.
Lavanya's heart sank. She had anticipated this. "Umm... A...Arnav, I've told you already...I'm not right for you. I'm not good enough for you like you think. And we have 3 years age gap. You deserve someone your own age. I can't explain it all right now, but....but... I don't want to hurt you. Arnav.. please try to understand."
Though disappointed, Arnav was used to her rejections. For two years, he had been trying to win her heart, ever since he first admitted his feelings at an office party. He knew she was nearly three years older, but to him, age was just a number when it came to love. What saddened him most was that Lavanya didn't share his feelings; she still saw him as just a young boy. He wished she could recognize that he had matured into a man willing to do anything for her.
"Lavanya, I know why you're saying this. I don't know anything about your past and honestly I really don't care about your past. I just want to be a part of your future. I believe we'll be good together. One day, I'll make you believe that we are good enough for each other. You have my number....call me if you need anything. Goodbye and good luck."
As the call ended, Lavanya stared at her phone, taking a deep breath. She needed to stay focused. Tomorrow marked a new chapter in her life, and she had to prepare herself for working alongside the CEO of MB Group of Industries. CEO Agastya Mehra.