Lavanya's POV (Present Day)
"Okay, thank you," I smiled at the receptionist before stepping into the elevator that would take me to the 34th floor.... the floor where I'd be working as the CEO's assistant. Yes, I'm finally here at my new workplace. I had done my homework, skimmed through the company's profile, and learned they had branches in several cities, even internationally.
As I reached the 34th floor, a wave of nervousness washed over me. The atmosphere was charged with urgency, people walking swiftly, immersed in their own business like they were racing time itself. I stood there, unsure of whom to approach, when suddenly I bumped into someone. And just like that fate threw me into the presence of Nancy, the HR who had hired me.
"Lavanya, right?" she asked, her voice sweet like honey and her presence even more captivating than she had been during the virtual interview.
"Yes... I'm Lavanya," I replied, forcing a polite smile.
"Perfect. You're right on time. The Mr. Mehra hasn't arrived yet. Let's complete your joining formalities while we wait, okay?"
"Sure," I nodded, grateful for a few more moments to prepare myself... mentally.
The next half-hour passed in her cabin, filled with company policies, protocols, and pleasantries. Though Nancy kindly offered me tea or coffee, I chose water. No beverage could quench the anxiety surging through me. My mind was spiraling with self-doubt and panic.
Should I just leave? What if he recognises me? Or worse... what if he does, but pretends not to, only to settle scores later? No, Lavanya, don't spiral. He's not like that. He's not like you.
Another half hour passed before Nancy informed me that the CEO had arrived.
"Good luck," she said warmly. Oh, how badly I needed that luck right now.
She knocked on his door, and after a "Come in," she pushed it open. My heart began pounding so violently I could hear its rhythm echo in my ears. Oh God... I'm here to make repent. Please be with me.
And then I stepped in.
"Sir, your new assistant is here."
He looked up.
He looked up.
He. Looked. Up.
Time stood still.
It wasn't that he was the most handsome man in the world... or maybe he was. But to me, Agastya Mehra had always been the MOSTEST attractive man in the world ...no no in the universe.
And just then... he looked up the air left my lungs.
For a split second or... or maybe an eternity... time stood utterly still. My heart forgot how to beat, my thoughts turned to white noise, and my legs?
Useless. I couldn't even feel the floor.
There he was. Agastya Mehra. Not just the man I had once fallen for. NO, the man I never truly stopped liking.
He wasn't just handsome, handsome is too bland a word for him.
He was devastating.
Effortless.
Timeless.
And he didn't even know it. That same chiselled jawline, that infuriatingly gentle smile curving those lips I once dreamt of.
Shut up Lavanya. Focus.
His eyes? God, those warm, dark brown eyes with that same spark, same intensity met mine for the briefest second before flickering back to Nancy. But it was enough. Enough to awaken the tornado I'd buried deep inside.
His hair still fell just the way it did six years ago, a little tousled, like he'd just run his fingers through it after reading a contract. Everything about him was heartbreakingly familiar and I hated it. I hated how a single glance could make me forget my name.
What mattered was that he was the same. The same as he was six years ago. The same. Or maybe the way I saw him, he seemed the same to me. But who cares.
He hadn't changed much. Perhaps a little more responsibility visible in his posture, a hint of maturity in his demeanor... but there was also a slight edge to him now a shadow of domination that suited him, gave him an air of quiet authority. And that little scruff of beard? It only made him more handsome, if that was even possible.
But beyond all the little changes, he was still the man I had once liked, the only man I ever liked. And in that instant, I felt my world tilt on its axis.
I hadn't changed either. The feelings, the longing, the ache... they were still there, alive, and as painfully intense as ever. And I hated myself for it. I hated that after all this time, after all the distance, all the heartache, I was still like this, like I was six years ago.
And in that surreal, silent flash of a moment... it hit me.
He hadn't changed.
And worse..... neither had I.
The years, the guilt, the distance, none of it had done a damn thing to dilute what I felt. That ridiculous, aching pull towards him still lived in me.
Quiet.
Undeniable.
And now... terrifying.
"Lavanya?" Nancy's voice brought me back to reality as she gently nudged my shoulder.
"Yes?" I blinked.
"Good morning, Lavanya," he greeted, flashing that familiar smile.
"Good morning, Sir," I replied, my voice barely stable.
"Oh, no need for 'Sir'. Call me Agastya or Mr. Mehra whatever you're comfortable with." He said with a professional smile.
"Sure, Mr. Mehra." Stop smiling Mr. Mehra.
A couple of minutes later, I found myself seated across from him. Nancy had left, and he was on a call. I stared at my empty notebook, pretending to read it like it was some bestselling romance novel featuring a brooding CEO and a messy-hearted girl. I didn't want the call to end. I wasn't ready to face him, not yet.
"Hey, sorry about that," he said after hanging up. "Hope you don't mind the wait."
"Not at all," I managed to say, even though his words were wreaking havoc on my already flustered state. And his smile? Oh God, please don't smile man... I'm losing my mind already.
"So," he began, his voice dropping into that low, businesslike tone that immediately commanded attention. "Let me walk you through how I work. I'm Agastya Mehra, as you already know. You'll be working directly under me... and to be very honest, it's going to be intense. I need someone sharp, efficient, responsive at all times. If you ever plan on taking a leave, let me know before you inform HR.
I can be forgiving of mistakes once. Not if they repeat. Understood?"
He rattled it all off in one breath crisp, clipped, like a robot. Like he had memorised the script he had performed countless times. His eyes didn't waver. Neither did his tone. It was like watching a general prepping his new lieutenant for battle.
I blinked. My throat went dry. My brain screamed for something smart, or at least human, to say. But all I managed was a stiff nod and a painfully awkward, "Noted."
Noted?
Really, Lavanya? That's what you went with?
He's not a memo, he's a man... and also the man you once.....
I shook the thought away before it could bloom.
"Alright," he said, already standing. "We have a client meeting. Let's go. Nancy will catch you up on the rest afterward."
I followed him in silence, every step feeling heavier than the last. My mind was still tangled in the web of whatifs.
What if he remembered me but chose to pretend he didn't?
What if he truly forgot me, just like that?
I didn't know whether to be grateful... or crushed.
"""''''''''"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
By the time I stumbled back into my apartment, I was a mess of exhaustion, relief, and emotional whiplash. I kicked off my shoes, and went straight to my room. After changing into something comfortable and freshening up a little I made coffee. I curled up on the couch, and cradled a steaming mug of coffee like it was the only thing tethering me to reality.
Somehow, I survived Day One. He hadn't recognised me.. or at least he hadn't shown it. And to my surprise, nothing had exploded.
No confrontations.
No cold glares.
No subtle remarks.
Just... professionalism.
Maybe, just maybe, I could do this. Maybe this wouldn't be as impossible as I feared.
I powered on my office laptop, determined to at least skim through my new responsibilities and then, right on cue, my phone rang.
Deepti.
I smiled, already bracing myself.
"Hey," I answered.
"LAVI!" she yelled. "What the actual hell? You vanished on me! I sent you a full-on, emotionally supportive, meme-filled message this morning and all I got was a one-word reply? 'Thanks?' Really? You didn't call, didn't text, didn't even send a sad emoji!"
"Okay, okay! Let me explain," I said, laughing despite myself. "I'm sorry, I really am. I was going to call before bed, I swear!"
"Oh please, don't you even try. You always say that. Now stop stalling and talk. How was your first day, Miss CEO's-Assistant?"
I sighed, letting the weight of the day spill into my voice as I told her everything, not the nerves, the awkward moments, Agastya's unreadable expressions, and the bittersweet relief of being unnoticed. She knew that I came for some purpose, purpose related to Agastya but she didn't know what purpose.
She listened quietly, and when I was done, I said softly, "Deepu, I don't even know how to thank you. For everything. You helped me stand again. Hell, you even arranged that fake degree with the help of your father... If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be here."
"Lavi," she cut in gently, "stop. We don't keep scores. You're my family. That's all there is to it."
"Alright, alright, enough of the gratitude speech. Now let's talk about our jiju. Didn't you get to talk to him? Is that why you're bothering me?" I said with a little laugh.
"Shut up... bothering you is my favourite hobby. And him?" she groaned. "Your jiju aka my fiancé is unavailable these days. I don't even know why I'm marrying this man. He's always buried in work. It's like trying to date a human spreadsheet."
I chuckled. "You're running your own business too. You know how demanding it gets."
"Yeah, but I still return calls and send flirty messages!" she snapped dramatically. "This time I swear, I'm gonna throw a proper tantrum. And you? Don't you dare give me a lecture about patience and adjustment."
I smiled to myself, warmth blooming quietly in my chest. No matter how chaotic life got, I had Deepti. My anchor. My storm. My family. And in a world full of ghosts from the past... that meant a lot.