Kavya roughly parked her car in the parking lot of her apartment.
Snatching the keys out of the lock, she quickly got out of her car, closing its door with a loud bang.
The loud noise made by the clicking of her heels boomed around her as she sprinted through the passageway, heading hastily towards her flat.
As soon as she reached up to her flat, she instantly knocked on the door.
Without even waiting for a second she again knocked on it and then kept on knocking the door, impatiently.
She was well aware of her knuckles which were getting sore from the continuous knocking but the sheer fury bubbling inside her was urging her to afflict this pain on herself.
" Who is knocking so loudly? Wait, I am coming", Daisy's loud voice rang from the other side of the door.
" Oh, Kavya Didi! You are here so early today", Daisy exclaimed in surprise as soon as she opened the door.
Entirely dazed and fueled by the happenings that occurred in that storeroom, Kavya didn't pay any heed to what Daisy said and walked past her, heading straight into her room.
On not getting any response from Kavya, Daisy followed her inside her room, " Kavya Didi, lunch is ready to serve," she announced with a soft smile.
Kavya again didn't answer her instead she opened her cupboard and started to throw her clothes on her bed across the room.
"Kavya Didi, which cloth are you searching for? Tell me, I will find it for you ", Daisy asked in confusion, moving next to Kavya. She noticed a frustrated look on Kavya's face and thought to herself, ' What happened to Kavya Didi?'
Kavya really was in no state of mind to have a normal conversation with anyone. The encounter with Vikram in that storeroom was the only thing that kept on going through her mind, frustrating her to the core.
She immediately turned around and roamed her gaze all around the room.
She huffed in annoyance," The room is so messy, the bed is so messy....ugh, everything is so messy, how can anyone live here!", Kavya yelled, anger burning through her.
She immediately walked over to her bed and quickly started to fold her clothes back in a clumsy manner.
Daisy frowned as her eyes wandered all over the room. Everything in the room was well organized and the bed was clean too up till Kavya didi herself threw her clothes on it. Really, what's gotten into Kavya Didi today? Why is she behaving so strange?
Perplexed, Daisy asked her again," What are you trying to do, Kavya Didi?"
This time Kavya couldn't control her anger and snapped, " For once in your life, will you please be quiet! Kavya Didi this, Kavya Didi that, stop bothering me Daisy, it gets so annoying", Kavya exclaimed ferociously.
Daisy flinched in fear on hearing her harsh words. Her face fell and she lowered her head,
" Sorry, Kavya Didi ", she whispered softly and then slowly turned around, ambling out of the room.
Remorse filled Kavya as she looked at Daisy's retreating form.
Oh god, Why did she took all her frustration and anger out on her? How can she behave so rudely with her?
She is hurting everyone who cares for her, first Kartik sir and now Daisy. They are the only people in her life who doesn't judge her character or try to pry in her life, in fact, they have always helped and supported her.
Kavya sighed in sorrow as she thought how bad Daisy must be feeling right now because of her rude words and Kartik sir......her train of thoughts came to a halt as soon as she remembered that look of disappointment Kartik sir gave her before walking away from the storeroom.
Dread filled her veins and the cloth Kavya was holding slipped from her hand when she thought what Kartik sir might be thinking about her right now?
Guilt, a feeling which she didn't like, crept into her as soon as she remembered that look of disbelief and resentment on Kartik sir's face when he saw Vikram and her in the storeroom. He didn't say anything to her and quietly walked away from there. It would have been better if he would have said something because knowing Kartik sir enough, she knows that his silence is something, she should be really concerned about.
Oh God, she would never be able to forgive herself if she hurts the only person who has been with her through thick and thin, the only person who brought her back to life when her life was on the verge of falling apart.
After the act Vikram feigned in front of him today, how will she face him?
" Ugh!", Kavya shrieked in annoyance.
Feeling her head churn with all the thoughts, she immediately sat down on the edge of her bed and snatched a pillow off the mattress, keeping it in her lap.
Kavya roughly squeezed the pillow, "All because of you Vikram!", she muttered angrily.
Vikram, for sure is an unpredictable man. First, he said hurtful words to her and passed nasty comments on her character but then out of nowhere......he kissed her!
Suddenly her whole attention shifted on the kiss they shared in the storeroom.
"Almost four years....", Kavya faintly murmured to herself and shifted uneasily on realising that Vikram has kissed her nearly after four years.
She sucked in a deep breath and her eyes fluttered close as soon as she thought of the moment Vikram's lips roughly captured her soft ones. Uninvited warmth pooled her insides and her stomach muscles churned as she reminisced his kiss. Her heart started to thump wildly against her chest and she absentmindedly traced her lips with her fingers, the sensation of his kiss was still lingering on them.
But I should really appreciate your skills Kavya, you got yourself a young rich man which is more than enough for a gold digger like you....
Her attention snapped back into reality when suddenly the harsh words Vikram said echoed in her mind, instantly vanishing all the emotions she was feeling for him a few minutes earlier.
Her thoughts quickly drifted to all the events that occurred in Conference hall and then in that Storeroom but she failed to understand one thing that why is Vikram doing all this?
Frankly, his sudden interference in her life along with his unexpected possessiveness and domination is too shocking to handle.
She has no idea what's exactly going in his mind and what are his real intentions behind everything?
Clearly, he himself proclaimed in the elevator that he hates her to the core and wants nothing to do with her.
A strange feeling of emptiness washed over her as she thought about the words he said to her. Oh, how easy it is for him to say such unbearable words. Her throat filled up and eyes moistened when she recalled his words.
'He Hates Her'
'She is a gold digger'
'She is good at pretending things'
It seems like incidents of past will never leave her side and she has to live with these blames for the rest of her life.
Stung by the harshness of his words, cold tears started to stream down her cheeks.
The worst thing is that no matter how much she tries to act tough in front of him but each word Vikram says deeply affects her and even though she has proclaimed just like him, that she hates him too but she knows in her heart that she told an untruth because she can never hate him. Hate is, in fact, a very strong word, how can she ever hate a man she has once loved more than anything in the world?
Kavya firmly held the pillow against her chest and absent-mindedly lay on her bed, curling into a foetal position.
Numerous emotions flooded through her and a heart-wrenching sob escaped her mouth.
Why is she doomed to live such a painful life?
Just like other girls she had also dreamt of living a blissful life with her other half making beautiful memories together.
Those small things like talking to your partner for hours, travelling with him, watching movies together, sharing each other's pain, spending time in each other's arms, all those average wishes of hers were shattered one by one and now it seems that her life is God's choice of entertainment.
But No!
Enough is Enough!
She will not let such an irrelevant incident affect her!
A wave of determination surged through her body and she immediately rose to a sitting position on the bed.
Wiping her tears, she thought about some important decisions she needs to take right now for herself.
The accusations Vikram made against her, the act he faked in front of Kartik sir and embarrassed her, it's clear that Vikram is simply doing whatever he wants without caring if his actions are hurting someone or not.
But No, she refused to be mistreated by anyone, may it be Vikram Malhotra himself.
Vikram has no right to interfere in her life and do whatever he wants, she will not allow that.
From now on she will take charge of her life.
She will not let Vikram treat her the way he wants, she will not let him get closer to her, she will not let him hurt the people who care for her.
With the newly assembled determination, Kavya muttered resolutely, " You have always done whatever you wanted but not again Vikram, never again!"
**************************************
The atmosphere in the office was cold and nothing but grave silence lurked in the air.
The clock hanging on the wall kept on ticking without ceasing, although the person inside the office had totally lost track of how long he has been sitting alone in his office.
A loud knock on the door reverberated around the office, interrupting the silence.
" Come in ", Kartik ordered in a loud voice.
In the next second, the door of the office opened wide and Latika walked in.
She felt a strange stillness in the office but not giving it any importance she instantly glued her gaze to her boss, Kartik Agarwal.
She furtively looked at Kartik who was calmly sitting in his office chair, with his head resting back and eyes closed.
" Good Afternoon, Kartik Sir ", Latika exclaimed cheerfully.
His silence was the only reply she got in return. Latika waited for him to politely greet her back like he always does but today he remained utterly still.
Her brows furrowed in confusion. Kartik sir is not giving any response, that's very unlike him. He is the most humble and generous man she has ever met.
Latika scooted a little closer to him such that there was only a little distance left between them.
Since he was sitting in the chair with his eyes still closed and she was standing near him, it gave her the perfect opportunity to gawk at him. Her gaze roamed on his face and a small blush crept on her cheeks.
She couldn't help but adore and swoon over his looks. He truly represents the proper definition of a ' Tall, Dark and Handsome' man with a well-built body. Along with that, he is a well-known young businessman, extremely rich too, which apparently makes him a good catch for the unmarried females out there.
Latika gritted her teeth in jealousy. Well, she will happily crush the dreams of all those females because she is determined to make Kartik Agarwal hers only, either by hook or crook.
She simply doesn't want to miss the chance of getting married to such a handsome and wealthy man at any cost, just to fulfil this dream of hers she has even called off her engagement with a middle-class man and then joined Kartik Agarwal's company as his secretary, with the sole purpose of getting closer to him.
A smirk formed on her lips as she continued to look his face. 'Oh, he looks so attractive even with his eyes closed', Latika inwardly thought and sighed.
" What ?"
Kartik's loud voice brought her out of her reverie and she immediately thought of ways to start a conversation with him.
"It's a lovely day, right sir?", Latika stated, hoping that he will respond to her this time.
Kartik again didn't give her any response although she noticed his brows creasing upon hearing her words.
Well, looks like he is not in a good mood. Maybe, she should seize this opportunity and do something to divert his mood, something that can get him attracted to her.
With that Latika took a step closer, almost covering the distance between them and then slowly kept her hand on his shoulder.
" Bad day, sir?", she whispered seductively meanwhile trailing her fingers down his forearm.
A small smile played on her lips when she noticed him not giving any reaction, maybe he is liking her touch. Good going Latika, just do something that makes him want you.
Pleased with herself, she slowly walked around his chair, all the while trailing her fingers sensually from his arm to his shoulder blades and whispered, "Sir, I truly understand that it gets hard sometimes to manage a vast business, especially when you're a sole owner of the company, you keep on working for day in and day out with no leisure time and eventually it gets too stressful. At times like this, a person really needs some sort of comfort, some sort of relaxation and maybe I can help you with......"
" Leave ", Kartik uttered in a dangerously calm voice, his eyes still closed.
Startled, Latika stopped midway in completing her sentence.
In the next second, Kartik's eyes snapped open and his intensely dark brown eyes got fixed on her.
Latika gasped in disbelief when she saw his eyes red with anger. Her body trembled with a strange fear when she noticed Kartik looking her with fury and disgust.
She flinched under his burning gaze and immediately pulled her hand back from his shoulder.
" Sir, I... ", Latika mumbled in apprehension, not knowing what to say to him right now?
Honestly, Kartik Agarwal looked so mad that she couldn't muster the courage to speak in front of him. Its the first time when she is seeing him lose his calm. It can't be possible that what she did got him this enraged because she has attempted to get closer to him in the past too but he has always ignored her actions so it's pretty obvious that somebody else has infuriated him, but who?
" Didn't you heard me? I said Leave ", this time Kartik roared loudly making her jump in fear.
Without even waiting for a second she turned around and dashed away from his office, closing the door on her way out.
Enraged, Kartik abruptly got up from his chair and stormed out of his office, heading hastily towards a balcony located on his floor, all the while ignoring the greetings from his employees on his way.
Kartik pushed open the door of the balcony and walked inside. He strode towards the railing and gazed down at the bustling street.
A strange relief washed over him as he continued to look down at people moving here and there, busy with their lives. This balcony has always been a place where he escapes whenever he wants solitude and today he really needs to be here.
As some seconds passed his thoughts again deflected to all the unexpected events that happened today.
First, his conflict with that Vikram Malhotra in the Conference Hall followed by the troubling phone call and then him finding Vikram with Kavya in the storeroom.
His grip on the handrail tightened when he remembered the exact moment he found Kavya and Vikram together in that storeroom.
No matter how many times he tried to convince himself to consider that particular moment to be an illusion but the sane part of his mind was refusing to do so.
Only he knows how shocked and mad he got at that moment. He still doesn't want to believe the things he saw, the words he heard from that Vikram, and to think what they both were doing together in that room...
Kartik gritted his teeth in sheer fury as an image of Kavya's flushed face with messed up hair along with Vikram's smirking face flashed in his mind, infuriating him wildly. Clearly, anyone could tell what they both have been doing in that storeroom.
I had a lovely time with you baby. You made me relive certain moments we have spent together in the past. I couldn't wait for the next time to do it.
The exact words Vikram said before leaving the room suddenly echoed in his mind elevating his wrath.
Vikram Malhotra openly humiliated Kavya, who do he think he is?
How dare he speak to Kavya in such a disrespectful manner?
And that insolent man even had the audacity to kiss Kavya in front of him....
"Damn You, Vikram Malhotra", Kartik roared loudly, slamming his fists against the handrail.
Even though he'd never met Vikram Malhotra in person before until he saw him in the Awards Ceremony but still he feels nothing but pure hostility for this man.
Kartik angrily ran his fingers through his hair, cursing under his breath.
It seems to him that Vikram Malhotra is meant to harm the important people of his life.
First his younger brother and now Kavya.
A crushing pain seared through Kartik's chest as his brother's face flashed through his mind.
His younger brother committed a grave sin and ruined his whole life just because of that Vikram Malhotra.
Kartik clenched his fist in helplessness as his brother's unbearable cries and screams swept through his mind.
In the last three years, there hasn't been a day gone by when he didn't hoped to somehow turn back the time and stop his innocent brother from committing a severe crime.
If only he could turn back the time, if only........
'No Kartik, No! Keep control over your thoughts, this is not a right time to go down the agonizing memory lane', a voice from his inner self warned.
Kartik immediately drew in a sharp breath, struggling hard to block out the hurtful memories related to his brother.
Usually, he tries to avoid thinking about his brother in any way because he simply doesn't want to open the wounds of the past. He had buried the painful memories related to his brother in some deep corner of his mind but today, after seeing Vikram Malhotra right in front of him, triggered those hurtful memories to resurface in his mind.
To calm himself down and divert his mind from his brother's topic, Kartik began to pace back and forth across the small space present in the balcony.
The incidents that happened today were still invading into his thoughts.
"I am hundred per cent sure that it would have been Vikram's deceitful plan to lock Kavya in the storeroom with him because Kavya would never do such devastating thing", Kartik muttered to himself as he continued to walk in the confines of the balcony.
'But you can't just ignore how Kavya reacts whenever Vikram is around her', a small voice in the back of his mind stated.
Kartik clenched his fists in anger, he doesn't want to admit but today, he don't know why but he felt bothered when he noticed Kavya's reaction for Vikram in the conference hall.
Sitting next to her, he was silently observing each and everything about her.
Her paled face, her shivering frame, her quivering lips, her rapid breathing.....honestly, he was astonished beyond measure to see such a strong reaction from her side.
And then, for the first time he felt afraid......
Afraid after witnessing such an intense response from Kavya......
Afraid for himself as to why is he getting this much affected by her reaction.....
He was not able to concentrate on the meeting going on in the Conference hall .
Numerous feelings which he has never felt before, erupted inside him.
He was angry, he was hurt, he was jealous....and honestly he was worried about these sudden feelings.
The tension that was raging through his blood was a feeling so foreign that he was not able to understand the reason behind these new feelings.
Why was he getting bothered by her reaction?
Why was he getting jealous?
Why was he getting angry?
Why was he getting hurt?
And the time when Kavya suddenly shook his shoulder and he turned to look at her, its like all the puzzles fall into places and he got all of his answers by a mere glimpse of her.
Kavya isn't just any girl, she is a very special person, at least to him.
She is that one person upon whom he could trust blindly. What he feels for Kavya is something that just can't be put into words.
There's no doubt that Kavya is a very beautiful women and he would not deny that he too is attracted to her looks but he is not a shallow man, what really caught his attention first was her simplicity, her caring nature, her attempt to act strong in front of everyone even though she was breaking inside.
Oh, he knows very well that she has been through a lot, especially because of that Vikram Malhotra.
Kartik thought back to the time when he saw Kavya for the first time, at that moment, she was so lost, so broken, so fragile.
When she joined his company she hardly talked to anyone, she seemed to be lost in her thoughts almost all the time.
But somehow, by some miracle they started to have small conversations together.
Over the years the two of them had developed a deep bond of friendship.
Friendship....?
Kartik halted in his track, questioning himself.
Today, after seeing Kavya with Vikram, the emotions he felt were so powerful that forced him to believe that what he feels for Kavya is more than friendship.
He is very protective of Kavya and now, with Vikram coming into the picture, he doesn't know why but he feels that Vikram Malhotra will hurt her again.
Vikram Malhotra is an arrogant man who does whatever he feels like, that man even had the nerve to challenge him in front of everyone, in front of Kavya.
If something is claimed by two people then in the end only one ends up getting it and trust me I don't loose easily either......
Kartik remembered the words Vikram claimed in front of everyone in the conference hall.
So now what? Is he going to stake a claim over Kavya or what?
"Stake a claim", Kartik thought distastefully,
"It was such a repulsive expression. You couldn't stake a claim on a human being."
Well, what more could be expected from Vikram Malhotra? For him, people are just 'things' with whom he could do whatever he feels like, hurt them, play with their feelings, destroy their lives.
That's it!
He've had enough drama for the day!
He has wasted too much of his time worrying over the events that unfolded today, now he need to reorganise his thoughts and think about the things he needs to do next....
With a heavy sigh, Kartik walked up to the door of the balcony and gazed at his reflection in the door made of glass.
After everything that happened today, one thing is clear, no matter what happens next, he will protect Kavya this time at any cost.
"I promise you Kavya, I will not let Vikram hurt you again", Kartik muttered absent-mindedly.
Staring intensely at his reflection in the door, Kartik spoke resolutely, "And when I make a promise, I keep it......."
*****************************************
Thank you ❤
