Chapter : 15

Don't forget to vote!!!!

.

.

.

.

Enjoy reading!!!!

_______

Ananya sat behind her massive oak desk, the soft hum of the city below barely reaching her ears through the thick glass windows of her office. The sun cast a warm glow across the room, highlighting the minimalist decor that reflected her sharp, no-nonsense personality. The silence in the office was sweet and peaceful, a rarity she seldom enjoyed. Today was different—there were no distractions, no playful interruptions from her husband, Rihaan, who, despite his childlike innocence and antics, often filled her day with an unexpected joy.

Rihaan had gone to the amusement park with Raj and the kids, leaving Ananya to immerse herself fully in her work. She had thought the solitude would be a welcome change, but instead, she found herself missing him. His childish pranks, the way he would try to help with her work only to create more mess, and the innocent smile he would flash when she would catch him in the act—it was all absent today, and she realized with a pang how much his presence had become a comforting routine in her life.

She sighed, pushing the thoughts away, and focused on the report in front of her. Numbers and charts filled the screen, but her mind kept drifting back to Rihaan, imagining him laughing and playing with the kids. The thought brought a soft smile to her lips, and she allowed herself a brief moment to relish in it.

But her peace was soon shattered. The door to her office swung open with force, the sudden noise breaking through the calm like a thunderclap. Without needing to look, Ananya knew who it was. She calmly set down the pen she was holding, her gaze lifting slowly to meet the cold, piercing eyes of her father, Mr. Sharma.

He stood there, rigid as ever, his expression a mask of disdain that she had grown used to over the years. Behind him, almost hidden by his imposing figure, was Shivya Khurana, her former employee. Shivya’s presence was no surprise; Ananya had expected this confrontation the moment she had fired her. And behind Shivya stood Dhiraj Khurana, the powerful businessman and her father’s long-time benefactor.

Ananya’s eyes flickered over to Shivya, noting the barely concealed rage in her eyes, before returning to Mr. Sharma. She greeted them with a cool, formal nod, her voice steady. “Mr. Sharma. Mr. Khurana.” She deliberately ignored Shivya, who bristled at the slight, her fists clenching at her sides.

Shivya wasn’t used to being ignored; her life had always been one where people bent over backward to accommodate her whims. The fact that Ananya, someone she considered beneath her despite the latter's position, could so easily dismiss her sent a wave of anger coursing through her. Yet, she knew better than to voice her frustration in front of her father.

The tension in the room was palpable as Mr. Sharma stepped forward, his cold gaze never leaving Ananya’s. “I understand you’ve fired Shivya,” he said, his tone laced with accusation, though he already knew the answer.

“Yes,” Ananya replied without hesitation, her voice calm and unwavering.

“And what, may I ask, was the reason for this decision?” His voice was cold, but there was a dangerous edge to it, a warning that she was treading on thin ice.

Ananya leaned back in her chair, her eyes meeting his with equal intensity. “Shivya attempted to sell an important file to one of our rival companies,” she said, her tone matter-of-fact.

Before Mr. Sharma could respond, Shivya cut in, her voice dripping with indignation. “Do you have any proof of these baseless accusations?”

Ananya didn’t spare Shivya a glance, keeping her gaze locked on her father. Mr. Sharma, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow, his cold demeanor slipping just enough to let a hint of curiosity through. “Well, Ananya?” he asked, his voice betraying a trace of mockery. “Do you have proof?”

A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of Ananya’s lips. “Yes,” she said simply, reaching into her desk drawer and pulling out a tablet. With a few taps, she brought up a video and turned the screen towards them.

The room fell into silence as the video played. It showed Shivya, her face clearly visible, rifling through Ananya’s office, her movements frantic. She found the file, but before she could take it, a noise from outside startled her, and she hastily shoved the file into a nearby drawer, leaving empty-handed.

Shivya’s face turned ashen as she watched the damning evidence play out in front of her. Her hands trembled, her mind racing. This was it—she was caught, and there was no talking her way out of it. The room seemed to close in on her, and her breath came in short, panicked gasps. “This… this is fake!” she stammered, her voice trembling with fury.

She looked desperately at her father, Dhiraj, hoping for some intervention, some words that could save her from the impending doom. But Dhiraj’s face was unreadable, his eyes flickering between Ananya and his daughter. He knew that this situation was beyond salvaging. Ananya had always been a formidable opponent, and now, with solid evidence in her hands, there was nothing he could do to protect Shivya.

Dhiraj stepped forward, his expression one of forced calm. “My daughter may be a little careless, perhaps even reckless at times,” he said, his tone patronizing as if addressing a small child. “But surely, Ananya, we can overlook this one mistake. Let’s not blow this out of proportion. After all, we are business partners.”

Ananya’s eyes narrowed, the calmness in her gaze replaced by a steely resolve. “This is not a matter of carelessness, Mr. Khurana,” she said, her voice sharp. “This is a matter of integrity. And I will not tolerate such behavior in my company.”

Mr. Khurana’s expression darkened at her refusal. “Ananya,” he said, his voice dropping to a more threatening tone, “I’m sure we can come to an arrangement. Perhaps a reconsideration of our terms? A little… incentive, maybe?”

Ananya felt a surge of rage rising within her, but she kept her composure, her expression unreadable. She knew exactly what he was trying to do. This wasn’t about Shivya’s job; this was about salvaging her reputation, which had already begun to crumble in the public eye due to the recent news headlines. Headlines that Ananya herself had ensured would reach the right people.

“Mr. Khurana,” she began, her voice icy, “I suggest you focus on cleaning up the mess from your exposed illegal businesses rather than trying to salvage your daughter’s reputation. This company does not cater to the tantrums of spoiled brats.”

The room was so quiet that even a pin drop would have sounded like a thunderclap. Dhiraj Khurana’s face contorted with anger, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Shivya, too, was trembling with fury, her eyes blazing with a mixture of humiliation and rage.

Without another word, Dhiraj Khurana turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, Shivya following closely behind, her head held high despite the humiliation. The door slammed shut behind them, leaving Ananya alone with her father.

She calmly sat back in her chair, her eyes returning to Mr. Sharma, who had been watching the entire exchange with a cold, calculating gaze. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words and old wounds.

Mr. Sharma took a step closer, his face twisted in a mixture of anger and something else—something darker, more dangerous. “Was it you?” he asked, his voice low, barely above a whisper. “Were you the one who exposed Shivya’s affairs? And her father’s illegal businesses?”

Ananya met his gaze, her eyes as cold as his, but there was a spark of something more, something that sent a shiver down his spine. It was a look he had never seen in her before—a look that made him realize that the daughter he once controlled with ease was no longer under his thumb.

“Yes,” she said, her voice calm, almost eerily so. The calmness in her tone was more terrifying than any shout could have been. It was the calm of someone who had already won the battle before it even began.

Mr. Sharma’s anger reached its boiling point. His face turned an alarming shade of red as he shouted, his voice filled with rage, “How dare you! You think you can defy me in my own company? Do you forget who put you in that chair?”

Ananya’s eyes flashed with a dangerous light as she rose from her chair, her voice rising just enough to be heard clearly over his shouting. “This is my office, Mr. Sharma. You have no right to raise your voice at me here.”

Her words struck him like a physical blow. He staggered back, his mouth opening and closing as if searching for a retort but finding none. His chest heaved with the effort to control his breathing, but his fury was too great.

“This is my company,” he finally spat out, his voice shaking with barely controlled rage. “And I can remove you from that position just as easily as I put you in it.”

Ananya stared at him, her expression unreadable. And then, in a voice so calm it sent a chill down his spine, she said, “We will see.”

Mr. Sharma’s eyes blazed with fury, but he knew better than to engage further. Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Ananya stood there for a moment, letting the silence settle back into the room. Her heart was pounding, but her face remained composed, her mind already moving to the next steps she would need to take. She knew this wasn’t the end—it was only the beginning. But she was ready for whatever was to come.

As she slowly sank back into her chair, she couldn’t help but think of Rihaan, his innocent smile, his childlike laughter. For a moment, she longed for the simplicity of his world, where the only battles were over who got the last piece of candy or which ride to go on next. But she knew that this was her world—a world of power, control, and ruthless decisions. And she would navigate it as she always had, with strength, determination, and a heart steeled by the battles she had already fought.

Her gaze drifted back to the city outside her window, the peaceful silence returning to her cabin.

This is my company!

______________

VOTE|COMMENT|FOLLOW

Take care~

Laters;)