chapter 24

SerendipityEpisode-24Rajeev was entering the elevator when a woman in a saree stepped out. He was busy checking emails on his phone, as usual, so he didn’t catch a glimpse of her face. Who’s come to the executive floor wearing a saree? Is there a festival today? This thought lingered in his mind as the elevator doors closed behind him.For the next half hour, while the Head of Marketing on the 25th floor of Supreme House, Mr. Singh, was discussing strategies, Rajeev received a message .He had been called to the conference room for an ongoing presentation meeting with SWC. SWC? That name sounds familiar... Why is there a presentation? Isn’t JPM & Co. handling the takeover of Technosys? he wondered. And why is Sanyal sir attending an SWC meeting when it’s already decided JPM will get the contract?Still confused, he started walking toward the conference room. If Sanyal sir called me, I can’t refuse. I’ll sit for five minutes and then leave. I don’t have time to waste on SWC's presentation, he thought to himself.With that mindset, he opened the door, determined. None of SWC’s previous presentations have been impressive. Today won’t be any different, and there's no chance of awarding the contract to them.But then he saw her. Megha Joshi... What’s she doing here?Yes, of course. She’s with SWC. But why didn’t anyone tell me she was presenting?He glanced at the clock. Did this meeting start at 10:30? Why didn’t anyone inform me earlier?Suddenly, he realized—Was the woman in the elevator Megha? The saree color matches.Does she wear a saree every day? He was genuinely surprised.His astonishment was met with her narrowed eyes, filled with cold anger. She purposefully glanced at the clock and then back at him. It’s 10:59... Mr. Mehra, you’re late, she seemed to say, though her lips didn’t move.He found it difficult to suppress a smile. A moment of silent communication passed between them, and now all eyes in the conference room were on Rajeev.“Oh, Rajeev! Come, sit here,” Sanyal sir said, pointing to the nearest seat. He patted Rajeev on the back warmly, as though greeting a son. This gesture did not go unnoticed by Megha.Rajeev, in his usual dignified manner, placed his phone on the table, folded his arms, crossed his legs, and leaned back comfortably in his chair.He glanced at Megha and then at the screen. His eyes seemed to say, You may continue.With no choice but to proceed, Megha turned to the screen. She tightened her grip on the presentation pointer, took a deep breath, and began to speak.Each slide was meticulously prepared, focused on the takeover of Technosys. Why put in so much effort if the project hasn’t even been awarded to them? Rajeev thought.Megha’s smooth delivery, her deep knowledge of the subject, the strategies for takeovers, and her insights on matters like Income Tax, SEBI, Company Law, Corporate Strategy, Cost Saving, Labor Law, and Financial Markets—all were impressive. Rajeev found himself unexpectedly captivated.He had intended to leave after five minutes, but 20 minutes later, he was still glued to his seat. She’s good... No, more than good. She’s fantastic. Impressive, he thought.Megha hadn’t looked at Rajeev once during the presentation. She didn’t need to. A person who can’t even be punctual has already decided this meeting isn’t important, she thought. There’s no point in giving him any attention.Rajeev missed the subtle slight. He alternated his gaze between the screen and Megha’s face. She’s explaining new points beyond what’s on the slides. That’s a first... Most people just read from slides. But not her. This is the best presentation I’ve attended in a long time. Great job, Miss Joshi.His eyes were fixed on her face, absorbing every word, every expression. The presentation seemed to flow through her, as if her facial expressions conveyed as much meaning as the slides.Yet, her deliberate avoidance of him struck a nerve.Megha, fully aware of his gaze, sensed his curiosity and surprise. He was clearly impressed by her performance. But there was no anger in his eyes, which was unexpected. Odd, she thought.Suddenly, Rajeev interrupted with a question. Megha paused, momentarily stunned. She turned to face him, her expression sharp.“All your questions will be answered at the end of the presentation. I hope that’s ok, Mr. Mehra,” she replied with dignified composure.Her words echoed in the conference room, and the other executives looked on in astonishment.She was the first person to address Rajeev Mehra like that—and likely the last.Everyone waited, expecting Rajeev to lash out, or perhaps to dismiss the SWC team altogether.But Megha and Rajeev’s eyes locked once more. She waited for his sharp retort, but instead, he was speechless.“It’s fine, Miss Joshi. Please continue,” he said, the words escaping his mouth without his full realization.Megha broke the stare and turned back to the screen, nodding slightly.Even Sanyal sir was puzzled. Rajeev, known for challenging others, had accepted Megha’s response without argument.The room was briefly silent before everyone’s attention returned to the screen as Megha moved on to the next slide.She finished her presentation, using the final ten minutes effectively. As she concluded, she looked around the room expectantly. Sanyal sir stood and applauded.“Superb! Great presentation, Miss Megha! You explained everything in detail. All the questions were answered in advance. There’s nothing left to ask—just perfect.”Megha was overwhelmed. Hearing such praise from Sanyal sir was completely unexpected.To be continued....© ®️ Meghna_Yadav 2021Special Thanks to friend Gayatri and my loving daughter, my buddy.Hello Readers,Illuminate the five stars of ratings with your gentle touch. Do let me know your thoughts via comments..Thanks and Regards,Meghana Yadav...