chapter 2

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Reem's POV

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I heard an irritating sound, what the hell is it? And why is it not stopping? Ugh

I forced myself to open my eyes, I looked around to find the source of the tortuous noise, my phone was the culprit, it was ringing. I disconnected the call without looking at the caller.

There was a peace for two minutes, then my phone started ringing again, I growled getting irritated

"Hello" I answered

"Hello Reem! I'm calling from college, I wanted to ask about your convocation day, are you going to attend it? we have not received any confirmation email from your end" I rolled my eyes

"You have not received the mail, because I've not sent it, I'm not going to attend it" I was about to cut the call when the lady spoke

"Don't miss it, child. It is a golden day of your life, you'll only get one chance to live it" she said, I was seriously not in the mood of preaching so I just disconnected the call.

A splitting headache was killing me.

I opened the side drawer and took out a pain killer, I know that we shouldn't take medicine on empty stomach but the pain was unbearable

I forced myself to the washroom and followed my morning routine. I returned to the bed and laid for a while, I felt my stomach churning, I thought of eating something, so I made my way to the dining table.

My appetite died when I found my father and his wife in the dining area, without being noticed, I went there and sat on a chair.

My father looked up at me

"Good morning" he said with a smile, I just nodded in response

"Did you see this?" His wife pushed a file infront of him. He then got busy with her.

Both of them were discussing some company, who got the contract my father was working very hard on, so both of them were quite distressed

I sat there and tried to eat something, but had no desire anymore, so I just took a glass of orange juice. I was taking small sips

Why are they still at home? Why have they not gone to the office?

From there discussion I got to know they will not be going to the office today, they have to attend some online meeting and my father was interested in attending at home, as it was confidential.

I picked up my glass and returned to my room. I sat on my bed, then got up, then started pacing in the room, then sat again. I was just trying to find a comfortable position. I just wanted the pain to stop.

My phone rang, it was a call from my friend Misha, ignoring my growling stomach and hammering headache I answered

"Reem" she said

"Hi. How are you?" I asked

"I'm good. How you doing?"

"I have a really bad heada....."

"My mood is really bad at the moment"

"Why what happened?" I asked getting worried

"Dior's latest bag is finally available, and papa refused to buy it for me, I have waited for so long for it. I am so mad at him" she whined, I let out a chuckle

"That's it! Is that why you are upset?" I asked

"Yeah. I waited for it for so long and now when there's a chance I can have it, papa refused. I'm so angry"

"Don't be angry. Call Jasmine and tell her that we are going shopping today"

"Shopping?"

"You have to get that bag before it goes out of stock" I said

"But I don't have money"

"So what! You have me" I said and then I heard her shriek

"Oh my God! You are the best"

"What are friends for?"

"Jasmine and I are already together, come to pick us up"

"Pick up from where?" I asked

"Her house" she said, I informed her that I'll reach in an hour and then I hung up the call.

I gulped the orange juice in one sip, then disappeared into my closet, I returned fully clothed.

"Aaahhh" what's wrong with my head, I said pressing my fingers on my forehead

I quickly gulped down another pill, then I grabbed my bags and left. When I was exiting someone called me, I stopped and turned around, it was Rukhsana Aunty, to say, she is just our maid, but she was much more than that for me.

"Yes aunty" I said

"Where are you going?" She asked

"Out, with my friends" I informed her, she scrunched her nose in disgust, I don't know why but aunty doesn't like my friends

"You should also stay at home, your parents will be at home all day"

"That is the reason I don't want to be at home" I said and left without waiting for her reply

I sat in my car, and drove off. Jasmine's house was forty minutes away from mine. When I arrived, I called her, Jasmine and Misha came quickly.

"Hi Reem" Jasmine said

"Hey" I smiled

"Are you ok? You look sick" she asked

"I'm ok, just have a little h.." I was cut off by Misha

"Are you guys done? Can we go now?" She asked, I chuckled, she really can't wait to get her hands on the bag

"Ok let's go" I said and began driving.

We reached the shopping centre and went straight to Dior, Misha was on cloud nine when she held the bag. After that we went to other brands and bought a lot of stuff.

So much shopping got me very tired, all I wanted was to eat food, a lot of food.

"Let's go to eat something now" I suggested

"I'll pass, I'm very tired. I want to go home now, go with jasmine" Misha said

"I have a date with my boyfriend, I have to get ready." Jasmine replied

"No problem, I'll head home" I shrugged

"We can go somewhere tomorrow" Misha suggested

"Yeah tomorrow is fine." Jasmine said

"Ok then tomorrow it is" I nodded

We sat in the car and I started driving, one by one I dropped them to their houses, now I was on my way to home. My headache was turning my vision blurry, it was so hard to drive.

With great difficulty I managed to reach home, I did not even park my car, I just got off and went inside the house

Rukhsana Aunty answered the door for me, she began panicking the moment she saw my colourless face

"Reem! Are you ok?" She held me, I nodded

"I'm fine" I said

"Non sense! Danny bring water" she called the butler

My mind was shutting, my whole body felt numb, it was hard to stay conscious, I was trying my best to reach my room, but my body gave up, everything turned dark and I fainted.

"Reem! Wake up" I heard Rukhsana aunty's voice, I opened my eyes and looked around, I was lying on my bed and aunty was hovering over me

"Thank god you are awake, you got me so scared" she gave me water and I drank it happily

"How are you beta?" She asked caressing my head, her moist eyes gave away that she has been crying

"Go out Rukhsana, I need to talk to Reem" an angry voice said, I rolled my eyes, I saw reluctance in aunty's eyes

"Aunty I'm hungry. Please get me something to eat" I said to her, she nodded and immediately left. I sat up straight

"What is this behaviour? You are not a child, why can't you take care of yourself?" My father's wife shouted at me

"Your father is in important conference, if he got to know about you passing out he would have left it in between, it would have cost him crores, would you want that?" She asked in anger, I scoffed

"No, absolutely not, I would never put myself above those crores" I said sarcastically

"How are you talking? He does so much for you."

"Yeah I can see that" I said growing irritated

"I don't understand why you always so thankless, why do you do so much drama? You are so lucky you spend so much money but your father never question you. You are so blessed." She lectured me, I showed from my face that I had no interest in listening anything from her.

"You spent ten lakhs today, I saw the bank statement, still why are you so ungrateful?" she said, "are you gonna say something?"

I opened the drawer and took out my airpords I plugged them in my ears and played music on full blast, she stared at me for sometime then she mumbled something and left stomping her foot.

The moment she was gone, I took out the plugs from my ears and laid back, my mind was feeling numb. I closed my eyes

"Reem beta, I got you soup and bread" Rukhsana Aunty entered the room, I had no energy left to even sit straight.

"I'll feed you" she said and sat beside me.

After she fed me, I told her that I wanted to sleep, she left the room. I switched off the lights and I closed my eyes to sleep.

****

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Ayesha's pov

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I laughed, the whole room echoed, my eyes were glued on the television screen, a funny scene came and I was literally rolling on my bed holding my stomach laughing loudly

"I love Jerry" I said while wiping tears from my eyes

My phone rang forcing me to tear my eyes off screen, I picked it up, it was Farhan, I hated him at the moment because of coming in between me and Tom and Jerry.

"What?" I answered

"Where are you?" He asked

"Why? What happened? Why are you asking?"

"I'm at the university, the list is up. We have been selected by the companies. I got Shershah group" he informed me and my heartbeat spiked in anticipation

"Awesome, congratulations. What about mine?" I asked feeling nervous, but he just laughed in response, it made me angry

"Farhan? Have you gone crazy?"

"Ayesha.. this.. is hilarious" he said in between his laughs, I was getting pissed at his behaviour now

"Just tell me" I said

"You got Khan Architect" he finally told me, I frowned in confusion

Khan Architect? I thought about it, I was horrified when I realised it was Mr Khan's company

"What?" I jumped down the bed and stood straight

"Congratulations" he chuckled

"It's not funny, tell me seriously"

"I'm telling you seriously. Do you want me to send you a picture of the list?" he asked

"No need I'm coming to the university, I'll be there in forty minutes" I said and hung up.

I quickly changed my clothes and ran out of the house. I sat in my car and started driving, it has to be a joke, he cannot select me, it is not possible

In exact 40 minutes, I parked my car, and got off. I found Farhan and Nitya sitting on the bench outside the administration building, I walked towards them

"Wow this is a record, you actually reached in forty minutes" Farhan said

"Where is the list?" I cut the chase and just asked, he pointed behind him, I marched towards it

I gasped when I saw my name written under Khan Architect. Oh god! My eyes widened

"Why did he choose me? I did not even attend his lecture" I spoke loudly

"Even I'm quite surprised" Nitya stood next to me

"He must have checked how you are in studies, you are the topper of our batch, you'd be an asset for his company" Farhan said

"I don't want to work in his company, I will get it changed" I said and made my way towards the principal's office, I heard Farhan stopping me but I didn't stop.

I told the receptionist that I want to meet the principal, she asked me to wait for five minutes, then I was sent to meet him, luckily he wasn't too busy that day

"What is it sir?" I asked the moment I got inside, he glared at me

"Good afternoon Ms Siddiqui" he said, I suppressed an urge to roll my eyes

"Good morning sir! Now please explain what is happening here?"

"What?" He asked frowning

"I just saw the list, why my name is under Khan Architect?"

"Because Mr Khan picked you" He shrugged

"How can he just pick me? I was not there in the lecture, he knows nothing about me"

"I don't know about that" again he shrugged, I was getting so angry at him, but I held myself back, I have to deal with this matter calmly, I took a deep breath

"I don't want to work for his company, please put me in some other" I said

"I can't help you" he shook his head, I clenched my fist to control my growing anger

"Why?" I asked grinding my teeth

"Because it was Mr Khan who has done the selection, it's not in our hand, if you want the degree you have to do the internship"

I was so furious at Mr Khan, I don't know what he wants from me

"Can you request him to drop my name?" I asked

"He asked for you specially, I can't do anything now"

My head was throbbing because of so much anger. I picked up the glass of water from sir's table and gulped it down in one sip, he looked at me with shocked eyes, but I didn't care at the moment

"Let's say if I don't work in his company, then what?"

"Then you have to forget about your degree. You can only get selected by any other company if Mr Khan remove you from the company"

"Sir, you have to help me" I insisted

"Only Mr Khan can help you" he shrugged for the third time. Why is he even our principal if he is of no help

I got up from there and without saying anything I went outside.

"Ayesha is everything ok?" Nitya came running to me

I was fuming with anger, I was sure smoke was coming out of my ears. I was hurriedly walking towards my car

"Ayesha wait" Farhan called

I did not stop till I reached my car, I settled in and put the location of Khan Architect in GPS and started driving

I reached the building, parked my car and went inside. His office was on the 20th floor, I got in the elevator and pressed the desired floor's button.

Such a huge building and the elevator was going too slow, what nonsense, finally it stopped. I walked towards the reception desk. I inquired about him. The sweet receptionist gave me a sweet smile. She picked up her phone and spoke

"Sir! Ayesha Siddiqui from Chandigarh University of Architecture is here to meet you" she waited for a few seconds, then put the receiver down

"Ma'am please have a seat. You'll be called soon" she said to me politely, I nodded and took a seat

I waited for him to call me, but he was taking his sweet time and I was growing impatient now.

My phone rang, it was my baby's call, I answered immediately and informed what was happening with me, I felt a lot calm after the phone call.

It has been an hour since I've been waiting, my subsided anger rose again, why the hell this idiot is taking so long. I got up and told the receptionist to check with him, she called him again, she hung up and told me to wait.

Another hour passed

That's it! I can't wait anymore. I got up and reached the receptionist desk again, before I could say anything Mr Khan came and stood next to me, he totally ignored me and spoke to the receptionist

"I'm going now, inform Divesh to cancel all of the meetings today" he said and turned on his heel

"What the hell?" I said. The receptionist passed me an apologetic smile

"Sorry ma'am" she said

I huffed and marched after him, by now he was in the elevator, the door was about to shut, just in the moment I put my foot in between and it opened again, he looked at me.

"I have been waiting for you for past two hours" I said angrily

"Your problem, not mine" he shrugged.

What a jerk!

"Why?" I asked without beating around the bush

"What why?" He asked

"Why have you selected me?" I asked, a smirk appeared on his face making me clench my fists.

We have just met, Ayesha, don't punch him already.

"I have a good habit of making people's wishes come true, so since you "really really" wanted to work with me, I thought why not make it happen for you" he replied smugly

"You don't seem so generous at all, so just tell me what is the reason behind this, is it because of your car? Don't worry just send it it to my home, my father will get it repaired, or I will just ask him to get you a better one. Don't play with my career because of something so stupid" I pointed a finger at him and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Why are you so scared of working in my company? Are you really that scared of me?"

"Me? Scared of you? You wish"

"Then what?"

"That's not your concern. Call my principal and tell him that you don't want me" I said, I tried not to but my voice was very demanding

"Are you ordering me?" He crossed his hands at his chest

"Whatever you think it is, just do it" I said, he chuckled sarcastically

"No" he just plainly refused

"What is your problem?" I asked

"I'm done talking to you" he turned his face away from me

"This is why I don't want to work with you, you are an egoistic, arrogant bast..." I stopped myself from speaking, he glared at me "man, egoistic, arrogant man"

"See if you want money, just say it. Say the price" I said in a low tone so that nobody can hear me, even though it was just us in the elevator, he just stood quietly.

The elevator stopped at the ground floor, he walked outside, I followed him. He stopped and looked at me

"I left all your papers with Mr Verma, go up, find him and bring all the papers with you from Monday to the office" he said

"But I don't want to come" I stood my ground

"Fine. You can kiss your degree goodbye, because if not here, then nowhere"

I was actually a little intimidated by his threat, my career was at stake and this man has made up his mind to spoil it.

Taking my silence as his victory he smirked.

"See you in Delhi" he said and left.

Wait! Delhi?

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