"WHAT!", the bark was heard all around the office and everyone in the vicinity flinch and tried their best not to go near the man who was currently shouting verbal abuse down his phone. It was safe to say Mr Arnav Singh Raizada was not having a good day. First the incompetent secretary of his new business partner messed up his schedule and so he arrived 3 hours early for a meeting. The poor girl had left in tears and was still shaken. Then he finds out that his business partner has had to go to the hospital and either they reschedule him for next month or he could have a meeting with their "most trusted employee".
Like hell I'm going to wait another month! he thought.
"I demand to see someone right now!" he yelled at the secretary.
Before the unfortunate woman could utter a word, someone cut in before her.
"It's ok Susan, I'll take Mr Raizada from you." Susan gave a sigh of relief and smiled at the new comer.
"Who the hell are you?" Arnav demanded.
"I'm in charge of this project until Mr Lawson recovers," she said calmly, "If you'd like to follow me Mr Raizada, we can finally discuss your proposition".
She led Arnav into her office and instantly Arnav could tell what kind of worker she was. Every thing was in it's right place. The stationary was neatly arranged on her desk, paperwork was stacked neatly or put in the filling cabinets, there was not a mess in site. He also noticed there wasn't a picture on her desk or plants in the office.
She must like keeping her business and personal life separate, he mused and then smirked slightly. I like her already.
Arnav didn't wait for her permission before he sat down and got himself comfortable. He could tell this irked her and smirked again before he started to analysis his associate. She looked very young, too young to be given a project already. Her hair was tied up in a professional looking bun, her glasses were hiding a pair of beautiful hazel eyes. She looked awfully familiar and he couldn't help but let his mind wonder. His associate noticed the far away look in his eyes and cleared her throat. That seemed to bring Arnav back to the present and he was full on ASR mode. He gave her a cold and composed look and before he could start his famous ASR speech she cut in.
"First of all I'd like to apologise for keeping you waiting for such a long time sir. Susan is new and is still trying to figure out the system." She explained.
"Mr Lawson should hire competent employees." He replied snidely.
"I'll be sure to pass on that message when he comes back." She replied coolly.
He hated the fact that she didn't even bat an eyelash to his comments or behaviour.
He was a man that liked to think he affected everyone so he tried to push her again.
"Are you even qualified to handle this project?"
"Mr Raizada I assure you that if I wasn't qualified you wouldn't be speaking to me right now. But I can sense your lack of faith in us and I think we shouldn't move forward unless you fully trust us, so good day."
She got out of her chair and started to move towards the door.
"How dare you?" He got up and march right to her. "I didn't fly all the way from India to be told that MY project will be postponed by some teenager who looks barely qualified to handle anything! I demand to speak to Mr Lawson's son."
Now it was her turn to smirk, "Unfortunately I am his senior and he is unqualified to handle this according to Mr Lawson. But if you want to deal with more 'barely qualified teenagers', go ahead. But know this, Mr Lawson wouldn't have made me head if he didn't think I could handle this and as you can see by the way I'm handling you Mr Raizada, I can handle anything"
By this time Arnav was highly impressed and frustrated. How dare this girl talk back to him like that! But he was truly impressed by her backbone. Hardly anyone stood up to him now a days and he felt the rush again, a rush he hadn't felt in years.
"Look here Miss…", Arnav realised he didn't even know her name and turned back to see the plaque on her desk. "Miss Amba Singh-"
"My name isn't Amba Singh it's Amba-"
Before she could complete her sentence the door opened and they both saw a flustered looking secretary. She was about to say something before she felt the tension in the room and hesitated.
Amba sighed and massaged her forehead, "Julia, I told you to only contact me in emergencies when I'm with a client. If you accidentally spilled coffee on the reports do them again!"
Maybe Mr Raizada is right, she thought, we really need to start hiring some intelligent employees.
"I know Ma'am, but Mr Malik is on line 1 and he says it's an emergency. I told him you were with a client but he's very persistant." Julia gave her an apologetic look before exiting.
Arnav saw a range of emotions that flitted across Amba's face as the conversation ensued; from anger, to confusion, to sheer panic. As soon as Julia exited Amba took long strides to her desk. As soon as she picked up the phone he noticed a brief change in her personalitiy before her mask was on again. Arnav couldn't be sure about what is was but he sensed it was fear. She put down the phone after a while, looked at him and smiled. Arnav could tell it was forced.
"Looks like you'll be getting you're wish after all sir," she said before she picked up the phone again and pressed a number.
"What do you mean?" he asked but she completely ignored him and started taking on the phone.
"Logan, come to my office immediately, you'll be discussing the project with Mr Raizada, it's your chance to show your father you can handle this so get up here pronto!" she yelled.
Arnav could tell her composure was slipping by the second and it was only a matter of time before she lost all her professionalism.
"What is going on here?" Arnav demanded.
"Logan Lawson Jr is going to handle this meeting as soon as he gets here as I'm needed else where." As soon as she finished her sentence a man walked in and looked at her questioningly. "And here he is."
"What is wrong with this company?" Arnav remarked incredulously.
"A lot as you'll soon find out," she said before she turned to Logan and said "Mum." Before taking her coat and bag and leaving.
Arnav noticed Logan's eyes widen in fear before he composed himself and started the meeting.
What have I gotten myself into, Arnav thought
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