Page 22 of That Same Old Love

She heard the car door close and also could hear the car drive away. She didn’t know if her heart was beating loudly in anticipation or in fear.

A few seconds later, Samrat stood near her doorway. “I want you to stay away from my niece,” he warned softly with a grim expression.

It was so unfair that she immediately went on the offensive. “Maybe you should ask Srishti to stay away from me!”

His body tensed and he appeared even taller and bigger. “If you do anything or even say anything to my niece to harm my family in anyway—”

“Then you’ll do what to me?”

He looked down at her. “I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your life,” he said softly.

His expression was fierce and filled with menace. It was probably the same look he often used to intimidate many powerful opponents in his business world.

But Mahi just scoffed. “There is nothing you can do to ever hurt me. I’ve already seen and experienced the worst. But seriously, what do you think I’d do to her? She is a kid!”

He still didn’t move from the doorway. “I don’t know what you’ll do, yet. But consider this as the last warning and stay away from my family.”

She was so angry at him that she wanted to whack him, even if she had wanted to apologize to him just a few hours ago. “I haven’t planned anything. So get that thought out of your paranoid and suspicious mind. I was at your door to drop my land papers and saw Srishti waiting there.”

When she picked up the papers from her dining table, she heard him say, “I somehow doubt it was a coincidence. You must have wanted something. That was usually how you operated.”

She almost wanted to tear up the papers, just to annoy him, and say that the deal was off. But she controlled herself as didn’t want to stop the senior community project based onhispetty behavior.

Glaring at him, her eyes took in his neck tie, pristine white shirt and then his navy blue business suit. He was the founder of a large corporation with thousands of jobs. Some of those jobs were the kind that someone like her could do. And a job that she desperatelywantedto do.

She could almost see anahamoment bulb glow on top of her head, but she needed to tackle it carefully.

“I will sell you my land… ” she began slowly, and then, “only if you promise to give me a job in your company,” she blurted out before she lost her nerve.

There was a few seconds of absolute silence and then,

He looked furious. “What?”

“I said—”

“I heard you. But what do you mean by you won’t sell me the land, unless I meet your ridiculous demands?” he demanded.

She walked towards him, but stood a couple of feet away as a precaution. “Look. I badly need a job and you were right. I do need something in return for selling you my land.” She gave him a sweet smile.

“No. And I will not be blackmailed. Especially by you.”

She sighed. “Blackmail? Stop being so overly dramatic. I was just asking for a measly job offer from your company. As an analyst or something on the computer programming side. As a trainee even. I will even pay you for it. But I need to do something that stimulates my mind. I’m going crazy at home.”

He didn’t look convinced and was still extremely suspicious of her motives. “Why would you need a job when you have enough money to live comfortably? You could do a lot of other helpful things. And why do you want a job inmycompany?”

She sighed again. “I’ve already told you. I’m bored! I know that there are other things I could do. And also that there a hundreds of people like you, waiting to lecture me on what I can or cannot do with my own money. But I want to do whatIenjoy. I used to work as an IT consultant before, but that was almost five years ago. I don’t think I can get a similar job easily with my current skill set. And you are the only person I know in this city who can easily find me a job.”

He still looked skeptical, but didn’t seem angry at her anymore.

“Please, Samrat. I beg you. You can kill me later, but don’t let me die of sheer boredom!”

He scoffed at her dramatics.

Mahi knew he was relenting a little, so she threw in more incentives. “And think of the bright side. I won’t have the time or energy to be in your family’s way.”

He just stood quietly without commenting on it for a few seconds. “I can’t guarantee a job offer, but maybe I can get you a few interviews in my company. If someone likes your background, they can decide to hire you… or fire you if you can’t keep up with the work. But I am warning you, this better not be some sort of elaborate game on your side.”

She was relieved. “Not a game. I really do want a job.” Handing him the papers, “See… Even though I don’t have anything in writing from you about your offer, I’m handing you the land papers in good faith. I also want to apologize again for what I did to you and Ananya all those years ago.”

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