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Thank you so much for the 60 votes on the last chapter! Can we get 65 votes on this chapter?! ;)
Adarsh Khanna
The media raved about the Agnihotri heiress's beauty, often using words like ethereal and transcendent to describe her. But as I studied the woman in front of me, all I saw was a terrified woman. Was it because of her nyctophobia? Claustrophobia? Or something else entirely? Considering she was pretty easy to startle, it could be anything.
Her perfectly manicured nails dug into her palms, leaving crescent-shaped marks. Beads of sweat glistened on her otherwise flawless tan skin. Her mascara was smudged underneath her eyes. As she blinked slowly, the weight of reality began to settle in.
She suddenly stood up, fear replaced by her usual snark and fire. "What are you doing here?"
I rose from the floor as well, adjusting my jacket's lapels. Anirudh Agnihotri had summoned me to rescue his precious daughter, and as the subservient employee he presumed me to be, I had come 'running.'
"Like I said, I'm here to save you, Butterfly," I replied coolly, using the nickname that always managed to make her angry. She had an unhealthy obsession with butterflies - wearing a butterfly ring and even having one tattooed on her collarbone. And not to forget the butterfly conservatory in her house and childish stickers on her bedroom ceiling. Didn't butterflies symbolize freedom, Was the princess' gilded cage really so suffocating? A sneer tugged at my lips, barely concealing my disdain. "I'm your lawyer."
Confusion flashed across her face, her brow furrowing as she tried to piece together why her father had sent a corporate lawyer instead of a criminal lawyer. But, it was fleeting. Her eyes hardened, meeting mine with a glare that could have melted steel. "Took you long enough," she taunted. "Did you stop for take out or something?"
"I did actually," I replied with a smirk. "Being the knight in shining armor is a lot of hard work."
She rolled her eyes. "Who said you are a knight in shining armor? You are the devil incarnate in tight and ugly suits."
"Your flattering words wound me so deeply. How will I sleep today?" I placed a hand over my heart in mock distress, noting how her eyes followed the movement.
"Get me out," she snapped, glaring at the policewoman who had accompanied me. "Now, my stupid lawyer is here as well. Open this door."
"Say please," I said, holding up my hand to stop the officer from unlocking the door. I knew I was pushing it, but I couldn't help myself. There was something about Aahana that always made me want to crack that ice cool nonchalant facade.
"Please for what? It's your job to get me out of here." Her voice was haughty, but there was a tremor underneath. Whatever had happened tonight had shaken her more than she wanted to admit. I noticed her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her designer dress, a tell-tale sign of her discomfort.
I shrugged. "It is. But it's still a nice thing to say."
"You aren't my father to teach me manners," she snapped, crossing her arms defensively.
"Well someone has to teach you," I said, my tone deliberately light. I turned to the police officer and offered a practiced charming smile. "Don't you agree, Mrs. Khurana?"
"She has been rude," the policewoman agreed, her eyes flickering between us with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"I'll tell my father about this misbehavior," Aahana said defiantly, but the threat rang hollow. We both knew that the last thing she wanted was his attention right now.
I met her gaze steadily, letting her see that I wasn't intimidated. "Okay." My calm response seemed to unsettle her more than any argument would have.
She stubbornly stared at me, her jaw clenched, shoulders tight. The silence stretched between us.
"Unlike you, Butterfly." I pretended to check the time on my watch. It was nearly 11. "Mrs. Khurana and I had to work our actual jobs and we are extremely tired and would like to go home and sleep."
"Please," she finally murmured. Her voice was barely audible, and I wanted to toy with her some more, but I felt like she had been humiliated enough for the night.
The constable and I exchanged a glance of amusement before she opened the cell. Aahana immediately stepped out, her relief palpable. The ridiculous heels she wore made her wobble, and she almost toppled. I grabbed her by her elbow to steady her, feeling her warmth through the thin fabric of her dress. She tried to move away, but I held her tighter, concern momentarily overriding my annoyance. "Have you used?"
"What? No! Just had a few cocktails," she retorted, her voice defensive. She turned and I caught a whiff of her new perfume, which I knew was Fig & Lotus Flower. The first time I had met her at her father's party six months ago, she wore Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel.
We finished the rest of the formalities with the officer in the front. The moment she was handed her stuff back, she reached into her satchel and pulled out a bottle of sanitizer. Pouring a huge dollop of it, she rubbed her hands together vigorously. Everyone in the station stared at her like she had grown two heads. I felt a mix of embarrassment and amusement at her obliviousness to their reactions.
"Thank you," I said with a polite smile as I led Aahana out of the station, my hand hovering near her back without touching her.
Once outside, I raised my eyebrow, exasperation coloring my tone "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"What? There were too many germs," she said, as she continued to sanitize her hands. The familiar scent of alcohol and artificial flowers filled the air between us.
I shook my head, disbelief evident in my voice. "Remember that when you do something stupid and get yourself arrested."
"It wasn't my fault this time," she argued, a hint of genuine distress in her voice. "It was... Anyway, I'm tired and no longer interested in holding a conversation with you so you can leave."
"I was told to drop you home, before the clock strikes midnight" I said, fishing out my car keys from my pocket. "So shall we?"
"There's no need for that. I'll call my driver. So, call my father and tell him that you were a good lap dog for him and did as he asked." She made shooing motions with her hand.
I chuckled, the sound laced with bitter amusement. Just like her father, she too thought the world revolved around her and everybody else needed to bow to her whims. I held up my phone, "Call him and tell him yourself."
She glared at the phone and then at me. Maybe because she was afraid that her father would never believe her word over mine. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "Where's your stupid car?"
"Here is your carriage for the ride home," I said, opening the driver side door and I sat inside without waiting for her.
After a long moment, she wrenched the passenger side door open and slid in. "With a carriage like this, it deserves to turn into a pumpkin." Her nose scrunched as she rolled down the window. I was about to roll the windows back to avoid the city pollution, but she said, "I can't stand your car perfume." So I let it be, sighing internally.
I turned on the vehicle and began driving to the Agnihotri villa, deliberately taking the longest route there. The ride was mostly quiet till, Aahana decided to pull out a packet of wet wipes and wipe the dirt off her shoes. "I would love to have your problems in life," I said, glancing in her direction.
"None of the lawyers came to the back to check on their clients. Why did you?" she asked, instead of retorting to my taunt.
"I wanted to make sure they weren't mistreating you."
"Liar!" she accused. "You just wanted to see me in distress."
I neither confirmed nor denied. That for her was an answer to the question.
"Fuck you," she spat out.
"You shouldn't be making advances on me, I work for your father's company. It's highly inappropriate, Ms. Aahana. And quite honestly I didn't know you thought of me that way."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh please. You're not my type. I prefer men who can actually satisfy me in bed."
"Is that so?"
"Obviously. The men I sleep with are skilled enough to make a woman come over and over again."
"Are you insinuating that I'm not one of them?"
"You probably need a map just to find a woman's clit," she taunted with a smirk.
My grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Want to see how that theory holds up? Barring any urgent calls to bail out the boss's daughter, my off-hours are all yours."
A red hue covered her cheek. Her fingers trembled slightly as she looked outside the window for the rest of the journey. Had I managed to make Aahana Agnihotri blush? Interesting.
As soon as the car rolled to a stop in front of the giant gates of her house, she didn't even wait for the guards to open or for me to drive into the premises. She just got out of the vehicle, slamming the door shut. Then without sparing me a second glance, she walked away.
____
I eased the front door open, wincing at the slight creak that seemed to echo through the silent house. Darkness enveloped me as I stepped inside. I let out a soft sigh of relief. Maybe everyone was asleep after all.
Toeing off my shoes, I padded across the living room, my sock-clad feet silent on the cool tile floor. Just as my foot hit the first step of the stairs, light flooded the dining area.
"You are finally back," my mother, Mandira Khanna's soft voice, reached my ears.
My shoulders sagged. I turned to find her standing in the doorway of the dining room, her blue cotton salwar kameez slightly rumpled from sitting for hours, worry lines etched around her eyes. The small golden pendant of her nuptial chain glinted in the light.
"Ma, you didn't have to wait up," I said, guilt gnawing at me.
"Come, sit," she replied, already moving towards the kitchen. "Let me heat up your dinner."
"Ma, it's late. You should be sleeping. I told you that you don't need to wait up for me anymore. I am a big boy now;" I protested weakly as I settled into a chair at the dining table.
"Yes. Yes. I know you are a big man now. Working in a big fancy office," she murmured as she moved around the kitchen.
The gentle clink of dishes and the hum of the microwave filled the silence. Soon, the aroma of my favorite dal and rice wafted through the air, making my stomach growl embarrassingly loud.
Ma set the plate before me, then took a seat across the table. "Eat," she urged, her eyes never leaving my face.
I picked up my spoon. "Thanks, Ma."
As I ate, I felt my mother's gaze on me. "Look at those dark circles," she said, running her fingers softly through my hair. "They are making you work too hard. Do you want me to talk to that boss of yours?
I laughed out loud before quickly covering my mouth not wanting to wake anyone else up. "Mom, what are you saying? This isn't school or college."
"Whatever. All I'm saying is that you don't need to work for those big people," she said, pouting.
I finished my meal, pushing the plate away with a contented sigh. The clock on the wall showed it was past two. "Thank you, Maa. It was good." I stood, gathering the dishes. "Go to bed now. I'll clean up."
"But–"
"Mom, please? You have to wake up early tomorrow. Your monkeys will be here early in the morning." She was a tuition teacher who took lessons early in the morning as well as in the evening. Despite our insistence that she didn't need to do this anymore, she continued to stubbornly do it.
"Are you sure?" she asked, even as she stifled a yawn.
"Yes, of course," I said, pecking the top of her head. "I promise I'll clean up everything properly."
"Good night," she said, dragging her feet as she headed to her bedroom.
"Good night!"
After quickly washing the dishes, I trudged upstairs. I shared the floor with my brother, sister-in-law and their daughter.
Locking my bedroom, I dropped my briefcase and jacket to the floor. I left a trail of my clothes as I headed to the washroom. I would pick them up eventually. The warm water cascaded over me, washing away the tension in my muscles. I leaned my forehead against the cool tiles.
Finally, I stepped outside in clean clothes, the scent of fresh soap clinging to my skin. I laid down on my bed, picked up my phone, and opened a specially curated gaming app, navigating to the chat section.
Me: Made progress today. He finally asked for something personal. Not work-related.
I immediately got a response.
Pri: That's significant. What's the favour?
Me: Bail out his daughter from jail.
Pri: What did she do?
Me: Nothing out of ordinary.
Pri: Your strategy to sow doubt about his legal chief is working. He's relying on you.
Me: Need more. We have a corporate retreat next week, hopefully I'll have some good news to share. Keep you updated!
With that, I deleted the chat history on my end and put away my phone.
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