The entire hall goes silent and high on anticipation seeing him forward towards the front to present on his company's behalf. Everyone's back straightened up, and the hall goes dead silent, the way his presence exudes that aura of authority and confidence, commanding attention, making it impossible for anyone to even take their eyes off him.
Why the heck is he going for it? Is there any hidden motive behind this action of his? Of course, there has to be one. Why would he even do this if there's nothing behind this ridiculous action of his?
I think something worse is going to happen to me...? No, no, no..cut the crap of this overthinking Yashna. I shouldn't think like that. I should NOT. This is going to be okay. Just relax and calm the fck down Yashna.
He stood at the front of the hall, his tailored black suit accentuating his tall and well-built body. ngl. His sharp jawline, piercing dark brown eyes, his hair neatly done and gelled up in place. Sometimes it just feels unfair how good he actually looks for his personality.
He began to present his company's project. His voice, deep as the ocean and steady with confidence, enough to send chills down everyone's spine. As he begins his presentation, his deep, resonant voice fills the room with a mix of authority and charisma. There's a calm, calculated precision in his movements; every gesture is deliberate. He exudes an aura of control, making it clear that he is a force to be reckoned with.
The entire hall is completely captivated by his presence and the clarity of his vision and voice. Even those who weren't paying that much attention previously couldn't be helped but drawn by his persuasive powers.
Sitting across the room, I couldn't help but watch him intently as he draws in the entire hall of people towards his side. That smirk he plasters on his face whenever he looks at me to make me infruriated and how badly I want to scrape it off from his face is just overwhelming. The way I depsise how he could just easily have the upper hand over any crowd by his stable commanding voice and presence.
As he completes with his presentation earning more and more nods and murmers of approval, I couldn't help feel my knot of anxiety grow each and every passing second. As much as I pride my confidence and bravery there's always this underlying fear of losing to him. ALWAYS. The way I hate how effortlessly he commands the room, how his voice resonates throughout the members in the room, how good he actually looks. Everything about him screams oerfection and I absolutely hate it. I don't think someone can even hate another one the way I despise his existence.
After his presentation, he comes and sits back at his seat again, right in front of me. His eyes locked on mine, more like boring into my soul as if he could see my underlying fear and conflicted emotions.
The room is filled with more tension as the committee takes it decision to whom the project should belong to. Each and every minute feeling like an eternity to pass by, with the upcoming decision and this brat infront of me staring at me. How can he just sit like this, all calm and composed? Though I may look as calm as he is too...my heartrate keeps increasing every-single-fcking-second.
The chief of the committee began, "Every company here has given their presentation in a perfect way like how it has to be but only two have given it in a way how I wanted it to be, although there should be only one who has to get the deal, and that will be..." damnit dude, just say the name of our company... plsss... PLEASE... "Congratulations DEV CONSTRUCTIONS and Mr.Rudradev".
My heart stopped. I could feel my eyes holding back tears, my emotions lumped in my throat giving me a throbing pain. I, once again, failed. To my father. To him. To myself failing to prove myself.
I saw him. The victorious gleam in his eyes and the prideous smile, giving small nods and shaking his hands with the chief to sign the deal for his company. How can someone be as calm as he is as if this deal is nothing for him. I would've probably jumped to earth to sky if I had bagged the deal. Oh yeah, how would someone know happiness if they haven't even lost not even once in their entire life. Seeing him shake his hands with the Chief couldn't help think of myself in that position, signing the deal for myself. Perhaps someday. I think I have got no luck on my side. I could see the disappointed look from my company's CEO. "In my office, fifteen minutes" he muttered from his gritted teeth to me.
After the signing everyone began to dismiss from the hall one by one...and he suddenly started to walk towards my direction rather than getting out of my sight. His eyes straight at mine, his stare was intense that sent shivers down my spine. He stood before me, his height towering over mine. I was shaking from beneath and I hate myself for being like this.
"Long time no see, how are you?" he asked with his fake affectionate voice, as if he wants me to be okay after this, "Good, how have you been..new project holder?" my tongue felt bitter just for uttering those words to him... project holder? That should have been me idiot. "Well Yashna... as you could see I'm doing really well", "Oh my hard work paid me off really well this time..." he kept talking.. .talking... talking... does he even know to shut up and how much i want to staple his mouth together.
"You're being awfully quiet today...cat got your tongue again?" he smirked, leaning a bit towards me because of our height. And God knows how much I want to rub off that wicked smile off his face. I didn't reply back..well I couldn't actually and just simply stared back at him.
"Better luck next time, little devil. I'll see you soon". With that he went out with his fellow employees.
Now I seriously wish he meets with an accident on his way back. I couldn't help but loathe him like he's the last the person I wanted to be alive.
RUDRADEV'S POV:
I exited the conference hall, clearly knowing that she is cursing the hell out of my life but I really couldn't help myself but rile her up before I left from there. I clearly was able to see the desparation in her eyes, how badly she wanted this project and that is what is my main motivation factor and wanting me to go hard on her. This deal is nowehre enar to the usual projects that we work on and I know from the eyes of the other business dealers present in here looking at me with a ense of fear as if I'm going to santch something which is very much precious from them (not gonna lie, I didn come here to snatch it off, not from them, but from my dearest little devil). And wondering why did I, myself, presented it to them. Well, how could I just announce it to the world that I'm actually here for her, play with her and make her cry? Either way, I won and that's all I care about. I love to ruin her and i'd go far ends to ruin her.
Back at office:
I could sense Sarah and Arjun seeing me with utmost concern in their eyes, I plopped myself on my chair again... leaning my head against the table and fist slammed the table so badly that the entire room echoed with the sound of it.
"Yashu..it is okay", " calm down-", Sarah and Arjun said slowly each one taking a seat beside me. "IT IS NOT OKAY!!", I yelled at them, well I didn't mean and they know it too, atleast I had two people who actually can understand me.
And my phone vibrated with a couple of notifications from my senior heads from the head office. "Aghh...why the hell is it happening to ME all the damn time" I calmed myself down a bit, gulped down three glasses of water and we three went to the chairman room.
"Excuse me sir, may I?" no answer. We waited there for a few minutes and a small nod allowing us in. We stood there in front of the long desk like three musketers. The CEO, the chair members, the head of departments everyone looking at us as if we were some sort of criminals who jumped out of prison.
Care to explain yourself Ms.Yashna?" I swallowed the lump in my throat and was about to reason myself and Aryan backed me up, "Sir, actually wha-", "IS YOUR NAME YASHNA??" he yelled out making those two flinch but I managed to stand still. "Sir, I-", I just began to open my mouth and he spoke again, his voice mixed with both sarcasm and anger "And oh please don't give your usual reply that you will do it better the next time Ms". "It has been three years for you in this company Yashna, do you remember what you promised on your first day of work" I couldn't say anything but just nod at him remembering the exact words.
"Look I'm not telling that you've never done anything proper or something Yashna, everyone here knows that you are doing your very best here, you have made us to come to the top 3 from being in 6th and we are very much grateful for that but now we are afraid that we would end up somewhere worse than the 6th, all due to your personal conflicts with the Dev constructions. They used to compete only in bigger projects but now his company literally takes part in every single tender and gets it done while we are left with nothing. What do you think the reason would be? Our company being in 3rd? And being a threat to his 1st place? Not at all. You. It's YOU. Only because you are working here. Only because of your both's personal vengeance. Yashna, we don't want the 1st place, all we care about now is to at least save the current position of our company. And now it seems impossible since Dev constructions is on a deadly hunt of pursuing every project. We are afraid that if it continues our company would face huge losses and we are answerable to the CEO."
I couldn't think anything further. All he was saying is true.But what can I do? I cannot just give up that easily.
" Yashna, we know that it's hard for you but try to resolve your problem with Dev constructions. Maybe that would help us. Not alone our company but everyone out there. Please take it as a request rather than a mere advice. I hope you understand. You can leave now."
I nodded and exited the room. They don't understand this thing between us. No one could. I would never ever get along with him. I know Rudradev is on a mission to ruin me and he would do anything. I mean it. Anything.
I exited the room after receiving my deserved share of scoldings, critisms, my faults getting highlighted. We three entered the company cafeteria, can't blame them, they were trying their best to calm me down. Because they saw me first handedly how hard I've been working for this project and now I've lost it.
Aryan came back with the order he placed, a tray with vanilla milkshake for me because I don't consume caffeine, and two cups of coffee for themselves. And I was clearly in no mood for the milkshake though it is my classsic favourite. It was complete silence between us in the cafeteria, I hardly managed to gulp down half the cup of the milkshake.
"So...what nex-?" Aryan slapped Sarah's arm lightly to stop her before she could finish it. "what next? Go home and sleep, you don't want to sleep?" I asked her with a blank face and she timidly nodded her head. Ofcourse we haven't had a good night of sleep for the past week.
AUTHOR'S POV
"How did your meeting go?" Yashna's mother asked her as soon as she stepped inside the house. " Like how father wanted" She replied monotonously, her voice heavy with emotions and dried out of energy. Her mom sensed something was off and predicted what could have happened in the meeting 'because this wasn't something new to her but her daughter blaming her husband, that's ridiculous to her "What do you mean by that? Your father always wanted the best for you." "Maa, I know you are defending your husband and I have no energy to argue now. And a small correction, he wants the best for himself and his so-called company but me." With that she went upstairs, to her room. Her mother sighed knowing that this would never end, their Cat and mouse chase.
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