Branded: Chapter 3

A FF collaboration between myself (Mishty Shah) and Mrinalini!

I will be updating on blog, while a thread has been opened on IF as well. 

Please shower us with your love!

Writer's Comments

Thank you for the lovely response and such appreciative comments! Please keep them coming, we read all the comments.

Yes, Arnav does not remember Khushi's face and neither does Khushi know Arnav's face. They will be both working together, without realizing that what happened that night. There will be more clarification in Chapter 4 as to how fate played it role.

We hope you like this story.

~ Love Mishty & Mrinalini ~

Chapter 3

It was a Sunday, so he was fairly relaxed. He decided to check his schedule, but it was all over the place. This was why he needed a secretary to take care of all of this.

Why did I fire the last one? He asked himself this question, probably because she spent too much time looking at him. He made a quick call to Aman.

“Aman! What time is the interview for the secretary’s post?” he commanded.

“Tomorrow morning at 9 ASR!” came the reply.

“Okay! I don’t wanna take all interviews so shortlist the best and only those few can come in for the final round with me!” he ordered.

“Okay ASR! Will be done! Anything else?” asked Aman.

“Yeah! Make sure the secretary is not like the previous ones! I want one with brains who can manage with my work load!” he said.

“Yes ASR!” he said and Arnav cut the call.

His Sunday was spent lazing around. He stayed at home relaxing knowing that the coming week was going to be extremely busy and would tire him too much.

~~~

Khushi was busy preparing for her interview at AR. She read through a few book, prepped up questioning her reflection in the mirror with confidence and answering with the same amount of confidence. She felt better thinking about the interview though she hadn’t forgotten about the night yet, she tried her best to drift her mind off it.

Every time her mind went blank, the memories of that night would flash in front of her eyes. She clenched her fists every time it happened to regain her confidence and then continued prepping up for the interview.

She stayed at home all day not feeling up to the mark to step out of home. Finally at night, she changed into her night shirt and loose pyjamas and slipped into her warm duvet and drifted off into deep slumber praying for a fresh start the next day.

~~~

Next Day, Khushi woke up early and went for a jog to rejuvenate herself. She took continuous rounds of the jogger’s park.

“Just be confident Khushi! Everything will be alright!” she assured herself and made her way to the nearby bench. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes.

She suddenly heard a voice, “Water?” she opened her eyes and found a young guy of her age offering her a bottle of water.

“No thanks!” she replied curtly and quickly jogged out of the park.

She had a quick shower and dressed up into formals. She made her way down for breakfast.

“Good Morning Dad!” she greeted cheerfully.

“Morning beta! All ready for the interview?” asked Mr. Gupta.

“Yes Dad!” she confirmed and got on with gobbling her breakfast as quick as possible in turn not getting late for the scheduled interview.

She finished and got up, “Bye Dad! I’m taking the car today!” she said in a hurry, dropping a kiss on her Dad’s cheek and she ran out taking the keys of the car.

She zoomed off in her car and reached AR by 8.45am. She walked through the lobby to the reception.

“Good Morning! I have an interview scheduled for today!” she said to the receptionist.

“Please have a seat. ASR has not yet arrived!” informed the receptionist.

Khushi smiled and sat in the lobby flipping through her file with a confident smile adorning her face.

A man walked in called for all the candidates one by one for the interview to his cabin. Finally it was Khushi’s turn. She walked to the door and knocked.

“May I come in Sir?” she asked confidently.

“Yes!” came a reply.

She went in and she heard him tell her to have a seat. She handed over her file to him.

“Oh! Miss Gupta!” he greeted cheerfully.

“Do you know me?” she asked point blank.

“Yeah, Mr. Gupta had informed me that you wanted to come for the interview!” he replied.

Khushi nodded.

“By the way I’m Aman Mathur! ASR’s right hand man!” he said with a smile.

“Khushi Gupta!” she replied with a smile.

“So why do you want to work here when you have your Dad’s Company to head?” asked Aman with a raised eyebrow.

“I need to be independent and plus I need experience to run my own company! And if I work in our company, I will be treated as a higher authority which I do not want at all!” she replied genuinely.

“Nice!” he said impressed by her truthful answer.

Khushi smiled.

“So Miss Gupta, I guess you need to be around for the second round of interview with ASR!” he said.

“Thank you so much Mr. Mathur!” she replied.

“Please call me Aman!” he said.

“Then it’s Khushi for you!” she replied and made her way out of his cabin.

~~~

Arnav got up and got ready in his three piece suit and made his way to work after grabbing a glass of juice. He walked into the main door with his shades on and walked up directly into his cabin not paying a heed to anyone.

He quickly called Aman into his cabin.

“How many candidates are eligible?” asked Arnav.

“ASR! There is Miss Gupta, daughter of Mr. Gupta. She is here for an interview and she is the only one worth it! I personally felt all the other were only interested in ogling at you!” replied Aman as a matter of fact-ly.

Arnav smirked as Aman continued, “She wants to work her because she wants to be treated as a normal person and also wants to gain some experience!”

“Send her in!” he commanded.

Aman nodded and went into the lobby to send Khushi into ASR’s cabin. Soon Arnav heard a knock on his cabin door.

“Come in!” he called out.

Khushi walked in confidently with a smile adorning her face.

Arnav looked up at the gorgeous girl walking into his cabin wearing formals and a confident smile. The formal suit was making her look too gorgeous. Her milky white complexion, the deep red lipstick and the petite waist; He just could not take his eyes off her when his thoughts were broken by her clearing her throat.

“Good Morning Mr. Raizada!” she greeted.

“Finally I’m meeting you Miss Gupta. I was to meet you the day before at the party but got too busy with friends and clients!” said Arnav.

Khushi drifted into the memories of that night but then regained confidence and nodded with a smile.

“Aman told me why you want to work with AR, but are you sure you want to work as my PA? This post is not eligible for you! You deserve something higher!” he said stating the obvious facts.

“That does not matter Mr. Raizada. It’s all about gaining self confidence and becoming more independent. In fact that is the sole reason! If i were to work in Dad’s company, they would probably treat me like her royal highness!” she replied with a slight smirk.

Arnav grinned, “Alright Miss Gupta! You can start work from today! You can talk to Aman. He will brief you with your work!” he said.

“Thank you Mr. Raizada!” she replied.

“You can call me ASR!” he said.

“Okay ASR!” she smiled and walked out of his cabin to meet Aman.