"What?" She was completely taken aback. "Of course not, I wouldn't do that."

"You mean, not anymore; you wouldn't do that."

"Mr. De Russo, I never did have an affair with your brother."

"Yet he insisted that I let you interview even though you had no previous experience of working in a bank."

"Well, I kinda... knew him, since before. But you know that."

"Hence the question." Came the curt rejoinder.

Tanya took a deep breath. "I never had any affair with Mateo under any capacity. We met when we were vacationing in Goa and he offered me his card when I told him I was interested in a career in banking."

"Hmm. And instead of putting you in a branch to learn the ropes of the business, he promised you a cushy job in the headquarters. If that isn't favouritism, I don't know what is. So naturally, it makes me wonder why the favouritism exists in the first place."

Tanya flushed. She supposed he wasn't totally wrong. But she wasn't going to admit that.

"You personally took my interview, Mr De Russo. My eligibility passed your scrutiny." She drew herself up to her full length. "I would like to think that I won this job fair and square."

Take that, you condescending jerk!

"Well played." A rare smile altered the perfect symmetry of those full lips. "Witty too."

"Sorry, didn't catch that."

"Non importante." He dismissed her. "Any messages?"

"Oh yes. Mateo called earlier." She reddened a little. "He wants to discuss about the Wazisi account."

"Okay." He turned to head back inside his office when he turned again, a frown marring his smooth forehead, "Say, what are you doing here? Where's Amanda?"

"Your secretary, Amanda called in a personal day, so HR sent me as a replacement. Just for today." She added for good measure seeing as he clearly disliked her.

"Then who is doing your job?"

She hurried to explain, the last thing she needed was the big boss himself thinking that she was slacking off in her job. And did she need this job! Very badly.

"I brought my work with me." She indicated towards the folders and her bulky laptop.

"Good. Do that. I seem to recall you department head postponing the Territory Heads meeting to next week because of "lack of manpower". Let's not have that excuse again, eh?"

Mercifully, he entered his office and closed the door behind him, granting a much needed respite to her.

Phew! At least he didn't ask me why I was spying on him while he was kissing his fiancée!

Just as she heaved a sigh of relief, his office door opened again and Ilario peered.

"Tanya."

"Yes." She snapped into attention.

"Next time, don't hide."

An enigmatic smile lifting the corners of his oh-so-delectable mouth, he closed the door once again behind him.

Tanya Singha, twenty four years old trouble child. That is how everyone described her. The conviction that she was a lost cause had manifested more when her younger brother, only son born to their highly accomplished parents with formidable academic achievements, had managed to become the youngest graduate of one of the prestigious universities of their country.

Congratulations had poured in, for her brother, and for her parents, along with wishes, a sympathetic shake of the head with mutterings like, "Oh, Don't worry Mrs. Singha, not every child is the same"; or feigned musings such as "Wonder why Tanya turned out to be like this."

As for her parents, she had to give it to them, they had stoically ignored all such comments, smiling politely through them all. Only once had she overheard her father lament to his long term friend and colleague, Vishnu Bhardwaj about his daughter.

She still remembered that day as if it were only yesterday.

"I always thought Ava's influence will be good for her. I mean, she was so serious about her future, doing everything right. But Tani corrupted even her."

Mr Singha clasped the other man's hands into his own. "Vishnu, I cannot express how sorry I am for the part my Tani played in your daughter's ruined life. I am so, so sorry."

Tanya couldn't take it anymore. Coming out of from behind the door, she had burst out, "Vishnu Uncle, Ava is very happy with her marriage. Please don't think she has ruined her life. Erico really, really loves her. They might not have much money now, but they are both so in lov..."

Her father snapped at her, "Tani, shut up. Haven't I taught you better than to interrupt two adults talking? And how dare you defend what you two girls did on that cursed vacation in Goa?" He was livid, "How could you encourage your friend like that? She is so young."

Tanya had turned pleading eyes to Ava's father, "Vishnu uncle, please believe me when I say Erico is good for her. And Ava is happy with him. Please don't shut them out. She misses you all a lot. Please go visit her."

Vishnu Bhardwaj visibly swallowed the lump in his throat. "You still speak to her?"

"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I?" She asked in confusion.

"Does she- does she talk about us?" The distraught parent almost whispered the words, "Does she want to come home?"

Tanya was at a loss. Her father glared at her, which she interpreted as telling her to shut up, but at the same time Mr. Bhardwaj was looking at her with expectant eyes.

But Tanya had nothing but bad news to give him. For, although Ava wished her relationship with her parents to return to normal, she didn't wish to leave her new husband and go back living with them. What she really wanted was for her parents to accept her decision of marrying Erico.

Tanya didn't know how to say all these things aloud. She didn't herself understand why Ava had decided to get married without anyone's consent anyway. For as long as she had known, her best friend had always been a shy and timid girl who had always been under the her parents' thumb. So such an act from Ava, had been nothing short of a magnitude nine earthquake for all who know her.

Maybe Tani's rebellious nature did rub off on Ava.

Seeing her silent, Vishnu Bhardwaj correctly interpreted everything she didn't or couldn't say. He sighed and seemed to withdraw within himself.

Tanya father spoke up, in a gentle and apologetic tone. "Vishnu, bhai, I am so sorry. Truth be told, we never imagined Ava to do such an impulsive thing. We thought if anything like this happened, it would be Tanya's doing. My daughter has always been such a wilful child."

Tanya slunk away from there, knew the more she stayed in that room the more harm she would cause.