But somehow, no matter what I did, the anger didn't go away. I was never able to smile or work at Embark Apparels like I used to do. I was sullen around Arish mostly.

If only he hadn't hit me where I was weak, things would have been so very different.

Every time I looked at his face, the only thing that came to my mind was the interview and the way he ruined what was shiny and made it all rusted for me. Some days, I stopped talking to him completely. I couldn't even act anymore.

He often asked me why I looked upset but never cared to take a moment to think about what he did. Born with a silver spoon, all his life he got money and power whereas I had to live with the bad blood! I had to learn to keep my mouth shut too because I was just a middle-class girl in dire need of a paycheck to take care of my family.

Months passed and the pranks continued. Because that was all I could do. Arish was completely clueless about the mastermind behind the pranks. Not even once did he question me suspiciously. It felt great to see that my crimes were proving to be perfect.

However, there was this time when I almost got caught red-handed.

I read somewhere online that certain air conditioners could be controlled with a smartphone app given that they had the wireless control feature. I tried it on the A/C in Arish's office room, and it worked. It was like finding magic to me!

I got so excited about it that I did it regularly. Sometimes on a daily basis. I increased the temperature, decreased it, and even turned it off at times and made him wonder for hours on what was wrong with his air conditioner. It was fun.

Since strange things were occurring only in his side of office, Arish brought down the maintenance team from our suppliers to look into the issue. That whole day, he was working outside with us because his air conditioner was being serviced and the room was dusty. By noon, while speaking to me about something work-related, he asked whether he could use my phone to make a call as his line was disconnected. For a moment, I forgot about the A/C app on the home screen and I gave it to him. I immediately realized my mistake but by then, it was too late. Arish had already walked a few steps away from my desk and therefore, I couldn't stop him. When he returned, I was nervous. I expected him to confront me. But nope, he did not ask anything. I guess he never noticed it despite my overthinking.

After a while, I got bored with the A/C prank myself. So, I resorted to another.

I watched Arish's behavior closely and learned that he liked using a wired mouse with his laptop. He never worked without one. Unbeknownst to him, I got dual control to his PC with a wireless mouse. Afterwards, whenever I found him working on something seriously, I moved the cursor frantically from my end, opened multiple tabs online, displayed gibberish messages, and even deleted blocks of texts from emails he typed. He often complained to me about his PC having some issue. Sometimes, he even got irritated with IT for not fixing it.

Poor thing. I annoyed him a little too much with this newly found tech war tactic.

One day, however, something unexpected happened. The moment I turned on my PC in the morning, I found a strange wallpaper with the words, "Hello Prankster! 😉" I knew it was Arish's doing.

The secret was out, and he obviously knew I was the culprit! But how did he find out? And did he have any idea about why I did what I did? I hoped that he wasn't assuming something silly like I did it out of interest in him. Ewww!

As much as I wanted to clarify things, I also thought that the best thing was to remain quiet until he confronted me. A few minutes later, a message popped on the office intranet chat. It was from Arish and his texts sounded as chill as ever.

Arish: I owe an explanation, don't I? 😉

Me: for?? 🙄

Arish: for what u did of course Miss 😏

Me: I do so many tasks around here 🙃

Me: which one are u referring to Boss?

Arish: the extra tasks beside work 😉

Me: like??

Arish: I will tell u 🤓

Me: go ahead 🤨

Arish: let's talk in person 😀

With that, he called my landline and asked me to join him for an important discussion. Even over the phone, he sounded very normal. I was confused.

Wasn't he a bit angry over what I did? Of course, it was nothing big like his betrayal for me. But still, as a boss, or even as a human being, didn't he feel upset at all? Strange!

I walked in and his first words were, "Thank you!" I was taken aback. Was he going to follow it with the update that I was fired for harassing him using novel war tactics? Damn.

"Uh– what for?" I asked awkwardly.

"For entertaining me so well over these past few weeks," he said.

"I don't get it," I replied as dry as possible.

"I'm talking about the pranks, of course. I know it's you who did it," he said with a chuckle. He didn't look a bit cross.

I maintained a blank expression on my face and did not say anything. Then, he spoke again, "If you are wondering how I know, well, it wasn't so difficult for IT to find out which IP address was messing with my cursor. Oh, and I also saw that A/C app on your phone the other day."

Wait, what? He knew it from that day and he still did not care to confront me? That was weird.

"Oh– umm– okay. But why didn't you talk to me about it that day?" I asked.

"Well, for starters, I was shocked. I couldn't believe that our hardest working employee had the time and energy to play pranks on me. I was like woah! And I also thought that I should get things confirmed before I speak to you." He chortled as he spoke.

Before I could respond, he asked, "But seriously though? Was that pepper coffee and the rest of the pranks done by you too?" I nodded and he started laughing like a fool. I wondered what was so funny about it. Shameless moron!

"Umm– so since you know everything now, did you give a single thought about what may have caused me to do all those things?" I asked.

"No, not at all. That's what I want to hear from you. I mean, why? I don't understand," he said.

"You truly don't know?" I asked.

"No, I don't. Would you mind telling me?" He gave a perplexed look.

"I think you should figure it out on your own because you started it," I said nonchalantly.

He shook his head and replied, "Zyva, I really don't get it. What did I ever do to you?"

Arish was unbelievable! He was not a bit ready to accept the mistake he committed. So, he was pretending to be a baby.

"Oh, wait, you got amnesia!" I commented with a sardonic smile.

"Huh? What?" he said with a confused look.

"Remember when you tried to write me off? Remember when you thought I'd take a loss? Don't you remember?" I asked. I wanted him to spit it out on his own. There was no way that I was going to make it easy for him.

"I'm sorry, but you are not making any sense." He raised his eyebrows and then added, "By the way, why do you suddenly sound like a rapper? Are you alright?"

Rapper? Was he intending to mean that I had the skills to become the next Eminem? Or was that an insult? Also, from where did my mind come up with words like that? Was it some random song lyrics? Or was I turning into a poet due to extreme despair in life? I didn't know. But I was angry.

So, I asked indignantly, "Wow! So, me addressing an issue sounds like nonsense to you now?"

"I never used that word," he clarified.

"Umm— 'not making sense' and 'nonsense' mean the same thing, for your information," I reiterated my point.

"Whatever," he replied unconcernedly.

I wanted to scream my head off. Because I knew the whole thing was a case-of-whatever for him. He was never going to admit what he did. I was never going to get justice for the unfair treatment. So, it was absolutely pointless to even discuss it with him.

"Yeah, whatever! Can I go back and work?" I asked in frustration.

Then he quickly switched his tone to a more concerned one and asked, "Why do you sound so mad? See, when I initially got to know about these pranks, I thought you were just playing with me. But then there seems to be something more to this. Please tell me."

Either this guy had Multiple Personality Disorder, or he was afraid that I might hit him using something from the table. There was no other explanation for his sudden behavioral changes. Also, I would have totally hit him if only I wasn't at work.

"Nah, it's fine. Leave it," I said.

"Seriously, Zyva? Why don't you just tell me what's on your mind without overhyping this?" he asked with a chuckle.

I sighed and said, "Here's the thing. I am trying to address an issue, but you are laughing right at me. We got problems and I don't think we can solve them until you take a look at what you've done. Please think over it. Let's talk after you find some clarity."

And then I walked away from that place before he could say anything else. I guess he agreed to the deal I made as he did not attempt speaking about it again for the next two days.

On the third day, however, he did. He must have racked his brains looking for an answer because he got it right this time.

I was in his office, helping him with some Marketing stats in preparation for an upcoming board meeting, when he casually asked, "I've been thinking over and over again. And I feel like I still don't know. Is this about that interview by any chance?"

"Congratulations! Finally!" I replied and continued to type on my laptop.

"Wow! So, that's it? But that was two months back. Why would you be still upset about that?" he asked with a smirk.

"Oh, so, in which rule book does it say that people should stop grieving about a lost opportunity for less than two months?" I asked. Again, I avoided looking at his face.

"Okay, nobody says that, but the point is, it's just a small thing, right?" His response made me furious.

How dare he say that? First, he grabbed my opportunity. And then he made it sound like it was nothing. Moron!

"Small thing? Are you even hearing yourself right now?" I rolled my eyes.

"I mean, as far as I am concerned, getting or losing that job wasn't a big deal. Unless a person was really serious about it. Hold on. Were you?" he asked with a shocked look.

"For what other reason would I toil away four years of my life in this company waiting for that opportunity? And honestly, did you think that I was present at the interview that day because it was 'fun' or because I loved talking to you guys?" I spoke angrily.

It was time for real war!

"Oh!" That was all he said. And he appeared startled for a few seconds.

Then he added, "Zyva, I really didn't think that you were this serious about that job placement."

"Serious? Oh, for heaven's sake, it was my dream!" I replied.

"But why? You are already doing so well here. There's nothing special about working in New York. It's just another place like this." He again made an irritating statement. That too with a smile. His unbothered and casual responses made my blood boil.

"Oh please, Arish! Stop making such silly points for the sake of argument. It just shows how callous you are of others' feelings. Maybe that opportunity doesn't sound like a big deal for a guy born with a silver spoon, but it is everything for a girl like me," I retorted.

"That's not true!" he said at once.

"What's not true?" I asked.

"Nothing," he replied and neither of us spoke for a while.

I sighed and finally broke the awkward silence in the room with, "What's the real reason?"

"For?" He again sounded like a baby without a clue. I was irritated.

"For not choosing me that day. I came to know through someone that the HR Managers' choice was me. And even Mr. Ahmed's. So, why didn't only you like me?" I asked in a quavering voice.

"It's not so easy to answer that question. All I'm going to tell you is that I had to consider a lot of factors before I made my final decision," he said.

"What do you mean? Was I that bad at the interview? Did I sound immature? Did I look unfit for the position? It's okay, just tell me the truth. I need to know," I implored him to answer my question because I genuinely wanted to know the reason. After all, it was a doubt that gave me many a sleepless night.

"Failing to get selected at an interview is not always about your incompetency. There can be other reasons as well," he replied bluntly.

"So, which means even you agree that I deserved it?" I asked.

"Maybe you did but—" he paused.

"But what?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said.

"Stop biting your tongue and just spit it out. Tell me the real reason why you did it." I lost my cool completely this time. Maybe I even forgot the fact that I was dealing with my boss.

"Okay, here's the thing. Maybe you are good. But I had to make the best decision for the company," he replied.

"Cool. So, on what basis did you arrive at your best decision? Just tell me that and I will stop questioning you again," I insisted.

"Zyva, it's more of a Sales job and it involves a considerable amount of traveling too. So, I felt that a man was more suitable for the role," he said.

There it was. The ugly moment of truth! The one that I had forever loathed. It was a man's world and things were tough for women no matter how capable we were. That's how it worked, and none could change it.

"You 'felt'? Wow! So, all it took was a single flawed belief of yours to overlook my years of hard work?" I asked. My eyes were welling up and I tried my hardest to control it.

"Zyva, I have been part of that office and I know how things work there. It's not easy as you think," he said unapologetically as ever.

"I don't care whether it's easy or not. When I sat down for the interview that day, I never mentioned to you that I want an 'easy job'. Did I? So, who the hell are you to decide for me without even giving me a chance to prove myself? You are nothing but just another man obstructing a woman's career development because you can't bear to see it." I didn't even bother to sound polite anymore. I was that enraged.

"Okay, now, you are being overly dramatic and also taking this a little too far. I understand that you are hurt and disappointed. But please, do not throw your words at me like that," he said.

Wow! Was he threatening me? What an imbecile! Or rather A CORPORATE THUG!

"Oh! So, my feelings are like a drama to you now? Can a person get any ruder than this? It looks like I don't even have freedom of speech when it comes to men like you. Also, tell me, what will happen if I don't stop? Will you fire me because that will make you happy and give a boost to your male ego?" I asked, giving out a short, mirthless laugh.

"What even?" Arish shook his head and said, "For God's sake, I'm not a sadist! You are making very wrong statements in anger."

"You are right. You are not a sadist. You are a misogynist! A misogynist who hates to see women grow. A misogynist who has the power to change the fate of women working under you by bringing them down ruthlessly," I shouted.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Zyva? Why would you make such a baseless allegation on me? I absolutely respect women, which includes you, and I-" he paused and added, "You know what? I don't have to prove myself to you by listing out anything." He still sounded calm as always. Not a bit angry. Must be the effects of all that yoga he did in the mornings (things I learned about him through my social media stalking skills before the interview incident).

"Whether you admit it or not, that is what you are. And yes, you don't have to list anything. It's your actions that determine who you are. The interview was a fine example," I said indignantly.

Arish was silent. So, I spoke again, "And I'm sorry for asking this but are you really even Mr. Ahmed's nephew? Because you clearly seem to lack the compassion of that bloodline!"

"Maybe I am not! And please avoid dragging my family into this!" Surprisingly, he raised his voice this time. That was the first time I saw him expressing anger.

But soon after that, he sighed, facepalmed, and started speaking in a calm tone again, "I– umm– Zyva, listen—"

However, he couldn't continue speaking because he saw me breaking into tears. He was puzzled by it.

I didn't know what came over me, but I went on ranting to him about things that I had never shared with anyone else before. I guess I was that broken. And I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Rejection and disappointment ain't anything new to me. After all, my own dad has done that to me when I was a child. He abandoned my mother because I wasn't a son as he expected. I still remember how he pushed me away once when I tried to hug him because I wasn't good enough. All my life, I have questioned my self-worth because of that. So, wherever I went, from school to college to work, I had always tried my best to put in extra effort into everything and outshine my peers because I didn't want anyone else to consider me anything less the same way my dad did solely because of my gender. In most cases, it has worked for me. But then, from time to time, men with power like you crush me so hard to prove to me that I am wrong. You make me realize that I cannot change anything because of my effort or hard work or talent. At the end of the day, it's an unfair world run with the crappy idea that a man is superior to a woman. It is deeply rooted in our society's beliefs and there's nothing that I could do to change it."

Arish listened to everything patiently. He did not utter a single word in between. Or maybe he simply zoned out. I wasn't sure which one.

Somehow, at the end of my rant, he sighed and said in a worried tone, "I'm sorry, Zyva." He may have finally apologized but that did me no good. Because I was never going to get the lost opportunity with a fake 'sorry'.

So, I replied, wiping my tears, "You say sorry just for show. If you live like that, you live with ghosts."