After that night encounter, she didn't see Gyan again. When she asked Dona, she said he probably had gone to some short trip with his friends. She looked pretty casual about it, which meant it was normal for him to take trips often. But it really caught her attention when she didn't see Abhimanyu also. She saw Rishi once. But he came to meet Abhiraj and left without stopping by to say her a hello, even though she was in a close precinct. So, she made an assumption that he probably was in a rush and didn't notice her.

Priyasha was an amicable lady. Although she spent most of her time at office, at the end of the day, when she and her husband would return hand in hand, the Isha mansion literally warmed up with her presence. She'd decide the menus every day from the breakfast to the dinner. Even for Dev too. Shreya's effort has slightly reduced for that matter. Now she didn't have to think what she'd cook for Dev. All she did was oblige Priyasha's orders, and it was easier.

Ritu and Tiyasha stayed home most of the time until they really had to go outside. But they didn't spend a lot of time together except at the dining table.

But Shreya was more concerned for the scene at her own home. When she told her parents that she was going to Darjeeling with Abhimanyu and Dev, Trishna literally flipped out. She couldn't even accept the fact that Shreya was actually going out of district alone. Her father was no help either. The regular drama continued for several days until the day of departure. She'd reach home every day just to be emotionally tortured and asked about when was she quitting her job. At one point she got tired of repeating the same thing over and over again that she was not, and she was just doing her job. It wasn't a big deal.

"People relocate for their job all the time maa. Why are you being so dramatic about it?"

"What? I am being dramatic? How much do you know about this world, huh? This world is a place full of filth. Everyone takes advantage of the weak, and an unmarried girl like you--- you're nothing but an open invitation to spiteful people. How can you trust others with whom you haven't even spend a month? Huh? What if you fall prey to some bad men and they take away your virginity and kill or worse, send you to some human trafficking?"

Shreya huffed, "Maa, don't pull everything to your darkest fear. Not everything that's bad ends up there. And I'm not even going alone. My employer..." she couldn't finish.

"Your employer? Who knows him? You know him? That well? And what more, you'll be the only girl. Oh God, I can't even imagine this. Without any protection, you're going out of town. Alone. My heart has started paining only thinking about all the horrible consequences."

"And I have a legal contract maa. You can seek help if things actually go wrong."

"Don't talk like you want it to go wrong, you stupid girl. Owl cannot be called wise, because it has never seen sunlight. Don't act foolishly brave like you know everything."

And so, it went on for several days.

It neither was any positive when she disclosed the news to Naveen.

"No, you're joking. You're joking right?" Naveen asked in a disbelieving tone.

"No, I'm not."

"Wow! Your employers are pretty generous. I'm feeling jealous."

"Why would you feel jealous?"

"Why wouldn't I? I've been to various places but the Queen of hills. Wow... you're..."

"So, you're fine with it?"

He turned her towards him then brought his hand up to her face before tracing his finger across her cheeks. Her breathe caught in her throat as he tipped her chin up so that they could stare at each other without an excuse. "Just because you are asking for it," He placed his thumb over her lower lip and squeezed it toward the right, between his forefinger and thumb. An emphasized action--- but more stimulating than painful. "I guess you've got your answer," he whispered, and it erupted goosebumps all over her skin.

She couldn't say another word to protest because he had silenced her by then by capturing her lips.

~~~

17th October

As per Tiyasha's words, it'd feel suffocating to travel with Abhimanyu, and so Shreya expected since the beginning. Tiyasha came and helped her in packing Dev's luggage. However, out of vanity, Shreya asked her why couldn't she go along. In a harsh honesty, it'd have been so disappointing if Tiyasha had agreed to her offer and taken her place. Cause, she actually wanted to go and see the hills. Even she dreamed every night of the various possibilities and the many places they could actually visit. If Tiyasha had replaced her, her so called dreams would've shattered in million pieces before she could even get a glimpse of it. She knew she was being selfish. But the whole world was so. She just didn't want to miss the opportunity. So, in all honesty, she secretly wanted Tiyasha to decline, which she did and Shreya was glad.

However, Tiyasha let out too many advices for the trip, and although Shreya was unaccustomed with travelling, she just knew all of it would be useless at one point. But she didn't expect the time would come so soon.

Last night, Priyasha especially came and asked her to have patience with her son, which was somewhat predictable. Since she had started working, she barely had a real conversation with Abhimanyu. There was no reason of course. But still. All the members of Isha mansion talked with her decently except that man. His intimidating aura made him even more interesting... mysterious.

Especially when Priyasha said, "My son is special. He has always been. It's us who are lacking the understanding." It piqued Shreya's interest immediately. What was so special about him that required him to stay such way? Rigid, detached, apathetic ... his own brother too, didn't seem to like him a lot. His sister, cousin and friend's opinions are also no different. Except his mother. She seemed to think so highly of him. Even she was ready to accept it was their fault rather than blaming it on her son, which others did.

Blaming it on someone else is always easier.

But Mrs. Priyasha Roy took the opposite way. It could be her motherly love, but she didn't do the same with her other children. She seemed to be extra careful towards her oldest son. But she didn't openly praise her younger twins. In fact, she appeared a bit strict toward her daughter. She didn't let Ritu stay outside of home, at her friend's, even when she almost begged her mother. It was for her project work. Again, when everyone asked about Gyan at the dinner table, she asked everyone to leave him be and focus on their own lives.

It was all very confusing.

Due to covid protocol, the airport precinct wasn't very crowded, but it wasn't empty either. Shreya was so glad that Sunny was accompanying them. Otherwise, it'd have been really awkward travelling with Abhimanyu. When they were waiting for their flight in the waiting lounge, Sunny sat with them and talked. She asked him things about his boss, and thankfully it didn't seem he minded at all giving her all the details.

Seeing Abhimanyu sitting four rows ahead of them, she didn't want to lose the opportunity. Especially when Sunny brought them two large grape juice.

She asked him, "Why is Mr. Abhimanyu so aloof? Don't you face difficulties dealing with him?"

To which Sunny replied, "He's always been like that. I mean since I started working as his PA, I've never seen him getting hyper over anything. Even if the situation was so difficult---blood-boiling practically, even then, I haven't seen him getting aggressive over it. He's always very impassive. Honestly, it's very weird when I see him like that. I mean, he's never raised his voice at anyone and still everyone gets intimidated by his presence. Then I think, perhaps, it's because he's the heir to the Permabell group. Undoubtedly, he's got power."

"Heir? Doesn't Permabell got partners?"

"Of course. Four partners mainly. Mr. Abhiraj Roy, Mr. Vijay Hazra, Ms. Shein Das, and Mr. Shyam Narayan. Mr. Narayan is partially disabled; his complete lower half and left hand is paralyzed. Oh, and our Rishi is Mr. Narayan's son."

Shreya nodded and sipped from her cup while Sunny continued, "Mr. Narayan joined the business later, when they started the pharmaceutical department, Jatayu. Rishi holds both the CFO (Chief Finance Officer) and CLO (Chief Legal Officer) position, and since Mr. Hazra is unmarried with no children, he has named Abhimanyu his legal heir. That is, after him, Abhimanyu will possess all his shares and properties. Although, Abhimanyu is the CEO of Permabell, he'll legally own more than sixty percent of the shares once he turns 30. Ms. Shein lives in Lebanon with her mother. She comes here once a year for three months to take care of the matters.

"Mr. Roy is only waiting for his little son to have the degree. Once Abhigyan has his degree, the whole picture of company's management structure will change. Mr. Roy is intending to retire before time. So, most of the pressure these days are on Abhimanyu. The board of Directors value his opinion the most. No doubt, he's very efficient in his work. Only that, he's very absent in every other matter outside of business. You can call him workaholic, but that won't do justice to his nature. He doesn't overwork. Just proper and smart work. Employees get nervous around him even though I've never seen him raising his voice at anyone. But that's a given.

"I was appointed by Mrs. Roy. She especially asked me to take care of Abhimanyu, because she knew her son all too well. Honestly telling though, I never faced difficulties working with him. Just that, he wouldn't talk much. Apart from business, he wouldn't ask for anything. I have to personally look into his schedule and put a time stamp for him to eat. I always have to bring him food and other unrelated staffs to business that he might need.

"Being with him can be suffocating to some extent. When he's not working, it's like, he's uninterested in everything in general. He'd just sit/stand beside his office window and stare out at the sky. Sometimes he'd read. But that's the only other thing I've seen him doing apart from work. His life looks lavish from outside. But it's very dreary."

Shreya pulled Dev's mask up when she saw he had finished his drink. Dev had been manageable so far. He had been so occupied with the outside world that he hadn't paid much attention that he was outside of his home for too long.

Meanwhile, Shreya's mind still couldn't grasp Abhimanyu's character even though she was highly attracted to him, especially after what Sunny told her.

She looked ahead and saw the backside of Abhimanyu who was sitting upright, his back muscles very taut. His eyes were on the big screen in front of him showing some news channel.

For some unknown reason, her chest tightened.

He was special.