Hello guys! How you all are doings? (Woh kya hai na.... I'm learnings English from Avni's mummy ji, and see, my English is improves, hai na Shweta auntys? 😂). I would have updated this chapter two three days ago only, but of late, I've developed this very painful swelling in my lower eyelid of the left eye (what we call 'bilni' in Hindi. So I wasn't able to use the phone Or any other gadget for a long time and could write the chapter only in bits and pieces one day at a time. But anyways, I hope you guys enjoy❤❤
English translation of dialogues in (Bold).
Happy reading!!

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Dayawanti- Okay, so what is your name, by the way?
Avni (taking a deep breath in) - Ananya Verma.
Dayawanti- Hmmm... So Ananya, come follow me to the office.

Mehta Enterprises Office, Mehta Mansion.

The office was as magnificent as the other corners of the house that Avni had seen till then. There was a false ceiling with hanging lights with an arched window overlooking the skyline of Mumbai. The walls diagonal to the entrance door were painted sky blue while the opposite walls were white in colour ( If you get what I mean😅). The working table was made of Mahogany and had intricate designs on it. There was a couch with green throw cushions and a Maple wood book shelf was positioned next to it.

Seating herself on the chair and asking Avni to do the same, Dayawanti examined the resume that Avni had handed over to her. Judging from the looks on her face, Avni deduced that Dayawanti was quite impressed by her, and a smirk played on her lips. She looked at her with expectant eyes as Dayawanti kept the resume file back on the working table.

Dayawanti- You are quite experienced, as I see from the resume. Paarkhi ki nazar hai meri, I can differentiate between a real diamond and a fake diamond from a distance also. You are perfect for this post. But I have one question. (I have the eyes like a Connoisseur.....)

And saying so, she paused, looking at Avni as if expecting her to ask the question. Taking it as a cue, Avni pipped in

Avni- What is it, Ma'am?

Dayawanti- You haven't mentioned about your father anywhere in the personal details- Not even his name. Why is that so?

Avni looked at her with a bewildered expression. She didn't know what to answer. Should she dodge the question and pretend that Dayawanti never asked her that question, or should she take the risk and answer her? She was confused. Deciding to ignore her question, Avni instead said

Avni- Ma'am, you didn't tell me where will I-
Dayawanti- Yeh mere sawaal ka jawaab nahi hai, Ananya. (This is not the answer to my question, Ananya.)

Now Avni was in a fix. She had to find an excuse as soon as possible without giving away the hint that she was getting anxious. While Avni was drowned in her pool of thoughts, Dayawanti's phone rang. Avni could make out that it was someone special as she could see the happiness that was evident in Dayawanti's eyes.

Dayawanti- Ek minute. (Just one minute.)

Avni nodded nervously and gave a small smile, not able to figure out what to say. She tried hard to ignore the call that Dayawanti had picked up and was engrossed in, but her instincts couldn't.

Dayawanti (smilingly) - Batuk... Mere bete... Kaisa hai mera ladla beta? (Batuk... My child... How is my dearest child?)
(If you guys don't know or have forgot this fact (which I doubt, coz we are ardent Naamkarann fans 😉), Batuk was Ashish's nickname and Dayawanti used to address him with this name only, leaving certain occasions.)

As soon as Avni heard that name, a wave of nostalgia hit her hard. Memories came flashing by, her throat constricted and a small smile danced on her lips, as she reminiscenced those moments- the memories of those happy times, when everything was alright. But then she remembered the moment when she saw her mother all broken, all betrayed. She remembered Ashish Mehta...

The past never leaves you easily...and he was just one single thread in that horrendous past.

Dayawanti (on call) - Arre Ashish... Yeh bata... Tu kaisa hai mere bacche? Aur Amol... Amol kaisa hai? (Hey Ashish.... Tell me... How are you my child? And Amol... How is Amol?) (Silence on this end of call) Aur yeh batao... Rhea ki shaadi hone wali hai... And you are not here... Sab adhura adhura sa lagega (And tell me this... Rhea is going to get married... The atmosphere would feel so empty without you and Amol.) (Silence on this cord) (sudden excited voice) Kya!? Tum aa rahe ho? Kab?? Hey Bhagwaan... Mera ladla itne dino baad ghar aa raha hai... Mujhse to sabar hi nahi ho raha (What!? You're coming? When? Oh God... My dear child is coming home after so many days... I can't wait now) Haan haan Batuk... Thik hai... Okay... Bye. (Ends call) (Yes yes Batuk... Okay... Okay... Bye.)

Dayawanti kept the phone down and looked at Ananya. She saw that Avni seemed a little lost.

Dayawanti- Ananya... Ananya beti... Kahan khoyi hui ho? (Ananya... Ananya daughter... Where are you lost?)
Avni- No Ma'am... I'm not lost anywhere... Woh aap apne bete se baat kar rahi thi toh main disturb nahi karna chah rahi thi (nervous smile) (... Actually you were talking to your son and hence I didn't want to disturb you.)
Dayawanti- Hmmm... Well... I'm quite impressed with your resume... So you can work here as my accounts manager. Aur haan, abhi mera sabse bada beta aa raha hai... I want you to meet him... Ashish naam hai uska... Mera guroor... Aur uska beta bhi uske sath aa raha hai... Amol naam hai uska... Mera ladla... Mera rajdulara... Tumko unse milna hai. (.... And yes, my eldest son is coming home today in some time.... His name is Ashish... My pride... And his son is also coming... His name is Amol... My beloved...)
Avni- Ma'am thank you for believing in me and giving me this job, but I don't think I have time to meet your son and grandson. Main phir kabhi mil lungi unse. But aaj nahi... Please. (.... I'll meet them some other day. But not today...)
Dayawanti- Arre par beta- (But daughter-)
Avni- Please Ma'am.
Dayawanti- Accha thik hai... But milna zarur hai tumko, haan? (Okay... But you have to meet them, okay?)
Avni- Yes Ma'am. Now I should leave. Thank you (smiles).
Dayawanti- Ananya... Ruko.. (Ananya... Stop.)
Avni- Ji? (Yes?)
Dayawanti- Aao, main tumhe drop kar doon neeche gate tak. Chalo aao. (Come, I'll drop you to the gate. Now come.)
Avni- Nahi, Ma'am rehne dijiye. Main khud chali jaungi. Thank you so much. (No Ma'am, let it be. I'll go by myself...)
Dayawanti- Arre, ab main tumko khud drop karne bhi nahi aa sakti kya? Tum to meri poti jaisi lagti ho... Pata nahi kyun tumse bada ajeeb sa apnapan lagta hai. (Now I can't even come to drop you off at the gate also? You are just like my granddaughter... I don't know why but I feel a strange instant connection with you.)
Avni (fake smiles) - Ab yeh to aapka baddapan hai Ma'am ki aap mujhe aapki poti ki tarah samjhti hain... Waise aapki poti hai kahan? (Now this is your nobility Ma'am that you think of me as your granddaughter... By the way, where is your granddaughter?)
Dayawanti- Haan haan, bilkul... Aao main tumhe apni poti se milaun... Rhea... Rhea Mehta naam hai uska. (Yes yes, why not... Come I'll introduce you to her... Rhea... Her name is Rhea Mehta.)

Avni fake smiled as they made their way to the lobby downstairs.

Dayawanti- Ananya.. Tumhe pata hai... Meri Rhea ki shaadi tay ho gayi hai. Abhi kuch hi dino baad uski sagaai hai. Main to bahut khush hoon... Bas apni poti ki khushiyaan chahti hoon main to... Ek baar Rhea aur Amol, dono ki shaadi ho jaye, uske baad main chain ki saans lungi. (Ananya... Do you know... My granddaughter's marriage has been fixed. Her engagement is going to take place after a few days. And I'm very happy about this... I just want my granddaughter's happiness... That's it. Just once Rhea and Amol's marriage is done, I'll be at peace.)
Avni- Yes Ma'am... That's a very good news. (Fake smiles) (thinking) Aap chain ki saans kaise lengi Mrs. Mehta, abhi to toofan aana bacha hai... Abhi jitna khush hona hai ho lijiye, kyunki ek baar aapki barbaadi shuru hui na, toh aapka saara time, saari energy sab phaila hua rayta sambhalne mein hi lag jayegi. Aur aap kuch nahi kar paengi... Kuch nahi...(... How will you be at peace Mrs. Mehta, even your nemesis has not yet started... Be happy right now as much as you want, because once your destruction starts, your whole time, whole energy will be wasted in making the situations right and back in your favor. And you won't be able to do anything... Nothing at all.)
Dayawanti- Ananya, Ananya... Are you listening? Ananya!
Avni- Yes Ma'am? Sorry... I wasn't paying attention.
Dayawanti- Koi baat nahi beti... Yeh dekho, yeh hai meri poti, Rhea. (To Rhea) Rhea, isse milo. Ananya, Ananya Verma. Meri accounts manager. (Suddenly remembers something) Arre Ananya... Main to bhool hi gayi thi. Tumko yeh batana tha ki aaj se tum yahin, mere office mein kaam karogi. Theek hai? (No worries daughter... See, she's my granddaughter, Rhea. (To Rhea) Rhea, meet her.... My accounts manager. (Suddenly remembers something) Oh Ananya... I almost forgot. I wanted to tell you that from today onwards you'll work here, in my office. Okay?)
Avni- Ji Ma'am. (Yes Ma'am.)
Dayawanti- Chalo ab tum log baat karo... Mujhe zara ek important call karna hai (smiles).
Rhea and Avni (together) - Ji Dadi/Ma'am (nod). (Yes Dadi/Ma'am).

Dayawanti goes away.

Rhea- Hi Ananya! Mere bare mein to tumhe pata hi hoga, right? (... You must've known about me from before...)
Avni- Hi Rhea... Yeah... Dadi... I mean... Ma'am bata rahi thi ki aapki shaadi tay ho gayi hai... So... Congratulations! (... Dadi... I mean... Ma'am told me that your marriage alliance has been fixed.... So... Congratulations!)
Rhea- Thank you so much babes... Meri engagement parso hi hain. (smiles). (... My engagement is day after tomorrow only.)
Avni- Wow... I wish main bhi aa pati tumhaari engagement mein... Kitni khushi ka mahaul hoga, hai na? (Wow... I wish I could also be a part of your engagement... It would be such a fun filled atmosphere, right?)
Rhea- Haan babes... Woh to hoga hi... Waise tum aa sakti ho us din. (Yes babes... That would obviously be the atmosphere... By the way, you can come that day.)
Avni- Aree par main kaise? (Ugh... But how can I?)
Rhea- Arre don't worry babes... Main abhi dadi ko bulati hoon... Woh khud tumhe invite karengi dekhna. (smiles) (.... Let me call dadi right now... She'll invite you herself... See for yourself.)

Avni smiled as Rhea called out to Dayawanti and in a few moments, Dayawanti came out and was standing in front of them.
Rhea- Dadi... Dekhiye na... Main Ananya ko apni engagement mein invite kar rahi hoon but she's declining the invitation... Ab yeh sirf tabhi manegi jab aap isko khud invite karengi. (Dadi... See na... I'm inviting Ananya for my engagement but she's declining the invitation... Now she'll agree only when you'll invite yourself.)
Dayawanti- Ananya... Tum toh Mehta Industries ke parivaar ki nayi sadasya ho... Aur Mehta industries ka hissa banna bahut hi garv aur gaurav ki baat hoti hai... So this actually calls for a celebration... Toh main tumko khud invite kar rahi hoon... Meri poti Rhea ki sagaai mein aao, mujhe aur mere parivaar ke har sadasya ko bahut khushi hogi. (Ananya... You're the newest member of the Mehta industries family... And being a part of that family is a thing if pride in itself... So I'm inviting you myself... Grace this occasion of my granddaughter's engagement, we all will be very happy if you'd come.)
Avni- Ab aap agar itne pyar se keh rahi hain toh main mana kaise kar sakti hoon... Main aaungi... Mujhe bhi bahut khushi hogi aap sabse milkar (smiles). (Now you're saying so much so how can I decline... I'll come... I'll also be very happy meeting you all.)
Dayawanti- Toh phir tay raha, tum meri poti ki sagaai aur baki sabhi functions mein aa rahi ho... (To Rhea) Ab toh tum khush ho na? (So now it's decided, you're coming to my granddaughter's engagement and all other functions... (To Rhea) Happy now?)
Rhea- Bahut khush hoon dadi... Thank you sooo much!!(hugs her) (Very happy dadi... Thank you soo much!!)
Avni- Ab main chalti hoon Ma'am... Ab aap logon se usi din mulakaat hogi. Namaste. (Now I should leave Ma'am... I'll meet you all that day only.)
Dayawanti- Aao main tumhe cchod deti hoon gate tak. (Come let me drop you off till the gate.)
Avni- Ji... (Yeah... Sure.)

As they were walking towards the gate, both of them were lost in their own world, thinking of ways to benefit from each other.

Avni- Chalti hoon Ma'am, thank you so much for inviting me. Namaste. (I'm leaving now Ma'am.... Greetings.)
Dayawanti- Haan beti. Namaste. (Yes daughter. Greetings.)

As Avni drove away, Dayawanti was lost in her whirlpool of thoughts.

Dayawanti- Is ladki mein woh baat hai... Meri doobti hui naav ko yahi paar laga sakti hai. Tez tarrar hai, intelligent hai, yeh meri company ko bahut profit dila sakti hai. I'll have to do things to make a good impression on her, so that she can do things as per my wish. (This girl has something unique in her... She can help me save my boat from drowning... She's smart, intelligent, and can bring a lot of profit for my company....)

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Hope you guys loved reading this chapter. If yes, then do hit the star ⭐ icon and vote. And drop some comments as well, if you felt it was worth it 😊

Secondly, (and most importantly), I am planning on giving my poetry book Musings as an entry for the Wattpad India Awards 2020. So I'd be very glad if you guys would give it a shot. And give it as much love as you guys give to this book and Bas Kuch Lamhe.

And lastly, I'm not very satisfied with the number of votes I'm receiving for this book. Please guys, it's a request. Please vote. You all are my driving force for writing this story.

Stay blessed, stay safe💕

Love,
Khushi ❤