Reeva's POV:

Literally if I could do anything to avoid choking on my coffee right now I would have gladly tried..

"Woah. Careful there" Aditya turned to me still with his hands on his hips.

"Pardon. Come again" I looked at him with disbelief covering my eyes.

"You heard it" he pointed.

Yes I did. I did heard what he said in the first go. But am I supposed to believe it.

I should.

"You mean the WWG" I quoted my fingers and he nodded.

Shit.

"And I can only trust you Ree. Because you know how important this client is for us and how necessary it is to seal the deal today" he looked at me begging.

I sighed. Yes I know how necessary this deal is for the company and as well as me.

Aditya is no fool but somehow he is in wrong business and with wrong people.

He knows I have the potential to live this job and I can go to any extent to get the company out of its financial crisis it landed years ago.

Pegasus a startup company did very well in the kick off time but then give credits to Aditya's broken marriage or the incapable employees it started it's journey to decline.

After passing the depression of divorce Aditya has got back the determination to bring back the old glory of his firm.

He hired me  as the last resolve before giving up on his ambition.

And I always needed such job. I know women around want a  job which will have less of brain or body work plus a 9 to 5 time span.

That would be easy.

But I know why I am doing the job. I know if I want to cross the male dominance around me and reach the top position I have to take calculated risks.

As toilsome as Aditya is he recognized the objective of my aspiration.

I pursed my lips and looked at the desk in front of me.

"You're listening Ree" he snapped me out of my thoughts.

"As far as I want to get this deal sealed for the company Adi, I don't understand why will a whale like firm will be interested in our company?" the question which was haunting me from the time my boss mentioned the name Wadhwas.

To say that they were best in the world of fashion would be an understatement.

It was huge firm with many branches like fashion, modelling,  advertisements, product launches, celebrity designs, cinema styling etc.

"That's not my concern right now. It can totally sail us to the shore in the sea of our losses" his eyes sparkled and I won't lie when I say that I have seen the hope in his eyes for the first time. It's like the enthusiasm of starting a new business.

I nodded my head silently.

"So you will be ready by 6?" he looked at his wrist watch.

"It's lunch time" he looked down at me.

"Of course. I am gonna need my space free from interruption" I grabbed my things scattered in front of me.

"So you are not gonna join me for lunch?" he asked while I reached the door of the conference room.

"I said no interruption" I stated closing the door after exiting. I could guess Aditya nodding his head.

If I had agreed that it's too short time to prepare a life changing presentation to Aditya it would have been like accepting defeat even before stepping in the battle field.

I don't do that.

I cleared all the other work related things on my desk and placed my laptop. 

First thing first I have to know about WWG thoroughly. Then I have to put my best points to present. And then I have to make sure I am good enough to convince them that it was their best decision to invest in our company. I have to cover some loopholes which were related to the financial status of our firm.

I devided my time for each block of work and set the alarm.

***.***

Five minutes to six.

I'm anxious. Too much anxious.

Breath... Breath...

I have to do this. Holding my laptop and some files I walked towards the conference room which was empty.

I was thankful that Aditya made sure I wasn't disturbed the whole afternoon.

Connecting my laptop to the projector I checked if my slides played in right order and resolution.

Thank god there are no glitches.

"Ree are you ready?" Aditya peeped inside the conference room. I assured him with a nod.

He gave me a thumbs up with a smile and locked back the door.  He must be waiting for the clients to arrive.

I closed the presentation at exactly 6 and the door of the conference room opened.

A man in his thirties walked inside. I am professional enough to wait for my boss to introduce me.

As he strode in his eyes fixed on me I could see his brows curving.

The dim lit room did not show his face completely but with whatever I could make out he was a muscular man with his long hairs tied in a messy bun and his sharp jaw was completely cloaked behind the beard of the same colour as his honey coloured locks.

His suit constricted his muscles and biceps perfectly.  His eyes black already started to darken with his each step as if it was even possible.

Breath....breath

I literally forgot to breath when I felt his eyes staring in mine.

Emergency  life support system required...

Did I just lost my mind somewhere? It's not that I have not seen men attractive but the one who was approaching me was far from just attractive. He must be the specimen God will use to create handsome men around the globe.

"She is Reeva" Aditya interrupted and I was finally breathing.

Speak

"Hello" I forced a smile. He gave a formal weak smile which to me did not even look like a smile.

Like I had researched and expected he was an ass.

Good at least I will not lose my mind when it is required the most.

Now.

Aditya offered him a seat and sat on the opposite. He blinked his eyes to start the presentation.

*

After an hour of presenting and covering up the missed out points on the spot the meeting was finally over.

Now Mr. Wadhwa was clarifying some of his doubts with Aditya.

I suddenly felt out of space for a strange reason. My eyes which were moving between two men was fixed on one now. His chappy lips and bags under his eyes gave away that he directly landed from other time zone.

"Ree will be the right person to explain you further. You're ready Ree? " Aditya turned to me.

"Sure" I smiled at Aditya warmly then turned and found his eyes staring directly into mine now.

God this was difficult than I thought.

I gathered my thoughts soon.  Very soon.

"Um...  Yeah" luckily I was listening where Aditya stopped and I have to take on.

I explained him how we are the best company for his money.

"But the story of losses aren't confined you know" he spoke with his velvety voice and relaxed back in his seat.

I was expecting this. And that was when I had the right moment to seal the deal.

"Of course. The bad about anything spreads more faster than good about something or someone. We had our times when decisions ended up in losses. I don't disagree that our company is in a deep pit below the ground when it comes to losses. And that doesn't mean we give up"

He was shifting in his place interested. And I'm  glad he was giving it a thought to listen.

"And I know you aren't unaware of the financial crisis of our company. And that makes us the best choice because we are in need of this deal and we will give our best to this job" I looked at him hopeful.

His face softened and I knew he was on the track to get convinced.

"And moreover isn't it the reason you in first place chose us?" I smirked and his lips twisted in a manner of appreciation.

I knew that was the second I got this deal.

I got the deal sealed.

"Impressive" he pursed his lips and I relaxed.

"You have done your homework well" he looked at me and his face slowly broke into a formal smile this time more evident.

"Yeah. I had enough time" I sighed.

"I am sorry I wanted to be sure of how capable is the company I am investing in" he sat straight and I had guessed it right. He wanted to know whether we are capable of the job.

What can we do if we don't work under pressure being a PR firm where anxiety runs in the veins of the company.

Smart

"Can I have the contract?"

Oh sweet sweet words.

I forwarded him a folder which had the legal papers and attested terms and conditions.

"Confident much" he looked at me for a moment in surprise.

I just smiled in response. My cheek already paining due to smiling.

"You will have something?" Aditya offered to Mr. Wadhwa.

"Um...  No I'm good" he smiled to Aditya responding.

But I need food. My stomach was crying and as my anxiety vanished I realized it just now.

But I can't take a leave now. Aditya hardly knew anything about the contract and rules and conditions to clarify.

So I stayed.

Each second my hunger was reducing my concentration.

The intercom of the conference rang in the deafening silence.

Before I could reach for it Aditya grabbed the receiver and started to speak.

"Ree Mr. Juneja is in the office. You need to attend him" he spoke after placing the reciever back.

One more meeting. Damn.

"I needed some clarification on this point" Mr. Wadhwa spoke pointing at something in the paper.

"Um you be here I will attend Mr. Juneja" Aditya grasped the urgency and walked out of the conference room while I explained Mr. Wadhwa.

"I have one more condition" he closed the file and looked up.

My eyebrows twitched in confusion.

"I want a manager exclusively working for our company" he spoke playing with his pen.

"We have never done managing though. As we solely are handling your PR,  I don't think it will be possible" I smiled at him.

He thought for some time.

"I want a single person handling for it. More specifically you Ms" he pursed his lips studying my face.

This was unexpected. But I wasn't clear what he meant.

"I am sorry I didn't get it" I looked at him confused.

"I want you to take care of the PR process of our company completely and if we need anything we will contact you directly. No team, no bypassing or outsourcing" he stated clearly.

"I don't get it why will you be requiring it" I looked sceptical.

"Because we are investing a huge amount in your firm and more than any of your client. So I think we should be given the exclusive privilege." he smiled a bit.

"And if there were any employees in your company capable of it other than you they would have been in this room" he pointed.

He wasn't wrong. We worked in team to make sure the work was done on time precisely.

"I am not sure I can arrange it. Because I am not in a position to concentrate fully on one client right now" I politely denied.

"I guessed it as you worked whole lunch break" he  leaned back looking at my face now.

I tried to hide the shock on my face.

I am locked now. And I don't know how to come out of it.

"So what makes you think I will be able to do it" I looked at him.

"You made a presentation in almost 4 hours, convinced me that it will be my best decision and then you guessed how I planned this and why? I have grown a habit of appreciating quick witted people" he smirked.

"I will add the clause and send you back the contract by tomorrow evening. Think about it and then the deal is sealed" he stood up adjusting his blazer and I realized how short I am compared to him.

"And Reeva" he turned just behind the door.

"Call me Shresht" he smiled before reaching for the knob of the door.

And suddenly I felt the density of air around me has dropped.

I collapsed on the chair thinking how in matter of time I missed the deal.

But I haven't missed it yet though.