Author's pov

It's been weeks since that incident happened. Hannah was mad at Henry like hell, but he convinced her.

Now they are again on good terms, but he is still not allowed to enter their apartment.

All he wanted was to apologize to her, but Samriddhi was not ready. She ignores him every time he tries to approach her.

He is feeling guilty for what he did. He shouldn't act like that.

Today, when she reached the office, her manager informed her that she needed to go to Brown's office for an account update.

She wanted to deny it but couldn't do that. With an annoying face, she left, but all she was praying was that she couldn't see Henry's face.

When she entered the building, the receptionist greeted her with a smile, which is odd compared to the last time.

She returns the smile and heads towards the elevator, and at the same time, Smith is coming out of the elevator.

"Good morning, Ms. Samriddhi." He wished her well.

"Good morning, Mr. Smith, "she replied.

"Why are you taking that elevator......"

She cut him. "I'm not his guest. I'm here for my work and should be treated like the other staff members."

She didn't wait for his reply and left. When she reached the floor, Beck greeted her when she stepped out of the elevator.

"Morning, Ms. Samriddhi."

"Good morning, Ms. Beck."

"Please, it's Beck for you."

"Then it's Samriddhi for you," she replied with a smile. "I need signatures."

"Please, Boss is in his office; you can go and don't bother to knock." Before Samriddhi could say anything, Beck left.

She didn't want to go, but she had no choice.

The door was half opened. She knocked on the door, but he didn't answer. She knocked again. Still no answer.

Hesitantly, she got inside, but what she saw shocked her.

She saw two people in each other's embrace. She closed her eyes and turned back, but a little squeak left her mouth.

They both noticed her presence. Henry released himself from that girl's arms, and that girl is making an annoying face. She didn't like Samriddhi's intrusion.

"I'm sorry," she said without even looking back and running out of his office.

Henry is chasing her and calling her name to stop. But she is not listening. She feels so embarrassed and wants to run away from there. She thought whatever he did was none of her business.

She reached the reception area of his floor when he finally reached her.

He ordered everyone on that floor.
"Everybody out."

She turned to see him but turned again to leave. Henry hurriedly stood in front of her, not letting her go.

"Please listen to me," he said while trying to stop her. His hands almost touched her, but she was quick enough to take a step back.

"OK. I won't, but at least listen to me out.."He said this while surrendering both of his hands in the air.

"It's not what it looks like." He tried to convince her.

"Listen. Please. It's not what it looks like. Just listen to me. I mean, nothing happened between us...... ", he was blabbering, so she cut him off.

"It's none of my business. You can do whatever you want to. You are a grown man.
In fact, I'm the one at fault here. I shouldn't have come inside without permission.
So I'm sorry." She said that because all his blabbering was embarrassing her more. All she wants is to go.

"Why are you apologizing? You have done nothing. In fact, I should apologize to you for so many things." He said.

"I should leave." She ran this time, and thanks to God, the elevator door closed before he could come.

"Wait!!!! Ms. Sam......" he left behind, and she is no longer there.

He called Beck immediately. "Fire Veronica.".

Henry's pov

The whole office is gossiping about today's incident, but they didn't have the guts to spill it in front of me.

That girl's name is Veronica. She is a model for my hotel franchise projects, and she crossed the line. Now she'll pay for that.

She tried to get into my pants. Damn her, and moreover, Samriddhi saw me with her in that condition. What she's going to think about me.

I never mix pleasure with business; it's my rule, and I'll never fall for someone kind like Veronica. They are nothing but plastic and makeup.

They are nothing in front of Samriddhi. Today, she is looking different. She wears a different dress today, which I guess is Indian.

That sapphire blue dress really suits her and enhances her beauty even more. I didn't even get the chance to admire her beauty today. Just because of that trash, Veronica. God, I hate her.

Because of her, what is Samriddhi going to think about me? I need to clarify things; that's why I'm here in her bank.

There she is, sitting on her desk with a pile of files. I was about to go to her when the noisy manager jumped in my way.

"Mr. Brown, good to see you here, but why are you here? No. I didn't mean you couldn't come here; I was just curious because today I sent Ms. Clumsy for your signature, and she came without them....," he said while turning to Samriddhi.

She saw us, and now she is tense. I can sense that.

I didn't like his tone, so I cut him off. "It's my fault, not hers."

Before I could say further, she interrupted, "Mr. Brown You don't have to come here. I know you were busy, and I could come tomorrow."

"It's ok, Ms. Samriddhi. It's my business matter too, so I have to be responsible for this too." I replied, and finally that noisy manager left us.

"Why are you here?" She asked with a fake smile and hushed voice.

"We need to talk." I tried to make her understand my point.

"It's my workplace, and I don't want any drama here."

I kept quiet for a second before replying, "It's not what you think."

"Please don't. Please just leave." She pleaded with her eyes and quietly kept the documents in front of me so I could sign them.

I picked up the folders and started signing them. Then my phone rang; it was James. He asked me to meet him; he is back in town.

I didn't say anything while sitting in front of her, but when all work had been done, I said to her before leaving, "I'm leaving for now, but I'm not going to stop until we clear this misunderstanding."

I headed to James's penthouse, and Richard is calling me like a maniac, but I'm not going to pick up his call. I know why he is calling.

As I entered his penthouse, his housekeeper informed me that he was waiting for me in his study.

"Welcome back, brother." I said, and we exchanged a brotherly hug. "So when did you come back, and Anna, where is she?"

"That can wait, but I'm interested in something else." He said this while handing me a drink.

I only replied with a raised eyebrow.

Then he continued, "Well, I get to know that you are taking a keen interest in banks these days."

With a smirk on his face, he threw a binder on the coffee table.

Without even looking at the binder, I made an annoying face. "Seriously!"

"Well, I just want to know if she is a good match for you or just another gold digger."

"It's none of your business, brother." I said, adjusting in my chair.

"It is. When my baby brothers involve someone in their lives, trust me, it is." he said while sitting in front of me.

"You should be worried about Richard, not me." I replied while sipping my drink.

"Huh! Of course, why not?" He said it with a wink.

"Damn him. What did that bastard say to you?" I said this while resting my head on one side.

"Nothing much." He shrugged off.

"And that nothing much forced you to collect information about her. Let me clear something up; nothing is going on."

"Hey, there, handsomes," Anna entered the study and broke our conversation.

"So finally, you find her. Huh," she said while hugging me.

"You know that too."

"Well, it's hard for Richard to keep such a big secret," she answered.

"How was your trip?" I changed the topic.

"Not bad, actually." she replied.

Then she turned and picked up the binder. "Did you see that?" She asked me.

"No," I answered.

"Awww, she is gorgeous," she said when she opened the binder.

"I'm sure he had one for yours too." I said while rolling my eyes.

"Of course he did, and I saw that too." She replied with a giggle.

"Really Man?????" I asked James.

"I can't help it." He chuckled and threw both hands in the air.

"Go on, have a look," James said while gesturing to the binder.

"I don't need any fucking investigator's opinion about her." I replied bluntly.

"Oh, my God. Things have gone too far." Anna teased me.

"Nothing happened, Anna, and I don't think something will ever happen. First of all, I'm not interested in her. You all are exaggerating."

"What do you mean?" Anna asked in confusion.

"She is an interesting person; I know that, and all I want to do is talk to her and get to know about her, but she does not. She is not ready to talk, seriously. Girls are dying to get my attention, but she didn't even care a bit.
I don't know. I'm just..." An outrageous scream interrupted us.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM????"

And it's none other than Richard. He was fuming in anger and hit my chair leg with his foot.

"Stop it, you moron."

"What the fuck happened?" James asked.

"Ask him," Richard said.
Richard is getting so impatient that he didn't even wait for my response.

"He fired Veronica."

"Who the hell is she now?" James asked, annoyed by our behavior.

"His whore." I replied nonchalantly, but the exact moment a slap landed on my arm, Anna warned me.
"Language Mr."

"I know, but please, someone make him understand. I can't work with him like that." I said irritatingly.

"What the fuck is going on, Henry?"James asked pissed.

"Seriously, James, me?" I asked shocked.

"Of course you. I can't expect anything sensible from him." He answered with his finger pointing towards Richard.

"Oh, come on, James. Your dear Henry can be wrong." Richard tried to defend himself.

"What did he do?" James asked.

"He fired Veronica, the model for our hotel franchise. Ask him if he had some logical explanation." Richard answered.

Everyone is looking toward me. Without waiting, he continued again.

"Do you have any idea how much loss we're going to face?"

"I can bear that," I replied.

"Why???????? Just take back your words and give her contract back to her."

"Why? I'm not obligated to do that." I'm not going to give up.

"Shut the fuck up, Henry. Give her contract back." Richard was adamant.

"Guys, cool down. You can hire someone else, okay? Not a big deal to fight over." Anna said. she was trying to cool down the situation.

"No," Richard replied like a stubborn child.

"Yeah, because she got the contract by sleeping with him." I'm fed up with his stubbornness now.

"Excuse me." Richard didn't expect that.

"And she had the same intentions with me too. She tried to get into my pants, so yeah, I fired her, and I'm not going to take back my decision." I gave my final decision.

"Seriously Richard. What the fuck is your problem, and when will you grow up? Stop all this nonsense and take your business seriously. Stop being a Casanova." James screamed at him after listening to my side.

"But.........."

"SHUT UP!" James roared.

"That's the only reason I never wanted to work with you—I never wanted to get involved with your fuck buddies." I said, "In my office, into my cabin, she tried to force herself on me more than that, Samriddhi saw us; what the hell is she going to think about me, all just because of you?" I didn't realize that I had spoken much more than I should. Everyone is looking toward me.

"Oh, so that's the reason." James asked with a mischievous grin.

"Samriddhi!" Richard chuckled.

"No, it's not what you think, guys." I tried to defend myself.

"Really, then explain to us." Anna teased.

"Whatever. " I didn't drag this further and stormed out of James's penthouse. I have other important matters to solve.

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