Chapter 2- Stuck With You

NEXT DAY

Sehgal Enterprises

Ishika sat at the head of the table, her sharp eyes scanning the room like a commander preparing for battle. Stacks of documents were neatly laid out in front of her, her laptop glowing with graphs and charts. Her voice was steady and authoritative as she outlined the strategy. She was determined to win this pitch-failure wasn't an option.

The meeting was interrupted by Tara, who barged in, holding a takeaway coffee cup that was already dripping chai onto the floor. "Oops, my bad!" Tara announced cheerfully, oblivious to the mess. "But hey, at least it's organic!!"

The team exchanged uncertain glances, unsure whether to laugh or grab tissues to clean up the mess. Tara, completely unfazed, plopped down in her chair and took a long sip from her cup, as though nothing was wrong. Ishika pinched the bridge of her nose, inhaling deeply to keep her composure.

Just as she began to resume the meeting, Abhishek, the senior analyst with an uncanny ability to derail every discussion, leaned forward. He twirled his pen absentmindedly and asked, "So, Mr. Mehta... is he related to that 'Metha' family, the sweet makers? I heard they make really good jalebis."

The room went silent. Ishika's expression was a mixture of disbelief and barely contained fury. She sighed heavily, her palm meeting her forehead. "Abhishek" she said through gritted teeth, her patience wearing thin, "focus. We're here for business, not for a snack break!"

Abhishek shrugged, as though his question had been entirely reasonable. Meanwhile, Tara chuckled and muttered, "I mean, jalebis are good." Ishika shot her a look that could cut steel.

Before things could settle, the projector-the centerpiece of Ishika's presentation-began flickering ominously. The screen went black, and after a few seconds of silence, it lit up again, playing a video of two cats fighting. Ishika froze in horror, her jaw tightening as the team erupted into laughter. Tara, of course, laughed the loudest. "I mean, if Mr. Mehta loves cats" she said between giggles, "we're definitely in"

Ishika stared at the screen, her disbelief turning into sheer frustration. "Just kill me now" she muttered under her breath. "If this was a cat video competition, we'd be first place."

The tech guy scrambled to fix the issue, pressing buttons and muttering apologies, but the video refused to stop. Meanwhile, the team leaned back in their chairs, enjoying the unintentional comedy show. Tara was nearly in tears, and Abhishek had the audacity to suggest, "Maybe we should just leave the video. It's kinda entertaining."

Unable to take it anymore, Ishika stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. She stormed out of the room, muttering, "At this rate, we'll be pitching to Netflix for their next viral sensation."

In the hallway, Ishika leaned against the wall, pressing her palms to her temples. She inhaled deeply, trying to calm the storm of frustration building inside her. Back in the room, the sound of laughter and cat videos continued to echo. She shook her head, dreading the moment she'd have to step back in and tolerate whatever was left of this disaster.

━━༻❁༺━━

MEHTA CORPORATIONS

Ishika was done with the madness of the day. She walked toward the elevator, already feeling the weight of the meeting that was running late. Just as she hit the button, the elevator doors slid open, revealing none other than Yash Singhania, the man who seemed to live to annoy her.

Yash leaned casually against the elevator wall, a smug grin on his face. "Well, well. Ms. Sehgal. Ready to lose round two?" he teased, his tone dripping with mock confidence.

Ishika shot him a cold look, her eyes narrowing in irritation. "Losing? I didn't know it was possible for you to win anything, Yash. But I guess arrogance is your only talent, right?" she snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She entered the elevator and the door closed.

Yash chuckled, completely unbothered. "Nah. Confidence, sweetheart. Something you could never understand."

Ishika rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You're a walking, talking cliche. But don't worry, I'll let you enjoy this illusion of victory while it lasts" she retorted, her voice laced with contempt.

The elevator jerked suddenly, and they both stumbled slightly. Ishika grabbed the railing for balance, elbowing Yash in the ribs as she did.

"Careful, Ms. Sehgal" Yash laughed, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "If this were a boxing match, I'd already be winning. You're just too easy."

"Winning at what, Mr. Singhania?" Ishika shot back, her voice sharper now. "Being the biggest pain in the ass in the room?"

Yash leaned in closer, his smirk widening. "Is it a contest? Because, babe, you're already losing. No contest. You'll never outdo me."

The air between them thickened with tension, and the elevator moved at a sluggish pace. Neither of them broke the silence. Suddenly, with a loud grinding noise, the elevator jerked to a halt. The lights flickered, and the elevator stopped.

Ishika's patience snapped. She began tapping her foot in frustration, her arms crossed tightly. "Perfect. Just my luck" she muttered under her breath. "Stuck in a box with you."

Yash dramatically threw his hands up, looking to the ceiling. "Hey bhagwan, maarna hi tha toh kisi acchi jagah maar dete mujhe. Kaunsi chudail ke saath apne aakhri pal ji raha hoon mai?!"

Ishika rolled her eyes, clearly irritated, and shot back, "Mujhe bhi tumhare saath marne ka koi shauq nahi hai samjhe? Aur tum abhi marr nahi rahe ho! Chinta mat karo! Tum jaisa neeli aankhon wala baagad billa, jiski ego hamesha top pe rehti hai, usse bhagwan ji itni jaldi upar nahi bulayenge!"

She leaned against the opposite wall, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she shot him a venomous glance. "Faltu log jaldi duniya se nahi jaate. Tum jaise logon ko to unki ego ke saath hamesha duniya mein hi rehna padta hai."

Yash gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his chest as if struck. "Iska matlab, tum toh 200 saal jiyogi chudail! Bechari!"

Ishika's eyes narrowed further as she glared at Yash, her patience finally wearing thin. "Baagad billa! Tumhein toh kisi dimaagi hospital bhejna chahiye! Dimag kharab hai tumhara!"

Yash smirked, enjoying the effect his words had on her, and leaned in just a little closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Atleast hai toh! Tumhara toh dimag hai hi nahi! Mujhse pehle hospital jaane ki zarurat tumhe hai!"

Ishika's face flushed with irritation as she shot back, "Bachpan se hi itne akdu ho ya bade ho kar hogye ho?"

Yash raised an eyebrow, not missing a beat. "Bachpan mein tum bed se gir gayi thi ya bed tum par gir gaya tha? Kya hai na, us chot ka asar abhi dikh raha hai!"

The words hung in the air, and for a moment, the tension in the elevator was almost unbearable. Ishika's mouth opened, as if searching for a response, but Yash's teasing smile only made her even more furious.

"Apne ghutne bacha kar rakhna. Woh usme tumhara dimag jo hai!" Ishika shot back, her words laced with sarcasm as she couldn't hold back anymore.

Ignoring her insult with practiced ease, Yash leaned back against the wall, letting out an exaggerated sigh as he looked up at the ceiling, hands raised like he was pleading for divine intervention. "Hey bhagwan ji, please mujhe is elevator se nikal do isse pehle mere pyaare pyaare haathon se khoon ho jaye," he muttered dramatically, almost as if expecting the heavens to answer.

Ishika, now thoroughly furious, snapped back, "Khoon? Mera? Tum kroge? Are haath toh laga kar dikhao! Aisi jagah maarungi na, na kisi ko bta paoge na dikha paoge!" Her voice was sharp, filled with the kind of anger that made even the air feel tense.

Yash, unfazed by her fury, smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Ashleel baatein, huh?" He couldn't help but find the whole situation amusing, even if Ishika was seething.

The banter between them was turning into an intense, chaotic tug-of-war-one neither of them was willing to lose.

The minutes dragged on. Ishika continued to pace, her annoyance obvious in every step. Her mind raced, realizing the meeting was slipping away, and Yash... Yash was enjoying this. He had no shame.

Ishika, trying to keep her composure, pressed the emergency button again, this time harder, her frustration hitting its peak. "I swear to God Yash if you don't stop, I'll literally kick you the moment this door opens!!!"

Yash, almost mockingly, put his hand over his heart in pretend shock. "Oh, is that a threat, Ms. Sehgal? Bring it on, I've survived worse."

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the elevator jolted to life, the lights flickering back on. Ishika muttered under her breath, barely containing her fury.

"Next time, I'll just take the stairs... and I'll be more than happy to leave you behind. You go first, of course. I need a head start to make sure you fall flat on your face."

Yash raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be running after me, eager to keep up. But don't worry, I won't leave you behind."

As the elevator doors opened, they stepped out, neither one willing to acknowledge the seething frustration between them. The hate was palpable, and it was clear-this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

━━༻❁༺━━

By the time Ishika and Yash stormed into Mr. Mehta's office, the tension between them was thick enough to cut with a knife. Mr. Mehta, already seated at his desk, glanced at them with a knowing smirk. "Late as always, I see" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you two plan everything to be this..... dramatic?"

Yash shot a pointed glance at Ishika before replying, "Some of us are still learning how to make an entrance. Others are just trying to make noise to be noticed."

Ishika didn't flinch. Her eyes narrowed, her voice cold as ice. "You have plenty of noise, Yash. But nothing of substance. You'll never get anywhere by riding on your arrogance."

They sat down in the chairs across from Mr. Mehta, their eyes locked in a battle of wills. Mr. Mehta gave them a dismissive look, clearly entertained by the brewing tension. "Let's get this over with" he muttered, signaling for Yash to start.

Yash wasted no time. His pitch was sharp and confident, but there was something about the way he spoke, as if every word was meant to assert dominance. "Mr. Mehta, this is how we can crush the competition. Our strategy will not just make us number one; it will break anyone who dares to challenge us."

Ishika leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, watching him intently. When he finished, she didn't waste any time responding. Her tone was biting, sharp enough to cut through the silence. "You think you're the only one with a plan, Yash? You're too busy flexing your muscles to even realize how weak your foundation is."

Before Yash could respond, the door swung open with a bang. Abhishek, who had been clearly out of his depth from the beginning, fumbled into the room, knocking over a chair and spilling a pile of files.

"Abhishek!" Ishika spat, barely holding her anger in check. "Can you not ruin everything I try to do? Focus, for once!"

Abhishek, clearly mortified, muttered, "Sorry, I-"

"Shut up" Ishika cut him off, her voice venomous. "Just... get out."

Abhishek backed off quickly, glancing at Mr. Mehta for any support, but getting none. Mr. Mehta simply raised an eyebrow, enjoying the chaos, but said nothing.

Ishika resumed her pitch, but before she could get into the details, Yash, seemingly unfazed by everything going on around him, dropped his pen. The sound of it hitting the floor echoed in the otherwise tense silence.

Ishika paused mid-sentence, eyes flashing with fury. "Really, Yash? A pen drop?" she sneered. "Is that your idea of a disruption, or is this just how you get attention when you have nothing intelligent to offer?"

Yash smirked, unfazed, his eyes glinting with challenge. "At least I'm not the one desperate to make a point" he shot back, his voice low and full of contempt. "But go ahead, Ishika. Show me how you'll spin this mess into something worth hearing."

Ishika leaned forward, her hands slamming on the table, her voice seething with disdain. "You think you can control this situation, Yash? You can't even handle a simple presentation without making a fool of yourself.

The cold war between them had just escalated, and it was clear that neither one would back down. Mr. Mehta, watching from his desk, couldn't help but smirk at the escalating battle of egos. It was about to get a whole lot worse.

━━༻❁༺━━

Meanwhile

Dhruv was cruising through the streets, enjoying his playlist when suddenly, out of nowhere, Tara's car swerved into his lane. In an instant, the two cars collided, their bumpers scraping loudly. Dhruv slammed the brakes and cursed under his breath as Tara screeched to a halt.

"What the hell is wrong with you???!" Tara yelled as she got out of her car, storming over to Dhruv's side. Her eyes were practically shooting daggers at him.

Dhruv rolled down his window, his smirk evident. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was that your car? I thought I hit a wall-didn't expect such a slow-moving obstacle!"

Tara crossed her arms, glaring at him. "You're the obstacle, Dhruv! You've got no sense of direction, and now look what you've done to my car!"

"Ha!" Dhruv laughed, looking at her car's damaged bumper. "If you didn't drive like a maniac, maybe your car wouldn't have looked like this."

Tara stepped closer, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "And if you knew how to drive, maybe I wouldn't have to look at your ugly mug right now."

"I'm fine with that, Tara," Dhruv replied, unfazed. "It's you who's gonna have to stare at my pretty face for a while."

With a dramatic roll of her eyes, Tara reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. "Fine. You wanna act like it's no big deal? Let's just take our cars to the mechanic, and I'll let them handle your 'fancy driving skills.'"

Dhruv chuckled. "Oh, I'm totally up for it. But just so you know, I'm not paying for your car repairs."

"You think I'm gonna let you off the hook for that? You're paying for my damage, and I'll make sure it's expensive!" Tara shot back, her eyes narrowing.

With no other option, they both drove their cars to the mechanic's shop. After explaining the situation, both of them reluctantly agreed to pay for the damage to each other's cars. Dhruv ended up grumbling as he handed over cash to fix Tara's rear bumper, while she, with an exaggerated sigh, did the same for his side mirror.

Dhruv leaned back against his car, still smirking. "This is why I never drive on your side of town. Bad luck follows you."

Tara shot him a glare. "And here I was, thinking you were just a little lost puppy, but no-turns out you're an actual disaster."

"Maybe I am, but at least I'm a cute disaster," Dhruv replied, grinning as he wiped his hands on a rag.

"Well, I'm glad we both got something out of this," Tara said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You fixed my car, and I fixed your ego."

Dhruv laughed. "Don't flatter yourself, Tara. My ego is as untouchable as my driving skills."

As they stood there, both begrudgingly acknowledging the unspoken truce, Tara glanced at the time. "Well, look at that. We missed the meeting. Not that I care about that anymore."

Dhruv shrugged. "Me neither. Besides, who needs a meeting when you've got a mechanic and a car full of regrets?"

The two of them exchanged a final look, then headed back to their cars, knowing that this wasn't the last time they'd clash-on the road or in business.

━━༻❁༺━━

The meeting was over, but Ishika was far from done with it. Frustration simmered beneath her cool exterior as she stormed out of the conference room, her thoughts racing. She was angry-angry at how well Yash had handled the entire situation, angry at how composed he'd been, and worst of all, angry that she couldn't find a single crack in his confidence. She muttered to herself as she walked towards the parking lot, vowing not to let him get under her skin.

As she reached her car, she froze. There, leaning casually against it with a smirk plastered on his face, was none other than Yash Singhania. He looked up, his posture oozing arrogance, and a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Well, well, Ishika, looks like you're in a bit of a jam" Yash said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Ishika gritted her teeth, already knowing what was coming. "What do you want, Yash? Another round of your self-congratulating nonsense, or are you just here to make my day worse?"

Yash chuckled, clearly entertained by her irritation. "Actually...." he drawled, "I was wondering if you needed help... with your car."

Ishika shot him a venomous look, her eyes narrowing. "I don't need your help, Singhania. Get lost."

Ignoring her, Yash leaned back against the car, his arms crossed. "Are you sure about that? Because, uh, it looks like your car's not going anywhere anytime soon."

Ishika's jaw tightened. She immediately got into the driver's seat, determined not to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her struggle. She twisted the key, but the engine sputtered and died. She tried again, but the same result-nothing. Her frustration grew as she slammed the wheel in annoyance.

Yash couldn't help himself; he let out a smug laugh. "Tough luck, Ishika. Looks like you're stuck"" He pushed himself off the car, standing upright, a grin spreading across his face as he casually watched her attempt to start the engine again.

Ishika seethed but refused to acknowledge him. She was not going to give him the pleasure of seeing her sweat. "I don't need your pity" she bit out, her voice laced with contempt.

Yash stepped back, his smile widening. "Pity?" he scoffed, his tone dripping with mockery. "No, no. This is just pure entertainment."

As Ishika struggled once more, in a fit of frustration, she accidentally hit the panic button on her key fob, and the car alarm blared to life. The shrill sound echoed across the parking lot, and Ishika's face flushed with embarrassment.

Yash threw his head back and laughed, holding his ears in mock horror. "Well, this is a first!" he exclaimed, grinning ear to ear. "I've seen a lot of things today, but never a car that screams louder than you."

Ishika's patience was wearing thin, and she glared at him, utterly furious. "Shut up, Yash."

But instead of offering any help, Yash took one last long, mocking look at her and gave a casual shrug. "Not my problem" he said coolly, his voice full of arrogance. "Call your driver. Or better yet, walk. Wouldn't hurt to burn a few calories."

Ishika was about to retort when Yash turned on his heel, his swagger undeniable as he headed towards his own car. "Don't worry, though" he called over his shoulder, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'll let you enjoy this moment in peace."

He got into his car, slammed the door shut, and with a confident smirk, he drove off, leaving Ishika standing there fuming in the parking lot, the sound of his engine echoing in her ears.

━━༻❁༺━━

The sun blazed down on the parking lot as Ishika stood by her car, staring at the spot where Yash's car had been parked just moments ago. His smug grin, his mocking laughter-it all echoed in her mind. She tried to shake it off, but it wouldn't leave. How dare he? The thought simmered in her mind, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

He thinks he can just play with me? She glanced at her car, the engine still sputtering, refusing to start. The reminder of her helplessness made her even angrier. But what made it worse was the fact that she couldn't admit it to herself. She couldn't admit that the arrogant, infuriating Singhania had gotten under her skin. That hjs actions bothered her more than she wanted to admit.

She hit the steering wheel in frustration, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet parking lot. "He knew exactly what he was doing. This isn't just about a stupid meeting or a damn car. He's trying to break me." She thought.

Her phone buzzed again, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Tara.

Tara: "Everything okay? The meeting didn't go well, did it? I'm sorry I was late. Got stuck with that kaankhajura!"

Ishika's fingers hovered over the screen as she thought about how to reply. She was furious-not just at Yash, but at herself too. At how every encounter with him felt like a game. A game that I'm starting to lose. She could feel it. Every time she thought she had the upper hand, he twisted things, turned them around with a grin, and left her feeling more frustrated than ever.

She quickly typed a response, keeping it short and sharp.

Ishika: "Nothing happened. Just stuck here. Can't get the damn car to start."

She looked at her watch-her whole afternoon had been wasted. Not just on the car, but on the ridiculous back-and-forth with Yash. It was as if he was everywhere. In her thoughts. In her anger. She could still hear his voice ringing in her ears, the smug satisfaction in his tone as he drove away. I'm not done yet, Singhania. Not by a long shot.

With a deep breath, Ishika tried the ignition again. Still nothing. Her frustration built, and she kicked the tire in anger. It was then that her phone buzzed again-this time a call from her driver. She answered it, trying to keep her calm, but the tension in her voice was unmistakable.

Ishika, her voice laced with annoyance, "Yeah? What is it?"

Driver, concerned: "Ma'am, should I send the mechanic to you? You don't look well-"

Ishika, cutting him off said, "Just do it already."

She hung up before he could respond, standing there for a few seconds longer, seething with frustration. Her pride wouldn't allow her to call Yash for help, even if he could probably fix her car in five minutes.

The sound of a car pulling into the parking lot broke her train of thought. Ishika turned, half-expecting it to be Yash, and for a moment, she felt a surge of anger rise within her. But it wasn't him. It was the mechanic, arriving to fix her car.

The mechanic got out, walking toward her with a friendly smile, oblivious to the storm of emotions she was battling inside. As he began inspecting the car, Ishika's mind wandered back to the meeting, to everything that had happened with Yash. She replayed the sarcastic barbs, the smirks, the way he had made her feel small. Every word from him, every little look, made her want to lash out.

But I won't let him break me, she thought, watching the mechanic work. I won't let that arrogant jerk think he's won. This is far from over.

━━༻❁༺━━

The day stretched on, but the bitterness between Ishika and Yash had only intensified. As the sun began to set, casting an orange glow over the city, Ishika finally got her car running again, and she left the parking lot with a scowl on her face. The city felt suffocating, her thoughts spiraling.

Back at his office, Yash, on the other hand, was in a much lighter mood. He had enjoyed watching Ishika squirm. But deep down, even though he never admitted it, something about their constant clash intrigued him. Her fire, her unyielding determination to win-it wasn't just about business anymore. It was personal. And that made it more interesting. He was determined to break her, and he would.

That evening, as both of them sat in their respective offices, the tension remained thick in the air. Their minds were consumed with the events of the day, but neither of them was willing to admit how much it had affected them. The fight was only getting started, and neither would back down.

The hatred was building. And with it, something far more dangerous.

But this wasn't a battle of fire against ice, or fire against water, where one quenches the other. This was fire against fire, where neither knew who would burn the most.