Page 24 of No Boss
She sat on the cool marble floor, folded her hands, eyes lifted to the goddess. “Three. Maa, I need you to understand… I am not scared.”
Silence settled around her.
“Fine. I am a little scared.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“But I am more angry than scared.”
Her eyes dropped to the flame. It flickered once, then stilled. She watched it for a while, then looked back at the goddess.
She remained there until the last lamp dimmed. When she rose, she straightened her dupatta, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and walked out.
???
Abhinav was in the middle of a meeting when his phone rang.
He glanced at the Jaipur number once, then raised a hand. The room fell silent without him needing to look up.
“Yes.”
“Sir. We’re withdrawing from the transaction.”
Every muscle in his body locked. “Explain.”
“There appears to be unresolved boundary discrepancies in the historical property records. Old descriptions that were never matched with modern survey maps. We requested full documentation from the estate office. We received additional material indicating possible legal exposure. Dormant, perhaps. Even minor. But enough to create uncertainty we cannot advise our client to accept.”
He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. “Who supplied those records?”
He already knew. He asked anyway.
“The estate office, sir. Forwarded by a Ms. Meera Chauhan.”
Of course.
He ended the call.
Six executives watched him from across the table. They had learned to read his silences. This one tightened the air.
Abhinav stood, straightening to his full height, shoulders set.
“We’ll continue this tomorrow.” His voice dropped, edged.
No one argued. The room cleared at once.
He stayed where he was, gaze fixed beyond the glass walls. He saw her without seeing her. Not her face. Her mind. Each move sharper than the last.
One buyer unsettled by stories. Another turned away by people. Now, this… legal risk.
She wasn’t reacting. She was planning, escalating. And worse, she was winning.
That evening, he found his mother in the drawing room. A book lay open in her hands. She looked up and set it aside.
“The third buyer withdrew.” His jaw set. He dropped his phone onto the side table. “Because of Mr. Chauhan’s daughter. Again.”
Sarita’s expression stayed composed. “Meera.”
“Meera.” He moved to the window, hands in his pockets. “I’m removing the Chauhan family from their position.”
