She did what?My jaw locked. ‘Feel free to fire her,’ I told Suraina, my voice clipped. ‘And remind me. Which employee did Mom say this to?’
‘Um … Kavisha? Lavisha. Something like that.’
‘Thanks,’ I said crisply. ‘Ananya—’ Her head was bent over a sketchbook as she drew something. Navya leaned closer, saying something in a hushed voice.
Then, she shot upright, practically dancing with excitement, waving the paper in her hand. ‘This is it! This is what I want,’ she said, shoving it towards Suraina. ‘Chachi,pleasemake this for me?’
Suraina took the paper, her focus divided between the design and Ananya. ‘This is bold.’ Surprise replaced her exasperation. ‘Good work.’
Ananya blinked, as if the words didn’t compute. Her fingers tightened around the pencil, knuckles white. Bewilderment etched across her face.
‘Such an important event deserves an outfit that is given special care and attention. I think Ananya will do a great job,’ I said.
‘She can draft and construct it herself?’ Suraina asked.
Ananya remained frozen.
‘Yes,’ I said steadily, pride filling me. ‘And she’s brilliant at it.’
Suraina held my gaze before nodding. ‘Perfect.’ She turned to Navya. ‘You two can exchange numbers and talk about it all you want. I need to get back to work.’
Once they did that, Suraina all but kicked us out.
Even as we made our way up in the lift, Ananya was in a daze.
The doors opened on the third floor.
‘Can you tell Lavisha from HR to see me?’ I asked.
‘Yes.’ She stepped out.
‘And type up a dismissal letter once you’re back at your desk.’
Her eyes widened, but the doors closed before she could get a word in.
Dad wasn’t around enough to teach Ayaan and me much. But one thing he instilled in us was the importance of working hard to achieve our goals. Even though we had been prepared all our lives to run the company one day, Ayaan and I had to work our way up the corporate ladder. I believed it was a value Mom shared, too.
Unbuttoning my suit, I took my seat.
I glanced at the frame on the desk. It was a gift from Dad when I became COO. Ayaan and I stood in the middle, Dad and Dadaji beside me and Rekha Mom next to Ayaan. I’d graduated top of my class from Oxford that day – I was still in my cap and gown, but I remembered Mom being prouder of Ayaan for being accepted into Jai Hind Junior College.
That’s how she was when she favoured someone. Even Krisha. But I thought that when it came to HoA, she followed the rules. Which was why I assumed she had recommended Krisha for the job, not handed it to her.
Frustration and disappointment flared in tandem, quick and biting.
Once she learnt I was behind Krisha getting fired, I’d become the focus of her ire for the next fewweeks. But I didn’t care. It was against everything Dadaji believed in. House of Advani was about providing opportunities to people and recognising their work. I wasn’t going to let her change that.
Exactly six minutes later, there was a knock on my office door.
‘Come in,’ I said, leaning back in my chair.
A woman I assumed was Lavisha entered the office hesitantly, her heels click-clacking loudly. ‘Um … your assistant told me you wanted to see me?’
My fingers drummed on the desk. ‘Yes. Please take a seat.’
She sat down, looking nervous.
I had no intention of dragging this out, so I got straight to the point. ‘Who asked you to hire Krisha?’
