Page 2 of The Defiant Wife

I hate both of them. Truly. Deeply. With commitment. The room falls silent for a moment. Outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the late afternoon sun paints golden streaks across the city. Cars move below like tiny dots. The business headquarters stretches several floors beneath us.

A business empire built over generations. A business empire I practically run. A business empire that apparently does not care about profit margins, expansion projects, or quarterly growth.

No.

Instead they care about whether I smile enough.

I slump further into my chair."Why do people care if I'm friendly?" I ask. "I get the work done."

Because I do.

Every target met. Every project completed. Every crisis is handled. The numbers speak for themselves. Isn't that enough?

Apparently not. "The public likes approachable faces," Vihaan says.

"The public should get hobbies."

"The public buys our products."

I scowl."The public is exhausting."

Vihaan laughs again. God. He's enjoying this. He's genuinely enjoying every second of my suffering.

"Just do it," he says. "Besides, I already spoke to the NGO owner."

I immediately don't like where this conversation is going."What NGO owner?"

"The one you'll be working with."

The headache beginning behind my eyes intensifies."Wonderful."

"She's sweet." I close my eyes. When I open them again, Vihaan is grinning.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

"No reason."

"You're smiling like you have a reason."

"Nope."

I point at him. "That's exactly the smile you get before making my life difficult."

Bhai sa laughs into his coffee.

Vihaan looks offended."I would never."

"Liar."

"Rude."

"Liar."

"Grumpy."

"Annoying."

"Scary."