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“Sorry,” Jiya told her brother-in-law. “I don’t want you two fighting because of me.”
He cupped her cheek. “You are as important to me as Rhea and Shauna. I will stand by you, no matter what. You do what your heart tells you to, always. Raashi can’t stay mad at me for long. I know how to make her come around. You, however, will have an uphill task of convincing her if you do accept this job.”
Jiya nodded. Her brother-in-law was really the best. He’d become like an elder brother to her and had taken her under his wing from the day Raashi had married him. Till date, he’d never differentiated between Jiya and his own sisters. He treated them the same, and she adored him for it.
Sameer flicked her nose. “Now relax and smile. I have to go talk to my wife.”
Jiya decided to leave the second Sameer climbed the stairs. She said her goodbyes to everyone, and Janak walked her to her car.
The second they stepped outside, he clasped her elbow, turning her to face him. “Is Rohan themaybeguy you told me about earlier?”
Her mind immediately painted a picture of Rohan seated in front of her—his dark, dark grey eyes, his full lips, and chiseled cheekbones, and her heart stuttered.
“Yeah…I like him,” she replied. “There’s just something about him that is so…appealing.”
Janak sighed. “Your sister is not going to like that.”
“She already doesn’t like anything I do,” Jiya protested. Her eyes burned, thinking of the confrontation she’d had with Raashi. This constant war between them…hurt.
Janak, as always, knew when she was distressed. He pulled her to his chest, holding her close. “Hey, Raashi loves you, and I know you love her too.”
“I know that. She just doesn’t understand me anymore.” Jiya swallowed the tightness in her throat and let herself be held by him for a few more seconds before she moved away.
“You are and will always be Raashi’s first child. She’s looked after you since you were seven years old, and she a mere thirteen. She means well, you know that.” He patted her head. “Sameer’s right. You should take the offer if that’s what you want and not because you’re mad at your sister.”
“I know, Janak. I know.”
She got into her Honda Civic and drove away.
Her mind was still in disarray when she prepared for bed later that night. Why couldn’t her sister accept that she was an adult capable of making her own decisions? Why did she have to think that it was Jiya’s fault whenever something went south? Raashi hadn’t even cared to learn why Jiya had quit her job.
She switched off the night lamp and lay down to sleep. It made her so mad that Raashi wanted Jiya to be a mini version of herself. But Jiya could never be that. She was her own person, and Raashi had to accept it.
A text message lit her screen. Her heart sped as she read who the sender was.
Rohan.
“Have you thought about my proposal? Are you in or not?”
She tapped the corner of her phone, her mind working. Fuck it. She was anyway out of a job, and he was offering her a very lucrative one. Why not see where it went?
“I’m in.”She texted back.
“Great. My HR will get in touch with you.”
She stared at the ceiling. Rohan was right. Perhaps, it was time to step out of her sister’s shadow once and for all. Maybe, if she lived in a different city, she’d be able to have a healthier relationship with Raashi. Tonight, the universe had, perhaps, given her a sign of where her path lay. She just had to be bold enough and take it.
5
“I’m in.”
Rohan reread Jiya’s text for the nth time since she’d sent it over a week ago. He’d connected his HR team with her, and he knew that by now, she’d have gone through all the rounds of interviews needed in order to be selected to be a part of his finance team.
Her final interview had been held a few days ago, and he couldn’t wait to hear what his CFO had to say about her. He had waited the whole weekend, refusing to ask anyone about the results of her interview process. He didn’t want to come across as eager and for people to comment on the fact that he was taking a personal interest in her recruitment. But now, in a few minutes, he’d have the answer he was seeking.
As if on cue, there was a knock on his door, and his Chief Financial Officer, Paras Modi, entered Rohan’s office. Paras was in his early fifties. He was stocky, broad-shouldered, with a thick flop of salt and pepper hair, and of medium height. The man always had a smile on his face, but was a shark in finance. His investment plans till now were bang on point, and Rohan’s companies had flourished under his leadership. The man was a good mentor to his team members, and Jiya, if selected, would learn a lot from him.
“Hi, boss,” Paras said, taking the chair in front of Rohan.
