Siddharth

I was in my office checking some files. I heard a knock on my door and gave permission to come in. Priya walked inside with few files and kept them on my table. "Sir the project report you asked is here. Please check it and see if it is okay to submit." She said. I nodded. "Thank you." She said turned around to leave. "Priya." I called her back. I got up from my seat and walked towards her. "Why are you behaving like this?" I asked calmly folding my hands across my chest. She frowned and looked at me. "Now don't give me that look. You know exactly what am I talking. Why are you always acting like a dumb?" I asked. She sighed and looked down. "Sir, I don't kno..." Before she could complete the sentence I pulled her in for hug.

I could feel her body getting tense against mine. She immediately tried to pull away but hugged her tight. "Stay... Please..." I said. Slowly her struggles stopped. Her breath was heavy like she was controlling her emotions. "What I told you about my feelings are true, still why are you denying it Aami?" I asked. I was desperate. The confusion was killing me. Deep down I was sure that she is Aami but I just want her to accept that she is Aami. I want to make sure myself that my feelings for her are real, that I'm not confusing her with someone else. I'm not using her to get rid of my unrequited love. It will be so cruel, I can't be so low.

She stilled in my arms for a second and then she pulled away from me. She looked straight at my eyes. "Who is Aami?" She asked. I looked at her with a frown. She really looked like she has no idea who Aami is. "You really don't know who she is?" I asked. She nodded her head in a no. "Please don't make it difficult for me. Just tell me the truth. You don't know what you are putting me through. Please Aami, I. I beg you. Why are you hiding it? If you have any problem just tell me. I will help you. If you don't feel like how I feel about you then that's ok. I won't cause any problem for you. I will leave you alone. I promise. But stop this drama." I plead. "Sorry sir. I don't know what you are saying. I think you are mistaking me with someone else. I don't know who she is but I think she is someone important to you. But I'm not her. So will you please stop acting this way with me? I'm just one of your employees and I would like to stay like that. Let us forget what happened between us. Let us pretend that nothing happened. We are just a boss and employee. Please don't make it more awkward for both of us." She said without any emotion.

Disappointment washed over me. My heart was clenching. I looked away. I rubbed my face and kept my hands on my hips. "So you are saying that you are not Aami, that I'm confusing you with someone else right." I asked. "Yes sir." She said firmly. I sighed heavily. "Fine. Then I'm sorry for all my past behaviour. That won't happen again. You want us to be just a boss and employee right. Then let it be like that. Forget everything that happened between us and let us start afresh." I said seriously. I should stop bothering her. Maybe I'm the one who is confusing her with Aami. Like she said Aami maybe someone else and she left me on that mud road all alone without turning back. Maybe I should also move on.

She looked at me. Something flashed on her eyes but she quickly hide it. "Thank you sir, I will take my leave then." She said. I nodded in understanding. She slowly walked towards the door. She put her hand on the knob and gave a side glance to me and then quickly opened the door and went outside closing it behind her. Am I just confusing her as Aami or is my feeling towards her genuine? I sighed. I really need a break to clear my thoughts. I slowly walked back to my chair and sat, leaning back to the back cushion I closed my eyes in desperation to take out all my thoughts about Aami from my mind, only if it was that easy.

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"Sir, Mr. Aryan, I mean your brother's PA informed that he is ready to go. The auction starts in an hour." Priya said. I looked up to her. "I will be out in 5 minutes. Get the car ready." I said. "Yes sir." She said and went out. It's been a week since our conversation. From that day onwards we were maintaining some distance between us. It was strictly official. But to be honest I was missing our little playfulness. I miss teasing her during our lunch break, her angry face and blushing cheeks, her tit for tat answers and all our bickering. God, I miss everything about us. I sighed and got up from my seat. I buttoned my suit and picked up my phone and then walked out of the office room.

Ved was already standing at the entrance waiting for me. I smiled at him. "Hey brother, all set?" I asked. He chuckled. "I'm always." He replied. "Okay then. Let's go and get the land for our dream project." I said while giving him a side hug. We hopped into the car and drove to the auction house.

We reached the auction house and walked inside. We sat on our designated seats. I looked around a saw many familiar faces. That's when I saw Ritwik walking towards us. What is he doing here? I haven't had any idea that he is also going to participate in the auction. Day before yesterday also I checked but there was no news of Singhania's participating in the auction. I think this was a last minute entry. And it looks suspicious. I looked at Ved in confusion and saw his jaw clenching. I put a hand on his shoulder. He gave me a side glance and took a deep breath. "Hello brothers." Ritwik waved at us. Ved looked away in irritation. "Oops somebody is not in good mood I guess." He said. His lips curved down and eyebrows up. There was a mocking smile on his lips. I saw Ved's knuckles turning white. "Ritwik now is not the time. Leave." I said glaring at him.

He smirked and walked close to our table. He put his hand on Ved's shoulder and bends down to his eye level. "Be careful who you trust. Even salt looks like sugar." He said and smirked. Then he walked back to his table and sat down. What does he mean by that? We both looked at him in doubt. He just sat there winked at us. We both looked at each other. "Just leave it. He is just messing with us." I told to Ved and he nodded. Soon the auction began.

The bank authorities started to open up the tender forms one by one and no one matches our finally amount. "The highest amount till now is of Rs.30 crores from Acuta Real Estate." The bank official stated. We both looked at each other and smirked. We have done enough homework and we were in full of confidence that we are going to win the auction. "There are two more tenders left and if any of them is higher than Rs. 30 crores then they will be declared as the winners of the auction." The official said again and proceeded to open the tenders. "The next tender is from Aryan's Group of Real Estate. And the amount they produced is of Rs. 50 crores." The Bank official stated and hall fell silent. Then murmurs started, now they knew that no one is going to get past this. No one would have thought to purchase the land with more than Rs. 40 crores. I knew that we are bidding with a lot more than the market price but the project we are going to start there is going to give us more profit. Investors will be willing to pay more when they come to know that we are planning to build a township in the heart of Mumbai city. We sat there proudly till we hear the last bidding amount and then everything went ice cold.

"The last and final tender for the land auction is from Singhania's Construction and amount they produced is Rs. 51 crores." The bank official stated and a shiver of confusion ran down my spine. I looked at Ved in shock. He was having the same expression as me. This is unbelievable. We have worked so hard for this auction and with just a small margin it is slipping out of our hands. This couldn't be coincidence. Someone has back stabbed us. I looked up when I heard a chair screeching sound and saw Ved storming out of the hall. I quickly ran behind him. He stopped just in front of the hall and paced around while keeping his hands on his hips. I could see that he is fuming. "Ved." I called him. He looked at me with anger. "This is not right. This can't be a coincidence Sid. The Singhania's showing up suddenly for the auction and winning it with a small margin. This is ridiculous. Someone has double crossed us." He yelled at me. I put a hand on his shoulder. "I know Ved. Calm down. We will find them and they will pay the price." I was equally frustrated but I had to calm him down. I don't know what Ved will do when he is furious. He has this anger issues and after dad's death it has increased. I hope Ritwik won't show up now. "Let's go." I told Ved and walked towards our car.

"Leaving already?" We stopped when we heard the voice behind us. I could feel Ved's body getting tensed and his fingers getting fisted. We both turned around. I saw Ritwik walking towards us with his mocking smirk. "How does it feel to lose Mr. Aryan?" He looked directly to Ved. Ved glared at him with fire in his eyes. "You let our friendship go for a mere woman, who is not even worthy of your trust. Now look where it brought you." He smirked while taunting Ved. Ved grabbed him by his collar. "I think I have warned you enough to not talk about my wife this way. Shut your filthy mouth and leave. Once I lose my patience your face won't be looking good to show others. Get the hell out of my face you deceiving bustard." He whisper yelled at Ritwik. Ritwik was also having the same animalistic expression on his face. I tried to get in between them before things getting out of control. "Ved. Leave him. He is not worth it." I said pulling him away from Ritwik.

Ritwik scoffed. "You think everyone close to you is trust worthy? How do you think I won the auction with this much small margin? Han!! You insulted me in front of everyone on that day for her. And now it's my time to strike back and I guess it hit the correct spot, spoiling your dream project. You deceived our years of friendship first Vedant, that too for a woman whom you are known for only some months. And you think she is worth it? Do want to know who sell you out?" He asked and took out his phone and typed something. Then he put it in front of us to see.

I gasped in shock. This can't be true. I looked at Ved. He grabbed the phone from Ritwik and looked closer. He rubbed the screen with his thump as if he could erase it. I saw him gulping hard. "No. This can't be true." He said. His voice sounded like a whisper. "It is Mr. Aryan. I received it yesterday night. And if you doubt it you can confirm it with your employee's right." Ritwik said and grabbed back his phone. "Well I wish you all the best for you future with your loving WIFE." Ritwik said and walked away leaving a furious Ved behind.

Ved suddenly took out his phone and dialled some number. "Hello, Ajay. Yeah. I want you to check something for me. Yeah, it's regarding the official mail of an employee. Hmm. Just check and tell me is there any mails has been sent from Mrs. Niharika's official mail id to Mr. Singhania's mail yesterday night. Yeah, okay call me back as soon as possible." He said and ended the call. Then he dialled another number. "Who was the security on 40th floor yesterday evening? Okay, get him online now. I want to talk to him." He yelled but kept the phone in ears for a few moments. I looked at him worried. I hope this is not true. "Yeah. Hello. So you were the one in duty on 40th floor yesterday? Okay, so tell me who was the last one leaving the office yesterday?" He asked. There was a little hope in his eyes. "Are you sure?" He asked again his jaw clenching. "Okay." He cut the call. Then it rang again. "Yes Ajay, did you find it? There was a mail? You sure about this? Okay." He cut the call and banged the car hood forcefully. He was fuming in anger. I moved towards him and put a hand on his shoulder. "It was her. The mail was sent from her pc and she was the last one leaving the office. How could she do this to me? Why did she do it?" He yelled. "Ved. There must be some misunderstanding. It doesn't seem right. Niharika can never do this. I think we should look deeper." I said. I don't know why but I couldn't believe that Niharika will do something like this. It's true that their relationship is somewhat weird but she is not the type who will betray someone like this. At least I don't think so. There is something else behind all these.

Ved shook his head and rubbed his forehead. "I need some space. I am going." He said and got into the back seat of the car and asked Raghu to take off. I looked at the car driving away and took out the phone to call my driver to come and pick me. I know Ved can't think straight now. He has this trust and anger issues since dad's death, I think should dig a little more than this. There is something fishy. I sighed and sat on the concrete rail near the foot path, waiting for my car.

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Hey, I'm updating a little earlier this time. I know this is a small chapter but I hope you people will like it. Please let me know your opinion about the story through comments and if you like the story vote and share with your friends. Have a happy reading. Thank you. Love you all. ❤️❤️❤️❤️