Desai handed me the important documents to be signed but my mind was somewhere else. Did she really do that?

'I won't let any other woman be important to you than me!'

Her words were ringing in my ears. She tried to hurt Mom couple times, now is she after Naila, because she's my wife? I bet she'd had already done all her investigation on Naila. If I don't try to stop her, she might try to hurt her again. I need to do something soon.

Farhan is still distancing himself from us since yesterday. I should've just my mouth shut. Why do I have to be such a curious cat all the time?! But then, why did he even lie to me?

We arrived at the office but Farhan didn't join us. He told Avanti that he was taking a minor detour before getting here.

We made our way to the marketing department but my ears caught someone gossiping on the way near the water cooler.....

"Hey, did you hear about that Naila? That boss' wife. I've heard that she's a total slut. She gave sexual favours to men for money before finally catching the big fish." She giggled.

"No wonder why they choose her to be his wife. So that she could satisfy him and not go around raping other innocent women."

"Do you think she must be still doing it? She's quite chummy with the boss' secretary. Maybe she and him..."

Tears blinded my vision and my voice caught up in my throat. It was all happening again. No matter how much I try to run away from all that.....it always keeps on haunting me. I tried my best to ignore it and walk away, but someone grabbed my hand. It was Farhan.

He looked at me but then turned towards the gossiping employees.

"Sneha ji~" he sang accompanied by that charming smile of his.

She looked at him obviously swooning at his handsome face.

"You're soo bad talking about her like that. So what if she slept with someone, is she any different from you ladies?" He said charmingly.

"What do you mean?" She asked rather angrily. I tugged at his arm to stop him but he ignored me.

"Tell me, how many men have you had 1 night stands with? And if I ask you for him...." He went close to her ear. "Would you say no?"

He smirked at her and she clearly blushed.

Then his expression changed.

"Don't believe anything you just hear and try to think rationally for once. The woman your calling a slut is far much better than you. If you don't know anything for sure, don't make stupid assumption just because you're jealous of her. Yeah, she's much prettier than you, any man would choose her over you anytime, but that doesn't give you the right to question her character. Just because of people like you, woman like her suffer even if they weren't at fault. People like you make this society dirty and dangerous for women like her. Your words murder them every time. So instead of believe in rumors, use your little head to think before you speak." He said and walked away angrily inside.

Everyone looked at him shocked, including many other employees. Avanti smiled taking my hand and took me in.

###

I found Farhan getting xerox and I meekly walked to him.

"Hey!" I tried to surprise him like he does always with me.

He was surprised.... I think. There was an akward silence for a minute or so.

"I'm sorry!" We both said in unison.

"I shouldn't have said something like that. It's my fault." He said.

"No, actually it's my fault. I shouldn't have asked you such a question out of the blue in the first place. I should've understood that you might've your own reasons." I said guilty.

"Do you want to know the truth?"

"It's your choice. If you want to say it then I'm right here but if you don't then, you don't have to force yourself. I'll understand." I smiled assuring him

He sighed.

"My Di was just as innocent and sweet as you are. She didn't have much friends and she loved her family more than anything. She was the good child among both of us. She was smart and even her college topper so it was no surprise she got a good job in her campus selection and immediately started working after her graduation.

I was just in 11 grade that time. She doted on me and secretly gave me money so that I could enjoy with my friends without Daddy knowing.

In her workplace she met a guy. He was kind and friendly to her. He was a few years older to her. Always helping her out and stuff, and soon that reliability turned to love. They met secretly, and I was the one to keep their secrets. They wanted to get married but mummy and daddy were against it. They didn't trust the guy because he had no parents. But Di was madly in love with him and so they decided to elope. I helped them you know. But I didn't knew it would be the biggest mistake of my life.

It turned out the guy was already married and had a kid. He was fooling my sister. My sister was labeled as a home wrecker. She came back home and as expected, our parents were furious but they accepted their daughter as even she needed emotional support. The man who she loved broke her heart and sole. He just used her for her body.

Everyone thought my sister was a home wrecker and that's why she couldn't get married. People insulted and talked behind her back. Not only her, but also our family was targeted.

My Shifa Di....she couldn't bear heartbreak or to see her family suffer because of her and....." His voice was shaking now, tears rising in his eyes which he was trying too hard to hold back but failing miserably. I kept a hand on his shoulder.

".....she.....hanged herself." He said in a hoarse voice gripping at the xerox machine.

My hands flew to my mouth and even I couldn't hold back my tears. I could imagine how she'd had felt. I had tried to end my life to, but someone saved me. However, no one could save her. How helpless Farhan would've felt being unable to save his sister!

He looked at his hands as if lost in a trance.

"With these hands, daddy and I, brought her body down. She was soo cold, her face was strained with tears. Why couldn't I saw her..... Di....my Di...."

He broke down crying.

My shaky hand tried to console him.

"I'm soo sorry....so sorry Farhan. I didn't knew....oh Farhan...." I didn't know what to say anymore.

He stood straight wiping his tears after a while regaining his calm demeanor. He looked at me then.

"I know you had a similar situation. You were betrayed by the man you loved and shunned by the world as if it's your fault. But, thankfully you found someone....you got another chance. That's why you remind me of my Di. I couldn't save her back then but I don't wanna make the same mistake again.

I sometimes wonder, if my Di also had found someone to be by her side, would she still be alive?"

I came out of my cabin when I heard a female employee blabber. Clearly she had no idea I was behind her.

"....just what exactly did I say wrong that the brat had to get all fired up about? He's just an intern. How dare he say such things to me?! A slut is a slut, is there something wrong with stating the obvious?! The boss is her rebound. Why do you think a sane girl would even marry a rapist?" She suddenly turned back and gasped looking down anxiously.

"And what right do you have to judge another woman's character?" I questioned her.

She didn't dare to say anything.

"What proof do you have to call her a slut? Have you seen something with your own eyes?"

"N..no sir."

"Then, how dare you run your mouth in my company that too about my wife!" My voice echoed throughout the floor making her flinch. I spotted Naila walking with a bunch of papers in her hands with that Farhan guy. She froze in her place hearing me.

"S...sorry sir." She stammered.

"I'm not the person you should be apologizing to." I called Naila.

"Now, apologize to the right person Miss Juneja." I told the employee.

"I'm sorry ma'am." She looked at Naila guiltily. "I shouldn't have said such things."

Naila just sighed. I could say she was angry and upset with this too.

"Now apologize to everyone for spreading such a rumour and forcing them to make false assumptions about an innocent woman." I said.

"I... I'm sorry everyone." She said after much hesitation.

"Next time, before starting a rumour about any innocent woman, try to find out the truth first. Is your work more important in this company or spreading rumors?"

"Sorry sir. It won't happen again." She said looking down.

I turned to my heels. They all visibly relaxed. But then I turned to her again.

"Oh and 1 more thing Miss Juneja. You're fired!" I announced and stormed to my office ignoring the multiple gasps I heard including Naila's.

As soon as I took my seat in my cabin I heard a knock.

"Come in." It was Naila.

"Hey, don't you think that was too extreme. She said she was sorry in front of everyone, you didn't had to fire her like that." She said calmly.

"You think that's the only reason I fired her. You really are naive."

She looked at me confused.

"Alam group is where it is now because of it's employees. Have you seen the graph of our shares in the market.... it's always soaring but one mistake by just 1 employee may cause it to decline even by a single percentage then all the hard work of the other employees is for nothing.

Alam group only needs the best of the best, I'm not running a charity here Naila. I'm not going to pick up anyone from the streets and give them jobs just because they're unemployed. Other companies can do that, that's why they are all below us.

Miss Juneja was someone who never completed her given work on time and sweet talked her way though making others do her work for her. How am I supposed to waste my money by giving salary to somehow who doesn't work? I'd rather pay double to the people who work well. And speeding rumours like that what effect do you think it will have on our company? She had to be fired."

She sighed.

"Of course. This is Alam group afterall."

"Are you upset that I fired her?"

She shook her head.

"Good."

"Actually, I was really angry at her too. Not just because she said stuff about me....but also, she said nonsense about you." She admitted.

I half smiled.

"Like what? About me being a rapist? It wasn't wrong though."

She looked up at me with wide eyes.

"You should go now. You're seniors must be waiting for you. I don't like people who slack off."

"Oh um...yeah." she stammered and was gone. I sighed heavily throwing my head back on my chair.

How could he say such a thing soo casually? Although I noticed a hint of....sadness in his smile.

"Yo!"

"Huh? Farhan!" I scowled at him as he dragged me out of my thoughts.

"Are you thinking about your cool husband? How he took your revenge for you?!" He teased.

"Don't put it that way!" I slapped his arm. "He didn't just do it because of me, he did it for the company." I tried to explain whatever Kaif explained to me to the best I could.

"Ooookay!" He stretched it clearly trying to read something non-existent between the lines.

"So he just wanted to be your knight in shining armor. What I did was useless then!" He pouted. I facepalmed and he laughed. Trying to explain to him something is like trying to explain a wall.

It's nice to see him laugh and smile like that. He has an aura that makes everyone around him happy. Who knew behind that cheerful smile was such a sad past.

"Alright! Let's have some burgers now! The mice are literally at war in my stomach." He said.

"Yeah mine too!" Avanti said.

"Ugh you interns....are you just here for free food?!" One of our seniors scolded. We shrugged shamelessly and everyone laughed including him.

Why do I always spot those two together? Isn't there another girl with them too? She doesn't hang out with that Farhan guy much. Why is he always sticking with Naila like glue?

I thought as I saw them enjoying their lunch a little too much through the glass wall of the marketing department.

He was stealing fries from her plate making her angry and laughing at her while she hit him. Those 2 were acting like kids! Is my company for kids?!

After the lunch break I called Desai and Naila in my office cabin.

"How many days has it been since your internship started?" I asked her.

"11 days will be over today." She said.

"So 9 more days left huh?"

"Hm." She nodded.

"Desai..."

"Yes boss?"

"Take her under your wing for the remaining 9 days." I ordered.

"Sorry?" He asked confused and even Naila looked at me like she saw a ghost.

"Exactly what I said. Make her your assistant from tomorrow onwards. She'll work as your shadow." I said.

"But, I'm in the marketing department. How can I suddenly change my depart...."

"Don't worry about your certificate. Both the Marketing and Secretarial internship will be included in it." I said.

"But still..."

"There will be a desk set for you right there." I pointed towards the glass wall giving the view of outside and both their gazes followed my finger.

"You'll be in my office with me all day after your college. When Desai with something outside the company he can just mail you the details which you can print and hand it to me."

"I can just mail them to you sir." Desai said.

"Do you want me to do such menial works living my position?"

"Then you can just ask someone to do it." Naila said.

"I don't want to trust anyone else with important matters." I clearly said.

"Do you 2 have a problem with your boss'decision?"

"No sir."

"No." Naila said looking down.

"Good, then I'll leave everything regarding this to you 2. You can leave now." I said getting back to my file.

I could clearly make out Naila making faces at me standing there. I smiled to myself.