When she woke up, Anaya was in a bad mood because of Sheeraz and after talking to Azlaan she felt exasperated. Now her parents were calling him Damadji and treated him like some king. For her mental satisfaction, she dropped the plan of wearing trousers and wore a white pencil skirt instead. She smiled at her reflection as she adjusted the short sleeves of her pink cold-shoulder top.

Once she got ready, she wore her sneakers and packed her heels into a plastic bag. Quickly she stuffed toast and scrambled eggs into her mouth, swallowed it and then gulped down water directly from the water-bottle. She adjusted the delicate wristwatch on her left wrist and hurriedly walked out of the apartment.

Anaya took the nearest and quickest metro and reached her destination. Like always, she was before time. She took quick steps towards the Hotel. The door-man smiled greeting her. She huffed and smiled at him.

Once in her cabin, she wore white platform heels and combed her hair neatly with a comb. Her nose-stud was little loose and so she adjusted it and then placed her hair neatly on her shoulders and got up from her chair

After she was ready she stood at the entrance waiting for her boss, Rashid Nawab Ali. The car arrived five minutes late. This made Anaya slightly worried because it was very, very unlike the boss. Working all these years with him, she has realized one thing that her boss was a very punctual man and was hardly even one minute late.

'Time is money' He was often heard saying and he stuck to his values. Anaya wondered if something was wrong. She stood looking anxiously towards the car. Sam climbed down from the driver's seat. Anaya could only see one figure on the other side of the tinted glass and she was relieved knowing only Rashid sir, has come today. Sam walked around the car and opened the car door.

Anaya's eyes widened upon seeing Maaz climbed down. He adjusted the collar of his white shirt and buttoned a button of his mustard blazer. He placed his palm over his eyes and then took out a sunglass from the right pocket of his blazer and wore it.

What the hell is he doing here? Where is Rashid sir – Anaya tried looking behind him but there was no one. She looked back at him and made a face watching him haughtily walk towards her. She inwardly groaned and looked away. Maaz climbed the small fleet of stairs and stood in front of her. He removed his sunglasses and looked at her, she looked back.

'Call a meeting of all the employees.' He said bluntly. Anaya frowned.

'But sir,' – With the back of the pen, she pointed at the diary, - 'you have a lot of thing-'

'Do as said, Miss-Miss?' Maaz interrupted her rudely. Anaya sighed looking away momentarily and then looked back.

'Hussain.' She answered him.

'Okay, whatever.'- He tossed his sunglass at her, she was caught by surprise and fumbled with it before holding it, - 'Careful, it is branded and fragile.' Maaz warned her.

Arghh! – Anaya mentally screamed.

Anaya wanted to text everyone to come to the main auditorium but Maaz insisted or rather ordered that she personally got everyone, he wanted to make sure everyone gets the message. So, Anaya had to run everywhere to inform all the employees. Maaz wanted even the peons and cleaning staff as well. Anaya felt like punching his gut, but she had resisted. After a lot of struggling she managed to gather everyone and hurried to the cabin.

Anaya noticed the name-plate was the same. She felt happy seeing Rashid's name and motivated herself saying that this man, Maaz, was only temporary perhaps only for today. She cleared her throat and knocked at the door.

'Come in.' He called from inside. Anaya opened the door and entered. She scanned the room but there was no one. She frowned, then she noticed the chair was turned around. She blinked at the back of the chair and softly called out,

'Sir?'

The chair turned around and Maaz came into view. The look on his face made Anaya roll her eyes. He had a small smirk plastered on his face, his eyes staring at her and his elbow resting on the arm-rest, his fingers tips touching. Anaya didn't know what he was thinking he looked like, but to her, he looked like a villain from some cheap superhero movie.

'Has everyone gathered?' - He asked, and Anaya nodded, - 'Good job, Miss. Hasan.' He said.

'No, sir. I am Miss. Hussain.' She corrected him. He frowned. Maaz wasn't used to be corrected or interrupted.

'Hussain, Hasan. How does it matter what I call you, your name won't change anyway?' He replied arrogantly. Anaya bit her lip but doesn't argue further.

Maaz sighed, - 'Anyway, come, follow me.' He said and walked ahead of her. Anaya exhaled loudly and followed him. He opened the door and without holding the door for her, he walked out. The door almost hit Anaya's face but thanks to her quick reflexes she held the door with her palm. She winced and pushed the door. She stepped out and watched Maaz walking away.

'Idiot.' She muttered angrily.

Maaz walked into the auditorium. He felt slightly worried about seeing the crowd. He had never faced such a crowd. There were murmurs amongst everyone but when they saw Maaz and Anaya walk in, they stopped talking. They looked seriously at him. Anaya was equally confused as everyone. Maaz walked to the center and looked at the room at large. He cleared his throat and placed his palm on his stomach.

'Good morning, everyone. Today I have got one bad news and one good news.' – He paused waiting for the murmurs to die down and when it doesn't, he interrupted the discussion, - 'My father, your boss, Mr. Rashid Nawab Ali has decided to retire.' He informed. There was a collective gasp, even Anaya gasped covering her mouth with her free hand. Maaz scanned the crowd and exhaled deeply. He raised his hands and asked everyone to relax.

'Nothing is serious. He just—just thought he has become old and so he should step down. But, but, the good news is that I will be your new boss.' He said with pride. This time only Anaya gasped. Everyone looked at her and she smiled awkwardly at them. Maaz shook his head and looked away.

He paused looking at everyone. There was pin-drop silence as everyone blinked at him. He cleared his throat, - 'Err, you guys can clap now.' He said. Everyone took a moment and then someone began clapping first. Anaya looked up and found Gabin was the first amongst everyone to clap. She smiled and pressed the diary under her arm. Then, she began clapping too. Gabin looked at her and they passed a smile. Pooja looked at the two of them and straightened in her place. She too began clapping and soon the great hall erupted in echoes of claps. Maaz felt happy as everyone clapped for him.

He took everyone's leave and walked away. Anaya also stopped staring at Gabin and followed him. She huffed as she tried catching up with him. Maaz completely ignored Anaya and walked into the elevator. The door was about to close, and she leaped inside. Her ankle twisted and she fell.

'Ouch.' She raised her arms and grabbed Maaz's shoulder. He stumbled, and his back hit the elevator wall, hard.

'Ow, Miss. Hasan.' Maaz groaned as she stepped on his feet. The platform heel hurting his feet badly, while Anaya had tears in her tears because of the sharp pain in her ankle. She clenched him tightly and shut her eyes. The elevator door closed behind her.

A teardrop escaped her eyes, she had just relaxed a little when Maaz held her hand and moved her feet. Anaya opened her eyes. Their gaze met only for a second before he pushed her, and she stumbled. She steadied herself by placing her palm on the elevator wall and straightened.

'Behave yourself, Miss. Hasan.' He said adjusting his coat. Anaya looked away. She wanted to correct him but doesn't. Instead, she turned around. Also, she wanted to massage her ankle but couldn't as she was wearing a skirt and Maaz was standing right behind her. She clenched the diary tightly against her chest and breathed out.

Be calm, Anaya. Now, you have to tolerate him for the rest of your life – The thought brought a very depressing feeling in her.

The elevator opened and Maaz walked past her. As he stepped out, Anaya interrupted him.

'Sir, wrong floor.' She called. He paused and looked around cluelessly. Then, he turned around and was about to enter the elevator when the door began closing. He hurried and moved his feet to place it in between the door but fearing he might get hurt he retracted his feet. Anaya watched as the door closed. Maaz cussed and Anaya smiled.

Serves the snob right – She thought, biting her smile.

Anaya waited outside the cabin. When she saw Maaz walking towards her, shaking his head and muttering something. Anaya smirked but quickly fixed her expressions as he came to her.

'Sir.' She faked politeness as she opened the door for him. Maaz simply nodded and walked inside.

He sighed removing his blazer and mindlessly tossed it behind him. Just then, Anaya entered, and she was startled when a blazer fell over her head. She yelped as it blinded her.

'Sir!' She exclaimed loudly and angrily removed the blazer. Maaz turned around, his fingers paused over the cuffs of his white shirt.

'Excuse me, Miss Hasan-'

'Hussain, it's Hussain.' Anaya gritted her teeth in anger. She doesn't know why this man always manages to anger her. No one angers her so much, well perhaps Sheeraz. Why does she have snobbish and irritating men in her life? – She cursed her luck.

Maaz sighed shaking his head, he looked down and unbutton his sleeve and shifted to the next when Anaya walked up to him. She looked at him for a moment, before opening the diary.

'Sir, I will inform you about your schedu-'

'Get me a chilled beer.' Maaz interrupted. Anaya looked at him. He doesn't look back as he folded his sleeves up. When she doesn't respond he looked at her and shrugged, - 'What?' He raised his eyebrow.

Anaya gulped softly and replied, - 'Sir, you can't drink at work. Sir never drinks.'

Maaz looked annoyed, he hated when someone refuses him. And this woman, she does everything he hates so by default he hates her too.

'I don't care, just do what I say. I am the boss, not you.' He said angrily. Anaya didn't like his tone, but she doesn't say anything because it was waste arguing with a monkey. She swallowed her anger and replied.

'Yes, sir.' Her voice wavered.

'Good.' Maaz replied and walked towards the sofa. He slumped on the sofa. Anaya cringed watching him place his feet on the coffee table. She looked away and walked out. After she left, Maaz unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt and leaned back on the sofa.

▪⎯⎯⎯∞⎯⎯⎯▪

Anaya got the beer from the bar of the hotel. Carefully, she hid it and carried it. At the time she wondered why she was even trying to save that arrogant idiot. But she reminded herself that she was doing this for Rashid sir.

She paused in front of the cabin and urgently knocked at the door. Maaz replied agitatedly. Anaya entered and found him haphazard and looking for something. He looked at her and placed his palms on his hips.

'Where is the ****ing remote?' He asked. Anaya looked confused.

'Remote?'

'For the AC, Miss. Hasan.'

Anaya bit her lip – What is he? A Neanderthal? How many times should I correct him? Argh, never mind.

'One minute, sir. I will look for it.' She said and forwarded him the beer glass. Maaz nodded and took the glass from her. She walked towards the table and Maaz sat on the sofa again. He placed his feet on the table and gulped some beer. He shivered little feeling the cold beer. Anaya frowned as he moaned. She ignored him and took out the remote.

'Sir, I found the remote.' She said.

'What are you waiting for, switch on the AC.' He replied. His eyes still closed. Anaya pressed her lips tightly and clenched the remote.

She doesn't know how she will tolerate him and She glared at him while he was oblivious.