Manik's POV

" That goes without saying... the deal is already cancelled from our side. I cancelled it the moment you misbehaved with her. I can't work with a man, who can't respect a woman. You may leave now!! " I said immediately.

" Is it?? We had heard a lot about Indian hospitality. We heard that a guest is treated like a God here. Today we saw the reality. " Bob said.

" Bob, Shut up!! " James said to him.

" Whatever you had heard about us was right, we respect our guests as God and treat them accordingly, provided he acts as a God, not like a devil. We respect our guests, but the guests also need to respect us back. We don't allow them to disrespect anyone in our home and least of all, our women. Our women are our pride. How dare he touch her?? Just thank your stars, that he was invited to our home as a guest today, or he would have been behind the bars or on a hospital bed by now for misbehaving with a girl like that. Now, please leave... before I lose my anger and beat him." I said.

" I am sorry on my brother's behalf!! You are very angry at the moment, we will talk about it tomorrow, please don't take this issue to our parents. We can solve it amongst ourselves. Please, calm down. I am apologising on his behalf, he is my younger brother and I am responsible and answerable for his behaviour. Please accept my apology and I can apologise to your friend as well. Please let's meet at your office tomorrow. This business trip is as important to us as it is for you. Please, let's not spoil it. Or our parents would not trust us again so easily. " He said but I remained silent. I was so angry with him

He requested me to have another meeting at the office. I nodded. And he left.

I went to see Roshni. her door was locked. I knocked at it but she didn't open the door.

" Roshni, please open the door. I need to talk to you. " I said but neither did she open the door nor day anything.

" Roshni, please!! Open the door... I will keep standing here for the whole night if you don't open the door. I swear I am as stubborn as you are. Ok, fine! I will keep standing here. I actually deserve that. I should not have invited them here. I am sorry!! " I said.

And just then the door opened. She was standing there, with a tear-streaked face.

" Please, don't apologise. It is me who should apologise, I spoilt everything. This deal was so important for you. All your efforts could have gone waste. I hope the deal is still on. " She said hoping me to say yes.

" I cancelled the deal," I said calmly.

" What ?? But why?? " She was shocked and looked very sad.

" Because I can't work with such people. How dare he misbehave with you?? I cancelled it. " I said.

" But Manik Ji, all your efforts went down the drain. I am sorry... I should not have joined you for dinner, all this would not have happened if I had stayed away. I am sorry. " She said and sank to a kneeling position hiding her face behind her hands and burst into tears.

Poor girl... Feeling guilty.

" Hey, don't cry!! It's ok. It is not a big deal. We will get better business. And you are talking to the grandson of the great diamond king. This deal was just like peanuts as compared to what dad and chachu have been handling. It is not a big thing and as it is, you were not at fault for what happened, so stop blaming yourself for that. " I tried to make her feel better.

" But... "

" No arguments!! Now tell me, exactly what did he do? " I asked.

" No!! "

" Tell me!!! Please I need to know. You are my responsibility, I need to know. " I requested.

" He was touching my feet with his and I pulled mine back as far as I could do it. But he started touching my calves, knees and..." She could not continue and her eyes were again full of tears.

" I am sorry, Roshni. I wish, I had not invited them at home, you would not have gone through all that. He was not worth our hospitality. I wish you had said something, should have objected to it. " I said.

" I swear, I hated it. I wanted to slap him tight, but I didn't want you to know anything as I didn't want you to lose your first independent deal. But then he came after me when I was going to my room and held me tightly, I was so annoyed that I pushed him with full force and in the process that tall heavy brass vase fell on the floor. He was trying to kiss me but I kept trying to push him away wishing some servant to come and see what happened, because of that loud noise. I wanted someone to help me get out of the situation without making much fuss about it. I was planning to lock myself in my room. But you came... " She said.

I kneeled down in front of her and pulled her hands away from her face and gave her my handkerchief she didn't take it. And tried to clean her eyes with the sleeve of her suit.

" Don't spoil the beautiful dress. Take this. " I said. She took it.

" But you said that the deal was very important for you. " She asked sobbing.

" So are you... " I said.

" What?? " She asked me looking at me with her beautiful hazel eyes. I was lost in them for a second.

" I mean, you are also very important to me. I can't let someone hurt you like that." I said and took the handkerchief from her trembling fingers and wiped the fresh tears that rolled out of those mesmerizing eyes.

" Really?? " She asked in a meek broken voice, looking at me with an odd expression.

" Yes, of course. You are my only friend here. I do care for you, I would throw away hundreds of such deals for you. So don't blame yourself. As it is, I broke the deal but the elder brother of both, apologised sincerely and requested me not to cancel the deal. They need our designs more than we need their money, so he is after my life to have a meeting tomorrow once again. I am not interested now, but I can hear him out. So don't worry and smile. I don't want to see you crying now, if you keep crying I will definitely cancel the deal. And would not reconsider it. Now get up... " I said getting up and pulling her to make her get up.

" Thank you, Manik Ji!! " She said and hugged my torso with her head pressed on my shoulder once again.

I could feel her soft body against my hard one and felt some weird sensations in my body. I liked being held like that, so I wrapped my arms around her and we kept standing there for a few minutes. I stroked her long hair, they were like the finest silk, I had ever touched.

Her warm breath was caressing my chest and neck creating a weird feeling in me.

I had never felt like that in my life, not even with Myra.

Shit!! I need to stay away from Roshni.

And what was wrong with her?? Why does she keep hugging me??

" You are very nice, Manik Ji. The best in the whole world. I... " She was saying all that in an unclear voice as if she was already sleeping.

I tried to push her away gently but she was holding me tightly.

Oh, God!! Her problem seems to be more critical than I thought. It seems she is very insecure about the way she was holding me.

She was sleeping... standing in my arms... Is that possible??

I pulled her arms away from my body. And she opened her eyes with a frown.

" Manik Ji, I love... " She started saying but I stopped her.

" Roshni, it is very late. You must sleep now. You need to take a good 8-hour sleep. Now stop thinking about all this and go to sleep. " I said and turned her towards her bed and pushed her gently towards her bed. Made her lie down on the bed and placed a hand on her eyes to close them.

" Good night, Roshni. " I said and came out of her room as fast as possible.

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