After fifty minutes, she rushed across the hallway holding the printed report.
Suddenly,
She bumped with someone.
Hard.
Her paper shattered all over the floor.
"Watch where you are going!" Man said loudly, he was from finance department.
Devika recognised him, Its rishab.
"I am sorry" devika said quickly, then bending to pick the papers.
"You people in marketing don't know basic descipline" he muttered, while rolling his eyes.
Before devika could reply, a deep voice came.
"What did you say"? Vikram said, cold voice.
Devika froze.
Rishab instantly said " sir---I-I--mean--"
"You raised your voice at her" vikram voice dangerously cold." You think yelling makes you superior?"
"N-no sir, I wasn't yelling---" Rishab said, nervously.
"You were. I heard you" vikram said, cold voice
Vikram stepped closer,
Eyes sharped
Jaw clench.
"And one more thing" vikram said, extremly cold voice." You drop woman's work, you help her pick it up. Not insult her"
The whole floor went silent...
Rishab bend down immediately and began collecting papers.
Devika's heart starts beating faster.
Was he defending her..?
Vikram looked at once
Just once. Before turning away.
"Ms. Malhotra" vikram said without emotion. "You are late by five minutes"
"Sir---" devika said.
"No excuses. My cabin. Now"
Even when he protected her,
He found a way to scold her.
She wanted to scream.
The storm inside his cabin.
Devika entered quietly.
The moment he closed the door behind them.
"You are careless" vikram said, cold voice.
She glared." How? Because someone bumped into me?"
"Because, you didn't plan better"vikram said.
His eyes were on her.
Sharp.
Dark.
Something deeper hiding behind them.
"And" he added, voice low " because, you don't know when to keep your mouth shut".
That did it.
"So, you want your employees to stay silent?" She said back." We are allowed to talk only when you approve?"
"Ms. Malhotra---" vikram about to say.
"No sir. You keep challenging me for no reason. You embarrassed me in front of the team. You---" devika said, cold voice.
He stepped closer.
Her breath hitched.
His voice deep voice.
"So you do get affected" vikram said, while looking into her eyes.
"What?" Devika, confused little.
He leans in, eyes still on her. Fixed
"You get bothered when i question you". He said.
"Don't flatter yourself" she whispered.
Vikram smirks.
Before he could answer, the door knocked.
Rishi entered,
"Sir..we have situation"
Vikram's didn't leave Devika.
"Explain" he said, cold voice.
Rishi looked nervous.
"It's..about Ms.Malhotra.
Devika froze.
"What about me?" She asked.
Rishi hesitated.
"Someone filed a complaint against you." He said.
Vikram expression darken and unreadable.
Devika's blood ran cold.
"What complaint?" She whispered.
Rishi looked at vikram before answering.
"That you..insulted a senior manager"
Devika's expression get cold.
"I didn't---who said that?" She asked.
Rishi swallowed hard.
"Finance senior manager"
"Rishab" he said.
Vikram's jaw tighten.
Eyes turned dangerously dark.
He looked at Devika.
"Ms. Malhotra" he said, calm voice.
"Come with me"
His tone held no anger.
Just something unexplainable
Something that scares her more.
Because she couldn't tell.
If he was going to save her.
Or destroy her.
The entire office seemed to get nervous.
A complaint?
Against her?
Devika legs felt weak, but she forced herself to stand tall. She wouldn't get weak,
Not in front of Rishab
Not in front of people.
And definitely not in front of vikram oberoi.
Vikram didn't say a word as he walked out of his cabin. He just tilted his head slightly.
Signaling her to follow.
Even a little gesture felt commanding.
Devika walked behind him, her heart pounding against her ribs. She didn't know, if she should be scared or furious. Probably both.
The conference room.
The moment they entered the meeting room, devika saw Rishab already sitting there, fake confidence across his face.
The HR head was beside him.
Rishi stood near the door.
But the atmosphere shifted the second,
When vikram stepped in.
Everyone straightened.
Rishab gulped.
"Explain" vikram said, cold voice. Pulling out chair but not sitting.
Rishab pretended to be bold.
"Sir, ms. Devika spoke rudely to me earlier and--"
"When?" Vikram asked sharply.
"In hallway, sir. She told me not to interfere in her work and raised her voice."
Devika stared in disbelief.
"Sir, that's not true" she said firmly." He bumped into me. I apologized. He insulted my department. Thats all"
Rishab flinched but kept going"sir. She is lying--"
"Careful" vikram said, eyes narrowing.
"Sir--" rishab said
" I said careful"
Rishab shut his mouth.
Devika watched vikram closely.
He wasn't angry.
He wasn't yelling.
He was something far worse.
Controlled. Calculating. Cold.
The HR head cleared his throat, "sir, if we want. We can take formal--"
"No" vikram said, cold voice.
Everyone went silent.
Vikram turned to devika.
"Ms. Malhotra, did you disrespect him?"
"No, sir" devika said.
"You raised your voice?" Vikram asked.
"No" devika said.
"You insulted him?" Vikram asked.
"Absolutely not." Devika said.
Rishand jumped in." Sir--she is lying--I"
Vikram looks at him.
The look he gave could freeze fire.
Then vikram turned towards rishi.
"Rishi" vikram said.
"Yes, sir?" Rishi said.
"Pull the hallway camera footage" vikram said.
Rishab face turned pale.
Footage.
He didn't expect that.