....Alina’s POV....

While parking my car between the cars, I got my car bumped to the car which was in front of mine.

I kept sitting for few moments being all startled. After some time, I got out of my car. Checking the broken parts of the car that I caused, I was getting afraid to face the owner of the car.

So when a person got near and started checking the damaged car, I didn’t dare to look at him at first assuming him to be the owner and fearing to face his wrath.

Later getting myself together, I apologised to him as I looked up at him only to get shocked.

He also seemed to be shocked as well as he got uttering, “You?”

I got all silent for a while.

“Aaron?”....Aaron’s POV....

The project meeting that was supposed to be held next week, was declared to happen next day.

When my PA informed me of that, I got all shocked for a moment. Though I felt it earlier that someone was behind it to get me out of this deal, but there was no way, I was going to back off.

When at first I started trying to secure a place for me in the business world, my so called near one reminded me that there was no way, I could do it alone and I would have to get their help no matter what.

It wasn't like I was so full of myself but it’s just I had belief on me and my abilities which made me utter straight to them, “I can and I will. You just watch me.”

For the preparation of the next day meeting, I had to keep awake till late at night.

Though it wasn’t like my first deal but was very important to me and I promised myself to give my full effort to get it.

By the time I was done with my presentation, it was almost dawn.

I took a short nap and then a long cold shower to get me relieved of the stress and little bit of drowsiness.

Taking something for breakfast, I rushed for my office getting into my car.

Completing my work there, I left for the conference meeting at Grand Hotel followed by my PA, Sam.

On the meeting room I got to face whom I wanted to see the least. He was smirking at me.

Shrugging of that, I walked passed him. Pulling out a chair from a table, I settled on it.

After few minutes, the meeting got started and after the presentation from two companies, the name of my company was announced.

As I stood on my foot and Sam got uttering, “All the best, Sir.”

Nodding at him, I walked towards the stage. Though I was god damn nervous but I maintained a calm posture and reached the stage with steady steps.

When I was done with my presentation, some people shot few questions that I answered easily.

After that I got back to my seat again. The next person started his presentation. Like this almost 2 hours got passed.

When it was the time to announce the name of the selected company who got the deal, I was almost holding my breath.

There was a pin drop silence in the hall room where the name of my company echoed getting me overwhelmed.

I looked towards him but he wasn’t there anymore but walking out of the hall room.

Right.

How could he see my success!

Anyways I focused to the stage as I was getting called there. The deal got signed with my company.

I was so happy but no one was here with whom I could celebrate my success. Sam got back but thinking of something, I decided to stay there at the hotel for the night.

The next morning when I left for office, on the way I got remembering about something. Parking the car in it’s specific place, I walked towards a mall.

....Alina’s POV....

I woke up early in the morning as expected. Whenever I was excited or very happy, I couldn’t get to sleep well.

I could remember the time when I felt uttered happy and excited when uncle said to someone for the first time that he had two daughters and I was one of them.

I understood it later that he didn’t mean it rather said just for saying.

Anyways today was supposed to be a new beginning for me. The opening day of my boutique shop and I was damn excited. I didn’t want to feel sad remembering those memories.

I took a long shower and after dressing up myself, got downstairs. No one was awaken this time. Finding nothing else to do, I thought of preparing the breakfast for everyone and walked towards the kitchen.

After some time a maid entered the kitchen. She tried to make me leave from there and did it by herself but I politely refused and continued my work.

When I was almost done, Aunt got into the kitchen while uttering, “If you are done with preparing the breakfast, set the table.”

Seeing me there, she got silent for a moment. I spoke up with a little bit of smile, “Aunt, it’s almost done.”

Aunt seemed to get annoyed. She turned to the maid for once and then turned to me and spoke up, “What are you trying to show off by doing all this early in the morning?”

“Aunt, I was just..” she didn’t let me complete and spoke up, “Yeah yeah, I know your drama.” and left from there.

Why Aunt dislikes me this much?

Whatever I do, she always says that I am showing off..

I have been living here since I could remember but never get to understand her till now.

Though I was treated like this always, I still got hurt this way.

Shouldn’t I be gotten used to it with all these years! But no. Their words still hurt me.

Sometimes I wondered why!

When I was done, I set the table. The maid helped me this time. She knew my situation in this household very well.

I could feel her sympathy but she didn’t talk to me openly. Aunt didn’t like it.

I got back to my room and getting freshen up, I got ready.

By the time I was at the table, everyone was busy with their breakfast and gossip.

I took my seat silently and started eating my breakfast without bothering their gossip where I wasn’t allowed to participate.

While leaving the dining table, uncle stopped midway and spoke up, “Take my old car with you but don’t you dare to get a single scratch on it.”

I looked at him for once and just nodded without any word. After taking my breakfast, I got out of the mansion and looked at the car.

“You should just get a taxi” my mind chided might be considering bad upcoming possibilities. But likewise I ignored it and got into the car.

Leaving the sad happenings behind, I forced a smile on my face and drove towards my destination being all excited.

Arriving there, I drove my car towards the parking area. There wasn't much place. I just found an empty spot that was in between cars.

I was so excited that I didn’t get to be careful. As a result I hit a car to its back which was in front of me.

And then...BUMP!

From the sound, I could easily picture out the condition of the car without seeing which was in front of me.

I couldn’t get to out of my car immediately rather closed my eyes while uttering, “I am so dead.”

When I got out of my trance, I stepped down immediately from my car to look at the trouble, I caused.

The car in front of mine looked like a very expensive one. I went near to have a better look. There was a huge scratch, with a dent, at the back and the right head light was cracked.

This car definitely belongs to someone rich and I scratched it! Not just scratched it, it has a dent and even the head lights are broken!

“You are gone.” my mind snapped at me.

I didn’t expect something like this not at least this morning when I thought of going to have a new beginning.

God, help me!

“What did you do to my car?”

A voice came from back but I didn’t get myself to look back.

I have heard this voice before but I was too out of it to recognise it.

A person got near and started checking the car and I just stood with my head keeping down.

Assuming him as the owner, I spoke up, “I am sorry. It wasn’t intentional. Believe me. I am really sorry for this.” and looked at him only to get all startled.

He also seemed to be shocked like me and got uttering, “You!”

Holy crap!

Why it has to be him out of all the person!

I was surely gonna hear an earful from him today. My damn luck which followed me everywhere but was never on my side....

Why it had to be him only!

I had been trying for a long time to talk to him.

Actually not me..

My heart was trying to convince me to accept the feelings for him that I had been feeling from the first day of our encounter and talk to him.

But I couldn’t get myself to do it for some reason. On top of that every time we encountered, I was in a self made mess which embarrassed me like hell.

But what surprised me was his all casual and understanding nature every time. I looked around to find some other person thinking he might not be the owner of the car this time.

Then I heard him speaking, “Are you all right?” his eyes were still on the scratches of his car.

I gave him a confused look but didn’t utter anything. He then turned to me and I apologised again, “I am really sorry.”

While nodding at me, he spoke up again, “It’s okay.”

Though I got relieved but being somewhat shocked at his always calm behaviour, involuntarily a word got out of my throat, “What?”

This time he gave me a confused look only to get me utter, “I thought I will get an earful from you for my careless act this time.”

Hearing me, he smiled a little and spoke up, “It was never intentional. I can understand.”

I didn’t know him well but with the car and his overall get up, I could easily tell he was quite rich but with not so arrogant nature and on top that his smile..

It was like contagious that compelled me to smile also. His smile to be precise the dimple which got deeper with his laughter was the thing that made me fall for him.

And like really I got on checking out the young man in front of me which I couldn’t help every time we met.

In three piece, dark, formal tux, he looked debonair and mesmeric. His coal black hair were perfectly combed back, favouring me to get a full view of his bright face. He was quite tall might be of six ft long height and with graceful physique.

To break the chain off and stop going on with my stupid thoughts, I looked away from his face.

But his soft mannish voice got me turned to him immediately as he spoke up, “The condition of your car is same as well.”

I followed his gaze to get what he meant actually. Just then something caught my eye. How could I forget that even my car had gotten hit in the process!

I bent towards my car to have a better look, it had a huge dent with the few scratches and the back lights were in the same condition as it were of the other car.

Oh no! Uncle would surely kill me for this. He clearly warned me in the morning today and I already did it.

What am I gonna say to him?

I need to get it repaired before uncle, aunt or Evana sees it. But where will I get the money now!

Though I didn’t get from Aaron but I was surely gonna hear an earful from them today.

Getting me out of my trance, Aaron spoke up, “I was thinking of asking for the compensation of my damaged car. But I think your car did that work itself.” while looking at my car.

I looked at him immediately fearing what if he really got asking for compensation!

I seriously couldn’t afford it now.

His playful eyes made me frowned.

Was he teasing me!

Before I could say anything, his phone rang off. He answered the call with a smile and got uttering, “Sam, I am on my way.”

He pocketed the phone and got uttering as he took a step ahead, “See you.” only to get stopped and added, “No actually I shouldn’t say that, right? Whenever we meet, something unpleasant happens. Anyways take care.”

I got hurt at his words though he just told the truth only. It was our third encounter and every single time, I was in a messed up situation where I myself always took the charge to get it all messed up.

Actually aunt says the right thing about me. Not something else but the problem with me was no other than me actually...

On top of that my mind chided, “That’s true.”

I looked back for once as Aaron got into the car and drove away. Letting out a sigh, I forwarded towards the shop.

The opening of the boutique shop and all went on smoothly but the thought of my damaged car kept crossing my mind while reminding me of the wrath of Uncle specially which I was going to face again very soon.

I just prayed not to get homeless at the most as sometimes aunt got threatening me with it....

....Aaron’s POV....

While driving towards the servicing centre, I thought of Alina. This girl was really strange. I remembered the first time we met at a coffee bar.

After office, I went there to meet a friend of mine. When I was about to get in, she got bumped to me pouring her drinks to my shirt. The white cotton shirt of mine got bluish stains within no moment.

The little bit of anger of mine faded instantly seeing her all afraid face as she kept apologizing. I got remembering a childhood incident of mine where I got a tight slap from Dad for doing something like this.

I tried to get her calmed and spoke up with a smile, “It’s okay. I am thankful that at least you weren’t having a hot coffee.”

The expression on her face was worth watching that made me smile at her.

Leaving my car for servicing, I got into a taxi and forwarded towards my office. Arriving the office, I paid the driver and walked towards the entrance. Sam was waiting for me at the entrance.

Seeing him like that, I got confused but before I could say something, he spoke up, “Ansh is here to meet you.”

“What?” I got more confused. I walked to my cabin followed by Sam. Entering the cabin and seeing Ansh’s expression, I could easily tell something was wrong.

I turned to Sam and nodding at me, he left my cabin.

I faced Ansh, “What are you doing here in my office?” giving more emphasis on the specific word.

He got smirking at me and uttered, “Don’t be so happy thinking you have won. It’s not the end.”

I sat on my chair and spoke up calmly, “Well, I haven’t faced the defeat yet and I guess God is up to something otherwise the devil wouldn’t try this hard to fight me.”

The smirk from his face got faded away in no moment. Nonetheless he tried to get uttering but I didn’t let him.

“I play to win whether it’s just a practice or a real game.

And I am not letting anything to get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.”

Glaring at me, he spoke up, “Will see.” and I just nodded at him with a smirk on my face.

Ansh left my cabin and I leaned back on my chair closing my eyes.

Why he is like that to me!

What did I ever do to him to get treated like this!

Nor I am trying to snatch something from him. I am happy with mine. But seeing me happy or my success, he always got mad from the very beginning.

I got out of my trance when I heard a knock on my door. I composed myself and took a file as I voiced out, “Come in.”

Sam entered. When he didn’t get uttering anything, I looked at him, “Do you have anything to say?”

He uttered hesitantly, “Sir, An..Ansh”

Knowing his further words, I got uttering, “Don’t worry. I will handle it. Get back to your work.”

Giving me a nod, he turned to leave but I stopped him, “Samuel?”

He gave me a questioning look. Must be because I called him by his full first name that I did rarely.

Without bothering his look, I forwarded a small box towards him.

“It’s for you.”

He took the box while giving me another questioning look.

With a smile, I spoke up, “Happy Birthday.”

His face flashed happiness as he uttered, “Aaron, you remembered?”

I just smiled at him. Thanking me, he left the cabin. Sam was my friend come PA. He was always with me in school days. After getting back from abroad when I saw him struggling to get a job, I asked him to be with me.

Though that time was just the starting of my business career, he agreed without any second thought.

He always remained a good friend of mine. Smiling at the thought, I focused on the file and started working.

☘☘

When it was late in the afternoon, almost at the end of office hour, Sam entered my cabin, “Are you busy tonight?”

I gave him a questioning look and he spoke up, “There is a small party at my house. If you would join, then...no. Wait. You have a flight to get tonight. It’s okay. You don’t have to attend it.”

I smiled at him and spoke up, “Sam, the flight is at 1 by night. I will stop by your place. Don’t worry. And why didn’t you leave yet? I asked you to leave hours back.”

He spoke up smilingly, “I had some work to finish. Anyways, I am leaving now.”

He left the cabin and completing my work, I also left for my place. After getting a long shower, I dressed myself properly. Spending some time with Sam’s family, I left.

Sam had a lovely and caring family unlike me and whenever I came here, not only Sam but his full family, uncle, aunt and Sara, Sam’s little sister.. they tried their best to make me feel at home which I missed all my life.

After spending a good quality time with them, I left for the airport.

It took almost 6 hours for me to land at my destination. But getting out of the airport, I got shocked. I didn’t expect to see her here at this time.

She was looking at somewhere. Her face was fallen. But when her eyes fell on me, her face lit up in no moment flashing a cute smile which confused me more.

What was she doing here! I wondered for a moment.

I was about to take steps towards her but didn’t get to take a step as she got near me herself almost running. I stopped in my track and she reached me in few moments. I kept all silent being somewhat confused only to get shocked at her words...