I grabbed the pen and scrambled up, face burning.
Jai leaned on the desk, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
‘I dropped my pen,’ I said, placing it on the desk and then smoothing out my dress. ‘I was just looking for it.’
‘And during lunch time?’ He raised a brow.
‘I went to the restroom.’ A mix of irritation and humiliation prickled under my skin. ‘I realise how it looks, but let me assure you they were coincidences.’
His expression didn’t shift. ‘If you say so. But moving forward, I expect visibility from you. Your job is to assist me; you can’t do that if you continue playing hide-and-seek.’
He wasn’t wrong; this job demanded presence. And while I truly did go to the bathroom earlier, I’d just made myself look incompetent as well. On day one.
Note to self: Jai notices everything. Don’t give him ammunition.
‘It won’t happen again.’
Jai looked at his phone, and a small crease formed between his brows. ‘Come with me,’ he said and headed back down the hallway.
Kavita immediately grabbed an iPad and fell into step beside him, jerking her head to signal me to follow.
‘But … the notes,’ I said. ‘Aren’t you going to read them?’ We had spent our entire lunch break working on them. What was the point if he wasn’t even …
Jai paused and looked over his shoulder. ‘As your boss,Itellyouwhat to do. Not the other way around.’
I forced a smile. ‘I was simply reminding you. In case you forgot.’
‘I don’t forget,’ he stated as if it were impossible, and turned away.
Argh!
I scrambled to catch up with them.
‘Has the packaging vendor for the festive line confirmed the new delivery dates?’ Jai asked.
Kavita scrolled through the screen without breaking stride. ‘Yes. Final shipment is in six weeks.’
‘Tell them they have four. If they miss it or delay again, we’ll fine them and find someone else going forward.’
‘Consider it done.’ She pulled out the stylus and made a note.
‘How are we looking for the marketing meeting next week?’
‘They have two concepts to pitch. Reports and presentation decks are in progress, and they are prepared to proceed once you approve one.’
Jai certainly valued productivity. He wasted no time, not even on a three-minute walk.
We ended up on the first floor and entered a design studio straight out of my Pinterest fantasies – colour swatches on the desk, sketches, mood boards on the walls and curated chaos. But what took my breath away were the mannequins.
Standing in a semicircle, they were draped in the most exquisite bridal outfits I’d ever seen.
Sculpted silhouettes. Jewel-toned fabrics. Hand-embroidered designs on tulle.
Warm lights from the ceiling bounced off the gold threads and intricate beadwork, making them sparkle.
This wasn’t a workspace; it was a museum of art.
I paused as my eyes fell on a beaded peacock curled along the hem of a lehenga, its feathers forming a train that fanned across the floor in a dramatic flash of colours.
