Ajay stood outside Anjali Mehta's office, his fingers tightening around the folder in his hands. The glass door reflected his tense expression—he had barely processed that he'd been hired before being summoned for a "briefing."
Taking a deep breath, he knocked.
"Enter."
Her voice was sharp, commanding. He pushed the door open.
Anjali sat behind a sleek black marble desk, her fingers flying across a tablet. The office was massive—floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Ahmedabad's skyline, modern art pieces that probably cost more than his life's earnings, and an air of power that made the space feel charged.
She didn't look up. "Close the door."
Ajay obeyed.
Finally, she set the tablet down and leaned back, studying him with those piercing dark eyes. "You start today. And since you're my PA now, there are rules."
Ajay nodded. "Understood."
Anjali smirked. "You haven't heard them yet." She stood, walking around the desk with slow, deliberate steps. "First—you go where I go. If I'm working late, you're working late. If I'm traveling, you're traveling. No excuses."
Ajay's jaw tensed. "I have a daughter."
"I know." Anjali tilted her head. "Which brings me to rule two—you're moving in."
Ajay blinked. "What?"
"My PA lives on-site," she said smoothly. "I own a three-story bungalow in the Porsche area. You'll have your own wing. Your daughter can come too—there's more than enough space."
Ajay's mind raced. This wasn't just a job—it was a complete upheaval of his life. "That's... unconventional."
Anjali's lips curled. "I'm an unconventional woman." She walked closer, stopping just a foot away. "Rule three—you handle everything. My schedule, my meetings, my clothes, my meals. If I need a driver, you drive. If I need coffee at 3 AM, you make it. Understood?"
Ajay held her gaze. "And if I say no?"
Anjali's smile didn't waver. "Then you walk away. But we both know you won't."
She was right. He needed this. For Divya. For himself.
Ajay exhaled. "Fine. I'm in."
Anjali's eyes glinted. "Good." She turned, striding back to her desk. "Oh, and Ajay?"
He waited.
She glanced over her shoulder, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous purr.
"Disobey me, and you'll regret it. Disappoint me, and you'll wish you'd never met me. And if you ever think about crossing me?"
"Let's just say I don't tolerate mistakes. Ever."
The threat hung in the air, sharp as a blade.
Ajay didn't flinch. "Noted."
Anjali smirked. "Welcome to AM Corporation, Ajay. Don't disappoint me."
Ajay stepped out of the towering AM Corporation building, the sharp clang of the glass door closing behind him echoing in his ears. The city buzzed with its usual chaos—horns blaring, hawkers shouting—but his mind was miles away. He couldn't stop replaying the conversation with Anjali Mehta. Her voice. Her confidence. Her control.
She's not just a CEO. She's a storm in stilettos.
The auto ride home was quiet, his thoughts louder than the traffic. When he reached the modest two-bedroom apartment, the sun was dipping below the skyline, casting amber light through the curtains.
"Papa!" Divya came running to the door, her hair tied in two lopsided ponytails, a crayon still clutched in her hand. "Did you get the job?"
Ajay knelt to hug her, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little at the feel of her tiny arms around his neck.
"I did," he said, smiling.
Divya's eyes sparkled. "Yay! So, can we buy that big chocolate cake now?"
Ajay chuckled. "Maybe tomorrow. There's something else we need to talk about."
He led her to the small couch in their living room, the one with the faded cushions and a tiny tear she'd patched up with butterfly stickers. She sat cross-legged, looking at him with that serious expression she got when she knew something important was coming.
"I got hired as a personal assistant to a big CEO. Her name is Anjali Mehta. She's... intense."
"Like your boss-boss?" Divya asked.
Ajay laughed softly. "Yeah. Very much the boss-boss."
He hesitated, then continued, "The job comes with... conditions. She wants me to live on-site. At her house."
Divya blinked. "Like... move in?"
Ajay nodded. "Yes. You'll have your own room. Probably a bigger one than this whole apartment. A garden, too. Maybe even a swing."
Divya tilted her head, thinking. "Do they have WiFi?"
Ajay burst out laughing. "Yes, I'm sure they do."
She grinned. "Okay then. When do we leave?"
Ajay looked at her, amazed at how adaptable children could be. "Tomorrow"
Divya's smile faded just a bit. "Will you be with me a lot, or... with the CEO lady all the time?"
Ajay reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll be working hard. But no matter how busy I get, you come first. Always."
She nodded. "Okay. But if she's mean to you, I'll draw her as a monster in my sketchbook."
Ajay chuckled again, pulling her into a hug. "Deal."
That night, as Divya slept curled up in her blanket, Ajay stood at the window, watching the city lights twinkle like stars. Tomorrow would be a new life. New rules. New risks.
And at the center of it all, a woman who radiated power—and danger.
Don't disappoint me, Ajay.Anjali's words echoed in his mind.
He clenched his jaw, steadying himself.
"I won't," he whispered to the night.