Chapter 12 – Face To Face

Geet settled in the hotel she was provided by the company for 15 days, till she is able to find her accommodations. All her stay and dinning expenses will be bore by company.

It was Sunday Morning; she was awake early due to jet lag. Got freshen up and went for jogging in Hotel park. After taking light snack from the dining room, she went to check her email.

Email from Khurana Enterprise, HR – Deepika, who was handling her joining and onboarding.

She has to reach office by 9 am and 10 am she has meeting with Executive Chair, President and CEO of Company, Mr. Maan Singh Khurana. Her heartbeat was not in control. Tomorrow 10 am meeting with Maan. Her hands and legs were all cold with excitement and nervousness. Her Maan, who was with her anytime she had wished, meeting with him was fixed by his HR department. Any new joiner trainee would be excited and nervous if they get chance to meet Maan Singh Khurana. But for Geet the reason was altogether different. She was going to meet her Maan. She had seen his pictures in magazines, he is definitely one of the most handsome and dynamic businessman.

Next day 9 am, Geet had to attend half hour orientation meeting and then fill the forms and submit documents. It was 9:45 am and she was set free and asked to immediately reach the super Boss’ office.

Mr. Aditya Singh, who has hired her for this position came to take her.

“Good Morning Miss Geet. I am Aditya Singh, Financial head of the company. You are hired by me. It my decision to hire you for this post of Business Advisor trainee.”

“Good Morning, sir”

“I hope, you keep the respect of my selection Miss Geet. Boss is damn strict, so think before you put words out of your mouth”

“Ok Sir”

“Adi Sir is fine, if you make through it today”

Geet felt ticklish at his mention – her Maan and strict. They don’t know him then. She smiled inwardly. But her own fear was at next level. Facing him was big challenge.

Geet reached the front of his office with Adi. He had her profile in his hand. He knocked the door

“Come in” she heard his commanding voice. Ohh what a power her Maan has. She is going to see him, he is going to see her, nervousness-excitement at its peak.

Adi opened the door, Geet entered behind him.

“Sir here is candidate and here is her profile” Maan raised his head and their eyes met. Maan did not need to see the profile to know it was Geet. He kept looking at her, confused why she was here, was she really here? He looked at her professional dressing. She looked perfect for 23 yrs 4 month old. How did he knew her age by hearted, no way! He said to himself. He had just turned 29 and he knew the age difference, That’s it!

But he was Maan Singh Khurana, he soon composed himself. She was the new trainee joiner under him. That’s it.

He took the profile from Adi, checked the name ‘Geet Handa’

“still Handa” he wondered for few seconds but again got back to business mode

“Thanks Adi for all your effort so far. I will take it from here. Will let you know the further process”

“Sure sir” and he took his leave

As Adi left, Geet had big smile on her face. She will talk to her Maan. She will tell him everything.

“You can take your seat Miss Geet” his first sentence with her shocked her. The distant in it.

“Maan” she said with shaky voice of excitement

“Maan Sir. We maintain the professional hierarchy pretty strict in Khurana Enterprise. We don’t follow American ways here.”

Geet could not believe, it was her Maan speaking to her as if he didn’t know her, as if she was just a new joiner reporting to him, nothing else.

She took the seat but still could not digest the distance he created in these two sentences he spoke

“I know you are upset but”

“MISS GEET” she was interrupted by his strong voice.

“In my office, I speak, other listen and speak only when asked to. I hope this is very much clear now and we can proceed to what we are here for.”

Un imaginable scenario for Geet related to Maan. She felt he just placed dagger in her heart. She gulped

“Sure” “Sir” he added

“Sure Sir” all her confidence gone.

“Better”

“So Miss Geet, what made you interested in joining Khurana Enterprise” he asked turning pages of her profile. While giving her time to speak, he kept looking into all documents in system under her profile, submitted by her

“Yes I am waiting Miss Geet”

Geet composed herself. He made it very clear he was expecting only professional answers

“Khurana Enterprise is the biggest name in world of business today Sir” She gulped

“Hmmm, I am listening go ahead” Geet’s confidence further dipped

“Joining this enterprise will be matter of pride for any fresher like me.”

He turned his focus on her face, confidence just oozing out of him. He came bit front and placed his hands on his table, crossing them against each other

“I am not looking for bookish answer Miss Geet” he looked directly into her eyes

“I want real answer”

His look scared her. He was not her Maan, nowhere near him.

“You want to keep it professional” she said, her voice not coming out of her throat

“I want truth with professionalism. I can understand, anyone can get nervous talking to Maan Singh Khurana, esp. Fresher like you” he clearly showed her what she was compared to him in the role she was here.

“you take couple of minutes and then talk with confidence the real answer of your interest.” Geet looked down as his eyes were fixed on her. She took deep breath and calmed down

“Sir, I took this job because I was getting the opportunity to work with you and second the package is way above another company is offering to any fresher.”

Geet almost had tears in her eyes with his distant talk but she controlled

“1st one I get. 2nd one – Package, why is it so important for you” He knew she was daughter of Mohinder Handa, Money should never be concern for her and then they had also collaborated with those Malhotras. Thought of whose brought fire in his whole body system.

“We all work for good package sir along with growth and learning. This opportunity was giving me both. Good package will make me feel to give better to my job”

Though he found something fishy in her answer but she answered good. “Ok Good”

Geet shied in relief. Talking to Maan would be so tough, Geet had never ever imagined.

“So today, along with you Miss Geet”

“You can call me Geet sir”

“Do I need to remind you again and again Miss Geet. In my office, when I speak no one interrupt unless asked to”

“I am sorry” she paused “Sir” she paused again “It won’t happen again” Geet was holding so hard, tears could drop anytime.

He was about to say something when his door wide opened “BHAIII”

“Anvesha Khurana, this is my office and I am your boss here”

“You will become my boss exactly at 11:00 am, so I am here 20 minutes before to meet my brother.” And she came forward, hugged him sideways and placed number of shopping bags on his table. She looked at Geet “Hi, sorry for interruption” Geet just kept looking at beautiful sister of his. Her looks, dressing all were class apart. All part professionally maintained yet she was so casual.

“Before I meet the terror Boss, I wanted to visit my Bhai. And I did some stress shopping yesterday. These are all bags for you”

“Bribing me?” his attention was completely on his sister now.

“Something like that.” She admitted, winking at Geet, as if ganging against Boss

“Won’t work. I want you out of my office exactly now. Be here exactly at 11 and in professional dressing or else”

“Or else you are going to fire me on my first day”

“Exactly. Out now” he turned to Geet

“And Miss Geet, you can take fifteen minutes break as well. What I have to further say, will be along with Anvesha. It will be for both of you.”

Geet stood there, she wanted to talk to him, something not so professional but he gave her no chance.

He started to move out “Let all of us meet here at 11.” And he left, Geet just kept looking. She ran out to catch him but he was fast and she was stopped by Annie

“Hey you are new joinee along with me?”

“Hi, I am Geet, Geet Handa” “Hi Geet, nice to meet you. Anvesha Khurana” Geet was shocked, Annie was ignorant of even her name.

She came near her “You already met the Terror Man?” Geet could not stop but laugh

“Yeah, actually beyond my expectation” the pain was deep but she smiled

“Ok, let’s face him together at 11 then.” She left Geet there. Annie felt like a balm but jealousy came along. With Annie, she could see glimpse of her Maan but he was nowhere her Maan, he was Annie’s brother, who was soft even though being strict.

Maan took the lift to the terrace of the high rise building of Khurana Enterprise Main office. He stood still there, took deep breath of fresh air. He had kept the strong face but it was not easy, not easy with her around. Why was she here? Not package for sure, Geet Handa will not join for package. They had enough to sponsor lavish education of an orphan like him. Also, her still being Handa surprised him. He strongly believed till now that she was married to that Rohan and with that active hormones of hers, he definitely expected her to be mother of at least on child by now. But he didn’t want to dive deep, at least not now.

He looked around the city from his building. She has joined here as employee and that’s it. Though he himself doubted how long will he be able to keep like this but he was Maan Singh Khurana and he will make it.

No- Handling anyone is not a thing for him anymore, he very well knows what he has to do and why she must be here, he will park for now. His office and other things need his attention and he should put attention in stuff that need real attention.

They met in his office at 11:00 am.

“Adi, can you state the plan that we have for these two fresher”

“Sure Sir.”

Adi opened his laptop and started his plan in projector

“Geet and Anwesha – Geet joined here as Business Advisor trainee. We had plan that Anwesha will be joining as Financial Advisor. But company has decided to give you both, chance to explore both. This way company get cross talent and you get knowledge of both fields. How does it sound to both of you?”

Both were shocked as both have their own reason to work with Maan.

“If seniors have decided, I am fine with it” said Annie

“You Miss Geet?” Geet looked at Maan, their eyes met, but his did not say anything

“I am fine with whatever company decides” Did she have any choice, the other one was his sister.

“So the plan goes this way – you both will go under training, One Month Finance and one month Business. Then Anwesha gets to work 3 months in Business with Maan Sir and Geet gets to work three months with me in Finance. After then we switch. Then depending on your performance, projects will be given to you”

Geet quickly calculated – so five months she is not working with him. It pained, very deep shock on Day 1. Dreams felt like falling apart. He was far-far away from her. She raised her hand

“I have a question Sir” “Yes please” said Adi

“Who will give us training”

“Definitely not us Geet” he laughed, even Maan laughed “Just kidding. We have a training center separately; you both are getting training there”

“I will oversee it” concluded Adi.

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