A week had passed since that stormy night at Hotel Narayana.
Ajay sat on the edge of his small apartment's couch, staring at his phone in disbelief. The call had come out of nowhere—an interview offer from AM Corporation, one of India's most prestigious tech giants. The position? Personal Assistant to the CEO.
His grip tightened around the phone. After months of rejections—of companies turning him away the moment they heard about the false allegations—this felt like a cruel joke. Or a miracle.
"Papa, are you okay?" Divya, his five-year-old daughter, tugged at his sleeve, her big brown eyes filled with innocent concern.
Ajay forced a smile, ruffling her hair. "Yeah, baby. Just… got some good news."
He had no idea how he had even made it through the initial screening. His resume was solid—IIT Bombay, a strong engineering background—but the black mark of his termination should have disqualified him instantly.
Yet here he was.
AM Corporation Headquarters, Ahmedabad
The next morning, Ajay stood outside the towering glass structure of AM Corp., his stomach in knots. Dressed in the only formal suit he still owned—a little too loose on his frame now—he took a deep breath and walked in.
The lobby was sleek, modern, buzzing with employees and visitors. A receptionist directed him to the 20th floor, where a waiting area was already packed with at least fifty other applicants.
Ajay took a seat, listening to the murmurs around him.
"Dude, do you even know what you're signing up for?" a guy in a sharp blazer whispered to another. "The CEO changes her PA every other week. But the catch? If she fires you, you still get three months' salary. Free money."
Another applicant chuckled. "Yeah, I heard she's impossible to please. But hey, three months' pay for a few weeks of work? Worth a shot."
Ajay's jaw tightened. So that's why there were so many candidates. They weren't here for the job—they were here for the exit package.
Before he could process that, a stern-looking woman in a pantsuit stepped out. "Ajay Sharma?"
Ajay stood. "Yes."
"You're next."
The Interview Room
The moment Ajay stepped inside, his breath caught.
There she was.
Anjali Mehta.
Seated at the head of a long glass table, dressed in a fitted black blazer and a crisp white shirt, her dark eyes locked onto his with amused recognition. Two other interviewers—a man and a woman from HR—sat beside her, looking over his file.
Anjali leaned back in her chair, a slow smirk playing on her lips. "Well, well. Ajay Sharma. Fancy seeing you here."
The HR executives blinked, glancing between them.
Ajay's pulse spiked, but he kept his expression neutral. "Ma'am."
Anjali tilted her head, her gaze deliberately trailing down his frame before meeting his eyes again. "You clean up nice. Much better than the hotel uniform."
The HR woman coughed. "You… know each other?"
Anjali waved a hand. "Oh, we've met." She tapped her fingers on the table. "So, Ajay. Why do you want this job?"
Ajay exhaled. He could lie. He could play along. But something about the way she was looking at him—challenging, teasing, waiting for him to slip—made him answer honestly.
"I didn't apply for it."
The HR man frowned. "What?"
Ajay kept his eyes on Anjali. "I didn't send my resume here. Which means someone pulled my file. And since you're the CEO…" He paused. "You called me here."
Anjali's smirk deepened. "Sharp." She turned to the HR team. "See? This is exactly what I need. Someone who doesn't just nod and agree with everything I say."
The interviewers exchanged uneasy glances.
Anjali ignored them, leaning forward. "Tell me, Ajay. If I hired you, what's the first thing you'd do?"
Ajay didn't hesitate. "Ask why you really called me in."
A beat of silence.
Then, Anjali laughed—a rich, unfiltered sound that made the HR team stiffen in surprise. "Oh, I like you." She glanced at the others. "We're done here."
The HR woman blinked. "But—we haven't even evaluated his—"
Anjali stood, cutting her off. "He's hired. Starting tomorrow."
Ajay's mind raced. "Just like that?"
Anjali walked around the table, stopping right in front of him. Close enough that he caught the faint scent of her perfume—something expensive and dangerous.
"Just like that," she murmured, her voice low enough that only he could hear. "Unless you're scared?"
Ajay held her gaze. "Of what?"
Her lips curved. "Good answer."
Then, she turned and walked out, leaving the HR team stunned, the other applicants whispering, and Ajay wondering what the hell he had just gotten himself into.