From the kitchen, Minakshi's mother shouted, "Eat something before you go.".

"No, mom, I don't want to get late for the interview," Minakshi said wearing her black belly shoes.

Today Minakshi has her interview in Mickey Clothing. Her outfit for the interview consists of a white shirt, a black checked coat with white lines, and a pair of checked pants similar to the coat.

Mickey Clothing, as the name suggests, makes clothes. It is a large local company with branches throughout the country I.

As her mother handed her a small lunch box in a hurry, she added, "But you shouldn't go empty stomach.".

"Alright. I am leaving mom" Minakshi said putting the tiffin in her bag and running to the bus stop.

"Bye and good luck sweetie" her mother shouted from the gate waving her hand goodbye.

Minakshi, a 26-year-old girl lives with her mother and younger sister Roohi in a city I. Her father died in a car accident when she was 6 years old. Since then, her mother has raised both girls alone. Thanks to her bakery business, without it they would have come down the roadside

Minakshi's mother loves baking. She opened a small bakery at home after she got married. They made the ground floor a bakery and lived on the first floor. After some time, the business alone was not enough to raise two kids. Therefore, Minakshi started giving tuition lessons to kids who live in her area when she was 16 years old. She earned enough to help her mother.

"Good morning mam, how can I help you?" the receptionist asked Minakshi with a sweet smile on her face.

"Good morning, I am Minakshi and I am here for the interview," Minakshi said catching her breath. She came here in a hurry, she started running as soon as she got off the bus. It took her 6 minutes to reach here running.

"Let me check ma'am," the receptionist said typing something on her laptop. In the meantime, Minakshi tried to calm herself after running so much.

"Yes, Ms. Minakshi you are here for the assistant job interview, right?" the lady asked confirming.

"Yes, I am here for it," Minakshi said holding the file.

"Ok, you see there is a lift over there, go to the 4th floor. Your interview is on that floor" the lady explained to her, showing her the way to the lift.

"Thank you, ma'am," Minakshi said before heading that way.

There were two lifts. She pressed the lift button. It was on the 10th floor, the top floor of this building. Another lift opened instead of the one she was standing in front of. She got inside the lift and as the gate was closing a hand appeared from the outside and it opened again.

A tall young man was standing wearing a formal navy blue suit and white shirt with a navy blue tie. The way he combed his hair back made him look devilishly handsome. He was looking at his phone scrolling through something. He was about to enter when he saw Minakshi already in the lift. He gave her a serious look.

On the other hand, Minakshi was very impatient to reach the fourth floor. She wants a job very much but doesn't know if she will get one or not.

She saw the guy and gave him a questioning look. She asked him to come inside, gesturing with her hands at which he narrowed his eyes.

"Come inside if you want to, otherwise let the door close," she said to the guy with a worried and irritated face at the same time.

"This lift is only for the boss, the CEO. The second lift is for other people," He said flipping out.

"Why are you trying to get in, if it's just for the boss?" she asked this time loudly and furiously.

She calmly said, "Get inside if you want, otherwise," indicating with her hands to leave.

"Why are you in a hurry?" he asked her getting inside and pressing number 10.

"I have my interview and I don't want to get late," she said looking at the screen above the lift, showing the number of floors.

"Which post have you applied for?" he asked her looking at the screen of the number.

"Why will you talk to the boss for me?" she asked him frustrated at that. He raised his eyebrows looking at her.

Ding

The gate of the lift opened on the 4th floor and Minakshi dashed outside without looking back. He watched her go and smirked.

"Hello, I am Minakshi. I am here to give an interview for an assistant job" Minakshi said to the lady at the counter.

She looks like she is around Minakshi's age. She is wearing a white fitted shirt with a black blazer, as well as a black pencil skirt that comes up to her knees and black pencil heels.

"Hello mam, please wait here. Our boss will be here at any minute to take your interview" the lady at the counter said politely.

Minakshi sat down on the sofa over there. There were three more people who came for the interview.

"I have heard the boss is really strict. It is not easy to impress him" one person sitting there said to the person beside him.

"Really?" the second person asked worriedly.

"Yes, one cannot impress him with their sweet talk. He hates it" the first-person said with arched eyebrows.

He is a workaholic. He expects his assistant to be sincere" the third person said indulging him.

"I have also heard that no assistant of his has been in this office for more than 2 months," the third one said again in a low voice.

"What are you saying?" the second asked surprised.

"Either they leave the job or the boss throws them out." The third one said, making them worried.

Minakshi was listening to all this. She became nervous and wondered what the hell this boss was like.

"Excuse me. How do you know all this?" she asked them hesitating.

"I heard something," the third person thought and said.

She looked at the first person, who sat straight thinking and said hesitatingly "I also heard from somewhere."

A huge sigh escaped Minakshi's lips as she looked at them in amazement.

"But I guess the boss is that way. Not everyone will say that," the second person said in doubt. "

"Bunch of morons," she said in her mind.

Having heard these people, she wondered how she would impress the boss in this interview. When she realized that they were just making guesses, she relaxed because she is not among the people who believe in rumors.

Just then a man came to the counter and asked "Ms. Lata are the interviewees here?"

"Yes, Akhil Sir, all of them are here. They are four in total" she replied to the man whose name is Akhil.

He looked to his right to find Minakshi and three men sitting.

"Alright," he said looking at them and then at the paper he was holding. After a minute he leaned back while he tried to look for something. Lata is watching him confused.

"Sir, is there any problem?" she asked Akhil a little concerned.

He stood straight and pointed with his thumb at his left side. "No, but the problem is coming" he replied.

She looked in that direction curiously and saw someone coming.

"Boss is here," she said with surprise and fear on her face.

Hearing this the employees over there became serious and started doing their work sincerely. Looking at this Minakshi thought who is this boss, who has made everyone scared to hell?

She got up to greet him, but when she saw the boss, she was stunned.

Minakshi stands like a statue at her place and dares not to move at all. She is shocked to see the person in front of her.

"He is a guy from the lift," she thought inwardly still in shock.

"Good morning, sir," Lata greeted the boss. He nodded at her.

"Good morning, Abhimanyu," Akhil greeted, waving his hand.

Abhimanyu greeted him without any expression on his face.

Abhimanyu looked at Minakshi and the people standing with her and turned around to Lata.

He asked with a heavy voice, "Are these people here for the interview?".

"Yes," Lata replied in a low voice.

"Send them one by one" he instructed her as he passed Minakshi without looking at her now.

On his right side, there were cubicles for employees. He stopped for a moment and looked at a particular place. The employees got up from their seats to greet their boss.

Abhimanyu looked seriously at the last cubicle and asked an employee to come to him.

"Why is that cubicle vacant?" he asked gravely of the guy.

"Sir, she is not here yet," the guy replied with a shiver.

A girl came running and stopped when she saw Abhimanyu standing there. She remained there, her head bowed down scared and gasping for air. Abhimanyu walked towards her and stand right in front of her. She dared not to move back and was shivering with fear.

"I am sorry sir, I met with an accident and got late" she almost choked on saying it.

She tried to look up at him, who was glaring at her deadly. She bowed her head once more. Abhimanyu looked at her carefully from head to toe.

"You can go home," he said in a hoarse voice.

The girl was shocked when she heard him.

"Sir, I am not lying, I actually had an accident. Please don't fire me" she pleaded with him almost crying.

He looked at Akhil tilting his head. Akhil looked at him and as if reading him he came forward. He respectfully asked the girl to come with him. Abhimanyu told everyone to take their seats and walked to the cabin.

"I think she is fired," said the person making a sad face.

Minakshi cannot believe he is the boss; she walked to the counter to ask the lady known as Lata.

"Excuse me. Is he the boss?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes mam, he is our boss, Mr. Abhimanyu" Lata replied seriously raising her eyebrows.

"You idiot, stupid," Minakshi said cursing herself.

"Excuse me?" Lata asked her in shock thinking she was telling her all this.

"Huh, nothing. I am sorry. I was talking to myself" Minakshi told her sheepishly and walked back to her seat.

"Oh god, he is the guy in the lift. I talked to him very impolitely. What will I do now?" she thought getting pale.

She cursed herself thinking about the lift incident. She should understand that if he is taking the lift of the boss then he is the boss, why is she so dumb? She said in her head as she tapped her leg worriedly.

The counter's phone suddenly rang. Lata picked it up and answered it.

"Yes Sir" she replied politely to her boss in the cabin.

"Alright, sir," she said, cutting off the phone.

"Excuse me, sir, you can walk inside," Lata said to one of the interviewees.

The person sitting next to Minakshi got up and stepped inside the cabin. In a minute he was out with disappointment on his face. Everyone sitting there thought the interview did not end well. After a while, Minakshi stepped inside for an interview. She was the last candidate for it.

She took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Come" came a voice from the cabin.

Minakshi entered looking into the cabin. In the cabin, there is a three-seater sofa set with a glass table along with a table where snacks and a coffee maker are displayed, as well as a coffee mug stand.

There is a table at which some files and a desktop are placed. Three chairs were there. One chair was where Mr. Abhimanyu was sitting and two were opposite him on the other side of the table. There is a plain sky-blue wall behind Abhimanyu's chair in which some photographs of an award ceremony and others of someone receiving awards giving speeches are displayed.

Minakshi moved forward with small steps looking at Abhimanyu. He was devoted to his laptop.

"Sit," Abhimanyu said to Minakshi while typing without looking at her.

As Minakshi sat on the chair, she held the documents tightly in her hands.

"So, Ms. Minakshi you are here for the assistant job," he said looking at Minakshi now.

Minakshi was sitting straight in her chair in an alert position after hearing him.

"Yes, sir," she replied, looking at him.

"Well, you can relax. After you drink this, we'll start the interview". He offered her a glass of water, which she drank half of.

"Nervous?" He was watching her carefully and asked arching his eyebrow upward.

"You should be," he said leaning back on his chair.

Minakshi kept quiet.

"Tell me about yourself" Abhimanyu started the interview with a basic question.

"I am Minakshi Singh, age 26 born and brought up in the city of J. I have a younger sister also who is doing a cooking course. I completed my MBA from College X."

Minakshi started telling him about herself and he was listening very carefully.

"So, you have previously worked in a company ABC, which is an advertising company," Abhimanyu confirmed from her looking at his laptop. He opened her resume on his laptop.

"Yes," she responded back.

"What work did you do there?"

"Sir, I worked as a volunteer there. Occasionally, I take a look at whether the material requested for an advertisement is available, such as the cameras and miscellaneous items. Whether it has been ordered and brought to the studio on time or not." Minakshi said confidently.

She is less nervous and more confident when answering questions.

"So how is a volunteer job similar to an assistant job? Would you be able to take the pressure of this job?" Abhimanyu asked folding his hands.

"Sir I used to take direct orders from and also respond directly to the boss of the advertising company. He always asks me if the things ordered have arrived or not, whether everything is ready or not. I have already faced the pressure sir" Minakshi said looking into Abhimanyu's eyes without blinking.

There is no time limit for work in my company. If necessary, you will have to work overtime as well." Abhimanyu stated.

"Okay sir" Minakshi replied without taking a moment to think.

"All right then," Abhimanyu replied, raising his eyebrows.

"You may leave now Ms. Minakshi. Nice to meet you" Abhimanyu said standing, and bringing his hand forward for a handshake, which Minakshi took by standing and shaking her hand with him.

"Thank you, sir," Minakshi smiled and headed out.

Minakshi is sitting on her sofa watching a movie without any interest. Her interview was 2 weeks ago. When she left the office she was told that she would receive a phone call if she was selected, but to date, she has not received any calls.

She started looking for jobs elsewhere, but no response came.

"It is not easy to get a job," Minakshi's mom said keeping a tray of tea on the table.

"Mom, are you making me comfortable or mocking me?" Minakshi said picking up the cup of tea from the tray.

'Where does mocking come from dear? I'm just saying it isn't easy to get a job, but that doesn't mean you're not qualified to get one, her mom said.

"Come on you will get one, for sure," Minakshi's sister Roohi said lying on the spacious sofa. During her vacation, she came home. Roohi is doing a cooking course at City D. She loves to make various dishes as well as bake like her mom.

But it's been 2 weeks and there is no response from Mickey company or any other companies," Minakshi said worriedly.

Just then her mobile phone rang. She picked up the call and walked outside the sitting area to talk. Her mother and her sister, Roohi, looked at her going outside and then looked at each other thinking about who might be on the call.

After a while, Minakshi came and said "I have been selected"

Roohi jumped from the sofa and ran to hug her. Her mom was also happy.

"O my God…you got the job didi" Roohi almost screamed excitedly saying it.

"Who was on the call Minu? What did they say? Which company is it?" Minu's mom bombarded her asking not giving her a chance to say anything.

"Mom…let her speak…You are just throwing your questions at her and not letting her say anything" Roohi said narrowing her eyes.

Her mom made a face after listening to Roohi and then signaled Minakshi to speak.

"Mom, it is the Mickey company. I gave an interview there 2 weeks ago." Minakshi replied.

"They told me I got selected for the Assistant position, and I need to bring certain documents to the office." Minakshi smiled and continued.

"It was HR from the company. She told me that I must bring my passport-size photo and a printout of the form they have sent me in my mail Id" Minakshi told them further.

"Okay, then I have to do many things. I am going to my room…Do not call me until I am done" Minakshi told her mom and sister.

"Aaye Aaye Captain" Roohi teased as she saluted her.

A few minutes later, Minakshi came to her room and opened her laptop, and then opened her mail account. She saw a message from Mickey company in her inbox.

It was an appointment letter, stating that she had been selected, and below the letter was a form that she must fill out and submit to the office tomorrow.

She walked to the nearby cafeteria and brought a printout of both the appointment letter as well as the form. She started putting everything important in the file.

The next morning, she woke up early, freshened up, and got ready on time. This is so that she would not miss her bus and would also not be late on the very first day of work.

She also did not want to be late because she had seen her boss. Abhimanyu fired a girl who did not reach the office that day on time when she came to give an interview.

Minakshi is wearing black pants and a coat with a white shirt and styling her hair into a bun.

"Bye mom, bye Roohi" Minakshi said taking an apple from the table and rushing to the bus stop.

In vain, her mom called out, "Minu eat something," but Minu was gone.

After arriving at the office on time, Minakshi went to the receptionist to submit everything that was required.

"Ma'am please come with me," the receptionist told Minakshi.

Minakshi went to the 4th floor with her. Minakshi's form was submitted there.

"Hello, nice to meet you. I am Lata. The HR of this company. Welcome to our family" Lata introduced herself. She is wearing white trousers, a coat, and a pink shirt.

She styled her hair into a ponytail.

"Hello, nice to meet you too mam." Minakshi handshakes her.

"Come I will take you to your table." Lata directed Minakshi to come with her.

Lata pressed the lift button and when the lift came, they both went inside. She pressed the 10th-floor button.

Minakshi and Lata reached the top floor of the building.

"Here is your table. You will sit here outside the cabin of our boss Mr. Abhimanyu" Lata told Minakshi indicating toward the table and chair that was outside the cabin.

There is an almirah of glass and steel behind her chair, as well as a cabinet with two rows on each side of the almirah.

"Have a seat, the boss will be here at any minute. All the best" Lata said waving her hand and turning towards the lift to go to her floor.

"Alright let us see..huff," Minakshi said to herself huffing. Then she rummaged through her table to see what was there and what wasn't.

DING

The light outside the lift blinked indicating that the lift was on the floor, but wasn't the lift she came from. It was the lift from which the boss use to come.

Abhimanyu dashed outside and walked straight to his cabin without looking at Minakshi.

Minakshi wanted to greet him with good morning, but he did not give her a chance to speak. She was standing there as a dumb woman.

"Is he in a bad mood?" she thought to herself and took her seat.

Just then her landline phone rang, which had been placed on the table. She picked up the call.

"Come inside" a voice came from the other side of the phone.

"Yes sir" Minakshi guessed it was her boss and went to his cabin.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Come" a loud male voice came from inside.

'Sir, you called me,' Minakshi asked, using a low but confident tone.

"So, here you are. How are you?" Abhimanyu asked, entangling his fingers while keeping his elbow on the chair's hands.

"Very well, sir" Minakshi replied awkwardly.

"I want honesty in this job. As I made clear in the interview that there is no time to go home. I expect it from you." He made himself very clear.

"Yes sir," she said in response.

"We are heading somewhere. Take these files and come. NOW" he ordered her.

Minakshi took the files and followed him. He stood in front of the lift and looked at Minakshi.

Minakshi asked with raised eyebrows, "What happened?"

He tilted his head and instructed her to press the button for the lift, which she did.

'How arrogant' Minakshi said in a low voice that he could not hear.

She entered the lift after him and pressed the ground floor button.

"Where are we going, sir?" Minakshi asked hesitatingly.

"You will know" Abhimanyu replied without looking at her.

"Minimal words…he could speak more," Minakshi thought in her mind.

"Minimal words are my habit. Get used to it" Abhimanyu said heading out of the lift as they reached their selected floor.

Minakshi was shocked thinking does he know how to read minds?

She also stepped out of the office following him. They stood near the entrance of the building. A car came and they sat together.

Minakshi thanked God that Abhimanyu did not ask her to open the gate for him.

After about half an hour of driving they reached a hotel, Hotel Saya

The car stopped right at the entrance gate of the hotel building.

"Let's go," he said getting out of the car.

Abhimanyu was standing there looking at the entrance door, then he turned toward Minakshi

"There is a client waiting for us. I want this meeting to be successful no matter how. Just do as I say" he ordered her and headed inside the hotel.

Minakshi saw him leaving and said to herself "as if he is willing to give me a choice"

"Just do as I say." She mimicked him and went inside before he called.

Abhimanyu and Minakshi entered the dining area and Abhimanyu started looking for his client.

He waved his hand to a person and Minakshi looked in the direction he was waving and followed him by going there.

"Hello Mr. Abhimanyu," the client said

"Hello, Mr. Robert" Abhimanyu shakes hands with him.

"This is my Assistant Ms. Minakshi" Abhimanyu introduced her gesturing his hands toward her.

"Hello," Mr. Robert said bringing his hand forward for a handshake.

"Hello sir" Minakshi replied with a smile on her face and a handshake to him.

"Please sit," Mr. Robert politely asked.

"So without wasting time let's discuss what we are here for," Abhimanyu said looking at Robert and then Minakshi to which she shook her head yes.

After a long discussion, Mr. Robert said "I am ready to do business with you."

Minakshi is happy to hear this. She looked at Abhimanyu. He was looking at Robert seriously.

"I am sorry what did you say?" Abhimanyu asked as if confirming whether what he heard was right or not

"I am ready to do business with you," Mr. Robert said again

"You mean as if becoming partners?" Abhimanyu asked to confirm.

Minakshi looked at Abhimanyu confused.

"Yes," Mr. Robert replied.

"No Mr. Robert…not partnership," Abhimanyu said

"What do you mean by not partnership? If not, what do you mean by not partnership?" Mr. Robert asked Abhimanyu confused.

Minakshi was also waiting for Abhimanyu to say what he meant by it.

"I want you to promote my business by working under me, not as a partner" Abhimanyu stated.

Robert was shocked when he heard this, and so was Minakshi. She wants to make sure what she hears is right. He wants Mr. Robert, who has big business in other countries to work under him. It would be a shame for him.

"What did you just say?" Mr. Robert asked as if confirming whether what he heard was true or not.

"What you heard just now" Abhimanyu replied sitting comfortably and sipping his glass of water.

Mr. Robert laughed and asked, "Are you kidding?"

Minakshi is sitting there uncomfortable and awkward thinking this conversation is going somewhere else.

"No" was his reply.

"Then I am sorry I have to leave now Mr. Abhimanyu. You wasted my precious time" Mr. Robert said standing from his seat.

"I thought we were here for some business topic," he continued and walked away.

Minakshi looked at him going and turned to Abhimanyu

"What have you done sir?" she asked Abhimanyu

"You wanted this meeting to be successful and now it is gone from your hands," she said further.

"Shut your mouth," he said with a serious face looking at her.

"How dare he? How dare he want to be equal to me?" Abhimanyu exclaimed angrily and walked away from there.

Rather than being confused, Minakshi was shocked.

"What is he?" she wondered.