Destiny or Coincidence?

Athira Patel

By the time we reached Chennai and checked in to our allocated hotel, it was almost 11.30 AM in the morning and we have a meeting to attend at 1.00 PM. But the good thing is that the meeting is held in the same hotel with our clients so we don't have to rush to get ready. 

"Guys, we still have one and a half hours left to get ready for the meeting, so you can rest for some time and get ready. Especially the team members of this project" Abhi said gesturing to our team to make his point clear. 

Everyone nodded their heads before parting their ways for the respective rooms. I need to share my room with my friends Charitha and Sahana which is not at all a bad idea since we didn't spend a lot of time these days due to work and Abhi. Now i can make up for all that lost time. Sahana already planned everything out which she says it's a secret though. 

I too felt a little tired, so thought of taking some rest before getting ready for the meeting, so I said goodbye to my friends and started walking away to my room when suddenly someone caught me from behind my making me squeal in surprise. But immediately cooled down because of the familiar touch and leaned onto him even more. 

"Where do you think you are going without even giving me my daily dose?" Abhi whispered seductively near my ear by making me shudder in response. He definitely knows where to push my buttons to surrender to him. 

"Daily dose?" I said acting confused by turning to face him in his arms. "What is that," I said making a face that i was thinking about it while placing my hands around his neck. He dragged me closer to him by keeping both of his hands around my waist that our faces were only five inches apart. 

My heart used to beat louder at first because of this closeness but now i got used to it. Of Course, it still beats louder but now for a whole different reason. 

"Hmm Hmm… My daily dose babe…. And you know it very well" He said giving me a mischievous smile by placing the feather-light kisses on my neck that i moaned lightly to his sweet torture. 

"Really?…. I don't ..." I moaned leaving my sentence incomplete when he sucked the skin at the collarbone. I can give in easily to this sweet torture of him forever if it needs to be.

"Don't even complete that sentence dear. I know what you are going to say and I don't want to hear it" He said whispering against the skin of my neck that his lips are touching whenever he spoke to me. 

"Idiot" I gasped when he pressed my waist a little tightly and he took that as a chance to capture my lips in a passionate kiss that I moaned in response before responding to him equally. Each and every kiss of him is different but yet heart-melting and makes me go crazy over him and his kisses for even more. 

I love the way my body, mind and soul reacts to his kisses and I love the way how easily he can make me melt in his arms. Mostly I love him with the bottom of my heart. 

How can one person who was totally a stranger before can become everything to you with the blink of an eye? Maybe that's called love. And i am happy to experience it atlast in my life. I don't regret a thing that happened between us or even how we met in unusual circumstances because that was the main reason for me to get attracted to him in the first place. 

We parted only when we became short of air but still held onto each other tightly. He was looking into my eyes with love that i got lost in him for a moment before coming back to my senses that everyone was watching us since we are at the lobby. It made me blush thinking that we were kissing while everyone was looking at us when our friends laughed at my face and started dragging me from him.

"You don't get shy when he kisses you in public but does when you realise about the aftermath? What a crazy girl you are" said Charitha by shaking her head at me and making me look at her in shock. 

"Don't look that surprised. You were kissing him as much as he was kissing you passionately. It's just that you forget everyone around you when he is with you" Stated Sahana making me open my mouth even wider at them. 

"That's not true," I said, blinking rapidly at them in shock. All the others laughed at their comments and went away when Abhi came near to us and hugged me again by silencing me.

"They are true about the passionate word though," He said winking at me after a moment by releasing me from his hug. I just stood there gawking at him when he laughed heartily and went to his room.

"You dumbass," I said out loud for him to listen but in return, he just smirked at me by giving a flying kiss before entering into his room. I stomped my foot on the ground in a childish manner due to his reaction. I know that I am acting like a child but I don't care at present.

"He sure is charming," said Sahana making me turn in her direction and glared at her in response.

"What…," she asked looking at me innocently. "I was just stating the fact. And we both know that he is charming and handsome." and continued saying with a smirk on her face that I scowled and growled at her in jealousy.

"Shut up Sahu, Otherwise i will kill you now," I said glaring at her and gritting my teeth in frustration.

"Don't know how his kiss would be though" She said fanning herself like whatever I said just now was gone in the wind. This statement made me go crazy on her. 

"That's it. You are gone in my hands today" I said loudly by taking a step in her direction when she squealed looking at my face and ran inside our room by making me follow her in return. 

It's good to spend time with our loved ones and friends to relax ourselves and forget about the whole world around us at that moment because moments like these are precious and will not come back again. So we need to capture them in our hearts and cherish them forever. 

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The conference room is very big that at least 40 members can sit at the same time for a meeting and we only occupied up to 26 to 28 seats including our clients. There is a big projector placed at the centre of the wall at the front for everyone to see it clearly.

This is my first time sitting in a conference room for a meeting and that too with our client and CEO at the same time. I feel excited and nervous at the same time but calmed myself by cooling down a little.

This project is important since Jordan never took up the projects for orphanages until now but Hema aunty wants to try it this time and see if everything goes well. So here we are with the Shukla's to discuss the plans for the project and make them accept this at any cost. By the serious and determined expression on Abhi's face, I think that he wants to get this deal because of aunty. 

I can feel the tense atmosphere in the air because i got to know from Abhi's secretary that Jordan is trying to get the project from Shukla's from past three years and they are rejecting all the ideas and designs saying that they are not homely enough. I really hope that this works out for Abhi since he prepared overnight for this one. 

After everyone came, the meeting started with the introduction of Shukla Industries by their secretary and their plan for this project. According to the presentation, they are showing, even they are struggling to get a design from the past two years which can be homely enough for the children who are going to stay in it. I can sense that this project is not only professional for the Shuklas but the personal interest too. Because that could be the only reason for them to reject the best designs from almost everyone and come to us once again. It's admirable to see the interest for the orphan kids from the Shukla's side. 

They are looking for the unique, heart touching and homely atmosphere type of design for this project and if I am being honest with myself, I think our designs are more of a perfect and professional-looking rather than being homely. And it might be possible that they may reject our design again because of this.

When she completed her presentation, Abhi's secretary got up and took it from there by introducing our company and all. Once she is done with that, Abhi continued it from there by showing them the designs and explaining each and every design keenly with much concentration. I noted the important points which needs to be changed while watching everyone in the room to see how concentrated they are. 

Well, looks like everyone is listening to him interestingly or gawking at his handsome face. I can't blame them though. He is handsome to resist his charm. And I am kind of satisfied that he is mine and the least everyone can do is to look at him from afar.

What a thinking Athi… You and your dirty thoughts…. Mocked my brain to which i smiled sheepishly that Abhi looked at me with a questioning look on his face. I shook my head to assure him that everything is fine and he continued to explain whatever he was doing it before. But the silent signals between us didn't go unnoticed by our team members because i can see the knowing smiles on their faces, which made me feel a little embarrassed about my thinking in the middle of the meeting. 

I took a deep breath to concentrate on the meeting and started listening to what he is saying. After ten minutes, Abhi completed explaining about each and every design and took a seat beside me by taking a sip of water but I can see the stress on his face clearly which is making me concerned about this project even more. 

"Mr Ponnam, thank you for the designs and the explanation for each one of them. It made us look at them even clearer now" said the CEO of the Shukla Industries. He might be more or less the same age of Hema aunty by the appearance. He is having bags under his eyes which are covered with his specs but i have to agree that he cleaned it up well. 

"These designs are very professional and perfect for any type of hotel or any other house. I can see that your team has worked hard to create these designs and no wonder that your company designs are the best all over." He said making us somewhat relax but still tensed at some point.

"But Mr Ponnam what i am looking for is the homely environment for the children. They will be staying here for as long as until they stand on their legs. That means it will be their house for a long time and i want them to feel at home and not an orphanage. These designs are best and perfect for any hotel or house which can look stylish and flawless." he explained with a look of feeling on his face that I found myself thinking about his unseen pain in the heart.

"No offence here. I would have made a deal on the spot if i was looking for any hotel or my own house. But it's not for me but children. It should be near to their hearts and it should make them feel at ease. I hope you understand what I am trying to say" he said with a look of regret and sorry on his face. He is definitely feeling sorry for rejecting these designs but I can even understand his yearning for this. 

Abhi started to explain and was trying to convince them while some of them also joined him in explaining about the designs. But still, my mind was somewhere else thinking about the way to make them feel at home and ease. They are orphans and i agree with it, but what if they are our own children? What would we do in that case? 

Shit… That's it….. That's the solution to this problem…. Shit… How did we all miss this simple point…

"Excuse me, everyone," I said with a loud voice of mine by standing at my place to gather everyone's attention towards me so that i can explain the idea which i got just now and hope that it will be a good one. 

Everyone became silent within a moment and turned towards me with a look of confusion on their faces. I cannot blame them, even I was feeling the same way here except the confusion part though.

"Sorry to interrupt everyone in between the discussion. I actually got an idea for this one which hopefully can be good for them. If you are fine with it, then i would like to explain about the idea" I said looking at them with cautious eyes and praying inside to say yes.

"Yes you can share your idea with us Ms…?" said the CEO of the Shukla Industries with a curious look on his face.

"Ms Athira Patel," I said my name with a smile on my face.

"Yes Ms Patel carry on," he said leaning back on his seat and giving me his full attention. 

"Thank you, sir," I said with a happy face and glanced at Abhi to see confused expression on his face but still he gave an encouraging smile for me to continue. It gave me even more confidence to proceed further.

"Actually i agree with you, sir." I said looking at him and continued "This designs may look perfect and flawless, but if you ask me whether I would make this design for my children or not, then my answer would be definitely no." I said making him smile a little with an understanding expression on his face. I can even see the smirk on Abhi's face bt avoided him and continued it. 

"Because I want the designs and environment of the room to look according to the taste of my children since it will be their room for the rest of their lives," I said with a satisfied look that he just nodded his head in return and signalled me to continue.

"So, according to me, i think that we need to find the tastes of the children to design them," I said making everyone look at each other with even more confused faces.

"But Ms Patel, knowing the tastes of all the 250 orphans might be somewhat difficult i think," said one of the members from the Shulkas team. Mr Shukla just watched me with a curious look but said nothing while Abhi too was doing the same thing. 

"Yes, it will be difficult. I agree with you. But if four to five members from our team can spend one day of their time to gather all the information from the children about their favourite colour, favourite cartoons or even favourite food then we can design it accordingly." I said with a confident look that I had learned from my boyfriend. He knows where to look confident, where to look demanding and where to look convincing according to the situation that I have learned it from him itself. 

"I know that it's time taking and all but if we need to get down according to their level to design it then i think we need to take this risk on investing some more time for them. Because if we want children to like us then we will get down to their age level while talking to them and imitate like them just to get close with them. And I think it's the only way to make them feel homely and safe with us right. Then why can't we implement the same in case of designs also?" I explained clearly with all my heart and looked at every one of them in anticipation to see if anyone agrees with me. 

My heart is beating very fast due to the tension and nervousness i am feeling currently but I am making a great effort on not showing it on my face. It's not at all easy to give a presentation in front of everyone to make them accept our ideas and convince them. It's just a moment but still, it felt like a very long time. 

I was praying in my heart desperately for them to accept this idea and sign the deal with us for Abhi's sake when Mr Shukla spoke making my inner debate to stop and concentrate on him solely with anticipation.

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Hello everyone,

Here is your awaiting chapter. I am sorry for updating it lately. I was stuck with my personal work that I didn't get the time to write.

What do you think about this chapter? Do let me know your thoughts and opinions on this chapter.

Don't forget to vote, comment and share it if you like.

Will try to update the next chapter within couple of days mostly.

Till then.... see you....

Love....