Chapter 1
Sharvika closed her laptop with satisfaction. She smiled happily that all is set for today's meeting and she had mailed the necessary documents to her boss Venkat. She is a Technical Lead in one of the best IT Company in the country. A new Manager is joining her team and a meeting is arranged for that. The daily routine of the job has come to the back of her hand. She was bit worried when she joined this critical project. But Venkat was the one who encouraged her. He know her since she joined this company. In fact he was her first project lead. A good leader who she can reach out at all trouble times.
When this critical project was formed she was hesitant to take it. The turmoil she was going through in her life at that time made her about to reject the opportunity. But Venkat was the one who insisted her to join the project. How correct he is? The busy schedule made her to stop self-pitying. At times she suspected that Venkat put her in this project for the same reason.
She still remember his words which made her to join this team "I don't know whether you don't realize your talent and just enjoy the feel to wallow yourself is self-pity?". Even though the words stung at the time, she now feel grateful for him to force her to join the team.
In fact her hard work to forget certain period of her life, helped her to achieve heights. And now finally her visa is processed. In another couple of months she will be flying out of her country and have never planned to return back. She wants to leave all her past in India.
Like everyone Sharvika is also curious to know the new lead who will be joining the team. She smiled within herself recalling Rithvi's worries yesterday. What if he is strict and arrogant? Will their forthcoming appraisal be affected?
Sharvi is not worried about all those as she know her contribution towards the project. But a small voice told her back that she is lying. Nothing worse can happen in the future compared to her past. Her smile wavered on these thoughts, but two years of practice made her to smile back.
She stonily pushed aside the thoughts and concentrated on the upcoming meeting. She mentally crossed the check list for the meeting. She is not sure if she need to present her roles and responsibilities in the team in today's meeting or another one on one will be set up for her. She already had listed out the possible points that will be discussed, questions that will be raised and prepared the needed pointers to justify her answers. If anything new arises she can face at the time. With these thoughts Sharvika decided to take a coffee break.
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Sharvi cursed herself while rushing to the conference room. She should have avoid Madhu when she was called. The name 'Chatter Box' totally suits her. It was so difficult escape her and come back to the meeting. She was never late to any of her meetings. Checking the time to realize that she was a couple of minutes late, she collected her laptop and dashed to the conference room. Upon entering she apologized for the delay and started looking for a seat to occupy without disturbing the ongoing meeting.
Sharvika could not shake of the sudden uneasiness that engulfed her to look up the new member's face. All the color drained from her face. It's the same face that is tattooed in her heart, mind and soul. The only difference is there is no laugh lines. But the eyes... as if all the hatred in the world in pouring on her through them. The whole world became out of focus except the eyes.
"Ah, there you are Sharvi. We are in fact expecting you. This is Vidhyuth, your new lead. He is going to work with you on the new project. Vidhyuth, this is Sharvika. Very talented in our team and going to take up the onsite role for this project once the current version is released... Sharvi are you OK? You look very pale?" Venkat slowly registered the shock in Sharvi's face.
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Sharvika could not able to recollect on how she ended up in the ladies room. She mumbled an excuse and left the conference room abruptly. She neither saw the disapproval in Venkat's face nor the puzzled faces of other people. The contempt in the new eyes alone is filled in her mind. Sharvika was confident that till then, she had overcome all those feelings in two years but how stupid she was. She washed her face again and again believing that all her agony and shock will be washed along with water.
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"Do you really think this will work Vidhyuth? You saw her reaction today." Venkat asked him. Vidhyuth didn't answer immediately but kept looking outside the window. "No Venkat. I am not sure. But after two years I want to find one possible end for this. I should thank you for understanding this and putting me in this project."
"I won't deny on my selfish motives too" chuckled Venkat. "Two talented people rather than one will always benefit the team. Besides I know you, as well as Sharvi. And I want the best for you both. But you have to understand that she is still slowly picking her broken self and don't break her again. Then you should answer me".
Vidhyuth was surprised at the sharp note in Venkat's voice and wonder what magic does she weave around everyone? Is he the only one to understand her true colors? Or???? He mentally shook out his thoughts. How can he doubt himself when he got a strong evidence against her? Perhaps she wove her magic over him too. Else he would have exposed her in front of everyone rather than sulking within himself. He should have been stupid enough to hide them and becoming the bad guy to everyone for her benefit.
