Page 55 of No Boss
He stepped away and returned to his desk, as if nothing had shifted. As if everything had.
Meera turned and walked out. She reached the corridor, stopped, and leaned back against the wall. Her eyes closed for a second.
Three meetings a day. Every day. Fine. She would attend every one. Perfectly composed. Coldly efficient.
She would be so precise in her work, so present in every detail, that he would regret ever asking for it.
She pushed away from the wall, adjusted her dupatta, and moved forward again.
Behind her, faint and almost lost to distance, came the sound of a laugh he did not bother to hide.
She quickened her pace.
Chapter 10
The next day began at seven.
She arrived on time and drew her chair to a measured distance. Neither too close nor entirely formal. Close enough that he could see her without turning. Far enough that she could pretend she did not notice.
She worked flawlessly.
Notes precise. Reports crisp. No interruptions. No needless questions.
He noticed her anyway.
Her hand moving to tuck a strand of hair when she focused. The pen stopping for a second when he said something that amused her, the hint of a smile she kept in check. The straightening of her spine when a European client came on the line.
By the second morning, he was watching her more than the screen.
He told himself it was supervision. It was not supervision.
That afternoon, between calls, he asked for a light lunch. Less oil. Less masala. Simple.
The thali arrived on time. She placed it on the side table, and returned to her notebook.
He took a bite of the daal. It tasted of nothing. The sabzi followed. The same. The raita was bland. The achaar was missing. The roti, he discovered after some tries, had at least some salt.
He set the plate aside. “Meera.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“What is this?”
She looked up from her notes. Politeness in place. “Lunch, Boss.”
“It has no flavour.”
“You asked for less oil and less masala, Boss.”
“I asked for less. Not none.”
“What? No, Boss.” She gasped. “You did not specify how much less. I did not want to make a mistake. I asked the kitchen to remove all of it.”
He stared at her. “You asked the kitchen to remove all of it.”
She blinked at him. Apologetic. Helpful. “Yes. So you could tell me how much less and we could adjust for tomorrow.”
He pushed the plate away and returned to his work.
