Page 91 of No Boss
“Good morning… Meera.”
She cleared her throat. “Day one.”
He watched her.
“This is where I begin,” she added, her voice lower. “If you’re ready.”
There was a softness in her eyes, that drew a slight curve from his mouth. “After you.”
Her eyes brightened at once, a smile forming before she turned and started down the corridor.
He fell into step beside her. His gaze dropped to the key in her hand. “That looks like it opens something important.”
“It does. Which is why we’re starting here.”
“So this is your opening move.”
“This is me not wasting your time.”
His eyes returned to the key. “It looks dangerous.”
“It’s history.”
“That’s worse.”
This time, she didn’t hide the small smile.
The Haveli changed as they moved. Open spaces gave way to narrower passages. The walls drew closer. Light fell into narrow strips across the floor. The air cooled.
Their footsteps sounded quieter.
Meera walked ahead. Not too fast, not too slow. The distance between them was deliberate, like she had already decided this was how the day would be.
Professional. Contained. Untouchable.
He noticed all of it, and almost smiled.
They turned into a narrower passage.
Meera stopped before a wooden door reinforced with iron bands. She fitted the key. The mechanism resisted, then gave a firm click.
“Excuse the dust.” She pushed the door open.
He stepped in and stopped.
The scent reached him first. Old paper. Ink. Time pressed into pages. It did not feel like a room. It felt like memories.
The space stretched long, shelves covering every wall, filled with ledgers, manuscripts, rolls of parchment tied with threads that had lost their color.
Meera moved to the windows and pushed the shutters open. Light entered. Dust rose to meet it, drifting like something alive.
She went to the shelves and let her fingers move along the spines. Not searching. Just touching. Like a greeting.
Abhinav kept watching her.
She fit here. As easily as the records. As if the room recognised her and adjusted to her presence.
“We start here.” She pulled down a large leather-bound volume and placed it on the table near the window.
