Chapter 234 - Chicken!

"SRIVASTAV SIBLINGS MAKE HEADLINES. Same day Mithun Srivastav gets fired from the company, Shreya Srivastav makes a grand entry to a banquet in her dad's car."

"THE SHREYA SRIVASTAV BACK FROM EXILE. And she took three men head-on on her first day back and walked away unscathed."

"WILL THERE BE A POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE FOUR BIG CORPORATE… Business people are not rushing to take sides just yet… but people are…"

"NAREN TIRED TO PUNCH THE MISS SHREYA SRIVASTAV IN HIS BIRTHDAY BANQUET. Is he feeling threatened by the newly throned heir.."

"SHREYA SRIVASTAV CLAIMS HER FATHER'S THRONE. Picks up a fight with the birthday boy on the first day back…"

"IS SHREYA SRIVASTAV REALLY THE HEAD OF SRI CORP. How will the management take the handover… Will Anand Srivastav take orders from his niece..?"

Similar headlines flooded the papers the next morning. There was more about Naren.

Shreya walked into her office a little sooner than her normal time. She found Akash already there going through the detailed report on what happened on the banquet the before evening.

A wide assortment of newspapers was spread out on her office table. Shreya glance through them before commenting, "I see, they still managed to divert the crowd towards me and Mithun… in spite of it being so public,"

"Don't worry, they did not have so much success on the internet. You are trending… The video of you dodging the punch is the top view in just 10 hours from when it was first posted. You got yourself hell load of fans. That miss was so cool by the way…" Akash exclaimed with starry eyes. If he were a cartoon, he would probably have glittery things blinking all around him.

"First, I thought things could have gone more in our favor if I had let him punch me at first. But then I did not like the idea of him touching my face… no matter the benefit…" Shreya shrugged.

"He would have died in my hands if he landed that punch!" Akash said clenching his hands.

"I don't know if Srinivas would have given you the chance if it had happened… He looked just about ready to blow them all to hell…" Shreya replied with a grin. Akash would have probably had an even worse reaction if he had been there with her yesterday.

If only he had seen the raw hurt and the pure hatred she had in her face when she met with Abimanyu and Abishek, he probably would have punched them regardless of the situation and also landed them precisely too.

Fortunately, it was Srinivas… someone who knew self restrain. And he kept not only himself but also Shreya calm. If not for him, even Shreya herself might have landed a punch or two to their faces. And depending on their reaction, she might have done something worse too.

"All in all, yesterday was quite successful… things went in our favor. I am also meeting Malini in about an hour…" Shreya commented going over to her chair and flipped over some files carelessly.

At least, she was careless until Akash actually asked a question, "Who Malini? Meet where? For what?"

Shreya stopped in her track bit her lips. After all, no one yet knows about her dealing with Malini or Dharsh just yet. But she hid her expression quickly and fled the scene in a rush.

"Ah, Nothing. I have to go now… call me if you need anything." She walked out of her office so fast that Akash did not even have the time to comprehend what she said.

His slow brain took a while to actually place the name… but it was too late by then since Shreya had already left without even leaving behind a shadow.

"Damn it, Shreya. What the hell are you up to talking the Malini Bharathwaj?" he muttered to himself while swearing to corner her the next time he meets her. But for now, he kept it for himself.

On second thought, he actually called up Srinivas.

"Hey, did Shreya inform you about any meeting in an hour?" He just wanted to make sure his idiot cousin is at least taking the necessary precautions when she goes to do something crazy.

"Yes… Shreya informed me…" Srinivas answered honestly but he was also confused as to where it was going.

"You know who she is meeting up with?" Akash asked once again.

That is when Srinivas realized what was happening but he still honestly answered, "Yes. She is meeting with Malini Bharathwaj…"

But just as the words left his mouth, Shreya walked into his office gesturing him not to tell. All Srinivas could do was roll his eyes at her. After all, he had already answered. What's the use of trying to hide now.

Akash paused for a minute before asking, "And you let her? Even after knowing everything? And you did not inform the other? What the hell, Srinivas?" He did not show any disrespect but he couldn't control his frustration either out of concern for Shreya.

"Hey, chill. DO you really think anyone can stop Shreya once she put her mind to it? And Shreya explicitly told me not to inform anyone of her itineraries. I was just following orders. I like my job and I like to keep it… And moreover, I am not here as a decoration piece following her you know… I know how to do my job. So, nothing will happen to her… I promise."

Akash huffed and puffed for a minute or so before saying sternly, "You better keep that promise or else even Shreya wouldn't be able to save you."

Srinivas cut his call and looked at Shreya. She was in her usual jean shorts and today she had a navy blue hoodie. Srinivas was really getting sick of seeing her like this… day in and day out- nothing changes except for the color of her hoodie. If the day was hot, she will wear a normal t-shirt, that was all.

"You want to tell me why Akash is calling me up to scold me as soon as we reach the office?" Srinivas asked arching his brows at her.

Shreya did not really answer him right away. She went to lay down on his couch and used her arms as her pillow. She leisurely crossed her legs in front of her and answered, "Just a slip of tongue… I blurted out that I will be meeting Malini in an hour and he caught on to it, that is all."

"Let me guess, after the slip of tongue, you ran away to find a sanctuary in my office…" He said sarcastically. Technically, he did not have an office when he was with Zeenath since he was rarely in Sri corp. But since he started following Shreya, she assigned an office room for him since Shreya's ends up being in Sri corp. more than necessary. And while he was free, he was assigned to actually share some of the work with Zack.

Shreya, on the other hand, did not take offense to his sarcasm at all. She just beamed at him and nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Chicken!" Srinivas teased going back to his desk to complete the work he was doing before he got Akash's call and was rudely interrupted by Shreya's barging in.

"Hey," Shreya whined complaining getting up from her place. "This is not cowardice. This had nothing to do with how brave I am. This is called 'survival instinct'" Shreya even proudly lifted her chins up.

"Yea, yea. You can keep telling yourself that. I want to see how you run the next time you see Akash!" Srinivas pulled her legs all over again without taking his eyes off of his files.

Shreya puffed her cheeks at his teasing. She flipped close his file childishly and stuck her tongue out before going back to his couch and laying down all over again.

"I am going to sleep…" Shreya sulked and closed her eyes. She pulled her hoodie over her head and snuggled into the headrest of the couch. Her hoodie was so big that it actually covered up her face fully.

Srinivas couldn't really help but smile. Once he could hear her even breathing, he went ahead and covered her with a blanket before going back to work.

The room was absolutely quiet until it was time for them to start.

Shreya had a half an hour nap by then. Srinivas was careful not to touch her when he woke her up. It was one of the first advises he had gotten from Zack when he found out Srinivas will be following Shreya around. He was very specific not to shake her away if he wanted to keep all his bones intact. He was not really sure whats touching got to do with being woken up but he was not the one to take risks or ask questions.

So, he called out for her loudly enough. And thankfully, Shreya actually woke up right after his first call.

But her eyes were slightly drooping all the way to their meeting place as she stumbled out of the car.