Page 14 of The Ex Factor

I looked at him. “What?”

He appeared perplexed. “Same time tomorrow morning?”

“Yes,” I said and saw the lease documents on the seat.

“What’s wrong, Boss?” Imran asked, noting the change in my demeanor.

“Everything is alright. No reason to worry.”

After he dropped me off, I texted him to come half an hour sooner than our usual time.

The next morning,I was en route to Aarti’s hotel with a tasteful bouquet in tow, reflecting upon our connection. What was the nature of my concern for her? She was a business associate I barely knew, who was also my ex’s partner’s ex. My ex, who was also her ex’s former lover, and now our exes had ended up together again. Whichever way I looked at it, that was a lot ofexfactor for comfort.

“It’ll be okay, Boss,” Imran said in a soft voice, and I caught him studying me with concern in the mirror. “Whatever it is, it’s going to be fine. I know you’ll make it right.”

I gave a nod, grateful for his unshakable camaraderie. Years ago, Imran, then hardly twenty-one, worked as an errand boy at my office. His younger sister was sick back home. She had a congenital heart condition, and he needed money. But money wasn’t the issue. He needed to get her to the U.S. to help her avoid getting pushed into a premature marriage before she completed her education.

I helped him bring her over and paid for the treatment, which wasn’t much of an expense. Since that day, he’d trusted me with blind devotion. I kept advising him to be smart and not to trust someone so completely.

He always responded, “I don’t trust anyone else. Only you.”

His optimism about my current situation was colored by this faith in me.

Taking the elevator, I alighted on the eleventh floor, slightly surprised that I remembered it from last night. Walking up to her suite, I pressed the bell. A few quiet moments elapsed. The floor was silent. Had she checked out? I rang the bell again. This time, the door opened, and I stood face-to-face with Aarti,holding a rather expensive bouquet of flowers in my hand. Instantly, I felt like a fool.

She saw the flowers and looked at me. “Suj—Mr. Rao!”

“Ms. Bhatia…” It was too late to hide or ditch the bouquet, but I pulled it out of her face.

“I’m about to leave for a meeting.” Her hurried words matched the impatience in her body language.

“This won’t take long. I wanted to make sure you were alright after last night.”

Her stern lip turned into a slight smile. “Are those flowers for me?” she asked with a glint of mischief.

My eyes drifted to the flowers in my hand and I held them out. “Yes.”

She nodded. “Come in.”

I stepped inside, and she closed the door.

“Thank you. I am okay. I’m much better, actually. The tears might have helped but I’m not ready to lose this battle of the egos with you, so I’m going to firmly deny that they did.”

I laughed. “Well, good,” I said. “But just so you know, I’m not fond of losing either.”

“Is that right?” She cocked her hip and raised a brow.

“Yes, I’ve been preparing my armor for our meeting this evening.”

“Well, I hope you shine it nice and bright. Get all kinks out of those pins and hinges.”

I gazed at her as her eyes shone with amusement. I could gaze into those eyes for a long time…

I cleared my throat. “See you at the restaurant this evening?”

Her smile disappeared at my words, the softness and mischief replaced by an impassive, formal look.

“Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d like to meet in your office,” she said. “Not that I’m not grateful for your concern and for…these flowers.” She raised the bouquet for effect. “But I thinkit would be best if we conducted this business in a formal capacity.”

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