Chapter 1

I was apprehensive. Concentrating on the PowerPoint and the sales statistics that the Marketing Head was presenting had become a challenge. I could feel with every second, the hold on my thigh grew tighter. I looked down only to see Mr. Agarwal’s hand which appeared firm, although it looked aged and wrinkled. I gently turned towards Mr. Agarwal. His gaze was fixed on the display, as though he were paying close attention to the presentation. His face remained unperturbed as his hand slowly stroked my thigh. I could notice him smiling. Only I could see it since it was so undetectable.

The presentation stopped after what seemed like ages. I felt at ease. After everyone left from the meeting, Mr. Agarwal looked at me, smiled and started walking towards his cabin. I rose up and followed him. I needed to speak with him. He had to have a reason for what he did to me. He was already sitting in his chair when I got to his cabin. I quietly tapped on his door and peered inside. When he saw me, he grinned and motioned for me to enter. “Good day, Amit. Wasn’t the presentation wonderful? The sales numbers appeared to be excellent!” he exclaimed.

He appeared to be aware of why I had gone to meet him, but he made no effort to inquire about it. Before he could say so, I sat down on the chair in front of him. After what happened in the board room, it was a strange situation to be in. I wanted to ask him and seek an explanation of his stance. I could only manage a timid grin and a nod in response. “Yes sir, the meeting was excellent. We are doing pretty well, which I am happy about.” This was only what I could reply. He was giving me a close, expectant gaze as if he were waiting for anything else from me.

He rose from his chair and approached me. He looked calm as he faced me while seated at his desk. “You didn’t really come to see me just to say this, do you think?” I was caught off guard by his query. For this, I was unprepared. The fact that I was unable to look at him astonished me. I lowered my head as I felt uncomfortable. What questions could I possibly have for him? He was waiting for my response as the room fell silent. He said after a little pause. “Why don’t we get together in the evening, maybe after everyone has departed, for a cup of coffee?” I rose and walked out of his cabin in silence. I sensed his eyes following me.

That evening ... I had so much work post my rendezvous with Mr. Agarwal, but I could hardly concentrate. For some reason, I was replaying that moment from the meeting. His hand on my thigh and that intent look of his, away from mine. It felt awkward to find myself blushing at the thought. I was fighting hard to keep my mind busy with other things. Finally, I was able to find myself working on a file that needed immediate attention. I had hardly noticed that time had flew past 5:50 in the evening. I finally finished my work around six o’clock. I sighed as I regarded the timepiece. In my mind, Mr. Agarwal should have forgotten about our evening meeting. Going home and unwinding with a hot chocolate was what I wanted to do. I got up and got ready to go. For some reason, I got up and started towards Mr. Agarwal’s cabin. I wanted to check if he was still there. I was disappointed. There was a faint glow of the table lamp in his cabin which shimmered through the frosted glass. There was no escape. Given that it was a Friday night, I had to explain to him that I was not in the mood for coffee and that I preferred to return home. It would have looked unprofessional to leave without informing him first. I walked towards his door and knocked it gently. Moments later, he opened the door and smiled at me. It was quite unusual for him as he would never answer the door. He moved away from the door and gestured me to get in. I nodded and walked in as he closed the door behind me. The entire office floor was empty except for the two of us.

Mr. Agarwal looked relaxed as it was way past our working hours. He was in the weekend mode, having taken off his trademark tie and a couple of buttons opened. The freshly pressed shirt now looked crumpled at places and his blazer was resting on the backrest of his chair.

“I am glad that you did not forget our coffee date, Amit”. It felt weird that he emphasized on the ‘date’ which was totally out of context. I felt embarrassed. “I am sorry that I am putting you in an awkward position, calling this a date. But, who cares anyway!” He laughed as if he had cracked a joke. I stayed silent. I wanted to say a lot of things, but I couldn’t. I felt stupid. I could’ve easily walked away, but I did not. There was something in this man that stopped me from leaving. It seemed like he wanted me to say something. I looked at him and our eyes met.

Since 1975, Mr. Agarwal has served as director of marketing. He was almost 70 years old, but it didn’t seem to bother him. Everyone respected him greatly because he had a good reputation. He continued working for the company well after the age of retirement for this reason, among others. He was tall and stocky, giving him a commanding presence. He appeared to be a former boxer who, in his prime, might have been intimidating. Another reason why people would not want to mess with him was because of that.

I looked around the room. It was dark, except for the shimmer from the table lamp that emanated a faint glow inside his cabin. He seemed to be a minimalist and his room reflected his taste. Barring a plush leather couch near the window that faced the cityscape, a huge mahogany desk and his plush chair behind it, the room looked bare. No photo frames on the wall or flower vases in the room. He caught me observing his room. He cleared his throat, making sure that I looked at him. He was smiling.

“Do you like my cabin?” he asked, in a soft tone. I simply nodded. “Well, this could be yours in no time.” His tone was flat. After moments of silence, he continued. “You see, I would be retiring next month and I need a strong successor. I don’t find a reason as to why that cannot be you.”

I looked at him surprised. I did not expect this. He continued to look at me, expecting me to reply. But, I stayed silent. “Amit, I am sure you like my offer, don’t you? You are hardworking, sincere and have been a major reason for some of our successes. I am sure that you would bring a lot of name to our company in the future. And for that, I must make sure to prepare you. Right?” I nodded meekly. He got up from his chair and came towards me. I made an attempt to get up, but he motioned me to sit. My heart had started to beat faster. I had never been so close to this man, except during a couple of meetings. But, never alone. He bent towards me and brought his hands on the armrests of my chair. With so much ease, he swerved it towards him and brought me face to face with him.

“You are different, Amit. Unlike others, I find a spark within you and I can see that in your eyes. Only a fool would let go of such an opportunity. Tell me, are you that fool?” He continued to look at me in an assertive manner. He looked even bigger now that he was standing very close to me. Finally, I spoke.

“I am happy that you find me capable, sir. I will not disappoint you. But, may I ask you something?” He urged me to continue. “There are so many who are deserving. But, why me? I am sure there would be so much opposition for your choice.” Mr. Agarwal raised his hand as if to stop me and nodded. “Do not worry about all those things, my boy. Leave them to me. I would like to know what you think. I find you quite charming when it comes to your marketing skills and I want you to be the best in it. This seat will ensure that you do.” He winked at me and smiled.