Not A Damsel in Distress

Chapter Twenty One

Next Morning

Chairman's Office, Ruhi's Apartment Building

Kavya and Ruhi lower their gaze as an elderly, bald man in his late fifties, stares at them with a deadpan expression.

The stressful silence in the air increases their nervousness, but they don't utter a word and remain seated on the chairs for his response.

The man leans back in his chair and asks Ruhi, who is sitting across the table, "So, you have recently shifted in this building?"

Ruhi faces him, before nodding in positive and he shifts his gaze to Kavya, sitting beside Ruhi.

He demands, "You are her friend?"

Kavya nods in confirmation after meeting his gaze and he asks, "And you both want to start a self-defence training institute for females in the apartment."

The girls nod with a hint of fear in their eyes and Ruhi assures, "Only if you allow us, Mr. Talwar."

He frowns, while processing the information in his mind and the girls fail to read his body language.

Suddenly grabs his phone to dial a number and orders on the phone, "Mr. Pillai, please come to my office, and bring Mr. Desai, Mr. Singh and Mr. Joshi as well. It is urgent."

Ruhi and Kavya face each other, confused with his call and unreadable expression, which didn't give any hint of his intention.

Ruhi whispers, "Why did he call other people?"

Kavya whispers, "I don't know, maybe he will reject our proposal and even throw you out of your apartment."

Ruhi glares at her and whispers, "Your words are not helping, do you realise that?"

Kavya glares back and whispers, "I am not habitual to experience such situation, do you realise that!"

Ruhi sighs dramatically and turns to face the chairman. But she doesn't get a chance to speak as he raises his hand, gesturing to wait.

The fear of rejection engulfs their heart as silence again fills the air. Only negative assumptions were clouding their mind, killing their confidence to start the institute for being independent.

However, Kavya's fear increases ten-fold as the question of her survival halts her heart and mind. It brings along Armaan's disowning declaration and her incapability of performing any other productive work.

This makes her feel as a liability and she fears to break the shocking news on her parents, before anticipated time.

Ruhi senses Kavya's concern and holds her hand, under the table to grab her attention. Ruhi squeezes it gently to provide support and gestures her to calm down.

Kavya nods and the girls wait for some time, holding hands till three men enter the office. Two of them, ageing in their mid-thirties and another in his late forties.

The men stare at the girls with a confused frown and Mr. Singh approaches Mr. Talwar to ask, "Why did you call us on urgent basis, so early in the morning?"

Mr. Talwar gestures towards the girls with his eyes and shares, "Apartment number 302 is purchased by Ms. Ruhi, where she wants to start a self-defence training institute for females with her friend Kavya."

The three men face the girls again, then shift their gaze back to Mr. Talwar. They nod amongst themselves with an unknown expression, confusing the girls further.