No matter how many times she told herself that everything would be alright Rashi couldn't shake off the feeling that something momentous was about to happen. The phone call that she had received earlier in the day had not given her much information but the name that had accompanied that meagre amount and the opulence of the building surrounding her served to increase her misgivings and apprehension. Modi. That name had haunted her ever since her mother had divulged, finally, the identity of her step cousin's father. Rashi had known that if Chirag Modi had ever found out about the existence of his daughter Divya would have been taken away from them. No court in the land would give custody of a thirteen year old to a twenty year old single woman with no job and no qualifications to mention, especially against the might and power of the Modi's.
"Miss Shah," a voice said from behind her. Rashi turned and saw an immaculately dressed woman addressing her and was made more conscious of her own appearance, "Mr Modi will see you now. If you would like to follow me." The woman turned and started walking towards the lift obviously expecting Rashi to follow. The journey seemed to take forever and once they arrived at Chirag Modi's office the woman left her to face the man alone.
He had his back to her and was looking out of the window at the most spectacular view that Rashi had ever seen before. From looking at his back she could see that he was strong and confident. His hair was jet black but for a man who was Chirag's age she assumed that this was from chemical help. Suddenly he turned and looked at her. He was younger than she had expected.
She was younger than he had expected. Jigar looked at her. She didn't seem to be the kind of woman his father would be interested in, but then lately he was finding out many things about his father that were to the opposite of what he'd perceived Chirag Modi to be. She was dressed shabbily, not at all like the women his father usually associated with. He looked her up and down, noting her upright posture and the almost aristocratic way she held herself. Pride. This girl had plenty of it. Her eyes were filled with it.
"Won't you take a seat Miss Shah?"
He may have phrased it as a question but Rashi could hear the command in his voice. Unwillingly her knees buckled and she sat down, carefully keeping her distance from this handsome man.
"I must be blunt Miss Shah. I was expecting someone a lot older than you."
"I am twenty years old Mr Modi." Rashi retorted stiffly.
"As I said much too young." Jigar paused and his eyes swept her face. She looked too pure, too untouched to be the mother of his half sister. "You have not brought the child with you?"
"Divya is at school today."
Jigar tensed at this revelation. "School?" he gritted out. The child had to be at least five years old if she was at school. What had his father been playing at? No wonder he had kept the child's existence a secret. And Rashi Shah had been a child herself.
"Yes. Divya is a bright child, she's in the eighth standard and I didn't thi-."
Jigar shot to his feet. "Miss Shah I don't know what kind of game you are playing but it stops now."
Rashi was shocked at the abrupt way he had interrupted her and how he was frowning down at her now.
"Mr Modi I resent your tone! I didn't want to come down here in the first place! If you hadn't belatedly recognised your responsibilities to your daughter nothing on earth would have made me divulge my cousin's existence to you!"
Bypassing the fact she obviously thought he was his father Jigar latched on to a much more important fact. "Your cousin?"
"Yes. Well actually my step cousin but it's the same thing."
A sense of relief ran through Jigar at hearing the Rashi had had nothing to do with his father, followed by consternation. Why on earth was he relieved? Rashi had nothing to do with him. It must be because whatever else his father was at least he wasn't perverted enough to prey on a child he reasoned.
"Miss Shah I apologise for my anger. It has been a trying time for the Modi family and the revelations recently made have shocked us all." Jigar sat back down. "I think before anymore misunderstanding occur I should introduce myself. I am Jigar Chirag Modi son of Chirag Modi."
Now it was Rashi's turn to gape at him. "You aren't Divya's father?"
A mocking smile came upon Jigar's face. "I may have been precocious as a young boy but even I didn't start that young." He saw the blush rise on her face and raised an eyebrow. "Unless you believe me to look the father of a thirteen year old girl?" He watched as the blush deepened.
"No not at all. I mean I wondered, and I thought that I was coming to meet Divya's dad so I assumed. Of course you don't look that old I mean old at all..." Rashi's voice petered out as embarrassment overtook her. She could see the mirth in his eyes. Odious man she thought as she clamped her lips together.
"I apologise Rashi, may I call you Rashi?" at her slight nod he carried on. "Rashi I should not have embarrassed you like that. We shall begin again." Jigar got up from his seat and walked to the window.
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