'Yes, Himanshu give me two minutes.' Aashi stepped out from her room. Dressed in a blue formal shirt and black pants with black Stiletto she is ready for work.

'Who is Himanshu?' A female voice startled Aashi as she wore her ear studs. Aashi looked away from the mirror above the wash basin, which is in the corner of the dining room, and at Suchitra who sat at the dining table reading a newspaper, a cup of hot steaming coffee beside her.

'A friend at work.' Aashi said finally done with her earring.

'Interesting.' Suchitra said removing her reading glasses.

'There is nothing between us, okay.' Aashi said irritated.

'When did I say anything.' Suchitra shrugged

'You said interesting.' Aashi raised her eyebrow.

'Oh, that was for the news, this news is interesting.' Suchitra pointed at an article on the top right corner of the newspaper.

Aashi made a poker face and turned to leave. Suchitra smirked.

*********************************

'Uff...' Aashi irritably closed the fifth file. She had asked John to get her the short-listed candidates for the Sales Manager post by Saturday and to show off, he got few files of incompetent candidates. Some of them didn't even fit the bill. Aashi leaned forward and picked up the landline, she called John.

There is a knock at the door and Aashi asked the person to come in.

'Good morning, Aashi.' He greeted her happily. He must be thinking she has called him to pat his back. Oh, he is wrong, he is so wrong.

Looking at her stern face, he realized this, and his smile instantly vanished.

'What is this crap, John? None of the six candidates are worth it.' Aashi leaned forward and John gulped, - 'Please John, be serious here.' She said. John nodded and apologized. Aashi sighed and leaned in her chair, she waved him off. John picked up the files and muttering something he left the cabin.

'Don't worry, Aashi. You will find one soon.' Suchitra tried motivating Aashi's mood at dinner. Aashi sighed, she will surely find one but will that one be worthy, competent? Abhishek was a superb Manager, he headed everything with dedication and passion, he pays attention to minute details, all files, projects, and presentations on time and overall that, Aashi shares a perfect rapport with him. Will the new one match up to all this?

************************

'Relax, you are over stressing yourself.' Suchitra said holding her palm. Aashi looked at her and forced a smile.

'Acha listen, tomorrow I am going to buy a scooty. You don't have to take a lift from anyone else now. Okay.' Suchitra said brightly. This made Aashi genuinely smile.

'I am thinking of getting a license.' Aashi said

'I can help.' Suchitra said. Then it was decided that in some weekend this month or next, Suchitra will take Aashi to have her license made. Amongst all this Aashi felt bad for Himanshu.

*****************************

Saturday,

Aashi was called in the CEO's office. Tall middle-aged balding man, Mr. Kiran Singhal was their CEO. She felt nervous, but she kept a confident face as she entered his cabin.

'Good morning, Sir.' Aashi greeted him formally. He took up from his laptop.

'Ah, Aashi. Please sit.' He gestured to the seat across the table. She nodded and sat. He adjusted his spectacles and shifted little to face her.

'Abhishek Parekh will be leaving soon, and I heard the new Manager is still not selected. At least the process has begun, right?' He asked.

Aashi nodded, she cursed John in her heart.

Kiran then spent ten minutes asking Aashi to hasten the process, he doesn't want any gap between Abhishek leaving and the new manager taking his place. Truthfully, Aashi doesn't want that either. Also, she doesn't want to compromise on the quality and that is why she rejected the short-listed candidates John had given her. Kiran is impressed as Aashi said this.

'This what I like about you, Aashi. Dedication and your passion for work. No compromises. Keep it up, you will go far.' Kiran said after he asked her to leave. Aashi nodded standing up, as she turned he interrupted her, - 'But please, hasten the process.' He said. She smiled politely and nodded her head.

As she came out of her cabin a visibly scared John stood in front of her. She gave him a stern look and asked him to come to her cabin. He nodded nervously.

*******************************

'Maam, we have shortlisted twenty candidates. I have mailed you their CVS.' He said once he and Aashi were in her cabin. She looked at him impressed, John smiled reluctantly. Aashi was glad he took the warning seriously.

After John left, she opened her mail and made a silent prayer, - 'God, please let these candidates be proper.' She then clicked on the first profile.

Among top ten of the profiles, Aashi liked only one but that wasn't perfect, as she kept checking she also sipped her black coffee. All these CVS, names, qualifications, everything giving her a headache. Aashi feels all these are unnecessary tensions. Only if Abhishek wasn't leaving none of this trouble would have been there.

Aashi clicked on a CV and then picked up her coffee mug. She froze when she looked up at the CV. Her coffee mug touched her lips and her right palm hovered over the mouse. She read the name on the CV aloud,

Rishabh Khurana.