I already invited the people, who stayed near my apartment yesterday. By the time I got home it was late so could not call Sasha. But I was hell bent on finding out how she knew Ryan, today. But my first stop was Nick's home. When I called his office for an appointment, I was told that he would not be coming to work until 10 today and I had a long list of people to meet and my schedule had to start at 8. So, I called him and asked him if I could meet him at his home in an hour and he was fine with it.

I am directionally challenged and with the directions Nick gave me to his house, I was more than just lost. After circling around for 15 minutes or so I found his house and it was beautiful. I was allowed in by the guard when I said my name and I found Nick in the lawn lazing around in a chair, reading 'If on a Winter's Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino'.

I got out of my car and walked towards him. Good taste in books and breathtaking, he is just so selfish.

He was dressed in grey sweatpants and a dark blue tight fitting t-shirt and was drinking coffee. I stopped my brain from thinking inappropriate things considering he is SASHA'S FIANCE.

Get a grip Riya.

But he is hot and still not married.

You, shameless child. He is with your friend.

So, what? It's not like I am eloping with him. I am just admiring. That's not wrong.

That's true... Wait! what are I even thinking. It is wrong and now just shut up.

"So, what brings you here THIS EARLY?" Nick asked as I approached closer to where he was, he stood up from his chair and smirked "thought you hated mornings."

"I did. I mean I still do" I just shrugged.

"Couldn't wait to meet me?" he was wriggling his eyebrows and was already smiling.

I made an exaggerated 'oh' and placed my palm on my lips, faked astonishment and said "am I that transparent? I really couldn't wait to see you again, and I couldn't stop thinking about you. You are all I think of." I fluttered my eyes continuously before quickly sobering up and added "NOT".

"Mr. Nickel I am here on behalf of Mr. Ryan Vesh and VR Holding to cordially invite you to the dinner that is being held on the 15th of this month and here's the invitation." I held out the card for him to see and stood there looking around while he was skimming through the card. His house was huge, it was a two-storied building, but the best part was the area in front of the house. It had a lawn running along the length of the house and other three sides of the house there was garden with all kinds of plants. Nick just smiled and put the invitation on the chair "I will be there. Do you want to have some coffee or something, anything? I have the best cook."

"Thank you but I got to run. There are more people I must meet. Please do come, I really hope you make it on time for the dinner." With that I started walking towards my car. I heard him groan.

"Hey can this, Hot, I mean dot, no sorry, short guy bring a date?" he shouted and I am sure he had a smug look on his face.

"Sasha is invited too. So, no" I walked and reversed my car, out of his drive way. He was not letting go of that horrible encounter.

I invited two other heads of two other companies and was on my way to meet with another CEO when my phone buzzed. It was Mini.

"Hey Mini, I will come meet you in the afternoon. Right now, I am swamped." I put her on speaker and continued driving.

"You don't have to. I mean I will anyhow be there and you can give me the invitation on that day when I come to your place. We are driving, together right?"

"Yaa about that" I paused. She didn't know Sasha was coming too. "You don't have a problem if there's a third person riding with us in the car, right?"

"Absolutely not. Is it a girl? That will be even better, we can get ready together and I will finally have someone to do my makeup."

"ItisSasha" I said in one breath and now I was frightened. Silence for about twenty seconds and then all hell broke loose.

"What the hell are you talking about? WHY IS SHE COMING RIYA?"

Oh my god she understood what I said?

"RIYA TELL ME THIS IS SOME SICK JOKE. WHY IS SHE COMING? I DON'T WANT HER IN YOUR HOUSE OR IN MY CAR OR AT THE DINNER OR ON THIS PLANET. WHO INVITED HER? IF IT IS YOU I WILL KILL YOU RIYA. KILL YOU." she was breathing heavily and was shouting like a crazy woman. My ears are not going to be working for the next few days.

"Mini, calm down. Just, calm down. I did not invite her. Ryan did. I don't know how, why and what but I am going to find out. Anyway, why does it bother you I don't underst..." and the line went dead.

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

It was almost four by the time I invited almost all the people on my list. I called Sara and informed her about the people I met, who would come and also the ones who were not available right now or for the dinner. I was finally going back home and Sasha called and said she will meet me at my place in twenty minutes.

I got home changed and was getting some ice cream from the freezer when Sasha barged in like she owned the place.

"Ry get me some water. My day was tiring."

"Too bad I am not getting you anything. Go get it yourself and take off your pumps before you enter my kitchen, idiot." She responded with some of her rich-cuss-vocabulary but went and got her own water and sat back on the couch.

"So how was your day?" she asked looking at me for the first time since she has been here.

"It was nice. I met Nick, had to give him some invitation. Speaking of" I ran into my room brought Sasha's invitation and chucked it on her lap. I folded my hands and waited until she opened it read and throw it away with a nonchalance. What that's it? She was not even going to respond or say something about it?

"Well care to explain?" I asked tapping my feet.

"Explain what?" she frowned and looked at me.

"Sasha how do you know Ryan? How are you on the invitee list? And why didn't you tell me that you know him?"

"I have been sleeping with him without anyone's knowledge. Our relationship is a secret, so you don't know about it, and do you know how I sneak into his office Ry I climb the roof top of the building, opposite to your office building and take a leap from there and magically fall into his office and then we just snap our fingers and BAM we are on his bed." For a minute there I ACTUALLY believed her and then got back to my senses and scowled at her.

"Seriously Riya what were you thinking? I wouldn't tell you if I'd have known him? Of course, I don't know him, but Nick does and you do to. That night at jail I saw him and I bumped into Ryan after a few weeks. We spoke about Nick and you and I think that is why I am invited." That made sense. That made a lot of sense. Ryan wanted to make a deal with Nlogics, so he invited Nick and then invited Sasha too.

But that was not the problem. I had a bigger problem in hand. I must at all cost stop Sasha from coming.

"So, are you coming?" I asked like it meant nothing to me, but I am sure she smelled something unusual.

"Why do you ask like that? I might actually show up. Nick will be there and its free food. Who can say no to that?"

"It's nothing. You know the food is not going to be that good. Ryan is not sanctioning money."

She looked at me curiously and just said 'Aha' and nodded. So, she was still coming. Oh my god what do I do? What should I say? And then it struck me, if I said she will NOT show up.

"You know I went to meet this Robin guy yesterday and he was an idiot to us and then today I invited all these heads. They are all just boring." Sasha nodded and I continued "and then I invited Mini."

One two three four and...

"What? Who?" Sasha asked with a scowl on her face. "Why would you invite her? Is she coming?"

"Sasha, she is a reporter remember. Of course, Ryan would invite her. And yes, she is coming." Sasha just turned very serious and was in deep thought with her eyebrows wrinkled. I know this was a low blow but what was I supposed to do? I didn't want Sasha at the dinner and Mini was my way out. I cannot fathom what these two girls have against each other but I will use it if it serves the purpose.

"Well any gorgon with a story and a recorder is a reporter these days. What a sad thing in the world?"

"Sasha, don't call her that. What do you have against her? As far as I remember you guys were fine when I first introduced the two of you."

Déjà vu much?

"Not now Ry, some other time. And I don't care if she comes or not, I am going to this dinner." This was not working either? I don't know what to do anymore.

"Sasha, you can actually skip this dinner. I mean it is going to be so boring and it's not like you know many people there, plus the food and company are bad so why dress up and waste your time right?" she turned to looked at me with a very confused expression and was fuming?

"Riya, why does it look like you don't want me to attend this dinner? Ever since I received my invitation all you have been saying is how bad it is going to be. Why don't you want me to go? WHY?"

Hmm let me see, I can't tell you?

"What are you talking about? Of course, I want you there. Really Sasha you think I wouldn't want you to be there? My closest friend... I'm going to go check on the coffee pot" with that I ran to the kitchen.

God save me and the dinner, but mostly me.

~*~*~*~*~

Hi. Sorry for the delayed update. But here we go and to compensate the delay I am posting two chapters :) :D

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