Sandhya was striding towards my desk with a determination and I felt a pang of dread as I feared the worst.
"Divya, Mr Mahindra has called you into his office," Sandhya whispered quietly as she leaned in to my ear.
I felt full body chills as I heard this. There was something about her demeanor that told me this was not the usual meeting and there was something more to it.
It was 5 minutes to the end of the working day and I had zoned out an hour ago as I looked forward to clocking off. The timing was strange too as Mr Mahindra never had meetings this late.
As I got up Sandhya held my arm, "He is not in a good mood, just so you know."
A part of me just wanted to leave the office and walk out but I tried to reassure myself I was careful and they could not have figured it out.
Mr Mahindra hired me 12 months earlier in the accounts department of his firm. I had struggled to land a job following my graduation but Mr Mahindra was kind in giving me a junior role in the accounts department and I had been promoted twice since. As I gained more responsibility, I had more power and influence in the department. 3 months earlier I was in desperate need of money as my mother was in hospital and I needed 1,000,000 rupees to cover her operation.
This was a significant amount for me and my family but in the accounts I managed this was a drop in the ocean. I had siphoned off the money from the account and paid the money out. I covered the paperwork to make it look like one of our usual transactions. I had always planned to pay it back when I had the funds but I simply did not at the present time.
Mr Mahindra was in his mid to late 50's. He had a large portly figure and stood at 5'6". He was rich and money to him did not mean as much as it did to people like me. This was only an inch taller than me and I could dwarf him on the days I wore high heels or stilettos.
It had been a long day in the office and on days like this my armpits and other parts would sweat by the end of the day.
I knocked on his office door nervously but all I heard in response was a hard tone, "Enter!"
I entered the room and Mr Mahindra was holding a file of papers as he stood up.
"Close the door behind you!" He said sternly and I swallowed as I felt a tension build inside of me.
I could see that he was holding something in as he directed me to the chair from across him.
"Sir! How can I help you?" I asked in a light tone trying to put on a poker face.
He threw the file at me aggressively. It slid across the table and seemed to bounce up and hit me on my chest as I tried to pick it up.
"Is this what it looks like?" He asked angrily.
My hand was shaking as I opened the file of papers. I turned over page after page of the accounts and invoices I had fabricated. My heart was pulsing so loud that I felt it was going to burst out of my chest. Tears began to form in my eyes. I had been caught red handed and my professional life would be over at the tender age of 23.
"Sir, sir, sir," I stuttered as my voice cracked.
"Sir, what? Sir, don't fire me? Or sir, don't call the police?" He said angrily.
"Sir, please, I was desperate. My mother was dying. Sir, please," I broke down in tears as I fell to the floor and I began hyperventilating.
He didn't move initially but then he softened and came across to my side of the table. He helped me to a small sofa in his office and held my shoulder and gently massaged it.
"What made you do this?" He eventually asked softly.
His softening was the reprieve that I needed. I tried to gather my breathing and got myself together before I could muster up the courage to reply. His arm was around my shoulder as he gently massaged it. Our bodies were uncomfortably close but I didn't mention it as I needed him on my side and at least this showed he had some sympathy for me.
I explained the situation with my mother being in hospital and needing a life saving operation. I promised to pay the money back slowly.
His fingers were moving up and down my bra strap as he comforted me. I actively ignored this as I tried to hope he would be sympathetic towards me.
"Why didn't you come to me for a loan?" He asked.
"Sir, I was desperate and I did not know what to do. I had 3 days to come up with the money and I made an error in judgment. I should have come to you but at the time I was not able to think clearly," I said as I felt his fingers maneuver my bra strap off my shoulders under my blouse. This was bad and I should have pulled it back up but I was compromised and had to focus on fixing the situation.
"Now I have a dilemma. To report you to the police and fire you or to help you. You are lucky that I discovered this and it is in my power," he said as he seemed in thought as he caressed my shoulder.
"Sir, please. I will be forever indebted to you," I said as his hand moved to caress my clavicle just above the flesh of my breasts.
"There is one way that I can help you," he finally said and I breathed a big sigh of relief.
"I will replace the missing funds in the account but you must repay me," he said.
I felt this huge weight lift off my shoulders and I hugged him in delight. My body was pressed tightly into his and his arms came around me and caressed my back.
"Thank you. Thank you so much, sir. I promise to pay it back from my wage as long as it takes," I said.
He eased me back and I could not help but smile as my world was no longer imploding.
"I won't take any money from you. You will have to pay it back in another way," he said and I noticed him glance at my body as he said this.
"Sir, what do you mean?" I asked nervously as I placed my hand on his chest to try and keep an arm's length between us.
"You can start by paying back 2,000 tonight with just a simple kiss," he said to my shock and horror.
"Sir, what are you saying?" I asked almost not believing the words I had heard him say.
He leaned in closer confidently and my arm gave way as I let him come close to me.
"This is the only way you can pay it back. If you want to pay back more, we can negotiate another time but I want to start tonight with a kiss to know you are serious about this or I will have no option but to report this to the police," he said giving me a one sided ultimatum. I had no real choice as he blackmailed me.