02. She's here

"Hello?" A woman's deep voice resonated in the penthouse.

She held her phone to her ear with her shoulder while making a last check of all the items she packed.

"Yes, give me ten minutes and I'll be down." She cut the call.

She went to all the rooms checking if anything was left or if any plugs were connected.

"Hmmm, nothing that I see. Anyway, I'll just tell the staff to make a proper check." She said peeking below the bed.

"Oh! I better get going now else I might be late." She looked at her watch and exclaimed.

Gathering all her luggage which included only two suitcases she locked her room and took the elevator to the ground floor.

"Here's the key, thank you."

The receptionist accepted the key and thanked the lady for her patronage.

The woman rolled her trolleys out of the hotel and was immediately greeted by a chauffeur.

"Good morning. I'm Archisha Pramanik. I've been sent by Kheya ma'am." The chauffeur greeted the woman respectfully.

"Yes, I'm aware of your arrival. Kheya had already informed me. Please lead the way miss Archisha."

The two of them headed towards the car as Archisha helped the woman carry her luggage.

"Heya bestie, where are you?" A woman's face appeared on the phone screen.

"On the road." The lady replied.

The woman in her phone sipped her coffee and said "Mmm, all the best my girl, I'll be coming soon to join your victory dinner.

"It's not certain that I'll win. I don't think the others are any worse than me." The lady commented looking out of the window.

"Aren't you confident in your ability? Well, I for sure am super confident in my bestie's genius. So what are you doubting yourself for?"

"Sigh, I'm not doubting myself. Just stating the possibilities. I'll do my best. As for the result. It's in Didun's hand. She has a very peculiar way of judging." The lady answered.

"Hmm you told me before about your Didun using super weird and complex methods of judgement but somehow everything ultimately came out to be foolproof rational and impeccable. Now I'm getting more excited to meet the former President of Sen Corp." The woman on the phone's eyes twinkled with excitement.

"Okay Kheya, I'm disconnecting the call. We're at the airport. I have to check in now. Bye."

They waved at each other through the screen.

"We've arrived. Have a safe journey, ma'am." Archisha said.

"Hm, thank you." The lady nodded at the chauffeur and walked off with her luggage.

Boarding the plane she found her seat and sunk into it with her headphones on. The latest business and finance news was playing in it. It was a four-hour flight so after having her meal she dozed off. Being in the first class she adjusted her convertible chair to a nice comfortable bed. When she opened her eyes it was almost landing time.

"Hmmm," The woman stretched her body and slowly gathered herself.

As the plane slowly landed at the airport she gazed at the familiar place.

"Still the same." She murmured.

Getting off the plane she dragged her luggage searching for her driver. She soon spotted a woman in her thirties holding a name card saying her name.

"Let's go." She stopped before her and said.

The woman stared at her face silent, her mouth gaping a little.

"Young Miss is that you? Oh, my Goddess! I almost didn't recognise you. I'm so sorry. It's so good to see you back after so long. Everyone's waiting for you at home." The older woman beamed at the younger one.

"Mm, let's go." The young woman nodded.

"Oh, look at me. I've been so lost in my excitement, shame on me. Here, give me your luggage, I'll take you to the car. Please follow me Miss," the older woman said embarrassedly.

As they got into the car the chauffeur woman spoke enthusiastically about the young lady's family and everything while driving. The young lady mostly listened, commenting a few words here and there.

'Ah, this part of young Miss hasn't changed, I see. She's still a minimalist when talking. Gosh, I'm getting so nostalgic. The little girl who sat in the back seat is now a full-grown lady. Time sure flies fast.' the chauffeur thought smiling gently.

She looked at the young lady's face in the rearview mirror where she was looking outside with a calm and indifferent look.

Deciding to let her enjoy the familiar view of her home country, she became quiet and focused on driving carefully so that the jerking of the car did not disturb her.

They arrived pretty quickly but the crowd of reporters before the gate made it difficult for the car to pass through.

"These annoying little... Argh, they've been here since morning. Heavens! Aren't they tired? Do they plan to set up a tent here to spend the night too?" The chauffeur woman angrily mumbled.

"What's the matter?" The lady asked from the back.

"Oh don't bother with them, miss. Ever since they got the news that you'd be returning today they'd been flocking around the house. Today they even came here at the crack of dawn. They've been questioning every servant that went outside. You don't know how much struggle I had to face to get this car out. They even surrounded me with their weapons! I fled with the excuse that I was taking the car for repair. They certainly would've tailed me if I said I was coming to pick you up. Hoof." She ended her blabbering with a heavy sigh feeling relieved after getting everything off her chest.

"Hm, I see. You take the luggage inside. I'll speak to them." The lady said.

"No no, Miss. You don't need to go through all that trouble. I'll call the security to drive them away." The chauffeur woman waved her hands.

"Do as I say. I'll have to face them eventually anyway. Why not end this fiasco sooner? Go." The previous nonchalant tone was gone and the lady's deep voice resonated with a hint of authority.

"Ok." The chauffeur woman left with her luggage.

By the time the reporters had also noticed the black shiny car and immediately came running towards it. They wanted to surround the chauffeur but she scolded them with a glare and shoved her way through them.

"My poor Young Miss can't even catch a break. She has to deal with those pesky reporters even before stepping inside her house." She muttered throwing daggers with her eyes at the reporters.

But their attention was caught by the car door that unlocked with a click and slowly opened. They held their breath in their lungs and mics and cameras in their hands while watching with an intense gaze. After getting disappointed for so long they had thought that maybe they received false news and the fourth granddaughter may have already arrived. They were planning to leave when they saw the black car behind them. Holding onto the last thread of hope in their heart they waited in anticipation for the person inside to come out.