Me, My Boss And Our Love Story

She was Queen of hearts and he was Jack of the Queen. Together they formed the best team. Queen was charismatic and intelligent, while Jack was street-smart and go-getter. They met less than two years ago and yet their minds melted as if they have been working with each other for years. At Auto-Live’s Mumbai office, Queen and her Jack delivered on customer commitments like no other team did. Their organization was proud of them and they were proud of each other, until the day when Jack committed a blunder that he should not have.

 

Situation was tensed, Naira found it too awkward, after-all she was right at the centre of all the mess. JC on his knees and a ring in his hand was equally puzzled as people in the office pantry started looking around, whispering with each-other, trying to understand what just happened. To make things worse, Ritu, the lady whom JC just made a marriage proposal had shock of her life as she was married. Diya was divasted. JC was looking around and was humiliated by what just happened. JC understood that he was going to be the joke of the office for long and just when he was about to lose his cool, Prakash enters the pantry, takes control of the situation and pulls JC out of the room. An upset Naira lowers her head and walks out of the room. Diya followed her to talk to her. Naira was done with the most awful experience of her life. Naira had morning flight for Singapore, her hometown. She took a vow that she would never ever return to Mumbai, the city that broke her dreams and her love.

 

Two Years Ago. Naira was transferred from Singapore to Mumbai to head the development of the new-age Car safety system. Her first task was to create a core team that will own the delivery to its customers globally. Naira knew, to have successful product, she needs a strong team. Her first focus was on getting a strong second-in-command. A person who can help her create a high-performance team, a person whom she could bet hard on. It was during this hunt when Naira met JC.

 

Jignesh Chah, his last name was mis-spelled by his high school teacher and ever since then Mr. Jignesh Shah became Jignesh Chah, better known today as JC. JC was already employed at Auto-Live when Naira moved to Mumbai. JC was often seen with colleges, Prakash, Diya and Ritu during the breaks. Ritu whom JC used to date once was now getting married to Raj. JC though was still struggling to move on. While Diya always liked JC, but she was not sure if JC was out of his recent break-up with Ritu. Diya always remained mute of her liking. Prakash, well he had no past, no present and was primarily focusing on his profession.

Back to Naira, as a true jeweller she soon realized JC’s potential, she realized that all JC needed was a mentor like her and then this young lad will turn anything that he touches into gold. Naira soon offered him a position in her team saying, “with me you will learn most and trust me, I will not let you fail”, and JC agreed. Afterall newly transferred single beautiful intelligent business head from Singapore was fresh attraction of the office. So, without much hesitation, JC started working for Naira. Together they worked on many projects which also meant that they were spending long hours together.

When you start spending long hours with someone new, you first start looking at the person’s good qualities. Now, when this someone new is of opposite sex, and two of you are aiming at mutually beneficial relationship then the good qualities overshadow everything else. You tend to get impressed more often than disappointed. Silly things become pleasant surprise and you start liking the place where you spend time with this someone new. You suddenly develop a taste for grooming. You reach at work ahead of everyone else, your heart is truly into what you do, and you stretch your days at office. Naira stood up to her words, she would improvise JC on failures saying, “I told you, I will never let you fail”. Since they worked late hours, Naira like a good boss would often offer JC a drive back home, and it soon became a norm, they would travel together to client meetings, to office and back to home.

Soon, Naira and JC were talk of the office. The unusual closeness between an ambitious boss and witty second-in-command were now being secretly discussed. While Prakash did sense some unwarranted closeness between Naira and JC, but for Ritu and Diya, had no clue. They both looked up to Naira as an ambitious, self-made woman and never imagined that a lady like Naira would fall in love with his junior.

Naira, however, soon realized her uncomfortable body language that she started having while working with JC. Feelings that were long suppressed by the burden of self-imposed goals were now slowly showing up with this unprecedented closeness. She would often look at JC when he was busy with deliverable, but Naira like true professional never allowed herself to express herself to JC. On the other hand, for JC, Naira was un-achievable. JC could never allow himself to fall in for her, fundamental to his mental barrier was his respect, loyalty and his honesty for Naira. But then the eighth color of Rainbow would push itself out someday, knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly, JC too started liking Naira. Though he would always look at her with respect, his heart would not understand the limits drawn by his mind.

It was Ritu’s wedding day when JC for the first time realized how badly he was in love with Naira. It was the wedding venue, Naira dressed-up in traditional Indian attires impressed JC like no other women had ever. The most amazing feeling had begun to dawn on JC. Mesmerized by Naira’s beauty, he asked her for dance. It was day like no other, JC for the first time, had looked at Naira without his boss in her. 

Ritu’s wedding party worked as an icebreaker, love was now syncing-in fast, making JC and Naira desperate with every passing day. They agreed to love but never conveyed it to each other. JC and Naira spoke everything but love, however, their body language showed nothing but love. Two matured professionals were now behaving like teenagers. Naira was only waiting for JC to propose her, but for JC, he was in-love with his boss! sounds crazy but it has happened. JC was upset in some sense due to the complexity of the situation. He wanted to rewrite his love story with Naira. A love story that would start with their friendship and end at being together. Both knew about each-other’s feeling and both understood the desperation. Situation was not helping either of the two, to add to the worst, Naira learned about JC’s relationship with Ritu. Yes, she was history but then Ritu was still around. Call it signs of true love, Naira started feeling jealous of Ritu’s presence around JC, this added more to her frustration. They maintained the status-quo for long due to which at times either of the two would show signs of frustrations. From PDA the relationship was now all about PDFs. This started impacting their work as well.

One fine day few seniors called Prakash for a meeting. A senior member of leadership team was in love with her junior and was displaying affections in public was not going well with the leadership. They were worried about the work culture, professionalism and customer commitments. They had valid reason to worry for, but considering track record of both Naira and JC, they felt that it would be good to speak with Prakash. Initially Prakash could not understand the apprehensions but when head of HR spoke about the policies, things started socking-in. No family in office, what it meant that if they decide to get married, one of the two will have to give-up the job. Public display of affections is unacceptable at work. Violations calls for strict actions. Old-aged but yes, these were the policies that each employed signed to adhere. Prakash was suggested to speak with JC to understand his perspective. Prakash agreed without hesitation.

Following day, Prakash took JC out for a drink. Unconvinced and unaware JC joined him half-heartedly. Few sips and Prakash started talking, he asked JC about his feelings for Naira. While JC started with beating round the bush, he soon realized that his uncertain replies were not going to convince Prakash. JC soon agreed his love for Naira, but this all looked so impossible due to the work relation they had. Prakash explained JC that why a status-quo is neither good for their relationship nor for the career. When JC asked Prakash about his opinion, Prakash told him to avoid taking this complex relationship forward. “This is not going to help your professional life”. JC took his advice sportingly, but Prakash was wrong and was influenced by Diya who was seated few seats away. JC never noticed Diya, but Prakash did, he also knew Diya’s feeling for JC and somehow liked to see Diya and JC together. Prakash screwed-up big time. Next day Prakash assured management team that he will help JC come out of this situation called love. After-all loving your boss is injurious to your professional life.

JC somehow wrongly understood his priorities in life, ‘Profession over love’. He was now trying to be as normal as possible. Naira though continued with her display of affection, she was convinced that she had not committed any crime and love just happens, there are no control gates for love.

One fine day, Prakash saw Ritu sobbing in office corner. Diya was with her and was visibly struggling to pacify Ritu. That’s when Prakash learned about challenges that Ritu was going through in her personal life. Things were all not well between Ritu and Raj (her husband). Both Diya and Prakash helped her feel good and asked to re-work on her relationship.

That evening Naira saw Prakash talking to few senior management staff. She smelled something fuzzy and fishy. Little later, Naira literally forced pick Prakash in her car from outside the office building. She drove him away to a quite place and started grilling him, that’s when Prakash spilled the beans. Naira was quite for some time but then was smiling. Prakash had just confirmed Naira about JC’s feeling for her. Prakash though never told her about his advice to JC, advise to focus on profession and not love. Naira thanked Prakash and apologised to him. Prakash agreed to pardon her on one condition, he asked Naira to share her true feeling for JC. Naira was not the kind of woman who would hesitate, and she agreed love for JC. Soon after Naira left Prakash realized what mess he had created by advising wrong to JC. He now wanted to patch-up the love birds.

Next day evening at office, Prakash told JC. “what matters most in life was love. Status and situation do not matter, if you love her, if you care for her then go and tell her. She deserves to know”. It was short talk, Prakash thought that he corrected his mistake, but he had left JC confused.

Later that evening JC was seated in pantry when Diya joined him. They were having coffee, talking about times that they all had spend together. Just then Naira joined them. Naira revealed that she was flying to Singapore next day for some work. This took JC by surprise as Naira never spoke about it to him. There was silence on the table for a while, Diya understood the situation, so to divert the discussion she spoke about Ritu’s troubled marriage. While Naira preferred to stay away from the topic, JC took it completely wrong. He linked Ritu’s situation with the advice that Prakash gave him few hours back.

Next day at office, JC saw Ritu having tearful discussion with Prakash in this cabin. After Ritu left JC entered his cabin to know what exactly happened, that’s when the extension rang. It was Naira on the other side, she wanted to know if JC still has feelings for Ritu or not. Prakash hang the phone saying that he would talk to her later. He then in very bold voice advised JC, “if you still love her, you must speak. She is in pain and there is no point in dragging a relationship”. Once again, our boy JC misunderstood the love interest. He now wanted to close this chapter once for all.

That evening as staff started to gather in pantry during coffee break, they saw JC in a completely new Avtar. He had flowers in his one hand and the other had a ring box. He walked like a stalwart, with confidence and grace like second to none. Diya was hopeful that in the current state-of-affairs JC will propose her. Naira was sure, she thought Prakash has done his job. JC who started a confident walk started showing up signs of nervousness and confusion. He wanted to propose Naira but then he was advised to stay away from complex relation. Ritu was her love interest once, but then she is married now. So what? Love is blind. It was tensed silence as everyone started looking at JC, making him further nervous. A confused JC crossed the height of stupidity and proposed Ritu, leaving everyone around in a state of shock.

Back-Live Diya could not convince Naira and as Naira left office she ran to JC and Prakash. By this time Prakash had made things clear to JC. Three of them first decided to clarify things to Ritu, she was still surrounded by the staff in pantry. JC walked up-to and apologized. “Let’s stop Naira before she boards the flight” – said Diya. They tried calling Naira, but she would not respond, so they decided to follow Naira to airport.

Naira though was different, self-made ambitious woman who would never run away from the situation. Just as, all were encouraging the trio to stop Naira, Pantry door opened. Naira walked towards JC, “I told you, I will never let you fail”. She then took the floors, sat on knew and proposed JC and in the most professionally romantic manner. “Knowing that you need improvisation, I promise to give my best for you. Will you be the most ambitious project of my life?”. Crowd did not wait for JC’s reply, they just started clapping and celebrating the moment.