"The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence."
-Jiddu Krishnamurti
(Try it once, watching your surroundings without forming an opinion about what you see. It'll be more difficult than you think (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧)
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???'s POV
His eyes were trained on the door through which Gauhar had just gone, his hands clasped together as he sat hunched forward. Clearly thinking about something.
"Hey man sup!" I put on a friendly smile, making sure my voice was as cheery as a lad getting ice cream. I sat down beside him on the chair that Gauhar had just vacated.
He snapped out of his thoughts turning to look at me, his eyebrows rising into his hair as he took me in. He straightened up, adjusting the collar of his perfectly unwrinkled shirt "Yes sir, how may I help you?" his voice was so clinically professional, it almost made me cringe.
Lord this man's politeness made me want to bash his head into a wall. How the heck was he so perfectly put together? Never mind, I had to make sure that my anger didn't show on my face as I forced myself to maintain the painful smile on my face "I would require your assistance in enlightening me with some information...Mr. Dev Mishra."
Hiding your emotions was not easy, but what was even harder was to show that you felt something that you did not. Lying about your feelings was toxic, but now I had gotten used to the neverending cycle.
His eyes widened upon hearing me say his name "How did you get to know my name?" He asked, bewildered. I could literally see it in his eyes as he put his guard up.
Ah this was much better, seeing the uncertainty in his eyes gave me a power boost. Which was essential for what I was about to do, it was a good thing that he realised his place in this conversation.
I leaned back onto the chair, widening my stance as I smiled at him complacently "Oh you don't need to worry about that Dev, I know quite a lot of stuff about you and….what you're doing."
He furrowed his eyebrows at me in confusion, though I did notice that he was nervous. His breathing rate had accelerated and he was clenching his fists "What I am doing?" He asked in a surprisingly clear voice, I was surprised he didn't stutter. But then I couldn't underestimate him, he was the general manager for a reason.
No matter, I'd make sure that confidence didn't last long. I nodded slowly, straightening up as I leaned towards him "Yes Dev, what you're doing. I noticed that you've been lying quite a bit today."
He swallowed thickly as he caught on to what I was saying "I have no idea what lies you are talking about." He averted his gaze from me, one of the most prominent things he did when he lied.
"Oh yes you do know what I'm talking about Dev, don't act innocent with me." I narrowed my eyes at him. He was intimidated I could see, but then I had to say, the man's resolve was strong. It was going to be hard to make him spit out his wrongdoings himself.
But I was experienced in making people own up to their wrongdoings on their own. This one was just a little harder.
The prick sat up straighter, now directly staring into my eyes. I must say I was quite impressed at this change of approach that he took, sadly it wasn't going to work for long "Why would I share any information I have with you, when I don't even know who you are." He challenged me with his gaze, a faint triumphant smile on his lips.
His words caused the smile on my face to grow wider, he wanted my name did he? Poor little idiot "You don't know my name because I'm not obligated to furnish you with any information about myself. You on the other hand are in trouble, because I know stuff about you that you've been attempting to hide."
"What if I refuse to comply with your demands?" He asked, his face turning slightly red. Most probably from anger, sadly he was now cornered and ready for the kill. And I'd make sure he lost whether he liked it or not.
His anger was almost cute, given how helpless he was in these circumstances.
"Then I'll have no option but to give the people you're so effectively deceiving a heads up on the actions of their general manager, especially Gauhar…don't you think she'd be interested to know?"
I tapped my chin in thought "Perhaps it might be effective if I slip her a note saying 'the general manager is the imposter-BEWARE'. That course is if you don't comply."
"NO" he almost shouted out, before realising that we were still at a hospital. A faint blush dusted his cheeks as he looked at the people staring at us, he cleared his throat before continued in a lower voice "No need to tell Gauhar anything. She does not need to know anything."
"That's where you're wrong pretty boy." I couldn't help but smirk at him, this man clearly had a thing for her...what an idiot "Don't you think she needs to know about the type of people she's putting her trust in? Especially if she thinks you're his friend."
His face reddened as he looked down at his brightly polished leather shoes "I AM her friend. I'm doing all I can in my power to help her.
"Are you really?" I raised an eyebrow in question, not buying his lies. What could possibly motivate him to betray someone he clearly cared about? Bloody coward "I can't trust you on that one I'm sorry, I'm surprised she's even foolish enough to trust you."
"That's none of your business." He ground out through gritted teeth "And DO NOT insult Gauhar. You're dealing with me here, you have no reason whatsoever to drag her into this conversation." He was breathing hard and by the looks of it, barely able to control his anger.
Finally a reaction that I liked, this was starting to get really boring. I thought he lacked some serious balls, but he at least had the guts to stand up to me for someone important to him, though he still had the audacity to lie to them. This guy was like a boomer that was stuck in the goddamn eighties, which is saying something, because by the looks of him he was not even born during that time.
"And the imposter? What do you mean? I'm no imposter." His words made me want to slap myself for trying to talk with a dunderhead like him. How the heck does one not get the reference, unless he was living under a rock.
On second thoughts I concluded that this one seemed to live more under delusion than under a rock.
"Nevermind about that." I said, waving his question away "So what do you decide pretty boy? You comply with my demands, yay or nay?"
He swallowed hard as he ran a hand down his face. I knew taking this decision was hard for him, after all he was putting his trust in a stranger. But then, it was payback for deceiving others. As they say, what comes around goes around.
And for Pete's sake don't dare ask me who are the people who constitute 'they'. Because I had no freaking idea, but 'they' did seem quite wise to say a bunch of stuff that made sense twenty-five percent of the time.
Sighing deeply he nodded causing a smile of satisfaction to form on my face. Maybe I had overestimated him, he wasn't as difficult to break as some people I had the misfortune to encounter. Though the memories weren't pleasant, they were good learning experiences, I wouldn't be where I am if it wasn't for them.
"What is it that you want from me, what can I possibly give you?" He looked at me warily I could see from his downcast eyes that he had given up, which was honestly pathetic. But it suited me perfectly so I wasn't complaining.
"I want to know why you're deceiving someone that you care about." I calmly replied, leaning back into the cold hard metal. I placed my right ankle on my left knee, waiting for him to reply.
He looked distressed, pain apparent in his infuriatingly light blue eyes. It was beyond me why he was doing what he was doing if it made him feel that bad, people were indeed quite weird.
"I'm... I'm not deceiving her." I noticed that he had clenched his fists, and his eyes were shining. He was clearly holding in emotions, maybe he didn't want to look weak in front of me….which was quite understandable. In a battle of wits even the slightest display of weakness spelled doom.
Sadly for him, he had already lost in my eyes. Especially when he insisted on pathetically lying when I could clearly see through them. For me deceiving someone you cared about was the biggest sign of weakness. If you're doing something wrong at least freaking own up to it.
I sighed deeply as I placed my elbows on my leg, steepling my fingers I stared into his eyes "I have no idea why you insist to lie. But let me inform you, it's getting incredibly annoying."
"I. Am. Not. Lying." He glared at me, and for the first time I felt a twinge of something like respect for him. His eyes were sincere and his posture was open, he really wasn't lying. Then what the hell was he playing at by lying to Gauhar?
"Very well then why did you lie to her? Because I know for a fact that the deal with Tremblay and Co. was extremely successful. Siddique Enterprises gleaned a lot of profit from it as far as I remember." he looked surprised by how much I knew, his mouth opening in shock.
But before he could ask any questions I raised by hand to stop him from asking any questions, genuinely curious this time "I need an answer to my question first, then I might answer yours." This man was side tracking me, but I felt this strange need to understand his motives.
He took a deep breath and seemed to train his gaze on something that wasn't in the room with us "I'm protecting her, the less she knows the safer she will be. I cannot answer any further questions regarding this, so I will be thankful if you didn't ask me anything." I could tell that he wasn't lying so I didn't ask any further, I knew I would know the 'why' behind his actions soon enough.
"I want to know how you know about the deal being successful? As far as I know, even Mr. Siddique doesn't know about that."
The person who lost the most through this game of lies and deception was also the one who had no idea what was going on behind his back.
I smiled complacently at him "I have my sources. So indirectly this crap has been responsible for sending him in that state." I pointed towards the plain grey doors with my thumb, behind one of which the defeated old man was resting.
He flushed to the roots of his hair, guilt colouring the features of his face "I know there is no point in arguing with you, so would you now tell me what it is that you want?"
I smiled at him, happy that I finally was able to make a breakthrough with him. And I got what I wanted, like I always did "I want you to make a deal with me." I announced, gauging his reaction carefully. He silently nodded his head, though from his expression he wasn't happy with what was happening.
Finally I'd be able to do what I've always wanted to do, I felt an exhilarating sense of satisfaction flood through me as I began to explain him what I wanted from him.