Chapter 8
Akash stepped out of Janak’s office, the air in his lungs feeling heavier than when he had walked in. He gave Reema a brief nod as she sat working at her desk and opened the door to the corner office beside Janak’s.
The room was vast and empty, not a single piece of furniture in sight.
Late morning sunlight filtered in from the floor-to-ceiling windows on his right.
Dust motes danced in the air, drifting lazily through the sunlight, the only movement in a room that felt untouched, waiting for someone to finally claim it.
This office was far bigger than the one Janak used, and yet it remained unoccupied. Old loyalties, promises, and memories had kept Janak away from this space.
Akash rubbed his forehead where a pain had lodged itself. He hadn’t been sleeping well again. The days after changing cities and beds always made sleep difficult for him. He sighed. He hoped this time the shadows would quiet sooner.
He moved toward the other glass wall, the one overlooking the buzzing newsroom below, and studied the flurry of activity beneath him.
This was the heartbeat of Sehgal Media and the home of their news channel, GVN: Global View News.
Bright studio lights illuminated the stage where a prime-time segment was being filmed, the GVN logo gleaming in the background.
This… all of this was what he had worked toward.
What had once begun as a single news channel had since expanded into Sehgal Studios, a major film and digital production house redefining mainstream storytelling, and SEHVA, a streaming platform that stood toe-to-toe with global streaming giants.
All of it operated from the thirty-floor building he stood in, a crown jewel of Mumbai’s skyline and the beating heart of Sehgal Corporation’s media empire.
All of this expansion and success had been possible thanks to the vision and foresight of one man—Janak Sehgal.
The door opened behind him. He turned, and his chest warmed on seeing Keya walk inside. Keya wasn’t just his elder sister. She was his anchor, his safe place, his entire world. His happiness began and ended with her and her children.
A small smile tugged at his mouth. “Hey, sis.”
She smiled back with that familiar gentle affection that had soothed him since they were children. They’d all returned from the Maldives together the previous night, and she’d told him that she’d meet him here today.
Reaching him, she rose onto her toes and pulled him into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re back here where you belong.”
He held her close for a long moment before kissing her forehead. “I’m happy too.”
He needed her steady presence today. She, more than anyone else, knew what he was feeling. Knew the enormity of the decision he’d finally taken. She supported it and him, as always.
Keya held his arms, studying him carefully. “What’s wrong? You look like you haven’t slept well.”
He exhaled, his shoulders easing. They had spent their whole lives protecting each other, and even now, years later, that instinct hadn’t changed.
“You know how it is for me,” he said quietly. “It takes me a few days to settle whenever I’m in a different city. Even if I’m… home. Even if I’m in my own bed.”
After the disaster with Shauna, sleep had completely eluded him that night. And returning to Mumbai, to yet another bed, hadn’t helped in the least. Hopefully, tonight would be better.
Keya nodded, a wealth of understanding in her eyes. Neither of them had escaped their childhood unscarred. Keya still fought nightmares from those years, but Kabier had steadied her in so many ways. Thanks to him, she had mostly healed.
She turned to look down at the newsroom below, splaying her hand out. “How do you feel about all this?”
“It feels surreal. Monumental, even.”
“It is big, Akash. You’re back home, and you’re finally ready.”
They stood in silence for a long moment, watching the bustle of the newsroom beneath them.
“I know how hard you’ve worked,” Keya said softly. “You’ve been so dedicated to this company, and I’m so proud of you.”
He lowered his chin and nodded. He had worked hard.
In fact, Janak had overseen his training personally, ensuring he worked under the very best in the business.
Rohan, Aditya, and Dev had all been great mentors, and he’d learned so much from each of them.
But now, his years of grinding, struggling, and learning were finally going to come to fruition.
Fierce gratitude curled through him. Janak had taught him so much. Given him more than he had ever asked for or deserved.
“I thank God each day for Janak,” Akash said quietly. “I can’t even imagine what would have happened to us had he not stepped in.”
Keya swallowed hard, her eyes misting over. “I don’t even want to imagine that dreadful scenario.”
The past flashed in front of his eyes. He remembered being ten years old, standing beside Keya at the top of their grandfather’s staircase, his small fingers gripping the banister as fear had hollowed him out.
Their mother, worn down by years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of their father, had finally given up on life.
Soon after, their father had abandoned them, leaving them on the doorstep of their maternal grandfather, Dhiraj Mishra, in exchange for a small sum of money.
Their grandfather had been a stranger to them, someone they had never met until that day.
And then Janak Sehgal had walked in. Tall.
Imposing. With kind eyes and a steady smile that promised they weren’t alone.
He’d been their grandfather’s closest friend.
He’d helped their grandfather learn how to look after them and had always been around.
Those two old men had welcomed Keya and him into their world and had always made them feel seen.
But fate had continued to be cruel, and just when they had begun to believe their lives were stable, their grandfather had been taken away from them.
He’d been sixteen when his grandfather had died from a heart ailment. And once again, their lives had been shattered. They’d been adrift in a storming sea with no hope of ever finding the shore again.
But Janak hadn’t let them flounder. He’d stepped in. He’d stayed. He’d become everything they needed and more. He and his sister had grown, thrived, and built lives rooted in love and stability because Janak had believed they deserved it. He had never let them down, not once.
Keya grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed it. “Let’s not think about the past. Let’s look into the future. We’re finally at the point we’ve waited for years. Tell me, when are you going to see the house? I’m so excited about it. I can’t wait to see the changes you’ve made.”
“I’ll try to go as soon as I can. But I know the renovations are going on fine. It should be complete in a few weeks.”
They both knew what that house meant. It was their inheritance, a link to their past. The house had been their grandfather’s pride, a home they’d locked up years ago when he was away in London and Keya couldn’t manage it alone.
They’d moved to a much smaller apartment but had kept this home, hoping that one day any one of them would live there.
After her marriage to Kabier, Keya had transferred full ownership to Akash, despite his objections.
Years later, he had started the renovations while he was in Dubai, making quick trips to Mumbai to keep an eye on the progress. Walking through those rooms again and overseeing the repairs felt like finding his way back to something he’d lost along the way.
“I’m glad we’re doing this,” he added quietly, more to himself than to her. “It feels like… reclaiming our legacy, one step at a time.”
Keya smiled. “We’re going to celebrate—”
Her phone rang.
“It’s work. I have to take this,” she said, moving aside to answer.
Keya worked as the Chief Technology Officer at Sehgal Systems, the software arm of Sehgal Corporation. She’d achieved so much, and he was so proud of how she balanced all the various roles she played so perfectly.
He looked down below at the anchor adjusting the mic on the news desk, his thoughts drifting to the adjacent office, to Janak, and to her.
Shauna Sehgal. The one woman who managed to frustrate him, aggravate him, and entice him all in the same breath.
He shut his eyes and exhaled deeply. When it came to her, he seemed to keep repeating his mistakes, never learning from them.
Yet he couldn’t help but wonder about the discussion taking place between Shauna and Janak in the adjacent office.
He gritted his jaw. He really shouldn’t care about her at all.
She had made it obvious several times what she thought of him.
Hence, it didn’t matter what Janak discussed with her. It wasn’t his concern.
“Sorry, that went on far longer than I wanted it to,” Keya said, interrupting his thoughts.
Akash smiled at her. “Everything okay at work?”
“Now it is,” she said with a shrug. “Anyway, let’s go for coffee. Kabier is joining us. We have much to celebrate.”
Linking her hand with his, she led him out of the office. Akash cast a glance in the direction of Janak’s office. He couldn’t stop the flicker of apprehension that crossed his heart. The conversation going on inside would change the course of his and Shauna’s lives.
But some things were shaped by destiny, and this was his.