Chapter 5
Janak Sehgal stared into the faces of his grandsons, waiting for a response and said in a composed voice, “I gifted it!”
“You did what?” Sameer shot up to his feet and yelled.
“Sameer, watch your tone. I am still your grandfather,” Janak scolded.
Sameer rubbed his forehead, trying to reduce the pounding that had started since this morning when he and Kabier had found out that they didn’t own their grandmother’s property anymore.
He had asked Kabier and Rishi to meet with him today at his office.
He had finally discussed about his dream spa project in detail with them.
His grandmother’s property next to The Marquis hotel had an old heritage villa and Sameer wanted to restore it, extend it and convert it into a spa.
It would be an extension of The Marquis.
Kabier and Rishi had loved the idea so much that they had called for the land documents immediately to begin the planning.
But then to their absolute shock they had found out that the property no longer belonged to them.
And now grandfather was telling them very coolly that he had gifted the property away.
“When did you do this, grandfather?” he heard Kabier ask.
“Not so long ago,” Janak Sehgal replied, waving a nonchalant hand in the air.
“And you did this without even thinking of informing any of us?” Sameer queried unable to conceal the anger in his voice.
His grandfather raised his chin.
“Just because I’ve handed over the reins of the business to you guys doesn’t mean that I am answerable to you three. That was my land, and I decided to gift it to someone who fell in love with it and has a wonderful vision for it.”
“Just like that?” Sameer heard Rishi ask from behind him.
His grandfather gave a half shrug in reply.
What was wrong with the old man? How could he have just handed over a prime piece of Sehgal property, the most beautiful villa, the most perfect land to someone else? It was unbelievable!
“What am I supposed to do about my plans for the land now?” Sameer asked, seething in fury.
“Well, I’m sorry but today is the first time I’ve heard of this plan of yours. The idea has merit, my boy. But I guess you will have to do it somewhere else.”
“No,” Sameer shook his head. “It has to be there. This is no ordinary spa I am talking about. I want to build something exotic. This location was unique because we could have connected it to The Marquis. Imagine enhancing the status of The Marquis to a resort hotel within the city. It’s not going to work anywhere else. ”
“I agree with him,” Kabier said.
“Well, so we’ll just have to buy it back,” said Rishi.
“That doesn’t make sense, Rishi,” Sameer told his brother.
“Why? The land obviously doesn’t belong to us anymore and you want to build a world-class spa in that villa and connect it to The Marquis. Once done, it will make The Marquis one of the most sought after hotels in the city, not to mention probably the country. So?” Rishi asked splaying a hand out.
Sameer ran his hands through his hair. Bloody hell! Why hadn’t he discussed his plans with his grandfather earlier?
“Whom does it belong to?” Kabier asked, interrupting his thoughts.
His grandfather faced Sameer.
“Raashi,” he replied.
Sameer felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.
Raashi! Oh, My God!
Why of all the people had his grandfather chosen her to gift this land to?
This was so not happening to him. He could judge trouble from a distance when it was on the horizon.
And this was just that. Disaster waiting to happen!
There was no way Raashi would sell the land to him. No way in Hell! He was so screwed.
“Why, why her?” Sameer asked as patiently as he could.
“I don’t need to justify my actions to any of you.
Suffice it to say that I felt she was the best person to value the importance of that land.
She fell in love with the villa the first moment she laid eyes on it.
That day, standing at the threshold of that old villa, she had an immediate vision for that decrepit place.
She described her idea with so much passion that I was floored hearing her thoughts. That land was hers from that day on.”
“Then we are left with no option but to negotiate with her to get the land back,” Kabier said solemnly.
“I can tell you that it would be a waste of time but that’s up to you guys. And now if your inquisition is over, I will see myself out.” He stood up, straightened his jacket and walked towards the door of the office.
But before he got to the door, he turned to Sameer and asked, “Do you have any new updates on the car theft at The Marquis?”
They were all worried about the security breach at The Marquis and just a few hours back the hotel GM had brought Sameer up-to-date regarding the theft.
“Actually, yes. The police found the stolen car a few kilometers away from The Marquis, just today. It was left there with the keys inside. Fortunately, no damage was done to it. The car is being returned to the owner as we speak.”
Kabier frowned. “That is strange. What do the cops think? Was it a prank played on the owner or something?”
“We know the owner’s father is an important politician. And politicians have their own share of people waiting to pick a bone with them. Or it could be just a prank like you said or even a car theft gone wrong. Who knows?” Sameer stated.
“Good! Looks like we have nothing to worry about then. I will speak to the boy’s father and ensure they don’t cause any more trouble,” Janak Sehgal said.
He nodded to his grandsons and left.
“I can’t believe he gave away the property,” Rishi said, pacing in front of the two of them, as soon as the door to Sameer’s office shut behind their grandfather.
Kabier shook his head. “It’s quite unlike him to do something so impulsive. I wonder what he was thinking.”
“Well, what do we do now?” Rishi queried.
“Sameer, will you get in touch with Raashi and negotiate a deal with her?” Kabier asked him.
“Yes. Though I’m not really sure about this,” Sameer murmured.
He was extremely annoyed with the situation. He ran an angry hand through his hair, before turning to Kabier and Rishi. “I really fail to understand what Raashi will do with such a prime piece of real estate. She works in a restaurant for heaven’s sake!”
“What are you talking about?” Rishi scrunched his face.
“Raashi works at AquaNox right?” Sameer said, bewildered by the shocked expression on his brother’s face.
Rishi and Kabier exchanged a bemused look.
Raising a frustrated hand, Sameer asked, “Okay. What do I not know?”
“Have you heard of The Nox restaurants?” Kabier asked.
“Of course! Aren’t they the same ones that include Nox- MixGrill, T-Cafe? and the more recent AquaNox restaurant? They have been doing increasingly well in the last five years, isn’t it? Incidentally, that’s where Raashi works, doesn’t she?”
“T-Cafe? was once a small cafeteria catering to college kids. Of course, it wasn’t the same upscale cafe? that it is now,” Kabier began.
“So?” Sameer cut him off. “How is that relevant to us?”
“Sameer, Raashi’s family owned T-Cafe?. Raashi’s grandmother ran the cafe? after Raashi’s parents died in a car crash.
Raashi inherited it after her grandmother’s demise.
Our grandfather has helped her ever since her grandmother passed away, until she was capable of running things on her own.
And Raashi has turned that one single cafeteria into one of the most sought after cafe?’s in the city.
She’s converted a section of it into a book bar where book readers of all ages are welcome.
It now has a bookstore and a book club. Book signing and reading sessions happen there frequently.
I have heard that you have to book months in advance to hold a reading there. It’s that busy,” Kabier said.
Rishi continued from where Kabier stopped.
“And then she decided one day this wasn’t enough for her.
She invested all her savings, took a loan and opened Nox-MixGrill.
It opened to rave reviews. That place you have to see to believe.
The Friday rock shows she hosts there are legendary.
She’s now opened AquaNox and slowly but surely her Nox Group of restaurants is taking Mumbai by storm.
Raashi Deewan has made a name for herself and everyone is taking notice now. ”
Sameer leaned back in his chair, utterly at a loss for words.
Raashi was the owner of The Nox Group. Why had he never bothered to look into what she was doing?
Why had he never asked her about her personal life?
He remembered being absolutely enchanted by her, but he’d never asked her what she did for a living.
He had shown no interest in that part of her life at all.
Suddenly, a lot of things fell into perspective.
He remembered the authority she had at AquaNox.
No wonder she had thrown him and Natasha out so unceremoniously.
And she most certainly was aware he did not know she owned The Nox group of restaurants.
She hadn’t even tried to correct his misconception either when he had asked her about AquaNox at The Marquis.
He was so lost in thought that Kabier had to nudge him to get his attention. He turned to look at his cousin and brother, a puzzled look on his face.
“You really didn’t know!” Rishi’s brow wrinkled. “I mean all through Sheena’s wedding and then through Kabier’s, you stuck to her like glue and you didn’t ask her even once what she did for a living or where she worked?”
Sameer shook his head.