The game begins
Author's pov-
If there was one thing Purv Rathore hated, it was losing.
And right now, Divya sharma was winning.
Not just in buisness-but in presence, in confidence, in the way she owned every conversation without hesitation. It was infuriating.
For the past few days, she had been everywhere. Her name on financial reports, her firm competing for deals, her strategies making headlines.
Purv had expected her to return to Delhi quietly. Instead, she was challenging him in his own territory.
And he wasn't going to let that slide.
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The next major project-one of the biggest financial acquisitions of the year-was down to two contenders:
Rathore Enterprises and Sharma Finance.
It wasn't personal.
Atleast, that's what purv told himself.
Inside the elite conference hall, investers and CEO gathered, eager to see which firm would win the deal. Both companies had prepared flawless presentations.
Purv walked in with his usual cold confidence. But the moment he saw Divya already seated, casually flipping through a file like she owned the place, something in him ticked.
She looked completely unbothered.
Like she had already won.
He took the seat across from her, exuding authority, but Divya didn't even glance up. Instead, she smirked, just slightly, as if she knew something he didn't.
For the first time in years, purv felt an unsettling sense of uncertainty.
This wasn't the same Divya.
She was a rival.
---------------------------------------------------
The meeting was brutal.
Divya presented first, laying out her firm's strategies with calculated precision. Her confidence was effortless, her points undeniable. Investors nodded in approval, impressed by her sharp insights.
When she finished, she leaned back slightly, meeting purv's gaze.
Your move.
Purv's jaw tightened. He had faced ruthless businessmen before, but Divya was something else.
When he presented his case, he made sure his delivery was just as sharp-his voice calm, his arguments compelling. He was Purv Rathore. Losing wasn't in his dictionary.
But Divya had done her homework.
She countered his points with facts he hadn't expected her to know. Small, calculated details that tipped the balance just enough.
By the end of the meeting, there was no clear winner.
The deal was postponed for further evaluation.
A draw.
But to purv, it didn't feel like one.
Because for the first time in years, someone has matched him step for step.
And worse?
It was her.
---------------------------------------------------
As the room emptied, purv caught up with divya just outside.
"You did your research," he admitted, his voice low.
Divya turned, her expression unreadable. "Ofcourse. It's buisness, Mr.Rathore."
His eyes flickered with something unreadable. "You never used play like this."
She tilted her head slightly. "Maybe you just never bothered to notice what I was capable of."
Another hit. Direct. Unapologetic.
Purv stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You really think you can beat me?"
Divya's lips curled, but her eyes remained distant. "I don't think, purv." She leaned in slightly. "I know."
Then, just like before-she walked away.
Leaving him standing there, feeling something he hadn't felt in years.
Challenged.
Purv exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair as he watched her leave.
She wasn't backing down.
Which meant neither would he.
If she wanted a rivalry, she had one.
But he would make sure she regretted it.