Ghosts of the past
Author's pov-
The boardroom was cold-both in temperature and atmosphere. The glass walls reflected the city skyline, casting sharp lines across the polished table.
Divya sat at one end, composed, her fingers tapping lightly against the surface. She was here as the representative of R&R Fine crop, a rapidly rising firm known for it's aggressive yet calculated buisness moves. And across from her, like a shadow from another lifetime, sat purv rathore.
Rathore Enterprises had always been a dominating force in the finance world, but for the first time, they had serious competition. And that competition was her.
The meeting had already begun, yet the tension was already suffocating.
Divya's posture was relaxed- almost too relaxed for the battlefield they were about to step into. She could feel purv's gaze on her, heavy and unreadable. She ignored it. This wasn't college. She wasn't the girl who used to crave his attention.
"Let's begin," the client's executive said, nodding toward both of them. "We have two proposals on the table-one from Rathore Enterprises and one from R&R fine crop. Both impressive. But only one will get the deal."
Divya smiled, her voice smooth as silk. "Then let's make it clear who deserves it more."
Purv's lips curled slightly-almost as if he was amused. "By all means, Ms.Sharma."
The battle begins.
The next hour was a whirlwind of presentations, counterpoints, and strategic attacks. Every time purv tried to assert dominance, Divya countered with precision.
When he questioned her firm's credibility, she calmly listed R&R's recent successes-some of which had directly outperformed Rathore Enterprises.
When he subtly undermined her experience, she reminded the room of her work in Mumbai, her expertise in risk analysis, and her ability to turn struggling businesses into powerhouses.
Every exchange was measured, controlled-but beneath the polished professonalism, there was something else.
A battle of wills.
A silent storm waiting to break.
The past creeps in.
At one point, one of the senior executives chuckled. "I must say, Ms.Sharma, it's quite something to see you go head-to-head with Mr.Rathore. Given your history, I didn't expect such.... hostility."
The room felt silent.
Purv's jaw tightened. Divya, however, remained utterly unfazed.
"I don't mix personal matters with buisness," she said smoothly. "That's a luxury I can't afford."
Purv leaned back, eyes sharp. "Neither do I."
The unspoken words hung in the air. But they both knew it was a lie.
As the meeting wrapped up, the client made an announcement.
"We'll need time to evaluate both offers," he said. "Expect a decision by the end of the week."
Divya stood up, gathering her papers. She had made her impact, and she knew it.
Purv, however, wasn't done.
As the others filtered out, he stepped closer. "You've changed, Divya," he murmured.
She tilted her head, amusement flickering in her eyes. "And you haven't. That's the difference between us."
Then, without waiting for a response, she walked away.
Leaving him with nothing but the weight of everything left unsaid.