Chapter 1 #3
Dressed in a perfectly tailored navy linen jacket, dark trousers, and a black shirt, Akash looked effortlessly striking.
His hair was pushed back from his forehead, revealing eyes the color of warm brandy, sharp cheekbones, and a jaw carved with arrogant precision.
And his mouth… that mouth had always been pure trouble.
Then there was his height. Well over six feet tall, with broad shoulders and a commanding presence, Akash Karia moved with a quiet authority that said he knew exactly who he was and the effect he had on people. Especially women.
God, she hated him. She hated how smug he was. He acted like luxury was his birthright, when everyone knew he was simply benefiting from his sister’s successful career at Sehgal Systems and the fact that Keya had married into the Sehgal family.
His eyes caught hers again, and his grin widened as he found her watching him.
Giving him a dirty glare, she finally focused on her grandfather standing beside him.
Happiness bloomed inside her on seeing him.
He was her most favorite person in the whole world and the one person who held the key to her dreams.
Her grandfather, Janak Sehgal, was the patriarch of the Sehgal family.
His was a name people recognized not just across India but in boardrooms around the world.
He was the force behind Sehgal Corporation’s success, the reason their family’s business empire had thrived for generations.
Thanks to him, Sehgal Corporation had its roots everywhere: real estate, hotels, automobiles, telecom, media, even IT.
Their reach extended far beyond India, with a presence in multiple countries.
Her grandfather had already divided most of his massive empire among his grandchildren. Her cousin Kabier, the eldest in their generation, managed Telecom and IT. Sameer handled Hotels and Real Estate, and Rishi oversaw the Automobiles division.
The only business her grandfather still personally controlled was Sehgal Media—the part of the empire she’d always hoped, always believed, she would inherit one day.
She’d asked him about it more than once over the years, about what he planned for its future and who would take over when the time came. But he’d always brushed her off with vague replies, insisting he intended to run it for as long as he could.
And for a long time, that had been enough.
But he was getting older. Sooner or later, he would have to hand it over to someone.
And when that moment came, she’d intended to be ready.
She’d worked twice as hard for it, pushing herself further and proving herself at every turn.
She’d been determined to make sure she wasn’t just an option, but the only choice.
And she knew it in her bones that it was her time now.
She just had to ask him for what she wanted directly, and she was going to do that as soon as possible.
Keya dragged the two men to the end of the table near her. Shauna stood, rising to kiss her grandfather’s weathered cheek. He drew her in a hug.
“Hello, my darling girl,” he said. “How are you?”
“I’m fine,” she replied. “So happy to see you.”
“I know you texted me a few times, but I was on the flight back from Dubai with Akash.”
“When did you go to Dubai?”
“A few days ago.” His eyes fell on Akash before moving back to her. “We had some business to discuss.”
She frowned. What business? And why with Akash? What did Akash know about Sehgal Media that she didn’t? Before she could question him further, her grandfather took her hand.
“You messaged that you wanted to talk to me about work,” he said. “Let’s meet on Monday at my office. First thing in the morning?”
She smiled. “Yes.”
Excitement bubbled through her. On Monday, she would finally ask him for what her heart had desired forever. And she hoped he gave it to her.
“Why don’t you all take a seat,” Keya said. “Janak, Akash, I’ll organize food and drinks for you.”
Akash caught his sister’s hand. “Hey, don’t worry. The staff will take care of us. Go ahead and finish your speech.”
Beaming, Keya returned to the head of the table. Her grandfather took the seat at opposite end, which left Akash to take the only remaining chair beside her.
Akash took his place next to her, and her skin warmed instantly. Her fingers tightened against the tablecloth. His knee brushed hers under the table, and she yanked hers back as though she’d been burned.
She inhaled, and his scent washed over her.
Oud and wood, rich and unmistakable, delicious in a way that made her chest tighten.
It tugged at something buried deep in her memory.
Somewhere she absolutely did not want to go, yet her mind went there anyway.
To Singapore. And that night. To his hands tracing her skin.
Her mouth against his neck, going lower…
His body moving inside her. The low sounds she’d made when his mouth had been on…
Bloody hell.
She crushed those memories aside. Beside her, two servers came and began pouring wine for Akash and her grandfather.
Keya tapped her glass lightly with a spoon. “Sorry, everyone. I’m just going to take a few more moments of your time.” She grinned broadly. “Now the night feels complete. Even more special because I have my two best men with me.”
“I thought I was the best,” Kabier called out.
Keya didn’t miss a beat. She turned toward him. “You are… before everyone else.”
Something tender passed between them, and Shauna’s heart softened as she watched them. This… this was the kind of love she was surrounded by here. Quiet. Fierce. Enduring.
Every couple around this table had found it in their own way. And as she looked around, she found herself hoping—praying—that one day she’d find the same all-consuming love. The kind that stayed. A love that quietly promised more. A love that didn’t hurt. Didn’t wound.
Keya faced the crowd again, her expression softening.
“In the end, I’d just like to say… thank you.
Thank you all for being such a big part of our lives.
Your love and your presence mean more than you know.
” Her eyes sought out her brother’s across the crowd.
“And to Akash, I’m so glad you’ve decided to be where you belong.
You have a new journey ahead of you, and I know you’ll do well and make us all proud. ”
Shauna’s brow furrowed. What did that mean? Was Akash leaving Sehgal Systems? Where was he going? Back to Dubai? Was he really settling there?
Keya lifted her glass in the air, and everyone did the same. “To love, to family, and to the people who make life feel whole. Cheers.”
A chorus of voices rose in response. She took a sip of her wine, and just like that, her skin tightened. She knew, without a doubt, that Akash was watching her. She turned to face him.
“Hello, Shauna,” he murmured, her name shaped carefully on his tongue.
Her heart tripped—actually stumbled—before picking up speed.
Heat bloomed beneath her skin. No one else ever said her name the way he did, splitting it into two deliberate syllables and lingering on the second.
Yet there was always a softness to it, a careful restraint.
It felt like a promise and a question all at once.
Bloody hell, she was behaving like an idiot.
But then, she’d always been an idiot about him since the first time she’d met him.
And years later, that night in Singapore was further proof of her idiocy.
“Hi,” she replied stiffly.
His gaze drifted slowly over her face. Lingered on her eyes. Her mouth. And then, just for a beat too long, settled on her lips.
He tilted his head. “It’s been a long time.”
“Not long enough,” she muttered, refusing to admit even to herself that his presence was… distracting. Overwhelming.
He laughed under his breath, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Still feisty as ever. Such a wildcat.”
Her lips curved in warning. “My claws have only sharpened. Be careful.”
“I’m always on my toes around you,” he replied, his gaze darkening. “You’re dangerous.”
She arched a brow. “Dangerous?”
“Yes.” His voice dropped, warm and deliberate. “You always have been.”
Her brow knitted together. “Why?”
He stared at her, refusing to reply. Something hot and intense passed between them, sharp enough to make her breath hitch.
Around them, the night carried on. Conversations flowed, glasses clinked, and laughter rang through the air.
But here she was, feeling trapped by his gaze and his words.
Why did she even care what he said or didn’t say?
He didn’t matter to her. She hated him, remember?
From the corner of her eye, she found Sameer had risen and moved to chat with Aditya and Sabrina.
She pushed back her chair, ready to leave, when Akash’s loud bark of laughter halted her.
“Running away?” he asked. “Again? So soon?”
She leaned forward, glaring at him. “Don’t think too highly of yourself. You’d have to matter to me for me to run away from you. And the fact is, you don’t.”
“Really?” he asked, looking affronted. “I don’t matter. Not even a teeny bit?”
She rolled her eyes. “You matter to me as much as the pebble stuck inside my shoe. Annoying, irrelevant, and easily dealt with.”
He threw his head back and laughed, the sound rich and throaty.
She refused to accept that his laughter affected her because that would be stupid.
Absolutely stupid. And it would be even more stupid to stare at the ink swirling slightly above the collar of his shirt.
She wasn’t going to think about it. No way.
She made a move to rise again when he said, “See, you are running away from me. There was a time when you used to love putting me in my place, but now it seems you just want to flee. I wonder why.”
She did want to flee. Because being close to him made her feel too much.
Made her remember too much. Months of distance hadn’t dulled a thing.
Her heartbeat was still tripping, her skin was still burning, and her body was still responding to his nearness as if it knew him far better than it should.
But she’d never give him the pleasure of knowing he unsettled her so much.
“Duh,” Shauna said sweetly. “Don’t think so hard. It will hurt your brain. The answer is simple.” She leaned closer to him, catching a whiff of his sexy perfume. Ignoring it, she said, “I realized much too late that you’re not worth the effort.”
“I suppose that realization came after you and I…”
She pinched his thigh, looking around. Thankfully, no one was paying any attention to them. Still, how dare he try to bring up that night here? Apart from Sabrina and Aditya, no one around this table knew about it. She hadn’t even confided in her twin, Rhea, or her best friend, Jiya.
“Don’t talk about that night,” she gritted out quietly.
Laughter danced in his eyes as he moved her hand away, his fingers lingering on hers for a second too long.
“You didn’t let me finish,” he said calmly. “I was saying: I suppose that realization came after you and I stopped crossing paths. Six months of zero interaction tends to change things.”
Her scowl deepened.
“But,” he added, his voice dipping, sounding unmistakably amused, “I do find it fascinating that your mind went there. To that night. I’m glad to know you haven’t forgotten it… or me.”
Heat flared beneath her skin. She straightened, jaw tight, pulse racing, refusing to look at him or give him the satisfaction of knowing he was right. Damn this man for always pushing her buttons.
Before she could retaliate, her grandfather spoke up.
“Are you both fighting again?” he asked.
Before she could reply, Akash said, “Why would we fight? We’ve just met after so long.”
Her grandfather studied her and then him before saying, “Good. You are both important to me, and you know how much I dislike you arguing.”
“I can’t help it if she gets aggravated with me over everything,” Akash said cheekily.
“I get aggravated at you for existing. Plain and simple.”
“Children,” her grandfather hissed. “Can you both behave for once?”
Akash raised his hands. “Apologies. I will try and be good.”
When her grandfather looked at her, she lowered her chin.
He gave each of them a pointed look before turning away and resuming his conversation with Raashi.
He’d seen her and Akash bicker more times than she cared to remember, and the last thing she needed was to set him off, especially not now, and definitely not where Akash was concerned.
Her grandfather was inexplicably fond of him, something she’d never understood.
But she was going to have an important meeting with him soon, one she’d been preparing for meticulously.
She needed him calm, focused, and nowhere near defensive about Akash.
Hence, for the rest of the night, she was going to talk to everyone but Akash.
She wasn’t going to let him ruin her mood again.