Chapter 9
Shauna glanced around her grandfather’s office while he finished his call, unable to keep still.
The space, with its towering glass windows overlooking the city, carried the familiar scent of leather chairs and polished wood.
She drew in a deep breath, trying to steady the nerves buzzing beneath her skin as she looked out at the view.
Mumbai stretched out in all its glittering glory far below—fast, loud, unstoppable. And here, high above it all, her grandfather ruled the media empire that helped shape the city’s stories.
“Shauna, my darling,” her grandfather finally said from behind his desk. “Sorry, I had to take that call. Why don’t you take a seat?”
He gestured toward the sitting area, and she settled into one of the armchairs, crossing her legs and schooling her expression into one of calm interest.
“What was all that about?” she asked lightly.
He paused mid-movement as he opened a drawer, his attention flicking to her. “What do you mean? My phone call?”
“No. Earlier,” she clarified. “You and Mr. Malhotra, and even Akash… it felt like there’s more happening than what I’m seeing.”
Lifting a manila envelope, he shut the drawer gently and straightened, studying her in his quiet, careful way.
“What makes you think that?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, keeping her tone neutral, even as a small knot sat stubbornly in her chest. “Maybe I’m overthinking it. But Akash… and you… and the way Mr. Malhotra spoke… it seemed as if something important was happening.”
His features remained kind, but there was a depth there she couldn’t quite read.
“I’ll explain everything in a bit,” her grandfather said, taking the chair beside her. He dropped the unmarked envelope onto the coffee table in front of her. “First, let me tell you how proud I am of you and everything you’ve achieved.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “You know that means a lot coming from you.”
“Shauna, I know why you requested this meeting. I know what you want. What your dreams are.”
The tightness in her chest loosened. Relief and excitement flooded through her, buoying her right back up.
Of course, he knew. Everyone in the family knew exactly what she wanted—to step into her grandfather’s shoes and continue his legacy.
She wanted to be at the helm of Sehgal Media as its driving force, leading it to a brighter future.
They had all discouraged her, but she had stood firm.
And now she was delighted that her grandfather was finally seeing it too.
Her hopes rose. This was it. The moment she’d been waiting for. She opened her mouth to ask him for what she wanted but stopped short when she saw the unease in his expression.
He exhaled slowly, looking thoughtful. His old, experienced eyes held hers a moment too long. A hint of sorrow crossed his face. And just like that, the faint prickle at the back of her mind returned.
“I have dreaded this day for a long time,” he finally said.
Her breath stilled.
“There is no easy way to say this,” he continued, his voice gentle but steady. “But Sehgal Media… it is not your destiny.”
The words hit like a punch to her gut.
“What?” she shot out.
“Sehgal Media belongs to someone else,” he said. “Someone else was born to lead it. Someone I cannot deny their rightful place.”
Her pulse roared in her ears. Her chest tightened painfully. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out at first. Confusion warred with disbelief.
“What are you talking about?” she asked. “Who are you talking about?”
Despite her questions, a cold suspicion curled inside her.
There was only one person he could possibly mean.
Only one person he’d been quietly grooming other than her.
Only one person who always wore that smug confidence around her, like he knew exactly what she wanted and knew he was going to snatch it from her.
“Surely you don’t mean Akash,” she said, disbelief scraping through her voice. “He’s not family. You can’t seriously be thinking of handing Sehgal Media to an outsider.”
Her grandfather’s expression tightened. “Akash is as much my family as you are. He’s a good boy.”
Anger churned inside her at his words.
“What magic has he woven around you that you cannot see him for the sly, cocky bastard he is—”
“Shauna.” Her grandfather’s voice cut through hers with quiet command. “Do not use that tone with me or such foul words while talking to me. Especially not about him.”
Shauna’s heart sank. Her grandfather never raised his voice at her. Never even came close. And now he was reprimanding her because of him.
“Sorry.” She swallowed, trying to rein in the storm twisting inside her. “But he—”
“There is more you need to understand,” he said gently, though his tone remained firm. He suddenly looked older … like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. “This is not a decision made overnight. Sehgal Media is Akash’s destiny. It always has been.”
Shauna stared at him, disbelief clashing with panic. “I don’t… I don’t understand.”
“How much do you know about Sehgal Media’s history?”
She frowned. “I only know you took it over from your friend after his death. I don’t recall his name.”
“His name was Dhiraj Mishra,” he said with a smile, looking into the distance.
“He was my closest friend, like a brother to me. We’d been together since our school days.
While Dhiraj was very successful in business, his personal life was difficult.
His wife passed away when their daughter was still very young, and though he loved the child deeply, his work kept him constantly on the move.
Madhu grew up mostly in the care of nannies.
She was a sweet girl, but she was starved for affection.
When she was twenty, she met a man—the wrong kind of man—who filled her head with dreams of love and happiness.
Longing to be loved and craving attention, she fell for him and married him, even though her father begged her not to. ”
He sighed. “The man was a social climber who believed that marrying the only daughter of a wealthy businessman would give him quick money and an easy life. But Dhiraj Mishra wasn’t someone who could be easily used.
He publicly distanced himself from his daughter and refused to stay in contact with her after the marriage. ”
Her grandfather paused, staring at nothing, as if lost in the past. Shauna watched him closely, unable to understand why any of this mattered.
She shifted, leaning forward. “I’m not sure I understand the relevance of this story, Grandfather.”
His eyes settled on her. “The man Madhu Mishra married was Keval Karia.”
Karia.
Her spine stiffened and her breath caught midway as the pieces snapped together with startling clarity. A cold dread unfolded in her chest, tightening with every passing second as the truth sank in.
“He was Akash and Keya’s father,” her grandfather said, crushing the last sliver of doubt she might have held.
Her heartbeat quickened. She sat back slowly, the revelation hitting her like a blow she wasn’t prepared for. This story wasn’t random. It wasn’t irrelevant. It was Akash’s story—his family, his past. One she hadn’t known until now.
But what did this mean for her? For him?
Her grandfather continued. “Soon after her marriage, Madhu realized she’d made a terrible mistake.
But it was a mistake she was too weak to undo.
As they grew up, both Akash and Keya watched their father waste every penny he earned on alcohol, women, and gambling.
Whenever debts caught up with him, he dragged the family from one city to another, changing jobs as often as he changed excuses.
He was a violent husband and a terrible father.
Their mother endured it all in silence until the day she died. Akash was only ten.”
She gasped. He’d been ten? Akash had been ten when his mother died.
And his father… Oh God. Sadness pressed against her ribs.
What all horrors had he faced at such a young age?
She couldn’t reconcile the strong, composed, confident man she knew with the boy who must have endured so much instability, volatility, and possible violence while growing up.
Despite her feelings toward him, she felt terribly sorry for what he’d been through.
Her grandfather’s gaze drifted into the distance again.
“And then what happened?” she prompted.
“After their mother’s death, their father handed custody of the children over to their grandfather, Dhiraj Mishra, in exchange for money, and disappeared. They’ve never heard from him again. Thank God for that.”
“He sold his children?” Shauna said, aghast. “What an awful man.”
“He truly was awful,” Janak concurred. “But I’m glad he wasn’t a part of their lives anymore.
” He smiled, his voice softening as he spoke.
“I still remember the first time I met Akash. Dhiraj had called me right after the children came into his care. When I arrived, Akash was standing in the doorway beside Keya. This small boy—just ten—was staring at me like he was ready to take on the world if he had to. Chin lifted, shoulders squared, one arm slightly in front of his sister. He was so defiant, so fierce, and so protective. As if daring anyone to even think of hurting his sister.”
Shauna found herself smiling, the image forming easily in her mind. Even now, he was like this. Fierce, determined, and so protective of those he loved. She’d seen him interact with Keya and Keya’s children. She’d always known without a doubt that he’d do anything for them.