Chapter 1 #3
Shruti had changed into a floor-length emerald green silk saree with a simple gold border. Her dark hair fell in soft, loose waves over her shoulders, and minimal jewelry highlighted her natural features. She looked elegant, effortless, and radiant.
When she walked into the main ballroom beside Myra, she felt a strong gaze on her back. She turned her head and found Akhil standing near a group of international investors. He was holding a glass of scotch in one hand, dressed in a sharp black tuxedo.
When his eyes landed on Shruti in her green saree, his sentence died in his throat.
His dark eyes locked onto hers, darkening with an intense, unreadable emotion.
For three long seconds, the powerful billionaire forgot about the business proposal he was discussing.
His gaze swept over her waist, the curve of her collarbone, and the soft smile playing on her lips.
Shruti’s breath hitched in her throat. Her pulse raced.
Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, Akhil masked his expression with a smooth, professional smile. He gave her a slight, polite nod before returning to his conversation with the investors.
Shruti let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Get a grip, Shruti," she whispered to herself.
"He was totally checking you out," Myra whispered slyly into her ear, nudging her arm.
"Stop it, Myra," Shruti murmured, her heart still hammering against her ribs. "He was just looking at my saree. He thinks of me as a kid."
"A kid doesn't make a man forget how to speak, darling," Myra chuckled. "Anyway, I see Neil over there near the bar. I'm going to grab a drink."
Neil D'Souza was Shruti’s chief photographer and close colleague from the travel magazine. Shruti smiled as she watched Myra walk away towards him.
The gala was loud, bright, and overwhelmingly crowded. After an hour of smiling, greeting family acquaintances, and listening to endless polite small talk, Shruti’s jet lag began to catch up with her. Her head felt heavy, and her feet were aching from her high heels.
Seeking a moment of quiet away from the noisy crowd, Shruti slipped out through a side door near the back of the ballroom.
She entered a quiet, dimly lit service hallway lined with plush carpets and high archways.
This section of the hotel housed the private executive suites and confidential meeting rooms used by high-profile VIP guests.
The silence of the hallway was a welcome relief. Shruti walked slowly down the corridor, taking deep breaths of the cool air.
As she passed a heavy wooden double door that was left slightly ajar, a sharp, angry voice echoed from inside the room, catching her attention.
"...You don't have a choice, Mr. Kapoor! You sign those shares over to me by midnight, or I will make sure your daughter's medical foundation is ruined by tomorrow morning!"
Shruti stopped dead in her tracks. The voice was cold, venomous, and unyielding.
Curiosity overriding her caution, Shruti took a silent step towards the cracked door and peeked into the room.
The room was a dimly lit private study with leather armchairs and mahogany bookshelves. Standing near the massive glass window was Reyansh Khanna. He looked sharp and menacing in a dark grey suit, his eyes filled with ruthless malice.
Pinned against the wall in front of him was an elderly, terrified businessman, Mr. Kapoor, a respected industrialist who was a major shareholder in Akhil's European resort venture. Reyansh was holding the older man tightly by his suit collar, leaning in close with a terrifying smile.
"Reyansh... please," the elderly man begged, his voice trembling with genuine fear. "That project with Akhil Raheja is my life's work. I cannot betray him..."
"I don't give a damn about Akhil Raheja or your life's work!
" Reyansh snarled, his grip tightening around the man's throat until the old man choked.
"Akhil thinks he is untouchable. But by the time I am done with him, he will lose everything, his hotels, his reputation, and his life if he gets in my way.
Anyone who stands with him will be crushed. Do you understand me? Sign the papers!"
Shruti’s blood ran cold. Her heart began to beat wildly against her ribs like a trapped bird. She gasped softly in shock, instinctively taking a step back away from the door.
In her anxiety and hurry to back away, her heel caught on the edge of a heavy brass floor lamp standing near the hallway wall.
'CLANG!'
The heavy lamp hit against the wooden doorframe, making a sharp, loud metallic sound that echoed through the quiet corridor.
Inside the study, the voices instantly stopped.
"Who's out there?!" Reyansh’s furious voice shouted from inside.
Panic surged through Shruti’s veins. She didn't hesitate for a single second.
She turned around, gathered the folds of her long silk saree in her hands, and ran silently down the carpeted hallway as fast as her heels could carry her, disappearing into the shadows just as the heavy wooden doors flew open behind her.