Chapter 1
Ruthless…Reckless…Rebellious…Rithwik Bali…
Rithwik Bali grimaced, as he stared at the screen of his phone.
Damn, the bloody media! As usual, the media was hell-bent on portraying him in a bad light.
Over the last few months his name had been appearing in news items regularly and it had been amusing to read how they attached so many ridiculous adjectives to his name.
It was unbelievable how little they knew about him compared to how vividly they painted him in the news.
But this article today, surely took the cake.
The ink on this deal wasn’t even dry yet and the media had made it into a story.
He continued to read from the page open on his screen.
An unnamed source has just reported that the scion of Fortuna International has taken over a dying film production house.
Since Rithwik has no prior knowledge of film making, it looks like the entire transaction was yet another whim of a rich businessman who is quite well known for his wild investments and wilder life.
The verdict is still pending on whether the newly minted Fortuna Productions will be a jewel in Rithwik’s crown or just another crown of thorns – Ivana Kher, Prime News Network.
Rithwik returned the phone to his instructor and stepped inside the jet.
The plane took off as soon as he was strapped in, gaining altitude with every minute.
This nonsense was not the kind of thing he wanted to read mere minutes before he was supposed to hurl himself off a plane at fifteen thousand feet above sea level, that too for the first time without an instructor strapped on his back.
He was slated to do his first solo jump in seconds and his instructor, damn him, had shown him the latest news doing the rounds of the social media about him just before they had boarded the plane.
At any other time, Rithwik would have laughed the whole thing off.
But now, seconds before this momentous jump he was not finding this amusing in the least.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. He could do this. He had done a complete course on skydiving and several jumps in tandem with well-qualified and experienced instructors. Going solo was a dream he was moments away from fulfilling.
His instructor gave him the go-ahead as soon as the plane reached the right altitude.
Rithwik checked his harness and stepped towards the ledge of the plane; all his self- doubts and worries melting away as he took in the vast emptiness below and around him.
He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with oxygen and on the next exhale hurled himself off the plane.
The feeling was indescribable! Falling through the air at more than a hundred and twenty miles per hour made each and every of his senses come alive. Pure, fresh air filtered through his nostrils as he inhaled. The rush of wind was like static in his ears. Cool air blasted against his skin.
Freedom, peace, bliss, and absolute focus swirled like a sweet melody through his mind. This feeling of being free was an adrenaline rush like no other. Here, when he was miles high in the sky, he was just himself, no burdens, no responsibilities, nothing.
The Swiss Alps stretched like a painting below him, beckoning him.
Blue skies, snowy mountains and rolling clouds were spread below him in all their imposing grandeur.
The beauty was...spectacular. It was majestic and it was glorious.
Being one with nature like this, almost always made him feel like a tiny cog in the greatest wheel of life.
He gave a whoop of joy as he soared through the sky.
Two of his instructors floated by his side, cheering him on. He did a few cartwheels through the air, exhilarated that he was able to do this all by himself.
Rithwik deployed his parachute, slowly floating down to the ground, feeling utter joy at his accomplishment.
“Cheers, to your success. You actually did it!”
Riwthik’s close friend, Rishi Sehgal toasted him with his champagne glass. Rithwik raised his glass up, smiling in response. The two of them were mid-flight, seated in Rithwik’s jet, returning to Mumbai.
Rishi had been waiting on the ground for him when he had glided down with his chute. They had celebrated the entire night. But thanks to the blasted news article, they had to cut short their trip in Switzerland and return to Mumbai immediately.
“So, what crazy target have you set next?” Rishi asked.
Rithwik shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe base jumping. I’ve been researching it. I’ve read that it’s like flying through the air. I’ve heard base jumping off the Burj Khalifa gives a once in a lifetime kind of thrill.”
“Man, you’re crazy. But if you do go ahead with it, I’ll definitely be there cheering you.”
They clinked their glasses again.
“Anyway, for now it’s back to business,” Rithwik grimaced. “That darned article about Fortuna Productions has created an uproar. I just signed the damn contract in Zurich and it’s trending all over the news. The CEO was panicking instead of readying an appropriate media response. Such an idiot!”
The adrenaline rush from his dive had long since faded.
High-octane sports were his passion but his work was his religion.
His phone had been beeping constantly since last night with messages from his social media manager keeping him updated on the various tweets, insta-posts and what not that were flooding the Internet about his latest acquisition.
The film industry was abuzz and almost every director, producer and actor had an opinion on this buy-out.
Why had he bought it? What experience did he bring to the table?
Did Rithwik even know what he was doing? What kind of content would he create?
Thankfully, none of them knew about his solo dive, or else the news trending would be about his reckless abuse of his life in spite of his privileged upbringing. At least that’s what his parents had told him when he had spoken to them after the jump.
Rishi gave him a slow grin lifting his head from his phone screen. “Ivana Kher! Weren’t you dating her a while back?” Rishi asked, referring to the correspondent who had reported this latest news item.
Rishi was quite the troublemaker, but Rithwik trusted his friend completely. They had recently become close and he was now closer than a brother to him.
“One date, Rishi. Just one!”
“Why in the world would you go on a date with a ruthless, self-seeking journalist known to have zero ethics.” Rishi shook his head in disgust. “And that date clearly didn’t go the way she wanted it to. She’s been after your blood since months.”
“That evening was a complete disaster. All she wanted was to milk me for information on my business and on the people I socialize with. That date was just a way for her to get ahead in her career. Being ambitious is one thing, but trying to publish malicious gossip as a way to ruthlessly get ahead and using me for that purpose was disgusting. It was unacceptable to me. The moment I realized this, I cut-short our date and left her. She’s put a target on my back ever since that night.
But so far she has nothing on me and all her speculations will result in nothing as well. ”
“She’s drawn the battle lines, Rithwik. She’s found out about Fortuna Productions, and she’s going to rip you apart. It is a field brand new to you after all.”
“So what? I’m not in the business of making bad investments. Do you think I care for what she or others like her think? Anyway, I’m going to prove them all wrong.”
He had carefully planned this acquisition for months.
And contrary to what everyone thought, he had the best people to guide him.
He had hired the best minds available in the film world as consultants, to steer the project to success.
If he put his money behind a venture, he did it with a guarantee of making more money.
He hadn’t grown his company Fortuna International to be one of the biggest business houses in India just like that.
He had worked hard every step of the way ever since his father had involved him in the business when he turned twenty-one.
And now ten years later his company had grown many-fold.
They had a vast portfolio that comprised software, multimedia, telecom, pharmaceuticals, luxury retail and stud farms. Fortuna Productions was going to add another feather to their illustrious hat.
Now he only hoped he would be able to keep it all.
Rithwik gripped his armrest as sudden turbulence shook the jet. The flight resumed its smooth ride within seconds. He sighed, a crease marring his forehead as he thought about the phone call he had made to his parents in Delhi just before he’d boarded the aircraft.
His friend perhaps read his thoughts because Rishi asked, “On a more serious note, I heard you speaking to your dad earlier. Is everything okay?”
Rithwik took a moment to reply. “He’s still resolute in his decision and refuses to budge.”
Rishi’s eyebrows curved. “You weren’t able to convince him to drop his threat to you?”
“Nothing I can say is going to convince him, Rishi. I have a month and half left to find someone to marry otherwise he’s going to dismiss me from the position of Managing Director.”
“And the board will agree, you think?”
Rithwik took a moment to reply. “My father is the most powerful person on the board. What he says goes?”
“And what does your mother have to say about it all?” Rishi asked.
Rishi was aware of the ultimatum Rithwik’s father had issued him with almost five months back – find someone to marry within six months or lose all rights to his business.
“My mom is ecstatic. She thinks it’s the best decision my father has ever made. Ever since your cousin and then your brother got married, all she dreams about is for me to settle down too.”
Rishi and he had a tight and close-knit circle of friends whom they cared about deeply.
Keya and Raashi were two of Rithwik’s closest friends and both of them had married into Rishi’s family.
Keya had married Rishi’s cousin, Kabier Sehgal in a whirlwind wedding and soon Raashi had followed suit.
She had married Rishi’s elder brother, Sameer a few months ago.
However, their marriages were not the only reason his parents had set the marriage ultimatum.
And Rishi of course had figured that out. “Come on, Keya and Raashi getting married cannot be the only reason they are compelling you into doing the same.”
“You are right. It isn’t. The problem is that my parents are extremely private people.
And yet my name props up in the media every now and then.
They dislike the way I am portrayed in the media as a flamboyant, reckless playboy with a glamorous and jet-set lifestyle.
Parties, women and fun are my middle names – at least that’s how the media repeatedly portrays me. ”
Rithwik shrugged. “Added to that is my love for high intensity sports. My parents think I have a death wish. After I went bungee jumping from the Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa, which happens to be one of the most terrifying bungee jumping spot in the world and scuba diving in Belize’s Blue Hole, they cut off all contact with me for a while.
They know for a fact that many have attempted these excursions and, sadly, some didn’t make it back alive.
In order to appease them, I sort of held back for a few months. ”
“Until now for this sky diving course,” Rishi clarified.
“Yes. My insistence to take this sky diving course in Switzerland ticked them off. The next thing I know – my Dad gave me the Marriage Ultimatum. They think a wife will make me responsible enough to take my life seriously.”
His father was adamant and to his bad luck his mother had decided to side with his Dad on this.
In the past year he’d been battling both his parents.
Rithwik gazed out of the window. Dawn was breaking over the horizon, the bright rays of the early morning sun painted the sky in vivid colours of bright orange and a pale pink.
Rithwik had to applaud his father’s genius. He knew how much Rithwik loved his company and his work and that’s why he was using it as bait to lure him into the marriage trap. Rithwik scowled.
The noose was tightening around his neck and Rithwik had no clue how to get out of this situation, especially now that he had defied his parents once again by doing this solo jump. He had believed that with time his parents would relent. But now there was no chance of that happening.
Rishi rubbed his chin, thinking aloud, “You spent the first few weeks after your father gave you the marriage ultimatum, not taking his threat seriously. Then you spent the next three months working from London, hoping the distance from him would help sway him to change his mind, which clearly backfired because he didn’t.
And now your time is running out. You need to figure this out and soon. ”
“I honestly have no freaking clue what I’m going to do.
All I want now is to reach my office, talk to my people and come up with an appropriate response to the leaked news of my Production House.
As far as this marriage ultimatum nonsense is concerned, I have a month left to figure out my course of action. ”
“Or you could just marry whoever your parents select for you.” Rishi gave him a naughty smile.
Rithwik sighed. “My parents made a list with names of suitable girls and they gave it to me six months ago. Unbelievable, isn’t it?”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah! I shredded it. I’d rather jump off this damn plane without a chute than choose from a list of girls, they think are right for me.”
It was not that he did not wish to marry and settle down.
Of course, he did, but not like this and definitely not right now.
He didn’t want to be forced to marry. He liked women and dated several, but never for too long and never just the one.
He hadn’t found the one yet. He liked his life the way it was and no amount of threats was going to make him relent.
He needed to come up with a plan that would appease his father and allow him to retain the rights to his company. He dreaded any other outcome.
Rishi rubbed his hands in glee. “This is going to be so entertaining.”
“You’re truly a bastard!”
Rishi hooted, his eyes sparkling with mischief and Rithwik found his lips curving into a smile as well.