2 | The First Step Towards Her
He doesn't raise his voice. He raises standards.
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
The twentieth floor of Apex Capital was full of panic.
It was 9:14 AM, just one minute before the stock market opened, and a sudden global crisis had shaken the entire financial world. The pre-market numbers were falling fast. Red figures flashed across every screen. People were losing billions.
Employees rushed around the office. Phones kept ringing. Managers shouted orders. Some people looked ready to faint from stress.
But in the middle of all that chaos, one place remained completely silent.
The CEO's office.
Standing near the floor-to-ceiling window was Avyukt.
At just twenty-six years old, he was already one of the most powerful businessmen in the country.
He wore a perfectly tailored charcoal three-piece suit. His broad shoulders and straight posture made him look even more intimidating. One hand rested casually in his pocket while the other held a cup of black coffee.
His sharp eyes watched the red numbers on the large screen without a hint of fear.
While everyone else was panicking, he looked completely calm.
Suddenly, the Senior Vice President rushed into the office.
"Sir!" he said breathlessly. "The market is crashing! If we don't pull our investments out in the next thirty seconds, we'll lose forty percent of our liquid assets!"
The room fell silent.
Avyukt didn't react.
He slowly placed his coffee cup on the desk.
Clink.
The small sound seemed louder than all the noise outside.
Only then did he turn around.
His face remained expressionless.
His gaze landed on the nervous executive, making the older man immediately straighten up.
"Amateurs sell during a panic," Avyukt said calmly.
He adjusted his cufflink before continuing.
"The market will hit its lowest point in exactly seven minutes. Fear makes people desperate. And desperate people sell valuable assets for almost nothing."
He walked toward his desk and leaned forward slightly.
His eyes locked onto the vice president's.
"Deploy the reserve funds," he ordered in a quiet but powerful voice.
The executive froze.
"We're buying everything they sell."
A small smirk appeared on Avyukt's lips.
"By noon, we won't just survive this crash."
His gaze darkened.
"We'll own the market."
Without another word, he sat down, opened his laptop, and focused on the numbers.
At twenty-six, Avyukt wasn't playing the game of finance.
He was the one controlling it.
A few moments later, everything finally settled down.
The board members, who had been on the verge of panic just minutes ago, let out relieved breaths as the crisis was resolved. The tension that had gripped the conference room disappeared almost instantly.
But unlike everyone else, Avyukt hadn't changed.
He had been calm before.
He was calm now.
As some of the board members opened their mouths to speak, Avyukt simply raised one hand.
The room fell silent immediately.
At that moment, his phone rang.
Without looking at the caller ID, he turned to his PA.
"Keep the car ready."
"Yes, sir."
He answered the call.
"Yes, Mom. I'm on my way."
On the other side, Renuka instantly understood he was still at the office.
"Beta, it's your own brother's wedding today and you haven't attended a single function. At least come for the baraat."
Avyukt stood from his chair and signaled everyone to leave the room.
"I'm coming, Mom. How can I miss my useless brother's wedding?"
The moment Renuka heard that, she glared at Abhimanyu, who was standing beside her.
Before she could reply, Abhimanyu snatched the phone.
"We're only one minute apart in age, and you talk like you're my father."
Walking toward the elevator, Avyukt smirked.
"Maybe because in success, position, and standards, you're not even one percent of me."
Abhimanyu's jaw dropped.
"Excuse me—"
Before he could continue, Renuka took the phone back.
"Beta, you're the sensible one. Why do you keep arguing with him? Just come quickly. We have to leave with the baraat."
A faint smile appeared on Avyukt's face.
"Fine. I'll be there."
Just then, a message popped up on his phone.
Ruhi.
Ruhi: Bhaiya, have you seen the bride yet?
Avyukt typed back while stepping into his private elevator.
Avyukt: Why would I need to see her?
The reply came within seconds.
Ruhi: Just look. I'm sending you her picture. And if your feet still stay on the ground after seeing her, give me my Instagram ID. I'll change the password myself.
Avyukt rolled his eyes.
Typical Ruhi.
Meanwhile, Renuka was still talking continuously from the other side.
"Are you listening? You're coming, right?"
The elevator doors opened.
Avyukt walked out, surrounded by security, and headed toward the waiting black car.
"Yes, Mom."
He slid into the back seat and loosened his tie.
"I'm coming..."
His gaze shifted toward the notification carrying the bride's photo.
A mysterious smile touched his lips.
"...to change the story."
The car pulled away from the building, unaware that a single wedding was about to change Avyukt's entire life forever.