Chapter 50 - Mrs. Rathore
The next morning...
Mumbai woke to another busy day.
Traffic filled the streets.
Corporate buildings came alive.
Meetings began.
Deals were being negotiated.
And inside the Rathore Industries headquarters, Arjun Rathore was already buried beneath a mountain of paperwork.
His assistant placed another file on his desk.
"Sir, these are the revised contracts from the Singapore division."
"Leave them there."
"And your eleven o'clock meeting has been moved to eleven-thirty."
"Fine."
She nodded and left.
Arjun leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead.
His mind briefly returned to yesterday.
Astra Group.
Aadhira.
The revelation that his wife was the mysterious owner of one of the most powerful and secretive business empires in the country.
He still couldn't completely believe it.
His lips curved into a smile.
He had always known Aadhira was intelligent.
He knew she was capable.
But he had never imagined the scale of what she had built.
His phone vibrated.
A message from Aadhira.
Arjun smiled.
He typed back.
Her reply came almost immediately.
He placed the phone down.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Come in."
His assistant stepped inside.
"Sir, your two o'clock meeting documents are ready."
"Leave them on the table."
"Yes, sir."
She placed the files down and left.
Arjun glanced at the clock.
He had another long day ahead.
What he didn't know...
Was that someone was about to make that day much more interesting.
A black luxury car stopped in front of the massive glass building.
Aadhira stepped out.
She wore a simple yet elegant cream saree paired with a structured blazer. Her long hair fell naturally over her shoulders, and a black leather handbag rested against her arm.
She looked up at the building.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
She had no meeting.
No business proposal.
No urgent matter.
She had simply come to surprise her husband.
Yesterday had been overwhelming.
The revelation of her identity.
The questions.
The discussions.
And somehow, she had barely gotten any time alone with Arjun.
So today...
She decided to steal him for lunch.
Without warning him.
Aadhira walked through the main entrance.
The reception area was busy.
Employees moved around with files and laptops while visitors waited in designated areas.
A receptionist looked up.
"Good morning, ma'am."
"Good morning."
"Who are you here to meet?"
"Arjun Rathore."
The receptionist typed something into the computer.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No."
The receptionist looked up.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Mr. Rathore doesn't accept visitors without appointments."
Aadhira smiled politely.
"I know."
"Then I'm afraid you'll have to schedule one."
Aadhira remained calm.
"I'm his wife."
The receptionist froze.
For a moment, she simply stared at Aadhira.
Then she gave an awkward smile.
"Excuse me?"
"I said I'm Arjun Rathore's wife."
The receptionist glanced toward another employee sitting nearby.
The employee looked Aadhira up and down.
A faint, mocking smile appeared on her face.
"His wife?"
Aadhira turned toward her.
"Yes."
The employee gave a quiet laugh.
"Really?"
Aadhira's expression remained neutral.
"Yes."
The woman leaned back in her chair.
"That's interesting."
The receptionist looked uncomfortable.
"Please don't-"
But the employee continued.
"Because as far as everyone here knows, Mr. Rathore is a very private man."
Aadhira said nothing.
The employee looked at her clothes and then at her handbag.
"So suddenly some woman walks in without an appointment and claims she's his wife?"
Aadhira's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'm not claiming anything."
The employee shrugged.
"Of course."
She exchanged a glance with another colleague.
"Women come here all the time trying to meet important men."
Aadhira's expression hardened.
"I suggest you choose your words carefully."
The employee laughed.
"Why? Did I say something wrong?"
"Yes."
Aadhira's voice remained calm.
"You did."
The employee stood.
"You know what I think?"
Aadhira looked at her.
"I don't particularly care."
The woman smiled mockingly.
"I think you saw Mr. Rathore somewhere, convinced yourself he was interested in you, and now you've decided to walk into his company and call yourself his wife."
A few employees nearby went silent.
Aadhira stared at her.
"Enough."
But the woman wasn't finished.
"Or perhaps you're one of those women who think marrying a rich man gives them importance."
Aadhira's fingers tightened around the handle of her handbag.
The receptionist whispered.
"Please stop."
The employee ignored her.
"Maybe you thought wearing an expensive saree would make everyone believe you belong here."
Aadhira took one slow breath.
"I warned you."
The woman stepped closer.
"Or what?"
Aadhira's eyes became cold.
"Walk away."
Instead, the employee laughed.
"You should be embarrassed."
Aadhira's jaw tightened.
"You're standing in the middle of a corporate office making a scene because you can't accept that someone refused to let you meet the CEO."
She looked Aadhira up and down again.
"Honestly, women like you are shameless."
Silence.
That word echoed through the reception area.
Aadhira's expression changed.
Not anger.
Something colder.
She stepped forward.
"You have no idea who you're speaking to."
The employee scoffed.
"And you have no idea who you're trying to impress."
Aadhira stared at her.
"I am not trying to impress anyone."
"Then leave."
The employee pointed toward the entrance.
"Before you embarrass yourself any further."
Aadhira's voice dropped.
"Last warning."
The employee smiled.
"What are you going to do?"
Aadhira's hand moved.
The sharp sound echoed across the reception hall.
Everyone froze.
The employee stumbled slightly and grabbed her cheek.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"You..."
Aadhira stood perfectly still.
Her voice was quiet.
"I warned you."
The employee's face turned red with rage.
"You dare slap me?"
Aadhira didn't move.
"You insulted me repeatedly."
The employee stepped forward.
"You think you can just-"
Her hand suddenly rose.
She was about to slap Aadhira back.
But before her hand could reach her-
"STOP!"
A powerful voice echoed through the reception area.
Everyone turned.
The elevator doors had opened.
Arjun Rathore stood there.
His expression was cold.
He had heard the commotion from the executive floor and had come downstairs to find out what was happening.
His eyes immediately went to the raised hand.
Then to Aadhira.
Then to the employee.
The employee quickly lowered her hand.
The entire reception area went silent.
Arjun walked toward them.
Slowly.
Calmly.
But there was something frightening in his expression.
Everyone knew their CEO.
He was rarely loud.
He didn't need to be.
His silence was usually enough.
The employee immediately spoke.
"Sir, she attacked me!"
Arjun didn't even look at her.
He walked straight toward Aadhira.
"Aadhira."
She looked at him.
"Arjun."
His eyes moved over her face.
"Are you okay?"
She nodded.
"I'm fine."
His gaze briefly shifted toward the employee.
Then back to Aadhira.
"What happened?"
Before Aadhira could answer, the employee interrupted.
"She came here without an appointment and started arguing with us. Then she slapped me."
Arjun's expression remained unreadable.
He looked at the receptionist.
"Is that true?"
The receptionist swallowed.
"Sir... she did come without an appointment."
Arjun nodded.
"That wasn't my question."
The receptionist hesitated.
The employee quickly said,
"She became aggressive."
Arjun finally looked at her.
"Did she?"
"Yes, sir."
"Why?"
The employee opened her mouth.
No words came out.
Arjun's eyes narrowed.
"I asked you a question."
"She-"
Aadhira gently touched his arm.
"Arjun."
He looked at her.
"Tell me what happened."
Aadhira remained silent for a moment.
Then she said,
"I came to surprise you."
His expression softened immediately.
"You came here for me?"
She nodded.
"I wanted to have lunch with you."
A small smile appeared on his face.
But it disappeared when he looked toward the employee.
"And then?"
Aadhira looked at the woman.
"She refused to let me upstairs. That's fine. I understood that."
The receptionist lowered her eyes.
"But she started making comments."
"What kind of comments?"
Aadhira hesitated.
"She questioned who I was."
Arjun's jaw tightened.
"And?"
"She said I was pretending to be your wife."
The reception area became completely silent.
Arjun's eyes hardened.
Aadhira continued.
"She said women like me come here trying to meet important men."
The employee's face paled.
"And then she called me shameless."
Arjun slowly turned toward the employee.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
"Did you say that?"
The employee swallowed.
"Sir, I-"
"Did you?"
"Yes."
Arjun's expression became dangerously calm.
"And you raised your hand to hit her?"
"I was angry because she slapped me!"
Arjun took one step toward her.
"She slapped you after you insulted her repeatedly."
The employee remained silent.
Arjun's voice became colder.
"And you still thought you had the right to raise your hand against her?"
Nobody spoke.
Then Arjun turned toward Aadhira.
He reached for her hand.
She looked at him.
He held it firmly.
The entire reception area watched in confusion.
Then Arjun spoke.
Apparently, there was something everyone in the building had been unaware of.
"There's one thing you should all know."
His gaze moved across the reception area.
"This woman is not a visitor."
He looked at Aadhira.
His expression softened.
"This is Aadhira Rathore."
He gently pulled her closer.
"My wife."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The receptionist's eyes widened.
The employees stared.
Someone dropped a file.
A whisper escaped from somewhere behind them.
"Mrs. Rathore?"
Arjun nodded.
"Yes."
He looked around.
"My wife."
Aadhira looked at him.
There was something in his eyes that made her heart soften.
Pride.
He wasn't embarrassed.
He wasn't hiding her.
He wasn't trying to quietly explain their relationship.
He was proudly introducing her to everyone.
Arjun continued.
"She doesn't need an appointment to enter this building."
His voice was firm.
"She doesn't need permission to see me."
"And she certainly doesn't need to prove who she is."
He looked directly at the employee.
"As for you..."
The woman immediately became nervous.
"Sir, please-"
"You're fired."
Her face went blank.
"Sir?"
"You heard me."
"But sir, I-"
"Security will escort you out."
"Please, sir. I made a mistake."
Arjun's expression didn't change.
"You didn't make one mistake."
"You repeatedly insulted my wife."
"You questioned her character."
"And when she warned you to stop, you continued."
He paused.
"And then you tried to hit her."
The employee's eyes filled with panic.
"Sir, please give me another chance."
"No."
His answer was immediate.
"Respect is not optional in this company."
He turned toward the receptionist.
"Make sure her termination is processed immediately."
"Yes, sir."
Then he looked at the rest of the employees.
"And let this be clear to everyone."
Nobody moved.
"Nobody in this company will disrespect my wife."
Aadhira looked at him.
Arjun squeezed her hand.
"Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir."
The response came almost simultaneously from everyone.
"Yes, sir."
Arjun nodded.
Then he turned toward Aadhira.
"Come."
She smiled faintly.
"Where?"
"Lunch."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You have meetings."
"I'll cancel one."
"You're the CEO."
"And you're my wife."
Aadhira smiled.
"You really like saying that today."
"Apparently, I needed to."
She laughed softly.
Arjun led her toward the elevator, still holding her hand.
As they walked away, the reception area remained frozen.
The woman everyone had just watched being fired was escorted away.
The others whispered among themselves.
"She's really Mrs. Rathore?"
"I had no idea he was married."
"She looks so elegant."
"Did you see the way he defended her?"
"He was furious."
"No..."
Someone quietly corrected.
"He wasn't angry."
"He was protective."
The elevator doors opened.
Arjun and Aadhira stepped inside.
The doors closed.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then Aadhira looked at him.
"You didn't have to fire her."
Arjun looked at her.
"Yes, I did."
"She insulted me. I handled it."
"You shouldn't have had to."
Aadhira smiled slightly.
"I did slap her."
"You warned her first."
"She tried to slap me back."
"I know."
Arjun's jaw tightened at the memory.
Aadhira noticed.
"Arjun."
He looked at her.
"She didn't touch me."
"I know."
"But?"
He sighed.
"I don't like the idea of anyone raising their hand against you."
Aadhira smiled.
"I can take care of myself."
"I know."
"Then why are you worried?"
Arjun stepped closer.
"Because you're my wife."
Her heart skipped.
Again.
There it was.
That word.
Wife.
Aadhira looked away, trying to hide her smile.
"You really enjoyed announcing that."
Arjun smiled.
"Very much."
The elevator doors opened.
They stepped out.
Arjun still hadn't released her hand.
And from that day forward...
Everyone at Rathore Industries knew exactly who Mrs. Rathore was.
She wasn't merely the woman married to the CEO.
She was Aadhira Rathore.
The woman Arjun had chosen.
The woman he was proud to stand beside.
And the woman nobody in his company would ever dare disrespect again.
But while the entire Rathore Industries was still processing the revelation...
Across the city...
Someone else was watching.
A laptop screen displayed a photograph.
Aadhira and Arjun.
Walking hand in hand through Rathore Industries.
The mysterious figure stared at the screen.
A message appeared.
The figure remained silent.
Another message appeared.
Several seconds passed.
Then a reply appeared.
The screen went black.
Because sometimes...
The most dangerous enemies were the ones who waited.
And somewhere in the shadows...
Someone was waiting for the perfect moment.
To make their move.