2| Nayaab

⚜️ Mai hu banchuka jeene ki ik wajah,

Iss baat ko tu khudse na chupa ⚜️

"Good morning dad." Mahira greeted her father as she walked in her parents' house.

"Good morning." Her father replied as he kept his iPad down and looked at his daughter standing by the door of the dining room.

"Come, join us for breakfast." He said as he pointed towards the chair on his right. He was occupying the one on the head on the table.

"I already have had breakfast." She said as she walked inside and took the offered seat. She kept her purse on the table and made herself comfortable.

"Have a glass of fresh juice then." Her mother spoke as she kept a glass before her father and then her.

"I don't feel like it." Mahira said but earned a glare from her mother.

"I don't care. Pi lo chup chap." Her mother said and she couldn't help but nod. Her mother took the seat opposite to her and started having her breakfast.

Drink up now.

"Fine." Mahira said and took a sip from her glass.

"So Mahira, give me the update. What's going on in the company as of lately?" Her father questioned giving her all the attention.

"All good. I closed the deal with the Chinese clients last week and am planning of going to Milan in the next month to final the new outlet of ours that is to be opened there by the end of this year." Mahira said and took another sip of her juice.

"Very good. What about our store which was to be opened in time square, New York?" He questioned.

"I was hoping to talk to you about that today. I'm afraid I won't be able to attend its opening ceremony since I have a meeting in Singapore with our client there. I was hoping you and mom would attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony instead of me." Mahira said.

"I don't mind. That's a great idea actually. I anyways wanted to take a holiday in USA." Her father said and looked at his wife.

"Kya kehti ho, New York chalien?" He asked.

What do you say, shall we go to New York?

"Haa kyu nahi. Par opening hai kab?" She asked.

Yes why not. But when's the opening?

"November mei hai mom." Mahira replied.

It's in November mom.

"November mei kaise jayenge?" Her mom said giving her husband a disappointed glare.

How will we go in November?

"Plane se." Her father said and got ignored by both the women.

By plane.

"Kyu kya hua?" Mahira asked.

Why, what's the matter?

"Tum bhul kaise sakti ho. Mere bhai ki iklauti beti, tumhari first cousin ki shaadi hai us mahine. Hum sab ko Mexico jana hai." She said and Mahira mentally face palmed herself on it.

How can you forget about it. My brother's only daughter, your first cousin is getting married. We all have to fly down to Mexico to attend it.

"Mom mai to bilkul nahi aa sakti November mai." Mahira said.

Mom I cannot make it at any cost.

"Bilkul nahi. Tumhe aana hi padega." Her mother argued.

Absolutely not. You will have your attend it.

"Main kaise aaun mom. The business needs me." Mahira tried explaining her mother.

How can I go.

"I don't care Mahira. Bahot dhyaan de diya apne business ko. Apni shaadi ke bare mei socho ab. Umr ho gayi hai tumhari shaadi ke layak. Tumhe wahan kisi se milana hai." Her mother said.

You've given enough attention to your business. Now is the time for you to think about your marriage. You are of age now. I'm hoping for you to meet someone there.

"Mom Singapore wale client ke saath meeting bahot zaruri hai. Mai miss nahi kar sakti." She said and looked at her dad for help.

Mom the meeting with the client from Singapore is going extremely important. I cannot miss it come what may.

"Urmila, wo client bahot important hai." He said looking at his wife.

Urmila, that client is very important.

"Mai soch hi rahe thi k aap apni beti ke defence mai abhi tak kuch bole kyun nahi." Her mother said and she let go of her fork.

I was thinking as to why haven't you said anything in your daughter's defence yet.

"Waisi baat nahi hai." He started but was cut off by his wife.

It's not like that.

"Mujhe kuch nahi sunna. Puri zindagi aapne apna sara focus apne kaam ko diya hai aur ab meri beti ko bhi apni tarha bana diya hai. Workaholic." Her mother said the last word as a cuss and left the table in anger.

I don't wanna hear anything. All your life, you've focused just on your business and now you've shaped my daughter exactly like yourself. Workaholic.

"Dad?" She looked at her father for help.

"You don't worry. I'll take care of her. Mexico se direct flight le lenge New York ki. I'll be there for the store opening." He reassured his daughter and kept a hand on hers.

We'll take a direct flight from Mexico to New York.

"Thank you so much dad." She said got up to hug him.

"Now, I'll take your leave. I need to go see the site for our new store downtown." Mahira said as she picked her purse up from the table.

"Not before you finish this." He said and handed her her glass of juice.

"Aap bhi?" She said and took the glass. He simply nodded in response with a smile.

You too?

Mahira drank her glass of juice in one go and kept it on the table.

"Bye." She waved and exited the room before her father can reply.

"Bye." He said to her retreating back and picked up his iPad again.

.

.

.

"Do you like this ma'am? Is it upto your standards?" The man who was the agent selling the property, asked Mahira as she took a look around.

She was herself impressed by the place a lot. It was located in the posh area of the city with shops and outlets of big and famous brands as its neighbours and was spacious enough to carry a lot of their designs. She looked at her trusted interior designer for her opinion.

"Will we be able to turn this place into what we're envisioning?" Mahira questioned her.

"Absolutely, ma'am. This place is more than perfect for it." The designer said as she looked around the space.

"Very well then. We'll take the place." She looked at the agent who introduced her to this place.

"Perfect. Congratulations, ma'am." The agent forwarded his hand and Mahira exchanged a hand-shake with him.

"Have our lawyer draw up the papers. I want the work on the interiors to begin as soon as possible." Mahira addressed her assistant and the interior designer.

"Yes, ma'am." Both the women answered Mahira at once and took their leave.

"Great place, Ms. Dalal. Exactly what you'd hope from Luxe Lusture." Mahira turned around at the very familiar voice.

It has been a month since she bought the watch and this is the 6th time he is interrupting her business, paying her a visit. Always the same nonsense of giving him back what is rightfully his.

"Not you again. Are you following me?" Mahira said as she looked at Rudransh Rajvanshi's stupidly handsome face. She crossed her arms against her chest and looked right in his eyes.

He simply let out a chuckle in response. He walked to where she was standing and looked at the agent to his left.

"Leave." He said and the man did. The two of them were currently standing all alone in the empty shop.

"I am not giving the watch back, get that through your thick skull, Mr. Rajvanshi." Mahira said, her tone clearly letting him know of her irritation towards him.

"Look Ms. Dalal, this is the last time I'll be the gentleman people know me to be, give me the watch back!" He said with gritted teeth as he grabbed her by her arm and jerked her body towards himself.

"And this is the last time, I'm being cool about this, that watch belongs to me now. I'm not giving it back to you. It's not Rajvanshis' anymore. It carries my name now!" She yelled the last sentence and jerked her arm from his grip.

He stared dead in her eyes and didn't say a word. She didn't look away either. Their eyes were in a silent battle of dominance, none of them even thinking of giving up.

A wicked plan formed in his head as he once again gripped her arm and yanked her body closer.

"This name of yours, is soon gonna change! Just don't forget that it is you who forced me to do this." He said and before she could understand, she was thrown over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?! Let me go!" She said as she punched his muscular back but he didn't even react to this.

"Put me down!" She yelled and he did. She noticed they were out of the building and in the parking now, standing before his luxurious black car.

"Get in!" He gave her a small push and she couldn't help but take the seat. He closed the door and the driver locked it. There was a partition between them so she couldn't see the face of the driver.

She saw him talking something to someone in his phone before he disconnected it. The opposite door to hers opened and he got in.

"Where are you taking me?!" She shouted and he gave her a cool smirk.

"I don't appreciate you taking that tone with me, baby." He said.

"Where... where are we headed?" She almost shouted but then said the rest of her sentence with gritted teeth, her voice was now couple decibels lower than before.

"My office." He replied.

"Whatever for?" She asked again.

"You see, since the pocket watch is legally under your name, my family cannot claim it back. Since you're not ready to sell it to me, I don't have any option left before me. There's only one way that pocket watch will once again belong to the Rajvanshis." He finished and looked at her with cocked eyebrows.

"What option are choosing?" She questioned with poorly controlled rage.

"You must belong to the Rajvanshis. You're to become a Rajvanshi officially." He said.

"Have you gone completely mad? Are you actually insinuating what I think you are?" She said as she took a deep breath to process his words.

"Why of course. Congratulations soon-to-be Mrs. Rajvanshi. It's our wedding in 20 minutes." He said and gave her a wink.

"You're completely insane if you think I'll ever marry you." She said as she folded her hands against her chest.

"If you want your company to be can exist, I suggest you do as I say. You see, I am Rudransh Rajvanshi and I am more than capable of turning the name of Luxe Lusture into dust in mere 24 hours should you decide to not marry me." He said with an arrogant smirk.

"There's no way you could do that." She said, challenging him.

"Can't I?" He forwarded his phone to her and made her read all that he had prepared for the doom of her label.

Mahira went silent for a moment, realisation sinking in. He was right, with all the connections that he planned to pull, he could easily destroy her line. This man is pretty infamous for his ways and she wouldn't put doing something like this past him. He was easily crazy enough to do what he says.

Anger bubbled inside her and all she wanted to do in that very moment was to kill him.

"Fuck you!" She said as she lunged at him in an attempt to grab his neck but he was faster than that.

He held both her wrist and pinned her body to his as he pulled her on his lap. Their faces were mere inches away from touching. He snaked an arm around her figure and kept her still. Their breaths were mingling as both of them were heavy breathing. Both their eyes boring into each others, none of them ready to look down.

"Tonight, I promise." He whispered, his breath hitting her lips.

~ x ~

Things are getting interesting now.