chapter 38

Vikrant entered the venue with Pari and Akansha on either side of him. A girl came towards them and greeted them." Let me take you to your seat, sir and Ma'am."Vikrant nodded and followed the lady with Akansha and Pari. Their seat was in the first row. As they settled into their seats, soft instrumental music played in the background, adding elegance to the glittering atmosphere. Crystal chandeliers bathed the venue in warm gold, and the gentle clinking of glasses mixed with hushed murmurs of Chandigarh's elite.Pari's eyes sparkled as she took in the grandeur — tall floral arrangements on every table, a red carpet leading to the stage, and banners announcing the Business Excellence Awards 2025.She smiled, " Ranvijay's here."Vikrant and Akansha looked behind as well. Akansha smiled widely while pride flickered in Vikrant's eyes for his younger brother who was about to get a top award tonight.But his eyes turned dark as soon as he spotted Angad coming as well. He turned his gaze in front and just then a business woman greeted him.Pari immediately looked at her then at her husband."Mr. Agnihotri," she greeted warmly, offering her hand, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I've admired your work for years."Vikrant managed to smile and talked to the woman.Ranvijay and Angad came and took their seats beside Akansha.Akansha leaned to her younger son, " best of luck."She whispered and he chuckled. He looked at Vikrant and smiled. His presence surely meant a lot to him."Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?"The venue dimmed slightly, and a spotlight lit the stage."Welcome to the Business Excellence Awards 2025. Tonight, we celebrate not just numbers and deals, but the stories behind them, of struggle, vision, and sheer determination."A gentle round of applause followed as the host continued, "Before we begin with the award segments, I'd like to extend a special welcome to our chief guest. We are honored to have Mr. Vikrant Agnihotri with us tonight."Applause erupted in the hall.Pari clapped politely, but her eyes remained on Vikrant, who sat upright, proud, cold, and unyielding.The host smiled, "And now, let us begin with our first category of the evening..."As the ceremony progressed, one by one, awards were handed out for excellence in innovation, sustainable growth, young entrepreneurship, and global outreach. Polite claps echoed, some cheers rang louder than others, and the air remained thick with ambition and ego, the hallmark of any business gathering."And now..." the host's voice rose, full of anticipation, " the most awaited moment of the evening- Business Personality of the Year."A collective hush fell over the crowd."This year, this award goes to a man whose company has not only expanded across three continents but whose leadership style has inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs..."Vikrant already knew. His eyes sparkled faintly with quiet pride."...please welcome on stage, Mr. Ranvijay Agnihotri!"The entire venue burst into applause as Ranvijay stood, composed and graceful, but his eyes turned first toward Vikrant before he made his way to the stage. He accepted the award and took the mic."Thank you," he began. "This isn't just my award. It belongs to someone who once told me that ideas are worthless without grit. Who taught me how to fail with dignity and rise again with purpose."He paused, his eyes scanning the audience until they found Vikrant."My elder brother, Vikrant Agnihotri."The spotlight subtly turned to Vikrant, whose eyes sparkled as the crowd applauded again."I've learnt everything from him, not just about business, but about surviving this world with integrity. He's not just my brother. He's my first mentor, my quiet protector, and still, every day... my greatest inspiration."The applause grew louder. A few people turned to look at Vikrant with renewed respect.Pari blinked rapidly, touched. Akansha's eyes welled up. And Vikrant? He didn't smile, but his eyes softened, the storm inside him momentarily stilled by a younger brother's truth....Vikrant smiled and nodded at some words of the business man he was talking to. He looked around and spotted his wife with Akansha, eating snacks.He took a sip of the wine and shifted his attention back to the business man.Eventually his gaze landed on his father. Angad, sitting with a business man and talking to him while consuming alcohol. He waited.. and waited for him to be alone and once the man left, leaving Angad alone, he excused himself." Excuse me, please."He gulped down the left out wine and put it on the tray of the waiter who was standing on the way.He fixed his blazer and without saying anything, sat opposite to his father.Angad frowned, stopped mid away before sipping his alcohol. He put the glass down and raised his eyebrows amusingly." So, my son has some work with me?"Vikrant put his ankle over the knee of another leg and leaned comfortably against the chair." Not much."Angad made an expression as if he was not in the mood to talk. Still, he continued eating while Vikrant remained silent for 2 minutes." Strange, isn't it?"Angad lifted his eyelashes." Three guys. Has nothing to do with the university. They are not students and without an id card, they manage to get inside a well known university which is popular especially for its security level," Vikrant added.Angad put a morsel in his mouth." What's wrong with that? Corruption is everywhere nowadays."Vikrant hummed, " even in the mind of some people."Angad frowned, " what do you mean to say?"Vikrant's jaw clenched when last night's conversation with Dean Mehra rang in his mind." And the strange thing is that those guys were not from this university. In fact, they do not even study anywhere. We have taken action against them. I'll let you know if the Police tell us anything."Vikrant put his leg down and leaned forward," The thing is, Papa.."His eyes darkened as he added," Do not bring my wife in between our matters!"His voice was a lethal whisper which only Angad could hear.Angad let out a low, sarcastic chuckle, his fingers leisurely circling the rim of his glass before he finally took a sip."Still so dramatic, Vikrant," he murmured, leaning back with an air of arrogance. "You talk like I've got time to play games with your little bride."Vikrant didn't blink. His gaze was steady, burning, lips pressed into a line.Angad scoffed, setting his glass down harder than necessary. "I suppose this is where you act like a protector. A hero. You forget you were raised by the same man you now point fingers at. But unlike you, I never played pretend.""No," Vikrant said coldly, "you played dirty. Always."Angad's face hardened, and for a moment, the mask of smugness slipped, revealing the cold calculation beneath."She's your weakness," Angad said slowly, deliberately. "Everyone has one. Yours wears a golden pallu and stares at you like you're some god. But she'll bleed, Vikrant. And when she does-""Finish that sentence," Vikrant interrupted, his tone dangerously low.The air between them shifted, not loud, but thick with unspoken violence.Angad chuckled again, lifting his glass. "Relax, son. I was just talking about business."He took a sip, " and who told you I was involved?"" Because you always have been. In the end I am your son, your own fucking blood. Don't forget if you can play dirty, I can play dirtier."Angad narrowed his eyes, the smile now gone, replaced by a cold glint that mirrored Vikrant's own. "Careful, son," he warned, "when you play dirty, your hands stay stained. Mine already are. I don't mind the mess."Vikrant leaned in again, his voice now a razor-thin whisper. "The difference is, I clean up after myself. You? You leave trails. Blood, lies, and regrets. And this time, if you touch what's mine-" he jabbed his index finger once against the table, "- there won't be trails. There won't be anything left."Angad sat there silently for a beat, then gave a small, joyless laugh. "So protective of the girl. Akansha must be proud."He wiped his hands with a napkin." And don't try to be a saint," he said with narrowed eyes. "Like you're any better than me."Vikrant didn't flinch, but a flicker of warning passed through his gaze.Angad smirked."The way you played with Sarthak..."That name cut the moment clean.Vikrant went still.Angad leaned forward, voice now low, taunting."Do you think I don't know how that man ended up with those wounds? Such brutal injuries, such a wrecked state, only one kind of man could do that. And you think I don't know that you enjoy tormenting your prey again and again?"Vikrant's fingers slowly curled into a fist against his thigh.His stare sharpened, his jaw rigid as he replied, voice controlled yet razor-sharp."You speak as if I enjoyed it. As if Sarthak didn't deserve every damn second of it."Angad smirked again, casually swirling the contents of his glass. "Deserve or not, your methods... they mirrored mine more than you'd ever admit.""I'm not you," Vikrant shot back, his voice suddenly colder. "Don't confuse vengeance with poison. I did what was necessary. You do what feeds your ego."Angad let out a short laugh. "You keep telling yourself that, son. Just like you told yourself you were different from me when you started building your empire."" I buried your name long ago. Whatever I built, I did it without your filth attached to it. And as for what I did to Sarthak?" He held Angad's gaze, unwavering. " That wasn't cruelty. That was a warning."Angad didn't speak for a moment. His grin faded just slightly.Vikrant stood up then, adjusting his blazer with quiet authority."You stay out of Pari's way, or the next time we have this conversation-" he bent slightly, voice just above a whisper, " I'll crush your damn ego."He turned without another word, walking away from the table and the father he never wanted to acknowledge....Prena sat cross-legged on her bed, the dim light of her bedside lamp casting soft shadows across the room. Her laptop balanced on her lap, playing the live-streamed recording of the award ceremony.The applause echoed through her speakers as yet another businessman walked up the stage to receive his trophy. She didn't blink. Her eyes remained fixed, sharp, unmoving.Then the camera panned to the front row, first Akansha, radiant and graceful... then Angad, glass in hand, whispering something to the man beside him. Ranvijay, calm and proud. Vikrant, sharp in a tailored suit, his expression unreadable. And Pari, glowing in gold, sitting quietly beside them all.Prena's fingers paused mid-air over the keyboard.Her gaze flickered with hurt, perhaps even rage buried too deep.With a sudden movement, she pressed the spacebar.The video froze.There they were... the family she wasn't a part of, but belonged to all the same. Frozen in time.Her jaw tightened.Her fingers hovered again, this time not with hesitation, but restraint.A lone tear slid down her cheek before she wiped it away with the back of her hand. A lump formed in her throat as she raised her trembling finger and put on Akansha, over the screen.Prena is the perfect mirror of her mother. Anybody could say that. But why did her mother leave her? Why couldn't she keep her with herself? Was she that ugly? Was she that despicable?Her father had told her that her real mother didn't want her. But why?More tears escaped her eyes and this time she didn't bother to wipe them. What a twisted game destiny played. The family she was so eager to meet, but couldn't for the past 1 year, is now in front of her eyes. The wife of her brother, daughter-in-law of her mother, Pari, became his friend.She chuckled softly.Her sister-in-law.She played the video and her expression hardened when it landed on Ranvijay. Her eyes sparkled with hatred....Pari, while looking for Vikrant, stepped out of the venue and frowned when she didn't spot him outside either. She fidgeted with the end of her pallu, letting out a tired sigh.Just as she was about to turn and head back in, her eyes caught someone sitting on a bench, puffing a cigarette like a lost addict.Her brows furrowed.His eyes, however, weren't vacant, they were fixed on something across the road.She followed his gaze... and softened.Three poor children stood by the ice-cream stall, their clothes tattered, eyes glimmering as they stared longingly at the colorful cones.She turned back to Vikrant and blinked in surprise.He crushed the cigarette under his shoe and waved one of the boys over. The child hesitated but walked toward him, clearly unsure.Pari tilted her head, watching her husband in pure bewilderment.Vikrant said something to the boy while pulling out his wallet. Her photo flashed briefly as he opened it and took out a few notes, handing them to the child.The boy hesitated but at Vikrant's second nudge, he took it and broke into a smile before running back to his friends. The group squealed in excitement and dashed to the ice-cream stall.Pari couldn't help but chuckle softly. She walked to her husband and sat beside him. He glanced at her, and the sharp scent of cigarette and wine hit her instantly.She wrinkled her nose playfully."There's all kinds of delicious food inside, but what did you choose instead? Wine and cigarettes?"He kept looking at the boys who were now selecting ice-creams, and asked dryly, "Are you taunting me?"She shrugged, "Maybe."He gave a faint smile as he watched the boys buy around fifteen cones, each of them grabbing one while placing the rest in a plastic bag.The boys, now glowing with happiness, made their way to the couple. Vikrant and Pari looked at them in surprise.The one who had received the money stepped forward, shy but determined, and held out a kulfi toward Vikrant.Vikrant frowned, caught off guard.And in that small, unexpected gesture, the world paused.Kindness knows no wealth, no class, no boundary. It lives in moments like this, where a child, who could have kept every bite to himself, chooses instead to share. For kindness isn't measured by how much you give, but by the heart with which it's given. These boys had money, yes but more importantly, they had hearts that still understood love, gratitude, and grace.Pari's eyes softened with a smile as Vikrant took the kulfi. He looked at the polythene bag in the boy's other hand, filled with extra ice-creams.He raised an eyebrow, "What's all this for?"The boy beamed, "For our family!"Vikrant let out a light chuckle and reached forward to ruffle their hair. "Go before it melts.""Don't worry! Our house is close." another piped up, and with bright grins, they waved goodbye and ran off, happily licking their ice-creams, carrying more than just a treat, carrying a memory.Pari turned to Vikrant, warmth twinkling in her gaze. "You didn't just buy ice-creams tonight, you gave them a story to tell."Vikrant said nothing and tore the wrapper before forwarding kulfi to her. She frowned, " I don't-"" You have to," he made her grab the stick.She sighed softly and he leaned his back comfortably against the bench, spread his arm wide behind her, on the edge. His eyes turned to her as he stared at her keenly how she licked kulfi before taking a small bite.Pari, sensing his gaze, cleared her throat a bit then forwarded kulfi at him. He glanced at it then lifted his gaze back at her face." Stop staring. Just have it," she said.His lips curled into a sly smile as his eyes stayed fixed on her lips." I'd rather have you instead."Her cheeks flushed and eyes enlarged. A light scoff escaped her mouth and she brought the kulfi back to her." Aap din par din besharam ho rahe hain."( You are becoming shameless day by day.)Vikrant let out a low chuckle at her flushed reaction, clearly enjoying the effect of his words on her. She tried to hide her smile by taking another bite of the kulfi."Kitni masoom ho na tum..." he murmured, eyes narrowing slightly with a teasing glint."Besharmi to abhi kari hi nahi humne."( You are so innocent. I haven't even done anything yet.)"Vikrant..." she whispered, part warning, part surrender.He leaned a little closer, the side of his fingers just barely brushing her back along the bench. "Kya 'Vikrant'? Humne toh sirf sach kaha hai."( What Vikrant? I have said the truth.)Pari looked away, cheeks red, the corner of her lips twitching into a flustered smile. " Are you not hungry?"She thought to divert his mind but who was she kidding?He grinned lazily. " Lagi hai na. Tumhari."( I am. For you.)She gasped, half scandalised. "Vikrant!"He chuckled and reached out, gently tapping her chin. "Relax, Mrs. Agnihotri. Eat Kulfi, we can romance later."Pari rolled her eyes but smiled genuinely, the tension between them melting just like the kulfi, sweet, slow, and completely irresistible.As she licked the melting kulfi, giggling at his flirtation, Vikrant's mind was far from innocent. While she thought his words were just teasing, his thoughts had already wandered to the dim lights of their bedroom, the scent of her skin, the softness of her sighs when he'd finally have her all to himself.He had plans tonight, not rushed, not wild but slow, consuming, and deliberate. He wanted to undress her silences, taste the laughter on her lips, and worship every curve with the devotion he rarely spoke of. She had no idea that the real heat wasn't in his words... it was in everything he was holding back.Tonight, he wouldn't just touch her. He would make her feel wanted, not as his wife, but as the only woman who could undo him.Pari threw the kulfi stick into the nearby dustbin, wiping her fingers lightly on her pallu. Just as she turned to walk back toward the venue, she felt a firm but gentle grip wrap around her wrist."Chalo ghar chalein," Vikrant's voice was low, almost urgent.( Let's go home.)Before she could question it, he had already started walking, pulling her along toward the parking area.She blinked in confusion, keeping up with his pace. "But... Maa and Vijay bhaiya-""I've informed them," he cut in calmly, not even glancing back.Pari's frown deepened as she stared at his broad back. She shook weird thoughts away and sat on the back seat with him as the driver took his seat and drove them away from there.The silence was loud and even his strange movements.Pari frowned and passed him a threatening glare when he put his chin on her shoulder and tried snuggling his face into her neck.She slapped his thigh and he withdrew his head." Nasha chadh gaya hai kya aapko?"( Are you drunk?)She whisper-yelled at him, as he was not even considering the presence of the driver.Vikrant sighed heavily and said- threatened the driver." Why are you so slow? The road is not busy."The driver gulped and nodded before increasing the speed. Pari stared at her confusedly." Itni jaldi kyu ho rahi hai aapko?"( Why are you so eager?)He hummed while undoing his blazer." Jaldi to bahut hai."( I am really eager.)He removed his blazer and handed it to her which she put on her lap." Neend aa rahi hai aapko?"( Are you sleepy?)He chuckled softly and started rolling his sleeves up to elbow." You really think that? Ahn."Her eyebrows creased together, " then?"His attention shifted to his shirt buttons and he opened a few of his upper buttons.Pari's breath hitched as Vikrant leaned in, his warm breath brushing her ear, voice dropping into a husky whisper laced with mischief and possession."Yaad hai? Bhook lagi hai hume... aur jo ye saadi hai na tumhari... aaj to iska katal hoga."( Remember? I am hungry and this.. Saree of yours, it will be torn off tonight.)Five seconds. That's all it took.Her eyes widened in disbelief, lips parting slightly as her cheeks flamed a deep crimson. She instinctively clutched the end of her pallu, utterly scandalized and speechless. He pulled back slowly, watching her reaction with a satisfied smirk, clearly pleased by the effect he had on her.Without another word, he leaned back against the car seat, one arm resting lazily on the edge, the other adjusting his watch like nothing had happened.Pari, on the other hand, was fighting the urge to either bury her face in her hands or jump out of the moving vehicle. His words echoed in her mind, repeating like a song she couldn't shut off. She peeked at him from the corner of her eye, his shirt unbuttoned just enough to tempt, his jaw sharp under the glow of passing lights, and that smirk... God, that smirk.Pari kept her eyes fixed out the window, trying desperately to focus on the road, the city lights, anything but him. But her mind, traitorous and wild, was already wandering down the path he'd carved with just a few whispered words.His voice, that deep, velvety murmur, played on a loop in her head."Bhook lagi hai hume..."( I am hungry.)She closed her eyes for a brief second. Katal... The word alone sent a shiver down her spine.She could still feel his breath on her ear, the subtle scrape of his stubble against her skin. Her pulse fluttered at her throat. Her body was reacting faster than her thoughts, and that was the problem and she knew exactly what he meant. The hunger in his eyes wasn't for food. It was for her. Every inch of her.She fiddled with the bangles on her wrist, heart pounding, and stole a glance at him. He was lounging with maddening ease, one hand behind her, the other hand rested on his own thigh but she could sense it. That awareness. That tension was humming between them like a tightly stretched wire.She wanted to stay annoyed. She wanted to scold him for his shameless flirting. But God help her, a part of her, no, most of her was already burning with the same desire he'd ignited.⋆༺✷༻⋆To be continued.Updates on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from today. 4:00 PMRead more Chapters in scrollstack as early access.