Chapter 1

Mumbai, India

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Escobar Club 10 PM

Mia’s eyes were glued to his high cheekbones and mischievous eyes as he danced with the two girls who were vying for his attention, their svelte and sweaty bodies almost blurring and blocking her view of his broad shoulders and the taut muscles underneath his not so casual shirt. Her favorite drink Apricot Mojito on the bar lay long forgotten and her ears were barely registering the peppy music everyone was grooving to.

“Not a chance darling! That’s Aryan Kapoor. He rejected me twice already and I don't want to see you go through the same humiliation.” Her best friend Shay warned, as she slid onto the stool next to her.

“That of course is never gonna happen!” Mia gulped down her drink and walked away from the bar, her high heels accentuating her tall and curvy body as she approached Aryan.

Ignoring the wannabes, she moved closer to him and wound her arms around her neck, forcing him to focus on her. 

“Don't you think you need a better partner… I mean dancing partner?” She tilted her face to one side and asked, as her eyes leisurely scanned his tousled hair and dark beard.

His soft chuckle was music to her ears. She inched closer, swaying her body in rhythm to the music.

Three hours later

Mia was in Aryan’s BMW car, on the pretext of wanting a lift to her home.

“I was wondering why you didn’t drink in the club. Now I understand.” She smiled, as he revved his car onto the Linking Road.

“I love my car too much and hate going in taxis. Alcohol isn't the only thing that can give a high!” he winked at her. 

She couldn't agree more. Be it his chiselled body with its distinct sweet smell or his confident and suave manners, she was getting turned on by the minute.

Mia relaxed back in the passenger seat as their car raced through the traffic of Mumbai, the city that never sleeps. Things were going just as she intended.  She was careful not to show how long she had been planning this chance meeting and made sure she sounded casual and intelligent enough to spark his interest. Doing her homework about him and how he rose to become a partner in Synergy Inc in such a short span, thanks to his brilliant innovations, came in handy. 

She would prove to her friends once again that she always gets what she wants.

She could not wait to see how he looked without…

“So where exactly is your home in Bandra?” Aryan’s question interrupted her blissful thoughts.

She bit her lower lip.

“I just remembered! My mum’s sister and her entire family have come to visit. Don’t you hate relatives who drop in like that? Why don’t we go to your place instead? Hmm...” 

She noticed how his jaw hardened and Adam's apple moved as he gulped down, his narrowed eyes still focused on the moving traffic. Her confidence grew. She leaned sideways and slid her hand down his ripped abs till it reached the button of his Jeans.

His hands gripped the steering harder and she felt the car speeding up.

Till he moved his hands away from the steering and held her hand, she didn't realise that the car had stopped. By the time she noticed the fury in his eyes, it was too late.

“Get out!” He pointed with his head, and proceeded to bend over to open the passenger seat. Next moment her bag was thrown out.

Blood rushed to Mia’s cheeks but she forced a smile as she observed the curious glances of the taxi drivers at the taxi stand, where the car had stopped.

“Why this sudden change? I don't understand Aryan. What were you thinking when you were flirting with me all night?”

“Having a good time with you doesn’t mean I want to sleep with you. There is no point explaining to someone like you. Just understand that I have better standards! Now don’t make a scene and get into one of the taxis there. Don't ever try to meet me or try this on any other bloke if you respect yourself.” His words almost sounded like an ultimatum but Mia’s pride was too hurt to let go of him so easily.

“What a hypocrite you are! Is this why you turned down every girl who comes after you? How can you be so cruel and  heartless? I liked you. I wanted us to bond together and this is how you behave with me. How dare you? I will show you who I am. I will make your life hell.” Expletives flew from Mia’s mouth as she got out of the car and walked unsteadily towards the waiting taxi.

Once he made sure Mia’s taxi drove away, Aryan closed his eyes tiredly .

 His life was already a hell, thanks to Chandni.

 Chandni and her betrayal made him heartless and his experiences made him ruthless and cruel! Chandni and her family destroyed everything that was dear to him... his family, his home and even his identity.

 Aryan’s eyes flew open as the face and thoughts of the person he fought so hard to suppress filled his mind again… Chandni! 

****

11PM 

Flight 203, Delhi to Mumbai 

Chandni’s heart began to thud louder as their flight began its slow descent towards Mumbai Airport. The luxurious first class seat and cabin of her flight did little to soothe her nervous heart.

“Are you okay Madam? Do you need a drink?” The Air Hostess asked her courteously.

She shook her head and smiled weakly.

“It's… nothing. I hate Mumbai!” 

Air hostess smiled knowingly and went back to the pantry.

I hate the man who left me broken and shattered and he was from Mumbai.

Chandni looked out of the window as the tiny specks of city lights became brighter and nearer. Her last trip to Mumbai all those years ago left her with such bitterness and trauma that she never dreamt that she would come back to this city.

But fate chose otherwise and she was now moving to Mumbai permanently.

She was not going to run away, no matter what! She was no longer the broken Chandni who fled Mumbai all those years ago, cursing her fate. She survived every trauma and challenge life threw at her and rebuilt her life. With the help of her loving and caring family, she had studied and worked hard to acquire all the skills necessary to run a home as well as a company. She had been studying the portfolios of various companies they were about to acquire, but Synergy and their niche products roused her interest.

The sweet voice of the Airhostess broke her chain of thoughts.

“Madam, we will be landing very soon. Please buckle up.” 

Chandni nodded and checked her seat belt. She zipped the leather bag containing the folders brightly marked with the logo of Synergy Inc, a small but successful  enterprise which specialised in selling niche electronic and security devices for the Indian Army and Navy.

 The Company’s portfolio and their products fascinated her so much that began to study about similar products currently manufactured in India and abroad.

She may be lacking in experience in running a company but she knew that was not the cause of her nervousness.

It was him. The harder she tried to suppress, her mind and heart refused to let go of his thoughts.

Why was she being so irrational? There was zero chance of ever meeting him here.

He must be abroad, settled happily with… 

The plane’s back wheels landed on the runway with a thud and Chandni gripped the handles of her seat.

*****

10 AM next day:

Hotel Leela, Mumbai.

“Where is Aryan?” Raj Singh, CEO of Synergy Inc,  asked with gritted teeth as he walked towards the Conference room.

Namrata Joshi, their HR director shrugged helplessly.

“Sir, we've been calling his number all morning but there was no answer.” Sanjay Verma, their Executive Manager replied on behalf of Namrata, as he tried to catch up with fast strides of Raj Singh.

“What would I say to Vikram Mathur now? He was so keen to meet Aryan and I promised him that Aryan would be here today. I am sure he was partying all night and has not even woken up yet!” Raj Singh’s tone was furious.

“Sir, you know very well that Aryan is least interested in these meetings and press conferences. He would rather be in the lab working on his new model.” Namrata tried to reason with him.

“But that won't do anymore. Aryan is a partner in the firm now, thanks to my insistence and he has to work with Vikram Mathur.”

Sanjay Verma opened his mouth but then stopped as he saw more media people walking towards them.

Raj Singh suppressed a sigh as he opened the door of the conference room where the print and tv media were gathered around billionaire business tycoon and Synergy’s new owner, Vikram Mathur.

The moment Raj Singh entered, Vikram Mathur moved away from the media and shook his hands warmly.

Soon after, as the photographers flashed their cameras and the buzzing journalists huddled around for better access, Raj Singh and Vikram Mathur shook hands and exchanged the sale deeds of Synergy Incorporated.

"Welcome to Synergy Sir! I am so glad that a person like you who has served in our Indian Army is now the owner of our prestigious firm." The genuine warmth and pride in the voice of Raj Singh was unmistakable.

"Raj Singh ji, I feel equally privileged. But to be technically correct, it is Chandni, my wife who is the owner of Synergy. And she will be a temporary CEO too, till our search for a permanent CEO is successful. But please don’t think that she is in that position because of me. She is a well-qualified person with a perfect aptitude to run a business." Vikram Mathur said with a smile.

Chandni... Is this Aryan's Chandni? Raj Singh shook his head vexedly. 

He was being silly jumping to such conclusions. There are thousands of girls with the same name.

He smiled awkwardly at Vikram who seemed to be watching his face with shrewd eyes.

"I am more than pleased to have a woman at the helm. Synergy will benefit from Mrs Chandni Mathur's leadership. So, when are you coming to Synergy to meet the rest of the staff?" 

"Very soon Raj Singh ji. But where is your brilliant Protege, Aryan Kapoor,  the brains behind all the Synergy products?"

"We are indeed lucky to have Aryan with us and he is everything you said. I am sure Aryan would be equally happy to see you. unfortunately, he got held up as the new prototype he was building ran into some issues." Raj Singh beamed, hoping that he lied convincingly enough.

As Vikram Mathur answered the questions posed by the media, Raj Singh was again left to wonder, why didn’t Vikram Mathur tell him before that his wife would be the acting CEO.

Chandni… that name disturbed him once again.