Prologue: Illuminated
Swing me these sorrows
And try delusion for a while.
It's such a beautiful lie.
You've got to lose inhibition -
Romance your ego for a while.
Come on, give it a try.
- Hurts, Illuminated
Thursday 12 June, 2014
15:30
Rai-Prakash Mansion,
Upper-East Side Manhattan, New York
Loud, boisterous laughter echoed around the mansion as calls of congratulations, accompanied by playful demands of sweets rang out. Watching her family laugh, their faces beaming with elation, she almost felt guilty for not sharing their joy or enthusiasm. She sank into her seat and stared at her hands, desperately willing herself not to react or even look at the man seated across from her.
She had caught a glimpse of him when he first entered her home with his family. He was exceedingly good-looking, she could not deny that. Tall, dusky and handsome - he was built like a temple. There was something so dark, yet alluring about him and she was inevitably attracted to him.
She wondered how long her parents had been in talks with the Singhanias without her knowing. It couldn't have been a sudden decision, because the Singhania's came prepared with an engagement ring and sweets, sarees and ancestral jewellery to offer as shagun.
The Singhania's had come prepared with their family Priest, so that their birth charts could be matched. To both families delight, not only did their kundali's match, but they were decided to be more than compatible.
"She is a wonderful choice for your son," the priest advised. "She will be the bringer of good health to her husband and great joy to your household."
She was overwhelmed by how quickly everything was happening. As he reached out and slipped the stunning diamond onto her ring finger, she felt a rush of nausea. She felt giddy, and out of sorts, hardly believing this was actually happening to her. Her parents had told her that the Singhania's were coming to see her. They told her that she had a choice - she could refuse if she wanted to, if she didn't like him, but of course, nothing of the sort happened. Before she knew it, her father was shaking hands with them.
Done deal. The rings were exchanged. Signed, sealed and delivered.
She watched the diamond glint in the sunlight. It was the token of an unlived, unwanted vocation that weighed her down. She felt like she was suffocating and she wouldn't be able to breathe easy until she spoke to the man in front of her.
"May I speak with you for a moment please?" From the corner of her eye, she could see her mother visibly shrink in her seat, exchanging anxious looks with her aunt, but she ignored them. It was pivotal for her to speak with him. They needed to get some things straight before this wedding could happen.
To her relief, her fiance nodded and quietly followed her out into the foyer. She exchanged a brief, fleeting smile with him as she led him out into the garden. The walk was silent and awkward, and neither were too sure about how to approach the other.
She wasn't here to make small talk so she got straight to the point. "I will only marry you on two conditions."
"We've just been engaged," he quirked an eyebrow at her. "Don't you think it's a little late for that now?"
She was quick to reply. "It's never too late."
He acquiesced, looking slightly amused. "So what will it be?"
"My family will always come first for me. No matter what the circumstances, but I will always pick my parents, my sister above everything else. If there is ever a situation where I must choose between my family and you, I will always choose my family and you will never expect anything otherwise."
He cocked his head to one side, looking at her curiously, "And your second condition?"
"I will not change my surname."
Without even a moment of hesitation, he nodded. "I agree."
"Even the first condition?" Surprised by his quick compliance, she was quick to challenge him.
"Yes." He nodded firmly. "I admire your love for your family. You can only love mine, if you love yours first and I'm hoping that eventually my family and I will become yours, so there should never be a time where you must pick between us. After we are married, what is mine is yours and what is yours is mine."
And in that moment, when her eyes finally met his, she felt a foreign feeling in her heart. He smiled at her warmly and she couldn't help but smile back. There was rightness, a certainty in that moment that cleared her doubts. Still smiling shyly, she turned away and started the walk back inside. Perhaps this was meant to be. Perhaps this was her destiny.
He watched after her as she walked ahead. She was beautiful, so delicate with elfin features and stunning blue-grey eyes. He hadn't expected such a beautiful bride. Neither had he expected a spitfire, who seemed so docile, but was really so strong-willed. Lost in his musings, he was too preoccupied to notice his younger sister as she came barrelling at him.
"The wedding date has just been fixed Bhaiya," his sister told him, breathless with excitement. "Pandit-ji, said that the last Sunday of this month is one of the most auspicious mahurats of this year."
"But that's only two weeks away," he said, surprised. When he had finally agreed to this wedding, he had thought that he would have some time to talk to his fiance and get to know her before they were married. He had never thought that everything would happen so fast. He was dumbfounded as he watched his family celebrating. His mother couldn't stop smiling. His father was laughing merrily.
"Congratulations Bhai," his brother sidled up next to him. He had a cheeky grin on his face. "Say goodbye to your freedom!"
He groaned into his hand.
***
Wednesday 11 June, 2014
21:30
Park Hyatt
Zurich, Switzerland
"Well if it isn't Tweedledum and Tweedledee," the thin, elderly man smirked at them contemptuously. "How can I help you?"
He appraised the two youngsters in front of him. They were both strikingly attractive, with the same sparkling green-gold eyes and calculating smiles. He didn't ask how they'd gotten past his security, because he knew them enough to understand that their powers of persuasion reached far beyond his own.
"We're looking to buy your company, Mr Hexell," the young man said bluntly.
"But I'm not interested in selling," he replied, just as frankly. "I've already told you that I'm not going to sell Hexell Holdings."
"And rightly so," the beautiful woman smiled, leaning across the table. "Why would you want to be parted from such a profitable business?"
"I'm glad you see it my way. Now if we're done," he gestured lazily towards the door. These two were more trouble than he needed, and he would be happy to be rid of them. They were unbelievably persistent though, and he internally sighed in frustration when they seemed in no rush to move.
"Actually, we have another proposition for you," the young man offered. "You see, we've come prepared. You won't be getting rid of us anytime soon."
"Is there a point to this conversation?" He asked, looking irritated now, "I don't want to call security to have the two of you removed."
"I don't respond well to threats Mr Hexell," the woman replied coolly. "I make them and you'd be wise to remember that. You wouldn't want your board members to find out what you did with their money, now would you?"
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" He snapped. "Now get the hell out of here." His hands were visibly shaking as he reached out to grab his phone, presumably to contact his security team who were posted out in the corridor.
"Not so fast, Hexell," the lean man was quick to snatch the phone out of his hands. He slammed down several different bank statements between them, watching with vindictive satisfaction as Hexell's face fell in disbelief.
"What ...what are these?" Hexell stammered.
"These are all you bank account details. You've stolen thirty million dollars from your clients and deposited it in offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands. You're going to be sued for embezzlement and tax evasion once the authorities find out."
"What do you want from me?"
"Your company - all of it."
"You want me to just hand over my company," Andreas Hexell choked. He couldn't believe what they were saying.
"Of course not. We're willing to pay you thirty million dollars. Exactly how much you've stolen."
She had this company in the palm of her hands. They had spent months buying stock and pulling strings to get the most scandalous information about the powerful man in front of them. He would hand over this company just for their evidence against him. She could have this entire company for free if she wanted, but she knew that nothing came free of cost. She didn't live in the present, she lived for the future and because she knew very well that the bottom line in business was profit, she was willing to undertake such a gambit.
Hexell scoffed in disbelief, "My company is valued at four billion dollars."
"How about your life? How much is that worth?" She liked to watch them squirm before she crushed them. There was no fun in a quick, painless kill. "There's so much more we could divulge. So many secrets that we could expose. There's so much that you're wonderful wife has yet to learn about you."
"This is blackmail," Hexell protested weakly.
"I'd say it was extortion," the man shrugged, "but it's your call, I suppose. It won't really matter of course, when your face will be all over the papers tomorrow morning. You should be behind bars by midday, I guess."
"Alright, fine. What do I get out of this deal?"
She took out a crisp cheque and placed it between them, "Thirty million, your job and your reputation. Take it or leave it."
The elderly man looked hesitant, but curious, "My job?"
"Just because we're buying your company, doesn't mean we're firing you," she laughed. "Look Mr Hexell, I like you. You're a smart man. You wouldn't have gotten away with years of embezzling if you weren't. I want you as an ally. Hexell Holdings will belong to us, but you will still remain the CEO of the company."
"I don't believe you," the offer was simply too good to be true.
"That's why we have it all in writing," The green-eyed man opened his briefcase, and presented him with the legal paperwork.
"I need some time to review the contract," Hexell said stiffly, "with my lawyers."
"Of course, take all the time you need," she reassured him sweetly. "Just remember that your face will be on the front page of the Zurich Times tomorrow morning."
He looked tired. Defeated. "Where do I need to sign?"
Ignoring their smug smiles, he signed the papers without further ado. There was no use wasting any more time, because they had got him good and from where he stood, there was no way out.
"Pleasure, doing business with you," He leered at her, eyeing her unabashedly as she stood up. She really was a beautiful woman, but underneath it all she was a conniving viper waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
"Oh trust me," she purred, "the pleasure was entirely mine." She flipped her long hair back, fixed Hexell with a triumphant smirk before sauntering out of the conference room with her associate in tow.
"That went well, didn't it?" Her companion elbowed her playfully, once they were out of the hotel and in their car. "The fool has no idea what he's just signed up for."
"And by the time he realises it'll be too late," she chuckled darkly. "As soon as the merger is settled, I'll make sure he gets what he deserves. He'll regret the day he thought he'd poach our clients."
There was a brief bout of silence between them as he appraised her quietly from the corner of his eye. She was staring out of the window. He sighed - a part of him felt terrible for what they were doing to Hexell. He had only gone after one of their clients, and she had made him pay with his entire company.
She rolled her eyes as she heard him sighing. He was too sentimental, and she feared that one day it would be his undoing. "I know what you're thinking, and, yes it was brutal, but it was necessary,"
"Was it?"
"One is as good as many," she repeated a lesson they had learned long ago. "You let one client get away, and you might as well announce to all of them that you're weak and incompetent. The next thing you know, your rivals will back you into a corner and bully you into submission."
"I know," he agreed, "but I still feel like we've cheated him."
"We have," she said bluntly, "but so has he. He's been stealing from his clients. He stole our client. I have nothing personal against him, but this is business, and always remember that there is no room for emotions in business."
"What about your contract?" He reminded her. "You've employed him."
"Clause number 666," she grinned. "In the event of any and all unconscionable conduct of any member of the board or employee, the chairman, hereby has the authority to terminate the offenders' contract of employment and commence legal proceedings."
He smirked, "Apple?"
"Don't mind if I do."
They exchanged almost identical looks of triumph, as their car sped into complete darkness.
***
A/N: Hello all!
Quite a long prologue! Hope I haven't bored you :) Please let me know if you found it interesting and worth continuing!
Thanks for reading :))
Edited by Propinquity. - 10 years ago
Fan Fictions
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
