Part 1
"What you mean by that?" Yash asked his mother.
"Come home now and I will explain to you," Gayatri told her son and put the phone down.
Yash stared at his iphone, wondering if he should make his way to where his mother was staying. He debated about it for a while and decided since his dad was in office, there was no harm going there for a while. What the hell did she mean about she would lose everything if he did not get married to some girl, Aarti?
He was greeted by his mother's smothering the moment he stepped into the eight bedroom mansion in Scarsdale, New York.
"Yash beta, I have not seen you for so long. Since you came for your brother last rites 6 months ago," Gayatri lamented, teary-eyed as she released Yash from her embrace.
"You are looking thin. Are you eating alright? Do not spend too much time at work that..."
He swaggered to the living room and ensconced himself on the pristine white sofa and Gayatri trailed after him. Everything about this house appeared peaceful and serene but the reality was just the opposite.
"Ma, just tell me what the hell is going on. That is all I am here for." He seriously did not want to stay in this house a minute longer than necessary.
"Yash chachu," his two and half year old niece greeted him excitedly. He had only seen her precisely four times since she was born and spoke to her probably once and he could not fathom why she was happy to see him. To his irritation, she climbed onto his lap, planted a wet kiss on his cheek and started fiddling his Ray-ban. He glared at her when she removed his shades.
"Get off me and do not touch my things," he said sternly but she was just amazed with her new "toy" that she ignored him. Obviously she was spoilt rotten in this house! He lifted her off him, placed her beside his mother and grabbed the Ray-ban from her hand and put the sunglasses back on. She sulked and as expected of any pampered child, started wailing.
"Why do you do that for? She is just a child Yash. How can you treat your niece like that?" Gayatri reprimanded Yash and hugged her only grandchild. She tried to hush Payal and wiped her tears away but Payal continued sobbing.
Yash observed the scene before him in disgust, stood up and sauntered to the door.
"Where are you going Yash?" Gayatri stood up with Payal in her arms and hurriedly walked after Yash.
"Since you are busy with your precious grandchild, I shall leave."
" No, Yash this is important. I will pass Payal to her nanny. Please listen to what I have to say."
Yash followed his mother back to the living room. He just wanted to know how Scindiya Jewellery was going to be out of his mother's hands. He had told her numerous times to leave her philandering husband but she stood by him like he was the God she was devoted to!
"Madhu, please come and get Payal from me. Bring her to buy ice-cream," Gayatri screamed for the maid. Payal stopped crying the moment she heard ice-cream and ran towards to Madhu as soon as Madhu appeared.
What a gullible child! So easily manipulated! Yash turned his attention to his mother and stomped out of the house the moment he had heard enough. He was not a two and half year old child to be manipulated by his father!
"You want me to marry Akash and you will give me ten percent share of this Company?" Aarti Dubey raised an eyebrow. She was face to face with Scindiya Jewellery chairman, the Mr Suraj Scindiya himself. This man must be desperate to make a proposition like this.
"No, not Akash. He is my bas***d not my son. Pankaj has a younger brother, Yash and if you marry him and both of you adopt Payal as your child, I will give you ten percent of this Company," Suraj Scindiya explained himself.
"I thought you disowned Yash Scindiya ten years ago."
"I did not disown him. He left the house but now that Pankaj is dead, I need him back in my Company. Do you think Akash can run this Company?"
She shrugged. What makes him think Yash can run this Company? Aarti eyed Mr Scindiya, not allowing a single expression form on her face as she could tell he was trying to read her.
"That's...your problem," she finally spoke, stood up and headed for the door.
"Miss Aarti Dubey, the only reason I am asking you is because you have the talent and personality to help Yash run this Company. You will be promoted to General Manager while I make Yash the CEO. I am sure you do not want to work as Akash's assistant all your life."
Aarti clicked her Salvatore Ferragamo heels and turned to face Mr Scindiya.
"Mr Scindiya, you know you need me to get this Company listed on time since a lot of screw-ups have been happening since Pankaj Sir's demise six months ago. Akash as the CFO knows nothing and your CEO is dead. None of your directors even know how to handle the auditors, lawyers and the New York Stock Exchange queries. I know nobody is indispensable but I am not just a nobody. I am Aarti Dubey. You should realise I am worth much more than you offered."
Mr Suraj Scindiya sniggered. It was all about the money! She has no values just as he expected.
"What do you want Miss Aarti Dubey?"
"I want fifteen percent of this Company and to be the one of the directors, not just a General Manager. And if Yash Scindiya is not able to perform, I want you to consider appointing me the CEO of this Company as by then I would be your daughter-in-law. I have joined this Company for the past five years and am now the only one single-handedly ensuring we get to IPO on time so I believe I deserve the chance. Then I might consider this offer. "
"I will give you twelve percent of this Company and promote you to General Manager first. You have to help Yash get familiarise with this Company and also ensure we get listed at the price we have been aiming for. I will speak to the Board to let you be one of the directors after your marriage and the IPO. We will discuss about being CEO only if the time comes."
"You mean when the time comes. I need to meet Yash Scindiya first before deciding. And I do not know what to do with the child. It should be obvious I have no maternal instincts."
"My wife and the nanny will look after her. She just needs someone to call her mother and father since Pankaj and Vidhi are now gone. I do not expect someone as heartless as you to raise Payal."
Aarti Dubey opened the door and stepped out of the room, still expressionless. The word heartless kept ringing in her mind but she ignored it. She has a plan and it seemed to be falling into place. But how would she handle Yash Scindiya? She needed to find out about him so that she would know how to play her cards right.
Members Lounge
Book Talk
