Ch 3. “AASHVIKA”

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As divya and rachita sat in the living room, Divya's frustration was intense. She paced back and forth, her anger and disappointment evident on her face. Rachita tried to calm her down, but divya was beyond consolation.

"Divya, calm down!" Rachita requested, trying to reason with her. But divya was too frustrated, right now.

"How can i calm down mom? First of all that rahul agnihotri insulted me and you and then the event planner i wanted just resigned, how do i calm down?" Divya asked furiously.

Rachita was about to say something just then, vivaan walked into the mansion, still in his office attire. He looked tired but devilishly handsome, as always.

"Why did you come back so soon?" Rachita asked, curiosity getting the best of her. Seeing vivaan, divya tried to calm herself down and sat down on the couch of the living room.

Vivaan didn't elaborate, simply saying, "I forgot an important file." He ran upstairs to get it, and then a few minutes later, he came back down, with the file in his hand. "Bye, Mom, bye, Dadi," he said, heading towards the door.

"Bye, take care," Rachita replied, while divya's response was more subdued. "Bye..."

Vivaan noticed the disappointment in her voice and stopped in his tracks. He turned around and looked at divya, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He walked towards her and sat down beside her. "Mom, what happened?" he asked, his voice soft and concerned.

"It's nothing, don't worr-" Divya tried to reassure vivaan but his firm tone stopped her.

"Mom, tell me."

Divya sighed and told vivaan everything that had happened at the event planning office. She showed him the red marks on her wrists.

"What?" he growled, his jaw clenched, though he calmed himself down.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke, "Alright, we'll talk about this when I come back home, hmm? For now, I need to go."

He stood up, pecking Divya's temple gently. He walked towards the door to leave but turned back once again.

"By the way..what was the name of that event planner?" He asked divya.

"Aashvika singhania." Divya spoke.

"Aashvika Singhania." Vivaan murmured under his breath. A different kind of softness reflecting in his voice.

"Alright, Don't be upset," he said, before heading out the door. As he walked out of the mansion, he passed through the garden, his mind preoccupied with the events that had transpired.

"Where are you going?" Vedansh asked catching vivaan's attention. "When did you come?" Vivaan asked instead of answering the previous question.

"Just now, now tell me, where are you going?" Vedansh asked once again making vivaan sigh. "Chalega kya saath?" Vivaan asked in a humorous way. Instead of replying to vivaan, vedansh walked towards vivaan. Taking vivaan's car keys from him, he walked towards his car and sat inside.

"Ab aayega yaah fir invitation doon?" Vedansh yelled while seating himself in the passenger seat. Vivaan just chuckled at him and walked towards his car.

Once he was in his BMW car, he started the engine and drove off. He was supposed to head to the office, but he had other plans. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" he spoke, his voice firm.

"Yes, sir?" his assistant, Kartik, replied.

"Cancel the meeting with Mr. Rajvanshi today. I have some important work to do," Vivaan instructed. "Also, I'm sending you a name. Find out where she works, as fast as you can."

Kartik's response was immediate. "Yes, sir. I'll get right on it."

Vivaan ended the call, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"Kiski shaamat aayi hai?" Vedansh asked trying to ease the atmosphere but vivaan paid no attention to him.

Ten minutes later, his phone buzzed, and he saw that Kartik had sent him the address. A small smirk played on his lips as he changed his route, heading towards the event planning office.

Reaching the office, vivaan looked at the office building. Vedansh, still clueless yet followed vivaan without saying anything.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." Vivaan muttered under his breath, his eyes scanning the building.

Walking inside, he went to the elevator and pressed the third floor as kartik had told him.

He walked inside the third floor, scanning everything with his eyes.

He saw some of the employees sitting there, he spoke in a loud voice.

"Where is the boss of this company?" He yelled out,, catching everyone's attention.

The employees looked at him, some with confusion while some stared at him with widened eyes knowing exactly who he was.

One of the employees pointed towards rahul's cabin. Ignoring everyone's stares, he barged into rahul's cabin.

Rahul looked at him startled.

"Are you the boss of this company?" Vivaan asked making rahul nod.

Vivaan scoffed and sat down on the seat, taking out his coat, he hung it on the other chair's handle. While, vedansh sat beside him.

"Who are you?" Rahul asked.

"Vivaan Malhotra." Vivaan spoke. Rahul looked at him with confusion but then looked at him with widened eyes.

"You're The Vivaan Malhotra?" Rahul asked, his voice loud. Vedansh rolled his eyes at the way rahul exaggerated vivaan's name.

"Main bhi yahaan hoon bhai." Vedansh spoke but both the men ignored him as if he was thin air.

(I'm also here, brother.)

Meanwhile, hearing rahul's exaggeration, vivaan bit his inner cheek trying to control himself from rolling his eyes.

"What can i do for you sir?" Rahul asked.

"I want Aashvika Singhania to plan an event for me." Vivaan spoke, his voice stern.

Hearing aashvika's name, rahul got raged but tried to control himself.

"I'm sorry sir but she's not available right now. She resigned this morning only." Rahul coldly spat.

"I know, i want her number." Vivaan said.

"I'm sorry but i can't give you her number just like that sir, it's against our company's policy." Rahul replied.

"Company's policy? Come on." Vivaan thought sarcastically.

"10 Lakhs." Vivaan spoke making rahul look at him with confusion. Vedansh's eyes widened at vivaan's remark, though, he stayed silent, knowing well to not interfere right now.

"Huh? Sir, don't try to bribe me, I'm not like that." Rahul spoke though his voice wavering.

"25 lakhs." Vivaan spoke, his voice firm. Hearing vivaan once again, vedansh's eyes widened as if they were going to pop out of their sockets.

"Yeh pagal hogya hai." Vedansh muttered under his breath. He slowly bent himself in vivaan's direction. "Are you sure about what you are doing?" Vedansh asked, vivaan just gave him a slight nod. Vedansh cleared his throat and sat back properly.

"Done." Rahul spoke immediately making vivaan scoff internally.

"The money will be transferred in your account by afternoon, now give me her number." Vivaan spoke, right at the point.

Rahul immediately nodded and wrote aashvika's number down at a paper.

"Kamina kahin ka." Vivaan muttered under his breath. Rahul handed him the chit. Vivaan stood up, wearing his coat, he started walking out of rahul's cabin when he heard rahul muttering under his breath.

"Hmm.. what's so special in that aashvika that everyone wants her? Those two old womens..and now vivaan malhotra? She must have something special for sure.." rahul muttered under his but vivaan could actually hear him.

His jaw clenched hearing his words. He turned around and walked towards rahul's desk.

He immediately jumped over the desk and punched rahul hard on his face. Rahul fell back from the chair and looked at vivaan in shock. Vedansh's eyes widened in shock as he watched his bestfriend going wild on the man.

Vivaan was furious to say. Anger clearly evident in his eyes.

"This was for insulting my mom and my grandmother!" He yelled and punched rahul once again.

"This was for hurting my mother!" He yelled once again.

Some of the employees barged in rahul's cabin, hearing the noise. They gasped seeing the scene unfolding infront of them.

There boss was being hit by vivaan malhotra. But dare, anyone could go against him? No one. They all were very well aware of his power.

He gripped rahul's hair tightly and slammed his head on the desk, blood pooled out of rahul's head.

"And this was for speaking ill about aashvika and not respecting women!" He yelled and left his hair.

Rahul immediately fell on the ground with a loud thud, he groaned in pain, crying for help but no one dared to help him. Not when vivaan malhotra was standing infront of them.

Vedansh immediately held vivaan and pulled him back to prevent him from hitting rahul any further. Finally calming down, vivaan exhaled a deep breath and took out his phone, dialing his secretary's number.

"Hello sir?" Kartik spoke over the call.

"Listen, transfer 25 lakh rupees to Mr. Rahul Agnihotri's account." He ordered firmly.

"Alright sir, anything else?" Kartik asked.

"And buy his whole company and make sure that he doesn't get a single percent of it." He spoke making every staff and especially rahul gasp. But because of the pain, rahul couldn't even say anything.

Vivaan kneeled down infront of him and spoke, "Think beforehand who you are messing with."

He stood up and left the office ignoring everyone's murmur and stares. Vedansh followed vivaan, half being proud of vivaan's action, half being concerned about the poor staff.

The employees finally rushed to rahul, his jaw dislocated and forehead bleeding.

Walking out the office, they both walked to the car. Taking a deep breath, vivaan sat inside his car and drove off to his office.

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As the evening drew to a close, the malhotra mansion's dining area was filled with the warm sounds of dinner conversation.

Vivaan stepped into the mansion, his eyes scanning the empty living room. A gentle smile played on his lips as he guessed that everyone were probably in the dining area.

They ate without him most of the times, it was a familiar routine, one that he was accustomed to, given his frequent late-night meetings.

Vedansh stood beside vivaan, wanting to stay with the malhotra's for the dinner.

He was like their unofficial son.

They walked into the dining area, the soft murmur of conversation dying down as everyone greeted vedansh and vivaan. Vivaan's response was a faint nod, his gaze locked onto Divya. While, vedansh hugged everyone, greeting them back.

Vivaan walked towards divya, his movements fluid and purposeful. As he reached her side, he pulled out his phone and handed it to her. Divya took the phone, her eyes scanning the screen to see a number already dialed. Everyone stared at vivaan clueless, while vedansh was aware of what was going to happen.

"Who's number is it, beta?" Divya asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Aashvika." Vivaan replied shortly. Hearing him, divya chuckled and replied, "but i already have her number."

Hearing divya, vedansh bursted out laughing, catching everyone's attention.

"Hahaha-bhai-haha-ke 25- hahahaha-lakh gaye-hahaha" He spoke while laughing making everyone confused. Vivaan glared at vedansh but didn't say anything. Shaking his head, he looked back at divya.

Vivaan was feeling a bit embarrassed now, as he thought to himself, "So, I just gave away 25 lakhs for nothing?" He faked a cough, looking away to conceal his embarrassment. "Well, then tell her to plan the event for the inauguration," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Hearing his words, divya's face fell once again, "But she resigned." Her voice was laced with disappointment. Vivaan's expression didn't change, "Well, we can just provide her with whatever she wants, let it be money, stuff, or workers."

Divya's eyes lit up immediately, and she smiled widely, "Really?" she asked, her voice filled with hope. Vivaan nodded, and Divya immediately threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug.

As they hugged, Vivaan couldn't help but think, "What magic has this girl done to my mom?" But he pushed the thought aside and focused on the moment. Breaking the hug, he said, "Alright, I'm going to take a shower." and walked away.

The rest of the family, except rachita, looked on in confusion. Once vivaan was out of earshot, divya sat down and began to explain the whole story to them, her eyes sparkling with excitement. While, vedansh joined the malhotra family in dinner and started eating with them.

Here, vivaan walked into his room, feeling drained. The day's events were still fresh in his mind, and he couldn't shake off the stress because of that. He stripped his clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water slowly wash away his fatigue.

As the water poured down on him, vivaan let out a deep breath. He closed his eyes, feeling the water massage his skin, and slowly, his muscles began to relax. But his mind didn't stop racing. Thousands of thoughts crossed his mind, the way he stood up not only for his mother but also for that girl.

"Aashvika." He whispered, her name sliding down his tongue, smoothly and for a moment, he felt a sense of calm washing over him. Not wanting to drown more in his thought. He decided to step out of the shower.

After the shower, vivaan wrapped a towel around his torso and walked towards his closet. Droplets of water trickling down his body.

He walked to his closet and picked out a casual black tee and grey lower, and got dressed. The soft fabric felt comforting against his skin. He walked to his bed, where his laptop lay, a reminder of the work that awaited him.

Vivaan sat down on the bed, and for a moment, he just stared at the screen. He thought about his life, about the routine that had become so monotonous.

"Wake up, gym, office, meetings, home late at night, shower, dinner, and sleep. Repeat." Was this really living? He wondered, asking himself if there was more to life than just work and routine.

Despite his best efforts, vivaan's mind kept wandering. He tried to focus on his work, but his thoughts kept drifting back to his life, to the people in it, and to the emptiness he felt. He sighed, feeling frustrated, and closed his laptop. There was no point in trying to work when his mind was elsewhere.

Vivaan lay down on the bed, pulling the blanket over himself. He felt tired, not just physically, but also mentally. The stress and the monotony of his life were taking a toll on him. He closed his eyes, letting the weariness wash over him, and soon, he drifted off to sleep.

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Aashvika sat on her bed, lost in her thoughts. Her mind was a jumble of emotions, replaying every moment of the day.

She thought about how she stood up for the lady, about quitting her job, and about the uncertainty that lay ahead. The more she thought, the more overwhelmed she felt. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, and she felt like breaking down.

When she had come home, she had been on the verge of tears, but somehow, she had managed to hold them back. She knew that if anyone asked her anything, she would shatter into a million pieces. But luckily, no one did and she was grateful for that.

Aashvika was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice her mother, walking into the room.

Priya sat down in front of Aashvika, her eyes filled with concern. She gently caressed Aashvika's head, her touch soft and soothing.

The gentle touch brought Aashvika back to reality. She looked up, startled, and met her mother's worried gaze. For a moment, they just looked at each other, and Aashvika felt a lump form in her throat. She knew that her mother saw the tears welling up in her eyes, and she knew that she would'nt be able to hold them back for much longer.

Aashvika took a deep breath and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, "Mumma? When did you come?" Priya responded with a gentle smile, but her eyes told a different story- they were filled with concern. "What happened, shona?" Priya asked.

Aashvika's smile faltered, and she tried to reassure her mother, "Huh? N-nothing happened?" But her stutter betrayed her, and Priya's expression remained skeptical. "I know something has happened, now tell me." Priya said, her voice firm but gentle.

Aashvika sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. She looked down, her voice barely above a whisper, "Mumma...I resigned from my job." Hearing her, priya's expression didn't change, but she did ask, "Hmm, and...?"

Aashvika looked up, confused, wondering why her mother wasn't reacting.

"You're not going to ask me about the reason?" Aashvika asked, expecting a lecture or at least some questions. But her mother just smiled, her eyes filled with trust and confidence. "No, because I know my gudiya..she will never do something wrong." Priya said, her voice full of faith in Aashvika.

Aashvika felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at her mother, feeling a mix of emotions- guilt, gratitude, and love.

Aashvika's eyes welled up with tears as she listened to her mother's words. She felt a lump form in her throat, and her emotions threatened to spill over. Taking a deep breath, she slowly exhaled and began to tell priya everything that had happened today. Priya listened attentively, her expression a mix of concern and pride.

When aashvika finished speaking, priya smiled and wrapped her arms around her, engulfing her in a warm hug to provide her comfort. "If that's the reason for your resignation, then i'm very much proud of my daughter." she said, her voice filled with pride. "Don't worry, you'll get a much better job, hmm?" Aashvika's face broke into a smile as she hugged her mother tightly.

A few minutes later, Aashvika's phone rang, breaking the intimate moment. She pulled back and glanced at the screen to see divya's name flashing.

"You pick up the call, i'll go and check on abhi," Priya said, smiling. She leaned forward and kissed aashvika's forehead before getting up and leaving the room.

Aashvika watched her mother go, feeling a sense of gratitude and love. She took a deep breath, composing herself before answering the call. "Hello?" she said, trying to sound normal despite the emotions still swirling inside her.

"Hello, beta? I'm sorry for calling you so late at night." Divya said, her voice apologetic. Aashvika quickly reassured her, "No, no, it's fine."

But Divya's next words, totally caught her off guard. "Beta, I still want you to do the mall inauguration project."

Aashvika's face fell as she replied, "But aunty, I've resigned." Her voice was laced with disappointment, and she wondered why divya was asking her to take on a project when she was no longer employed.

However, divya's response surprised her. "Yeah, but don't worry, we'll provide you with everything- money, things, and workers, anything you need. Please, do this project for us," Divya said, her voice persuasive.

Aashvika's eyes widened in confusion. "Aunty, how...how can I-," she started to ask, but divya cut her off. "You don't have to worry about anything else, just tell me, do you want to do it?"

Aashvika hesitated for a moment, weighing her options. She didn't have any work lined up, and she would need a few days to find a new job. With a deep breath, she made a decision. "Alright, I'll do it. Just give me your address, and I'll come tomorrow to meet you," she said.

Divya's excitement was palpable over the phone. "Okayyy! I'll send you the address right now!! Tomorrow at 9 am, is that fine?" she asked. Aashvika replied calmly, "Yeah, sure." With that, she ended the call.

A few minutes later, her phone beeped, indicating the arrival of a message. Aashvika checked her phone and saw the address divya had sent. She sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. Pushing her thoughts aside, she decided to focus on getting some rest. With a gentle toss of her phone onto the bedside table, she drifted off to sleep.

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The next day, The Malhotra mansion was quiet, with all the family members out for work, except for divya.

She sat in the living room, watching TV, when the doorbell rang. She got up to answer it, her footsteps echoing in the empty hall. Opening the door, she found aashvika standing there, looking poised and professional.

"Come, beta, come inside," Divya said, welcoming aashvika with a warm smile. Aashvika walked into the living room, her eyes scanning the luxurious space. The off-white walls and huge sofa with a wide TV screen made a great impression. Divya led her to the sofa, and aashvika sat down.

"Vinita, bring some water and snacks, please," Divya called out but aashvika protested, "No, no, ma'am, it's fine." But Divya insisted, "No, please, I insist." Aashvika sighed and taking out a notepad and pen, she asked,"So, when is the mall inauguration?"

Divya replied, "It's after a week." Aashvika's eyes widened in surprise, hearing her words. "What? That's such a short time," she said, frowning but divya reassured her, saying, "Yeah i know and i apologise for that but don't worry, beta, we'll provide you with everything on time."

The servant then arrived with the refreshments, and aashvika quickly gulped down a glass of water.

"Alright...well, um, what type of decoration do you want?" she asked, pen poised over her notebook. Divya's face lit up with excitement as she spoke, "I want it to be classy yet fancy, something that will attract our customers."

Aashvika nodded, making notes. "Alright, then I'll start the work from tomorrow. Though, I do need to check out the site once," she said, looking up at divya. Divya nodded and sent her the address.

"Alright, ma'am, then I'll head out." Aashvika said, gathering her things.

Divya followed her to the door, watching as aashvika walked out. As she closed the door, she couldn't help but smile at aashvika's retreating figure.

"She's so pretty and well-mannered," Divya thought to herself, feeling a warmth in her heart. Shaking off the thought, she turned back into the living room, her mind already turning to the plans for the mall inauguration.

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