NEIL

I sat in my office, sipping my coffee as I gazed out the window at the city skyline. The deal had been a shrewd one, a strategic move to expand RP Enterprises' portfolio. The land, initially earmarked for a hospital, had been a prime piece of real estate. My team had done their due diligence, and we'd made a fair offer. The sellers had accepted, and we'd sealed the deal.

I thought about the doctor who'd come to see me, pleading for us to reconsider. She'd been passionate about her hospital project, but passion didn't pay dividends. Business was about making tough choices, not indulging in idealism.

Some might call me ruthless, but I called it pragmatic. My shareholders expected results, and I delivered. The company we'd build on that land would create jobs, generate revenue, and boost the local economy. It was a win-win.

I didn't lose sleep over the hospital project. The city would find another way to address healthcare needs. My focus was on growth, innovation, and returns. RP Enterprises was my legacy, and I'd do whatever it took to ensure its success.

The doctor's disappointment was unfortunate, but it wasn't my problem. I'd made a business decision, not a personal one. I'd done what was best for my company, and that's what CEOs did.

Last night was awful. After the doctor, Kaveri left, we completed the roka ceremony. Rajveer was disappointed and gloomy. It was only yesterday I and yash got to know that rajveer was that doctor's brother.

He is very close to his sister but he is also mature enough to not hamper our friendship concidering I and Kaveri are not on good terms.

Rajveer walked in "You look like you'd been through a war." yash said

Dark circles under his eyes, hair disheveled, and a cup of coffee in his hand that might as well have been an IV drip.

Rajveer rubbed his eyes. "I didn't sleep. I was up all night thinking about quarterly projections."

Yash raised an eyebrow. "You were thinking about projections, or you were playing video games until 3 AM?"

Rajveer sheepishly looked away. "Maybe a little of both."

I chuckled. "I'm surprised you didn't drool on your spreadsheet."

Rajveer laughed. "Hey, that's not fair. I'm a highly functioning CA, even on minimal sleep."

Yash sat down across from him. "Highly functioning? You look like a zombie who's about to devour my brains."

Rajveer mock-offended, "Hey, I'm a sophisticated zombie with a tailored suit and a 5 o'clock shadow."

I smiled. "Well, at least you're consistent. Every time we meet, yash looks like he just rolled out of bed."

Yash grinned. "That's because I did. And I'm proud of it. It's a CEO's life for me."

We all laughed, and for a moment, the stress of running our companies melted away.

We all finished our work and headed to our homes. As I reached home, I watched as my mom laughed and chatted with her friends, a group of women who had known each other for years. They were always together, attending social events, having lunch, and gossiping about others. But to me, it all seemed so fake.

As I observed them, I couldn't help but notice the way they spoke about each other behind their backs. The subtle digs, the passive-aggressive comments, the pretentious smiles. It was like they were all playing a role, pretending to be friends while secretly despising each other.

My mother's friends would often ask her about me, about my life, about my choices. But their questions always seemed laced with judgment, as if they were waiting for me to slip up so they could pounce on my mistakes.

I felt like I was the only one who saw through their facade. My mother, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to it all, genuinely believing that these women were her true friends.

She disconnected the call and walked towards me. " How was your day beta?".

I smiled in response " good, what about you?".

Mine too Kiara asked me to remind you to call her tomorrow. According to her, she thinks she embarrassed us with the yesterday incident, she probably wants to make it up to you."

The memories of yesterday night flashed in my mind.

She stood before me, a vision in elegance. The saree draped around her body, her long earrings dangled from her lobes. Her face flushed with anger, her eyes blazing. Her voice rose in a crescendo, words tumbling out in a passionate torrent.

But I was unbothered. Describing your faliure an excuse or blaming it on someone else is absolutely awful. You can't sit and cry over your situations. Life   is unfair to everyone. You have to fight for your dreams yourself.The harsh reality is that you can't always rely on someone. People come and go, and even those closest to us can let us down. We've all been disappointed, hurt, or abandoned at some point. If she wants to hate me or call me the devil of her life, it's totally on her.

I was lost in my own thoughts, sipping my tea, when my mother sat down beside me. "Neil, I've been thinking," she said, her voice gentle but persuasive. "That Dr. Kaveri, she's a nice girl. You should give her another chance."

I raised an eyebrow, my expression incredulous. "You think she's a nice girl? After the way she spoke to me at the engagement party?"

My mother nodded. "Yes, I do. She's a smart and confident woman, and I think she's just passionate about her work. She didn't mean to disrespect you."

I scoffed. "Passionate about her work? She was venomous, Maa. She had no right to speak to me like that."

My mother put a hand on my arm. "Neil, sometimes people say things they don't mean when they're upset. Maybe she was having a bad day or was stressed about something. You should try to understand her perspective."

I shook my head. "I don't want to understand her perspective, Maa. I want her to respect me and my position. And she didn't show me any respect."

My mother sighed. "Neil, you're a successful CEO, but sometimes you can come across as a bit... aloof. Maybe she was just trying to stand up for herself."

I felt a surge of annoyance. "Aloof? Mom, I'm just confident and assertive. And I won't apologize for that."

My mother smiled. "I'm not asking you to apologize, beta. I'm just asking you to give Kaveri another chance. She's a nice girl, and I think you two could get along if you tried."

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "I doubt it, mom. But I'll think about it."

Think about it my foot. Her confidence was admirable, but it was also what made her so infuriating. She was a woman who knew her mind and wasn't afraid to speak it, but sometimes that meant speaking without thinking. she was also a woman who could push people away with her sharp words and quick temper. I wasn't sure I wanted to be around someone like that, especially not when I was trying to build a life with someone else.

I dialed kiara " Neil, you finally called"

Yeah mom told me to

" I actually wanted to apologize about the yesterday incident you know Kaveri is a bitch, she will never apologize for her mistake but someone had to so I'm here.

"Humm" my reply was as dry as a bone.

"Kaveri is too much Neil, yesterday when I saw mom slipped, she ran towards her as if she actually cared about her and she was buttering mom."

"You saw my mom slipped still you didn't choose to help her?"

She sluttered " N-Neil I'll be back actually someone is calling me."

Kiara thought of herself as clever but in reality she's dumb as fuck. Now I know why rajveer's family and Kiara's family are not on good terms. A person himself reveals his fears and insecurities. Kiara is jealous of Kaveri. And Kaveri, she doesn't care about them.

I couldn't deny that Kaveri was a fascinating woman. She was smart, confident, and passionate, even if she didn't always show it in the best way. I just hoped that our paths wouldn't cross again anytime soon.