“Good,” she said, her tone suddenly cutting. “Because I want you to stay away from me.” Her fingers tightened around the sheet. “I want you to never touch me again. This… you and I… is over. You hear me?”
“Loud and clear,” he shot back, irritated with the whole situation, but mostly with himself for being unable to resist her.
“I don’t like you,” she snapped.
“Really?” He arched a brow. “It didn’t seem like that a few minutes ago when you were coming for me.”
Her face flushed instantly. “God, you’re such an asshole. Just go… Get out.”
He spun around and left her room, walking quickly back to the party. But his heart, that stupid, traitorous organ, ached as if he had left something very precious behind.
God. He was so fucked. He couldn’t be thinking like that. Shauna Sehgal wasn’t for him. He’d known that years ago, and yet here he was, years later, making the same mistakes with her all over again.
But no more. He would move past her, even if that was the last thing he did.
7
Mumbai
It was Monday morning, the day she’d been waiting for. Shauna walked into the offices of Sehgal Media with a bounce in her step. Her future awaited inside, and today she was going to claim it. The Maldives already seemed far away. She’d returned last evening, her mind already planning today’s meeting with her grandfather. Nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to distract her from it today.
The familiar hum of the office greeted her as she entered the lobby. The rhythmic ding of the elevators, the low murmur of conversations as people readied themselves for work, all of it was music to her ears. It felt good to be back.
Sunlight caught the bold silver letters spelling out Sehgal Media, setting them aglow above the reception desk, and a quiet pride filled her chest. This was the company’s main headquarters. Though she often worked out of offices across the world, returning here always felt different. This was the nerve center, the place where decisions were made and everything truly came to life.
To her, Sehgal Media wasn’t just a company. It was her family’s legacy—an empire her grandfather had grown from a single news channel into a billion-dollar powerhouse. What began as Global View News, their 24-hour network known for fearless journalism and in-depth reporting, had expanded into Sehgal Studios, a film and digital production house redefining mainstream storytelling, and SEHVA, a premium streaming platform delivering lifestyle and reality originals directly to millions of screens across the country. And it was all thanks to the brilliance and foresight of her grandfather, Janak Sehgal.
She’d worked at Sehgal Media for six years, ever since she’d turned twenty. She’d started out working at their London division while studying in college. Since then, she’d poured herself into her work, and now years later, she’d earned every bit of respect that came her way.
She’d earned her position as Creative Director, and she loved her work. Greenlighting films and formats, guiding teams, managing talent, shaping the creative voice of both Sehgal Studios and SEHVA until it felt instinctive and unmistakably theirs… this was where she belonged. SEHVA was her baby. She’d been there right from its inception to the massive success it was now. SEHVA had now entered the big leagues, standing toe-to-toe with global streaming giants, and she couldn’t have been prouder.
But today she wasn’t at the office just to work. Today, she was ready for more, and she knew it in her bones that her time had come.
Her heels clicked confidently against the polished marble floor as she made her way toward the elevators. Today, she was going to tell her grandfather her heart’s desire. That she was ready for more. That she wasn’t content to wait on the sidelines anymore. She wanted a seat at the table. She wanted the chance to prove that she could lead, not because she was a Sehgal,but because she’d worked for it. She’d spent years learning the business from the ground up, but now she wanted to work at the helm by his side and under his guidance. She wanted to claim this legacy built by her grandfather, as her own.
Her phone rang. She smiled when she saw who was video calling. Moving to a quiet corner, she answered, and Rhea’s face filled the screen.
“Hello, baby sis,” Shauna greeted.
Rhea lifted a brow. “Being ten minutes older is not a lifetime of superiority, you know.”
“It absolutely is,” Shauna said triumphantly.
Being fraternal twins, they didn’t look alike. Shauna was taller, with a more angular face and wide, deep-set eyes that always made her look like she was analyzing the world. Her sister, on the other hand, had soft doe-shaped eyes that tipped slightly at the corners, giving her an effortlessly sweet expression. And now, motherhood had added a warm glow to her that made the contrast even clearer.
“Say hi to Vayu,” Rhea said, shifting the phone.
Shauna’s eighteen-month-old nephew toddled into view, freshly bathed, his hair fluffy and rebellious as Rhea gently combed it. Shauna’s heart melted.
“Hi, my handsome boy,” she cooed, wiggling her fingers. “How are you? Are you feeling better?”
Vayu grinned shyly, then darted off-screen.
“Vayu, careful!” Rhea called before looking back at Shauna, still smiling. Rhea looked happy, settled, and content in a way that made Shauna’s chest ache with joy.
“He’s doing good,” Rhea said. “No fever. He’s already been causing trouble since morning. So naughty. He knows we were all worried about him being unwell, so he’s taking full advantage and making everyone run after him.”
“So adorable,” Shauna said. “Come back soon. I miss him and you a lot.”
