Chapter 3 — The Alliance

After returning home, Devraj remained quiet for some time. The words Shabana had spoken continued to occupy his thoughts.

Later that evening, he found Ritika sitting with Poornima. Veeresh, Arjun and Aravind were also nearby.

Devraj walked toward Ritika and sat beside her.

Devraj: Beta, I want to talk to you about something.

Ritika looked at him curiously.

Ritika: What happened, Papa?

Devraj took a breath.

Devraj: You have received an alliance.

Everyone became silent.

Ritika looked at him in surprise.

Ritika: An alliance?

Devraj nodded.

Devraj: Yes. His name is Arnav Qureshi.

Poornima immediately looked toward Veeresh.

Arjun and Aravind exchanged glances before looking at Devraj.

Veeresh, however, smiled slightly.

Veeresh: Didu, don't worry.

Ritika looked at him.

Ritika: You know him?

Veeresh: Of course. Arnav and I know each other from the business world.

He leaned back and continued.

Veeresh: He is cold and reserved. He doesn't talk much, and he has a lot of anger inside him. But he wasn't always like this. Something happened to him. Even I don't know exactly what happened.

Ritika listened carefully.

Veeresh: He used to tell me that we were rivals. But we aren't rivals anymore. Still, there is a distance between us. He keeps people away from him.

Arjun: That sounds complicated.

Veeresh: It is.

Veeresh looked at Ritika again.

Veeresh: But, Didu, he is a good man.

Ritika remained silent.

Veeresh: He didn't come from a big business family. Whatever he has today, he earned through his own hard work. No shortcuts. No family name to carry him forward.

Aravind nodded.

Aravind: That's true. He built everything himself.

Veeresh: Exactly. He always fights from the front. He never hides behind anyone or takes the easy way out.

Ritika looked down thoughtfully.

Veeresh smiled.

Veeresh: And you know something else?

Ritika: What?

Veeresh: His nephews and nieces absolutely love Poornima's bakery.

Poornima laughed softly.

Poornima: Veeresh...

Veeresh: What? It's true.

He looked at Ritika teasingly.

Veeresh: They love Poornima's oven cupcakes and brownies.

Ritika finally smiled.

Veeresh: So, Didu, think about it. Don't say yes because Papa or anyone else asks you to. Think about whether you can be happy with him.

He became more serious.

Veeresh: But if you decide to marry him, I believe he will treat you well.

Devraj watched his daughter carefully.

Devraj: Beta, nobody is forcing you. We only wanted you to know about the proposal. The final decision is yours.

Ritika remained silent, thinking about the man she had never expected to enter her life.

For the first time, the name Arnav Qureshi stayed in her mind.