The humid Delhi air clung to Yakshit Singhania like a second skin as his chauffeur-driven car finally pulled into the familiar yet somehow alien driveway of Singhania Corporation. Years. It had been years since he'd last set foot on Indian soil, years spent building his own tech empire in Foreign. Now, duty, or rather Neerav Singhania , his father's increasingly insistent calls, had dragged him back to inherit the legacy.
The sprawling glass and steel furnishings of Singhania Corporation loomed before him, a testament to his family's power and influence. He strode through the lobby, nodding curtly at the nervous employees who lined his path. A wave of nostalgia, mixed with a strange sense of displacement, washed over him. This was his birthright, yet it felt foreign.
His father, Neerav Singhania, had always been a man of grand gestures and unwavering authority. Yakshit expected his new office to reflect that - imposing, meticulously organized, and radiating power. What he found instead was... chaos.
A figure was sprawled across his expensive mahogany desk, a riot of dark hair obscuring their face, hiding their face from him. Papers were scattered haphazardly, a half-eaten plate of what looked like vada lay precariously close to a stack of confidential files, and a stray dupatta shimmered like a fallen banner.
Irritation flared within Yakshit. This was his first day, his first step into a role he hadn't entirely chosen, and he was already facing blatant insubordination. "Hey!" he barked, his voice sharp and carrying. "Wake up! This is not a dormitory. Who do you think you are haan, sleeping on the CEO's desk?"
The figure stirred, a groan escaping their lips. Slowly, groggily, a head lifted, revealing a pair of startlingly hazel eyes, wide with sleep and confusion colliding with his jet black ones. A smudge of kohl darkened the corner of one eye, and her lips were slightly parted. For a fleeting moment, Yakshit felt a flicker of something unexpected - an arresting beauty amidst the disarray. It was as if the past memories came flooding back. Flashbacks of a girl in a school uniform laughing appeared in front of his eyes.
But the professionalism in him quickly pushed it down. "Are you even an employee here?" he demanded, his voice regaining its edge. "Sleeping on company property? This is unacceptable! I want your name, and I want an explanation, now! Kaun ho tum? Aur yaha kya kar Rahi ho?"
(Who are you? And what are you doing here?)
Before the girl could utter a coherent word, an exhausted-looking woman with impeccably styled hair and a perfectly sharp nose rushed into the office. "Mr. Singhania!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of relief and panic. "Welcome back, sir. I am Mrs. Nigam, your father's... personal assistant. I apologize for the... uh... unexpected sight." She cast an innocent look at the still-dazed girl on the desk as if asking for forgiveness from her.
"Unexpected is an understatement, Mrs. Nigam," Yakshit said, his gaze still fixed on the girl who was now sitting up, looking thoroughly shocked yet somehow familiar even though he didn't want to accept it.
"Sir, the board meeting is about to begin," Mrs. Nigam continued, her tone urgent. "They are all waiting to formally declare you as the Chief Executive Officer."
Yakshit sighed, running a hand through his impeccably styled hair. "Right. Well, we'll deal with this... situation later." He gave the girl a stern look. "Don't even think about leaving. Agar tum mujhe yaha se gayab dikhi toh mein kya kar sakta hu tum soch bhi nahi sakti"
(If I find you gone by the time I come back, then you don't wanna know what I can do with you)
The boardroom was a study in muted power - polished applewood, hushed whispers, and the expectant gazes of the assembled board members. His father, Neerav, sat at the head of the long table, his expression a carefully constructed mask of pride and authority. On the left side of him, sat Nivaan Singhania,yakshit's chacha(uncle), the financial analyst and a prominent board member
"Yakshit," his father said, his voice booming slightly in the otherwise silent room. "Welcome. We are all eager to witness the formal transition."
A few polite nods and murmurs rippled around the table. Then, a distinguished-looking man with a neatly trimmed beard, Mr. Kapadia, cleared his throat. "Mr. Singhania," he began, his tone measured. "While we acknowledge your lineage and your impressive achievements abroad, Singhania Corporation has been under capable management for the past few years. We need to be assured of your vision for the future."
"My vision," Yakshit replied, his gaze unwavering, "is to propel Singhania Corporation into the 21st century, to leverage technology and innovation to reach new heights. I haven't spent the last decade building a successful tech firm to simply maintain the status quo."
"Admirable ambition, Mr. Singhania," Mr. Kapadia conceded. "However, the current Managing Director, Ms. Anika Verma, has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and has been instrumental in the company's recent growth. Her insights have been invaluable."
A ripple of agreement went through the board members. Yakshit frowned. He hadn't paid much attention to the company's internal workings, trusting his father's judgment. This Anika Verma seemed to hold significant sway.
"Indeed," another board member chimed in. "Perhaps it would be better to hear Ms. Verma's perspective before we proceed with the vote?"
"Yes, I second that," another voice echoed. "Anika has a deep understanding of the company's operations."
Yakshit's irritation grew. He was the rightful heir, yet they were discussing the merits of some employee as if she were a contender for his position. He opened his mouth to assert his authority, but his father subtly raised a hand, silencing him.
"While I appreciate your sentiments," Neerav Singhania said smoothly, his eyes glinting, "the decision rests with the board. We will proceed with a vote. All those in favor of Yakshit Singhania assuming the position of Chief Executive Officer, please raise your hands."
A hesitant silence filled the room. A few hands went up, mostly his father's close associates. Mr. Kapadia kept his hand firmly on the table, his gaze steady. The tension was palpable.
"And now," Mr. Kapadia continued, his voice carrying weight, "perhaps we should also hear from our Managing Director, Ms. Anika Verma. Her opinion carries considerable weight within this company."
All eyes turned towards the door. Just as Yakshit was about to interject, the door opened, and a figure walked in. It was her. The girl from his office, the one he had so rudely awakened and scolded. She stood tall, her initial sleepiness replaced by a composed grace. Her hazel eyes met his black ones for a fleeting moment, and he saw a flash of something unreadable within them.
A collective murmer went through the boardroom. The scattered dupatta from his desk was now draped elegantly over her shoulder. The smudge of kohl was gone, but the arresting beauty remained, now sharpened by an undeniable air of competence. Now he could clearly see what he was holding back.

"Ms. Verma," Mr. Kapadia said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "We were just about to take a vote. Your perspective on the new CEO would be most valuable."
Anika Verma's gaze swept across the room, lingering for a moment on Yakshit, who felt a sudden, disconcerting unease. Then, her voice, clear and steady, filled the silence.
"I believe Mr. Singhania," she said, her eyes now directly meeting his, "with his global experience and fresh perspective, is the right person to lead Singhania Corporation into the future. I vote in favor of his appointment as CEO."
A stunned silence hung in the air before a flurry of hands followed hers. Mr. Kapadia nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. The vote was unanimous.
Yakshit stared at Anika Verma, his mind reeling. Now he was feeling that he had seen those eyes before. The sleepy intruder on his desk was Anika Verma, the highly respected Managing Director of his family's company. He had not only misjudged her but had also unknowingly berated his father's most trusted lieutenant. And now, she had just secured his position.
As the board members began to offer their congratulations, a thousand questions swirled in Yakshit's mind. Who was this woman? Why had she been sleeping in his office? And why, after his appalling behavior, had she just given him the most powerful seat in the company? This was not the homecoming he had envisioned. This was something far more complex, and potentially, far more dangerous.
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