If there was one thing I detested more than incompetence, it was the superficial glitz of Mumbai's annual charity galas. To the rest of the world, tonight was a celebration of philanthropy and success. To me, it was just a boardroom with an open bar and a dress code.
I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my dressing room, fastening the cuffs of my crisp white shirt. For tonight, I chose a bespoke, midnight-black tuxedo tailored to absolute perfection. With a black tie resting sharp against my collar.
I shrugged into the jacket, smoothing down the lapels. The fabric was heavy, structured, and immaculate. It wasn't just clothing; it was my armor. When you rule an empire, you don't dress to look good you dress to command a room before you even open your mouth.
I checked my watch, adjusted my hair, and headed downstairs where my family was already waiting.
The drive to the venue was filled with the usual chatter from Ananya, Diya and Rohan, but my mind was strictly on the guest list. I knew she would be there. The sting of losing the coastal highway project was still fresh, and the thought of facing Kiara Malhotra in public made my jaw tighten.
The moment our convoy pulled up to the grand entrance of the St. Regis, the atmosphere shifted. The flashing lights of a hundred paparazzi cameras illuminated the dark windows of my car. The security detail immediately cleared a path, pushing back the crowd as the door was opened for me.
As I stepped out, a sudden wave of silence seemed to ripple through the onlookers nearest to the red carpet. I didn't smile for the cameras; I walked with a steady, unbothered pace, my family following close behind.
Entering the grand ballroom, I could feel every eye in the room shifting toward us. The whispers started instantly. In this crowd of Mumbai's elite, my presence was a heavy weight.
I noticed several younger entrepreneurs and tech founders standing near the edge of the hall, nudging each other as I walked past. I could see the look in their eyes a mix of intense awe and sheer inspiration.
To them, I was the blueprint of ultimate corporate success, the man who had turned Singhania Corp into an untouchable monopoly before turning thirty. They looked at me like I was a goal they could only dream of achieving.
But right alongside that inspiration was a very palpable sense of fear.
As I scanned the room, older, more established CEOs quickly turned their gazes away, subtly clearing a path for me toward the VIP lounge. No one wanted to lock eyes with me tonight, especially not after the aggressive market moves I had authorized over the last week.
They knew that a single conversation with Shivansh Singhania could either secure their company's future or end it entirely. They feared my scrutiny, they feared my silence, and most of all, they feared becoming my next target.
I accepted a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, my eyes sweeping over the glittering crowd, looking past the fake smiles and the expensive jewelry.
Where are you, Ms. Malhotra? I thought, my fingers tightening slightly around the crystal glass. Let's see how boldly you carry yourself when you aren't hiding behind a boardroom desk.
Across town, my penthouse was a blur of high-end silk, expensive makeup palettes, and loud, chaotic music. While Shivansh Singhania was probably brooding in front of a mirror like a textbook corporate robot, I was standing in the middle of my walk-in closet, enjoying every single second of preparing for his defeat. Tonight wasn't just a charity gala; it was my victory lap.
"Oh my god, Kiara, if you don't stop moving, I am going to ruin your eyeliner," Ishani groaned, holding a brush in her hand while Myra sat on my vanity counter, casually eating strawberries.
"Hurry up, Ishani. I have a grand entrance to make," I smirked, looking at my reflection.
For tonight, I chose a sleek, floor-length gown in deep emerald green. The fabric clung perfectly to my silhouette, with a sharp, asymmetrical neckline and a daring slit up the side that showed just enough skin to keep it sophisticated. It was bold, modern, and completely commanded attention.
I paired it with minimal diamond jewellery just a striking pair of emerald drop earrings and a couple of rings. My hair was styled in sleek, glossy waves parted to one side. Looking at myself, I didn't see a woman who was just attending a party. I saw the CEO of Malhotra Enterprises. I looked powerful, unyielding, and completely in control.
"Damn, saali," Myra whistled, jumping down from the counter. "Tu toh bilkul aag lagane wali hai aaj. If looks could kill, Singhania Corp's stock would crash tonight itself."
(You are literally going to set everything on fire today.)
"That's exactly the plan," I laughed, spraying a touch of my favorite perfume. "Let's go, girls. Duty calls."
The moment our sleek black limousine pulled up to the St. Regis, the paparazzi erupted. The flashing lights were blinding, reflecting off the polished metal of the car. The valet opened the door, and I stepped out onto the red carpet, my heels clicking with absolute precision. Myra and Ishani flanked me, both looking stunning, but all the cameras immediately locked onto me.
"Kiara! Over here!" "Ms. Malhotra, a comment on the coastal project?!" the reporters shouted, pushing against the barricades. I didn't stop for interviews. I gave them a single, flawless, calculated smile before walking through the grand glass doors of the ballroom.
The second I crossed the threshold, the shift in the room was instantaneous. The hum of casual conversation dropped, and heads turned in unison. I walked with my head held high, the emerald silk of my gown sweeping behind me like a statement.
Just like at the office, the corporate crowd looked at me with an undeniable mix of awe and terror.
I noticed a group of young female entrepreneurs standing near the gallery, watching my every move with wide, inspired eyes. To them, I was the ultimate blueprint the woman who had taken a massive empire and turned it into an untouchable fortress in a male-dominated industry.
But right alongside that inspiration was a very satisfying wave of fear.
As I walked deeper into the hall, several mid-tier tech founders and older logistics directors quickly cleared a path, subtly avoiding my line of sight.
Nobody wanted to mess with me tonight. After the ruthless way I had snatched the coastal highway project right out of Singhania's hands, the entire industry knew that Malhotra Enterprises was playing a zero-sum game.
They knew that crossing me meant swift, permanent financial ruin. They feared my sharp calculations, they feared my clinical execution, and they absolutely did not want to become my next target.
I smoothly picked up a glass of red wine from a waiter's tray, my eyes scanning the glittering crowd until they finally locked onto a very familiar, rigid silhouette across the ballroom.
There he was. Shivansh Singhania, looking immaculate and brooding in his midnight-black tuxedo, surrounded by his family.
A sharp, dangerous smile curved my lips as our eyes met across the crowded room. Found you, Mr. Singhania, I thought, raising my glass a fraction of an inch in his direction. Let's see how long you can keep up that untouchable attitude tonight
I saw her the exact moment she entered the ballroom. It was impossible not to.
Kiara Malhotra walked into the hall like she owned the entire venue, the deep emerald silk of her gown cutting through the sea of boring black and white dresses. She was flanked by her two friends, but my eyes locked entirely on her.
She looked striking, powerful, and infuriatingly confident. When our eyes met across the crowded room, she didn't look away. Instead, she had the absolute nerve to raise her wine glass in my direction, a sharp, dangerous smirk playing on her lips.
She's mocking me, I thought, my jaw clenching as I set my champagne glass down on a nearby table with a little more force than necessary. She was clearly riding the high of her little half-percent victory from yesterday.
“Oh my god, look over there," Ananya whispered excitedly, nudging my arm and interrupting my staring contest. "Bhaiya, isn't that Kiara Malhotra? The one who won the coastal highway bid? She looks absolutely stunning!"
"She looks like trouble," I muttered under my breath, adjusting the cuffs of my tuxedo jacket.
Before I could stop her, Mom turned her head to look in the direction Ananya was pointing. Her face instantly lit up with a warm, genuine smile. "Oh, yes! That is her. I told you, Shivansh, she carries herself with so much grace."
"Mom, please don't start-"
"Come, let's go greet her," Mom said decisively, completely ignoring my protest. She smoothly picked up her elegant saree pallu and began walking straight toward the Malhotra camp.
"Mom, wait Dad, stop her!" I looked at my father for backup, but he just offered a dry, amused chuckle.
"Let your mother have her way, Shivansh. Besides, it's good corporate etiquette to congratulate your rivals," Dad said, a knowing glint in his eye as he followed her. Rohan and Diya were already snickering behind me.
Left with no choice, I had to follow. I forced my posture into a rigid, clinical stance, my expression turning back into a wall of unreadable stone. If Kiara Malhotra thought she was going to publically humiliate me tonight, she was dead wrong.
As we approached, her friends noticed us first, their teasing smiles instantly shifting into sharp, alert expressions. Kiara turned around slowly, her emerald earrings catching the light of the chandeliers.
For a split second, a flash of genuine surprise crossed her features when she saw my mother leading the way, but she masked it perfectly within the blink of an eye, her professional, flawless smile smoothing over her face.
"Hello, dear," Mom said, her voice full of warmth as she stepped into Kiara's space. "I am Suhasini Singhania. I've seen you at a few charity events before, but I never got the chance to personally tell you how incredibly well you handle your empire. You look beautiful tonight."
Kiara's eyes softened just a fraction, a genuine touch of respect replacing her cold corporate mask as she greeted my mother. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Singhania. That means a lot coming from you. Your charity foundation's work with the rural healthcare sectors is something I deeply admire."
I stepped up right beside my mother, my presence instantly shifting the temperature of the conversation. I looked down at Kiara, my eyes cold and demanding.
"Ms. Malhotra," I said, my voice smooth but dripping with an icy edge. "Congratulations on the coastal highway project. It takes a lot of... creative restructuring to alter a tariff line overnight. Some might call it a bit desperate."
Kiara turned her gaze to me, her eyes locking onto mine with equal force. The warmth she had shown my mother vanished, replaced by a razor-sharp, bossy intensity. She tilted her head, her smile turning incredibly sweet and dripping with heavy sarcasm.
"Desperate, Mr. Singhania? Oh, absolutely not," Kiara replied smoothly, taking a slow sip of her wine. "We just call it reading the room. Though I suppose when you're used to sitting so high up on your throne, you forget that the rest of the world actually moves. Don't worry, a half-percent loss won't ruin you. It just builds character."
My jaw tightened. "Character isn't built on luck, Ms. Malhotra. A temporary oversight on our end doesn't mean you've mastered the market. Enjoy the spotlight while it lasts, because the electronics merger is right around the corner. I'd hate to see your timeline fall apart so soon when reality hits."
"Reality?" Kiara chuckled softly, a sound that was dangerously mocking. "Oh, Shivansh. I am the reality. And as for your electronics merger... if your strategy for that is anything like your coastal bid, I'd suggest you save your legal team the paperwork. I'd hate to see you get publicly embarrassed twice in one week."
I opened my mouth to shoot back a reply, my mind racing for a counter-attack, but the words completely caught in my throat. She had put it so bluntly, with so much calm arrogance, that I genuinely didn't have an answer. For the first time in my life, a competitor had completely shut me down in front of a crowd.
Right next to me, I heard a muffled snort. I cut my eyes sideways to see Rohan violently coughing into his napkin, his shoulders shaking as he tried to hide his laughter.
Diya had her hand clamped firmly over her mouth, her eyes watering from the effort of holding in a giggle, while Ananya was blatantly grinning behind Mom's back. Even my father had to look away, clearing his throat suspiciously as he adjusted his watch.
They were completely enjoying my misery.
Kiara noticed my family's reactions, and the smirk on her face widened, victorious and entirely unbothered by my icy stare. "It was wonderful meeting you, Mrs. Singhania," she said smoothly, completely dismissing me as if I were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. "Enjoy the evening."
With a final, devastatingly smug glance at me, she turned on her heel and walked away, her friends whispering and giggling the moment they were out of arm's reach.
I stood there, frozen, my blood boiling under my tailored suit.
"Well," Chachi murmured from behind, breaking the heavy silence. "She certainly knows how to hold her ground. I like her even more now."
"Chachi, please," I muttered, my voice tight as I stared at the retreating green silk gown.
And that's a wrap on this part of the chapter! ✨ What do you think about the dynamic brewing between them? 👀 If you loved reading this, please don't forget to hit that little star to VOTE and leave a COMMENT with your favorite moments! Your support means the world to me. See you in the next one! ❤️✨
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