Later that day, Arjun Sharma slipped into Mr. Gupta's office at D-Mart, the hum of Bandra's evening traffic filtering through the window. With Ananya Desai waiting outside, Arjun leaned in, his voice low. "Mr. Gupta, I'll cover Ananya's ₹25,000 monthly salary. Make it look like standard pay—no need for her to know." Mr. Gupta raised an eyebrow, impressed by Arjun's generosity despite his recent divorce. "Sharma ji, that's big of you," he said, adjusting his glasses. "Driving that Maruti 800, I thought you were scraping by. Where's all this money from? Ola rides?" Arjun chuckled, deflecting. "Just some smart savings, Gupta ji. Keep it between us." The Midlife Mastery System buzzed silently, its secrecy intact.
Outside, Ananya, still in her sun protection gear, clutched her loan documents, her gratitude for the cashier job evident. She hesitated, her voice soft. "Uncle, loans have interest, right? I'm worried about debt." Arjun, explained, "We will Take an interest-free for four years, Ananya. ₹150,000 a year—keeps up with inflation, no burden." Her eyes brightened, her trust in his guidance deepening, boosting her favorability by 5% to 48%. "Okay, Uncle, let's do it," she said.
Back at the apartment, Priya Sharma, alone with her bandaged leg, texted Rohan Malhotra. "Rohan, swing by. Ananya's out with Dad," she typed, smirking. At his car company internship, Rohan, eager to see Ananya, took leave, ignoring his boss. "Cover me," he told his colleagues, who muttered enviously about his freedom as the general manager's son. Operations director Rhea Malhotra sighed, permitting his absence. "Rohan, be careful. We're drowning in deadlines," she warned. Rohan, distracted, sped off in his ₹58,00,000 BMW X5, hoping to catch Ananya.
Arriving at the apartment, Rohan's face fell, finding only Priya, lounging in a low-cut top, munching tandoori chicken. He hid his phone, its Ananya photo screensaver glowing, and offered desserts—creamy pastries and macarons. "Brought these for you," he said, his tone flat, feeling outdone by Arjun's six bags of D-Mart snacks. Priya, teasing, leaned forward. "Fancy car, fancy desserts, Rohan. Chasing Ananya with all this cash?" she said, grinning. "Oh, and, Ananya's stuck at D-Mart, though." Rohan's eyes lit up, masking his excitement. "Good for you, Priya," he said, already planning visits to Ananya at D-Mart.
Priya's provocative tone sharpened. "You're not fooling me, Rohan. You're here for her, not me." Rohan shrugged, playing it cool. "Just being friendly," he said, but his mind raced with plans to see Ananya at work, free from Priya's watchful eyes. The apartment buzzed with tension, Priya's teasing clashing with Rohan's hidden motives, while Arjun and Ananya's absence loomed large.
Arjun, driving to the bank, reflected on Ananya's secured job, the system buzzing: "Task Progress: Help Ananya secure a student loan. Continue for 11 days to unlock full rewards." Bandra's vibrant streets pulsed outside, but Arjun's focus remained on Ananya's future, unaware of Rohan's visit and Priya's scheming back home.
Attribute Panel:Height: 185 cm (+)Physical Age: 37Wealth: ₹31,01,390Strength: 72Spirit: 66Props: Knowledge Scroll=6, Electrolyte Drink=7, Protein Shake=2Daily Tasks: Nutritious breakfast, gym check-in, Ola rides, Efficient readingAnanya's Favorability: 48% (+5%)