Riya's penthouse glowed against Mumbai's glittering skyline in the evening shadows. Alone with a wine glass in hand on the balcony, yesterday's tense meeting replayed in her mind—Arjun Singh's steady gaze, his unyielding confidence. "Yeh ladka simple businessman nahi lagta," she murmured to herself, taking a slow sip. "Usmein kuch gehra chhupa hai jo mujhe kholna padega."
Kabir's call lit up her screen right then. "Ma'am, Arjun Singh ka background check complete ho gaya. Surface pe completely clean businessman hai. Par past mein ek major betrayal—uske business partner ne company ke saath saath uska trust bhi loot liya. Ab kisi pe easily trust nahi karta."
Riya set the glass down, interest sparking. "Toh samajh aaya kal meeting mein uska defensive attitude. Har point pe counter kiya, haar nahi maani. Yeh info useful hai." She sank into the sofa, legs crossed. "Aur market mein mere baare mein kya chal raha hai?"
Kabir paused. "Ma'am, aapke business empire ke underworld connection rumors phir se surface pe aa rahe hain. Forum pe discussions chal rahe hain, par solid proof nahi kisi ke paas."
Confident smile curved her lips. "Rumors toh chalta rahega. Competitors ka kaam hai yeh. Arjun pe focus rakho—uske trust ko dheere dheere win karna hai." After hanging up, she faced the mirror, replaying that intense eye-lock from the meeting. "Yeh ladka mera territory banega," she decided.
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Arjun's side: Late afternoon in his office, Arjun scrolled through research on Riya Sharma. Google showed corporate triumphs mixed with shady articles—"Riya Sharma's empire: legitimate business or underworld front?" An anonymous forum post hit hard: "Riya ke deals clean nahi dikhte. Gangster connections confirmed sources se."
His stomach dropped. "Kal meeting mein itna aggressive thi, har term pe ladti rahi... yeh rumors sach hain toh main kya kar raha hoon?" A vivid flashback surged—his partner smiling during document signing, then vanishing with the company, leaving empty accounts. Courts, lawyers, lonely nights. "Kabhi phir trust nahi karunga," he'd promised himself back then.
He dialed his best friend Rohan. "Rohan yaar, Riya ke baare mein kuch jaanta hai? Gangster connection rumors sun raha hoon market mein."
Rohan replied instantly. "Haan bhai, sab baat karte hain. Proof nahi hai solid, par smoke hai toh fire bhi hoga. Kal meeting kaisi rahi?"
Arjun hesitated. "Bahut intense thi. Terms pe clash hua, par mutual respect bhi bana end mein. Ab yeh rumors sunke confuse hoon completely."
"Careful reh bhai," Rohan warned. "Fire se khel raha hai tu. Pehle solid proof dhoondh." Call ended. Arjun stared out the window at the city. "Business partner hai ya danger? Attraction toh feel ho raha hai definitely, par risk bahut hai."
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Next day, Industry Mixer Event: The grand hotel ballroom buzzed with Mumbai's top businessmen. Soft jazz played, crystal glasses clinked. Arjun entered in a sharp black suit, eyes scanning for Riya automatically.
She stood out in a red gown—elegant, powerful, diamond necklace sparkling at her neck. Their eyes met across the room. His heart skipped. He approached with a champagne flute. "Good evening, Riya ji. Deal ke baad first casual meeting."
Riya's magnetic smile met his; glasses touched with a soft clink. "Arjun. Looking sharp. Event mein kaise lag raha hai?"
They stood side by side, small talk flowing. Soon, Arjun went direct, voice low: "Riya, tere business ke kuch rumors sun raha hoon. Underworld connections? Sach kya hai?"
She laughed softly, eyes unwavering. "Arjun, business mein rumors roz aate jaate hain. Competitors failane ke liye failate hain. Sach jaanna hai toh time de—dheere dheere sab khulega khud ba khud."
She stepped closer naturally; their shoulders brushed. He caught her perfume, distraction hitting. "Mera bhi past complicated hai. Partner ne dhokha diya once, trust toot gaya. Ab carefully chalna padta hai."
Empathy flickered in her eyes. "Samajh sakti hoon completely. Main bhi apni duniya ke scars chhupati hoon. Hum dono hi fighters hain essentially." Her hand rested lightly on his arm—a comforting squeeze laced with control.
They mingled through the event: light chats—Arjun shared a funny childhood story, Riya hinted at her early struggles (secrets veiled). A crowd surge made him grab her hand to stay close. Shoulder bumps, natural laughs. Emotional walls cracked just a bit.
Night ended. Arjun in his car: "Wo genuine lagti hai somewhere, par rumors ignore nahi kar sakta. Try karun trust build karne ka?"
Riya back at the penthouse, pouring wine. Mirror gaze: "Yeh ladka interesting hai."
End Questions:
• Kya Arjun Riya ke gangster rumors ko verify kar payega?
• Riya ka control game Arjun ke trust issues ko kaise challenge karega?
• Yeh emotional sharing unko kitna kareeb laayega bina physical escalation ke?
To Be Continued...