Page 29 of Born in Ruin

Ishaan nodded. “With Mayukhi.”

“She’s going to get you the invitation but she won’t be going.”

Ishaan’s eyebrows rose.

“These are men only parties.”

“Are they now?” Ishaan’s eyebrows were going nuclear. “You’re sending me off to an orgy, Vir?”

“Yes.” Virat grinned. “And you’re welcome.”

SIXTEEN

Mayukhi

It had been two days since her supposed fiancé had last contacted her. He hadn’t replied to her message and neither had he made any attempt to make plans. Her hand hovered over her phone for a moment before she withdrew it.

She had work to do, she told herself firmly. If Ishaan and his little gang wanted her help then they would need to reach out. She had a life to get on with and their little intrigues were not her priority.

Her phone rang a moment later and she jumped to grab it. It was Shawn. She ignored the shard of disappointment lodged in her heart and answered. They were deep into a conversation on fabric choices for the new launch when her phone started to beep, signalling an incoming call. Mayukhi ignored it, preferring to finish her work call without distractions.

A half hour later, she disconnected the call just in time for her next meeting. Payal was waiting by her door to remind her of the appointment with her chartered accountant to plan finances and budgets for the business in the coming year. Numbers madeher head hurt but Mayukhi had made it a point to teach herself everything there was to know about it so she could be in the loop of all business financial decisions. It had never been more important than at this moment.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Chatterjee.” Subramanyam Sir was a lovely, elderly gentleman who had guided her through every aspect of first setting up and then running her business.

“Good afternoon Sir. How’s the coffee today?” She smiled as she gestured towards the cup by his hand.

“Much better,” he smiled conspiratorially. “But your office hasn’t cracked it yet.”

It had been a running joke between them that he would never get a good cup of south Indian filter coffee in her office. It would be a cold day in hell before Mayukhi backed down from a challenge like that. Her office staff had been following endless reels and videos and trying variations on the coffee for him but apparently, they hadn’tcrackedit as yet.

Mayukhi laughed. “We’ll keep trying then, Sir. But if you’re comparing our coffee to your mother’s, we may always be on a losing wicket.”

Subramanyam Sir chortled, his hands resting on his ample stomach. He pulled a large box file towards him before saying, “You’re on a good wicket, businesswise though. Profitability has grown by 8.5% and provided you’re not reckless with your spending, you can look at expansion by the end of this year.”

Mayukhi took a deep breath, knowing she was about to pop his bubble. “Actually Sir. There is something I want to do.”

Subramanyam Sir deflated before her eyes, recognising the glint in her eyes. “It’s something reckless, isn’t it?”

Mayukhi grinned. “I want to pay off the money invested in my business by my father’s firm.”

He blinked a couple of times before sighing. “It’s none of my business, but why?”

Mayukhi couldn’t burden him with the truth so she settled for saying, “It’s a pride thing.”

“This newfound pride appeared in the tenth year of your business, is it?”

His sceptical grimace told her he wasn’t buying it. But then he didn’t need to buy it. He just had to action it. This was Mayukhi’s business and she owed nobody any explanations for her choices. And her choice was to not allow Ishaan Adajania even a toehold in the company she’d built with nothing but passion and a stubborn bulldogged will to succeed.

She’d agreed to help him but she’d be damned if she’d submit to him.

A knock on the door had her looking up to see Payal knocking on her door to announce a visitor, one without an appointment. She gestured to Payal to give her ten minutes and focused on working through the broader details of her plan with Subramanyam Sir.

The meeting wound up and Mayukhi went to see who her mystery visitor was. She came to an abrupt halt when she saw Dhrithi sitting in the reception area, a copy of the latest Vogue open in her lap.

“Hi,” she said, uncertainly.

Dhrithi looked up and smiled, looking equally awkward and uncomfortable. “Hi,” she replied, getting to her feet. “I came by to have a quick word with you.”

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