Six Journeys One Destiny

Chapter 1 Old wounds

Author's POV

The Singhania Event

The massive chandelier dangled above the ballroom spilling soft, golden light over the throng of high-society guests, all raising their flutes in celebration of yet another triumph for the Singhania family. This time, the focus was on Nil Singhania—the eldest son—fresh from a high-profile legal victory that had filled the news for weeks. True to form, the Singhanias did not hold back when throwing the party, with all the trappings and ostentation you would expect from the number one business family in India.

Nil was at the heart of it all, dressed to the nines in a black suit that set the standard for classy. He had well-wishers congratulating him near AMSS lawyers, business colleagues and the usual hangers-on attracted to power and success. Nil flashed a bright, confident smile, soaking up each compliment, and his extrovert side emerged. You could not resist his charm—everyone flocked around him.

The last time they'd all been in the same place together was ten years ago—before their lives split off in separate, knotting threads. Through some stroke of fate, they were all back under the same roof—the six people the universe seemed to know needed a little shaking up.

But there was something beneath that smile that no one else could see. His eyes moved restlessly around the room, as if he searched for someone in particular, though he denied it to himself. Radhika. Decades on, the idea of her still reaching something far below the surface. Not just some girl, but the girl who he had once loved so hard, and despite all the things that stood in-between them, she still owned a piece of him.

Nil shook the thought away and refocused. There was no time for distractions tonight. He was the host, after all.

At the far end of the ballroom, Paridhi Singhania stood with a cocktail in hand, observing the event with an air of elegance. She exuded confidence in her chic black dress, her heels adding to her imposing stature as she commanded the attention of those around her. Paridhi was a force to be reckoned with, the CEO of her sneaker empire, and tonight, she was playing the role of both host and dutiful sister. Her eyes darted toward Nil, who was effortlessly charming a group of guests, then toward Heyansh, her younger brother, who lingered in the background, looking as if he wished to be anywhere else.

"Paridhi, darling, have you seen Ayan yet?" a voice asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

She turned to find her best friend, Radhika Lamba, by her side. Radhika, with her bold yet childish demeanor, looked out of place among the more sophisticated guests, but that never bothered her. She was herself—unapologetically loud, introverted when she needed to be, yet capable of drawing attention with her presence alone. Tonight, she was radiant in a deep maroon dress, her love for old-money aesthetics shining through with her vintage Chanel purse and soft waves in her hair.

"No," Paridhi replied, glancing toward the entrance. "But he'll show up eventually. Ayan's always late."

Radhika grinned. "Typical of him."

Ayan and Prisha Arrives

Just then, as if on cue, the Malhotra siblings made their entrance. Ayan Malhotra, the renowned cardiologist and former playboy, walked in with his usual casual confidence. His once-flirtatious grin had long since been replaced by a more serious, work-driven demeanor. He was no longer the carefree flirt who had once stolen every girl's heart in school, but there was still a certain charm about him—a calm, composed charisma that made people stop and take notice. His job, now his top priority, had transformed him.

Beside him, his younger sister, Prisha Malhotra, strode in with an air of cold indifference. Dressed in a fitted, sharp black suit, her disdain for the event was evident in the slight frown on her face. Prisha hated these gatherings—hated the people, the small talk, and most of all, the men who hovered around her, hoping to catch her attention. They didn't know the real her—the fierce, unapologetically cold woman who ran Malhotra Tech with an iron fist. They didn't know that behind her perfect, poised exterior lay deep-rooted insecurities and an anxiety that she hid from the world.