𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙

-15-

Everyone was getting ready to go to the market for some fashion ideas and street food, all thanks to Anaya's enthusiastic demand. Rhea and I were ready first, so we went down to the hallway and started chatting about the day we met Mr. Roy for a meeting. Rhea, curious as always, asked, "Now will you tell me how you know Mr. Roy?"

I smiled and said, "Yes, Rhea, calm down. Let's sit and talk." We sat, and I began explaining. "You know my Abbu had a close friend, right?"

Rhea nodded, "Yes, I know he had a jigri dost, but I never met him or saw him."

"That friend is none other than Mr. Roy," I revealed.

Just then, Raghav, who was ready and carrying a tray with a cup of coffee, entered and overheard us. He interjected, "I am Mr. Roy Singhania's son, Raghav Singhania."

Rhea's eyes widened in shock. "What? That means you both know each other from childhood?" she asked.

I shook my head, "No, he did study here till high school, but we didn't know each other then. After that, he got transferred to another school."

Raghav continued, "And when Fiza ran away from her house..." I noticed his hesitation as he brought up a painful memory, and I felt my heart sink slightly. He quickly added, "My father helped her."

I picked up the story, "Yes, his father sent me to the US for higher studies, for my MBA. He was the one supporting me. He made all the documents, the visa, the passport, everything ready and sent me there without my father knowing."

Rhea's eyes softened with understanding. "Oh, okay, now I get it."

"Yes," I continued. "After my studies, I came back here and started the business. You were there with me from the start, so you know very well how hard it was for me. And now I am here, on top, just because of you guys, Raghav, and his father. They supported me a lot."

Raghav interrupted with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood, "Leave that. If we had known each other in school, what a trio of friends we would have been, right?"

Rhea teased, "Yeah, right! And you, Raghav, would have been the troublemaker of the group, always dragging us into some mischief."

I chuckled, adding, "And Rhea would be the one keeping us in check, making sure we didn't go too far."

Raghav grinned, "And you, Fiza, would be the mastermind behind all our plans, always coming up with the best ideas."