44. His Temptress

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"Maa, these pleats are too much to handle," she fussed over the sari that seemed to have a mind of its own, tangling in a mess

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"Maa, these pleats are too much to handle," she fussed over the sari that seemed to have a mind of its own, tangling in a mess.

Chuckling, Viharini closed the door, shaking her head at her daughter's huffing and puffing. With her hands on her hips, she let her saree graze the floor before softly hitting Srida's arm. She bent down to take hold of the saree, gracefully making the pleats.

"Beta, I know you are nervous about today. But this is the first step to seeing the world in a new light-not under a veil, but over it. It will be a roller coaster ride with many ups and downs. But you must remember that we are your family, not outsiders. You don't have to hide; you can share everything with us. Family can never be the villain, Shona. Although we acted as an obstacle when you wanted to work in another organization, we are your parents who wanted their children to walk on a path of roses, not thorns.

Now, I'm the same mother who is proud of my daughter and son, who are the pride of our family. I'm a proud mother of my daughter, who will always be my daughter first before every other role you play."

She finished tucking the pleats into the waistband of the shapewear and smiled at her daughter, who was taking a significant step in her life. She kissed her forehead and applied a bit of kohl behind her ears for protection.

Her golden organza saree, embroidered finely with sequin work on the pallu and a fully embroidered blouse with stones, complemented her pale skin beautifully. Her neck was adorned with an uncut diamond choker, and her ears with diamond studs. Her left hand was adorned with a bracelet and her engagement ring, while her right hand wore golden bangles, heirlooms from her Dadu. She looked divine-a devil behind divine beauty.

"Maa, why are you getting emotional as if it's my vidaai? Chale, bahar sab intezaar kar rahe honge," she said, wiping her mother's tears before walking out of the room.

("Mom, why are you getting emotional if it's my farewell? Come on, everyone will be waiting outside.)

Srida walked to Abhishek, who stood at the back of the stage, waiting for their entry to be announced.

"Ready to see the world as Srida Harshit Sharma, the Daughter of Sharma?" Abhishek asked, looking at her with a straight face. She smirked and nodded.

"Now, let's welcome the most awaited moment: the face of AbhiSri. Welcome the powerful duo, Mr. Abhishek Sharma and his sister, Ms. Srida Sharma, with a round of applause," the host announced. Both straightened their backs with professional smiles on their faces.

Slipping her hand into his bicep, they walked as the stage opened for them. The room erupted in clicks and applause, and the media allowed in for a few moments to capture the moment.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues, and valued partners,As we stand here today, we mark a significant milestone in our journey. For the first time, we are stepping out from behind the scenes and revealing our faces to the world. We have worked tirelessly to build a company founded on trust, transparency, and innovation. Now, we are proud to put our names and faces to our company," Abhishek said, pausing to let Srida continue.

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