Destiny: Time To Fall In Love

Chapter 14 - The Kullhad Connection

At 8:00 AM, the Maheshwari Mansion was usually a place of quiet luxury. Veer sat with his father, Rohan, enjoying a rare, peaceful breakfast. They were laughing about old stories when Veer's phone buzzed—a call from Vikram.

As the conversation progressed, Veer's face drained of its warmth. The relaxed lines of his expression hardened into a mask of cold tension.

"What happened, son? You look tensed," Rohan asked, his fatherly instincts flaring.

"I don't know, Dad. Vikram didn't give me the details, but he told me to get to the office immediately. It's an emergency." Veer stood up and touched his father's feet, a habit of respect he never forgot.

"Should I come with you?" Rohan offered.

Veer gave him a small, reassuring smile. "No, Dad. There's nothing your son can't handle."

Inside the CEO's Cabin

When Veer arrived, the air in his office was thick with panic. Vikram and Mahi were already there, looking like they hadn't slept.

"Tell me," Veer barked, not even taking off his coat. "What's the matter? Why the long faces?"

Vikram looked at Veer, his voice trembling slightly. "Veer... we're fucked, bro."

"For God's sake, be clear, Vik! Don't talk in riddles!"

"Okay, in plain English—the perfume we were supposed to launch in two days? Our rivals launched it this morning. Our head perfumer betrayed us. He sold the formula and vanished. We have nothing to launch, Veer. We're going to be the laughingstock of the industry."

Veer's eyes turned bloodshot. The anger radiating from him was palpable. "Do you realize what you're saying? This isn't just our project! We are collaborating with the Wilsons. They are international giants. Their reputation is on the line along with ours! I want that bastard in my cabin in one hour!"

"I'm trying, Veer!" Vikram shouted back, stressed. "I've filed a lawsuit, but he's gone underground. He knows the consequences of betraying a Maheshwari."

Mahi, who had been silent, finally spoke up. "Guys, catching him isn't the priority. We need to think about the launch. We need a product."

"I don't know, Mahi," Veer whispered, dropping into his chair, his voice laced with rare disappointment. "For the first time... my mind isn't working."

"I have a suggestion," Mahi said, her eyes bright with sudden hope. "It might sound ridiculous, but I'm confident. Why don't we ask the new girl, Aashi, to create a new fragrance?"

Veer looked at her in total disbelief. "That girl?! She's a walking disaster, Mahi! She's been here for a week. You expect a newbie to create a world-class, unique fragrance in forty-eight hours?"

"I think Mahi is right," Vikram interjected. "It's not like we have a choice, Veer. We have to try something."

Veer closed his eyes, his mind racing. He thought about the disaster in the hallway, the spilled water, the door hitting his head... and then he thought about the brilliant credentials in her file. Finally, he gave a slow, sharp nod.

"Fine. Call her."

Aashi's POV

The moment I stepped into the department this morning, I knew something was wrong. The air felt heavy, like the atmosphere before a massive storm. The usual morning chatter and the sound of coffee machines were replaced by a cold, suffocating silence. I was about to ask one of the seniors what happened when my phone buzzed.

Mahi Ma'am calling...

"Aashi, come to the CEO's cabin. Immediately," she said. Her voice didn't have its usual warmth; it sounded sharp, urgent.