The Billionaire's Embrace

A Chance Encounter

Let's get started ....

Atharva Raichand was known as the man with an iron heart. At 30, he had built an empire that few could rival. His name sent shivers down the spines of his competitors, and his employees often found themselves treading on eggshells. The boardroom was his battlefield, and today, he was more volatile than ever.

"Do you call this a business proposal?" Atharva's voice sliced through the meeting room like a whip. His dark eyes narrowed on the stack of papers before him, filled with incomplete data and haphazard projections. His jaw tightened, and he slammed his hand down on the table. The sound echoed in the room, making everyone flinch.

The staff seated before him, all seasoned professionals, fidgeted nervously. None dared to meet his gaze.

"I asked for detailed financial reports, competitor analysis, and growth projections for the next fiscal year. And you hand me... this garbage?" he spat, pushing the papers aside. His tone dripped with venom. "You all have 24 hours to fix this mess, or you can find yourselves new jobs."

His cold, commanding voice made even the senior executives tremble. Atharva had no tolerance for mediocrity. His father had built the Raichand empire, but Atharva had turned it into an indomitable force, not by being kind, but by being ruthless. He demanded perfection in everything and tolerated no excuses.

With one final glare, he stood up abruptly, his tall frame casting a shadow over the room. "Meeting adjourned," he barked before storming out, leaving the room in tense silence.

As he walked through the corridors, his anger still simmered beneath the surface. He hated incompetence. His hand instinctively tightened into a fist, and he knew if he stayed any longer, he would snap. The pent-up frustration gnawed at him.

Atharva needed to get away, clear his head. He loosened his tie, exhaling sharply. Without thinking much, he decided to visit the park nearby, a place he often went when he needed solitude and fresh air. It wasn't typical for someone of his stature to frequent parks, but the open space gave him a strange sense of calm.

The park was serene, a stark contrast to the world Atharva had just left. As he walked along the path, he noticed the children playing, their laughter filling the air. Atharva wasn't one to spend much time around kids. His life was all business, all cold decisions, and calculated risks. But today, he found some comfort in watching their innocent joy.

He sat on a bench, running a hand through his hair as he tried to calm his racing mind. Just then, a small red ball rolled to a stop near his feet.

Atharva glanced down at the ball, then looked up to see a tiny boy, no more than a year old, waddling toward him with wide, innocent eyes. The boy's face broke into a gleeful smile when he saw Atharva, and before Atharva could react, the little boy spoke, his voice soft and filled with innocence.

"Dadda... Dadda!" Aarav exclaimed, his small legs struggling to run toward the tall man. His baby voice was sweet, filled with excitement as he called Atharva something no one had ever called him before—"Dadda."

Atharva's eyes widened in surprise as the child clumsily approached him, calling him something so tender and personal. He glanced around, wondering where this little boy's actual father was.

Before he could say anything, a panicked voice called out, "Aarav! No!"

A woman ran toward them, her long hair bouncing against her back as she hurried to reach her son. Aradhya's heart was pounding in her chest as she scooped Aarav into her arms. She gently but firmly pulled him away from Atharva, her breath uneven from the rush.

"Aarav, no baby," she whispered, kissing his forehead. "He's not your dadda, sweetheart. He's not..."

But Aarav, his innocent heart already set on the tall man before him, began to wail, his tiny fists reaching out for Atharva. "Dadda! Dadda!" His baby voice broke into sobs, tears streaming down his chubby cheeks.