𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬: अनुरागी

❀ 1

The atmosphere in the boardroom was thick with tension, but Devanshi Devi Rajvansh & DD sat at the head of the table, completely unfazed. Her eyes, sharp as daggers, surveyed the faces of the executives sitting opposite her.

They had called this meeting to discuss a so-called "strategic partnership" with her company, but DD, the renowned CEO of Rajvansh Enterprises, knew better.

She could smell a fraud from miles away.

The man across from her, Mr. Mehra, a slick businessman with a smirk permanently plastered on his face, leaned forward. "DD, we believe this collaboration will bring mutual benefits for both our companies. After all, who wouldn’t want to partner with such a prestigious name as Rajvansh Enterprises?"

Devanshi smiled, but it was the kind of smile that made people nervous. "Oh, I'm sure you would love to partner with us, Mr. Mehra," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But tell me, have you done your homework properly? Because I have."

The room fell silent. The other executives shifted in their seats, clearly uneasy. Mr. Mehra’s smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Of course, DD. We've reviewed everything."

"Achha?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "Toh phir yeh batao, how exactly are you planning to profit from our internal data without us noticing?"

(Oh really? Then tell me, how exactly are you planning to profit from our internal data without us noticing?)

Mr. Mehra’s face turned pale. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out.

"I have seen your so-called 'proposal' and let's just say, it's as fake as the Rolex on your wrist." DD's words were sharp, cutting through the false pleasantries like a knife.

One of the other executives, a younger man who looked like he had just joined the company, nervously glanced at Mr. Mehra before speaking up. "DD, I don’t think you understand—"

"I understand perfectly," DD interrupted, leaning forward, her eyes locked on his. "What I don’t understand is why you think I'm stupid enough to fall for this scam. Tujhe kya lagta hai, ki main yahaan baithe-baithe laddoo kha rahi hoon?"

(What do you think, that I'm sitting here eating sweets all day?)

Mr. Mehra’s expression hardened. "DD, I think we’re getting off on the wrong foot. Perhaps we can revisit this discussion later—"

"There's nothing to revisit," DD snapped. "The only place this discussion is going is into the trash where your pathetic attempt at fraud belongs. Aur sun, don't think for a second that you can try this with another company. I’ll make sure everyone in the industry knows exactly what kind of 'businessmen' you are."

Mr. Mehra stood up, clearly trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. "You’re making a big mistake, DD."

DD smirked. "No, Mr. Mehra. The only mistake being made here was thinking you could pull a fast one on me. Now, kindly get out of my boardroom before I have security escort you out."

As Mr. Mehra and his team left the room in a huff, DD leaned back in her chair, her blunt, no-nonsense demeanor firmly intact. She knew they would never dare to cross her again, nor would they attempt to deceive anyone else. Her message had been loud and clear.

Just as she was about to call her assistant, Vedant, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, spoke up.

"DD, you handled that well, but are you sure you didn’t overdo it? Maybe we could have... I don't know, worked something out?"

DD looked at him, her expression stern. "Who are you to question me? Are you giving me a salary or am I giving you?

He hesitated, clearly unsure, but nodded. "I just don’t want people to doubt your capability."

She let out a short laugh. "You just care about your capability.”

……..

Meanwhile, in a completely different part of the city, Reyansh Singhania, a professor known for his calm demeanor and razor-sharp intellect, was beginning his first lecture of the semester. The classroom was packed, filled with eager students who had heard all about his teaching style.

Reyansh entered the room, his usual calm smile in place. "Good morning, everyone," he greeted them warmly. "Welcome to a new semester. I hope you're all ready to dive into the exciting world of finance and accounting."

A few students chuckled at his light tone, while others nodded seriously. Reyansh liked to keep things relaxed in the classroom, but he also had a reputation for being one of the toughest professors around.

As he started the lecture, a student sitting in the front row, who clearly thought of himself as smarter than the rest, raised his hand. "Sir, I have a question."

Reyansh nodded. "Go ahead."

The boy, Ravi, stood up and launched into a complicated question, phrased in such a convoluted way that it was clear he was trying to show off.

Reyansh listened patiently, and when Ravi finished, the professor simply smiled. "That’s an interesting question, Ravi. But let me ask you this—how would you approach this if you considered both accrual and cash accounting methods together?"

Ravi blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Uh... I didn’t... consider that."

Reyansh nodded thoughtfully. "Exactly. The point is, accounting isn't about throwing around big words or complicated theories. It's about understanding the core principles. And the core principle here is balance."

He scribbled a quick equation on the board, solving the problem with ease and turning back to the class. "That’s how you simplify complex concepts."

Ravi, embarrassed but still determined to prove himself, tried again. "But sir, don't you think there's a better way to handle this, like using derivative functions?"

Reyansh raised an eyebrow, still calm but with a hint of amusement. "Ravi, if you're here to learn, that’s great. But if you're here to test me, you'll lose. Humility is an important part of learning. You might want to keep that in mind."

The rest of the class stifled their laughter, and Ravi sank back into his seat, clearly out of his depth.

Reyansh smiled kindly at the class. "Now, who else has a question?"

And with that, the semester began with Reyansh’s blend of kindness and sharp intellect, a combination that kept his students on their toes.

How was the chapter? Vote and comment guys for next chapter. Who do you like DD or Reyansh?