Winds of Destiny

Chapter 3

(Hidden Agendas)

Jai Pratap Rana is a man who built an empire from the ground up, known for his unyielding ambition and steely resolve. He's a figure of authority, who values three principles above all: respect, hard work, and discipline. To him, business is war, and there's no room for emotions—only strategy and results. Jai Pratap is a master at taking control of situations, believing that waiting is for the weak, and only the strong seize opportunities. His temper is infamous, and he's quick to lash out when things don't go as planned, a trait he passed down to his son, Shankar. Yet beneath the hard exterior lies a father who sees his legacy in his son, even if he struggles to express it with words. For Jai, love is expressed through expectations, challenges, and the relentless pursuit of success.

The air in Jai Pratap Rana's office was always thick with tension, like a battlefield before war. Behind the grand mahogany desk sat the man who had built an empire from nothing—Jai Pratap Rana, a man feared for his iron will and ruthless ambition. His sharp jawline and deep-set eyes, now lined with age and stress, were a reflection of his decades-long reign in the business world. Though his body showed signs of wear, his mind was sharper than ever.

His three principles were etched into his soul: respect, hard work, and discipline. And over time, he had taught these same values to his son, Shankar. There was no room for softness or leniency in their world. Jai loved Shankar, but it was not a love expressed with kind words or affection. It was a love measured in expectations, in demands that never seemed to stop.

Shankar stood across from his father, his tall frame and broad shoulders almost as imposing as the man who had raised him. But the tension between them was palpable, an unspoken pressure that filled the air. Jai's eyes were sharp as they studied his son, as if searching for any hint of weakness.

Jai leaned back in his chair, the creases in his brow deepening. "You know what happened, don't you?" His voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge to it. Shankar nods.

"You know what's at stake," Jai said, his voice a low growl, breaking the silence. "The Mehraj Group deal... we were supposed to secure it, but somehow it slipped through our fingers. Our enemy has it now."

The silence in the room was heavy. Jai's fingers drummed lightly on the table, his eyes never leaving his son's face. "Do you realize the significance of this deal?" he asked coldly. "The Mehraj Group is the key to expanding our empire into new territories. I don't care what it takes, Shankar, I want that deal back. I don't care who got it before us, it belongs to the Rana family."

Shankar held his father's gaze, feeling the weight of the command. He had learned long ago that in his father's world, failure was not an option. Jai's principles of control and domination had been hammered into him since childhood, and now he was being tested once again.

Shankar's gaze remained steady, his voice firm. "I understand. I'll fix it."

Jai leaned back in his chair, his eyes still burning with controlled fury. "I didn't build this empire by waiting for things to fall into my lap. The Rana family doesn't wait. We don't stand still. You've been trained to take control of situations, Shankar. So take control."

Shankar nodded again. "I will. We won't lose."

There was a pause, and for a moment, it seemed like the conversation might end there. But then Jai leaned forward, his expression growing more intense. "This is not just about business. This is about respect. This is about the name we've built. The Ranas cannot afford to lose—ever. If you fail, it's not just a deal we lose, it's our reputation. You understand that, don't you?"