"I Do"

chapter 19

Vasco's POV

I've never cared for Singapore's weather. It's suffocating, relentless.

Everything here feels like it's melting under the heat.

Today marks my final day in this city, and with the successful launch of MeherjeeRana's new vehicle Horizon in East Asia, my work here is done.

But something else is gnawing at me.She hasn't called. Not once. No messages, no word.

It's a clear defiance of the values my family holds dear. I can't let this kind of arrogance slide, because I've seen how this plays out.

I know exactly where it leads. She's on the same path as that woman-if I don't intervene now, it'll all fall apart, just like before.Tomorrow, I'll be in India.

One way or another, we'll be together. She may resist, but it doesn't matter. I've made my choice.

We'll be bound, for better or worse. This isn't about love anymore-this is about control, and only death will change that.

Suddenly, my phone buzzes.

Is it her? I wonder, hoping for a moment. No-it's my father.

I don't want to take his call. The man knows how to nag, and I'm far too old to listen to his endless complaints.

I answer, though, because ignoring him would only make things worse.

Vasco: "Yes."

Mr. MeherjeeRana: "I want to prepare a will. Since your brothers are still minors, they can't be part of this discussion.

"His words hit like a slap.

I stiffen, my voice low and sharp.

Vasco: "Are you playing with me?"

Mr. MeherjeeRana: "I want this to go the easy way, Vasco. Don't make it difficult."I grit my teeth.

Vasco: "You are in no position to decide about this conglomerate or its shares. There will be no will that divides the power structure of how this company works."

Without waiting for a response, I disconnect the call with a loud thud, my frustration boiling over.

Mr. MeherjeeRana's POV

Thud.

Vasco disconnected the call.

I wasn't surprised. He's always had anger issues, ever since his mother left us. I can't blame him for that, and I wasn't exactly a saintly father either.

I pushed him too hard, and there were times I was absent when he needed me most.

But things are different now.

As I've grown older, I've become softer, especially toward my younger sons.

I want to ensure they'll be well taken care of after I'm gone. Vasco might not see it, but this is my way of making up for past mistakes.

MeherjeeRana is more than just a company-it's a legacy. It has been in operation for over a century, and the leadership has always been determined by rank and bloodline.

My father was the eldest son of MeherjeeRana's founder and married into a noble family, just as I did.

This ensured that we held the larger share of the conglomerate's wealth and power.

My younger brother, who married a commoner, was given a smaller share and had almost no say in major decisions.

Tradition always dictated that power stayed with the eldest sons who preserved the nobility of the bloodline.

When I married Vasco's mother, who was a noble Parsi woman, I followed that same path.

It allowed me to become the next head of the conglomerate.

My brother, who married outside the Parsi community, was sidelined, despite his share in the company. The power has always remained with me, and next in line is Vasco.

His position is secured not just because of his abilities but also because he's the product of two noble Parsi families.

His wife, too, comes from a prestigious family-*The House of Petit*-reinforcing his claim.

But my other sons... They're not so fortunate.

They were born to a non-Parsi mother, someone who doesn't carry the same noble lineage.

And in our world, lineage matters more than anything.

Despite my love for them, I know the system will not favor them the way it does Vasco.

That's why I need this will-to ensure they have their rightful place after I'm gone, even if Vasco can't see it yet.