The Unwanted Royal Marriage

30.This is Mr.Omkar Sethi.

Adhyay's pov

I leaned back in my chair, feeling the morning sun filtering through the window as I dialed Rajat's number. The phone barely rang twice before he picked up.

"Good morning, sir!" Rajat's voice came through, crisp and professional as always.

"Morning, Rajat," I replied, keeping my tone steady. "I assume you have today's agenda ready?"

"Yes, sir," he replied promptly. "But there's some news I wanted to share before we get into that. You've been nominated for the CEO Excellence Award and the CEO of the Year Award at the upcoming Business Awards."

There was a pause, but I could almost picture the restrained excitement in his expression. The Business Awards—one of the most prestigious ceremonies in our field. And hearing about the nominations didn't exactly come as a surprise; I'd won CEO of the Year for the last four years, after all. But this year, something felt different.

"Two categories?" I repeated, the hint of a smile forming. "What are they saying about the nominations this time?"

Rajat cleared his throat, sounding pleased. "The CEO Excellence Award nomination highlights your recent expansions into new markets, sir, especially the international ventures. The CEO of the Year nomination notes your leadership through some challenging quarters and, well... it's not every year a CEO balances both the growth and stability you've managed to achieve, sir."

I let his words sink in, a quiet sense of satisfaction settling over me. Though I tried not to focus too much on the recognition, there was a certain pride that came with knowing my efforts hadn't gone unnoticed, and the thought of winning again felt reassuring.

"What's our timeline?" I asked, already turning to glance at my calendar.

"They'll announce the finalists in about two weeks," Rajat informed me. "The ceremony is at the end of the month."

I nodded, formulating a plan in my head. "And the press?"

"There's already been some speculation in the media," he replied. "It seems people are expecting you to win both categories."

I chuckled, more to myself than to him. "Well, let's make sure we don't give them any reason to doubt it. Have the team put together a report on our recent performance—every milestone, every success."

"Yes, sir," Rajat said with a hint of enthusiasm. "And sir... if I may say, it's an honor working with someone who consistently leads by example. You've more than earned these nominations."

"Thank you, Rajat," I replied, appreciating his words. "And thank you for always handling everything with such precision. I'll see you in the office soon."

Hanging up, I sat back for a moment, letting the news settle. Winning the CEO of the Year Award again would be an accomplishment—but winning both? That would set a standard, not just for me, but for the entire company. A standard of excellence, a reminder that we were building something bigger, something lasting.

I couldn't help but think of Meera and how proud she would be. She understood the weight I carried, the constant drive to push forward, to excel. And this year, perhaps more than ever, I wanted to share that success with her, to let her see how much her support meant in every step of the journey.

As I entered my office, I barely had a moment to sit down and review the morning updates before the door swung open with a burst of laughter and energy. In came Dhruv, Dev, Devi, and Siddharth, each wearing broad grins and practically glowing with excitement. They marched in as though this were some celebratory parade, ignoring the silence that usually filled my office in the early hours.