Forgotten Fires

Chapter 1

Reyan

"It's 11:00 a.m , and I need to be there by 12, where's my breakfast?" I snapped at my worker.

"Sorry sir It will only take 5 more minutes" she said fearfully.

I can't stand when people waste my time or get in the way of my work. I don't need that kind of disruption in my life, there's no room for people like that.

"You are fired" I said firmly, my voice controlled but cold. She immediately began to cry, pleading for mercy. I felt a surge of irritation - tears only made me more frustrated. I sighed, my patience thinning and called the Watchmen to remove her from my sight.

Today I am moving back to my parents house. My dad's business partners or I can say two of his closest friends are coming over and he's asked me to stay with him while they'll shift to their new house.

But honestly I couldn't be happier, I am about to meet the girl I've been waiting for all these years. We have been in a relationship since High school, but I've liked her ever since we were kids.

She's the only one who has a special place in my heart, the one person who truly makes me feel complete, She's everything I've ever wanted, the person I could've ever dreamed of.

But before all of that, today is the most important day of my life. I am receiving the 'Best CEO of the year award' and I am confident this is just the beginning. I know I've earned the title of the CEO of the year.

...........

And as expected I've just received the best CEO of the year award. I, Reyan Desai- The CEO of the year. And now I am heading back home, the trophy is in my hand. But the real price awaits me there- the one that truly matters.

I finally reached home, and it struck me, it's been 2 months since my last visit. My driver dropped me off at the doorstep and as soon as I stepped inside, she appeared. Without saying a word she rushed to me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. "Finally I'm here" she said, her voice full of happiness. Grinning, I lifted her by the waist and spun her around, her laughter filling the air as she giggled with delight.

Aarini

After five years of being miles apart, the wait is finally over! I’m moving to Mumbai, and I’m about to meet him — the love I’ve been dreaming of, for what feels like forever."

"We've spent the last five years talking on the phone, and I know he's changed a lot since he moved to Mumbai. But I'm used to it now. I’m hoping once we’re finally together, things will fall back into place and feel just like before."

"Finally, I'm making the move to Mumbai and preparing to take over my father’s business. Reyan and I are just a year apart, so he graduated before me and already stepped into his family’s business. His older brother Ayaan, who’s two years older than him, is more focused on his passion for singing, so he never took on the business responsibilities."

"As a child, I was always close to Ayaan, but deep down, I had feelings for Reyan, even though he never seemed to notice me. Everything changed when I was in 10th grade — I could sense a shift in the way he started treating me. Slowly, we grew closer, and by 11th grade, he finally confessed his feelings and proposed. From that moment on, we’ve been together."

"I’m feeling so nervous as there’s only one hour left before the plane lands in Mumbai. I have no idea how I’ll react when I finally see him, or how he’ll react when he sees me. The anticipation is overwhelming."

"One hour later…  

'Don't be arrogant, Tara, and behave properly,' my mom, Aditi Mehta, said as we made our way out of the plane. My mom is one of the top celebrity fashion designers, and my little sister, Tara, is only a year younger than me. She’s totally different from me — short-tempered, blunt, and never one to hold back her thoughts. She’s always been fiercely protective of me, which is why sometimes my mom worries she might say something that could make things awkward. Tara’s like a coconut — tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Just like mom, she has a deep love for fashion designing, which is why I’m taking over my father’s business, and Tara will follow in mom’s footsteps to handle her business."

"Hi Aarini, it's going to be so much fun — we’re finally going to meet Reyan!" Kavya grinned. Kavya Malhotra is the daughter of my father's best friend. My dad has two best friends — one is Reyan’s father, and the other is Kavya’s father. For the past five years, both of our families have been in Delhi, and today, we’re all finally shifting to Mumbai. 

Kavya and I have never gotten along. She never liked me growing up, but once Reyan and I got together, her feelings turned into outright hatred. I guess she has feelings for him, but honestly, I don’t care. Reyan is mine, and nothing is going to change that.

"As if Reyan would even want to see you," Tara said with a sarcastic smirk. I took a deep breath, grabbed her hand, and gently pulled her a few steps forward.

As I mentioned before, Tara is incredibly protective of me. When we reached the main door of the airport, we spotted Vijay Uncle, Meera Aunty, and Ayaan. Vijay Uncle and Meera Aunty are Reyan's parents, and ever since childhood, they’ve always hoped I’d marry Reyan one day. Maybe that’s another reason Kavya has always disliked me. 

But where’s Reyan? I guess he hasn’t received his award yet. I decided to text him.

*I have reached*

Meera Aunty and my mother share a special bond, just like she does with Devi Aunty, Kavya’s mother. While my mom and Meera Aunty are both strong, independent women, Meera Aunty chose to be a housewife, and she does it with so much grace. Being a housewife, after all, is no small feat — it comes with its own set of responsibilities. She’s incredibly sweet, especially compared to Tara.

Meanwhile, Vijay Uncle, my father Vikram Mehta, and Tara’s father, Ajay Malhotra, all began discussing business as usual. I couldn't help but wonder why they had no social life outside of work. It always seemed like all they ever talked about was business.

I greeted both of Reyan's parents, and Meera Aunty gave me a warm hug. Meera Aunty, like Vijay Uncle, is a successful businesswoman, and they work together in his company. 

Meera Aunty then greeted Tara, followed by Kavya. While she didn’t have any particular hatred for Kavya, she certainly didn’t warm to her the way she did with Tara and me. Maybe it’s because she understood exactly what Kavya was like.

"Hi Arni, it’s been a long time," Ayaan said with a warm smile.

"Yes, it’s been so long," I said, smiling back at him.

We got into the car and made our way to the mansion. As we arrived, I heard the sound of another car pulling up, and it hit me — it was Reyan. When he stepped out, a sudden rush of emotions flooded my body. I felt something strange and exciting all at once. After five long years, I was finally seeing him in person. 

He was even more striking than I remembered — about 6 feet 2 inches tall, with broad muscles and a perfect physique. His brown eyes, wavy hairs, and long eyelashes stood out, and even from a distance, I could clearly see how much he had changed.

As I was walking towards him, I saw Kavya running toward him with a smile. And then, the most unexpected thing happened. He pulled her into a hug, and they stood there, embracing each other. He was holding her tightly, and she was smiling up at him. What just happened?

-          -         -         -        -        -        -        -        -
Hello everyone, I know you are thinking what  just happened, if Reyan was with Aarini so why he's hugging Kavya.

I know I know, wait for the next part. There's lot going to happen.

I hope you liked this story if you do so please give stars and don't forget to comment so that I got to know what you are thinking about this story