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"Beautiful..." he muttered under his breath, the word slipping out before he could stop it.

For a moment, he stood there, conflicted by the encounter. He had come to New York to deal with business, yet here he was, distracted by a stranger who had just challenged him in a way no one had before. Shaking off the odd feeling, Shu got back into his car, his mind still lingering on the encounter as he drove towards his father's company.

But even as he tried to focus on the road ahead, the image of Prisha—the girl with the broken flower pot and the calm defiance—refused to leave his thoughts.

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Ayush glanced at his watch, a flicker of unease crossing his face as he tried to maintain his calm demeanor. "Just a minute... my son is on the way," he said, trying to reassure the room full of expectant faces. Today was a pivotal day—the day Malhotra Enterprises was set to officially collaborate with the Oberoi group. The only issue? Shu Kurenai was late, as usual.

Harsh Malhotra, Ayush's best friend and business partner, leaned in, his brows furrowed with concern. "Is he okay? Why is he taking so long?"

Ayush shifted uncomfortably. "Just another minute, Harsh, I'm sure he'll—"

Before Ayush could finish, Prisha, seated confidently across the table, interjected, her voice firm and controlled. "I'm sorry, but he has taken enough time. We can't delay the meeting any longer. We should start."

Ayush raised his hand slightly, almost pleading. "Just one more minute, Prisha."

Prisha glanced at her watch, her patience visibly wearing thin. Her sharp, calm gaze swept across the room, and she let out a quiet sigh of frustration.

Moments later, the door swung open, and Shu strode in, unapologetically late. His presence was commanding, his expression unbothered by the tension in the room. He scanned the faces around the table and immediately understood what had happened. He was late—again

" What took you so long, Vivaan?" Harsh asked.

Shu leaned back nonchalantly. "I got caught up with a friend. No big deal," he shrugged, his casual tone grating against the formality of the moment. "Anyway, let's get this meeting started."

Ayush said, his voice formal. "We're partnering with Malhotra's company for this new project. And this," he added, gesturing toward Prisha, "is Prisha Singhania. She'll be working closely with you on this collaboration."

The shock of seeing her here made Shu stop in his tracks for a moment. His eyes narrowed as he studied her, trying to make sense of the situation. She works in Harsh's uncle's company?

Ignoring his thoughts, Vivaan sat directly across from Prisha. he glanced at Prisha, her calm demeanor got under his skin. He wasn't used to people, especially girls, looking so unaffected in his presence.

Harsh exchanged a glance with Ayush and spoke up. "Prisha, please start the presentation."

Prisha stood up from her seat, her posture rigid with professionalism. "I'm sorry, but it's already too late. I won't be giving the presentation now."

Shu frowned. "Don't overreact. I'm only two hours late—"

Prisha cut him off, her voice sharp. "I'm sorry, Mr. Kurenai, but while these hours might not matter to you, they certainly matter to me. Punctuality is not just about time; it's about respect and responsibility, both of which you seem to lack." She turned toward Ayush, her resolve unshaken. "I can't continue with this project. You're welcome to hand it over to someone else, but I will not work with someone who dismisses the value of others' time and shows nothing but arrogance instead of offering a simple apology."

Shu's jaw tightened as he watched her walk out of the room, her every step echoing with finality. He was stunned. How could she just leave like that?

Ayush's voice cut through his thoughts, laced with frustration. "Vivaan! Look at what you've done!"

Shu crossed his arms, defiant. "I didn't do anything wrong."

Ayush's tone became urgent. "Apologize to her, Vivaan! Fix this."

Shu's eyes flashed with irritation. "I won't. We don't need her. We're perfectly capable of handling this project without her."

Harsh shook his head, stepping forward. "No, Vivaan, we do need her. She's the project leader."

Shu turned to him, his voice calm but firm. "Uncle, we can hand this responsibility to someone else. It's not a big deal—"

Ayush cut him off, his voice low and tense. "It is a big deal. Prisha's the reason the investors are on board. They trust her. If she walks away, so will they."

Harsh added softly, "This project means everything to both of our companies, Vivaan. Your mother and Reet's mother believe in you. Please, don't let them down."

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Heya!! How's this?

Any thoughts?

I know some of you may wondering that I haven't updated Love On Duty for ages and starting new book updates. I'm really sorry for this. It's just I'm suffering from Writer's block these days. But I promise to update this week.