(May 1)

A few tables away in the same restaurant, unknown to Khushi, two former college-mates were engaging in a discussion, which would directly affect her.

"So you've gone through the fine print. What do you think?" Sheetal asked the man sitting across from her.

Arnav Singh Raizada gave a last glance to the file labeled "Magnolia" in front of him. "You know what I think. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't interested."

"I knew this was too enticing for you to refuse. That is why I reached out to you," she stated coolly.

A couple of weeks ago, Sheetal had contacted Arnav with an offer that he apparently couldn't say no to. He had met her in Harvard Business School, some 8 years back. She was a legacy admission, the daughter of the famous Sunil Kapoor. They had dated for a few months finding similarities in the background that they came from, the social circles they frequented but that was about it. When it came to compatibility, it was quite clear to Arnav that they would never think along the same lines.

Arnav spoke, "I have done my research- Magnolia is small, currently, but has been carving a spot for itself. I see it going to the top in the future. This is a goose laying golden eggs and you want to sell it to me. Why? Why would you take such a decision? Give me an honest reason."

Sheetal didn't mince words. "Because I hate her."

Arnav knew that Sheetal was referring to Khushi, the young CEO. He could sense the poison in Sheetal's tone.

"I hate that my father gave half management control to her. I own the d*mn company but I can't control it fully. I don't care if it's the smallest company in the Kapoor Group. It was supposed to be mine. But if I can't have it, I won't let her keep it too," Sheetal answered his question.

She continued, "I can't fire her. She is a controlling partner. I tried to remove her by going to the board of directors but they prefer her to me because she can give them results. Selling to you is the best option."

"How is that the best option?" Arnav voiced his query, "You have a company which is doing so well, which is making you a lot of money and you don't even have to spend a fraction of the time that you spend in other companies. To me, that doesn't make much sense."

"Because you are thinking from a financial point of view without considering emotions," she reasoned.

Arnav smiled, "Businesses are done without emotions, Sheetal."

"So, in all these years, you've never taken down an enemy? Someone you hated personally?" she asked directly.

He smiled again, "If I start on a personal vendetta against everyone I hate, I wouldn't be where I am today. I make tough calls but it's all for my business. I don't have the time or need to enter this," he racked his brain, "This kitchen politics."

"It's not kitchen politics," Sheetal was offended, "I hate her-."

"-You hate her so you want to cripple yourself and take silly decisions," he interrupted her. "She doesn't even own Magnolia despite of building that company from the ground up. She is only a controlling partner for major decisions- which in itself are limited to very few. You own the entire thing. You get all the profit and the applause, without even lifting a finger."

"I told you," she stressed, "I don't care about this company."

"I can see that," he responded, "You are even willing to sell it to me for a price much lower than it's valuation. I am sure you'd find buyers who'd pay much more to you."

"But I don't want others," She proceeded to bare it all, "I chose you because the best thing is you are a corporate raider. You buy companies and them sell them for parts. When you buy this," she pointed at the Magnolia file, "You can do whatever the f*ck you want to with it."

"Does the CEO know that you're willing to sell? Wouldn't she be interested in buying?" Arnav referred to Khushi.

"Even if Khushi offers me double the amount, I'll still not sell it to her," Sheetal spat.

"That's a lot of hatred you have for her," he remarked, "For a girl who is not even the owner of the company that wouldn't exist in the first place if not for her."

"I don't care," Sheetal commented, "Whatever be the case, Magnolia is still a part of Kapoor Group. And I get to decide whom to sell."

"But," Arnav placed his chin in his hands; "I can't buy it immediately. Since you are not in full control, you can't sell it to me."

Sheetal shook her head, "For a major decision like sale, there will be a vote between the CEO and MD. She will vote against selling, I'll vote in favor. In case of a tie, the decision goes to the board of directors and like I said earlier, those people will always choose her side."

"So you need to find a way to not let the decision reach the board," Arnav elaborated, "You need to win at the 1st round of voting. But how can you? You said it yourself this Khushi will never vote to sell. Then how do I buy it?"

Sheetal curved her lips in a smirk, "This was a problem. But over the past 5 months, my team of lawyers have found a loophole- a way to get around my dad's dictate."

Arnav raised his eyebrows. Sheetal had his full attention.

Sheetal leant back on the plush leather chair, "My dad said that Magnolia's CEO and MD will have equal rights. His exact words were MD and CEO. Not our names. Not Sheetal and Khushi."

"But," Arnav interjected, "You can't fire her and get another CEO, you said it earlier. The board would never back you."

"I can't replace the CEO," she smirked, "but I can get another MD."

"What?"

Sheetal let out a small laugh, "She is the CEO, I am the over all group MD. Magnolia doesn't have a company MD. I can't fire her but I can hire a company MD. And this is where-."

"-where I come in," Arnav completed her sentence. "You make me the company MD. When the time to vote comes, it's 2 against 1. Khushi loses. You get to sell the company to me without the decision going to the board of directors. That's cold."

She smirked again, "That little b*tch won't see it coming."

"Why would your father leave such a loophole?" he inquired.

"Dad was fighting a terminal illness and was on his death bed when he had the lawyers draft it," she responded, "Who knows? Maybe he was fuzzy and was not thinking of the technicalities. And he didn't know how much I disliked Khushi."

"I thought you hated her because you couldn't fully control Magnolia," he commented, taking a sip of coffee.

"I never liked her since the first time I met her. She was in college, interning here. My dad would say that she is so bright, has a ton of great ideas, vision," Sheetal contorted her face in disdain, "I don't know what dad saw in her. But he let her take over Magnolia, which was very small then- just a startup. I didn't expect the company to last even for 1 quarter. Some how she did it. My dad only laid the foundation stone, everything else was her."

Arnav shook his head in disbelief. Sheetal herself acknowledged what Khushi had done for a company that she didn't even own. Maybe Sunil Kapoor was not lucid in his last moments. Else he would have made Khushi the owner, not just a controlling partner, Arnav deduced. From what Sheetal, a person who despised her, had said, Khushi sure deserved it.

Blind hatred could make people so oblivious, Arnav thought as he looked at Sheetal.

But," Sheetal suddenly spoke cautiously, "the next vote will happen in 3 months. Till then, we can't let anyone know the real reason of you becoming Magnolia's MD. I don't want Khushi trying to find a solution. For 3 months, you act as the company MD. And once the time to vote comes, you vote for me and buy Magnolia. It's a win-win for both of us."

Arnav contemplated her words. Sheetal was being shortsighted by impulsively wanting to sell Magnolia. This company, built by Khushi, was in for the long haul. He had done his due diligence and he knew Magnolia if headed by the current CEO would go a long way. Yet, Sheetal was being petty and emotional. She was letting sentiments of hatred against Khushi affect her professionalism.

To him, that was good. If Sheetal's plan worked, in 3 months, he would be the owner of a company with huge potential. Once he owned it, he could sell the trademark 'Magnolia' brand to a rival for a hefty price. The remaining assets- the land, the factory, the office could then be sold separately. The price to buy it from Sheetal was nothing compared to the gains.

He took his pen out of the breast pocket of his suit and signed on the dotted line. Arnav was now the MD of Magnolia.

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***{Magnolia Headoffice}***

"Lavanya," Khushi called out to her as she made her way to the cabin, after lunch, "Please contact the PR from Channel 18 for rescheduling the earlier meeting. In fact connect me directly with the guy."

"Ma'am," Lavanya's spoke in an alert tone, "You have a visitor in your office."

Khushi knew who it was before she walked in.

"Sheetal," she said as coolly as possible, "What brings you here?"

Sheetal was standing near the tall glass window, looking out, "I can't visit one of my own companies?"

"Oh, you consider Magnolia your own company?" Khushi retorted, though keeping the calmness in her voice, "then why did you cancel my meeting for an ad today? Wouldn't that have helped us?"

"That ad was a small fish. It wouldn't have mattered anyway," Sheetal waved her hand, "I have some big news for you."

Khushi felt something tighten in her stomach. She could feel something big was being planned.

"I have hired an MD for the company."

"Magnolia already has an MD- you." Khushi pointed out.

"I am the MD of the entire group but how can I possibly manage everything?" Sheetal feigned concern. "So I am bringing in a company MD- to help us both out."

Sheetal walked to the couch in Khushi's office and picked her leather handbag, "He starts tomorrow. Please make him feel welcome." Saying so she walked toward the exit. Before leaving, she turned around, "O and his name is Arnav Singh Raizada."

Once Sheetal left, Khushi immediately called Lavanya to her cabin.

"I want you to find everything you can on a man called Arnav Singh Raizada," Khushi ordered her.

"Of course," Lavanya answered and asked, concerned, "What's going on?"

Khushi looked out of her office window at the setting sun. The scenery was serene but she had this unsettling feeling in her gut, "I think... a war."

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