The Indian Tycoon's Marriage Deal

by Adite Banerjie

  The arrogant challenge and the supercilious look in his eyes were Maya’s undoing. ‘You sure you are up to it?’ she countered with relish.

  Her wild side kicked in. She headed for the dance floor, Krish a step behind her. She could feel his warm breath on her back; his masculine scent enveloped her, making her nerve-endings tingle.

  Starting off like a couple of combatants on the dance floor, Krish and Maya moved to the beat of the music, intuitively anticipating and syncing their movements with each other. Maya was soon absorbed in the passionate ritual of doing the tango. Swirling and twirling…Sexy and intimate, they danced in perfect unison as the guests watched, enthralled. As Maya’s voluptuous curves fitted into his lean, muscular frame, they looked as if they had been practising the tango for years. Not missing a beat. Enjoying every pulsating moment as their bodies twirled as one.

  * * *

  KD stood at the top of the stairs, surveying the scene before him. On his fifty-fifth birthday, he could look back with pride on a career studded with milestones: youngest rising entrepreneur at twenty, most ambitious successful takeover bid at thirty-two and chairman of a Fortune 500 group by the time he had hit fifty years. The Dev Group of Enterprises’ stocks had continued their reign on the top of the stock exchange even as competitors struggled to ride the tsunami-like waves that had hit the economy. DGE’s brand equity was at its pinnacle and his own personal worth put him among the richest men in the country. And they were all here to raise a toast to him—the doyens of Corporate India, the glitzy Bollywood stars, the movers and shakers of the political world.

  He had vowed to anoint his son as heir to his business empire on his fifty-fifth birthday. He still had a few hours to achieve his target—of overcoming opposition to his well laid out plan from his recalcitrant, rebellious son and reluctant heir to DGE.

  A lot hinged on this one move for KD. The next phase of expansion for DGE needed not just an infusion of financial investment but also fresh young blood to harness new opportunities. Who better than a Dev to stand at the helm of the group and help it scale greater heights? Part of the plan involved the takeover of the Mittal Group. Mittal’s hospitality business had been in trouble for some time. KD was well aware of the fact that a couple of his rivals had made lucrative offers to Surya Mittal, whom he had known for well over twenty-five years. But Surya Mittal was an astute businessman who would not be content with top-dollar alone for a company that had been nurtured by his family for three generations. Selling out would make him look like a loser and KD knew Surya well enough to realise that he would do anything to save his personal reputation and family prestige.

  Not one to let an opportunity go by, KD had made Mittal an offer he couldn’t refuse—he’d asked for his daughter’s hand for his only son. The matrimonial alliance would pave the way for a friendly takeover of Mittal’s company. Mittal had jumped at the chance to salvage his incredibly fragile business situation without losing face. From KD’s point of view, the marriage-cum-business merger would bolster DGE’s prime position as the market leader in the hospitality sector and would provide him with the perfect opportunity to rope in his recalcitrant son as heir to his empire.

  KD spotted Viren Saxena, his college mate turned trusted flunky, escorting Surya, his wife, Amrita, and daughter, Amisha, towards him. Viren had stuck with him through thick and thin, and had virtually become a part of the Dev family. He couldn’t imagine DGE without Viren. Or, for that matter, even taking a personal decision without first discussing it with his confidant. And, for now, only Viren was privy to the deal he’d struck with Surya.

  KD approached the Mittals, arms stretched in welcome. ‘Surya, Amrita…it’s so good to see you!’ As Amisha bent to touch his feet in the traditional mark of respect, KD hugged her. ‘Jug jug jeeyo, beta! God bless you, my child.’

  After exchanging pleasantries, Amrita and Amisha turned away to greet other acquaintances. Surya looked anxiously at KD. ‘I hope the plan still stands.’

  ‘Of course it does,’ KD reassured him. ‘Tonight is the perfect occasion to announce the coming together of the Mittal and Dev families. We’re going to be not just business partners but samdhis!’

  KD hailed a drinks server and picked up two glasses of Scotch, offering one to Mittal, who raised it in salute. ‘I’m honoured to be your in-law.’

  As they discussed the details of the imminent announcement, Surya’s attention was drawn to the dance floor, where a couple tangoed with passionate abandon. ‘Seems like the party is off to a great start…KD, woh ladki kaun hai? Is she one of the supermodels who featured on your calendar last year?’

  KD’s indulgent smile froze on his face as he whipped out, ‘Pehle kabhi dekha nahin, never seen her before.’

  * * *

  Maya felt a twinge of regret when the sizzling-hot dance ended with its customary flourish. The tango was a dance that required synchronised moves. And she was amazed how effortlessly this perfect stranger had guided her. So much so that she had lost herself in the passion of the dance. Now he was raising her arched back gently. Their lips were a heartbeat away from each other. Maya closed her eyes, savouring the moment. Unable to resist her inviting lips and the sweet sensation of having this gorgeous woman in his arms, Krish threw caution to the winds and brought his mouth down on hers, teasing her lips and drawing a passionate response even as he heard her gasp of surprise.

  Thunderous applause broke around them. Her face flushed a delicate pink as she pulled away from Krish’s embrace. But he wouldn’t let her go. Giving her an intimate wink, he bowed theatrically to the applause. ‘Still think I am not your type?’

  Before she could retort, Maya found herself staring into the face of a stranger. Krish turned around to see who had caught Maya’s attention. It was Rohan.

  ‘What is it, Rohan?’ Krish barked.

  Rohan mumbled, ‘I’m sorry but I have to speak to you in private.’

  Krish excused himself to Maya and glared at Rohan. ‘Make it quick.’

  Rohan whispered into Krish’s ear. ‘I just overheard a conversation between KD and Mittal…’

  Maya gazed around the ballroom. She thought she spotted a Bollywood star holding forth as the people around him hung on to his every word. There were celebrities sprinkled like confetti all around, she mused, and wondered if she’d even get a chance to speak to KD. Krish seemed too preoccupied and she’d lost the chance to ask him for an introduction to KD.

  That was when she saw him, marching down the hall straight towards her. Maya froze. She’d seen his picture in the newspapers and on television, but the shock of coming face to face with the man whom she had vowed revenge against still hit her like a body blow. She felt the bile rising as her emotions churned with every step that he took towards her. He stopped just a few feet away from her as Krish spoke up. ‘Hello, Dad!’

  KD acknowledged the greeting with an imperceptible nod as he bit out sharply, ‘How like my son to steal his father’s thunder! But it’s good to see you having a great time.’

  Dad? Son? It took Maya a couple of seconds before realisation swept through her befuddled mind. The surge of hot emotion was tamped by the realisation of cold fact—Krish was the son of the man she hated most in the whole wide world! Oh my God! How could she have missed such an important detail? She’d researched the tycoon’s family history but nowhere had she found any mention of a son. Yes, she’d seen the rare article about KD’s reclusive late wife, Suvarna, a descendant of the royal family of Dungargarh. But…son? And how on earth had she winded up dancing with the enemy, not to forget locking lips with him?

  KD was sizing up Maya. His hostility was perceptible but he had too much savvy to let it affect his demeanour. ‘Won’t you introduce me to your lovely friend, Krish?’

  Taking a deep breath and calming her jumpy nerves, Maya flashed a weak smile. ‘Many happy returns of the day, Mr Dev. I’m Maya.’ Try as she might, she couldn’t bring herself to say that it was a pleasure to meet him.

 
; Krish cut in smoothly. ‘Dad, remember Kavita Dayal’s landscaping marvel for the British High Commission? That was based on Maya’s design.’

  Maya looked as if the rug had been pulled from under her. How did he know that she worked for Kavita Dayal? And why hadn’t he said anything to her? What was his game? Her brain was buzzing with questions to which she had no answers.

  KD barely acknowledged Maya’s presence. ‘Krish, come with me. I have an important announcement to make.’

  Krish mentally thanked Rohan for tipping him off about his dad’s imminent announcement. He’d known for some time now that Surya Mittal was in financial trouble. Heck, the whole industry knew it. KD had not only grabbed the opportunity but he’d played a master stroke—one that would ensure he’d keep a firm grasp over Mittal’s business interests under the guise of a family wedding. The only problem with this cosy little arrangement was that it was his fate being decided upon and he had no intention of becoming a pawn in his father’s chess game. It also meant that his plan of pitching his proposal to Maya was about to go down the tube. KD’s two-birds-with-one-stone strategy would mean the death of his own dreams, of his plan to get away from his father’s clutches and establish his own enterprise. Unless…

  Could he salvage his plan? Maya was his only hope. Ignoring the fury in her eyes, he caught her hand and weaved his fingers through hers. This was going to be risky, but heck, he wasn’t going to be yet another victim of his dad’s endless manipulation. He took in a deep breath and said, ‘I know it’s your big day, Dad. But I have a small announcement of my own to make.’

  KD’s eyebrows shot sky-high as he growled, ‘Really? I’m all ears.’

  ‘There’s something you need to know about Maya,’ Krish said, scanning Maya’s wide-eyed expression.

  Maya’s heart stopped thundering for a nano-fraction of a second.

  ‘Maya is my fiancée.’

  Krish’s words sent shockwaves all around. KD’s face turned stony as he glared at Krish. Disbelief and confusion swept through Maya, spilling through her eyes as she glared at him.

  ‘Are you out of your mind, Krish? You are going to marry a girl like her?’ KD bellowed.

  KD’s angry words barely registered as Maya’s mind struggled to make sense of Krish’s declaration. The blood was pounding in her ears as Krish’s next words to KD slammed through her consciousness.

  ‘You should be happy, Dad. I have finally found the girl I want to spend my life with. We are getting married next week.’

  CHAPTER TWO

  MAYA DASHED OUT of the ballroom and on to the street, her heart still racing, her mind still trying to make sense of Krish’s wild proposition. She’d had just one glass of wine so she definitely wasn’t drunk. Maybe that was what rich, bored playboys like Krish did for entertainment—play silly pranks on unsuspecting girls. But even that didn’t make sense—he knew about her work at the British High Commission. Of course! It was Krish who’d sent her the invitation and she’d stupidly jumped to the conclusion that it was KD. Was it just a ruse to get her to the party to proposition her? But why? Who, in his right mind, would propose marriage to a girl he’d just met? That too, when as heir to the Dev business empire he could have his pick of the hottest girls in the country? And she didn’t even want to think about that scorcher of a kiss! What was his game?

  As she grappled with Krish’s mind-boggling proposal, an auto-rickshaw honked loudly and screeched to a halt beside her. ‘Madam, yahan sawaari milna mushkil hai. Aapko kahan jaana hai? You’re unlikely to find a cab or an auto here at this hour. Where do you want to go?’

  Right. And she’d no desire to trek to the taxi stand, which was more than a mile away, in her five-inch stilettos and her backless party dress! With a terse nod, she got into the auto and instructed the driver, ‘Hauz Khas chalo.’

  * * *

  It had all gone wrong. Krish contemplated how the evening had turned into such a disaster. Except, of course, for that soul-stirring, passion-filled dance. Where had that come from? He really needed to get a grip on himself. How long had it been since he’d slept with a woman? Granted, Maya was an extremely attractive woman, but there was no need for him to trip over her. For God’s sake, he had behaved like an adolescent with raging hormones, not a man of the world who was used to dating some of the most ravishing women in India. He smiled as he recalled how she had so easily labelled him as a playboy.

  But it wasn’t all bad. If nothing else, he had stymied KD’s plans for a big, splashy announcement of an engagement between himself and Amisha. The media would have gone nuts over it. Their rivals would have marvelled at the business chutzpah of such a match, finally leading up to The Great Indian Wedding in a blitz of opulence and media hype. That was not going to happen. Never. He had bought himself some time by proposing to Maya. So the evening hadn’t been such a disaster after all. He only hoped he had not completely screwed his chances with her. She was an integral part of his overall game plan. And he could not fail!

  KD had been furious at his announcement—and Krish had expected nothing else. But, as he’d tried to calm his father down, Maya had disappeared. It had taken Krish a while to realise that she was not in the ballroom and by the time he had sprinted out of the hotel in search of her she had disappeared into the night.

  His BlackBerry buzzed urgently with a text: ‘I’m at the Penthouse suite on the twenty-first floor. Don’t keep me waiting.’

  Krish scowled. KD had issued his imperial order. Just like he had on his graduation day from Pennsylvania University, eight years ago. He had been in the midst of a wild party at his pad in Philadelphia with his friends, celebrating making it into Harvard. The music wasn’t loud enough to drown out the insistent phone. It was his dad—summoning him back to India. Krish’s protests had died on his lips as soon as he heard that his mother was very ill. He’d taken the first flight out and arrived in Delhi, only to find out that his father had lied to him. Krish had seethed at the subterfuge but his father was unrepentant. KD wanted him to join the family business and put his foreign education to some use. It was payback time. Krish’s protests that he had earned a scholarship to study at one of the most prestigious business schools were brushed aside as so much nonsense. ‘No business school can teach you what the school of hard knocks can,’ KD had declared. At first Krish had railed against his father’s diktat. Then pleaded. But to no avail. Finally it was his mother who had made his father see reason.

  Krish entered the elevator and stabbed the ‘Penthouse’ button angrily. He’d never figured out how she’d managed to convince him. As the elevator swished open directly into the penthouse’s plush gold-and-blue living room, Krish pushed away his thoughts. The bitterness he felt towards his father had a complicated history and it was pointless to dwell on it. A sense of déjà vu filled Krish as he geared up to face off with KD yet again.

  KD was waiting for him, a tumbler of Scotch in his hand, on the terrace lawn of the penthouse, which afforded a spectacular view of the Delhi skyline. In the distance, Krish could see the distinctive dome of the pink stone Humayun’s Tomb, a regal backdrop to the modern expressway that arched in front of it. Row upon row of lights sparkled on the expressway as cars streaked away to the furthest corners of the city.

  KD swilled his drink and faced him. ‘Care to tell me what that was all about?’

  ‘How about offering me a drink first? After all, I will soon be marrying one of the most gorgeous women in town.’

  ‘You want me to celebrate the fact that I have a fool for a son? Or should I rejoice at the thought that I will soon be shelling out a huge amount of money to get rid of your “gorgeous” troublemaker?’

  Krish had known his father would go for the jugular. Subtlety had never been one of his virtues. ‘I don’t expect your blessing but would it be too much to show my fiancée some respect?’

  ‘You want me to show respect to a two-bit gold-digger with whom you spent a few nights?’

  ‘Let’s not trade insults,’
Krish shot back sharply.

  ‘Fine, you had fun with her. Good for you. Take her to Thailand, the Swiss Alps, Timbuktoo, for all I care. Work her out of your system or, if you can’t, she can be your mistress. But, for God’s sake, Krish, do you have to marry her?’

  Krish’s determination to stay cool was being sorely tested. ‘I’m not asking you for suggestions on how to live my life. I’m marrying Maya and that’s final.’

  KD exhaled slowly, trying to keep his temper on a leash. There was a lot at stake here and he needed Krish on his side. This girl was a complication that needed to be dealt with, swiftly. He put his arm around his son. ‘Listen to me, Krish. Marriage is an important milestone. You can’t tie the knot with the first girl you think you are in love with.’

  Krish repressed a snort at that. Love didn’t come into KD’s scheme at all. For that matter, it didn’t in his either. But one thing was for sure—he and his father had totally divergent reasons for that. ‘There’s nothing to discuss. As I said, my decision is final and there is nothing you can say or do to change my mind.’

  KD controlled himself. Barely. ‘I have given my word to the Mittals that you and Amisha will have the grandest wedding ever seen in India this Diwali. You want me to call it off and lose face?’

  Anger flashed in Krish’s eyes. ‘You didn’t think it necessary to ask my opinion before you took a decision about my life?’

  ‘It’s not just your life, son. It’s about the Dev family!’

  ‘A wedding in Diwali and a takeover of the Mittal group in the New Year? Was that your plan?’ Krish smiled coolly at the look of surprise on his father’s face. ‘So, it’s just another business deal that you have struck with the Mittals. Well, I want no part of it.’

  KD was a hair’s breadth away from losing his composure. ‘Krish! It’s more than a business deal. It’s the coming together of two families…Besides, you will never find a better girl than Amisha to be your wife.’