A New Dawn for NovaTech

August 6, 2009 – 9:00 AM

Jadavpur, Kolkata

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft golden streaks across the wooden floors of Aritra's residence. The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air as Ishita, his secretary, arrived promptly, a folder tucked neatly under her arm and a professional yet slightly hurried demeanor.

Aritra sat at the dining table, casually sipping his coffee, waiting for the inevitable reaction. As Ishita stepped inside, her eyes flickered over to Katherine, who was seated at the far end of the table, dressed in an oversized sweatshirt and sipping her own coffee. Ishita's usually composed face faltered for just a moment before she quickly schooled her features.

Aritra smirked slightly. "Ishita, this is Katherine. My wife."

For the first time in years, Ishita visibly blinked in surprise. "Your what?"

Katherine, noticing her reaction, set down her cup and offered a polite but neutral nod. "Nice to meet you."

Ishita's expression shifted between disbelief and masked curiosity. She turned to Aritra, her lips parting slightly as if forming a hundred different questions, but then exhaled and settled into her usual professional demeanor. "I… wasn't aware this happened."

"Now you are," Aritra replied smoothly. "Shall we?"

Still clearly processing, Ishita took a seat, straightening her posture. She cast one last glance at Katherine before flipping open her folder and clearing her throat. "The China issue has finally been resolved. The necessary modifications to OmniLink's framework have been implemented, and regulatory approvals have been secured. As of last night, full functionality has been restored in the region."

Aritra exhaled slightly, setting his cup down. "That was faster than expected."

Ishita nodded, though a slight crease remained on her forehead. "Yes. Thanks to our partners smoothing the process behind the scenes, we were able to bypass most of the delays. User retention in China has held steady, and we're seeing a gradual increase in daily active users. Market confidence has stabilized."

Katherine remained silent, knowing this was not her place to interfere, but she listened intently, absorbing every detail.

Aritra leaned back, fingers tapping lightly against the armrest. "We'll keep contingency plans in place. What about the other updates?"

Ishita's eyes gleamed as she turned the page. "This is big. The first ten episodes of each anime series have now aired, and the numbers are staggering. Average viewership per episode has crossed 180 million, and engagement levels are through the roof."

Aritra smirked. "Any surprises?"

"A few. Chrono Dominion is leading, but Celestial Contracts has unexpectedly gained a cult following, especially in North America. The international response is exceeding all projections."

Aritra nodded. "I expected Chrono Dominion to dominate, but Celestial Contracts? That's interesting. Merchandising sales?"

Ishita flipped to another page. "Already reflecting the growth. Pre-orders for official figures and collectibles have skyrocketed. Licensing negotiations for localized streaming in Europe are also underway."

Aritra's fingers steepled together as he processed the information. "Good. Keep pushing distribution deals, but hold firm on licensing terms. No unnecessary compromises."

Ishita made a note. "Understood. Now, on to NovaTech. We've officially sold 250 million units of Nova One."

There was a pause before Katherine let out a low whistle. She hadn't planned to say anything, but that number caught her off guard.

Aritra chuckled. "It's only the beginning."

"The impact has been immense," Ishita added. "Our market dominance is solidified. The price strategy worked—gradually increasing the cost as demand surged helped us maximize profit margins without slowing momentum."

Aritra nodded. "And the headquarters?"

"The main structure is already in place. The internal framework is being finalized, and we should be operational in four to five months. The design team has ensured that it meets the highest technological standards."

"Good," Aritra said, exhaling slightly. "Anything else?"

Ishita flipped through the last few pages. "A few minor concerns—supply chain logistics for the next-gen NovaTech devices need slight optimization. Component shortages are causing minor delays, but nothing critical. Also, a small faction of shareholders is pushing for more aggressive market expansion. They believe we should prioritize an aggressive buyout strategy for smaller tech firms."

Aritra considered this. "Tell them we move at our own pace. Expansion is inevitable, but hostile takeovers aren't part of our current approach."

Ishita made another note. "I'll handle it."

He exhaled, standing up and stretching slightly. "Alright. Keep me posted on further developments."

Ishita stood as well, closing the folder. Before leaving, she gave Katherine another quick glance, curiosity still evident in her expression, though she remained professional. "It was nice meeting you, Katherine."

Katherine, finally looking up from her coffee, nodded. "You too."

As Ishita exited, the room settled into a momentary silence before Katherine leaned back in her chair, arms crossed. "That was… intense."

Aritra smirked. "You'll get used to it."

She studied him for a moment before raising an eyebrow. "You always think ten steps ahead, don't you?"

He simply smirked. "Always."

As the weight of the discussion settled, Aritra glanced at the clock. Another long day awaited, but for now, he allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction. The world was shifting in his favor—and he was making sure it stayed that way.

To be continued…