Chapter 10

Aria's POV 

Aria spotted them before they spotted her.

Her father, Vijay Nair, carried himself with the same unshakable authority he always had, his salt-and-pepper hair immaculately styled, his suit perfectly tailored. Years of commanding boardrooms had given him a presence that filled any space he entered. Beside him, her younger brother, Aryan, was the spitting image of the man—tall, self-assured, and every bit the golden boy their father had groomed him to be.

She braced herself as they approached.

"Aria." Her father's voice was clipped, his sharp gaze raking over her as though assessing a business prospect. "Didn't think you'd actually come this year."

Aria forced a polite smile. "Well, I was invited."

"Mm." He barely nodded, his expression impassive. Then, with a casual glance around the opulent ballroom, he said, "It's good you're here. You can finally put all this work nonsense behind you and find someone to take care of you." His tone was as indifferent as if he were discussing the weather. "Plenty of prospects here. God knows I've tried."

Aria's fingers clenched around the stem of her wine glass. The words weren't new. They'd been thrown at her since she was old enough to have dreams of her own.

Aryan chuckled lightly. "Dad, don't start that again. You know Aria's married to her job."

A dismissive scoff left their father. "And what good has that done her?" He shook his head as if he truly couldn't fathom why she'd chosen ambition over a pre-determined future. "At the end of the day, a woman's success is measured by the family she builds, not the deals she closes."

Before Aria could fire back, a smooth, deep voice interrupted.

"Mr. Nair."

Her father turned, his expression shifting into something more pleasant as Kabir Oberoi strode toward them.

The two men shook hands firmly, exchanging the kind of practiced pleasantries men of their stature often did.

Aria inhaled sharply, suddenly hyper-aware of Kabir's presence. Dressed in a deep charcoal suit, the crisp lines of his attire only accentuated the natural confidence he carried. He looked effortlessly in control, every movement precise and assured.

His gaze flickered to her for the briefest moment before settling back on her father. Then, with a smirk, he said, "I didn't know Aria was your daughter."

Vijay raised an eyebrow. "You know my daughter?"

Kabir let out a soft chuckle. "Oh, very well." His smirk deepened, his tone as smooth as silk. "Makes sense now—you're both cut from the same cloth." He paused, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "Except, of course, she's much more pleasing to look at."

A muscle in Aria's jaw twitched, but Kabir wasn't done.

"A rare gem," he continued, lifting his glass slightly. "Beauty with brains."

Her father frowned slightly, but Kabir's voice remained casual, effortless.

"You see, Mr. Nair, I first saw Aria in action at the Taj property launch a few years ago." He exhaled as if reliving the moment. "Watching her work that event was like watching magic unfold in real time. The way she orchestrated everything—the strategy, the execution—flawless."

Aria felt her breath hitch.

Kabir smirked, as if sensing her reaction, and turned back to her father.

"It's why I personally invited her agency to pitch for Veda Islands." His voice held an undeniable weight. "And let me tell you, sir—she didn't just pitch." He let the words hang for a second, savoring the effect. "She left us speechless."

Vijay's expression flickered—just slightly. A microexpression most wouldn't catch, but Aria did.

Aryan shifted beside their father, his brows lifting in mild surprise.

And then, Kabir turned to her, his voice lighter now, but no less impactful.

"Congratulations, Ms. Nair." His lips curled slightly. "You've won the Veda Islands account."

Silence stretched between them.

For the first time in a long time, Aria didn't know what to say.

She barely registered the stunned look on her father's face or the way Aryan's head snapped toward her in disbelief. All she could focus on was the way her heart slammed against her ribs.

She had won.

Veda Islands was hers.

She had fought for this, had poured everything into this pitch. And now, victory was hers.

And yet…

Kabir's gaze flickered to her hand, to the way her fingers tightened ever so slightly around the stem of her glass.

Damn him.

He knew.

Their eyes met, and for the briefest of moments, something unspoken passed between them.

A silent acknowledgment.

A quiet understanding.

Then, Aria schooled her features, tilting her chin slightly. With a graceful lift of her glass, she said smoothly, "Of course." Her voice didn't waver. "I didn't doubt it for a second."

But Kabir's smirk told her he saw right through her bravado.

Her fingers flexed against the glass, and his gaze lingered just long enough to let her know—he noticed. He always noticed.

Vijay cleared his throat, finally finding his voice. "Well," he said, forcing an unreadable expression back onto his face. "It seems you've done well for yourself."

It wasn't praise, not exactly. But it was as close as she would ever get from him.

Aria allowed herself a small, fleeting moment of victory before turning back toward the crowd.

And just as she did, she caught Kabir watching her, his gaze lingering a fraction too long.

For the first time that evening, she didn't look away first.