Story
✨ The heavy mahogany double doors of the study remained slightly ajar, letting in the sharp, mocking laughter echoing from the hallway. Inside, the room was dimly lit, save for the amber glow of a solitary desk lamp casting long shadows across towering stacks of corporate files and ledger books.
At the center of it all sat **Devraj**, loosening his silk tie with fingers that felt unusually heavy. He stared blankly at the polished mahogany surface, though his mind was miles away, replaying the cold, shattering arguments of his childhood—the slamming doors, the venomous words exchanged between his parents, and the quiet realization that love was nothing more than a slow-burning trap.
The door pushed open wider without a knock.
His younger brother, Kunal, strolled in wearing a designer jacket that cost more than a mid-level manager’s monthly salary. Kunal leaned casually against the edge of the desk, eyeing the expensive fountain pen resting near Devraj’s hand.
"I need fifty lakhs transferred to the primary account by tomorrow morning," Kunal said lazily, checking his watch as if he were asking for a glass of water. "The new partners in Goa are finalizing the luxury car import venture. Don't make a fuss about it like you always do."
Devraj didn't look up immediately. He slowly closed the corporate merger report he had been reviewing since midnight. "That venture failed audit compliance last week, Kunal. The risk assessment flagged it as a liability."
"Oh, spare me the corporate lecture!" Kunal scoffed, his voice instantly sharp and dripping with condescension. "You’ve always been obsessed with control, hiding behind these boring spreadsheets while the rest of us actually want to live. You treat this house like a prison camp because you're miserable. Just sign the damn transfer and stop acting like a martyr."
Before Devraj could speak, their sister stepped into the doorway, her arms crossed, her expression twisted in annoyance. "Are you still arguing with him? Just make him pay, Kunal. It’s not like he has anything else to do with his money—he doesn't have a wife, a life, or anyone who actually cares about him. He's just our personal bank."
They didn't wait for an answer. With a final scoff, Kunal turned on his heel, leaving the door wide open as they walked away down the corridor, their laughter fading into the echoing silence of the massive mansion.
Devraj sat motionless in the quiet room. A dull ache throbbed behind his temples. They didn't know—none of them knew—that the accounts were tightening, or that he was quietly liquidating his personal assets to cover the massive debts Kunal had accumulated six months ago just to keep the family name out of the financial press. He protected them fiercely, absorbing every insult, every ounce of resentment, believing it was the only useful purpose he served.
A sharp, rhythmic tap of a heavy walking cane echoed against the marble floor outside.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop. **Dadi (The Grandmother)** stood at the doorway, her silhouette sharp and imposing against the hallway lights. Her silver hair was tied in a strict bun, and her eyes—piercing and relentless—locked onto him.
"Close your books, Devraj," she commanded, her voice cutting through the air like glass. "The accountants can wait. I cannot."
Devraj let out a slow, quiet breath, pulling a hand down his face before looking up at the matriarch who held the family's ancient traditions above everything else.
"What is it, Dadi? It's past midnight," he said, his voice flat, drained of any emotion.
"It is time," Dadi said, stepping into the room and placing a thick, gold-embossed leather folder right on top of his ledger. "Your cousins are producing heirs, our rivals are expanding their bloodlines, and this house is rotting from the inside out with a bunch of ungrateful children who don't know the value of a legacy."
She tapped the leather folder with her cane.
"You will marry. You will give me a great-grandson to inherit this empire. I have already shortlisted the matches from families that respect our stature. Your cynical notions about love and your parents' failures are irrelevant. By the end of this month, you will choose a bride, or I will choose one for you."
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